Mai was filing when she backed into something. She sighed, embarrassed to have hit the bookshelf, again.
Mai wiggled a bit, confused. It felt softer than that. And warm. Warm Bookshelves?
"Mai." Naru scolded into her ear. Mai's muscles locked, frozen like a deer. Heart pounding against her chest at what she now realized was Naru's body heat pressed against her back. How was it that she always managed to get herself in these sort of situations with Naru? It was so embarrassing.
Not two weeks ago she had fallen from the chair she stood on to set up a camera. And as bad as falling would have been on its own, of course she had fallen on Naru. The worst part was that it wasn't all limbs and elbows and crashing. No, he had somehow managed to catch her. His hands gripping her along the waist, he had held her until her feet found purchase on the ground and her face came to a gentle stop on his chest.
Her heart had almost stopped.
Now here she was, smashed into Naru again. In less than a month she had violated the no touching rule in a huge way, not once, but twice. He was going to be cross. There was just no getting around it. He was going to—
Hot breath flowed lazily along her exposed neck.
Mai's brain blanked. She gasped, an involuntary shiver running down her spine. The hair on her arms raising.
By the time Mai could get her brain to work again Naru was across the room. Walking, notebook in hand, and mumbling to himself.
"The presentation of horripilation on the neck and vasodilation of a majority of the facial area. Fascinating."
"Naru?" Mai caught his attention and the question froze on her lips.
"I left a file for you on the desk." He explained.
"Did you… did you just?"
Naru stared at her, his finger tapping against the side of his notebook as he waited for her to continue.
"Nevermind." Mai finished lamely.
Of course he hadn't.
Eight Months Later
"Oh! Mai! This one, you have to get this one." Keiko yelled waving the book over her head.
Mai cringed at her friend's volume. While it was true that they were in a bookstore and not a library she couldn't help but feel that the rule of conversing in no more than a whisper applied here as well.
"Shhh," she admonished Keiko, swiping the book from her hand in attempt to quiet her friend.
Mai's discomfort rose as she took a good look at what her friend had recommended. Her cheeks flushing to match the twilight blend of rosy hues on the cover. Mai could barely bring herself to look at the couple embraced there. The way the pair gazed at one another, their lips so close, the woman pulling him nearer as he held her. There was something about them that made Mai uncomfortable. And the slit on that dress was no help. Just what kind of book was Keiko wanting her to buy?
"Keiko, I don't think", Mai winced reading the ridiculous title, "'Shadows of the Heart', is really for me."
"You'll love it, I promise!"
Mai gave the cover another look. "No, I, Keiko the author's name is Doki Ai that is, just, that is ridiculous. How can you—"
"Well obviously they are writing under a fake name. But did you know that it was published by a publishing house here in Tokyo and a partner chapter in London at the same time. The rumor is that the manuscript was brought in English to the Tokyo branch and they had it translated before the London branch was given their copy. Do you know what that means?" Keiko asked, brisling with excitement.
Mai shook her head.
"It means the author is here, somewhere in Tokyo!"
"Why do you even know this?" Mai asked. Though she wondered if the better question would be, why Keiko would want to know this.
"Well I am the vice chair of the Doki Ai fan club." Keiko pulled her bag forward pointing to a pin on the front that showed a large purple heart casting a shadow version of itself in a reddish grey against a peach background that was too close to the color of the book cover to have been a coincidence.
"The Doki Ai fan club?" Mai worried that all her time at work had left her friend without a sorely needed source of guidance. Maybe she would talk to Naru about reducing her hours.
"They are a fan group." A young woman near them interjected into the conversation. Mai noticed that she had the same pin as Keiko next to the store issued name badge on her shirt. "It is our goal to share Doki Ai's work with the world. As well as to one day discover their true identity!" The clerk finished with a flourish.
She and Keiko looked at each other, their faces flush with excitement as they bowed and gave their introductions. Propriety taken care of the clerk, Ando, proceeded to ask Keiko about an upcoming fandom event.
Mai had a rush of sympathy for whoever Doki Ai was, with crazy fans like this, perhaps it was better that they stay hidden.
"Thanks, but I think I am good." Mai said, offering the book back to Keiko.
"Read it Mai. You'll love it, I swear." Keiko begged.
"What is it even about?" Mai asked.
"Well there is this girl named Maddy and she is a university student."
"That's her on the cover." Ando pointed to the scantily clad female on the cover. "You know now that I look at it again you kind of look like her."
Keiko looked at the picture and then squinted at Mai. "I guess I could see that, If you ever grew any real boobs Mai."
"Keiko!" Mai reprimanded.
Keiko only shrugged and continued.
"She goes to do a summer internship in this little village in Northern England and there she meets, Noland." Keiko continued, Ando's finger sliding to the second half of the couple for clarification.
"He's a vampire." Ando cut in.
"And super dreamy," Keiko added. "But Maddy doesn't know that."
"She doesn't know he's dreamy?" Mai asked, thinking this girl sounded like kind of an idiot.
"Oh no, well yeah actually, at first she doesn't really like him, but that changes pretty quick." Keiko clarified. "I meant she doesn't know he is a vampire. Noland ends up hiring her to help him get his estate in order after she snuck onto his property and accidently broke a fancy vase."
"I think it was all a ploy to keep her around though, I mean what did he care about that vase? And why would you want to keep someone that clumsy around all your other priceless artifacts?" Ando pointed out.
"Oh totally. Just plot device," Keiko agreed. "Anyway, so then she is— Isn't that your boss Mai?"
Mai turned to follow Keiko's gaze.
"Wow. It is. I don't know if I have ever seen him out of the batcave like this. Lin usually runs the errands."
"Oh. My. God. You know what I just realized." Keiko was nearly jumping in place. "He looks just like Noland!"
"What! Where?" Ando squealed.
"Right there, in the black." Keiko replied pointing across the room. Mai wished she could make herself invisible for the next five minutes. Her gut was telling her this was only going to get worse.
Ando grabbed Keiko's shoulder to steady herself. Before letting out a pterodactyl screech of excitement. The entirety of the store turned in their direction. And worse, so did Naru. Annoyance shifting to recognition as he stared in their direction.
Was he starting this way?
Points for her gut. It was now worse.
"Naru." Mai greeted as he approached. Hoping against hope that she could in some way distract him from the strange gurgling that was coming from the two women behind her.
"Mai." He replied a wary eye still trained over her shoulder.
"What are you doing here?" Mai knew she had to make this quick lest she explode from the embarrassment.
"Buying books." Naru replied matter-of-factly.
"Oh yeah, me too." Mai countered, brandishing her book as proof.
Naru blanched, and Mai remembered just what book she had in her hand.
"I didn't realize you were interested in that type of, literature." The displeasure as he tried to get out the last word was so strong Mai almost felt the blow physically.
"Oh, I uh, I haven't read it, Keiko was just telling me about it. Right Keiko?" If she had to crash and burn Keiko could take a little of the heat.
"Right." Keiko blurted out between giggles.
Mai rolled her eyes.
"It's not like that, it's just a story about a college student working in the summer." Mai nudged Keiko.
"Yeah she uh, just helps a guy out at his shatter."
"His what?" Naru inquired. Mai could already see the disinterest glazing over his eyes. Perhaps he would leave before things could get much worse.
"It's a fancy English house, like a castle. He even has a butler, Kim." Keiko explained.
"It is called a chateau and it is more like a manor, not a castle." Naru corrected her.
Mai wondered what the odds were on her not having to hear about this 'little annoyance' for all of next week at work.
"I will see you at the office on Saturday, yes Mai?" Naru asked the false brightness in his face strained.
"Yes." She sulked. Not good, the odds were not good.
"Ladies," Naru inclined his head to them before starting on his way out.
"Oh," he began turning back, "and the butler's name is Jim."
"Mai!" Keiko squealed as Naru disappeared around the shelving. "Did your boss read this?"
Mai couldn't think well enough to answer, but she wasn't sure if that was from the impossibility of the answer or the ear piercing shrieking that continued to surround her.
A Few Days Later
Mai pulled the blanket back up on her shoulder from where it had fallen, again. Mai sat, wrapped up with a cup of tea and what had, surprisingly, turned out to be a pretty good book. She had to hand it to Keiko, she had been right. Mai did love it.
Maddy was sassy and confident, just how Mai liked her heroines. Noland, well, he was all dark and mysterious, but also just seemed lonely. It was compelling. His interest in having Maddy around despite her lacking any associated job skills, it was clear that he had more than a passing interest in her. Even if, of course, neither of them could see how well they complemented each other.
And it wasn't as scandalous as it had seemed at first glance. Keiko had mentioned later that it was sort of a tease when it came to the romance. And so far, that had been true. Though things had gotten a bit steamier in the last few chapters.
More 'accidental' closeness. The usual narrative devices, falling into one another, reaching for the same object. They were pretty common methodologies, but Mai had to admit that they were working.
And the current scene was no different.
Maddy rifled through the papers on Noland's desk, she knew he was hiding something and her intuition told her that the information was in here somewhere. A cool presence at her back alerted her to his closeness. She hadn't heard him come across the room, and hadn't she locked the door?
Hot breath on her neck juxtaposed the chill that creeped across her back and sent a shiver down her spine.
Mai had a sudden wave of déjà vu. But dismissed it as she read the next sentence.
Noland's hand slid down Maddy's goosebump covered neck, contemplating the possibility of taking what his body demanded from her.
Mai gasped at the innuendo, ears turning pink.
Blood. He could feel it, hear it, as it pulsed through her neck. If he took just a little perhaps it would be enough to slake his thirst.
Mai released a long breath as she read about the fierce flush that spread across Maddy's skin.
"You and me both sister." Mai mumbled, fanning the heat from her own face. Before diving back into the narrative.
Three Months Later
"Did you read that fic I sent you?" Keiko asked.
"The one about Maddy getting amnesia? Yeah I tried. It was ok. I don't understand why they kept mentioning that she had purple highlights in her hair. We got it, thanks." Mai answered as she hung up her coat. Thankfully, no one else seemed to be in the office at the moment.
"What about the one where she becomes a famous dancer and Noland finds out when she comes to Denmark with her troupe? That will teach him to abandon her like that."
"He didn't abandon her." Mai corrected. "He had to go back to Denmark. It was a vampire council matter. That is like his family. And he said he would be back. He even gave her that locket remember. He's gonna be back."
The front door opened and Naru and Lin came into the office. Naru's scowl intensified at seeing Keiko.
"I'll have your tea to you in just a minute, Naru," Mai offered in an attempt to appease him before all hell broke loose.
Naru gave a small nod adjusting the slim package under his arm before heading towards his office. Mai released a sigh of relief at her good fortune. She was dishearten though when Keiko followed her to the kitchenette.
"But Mai, Mai! That wasn't the big news! Look!" Keiko said holding out her phone.
"What is Unbra Yearing?"
"Umbra's Yearning. You have got to work on you English Mai." Keiko scolded. Mai scowled focusing on her tea prep. She thought she did just fine in English. Despite other's claims to the contrary.
"It's Doki Ai's new book! My friend who knows someone who has a friend that works at the publishing house told us that they are at the preliminary editing stage!"
What was with those titles? Mai couldn't understand the appeal.
"My friend thinks that Maddy is going to be pregnant!"
"What! Why?"
"Well you know they spent that night together."
Mai flushed. She was well aware of that scene.
"Yes, but one night does not have to mean—"
"And, Maddy had that dream!"
"The one where Noland was on the cliff?"
"Yes! What if it was prophetic? Because she had the one about the house first and then it happened."
"Oh that's right. I hadn't thought of that." Mai could feel her own excitement beginning to catch as she struggled with the tea tin.
"What if the baby is amplifying her psychic powers!" Keiko finished with a squeal.
"Mai." Naru's quiet voice cut in.
"Naru!" Mai yelped. Tin lid flying free and loose tea leaping out to cover Mai.
"It would be preferable if the tea were to make it to the pot." He pointed out. "We do pay for it. Unless, of course, you would be interested in covering that particular expense with your paycheck?"
The remains of her earlier blush sprung back across Mai's face.
"No, I'll clean it up." She replied placing the tin on the counter.
Keiko took advantage of the apparent end of the conversation to jump right back in with her theorizing.
"And there was that strange woman who was following Noland when he left. What if she wants to steal him from Maddy!" Keiko began jumping up and down. "Ohhhh what if she sends her goons to get Maddy,"
"I'm sure the butler and housekeeper can keep her safe. You saw what happened when that other group showed up. You know they are secret bad asses." Mai reminded her.
"Oh course!" Keiko agreed. "And they are totally together. You saw the way he looked at her after that accident in the kitchen. Jilory for life!"
"Jilory?"
"Jim and Malory's ship name." Keiko explained.
"They could just be friends Keiko," Mai replied. She wasn't sure why everything had to be about shipping.
"Sure they are." Keiko dismissed her as Mai poured the hot water into the teapot. But the reprieve was short lived.
"MAI!" Keiko's voice dropped so far in pitch that it caused Mai to jump, almost sloshing practically boiling water all over her hand. "What if she wants to steal the baby?"
"What?" Mai asked in genuine confusion.
"What if she wants to steal the baby! I mean Noland did say that his abilities made him a walking target. What if she was from one of the groups he had been avoiding! You know they would want to get their hands on a vampire psychic baby!"
"To what end?" Naru asked and Mai's stomach dropped. She had forgotten he was still in the room.
"Well for the power of course. A vampire psychic baby it's got to be crazy powerful. That's how these things work you know. A hybrid is always more powerful than one or the other. Didn't you watch anime when you were a kid?"
"And this sort of preposterous narrative manipulation would be appealing?" Naru countered.
"Oh course! They have to have something to fight so they can be together! They can't just be fine, where is the fun in that. And the babies! They should have all the babies. OHHH they could have twins!"
"We don't even know if she is having a baby Keiko." Mai reminded her. "You are probably right about the dreams though; I had forgotten about the house one. And what about the pond."
"Yes!" Keiko exclaimed. "And what is she going to do without Noland there to teach her how to use them."
"I'm not sure he could tea—" Mai began.
"Their skill sets are entirely different what help could he provide her?" Naru challenged.
Keiko jumped. "I knew it! You have read the book!"
"I am aware of its contents." He supplied.
"Ok, yeah whatever that means." Keiko dismissed before continuing on her rant. "He was the best chance she had at help at least. Until he up and ran away like a scared-y cat."
"I fail to see how fulfilling his obligations counts as 'running away." Naru countered.
Mai was having trouble understanding why Naru hadn't kicked Keiko out of the office yet and now he was debating a novel with her? And a romance novel at that. Had she entered some sort of trashy alternate reality?
"Sure," Keiko drawled wringing every drop of condescension she could from the word.
"He says he had to go. It was obvious that he was just afraid of his own feelings. He is just feeling guilty because he struggles with the juxtaposition between his own desires and the persona and lifestyle that he has fit himself into. I know he has seen some shit, but that doesn't mean he just gets to shut out everyone." Keiko's tone darkened as she went on. The heat behind the words growing as she shook an accusatory finger in Naru's direction.
"And his 'it isn't safe for you' BS, that was a pretty hollow excuse if you ask me. If he would just get his head out of his own ass he would see that he needs her, just as much. No, more. Then she needs him and he is only hurting the both of them by being a stubborn jerk!" Keiko panted as she finished.
Mai cringed watching the two before her. She had been waiting for Naru to tire of Keiko's accusatory tone. To lash back, remove her from the office. But he had just stood there, rooted and blank faced.
Maybe he had never had someone yell at him like that before? He must be in shock.
Something about the rant sat sour in Mai's stomach. But she brushed it aside to focus on figuring out a way to get Keiko out before that shock wore off.
"Mai," Naru began. Mai braced herself against the cold rage that was sure to follow. "This is a place of business not a café, kindly see your friend to the door so that we can get back to work."
Mai opened one of her eyes. That was it? That was so, tame. Not nice, certainly. But nowhere near as crushing as she had anticipated.
She stared at Naru, was there some greater insult that she was failing to pick up on? But Naru didn't look ready to kill. If anything he looked tired.
Without another word Naru turned and made his way to his office. Shutting the door between them.
"Well that was rude." Keiko scoffed turning to Mai for confirmation.
"I think you should go Keiko," Mai said pressing a palm to her chest where a dull ache had sprung up. "I need to get to work."
Keiko packed up her things and headed out as Mai finished up the tea.
Mai waited as long as she could, but she knew the outcome would only be worse if she arrived with cold tea.
Mai knocked, but Naru didn't answer.
She went in anyway.
He was at his desk looking over a pile of papers before him. He didn't acknowledge her as she brought the tea over. Instead he marked out a whole line of text and scribbled something in the notes.
Mai pouted. It wasn't fair how he took to writing in English, how was she supposed to snoop?
She had almost placed the mug on his desk when her eye caught on a word she did recognize. -Maddy-The shock of it had the mug tumbling from her fingers.
Mai and Naru watched as the porcelain wobbled for a few moments before tipping to the side. Spilling its golden contents across the desk and heading straight for the various papers laid out atop it.
"The manuscript." Naru blurted as he attempted to gather the papers as fast as he could.
Mai scrambled to help him.
Safe from a soggy fate, Mai looked over her survivors and gave the dampest ones a little shake.
"I'm so sorr—"
Mai choked on her words as she looked over the text.
Noland slid his hand down her side. Reveling in the softness of her dress and the warmth that radiated from her skin. How he had missed her. Slipping a hand beneath—
Mai's face was burning, her heartbeat ramping up. Her eyes fell to the header, Umbra's Yearning.
Her eyes went wide the pages trembling in her grip.
Naru wasn't reading the story, he was writing it.
"Mai." His voice was quiet.
Her chest burned. The air trapped within it.
"I'm so sorry." Mai pushed the papers at him and headed for the door.
She had it half open when a sudden weight pushed it closed, pulling her into it with a slam.
Looking up she was surprised to see Naru standing nearly on top of her. His outstretched arm holding the door closed.
Mai gulped. He didn't move, he just stared down at her.
As her shock faded she found her breath still shallow, heart still pounding.
"You can't," Naru's voice was airy, breathless, "tell anyone."
"I… won't." Mai wasn't sure what exactly she was agreeing too, but she knew that at that moment she would have agreed to almost anything had he asked.
"It's not," his eyes searched hers. "We needed the money."
Mai nodded dumbly, her brain still screaming about the closeness of their bodies.
"The patrons haven't been as generous of late and the main branch is squeezing our budget. They wanted to cut the staff. I was just looking for a way to stop it."
"But why?" Mai gestured towards the room. She couldn't bring herself to break eye contact so she hoped she was pointing in at least the general direction of the desk.
"Because they are like printing money. The advance for this book alone is paying your salary for the next four months. I am more than willing to put up writing that trash if it means y—," He caught himself, eyes widening. "You can't tell anyone."
"Naru I—" Mai began.
"Don't you see that is part of the appeal. The fact that no one knows who the author is."
"I suppose…"
Naru's head fell forward his hair obscuring the view of his face.
"What would it take?" He asked, defeated.
"Take?"
"What do you want Mai?" His eyes shot back up, boring into her.
"Want?" She asked with a gulp. Biting her lip, she pulled her eyes from his gaze. Looking for something to steady her mind she watched the brisk rise and fall of his chest before her eyes.
She jumped as he moved closer his head coming to rest on the door above her shoulder.
A small moan betraying her surprise. Where had the no touching rule gone?
She felt his breath hitting her neck in rhythm with the fall of his chest.
His hand came to rest at her waist, tentative at first. But with a strong exhalation he steadied his fingers against her. Thumb running side to side lazily against the fabric.
"You smell good." He whispered into her ear and Mai's knees buckled.
He was unable to stop her fall, but his grip on her shirt tightened and slowed it.
In a puddle on the floor Mai attempted to breathe. Her brain screaming, and her lungs refusing to move. It was so hot. Was she melting? Burning? How could she? How could he?
"Mai, are you ok?" He asked looking down at her his head tilted to the side.
With a sharp wheeze Mai managed to get her lungs to function once more. But she couldn't speak, all she could do was flop her head from side to side in the negative.
Naru waited a moment more before crouching down beside her. Asking again if she was alright.
"No!" Mai croaked out. "I, I am not! Not ok. This was not ok. What were you? Why?"
Mai brought a hand to her chest afraid that her heart would indeed find a way to beat right out of it.
Naru blinked in surprise.
"I thought that you wanted…"
"What?" Mai screeched. "No!"
Naru flinched.
"I mean, it was uhh, nice. Yeah, um. Don't worry. You, you did a good. Thing." Mai reached a tentative hand out and gave him a shaky pat on the shoulder. From which he fought back a recoil, a scowl falling across his face.
Mai smiled.
"There's the Naru we all know and love. Or um, I mean work with?" Mai blushed, rushing to fill the void left by her last sentence. "Why would you think you would have to do anything?"
"So you would keep my secret." He replied earnestly.
"Naru, if you want me to keep a secret. There is one thing you have to do."
He sighed, and began to close the gap between them, eyes fluttering shut as he neared.
"Ask, idiot." Mai replied pushing him back enough that his arms wheeled out and he fell onto his back. "All you have to do is ask. You need to stop doing research for those trashy novels, they are filling your head with crazy ideas."
Naru just blinked at her.
Bracing herself against the door Mai wiggled her way back up to standing on what were still not the steadiest of legs.
Naru stood across from her before reaching a hand out to help her.
"Please don't be nice to me all of a sudden. It will only weird me out." She told him, refusing the proffered assistance.
"Take my hand Mai, you look like you are going to fall over again. And you do not get to claim any potential injury you would sustain for workers comp." Naru teased, a small smirk making its way to his face.
Mai took hold of his arm. Grateful for the support.
"Did you actually like the book?" Naru asked.
"Yes," She smiled up at him. "It was lovely. I can't wait to read the sequel."
Mai squinted. She must be more light headed than she thought. Because it almost looked like Naru was blushing right now.
The light sound of dripping broke her from her inspections. The tea! Of course, she had forgotten. Mai gave a gentle tug to regain her arm from Naru's grip.
"Let me get a towel for that tea." Mai said grabbing up the toppled mug.
"Mai," Naru's voice stopped her at the door once more. A small shiver running over her as her mind recalled the sound it had made as it slammed minutes before.
She looked back at him.
"I'm glad it was you."
Mai tilted her head in confusion.
"That found out." And then he smiled. And Mai's heart stopped.
Her lip trembled. A wealth of emotions fighting to be set free.
"Me too." She managed with only the smallest quiver.
She was halfway through the lobby when he stopped her again. His hand reaching for her wrist as he called out her name once more.
"Naru what—"
His lips pressed against hers and the world fell away. Slipping like the mug from her fingers. His hands holding her head and back up respectively as he found himself once again supporting a majority of her weight. Mai retained her death grip on his upper arms as he pulled away.
"Naru," she admonished, her voice little more than whisper. "I told you, you didn't have—"
"I wanted to." He interrupted.
He hadn't thought it possible, but Mai's face became an even darker shade of red.
Reaching next to her he picked up the twice unfortunate mug and held it between them.
"Mai," his eyes held hers. No masks, no walls, just, them. "Tea."
Mai smiled back, "narcissistic tea addict." She teased.
"Always." He replied brushing the hair away from her face.
Mai stood a moment more, before sliding from his arms and heading towards the kitchenette.
Naru watched her go. Content.
"So," Lin's heavy baritone broke the peaceful silence. Naru turned to the interruption.
"I guess this one gets filed as a good birthday, then?" Lin finished with a smirk.
Naru scowled and ignored him. Heading for his office instead. Lin's deep chuckle filling his ears as he shut the door behind him.
Alone in the quiet room, Naru leaned against the door and smiled.
Many thanks to MegaBadBunny for the beautiful (and so so scandalous cover art)
I hope you all enjoy this divergence from my regular type of story. (look I managed to make it through a whole story with only the smallest hint of angst.) This look at the meta and troupes of GH was a lot of fun.