(MELTING YOUR FROZEN HEART)
Thanks to Aoi Faith who helped me with the title of this story! It's actually quite a long story but it's still good nonetheless.
Please read and enjoy!
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Okay…why the hell does stuff like this always happen to me?!
Oh wait, I know! It's because I'm a 'magnet to trouble,' as my dear friend Bou-san says. Hardy har har.
What type of situation am I in, do you ask? Well, it's a long story…well actually it's not a long story, it's really quite short. Let me just fill you in shall I.
(Earlier that day)
It's winter. Of course my narcissist of a boss (aka; super good looking Naru) had to go and accept a case in the middle of nowhere whilst also being mid December…yeah, it's a bit chibly out if you get my drift.
Anyhoo, this case was just like any other; things moving on their own, strange noises and apparitions, oh and you can't forget those creepy murders! Ehem, sorry about the outburst but you get the idea.
The whole SPR team was called in for this one. In the base of the so called haunted house, Ayako and Bou-san were fighting with each other; as usual. The monk had grabbed his girlfriend's rear and apparently she wasn't too keen with his wandering hands and was now hitting him over the head with her purse. I'm pretty sure that thing is loaded with a pile of bricks- Ouch, that one looked like it hurt.
Moving on…
Masako, who had finally gotten over her little crush on Naru (yay!) and moved her sights on the blonde Australian priest, was fainting every two seconds on the poor boy. However it didn't seem as though he minded. Maybe Masako's feelings weren't one sided this time. I'm glad. She's actually a very good person; she deserves happiness in her life.
Ok, so Lin…well Lin was Lin. He was typing away on his computer, like always.
And Naru…Hmm, it's five o'clock so that must mean…
"Mai, Tea."
Bingo. Man am I good or what?
I got up, leaving the base, and prepared my lovely Naru's tea just the way he likes it. When I returned from the kitchen a few minutes later with the tray of tea I noticed everyone but Naru had left.
I walked over to him with a curious look.
"I sent them to go gather room temperatures and readings," he answered my unasked question.
"Oh. Well, here's your tea!" I beamed and set the cup down in front of him.
He nodded and put the tea to his lips. I smiled inwardly. A little birdie (cough Ayako cough) had told me that he never even drinks a sip of tea if anyone other than me makes it for him. A month ago, I had been sick for a few days and the group took turns in making him tea but he didn't even touch the stuff they made. I gloated with happiness for a second before giving a slightly annoyed sigh. The only bad thing about the memory was that when I returned from my sickness, the raven haired boy asked me for his damn tea every damn second! Stupid (beautiful) tea addict!
I came out of my reverie at the look Naru was giving me.
"I know I look good but do you have to stare at me that long?" he asked with a smirk.
What?! Oh schnikes! I was looking at him the whole time!
I covered my blushed cheeks with my hands only to have Naru's smirk widen.
"Stop teasing me!" I pouted and marched over to the monitors, away from that baka as he looked back down at the paper in his hand.
From the corner of my eye I saw something outside the window. Slowly I turned to see what it was.
There was a shadow of a little boy looking in at me…It was a yuurei (ghost).
I held in a squeak as I felt myself loose control of my body.
Ugh! Damn I couldn't move at all!
The yuurei motioned his hand for me to follow him. Should I?
Searching for an answer on what I should do, I tried to think back on all the things Naru had ever told me. Maybe he told me a long time ago about what I should do if something like this were to ever happen. Hmm…think, think, think…
How to make tea? Nope that has nothing to do with my current situation.
Bring extra undergarments? DEFINITELY NOT! Jeez, that was Ayako not Naru who told me that. Ehem…moving on…
How to set up cameras? Nope. Getting closer though.
Ah ha! What to do when face to face with a ghost! This one is it!
Ok, do I follow the ghost or not?
Mai, never go after a ghost by yourself. You're so helpless you'll probably wind up in the hospital if you do.
Ok! So NO following the ghost!
Wait a second…
EHHHH?!
I was already outside?! Damn that ghost must have been controlling my movements. I couldn't even scream for help.
Brrr! It was cold! I wasn't wearing my coat and I was also in a skirt nonetheless. I really should have worn pants.
The ghost child kept moving deeper and deeper into the forest. Why did we have to be on a case in the middle of nowhere? The darned house was twenty minutes drive from any neighboring house or town.
The minutes passed and I could barely feel my body anymore. I cast my eyes down and gasped at the sight. I was covered in cuts that must have been caused as I passed through the lightly snow-covered underbrush. Even my clothes were getting torn and tattered.
Where was this ghost taking me?
I was getting scared. I really hoped Naru noticed my disappearance soon and came looking for me.
The sun had already sunk below the horizon, because of the winter's day, and it made this whole thing all that more scary.
Suddenly we came up to a large open area, almost like a meadow or large field. The ghost walked out to the middle of the clearing and turned around to me. I was still standing at the edge of the forest line.
I had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was like deep down I knew that if I went out there I might not come back unharmed or maybe not even alive.
I could feel tears stinging my eyes at the thought and I pouted unhappily.
"Mai!"
That voice.
"Mai! Where are you?"
Naru…I couldn't speak.
I couldn't even turn to see him approaching me as fast as he could but I could hear his heavy and quick steps. He was running at full speed. He was trying to save me.
My stomach did happy little flips at the thought but stopped once my attention was brought back to the ghost.
It reached its arm out to me.
"Mai!" I could hear Naru merely yards behind me as he panted. "Don't go out there! It's a lake! The ice isn't safe!"
I couldn't respond even though I wanted to inform him about my possession.
He seemed to figure it out quick enough though once he spotted the ghost in the middle of the lake.
The ghost motion with his hands violently for me to come and before Naru could reach out and grab me I was flung out towards the middle of the ice.
"Mai!" Naru yelled.
The ghost vanished and I crashed onto the surface of the hard ice, and the sound of a crack resonated throughout the air as my head smashed against the frozen water. I had thought I would break right through but instead I was wrong.
I tried to stand but my head hurt immensely from hitting it on the ice.
I looked over to where Naru had been only to notice him cautiously trying to cross over to me.
"Naru, no don't! It's not safe! The ice might break!" I cried and successfully stood this time only on wobbly knees.
Naru glared determinedly at me. "I'm going to save you Mai, so stop talking baka (idiot)."
Rrr, did he have to be so rude?
A large crack echoed throughout the clearing.
"Bugger," I heard Naru curse in English.
Splash!
"NARU!" I yelled.
He had only mad it a few yards away from the edge of the lake when the ice gave out beneath him.
I pushed the dizziness out of my head for the time being; I had to save Naru!
I ran as fast as I could, cautious of the cracks in the ice, towards Naru's location. He hadn't resurfaced.
Without hesitation I leapt into the water. For a second I froze at the freezing temperature of the water but I regained composer and looked around for the man I loved.
I couldn't see anything. Curse it for being nighttime! Curse Naru for always wearing black. Rrr when I save his sorry butt I'm going to make him change his damn wardrobe!
My hand bumped into something.
Naru!
I grabbed his shirt and pulled us both to the surface of the water. Now, I started to feel how cold the water really was.
My teeth were chattering and I hauled us both to the edge of the lake.
I dropped down beside the boy in exhaustion and checked his breath. He wasn't breathing!
No!
"Naru! Come on! Wake up!" I cried and took hold of his shoulders giving them a shake.
Oh crap, the idea didn't work…that means…Oh suck it up Mai! Be a woman and just kiss the man!...Errr I mean perform CPR, not kiss, well I guess you actually do kiss him when you-
Gahhh I'm talking to myself too much!
Okay, lift up his chin; check. Hold his nose; check. Now breathe!
I leant down and pushed my mouth against his open one. I breathed out once, twice, three times! Now chest compressions! Alright I have to push down about an inch and a half to two inches.
Push. One.
Push. Two.
Push. Three.
…
Push. Thirty.
I was fully aware of the tears that were rolling down my cheeks and I let them fall as I went back to mouth to mouth.
Breathe. One.
Breathe. Two.
Breathe. Thr-
Water got coughed up into my mouth and I jerked my head back. Naru was breathing, thank the gods!
I lifted his head up a bit so he could cough up the rest of the water. He threw up a bit, which wasn't uncommon for the CPR maneuver, so I knew I had done everything right.
After a moment I ripped off a piece of my now tattered skirt and I wiped his mouth. I heaved a quick sigh of relief.
He was breathing, but I still had to warm us up in order to keep us both alive save we don't get hypothermia.
The house was too far for me to carry Naru back to, and I had left my cell phone in my coat pocket so it was back at the base.
I closed my eyes in concentration. I remembered seeing Naru looking at a map earlier that day. There was a small cabin somewhere near the lakes edge. On the map it was to the left of the lake so that would mean it should have been right over…There!
I spotted the cabin not too far off.
I grabbed a hold of the still unconscious Naru underneath his arms and I tugged as hard as I could. After a couple of arduous minutes I had reached the cabin and forced the door open with my foot.
The moonlight illuminated the tiny room. There was a small cot and desk along with a fireplace.
I set Naru on the cot, unconcerned of my bleeding and frozen hands. I had scuffed them up on the sharp ice when I pulled my boss from the water but I hadn't felt a thing.
(This is where you guys came in. Yeah I'm in a bit of a pickle.)
I looked over at the open door and noticed it had started to snow. I hurried over and closed the thin worn out door and walked over to the fireplace. There was a bucket of wood and paper. I tossed some paper down in the fireplace and then threw on some small pieces of wood.
Good thing my parents and I used to go hiking a lot before they died so I knew how to build a fire.
Once the fire was ablaze I collapsed on the floor. My eyes were blurry from exhaustion. I was so tired and numb, my body was trembling nonstop.
Naru! He must be cold too!
I stood on shaking knees and braced myself on the desk. I made my way over to him and knelt down beside the cot. His clothes were soaked just like mine were.
I blushed slightly as I thought of what I needed to do next.
"I'm sorry Naru," I whispered and started unbuttoning his shirt. For his privacy, I kept my gaze on the ceiling as I took his pants off, leaving his boxers on. I made sure the blankets were pulled securely up to his chin before I took of my sweater and skirt.
I laid the wet articles of clothing in front of the fire, so they would be dry by the morning. I grabbed one of Naru's many blankets and wrapped it around myself. I didn't care about the cold as long as Naru was warm. He already seemed to be regaining some color, thank the gods.
I collapsed on the side of the cot and rubbed my shaking hands over the blankets that covered the raven haired man. I gasped at the sight of my hands however.
They were turning blue, making the frozen cuts I already had stand out terribly bad. I looked over to the desk next to the cot. There was a small mirror facing me.
My reflection didn't even look like me. I looked dead. My hair was starting to freeze from the extreme temperature outside and my lips were purple. I had circles under my eyes and my face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Then there was that horrifyingly dark red gash on my forehead, from where I had hit it on the ice.
I looked back down at Naru. He looked so warm. I tentatively reached out and touched his cheek. He was warm!
I apologized to the sleeping boy again before ripping back the blankets and crawling in next to him. Securing the blankets back in place I hugged Naru close, trying to warm up even the slightest bit.
I didn't care if he fired me the next day, seeing as I was the whole cause of this mess and I was now half-naked, along with him, and in the same bed…well, cot. Right now I just wanted the two of us to stay alive, but it may turn out to be just him who lives.
Rubbing my arms up and down his arms, I tried to give us both more heat.
I looked up, vision still blurry, and focused on the sleeping man. His warm breath hit my face and I smiled softly. His breath was minty, shocking seeing as how much tea he drinks. I reached up and brushed a strand of hair from his eyes.
If I were to die tonight, then it would be fine with me. I was huddled up against the man I love; this would probably be the only close contact like this I would ever get.
A sudden and overwhelming wave of pain washed over me. I now felt every cut, every bruise, every frozen inch of skin. It hurt.
My breathing got deeper and more rigid. I clung tight onto Naru…my Naru.
Everything was going black and I felt a tear roll down my cheek only to freeze there from the crisp air.
With one last thought I slipped into darkness.
Goodbye…Naru…
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Naru awoke to the silvery rays of the moonlight shining through the window. It must have been around midnight.
His chest felt heavy and he felt cold.
Wait! Where's Mai? He thought in panic as he remembered falling through the ice trying to save the girl he had grown to love.
He tried to sit up but the weight on his chest kept him down.
He finally took notice to the icy arm that was draped over his torso.
Please don't say she's…
"MAI!" he yelled in fright as he saw the pale girl lying on his chest.
He sat up, noticing they were both in there underwear, but kept his blush down (like he would ever blush).
Mai's limp body was covered in cuts and bruises. She had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was chilly.
Naru shook her franticly, loosing his calm.
"Wake up Mai!" he pleaded in a demanding voice.
His cell phone! It should be in his pants pocket!
He jumped off of the cot and caught sight of his jacket lying in front of the dying fire.
Hurriedly he opened it.
Please work, he prayed.
He closed his eyes briefly in relief as the screen of the cell phone lit up.
There were six missed calls, all from Lin, most likely wondering where he was and what had happened.
He clicked the call back button and waited impatiently for the Chinese man to answer his damn phone.
After only one ring, the man answered in concern.
"Naru! Where are you?" the older man asked.
"Lin, I'm in the cabin next to the lake. Call an ambulance and tell them to get here fast…It's…it's Mai…" the twenty year old whispered urgently and fisted his hands.
After a quick affirmative, Lin had hung up in order to call the ambulance.
Naru closed his phone and quickly dressed himself and the girl. He then took Mai up in his arms, trying to warm up her limp frigged body.
Minutes passed by the boy in a blur. Ayako and Bou-san soon bounded through the small cabin door with worried expressions. Naru didn't take in anything they said. Bou-san had taken the girl from his arms and Ayako placed a comforting arm around Naru's shoulders and led him out of the small shack.
The next thing Naru knew was that he and the rest of the SPR team were sitting in the waiting room of the nearest hospital, waiting to hear the news about the girl he had tried to save but in return, ironically, had saved him instead.
She was in such a horrid condition yet she had tried to save him before she tried to save herself.
Why must she have such a bleeding heart?
…………
It was two long hours before the doctor came out of the emergency room. Most of the team was half awake only due to the coffee machine in the next room. Naru, however, didn't need the caffeine seeing as he couldn't sleep if he wanted to right now, not while Mai was in that room.
The doctor walked over to the group with a tired smile which instantly made everyone sigh in relief.
Naru stood and went up to the man with a cold glare which would send anyone cowering in fear.
"Where is she?" he asked.
"Shibuya-san, Taniyama-san is still resting. We just got her out of surgery, she needs to sleep," the doctor supplied, unscathed by Naru's death glare.
"She was in surgery? Her wounds were that bad?" Ayako cried in Bou-san's tight embrace.
The doctor turned to the red haired woman. "The wound she got from hitting her head on the ice caused some internal bleeding which we have thankfully stopped. Right now we are just trying to bring her temperature back up to normal…if you guys were to have waited any longer to bring her here she wouldn't have made it. I'm amazed such a petite thing lasted as long as she did. She must have had and incredibly strong will to stay alive. If you wish to stay here until Taniyama-san arrives, I can let you know when she wakes."
The team nodded…all except for Naru that is. The raven haired boy lent forward and whispered something in the doctor's ear which made the poor man turn white.
"U-Uh, right this way sir! We can get a chair for you s-so you can sit next to Taniyama-san if you wish," the doctor stuttered.
Naru smirked and nodded. Without another word, the doctor led the boy out of the room.
The SPR gang stared after their retreating backs in shock and confusion.
"What the hell did he say to that poor man?" Masako asked.
Everyone spun to look at the doll like medium who was clutching onto John's arm.
"What?" she asked innocently. "I can curse if I want. I was just wondering…because it had to have been pretty bad seeing as the doctor wasn't even scared of Naru's famous glare but went completely white after Naru spoke to him…"
Everyone still stared at the girl causing her to huff in annoyance.
"Oh, never mind!"
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Naru didn't know how long he sat at Mai's bedside holding her now warm hand. He did know, however, that he wouldn't let go of her for the world.
This was all new to him. He was never very used to letting his emotions show, but he supposed the only one he would ever show them to would have to be Mai, even if it was only a little bit of emotion at a time.
Before he had met the lively girl, his heart had been as cold as the lake he was in not but four hours ago. Over time she had broken away the ice surrounding his heart and had gradually started warming it piece by piece.
If someone were to have told him those three years ago when he met her that he wind up falling for her he would have given that someone a major death glare, but now…he couldn't see himself not being with her, without her smile and her laugh…he loved her.
He felt a twitch in his hand. Mai was waking up.
He sat straight up in his chair but kept his grasp on her hand.
Mai's eyes started fluttering open. He was glad to see her skin returning back to its original color, and he was more than happy to see those light caramel colored orbs lock with his blue ones.
"Naru? Y-you made it. I'm glad," she whispered with a smile.
Naru kept his gaze on hers. "You're an idiot…"
The girl's eyes widened.
Naru just shook his head and continued with a smirk, "You're a saint, but you're still an idiot and most likely always will be."
Mai's eyes narrowed and twitched in annoyance.
"Nani (what)?" she growled.
To the girl's surprise, Naru smiled and slowly lent down to brush his lips against hers.
"But that's probably why I love you so damn much."
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(Two years later)
A couple walked hand-in-hand out of the large SPR building. The man had no expression as the girl had a large happy smile plastered on her face.
The raven haired man soon smirked and leant down to whisper something in the brunette's ear, successfully causing the girl's face to flush a brilliant shade of red.
They walked towards their apartment they shared so they could go change in order to go out to eat at the fanciest, most elegant restaurant around.
The man reached a hand into his black coat pocket.
The small soft velvet box was still there, just like it had always been for the past year. Today he would finally give his love that diamond ring and ask her to be his wife, and of course…she would say yes.
"I love you Mai."
"I love you too Naru."
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THE END!! YAY! I hope you like it!! please review!