Mai balanced the post under one arm, which today included a small rectangular parcel, and a cup of tea in her other hand as she bustled into Noll's office.
"I've got the post," she said as Noll looked up. But his eyes were transfixed by the cup of tea. She saw this and smiled. Mai handed him the tea and left the post on the edge of his desk. "Anything else?"
"Are we expecting any clients today?" Noll asked after taking a sip of tea.
"No, I don't think so."
"Good, in that case, I expect you to finish that report by the end of the day. BSPR wants a review of the last year and I would very much like to say that all of our reports were on time this year."
Mai scowled at him.
"Right," she muttered and left the office.
Noll took another sip of tea. He had to admit that Mai had been a lot more efficient with her paperwork recently, something he was very pleased with. Not that he'd said that to anyone.
He pulled the stack of post closer and started rifling through the envelopes.
Junk, junk junk, bill, junk, bill, request, request, request.
Perhaps he would have Mai look through the requests, her intuition had proved useful in deciding cases previously. Perhaps if she finished that report.
The junk he threw straight into the recycling bin and the bills he piled with a few others that he would deal with on Friday.
Finally, the small parcel was left.
Noll was not expecting anything of this sort, but gingerly opened it nonetheless.
Inside was an object surrounded in bubble wrap. There was no note.
Concerned, and briefly wondering if he should call Lin to inspect it, Noll began prying the bubble wrap off the object. At this point another thought occurred to him, perhaps Mai would like the bubble wrap; didn't inane idiots like popping the bubbles?
Inside was a small stone statue consisting of three monkeys, one sat on top of another. The first was covered his eyes, the second was covering his ears and the third was covering his mouth.
"See no evil, speak no evil, see no evil."
Noll placed the statue on his desk and began searching the wrapping for a note; why on earth had someone sent it to him?
But he could not find anything.
As he picked up his cup of tea in order to finish it, he stared pensively at the statue.
He frowned at it.
Then it started emitting a bright white light.
Noll's eyes widened in alarm. He instinctively ducked to the floor. But it was too late.
Three bolts of white light shot out of the statue. The first two headed straight through the wall, the third aimed straight at Noll's face. There was nothing he could do to stop it.
It hit him, but he did not feel a thing.
He did, however, hear a scream he knew all too well.
Noll was on his feet and running before his brain was really aware of what had just happened.
Mai was stumbling around the office like a-
Noll caught sight of her eyes; they were completely white. Her irises and pupils were gone.
He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
"Naru? What's happening? It's all dark!" Mai's voice was so painfully frightened that Noll felt his heart clench. He tried to speak again, but it was as if his mouth had stopped working.
A second later, Lin appeared from his office.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"Lin?" Mai said and she started towards where she had heard his voice. "Lin where are you? Say something! What's going on?"
Lin was frowning at Mai.
Noll grabbed a scrap of paper and began scribbling.
Curse - see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.
Lin read it and nodded.
"I cannot hear," he surmised.
"What?" Mai said. She was about to walk straight into the coffee table. Noll rushed to prevent her from crashing, but she struggled as soon as she felt arms on her. "Who is that? What's going on! Get off me! Naru!"
"It's Noll," Lin said quickly. "He stopped you from crashing into the table and he says we've been cursed."
"Cursed by what?" Mai asked quickly, but of course Lin could not hear her, but he continued at a nod from Noll.
"I presume you have heard of the three wise monkeys."
"See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil," Mai said. "So Naru can't speak?"
Then her entire body relaxed and she actually laughed. Noll relaxed a little at that, at least she wasn't panicking.
"Noll will guide you to the sofa," Lin said. "And then we'll try and sort this out."
Noll nodded his agreement at this plan and quickly guided Mai to the sofa. Then he rushed to his office to collect the statue.
Once they were all sat around the coffee table, Noll passed Lin the statue and hastily started scribbling an explanation.
It came in the post, I unwrapped it and bright white light emitted from it. Then three bolts shot from it, one into each of us.
"Have you tried using psychometry on it?" Lin asked.
"What's he using psychometry on?" Mai asked. "I don't like this. Someone tell me what's going on!"
Explain to Mai.
"The item that came in the post is a statue of the three monkeys, Noll said that lights came from it and shot into us."
"And he's going to use psychometry on it?"
She wants to know if I'm using psychometry on the statue.
"Yes," Lin said. He sighed at the situation.
Continue talking to Mai so she remains calm.
Noll picked up the statue and sat back in his chair. Lin watched his ward slump back in the chair.
"He's doing it now," Lin said. "Don't worry Mai, we'll sort this out."
"I know," Mai said.
"I don't know what you are saying at the moment, my lip-reading ability is somewhat limited in Japanese."
"It doesn't matter," Mai said. Even though she knew he could not hear her, she was speaking more to distract herself from the endless darkness that was filling her vision.
Noll came back to himself a moment later and quickly began scribbling on the paper again.
Yasuhara sent it to us. He visited Nikkou and thought it would be funny.
"Funny?" Lin repeated.
"What's funny?" Mai demanded quickly.
I need you to go and find him and find out how to reverse this.
"How?" Lin asked. "I can't hear him."
"Hear who?"
Bring him here if you must.
"Fine."
"I swear if you don't tell me what's going on I'll start smashing things!" Mai said, making to get up. Noll tugged her back down. "Let go! Someone explain."
Noll pinned Mai down with one arm and pointed to his previous written message of Explain to Mai.
"Noll said that Yasuhara sent it, he's going to send me to collect Yasuhara to find out how to reverse this," Lin said. "Please just sit here quietly until I return."
"But Naru and I can't communicate!" Mai said desperately as she felt Noll remove his arm.
She's pointing out that we can't communicate.
"Then don't communicate, I don't think it'll make too much difference to your usual level of conversation," Lin said dryly. "Only it'll be a lot quieter; without all the shouting…"
"What shouting?!" Mai replied indignantly. "I only shout to get what I'm saying into that thick skull of his!"
Mai heard a scoffing noise and the door opening and closing.
"Lin? Have you gone?"
But Mai received no reply. Frowning, she started feeling about in front of her, trying to remember exactly where she was in the office. Not that she really had any idea about what she would do.
Then she felt a hand on hers.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said quickly. She heard another scoffing noise. "Don't you make that noise at me!"
She heard him make it again and she scowled.
"I don't like this," she admitted. "I hate not being able to see what is going on and I hate that you can't tell me. It's horrible."
She felt a gentle hand touch her own, then felt a thumb rub the back of it in a slow rhythmic manner.
"Is that supposed to reassure me?" she asked. "One squeeze for yes, two for no?" she suggested.
She felt the hand squeeze her own. He then resumed stroking the back of her hand with his thumb. She supposed it was nice he was trying.
"It must be odd for you, not being able to speak. I know you don't talk a lot, or rather, you are not wasteful with words, but you always have a voice. Is it weird?"
He squeezed her hand again.
"Though I supposed this doesn't make much difference to Lin huh?" Mai continued. "He just sits at his PC and works…"
Noll squeezed her hand yet again.
"I'm glad you agree."
She heard a soft chuckle.
"Did you just laugh?"
She felt two squeezes in rapid succession.
"I think you did."
She felt another two squeezes.
"Are you lying to me?" she teased.
There was a hesitation, then a single squeeze. Mai couldn't help but smile.
"This is like playing a weird version of truth or dare," Mai commented. "Or twenty questions…"
Mai felt Noll move closer to her.
"Can I touch the statue?"
Two squeezes.
"Why not? You did!" Mai pointed out. She huffed grumpily. "Do you think Lin will be long?"
One squeeze.
"Really?"
Another squeeze.
Mai sighed. Then she left Noll's hands on her shoulders.
"What are you doing?"
He pulled her down so her head was in his lap.
"You want me to sleep don't you?"
She felt Noll fumble for her hand and he squeezed it.
"Because I do my best work when I'm asleep huh?"
He squeezed her hand again. Mai pouted at him and he chuckled.
"I guess you didn't laugh then either, did you?"
Two squeezes.
Mai smiled a little before closing her eyes.
Noll was somewhat grateful as she began nodding off to sleep. Partially because he hoped her abilities would clue her into what was going on, but also it meant he no longer had to look at her sightless white eyes. Even Noll had to admit they were slightly creepy.
Thankfully, Yasuhara and Lin turned up ten minutes later.
Noll held his finger to his lips and gestured to a sleeping Mai, the others nodded. He gently raised Mai's head and placed it down on the sofa. He then led the others to his office and closed the door behind him.
"Explain," Lin demanded.
Yasuhara threw his hands up defensively.
"I just found it while visiting the area and thought you'd be interested in it. I arranged to have it sent to you!"
Lin looked confused, but Noll started scribbling.
How do we remove the curse?
"I have no idea," he said. "Honestly."
Then a frightened cry came from the other room.
"Naru? Where are you?"
Noll pushed past Yasuhara and Lin and rushed to Mai, who was feeling about on the sofa for another person.
"He was talking to me," Yasuhara said by way of an explanation.
"I know how to fix it," Mai said quickly.
"How?" Yasuhara asked on Noll's behalf.
"We are lying to ourselves, Lin is refusing to hear something, I'm refusing to see something and Naru is refusing to say something," Mai said.
"How do you know this?"
"I saw other people in our situation," Mai said simply.
"Your eyes are really creepy," Yasuhara said. "Sorry, I just…"
"What's wrong with my eyes?"
Noll glared at Yasuhara, but Yasuhara did not heed this warning.
"Nothing."
"Yasuhara! You tell me what is wrong with them right now!"
"Well, they're all white."
"Really?" Mai asked. "Take a picture! So I can see later!"
"If you can see later…" Yasuhara muttered.
"I will be able to, I have an idea what my thing might be…"
"Will someone write down what is being said for me?" Lin asked tersely.
Yasuhara snapped a picture of Mai on his phone, and then started writing a summary of the conversation.
As Lin read over Yasuhara's shoulder, Mai started screwing up her face in concentration.
"What are you doing Mai?"
"Admitting to myself what I've refused to see," Mai said tensely.
They all watched as she opened her eyes again.
"Argh! Why is everything so bright?" Then she realised. "I can see!"
She beamed at the others. Yasuhara looked happy, Lin looked as blank as ever and Noll looked almost angry.
"So I have to admit to myself what I am refusing to hear?" Lin asked and Mai nodded. He nodded in return.
Noll stormed into his office and slammed the door behind him.
"Show me the photo!" Mai demanded. Yasuhara obliged. "That's so weird!"
"Super creepy," he agreed.
"Yasuhara, where did you even get that thing? And why did you send it here?"
"I thought the company might be interested in it."
Lin returned to his own office and resurfaced a minute later holding his rucksack.
"I'm going home, I'll see you tomorrow," he said and Mai waved goodbye to him.
"Wait up! I need a lift!" Yasuhara said quickly.
"He can't hear you," Mai said.
"Oh yeah…" Yasuhara trailed off. "Well, cya Mai! Look after Big Boss for us; I think we all know what he's refusing to say."
And then he sprinted out of the office after Lin.
Mai scowled at his retreating form and then headed to Noll's office.
"Do you want some tea?" she offered. Noll shook his head. He was sat at his desk and looked extremely agitated. "What's wrong?"
He scowled at her, then grabbed a spare piece of paper and starting writing.
I know what it is I cannot say. I have admitted it to myself.
"Then why can't you speak?"
You tell me. It was your theory.
"I don't know, it worked for me," Mai said. "It worked for the people in my dreams…" She paused. "Maybe… Maybe it's not what you think it is?"
I don't know what else it could be.
"Think about it, I'm sure you'll work it out," Mai said with a reassuring smile. "I better go and finish that report."
Noll nodded his agreement and Mai left.
Noll put the small statue in his office drawer and locked it. He refrained from swearing at the damned thing. He strode out of his office to see his assistant still typing away.
"Oh, hey, do you want tea?" Mai said when she noticed his presence.
He pointed at an imaginary watch on his wrist and Mai looked at the time on her computer screen.
"Damn, it's almost seven," she muttered. "I was so sure I'd get this thing done."
"I need to lock up now," Noll said quietly.
"You spoke!" Mai exclaimed. "You worked it out!"
"Yes," Noll said. Mai thought he looked annoyed at something.
"Is something wrong?"
"I suppose not," he said with a sigh. "Come on."
Mai hurried to get her stuff together and grabbed her coat as Noll waited by the door.
"I'll get that report done tomorrow, I promise!" Mai said earnestly as Noll locked the office door.
"Come on," Noll said again, ignoring Mai's words as they headed down the stairs. "I'll give you a lift."
"Really?"
Noll only replied with a sigh.
He led her to his car and they both climbed in.
Noll did not say a word as he started the car and began driving.
"So what was it you hadn't admitted to yourself?" Mai asked. Noll did not say anything. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?" she offered. He sighed again as they came to a set of red lights.
"Go on then."
"I was refusing to see the danger I keep putting myself in," Mai admitted as her cheeks went red. Then she realised the direction they were going. "Naru, my flat is the other way."
"I know," he said as he pulled away. "And I'm glad you're seeing reason."
"Why are you going the wrong way?"
"Do you want to know what I thought it was?"
"No," Mai said, now curious.
"I thought the curse wanted me to admit that I loved you," Noll said calmly. Mai felt her body stiffen. "But that could not be the case, as I had admitted that long ago."
"So what was it?" Mai asked in a half terrified whisper.
"I had to admit that I did not want to give up on the possibility of there being a relationship between us that was more than the current status of co-worker."
"So…?" Mai asked slowly, wondering if this meant what she thought it meant. "Where are we going?"
"My place, for dinner."
Omake
Lin let himself into his house and dumped his bag.
"Madoka?" he called. "Madoka, where are you? We need to talk."
"Need to talk?" Madoka appeared in the doorway.
"Yes," Lin began. "There was an incident at the office today and it forced me to realise something."
"What?" Madoka asked with a frown.
"I think you're pregnant."
"What?"
"I've heard you puking every night for the last two weeks and I tried to ignore the symptoms but it makes sense."
"But I can't be…" Madoka said. "Lin, I can't have children…"
Lin pulled something out of his pocket.
"Humour me?" He passed her a box.
And three minutes later, Madoka fainted.
Author's note: So this was my original idea for the 'animals' prompt for fluff week, which is NEXT WEEK PEOPLE! I spent literally all of yesterday evening writing my things for fluff week (over 5000 words written, go me!) so I am all set! And I hope some of you are too! And to everyone not writing, I hope you enjoy reading (and reviewing) all the pieces that people write!
So yeah, this was my original idea, but the new idea is 100x fluffier as AmyNChan will attest. I let her have a sneak preview and she squealed a bit :) You all have that to look forward to on Monday!
Please review :)