Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt nor any of the characters- I just like to make them do random things for my own amusement.
With that being said, read and review? :3
Rated T: Because I never rate anything besides a T or M.
"Talking" - 'Thoughts'
Story: Homebound
One-shot
'No one is coming to take me home' The girl thought, as she watched the last of the team members leave SPR's doors. 'This is it. This is the end.' Her eyes took in the white walls, the clean office. The bookcases empty now, but once were over flowing with books. 'My home... my family. SPR is finally closed.'
The cold air was crisp in Shibuya that afternoon. Mai was walking by the old SPR building, having not been there in seven years. Her eyes took in the familiar building, seeing the old staircase broken in several places. The building was corrupted, the news said. They were going to tear it down today- the reason why she was here.
A good-bye.
Smiling wistfully up at the building, Mai gathered her wits around her. She needed to say good-bye properly. Putting one foot in front of the other, Mai stepped around the holes and broken stair boards. Climbing up, she finally reached the door she remembers running in to fairly often in her past from her being late. The SPR letters crooked and crumbling at the edges from age.
Sighing the beautiful woman grabbed the door knob and twisted it gently, pushing up against the door, a loud squeak came from the hinges. Peering around the door, cinnamon doe like eyes widen- a flicker of sadness showing.
The lobby was old and rustic, after not being cared for... for so long. Maneuvering around the door, Mai glanced at her desk- still sitting in the same spot. The bookcase against the far wall was laying in a haphazardly heap on the floor, the window shades ripped off. 'So much dust.' She thought, bringing her right hand to cover her nose and mouth. There was a filthy smell in the air, almost as if someone had died there.
Stepping further in to the lobby, the floor boards creaked ominously. Pushing the thought of falling through the floor boards from her mind, Mai continued on her trip down memory lane. Looking at the once white walls, she noticed graffiti smudged on most of them.
'There.'
Walking carefully over all of the broken items on the ground, Mai finally made it across the room. The short familiar hallway cloaked in shadows- she would have missed the picture if it wasn't for the brief glint she got from the glass protecting the photograph.
It was a picture of them all. When Oliver and Lin were still in Japan- before finding Gene's body.
'I look so happy.' Mai brushed her thumb gently against the hard glass surface. 'Even Oliver looked somewhat happy.' Feeling her eyes begin to tear up from the over whelming feelings that were suddenly crashing in to her, Mai picked the picture off the wall. Clutching on to the frame, Mai thought back to the day they took it.
It was after Oliver got out of the hospital- Mai felt elated to have Naru up and walking that she had proposed they take a picture together. Everyone decided to humor her.
After getting a random nurse to take the picture outside the hospital, Mai had struck a thinking pose. Bou-san had seen this and patted her head, his eyes amused. "What are you thinking about Jou-chan?"
Grinning up at Bou-san, Mai pushed him away. "Just thinking about how we should always take a picture after each case. Wouldn't that be awesome?"
Bou-san nodded, a thoughtful look. "It would be nice. We could even hang them up on the walls inside of SPR."
Mai giggled, nodding excitedly. "Yes!"
A flash and a soft click sounded before them.
Blinking back the tears in her eyes, Mai shoved her pointer finger out and stabbed it into Yasuhara's general direction. "HEY! What was that for!?" She screeched.
Yasuhara smirk, his glasses flashing momentarily from the sun. "Awww! But Mai-chan! I was just taking a picture of you and Bou-chan! I wanted a picture of my big teddy bear and his cute 'lill bear cub!"
"Ewww! No! That creeps me out! Don't call me your teddy bear!" Bou-san pulled Mai in front of him, protecting himself from Yasuhara.
Giggling, Mai felt her face flush from Bou-san's gentle hands on her and his playful banter.
'We never did have another case afterwards. Not counting the haunting at the school with children.' Mai thought somberly, again glancing down at the picture. 'I wonder who put it up in SPR?'
'Probably Takigawa. He's always taking pictures now.' She thought with a small smile, her thumb automatically caressing the Monk's face in the picture- a bit more lovingly than the other times.
'He always sneaks up on me to take pictures.' She smiled fondly, as she continued down the hallway to Oliver's old room. 'His hands were shaky at first, fumbling around to get the right picture.' Giggling, Mai pushed open Naru's room. 'Takigawa and I were connected back then, just as we are now. Just now it's a bit more obvious.'
Mai rubbed her stomach in thought.
The desk was upside down, the bookcases now ashes on the floor. Burnt marks across the floorboards and the window shattered to pieces. Feeling her eyes start to tear up again, she remembered how Oliver always was staring out the window once it got to be evening. 'He would call for tea, his back always away from me as I placed it down on his desk.' Mai sighed, her fingers gently running across the window ledge. 'I wonder if he stares out the window in England? Does he miss us here? Has he thought of us? Does he like the tea there?'
"I feel horrible. Should I feel this relieved to see the old SPR building being torn down? There were so many good memories there, as well as bad. But it was family. We were all family." Mai glanced over to her lovers face, her eyes a mix of emotions. "Do you suppose it is wrong of me to wish for it to be today, instead of next week?"
Her lover gathered her hands up in his warm grasp, putting a small reassuring pressure on them. Pulling them up to his face, he cradled the warm hands against his rough cheeks.
"It's not wrong to want to finally move on with your life. It's not wrong to wish for the final good-bye."
Smiling, Mai leaned in and placed her lips in a small caress against his lips.
"Thank you..."
Mai had walked the whole SPR floor, her legs burning from standing for too long. 'Only a few more hours, then this will be nothing but rubble.' Picking up a turned over chair, Mai slumped down gently, her body feeling the strain of walking and the emotional roller coaster she just had worn on her nerves.
'I wonder what everyone in SPR is doing right now? Are they going to watch as they tear down the building? Are they sad? Angry? I wish I knew how everyone was...'
'Click!'
Jumping back, startled- Mai quickly blinked to try to get the little black dots out of her vision. "Hey! You don't need to use the flash!" She giggled.
"But, Mai! I wanted to remember this moment! It's not every day that you graduate from Highschool! You also got accepted into a great college!" Bou-san waved his hands around, camera whooshing through the air with them.
"Monk! Stop taking pictures of Mai!" A purse went soaring through the air, slicing the crowded room and hitting its target.
"OW! YOU OLD HAG!"
"WHO YOU CALLING OLD, YOU PERVERT?!"
Mai giggled as she watched the two fight, her chest tightening as she noticed Ayako's eyes dancing with longing and mirth.
'Why do I hate the thought of them together?'
'Click!'
"Bou-san! The flash!"
"Ooopss! Errr... sorry?"
Mai giggled as she clumsily stumbled into Bou-san's apartment drunk. She couldn't quite remember how she ended up in his car, but her friends at the campus probably were worried since the curfew was at 1 am. It was already 2.
"Bouuuuuuuuuu-sannnnnnn! Let's vatchhh sum movvvvvviesss!"
"Now Mai-chan! You have had too much to drink! Time for bed!"
"Buuuutttttttt~"
"No buts!"
Takigawa groaned, a small smile tugging up at the corners of his mouth. Watching the now older woman stumble around his apartment, he couldn't help his heart from beating faster. He had fallen in love with the girl, but he knew she couldn't love him. 'Not like I love her.'
"Bouuuuuu-san! Come layyyy wiff me!"
"Mai-chan, I can't do that. You need to sleep, okay? I will be out on the couch if you need me."
"Bbbbuuut! I wannnnnntttt youuuu to stay wif me. Pwease?" Mai used her puppy dog eyes, batting her eye lashes in rapid succession. Moving her arms up and towards him, she played grabby hands with the air. "Wonnnt you stay wif me? Ammm I notttt preetty enouf for you?"
Her eyes started to tear up, her bottom lip quivering. "Itsss hokay. I know youuuu lovve Ayako."
Takigawa's eyes widen, his mouth dropping open. "I don't love Ayako. She's like an annoying sister." He spoke softly, his legs bringing him closer to the brown-haired woman.
Sitting down on the bed, he ran his fingers through her soft hair. "I love you, Mai."
'Click!'
"Geeze! Takigawa! I look horrible! I just got up!"
"Mai-chan, you always look beautiful."
"Hey!-"
'Click!'
"I said I look grotesque!"
"Oh come on! Mai-chan! Smile."
Pulling the woman closer to his chest, Takigawa leaned down and stole Mai's lips.
Mai leaned into the kiss, her eyes fluttering closed. A tint of red painted her cheeks, a soft smile curving up her lips.
'Click!'
'Click!'
"Takig-"
His lips sealed over hers, tuning out the world around them. "Marry me?"
"What do you mean you guys are getting married?! Since when were you guys going out?!" Ayako screeched, her face flustered- eyes red from crying.
"Since when did you..." Ayako burst into tears again, her hands flying to her face. "Mai! You knew I had a crush on him! YOU KNEW!"
"A-Ayako..."
"Don't Ayako me! I don't want to see your face again."
"Yasuhara?" Mai blinked away the sleep from her eyes. Her eyes wearily looking at the slightly older man. "What are you doing here? It's three in the morning?"
"Mai. I-I have been thinking a lot lately. I know I have to say this..." Yasuhara paused, his eyes piercing through hers. His hands gripped the door frame, white knuckled. "I love you. I have loved you since the day I met you. Please, please- you can't get married."
"I'm sorry, I love Takigawa."
Masako placed the tea-cup up against her mouth, a sour expression twisted her doll-like features. "So you are getting married. Good for you. Why did you want to talk to me?"
They were currently sitting at the café shop around the corner from hers and Takigawa's place. The only place (good enough) to meet up with the famous Japanese medium tastes.
"J-just to see how you were doing after Naru left..." Mai really just wanted to talk, to have a friend. Someone that was her age and maybe cared a little bit. Both Yasuhara and Ayako refused to talk to her anymore. Ayako because she was still pissed and Yasuhara moved to get away from everything.
"Don't talk to me like we are friends. I never liked you." Masako's face twisted into a sneer.
John smiled sadly at the couple sitting before him. He understood that they both loved each other greatly. He appreciated the love between the two- he couldn't remember a time when he talked to a couple so full of love. He smiled at the honesty behind their caring.
"I am moving back to Australia. My Mum is sick and I think it would be best if I took care of her. I'm sorry."
Mai held Takigawa's hand hard, her eyes tearing up. "It's fine John! Really! You need to take care of your Mother before anything. We will find someone else to do the ceremony, you just worry about taking care of your Mother." She stood up and engulfed the Priest in a warm hug. "Thank you for understanding us and being friends." She whispered into his ear.
"No, thank you guys. I'm sorry. I know God is smiling down at the both of you. Just keep your heads held up high- never be ashamed of your love."
Sighing aloud, Mai brought herself back to the present. 'It's been three years since I have talked to Ayako, Yasuhara, and Masako. I wonder...'
Mai startled as she felt a hand rest gently against her shoulders. "Love... it's time to go."
Takigawa peered down at his wife of three years. Her shoulder brown hair wavy and her big brown doe eyes staring up at him in wonderment. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her by his side. She was beautiful.
'Click!'
"TAKIGAWA!"
He chuckled as he put the camera back into his shoulder bag. "You ready? Do you need help getting up?" He asked gently, his hand moving on its own accord to help Mai up anyways.
"I'm fine. Ohh... dear the time flew by." Mai looked down at her wrist watch, noticing that it was 30 minutes until they tore down the building. "We best get out before they bulldozer the place." She smiled as she latched on to his hand.
The both moved towards the door hand in hand, a soft content smile playing across both of their faces.
"Do you think everyone is happy?" She asked.
"I hope so. They all deserve to be happy." Takigawa replied, as he helped her down the last stair.
"I hope so too..." She glanced up at the sky, seeing the sun peek out from behind the grey clouds. "By the way... did you hang this picture up on the wall inside SPR?" She flashed the frame at him, her head cocked to the side.
"Nope! Though I wish I did. I wonder who did... though..."
"Oh well... I hope whoever did doesn't mind me taking it." Mai giggled as she and Takigawa turned onto the side-walk.
"I highly doubt they would mind, love." He whispered, his eyes watching traffic as it drove by.
"Aw, well... I suppose we should head home. I am craving some pickles." Mai announced to her husband.
"We should stop and get some on our way then. I don't think we have any in the fridge." He muttered, pulling his wife across the street safely. Again, glancing down at his wife, his eyes took in her round frame. Pulling her to a stop, Takigawa placed his hand on the swell of her stomach. "You should be craving something better than pickles." He spoke to the large bump. "Your Mum is driving me crazy with pickles."
Mai laughed, her eyes dancing as she watch Takigawa speak to their baby. "She wants pickles though!"
'Click!'
"TAKIGAWA! I AM GOING TO TAKE THAT CAMERA AWAY FROM YOU!"
"Noooooooo!"
Mai watched as Hana slept in her crib, her fingers gently moving the baby's brown curls aside.
"I thought no one was coming back to take me home..." She murmured softly to her baby girl. "But now I realize that even though SPR was my home- you and your father are now my home. I am home, finally."