"Mai," Oliver scolded. "You have got to finish your outline tonight."
Mai was sitting on the floor of Oliver and Lin's apartment writing an outline for her research paper. She had moved off the couch so that she could use the coffee table as a desk, and sat with her back against her boyfriend's legs. He would have complained, but Mai was doing a good job keeping his feet warm.
"But I'm really tired, Naru…" Mai yawned, stretching her arms out. She almost poked Oliver in the eye with her pen as he leaned forward to see what she had left to do.
"You're almost done!" Oliver reached down and began gently rubbing Mai's shoulders. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You can do it, Mai."
Mai sighed dreamily and added a few more words to her current line. Oliver did know how to motivate a girl...
Oliver kept his hands on Mai's shoulders as he looked over her head to see what she had written.
"You just need your conclusion."
"I hate conclusions," she mumbled, writing a word and then immediately scribbling it out in frustration.
Oliver smirked, giving Mai's right shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"It's just restating the thesis." He traced tiny circles on her neck with his thumbs. "It's not hard."
"Ugh," Mai huffed. "I know you're trying to be supportive, and you're doing great, but you're creeping me out a bit."
Oliver immediately removed his hands from Mai.
"Sorry," he clasped his hands tightly in his lap. "I'm not good at this boyfriend thing."
"Hey," Mai turned and rested her chin on Oliver's knee. "You are too! I just mean that you shouldn't act like something you're not for my sake."
Oliver frowned down at her.
"I can tell when you're trying too hard."
"What do you want me to do, then?"
Mai sighed, "I want you to let me sleep."
Oliver looked down at her wide eyes and fought the urge to relent.
"I can finish in the morning!" Her eyes widened still. "I'm falling asleep where I sit."
"Are you going to spend the night?" Oliver asked. The thought had just occurred to him.
Mai shrugged.
"Do you want me to?"
"It is late…" Oliver ruffled his hands through his hair as he considered.
"I can sleep on the couch!" Mai stood up from the floor and crawled onto the couch next to Oliver.
"No," Oliver frowned. "You can sleep in my bed."
"Where will you sleep, then?"
Oliver rolled his eyes.
"The couch."
"But you have a bad back, old man!" Mai protested. "You should take the bed."
"I suppose we could share the bed…" Oliver smirked at the blush on Mai's face. "We don't have to," he quickly amended.
"No!"
Oliver chuckled at Mai's outburst.
"So you want to?"
Mai's blush deepened.
"When you make me put it that way…"
Oliver rolled his eyes.
"Nod your head yes or no."
Mai pouted, but nodded her head yes.
Oliver stood, taking Mai's hand and pulling her up with him.
"Come on, then."
Mai yawned, "Could I borrow something to sleep in?"
They went into Oliver's room, Oliver shutting the door carefully behind them. He went to his dresser and pulled out one of his white undershirts.
"It'll be a little big but it's all I've got."
Mai thanked him and took the shirt, ducking into Oliver's bathroom to change.
A little big was an understatement. The shirt hit just above Mai's knees.
"I think this is a good look for me!" She swished side to side, twirling the oversized shirt like a dress. "I could almost wear this out."
A genuine smile crept over Oliver's lips. Maybe the grin came easily because he was in need of rest. He liked to think that he smiled easily because he was more comfortable now with Mai.
"I'm getting silly tired," Mai laughed at herself.
Oliver unabashedly stripped off his shirt and trousers as he prepared to sleep. He raised his eyebrow at Mai's stare.
"Sorry." She patted her pink cheeks.
Oliver reached out and pulled Mai toward him, burying her face in his chest.
"What are you doing?" she asked, voice slightly muffled.
"Hugging you."
"Why?"
"Because I like you," He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Of course."
"You're acting weird," Mai giggled. "What's gotten into you?"
"I'm really tired," Oliver kissed Mai's forehead again lightly before letting her go. "We should sleep."
Mai nodded, crawling into Oliver's bed as he pulled the covers back. She scooted to the other side of the bed and sat upright, waiting for Oliver to join her. He got in bed and pulled the covers up to his chest before turning off the bedside lamp.
Oliver shifted closer to Mai, pulling her towards him.
"You're okay with this?" she asked, turning so that she could lay her head on his chest.
"If I weren't, I wouldn't be doing it."
"Okay," Mai closed her eyes, beginning to drift off already. "Goodnight."
Oliver smiled again, kissing the top of Mai's head one last time.
"Night."
When Mai awoke, it was still dark out. She glanced at the clock on Oliver's bedside table. 3:00 AM. She sighed, shifting gently to remove herself from Oliver's arms. She needed water.
Mai rose from the bed carefully and tip-toed to the kitchen for a glass of water. When she returned, Oliver was still in the state that she had left him. She crawled back in bed, carefully laying back down against Oliver's chest.
"Mai?" Oliver's eyes were still closed.
"Shh…" Mai brushed the back of her hand gently against Oliver's cheek. "I just went to get water," she whispered.
Oliver frowned.
"Why are you here, Mai?"
Oliver Davis, it seemed, was talking in his sleep.
Mai pressed a hand over her mouth to suppress her giggle.
"Mai," He pulled Mai closer to him. "This isn't proper."
"Oh?"
Oliver nuzzled his face into Mai's hair.
"What'll Lin think?"
"Lin doesn't care," Mai laughed. "You're asleep, Naru."
"No I'm not," the sleeping Oliver argued indignantly before letting out a quiet gasp.
"What's wrong?" Mai sounded worried.
"You're super duper pretty…"
"Shh..." Mai blushed despite herself. "Why are you like this?"
"Because you're my girl."
Mai sighed, "Naru you aren't allowed to be this cute if you're not even conscious of it." She pressed a sleepy kiss to Oliver's bare shoulder.
"But I left toast in the oven!" Oliver hugged Mai tighter still, worried for this non-existent toast.
Mai giggled, "You're talking nonsense."
Oliver did not reply again, apparently finished with his episode of sleep-talking.
Mai made a mental note to ask Lin how often Oliver talked in his sleep before closing her eyes and drifting off once more.
When Mai awoke, Oliver was no longer there. She sat up and stretched, deciding to get up as soon as she caught the smell of breakfast cooking.
Mai laughed as she saw Oliver in the kitchen, holding a loaf of bread.
"Did you leave the toast in the oven?" she joked.
Oliver looked confused.
"Excuse me?"
"You talked in your sleep last night."
Oliver put two slices of bread into the toaster.
"What did I say?"
"Um," Mai leaned against the edge of the counter, looking up at the ceiling as she thought. "First you said it wasn't proper for us to share a bed."
Oliver nodded, smirking.
"You were pulling me closer as you said this so I'm not sure how convicted you were."
"Fair," Oliver chuckled. "What else?"
"Then you started talking complete nonsense," Mai blushed as she recalled. "You said I was super duper pretty."
Oliver raised an eyebrow.
"That's not nonsense," He paused. "Not the best diction," He took a step back from the toaster and faced Mai fully. "But not nonsense."
Mai's cheeks were on fire. Why did he have to do this to her at this time in the morning? Oliver should wait until at least noon before he started trying to make her fall even deeper in love with him.
Oliver placed his hands on either side of Mai's waist, and leaned down, placing a soft kiss to her lips.
"You are super duper pretty."
would you believe this is the first time I've written Mairu? this was just some cute garbage I wrote for fun so enjoy! um, if you liked this and you haven't read my other fics yet, please, please go check them out! I actually put effort into some of them (unlike this) and I would love for them to have more views/rates/reviews!
I would specifically rec my stories The Town of Cats and The Magician and The Moon, because they are two of my best works, I think.
thank you, as always, to Hannah for beta reading, as well as Lily, Toa, and Kel! we had a bit of an "edit bee's fic" party last night...
also HUGE thanks to Kel bc this fic was 99% her ideas...
please rate and review if you don't mind!
Love, Bee