DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. All characters belong to the creator of Ghost Hunt…

So this is the first piece in my series of one-shots about the everyday lives of Mai and the rest of the S.P.R team. There really isn't an established time-line but I'd like to set it after Naru comes back from England. I've always wanted to try my hand at one of these do here it is. So yeah…read and review and let me know what you think :)

Chapter 1: A Tea-Related Injury

Blood.

It was everywhere; on her hands, her face, her chest and for some reason, her shoes too.

The pooling liquid dripped down coating the tiles of the floor bright red. Her mind was a little hazy. The metallic smell tinged the air as she tried to plug the flow.

"Ah, it just won't stop!" she whined, slightly hysterical.

Someone was grabbing her shoulders and leading her somewhere. Oh, right, the couch. Yes, she thought, good idea. Her body was guided by rough hands to sit, her legs folding under her. A throbbing headache furrowed her brow. The taste of copper running down the back of her throat was making her stomach churn. Her eyes were closed, too watery to see anything anyway.

"Tilt your head towards your knees and breath through your mouth," ordered the strict voice of her friend, Ayako.

The sharp twinge in the middle of her face had her wiggling on the spot. Someone slammed a tissue to the source of the hot, gushing fluid and held it there.

"Will you stop squirming!"

"I can't help it," she shot, "It hurts."

"You're lucky it's not broken."

"You're lucky I don't deduct your wages for a new carpet," scolded another voice to her left.

"Geez Naru, you're all heart," she grumbled.

"Oh, quit complaining," admonished Ayako again.

Mai harrumphed, folding her arms over her chest.

"Stop moving, you'll make it worse."

The petite brunette stilled, someone's large hand had just buried itself in her hair, pushing her head forward.

"Just hold her like that Naru, the idiot keeps tipping her head back," said a perturbed voice from above.

Oh God, she thought desperately, that was Naru's hand. It was warm as it applied gentle pressure on her skull, keeping her head in place. The short assistant blushed, her blood-matted hair hiding her face.

"So are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to ask Naru for a psychometry lesson?"

Mai gulped, heat causing her cheeks to burn. She wasn't entirely sure if it was noticeable under the layer of blood smeared across her face. She cracked an eye open to take a peek and spotted Ayako standing over her with an eyebrow raised in challenge. Her arm was extended to keep the tissue in place under nose.

"I'd rather not," she croaked averting her gaze.

"Well, something happened. So spill," she chided, not giving Mai the chance to worm her way out of an explanation.

Mai sighed, maybe if she fibbed a little they would buy it. She cleared her throat nervously but nearly gagged as the fresh wave of copper filled her mouth.

"Oh, come on already, out with it," urged the priestess, losing her patience. Mai felt the grip on her head tighten for a second before going slack again.

"Fine," she huffed, "I walked into a door," she snapped. It was the first thing that came to mind.

She heard a snort.

"Somehow, I find that hard to believe," said Naru, sarcasm dripping from his tone, "but I suppose anything is possible with you."

"Hey!" she yelped in outrage.

"So are we going to sit here all day or are you going to tell me the truth?" asked Naru over her shoulder.

Mai blanched, she had no choice now. Her boss always knew when she lied out-right.

"I-I was doing something stupid," she murmured, her blush now covering her entire face.

"Yes, I think we've established that," sneered Ayako, still pinching her nose painfully. Mai shot her a withering glare.

"I was in the kitchen making Naru some tea," she began, embarrassment clamping her heart, "and I was listening to my walk-man."

She steeled herself for the next part of her story, "there was this song that Monk uploaded and I got a little carried away when I heard it."

"And?" Naru dead-panned, "I fail to see how this relates to your nosebleed?"

"I was getting to it," she snapped and took another deep breath through her mouth.

"As I said, I got a little carried away so I started head-banging," she closed her eyes at the memory. "But I lost my bearings and ended up smacking the counter-top with my face instead," she bit out, hoping the words wouldn't carry. Honestly, she thought angrily, who the hell face-plants a frickin' countertop? She groaned. Mai Taniyama, that's who. The usually chirpy assistant wanted nothing more than for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. Her eyes snapped opened when she finally noticed the stunned silence. The tissue dropped away from her face and she glanced up at the scarlet-haired priestess in surprise.

Ayako face held a strange expression, something between hilarity and a disbelief. Suddenly the warm pressure of Naru's hand lifting from her hair, had her turning to look over her shoulder in confusion. Naru was shaking his head as he stalked towards his office.

"It was an accident!" she suddenly blurted out in her defense. Face was like a tomato, she scowled at the retreating figure.

She nearly jumped when Ayako's loud guffaws burst forth. Mai felt like dying. She heard Naru growl "idiot" before slamming his office door closed.

Mai groaned. For once she completely agreed with him.

A/N: So what did you think? R & R please…