30 Day Writing Challenge
Day Fourteen: Secret
Fandom: Ghost Hunt
Pairing: Mai/Naru (Implied)
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt
Secret
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When he'd originally left home on this trip (not a mission or a quest, that's the sort of stupid thing that Gene would call this, and his brother was long gone), Oliver had not thought that things would end up this way.
A part of him had thought that he'd open up the Japan branch of SPR and then a couple weeks later he'd find Gene and he could go home. How hard could it be to find the lake from his vision, after all? Japan was a rather small country so surely not too long.
But here he was months later, still looking with no sign of the correct lake around. And worse still, the office was no longer just a space for himself and Lin.
From the moment he'd seen Mai, he'd been sure that she would cause him problems, and he was proven very correct, only cementing this thought with every moment she got herself caught up in trouble on cases.
It was hard for his heart, but even harder for his head to understand. Logically, he knew why he had offered her the job, without letting Lin know, no-less. She was an orphan. There was no-one supporting her.
Eugene and he had each other, and now with Gene gone, he still had a new family to fall back on (whether he wanted them there or not). This wasn't the case for Mai. She didn't have anyone left looking out for her, and no-one helping her to survive.
So he'd given her a job.
It was the most reckless decision he'd ever made, but it wasn't one that he regretted in the slightest.
Glancing at the time, Oliver rolled his eyes at the sight of the time. Ten-past four. Mai was supposed to be here ten minutes ago.
As if on schedule, he heard the door open and the entrance of familiar light footsteps.
Pushing himself from his seat, he walked out of his office, crossing his arms and looking as disapproving as possible. "You're late."
Mai huffed, looking an amusing mix between irritated and apologetic. "Sorry. I ended up having to stay back and help the teachers out with something before I could head here."
"Excuses. Tea."
Turning away, he allowed himself to smirk at her irritated grumbling the moment he turned his back, stepping into his office.
Sitting down again, he looked at the map that he had been studying Mai's arrival, his momentary freedom from the harshness of reality swept away in light of what he was doing here in Japan. He wasn't here to make friends, or meet people. He had a job to do, and then he was going home to England.
There was a short knock before Mai stepped inside, placing the tea in front of him.
"What's that?" The brunette inquired curiously, blinking at the sight of the map with marks all over it.
Naru narrowed his eyes. "Nothing. You have work to be doing." He reminded, ignoring the part of him that screamed at his open deception.
He could tell her. He never had to lie in the first place. This was Mai, she would never tell a soul. Couldn't even hurt a fly.
He wouldn't though.
Not because he thought that the above statements were untrue, but because he knew that it would hurt her to know that he'd ever lied at all.
Imaginative though he might not be, the image his mind conjured based on the time he'd made her cry was as real as anything that might happen upon her revelation, and for once he cared. Normally he couldn't care less what people thought of him, but Mai tended to throw all of the rules out of the window.
And the worst thing was, he knew it was just delaying the inevitable. Eventually she would know that he'd lie, and she would be upset. She would be betrayed, and emotional, and he wasn't going to be able to handle it, so he'll do the only thing he ever does in those situations, he'll be rude.
He'll say things he doesn't mean, or things he does in a cruel way to drive the sadness from her and create anger instead, and that will hurt as well.
Realising that Mai was still starting at him, this time with a strange expression, he raised an eyebrow. "Work." He reminded shortly.
Huffing, Mai turned around, exiting his office. "Jerk." She grumbled.
The insult was half-hearted at best, but he couldn't agree more.
He was a jerk. And a liar.
She deserved more.