Disclaimers: I do not owe Mai Hime.

Sayonara, Mai Hime

The thought occurred to Mai many years after the end of the Carnival.

She was waiting for the chocolate cake to be ready, and the windows were opened on a gorgeous Fall afternoon. Late flowers decorated the garden and a soft breeze caressed her cheeks, bringing her the salty scent of the ocean. Just like that day. A day she had completely forgotten.

As the distant memory struck her, Mai collapsed on a chair and a name she had desperately tried to forget, claimed her lips.

Also that day, so many years before, she was making a chocolate cake when, uninvited as usual, Nagi had appeared in her kitchen, delivering, as expected, bits of information she had not wanted to hear.
Mai was not resentful as Natsuki, so she had simply offered him a piece of cake. It had seemed her a good idea to silence his voice. Not that Mai hated him –she did not hate anyone at that time– but she could not help but to find his voice terribly annoying.

Mai remembered Nagi had accepted the cake, almost warily, and that he ate it looking at her with a weird expression in his clever eyes. For the first time, Nagi had seemed shocked. Then, just before to leave, the thin boy had leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her cheek, no more than the lightest brush of cold lips against Mai skin.

'No one has ever offered me a cake, no matter how ardently I asked. But you are so different from all of them, Mai Hime' Nagi had said her, leaving Mai completely flabbergasted as he disappeared from her house.

The alarm of the oven startled her, and Mai meticulously removed the cake, placing it on the rack. It was perfect, just like that distant day.

She felt like to cry as she poured the chocolate topping over it, remembering how Mikoto had liked it too, and Tate. Memories crumbled on her and, abruptly, she had to sit down again, for she did not want to ruin the cake with her salty tears.

"It looks fantastic, Mai, you have not lost you touch."

Somewhat, this time, she had expected it.

Mai raised her head to find Nagi seated on the table, his androgynous appearance unchanged through the years, even if his smirk, now, was more sad than mocking.

She did not know where she found the strength to smile, indicating the cake. "Do you want to taste it?"

Nagi simply nodded. "Why not?"

Mai looked him eating, slowly finding everything perfectly fitting. The cake, the Fall, his visit. Even if now she knew the reason behind his visit, she was starting to find the occurrence incredibly relieving. So, by the time he finished, Mai pale smile had turned into a warm one.

"Am I too old for you to kiss me?" Mai defiantly asked.

Nagi smiled her back and, this time, his lips caressed hers. "Among them, you've always been the one I adored the most, my Hime, and I still like you" he whispered, taking her hands and helping her to raise to her feet.

Mai felt something break inside her, and she had to lean against him not to fall on her knees. Nagi was as thin as she expected, but surprisingly strong, even if she realized that in that moment she should not be particularly heavy. Her thoughts run to Mikoto and Tate. "Will I see them again?"

"Yes. You'll find there all the Hime and the people most precious to them. All but Natsuki, but in few weeks I'll come back for her too. Shizuru is eager to meet her again. Now, do you want to get a last look around?" Nagi asked her.

Nodding, Mai cast an hesitant gaze at her clean kitchen, at the flowers she could see through the window, at the chair where she was seated. Tears filled her eyes, as she gripped tighter the hand of Nagi.

"Mai."

Her attention returned on him.

"When we'll be there will you make me another chocolate cake?" he shyly asked.

Thought the tears that were now falling Mai smiled, slipping her arms around his shoulders again. "Definitely."

And then they disappeared, leaving behind a chocolate cake, and a chair where and old body laid dead. Deep wrinkles disfigured her once beautiful features, marks left by the time and the anguish of having lost all of her friends. But, at last, she was smiling.