This is a response to my beta, lupine72's challenge; I had to include a Naru/Mai pairing in a songfic to Hillary Duff's song "Weird." And yes, I did just imply that Hillary owned the song, which means I didn't, which means I don't own anything. Happy?
A/N2: This hasn't been beta'd yet, because I really want to be the 500th fic, but it will be later!
I like the way you never sleep
And the promises you never keep
"Oh come on, Naru!" Mai whined. "You swore you'd let me off early tonight!"
"That was before you decided to come in an hour and a half late."
"It's the weekend! Come on Naru, you're a teenager, are you telling me that you never ever sleep in?"
"Not when I have work to do."
She threw up her hands. "When don't you have work to do? Please, Naru?"
He sighed. "All right, fine."
"Thank you!" she squealed.
"Don't touch me."
I like the way you say hello
And make it sound like time to go
"Good morning, Naru!"
"Hello, Mai. Goodbye, Mai."
"Oh. Er, hi Masako."
"Hello, Mai. Goodbye, Mai."
Lin leaned back just a little bit in his chair so he could see into the main office. Hara-san had just dragged Naru out, and Mai was standing right where she had been two minutes ago, staring at the door with a little frown on her lips. Poor girl.
"Sometimes it takes him a little while to figure out what he wants to happen," he said calmly. "Quite unlike every other teenager in the world. Naru's … unique like that."
"Yeah, I know he's weird," she sighed. "Nothing I can change, right?"
Lin shrugged, turning back to his office. She might not have been entirely correct in that assumption.
I like the scar above your lip
The way you let your feelings slip
But they're never what you feel
Oh so fake but completely real
"You were right, Mai. I was wrong." Mai was gleeful.
"You just admitted it! Say I'm smart."
"That's not what I said, I said you were right. Concentrating on your job doesn't equal a high IQ, Mai." She put her hands on her hips, glaring at him.
"Just for once, can you please give me a compliment without working an insult in it somewhere?"
Naru sighed and turned around from the van. "I would not have understood why she didn't moved on. You have very good people skills, Mai, even if said people are deceased. That was good work." And he smiled, just a little bit.
Mai beamed. "Thank you."
Don't you think it's weird
Weirder then weird?
That's what you are
That's what you want to be
What I like about you
Is what you like about me
Don't you think it's weird?
"I don't understand."
"What's not to understand?" he asked, still calm. "It's just dinner."
"Won't Masako mind?"
"It's none of her business."
"Are you serious?" He looked at her blankly and Mai laughed. "You are insane. Most people don't date two girls at once, you know? It tends to get them in a lot of trouble."
"Who says I'm dating Hara-san?" Mai was stunned.
"B-but what… what would you call dinners and movies and concerts and all the other stuff she says you've done?"
He shrugged. "Dinners and movies and concerts?"
Mai laughed again. "You are insane."
You like the rules that don't apply
And let the good thingsPass you by
"Why didn't you ask me sooner?" He shrugged, stroking her hair lightly.
"I don't know."
"That's it? That's the best you can come up with? No 'it's inappropriate to date a co-worker'? What about 'I didn't want to,' that's always a good excuse." Naru paused and thought for a second. Mai was about to fall off the couch, so she pressed herself closer.
"I think … I didn't believe it would work. Two pieces who are so incompatible… what were the odds that they would work well together?"
Mai rolled her eyes. "You're thinking of machines, not people. The rules aren't interchangeable, dummy."
"Good thing, too," he muttered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
Standing here without a plan
That's why you're such a happy man
She stared at him once again, stunned. "You don't have any idea?"
"I'm new to this, Mai."
"No more than I am, but at least I know what I want."
"You're good with people. I'm not." He turned away, filing something. She hit him on the shoulder, suddenly angry.
"It has nothing to do with that, Naru. I just want to know if you care what happens with this or not."
"I don't."
That was when the tears started to fall.
Don't you think it's weird
Weirder then weird?
That's what you are
That's what you want to be
What I like about you
Is what you like about me
Don't you think it's 1,2?
"Get away."
"Mai, I didn't mean it like you heard it."
"I said, get out. I don't want to talk about it."
He sighed and spun her around, trapping her against her kitchen wall. "Mai, listen to me. I didn't mean that I don't care about you, that I didn't care about us. I'm telling you that I don't know what I want. I don't know what you want, but I'm willing to give it to you. What do you want from me?"
"What does anyone want?"
He let out a sharp, irritated breath. "I just told you, I don't know."
"Are you human?"
"Apparently not."
I wanna make some changes
I want my money back
I wanna start up again
I wanna talk to strangers
I wanna be with you
But I just don't know
Where or When
"That is what would make you happy?" he guessed, wrapping an arm around her waist. He had snuck up on her, caught her staring at a family in the park.
"Have you figured out what you want yet? 'Cause you seem pretty confused."
"I bought the ring, didn't I?"
"Yeah, sure, after numerous hints and misconceptions and a fight here and there. You don't get people, do you?"
"I get you … sort of." They kept walking.
"That's what you think."
"Mai," he said seriously. "If you want a family, I can do that."
"Is that what you want?"
"If you trust me enough to believe that I could be … normal enough to make a good father, I would be honored."
"Honored isn't the same as happy."
"I'd be with you, wouldn't I? That would make me happy."
That's what you are
That's what you want to be
What I like about you
Is what you like about me
Don't you think it's weird
Weirder then weird?
That's what you are
That's what you want to be
What I like about you
Is what you like about me
"Dad, I asked the teacher and there's no ghost hunter I can go with on Career Day," Chika announced, very disappointed. Naru wasn't as concerned.
"None? Maybe you could skip school and just come to work with your mother and I."
"What, so she can learn to be a secretary?" Mai snorted. "That's all we'll be doing tomorrow, Naru."
"We have books. Besides, paranormal investigation is a good business."
"You are not forcing your own crazy interests on our children," Mai said sternly.
"Aw, but Mom! I wanna see a ghost!" the girl whined. Naru shot Mai a smug look, and she sighed.
"Paranormal obsession must be a genetic defect. Why must your DNA be so abnormal?"
Naru shrugged. "I'm unique that way."
Don't you think it's weird?