Maybe my favorite one so far…
DISCLAMER; I DO NOT OWN GHOST HUNT!
Without further ado this is…
Chapter 4 of; 'Uneven Odds'
Davis
They had told him that they were coming to visit but not once had his parents mentioned when exactly it was that they were to be expected.
They had always been like that.
Vague… they worked spontaneously while he himself was the opposite. If it wasn't thought up of days in advance and written down it didn't feel right to him. It didn't feel official.
…
He had been sitting on a chair in his study analyzing his most recent thesis while Mai was laying on the couch sipping tea and cuddling with Cappuccino. The sounds of the television all he could hear aside from her yawns and giggles every once in a while.
From what he could tell she was watching one of those criminal shows that she adored. While they both knew that they were fake and overplayed, he still enjoyed her company and listening to her crazy theories whenever they watched them together.
He enjoyed her company more than he would ever say.
It was merely knowing that she was around that brought him peace and unexplainable happiness.
It wasn't something he had analyzed yet and to be honest it wasn't something he wanted to do… maybe knowing that it was something that could not be helped was his justification for the matter.
Maybe.
There were a lot of things that he had learned to tell her.
Like about his job and his family. His brother and why it was he loved tea so much.
He told her about England and about his childhood in Japan.
He told her story after story watching the emotions on her face shift from happiness to pain to anger… watching as she felt what he felt.
And that was something he loved about her. Her uncanny ability to sympathize with everyone about absolutely anything.
But there were also things he wouldn't tell her….
Like he'd never tell her that instead of reading and editing his recent research he was too distracted with the way his t-shirt fit her body almost too perfectly.
He'd never tell her that the fact that his shirt was so big that it covered the sorts that he mentally knew were in fact there but physically couldn't see brought on unnecessary feelings.
Feelings the scientist had yet to analyze thoroughly.
He breathed in the scent of lavender. A scent that hadn't existed weeks ago, but had now overpowered the scent of earl gray he had been once so fond of.
He sighed out in content.
'Twas a calm and serene Sunday evening.
That was until he heard the knock and his heart fell into his stomach.
Damn.
Mai threw the blanket off her form slowly standing walking towards the main door before Naru had a chance to stop her. His mind racing with the thoughts of what his mother would say when she saw a girl in his apartment.
And not just any girl… no… but a girl dressed in his clothing and laying on his couch sippinghis tea.
Naru stood abruptly slamming the top of his desk uncharacteristically watching the brunette jump.
"Naru?" she asked concern lacing her words.
He looked up at her eyes narrowed, "Do not touch that door." Setting the book down Naru wound his way out of the office area and into the main room. Placing a hand on Mai's shoulder he smiled, "I don't want you to concern yourself with something as pointless as a visitor. Just go and lay down."
Mai nodded as the man walked to the front of the door hand on the door knob. The knocking hadn't stopped, in fact if anything it grew more persistent.
Aggressive almost.
Naru grinded his teeth, closing his eyes in an attempt to clear his thoughts before welcoming his family into his apartment.
A job that he needed to be mentally prepared to do.
A job that was hypothetically simple, but with the pounding of the door in tune to the headache he had acquired due to their uncalled for visit.
Naru sighed aloud before pulling the door open.
"Noll!"
His eyes widened staring at the woman that had attached herself to his body uncomfortably. Naru wound his arms around her figure awkwardly earning himself a chuckle from his father.
"Mother… Father."
Luella dug her head out of her son's chest looking up at him teary eyed, "What happened Noll… you stopped calling."
Naru shook his head sighing, "No mother I didn't stop calling, I never stopped calling. I stopped answering."
She narrowed her eyes at her son, "Smart ass."
Martin behind the two laughed aloud clamping a hand on his son's shoulder, "Noll, it's good to see you again."
Naru smiled lightly at his parents.
This was a happiness he could get used to.
"Yes, it is."
…
Mai watched the interaction with tears in her eyes.
Is this what it felt like to have a family?
Is that was it looked like to be loved?
The brunette didn't know.
Scurrying across the room silently she found her room and opened the brief case full of her clothing. Clothing, mind you, she had been too lazy to put on. Not that you could blame her it was just his clothing smelled absolutely divine.
Pulling off the clothing and throwing on a pair of jeans and a t shirt, Mai ran a comb though her hair before pulling it up in a ponytail. Content with her appearance she opened the door in time to see that the family had moved to the living room.
Darting over to the kitchen she placed the kettle on the burner before gathering four cups and the bowl of biscuits Naru had purchased on their last shopping trip.
A story for another time. (HINT HINT)
She leaned against the counter waiting for the water to come to a boil. Half of her listening in on the English conversation while the other half of her frantically analyzed the words trying to make sense of the unfamiliar language.
Something about the weather and how hot it was in Japan then something about England was all she could make out before she heard hurried footsteps.
Mai's eyes widened should she hide?
No that would be petty, why would a grown woman have to hide in her own home?
So should she just stand here… pretend to be busy… pretend she hadn't heard anything?
No that would be dumb too… maybe she should hide…
"Mai?"
Mai looked up cheeks flushed, "Yes…"
Naru raised a brow, "What on earth are you doing?"
She shrugged, "Making tea…. Do you want me to just stay in my room?"
"Why would you think I'd want you to do that?"
"It's a family gathering isn't it?"
Naru chuckled pulling her into a hug, "You're being ridiculous. You can come and join us if you want to."
Mai shook her head against his chest, "But I don't understand English."
"They speak Japanese."
"Really?"
Naru nodded holding Mai at arm's length, "Of course. Besides I have a feeling that they'd like to meet you."
Mai turned around at the sound of a screaming kettle before straining the leaves into the cups, "Are you sure."
Picking up the tray Naru nodded, "Of course."
Holding on to Naru's arm the two made their way into the main living room.
The looks on his parent's faces were priceless to say the least. Luella whom had been in the middle of a heated conversation with Martin about her sons living arrangements had gone silent.
Unnaturally silent.
Mai let go of Naru's arm bowing at the older couple, "It's nice to meet you…"
Martin stood up placing a hand on the girls shoulder, "You must be Mai."
Mai blushed stuttering, "How do you…?"
Luella stood as well walking towards the girl pulling her into a hug, "Modoka isn't very good at keeping secrets!"
Naru watched with mild amusement at the interaction between his parents and the girl he loved.
He knew that somewhere in her she felt an attraction to them. They were, after all, parents.
Parents she wasn't fortunate enough to have.
Mai smiled placing the cups in front of the visitors, "Thank you for coming to visit us. How was the flight?"
Luella smiled, "Unpleasant to say the least. But on to more pressing matters."
Mai cocked her head to the side, "Pressing matters?"
"How is he treating you?"
Mai blushed vibrantly as Naru settled in beside her, "Nar… I mean Noll is very… kind."
Martin raised a brow, "Kind?"
Before she had the chance to reply the door was slammed open the voices of her coworkers flooding in.
Mai smiled ear to ear standing up quickly, "You guys?!"
Monk smiled placing a gift bag on the floor attached to his arm the priestess herself, "Hey there kiddo!"
Modoka walked in holding on to Lin's arm following the hyperactive Monk, "Hope you don't mind Noll but we may have invited the gang for a little welcoming party."
Naru besides her sighed aloud standing, "And you never bothered to inform any of us?"
She placed a hand on her chest taken aback, "What, of course! We all knew!"
"We all…?"
She nodded animatedly, "Of course… except you and Mai of course. Speaking of the Devil, Mai how have you been!?"
Collecting the brunette into her arms she ran a hand though her hair, "You look good."
Mai smiled, "So do you!"
"Are you going to simply stand there or let the rest of us in?" Mai looked up confused until she spotted vibrant colors.
She smiled, "Masako… It's good to see you again. How has the show been?"
The girl smiled hiding behind the sleeve of her kimono, "It's been well. And you?"
Mai nodded, "Great!"
"MAI CHAN!"
Mai cringed at the body pressing in to hers almost painfully, "WHY DON'T YOU BOTHER TO CALL ANYMORE!?"
"Yasu…?"
He buried his head into her neck, "Have you forgotten about me…?"
She chuckled, "Of course not! How could I ever forget you!?"
A cough cut into their conversation, "I would appreciate it if you'd remove your hands from around my employee."
Yasu smirked unwinding his arms from the girl, "I can't believe your still using that excuse. I don't ever remember it being mandatory for a boss to live with his employee…"
Silence.
A painful three seconds of silence before all hell broke loose.
Martin's eyes widened while Luella almost chocked on her tea, "LIVE!?"
Naru braced himself as the prodding arms of his mother almost crushed him, "YOU LIVE TOGETHER AND NEVER TOLD ME!?"
"Good evening everyone…"
Mai looked up, "John…"
"NOLL WHEN DID YOU START KEEPING THINGS FROM ME!?"
Naru removed his mother hands softly, "Mother please we can discuss this later."
"Yeah… you probably should." Modoka's condescending tone only seemed to anger the scientist.
"Modoka…." Naru growled.
Mai couldn't help but laugh.
She threw her head back laughing as hard as she could only to be joined seconds later by the rest of the room.
This is bliss.
If anyone had been listening they would have thought them to be crazy… but if you listened close enough you could have felt the emanating happiness the family was giving off.
It isn't too often that you find people who cherish you like family. Mai knew enough to know that these were people whom she loved and needed.
She knew that they wouldn't leave her again.
She couldn't help the feelings of happiness and the tears that slipped out of the corner of her eyes.
Naru reached forward running his thumb across her cheek smiling at her while the rest of the room continued its boisterous greeting.
"I'm glad…" she whispered.
He smiled pressing his lips to her forehead, "I am too."
It was happiness.
Happiness none of them had felt in quite a while.
True profound happiness.
…
Thanks for reading the fourth chapter of 'Uneven Odds'
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you guys soon for the next edition.
PLEASE IF THERE ARE ANY MISTAKES DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW!
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See you soon!
-Lucy