Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

Cooking Fiasco

(A.N.) Okay. Here's story #4! I was told by my beta that it's a tad sappy, but I hope in a good way. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You all rock! And thanks for the suggestions, as well. This installment was actually a reviewer suggestion, so credit must be given to said review. Love to Alianora Serein! Hope you all enjoy the story!


Snow fell thickly, blanketing the ground. Buildings and street lamps were frosted and had shining ice cycles hanging from them. Mai thought that the overall effect was magical. The snow was so pure and the ice was sparkling in the lights of civilization, dazzling her as she walked to work. It was cold, but Mai was happy to brave the elements to see the snow falling softly around her.

It was less magical as soon as she slipped on some ice and fell into a snow drift.

When she finally made it to the SPR office building, Mai was shivering a bit and her cheeks were bright pink from the icy wind. Kicking the door shut with her booted foot, the brunette began stripping off her mittens and winter coat, then moved to unwind the fuzzy scarf from her neck. The heater was on full blast in the office and it was making her sweat. Mai wanted out of all the layers of clothes now!

In her haste, Mai managed to almost strangle herself with her scarf.

Once she could breathe properly again, she proceeded more slowly, finally ending by taking off her wet boots and slipping on some dry indoor shoes.

Lin came out of his office just in time to see Mai fumble with the shoes and fall rather ungracefully on her butt. "Taniyama-san?" he said when she didn't stand up right away. Stepping around the armchairs, he found Mai sitting on the floor. Grumbling and staring, clearly vexed, at the puddle she'd slipped in.

"I'm fine, Lin-san," Mai responded when she heard him, pushing herself to her feet. Almost in the blink of an eye, she reverted back to her usual happy-go-lucky self and was smiling, no longer frustrated with the puddle.

"Are you just going to stand there in the doorway like an idiot?"

Mai turned to glare at her boss. Lin didn't bother, he just went back into his own office since he was satisfied that Mai hadn't foolishly injured herself.

"I am not standing like an idiot, Naru!" Mai huffed. Just once, she sighed inwardly, just once he could say "Hello" like a normal person. It wouldn't kill him. Even though she secretly loved him, Mai was constantly annoyed by his overly standoffish ways. It was like socialization was the bane of Kazuya Shibuya's existence, unless it suited him better to be polite if the situation called for it of course.

Completely ignoring her protest, Naru waved a dismissive hand and said, "Tea. Now."

"Yes, sir," Mai growled out in returned. A please would be nice.

Shuffling into the kitchenette, Mai pulled out the kettle and filled it with water, and then placed it on the stove. She turned on the burner. While the water heated, she pulled out the green tea that Naru liked and the jasmine kind that Lin liked. Her stomach growled half-way through the preparation. Mai rummaged through the cupboards, trying to find something edible, but was dismayed to find nothing at all.

Well, except for the natto in the fridge, but there was no way she was eating that. Fermented bean paste was not on her list of what substances she considered fit for consumption.

I'll need to grab something to eat… Mai pondered for a second, eventually coming to a brilliant conclusion. She would run over to the supply store and grab a few ingredients so she could make a batch of cookies from scratch! That would solve everything.

With this plan in mind, she delivered both cups of tea, humming the entire time. She let Naru know that she had to make a quick trip to the store across the way, and then flounced out the door, back in her winter wear, before he could tell her no.

A minute later, Mai was efficiently grabbing stuff off the shelves in the store, already knowing the two recipes she was going to use by heart. Gingerbread and chocolate chip. Her two favorite kinds. And she had yet to make a batch of cookies that anyone else disliked. Mai was a good cook, especially when it came to baked goods. She may be clumsy sometimes, but the kitchen was her domain. Besides, anything that involved sugar was her forte.

She returned to SPR with two paper bags full of flour, sugar, and the like. Avoiding the incredulous looks from Lin and Naru, Mai cheerfully plopped the bags down on the kitchenette counter and began unloading. The room was smaller than her kitchen, but it was surprisingly well equipped. Some days, luck was just on Mai Taniyama's side.

"Mai. What do you think you're doing?" Naru was lurking in the doorway to the kitchenette, watching with clear annoyance as the girl began pulling out bowls and pans from various cabinets. Naru hadn't even known that half the things she discovered resided in the SPR kitchen.

To put it gently, Naru wasn't a domestic kind of guy.

"I'm baking. You have nothing but natto to eat. Surely you don't expect to survive on that stuff." Mai shivered at the thought. She despised natto.

Naru's annoyance crept up another notch. Sometimes, Mai was simply infuriating. The rest of the time though… No. "And you didn't just buy ready made food because why?"

"Because I'd rather make it and because I want to make it. It's snowing outside. I always make cookies when it snows outside." Mai didn't add on the little tidbit that she wanted to make cookies for him. Naru would probably laugh at her or something. Whatever his reaction, it would still be far too embarrassing to ever admit out loud. Hell, it was embarrassing to admit to herself.

Naru knew he ought to get back to work. He really did. But he found himself uncharacteristically torn between watching Mai's cooking expedition and working. He also found that, similarly uncharacteristic of him, he actually preferred stay and watch Mai. There was a light that seemed to travel with her. It made a room seem much warmer when she entered. Her laughter. Her smile. They were completely unfathomable. He'd tried dissecting the feeling he had when he saw her: that tight, constricted, warm feeling that he'd never experienced before. He hated it when he couldn't find good rational explanations for a phenomenon, so he hated when he felt that sensation take hold of him. He couldn't figure it out.

Mai busily began measuring water into a cup, and then poured it into a bowl with butter and sugar already inside it. After that, she cracked some eggs and added them as well.

Naru didn't move as she worked. Didn't say a word. Mai actually forgot that he was there since he was so still.

The chocolate chip cookie dough was soon ready to be put in the pan, then into the oven. With that accomplished, Mai washed up all the mixing bowls and spoons, dried them, and began setting them all back on the counter top. Examining all the items carefully to make sure that she had everything, Mai felt her brow wrinkle in puzzlement. Wasn't there another cookie sheet or two somewhere around here?

Then she remembered. The cookie sheets were tucked away in the topmost cupboards, where she couldn't reach. Wonderful. I'll have to climb up on the counter or something. With a sigh, Mai peered up at the cabinet, planning her attack. Mouth set in a determined line, she reached up and tried to grab the knob of the door, but fell short by several inches. Darn it! "I hate being short sometimes," she muttered under her breath.

A shadow fell across her and a black clad arm reached above her to open the cabinet door easily. "You are absolutely hopeless," Naru said by way of explanation, handing her the cookie sheets.

Mai flushed. "Oh yeah?" she retorted. "Then why don't you finish this up? Since I'm hopeless and all that?" She glared into Naru's dark blues eyes, trying valiantly not to drown in them.

She was failing.

"I don't cook." Naru's voice was hard and emotionless.

It was enough to rouse Mai out of her slight trance. "Naru," she said, "…Everyone cooks…"

"I don't."

"You mean you can't?" Mai was bordering on being gleeful right now. Not so perfect after all!

Naru glowered at her. Mai had to admit that it was a little bit cute. Just a little bit. She doubted that he would appreciate the comment though, so she kept it to herself.

Hiding her smile, Mai tugged on his sleeve lightly and commented, "That's no good. Come on, I'll teach you."

Naru dug in his heels. "No. I have work to do." Silently, he berated himself for getting involved in Mai's kitchen escapade. This was not going to end well.

"It can wait," Mai chirped dismissively. Barely managing, she dragged him over to the bowls and ingredients, and started to direct him. "We're making gingerbread cookies. Grab the sugar over there and the measuring cup." She showed him how then made him do the flour.

They discovered in a puff of flour dust that black was not a good color to wear while cooking. Or, rather, Naru discovered it. Mai was overcome with a fit of giggles, doubling over and failing miserably to stifle them. How could she resist? Covered in white powder as he was, Naru did look extremely comical, though he was glaring daggers at the helplessly laughing brunette.

"You look like a B-movie ghost," Mai choked out, finally getting enough control over her giggles so she could move properly. Smiling widely, she grabbed a clean towel and thrust it under the faucet, soaking it through. She wrung out the excess water, eyes bright with laughter.

Naru was busy being torn between anger and amusement, but decided that anger gave less away. He wasn't going to let Mai know about that indefinable feeling he got around her. That would be completely unacceptable.

Without thinking, Mai reached out and wiped a large patch of flour off Naru's cheek.

They both froze.

Mai's eyes widened and she blushed a bright pink. I can't believe I just did that! "S-sorry," she stammered, hastily dropping her arm. She found a spot on the wall and stared at it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

The only sign that Naru was as surprised as she was that his eyes had widened just a fraction. An almost invisible fraction. Mai couldn't hear his slightly accelerated heart rate, couldn't feel the tightening in his chest. Trying to keep his emotions in check, Naru quickly snatched the damp down from Mai's hand and finished cleaning off his face. Must think clearly… he told himself silently.

Kicking herself mentally, Mai turned around and located a small hand held vacuum. "Um, I'll just finish cleaning this up then…" Her face was redder than a tomato.

"Mai?"

She turned around reluctantly. He's going to yell at me for sure, she thought, wringing her hands around the Dirt Devil.

Instead of a lecture, though, she found a glob of cookie dough splattering on her face. A whisper in her ear commented, "Payback. There's a reason I don't cook."

Mai stood rooted on the spot, stunned, as Naru exited the room.

"I… I can't believe he just did that!" Mai murmured. A spark of anger flared. "Naru!" she yelled, "I'm going to get you back for that!" She marched out of the kitchenette to his closed office door. Hands on her hips, she continued, "I'm going to make you cook everyday until you apologize! Do you hear me?! I will!"

She never saw his smile.

Naru supposed a few cooking lessons wouldn't be so bad.


(A.N.) Well, that's it for now. Keep those reviews and suggestions coming!