Sorry, this is so late. The day got away from me. o_o' But there is still technically about 30 mins of Monday left where I am so I am going to say I made it.
Mai once again found herself pacing on Naru's street.
She wasn't sure how long she had been out here but she knew that the sun hadn't been kissing the edge of the skyline when she had started. The shadows grew with the knot in her stomach.
Finishing a lap she reached for the bell, but before she could depress the button Madoka threw the door open.
"Oh thank god, if I had to watch you much longer I was going to go out there drag you into the house. But Lin told me to be patient."
"I'm sorry," Mai said.
"No apology needed, I'm just glad you were able to decide to come in. So, do, come in that is."
Mai stepped through and she could feel her self-doubt try to pull her backward and into the street.
"Good Evening Mai," Lin told her from the living room. His suit, a light grey with a near white lavender shirt, was looking especially crisp. He was holding a thin plum colored tie in one hand.
Mai felt her panic rising. Why was he dressed so nice? Had Madoka been—
Madoka approached him, her dress the same shade of plum as the tie she held her hand out to receive. Mai's first thought was that it was stunning. The one shoulder design made it appear as if the smooth fabric had been poured down her, sculpting itself around her before meeting with the satin sash at her waist and moving to flow in waves that just grazed the floor. The slit in the side adding a touch of scandal to the otherwise timeless look.
Mai deflated.
"You didn't say I had to dress up, dress up," she grumbled, pulling at her top and skirt which had been one of her favorites but now paled in comparison to the efforts of the rest of the room.
"I left you a message yesterday."
"You said, I can't wait to see you tomorrow. It's going to be fun, I promise. Oh, and we are feeling fancy so wear something nice. Something nice, Madoka. This," she pulled at her shirt, "is nice. That is an evening gown. I don't have anything thatnice."
"Oh," Madoka said, dismissing Mai's concern with a small wave. "It's fine. You are right, you look lovely. You don't have to be all dressed up. This is just me going overboard. Besides, aren't you here for much more important matters this evening?"
Mai's stomach sank. The clothing debacle seemed like a more interesting subject to stay on. Maybe she could argue it enough to get to go home, claiming she could change, or even just excusing herself from the meal now that they all knew she lacked the proper attire.
"Come on, if we're lucky we can crash Noll while he is still getting ready in his room." Madoka grinned at Mai.
"Madoka." Lin's voice was flat.
"I'm kidding," Madoka took Mai's hand to lead her upstairs, "But he does take forever for these sorts of occasions. So fussy."
Mai couldn't bring herself to respond. She had to focus on keeping her feet moving forward or she knew she would turn around and run back out the door.
She felt slightly dizzy as they passed the second floor. What was she going to say? She had run through the upcoming scenario over a hundred times in her head, with all manner of outcomes. But now that they were climbing the stairs every piece of conversation she had imagined slipped farther from her mind.
When her feet hit the third floor she clenched her fists, she had decided to do this. If she hadn't then she wouldn't be here. So, no more moping, or whining. She was going to go in there she was going to find out once and for all if she had a shot with Naru. This was the end of it.
Madoka held the door open to the patio.
Things were going to change either—
Mai swallowed.
She was in a black dress again; long sleeved this time, but with a dip in the back that went for ages and made Mai's fingers burn. It flared at the hips, inky smoothness rustling in the breeze as the golden sunlight burned through stripes of lace that banded the lower half of the skirt. She was resting against the rail, one heeled foot bobbing lightly in the air.
"Mai is here," Madoka said and Mai nearly jumped out of her skin.
The heel fell to the ground, skirt swaying, and the brim of that wide hat moved back as she turned towards them.
Mai bit down on her lip, compelled onto the patio by red lips and icy blue eyes.
Her mouth fell open, breath caught, feet faltering.
"Careful," Madoka said catching her elbow with a grin, "try to pay attention to the step Mai."
"Na—", Mai's voice was so light she couldn't even hear it.
"I told you it wasn't so bad," Madoka whispered in her ear, as she led her forward.
Mai wasn't sure she could agree. Her head was hazy and her deep but rapid breathing only spurred her heart on faster. Madoka brought her closer, Mai's feet hurrying to keep up with the pull.
"Naru." Mai pushed out.
He stared at her, his stone face a reflection of one she had seen a hundred times save for the claret hue that graced his lips. She had only seen a pale reflection of that color once before.
"I'll leave you to it," Madoka said slipping away from Mai's elbow and back into the house.
Naru held her with his flat gaze, his black-gloved hands wrapped around the book they held.
Mai stared, remembering to blink only when the light of the setting sun spilled between a building and into her eyes.
"Madoka says you are feeling better."
Mai blinked again.
"Better than what?" she asked.
"Then when you were upset on Monday."
Naru moved to place his book on the rail and leaned against it, his gaze sliding back to their surroundings. The setting sun blazing around his profile.
"She explained the misunderstanding which had caused your discomfort."
"Oh," Mai said.
"I believe that should be cleared up for you now." He turned his eyes in her direction.
"Yes."
Naru turned his head to look at her more directly. With a jerk, Mai moved her attention to the skyline her hands gripping tightly to the top of the rail.
"I'm assuming you have questions."
Mai could feel his gaze on her.
She shrugged and if fell away.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means, you are right, I do see the misunderstanding now. And I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble." Mai flexed and unflexed her hands on the rail, her feet shifting in place.
"I meant about this."
"Your dress? It's lovely."
"You're lying."
"Naru," Mai took a breath her eyes squinting against the shafts of light sliding between the buildings. "I didn't know your real name, that you had an identical twin brother, or that you were a world famous researcher with psychokinetic powers for a year and a half. Do you really think that the fact that you like to wear dresses would be too much for me? It's totally fine, no big deal."
She sent a quick glance in his direction before staring at the street below.
"If it's no big deal then why won't you look at me?"
Mai shuffled her feet. Mumbling something under her breath. Naru took a step back.
"This was a mistake," Naru turned and started for the door. "I think you should go home—"
Mai's head swiveled towards him, her eyes glassy.
"It's because, if I start looking at you, I won't be able to stop!"
Naru paused in his retreat.
"Because," Mai said advancing on him fists clenched at her side, "look at you!"
Naru's mask cracked, his features beginning to crumble.
"You were beautiful before, but now..."
His eyes narrowed.
"Now, you're gorgeous," she pulled her eyes to meet his. "And when I look at you…"
Naru seemed frozen, the low light finally finding purchase past the wide brim of that hat and spilling across his face.
Mai brought her hand up, fingers stretching towards him.
"All I want is to touch you," she closed the fingers before they could reach his face, "but I know I can't, and it hurts."
She brought the hand to rest on her own chest, holding it in place with the other.
"I'm sorry. I know it's selfish and I'm sure this was hard for you. I can't imagine what it must be like and it means a lot that you would be willing to share this with me. But please, don't ask me to look at you. Not right away. I can get over it, I've done it before. I just need a moment."
"Mai…" Naru's eyes flicked over her face brows drawn in confusion.
Mai chewed on her lip, tears trickling unhindered down her cheeks as she looked away.
"Why did you have to be her, too? It's bad enough I never had a shot with you, but now you had to take—"
His gloved hand came to rest against her neck, a silk soft thumb running along her jawline. Her whole body shuddered and leaned into the contact, a small sigh escaping her lips.
Naru blanched but kept his hold on her face.
Mai couldn't move, didn't want to, she felt like her whole heart might explode if she even tried. The city was distant, drowned out, beneath the rush of blood in her ears. The growing twilight taking on a foggy quality that made everything dim and immaterial. Everything except for bright blue eyes and soft red lips. Those were almost painful in their clarity.
"You were sincere." He told her, the hint of a question still in his tone.
"Of course," she replied, breathless, "I was sincere, why would I lie about being attra—"
Mai's breath caught, her head tilting back and eyes sliding shut with a moan as his thumb ran down the front of her throat. She was enjoying this too much, he was probably very disturbed by the extremity of her reactions. But she didn't want to stop them, it was real, if only for this moment.
His hand stilled then lifted from her neck. She pushed her eyes back open to meet his surprisingly studious gaze.
"This result," he searched her eyes, "was unexpected."
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Embarrassment with her out of control desires beginning to flare from her cheeks.
"It is unexpected, not unwelcome," he said with a smirk that short-circuited her heart.
"Wha—what?" Mai tried to wrap her head around what she had just heard.
"Come on," Naru took hold of her hand and started for the door.
Mai's blush grew as Naru brought her down the hall, threw open the door to his room and then shut it again as soon as she was past the threshold. What were they doing? Were they doing what she thought they were doing?
She was on the verge of hyperventilating when he looked back at her.
"Naru, I," she had so much fumbling around in her brain at the moment and none of it even remotely coherent.
He gestured to the bed and she felt her whole body lock up. What was happening?
"Mai?"
"Naru, I can't…"
"But you haven't even looked at it yet."
Mai gaped.
"I'm sorry, what?"
"The dress, you have to at least look at it before you turn it down."
Slowly, like granite sliding across an uneven floor, Mai turned to look at the bed.
Laid out, in stark contrast to the dark grey duvet, was a light turquoise sleeveless dress. Its delicate lace overlay the same color as the satin beneath. And there sitting in the center was a small box of the same color.
"This is…" She held the box gently in her fingers, fresh tears pooling at the edges of her eyes and blurring the looping script of the company name printed on the box. But she didn't need to read it. She had imagined getting a box just like this ever since she was six.
After finishing her first ever viewing of Breakfast at Tiffany's Mai's mother had led her back to her bedroom and pulled out the light blue box. She had taken the time to point out and explain the then illegible inscription of the company's logo on the top. Mai could still feel the smoothness of the white ribbon that had been delicately folded with it.
Mai's father had not been able to afford anything more than a simple silver bracelet from the prestigious company. But to her mother and by proxy Mai, that piece wasn't just jewelry, it was a part of a glamorous, impossible world brought to life. And the box that housed it was treated with the reverence it deserved.
"Are you going to open it? Even if you don't want the dress you should—" Naru stopped as he got close enough to notice the tears running down her face.
"Would you please do it?" She held out the box.
He took her shaking hand in his gloved one and gently loosened the white ribbon. Freed from its duty he pushed the box back.
"It's your gift."
Mai tugged the lid off the box and pulled a dark glossy sheet of paper from its contents.
A small reward for good taste. —A
Mai smirked, a short laugh bursting its way out.
She glanced at Naru and his own lips curved in response, glossy and distracting.
"I guess that's another name I have to add to the list for you," she teased.
He rolled his eyes, "I suppose I should get used to hearing it."
"Actually," she smiled up at him, "I'll stick with Naru. That is, if you don't mind."
He looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face.
"That which we call a rose," he told her.
"What does that mean?"
"It means, I am content with any name, so long as you are the one calling it."
Mai blushed and turned back to the box in her hand. Inside her eyes fell on the curved silver and diamond pendent necklace. It was simple and elegant and everything she had imagined a Tiffany & Co. box to contain.
Naru tugged at the fingers of his glove sliding the smooth material from one hand and then the other. Plucking the necklace from its container he draped the thin metal across her neck and set to work on the clasp.
"Thank you." She whispered taking his uncovered hand once he had finished.
"Thank you." He told her, his eyes holding her locked in place once more.
She took advantage of the moment and ran her thumb across the back of his hand before letting him go.
"Naru, you were right. I, I do have so many questions. I hope you don't mind."
"I know." He tucked her hair behind her ear.
"I've spent so much time with you and I know so little about you."
"And I hope you are interested in spending much more time, knowing far too much," he smirked again and Mai decided that this new Naru was decidedly bad for her heart.
"Now, get dressed, we don't want to be late for dinner."
Mai sat down on the bed. Legs more than grateful to no longer have to hold her up.
Naru stepped in front of the full-length mirror; smoothing down his still flawless dress, hands stilling as he pulled back on his gloves, his near perfect posture straightening just a hint more.
Mai watched him, her breath catching when she realized just how wrong she had been all those times she had called him a narcissist. She had seen him look at himself in the mirror any number of times.
But she had never see him look back, and smile.
His eyes caught her's in the mirror and the smile widened.
She had so many questions, but they could wait.
Because, right now, she had the only answer that mattered.
Well, there you have it, The End.
and a beginning. :)
I hope you enjoyed reading. This was by far the most personal of the stories that I have written to this point. And therefore one one the trickiest for how short it was.
First, let me thank those of you who reviewed; Wheredidsweetiego, Shunakoo25, and daughterXofXdarkness.
Second, some of your questions:
1. "Is Naru, Trans?"
-As of right now he is just GNC(gender non-conforming) but like many of us who do not feel like we fit in the socially constructed role of our perceived gender, this may change as his own understanding of himself changes. This is related to Mai asking his preference on her nicknames for him.
2. "Is Mai a lesbian or something?"
-Or something. Which is also known as bi or pansexual.
3. "Who wouldn't fantasize about the mystery woman?"
-Asexuals, but we can still appreciate the aesthetics because, damn. #slay
4. "He isn't making out right?"
- No, he was in fact not.
5. "The car, was that Madoka and Lin?"
-No, it was a just a car. Good for hiding behind when spying on your potential romantic partner.
6. Do [Madoka and Lin] see her? Do they know about the woman? Do they know anything?
-No, Yes, and lots ;)
7. "Yeah Mai, who are you pining after?"
-Both? Both. ;) Both is good
I would love to hear all of your thoughts on the story. Feel free to find my fic page on my tumblr, tiffotcf, to find links to the aesthetics board I made for this story and some lovely (and scandalous) fan art of the story from the talented sukarreto-chan.
Oh and I am kicking around the idea of more of this. It's an important topic and one I would like to come back to. But I have a very very long list of projects atm so I'm not going to make any promises right off the bat. But I am very interested in coming back to this at some point. Thoughts? Whose's interested in more Thirsty Mai and Soft Naru?