Addiction

Summary: Yasuhara has always been persuasive, always thinking up new ways to make life interesting. So when he makes a wager with Naru… Things in the office become rather… interesting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt or any game or reference made within this story.

~X-x-X~

Chapter 4: Cooking

Mai dragged herself to the office, unwilling to face another work day. Things had just been getting stranger and stranger between her and Naru, and she knew there was only one person to blame for that; Yasu.

"Stupid, meddling, arr-" Mai stopped, her mouth-watering as a wonderful smell filled her nose, "What is that?"

Curious, and suddenly very hungry, Mai dropped her bag and coat at her desk and followed the glorious smell to the kitchen, gasping when she saw the mess across the table and the benches. She had thought it was strange when Naru had converted the kitchenette to a full kitchen, but this was definitely above her personal weird scale.

"Naru?" She called, seeing a head pop up over the table, "Are you okay?"

The man grumbled, ducked back down as she approached. Mai crouched down. The man was covered in flour, a pot on the stove bubbling over from his current activity and food lay in piles around the room.

"Are you… trying to cook?" Mai didn't miss the faint blush that showed through the flour on his cheeks and Mai laughed, taking the book from his hands delicately.

A simple soup recipe sat on the page he had been reading, the words covered with food and flour just like the cook was. Another laugh came from her as she looked over what he had prepared, popping the book on a relatively clean spot on the bench.

"First of all, why are you doing this?" Mai asked, turning the stove off and removing the pot of boiling water.

"Yasu…" Naru mumbled, brushing a hand through his hair, "He said… that to make it up to you… for being… 'an arse'… that I had to make you food." Naru looked like he was about to pass out.

"I'm going to say that Yasu bet you wouldn't say those words to me. So relax. I know you don't want to do this. So let me help at least." The young mans mouth opened and closed, no sound escaping as he looked at the brunette, the sadness in her eyes not escaping him.

"Mai." Naru grabbed her hand as she reached for a knife, shocking her and himself, "It's not that I don't want to. You deserve it… I just… I can't cook." Naru bit the inside of his cheek, looking away from the brunette. But the only acknowledgement he got was a small laugh.

"Okay. Then… Take this knife. And cut those veggies a little more. They need to be finely diced. And then to the leeks."

Together, Mai and Naru slaved in the kitchen, neither of them noticing when the office door opened or how Lin smiled at them. The Omnioji pulled his phone from his pocket, snapping a photo quickly before placing a call.

Later

Mai sighed, wiping her forehead with the back of her arm. They had made far more than they had expected to. The brunette having taught Naru every small snack food and easy to make meal possible with what they had in the kitchen. And considering Naru hadn't known what he would have needed, there was quite a bit of food.

"Good work Naru." Mai grabbed a piece of sushi from the plate and popped it in her mouth, moaning faintly as the flavours swam in her mouth, "It's so good."

Naru sighed, smiling gently as he looked at the brunette savour her food, "Mai?"

Said woman blinked, swallowing thickly at the look he was giving her, "Yes?"

"I just… I wanted to thank you." Mai blinked again, smiling at him.

"No problem. I love cooking. Considering I've had to do it for so long-"

"That isn't-" Naru didn't have time to finish, the office door opening loudly, the conversation from outside carrying in.

"Mai! I heard you made us lunch!" Naru felt his blood chill, taking stock of just how much they had actually made. Mai shared an uncertain look with him, shrugging as she grabbed a plate.

"You guys are just in time! We made way too much!" Mai called, her back disappearing from sight.

Naru just smiled, rubbing a hand through his hair, not caring if he just smudged more flour through the dark strands.

"You know. You could just be honest with yourself." Lin's voice drew his attention from the mess at his feet.

"I could. But right now… she'll think it's a lie." Naru sighed, grabbing the bowl from the stove, a scowl on his face.

"I told you not to take the bets to begin with." Lin knew Naru had ignored his words, but hoped things would work out.

And that's that chapter! Thank you to:

TheDestinyWitch: Your review made me really happy. It's always wonderful when I find out people enjoy my work. So thank you for reviewing.

BlueFiestaMockingjayPie: I've always seen Lin as Naru's father figure, or maybe an older brother, but in any case, he's always looking out for Naru. So I wanted to highlight that in this chapter.

D C JoKeR H S: Mai's heating problem does get resolved. In the next chapter!

Fuchi Face XD: Thank you so much. I don't need hundreds of reviews, as long as there's people like you, I know I'm doing my job of entertaining readers. So thank you again for taking the time to leave your thoughts with me.