Um, yeah, it's been a while. I had my reasons, but I'm sure you don't really care. I should be updating more frequently now.


Mai struggled to keep her friendly smile on her face as she watched Naru's father jot something down in the little notebook he'd had by his side all night. She hadn't noticed it during dinner in the hotel restaurant, but from the glance she'd caught of it's pages, he'd been surreptitiously taking notes throughout their conversations. Needless to say, the realization had made her more than a little uncomfortable, particularly when she thought about it and noticed that most of the conversation had been about her life, no matter how much she tried to steer it in other directions.

The real question was, though, why a psychic researcher would take notes about things like her favorite foods and fairy tales she'd been told as a child. (She sincerely hoped he hadn't been taking notes when Lu had asked her about her love life. It was embarrassing enough answering the question the first time, she didn't need it written down to remind her about her sad lack of one.)

After dinner Lu and Martin had invited her up to their suite for dessert, some expensive cakes from a bakery Mai had been meaning to visit. Once they'd sat down on the chairs in the outer room with their cake, Lu and Martin exchanged a glance and Mai knew that they were finally going to tell her the real reason she'd been invited for dinner. Martin began.

"Mai, we've been getting reports from Lin and Madoka about cases the SPR has solved. From what they've said, your skills have been useful on more than one occasion."

Lin and Madoka? What about Naru? Mai glanced down at her plate to conceal her hurt. Why she'd thought that he'd have spoken about her to his parents she didn't know. Naru was never the type to talk about things that weren't work related or right in front of him. For instance, she'd only learnt his favorite sandwich when she'd already bought a few. It wouldn't have occurred to him to mention that he liked liverwurst and cheese if it hadn't been sitting on his plate, and even then, it was barely a passing comment.

"Mai?"

Blinking, Mai shook herself out of her thoughts to look at Lu. The older woman looked sympathetic, while her husband pretended not to have noticed the lapse.

"Oh, um. I guess I've been useful sometimes. But we've all had our moments, and it still usually Naru who figures out how things connect." Mai didn't mention Gene or her dreams because she wasn't sure what the couple knew. If they didn't know about her contact with Gene, finding out now could hurt them.

"Lin says that Naru has you do the questioning sometimes. He was surprised, and frankly, so am I." Martin grinned. "If you haven't noticed, Naru's not exactly the type to give control over to others, if he can help it."

Nodding, Mai took a bite of her cake. "Yeah, he'd do everything by himself if he could. Except make tea. He hates having to make his own tea."

Again, Martin and Lu exchanged a glance. Mai had no trouble interpreting this one, either; they screamed What are we going to do about our workaholic idiot of a son?! Or something like that, anyway.

"He doesn't do everything by himself, though, as much as he'd like to." Mai didn't know why she was defending Naru to his parents, of all people. Of course they knew that he wasn't stupid. They'd known him for years before she'd even hear the name Kazuya Shibuya (or Oliver Davis). But then, she hesitated, looking from Lu to Martin and back, why do they look so unsure?

"He knows his limits, and he knows that he can depend on us. You have no reason to believe me, but I really don't think you have to worry about him."

"We believe you, Mai." Martin said, his voice firm and sure. "Even if it weren't for your…abilities with people, you still seem to know Naru quite well." Ignoring Mai's incredulous look, he continued. "And Naru seems to trust you, strangely enough."

"Not that you seem untrustworthy, of course!" Lu hastened to add, with a glare at her husband. "It's just that Naru wasn't really what you'd call an 'open' person, even before Gene's death."

Mai grimaced. Somehow, that wasn't a surprise. What was a surprise was the candid manner in which the Davis's were speaking. They were treating her like an old friend, not like a girl they'd met only days ago. Uneasily, Mai wondered just how thorough Lin and Madoka's reports had been. Had they mentioned her feelings for Naru? Were Lu and Martin treating her this way out of pity?

"I don't think it has anything to do with your communications with Gene, either." Martin said thoughtfully, tapping his notebook on the table.

Well, that answers THAT question. Mai thought dryly. Briefly, she tried to imagine telling her own mother about her job, or about Naru and his powers. It made her a little depressed to realize that she couldn't decide what her mother's reaction would be. She been so young when her mother had died; she'd never had time to get to know her as a person, rather than just as her mother.

"Speaking of which, could you tell me a little about those dreams you've had?" Martin's gaze sharpened as he grinned charmingly. Mai couldn't help but return his smile as she began to go over the details of her dreams. She'd taken to writing down her dreams, as well as any strong first impressions she had about people or places--a suggestion from Madoka--and so could promise him more details the next time he visited the office. He'd seemed particularly interested in the few occasions when she'd astrally projected herself into other places.

At the end of the night, the Davis's made their offer of a visit to England. They laid it out so carefully that Mai couldn't help but feel that it would be a good idea, no matter that it would mean that she'd be leaving SPR even sooner than expected. She promised them an answer before they left.

After all, she told herself, I can't build my life around trying to stay by someone who obviously doesn't need or want me there.

Blinking the tears out of her eyes, Mai stared at her phone. She'd gotten home an hour ago and tried her best to sleep, but it wouldn't come. She had a feeling--a compulsion--to do something she'd never done before, and she couldn't tell if this was another of her 'feelings' or if it was simply because her normal feelings were all mixed up. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore, and ignoring the time, she called Naru.

"Mai, is something wrong?" His voice was wide awake as he answered on the first ring. Mai curled on her couch with a blanket, trying to find something to say. After a moment of thought, she decided that the truth was probably the best bet.

"No. I don't really know why I called…I couldn't sleep, and I guess you couldn't either." Mai smiled a bit as she pictured his frown.

"What makes you say that?" Naru's voice was vaguely amused.

Good, he's not angry.

"Don't play dumb, Naru. You never wake up on the first ring."

A silence, then, "How did it go with my parents?"

It was Mai's turn to be quiet as she wondered how much he already knew and how much she should tell him. "It was nice; they're really friendly. They told me lots of embarrassing childhood stories about you."

Naru snorted. "I don't have embarrassing childhood stories."

"There were pictures." Mai retorted.

"It was Gene, not me."

Mai didn't know what to say to that. It was rare for Naru to mention Gene, and it had never been so casual before. Quickly, she decided to act like it was normal.

"I'll bet he'd be just as adamant that it was you."

"Probably." They were both quiet again as they contemplated the direction the conversation had taken. Neither was sure just how comfortable the other was with talking about Gene, but somehow, tonight, it seemed to be okay.

"Are you in bed?" Mai wasn't sure why she asked, except the image of Naru sitting by himself in a dark room just seemed so…lonely. He breathed out before answering, not quite a sigh, but something uncertain.

"Yes." It probably wasn't a good idea to return the question, he decided. Plus, knowing Mai…

"I'm on my couch. I just--couldn't sleep. I kept thinking that I had to call you. I don't know why." She closed her eyes, wondering why she'd said that. It sounded pathetic. It sounded like a girl who couldn't do anything without her boyfriend's approval. It wasn't like Naru had any interest in her insomnia unless it meant that he'd be late getting his tea in the morning, of course.

On the other side of the line Naru stopped breathing. What was he supposed to say to that? Closing his eyes, he let out the breath that had gotten caught in his throat. Something in his chest gave a painful lurch as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Alright," was the only word he seemed able to get out. Sinking from his sitting position, he opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. When had things gotten so complicated? His relationship with Mai had been easy, comfortable. He'd never had to think about it, even when she'd told him she loved him.

His heart gave that funny squeeze again as he remembered that day, remembered Mai's face when he asked her who it was she really loved. He wondered briefly what she'd say now, before dismissing the thought. She'd never mentioned it again, so he was left to assume that he'd been right, that it was Gene she'd loved. Naru, to her, was just…an annoying, arrogant boss, a narcissist she loved to tease. And there was that annoying pain again.

"Did…?" Mai's voice was hesitant. "Did your parents tell you about their suggestion? Request? That I stay with them for a month or so to get tested. And your father said that there's some people he'd like me to meet."

A pause. "They told me. You agreed?"

"I said I'd think about it. What about you?"

Naru raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"Your mother mentioned that you might be going home for a while over the summer holiday. Are you?" Mai frowned. Why did this conversation feel so…delicate? It felt like they were talking about everything except what they really wanted to talk about. They'd always been pretty comfortable saying rude things to each other, so why did they have so much trouble when they weren't passing insults?

Naru cursed under his breath. His mother had trapped him, and he was sure she was sitting back and gloating about it right this very minute. Well, he glanced at the bedside clock, maybe not this very minute, but before she went to bed, definitely. Making a decision, he gripped the edge of his sheet in his fist.

"Yes, I'll be there."

Knowing he couldn't see it, Mai smiled and let the tears come. She wasn't sure she could have accepted the Davis's offer if Naru weren't going to be there, no matter what she told herself. No matter what sort of brave front she put up, the truth was that she was going to miss Naru, miss seeing him every day, miss arguing with him about stupid things, miss those short moments when she knew she'd caught a smile on his face. The closer the deadlines for the colleges came, the more she felt like she really didn't have the strength to really leave. Leave him.

"I'm glad."


OMAKE:

"Are you in bed?" Mai wasn't sure why she asked, except the image of Naru sitting by himself in a dark room just seemed so…lonely. He breathed out before answering, not quite a sigh, but something uncertain.

"Yes." It probably wasn't a good idea to return the question, he decided. Plus, knowing Mai…

"What are you wearing?" Her voice had turned husky and seductive in just a few words. Naru smirked at his ceiling.

"Nothing." He almost laughed as he heard a thunk over the line. She'd fainted again! Really, she shouldn't try these seduction games when she was the one who ended up freaked out.