Chapter 8

Living Together

Part 2:

Day 1:

7:30 pm:

"Hey guys," Mai greeted them with a weak smile, she took a seat on the two-seater and Naru sat beside her.

They greeted her back, they looked curious and… worried, 'of course they'd be worried' Mai thought bitterly and sighed.

"We heard you getting sick back there," John said worriedly. This proclamation followed a gasp from Monk.

"What did you do Naru?" he asked dramatically, Mai blushed and Naru stared coldly at him.

"That's why you moved in with Naru, huh?" Yasuhara asked straightening his glasses.

"What? Mai's not-? Are you?" Ayako yelled concernedly.

The others gaped at Mai and then burst out in congratulations, the irony of it, thought Mai blushing furiously and finally snapping seeing the amused look on Naru's face.

"Of course not guys! How could you think such a thing!" she said angrily crossing her arms at them.

They didn't look quite abashed expect for John who apologized for the mistake.

"Then what's wrong? If you and Naru aren't-" Ayako said and Mai covered her face in embarrassment.

She sighed, the color fading from her face before looking at them resolutely.

She looked up when Yasuhara spoke, "Naru told us that you were having trouble with your powers after the last case?" his glasses glinted in the light overhead.

She took a breath gathering the courage, "That is one aspect but not the reason why I was sick," she said guiltily avoiding their gazes.

"I don't care what she says, personally I think she is why else would she get sick?" Monk whispered to Yasuhara slyly who nodded with a grin on his face.

Mai flushed angrily and burst out throwing her cushion at him, "How could say that, Monk! You dirty old man!" she said flailing her fists at him.

"Ow, ow, save me! Save me! I don't want to deal with this Mai!" Monk pleaded the empty air.

"Don't worry, my darling! I'm coming for you!" Yasuhara did a pose before trying to take him in his arms. Monk fell on the floor while trying to escape Yasuhara's arms, "Baka! Don't you get tired of all this nonsense?" he said massaging his head.

"Of course, not!" Yasuhara smiled mischievously and everybody burst out into laughter.

Mai laughed before remembering the reason why Naru had called them here and her face fell as everybody looked at her again when Naru cleared his throat.

"So what is it Mai?" asked John shyly.

Tears built up in Mai's eyes and she looked at her hands to hide them and Naru's fingers twitched in apparent self-restraint before giving in and taking her hand in his gently, he looked at her sideways as she looked up at him slightly surprised, the tears glinting in them.

Mai swallowed her tears and nodded in Naru's direction her hands shaking.

"I-" she broke off her voice choked, she felt Naru's grip tighten before she took in a deep breath and continued, "I haven't been very honest with you guys and I hope that you would forgive me for keeping this from you," she looked at every face in turn, their expressions became serious when she said those words and waited for her to continue holding their breaths, all thoughts of humor erased from their thoughts.

She took another deep breath and looked straight ahead of her, pain filling her heart as she clenched Naru's hand tightly, "I- I have glaucoma," she said in a shaky voice and looked at hers and Naru's hands clenched together.

The silence was uncomfortable as everybody stared at her in shock, trying to sink in the shocking information as tears escaped Mai's eyes and landed in her lap.

Mai wiped her tears and looked up to see them staring at her in shock, "I am sorry for not telling you guys b-before but I was just so scared and I didn't want any of you to worry about me so I withheld the information and I'll understand if you don't forgive me," her voice broke at the last sentence and tears fell down her cheeks.

The members of SPR looked at the girl who was so dear to them and one thought was clear to them all that they'd forgive her because she needed them through this ordeal and they knew how difficult it must have been for her all this time.

Ayako got up from her seat and hugged Mai tightly, "Oh, Mai! Don't say that, we forgive you! We'll be with you through this, no matter what," she smiled sadly at her who swallowed and said, "Really?"

"Of course," Yasuhara told her.

"Yes! You don't need to worry," the monk told her getting up from his seat and ruffling her hair.

She looked up at him, her tears flowing non-stop when John got up from his place and gave her a Christ Pendant saying, "I hope that this may help you through your ordeal since I don't really know how to comfort you," he said guiltily.

Mai shook her head and smiled at him, "No, this means a lot. Thank you."

Masako had also gotten up from her seat and made her way over to Mai slowly.

Mai looked up at her who put a hand on her shoulder and Mai smiled at her, Masako smiled sadly back, "Let it also be acknowledged that I will be here as well,"

"Thank you, Masako. That means a lot as well," Mai told her as everyone stood around her reluctant to leave her side.

"Come on Mai-chan!" Yasuhara said pulling her away from the group by her arm. Naru let go of her hand and crossed his arms eyes closed, Mai looked at him and he was stoic as ever.

Yasuhara pulled Mai to the kitchen where several bags of take away food sat on the kitchen counter, "I'm hungry! We should eat or I'll devour Taki-goo(AKA Monk)" Yasuhara pouted as Takigawa spluttered disgustedly and everybody laughed.

"Yasuhara, I'm sure he'll taste better while dipped in chocolate," Mai said mischievously and Yasuahra's eyes gleamed with humor.

"I'm sure that toe nails would taste better then that piece of rag," Ayako said conversationally while Takigawa cried on the floor, "You guys are so mean."

"Oh, don't worry Monk we're just pulling your leg," Mai smiled at him while she took the boxes out of the shopper.

"Yes, and I'd prefer it fried wouldn't you Mai-chan?" Yasuhara asked innocently.

"Whaaaaat?" Monk wailed out clutching his head in pure agony as Mai giggled.

"Stop teasing me guys," he pleaded them, dramatic with all the tears flowing from his eyes.

Everybody ignored him as they moved over to help Mai and Yasuhara with the dinner.

Naru watched Mai from his seat, she looked cheerful already as she laughed and smiled at the family around her.

His heart swelled at the sight of her happy face and he would do anything to stop the moment here and now so she didn't have to face the darkness and pain ahead of her. It'll be tough for her with her unstable powers and glaucoma and her upcoming exams, he sighed.

Such a happy person did not deserve all the suffering that Mai was facing, the loss of her parents, living alone, him rejecting her and leaving her alone again, financial problems, the glaucoma, unstable powers and exams. It was a wonder that Mai could still be happy with the amount that she had grown through and he was proud of the fact that she was strong in these matters.

When he had returned she hadn't clung to his arm begging him to take her nor had she held a grudge against him for saying what he had said at the lake, no she had readily forgiven him and was even pleased with his return and she had gone back to treating him like she always did.

For how many women could he say that for? None, they had always liked him for his good-looks and riches. Not to mention that the blind dates he had been forced into going compromised of girls fawning over his face, his success and his intelligence.

With Mai the case had been completely opposite; she hadn't fallen for his fake smile but had seen right through it and was less then eager to work for him when the other girls could have killed her just to be in his presence.

She had always reprimanded him for his cold behavior and lack of tact when other girls had run away from him in tears when he would give them his cold shoulder.

Her reactions to his antics always amused him and he was surprised to say the least when she had confessed, who would love a cold-hearted person as him when his brother had stepped in between yet again.

He had been sure that Mai had fallen for Gene since he was the kind-hearted and gentler of the two not to mention that he had that smile of his that Mai had fallen for like the other girls in his glorious days of life.

But now that he thought about it she hadn't experienced Gene the way she had experienced him. Memories flooded his brain as he remembered the time that they had been stuck in the sewer, the time the ceiling had collapsed in on them and he had shielded her body with his. The time they had been alone in the forgotten children case, she had shown then and there and how capable she could become if she was trained properly.

All those times when they had argued and she had literally given him hell on numerous of occasions; for e.g when she had told everybody about his spoon-bending when she had promised other-wise the fact that he had called her a wild animal referring to her abilities played a huge part in that outburst of hers.

He also remembered when she had given his identity away at Urado's case when he had revealed that they had come to investigate an imposter and she had accused him of deceiving people and the fact that he was running away from the case.

He also remembered the fear that built inside him when she had run off to rescue Miss Hara from the bloody room.

The time when she had hurt his overgrown pride at the cave and the fact that he had not been able to take it in.

He now realized that all those times his feelings for her had started to begin and he only just realized them.

He was also sure of the fact that the feelings that she held for him genuine and would he let a girl like her slip out of his hands, no he would not let her leave this time. He just needed time on how to convey it to her and that could take some time.

"Naru, here you go. Here's your part of the dinner," Mai's voice brought him back to reality as he looked at the smiling face of Mai holding a plate out to him.

He took it and watched Mai settle next to him as he looked over at the others as they had already begun their dinner.

He smirked at the thought that it wouldn't be bad living with Mai like they were married or something.

She would look after his basics needs instead of Lin now, he was sure of that since Mai was entirely that kind of a person and in return he would take care of her through this ordeal and tutor her so she could keep the scholarship for further studies.

He was more then willing to pay for everything but he knew that she would never accept lest he blackmail her into it.

He was also willing to sacrifice the privacy of his home to the SPR so she could get the proper support that she needed from everybody and not just him.

He dug into his plate silently, slightly amused at what was happening around him.

Yasuahara had been trying to feed 'Taki-goo' through his hands which resulted in him trying to get away from him and failing miserably till he burst, "I want to eat in peace, is that too much to ask?" Takigawa asked tear-faced.

"Not at all. If you want we could move to the bedroom, all alone and comfy on the bed," Yasuhara said hinting heavily to his intentions while the others snickered trying not to snort with their mouths full of food.

After dinner they had played cards, the loser after each round was given a dare to do.

It was only when Yasuhara had dared Takigawa to do a 'show' for them that Naru had called it a night and everybody left reluctantly.

11:00 pm:

Naru sat in the lounge poring over a book, everything was quiet in his apartment Lin had retired to his own apartment leaving Mai and Naru together at his apartment.

She was in the kitchen, he could hear her washing the dishes and humming to herself happily.

He set the book down intending to tell her that she should take her medicine and call it a day.

He moved silently to stand in the door way to the kitchen and leaned against the door frame to see that she was inspecting his cupboards which were piled with canned food and which were not all that nourishing.

She looked over to Naru with an annoyed look on her face, "You don't eat healthy, Naru"

He raised his eye brows at her, "Is that an offer to cook for me?" he tone was casual.

She glared at him, "Apparently, I don't want you to die from malnourishment, but I don't cook too much BUT I will be choosing your selection of food from now on. You got that?" her voice was stern.

"Point taken," he replied, "You should call it a night. You need to rest and since I'm not opening the office tomorrow I want you to wake up early for your study and training,"

She looked at him in surprise at the fact that he was not opening the office on her behalf which caused her to smile at him and follow him to her room.

He had taken her medicine and had ordered her to lie down in bed before hovering over her with the eye drops.

He knelt down and took her glasses off, she blinked at the sudden blurriness as his hand flew to her eye lid and held it open as he poured a few drops of the medicine in her left and right eyes.

She blinked several times trying to absorb the medicine while she could see the blurry shape of Naru kneeling over her.

She yawned forcing her to close her eyes and trail the medicine down her cheeks, "Idiot," she heard Naru whisper as she closed her eyes and knew no more.

Naru looked down at the now sleeping Mai. He placed the medicine on the bed side table and stared down at her.

She shifted in her sleep to her side facing him as a result a lock of hair fell over face. Naru brushed it aside his fingers gently trailing the skin of her face and tucked it behind her ear before kneeling down and kissing her gently on the forehead.

"I love you, Mai" he whispered in her hair before getting up and turning the lights off.

A/N: Another chapter! Hope you guys like it. And please tell me if Naru seems OOC then I'll try and keep IC.

Your reviews are always welcome. I also thank all those who reviewed up till now, anonymous or not. Cheers and stay tuned for Chapter 9! =D