I had a lot of fun writing this one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. XD
Thank you once again to all those who reviewed or added this to their alerts. You really do inspire me to write more!
Enjoy!
Playing with Naru-chan: Naru says.
It had been a long day; an incredibly boring day on the job for the members of the SPR. Their current case had failed to show anything of interest since their arrival that morning, and they currently sat in the base sipping tea, looking for the most part like they'd be willing to summon a spirit to go on the rampage, if only to give them something to do.
Naru, being the sole exception to the general fit of boredom that had ensnared his employees, was the only one off taking care of something. Not that he'd bothered to tell anyone what that something was. Much to their general displeasure, the discussion of what said something could possibly be had failed to provide more than a few minutes amusement.
Thus, it was with high hopes that they all turned towards Lin when his phone rang after a rather long and stuffy silence. Unfortunately, it seemed to be nothing more than Naru calling for an update, and as nothing had happened, they turned away in disinterest almost as soon as the conversation began.
"Taniyama-san." Lin turned to the junior investigator, with the intent of passing along Naru's message for the girl. She looked up sleepily, and he continued, putting his phone back in his pocket. "Naru says not to sleep on the job." The effect was instantaneous.
"Well I wouldn't feel a need to sleep if there was something to do!" She huffed angrily; all signs of her previous tiredness wiped away as though they had never existed in the first place. "Stupid narcissist!" She grumbled getting to her feet and going to the electric jug in order to make more tea, every eye following her movements.
She was, after all, the most interesting of all the things they could be staring at.
Continuing her indignant grumbles, she went through the process of making tea that had come to be second nature, completely oblivious to the six pairs of eyes that observed her from across the room.
"Always has something to say!" She growled, pouring the boiled water into the teapot and leaving it to steep. "Don't sleep on the job! Mai! Tea!" She mimicked her boss' monotonous orders and a deep voice, pulling faces and snapping her hand about in a typical 'blah-blah-blah' movement. "Naru says this! Naru says that!" The grumbling brunette picked up the teapot and turned to refill everyone's empty cups, her face still contorted into an ogre like expression.
During Mai's little rant the other occupants of the room found their boredom slowly melting away to be replaced by a new found amusement at the girl's antics. Any last traces were swept away when Mai slammed the tea pot down on the table with a resounding thud. She pointed in their general direction and said in the most commanding voice she could muster: "Naru says, drink your tea!"
They stared at her in silence. Mai didn't move from her pose, merely continued to stare them down till they obeyed. Slowly, one by one, they started sniggering, until eventually they were all laughing loudly, even Lin. Mai glared at them indignantly.
"You're not doing what you're told!" She said sniffily. "Naru says you have to do as you're told. And you have to do what Naru says, else you'll suffer the Tea-demon's wrath." She smirked at them knowingly, hands on her hips. "And we all know you don't want that."
Still more laughter. It didn't look like they were going to settle down anytime soon, Mai smirked at them.
"Fine." She said turning her back on the giggling group, and drinking her own cup of tea. "I win. You're all going to suffer Naru's death glare for disobedience."
"Sit down Mai." Takigawa said, still choking back his mirth. He waved his arm at her, to get her to do as he said. "We'll drink the tea." Mai looked at him mock disbelief.
"Did you just tell someone to do something without Naru's approval?!" She gasped melodramatically. "Naru says you can't do it unless he says so! How dare you try to order me around without permission?!"
Takigawa laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his seat. Lin had to turn away from her, doing his best to hide the fact that his face was turning pink. Ayako snorted, succeeding in making the monk laugh so hard he did topple on the floor. John was laughing so much he found it difficult to try and help Takigawa up off the floor, the two ending up on the floor together, rolling about like school children. Masako was laughing behind her sleeve, leaning against Yasuhara for support, who was chuckling away, hiding his mirth behind his tea cup.
After sobering up somewhat, Yasuhara waved an arm in the direction of Mai's empty seat, his eyes were twinkling merrily as he spoke. "Naru says sit down in your chair." Mai smiled at him, forgetting her feigned act of shock, and promptly sat in the proffered seat. Yasuhara grinned at her in amusement. "Mai-chan, you come up with the strangest games."
"Games?" She said innocently. "Why I'd never!"
"Never my ass!" Takigawa crowed, pulling himself to a sitting position. "Naru says, let's play."
"I don't think we should." John said, smiling warily. "What if he caught us?" The monk turned and stared at him, before grinning evilly.
"Naru says, poke John!" He laughed manically and started poking the blonde mercilessly. John scrambled to his feet as quick as possible taking cover behind Mai.
Unfortunately for him, Mai wasn't going to disobey 'Naru-sama'. She started poking him as soon as he got within reach. The young priest yelped and jumped away, only to find he was getting poked regardless of where he went. Giving up, he just stood there waiting for them to finally give up.
Luckily for John, Ayako grew bored quickly. "Naru says, Takigawa, slap yourself." The monk glared at her and refused to do it…until of course she offered to do it for him.
And thus, the Battle of Naru-says had begun. It was a brutal test of speed, wit, and sheer stupidity that amused the group for over an hour. In fact, they were so engrossed in their grand battle that they never noticed the door open and Naru enter.
Standing still as a statue in the doorway, he watched them issuing stupid orders in his name for several minutes.
And did Naru approve?
It's safe to say that, no, he didn't.
His normally immaculate face was marred with a gruesome scowl, his eyes narrowed into a death glare that would make a grown man wet himself. Not that any of them noticed.
Naru had to wonder about what annoyed him more; that they were playing such a ridiculous game, or that they were ignoring him?
After the worst rendition of jingle bells, he had ever heard finally came an end, Naru's patience finally snapped. He slammed the door closed, and found a sadistic comfort in making them all jump at the noise.
He glared at their frozen forms, not one of them daring to turn and look at him. He focussed in on Lin first, the Chinese man looking at the ceiling as though it were the most interesting thing in the world. Naru sighed, if even Lin had been swayed by their immaturity, then there really wasn't much point in them being here. Not that he was going to admit it to them just yet. They would suffer first.
Oh, yes, they would most definitely suffer.
He smirked at them sadistically, sending shivers running down their spines, before turning to look at Mai. She gulped, and slowly turned to meet his gaze, preying she didn't get turned to stone by his glare.
"Mai, tea." He said simply, soundly as though there was nothing wrong at all, though they all knew it was completely the opposite.
But Mai didn't move. Naru glowered at her.
"Mai." He said warningly. The brunette stared at him, not looking nearly as fearful as he thought she should.
"But," she said, her lips twitching in amusement. "You didn't say 'Naru says.'"
If looks could kill, Mai would have died a swift, brutal death then and there.