Chapter 21

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"We should get back; make sure everything goes okay with John's exorcism." I mumbled into Naru's chest. I didn't want to, but I reluctantly started to stand up. Naru did the same. Hand in hand we began walking again. When we got back, everyone was standing away from John, who was wriggling furiously in his chair. He snarled when his eyes locked on mine. I drew closer to Naru who gently caressed my hand with his thumb.

"Miss Matsuzaki, you may begin." Ayako nodded and stepped forward. She began her prayers which only caused John to jerk in the chair more. I clutched onto Naru's arm. I don't understand though... Mr Tsukiyomi said Yuki was so nice and friendly, even in my dream he didn't want to do anything wrong so... Why is he acting so hostile?

"Spirits change, Mai." Naru said as though he could hear my thoughts. I looked up at him and then at John.

"Yeah..."

"Besides, I don't think your last encounter with it helped much." He added. I playfully glared up at him.

"That wasn't my fault... Unless you wanted him to drag me away somewhere."

"Of course not and to be honest I was quite impressed with your moves." Naru admitted. I smiled up at him before turning back to the exorcism to find Ayako almost done. John was still thrashing against his bindings though.

"Do you think it's working?" I asked Naru.

"We'll have to wait and see." Naru replied.

"I hope it does."

Thankfully it seemed the exorcism was successful. John went limp right when Ayako finished her prayer. I let out a sigh of relief and Naru caressed the top of my head with his lips. I noticed Ayako relax and sigh in relief also.

"There, I knew it would work." She bragged as she stood up.

"Uh-huh, yeah, of course you did which is why you said you hoped Naru wouldn't strangle you this time." Monk said.

"Shut it, you stupid monk!"

"No, I won't, you old hag."

"Why you little..."

"Guys!" I interrupted them. They both turned to look at me. "Will you stop it?"

"She started it." Monk grumbled. I rolled my eyes. Naru sighed beside me. I walked over to the sofa and sat down beside Yasu.

"So, you two looked quite cosy over there." He said as he turned to me. I turned my head slowly to glare to him, but I couldn't help the small smile that formed on my lips.

"Jealous?" I smirked. Yasu sighed, defeated.

"Ah, you got me, dear little Mai. I'm jealous because I can't have you all to myself." He closed his eyes and lifted his arms in a shrug type of way. I saw him peek over in Naru's direction before closing them again.

"You also seem to have a death wish if you keep trying to provoke Naru." I informed. He opened his eyes and blinked.

"Who said I was?"

"You're the one sneaking glances at him to see if he's looking." I said.

"Ah, but you were watching me. So really, who was the one who was watching whom?" He wriggled his eyebrows.

"I'm looking at you because I'm having a conversation with you...honestly, I swear you're an idiot." I sighed exasperatedly.

"Ouch," Yasu put a hand over his heart. "That hurts, especially coming from you."

"You asked why I was looking at you. It doesn't explain why you were looking at Naru though." Yasu was about to reply when we all heard a groan coming from John.

"Ohh, that hurts, what happened?" He moaned. I got up and walked over to him.

"John? How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Like someone just hit my head with a brick..." He tried to move his hands, but they were still tied to the chair. "Why am I tied to a chair?"

"Ahh...you kinda got...possessed." I told him.

"Oh no, I didn't did I?!"

I began untying him. "Yeah...but don't worry, you didn't give us any trouble...we just had to find you."

"That's a shame; I guess I'll have to try harder to kill you." John declared as he wrapped his hands around my throat. He lifted me a few inches off the ground and I placed my hands on his, trying to pry them away from my neck, gasping for air. Realizing whereabouts my feet were, and silently begging for John's forgiveness for doing this to him, I carefully drew my leg back then kicked forward with as much force as I could muster, hitting my intended target accurately and causing John to howl in pain. He dropped me and clutched his parts before falling to the ground in a heap. As I tried to get my breath back, I looked around to notice all the other men in the room wincing.

"Thanks for your help." I said sarcastically to everyone, panting. They were all still looking shocked at what had happened. Luckily Ayako was the first to snap out of it.

"Will you guys stop standing there like idiots and get John?!" She came over to me and checked my neck. Lin and Monk picked John up and tied him to the chair again. Naru came over to me as Ayako checked me. When Ayako touched it I flinched. "There's going to be some severe bruising and it'll probably be very difficult to talk and swallow for a while but thank your lucky stars things aren't worse." She informed. I nodded. Naru wrapped an arm around me.

"Looks like the exorcism didn't work after all." I heard Monk say. Ayako glared at him.

"What're we going to do?" I croaked.

"There's only one thing to do." Naru conceded. "Call Miss Hara." I scrunched my nose a bit.

"Do we have to?" I asked.

"I agree with Mai! Besides our room only has two beds." Ayako sided.

"Well, Mai could always..." Naru started to suggest something before Monk interrupted.

"Finish that sentence Naru and I swear..." He said in a threatening voice.

"...Sleep on the sofa in here." Naru continued as he glared at Monk.

"With...John?" I asked warily.

"Myself or Lin would be around too or other capable members of this team. I am unsure of what to suggest otherwise."

I sighed. Naru's right though and I'm definitely not sharing a room alone with Masako. "I guess so. John better stay knocked out though. Every time he sees me he starts yelling at me." Naru nodded.

"Great, now I have to share a room alone with that brat." Ayako grumbled.

"However, 'that brat' is another member of this team and I expect you to treat her professionally." Naru informed. Ayako resisted the urge to roll her eyes. I gave a silent giggle. Then a thought struck me.

"Hey, shouldn't we let all the employees know we have John now so they won't be worrying about it?" I asked, looking up at Naru. Naru looked like he was thinking for a moment.

"That's a good point. Miss Matsuzaki, Takigawa, Yasuhara, I would like you all to inform the employees that John is no longer a danger." He instructed. I frowned at him slightly.

"What about me?"

"I didn't get my tea so we will go and do that." Naru informed. Monk narrowed his eyes.

"You said you were getting tea before...so why didn't you?"

"We had a disagreement about something and forgot about it." Naru replied. That rose Monk's suspicions more. It looked like he wanted to comment on it, but Ayako grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the door with Yasu following behind.

"Leave them alone and come on! I've got to change before we go around informing people!"

"Why? You look great as you are." Monk protested. I raised an eyebrow and gave Naru a knowing look.

"I-Idiot! I'm not walking around in my priestess robes!"

"Monk and Ayako sitting in a tree, doing what they shouldn't be. First comes..." Yasu sang.

"Shut it, Yasu!" Ayako growled. Monk and Ayako both looked like they were about to hit him upside the head, but Naru interrupted them by loudly clearing his throat.

"I believe I asked you three to do something." He reminded. Monk, Ayako, and Yasu glanced at each other in realization before walking out the door, grumbling coming from the two older ones. When they had gone Naru grabbed my hand. He tugged on it and led me to the door. I guess I'll have to call Masako when we get back... I mentally sighed.

As we reached the door Naru turned to look at Lin. "Lin, whilst we're gone phone Miss Hara and request her assistance."

Lin nodded. "Of course."

After we walked out of base I grinned slightly. No having to call Masako for me! Naru shook his head and smirked.

"What?" I asked.

"It's nothing." He said. He let go of my hand—which left me in disappointment—but he then wrapped his arm around me. He held me close and kissed me just beneath my ear. I turned a little pink but couldn't help giving a small giggle. That made him chuckle lightly in my ear. Have I ever mentioned how much I just love hearing him do that? It's even rarer than his smile and it sends a pleasurable shiver down my spine every time I succeed in getting him to do it.

Once we made it to the kitchen once again I moved from Naru's hold but turned around and gave him a peck on the lips. Again as I was going to move away he held onto me and kissed me more passionately making me melt. Naru snaked his arms around my waist. I leaned into him further and wrapped my arms around his neck. My hands found their way up to his hair and I ran them through it. Too bad I have to sleep in base. I grumblingly thought as we pulled away after a while. Naru must have caught a look on my face as he looked at me with concern.

"What?" I asked.

"You seem unhappy about something."

I loosened my arms from around his neck. "Not really, just that I have to sleep on the couch at base." I alluded, grinning.

He gave me a sly smile back. "Yes, that is a problem. I guess it's either that or risk having my nuggets separated from my body by Takigawa though." He gave a mock sigh. "I'm sure the pain will be worth it, if he manages to get past Lin that is."

I laughed, smirking. "If we went to bed and woke up before he did, he wouldn't know now would he?"

He smirked back. "I don't suppose he would, you're right."

I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him, and he tightened his own arms around me. "Do you think Lin would care?"

"Lin? He's probably got his finger hovering over the speed dial for Madoka waiting for something to give her to tell Mother plus a camera in his other hand to capture proof. Then of course he'll break out some champagne." I broke out into a smile and started laughing. Naru raised an eyebrow and shrugged a shoulder.

"I guess I better make your tea, huh?" I asked after my giggles subsided.

"I suppose." He agreed as he let me go. I went over to the sink and grabbed the kettle which was drying since someone had washed it. I began to fill it. Naru walked over as I put the kettle on the burner for it to boil.

"What flavor do you want?"

He stuck his hand in his tea box as he kissed my cheek and grabbed a random packet. The kettle started to whistle so I had to slightly move away from Naru to get it. I grabbed a cup and poured the water into it.

"You know you should really eat when we get back to base." Naru just grunted at my suggestion. I rolled my eyes at him. "Naru, you haven't eaten since dinner last night!" Naru still didn't say anything on the matter. "Naru?" I questioned a bit concerned as I turned around after getting the tea to steep. He was stood quietly and looked like he was thinking deeply about something. I furrowed my eyebrows. What is he thinking about? I turned back to making the tea. After I was finished I turned back to Naru with the cup of tea in my hand to find Naru still thinking.

"Naru." I called gently. "Naru." He didn't respond. "Naru, I'm going to dance around naked now."

"Okay." He mumbled.

"I was thinking of maybe pole dancing for the others, especially Yasu."

"Great."

"Maybe I should have it away with Lin whilst I'm at it." I said contemplatively. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, sure...What?"

"Glad to see you've come back to planet Earth. Here's your tea." I handed him the tea and he accepted it, but he glared at me. "Hey, it's not my fault you were away with the fairies and weren't listening to a word I said." I shrugged. "I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't responded to that." Naru was still scowling. I playfully punched his arm that didn't have the tea he was holding. "Oh come on, it's not like I'm actually going to do it!"

"You'd better not." He replied shortly. I couldn't help myself, I started to smirk and slowly make my way out of the kitchen with my hands behind my back.

"Oh I don't know..." I said teasingly. "It could be fun... I bet the pay is good really good too..." The look on his face became dark and forbidding. I smiled at him. "Kidding, kidding!" He didn't look convinced though. "Can you really see me on stage pole dancing? Cause I can't." I admitted as we walked out of the kitchen.

"You are not pole dancing anywhere, Mai!" Monk's voice boomed. I grimaced.

"I'm not! Why does everyone keep thinking that?!"

"You said it not me." Monk answered.

"Yeah, I said I wasn't going to pole dance."

"Actually you asked if you could be seen pole dancing... Why were you even discussing it anyway?" He demanded. I blushed deeply.

"She was trying to get my attention and see if I was listening. She said it for a perfectly harmless reason." Naru said calmly.

"Shouldn't you be off informing employees?" I asked quickly as Monk looked like he was about to speak.

"Yeah, I wanted to grab a drink." He informed.

"Riiight..." I looked at him suspiciously. "Well, we were just heading back to base."

"I see. Well, I'd better get that drink and then get back to the job. No pole dancing either of you." Monk said sternly.

"Don't worry, we won't—promise." I laughed. "Come on, Naru!" I grabbed onto his arm and we began walking back to base.

Naruisawesome: Well, crap...John's still possessed!

Treelow955: Yeah, and now...Masako might be coming! *Shudders*

Naruisawesome: Haha! I know how you feel! Sorry, Masako lovers out there but we don't like Masako!

Treelow955: Yeah...sorry!

Naruisawesome & Treelow955: Please review!