I'm alive! I swear!
Early that morning, Martin, Luella and Hideki left the house; they'd gotten a call about a possible psychic disturbance in the centre of Leicester and had decided to check it out.
"Masako is very happy to be invited along." Hideki murmured as they got into Luella's perfectly restored Volkswagen microbus, and pulled out of the long drive. "Thank you."
"No problem." Martin smiled at his friend. "Gene would have wanted it."
(Speaking here is always English)
Alice sat upright and gasped. "David."
"I'm here." He said, from the window. "You've seen how this all ends?"
She nodded, miserably. "Yes." She whispered. "It..."
David turned to her, his blue eyes glittering strangely. "Don't. For now, the future isn't definite... It's changeable." He stepped away from the window, closing the curtains on the semi-bright sun of the summer. "Besides... I'd rather not know if your expression is anything to go by."
Alice nodded miserably and hunched over on the bed. "Do you even remember mum and dad?"
David shrugged. "I remember seeing their photos in Rin's picture album. What about you?" He asked, sitting away from the window and opening a book titled "The physics of spirit particles, by Professor Oliver Davis."
Alice sighed. "Only my final vision of them. I wish I didn't remember just that." She sighed. "I think they must have been nice people though..."
"You do?" David sounded surprised. "Then why were they involved in a cult?"
"They weren't." Alice muttered. "They wouldn't..."
"How do we know if we don't remember?" David's piercing blue eyes looked right into Alice's soul and he sighed. "Rin won't tell us, so I've drawn my own conclusions... you know, Oliver Davis is a very interesting man."
"I don't care." Alice frowned, turning to the window but not opening the curtains. "I really don't."
David sighed patiently. "He's our nephew, Alice."
"So?" I'm not actually all that bothered! His father was some stupid crush Rin had at 13! And Rin's made it very clear that he's not to know the truth!" Alice shouted, and David was by her side in a flash, covering her mouth.
"Quiet!" He hissed. "They'll hear us!"
Alice shook him off and opened the curtain slightly; a load of villagers were crowded in the streets and a small group of adult were moving purposefully amongst them. Luella, Martin and Hideki were working hard.
Naru sat upright in his bed and immediately put a hand to his head as flashes of the previous night ran through his mind. ... Crap. He let his hand fall useless into his lap, and for once, a confused expression crossed his typically immoveable features. Did I really make out with my assistant?
And I told her I'd have kissed her even if I wasn't drunk...
"It's true though."
Gene...
"Hey, idiot scientist, you should just go, see her, and smile that sad excuse for a smile at her. Nothing's wrong with loving her."
Love?
"Hmm? You haven't figured it out yourself yet? I thought you'd realised."
I... I have. But the word is still...
"A sign of weakness?"
Naru cut off the connection with his brother's spirit and pushed his bed sheets back, putting his bare feet down; sighing a little as his bedroom's carpet softened and warmed him. It's nice to be home. He admitted and allowed his sad excuse for a smile to flit across his face, and his eyes softened as he remembered the previous night. Then he furrowed his brows and his head snapped up in horror; he'd not only made out with Mai twice but the first time had been in front of...
"Morning Naru-bou!" The monk smirked as he opened the door to reveal John, Ayako and Masako standing with him fully dressed though Naru was still in his pyjamas. "Have fun last night? We didn't see you after you went after Jou-chan." His smile disappeared and he brought his face down to Naru's, looking him dead serious in the eyes. "If you touched her I'll come for you."
Naru smirked and stepped into his en-suite, locking the door on his employees, who simultaneously started to yell and bang on his door, accusing him of all kinds of molestation of their "sweet little Mai"!
Naru smirked and calmly got into the shower, happily letting the sound of water drown out the noise his associates were making.
He felt the smirk relax into a small smile without meaning it to, and ran his hands through his wet hair. I'll probably have to kiss her again, so that she believes me. He thought, and the idea didn't seem so weak to him.
In fact, it seemed like a perfectly worthwhile way to spend his time...
Speaking from here is Japanese unless in Bold
"Ah!" Mai blushed, sitting upright before falling backwards as dizziness overwhelmed her.
She lay back on her pillow with one arm slung over her forehead, and sighed heavily, trying to control her breathing and will her blush to go away. I can't believe Naru kissed me!! She thought, squeezing her eyes shut and mewling softly to herself.
"Did that actually happen?" She asked herself, slowly getting out of bed and looking round her room for the first time since arriving. There was a large single pane window on one wall, covered at the moment with a light semi-transparent curtain the moved occasionally in the wind; someone must have come in and opened the window for her. Mai stood up and stretched languidly; she couldn't believe how well rested she felt! Her hands fell to her sides and she realised that she was still wearing last night's skirt and top, with only one sock on her left foot.
She sighed and padded into the connecting bathroom to shower and dress; she seemed to remember Luella mentioning something about a cooked breakfast in the morning, and she'd be damned if she was missing it.
The only two already in the kitchen were Yasuhara and Rin, who were cheerfully gossiping over fresh orange juice and the buffet-style full English breakfast, arranged so that everyone could choose what and how much they wanted.
The kitchen was a large, open-plan modern-looking room with white walls and granite work surfaces. There was a wide counter in the centre of the room around which various wooden stools were arranged for seating. Luella had smiled when Yasuhara asked if this was the dining room and called it the "Kitchen-Breakfast room", saying that the dining room was used more formally in the evenings.
They were also told that there was an indoor swimming pool in a separate building at the bottom of the garden, should they wish to have a morning swim. This had cheered Rin up considerably after she'd been complaining of a hangover.
"It has been ages since someone cooked me a breakfast this good!" She smiled at Yasuhara, who nodded thoughtfully.
"I like the "scrambled egg". It's very good." He added, cutting a slice of bacon and smiling. "Luella-san is a great cook."
Rin nodded and waved her hash brown in front of her face. "No wonder Oliver-kun is so conceited... being treated to this every morning would make even the most humble of us believe that we were kings." She smiled gently and popped the square potato-y thing in her mouth whole. Yasuhara eyed her suspiciously; her smile seemed almost... sad?
"Rin?" He asked, softly, and she sat upright, looking like a scared cat. "Are you..."
"Oh! Yasuhara! Rin! I didn't expect you to be up!" Madoka waved and Yasuhara smiled, glancing sidelong at Rin as though to say "You're not getting out of this". But if she noticed, she never gave it away. Yasuhara sighed and continued eating.
Mai blushed as she opened her bedroom door. Come on Mai, he's probably forgotten.
"Yeah... He was kinda drunk." She thought aloud, and wandered down the corridor slowly, reluctant to reach the kitchen. "Do I even want him to remember? Or do I hope that maybe... he knew what he was doing?" She sighed heavily and slapped both hands to the side of her face. "YOSH! I'll just act like normal."
"Mai." She whirled around, shocked. "You're thinking aloud again." She froze as she saw the tall dark haired man but relaxed a little when she saw that it was too tall to be the narcissistic boss.
"L-Lin-san... Good morning." She stuttered, and he nodded back to her, continuing his easy walk down the corridor, as Mai fell into step beside him. "Hey, Lin-san, you have really long legs... and you walk fast... I have to run to keep up with you."
"You're babbling." The Chinese magician pointed out, and smirked when she blushed. "You're also avoiding the subject."
"Wah?" Mai stared at him. "What subject?"
Lin suddenly stopped and turned to face her, raising an eyebrow. "What on earth did Naru do to you last night?"
That was... direct. Mai's mouth fell open and she blushed. "N-Nothing!" She waved her hands frantically. "He most certainly did not randomly come into my bedroom in the dark, kiss me then force me into bed!"
"Oh my god." Lin gaped. "He... forced himself on you?"
"Eh?" Mai paused, backtracking over what he and she had said. The two stared at each other for a short time before Mai slapped her forehead. "To sleep!"
Lin raised an eyebrow. "Sleep?"
"Sleep!" She nodded. "He forced me to go to sleep as he left." Wait a second... "Wait... as I said... nothing happened... I didn't even see Naru last night... Or yesterday." Raised eyebrow from Lin. "Or this week... month... year." Mai blushed and looked down.
"Mai." Lin said, and chuckled quietly. "You are a terrible liar." He shrugged. "Come on, Luella cooked breakfast for everyone."
Mai sighed again and followed the Chinese man down the stairs.
Naru flatly ignored the crowd outside his bathroom's door as he walked out past them briskly, not hesitating at the door as he left his room and proceeded down the corridor to the stairs. "Mai." He called as he caught sight of Lin and his part-timer about to enter the kitchen, she stopped and blushed, and from the look of Lin's smirk, she'd ended up telling him.
That's fine; saves me having the job of breaking the news.
He motioned with a finger for her to come to him, and she hesitantly moved to him, Naru smirked as he heard the clamour of Masako, John, Ayako and Takigawa arrive just in time.
Naru looked Mai in the eyes for a second, and then bent his head down to kiss her for the first time while not possessed or drunk.
There was silence as the two kissed, and everyone's individual reactions were... varied.
Lin's eyebrows shot up and he looked away, Takigawa gaped in shock before grinning and folding his arms, Ayako's eyes widened and she glanced nervously at Takigawa, Masako smirked at punched the air before covering her mouth and blushing as she glanced across at John, who had produced a very familiar-looking camera from his pocket.
"John..." Masako whispered, as he turned it on. "Is that..."
FLASH
"Luella said she'd owe me if I did it." He smiled innocently as Naru and Mai broke apart. "Who am I to refuse the request of one of my confessors?"
Naru growled and glared at the offensive object in John's hand. "John..."
The priest smiled and Masako could have sworn that his hair gleamed with some sort of halo. "Woah..."
"Oh, Davis-san." John tilted his head cutely. "You are human after all... I was beginning to wonder what with the lack of oxygen you were just experiencing."
Masako was stunned; John was certainly a lot less innocent than he seemed... Maybe it was the English weather... did strange things to people.
Oh God... She must be next.
Rin- I thought I'd have to give up on new and different anime/manga characters for the interviews at the end but! I got into some new ones this week so we're ok for this and the next chapter!
Takuto- This isn't a recording studio...
Rin- Oh! Hey Shinigami-san!
Takuto- I'm not a Shinigami anymore you idiot.
Mitsuki- Takuto! Be nice!
Rin- Mitsuki! Save me! He's so mean!
Meroko- Ne, Ne, Mitsuki-chan! Takuto! Long time no see!
Rin- Ah... (ignores gossiping Shinigami and humans) Review!
Izumi- Review... Rin, stop pointing that gun at me... I'm already dead, it's got no leverage with me.
Rin- Review or I shoot Izumi!!
Izumi- (sweatdrop)
