Hey kiddies! What's up? Sorry no special news from me, so go on and read.

Enjoy!

Riku and Mai

Thirty six

Raven had come over (a day later) and had looked over the papers quickly. She decided, without lying to Riku, that the papers wouldn't hurt her, in a sense. Mai would have to take care of the bills of the lawyer and the agent for doing this but that's all, nothing that would hurt her in the long run, all the money belonged to her (along with everything in her parents name). Mai signed only where Raven politely instructed her to. Mai nodded and thanked Raven for her help. She didn't seem mean; she was very nice to Mai now. Raven even kissed her on the cheek.

"Riku, can you excuse us for a moment?" Raven asked with a warm grin.

"Why?" Riku glared at her, the question was confusing him. Why did she want to be alone with Mai? Alone was the key word.

"Don't worry," Mai said, "It's okay," she ensured him. Riku looked at her and walked off to his room. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"About Riku."

"Oh," Mai said, she blushed, she never talked about Riku to any one before, not even her parents when they were alive knew of her true feelings for him. "Um…" Mai, because she had let go of her… "Human" side wasn't sure how to talk to Raven about her feelings, before she had accepted that she wasn't human it would have been easy because all she had to do was talk, but now… things were different. She couldn't just start talking when she was human she had little worries about other peoples feelings, but now that she knew what she was and that she wasn't human she wanted to be careful. 'That doesn't make any sense,' she thought to herself.

"Listen, I know you love him, I can see that clearly but what I don't understand is how you live in this place with no…" she cleared her throat and spoke in a whisper, "Sanitary napkins."

"Oh… about that…" Mai had to lie, she couldn't let her learn the truth. "I hide things very well," Mai grinned nervously.

"Okay, so how is that you don't have any hair removal things?"

"Okay I thought this was about Riku?"

"It is, but until I understand how you live here without real girl products I can't help you so much."

"Help with what?"

"Wooing him," Raven said, she spoke lowly.

"Um…" Mai was a little stuck, she didn't feel right talking about this to her.

"You know, getting him ready to… have…"

"Oh… yeah…"

"You already did, didn't you?"

Mai nodded.

"That's good!" Raven said, "He'll never let you leave," she whispered. "Listen, I learned one thing about him in bed, he wants to do it slowly, and then speed up, basically his way."

"Listen, Raven your advice is helpful but I'm not comfortable talking about sex." Mai finally admitted she couldn't let Raven go on; Mai would be forced to cut her ears off. She waved her hand ducking her head. "Besides I'm not sex crazed."

"I see," Raven said, "So is the sex good?" she ignored her.

Mai hesitated, her questions were cutting deep. "If it's not?"

"Of course it is, duh! So how do you feel in the morning?"

"Raven…" Mai had to stop her, politely, Mai recalled how this thin girl could break a door down, Mai really want to see what she could do to a body. Mai had to stop this conversation before it got too far.

"Answer the last question; I'll leave the topic alone after that."

"I feel happy… still tired… um… and excited." Mai told her with hesitation.

Raven thought of a moment, she seemed to be interested in her words. As they sat at the table Raven rested her cheek on her fist. "I think you guys have something in common."

"What's that?"

"You both have something in you that's keeping you from each other, if you guys think you're close now, Wow! Imagine what it'd be like if he was willing to marry you?!" (Anime flaming eyes).

"Um… Raven?"

"Listen to me Mai, Riku has something that he doesn't want you to get too close to, and I can tell there's something in you that blocks complete love from him, but I can't say what that is, I'm studying sex therapy not marriage or couple stuff like that." Raven said. She grabbed her purse and titled her head back. "Talk to Riku about his home, if he talks to you about it that means he has nothing to hide."

"Okay, but I know so much of his home, I don't have to ask him about that," Mai said.

Raven sat back down. "Really?" she said a little irritated. Mai figured it was because he never spoke to her about it. Jealously, that was all over her face.

"Yeah, he spoke lightly of it to me, but he asked me not to remind him of it too much," Mai said.

"I see, well, I think you should go get him, have a little fun, you know get to work, it might ease the tension between you two more," she smiled.

"Why are you helping me? I thought you hated me," Mai said.

"I still do, but I'm will to do what ever it takes to make him happy," Raven said. "And if that means making you happy I'm willing to help." She stood again. "I'm going to have fun! You should too, oh, and remember what I said about taking it slow," she walked down the stairs and called out to Riku. "Bye Riku!"

"Bye Raven," Riku said less enthusiastic. Riku walked over to Mai she was still sitting at the table. "What did you and Raven talk about?"

"Nothing, just some girl stuff," Mai didn't feel like lying but she didn't want to tell him the whole story. She stood, maybe she could, should, take Raven's advice, there was a void between them, and Mai knew that. But at the same time she didn't want Riku to think she was a sex craved nut. She didn't want that. But she had to admit, it'd be nice to have that feeling again with Riku.

"Anything about me?" he grinned, his eyes softly closed, he was teasing her, but his face was too cute, Mai concluded, for her to get annoyed.

"Yeah, a couple of words here and there," Mai said, "But nothing extreme," she stood, "I gotta call these people so they can get these papers."

Riku looked at her. She seemed nervous. "I'll do that, don't you worry," Riku said. He pulled their card from his pocket. Riku dialed the number and waited as the phone rung. One of the two men picked up and said they'd be over shortly to pick the papers. Riku didn't ask for the name. Riku placed the card down on the table.

"Okay, he said he'd be hear in an hour or two," Riku said. Turning to Mai he was pushed a few steps back and then to the floor. "Mai?" Riku found it odd that she jumped on him, she normally didn't, wouldn't, do that. "Did Raven put you up to this?"

"Shh…" she placed her index finger on his lips, "Don't talk," she said. Riku stared into her red eyes. Mai kissed him. Riku held Mai on his lap, but that was because of the way she threw herself on him. She softly touched the side of his face as she kissed his neck. Riku was a little in shock.

"Mai…?"

"Don't talk," she commanded, she was still kissing him, one hand on his shoulder the other touching his face.

Riku closed his eyes; he realized Mai wasn't going to let him say anything, regardless of what it was. He wrapped his arm around her, the other held him up. Mai moved her hands slowly, one hand slowly went to his back, the other touching his chest. Riku almost felt that this wasn't Mai, she was acting different. Raven had to influence her on that one. He was VERY sure.

"Does it feel good?" Mai asked after a while. Her hands were warm on his chest. Her hand that was on his back was slowly going up his spine now, when her hand reached his neck she fiddled with the hair that flowed pass his shoulders.

"You have no idea," Riku admitted.

Riku looked at the clock, it was only a few minutes later, but it felt like hours had gone by.

"Do you want me to do it again?" Mai asked her eyes looked at his ice blue eyes.

"I… um…" he struggled for words. He was in shock that he couldn't find the answer.

"Do you?" Mai asked, pressing, begging for an answer.

"Yeah," Riku answered finally. Mai grinned and her face was gone, it was touching his neck again. Riku felt the sudden impulse to hold her closer, he tightened his grip on her and felt heat rise from his body. He could smell her hair, the scent of roses. It wasn't like Marluxia's scent it was stronger and purer. Less evil in more ways than one.

Mai kept her eyes closed. She wondered what he was thinking. She kept her lips pressed against his neck. She could feel the heat from his body. It was a warm heat, a comfortable heat. Mai felt heat rise from her body. She wanted to. But she didn't want to seem like Raven.

Mai opened her eyes for a second to see a flash of green. She stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong?" Riku said, by the sound of his voice, he sound dazed.

"Nothing," she said softly. She waited again while she kept Riku's mind on her, she waited for the flash of green.

Princess! I can't believe you! Again with this human?! When will you realize that he doesn't really love you the way I do? When will you see that he's human?! If you end up with child how can I have you? How can I have you?!

Mai heard the voice loud and clear, he was speaking to her through her thoughts. 'Doki, I love him, I hope you understand that,' Mai argued with him. 'Will you not see that and leave? I don't want to go back home with you, or any one of the organization.'

You'll regret it Princess, I'll cause you great pain if you don't come with me right now! I'll have your head for this! Princess! Stop it! Stop it! Get off of him! Stop! Stop this! Stop this right now! I command it! Do I have to do something to him? What? What do you want me to do to you? How far do you want to push this? Why can't you see I was made for you?! Answer me! Why aren't you listening! Princess! Stop, and answer me! I want to know right now! Stop this! Princess!

End this game, he said after a long pause of Mai ignoring him, please just end it, all I want is to be king, why won't you let me have that?

'When will you get it? I'm not playing some game, I'm living with the one I love, I'm ignoring you, I'm forgetting you! You make me sick, I can't remember a time when I hated someone so much.'

Princess… Please I need you! I really need you! Princess… I don't want to do this… I'll be breaking the law… If I have to go through with this, you'll regret it. You'll regret it!

'Bite me,' she said. She decided to ignore him from then on. "Riku…"

"Yeah," he said. He opened his eyes.

"I don't care how mad you are at me, please never call me princess again," Mai said. "Okay? And what do you want in return?"

"I want you to stay with me," Riku said after a long pause. "That's odd," he chuckled, "You don't normally act like this, what did Raven do to you? Did she drug you?" he teased.

"No, I'm me," Mai said grinned.

Riku nodded. "I'll bet," Riku looked around. "Where's Benjie? He's normally up by now."

"You're right." Mai looked around. "Benjie?" she called.

"Benjie?" Riku called, soon after Benjie came up the stairs. "I hope you weren't being hardhead down stairs," he gave Benjie a pat on the head. Riku suddenly paused after a few seconds of patting Benjie's head.

"Riku?" Mai said. She slid from his lap and touched his face. "Riku, are you okay?"

"No…" Riku held his belly tightly. Then his other hand swung up and grabbed his head. It was hurting him what ever it was.

You'll regret it.

Mai heard the words, she wondered if it had anything to do with what Doki said. Mai waited, Riku released his head and turned to her.

"That was totally weird." He said. He rose to his feet and turned to Mai. "Well, thanks," he said. He was a little red. "Raven had to have drugged you."

"No, we only talked," Mai grinned.

"Oh, therapy," Riku teased.

"No!" she laughed.

Riku grinned teasing her.

"Oh, Mai… I have a dance to go to and I wanted to invite you," Riku said while his skin was starting to become normal again.

"What… really?" she said.

"Yeah, will you come?"

Mai blushed; her face was just as red as her eyes. "I don't think…"

"Stop it, you're the most beautiful thing in this universe, I want you to be on my arm," he said. His voice soft, velvet and beautiful, Mai stared into his eyes, blindly she wondered what she was doing. Mai blankly stared at him. "I take that as a yes!"

"That's not fair!" she protested jokily.

"What? That I used my charm against you?"

"Yeah," she said.

"Oh, too mad, I'll drag you if I have to, you're going to that dance with me," Riku said with a shrug.

Mai stared at him blankly again.

"Great you'll come without a fight!"

"Darn you!" she joked, although she also meant it, he kept doing that, she couldn't help but stare blankly, his eyes captured her and didn't let her go, and his eyes toyed with her, she couldn't move, she couldn't breath, her body was like stone that her eye were glued on to.

"Now we need a dress and someone to do your make… no you don't need that, but you do need a dress."

Mai wondered why he was in a hurry.

"We only have a couple of hours… hm… I wonder if Kairi had anything…" he mumbled to himself.

"A few hours?!" Mai panicked.

"Yup," Riku replied he was in Kairi's room, he knew which draws not to touch, and he made his way to the closet.

"You invited me on the day of the dance?!" Mai stood in the door.

"Yup," Riku was unphased by her behavior although he did fear that she might start throwing things. He pulled out a dress, he paused. He stared at her, he tossed the dress on the bed and walked over to her, "You're wearing the necklace I bought you…" Riku said almost completely stunned.

"Of course…"

"I didn't notice until know," Riku said. "Keep that on, I know the perfect dress!" he dashed to the closet again and hurried back, in his hands he pulled out a long black deformed thing. Mai didn't know what it was, she never touched Kairi's clothes, so she had no idea what this was. Mai saw that this wasn't a dress; it was some kind of plastic cover for one. She saw the zipper and dragged her eyes up to meet Riku's eyes; Riku's eyes beckoned her to unzip the cover. Mai sighed; she unzipped the cover to the dress and blinked in amazement.

The dress was so simple, it was cream with golden seems, the collar was low but not extremely low, and the dress fell down pass the knees a little bit, the whole dress wasn't covered in sparkles just the part of the dress pass the knees, the sparkles on the bottom half of the dress was silver, the rest was just cream. Mai took it out of the black cover… she almost cried. She was wearing something that belongs to an old friend. One that had died someone he cared for. Riku watched as he tossed the black cover on the bed. Mai held it up against her.

"It's beautiful," she said, she looked down at it, she looked up to Riku, "I like, it I really do… but… you don't… mind me… wearing… Kairi's things?"

Riku tilted his head to the side as sighed with his eyes closed. He rested his hands on her shoulders, he leaned forward and smiled. "No, Kairi is long gone," Riku said. "I have moved on because of you, I don't care if you burn her clothes, I have moved on, you are my life now, not them, not Kairi, or Sora, you."

Mai stared at him blankly. She blinked and looked at the dress again. "But…"

"No buts, I want you to wear it, besides knowing Kairi she'd give it to you, red and pink were her favorite colors," Riku grinned. "Or haven't you noticed?"

"I noticed," Mai grinned. She looked down at the dress again. She looked up to look at his face. He was calm, he dropped his arms and left the room.

"Hurry, get dressed, I'll give Scroll the papers," Riku said.

Mai sighed as Riku closed the door behind her. She was going to wear Kairi's clothes.

Riku had moved on, Mai thought about that, did he really? 'Why else would he force me to wear her clothes?' Mai wondered. She didn't want to think about that too hard. She sighed and started work on her new dress.