Coming to the Climax

Oliver was beginning to feel quite unlike himself. Irritated by the rampant stupidity that he'd been forced to endure during the panel, which was compounded by the knowledge that he'd have to do it again the following day, he had wondered how he'd manage to be civil at all to Mai much less enough to help her. Yet, as if by magic, as soon as he had unlocked the door and experienced the sounds and smells of her cooking (and humming as she did so), all of that irritation was washed away.

For a few seconds, he just stood in the entryway marveling at his radical mood swing. More damning, he couldn't help the stray thought that wondered what it would be like to always come home to something like this. He quickly dismissed the beginnings of a fantasy about a loving wife and home before he let them take over his mind completely.

Just as he batted them away from his mind entirely, he heard Mai call out the traditional greeting. "Welcome back!"

Sighing internally, he quickly disposed of his shoes and entered the main living area. "I have returned," he said quietly, for some reason unable to dismiss the slightly hopeful look in her eyes as she came to greet him.

The smile she gave him made it all seem worthwhile and he cursed himself silently again.

Madoka was never going to let him hear the end of this.

~~x~~

"Have fun at your panel!" Mai laughed as Naru walked away from her apartment. She did not have to see his face to know that he was glaring at the thought.

Laughter following her back inside, Mai looked around her apartment aimlessly as she gathered her thoughts. The previous night had been very productive and they had gotten through almost all of the scenes that she had wanted to work on with him. The first one had been slow going, but after they got into the groove of the work – and Naru temporarily ran out of jibes – the rest of the evening passed by quickly.

Some of that success had come from him reading the original Japanese passages in comparison to the English translation. She'd been fully prepared to read them to him, but the look he had given her dismissed any idea that she might have had about him not being able to read kanji anymore. More worryingly, the smirk that had followed the glare made her intuition flutter and she knew that there was something that she had not thought of yet. Still, the moment passed quickly and she had forgotten about it until going to bed for the evening.

Unable to figure it out, she sighed and let it go. Eventually it would come back to bite her, she knew, but she was resigned to being targeted by Naru's mischief. He always did know how to get a rise out of her.

For the most part, she passed the day idly, going out only to grab ingredients for his requested dinner. Homework finished, she found herself outlining a new novel out of habit even though she knew that there would probably be no need for her to publish another one. Eventually, she fell asleep on the couch and that is how Naru found her when he returned to her apartment after his day was done.

"Mai."

Sleepily, she opened her eyes at her name only to sit up, startled at seeing Naru leaning over her. Fully awake in seconds, she noticed that he had perched on the edge of the couch next to her and she couldn't help but wonder how long he had been watching her sleep before he woke her up.

"Naru! I'm sorry. I didn't realize how late it had gotten. I will go get started on dinner."

He did not make any comment but instead went silently into the guest room to put his things down and apparently change out of his more formal attire.

"Wow! You are wearing casual clothes! And color!" she laughed, delighted at the sight of him. While he had worn plenty of turtlenecks and the occasional pair of black jeans, she couldn't help but blush at how good he looked in his current outfit. A blue long sleeve shirt that matched his eyes and comfortable looking jeans, it was not only flattering but made him seem more at home in her space, like he belonged there.

"Luella kidnapped my entire wardrobe a couple of years back," Naru commented bitterly. "It was integrate color into my wardrobe or go naked."

The thought of Naru naked came unbidden to her mind and she couldn't stop the flush that came into her cheeks. It was only made worse by the knowing smirk Naru gave her upon seeing it.

"O-oh, good for her! You look good in blue," she stammered, turning her back on him as she cooked.

"Glad to know you still have good taste," he remarked slyly.

She couldn't help but laugh at that and their banter continued through her cooking and dinner stopping only when they settled into working once more.

~~x~~

"Well, that's it! Thank you so much Naru! You really did save me with this." As she spoke, Mai organized the notes on the worktable before standing up and heading out of the room.

"Mai."

Something about the way he said her name made her stop in her tracks. She peered over her shoulder at him where he stood in the office doorway.

"Y-yes, Naru?"

"Aren't you forgetting a few scenes?"

"N-no. Why do you ask?"

He closed the distance between them slowly, his movements mimicking the self-assuredness of a hunter about to close in on its prey.

"What about the romance scenes? Like the one where she wakes up, in tears, and he pulls her to him in comfort?" he murmured lowly.

As he spoke, he slowly traced his hands up her arms and around her back until he had pulled her to him in a loose mimic of the scene he described. He looked down at her, eyes unreadable, as he brought one of his hands up to trace her lips with his thumb.

"Doesn't that scene end with him kissing her gently?"

"Wait," she gasped, pulling herself free and stepping away. "How did you know about that scene?"

"Or what about the scene," he continued, ignoring her question as he walked slowly towards her, "after he caught her doing something foolish?"

Mai retreated away from him until she felt a wall pressed up against her back, her mind jerking slightly as she realized that he had positioned her that way on purpose.

"In that scene, doesn't he press her against the door and steal her lips in a passionate kiss that leaves them both disheveled and breathless?"

As he spoke, he traced the line of her collar with one hand while using his other to coast down the line of her hip until his fingers flirted with the hemline of her dress.

"You read the original that my editor sent over?" she asked, breathless.

He lowered his head slowly until he could whisper directly into her ear. "Obviously." And any irritation she might have felt at the dryness of his tone was immediately erased as he caught her earlobe between her teeth and tugged on it.

A gasp escaped Mai's lips at the jolt of pure pleasure that little nip evoked and she pushed him away, scurrying into the center of the room before she turned to confront him.

"How many times did you read those scenes?!" she nearly shouted, emotions dancing between irritation, shock, and pure longing.

"Enough," he shrugged, closing the distance again. This time she made no attempt to stop him as he turned her around and pulled her to him so that she was pressed up against his chest, once more playing out one of the scenes she had written.

"And finally," he murmured, his voice taking on a softer edge, "what about the scene where he holds her to him and promises, in the face of the horror trying to kill them, that he will see she gets out safely?"

"Naru," Mai whispered, unable to stop her hands from caressing his arms where they wrapped around her waist.

"What about all of this, Mai?" he murmured, holding her tighter still.

"And what about the last scene?" she asked softly. "Where they say goodbye?"

"Not interested," he scoffed quietly. "I'm tired of saying goodbye to you."

With that, he turned her in his arms and finally pressed his lips against hers. At the touch, both of them felt their bodies relax because, as much as it evoked passion, it also felt like a homecoming.

When she finally pulled away from him, tears in her eyes, Mai smiled at him. "Me, too."

And then she kissed him again. As if suddenly given permission, Naru's hold on her changed from gentle into possessive, one hand lacing through her hair as the other slid down her body to press her up against him. From there, like an overflowing dam, everything happened quickly.

Mai only vaguely registered their movement until she was pressed up against her bedroom door, Naru tracing a line of kisses down her neck. She removed one hand from beneath his shirt long enough to open the door before she returned to tugging it slowly upward.

The mere suggestion seemed to be enough and Naru pulled away just long enough to allow Mai to pull it over his head. He must have seen the shock of desire she felt seeing his naked chest because he was on her again in seconds, his kiss even more desperate than before. Unable to stop her hands from running over his surprisingly toned flesh, she barely recognized that he was pulling down on her zipper until he pulled away enough to push her dress slowly down her arms.

Mai went through a moment of embarrassment as she felt the dress slip down her body to pool on the floor. While she had been fortunate enough to be wearing good (and matching) underwear, it was hard not to feel self-conscious when the man she'd loved for years was looking at her like that for the first time.

However, if Naru had found anything displeasing, he certainly didn't show it. Instead, he groaned as he grabbed her, pulling her against him again. They both stilled at that first shock of contact of naked flesh against flesh and Mai couldn't help but wonder if he could feel her heart beating against his chest.

The moment passed and her hands quickly went to his belt, awkwardly working it loose in the scant space between them. Finally successful, she reached her hand down his pants to finally wrap her hand around his hardened shaft.

She couldn't help the smirk that curved her lips as he groaned at her touch and, feeling confident, she began to work her hand up and down as she smiled up into his face, happy, for once, to have the upper hand.

He stood there clearly enjoying her ministrations for a few moments before pulling her hand away. When shot him a look of confusion, he shook his head. "Tonight is all about you."

Within moments, he had freed her breasts from her bra and ducked his head down to capture one of her nipples with his lips. She gasped, head falling back at the sensation. After several seconds, he switched breasts to pay tribute to the other as his hands traced her body, thumbs catching on the hips of her panties before pulling them down.

Mai stood there, dazed at the reality she was experiencing, until he stood up again and captured her lips in an overwhelming kiss. Melting against him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to walk them both back towards the bed. Legs pressed up against the edge of the bed, he pressed her backwards so she was laying on her back looking up at him.

Naru looked down at her, eyes raking over her naked flesh in a way that seemed equal parts desire and possession. Yet, Mai couldn't feel embarrassed because she was staring up at him with what was surely an identical expression. Shirt off, pants undone, and hair deliciously ruffled, she could not imagine that any man could look sexier than he did in that moment.

"I love you, Naru," she whispered up at him, unable to contain the emotion anymore.

Something flashed in his eyes at her words, but rather than responding, he leaned over, one knee on the bed beside her, and kissed her again, tongue dancing with hers as their hands stroked each other.

She squirmed under him as his hands ghosted up the inside of her legs and she gasped into his mouth when his fingers finally cupped her mound. Threading her fingers through his hair, she moaned as he rubbed against her before sliding a finger into her welcoming slickness.

The room became full of the sound of her pants as he worked his fingers in and out of her, his lips moving from her mouth to her neck and once more to her breasts. Then, before she knew what was happening, his mouth joined his hand, his tongue flicking in just the right way to send bolts of pure pleasure through her body.

"Wait, Naru," she gasped, nearly mindless at that point. "I'm going to…."

Instead of easing away, he continued, pressing harder until, at last, it crashed over her in a blinding wave and she screamed as she climaxed.

~~x~~

Oliver couldn't help but grin down at her, proud satisfaction at the forefront as he looked down at her riding her orgasm out. While she recovered, he quickly rid himself of the rest of his clothing and crawled onto the bed over her.

"Naru," she gasped, eyes fluttering open.

"Mai," he smirked before capturing her lips once more.

Never one to be distracted for long, it was only moments before he felt her reach down to wrap her hand around him again. He couldn't help but pause at the sensation and he let her continue to work him up and down before he pulled her hand away.

He pulled away from the kiss to look down into her eyes.

"I want to be inside you."

It was an understatement. Since the moment her emotional confession crossed her lips, he knew he just might die if he did not bury himself within her. But it was also a question, a plea for permission that recognized how quickly everything had happened and how she might have regrets.

Understanding immediately, Mai raised her hands up to his face. He felt himself shiver as her fingers gently stroked down his jaw.

"Naru, I was always yours for the taking."

A smile curved his lips as he repositioned himself between her legs, excitement only growing when she raised one of them up to curve around him. There was only a moment of hesitation before, finally, he thrust into her, slowly sinking in until he was fully inside, her walls pulsing around him.

For a moment, neither of them moved. Oliver could tell that she had felt some discomfort and he wanted to give her time to adjust even as his entire being ached to move. Then, after a few seconds, he felt her begin to relax and her hands began to stroke his arms in silent permission.

After that, he could feel his control snap and his entire world became about sinking into her over and over again. While he had pictured it many times through the years, the sensation of being inside of her overwhelmed any feeble imaginings he might have conjured before. For the first time in his life, he understood how people could become addicted to this sort of passion.

He could feel himself on the verge of climax and reached his hand down between them to rub her once again. By then, the little mewling sounds that escaped her lips were driving him to the breaking point, but he held back until she let out a cry and climaxed once more around him. Lost, his own orgasm washed over him and he thrust himself into her over and over until he was fully spent.

The last thing he could remember before sleep took him was falling on the bed beside her and pulling her against him, arms wrapped around the woman he had finally claimed as they both drifted off, satisfied body and soul.

~~x~~

Mai woke to fingers stroking up and down her arm. The dim light that filtered through her eyelids told her that it was still early and she almost dismissed the idea of waking up entirely, content to lie within his arms.

"If you pretend to sleep," Naru whispered into her ear, "how can I tell you I love you?"

A grin spread across her features as she opened her eyes to look at him.

"You are a genius. I'm sure you will manage," she laughed softly.

He was laying with his head propped up on one hand, the other gently moving in languid circles across her exposed skin. If it had been anyone else, Mai might have felt embarrassed at this strange new intimacy. But it was Naru and somehow that made everything fine.

"I've read all of your books, you know."

"Really?" she asked, a startled laugh escaping at the thought. "But you hate mindless fiction!"

"I don't hate it. I just don't prefer it," he corrected crisply. "There are always better things to read."

"Then why did you read them?" she queried, rolling over to face him.

"Because when I did, it felt like you were there. Thousands of miles apart, I could feel you in those books." He smirked. "Though, they were very silly."

"I missed you so much," she whispered. "I told myself that I was probably being foolish and I've listened to so many people tell me that I should move on, but I never could. I have spent every week these past four years just waiting for that email from you, for one more paragraph of discussion about anything and everything but never what I wanted to really say."

"I would be lying if I said it had not been the same for me."

She smiled at his reserve, silently amused at how he could manage to present himself as above it all when he was lying there naked next to her.

"So,…what now?"

It was a loaded question, Mai knew, but equally she knew it needed to be addressed and the sooner the better.

"Unfortunately, I have obligations through December."

"And I have classes here," she sighed dejectedly.

"However, once those are finished, I will be returning."

Mai gasped. "Really?! Was that the plan already or…?"

"Not the plan," he sighed. "However, as I find myself unwilling to part with you until even December, I have come to the conclusion while you slept that drastic actions must be taken."

"You know, the plan was for me to apply to work at BSPR when I graduate in March," she offered reasonably, still trying to breathe past her growing excitement. "It is one of the main reasons I learned English in the first place."

At that, Naru gave her a withering look. "March is too far away. Besides, you would hate working for BSPR. They would want to treat you like a test subject. The better option is to reopen the office here."

Unable to contain her happiness anymore, Mai threw her arms around him with a squeal of glee.

"I'm glad that seems to meet with your approval," he remarked dryly, accepting her embrace all the same.

"I wonder if you could get the old office back?"

"It would be preferable," Naru agreed, mind slowly withdrawing from the conversation as his eyes caught on the time. "I will have to see what I can do."

"And I will let everyone know so that we can all work together again!"

"I shall have to invest in ear plugs."

"Naru!"

"Unfortunately, as stimulating as this conversation is, the reality is that I do have a panel to prepare for."

"Really?" she asked, glancing over at the clock. "But you have plenty of time."

"Which is why I feel like we should be using our time more efficiently," he smirked, rolling them over so he was resting on his forearms over her.

"Efficient, huh?"

"Indeed," he murmured, leaning down to capture her lips.