Disclaimer: I Don't own Ghost Hunt.

Chapter Twenty-seven: Nervous

Mai Pov

"Naru!" I screamed in terror when I opened my eyes to see two blue eyes looking at me without thinking I wrap my arms around him, as he held me tightly in his arms and rubs my back.

"I'm here, I'm here," he tells me.

"It was Alack, he came back, he took me by my foot. I…" I couldn't go on since my voice trembles, not sure why I was so scared, I should be used to this by now, but I held Naru tighter.

Dangerous? does that mean I'm going to lose Naru?

Naru lets go of me and brushes my hair away from my sweaty face as I look up at him.

"Tell me the details," he tells me. I nodded as I grabbed his hand.

"The souls came back in the fire, then Ayame appeared, she said that we are still wanted, but she will still guide us and that Gene misses us, he misses you and that everyone is still looking for us," I told him while I lift my hands and caress his face.

"Gene?" he asks me.

"Yes, Gene," I assured him. Naru went quiet at my words when I mentioned his brother.

"Naru are you alright?" I wiped my eyes, knowing that this new information could have touched a sensitive place in him.

"Fine, just strange to hear about my brother after so long." He admits.

"I know, I can't imagine how much you must miss him, it's not fair that I was the last one to see him, but I'm sure we'll see him again," I assured him.

"Anything else?"

"Oh, remember the water I had seen yesterday?" I asked him. He nods at me.

"Well, that water came back, I was frozen and when I touched it, the water turned into blood," I told him. Naru captures his chin becoming in deep thought what I just told him.

"Blood? What does that mean?" he murmurs to himself, now looking a bit worried about this new scenario.

"First the fire, now the water/blood, I don't get it. This place gets more complicated as time goes by but so normal for us at this time." I groaned at this situation that seems to go in circles without clarifications.

"Is that all?" he questions me. I shook my head looking back at him.

"Ayame said to prepare for a new journey for you alone," I told him. Naru pouts not understanding what it means, as I grab his hand.

"You won't leave me alone again right?" I asked in feeling anxious by this.

"No, I'm stuck with you," he said as he flinches my forehead in a playful matter. I scrunch my forehead and rubbed it.

"Mean," I snare as I stood up causing Naru, to follow me with his eyes.

"Are you still mad at me?" he questions me as I went to look at the mirror.

"Mad?" I asked confused as Naru came up to me to stare at my reflection.

"You know, last night you stormed off, that's a bad habit of your Mai," he said. I nervously rubbed my hands and look up at him.

"You didn't like my gift, so I didn't want to hear it," I told him honestly.

Naru stares at me, but then he hunches over wrapping his arm around my legs and hoist me up over his shoulder causing me to go wide eye in shock.

"Ne, Naru?" He doesn't say anything but heads downstairs.

"Put me down," I pat his back, but he just kept going ignoring me. After a few minutes, he places me down in front of the treehouse.

"Oi, what's the meaning of this?" I asked.

"I'm going to teach you a lesson." he simply said.

"Teach me a lesson? On what? I didn't do anything wrong." I said a bit confused by this. Naru gave me a serious look which I knew too well, he meant business.

"Nothing wrong? Mai, you need to learn how to listen to me instead of storming off, this can cause problems in the future you know that?"

"I.." I shut my mouth as he looks straight at me with a deadly look.

"Look Mai, right now is not as big only small details, we are a couple, husband and wife, you know that right?"

"Of course Naru, I know that, I haven't been living in a cage."

"Alright, glad you understand that. You know that not everything is rainbows and unicorns in the relationship."

"I know,"

"Good, my thing is I'm trying to tell you communication is important between any couple, one slight misunderstanding can lead to a bigger misunderstanding and it can lead to all sort of problems then mistrust and I may not be an expert in relationships, but it applies to any relationship not only romantic ones. Now, if there was a case where you spot me with another woman and catch me in a strange situation, what would you do?" he asks me. I nervously rub my arms.

"Err, run away?" I admit and 'cry my heart off.'

"Exactly. Do you see your problem? You keep running away from me instead of confronting me because you're too scared to face me as you told me all those years ago. You say you trust me with your life, but at the time I feel like you don't. You just assume things from just a single word or my reaction. Remember Mai, we aren't perfect, I'm not perfect nor you are perfect, but trust me a little bit more and wait until I finish my sentence, and don't assume one thing because you're scared. I'm your husband, I belong to you in every sense of the word. If you see me with another woman that it looks like something isn't right, go in and face it claim me back or reproach me, but listen to me don't run away, and trust me, I would let you know if I did something wrong. If you give me a gift, let me finish my sentence, if I over here a conversation that has me in it and you spot me, let me say something. Damn it, Mai, you know how hard is for me to express myself when it comes to things like this so please think before you act because your choices do affect me as well. I have just gotten used to being in a relationship." he explains to me as he runs his fingers through his fingers and walks off.

I look down as I felt tears running down my cheeks and the sad part is that he's right. I'm a coward and I don't let him finish.

...

...

I walk down the path looking at the graying sky, it looks like it's going to rain at any moment. I rubbed my arm, as Naru's words echoed in my head. It's been over an hour and I couldn't stop thinking of it.

He's right though, I run away before, but since the day he rejected me it traumatize me a bit, but I want him to be happy.

Stopping, I heard a strange noise in front of me, it sounded like something breaking. I walk down the path that leads to our bathing post. I stopped to see Naru breaking a branch in half which he was near the boulders, and he wore a light blue shirt with blue short pants that he discovered a few years ago when continue to search in the chests. We were very surprised to see so much clothing.

I felt nervous feeling my heart hammering against my ribs, not sure how to talk to him, but I want him to know, I thought about it and he's right. I need to be stronger and trust Naru even more. He's not a very expressive man but honest and fair.

"Damn!" I heard Naru cuss under his breath as making me look up at him. He's holding his hand trying to not show much pain, my heart drops to my stomach.

"Naru!" I shout in pure worry as I run towards him. He turns his head towards me and blinks as I grab ahold of his hand, to see blood oozing down his finger.

"Naru, you hurt yourself," I said worriedly. He blinks as I look up at him.

"Naru you have to be more careful," I scolded as I took him away from his spot and headed for the waterfall. He remains quiet just watching me as we stop and I gently pushed him down to wash his finger.

We remained silent as he watches me attend to his finger, which was a small cut, which it was a relief to see, but it did worry me.

Yet, I couldn't shake the fact that his eyes were on me just staring intensively making my heart race even more.

...

...

"I'm sorry," I said timidly. Naru doesn't say a word.

"I'm not blaming you, but I think I got a bit traumatized after you rejected me the first time when I confessed, so it's not all my fault, but I should have known better to just run away. I told you many times, I'm terrified that you will one day leave me. You're my only family I have this defend wall I have Naru. I wish you understand how much you affect me, I know that I shouldn't be clingy to any man, but I can't help it, one thing what others say, but when you experience love especially the way I love you, it's harder to let you go especially how you treat me." I began to cry as Naru just continue to be quiet.

I sniffed, wiping my eyes.

"You treat me so kindly and with respect. You even respected my wishes to not make love for so long. You never once lay a finger to hit me or disrespected me or belittle me. You are my world. So I'm sorry Naru, I'll try my best to not run away and hear you out. If I do run, then you have my permission to stop me. If I see a woman next to you in a situation that doesn't look good, then I will confront you at those moments. You are mine Naru and I'm yours and you're right, if I continue to do the running away one day it will be problematic and I don't want that, we already have enough to deal with to have misunderstandings to add in the mix. So I will try my hardest to change the habit of mines, but I won't promise you that it will be perfect." as soon I finished my response to him, it began to pour hard on us.

Naru lets go of my hand and began to head towards the pathway leaving our bathing post. I arched a brow confused by his actions.

"Naru, it's pouring, where are you going?" I shout, but he began to run this time causing me to run after him.

Passing our home, he headed towards the beach and I finally reach up to him. Thunder roared the skies causing me to jolt in fear.

"Ne, Naru!" I huff out as Naru finally stops.

"Come on Naru, it's raining you'll get sick and it's thundering," I shout as Naru turns to look at me, looking drenched from head to toe heaving hard then walks up to me.

"Let's go in," he tells me, but I felt my feet grow penalized as another thunderstorm roar the skies. Sometimes the thunderstorm is scary on this island, last year, we saw thunder hit one of the trees and flooded the upper part of the island.

"I… I can't, my legs are frozen." I say as I began to shake.

"You can't move?" he questions me. I nodded at him as he arched a brow, but then I watched him unbutton his shirt and slide it down off his shoulders to throw it on the sandy ground near my feet.

What is he doing?

"All of the sudden, I'm in the mood to shower," he tells me, feeling my cheeks flaring up.

"What are you doing? You're going to catch a cold." I told him, bending down, to pick up his shirt.

Naru once again gets close to me when I rose myself, I gasped in surprise to see a playful smirk on his lips.

Either he's gone bonkers or I'm the crazy one to find this attractive. This man has me going crazy.

"Want to join me?" he asks.

"Are you crazy? Is raining buckets. We need shelter and it's thundering." I shriek, as another thunder hits on cue.

"Your loss." he simply said turning around heading for the water while rolling his shoulders.

I licked my wet lips as I watch the water graze his skin, he looks fitter, he's been exercising a lot more since he wants to be in shape when we have to face those evil ghosts.

I want to lay my cheek against his back.

I felt my stomach grow warm as this ache to go to him grew in me. He turns around and gave me a stern look, but then once again walks up to me with a mischievous glint on his blue eyes.

"Ne?" I shrieked as I took a step back, his blue eyes seem darker.

He shook his head, making his wet hair move side to side watching the water drops splash away from his hair.

I don't know why, but I found that funny that a giggle escapes my lips.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to look cool or what?" I asked him.

Naru shrugs at my question, and he does it again.

"No, too much water." he declares moving closer to me.

"Come and join me?" he asks me again.

"No, we'll get a cold, remember, we have a mission," I told him, this time around I didn't notice that another thunder hit the sky since all my concentration is on my husband.

Naru frowns, but then he picks me up by my waist causing me to place my hands on his shoulders and look down at him.

"Hey.." argue once again, but this time I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his shoulders.

"It's a good day to bathe," he stated while he turns and began to head for the waters.

Then he stops halfway and gently places me down on the platform of the water. I shook my head while I go around him, and started to run.

"No, your nuts.." I shriek almost reaching the forest, but Naru is too darn fast that he takes my waist, and spins me around causing me to gasp as my arms landed on his bare chest.

"Eii!" Naru leans down coming next to my ear.

"I'm not... I want a bath." he almost growled against my ear causing me to shiver.

"Then bathe yourself. You don't need me."

"I need you to wash my back." He insisted.

"No, I don't.."

"You have in the past."

"Well, that was in the past. Not now."

"I will be very lonely." I shiver from his low and seductive deep voice is, feeling my heart skip a beat.

Is he begging? Or what, I mean I don't mind, but it's raining now.

"It's raining hard and it's dangerous, you can entertain yourself," I mumbled, noticing that even though is cold due to the rain, his skin felt hot against mine.

Why is my skin hot as well?

"Entertain myself? How... I need my wife next to me." he murmurs causing me to blush.

He turns his head towards me staring deeply at my eyes. I felt myself go weak on the knees.

"Naru?" I gasp confused by his sudden mood change.

He leans forward and presses his lips on mine, literally taking my breath away. Moving his lips against mine I close my eyes forgetting everything that just happened, even about the thunder. I wrap my arms around his neck kissing him gently. I felt him wrap his arm around my waist and hoists me up in his chest, holding me very tightly. All I can feel is wanted, but not from ghosts or souls. I could feel that all he wanted is me. I felt his lips very gentle and strong at the same time.

Breathing out he opens his eyes, a little daze and he separates from me and starts to walk around me once again in a circle.

"Naru?" I asked feeling bewildered by his strange action. He has never done this. I look down to see that my dress clenched into my body due to the rain.

This is strange.

He stops and turns towards me.

"Aren't you going to take a bath?" I asked him. Naru shook his head.

"I'm already wet enough." he shrugs causing me to roll my eyes at him.

"Wow. Just wow." Then reality hits, when a big thunder roars the sky causing me to jump.

"Thunder." I ran towards Naru, wrapping my arms around his midsection. He places his hands on my shoulders, looking down at me as I quiver.

"I want to play a game." He whispers. I glance up, shaking a little, but tilted my head towards the side.

"Are you serious?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"Then, No.."

"Then too bad," he stated.

"Good. You're acting weird Naru, I'm heading back home." I felt so lost with this man right now. So I turned, taking a step forward.

"I'm going to get dry it's cold, if you want to join me then please do so." I wave at him, then rubbed my arms.

Naru wraps his arms around me and spins me again, this time he lost his balance falling taking me with him, landing on top of him gasping in surprise.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I watch pain pass his face.

He shook his head and spins me around making me lay flatly at the sandy wet ground hovering his body on top of mine. My face heats up as I glance up. His face was so wet, his hair plastered down while blue eyes on mine.

My chest heaves hard.

"Naru?" I asked. He moves down and places his lips against mine giving me a soft kiss, then straightens up.

Then he rolls me around so I can land on top of him.

"What's wrong with you?" Then he once again flips me around, I'm now being under him. His eyes seem a little playful, it bounces once again. I felt my heart jump at the sight.

I miss this playful Naru.

"Naru, I'm getting dizzy," I told him the truth. He twirls me again and I landed on top of him. This time he sets himself up taking a hold of my back, so I won't fall back.

"Why are you so playful?" I asked him.

He shrugs, as I move my legs, so I sit on his lap comfortably. He moves my wet hair back then once again traces his knuckles across my cheeks, very gently, as his eyes turn very soft and deep.

I heavily gulped and then he moves his head towards my neck. My eyes widen to feel his soft warm lips on my neck.

I giggled since it became ticklish, but my warm tummy started up once again as he began to kiss my neck. Just like that, I didn't feel ticklish but loving. I press my hand on the side of his head, taking a hold of his hair. Stopping myself from moaning in pleasure as I half-closed my eyes leaning into him.

What in the world? He has never done this before.

"N... Naru?" I became breathless from his sudden bold action. His lips start to travel up my neck, slowly kissing my skin. I couldn't help but moan biting my lower lip, enjoying it a little too much.

Moving my legs, as the heat in my stomach travel more down, his lips travel up towards my jaw, then he stops.

"Naru," I pat his shoulder causing him to lift his gaze at me.

"Does… Does it mean that… You're not mad at me?" I said between breaths as he suddenly smirks at me as his blue eyes are dark.

"That's my question Mai, are you mad at me?" he asks me. I shook my head at him.

"I was never mad at you Naru, I was hurt because you didn't like my gift, but as I told you earlier, you were right, I need to learn how to listen to you completely."

"I was never mad at you Mai, but I wanted you to understand it. I apologize for making feel afraid. I have to learn to be more mindful of how I word things, I don't promise I would do all the time since I will forget since…"

I felt a tear roll down my eye mixing with the rain, and I think Naru took notice as he wipes it away with his fingers.

He apologies? He has opened up so much. My Naru, you have no idea how much happiness you brought to my heart.

I cover his lips with my fingers stopping him from talking.

"Because you are you Naru, you are straightforward, I know, I don't need you to change,"

"Me either Mai, don't change but…"

"We need to learn to listen to each other and learn to compromise.." we both said at the same time and we both ended up laughing at the same mindset.

I brush his forehead with my fingers, Naru smiles at me tenderly as he lowers himself and places his lips on my neck and began to graze it, then began to kiss it. I closed my eyes as I place my hand behind his head, arching my body closer to him.

"Good that you understand," he whispers then he moves his head towards my other side of my neck, doing the same treatment. I rolled my eyes, this time I moaned in pleasure not noticing the sly smirk passing Naru's lips enjoying what he's doing to me.

He just gently tortures me little by little then moves down to lower the strap of my dress and softly kisses my shoulder, feeling his big hand caress my curves causing me to gasp.

I wrap my leg around him, pinning him closer to me.

Naru, continue, please.

I was getting lost in his small touches and kisses. I began to kiss his cheek as I lower my hand down to press it flatly on his broad back, pushing him down, feeling his strong chest pressed against my chest and it felt wonderful. The warmth in my stomach became hotter. I lowered down to kiss his neck as gently as possible since this is new for me and I felt Naru shiver.

He lifts himself and looks down at me as I was staring at him with bedroom eyes and love. Naru had the same look.

Continue Naru, please.

I begged him with my eyes as I caress his shoulders. He lowers himself down and gave me a chaste kiss, then gently lifts himself leaving me cold and alone, all I wanted to be in his arms.

Naru began to walk towards our home and I stare at him with wide eyes, not believing this at all.

Wait, what just happen? He's going to leave like that? Not saying anything?

"Naru?" I called out confused. He kept walking while fear shot through me.

"Please Naru.." I called out again running towards him.

Naru stops and turned towards me causing me to stop in my own/

Then he smiles at me a true genuine warm smile that he rarely gives me, I felt my heart jump.

"I have gained the courage," he mumbles under his breath as he starts to walk towards me watching his eyes turn deeper as his wet hair somewhat covers his eyes, but for a reason, it made him look sexier.

My eyes widen, when he came up to me, and press his lips against mine, devouring me completely.

I had to take a breath and move with him, very rapidly, this kiss seems heated and joyful. We never kiss the much in one day... I cup his cheek moving my lips against his feeling like heaven. I always said, he's like my haven, and now, I'm right. He is, he's my world.

Slowly opening my eyes as we let go.

"Courage?" I asked breathlessly... He nods... Then he turns his back towards me staring at the trees.

"We have been married for six years, that's a long time by now." he started.

"Yes, and I pray we can be married until we get old." I chimed at him.

Then he turns, and once again traps his lips against mine, cupping my cheeks breathing in heavily.

He's driving me crazy with these on and off kisses. I'm already highly sensitive as it is, Naru, I want you to make love to me. Six years it's enough, I want to be yours.

Letting go, I have passed my tongue across my now swollen lips, still tasting him.

Tea, he always tastes like tea, no matter what and I love it. Naru, please make love to me, I'm too shy to ask you because it's a big step.

Naru wraps his arms around me and finally calmed down... He picks me up and surprises me when he twirls me around.

"Naru, what's wrong with you?"

"I gain courage." repeats delightfully while he places me down, and cups my cheeks. That playfulness is short-lived, as his cold eyes return completely while breathing hard.

"Courage, you said that before. What does that mean my love?" I was getting worried about this strange behavior. Naru's lips thinned out and place his forehead against mine. Closing his eyes, he takes a big breath as he grabs my hand and looks at my wedding ring.

He suddenly surprises me as he bends in one knee and looks up at me. My heart began to race as he kisses the top of my hand and swallows hard looking at me.

What is he doing?

"Give me a moment, I'm nervous," he admits as he took a big breath, I stare at him gently.

"What is it? Why are you kneeling?" I asked him feeling confused. Naru looks at me once again.

"Because you deserve better. Mai I know you too well, about this morning what I told you is the truth and your response gave me the courage. You are mature, even more than me. You nor I am perfect, but I'm not regretting reading those words six years ago when we read I do." I couldn't help but smile tenderly at him.

"See, we aren't normal Naru and me either." I giggled causing him to smile at me.

"Yes, and we aren't normal, you are the only one that has kept up with my attitude, I'm sure any woman that gets to know me the real me, would last this long. I'm not exactly the most romantic or cheerful man on this planet. If they did, maybe they are after the wealth or something." he stated.

"Oh I know Naru, trust me, but you're the most sweetest and straightforward man I ever met so loving you isn't hard. I thank God every day for meeting you. I love you so much and as I said, and will continue to say, I want to always be by your side and I don't care if you were a normal man or broke, while you had the same personality I know that you would make yourself better. We help each other to grow don't we?" I giggled. He nods looking down at my ring.

"You make me a better man, never knew someone can love me the way you do. I don't even deserve you," he said. I nodded at him as I felt tears gather in my eyes feeling emotional.

"I'm the one that doesn't deserve you Naru and you're not easy but not impossible that's how wonderful you are and you don't see it. You make me feel beautiful, you know that? I have not much confidence in my body, but you make me feel as though I have the hottest body or something like that." I joked around with a hint of truth. He gave me a serious look.

"I told you once Mai, don't believe everything you see on the television, men are not that superficial and I'm not picky. I don't just fall for a body or a face," he said seriously. I nodded at him.

"Me too, it took me some time to fall for you because I knew right off the bat that you were faking it and I hated that until I began to know you," I admit. He kisses my hand as I felt my heart fluttering.

"Let's go inside Naru, it's raining and we will get a cold. Tomorrow we have our test and I want to study and we have to pack for our journey." I told him. Naru took another breath as he looks straight at me.

"I have a question for you," he asks me. I nodded at him.

"Yes?"

Naru takes a big breath and asks me as he held my hand and looks straight at my eyes and asks me one question,

I never thought that his question causes my whole world to freeze as his sweet question echoes in my heart, knowing that Naru wants and loves me as I felt fresh tears roll down my eyes.

..

..

"Mai Taniyama, would you marry me the right way?"

Thanks for the reviews and yes writing Naru's pov is quite challenging but fun. I like this chapter and proposal better than the OG. It felt more mature and they talk about her situation about running away. I always wanted to add that, but I forgot about it. Hope you'll like it.