This update is the requested birthday present for my much loyal reader, Sailor Scout (she has a bunch of extra S's that make me feel like a snake saying, and since I have a cold, I will imperiously ignore said extra S's...*sniff*). Happy Birthday. Enjoy some blood. I am working on the next chapter. *sniff* My nose...my head...my braaaaain.
Chapter 5
Naru and I took a short tour through the library until it closed around nine. By then the sun had set, and while deep night had yet to breach upon the long summer evenings, Naru and I figured it was dark enough to take the walk through the back.
"My mom will be here in the morning," said Naru. "She'll only be with us for a day. Their flight leaves early the next day, so she won't get her complete wish."
"So if we want to do any making out we'll have to get it done now, is that what you mean?"
He flashed me the dry look I was expecting. But it didn't last long as he was soon distracted by turning about the bend of the library. Grass, trees, and a fair amount of bushes filled the space behind it, but otherwise didn't look all that foreboding.
"How exactly did she die?" I asked.
"The 'white girl' in question was a Yuki Mitagawa. She had been suffering from substance abuse and depression. Hardly unexpected."
"Okay, but how did she, you know, kill herself?"
He didn't speak until we were about to pass a particularly large oak. Its branches had been trimmed back in years so give the library wall some space, but a few branches had still found themselves pressed up against the stone and windows. One thick branch had been cut when it had been particularly large, or it had grown afterwards. The bark had curled over the wound, giving it a diseased, blistered look.
"Hung herself," said Naru. "On this tree."
We listened to the applause of the leaves, breath held. No one was around. It was just us.
"So…" I turned my head to Naru, wondering whether or not to be covert about staring at his forehead. "Do you know anything else about her?"
"Aren't you the one who is supposed to be picking up something?"
I wrinkled my nose at him and closed my eyes. But after a full minute of silence, all I picked up was a faint brush with the fear I felt before, but so lightly it was hardly there.
Naru's hand touched my waist, hesitant. Then it slid about it, holding me lightly at first, and then with a comfort as though it had been molded just for my shape. I smiled without opening my eyes.
"Are you getting possessed, Mr. Davis?"
"Don't call me that. Makes me feel like my father, and that's something no one wants to feel."
"Tut tut. Show respect for your parents."
I could feel his heat, now. I opened my eyes to meet his only inches from my own, deep, brilliant, and warm. I glanced up.
"Well, no kanji is on your head."
"Nor yours," he said, puffing my favorite smell across my face.
And I would have none of that. I kissed him, parting his lips with my own so I could breathe him in. He shivered, catching a breath between us. I licked the roof of his mouth and he gave it up to me, along with the rest of him which he pressed up against me. I loved it when he let down his poshness to wear a T-shirt once in a while, because then I could run my hands up his biceps, under his sleeves, and to his collarbone. I loved his shoulders. Their shape, so unlike mine, never failed to make me hot and heavy in places I shouldn't think about.
And that's why I was the one to pull away.
"Come on. Can't be late to porn-boy's séance."
I stepped out of his grasp, but he followed me, his hands catching on to my hips.
"Forget it," he said. "We can ask Yui to call the spirit. We know her name. If she's around, she'll come."
I smiled. "You made that up."
In answer he leaned down to brush his lips against mine. They trembled.
"Sacred," he breathed. "Really, forget about it. I was being an overprotective idiot. Let's forget it. Have tea."
"Have tea?" I laughed and kissed his nose. "Default activity, right? You want to stay right where you are."
"Not here."
By now his voice had dropped low into his chest, just as heavy as the heat in my stomach.
But he sighed, kissed my forehead, and let of me.
"I love you, Mai. I always will."
"That's not nearly as long as how long I'll love you!"
That bit of cheese helped break the heat that had fallen over us and made him wrinkle his nose. "Really, Mai? Really? I am not getting into that."
"I didn't think so." I grabbed his hand and turned us about. "Come on, lover boy. Back to work. Can't have nothing to show your mom when she comes, she might think we were up to something."
Back at base Lin was conspicuously missing, and Yasu was smirking up a storm.
"You two getting a little action by the library?"
I blushed. Naru just walked forward, as thought Yasu had said nothing. That didn't deter him, however. He was still all smirks, which he turned on me.
"So, Mai, you heading with me to Swii's room?"
"If you'd been a peeping Tom you would've known the answer to that question," I said, wondering if I'd get into too much trouble in taking off my shoe and throwing it at him.
"You're right. I didn't see anything. I just wanted to witness Naru-sama squirm. Lin's still working on getting the camera on. Somebody forgot to charge the batteries!" he sang.
Naru made a satisfied grunt of sorts, busy with flicking on monitors and glancing through some information on the laptop at the same time.
"Yasu, you remember your job?"
"Yep. Grill Swii and poor condemned Joe, give you the juice, don't get possessed."
"Too bad I can't pay you to get a better sense of humor as well," said Naru.
"Hey! My humor is perfect!"
"It's three minutes after ten."
"Right, big boss."
And Yasu marched out of base. I smiled fondly at his back before sashaying to Naru's side. I watched as he scrolled through the footage that we did get so far—mainly of the areas around the library, which consisted of only three cameras—as well as through some emails sent to us by witnesses. I was just thinking about setting up the cots for Lin and Naru when Yasu reappeared in the doorway. Something about the look on his face turned every organ in my body to painful ice.
"We got a problem," he said, voice high.
"What?" snapped Naru.
"Joe's dead."
