It started when Naru first stopped offering her rides home.
'Mai, would you like me to drive you home?' He offered chivalrously, and Mai looked up at him, and laughed, a bell ringing in the snow's peace.
There was a moment of tense silence as her laughter died away.
'Oh, you were serious?'
'I'll take that as a no,' he muttered, cold blue eyes flashing as he strode out the door, shrugging on his jacket as he closed the door with a quiet click.
Mai didn't notice any of this- she was far too involved with the load of heavy paperwork, and the knowledge that in a few minutes, the person she loved would be bouncing through the door.
She stood up, struggling with the papers, and made her way over to the folders, looking over the stack of files.
Suddenly the door opened, and the bell dinged as her heart jumped.
'Mai-iiii!' Called a deep, cheery voice that made her blush as he closed the door.
She could see him easily over the top of her stack of paperwork, and his flushed russet brown skin was covered in curious shadows cast from his tawny, sand coloured brown hair that fell in a dreamy fashion over his dark hazel eyes.
Dreamy?! No, Mai was definitely overworked, which was why she was thinking such things.
She'd have to talk to Naru about it tomorrow, if he was talking to her at all.
'Hello, Monk-san,' she said from behind the papers.
Suddenly the weight was lifted, and the monk was carrying all the folders under his arm, and she very much strained not to drool as she took in his decked out band gear.
Today, he had come in with only a cargo jacket covering his defined muscles, and it was unbuttoned, and he wore baggy jeans and skate shoes, his sleeves were rolled up, and he wore thick leather gloves with out fingers, and he grinned at her sheepishly, the few strands of hair that weren't caught in his ponytail, which had become decidedly smaller ever since he had it cut, falling in his gaze.
Well, to be short, from Mai's point of view, he looked red freakin' hot.
No, bad Mai. Takigawa is a friend. Stop thinking this or you'll ruin your friendship.
She smiled back, and he smiled as well.
A content smile settled over them.
Oh, for god's sake, why don't you just make out with her already? Takigawa's subconscious thought dryly, and he mentally whacked it.
'Hey, Mai-chan, where do you want me to put them?' He asked instead of dropping the folders, grasping her roughly about the shoulders and crushing those lips, which were undoubtedly soft and sweet, and again, he mentally whacked himself for thinking such perverted thoughts.
She started a bit, rosy cheeks coloured in the half light cast upon her cheeks, and Takigawa clenched his knuckles tighter, forcing his hand to remain by his side.
'Oh, um, on Naru's desk,' she stuttered, watching his muscles flex as he walked into his office and placed them gently on the desk.
As he stood up, and rolled his shoulders to stretch the muscles, she leant against the wall and watched him.
'Mai, want me to make some tea?'
And there it was- the line that never failed to make her sigh in appreciation. Naru never offered, but it was the first thing he asked.
He watched her, as she smiled, and noticed how her mouth turned slightly at the corners.
Damn, she was never to be his.
'That would be nice.'
He smiled and stepped into the kitchen, flicking the kettle switch, and reaching into the cupboards with ease, bringing down the tin of teabags.
'So, Monk-san, how was the band?'
He automatically shivered, as she said his nick-name, not even his real name.
But he steadied himself.
'Awesome,' he started, allowing a grin pass over his face, 'we're going to go on tour around Japan hopefully, in a year or so, but we still have to plan it.'
Mai smiled. She never grinned when he was around- she smiled.
'Cool,' she said happily.
'Yeah, we're hoping it'll go platinum,' and, he silently added, if I'm lucky, you'll tell me you love me.
The kettle whistled shrilly, breaking the moment, and he shook his head, pouring the water and bringing the teacups to the table.
'It's cold,' she shivered, accepting the tea gratefully, as she sipped the hot brown liquid.
He sat down next to her, and sipped at it too, as they gazed out the window.
Suddenly, she placed the cup down and yawned, snuggling closer to the young man in search for warmth.
He blushed, as she began to fall asleep.
'Mai,' he murmured, but she was already asleep, breathing in and out contentedly.
She smiled, as he sung softly to her, and placed his tea on the glass table as the snow cast beautiful shadows.
'All because of you,
I believe in angels,
not the kind with wings,
no, not the kind with halos,
the kind that bring you home,
Where love becomes a strange place.'
Author's Note: Keyword Paramore, do not kill me. I just listened to this song, loved it, and thought, gee, I love your fic and this song, and I decided I'd do a little fic in form of thanks. Also, I said I wouldn't do anymore MxT unless I had a good idea, and this was it. I always wondered how it did start in your mind…
Please, please do not shoot me.
Anyway, I will be doing more LxA, I just haven't had suitable inspiration, but the next one will involve karaoke.