Joey looked around as Mai let him in. He could only see the entrance hall and part of the living room, but what was there suited her perfectly. He glanced back at Mai and felt his heart tighten in his chest. It had been so long since he'd seen her. He had tried to forget how she made him feel, but however hard he tried, he never could forget. The months had taken the edge of the way he remembered he felt like when he was with her. Was it possible for him to have a knife twisting in his heart whenever he saw her knowing she would never be his, while still being in love with her? He'd told himself time and time again she was out of his reach, but his heart never listened to what his head told it.
He watched her move into a side-room he and come back out with a vase for the flowers. She had changed and she hadn't. Once he never would have thought Mai to be the type to buy and renovate a house; he had been wrong about that. He'd never seen her in anything but camisoles and short skirts or shorts; today she wore a pair of worn grey jeans and a lilac t-shirt with two curving silver feathers, she was bare feet-something else he'd never seen her walk around with before-and her hair was somehow pinned up and spilling back down over whatever large clip she had in to the small of her back.
'I see you kept you hair long.' He wanted to slap himself on the head for such a ridiculous statement, but he couldn't think of anything else to say either.
Mai put the irises in the vase she had filled with water and smiled nervously at him. 'It's my pride and joy.' She fingered a lock. 'That and my eyes.'
'Not your body? Your looks?' Joey wasn't really surprised.
'Nope.' Mai sat down on the beige sofa and patted the spot next to her. 'Come sit down, I'm gonna get a sore neck looking up at you and I am not standing up; I've been out shopping for furniture all day.' Joey obliged. He also wasn't surprised to see the purple cushions on the couch.
Both of them were silent for a time and it occurred to Joey that they had only ever been alone once before; during their last duel in the Oricalcoes. Finally Mai spoke. 'I've always used my looks because they tend to smooth the way for me. But I have a love-hate relationship with them They make people's heads turn which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the situation. I used to love them for the power they gave me over men...' She trailed off.
'And now?' Joey's gaze was rivitted on her face.
'Now I only flaunt for fun sometimes with my friends. I'm sick of people seeing only my looks! They look at me and think that I'm an empty headed blond with no real talents apart from making heads turn. No-one ever sees me-' She cut herself off suddenly and looked at him very strangely.
Joey tried not to squirm under her close scrutiny. 'Something wrong Mai?'
'Not really.' She forced a smile. 'There was one person who saw me for myself for the first time ever a couple of years ago,' she couldn't bring herself to meet Joey's eyes 'He saw who I was, and he made me see who I was; a girl who played on her looks to get what she wanted, calculating, cold. A siren.' Mai smiled bitterly. 'A Harpie. They're also called the snatchers.'
'But you love your harpies.' Joey protested.
Mai's face softened. 'I did, I do. But it doesn't mean I have to become like the Harpies in Greek mythology.'
'So, this guy who saw you...'
'You didn't realise it? You Joey. You saw me for who I was. Though I didn't like the person I saw. And I don't think you did-'
Joey didn't know why he did it, but he slipped his hand behind her neck and brought his lips down to hers. Mai jerked in surprise and Joey pulled back. 'I'm sorry.' He didn't meet her shocked eyes. 'I shouldn't have done that.'
'Why did you?' She asked in a ragged voice.
He was silent for a long time, finally he answered; 'You were wrong when you said I didn't like who I saw...I saw a girl with a huge heart and okay a huge stubborn streak and a temper.' Mai gave a strangled laugh. 'But I did like who I saw,' the rest of the words popped out before Joey could stop them; 'in fact, I fell in love with her.' Joey cursed mentally-he hadn't wanted to say as much to her so soon, but he'd forgotten how deeply she affected him; making him lose his grip on any reason he had.
When she didn't reply, he forced himself to meet her eyes. They were swimming, though not with tears. He'd never realised how much Mai's eyes reflected her emotions, especially the strong ones. 'And you thought, 'she began in a raw voice, 'that I wouldn't return your feelings?' Joey blinked at her and slowly opened his mouth to reply. Mai didn't give him the chance; she shifted her body against his and covered his mouth with her own.