"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" Yasuhara's voice fractured the companionable silence that had fallen between them while they climbed the steps in the Earth Exhibit. Much of Mai's strength had recovered but she could still be caught wincing and grimacing every once in a while throughout the day. Monk had wordlessly instructed Yasuhara to watch over her carefully on their trip to replace the batteries in the camera's set up in the mineral gallery.
"Yes," she assured him with a sigh. "It's just my hip, everything else is fine." The trembling had finally stopped sometime after lunch, thankfully, because she had been nearing her wit's end. Especially after bidding goodbye to Madoka and Toby. She had been powerless against the worry that had washed through her system while Lin walked them out of the museum. She had been forced to remind herself that Toby would be safer away from the property rather than under her watchful eye within its walls. But it was difficult to rationalize that after he had just reached out to her, sobbing, and called her that.
"If you say so, Boss," Yasu replied easily as they climbed the last step and meandered out of the dimly lit hall into the mineral gallery. "Whoa," Yasu murmured in awe, his teasing tone set aside while he adjusted his glasses and scanned the room.
"This is the biggest room I've ever been in," Mai admitted distractedly, eyes wide.
The mineral gallery spread out for nearly as far as the eye could see, organized within a long room, and was filled with rows of oak wood display tables boasting samples that varied in worth. They were all protected beneath the single pane glass paneling on the display tables, but still, even sitting at the end of the hall in a glass display of its own was the largest blue gemstone Mai had ever laid eyes upon. It glittered from so far away, vibrant against the rows of rough-cut stone pillars that spanned the entire room and hindered whatever natural light might have remained from the sinking sun outside, spilling through the tall ornate windows evenly spaced throughout.
"And we only have one camera in here?" Yasu asked doubtfully, his voice echoing across the way. It was almost comical.
"We don't have an endless supply of them, you know," Mai reasoned with a chuckle.
Together they meandered through the room at a leisurely pace. Several displays drew their eyes and they found themselves marveling over the specimens beneath the glass while time ticked on. Yasu had spent the majority of the day reviewing audio in hopes of helping Oliver's team speed through the process a little quicker and Mai suspected he needed a break. The work could be very isolating, listening to the static of an empty room for hours on end while life continued around you. Mai often felt like she was trapped in a bubble when she reviewed audio. So she didn't push him to rush through the room while they made their way to the camera set up near the Ostro Stone.
"Did you ever hear about the theory that things like limestone aid in spirit manifestation?" Yasu questioned as they walked, pausing to look at a fossilized shell with interest.
"I have," Mai replied with her hands clasped behind her back, the camera battery clutched between her fingers. "Did you find some?" she asked a moment later after Yasu's attention had been pulled away.
There was a static click at her waist and Mai glanced down to pull the walkie-talkie from her belt and lifted it to her mouth, "You didn't come through, what was that?"
"I said," Oliver's voice drifted through the static, "You should know the camera in that room stopped working three minutes ago. It was at fifteen-percent battery."
Mai pulled the walkie-talkie away to scan the room warily. Yasuhara had paused to look back at her with a frown. They could just make out the camera from halfway across the room now and it stood innocently in the same position it had been left in. The taped X on the floor was smack in the middle of the feet of the tripod.
"Noted," she replied before stepping forward into the sudden stifling atmosphere.
"I was just about to say," Yasu added, following in her wake, "That I think the pillars and walls are lined with it."
Mai's eyes slid to the side to examine the rough-cut stone with new light. If the theory was correct then the whole room might as well have been a local ghostly recharge station. Even the floor was a rough porous stone that her boots scraped against with each dragging step she took, still limping due to the pain in her hip. For a moment, those footsteps were the only sound that dared to fracture the mounting oppressive silence of the room. The hair on the back of Mai's neck stood on end as they rounded the final pillar and stood before the camera with wide eyes.
While the camera may not have been moved from its position, facing out towards the room to capture any possible activity that might occur within the cavernous space, something had certainly occurred behind it.
"You'll want to get up here, Naru," she murmured into the walkie-talkie.
Scrawled across the limestone wall, carved into the rock itself, were the words: "I'll trade you."
Mai took half a step back while she examined the writing. The entranceway leading to the set of stairs on the opposite end of the room that would take guests up to vegetation and soil, or they could take a right and visit the gallery on the evolution of the Earth throughout time, was just a few feet away within view. Anything or anyone could have climbed up those stairs and moved in behind the camera but they would have definitely made noise while carving away at the wall and it would have been picked up on the camera's own internal microphone at the very least. Andrew, Lin, or Oliver would have certainly noticed.
Mai lifted her watch to gauge the time and noted that it was just a few minutes passed six in the evening. The museum closed at five o'clock that day so the culprit would have had an hour to complete the task before she and Yasu had wandered in. She wasn't even taking into account members of the custodial staff. It just didn't add up. Well, she mentally corrected herself, it did she was just surprised by the brazenness of the action. They'd only been on sight for twenty-four hours and already they were getting vaguely threatening messages.
"Hey, Lin?" she asked into the walkie-talkie while Yasu moved around the camera to look at the carving close up. He prodded the marking with curious fingers and then shook his hand out with a grunt of surprise. The markings were ice-cold to the touch, which was odd. Usually, such activity would result in heat produced through the use of energy.
"Oliver's on his way," Lin's voice crackled to life in her hand.
"Actually, I wanted to know what the usual temperature of this room was?" she clarified while pulling the thermometer from her belt and scanning the area.
"Last checked put it at 21.1 degrees," Lin informed her.
Mai glanced down at the display of the thermometer with a frown. It read 19.4. Not a vast difference that would usually spark concern in such a large space but when she ran it again just to be certain it jumped back up to 19.6 in a matter of seconds.
Her heart fluttered in her chest.
It must have just left.
Had it been watching them?
When Oliver arrived she had run the thermometer again and breathed out a shaky breath through her nose. The temperature had returned to normal levels and yet she felt more unnerved than ever. Not even Oliver's calm footsteps against the stone, drawing to a stop at her side, did much to alleviate her mounting concern. She hesitated to call if fear considering their theory, but it was certainly getting there. This thing had a habit of inspiring primal fear within those it faced off against and she worried it was beginning to affect her.
"For what?" Oliver questioned out of nowhere.
"What?" Mai asked, coming back to herself to shoot the man a confused look.
Oliver adopted a rather put-upon expression that harkened back to the old days and she belatedly recalled how much the man despised having to repeat himself. Yasu's chuckle in the background only served as a further reminder. So she was a little distracted that day, could anyone really blame her?
"It wants to trade us," Oliver explained simply, "Trade us for what?"
Mai bit her lip and turned her eyes back to the carving. She didn't want to admit it but she had a very strong suspicion of what it wanted and it sent a thrill of horror racing through her chest that had her crossing her arms and shifting back. The only thing it had to trade was Lydia. Following with their theory, if it was willing to let her go it was because it was ready for a new victim. A new plaything.
Her stomach twisted with nausea so intense that she slapped a hand over her mouth with as much discretion as she could manage, turning her face away from the two men at her side. Did it want Toby after all? Any worry she had felt about him being out of sight was completely washed out by the jellifying relief that he had been sent away. She cared for him deeply and after that morning...her heart twisted in her chest at the mere recollection of the memory. The fact that Oliver hadn't brought it up yet was surprisingly unlike him but she supposed he was attempting to keep things professional while in the presence of the team.
Oliver reached out a hand to her when she turned back to face the wall again and she manage to conclude he wanted her walkie-talkie without needing to ask. Disappointingly impressed with herself she handed it over.
"Send Nora and Sam down here with a camera," he ordered before handing the device back to her.
Mai shot him a pointed look at that, realizing the man had come on his own despite his decree to use partners from that morning onwards. He may have been one of the few who could survive an encounter with just about anything but that survival was questionable at best. A pyrrhic win. Something she was certain his pride would approve of if it came down to it. She took the walkie-talkie back and clipped it to her belt once more.
"I'm honestly surprised by the level of activity we've encountered so early in the game," Yasu drawled with his hands on his hips, eyes scanning over the carving once more. "Usually it takes a while, but it seems we dropped in during a spike in activity and our presence means very little to it."
"It seems intelligent," Oliver mused quietly, "It wrote the words behind the camera to avoid being seen."
"So it did," Yasu replied with grim thoughtfulness.
Mai watched Oliver with interest as he lifted a hand to his chin and his gaze focused on the camera, lost in thought. It was the puzzle and mystery that would pull him in, and then it would be the rush of outpacing something that existed on another plane, of beating the unknown that he would chase after. To Oliver Davis, the world and all of its mysteries were a challenge he could not deny.
When the two members of BSPR arrived it was a scene of the three theorizing the type of being who could leave such a mark with a casual confidence that Nora certainly did not feel. The moment her eyes landed on the carving she felt a thrill of terror zip through her system. In fact, her first thought was to assume that a member of the staff had done it and that the entire case might have just been a way to drum up free advertisement and bring in more guests. But Oliver Davis stood with his arms crossed and sighed when he noticed their hesitation.
"Well," Yasu cut over the tension with practiced ease, uncaring of Oliver's moods, "It's certainly not a poltergeist."
Mai rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, "And what makes you say that, Yasu?"
"Besides the fact that we have experienced almost none of the known signs," he replied, playing up the part of a know it all and, perhaps, mocking Mai in her younger days, "Those markings are ice cold."
Oliver's eyes turned back to the markings with new intent as Sam and Nora got to work on photographing and documenting the carving. They would have to inform the museum of the damages so they could repair it, no doubt they would never see the physical thing again after that day. It wouldn't due to frighten the guests with such a sight.
Mai met Oliver's intense stare, knowing the temptation he felt to reach out and touch the carving, to feel, to see, and knowing it would be a terrible idea. It wouldn't due to expose him of all people to such a creature.
Nothing else happened that night. Everyone had waited a few additional hours after the writing was discovered before leaving for the hotel, tense and on edge in the following calm after such a reveal. Mai herself had sat down at the monitors next to Andrew and watched the screen with her fingers laced, eyes burning with the strain after so little sleep and a long day of work. Someone had loaned her the plush leather computer chair from behind the desk during her vigilance but her back still ached something fierce by the time she dared to pull back and blink. She heaved the heaviest of sighs, regretful that she would be leaving for the night to sleep at the hotel while the rest remained behind. It didn't sit well with her but Ayako had assured her that her charms would hold and between her, Monk, Lin, and John everyone would be well protected.
The smell of a fresh pot of coffee reached her nose and she glanced at her watch to note the time- 9 PM. Everyone was preparing for a late night, it would seem. She turned to look back over her shoulder and found the couch occupied by Yasuhara and Sam, both still struggling to chew through all the audio files collected, hidden behind their glowing laptop screens in the dim light of the floor lamp in the back of the room. The fluorescent light had been shut off sometime earlier in a bid to preserve everyone's eyes and prevent headaches as the hours passed. If she cocked her head just so she could make out Nora's feet from behind the whiteboard, huddled away at her makeshift workstation away from the others. She would be going with the group to the hotel that night, Mai just needed to make sure they didn't forget her. She had a suspicion that Nora would keep working if no one stopped her.
"You ready to trade off?" Andrew asked her with a tired and gusty sigh of his own, running a hand over his eyes with a grunt.
"Just about," she admitted. She was ready to do as Madoka had mentioned and delve into a tub full of hot water and scented soaps for the next several hours of her life. She might even sleep there. Hopefully, the activity would soothe the remaining sharp ache in her hips that had persisted throughout the day. And, with so few going back with them, she could have an entire room to herself. She would leave her comforter and pillow for Ayako and Monk to share.
Mai pushed herself to her feet and stretched, straining her arms up over her head with a yawn. There was a niggling thought in her brain to use the time to open her own laptop and do some writing. She had no idea how long the case would last and the responsible thing to do would be to work on her downtime, but that Word document…the thought of it haunted her. She grimaced and ran a hand through her hair as if hoping to physically brush the thought away. She needed all the sleep she could get in order to fully recover and have another go at the underlying mystery behind the haunting. Together they were managing to piece together a likely story but she wanted something definitive to work from before pushing through to completion. Perhaps, she mused to herself, therein lay the problem with her writing. She had no direction.
"I'm ready when you are," Tristan spoke up upon entering base, his backpack hanging from one shoulder. He looked just as tired as ever but Mai was happy to note he had an excitable light in his eyes that had yet to die out since he arrived. It seemed field work suited him thus far, she just hoped it continued to do so.
"I can drive us over in one of the vans," Andrew assured them from his seat at the bank of monitors, still finishing up a last few notes before pushing himself to his feet.
"Sounds good," Mai chirped. She was ready for some relaxation no matter how tantalizing the case was. No matter how much she yearned to help Lydia as soon as possible. She turned towards the whiteboard to examine the printed photo of the carved writing hanging by a smiley face magnet provided by Yasuhara. Nora had written a note below in large red lettering "Buddy system rules apply!" and circled it twice in blue.
"Hey, Nora," Mai called while peering around the board, "We're getting ready to head out."
Nora jumped in her folding chair and looked back over her shoulder at Mai with wide eyes. She had been hunched over her laptop, several pages open and some shrunken down to accommodate the others. Like the rest of them, dark circles hung beneath her eyes that not even her glasses could hide. Unlike Tristan, it would seem, fieldwork pushed Nora to her limits although she apparently refused to cave beneath the stress.
"I'm ready," Nora stammered and reached down to grab her go-bag at her feet. She snapped her laptop shut and crammed it into the bag while Mai pulled away to scan the room. She offered everyone a tired wave goodnight before following the others out into the hall.
The drive to the hotel was a haze of darkness occasionally fractured by the glow of streetlamps and the green of the radio clock in the dashboard of the van. Mai was happy to relax in the front seat with sore limbs. She had been tense at the computer chair while presiding over the monitors but now she had no important tasks to focus on and her body let the tension go readily. Her eyes rested at half-mast until Andrew pulled the van into a parking space in a lot that surrounded an opulent hotel building. Its high towers reached up to pierce the night sky, lit from below by ground-level spotlights, tossing their wide swaths up the rough-cut stone.
Mai shook her head to pull herself back to the present and reached into her bag in search of the folder with the remaining key cards. Their meager van-full of employees divided the rooms up with ease. There were enough suites for them each to have their own bedroom, though other living spaces would be shared. Mai and Masako each selected the same suite on instinct and the two sent each other conspiring smiles. Even back in the day they usually ended up sharing quarters in some way.
"Sleep well, I'm here if you need me," Masako advised her while they stood in the entryway of the suite. It was vastly different from Mai's blindingly white and modern room back at The Lion. Short fiber royal blue carpeting that looked velvet under the low light led out into a living room comprised of heavily patterned and overstuffed furniture, to the point of discomfort, colored in subdued reds and golds. A television sat recessed within a monstrous dark oak entertainment center that took up one wall, laden with several copies of reader's digest, the gold filigree of their covers gleaming in the dim light.
"You as well, Masako," Mai tossed back absently, but appreciative nonetheless. Masako had quickly become a close friend over the years and she repeatedly proved herself more than worthy of such a title. Mai owed her more than she could ever repay.
On either side of the living room stood dark wood doors that presumably led to the bedrooms. The kitchenette had been situated at the entrance and, judging by the fact that there was a sink along one wall and a dishwasher along the other (and no other doors in sight) Mai was pleased to conclude each bedroom had its own bathroom. She hefted her bag and moved to inspect the other room.
Much like the living room the bedroom boasted the same carpet and a bed set to match the couch. A bay window to the left was adorned with heavy red drapery, stiff floral cushions, and two matching little ottomans for anyone sitting at the window to enjoy. She stepped into the room and dropped her bag on the bench at the foot of the bed before stretching with a sigh. The room felt quiet and comfortable, not stifling, but swaddling. She felt safe within its walls. She suspected Ayako might have done a bit of charm work to all the rooms just to be safe the night prior and Mai could feel the effects. If anyone was possessed or had a hitchhiker of any kind, it would be knocked away the moment they crossed the barriers she had set up. One less thing for Mai to worry about.
To her right was a hallway, a closet door laid into either wall, at the end of which stood the bathroom. It was larger than The Lion's suite bathrooms, she noted as she flipped the lights on. Dark green tile greeted her and she quirked a brow before catching sight of the large jacuzzi tub packed into the far corner of the bathroom. It was dark green to match but Mai could care less about the color. She didn't even bother giving the double vanity sink or the glass-encased shower a second thought before she moved to turn the faucet and fill the tub. The water pooled into the bottom while she scanned the inlaid shelving behind and selected a small travel-sized bottle of bath oil, scented with rosebuds and hibiscus. She uncorked the bottle to give it a curious sniff and grinned. It was tart and sweet and suited her mood perfectly.
While the bath filled she quickly stripped down out of her clothing and jumped in the shower to wash herself off with soap and water, scrubbing at her scalp with urgent fingers, watching the tub from the corner of her eye even as the glass fogged. When she was satisfied she stepped out and threw one leg over the edge of the tub before the other and slid into the heavenly-scented warmth with a relieved sigh. The faucet was turned off before she turned to the controls and pushed the silver gleaming button that sent jets pushing through the still water.
Nearly forty minutes passed with her laying in the tub against a jet that hit the spot between her shoulder blades nicely. She ducked under once or twice just to shut out the rest of the world and clear her head. The muffled sound of rushing water soothing against her frazzled mind that seemed to accumulate more stress as time went on. But there was a creeping feeling that built along the back of her neck, tickling feathers against her nerves, that sent her back to the surface in a rush each time. It was the feeling of an oppressive weight overhead, of hearing the sounds of her own life happening within, cut off from everything else. She ran her fingers through her hair with distant eyes, analyzing the feeling that sent her heart buzzing in a panic even when she was so far from the museum.
It had to be Lydia. Lost in the depths of the building so far below the surface that she could feel the Earth above. It was too similar to the pressure of floating underwater.
Mai stood from the tub, fingers pruned and hair sopping wet after that. She didn't want her good mood to plummet even further and any more thought down that road would be sure to send her over the edge. She'd probably end up finding a way back to the museum even if she had to walk. It couldn't have been more than ten minutes, taking a van had really just been for convenience. It would be a shame after having spent so long cleaning up and relaxing, that was for certain. She wrapped a towel around herself and padded out into the bedroom and wiggled her toes in the carpet while searching through her bag for a pair of pajamas. She stepped into the lilac silk shorts and pulled the matching cami over her head a moment later before returning to the bathroom, running the towel through her hair to dry it of the excess water.
While brushing her teeth she pondered sending an email out to Tim regarding her current situation. She might have wanted to avoid writing for as long as she could, regardless of her responsible side urging her to work, but Tim would have an unbiased opinion for her on the matter. She'd imagine he'd advise her to take some time for herself anyways, not to burn herself out after the completion of her first series. With his feelings on the matter supporting her own, justifying her procrastination, she could at least a feel little better about it.
In the mirror, she rolled her eyes at her own antics before spitting in the sink and rinsing her mouth out. The bronze sink was a bold choice for the hotel but they certainly weren't lacking in that department. She supposed it was meant to emulate the antique and historical atmosphere they were going for.
With the majority of her tasks complete she stepped back out into the room with her comb in hand and claimed a seat at the bay window. There were enough pillows to provide some comfort while her eyes alighted upon the museum across the street, gleaming in the misty night air. From her position, it looked ancient and ominous, and she couldn't argue against the sharp twang of warning that shot through her chest at the thought. Whatever was roosting between its walls, whether it was trapped or there of its own volition, was dangerous. To think that thousands of people wandered through those buildings daily, oblivious to what lurked beneath their feet, was mind-boggling.
Absently, she worked the comb through her damp hair, eyes vacant. It was getting too long, and falling between her shoulder blades when let down. She had contemplated cutting it many times back in Japan but if she had she wouldn't have had the length necessary to make Toby's bracelet.
The gliding comb slowed to a stop and she dropped her hands into her lap in thought. Nothing but the glow of the streetlamps outside, and the light spilling from the bathroom, was left to illuminate her figure sitting at the window. The darkness was comforting in that moment. It helped to ease the fear in her chest. She wondered just how much of her life was hers to control. How many choices had she made that led her to London? How many of them were actually hers and not some twisted form of intuition sending her down a path she had never had an intention of traveling? She reached up to run her fingers over the shorn hair at the back of her head.
Perhaps the depressive episode that had lingered long after their last case together had been a form of awareness she had been too ignorant to recognize. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time.
There was a soft knock at the door.
Mai pushed herself to her feet with a sigh. Masako did always like to check in before turning in for bed on such cases so she wasn't surprised. The door was pulled open and her face went blank.
"Is this going to become a habit?" she asked dryly, stepping back to allow Oliver entrance. She barely even registered the need for embarrassment considering she was wearing a risque silk set of pajamas, packed only for the hotel room in mind. If Oliver wanted to speak with her at that moment he would have to suffer.
"That depends," he murmured as he entered with his hands in his pockets, eyes scanning the room before he claimed a seat on the bench at the end of the bed.
Mai watched him settle himself in her room without so much as a hello before she pushed the door shut with a roll of her eyes. There was a resounding click and she could only hope Masako hadn't heard him enter their room and knock on her door. "And how did you get in here?" she found herself asking him for the second time, which was two times too many if you asked her.
"Masako let me in," he answered lightly.
Welp, there went that hope.
Mai pushed away from the door and retraced her path back into the bathroom to finish combing through her hair. There really was no reason for her to be annoyed by his brazenness. She knew the man had no sense of shame. There was nothing he did that he wasn't prepared to deal with when the time came to it. But still, she didn't want the entire team suspecting that he had only let her take the lead on this case because there was a thing between them. So maybe, just maybe, she did actually have a valid reason for being annoyed. Masako would not spread rumors but that didn't mean someone else hadn't seen him traipsing through their door in the middle of the night.
She yanked at a knot in her hair with a grunt before taking a deep breath and letting it out calmly.
"Mai."
His gentle tone calling out to her would have sent her heart fluttering, with something other than fear, at one point but now she could only muster a tired "Yes?" in response.
"Will you come here?" he asked, breezy and impassive as always.
A part of her wanted to be childish and ignore his request but, she had already let the man into her hotel room, again, so it was about time she stopped fooling herself. No matter how many times she turned a blind eye to it she was connected to him in some way and she found herself incapable of denying him. Not that she had given it all that much effort, she mentally admitted to herself. Instead, she found herself setting the comb down and pulling her damp hair over one shoulder before stepping back out into the room to stand before him with arms crossed.
Oliver Davis watched her with the interest one displayed before an exhibit. He turned his gaze to her the moment she reentered the room and tracked her path before him calmly. She wouldn't go so far as to call it reverence, the way he watched her, but it was within the same ballpark. He lifted a hand out to her and she settled hers within his grip with a resigned sigh, taking a seat at the bench next to him. Letting her frustrations go allowed a comfortable silence to settle between them. He wasn't there to truly ask anything of her, not like the night before when he had needed to speak his peace and clarify the situation for her.
"I thought you were staying at the museum?" she asked when the silence had stretched on for a little too long, her mind muddled by the need for sleep.
"I never said that," he countered coolly, settling her with a look while the smallest of smirks tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"No, but your silence implied it," she grumbled and ran her fingers through her hair once more, needing something to do with her hands now that his hold on hers had left. She had expected him to feel the same as Lin in regards to the case, needing to remain in order to ensure proper handling of any situation that might arise, but she supposed he had grown out of that mentality when he matured and adopted a child. Maybe he trusted his personally picked teams to deal with whatever might come their way in his absence. Because, when it came down to it, that's what SPR was. His original hand-picked team.
"Perhaps you just wanted me to stay," he offered, settling his elbows on his knees, and turning his gaze up to her.
She felt something in her stomach twist, in excitement or dread, she could not discern. The way his eyes settled on her sent a shiver down her spine but it was quelled by a little guilt when considering his words. He may have been right. After everything with Toby that morning she had felt the need to put some distance between them. She hadn't wanted Oliver to get the wrong idea. As if her choosing not to correct Toby at the moment was some form of acceptance. Because it wasn't. At least, she didn't think it was.
"Maybe," she murmured. Her eyes slid away from his to focus on the floor below. It felt horrible to admit.
"It's alright, Mai," he assured her quietly. His own lashes lowered and he laced his hands together in thought. "I apologize for Toby, he was worried this morning. I'm certain he was equally as tired, considering the hour he must have woken." It went unspoken that he must have woken at the same time as Mai before the sun had even risen.
Mai bit her lip in mounting distress. Conflicting emotions twisted in her chest like writhing snakes vying for attention, attempting to snuff out the other in a fruitless battle. Because his apology sent relief coursing through her veins but pain shooting through her chest and she didn't understand how to process it. "It's alright, Oliver," she mumbled, reaching out to settle a hand on his shoulder.
Perhaps he had come to talk after all.
He looked back at her and she had no way to explain the heat that built between them. It was energy, of that she was certain, but it was hardly one she could manipulate. Their eyes locked and the blue of his gaze burned her to the core. She knew what he wanted and still she did not fight it when he turned and pressed his lips to hers. It was soft and gentle at first, their lips feather light against each other, testing the other's feelings on the matter. There hadn't been an attempt to discuss their situation just yet and Mai suspected there never would be, if there was, she would have to be the one to initiate it. Oliver would take what she allowed him to take and would ask no more because, she suspected, that even then he felt like it wasn't his place. As if it should have been Gene in his stead. She wondered just how many times the broken man before her had wished he could have swapped places with his brother in death.
And that thought broke her heart.
So when he moved to pull away, as he did every time, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close. There was a moment of hesitation on his part before his hand found her hip and he buried the fingers of his other in her wet locks at the back of her head, deepening the kiss.
The dark room was quiet around them and Mai could not help but feel like they were hiding, sequestered away from the world and everyone, despite the fact that Masako had let him in not a few minutes prior. Once upon a time she never would have even dared to fantasize about having him like this, he had always seemed so untouchable, even at his weakest moments. There had always been a wall between them, it had only taken Mai a year to realize that wall had been named Eugene Davis. And she knew for a fact Gene would have never wanted his beloved brother to feel that way. She knew it with a certainty that had begun to frighten her.
He pushed and she pulled and they tipped back onto the bed. He drew back for just a moment to look down at her with that same not quite reverent expression, waiting for her to shatter whatever remains of his heart that had been kindled back to life by Toby, but daring to hope she wouldn't. It was such a vulnerable expression for someone as guarded as him. The most she had seen upon his face since they had first met all those years ago. Even taking the day they had found his brother's body into consideration. She felt the breath catch in her chest, staring up at him as if she was seeing him for the first time, and maybe she was, she mused to herself.
His eyes drifted away from hers and she felt his fingers ghost across the length of her arm, gaze following, until he reached her hand and laced their fingers together atop the bed. The air in her lungs escaped in a shaky breath that she couldn't quite bring herself to be embarrassed by, after all, he was sharing far more with her than he had anyone else before. Never mind how his touch was enough to send fire licking beneath her skin. There was no way it was normal, it had to be some form of his own energy leaking through.
Mai cupped the side of his face and guided him back down to her, catching his lips with hers. She felt terrible for her conflicting emotions but the one thing that topped them all was her want for him to know that he was worthy of being loved. Of being allowed to love. She supposed that must be her answer then if she had the courage to pursue it. It was a thought that spiraled in the recesses of her mind as he shifted above her and one of his knees slid between her legs.
The buttons of his vest slipped between her fingers with ease and he didn't stop her, only shucking the article off with a roll of his shoulders a moment later. He was wearing quite a bit more than her, considering she had slipped into a pair of silk pajamas for the night, intending to retire as soon as she had finished soaking in the bath. But the image of him kneeling over her was an inspiring one. It pushed the lingering exhaustion to the side with embarrassing swiftness.