A/N: Had some fun with this chapter! I hope you like it! Some very shoujo-ish situations here that bring out the fan girl in me! Squeeee!
Naru paced the base room methodically. It had been a little more than five hours since morning found Hara-san and Matsuzaki-san awake and Mai was still sleeping soundly. The others left roughly two or three hours ago to make rounds around the inn. It was clear that the spirit activity around the inn and the surrounding areas had decreased significantly. The others were already taking care of any lingering spirits, now it was only him self and Lin in the room.
Naru glanced restlessly at Mai. Why wasn't she getting up? Naru paused in front of her before continuing to pace.
"Sit down!" Lin finally snapped. "Your pacing is driving me insane. Just sit down with her. You walking around this room is not going to make her wake up any faster."
Naru glared daggers at Lin but wordlessly sat down at Mai's side none the less. He knew what Lin said was true. He was not helping the situation any, but he could not help but be restless. With a huff Naru picked up Mai's hand and squeezed it gently.
"Mai…" he started quietly. "Wake up…" he urged.
"…" Mai stirred at the sound of her name. Someone was calling her. Gene's voice was still ringing clearly in the back of her mind, the feel of his embrace still fresh on her skin…yet something was pulling her away…
Naru's eyes widened in hope as he lunged forward propping himself above Mai's body. "Mai!?" he called hopefully, anxiously. Lin stopped typing and turned his attention to Naru. The boy was crouched over Mai with an expectant look on his face.
"Naru, what is it?" Lin asked getting up from his seat, moving to stand over Naru.
"She moved!" He said without taking his eyes off the girl. "She moved when I called her name just now. Mai…Mai can you hear me?" He questioned trying to hide his eagerness.
"Are you sure?" Lin looked down skeptical. Maybe the stress and lack of sleep was taking its toll on Naru.
"Positive!" Naru affirmed strongly. He patted her face softly, "Mai its time to get up…"
Mai stirred again, closing her eyes tightly against whatever it was that was calling her back. She was tired; she didn't want to get up yet.
"-ai…"
What was that? She didn't want to open her eyes. She was comfortable. She didn't know why but she felt very relaxed…it felt nice.
"Ma..i…"
No, stop calling. She didn't want to get out of bed yet…it was warm and she felt safe there.
"MAI!"
Naru's panicked and fearful voice filled Mai's head. It was obviously Naru's voice yet she could not remember a recent time that he had let his voice sound so…emotional. It almost resembled the way he had spoken at that time…the time when she was…
Mai's eyes fluttered open and she was met with Naru's face directly above her own. She resisted the urge to scream due to his close proximity, instead taking in his relieved and almost happy looking expression. Before she could say anything, Naru let himself drop atop of her gently…squeezing her close with strong arms. He nestled his head in the crook of her neck and Mai blushed as she felt his hot breath on her skin.
"N-naru…" she choked out, "I can't breath…"
As if startled by the sound of her voice, Naru immediately relinquished his hold on her and abruptly sat at her side. "Mai…" he started cautiously, "are you alright?"
Mai could see he was already looking her over, scrutinizing her body for any signs of distress or damage. She smiled, "I'm fine. Thank you for watching over me…" she paused as she slipped her hand through Naru's, "I'm sorry for worrying you…"
Mai's smile deepened as Naru let a blush creep over his features. He looked as if he didn't know how to respond, just sitting there silent with an unreadable face.
"We are glad you are alright, Mai." Lin took over since it seemed Naru was too preoccupied to say anything. "Can you tell us what happened to you? Do you remember? Hara-san and Matsuzaki-san have been awake since this morning and its already almost lunch time and you are just now waking…"
"Ah…" Mai paused and squeezed Naru's hand; he looked up at her with concern. She looked like she was about to cry or that she had been doing that already. "I was…trapped by the Mara…due to some curse. I take it you cast something to dispel it, correct?"
"Yes, last night a counter curse was cast." Lin answered.
"I thought so." Mai stated, "I saw the ravens leave in my dream. I saw the inn and the land settle, the path was open again."
"Why didn't you wake up?" Naru asked suddenly, darkly.
Mai froze. What was she supposed to say? That she didn't want to wake up so that she could spend more time with Gene and talk about things that she couldn't talk about with him? No, she couldn't say that…Naru would take it the wrong way.
Irritated at her silence, Naru shifted and sighed…"Was it Gene?"
Mai's shocked expression gave it all away. She had been with Gene. That was why she didn't wake up with the others. She had lingered in her vision…with him. Naru didn't know what to think…he was above being jealous of his brother, envy was beneath him, and distrust just was not in his nature for those that he cared for. So what was bothering him so? What were they doing together for that whole time?
"He was explaining what had happened…" Mai stated hesitantly. "When I was trapped by the Mara…he couldn't reach me. I was so sacred…it was dark and scary and I was alone. All I could do was wait and they kept taunting me endlessly…it was horrible!" Mai began to tremble at the thought of the wraith-like beings that had haunted her. She didn't want to remember…
"Mai…" Naru, in very un-Naru-like fashion, grabbed her head and pulled her to his chest. "I didn't mean to make you recall such frightful things…I am just glad you are back."
A violent blush washed across Mai's flushed face. Naru was being so sweet. Had he really been that worried about her? He must have been…his hands were shaking slightly as well. Mai clung to Naru and buried her head deep into his chest, her hands clinging to his back. "We were just talking…about…things…" she said into his chest.
"I know…" Naru squeezed her tight, "you don't need to explain…"
"But…" Mai started, "I want to tell you-"
The door suddenly slid open and Bou-san and the others waltzed in unaware of the scene they were interrupting. Bou-san caught sight of Naru and Mai, immediately stopping in his tracks. Ayako bumped into the back of the monk roughly.
"What the heck are you doing you stupid monk!" Ayako fumed and she caught her balance, "Why the heck did you sto-"
She and everyone else paused at what they saw before them. Their eyes widened as they took in the sight of Naru cradling a conscious Mai in his arms. Naru was fully aware that they had entered the room, yet he made no move to relinquish his hold on Mai. Mai as well did not make an attempt to get away, though she stiffened considerably upon hearing everyone stop.
"Well?" Naru's stern voice rang through the space as he finally loosened his grip on Mai, letting her rest on the futon. "Report."
"Ah!" Bou-san voiced as he finally snapped out of his daze. "The inn looks fine. There were a few lingering spirits, but Ayako, John, and I took care of it."
"We will probably want to stay here another day or so just to make sure there is no reoccurring activity" Masako said haughtily. "It feels like everything has returned to normal."
"Good." Naru looked up at Lin, "Make sure to update the case profile with their recent data. Alert the Okami that we will be staying another night just to make sure everything is truly taken care of."
"Alright." Lin answered stoically before he returned to his computer to input the new data and activity of the day. Almost if on queue, the Okami and a few staff members arrived with lunch.
"We brought lunch. I hope this is alright…" the Okami said politely as the staff members quickly set the table. "I hope all is well?"
Naru rose to his feet and politely greeted the host. "Yes, thank you. My other team members woke this morning and are well. If you have noticed, the strange occurrences and the odd phenomena should be at an end as well. We remedied the situation last night but we would like to remain here another night to make sure that there are no re-occurrences."
The woman's face beamed and it seemed like she could hardly contain her joy. "Thank you!" She smiled brightly and bowed deeply. "I will alert my husband and the staff. We will let you know if we see or hear anything unusual. Please, enjoy your food."
Naru bowed as well. "We shall, thank you." With that, they watched as the Okami left with the maids in tow. The door slid shut and slowly the footsteps could no longer be heard from the hall. John and Bou-san were already sitting at the table urging Ayako and Masako to join them. Naru sighed and looked down at Mai, offering a hand. "Do you think you can try to eat something?" He asked calmly, "You have been out of it for a few days, so I am sure you are hungry."
Lin took a seat at the table and watched as Mai let Naru help her to her feet. Naru slowly and deliberately helped her all the way to the table, like an overprotective husband. Lin smiled to him self. As much as he hated to admit it, Naru was growing up. In so many ways he tried to act like an adult much older than his actual age, yet in many other ways he was still just a young man learning the ways of the world. Now, he was finally learning what it took to be a man in a relationship, and all the responsibilities that came with that commitment.
"Are you alright Mai?" Ayako asked when Mai finally reached the table and settled in. Mai paused from eating the rice she had been offered by Naru to look at the others.
"Yeah, are you okay Mai? You had us all worried sick!" Bou-san emphasized. "You girls just all had to go and crash on us, you have no idea what you have all done to my poor heart!" Bou-san lamented dramatically earning a punch to the arm from an angry Ayako.
Mai laughed lightly, smiling at the fact that all the people she thought of like family were well and safe. "Yes, I'm okay! I am sorry I worried you Bou-san…I didn't mean to, I swear!" She laughed again. "I am glad to see that all of you are okay! You scared me Ayako, Masako! I didn't know what was going on when you guys passed out!"
"Ha, I don't even remember anything!" Ayako shoved more food into her mouth. "One second I remember walking the halls in the inn, and then the next I wake up in my room with the stupid monk telling me I had been asleep for days! I could hardly believe it!"
"It was the same for me." Masako spoke softly and in a much more refined manner, eating slowly and politely. She paused, "I did not realize that I had been asleep for that long until I was told."
"…uh…" Mai looked tentative, had they not seen it? Had they not been there; been to that hell? "So, you guys don't remember…them?"
Ayako and Masako paused, looking at Mai with concerned expressions. "Them?" Ayako asked for the both of them. "What do you mean?"
"Don't you remember anything from when you were asleep!?" Mai could not believe that they had not gone through what she had. How could they not remember? "Didn't the Mara…didn't they torture you? Don't you remember their torments!?"
"Mai…" Ayako tried to sooth as she looked at Mai's frightened and trembling body. "We didn't see or hear anything like that. We were really just sleeping…we didn't even dream and even if we did we don't remember anything…"
Mai gasped, embarrassed at her own demeanor. It was unsettling to say the least that she was the only one…but on the other hand, somewhere in her she was glad that they didn't have to go through the anguish that she had to…didn't have to suffer as she had.
"Mai…it was different for you?" Everyone was looking at her expectantly, save for Naru and Lin. "What happened?"
Mai knew they were asking with good intention, but she didn't feel like reliving the experience. She just wanted to forget as soon as possible, even though she wanted to the words they had said to her were still swirling around in her head as vivid as if they had just been spoken. It was maddening.
"I'm sorry…" Mai spoke darkly as she suddenly stood from her seat at the table, slamming her chopsticks down as she rose. "I'm going back to my room, I don't have much of an appetite and seeing all this food is making me nauseous. Excuse me…" Mai suddenly left from the table and swiftly exited the room with Naru hot on her tail.
"Oh dear…" Ayako looked at the closed door to the room. "She ate next to nothing…maybe I shouldn't have asked…it seemed to hurt her…what have I done…"
"Its okay, Ayako." Bou-san reassured, "Mai was on edge to begin with…I am sure she will tell us about it later when she has had a chance to calm down. Naru is with her now, so we don't have to worry…let's just leave them alone for now." He smiled, "you girls have to eat and regain your strength too…"
"That's right…" John chimed in, "you both have been asleep for so long too."
"We got it!" Ayako snapped, "We're eating, eating!"
-x-
Naru rushed down the hall following Mai. She didn't look like she was going to be ill, but he was worried at how little she ate. She needed to eat more if she was going to regain any of her health.
Mai made it to their room and stood in the middle of the space, she looked as if she was at a loss as to what to do. "Mai?" Naru ventured. "Come back, you barely ate anything."
"I'm not hungry." Mai answered simply. She really didn't feel like eating anymore…not after recalling…that.
"You have to eat Mai. It has been two days." Naru said as if he were talking to a child.
"I'm not stupid…contrary to what you like to think. I really just don't think I can eat right now. I rather not try to force myself and then throw it all up later."
She had a point, Naru admitted. He sighed and sat down in one of the arm chairs. He glanced at Mai who soon followed suit. "What do you want to do then?"
Mai raised an eyebrow. "You are going to stay with me?"
"Of course." Naru said exasperated. "Lin can take care of the rest. He only needs to call and fill in Madoka and Yasuhara on the situation before finishing his reports. The others will probably finish up eating before taking the rest of the afternoon and evening off for recreation time."
A smile crept across Mai's lips suggestively, remembering Gene's words. "I see…so we have the rest of the night to ourselves then as well, uh?"
Naru looked startled a moment at Mai's tone of voice. What was she planning? "I suppose so…"
"I want to take a bath." She grinned, "Let's take a bath together." It was more a demand than a request, and Mai made sure that she made that fact clear.
"A-" Naru tried to respond but was cut short.
"We are husband and wife after all, right?" Mai directed her best glare at Naru who was sitting still, frozen. Mai smirked, 'what will you do now Naru!?'
It only took Naru a moment to adapt to the situation, he grinned right back confidently. "Alright Mai, let's take a bath together. Do you think you can handle it?" He smirked deeply. "I mean are you well enough?" he deliberately voiced suggestively.
Mai blushed furiously. She just wanted to test Naru and now he was teasing her…her plan backfired! "Nevermind!" Mai huffed angrily in her seat. "I will just go enjoy the hot spring by myself!"
Mai stood abruptly and made her way to the door. She wanted to relax, get clean…and not think about anything. She didn't expect Naru to counter so well. Suddenly, Mai stiffened as she felt Naru's arms wrap around her, she could feel the warmth of his body on her back…his breath on her skin. She blushed deeply.
-x-
Before Mai realized, she was sitting across from a certain narcissist…the warm water from the natural hot spring trickling down his exposed flesh. Mai blushed furiously as she turned away toward the boulder-ed bank. She wanted to relax and calm down; think about everything she had learned. But now with Naru before her, she could do nothing but stare…her mind blank.
Mai knew that she should not be thinking what she was…she should have been thinking about something relevant…like Gene.
Gene…
Mai slid down into the water, her expression mournful. She suddenly remembered all that they had talked about; it came rushing back to her like a flood. 'Maybe it wasn't pretend…' Gene's words echoed in her mind.
"Naru…" Mai ventured shyly.
"Hrm?" he answered leisurely as if he didn't have a care in the world.
"Am I your wife?" Mai asked bluntly. She didn't want to evade the point nor did she want to slide into it, so she figured she might as well just come out with it and ask what was on her mind.
Naru stared back at Mai's honest and unwavering eyes. If he had not been so taken aback by the question, he would have probably been laughing by now. But he didn't, that was not in his nature.
"Yes." He answered honestly in a monotone voice, meeting Mai's gaze with an even look.
"Legally?" she voiced tilting her head slightly. She couldn't help but ask; she had to know. The thought would not leave her mind that Gene had planted there. Mai was a lot calmer than she thought she would be when confronting this situation. Maybe the bath was doing the trick after all. Mai studied Naru's face carefully. He didn't seem startled by the question in the least. He was the same calm and unreadable Naru that she knew and loved. It felt like an eternity had passed when in reality only a few agonizing seconds had slipped by.
"Yes." He finally answered in the same tone as before.
"It wasn't pretend…was it?"
"No."
"It never was…" Mai said more to herself than to Naru.
"Correct." He replied back anyway.
Mai didn't know what to think. No doubt she was insanely happy…but on the other hand, the truth brought up a whole new batch of questions Mai dearly wanted to ask. Hearing the words come right from Naru's mouth brought up mixed feelings as well.
Why didn't he tell her sooner? Mai was sure that he had known her line of thought, knew what she thought was going on. Why didn't he correct her?
"Gene figured as much…" Mai mumbled.
"Gene did?" Naru raised a brow but kept his voice calm and level.
"Yeah…" Mai affirmed, immediately regretting having mentioned Gene's name. But on the other hand, it was a convenient way to bring up that topic. Since Mai knew that once they left the inn, they were going to have to deal with finding his body. It wouldn't be that hard, even if Mai wanted to forget, she knew exactly where to look…she knew right where his body was.
"So that was what you were talking to Gene about?" Naru's voice brought Mai back to reality.
"…mostly…" she whispered back.
"You could have just asked me directly, you know."
With that comment, Mai's stubbornness kicked in, "I couldn't talk to you about problems that involved you, you idiot!" she snapped heatedly.
"Oh?" Naru said amusedly. He loved the cross Mai. She showed so much emotion and looked so cute when she was mad. "Care to tell me what problems you have with me?"
"Well why don't you tell me what you plan to do about Gene?" Mai shot back, still irritated by the line of questioning that Naru was asking. She knew she was trying to change the subject, but she wanted to know about Gene too. "Are we going to go to the lake? When should we go there?"
"You don't have to worry about that yet, Mai." Naru replied calmly, as if he wasn't affected at all by the question. "Just rest and regain your strength for now. You don't need to worry about anything."
"But I do worry, Naru!" Mai blurted out. "I worry about why you didn't tell me I was really your wife, or why you haven't said anything about how you feel about Gene and getting his body! I worry…I can't help but worry…I can not, not worry!"
Naru let a strange expression cross his face momentarily. In his effort to free Mai from worry and trouble, he was in fact making her more anxious and bothered. He wanted to shield and protect her from anything that would cause her to suffer…he wanted her to be carefree and happy.
Naru smiled. This was Mai…she was so sensitive to others feelings and emotions. She could not relax or be at peace when she knew that someone else was not. Maybe it was the fact that she was an orphan…devoid of a family or anyone to love her. She cared much too deeply for Naru's liking. He himself was an orphan, but he and his brother had been fortunate enough to be adopted by a kind and loving family. True, his family was on the unusual side…but it was still a family where there were people that cared about him. He was much too young to remember much before the orphanage and he and Gene did not have to stay their long either before they were brought home…so Mai had it much different.
"I'm sorry…" he said softly, stopping Mai dead in her tracks. She unconsciously drifted toward him…entrapped by what he had to say. "I just worry…about you-your health. As you probably have noticed, I am not that skilled in this kind of thing. I may not say the right things and I have caused you trouble with misunderstandings…"
"Naru…"
"Even if I can not say it clearly, or make my intentions known…you must know that I love you…" Naru voiced with a rare trace of affection in his words, his eyes and face gentle with sincerity. "And since I love you…I tend to act…in a way you might not understand…"
Naru's mind was cursing at him up and down. He wanted to convey the fact that she should not worry about such stupid things and that he would take care of it. But he ended up relinquishing some of his real thoughts that he had not intended to share. He knew that he was not skilled in this sort of thing; it was not in his nature to be good at communicating kindly. He was a genius, but he never knew it would be so hard to talk with Mai.
"I understand…" Mai whispered from directly in front on him. "I understand you Naru…I really do. I know you did what you thought was best for me, what you thought would help me the most. But I want to help you too. A relationship needs more than just you sheltering me from everything. I want to be there for you too…"
"Mai…" his hand graced her cheek gently.
Mai blushed and leaned into his touch. It felt so warm and good. Mai yearned for the feel of his touch, the feel of his fingers touching her skin. He didn't need to say anything…his touch alone was reassuring enough. "Hmmm…" she hummed in a lazy response.
"You are being awfully brave…" Naru smirked. "And here I thought you would be too embarrassed…"
"Embarrassed…?" Mai did not follow what Naru was referring to. Why would she be embarrassed? What was there to be embar-
Then it hit her…the hand on her cheek, the closeness of their bodies, the exposed skin, the steam from the evaporating water…she was in the bath. In front of Naru, who was also in the bath…naked.
Mai paled as her surroundings came crashing down. She had forgotten that they were in the bath…together. Naked…together. And now she was right in front of Naru without even knowing it. Why was she so close? When had she moved? Mai's head was spinning with all the questions running through her head, she was getting dizzy. Mai did the first thing that came to mind; she fled.
She had to get away as soon as possible, but in her haste to leave, Mai worsened the situation in the most terrible way possible…as soon as she turned to leave the bath, she tripped and fell directly into Naru's awaiting chest.
Mai froze…it was as if time itself had stopped. She could feel the warmth of his skin, the feel of his flesh against hers. Mai swore her nose was going to start bleeding at any moment.
Naru had foreseen such an event happening, so he had been prepared with outstretched arms. He now held Mai steady, his hands supporting the small of her back and her shoulder. He grinned. He had just wanted to tease her a bit and this was the result that he got. How pleasing. Like any guy his age, Naru was happy with their positions…Mai on the other hand looked as if she was about to pass out any second… 'Cute' Naru thought to himself, which at that very moment Mai took whatever strength she had left and lunged from his grasp and fled the bath.
Naru cursed his drop in guard only until he watched as Mai slipped on the decorative tile surrounding part of the hot spring and landed face first on the hard material. Naru followed quickly and was at her side in an instant. "Mai?" He voiced tentatively as he rolled her into his arms.
He sighed a sigh of relief when he saw that she was unharmed…she had just fainted. With a soft chuckle, Naru lifted Mai with ease and carried her to the changing area. He gently rested her limp body on the bench and quickly secured her clothes. Naru couldn't keep the smirk off his face, Mai would be furious later…that was a fact, but he didn't care. He was having fun in his own way.
Naru dressed quickly and took his time putting his beloved Mai's clothes on her body. He found her slightly styled underwear to be rather amusing and even more so that her bra matched. It was something he had never thought about before, that Mai actually cared about her undergarments…it was rather funny.
As much fun as Naru was having, he thought it best to quickly finish and get her back to the room. The last thing he needed was her to catch a cold. He would probably feel something akin to guilt and that just wasn't acceptable.
A/N: Hee hee! Had a little fun with this chapter. If anyone wants...I did write a M-rated version of 'that' part...maybe I will post it if enough people wish to read it! So let me know! As always...thanks so much!