3rd Person's Point of View:
Naru watches emotionless as the doctors run in to the room and all of SPR are ushered out. He could see Mai from the door way. CPR is being done on her chest roughly.
She's got bruised ribs already, you idiots.
Naru couldn't help the anger flaring up in his already boiling blood. It was taking everything in him not to blow this entire building up. He wanted to go back to the mansion and re-summon that damned spirit and make him pay until he screamed the same painful howl that Mai had…
No. I can't do that.
Naru is suddenly bomb boarded with images of Mai giving him that disapproving face that seemed to make even the most evil man feel guilty.
Naru feels himself moving towards the room. He rams himself in between the two male nurses trying to hold him back, and before he can realize what he's doing, he grasps on to Mai's hand, releasing his spiritual energy in to the woman before he feels the feeling of Mai's spirit.
Her soul is like a teenage puppy. Still young and so innocent, yet tainted by the world around it enough to know how to survive. To Naru, it's a sad yet beautiful thing.
Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Naru silently chants. Mai can't die. She's Mai, for crying out loud.
As the doctors and nurses try to pull him away from her, he just holds on to his little ray of light. The heart monitor is still going in a constant beep. Eventually, Mai was going to be declared dead.
No! Naru's mind screams, even though he was sure his face is completely emotionless. Naru feels the monster that he calls his soul howl at the injustice of the situation. Why was it always HIM who had to lose someone?
Finally, he'd had enough. He wouldn't let anyone close to him die. He'd already lost Gene. He wouldn't lose Mai too.
Closing his eyes, Naru begins to chant the spell under his breath.
Laat my siel verbind met my vennote
My metgesel sal een geword het met my
Liggaam, verstand en gees
Ons is een
Naru opens his eyes, feeling his soul connect with Mai's. Just as Naru had hoped, the spell works. Mai's heart monitor begins to beep again, and Mai sits up hurriedly, looking panicked as her heart monitor tries to keep up with her now erratic heart beat.
Those big brown eyes that seem as innocent as a child's find his own, and Naru feels relief course through his veins. Her panicked state seems to evaporate as she stares at him, and although he doesn't completely understand it, his panic also disappears.
"Welcome back, idiot." Naru says, feeling himself want to smile at the girl.
She grins, and giggles breathlessly, before her eyes roll back, and she faints.
Mai's Point of View:
"Why'd you show me that?" I ask angrily, glaring at the man who's supposed to be my best friend.
"I needed you to see." Gene doesn't look guilty, but I know that mask too well for me to not realize that he's guilty, yet he still believes he did the right thing.
"I don't want to know that Naru loved a girl before, Gene!" Tears are filling my eyes up, "I don't want to know that he can love… b-because it just gives me false hope."
"It's not false hope, Mai." Gene says, walking towards me and grasping my hands in his, "I didn't show you all of this to hurt you. I had to show you that my idiot brother can love. And believe me, loving you isn't hard. You just need to show him that even if Lucy couldn't handle his feelings, you aren't Lucy. You handle my brother better than I or Lucy ever did!"
"It's not that simple Gene!" I yell, jerking my hands away, "Naru, h-he… he may treat me special, but—"
"But nothing, Mai!" Gene snaps. He groans and scrubs his hand down his face, "You are literally one of the most stubborn people I've ever met. Next to Noll, of course." He sighs, and looks up at me with a tired expression, "Just get back out there and give me nieces and nephews already. I'm tired of waiting."
—
My eyes open.
The silent hospital room is surprisingly peaceful, except for the constant beeping of the heart monitor. A pressure on my leg makes me look. A dark green book rests on my thigh.
Gene's book.
I see a familiar face in the chair next to my bed. He's asleep. With his arms crossed on the bed, his head rests on the top of his folded arms. He looks so peaceful. I want to wake him up, but I don't want to ruin his slumber either. I weigh my options.
My desire to talk to him over runs the desire to let him be.
"Naru?" I croak. I'm suddenly aware of my entire body throbbing, especially my ribs. My throat is dry and it's burning.
His eyes flutter open, and when they come to rest on me, he sits up and rubs his dreary eyes. His two hands take one of my own, and he sighs, "How are you feeling?" His voice is void of any emotion.
"Like I missed a lot." I say, "What's wrong, Naru?"
His mask falls and I see the worry lines etched in to his face, "Mai, do you realize you almost died?"
I sigh, remembering the feeling of my heart shattering. I knew nothing after that, and the next thing I know, I'm standing there arguing with Gene. I give him a wry smile, "I'd figured something had to happen."
"This isn't amusing in any way, Mai." Naru hisses, "I don't think you realize what would happen to the SPR team if you died, Mai. They wouldn't be able to work coherently and they'd get absolutely nothing done." He looked absolutely livid.
I smile gentle at him, "Naru, do you mean them, or you?" It was a shot in the dark, but it seemed to hit home. Naru's eyes widen as he looks surprised at my comment, and I giggle slightly, trying to hide the wince from my ribs, "Don't worry, Naru. You aren't getting rid of me that easily."
He watches me for a moment, before sighing, "I know." He smirks slightly, and brings my hand up to his face, resting his cheek on it for a brief moment. I smile at him.
"Well well well." An obnoxiously keen voice says. Naru and I look across the room to see Yasu leaning on the door way. He grins, "Now kiss and give us babies!"
I gasp, my face turning red. Naru glares, "Yasuhara, state your business or get out."
"I was just coming by to check up on things. I brought you some clothes, boss." He tosses a bag in to the room, "By the way, you might wanna call the nurses. Mai looks like she's about to cry."
"That's only because you're an idiot, idiot!" I shout as he dances out of the room with a laugh. My ribs throb painfully and I can't help but wince.
"Idiot." Naru growls, reaching over me and pressing the nurse button.
It isn't long before a nurse is walking in the room. She smiles when she sees I'm awake, "Glad to see you're back, Taniyama-san." I give her a grin that feels a little bit forced, even to me. She turns to Naru, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, sir."
Naru glares, "No—"
"Naru," I interrupt. He turns to me with confusion dancing across his gorgeous blue eyes,
"Please. Just for a few minutes."
"You've got five minutes." Naru growls at me, not even casting the nurse a glance. He stands and leaves.
"Seems like he's a handful." The nurse comments as she starts checking my vitals.
I smile at her, "He is, but he's worth it." She looks like she doesn't believe it, but leaves me to my opinions.
—
Seven hours later, I'm home. It had been a tearful reunion with everyone else. While Ayako and Haru had cried, Madoka and Monk both yelled at me. According to them, I shouldn't have even thought of leaving. Yasu kept giving me this knowing smirk, and it was all I could do to not look a him. The fact that he'd said that in front of Naru completely blew me away.
I wonder what Naru thinks of Yasu's comment?
"Daydreaming?" Naru comments as he sits down next to me on the couch. I was supposed to be watching the movie with him, but I can't seem to get in to it. It isn't often that I can convince Naru to watch a movie, but I think he'd just gave me a free pass because I'd gotten out the hospital only a little while ago.
"When do I not?" I sarcastically say, not meaning for my irritable state to seep through my voice.
I see his head turn in the corner of my eye. I can just picture that condescending eyebrow raising as he watches me, "Excuse me?"
I sigh, "I'm sorry, Naru, it's just…" I draw my knees up to my chest and burry my face in to them. I hear him sigh heavily, before he moves. His overly large hands grasp my arm, before he gently pulls me towards him.
He's being careful of my ribs.
I find myself in his lap, using his chest as a pillow. He hugs me, threading his hands through my hair, "Go ahead."
And the tears begin to rain down.
3rd Person's Point of View:
Cobalt blue eyes open to view a shadowed room. If not for the warmth in his arms, Naru would have thought he was alone again. He's always alone… well, he used to be.
She's shivering.
Naru looks down at Mai and sighs. She's too defenseless for her own good. Naru stands with Mai in his arms, and carries her to his bedroom. After gently setting her down, he moves towards the bathroom door, but something catches his pant leg and he stops. He turns to see a small hand clutching to him.
Naru can't help the fond smile from crossing his face.
This is a realy bad idea.
He gently sits down next to her on the bed. Her hair had fallen in her face. He brushes back.
Lately, Naru's been noticing things about her. Like how these certain pair of jeans fit her really well. Like how she looks with her hair down. Like how she seems to smile at everything… even him.
He sighs, before murmuring to himself, "Stupid girl." Naru leans forward and presses his lips to her incredibly soft cheek. She always smells good too.
Naru stands, and enters the bathroom.
But only after pulling the thick duvet over her.
The next morning, Mai wakes up jerkily. Naru could tell that her entire body was in pain, so he wondered why she was so grateful when he handed her the pain medication that the doctor had proscribed her.
"What time is it?" Mai says, her voice clouded with sleep.
"Time for you to go back to sleep." Naru says, letting his voice become deep with worry for her.
If i's Mai, it's okay.
"But Naru!" Mai tries to protest, sitting up from the bed too quickly. It only ends in her gasping quickly and clutching her probably throbbing ribs.
"Idiot." The professor growls, feeling anger again. He wasn't angry at Mai. He was angry at that damned spirit.
"It doesn't hurt that bad." Mai says with a slight grin, "Don't be such a worry wart."
How? You're insufferable, Mai.
"Besides," Mai continues, "We've got work in a few hours."
"No, I've got work in a few hours. You've got a few hours of rest." Mai didn't seem happy with Naru's answer, because she glares at him, looking more like an angry kitten rather than a menacing girl who kick almost anyone's ass.
"Are you at least going to let me walk around the freaking apartment?" Mai growls, annoyed.
"I haven't decided yet." Naru smirks, "Just go back to sleep."
"STUPID TEA-LOVING NARCISSISTIC ASS BUCKET!"
Ass bucket. That's a new one.
—
"Are you sure we should leave the three of them alone?" Lin asks as Shuto and Naru both walk down with him to the office.
"Probably not." Shuto says, "But as long as they don't burn the building down, they should all be fine. Madoka is responsible, Mai will probably read a book, and since there's an animal involved, Haru will be occupied."
"That demon hates everyone." Naru can't help but grumble as he unlocks the door to the office.
"No. Just straight men." Shuto chuckles, "I'll have you know the cat quite likes me."
Lin chuckles too, finding the humor, "Seems Daisuke fancies Mai." Naru rolls his eyes, and they all set about their respectable tasks.
—
It was around noon that Naru's office phone rings. Thinking it's Lin or Mai, he just picks up with out looking, "Yes?"
"Oliver, what happened to Mai?!" His mothers voice bounces out of the phone in an angry tempo.
Naru winces, "Mother—"
"Don't you 'mother' me!" Luella screams in to the phone, "If I don't speak to her right now, then I'm booking the next flight to Japan right away!"
"She's fine, mother." Naru says with a roll of her eyes, "The idiot is just reckless. She's got a set of bruised ribs to live with right now, so she won't be going on investigations any time soon."
"Oliver, that girl is like a magnet for trouble." Now Luella just sounded exhausted. It was probably very early in the morning over in England, which meant Luella either a) stayed up all night to talk to him, or b) woke up insanely early.
Probably the latter.
"I know she is." Naru relinquishes, thinking about the spell he's been forced to use, "You'll get used to it, mother."
"Oliver, you sound odd." Luella picks up on it immediately, "What is it?"
No use hiding it.
"Mai died, mother." Naru let's his voice drop. He lets the panic and frustration out.
"She what?" Luella's voice sounds soft and far away, "But Madoka said she woke up— Oh, no, Oliver you didn't…"
"It was the only way, mom." Naru was nearly whispering now, "I won't let everything go. I'm too selfish for that."
"Oh, EJ…" Luella whispers to him in a moment of vulnerability, "I don't know what to say."
"Don't worry about it." Naru says, his voice returning to normal, "When Mai finds out, she'll probably kill me and then she'll cry."
"What do you mean 'when she finds out?'" Luella sounds astonished, "You actually plan on telling her?"
"She's Mai, mother." Naru says, "If I don't tell her now, then she'll find out later and be even more insufferable."
"Basically you're scared of her."
"Goodbye, mother."
Mai's Point of View:
he's been sitting there for fifteen minutes. I think.
Naru's midnight blue eyes were becoming more intense by the moment. He's sitting there with his fingers woven together, and he seems to be worrying over something. His entire body is tense, and the only thing that doesn't seem to be completely out of the ordinary is the bag next to him on the couch. I have no idea what's in it, but it seems ordinary enough. He'd walked in with it.
Madoka, Haru, and I didn't 'blow the house up' like those three idiots all assumed. As a matter of fact, all we did all day was watching Ouran High School Host Club and eat tons of sweets. I've never been more bored in my life, however, because the two of them wouldn't let me do anything. I hate being coddled.
After they'd left, Naru had walked in, and said, "Sit down." Then he'd placed the bag next to him, and we've been sitting here since.
"Naru," I begin, watching as his eyes light up slightly with interest. He never expects me to start a conversation first, though I rarely do, it's not that odd, "You look like you're about to go to war and never see me again. What's going on?"
Naru snorts, before leaning back and running his hand through his hair. He sighs, "Mai, I don't feel like fighting with you today."
"Uh, okay—?"
"However," he cuts me off, "after we finish speaking, I'm sure one of us will end up storming out of this room. So for the time being, just try to stay seated. You are still injured."
"Okay."
He seems really serious. This is very important. He looks relieved, however, when I answer my agreement with him. I wonder if he thought I'd just leave without letting him explain?
Fat chance.
"Mai, you realize that you died in that hospital room, right?" Naru tells me, his eyes looking the brightest that I've ever seen them.
"Yes." My voice is soft, but it's also firm.
"Well, you truly died. There was no way possible that you were coming back." His voice had lost that edge to it. His eyes are softer.
I feel a lump form in my throat, but I swallow it, "Okay. So how am I sitting here talking to you then?"
Naru sighs for the second time since coming home, "There's a spell that is said to bring someone back from the dead. It has to do with Voodoo in the African Tribes somewhere on the home continent." He takes in my look of utter outrage, and begins to speak very quickly in a monotone voice, "When Gene and I were younger, we had a babysitter that my parents hired. She was a kid old African lady with a knack for the supernatural. She used to tell us stories of how her parents were very spiritually connected. One time, we conned her in to telling us about a spell that her grandfather used as a last resort to save his wife.
"The spell has to do with connecting the spiritual energies and life force. I have thousands of electroshocks of power left over, so that extra power will be transferred to you if you ever need it. However, my tattoo will also help to not over load you, so you can rest easy that—"
"You idiot!" I shout, causing him to stop and I gasp as pain spreads through me. After catching my breath, I toss him my iciest glare, "Do you think I'm worried about me? What about you, you idiot?!"
Naru sighs, "There's only one down fall to this whole plan of mine—"
"And that is?!" I growl, not even caring that I cut him off. How could he do this?! I'm grateful that he'd go to such lengths for me (actually, I'm over the moon about it), but I don't want him to do this is it means he could be in trouble.
"If you were to die again, I'd die with you." He says the emotions with a cold and unfeeling voice. I feel the tears spring to my eyes. Oh no. This isn't good at all. It isn't long before I'm sobbing in to my hands. Crying because of Naru, and crying because every time I sob, my ribs throb.
"Mai…" he sighs. He stands and moves toward me. He lifts me up from the comfortable black chair and sits down where I'd been. He places me on his lap gently, "Stop it. It's fine."
"N-no it's not, N-Naru!" I choke out, I look up at him through tear-filled eyes as the thought of Naru dying because of me becomes unbearable, "I'm reckless by nature, Naru! How could I let you—"
"You aren't letting me do anything, Mai." His voice is firm but gentle at the same time, "I already did the spell. You're already here, and out life forces are already connected. There's no way to 'redo' or 'go back' from this spell. I knew this before I even cast it." His eyes are digging in to mine, as if searching for something. For what, I don't know, but that strong, steady gaze that seems to be trying to tell me something makes my tears die down.
"There's no way?" I ask, hiccuping now.
Naru shakes his head, "None." He sighs, and leans forward, gently brushing his lips agains my forehead, "So stop it with the look."
The look that makes me want to lock you up and hide you from the world. His words from England echo back to me in my mind. It had been right before the party that I met Naru's family (his mother's side anyway). I was so astonished to have Naru tell me something like that and I'm still astonished for it.
I feel myself grinning up at him.
"And actually," Naru says with a small smile on his face, "the spell helps me. I get to keep track of you."
"Huh?" I'm sure my confusion was written on my face now.
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" He grins, "It's comes with a built in GPS signal."
3rd Person Point of View:
Naru watches as Mai laughs merrily at the whatever idiotic thing those anime characters were saying. He never got the concept of watching anything that wasn't intellectual. However, if this is what made Mai smile that largly, then he'd buy here every season ever created if she asked.
But she'll never do that. His unconscious mind hisses to him, and Naru had to agree with it. Mai would never ask Naru for anything unless it was completely necessary, and honestly, he hates it.
He hates that she's so independent now. Although he's proud of her, she doesn't seem to need him as much as she used to. He knows she used to feel like a burden to everyone on the team, but in reality, they all enjoyed saving her from disastrous situations. All for different reasons.
Even then, Naru couldn't help but admit to himself that she was a cute girl. Then she had big brown eyes and a personality that made everyone feel at ease. Even if she didn't have book smarts, she was one of the most intellectual people he'd ever met when it came to communication.
However, now… now Naru looks at her, and he forgets that he'd once known her when she was just a teenager. Now she's a full grown woman, and it shows. Not just in her test scores, but in her body too.
He'll never get used to the way her hips move when she walks, or the way her sizely breast (that he'd once thought nonexistent) bounce when she gets excited and starts hopping around. Her hair is two times as long as it used to be, and her it nearly sways around her hips. However, the one thing that will always remain the same about Mai's body type is her legs. Long, tan legs that Naru admits is gorgeous.
Mai really is beautiful.
Naru looks over to see her snort suddenly and soda comes dripping out of her nose. She shrieks and Naru can't help the laugh that leaves him.
But she'll always be Mai.