"Mai Taniyama, will you do me the utmost honor of being my wife?"

My eyes are watering all on their own, except instead of me fearing what would happen if Naru left, I'm looking down at him and I'm wondering why would Naru possibly want to marry me?

I love him. He loves me.

That same thought just keeps repeating itself in my head. As much as I want to come up with answers to the millions of questions swarming my head (most of them beginning with 'why'), all I can do is look down at the love of my life, smile watery, sobbing and say,

"Yes."

The entire room starts to clap and woot, and I realize that this entire exchange has happened in front of an audience. Naru seems to notice at the same time that I do, because he grabs my hand and tugs me towards the elevators. It seems no one notices except for Luella, who sends me a watery smile. She winks and begins to walk towards the front desk, which I assume she's about to speak to about my release.

Not like they'll have much of a choice.

It isn't long before I'm in his black car and we're zooming down the highway. We've both been quiet since leaving the hospital, and silence plus me is never a good thing. Naru seems to have the same thought that I do, because he pulls over in to an empty parking lot. It's dark out and no one is out on the roads save for a few stragglers.

He turns the car off and reaches over the center console, grabbing my hand. I look at him as he pulls my left arm over to him and kisses the knuckles. He looks up at me. The moonlight shines in to the car and his eyes catch. They ignite and suddenly everything inside of me is like molted lava. I'm hot and the car seems to gain ten degrees.

"Did you mean it?"

I'd expected Naru to asked that. He was always the one who thought I was in love with Gene, and he had issues with letting people in. However, the words of doubt came out of my mouth.

Naru's eyes burn brighter and a smile— a small, shy, little boy smile appears on his face. It makes me blush, swoon, and needy all at once. He kisses my hand, "I did. Let's get married, Mai."

My eyes water again and I sniffle, "Yeah." He smiles and leans forward, kissing me on the lips softly. I kiss him back, pulling away for only a moment to say, "I'm sorry about New Orleans. I won't be that reckless anymore."

Naru's gaze turns serious for a moment, before he sighs and the fight visibly leaves him, "Yes, you will. You'll always be reckless, selfless, and stubborn. But that's okay." He leans forward slightly and brushes bangs behind my ear, "I'll take care of you."

Those five words make my heart beat fast. My entire body heats up all over again and I bite my lip to keep from moaning. The only thing I can worry about his Naru taking care of me and suddenly I'm needy.

He seems to notice and his gaze darkens. His eyes briefly flick to the backseat— which has a lot more room for what we're thinking— before flicking to my arm, "How are those stitches?"

I smile innocently, knowing that it will really get Naru going, "They don't even hurt." He growls and then his lips are on mine.

When I wake up, I'm all airy and light. Somehow, we got home last night after having sex in Naru's car, and then we started peeling off our clothes the minute we walked through the door. If you'd have told me about four years ago I'd be having hot and aggressive sex with Naru, I'd have looked at you like you were crazy. However, this is my reality now.

The room is lit up by the morning suns rays streaking across the room. Naru's belt catches my eyes and I blush as I remember how I'd pushed him against that wall and unbuckled that belt, ripping it off of him while unbuttoning his pants. Then I'd dropped to my knees and given him a—

I bite my lip. That was the first time I'd ever done that. I'm not even sure what had possessed me to do that. I just did it. It seemed Naru liked it too. I blush deeper as I remember how he'd guided my head with his hands, and had groaned out my name…

I shake my head. No use thinking about it. I'm not sure how Naru would feel if I woke him up just to have sex. We did stay awake most of the night last having sex repea—

Dammit! Bad Mai!

To distract myself, I survey my surroundings.

I'm on my back and I'm naked. An arm is laid across my stomach and I turn to see an equally naked Naru. I will never get tired of seeing this man bare as the day he was born.

He's sleeping on his stomach. One arm is tucked under his pillow and the other is lying across my stomach. His back is lit up by the light coming in to the room from the window. The familiar little scars that I've seen every time Naru and I have had sex are illuminated. He's never told me what they're from (I've never asked) but I somehow just know that they're from when he was harassed in that orphanage. I see a peak of his tattoo on his neck and I smile. The pulse of Naru's power is constant. I can feel it because of our connection. Not to mention when we have sex, he uses it.

Smiling to myself, I gently lift his arm off of me and place it by his body. Immediately the appendage slides underneath the pillow. Leaning forward, I kiss his cheek gently, and it twitches— as if his body recognizes that it's me.

I stand up and quietly maneuver around room. After grabbing some clothes, I exit and move towards the bathroom.

•

3rd Person's Point of View:

Naru would be lying to himself if he said that he woke up when Mai got up. He didn't. He was deeply asleep; so deeply, in fact, that he didn't even realize his phone was ringing until it had been ringing for five minutes.

He hadn't slept since his mother had told him about Mai. He was too worried. He remembers being so worried that he'd thrown up. It was after he was den retching in the office bathroom that Lin had gotten ahold of him.

•

"You need to calm down." Lin says from the doorway of the bathroom. Naru ignores him as he continues to wash his mouth out. Sighing, the onmyoji walks farther in to the room, "One time Madoka was on a case in China. She'd come to see my parents. I was home when I got a call that Madoka had been hospitalized. I don't think I've ever been so terrified in my life."

"What did you do?" Naru's voice was monotone, but Lin could tell he was genuinely interested. He was looking up at Lin with what he thought was a straight face, but the man could tell that Naru felt lost.

Lin had always viewed the boys as little brothers.

"I rushed to the office and yelled at her for being reckless. We got in to a huge fight that ended up with her crying and me feeling like shit." Lin shrugs, "We forgave each other and our relationship got stronger. Now look at us."

Naru scrubs his face with his hands, "Is my life always going to be like this?"

"As long as you plan on loving and being with Mai."

Naru sends Lin a sarcastic smirk in the mirror, "So forever."

Lin smiles, "Pretty much."

•

Opening his eyes sleepily, Naru rolls on to his back and works his arms. They're always asleep when he wakes up. After he gets some feeling back in his arms, he reaches for his phone. When he sees the caller ID, he knows he's in for some grilling.

"Father." Naru says after accepting the call.

"Oliver." Martin's voice is positively elevated, "I just heard from your mother that you proposed… in front of the entire hospital."

The professor can't help the stupid smile from crossing his face. He tries to keep his voice neutral, though, "She thought I was leaving her. I concluded it was the only way to assure her that I wouldn't."

"Oliver, I'm not your mother. How long have you been thinking of proposing?"

Damn. Martin Davis is too perceptive for his own good. Then again, Oliver was more like Martin, though not by much.

"Since the last case in England." Naru relinquishes, "I haven't bought a ring yet."

Martin chuckles, "I don't believe Mai really cares, but I also believe you should find one soon."

The professor sighs, "I know, father." The smell of cooking food makes Naru's stomach growl and he clears his throat, "I've got to go, father."

"I know that tone." Martin laughs joyfully, "Food must be near. Tell Mai I said hello and you two should call more often. I miss talking to her."

Naru rolls his eyes, a little bit of jealously shooting through him as he remembers Mai's silent admiring of his father. He knows it's irrational and stupid, but he can't help it. After hanging up with his father, he moves toward his closet and grabs clothes to take a shower.

Mai's Point of View:

Summer is over soon enough, and I return to school. At first, no one noticed the ring on my finger. A simple silver ring with diamonds lining the band of it. It doesn't look like your classic wedding ring, but it just so happens that the loudest girl in my English class notices first, and then shortly after everyone else.

I smile to myself as I remember the day Naru and I picked it out.

"I didn't realize you liked fast food." Naru says, holding my hand. We're walking down the side walk hand in hand. We pass closed shops and open late shops as we walk. The moon is bright in the sky and the street lights add a fair amount of light also as we pass a radio store with a large digital clock in the front.

11:45 P.M.

I shrug, "Once in a while is okay. But Madoka says it's really bad for my diet."

My fiancé jerks to a stop. He turns to me, startled, "Why are you on a diet?"

I raise an eyebrow, "To stay healthy and in shape. I've got to if I want to be a ghost hunter."

Naru snorts, "Mai. The only thing you need to be a ghost Hunter is the right knowledge. Which you have. You could be as big as a blimp and still be one of the best ghost hunters."

My heart flutters, but the stubbornness in me won't allow him to be right. I rest my weight on my left leg and and fist my hand on my right hip, "Naru, if I was as big as a blimp, would you really still be engaged to me?"

Naru rolls his eyes, the street lights catching on the blue irises, "Mai, I don't care how big or small you are. I fell in love with you, idiot, not your body." He smirks as my astonished face, "Hell, the most attractive thing about you is your brains." I'm sure I resembled a fish out of water now.

"You two are the absolute cutest." A shaky voice says. We both turn to see an elderly lady standing in the doorway of an old antique store. A large cardboard sign that says "Going Out of Business" catches my attention and I glance at the store display to see several things that I'd buy.

I send the woman a warm smile as Naru stays quiet, "Thank you ma'am. I'm not sure my fiancé likes to be called cute, but I'm appreciative."

She laughs at my joke and Naru squeezes my hand, a sign of amusement, I think. She smiles as her eyes flicker down to our hands, but they widen when they spot my left hand, "You haven't gotten a ring yet?"

I blush and smile gently as Naru tenses. I grin at the woman, "Not yet, I'm afraid. I just recently turned twenty and he only proposed a few weeks before that. We both have full time jobs, so we don't have the time."

She smiles gently, then her eyes brighten as if she's had an idea, "Would you two like to come look at some of the rings I have here? They're quiet modest and used, but—"

"We'd love to." Naru tells her, cutting her off with his deep monotone voice. Her eyes glance up at him in shock before she grins at us and ushers us inside with a wrinkly hand. We follow and she shows us a display case and explains the price range before leaving us.

Immediately a ring catches my eye, "Naru." He turns and looks at me, following my line of sight. He sees the simple of beautiful ring set. It's both male and female. The male is a simple silver band while the female is the wedding band and the ring itself.

He calls over the woman— whose name is Yukina-san— and she unlocks the case. Naru takes them in his hands and he jolts almost unnoticeable. Yukina-san doesn't see it, but I do. I know that particular motion. His psychometry has been triggered and he's forced through a vision.

It's over soon enough and he's grabbing my hand. He gently pushes the ring on to my finger and I feel warm feelings of love from the ring. I look up at Naru with a smile and he smiles back briefly. He turns to Yukina-san with a straight but pleasantly content face, "We'll have these."

She smiles with watery eyes before ringing us up. As we exit the store, Naru turns back to Yukina-san, whose sitting behind the register silently. He sends her a pleasant look, "Tell your grandparents I said thank you." Her eyes widen and then tears fall. She doesn't question how he knows that, she just nods with a hand over her mouth. We leave quietly.

On our way back home, I question him, "These rings belonged to her grandparents?"

When he speaks, his voice is quiet, "They were deeply in love. Both of them died of cancer. Her grandmother went first, and her grandfather followed a week after. He was sane enough before passing that he gave her the rings and told her to take care of them. She's been going through a hard time with her grandson having the same cancer. She had no choice but to put them up for sell. No one has bought them until us." He sends me a small, shy smile, "Her grandparents really loved each other."

I stop underneath on of the street lights and place my hands on Naru chest. His arms wrap around me and pulls me close. I smile up at him, "It's a good thing the rings are in the hand of a couple who love each other just as much, huh?" Naru smiles that small, shy boy smile again and I can't help from kissing him.

"Hey, Taniyama!" A voice calls. I look up to see some girls making their way to me. I grin at them in greeting as they reach me. The tallest of them looks outraged, "I just met your fiancé."

"Did you?" I look over her shoulder to see an annoyed Naru walking towards us. I turn back to the girl as she snaps.

"Yes. What do you see in that guy? He's such a jerk!" She looks expectant, like it's not a rhetorical question. I just smile and look away. She huffs, "You can't even answer me! Ugh!" She marches away as Naru reaches me. I smile at my fiancé and follow him to the car.

Ten minutes later we're home and I throw my bag on the ground before collapsing on to our bed. Naru stands in the doorway for a moment before walking across the room. He sits on the edge of the bed and I look at him. I sit up, "What's wrong?" He doesn't answer me and I sigh, "Is it about what that girl said? Because—"

"I don't care what the girl said, Mai." Naru says, his voice like ice. He's staring at the ground. His hands tighten in to fist, "Why couldn't you answer her when she asked what you see in me?"

The room is completely silent, before I feel warmth fill my entire being and I smile softly. I lean forward and kiss his cheek, raising my hand and turning his face towards mine. Cold blue eyes meet mine and I kiss his lips. His body relaxes slightly and I see the ice in his eyes melt a little.

I smile at him, brushing his hair away from his eyes, "Naru, when people ask what I see in you, all I can do is smile and look away, because I'm afraid that if they knew, they'd fall in love with you too."

His eyes widen, and I giggle at his expression. Both of his hands reach up to grab my hand me he kisses me, hard. The coolness of his ring presses against my neck and it sends shivers down my spine. Naru rolls on top of me and I sigh, moaning as he begins to kiss my neck. He pulls away for a moment, "I love you."

I smile up at him, "I love you too."