"Oh My God!"

Noll shot up straight with a curse. He had fallen asleep on the kitchen table while working. The yell came from his bedroom and he immediately ran for it, hoping Mai was okay.

The girl was sitting on his bed, laptop open before her, brown eyes wide and shining. He groaned softly as he stood in the doorway, knowing he was getting all riled up for nothing.

But he couldn't really help it. After all, she was a danger magnet no matter where she was, no matter what she was doing.

"What is it Mai?" He asked, entering and kneeling at the foot of the bed. He rested his arms on the mattress and put his chin on his arms.

The girl looked up, just noticing his presence. "I found this amazing cafe that's just opened up on the outskirts of town." She told him, turning the laptop around so he could see the images: a quaint looking cottage, an outdoor seating arrangement, a well tended garden. "They serve a variety of sweet and savory dishes and the menu is just amazing." She added. "Especially the cake."

Noll raised an eyebrow. "The cake?"

Mai nodded solemnly. "The cake."

Noll buried his face in his arms and groaned to himself. Leave it to Mai to get excited over something as simple as cake. But hey, at least she wasn't demanding that he get her some at the moment.

"They also serve different kinds of tea." Noll looked up at those words.

"What?"

Mai scrolled down the menu, her eyes moving from side to side as she read. "It says they serve about a hundred different kinds of tea. Green teas, black teas, white teas, oolong, herbal, mate, rooibos, blooming and even tea blends."

Noll had to admit it had caught his attention. Up until now he'd been having Mai's tea while he was in Japan and hearing about these new varieties had piqued his interest. Despite that, his eyes were drooping shut as fatigues seeped into his bones.

"Naru?" The man forced himself to look at the girl. Mai was smiling softly as she shut down the laptop and put it on the bedside table. She extended her arms and beckoned to him and Noll gratefully climbed onto the bed and embraced wrapped his arms around her waist. He pushed her back so she was lying down and snuggled next to her, using her chest as a pillow.

Mai hummed softly, caressing his black hair as his eyes drooped shut.

"Good night, sleep tight." She whispered against his forehead. Noll tightened his grip around her and made sure she couldn't leave.

"Have you decided?" Noll asked as he scanned the menu card. Mai chewed her lip in thought before putting down her own card.

"I think I'll go with the tiramisu cake with vanilla ice cream." She told the waiter who nodded and wrote down her order.

"And you sir?" He asked kindly. Noll glanced up before staring at the options again. In the last five minutes, he had narrowed his list down to Ceylon Black Tea and Nilgiri Black Tea. And now he was hopelessly stuck.

"Why don't you bring my girlfriend's order and I'll let you know by then." Noll told him and the waiter left them.

"What's wrong Naru?" Mai whined. "Hurry up and decide."

"I can't." He muttered, reading over the descriptions again. He wanted to try most of them.

When Mai's order came ten minutes later, Noll ordered not Ceylon or Nilgiri, but Lapsang Souchong Black Tea.

An hour and a half later, the two were back at Noll's apartment. They both held take away packages in their hands. Noll let them in and Mai skipped to the kitchen, pulling the fridge open and putting her cake away.

"Wasn't the tea good?" She chirped happily. Noll set his own package on the counter.

"Well it was but…"

"But what?" Mai moved to stand in front of him, hands on her hips, head cocked to one side. Noll give her a serious look.

"It wasn't your tea."

Mai blushed lightly. "And pray tell me why you enjoy my tea?"

"It's made with passion and dedication. You put a bit of love into making it and that's something I enjoy a lot." He also enjoyed watching her turn red with embarrassment so he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I also think it tastes like you."

"Don't be silly," Mai laughed shyly. "You can't possibly know what I taste like."

Noll's eyes darkened and a small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Don't be so sure." Before she could register the true meaning of his words, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, striding towards his bedroom.

That's Tuesday. Hehe. Two more to catch up!

R&R!

-M