Treelow955:- Hi everyone!
Naruisawesome:- We're back with the next installment!
Treelow955:- I want to say thanks to all those who commented on the last chapter, especially those who thought my traditional cuisine was interesting to learn about!
Naruisawesome:- Well it was interesting to learn about, even I enjoyed learning about it!
Treelow955:- Aww, thanks! Anyway, on with the chapter!
Naruisawesome:- We own nothing but the plot!
Mai lay wide awake on the sofa contemplating whether the switch that had occurred between her and Naru could possibly have any side-effects. Naru has acted like her in some ways...though it could just be the female hormones. 'Maybe I'm over-thinking this. Maybe it was just a coincidence that I happened to turn on that documentary.' She thought. Yeah that's it; she's just over thinking things! After all, besides the documentary she hasn't been like Naru in any other way. 'I think I'll go make some tea. Everything's better after tea. Tea is awesome!' She mentally rambled.
She got up and went to Naru's kitchen. She looked through the cabinets...almost half of it was tea. 'Oh good, at least he has some.' She thought absently. Mai found the kettle and put some water into it. As the water began to boil she couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't asleep yet...it was already past two in the morning. A loud flush from the bathroom followed by footsteps coming down the hall partly answered her question.
"Oh good, you're making tea." Naru announced as he entered the kitchen blinking slightly sleepily. Mai reverted her gaze to Naru and continued to stare. Naru raised an eyebrow.
"Is everything okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, it's probably nothing." Mai shrugged.
"Okay, if you're sure." Naru said as he sat at the kitchen table. Mai bit her lip. Should she really voice her thoughts? If she told Naru what she had been thinking... She shook her head and continued making the tea. After the tea was done she poured a cup for Naru and then for her. Naru let out a big yawn and blinked sleepily again. He then laid his head on the table and fell asleep. Mai laughed softly. Was she always this much trouble to Naru? She carefully picked him up and carried him to his room and tucked him in. 'I'm really light...'
She walked back into the kitchen and finished her tea. She settled back down on the sofa and closed her eyes. The next morning Mai was woken up by the bright light of the sun shining in her face. She groaned. 'Ugh, I feel like I've been hit with a brick!' Mai slowly sat up on the couch and put her hand to her head. She blinked a couple times and glanced at the clock. Discovering it was near nine she rushed to Naru's room to discover him sprawled on his bed with the covers kicked off, still fast asleep. She hurriedly went to him and starting shaking him.
"Naru! Naru, get up!"
"Go away, we don't want any." Naru muttered as he turned over. She shook him a little more forcibly this time.
"Naru! We have to go to the office!"
"That's nice Mai, have fun." He mumbled into his pillow. Mai groaned in frustration. 'Is he sick or something?!'
"Naru it's already nine! Come on!"
"Nnn, I don't wanna." Naru grumbled petulantly.
"That is it; we don't have time to argue about this!" Mai declared hoisting Naru from the bed and over her shoulder. "Luckily we're only a ten minute walk from the office." She grabbed some fresh clothes and shoes for Naru and dashed out the door with him still dangling precariously over her shoulder. Half way there Naru had finally woken up enough to know what was going on.
"Mai put me down!"
"Why? So you can run back to bed?! I don't think so!" Mai growled as she marched along. Naru protested more but she carried on until she reached the office. She opened the door with Naru still over her shoulder to find Lin fixing to walk into his office door.
Lin, who turned around after hearing the door slammed open, asked. "Naru...what are you doing?"
"I'm making sure Mai gets to work." Mai replied calmly as Naru scowled from her shoulder.
"Put. Me. Down." Naru said through clenched teeth. Mai complied.
"That still doesn't answer why you had her over your shoulder." Lin asked, trying to hide his amusement.
"She refused." Mai answered simply.
"Like hell I did." Naru muttered darkly from behind her.
"It's your fault N-Mai! You wouldn't get up the first time."
"That's because I was hot all night and barely got any sleep." Naru retorted.
"Barely any sleep?! Ha, yeah right! You slept like a rock; I had to carry you to bed because you fell asleep at the kitchen table!" I said agitated.
Lin raised an eyebrow. "You two slept the night together?"
"Yeah, we stayed in the same apartment together. What's it to you?" Naru snapped irritably.
"I slept on the sofa though." Mai hurried to mention before Lin jumped to any conclusions.
"May I ask why you two are staying in Naru's apartment?" Lin's eyes flickered between the two.
"Fire."
"Bugs." The two of them said at the same time. Lin raised an eyebrow.
"Well which one is it?"
"Both..." Mai replied unsure.
"Fire bugs?" Lin asked highly amused but didn't let it show. Naru nodded vehemently.
"You've never heard of them?! They eat through anything and...er...smell like fire and if you touch them you feel like you've been burned. Highly poisonous too. Exclusive to Japan though." He never had been too good at outright lying. Bending the truth or omitting parts, sure, but deliberate lying was slightly beyond him.
"Yeah and I was just helping Mai out and lending her a place to stay." Mai declared.
"I see. That's very magnanimous of you Naru." Lin said almost tonelessly. Naru glared at the wall on the other side of the room. Mai, noticing Naru's discomfort, smirked slightly.
"I guess it was."
Lin, of course, had guessed the real reason behind their living together and couldn't help but wish he had the SPR cameras installed in Naru's apartment so he could witness every glorious moment of it. Mai tossed the bag that had clothes it in to Naru.
"Go get changed." Naru looked down at himself, took in his pyjama-clad state, sighed and strolled off to the bathroom. Now Mai's all alone with Lin. He smirked lightly.
"Why are you looking at me like that? It's creepy." Mai stated.
"No reason. I'm just glad you finally realized."
"Realized what?" Mai asked confused. 'It's going to be fun messing with these two.'
"Nothing, doesn't matter." Lin said as he turned to walk away. Mai stood there confused. You could clearly tell, it was written all over her face. Naru came out the bathroom.
"Why do you have that weird look on my face?" He asked.
"Lin was being strange." Mai mumbled absently.
Naru crossed his arms. "How so?"
"He was smirking and said something about being 'glad I finally realized'? Weird right?" Mai questioned. Naru narrowed his eyes at Lin's closed door.
"Yes, it is."
"Do you have any idea what he could've meant by that Naru?"
"I might." He mumbled as he went into his office.
"Care to share?"
"Not really, it's nothing."
"It's obviously something and it affects us both right now as we are each other." Mai pointed out.
"It doesn't necessarily affect us...at least not now." Naru muttered last part lower so Mai wouldn't hear. Mai wouldn't give up though.
"Just tell me what he meant Naru."
"Mai we have work to do. Now if you-"
"Naru, just tell me!" Mai interrupted him.
Naru sighed. "It was just something we were talking about the night before we got switched..."
"Uh-huh, what were you talking about?"
"Is it really any of your business?" Naru retorted. "Lin said that to you because he thought it was me."
"Yeah, Naru, it is my business, now spill it!" Mai demanded.
"I can promise you Lin won't speak of it again so there's no sense in me telling you." Naru replied nonchalantly.
"There is sense in it now talk!" Mai insisted fiercely.
"You're being awfully nosy aren't you Mai?" Naru stated calmly.
"Not really, I believe I have the right to know." Mai replied.
"Mai, you're arguing with me again. Aren't we supposed to not argue?" Naru alluded.
"I'm not arguing. Who says I'm arguing? I asked you for information on what the hell Lin's talking about and you're being difficult, how's that arguing?"
Naru sighed and closed his eyes. "And I told you no because it's none of your business. But you won't let it go. So yes, you are arguing."
"It is my business so damn well tell me!" Mai yelled shocking Naru.
"Why is it your business Mai? And how is it?" Naru asked icily while glaring hard at Mai.
"Argh, you are so infuriating and dumb! I already explained that it affects me as I am you."
"And I already assured you that Lin won't speak of it again. Now. Drop. It." Naru growled.
"Fine, I'm dropping it!" Mai huffed as she stormed away from him. "Pig-headed asshole!" She muttered. Naru leaned back into his chair and relaxed. Like hell he'd tell her what Lin was talking about!
Lin was trying not to laugh out loud at the trouble he'd stirred between Mai and Naru. He knew alluding to a private discussion he'd had with Naru would pique Mai's interest and she would ultimately try to find out what he was talking about from Naru. 'Ah, fun indeed.' He thought slyly. He heard Mai slam Naru's office door and curse all the way to the kitchen. He pondered over if he should go and 'allude' some more. Deciding it might provide more fun than work he went into the kitchen after Mai. He found Mai still mumbling to herself while going through the cabinets.
"Naru."
Mai jumped, surprised. He was so quiet... "Oh...yes, Lin?"
"Is everything alright? I heard a lot of yelling."
"Yeah, it's fine, just a disagreement." Mai replied.
"Really? Sounded a lot more than that." Lin said in fake disbelief.
Mai narrowed her eyes. This might be her chance to find out what Lin was talking about earlier! "What are you implying Lin?"
"Nothing, it just sounded a lot more than a disagreement."
Mai flickered her eyes to the kitchen entrance before asking. "Lin..." She began hesitantly. "Do you remember what we were talking about the other night...?"
"Yes." Lin answered warily.
"Well...what exactly were we-" Mai started before a low voice stopped her.
"What are you doing?!" Mai's eyes snapped to the kitchen door. She clenched her teeth. 'Naru.'
"Playing poker, what's it look like?!" Mai said sarcastically. Naru glared at Mai. Mai sighed and shook her head before turning away from him.
"I'm starting to wonder if the others' assumption about you two is correct..." Lin mused.
"And what assumption would that be?" Naru asked.
Lin looked at Naru. "I want to make sure it is correct before I say anything..." Lin started walking to the kitchen entrance.
"Lin!" Mai called sharply. Lin merely glanced at Mai before continuing to walk away trying to suppress a smile.
"Don't walk away from me Lin." She shouted. But Lin didn't stop or say anything; He continued to walk to his office.
"What do you think he meant?" Mai asked Naru. Naru just shrugged. Mai let out an irritated growl.
"What is it with you two? Did no-one ever teach you how to string a sentence together or something?" Naru didn't say anything—mostly to tick Mai off more—and walked out the kitchen also.
"Argh, men! I swear they are the most annoying creatures on the planet!" She grumbled to herself. She got the kettle and decided to make some tea. Naru poked his head back round the door.
"Oh good, you're making some." He said before disappearing again. Mai grunted before slamming the kettle down on the counter. 'Jerk!'
"Temper, temper." Naru called from the other room. Mai glared harshly in the direction Naru was from behind the wall. She continued making the tea, mentally calling Naru every name she could think of whilst she did it.
Naruisawesome:- So, how was it?
Treelow955:- I enjoyed the random fights we got into because neither of us knew what the other was thinking!
Naruisawesome:- I guess it was quite fun!
Treelow955:- Yep! We'd appreciate it if you all review and tell us what you think!