'Tumultuous'

Disclaimer: I do Not own Ghost Hunt.

A/N: Another break from 'Click' for that I'm going through writer's block. So this randomness was inspired by a reviewer of mine 'Fujimoto Yumi' and so is dedicated to her. For those who reviewed on my other story 'The Only Exception' - thank you guys this is dedicated to you all too...remember that. You can consider this two-shot to be my attempt at writing Naru and Mai together *sheepish grin* won't promise anything. Just review!

How Mai and Naru finally solved their never-ending disputes and decided to put differences and enmities behind by coming into a relationship was never really answered. The boy clad in black would just glare if asked, smirk and then throw a scathing remark while the brunette would first blush, then mouth profanities internally and would shoo them all away from such a conversation.

So naturally, hoping-to-be-boyfriends-jokingly like Yasuhara, over-protective fathers such as Monk and obsessive guardians like Lin had used all methods to extract the answers. When they had gotten none, the result was that Monk and Yasu became the victim of Ayako's purse for being useless idiots while Lin had been sweetly threatened by Madoka and Luella with a decrease in his salary unless he bought the whole story home to England.

Perhaps John was the blessed one because he had been told the whole story by Mai, which had something to do with a case night when Naru and Mai were on duty at the base and had a silent talk and had some moment after which they talked some more (as much talking as Naru could do). Then Mai had unknowingly confessed to him and then Naru's eyes had widened and he had mumbled something in the affirmative. Another moment after which Naru had simply left as if to sort out his thoughts, leaving Mai alone - t the time she thought that Naru had rejected her once more but...

Lo and behold, the next week they had been caught together, having tea in the local cafe...quite innocently, but Monk had promised to beat the 'shit' out of Naru if he ever did something to Mai...

On the real side, Monk had quailed when Naru had glared at him for asking if he had been really dating Mai.

Nothing really changed with their relationship; he was the same sarcastic jerk, she was the same sympathetic, pretty little assistant and tea-maker. Every morning she would run late and Naru would dismiss all excuses she had to offer, but now and then they had been having lunch after shutting the office early (news courtesy to Lin) and Naru seemed to be somehow more closer and more distant – a whole new definition of enigma.

That's what the SPR had thought at least but the real version of the phases in their relationship were deeper than anything...deeper than the lunch dates, deeper than intimate moments – that just wasn't their style now, was it?

After the 1st month:

Fighting was purely based on instinct for Mai, she had never really given it much thought – unless it was with Naru of course; at such moments she had all retorts ready to fire like a rehearsed speech.

But somehow with Naru, all the speeches seemed to evaporate – the retorts would never fall from her lips, she would just forget everything except his back-talking and her screams. It felt strangely good, strangely euphoric. Although, she was strictly against any type of violence but this fighting was in a sense relieving, natural, not alarming or anything. Ordinary and a special comfort that he used up his so precious time to communicate with her.

"Do you need anything Mai?"

The jerk. He knew what she needed but he just had to pretend to be clueless – Naru and clueless, pssh...that was ridiculous.

"Well, a thank-you would be nice ne, Naru-chan?" She gritted her teeth and scowled at him, emphasizing on the 'chan' grudgingly.

He didn't even spare her a single look and she frowned...to think that he treated his 'beloved' in such a manner, outrageous! Nobody treated their girlfriends like that, did they now?

"Indeed."

That was his answer!? How could he just say an 'indeed' and put her off, how she wished that she could stuff his wit in a large box and shut it away forever – a nice, kind Naru-chan would be cool and easy to handle, wouldn't he? Instead of this self-loving jerk who drank gallons of tea without ever ending up in the hospital!? That inhuman idiot scientist...grrr...

"What do you mean by 'indeed'?" She felt like screaming her head off. "How could you say an 'indeed' as if you're agreeing. Ughhhh...you're so damned confusing!"

He then looked up at her and raised an elegant eyebrow, fingers entangled and resting on his desk as if challenging her linguistics.

"I knew you were dumb."

Never mind her deep feelings right now, she just wanted to get to the kitchen and pour poison in his dear tea. That would serve him right.

Then came the customary sounds from the brunette in question, the usual stamp, growl, frustrated scream, banging doors, mumbles and the collision of the kettle with the stove.

Making tea had always calmed her and she always did that after having a good tiff with Naru, the soothing aroma relaxed her and she felt her nerves calm down, trying to stop running the usual aggressive marathon they'd be running during the fight of hers and Naru.

Amidst her monologue, she failed to notice that Naru came to lean against the door frame of the kitchen, silently observing her as she clanked around the pots, still fuming. So when he came behind her and lightly held her wrist, she succeeded in squeaking and turning around much too quickly, thus, colliding with her boss.

Quite suddenly she was enveloped by the familiar scent of tea and paper and everything wonderfully Naru. So she took advantage of the moment (ahem) and threw her arms around her boss's neck, pulling him in, inhaling deeply – too lost in the moment to care about anything. Everything seemed to go haywire and all she could manage to hear was the steady rhythm of his heart-beat, that lulled her.

She really loved him.

"You're not leaving me are you?" She hadn't really wanted to get all emotional on him but somehow the words just escaped her mouth before she could control them.

He just looked down at her skeptically as if saying something along the lines of 'Do you really think I would do that' or 'You're an idiot but I won't leave you' or 'Klutz, you do need some taking care off.'

But he didn't speak, his eyes just flashed emotion for a moment – something unidentifiable, something unknown and unpredictable, so she left it at that...not bothering to let go.

"Mai." He hadn't hugged her back but his voice was soft, quiet and she reveled in it. "Let go, you're hurting my neck."

Okay...wait...

WHAT?!

She immediately let go, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open in disbelief as if he had just said something horrible.

"What. Did. You. Just. Say?!"

"You should sharpen your hearing, I don't repeat things Mai."

And with that Naru the narcissist, sauntered out of the kitchen, holding a tea-cup and strode into his office without looking back at his assistant slash girlfriend. But what Mai failed to notice, in the middle of her tantrum was a note attached to her desk that said in a neat, elegant and cursive script that:

'Coffee at eight. - Naru.'

And when she did notice, she could just beam at the yellow note and laugh internally with happiness, she truly, truly...

Loved fighting with him, she should seriously do that more often just to get a treat out of him.

Oh, the narcissist...

After the 2nd month:

He couldn't tear his eyes away from the picture that was locked up in one of his drawers at home, he was simply leaning against the wall in the garden while Gene was sticking his tongue out at the camera. It was a silly picture really but he had never taken the time to observe the little things in it that he could see now.

For example the width of his frown and Gene's smile, it was stupid, how he had never thought Gene would die – there was just something about Gene that couldn't be imagined to ever diminish, a certain light, a certain shine.

A shine that over flooded Mai's personality – so much more than Gene, so much brighter that whenever he tried to relate Mai to death, he felt something inside him freeze like ice. This feeling was unpleasant like sinking and Naru had never been really fond of water or swimming for that matter. So it all added up to the fact that he didn't like the idea of Mai in a grave.

Insert mental shudder.

"Naru!" She came behind him out of nowhere and he calmly put the photo back in its place, out of her sight or she would get all emotional over the whole affair. "What'cha doing!?"

He ignored her, much to her chagrin.

"Hey Naru! You listening to me?"

He simply ignored her and walked to his office, once inside he noticed that the curtains had been drawn apart by someone and sunlight streamed inside – a thing that greatly irritated him.

Naru had never really liked light, he did not like the fact that it seemed to warm people up and then vanish after some time to give way to winter. A philosophical thought he had generated from the scientific facts of the earth's revolution. So when Gene died he simply stopped the facts, the feelings and had simply told himself that he would cut off everything just to avoid his losses. He would let every unwanted feeling inside him die until he was someone so cold that nobody could dare step inside the brick walls he would make.

But she did, erasing the black and blue from his memory and stepping inside his barriers, provoking him to act, awakening the teen entrapped inside him and he hated this for he prided himself over his control. Control that she broke, control that snapped over an opinion from her, control that even Gene couldn't destroy.

A soft knock awoke him from his fruitless thoughts and he took a leisurely moment to compose his expression, before allowing the person to enter.

As expected, it was Mai – carrying a tea-tray and looking slightly crestfallen.

"Here's your tea Naru!" She still managed to smile and chant which made him look up at her curiously; how could she possibly smile even when feeling dejected. It took him aback, made him be in something akin to awe for her personality. "Oh and I made some cake for you!"

"There was no need Mai."

He felt his suspicions rise when Mai didn't leave like she usually did but instead took a chair and sat in front of him.

"Do you need something?" He couldn't help but ask, of course Mai was his girlfriend but she didn't come to his side at the office but the evening was another aspect. In the evening he ceased to be her boss and even though he didn't like that one bit – he felt satisfied because Mai was happy.

"Naru." Her voice was soft, quiet and somehow contented. "Happy Birthday."

Was it his birthday?

He had never kept records because that would have been stupid, even in his childhood Gene would be the one to remind him that he came into this world two minutes afterward so when Mai wished him he felt himself reeling back to memories he'd rather not trod upon.

After Gene's death, nobody had wished him birthday – although his family and friends had did so just to lessen his sorrow at the loss of his twin but after so many years when somebody wished him birthday it felt so different. So good, strangely, guiltily good.

"I bought you a gift too." She looked up at him eagerly and placed a wrapped package on the desk. Then she stood up and came over to him, leaning slightly so she could face him clearly and then she squeezed his shoulder.

"May you have many more..." She chanted slowly and for a moment, a silly moment – Naru felt like a child who had a whole cookie jar to himself. Absurd but true.

Then she sang to him and in the boundaries of his office they silently celebrated his birthday, Mai singing and Naru for the first time listening to her, humbly...a small, flitting smile on his lips as she cut the small cupcake into two and then beamed at him.

"Learn to live in the light, Naru."

And for the first time in his life, did Naru feel satisfied, a small part of him felt as if he had betrayed his twin but he felt contented, just sitting in his office, expressionless while his assistant sang to his happiness and health.

Nothing could have been better for now...

After the 4th month:

There was a warm feeling in her gut, she noted with warmth shining in her eyes, her arms were raised at her side as she twirled in the rain, laughing and giggling; spinning around without a care in the world. For that moment – the world shrunk for her, a place where only she existed, a world where nothing mattered, no ghosts, spirits, problems, heart-aches, nothing at all. Where only she existed with him.

The thought made her laugh once more and twirl at a faster speed while she chanted senseless songs. Over their heads, the sky was a dark cloak, one that pelted them with little, shining droplets of water. The sky was streaked with ribbons of gray and dark blue – reminding her of him.

He just stood there at a distance, hair and clothes soaked, a fake frown tugged his lips downwards as he scowled at her but she paid him no heed at all. Instead she spun and laughed faster, feeling the tune of the song change on her lips but the warm feeling inside her was too over-whelming, too great to be subdued now.

Naru was out there in the rain, with her...for the first time he had considered being with her, doing what she wanted and the feeling of euphoria was too great. Still high in spirits, she wanted to scream in happiness – here he was, standing with her, looking displeased but then again he was Naru and Naru wouldn't even pretend to like the rain for her. And in that moment she found him even more endearing somehow – somehow for this moment she wanted him to talk to her and let all barriers down a little, just for this moment.

He was her Naru, her narcissist. How more romantic could this scene get?

"Mai, come back this instant," He finally commanded and gestured for her to sit in the car but she was too lost in the moment. "I don't want you ill."

She spun around and then whistled, feeling like a wild child.

"No way!" She shouted. "Geez Naru, it's such a wonderful weather, you should come over here and enjoy the rain."

"I've already enjoyed it as you can see." And he was right, he was drenched in rain but that just made Mai laugh even more and she walked towards him, flipping her wet bangs out of her eyes.

"Come on!" She threw up her arms in protest. "Won't you dance with me? I've always wanted to do it in the rain."

He clearly looked unamused at her suggestion and she hunched her shoulders in defeat, not wanting to raise an argument in the midst of such a wonderful weather.

"Fine Naru."

They got in the car and Mai sneezed as Naru drove away from the road, his wet hair looked defeated and hung limply in his eyes making him look even more better than usual.

"You've caught a cold." He stated without looking at her.

"Oh it's nothing!" She smiled brightly. "I can manage it, I've been looking after myself before Naru."

She noticed that he had gone quiet and grim as she mentioned herself living alone before she had worked for SPR, she had made him feel serious and she felt like smacking and face-palming herself.

"Oh but lets forget all that!" She started singing once more and noticed that his shoulders that had once been taut now relaxed, in her happiness she smiled at him and noticed that it seemed to make him serious once again.

Oliver Davis was like an unpredictable traffic light without the green color...

He pursed his lips and poised them to talk before pursing them again, clearly in conflict with himself.

"You shouldn't do that." He finally said it.

"Do what?" She cocked her head and looked at him curiously. "What should I not do?"

He seemed to be sighing internally, focused on driving the car and looking away from her.

"Don't smile like that."

It somehow shattered her heart and made her look consciously in the mirror.

"Oh I, I'm sorry if it disturbs you...really I..."

Words seemed to have failed her, she suddenly felt like crying because somehow she felt as if Naru was still distant from her. She didn't want to force him to date her or take pity on her without any real feeling behind. Her throat clogged up and she felt like gasping for air and crying at his far away nature – she wanted to bring the real him out, not his smiles, not his manners, not his laughs – just his real silent caring self that showed a little discernible emotion.

"It's not disturbing Mai." He was speaking now, silently, quietly as if he spoke too loudly or too much she would vanish and he would break something valuable. "I don't want..."

He trailed off, apparently wanting to search for words and somehow a little part of her understood.

"I don't want you trusting me that much." Even Naru seemed to be speaking on instinct, not on his usual rationality. "I don't want you getting too attached to me, it won't be beneficial for you."

He sounded like a school-teacher telling students to wash their hands before having a snack or else they would get sick. At least the closed up feeling of her throat vanished with that silly thought.

"You think," She turned in her seat and closely examined his face for any emotion. "That I'll go away like Gene did, it's that isn't it?"

She wanted to hug him, regardless of the fact that he seemed to concentrate upon driving the car through the rough rain. He didn't nod but he just stared ahead, as if lost in his thoughts – there was this unfocused look in his eyes that made Mai's heart ache terribly.

"Yes."

She felt a tear escaping her eye at his affirmation – he still feared it and that seemed to scare her, a Naru who was afraid of something but hiding it under his mask made her want to halt the world and carry all his burdens upon her shoulder.

"Oh."

He was trying to build a distance between them, trying to break the connection that he had allowed Mai to set up, trying to avoid getting too fond of her – and it made her heart throb painfully. He was stupid really! To ever think that she would go away like Gene did! Didn't he know her better...didn't he know that she would never leave him ever?! What was the narcissist up to! He needed to get a grip on his feelings and insecurities! He was her Oliver Davis, her Naru and she was going to get the jerk back in him – she would bring him back for good this time.

She would never leave, no matter what and at that moment she looked out of the window, grinning at her new resolution before turning to Naru and smiling her brightest.

"I'm like a demon you can't get rid off Naru." She then grinned and looked up at him. "I'll be haunting you forever, I'll be there forever...Gene was a stupid medium now wasn't he?"

Sorry Gene.

"But I'll pester you forever, I really can't let anyone else suffer your wrath." She then clapped her hands loudly and finally ended with a question. "Deal Naru?"

For a small moment she felt as if he had smiled but then again it could have been her imagination playing evil tricks on her.

"Deal."

And no other words needed to be said after that...

A/N: If anything seems OOC well then, I have nothing to say in my defence, tried my best though I think I still need to sharpen my romantic writng skills. Ah, the disadvantages of being single, lol, no I'm just kidding :D I'll upload part two soon! It's written but just requires some basic editing.

So cookies and pies for those who review!