Summary: An object in motion will stay in motion and, Naru imagined, he was no different. Of course, life never really cooperated with the laws of physics or geniuses. Naru x Mai. [Rated T/M]

Author's Note: Set six years after the end of the novels. Rating may change.

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Resonance

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Part I

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An object in motion will stay in motion and, Naru imagined, he was no different. Without impetus or change the progression of one thing in its given direction was endless and inevitable.

It was, if not beautiful, at least reassuring.

Naru had seen this momentum in his own routines, his habits of interaction and had been content with that knowledge of purpose. While others around him floundered in emotional turmoil, in self-created discord, he persisted unscathed. Even now, as his employees bickered over something or other outside his door (they had really grown far too insubordinate lately) he was perfectly able to continue on without becoming involve—

"Oh come on! You can't possibly be serious, Yasu!" Mai's high indignancy carried through the office like a shot. Naru frowned. Sure, the girl was easy to rile, but that was usually because of him and his intellect, pointing out flaws or errors in her methods or deductions. Yasuhara was rarely able to garner such scorn.

Something else was said that Naru couldn't make out before Mai screech/gasped: "Both of them? That's perverted!" And then loud laughter that sounded suspiciously like Takigawa and Matsuzaki having a gaffing fit.

Naru sighed, rubbing his temples and making his way to the door. It wouldn't do to have them cause all this ruckus when they knew he was trying to work; it was damaging to his authority. Still, the young scientist stopped just shy of pressing the handle. If any of them could see him, they might mistake his pause as eavesdropping—for which they would be completely mistaken, of course. He simply wanted to make sure that the silliness was still continuing and necessitated his entrance.

"Oh come off it, Mai," Naru heard Yasuhara's voice say much more clearly now. "They're both completely aware of it."

"Still," the girl said, "You're manipulating them. I heard Taiko gush about your investigating prowess. They think you're some kind of hunter hero or something."

"First of all, 'prowess' is not in Taiko's vocabulary. Secondly, I never told them that, they assumed. Is it my fault the job is glamorous and draws fans?"

"He's right, Mai." That was, unmistakably, Takigawa's voice. "Girls do dig the danger element."

"Yeah—you were gaga for Naru for years. You can't deny it."

Naru frowned, shaking himself for getting caught up in their conversation. He reached for the handle again.

"WAS. Was gaga. And don't use that as an excuse to sleep with two girls at once."

"Well, Mai," another female voice broke in, this one belonging to Matsuzaki, "You are going out with a former client. He was impressed by your...ah, position—the job has its perks."

"Kauro is not—"

Monk's voice cut in, "Now you're just being stubborn—"

There was an abrupt silence as Naru stepped into the room, his face stunning them in its severity. It was a response the genius took full advantage of by looking at all of them in turn before making his way to the kitchen. He almost smiled at their abashed quiet; much better.

"Say, Naru," Yasuhara said, a grin in his voice, clearly ignoring his boss' irritation, "What do you think about the whole 'girls falling at your feet for being a paranormal researcher thing'?"

"Yasu," Mai groaned and Naru paused, unresponsive.

"Really," Yasuhara pressed and shot a pleased look in Mai's direction, "You must have taken advantage of it at some point, Boss." The Monk and Miko were snickering in the background, but his assistant was decidedly looking away from them, her face red and humorless. For some reason Naru felt grateful.

He fixed his iciest glare at Yasuhara, "I've found that I don't need my credentials to garner female attention. Perhaps you should consider a similar humility, Yasuhara."

"Humility?" Ayako scoffed, leaning back on the couch, "That's rich, coming from you."

Naru smirked. "I don't need to fabricate my talents like you do, Shrine Maiden. In fact," he crossed his arms, "Mai is the only one in the room who has not used posturing or occupation to procure the attention of the opposite sex." He realized the truth of the statement as soon as he said it and Mai gave him a smile, pleased at the rare compliment.

Yasuhara, recovering from the boss' insult gave him a knowing look, prompting Naru to continue, "Probably only because it's not worth bragging about."

"Hey!" the young woman exclaimed, "I work for you!"

"That's interesting," Naru said, walking back to the kitchen, "As you've been nothing but gossiping for the last half hour. What, exactly, am I paying you for?"

He didn't need to see her face to know that she was pink and aggravated. His own face concealed from his employees, Naru felt free to smile slightly as Mai fumed incoherently behind him.

Everything in its place…exactly how he liked it.

...

…

"Yeah, I'm running a bit late, sorry. Is it still raining? I hate getting caught in it."

Naru collected his papers, not glancing at her and the inane phone conversation right outside the room. He looked over his materials, making sure not to have missed anything, absently listening to her light laugh.

"Hah! Don't, no. I'll be fine….yeah…yeah…that's nice of them…"

He picked up a book he'd forgotten about on his shelf—he didn't even remember owning it: The Immaterial World. Madoka had gotten it for him a few years ago and he'd never looked at it. He placed it in his bag, doubtful he'd actually read something that looked like far too much of a work of fiction.

"You worry too much…uh no….don't be silly…"

Naru glanced at his watch, half past six on a Tuesday; really time to go. He saw Mai fiddle with her skirt, phone on her shoulder. Why was she still here, when Lin had left half an hour ago? She was never one to stay very late. He'd pointed out this very flaw in her work ethic this very week—ah. Of course, this particular criticism she'd taken to heart. He sighed and picked up his bag and coat and made to turn off his lights.

"Ok…stop, really. I have to go…yeah, you too."

"If you want, I can supply you with a GPS tracker so in the future he'll know exactly where you are."

Mai turned to him, abashed, "Sorry, he's just…"

"Spare me," he said, walking past her and to the door. When she didn't join him, he turned back around and gave her an expectant look. Mai noticed and her eyes widened as she grabbed her jacket in a hurry to meet him. He realized that he hadn't offered to take her home in…well, years. He wasn't sure what was prompting him now.

"Oh, thanks. You don't…" but she trailed off at his frown. Lifting her chin slightly she stepped out ahead of him into the hallway, though Naru caught up easily. She hadn't grown much taller since she was sixteen, still had the same stride—lightly graceful with her long limbs, despite her predilection towards clumsiness. Her legs were bare except for light socks and slip-on shoes. It was a wonder she hadn't caught pneumonia, he thought, walking around like that in March; the girl really could be amazingly dense. Or perhaps just brazen in the face of practicality.

Mai shivered on the walk to the car, her light jacket doing her no service. Naru barely restrained an eye-roll.

"Get in," he ordered once at the vehicle, pulling a blanket from the back seat and handing it to her.

She stared at him, wide eyed, "Where…?"

"I'm a paranormal investigator," he said, "Trauma victims are common—and fear can make the extremities cold. No to mention that you've managed to fall in several bodies of water this year alone."

Rather than railing against him, Mai merely gaped. He tried to ignore her and concentrated on pulling out of the parking space (driving really wasn't his forte, not that he would admit it to anyone, except Lin. But that was only because he'd witnessed it firsthand) but her voice broke the silence. "You, ah, got it for me?"

He didn't like the soft tone in her voice, "If that's how you take my precautions." She really was a silly girl if that meant something to her.

Mai didn't respond and Naru hoped that was the end of their conversation. The city traffic was fairly congested and they sat in silence for a long time, waiting at traffic lights. Much longer than he thought she'd be able to, actually. She was humming something softly, shinny fingernails beating a rhythm on her knees. Naru wondered if she was conscious of it. He'd seen her do the same thing several times in the office but never paid it much attention, always chalking it up to her astoundingly short attention span. The way her eyes were glazed as she stared out the window, an occasional lyric slipping out, he doubted she realized her audience.

She had a pleasant voice: clear and lilting, slightly twinged. Oddly enough, it reminded him of using his PK. Gene had always teased him for that analogy—that almost synesthesia, but Naru hadn't really known how else to describe it. Using his psychic abilities felt like striking notes, the right ones emitting a feeling and chord progression, and letting them vibrate from his lungs outward. Her singing made him remember the absence of his brother, and of his inability to use his psychic ability. Oddly, though, it wasn't unpleasant to remember. He had to, again, marvel at what six years could do.

The music stopped abruptly and Naru noticed that while he'd been looking at her, the traffic had moved. He shook his head of his transgressing thoughts.

"Is it difficult? Not getting to use your PK?"

Naru turned to her sharply. He'd noticed that her ability to intuit and read people had improved lately, but it had never been directed at him before. He'd thought himself unreadable and to find out otherwise was unsettling. Mai blushed at his expression, looking down at her orange-red fingernails. The color was childish and loud, just like the girl next to him.

"Yes," he said carefully, unsure why he was responding.

Mai didn't look pitying though. She merely nodded and gave him a small smile, "I wish I had control over my…abilities…the way you do."

Naru frowned, "Well, you didn't take my offer to get them tested—"

"I, uh…" she looked sheepish, "I didn't feel ready to do that then. I…"

She'd been eighteen when her abilities had become much more pronounced—post-cognition, seeing ghosts and spirits, transferring objects while unconscious—Naru had informed her that testing might be beneficial to her, and the scientific community at large. But Mai had been weary, reluctant even. She'd cited reasons of wanting to see about school, about what she wanted to study. And, despite the prompting of the others at SPR, Yasuhara in particular, Mai had ultimately refused. Naru always assumed it was her lack of interest in the field. He'd wondered though… if that was the case, why had she come back to SPR after Lin and he returned for the second time?

"But," her voice broke into his thoughts, "Maybe I should revisit that suggestion."

The cars on the road were moving faster now. "You should."

They rode in silence after that, Mai's new apartment further from the city than the last. He heard her phone sound a few times but she ignored it: her tapping had resumed, though this time he couldn't make out a song.

"Thanks. I know it was out of your way," she said when they arrived.

He didn't reply, merely giving a nod of acknowledgement as she placed the blanket in the seat and managed to get out of the car without falling, as he'd half expected, given how she was holding her skirt down from the wind. She gave him a small wave before closing the door and walking to her building.

He watched for a moment longer than necessary, but it wouldn't do to get her home safely only for something to happen outside the door, he reasoned. She was, after all, a misfortune magnet. But he needn't have worried because she'd obviously spotted someone and sped towards them. The guy was tall and grinned down at her and they embraced.

Naru drove off before he saw something he had no interest in.

...

…

It was too hot—should not be so hot in early May.

Naru tried not to show his discomfort as he leaned back in the car seat, letting the air conditioning go to full (a rare occurrence). Lin, thankfully, didn't say anything, pulling away from the clients' house and making the way back to the office.

"Phew," Mai groaned, fanning herself with both hands and leaning over to them from the backseat, "That was so intense—and I don't mean the ghost. Who doesn't have climate control nowadays? I thought I was going to boil."

Naru glanced at her arms resting on their seat-backs, the purple color of her nails gripping the fabric. She really had childish taste in polish. "Get back in your seat and buckle up. You're giving off unnecessary heat, and endangering my insurance payment."

"Oh Naru," she said, voice flirty, "Don't tell me you find me—"

"Don't finish that," he deadpanned and narrowed his eyes at Lin's amused expression. The man really ought to be helping him more…after all, he'd complained about Mai's car manners as well.

"Fiiine," she blew out a breath, mint and something that could only be her shampoo filling the space next to his head. It was like a fruit, no maybe a plant—lavender or something. Naru shook his head, trying to clear it of this annoying train of thought.

"You know, Naru," she said again after only five minutes of blissful silence, "Maybe you should reconsider all that black in your wardrobe. Or wear short sleeves sometime." He turned his head in her direction and she grinned at him from the back seat, "Or shorts."

Lin snorted from the driver's side and Naru shot him a glare. "My attire is perfectly professional," he groused and looked back at her meaningfully.

She understood what was unsaid and merely rolled her eyes, arms crossing under her chest. Naru looked away, the gesture only further proving the problem of her attire. She was practically in a slip and had no right to complain about the heat.

"A tee-shirt wouldn't kill you," she muttered and returned to staring out the window.

Naru looked down at his arms and felt the stickiness of his skin; he couldn't remember the last time he'd thought about his clothes. Experimentally, he unbuttoned his cuffs, slowly rolling back the sleeves until they were up his forearms, his pale skin showered in the air-conditioned air. It surprised him, how much of a difference it made. He saw Lin smirking at him, but ignored it. The freeing sensation overshadowed being proven wrong.

When they reached the office to unload the equipment, Mai came up to him and brought a hand to his arm, just above the wrist. Startled, Naru looked up into a wide grin and glowing eyes. The back of his neck prickled.

"Much better," she proclaimed before grabbing a box from his hands and making her way inside.

Naru rubbed the back of his neck, where the skin was still sensitive and exceedingly warm. The heat was really taxing him.

...

…

"I'm really uncertain to how I should respond to this."

"A yes would be preferable."

"Are you sure there's no one else?" It wouldn't do, after all, not to have all of his options verified.

"No," Lin sighed. He leaned back against his desk, "Though obviously I'm not going to force you."

Naru examined his assistant's face and saw, faintly, a trace of disappointment. As guarded as Lin was, Naru knew him for too long to be fooled by a seemingly stoic expression. Finally, he relented, "Alright."

Lin smiled and Naru saw the relief in his posture. "I'm not making a toast though," he said and smirked.

"That might be up to Madoka," Lin said.

Naru's mouth twitched, "You might not be prepared for the engagement you're getting yourself into."

"I've weighed my options," Lin smirked, "I think the benefits outnumber the detractors."

"Careful; you're applying reason to an unreasonable endeavor."

Lin grew somber, regarding his ward, "I don't think the heart is as illogical as you make it out to be, Noll. We are all susceptible to it. Best make peace that you'll have to work from inside its grip some day."

Naru watched as the man gave him a knowing look and a slight anxiousness crept into his stomach, unbidden. He suppressed it. "As long as it's what you want, Lin-san," he deflected.

The Chinese man smiled, simply and widely, "Very much so."

Naru thought of Gene and how it would undoubtedly be his twin accepting this request if he'd been alive, and how Lin wouldn't be positioned with someone who cared so little about the institution of marriage. Gene was suited for this, Naru was decidedly not—the world has never been less fair.

"Then I'll be honored to be best man," Naru said and tried to mean it.

...

…

"May I come in?"

Naru looked up from his typing, surprised to see Mai standing hesitantly at his door, her hands clasped in front of her. Long years of practice had taught him to school his features into a neutral expression, which is what he projected as she made her way to his desk, despite the surprise of her entrance.

She seemed agitated, brushing her hair behind her ear. She had let it grow out a little lately, and it moved in waves of chestnut around her face, not quite brushing her shoulders. It made her appear slightly older and Naru was unsure whether he liked that or not. Mai rubbed her arm and he saw a flash of blue tipping her fingers, sparkling in the dim of his office. He leaned back slightly and waited for her to speak. She was so easy to read—clearly here to ask him for something. Naru forced away the mild irritation at her shyness—she was the antithesis of timid and had proven it repeatedly in her tenure at SPR. He hoped she wasn't using the trait in order to extract his goodwill…though that might be giving too much credit to her cunning, something she rarely displayed.

"I wanted to…" she seemed to take stock of herself, her chin lifting as she made some sort of decision. "I wanted to ask about studying my psychic abilities—getting them tested. You'd offered once and I was hoping you'd be willing to…" she trailed off again but this time it was not due to hesitation. She seemed to want him to infer her meaning.

Naru looked at her appraisingly. "Why now?"

Mai seemed prepared for the question because she gave a non-committal shrug that appeared far more nonchalant than he knew her to be. "They're much stronger now. I have visions every case, and I've even been able to astral project knowingly a few times."

Naru hid his surprise, "A few times?"

Mai nodded, "Yeah. Like the last case when John-san was in the tower, or a few weeks ago when Ayako found that old shrine—"

"And do you often omit this information from your boss?" he said, pointed.

The girl, however, appeared unabashed, "It hadn't mattered at the time. It's not like it helped; we solved the cases because of Masako and Bou-san."

Naru narrowed his eyes, anger rising, "We are paranormal investigators. Has it not occurred to you that paranormal activities that are transpiring during a case should be under our research? You are not the final word on what is worth looking into."

The brunette flushed under his gaze but refused to appear contrite, "I would have said something if I'd thought it was important."

"Like we should trust that," Naru scoffed, "How many times have you downplayed your instincts, sometimes leading others into danger through the omission? You don't have any faith in your abilities and are never forthcoming—"

"And why should I be?" she said, indignant, "You downplay and mock my animal instincts constantly! Your derision for them—and my intelligence—might be one reason I didn't speak up, you know!"

Naru watched her, his anger coiling into something else, just as vicious. It tasted vaguely of guilt. He tried not to dwell on it. "Then it seems like I was right, doesn't it? If you were smart you would have disclosed this information."

Mai grew rigid, her eyes cutting into him with something he was not familiar when it came to his willful, optimistic assistant: fury. "Well you know everything then," she said and Naru watched as she swallowed, her pale throat undulating with the motion. He looked away from her and waited for the slam of a door…but it didn't come.

He drew his attention forward again and nearly growled at her, "Well?"

"I would like to train my psychic abilities," she said calmly and Naru could not help the surprise that was showing on his face. That she still wanted to pursue that, given her earlier words, was baffling. None of it made sense to him, actually. Had she not refused the first time?

"Why did you say no before?" The question was unlike him; Oliver Davis was not interested in the personal motivations of his employees.

There was a long silence before Mai would meet his eyes and he was surprised to see her looking so…lost. Mai was never lost—confused, sure, unknowledgeable on occasion, but never lost. "I…" she cleared her throat, "I didn't think it was a good idea then. Because of my feelings."

Seconds passed. Naru blinked at her, a loud buzzing occupying his hearing.

She must have taken his silence as confusion because she continued, "I thought it would be dangerous to be around you…I was young and foolish and in love. It would have been a disaster to have around." She gave a small smile and it was the first he'd seen from her since she'd entered the room. "I had to be practical and think about my future…apart from you."

The smile was still there and it was strange how that little slip of mouth did more to disarm him than the entire conversation up to this point. "Reasonable," he found himself saying, "To consider your own interests."

Mai nodded absently, her fingers playing something on her thigh, "I'm doing so now. I don't think teaching is for me—I want to pursue this. I like my work and…" she looked up at him, "I'd like to improve."

Some of the tension had eased from his shoulders at her admission and he regarded her carefully, "And you're up for it this time?" Underneath his statement, she seemed to understand, was another question.

She smiled, self assured now, "Yes. It won't be a problem."

Despite her humor Naru felt something settle itself in his chest. He wondered at it and hoped that his confidence in her abilities was not fading. Yes that was just doubt, Naru reasoned, because it couldn't be that he was disappointed at her words. Surely, there was nothing more aggravating than an amorous girl wafting about him. He'd been relieved, he knew, when she'd resolved her infatuation with his looks after Gene had crossed. Naru should be—and was, his mind insisted—glad that this was no longer an issue.

And he hadn't expected it to be an issue for him at all he thought, annoyed at the doubtful sensation, still lingering: she'd had boyfriends for years now and he hadn't cared. The heavy workload was just getting to him—these thoughts were irregular and the product of a weeks worth of insomnia.

Naru brought himself out of his stupor, "I'll contact the head facility as soon as I can. I'm sure there's some tests we can run here in the meantime."

"That would be—thank you," she said, her voice happy and she gave a slight bow, "I appreciate it."

"Of course."

He watched her disappear through the door and stared, unblinking, back at his screen when she had. Hieroglyphics stared back at him, undecipherable, no matter how much he forced his mind back to the task.

…

To be continued…

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A/N: Please leave me a review—it would mean a lot! Thanks for reading.

-Em