Ghost Hunt Fluff Week

Prompt: Animals (I'm a day late with this one, but oh well. I blame work!)

Pairing: Maru (MaixNaru)

"Bark! Bark!"

"Shhhh!"

I placed my head in my hands. Mai has a dog in the office and she's not doing a good job with keeping it quiet. That was the deal we made after she came back from the store.

…

I heard a small whimper come from the office. Was Mai alright?

Curious, and a little worried, I stood up and went to investigate. When I opened the door of my office, I saw Mai's head pop up from under her desk.

"Mai, why were you under your desk?" I asked her.

"Oh, umm…"

I walked over to her desk and was about to look under when Mai stopped me.

"I just dropped my pen. That's it."

I raised an eyebrow to my assistant. "Mai, you know you are a terrible liar, right?"

"No I'm not."

"Mai, you are a gifted medium, a kind person, but a terrible liar. What is under your desk?"

Mai just stood in front of me, not willing to show me or tell me what was under her desk. We stood there, glaring at each other until a small noise from under the desk pulled me from Mai's brown eyes back to the desk. I then heard a bark. I looked at Mai's face and saw that the color had drained from her face.

"Mai, did you bring a dog into the office?"

Mai deflated. "Yes."

She bent down and picked up the small dog. "I saw her on my way back and she was all alone. She doesn't have a collar or anything."

I shook my head. "Like I said Mai, you are a kind person, but…" I looked at the dog in Mai's arms. It was a brown and white Shiba Inu puppy. "Did you need to bring this dog into the office?"

She nodded. "I found her in an alleyway and I couldn't leave her there."

I sighed. "You are planning on taking her home with you, correct?"

"Yes. I just need to keep her here until I go home tonight."

"Fine," I said. "Just keep her quiet."

"Will do! Thank you Naru."

…

"MAI!"

I heard her footsteps approaching and she opened my office door enough to pop her head inside.

"Yes?"

"I told you to keep her quiet. Why is she barking, again?"

"She's getting a little hungry, Naru."

"Then go get her some dog food."

"I can't take her with me, though."

"Why not?" I ask, irritated.

"I don't have a leash for her."

"Bring her in here and I'll watch her while you go get her some food… and a leash."

Mai nodded before closing the door. A moment later, she walked in with the dog in her hands.

"Just put her on the couch."

Mai placed the dog on the couch and turned to me. "I'll be back. Thanks Naru."

Mai quickly left. I looked over at the dog on the couch. She was sitting there, looking at the door. At least she was quiet.

I turned back to my computer and continued working on the report I needed to send to my father about our last case. A few quiet minutes had passed before the dog decided to bark. I looked up at the couch, but she was not there. I then felt something lightly touch my leg. I looked down and saw the dog sitting at my feet. She looked like she was smiling at me.

"What do you want?" I asked her

"Bark!"

I saw her tail start wagging behind her. I pushed the chair away from the desk and turned towards the dog. I patted my lap and she jumped up. The dog sat on my lap and looked up at me and I petted her head.

"You remind me of the dog I had growing up," I told her.

I spent the next few minutes just petting the dog, scratching behind her ears and her back. I lost track of time and didn't notice the door to my office open.

I heard a click and saw a small flash out of the corner of my eyes. I looked up and saw Mai standing there, the bags of dog food sitting on the floor next to her. She was smiling at the scene in front of her.

"What are you smiling about, Mai?" I ask her.

"I'm smiling because I figured out a name for her."

Mai walked over to the dog and I and picked the dog up from my lap.

"And what name might that be?"

Mai smiled at the dog before speaking. "Ko."

"Why 'Ko'?"

"Because 'Ko' means happiness and she made you smile. You were happy just sitting there petting her."

"I was smiling?"

Mai giggled. "Yes, you were. You didn't notice?"

"No, I guess I didn't."

I let a smile creep back on my face as I looked at Mai holding Ko.

"Mai, what else do you need for Ko?"

Mai looked at me, confusion etched into her face. "Why?"

"I'll take you after work to buy what you need."

"Naru…" Mai smiled at me. "Thank you."

I stood up and petted Ko's head. Mai looked at me as I petted Ko. A moment later, I felt Mai's lips on my cheek. I looked down at Mai and chuckled.

"You missed, Mai."

"Huh? No I didn't."

I smirked as I leaned down. "Yes you did Mai." Before she could argue, I quickly, but gently, kissed her on her lips.

"Now, I think Ko is hungry Mai. Would you mind getting a bowl?" I asked her as I took Ko back into my arms.

"Fine," she sighed.

Mai walked out of my office and I followed behind, picking up a bag of food in one hand and holding Ko in the other. As Ko ate, Mai went back to her desk and I sat on the couch. Looking at Mai, then at Ko, one image kept going through my mind. Mai sitting on a couch feeding our first born while Ko and I played on the living room floor. A small smile crept onto my face as this image played in my mind.

"Naru?"

I looked up at Mai and she was smiling. "What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I said as I stood up and walked over to her. I placed a kiss on top of her head before going back to my office. One day I'll tell her what I was thinking about.

A/N: I love how this came out! Kawaiiness all over the place in this! And imagining Naru holding a small dog like the Japanese Shiba Inu is just heart melting. Mai is one lucky girl.