A/N: Set 4 months after 'ACS', about 2 months after 'Full Disclosure'. A very short, one-shot, one-shot. Hah.

Letting Go

His body gave a violent jerk as he pulled out of the vision. It was a particularly gruesome and shocking one, so it took him several seconds to steady his breathing and calm his mind as he inwardly reassured himself that it had only been a dream. He clenched his fingers one by one, savoring the crack of each finger joint, with each pop erasing the last remnants of the panic he felt in his chest.

"Noll? How do you feel?"

Naru covered half of his face with his hand and pressed a thumb to his temples. "I've a terrible headache. But it'll pass. The owner of this necklace," he said as he gently placed the trinket he held in his hand down on the table, "was tortured here. The culprit tried to make it seem like a random burglary, but it was someone she knew. A jealous ex-lover, it seemed."

His tall companion knelt down beside him and laid a hand on his shoulder, gently, but firmly, pushing him back to lie down on the sofa. Lin was no stranger to the effects that come after Noll's use of his psychometry. How much toll the vision took on Noll's body depended very much on the intensity of the dream, and if Noll says there was torture involved, then he was sure the boy would most likely end up collapsing from fatigue sometime soon.

"Rest here for now. I will ask Yasuhara-san to focus his research on the events leading up to the murder."

"Fine." Naru crossed his legs and raised his left arm to cover his eyes, trying his best to relax into the couch.

Lin stood up and made to leave, but before opening the door he stopped and gave his young charge another look, asking, "Shall I call Taniyama-san here?"

Naru gave a start and opened his eyes wide, only to narrow it back down. He turned his head toward his colleague and challenged, "And why would that be necessary, Lin?" feeling unsure if the man was trying to mess with him.

"I would have thought tea would be welcome," the man answered evenly. There was no hint of a smile on the Chinese man's features, nor of amusement in his voice, but the tiniest glint in his eyes told Naru that perhaps Lin wasn't as much of a cardboard as he thought he was. What remained unsaid was the playful question of, 'Why else would you think I'd suggest to call her in here?'

Naru closed his eyes back up again and muttered, "Perhaps later. I'm going to try contacting Gene. He might have awoken. Lock the door on your way out, I want no interruptions."

"Understood."

After he heard the click of the door, Naru reached into his pocket and took out a small handheld mirror. He would have preferred talking to Gene face to face using a full size mirror, but with his head still spinning, this method would have to do. He looked at his reflection, his sharp, intense eyes boring back into his own, before it blinked and slowly transitioned into a gentle gaze.

"Gene," he acknowledged through their telepathic hotline. "It's been a while."

"Has it?" his twin asked. "Time is so strange here. It feels like we just talked a while ago. How long has it been?"

"About six months."

Gene gaped, then teased, "I was wondering why you looked a bit different. You're already looking more mature now, Noll."

Naru scoffed. "Right. On to business, Gene. What do you know about this case?"

The playful expression on his twin's face disappeared only to be replaced by a sad, anxious look. "It's... going to be difficult," Gene began with hesitation in his voice. "The ghost haunting this house is the female victim in your vision. She was gruesomely tortured here for days before finally succumbing to her injuries. It's deeply regrettable, but I'm afraid her spirit has become far too consumed by her anger that it isn't possible to cleanse her."

Naru closed his eyes and nodded slowly, understanding the implication behind Gene's worries. He knew his brother was aware that although he disliked having to do forced exorcisms, he was never one to regret making the decision to do so. If it was the right call, he never hesitated. Therefore, Naru assumed, the remorse and anxiety lacing Gene's words were not aimed toward him, but most probably toward a certain kind-hearted, sensitive brunette. This solution would most definitely not sit well with her.

"Don't share the vision with her, Gene, I'd rather not have her experience it," Naru was surprised to hear himself suddenly say.

Obviously, the sentiment he exhibited was something new his brother hadn't expected as well, for his twin replied, "Withhold the vision from her? I understand the sentiment, but..."

"It isn't necessary for her to see."

Gene frowned. He said disapprovingly, "Noll, Mai is a part of your team and she, as well as the others in your group, have a right to know the details of what's going on. You can't expect to just tell them the spirit requires an exorcism without sharing the story? It's disrespectful to her memories and you would be taking advantage of the team's ignorance to the situation. I -"

Noll pinched the bridge of his nose and slowly sat himself up, feeling annoyed to find he was still feeling a bit off-balance. "Stop, Gene. I'm not going to trick them into doing the exorcism. I'll tell them properly."

"You'll tell them? Sorry, but I have a hard time believing that you're going to sit them beside you while you recall the intimate details of the vision. It's regrettable, but it's better I show Mai because she'll be able to tell them everything."

"You're right. I can't do that with everyone, but rest assured I'll share everything with Mai."

Gene tilted his head, unsure of what exactly his brother meant. Then he smiled teasingly and said, "So Nolly's really matured now, eh? Good to know you finally trust others and have learned to share."

Naru muttered petulantly, "I still don't like sharing," though he said this while thinking about an entirely different topic than their current conversation.

Since it was difficult to gauge when he would be able to see Gene again, he figured now would be the perfect time to speak with Gene about their unconventional situation. He tried to think how best to broach the subject with his brother, but since subtlety and sensitivity were sadly not part of his strong points, he ended up bluntly saying, "I'd like to clarify your feelings toward Mai, Gene."

His brother blinked. "My... feelings?"

"In short-are you attracted to her? I understand it must be strange to hear these questions from me, but I have my reasons for asking. And I'm sure you are well aware of the awkward situation the three of us have found ourselves in."

Gene nodded slowly. "That... that was most likely my fault, wasn't it?" He was referring to the fact that he masqueraded around her dreams as 'Naru' and let the situation get out of hand. When his brother let out a soft breath and closed his eyes with a small, tired smile, he knew Noll understood what he meant. He continued, "I couldn't break it to her. I meant to explain everything to her the next time I saw her, but she just looked so happy to see you in her dreams. By the way, it's strange, her nickname for you. I never asked her about it. What does it mean?"

"...Apparently it's short for narcissistic."

Gene laughed. "I would never have pegged you for one. Arrogant, asshole, prick, sure. But narcissistic? Doesn't that mean 'having an erotic interest in oneself'?"

Naru shrugged. "She likes to use big words she has no actual understanding of. You should hear her regurgitate information she only half-paid attention to. Though I suppose, it's admirable she'd try to piece things together herself by applying her limited knowledge."

"Heh. And what did you do to make her think you were a narcissist?"

"I simply said she had good taste when she called me handsome."

Gene snorted in disbelief. "You should have just thanked her! Why would you even say that?"

Naru frowned. "I was thinking of you when I said that. I can admit it is pleasant to look at you, and since we have the same face and I think highly of my own appraisals, I had to agree with her and let her know she had good taste."

"Well, strangely that makes sense," said Gene with a sigh. After a few seconds of silence, he finally answered softly, "Yes... going back to the subject at hand: I am attracted to Mai. I would say- highly."

"And of her feelings? Are you aware of them?"

"Yes. As are you, I hope?" Gene searched his brother's eyes. "She's in love with 'Naru', but we both know that it could be me, or it could be you."

Naru nodded. "I was quite aware of that fact." Gene raised his brow at his emphasis on the word, so Naru decided to clarify and get the whole thing over with as soon as possible. "Mai and I are currently in a relationship. I have - we have finally made a choice to be... with each other." The words hung in their minds. He watched concernedly as Gene's face registered first shock, then irritation, then defeat, then happiness, and Naru couldn't help but think how much alike his brother and Mai really were. Perhaps he was an interloper after all.

"That's... that's actually really good to hear," Gene finally said. His voice was soft, soothing, and Noll felt a painful pang in his chest. His brother was clearly hurt.

"Gene," he practically pleaded with a voice laced with pain, "Was it wrong of me?" He watched Gene in desperation. Although Naru knew his own face betrayed nothing of the torture he was feeling, but he was not a fool to think his brother wouldn't see right through him, just like how he could see through Gene. "I want your honesty on this, Gene."

The late medium sighed. "Of course, I am being honest. No, I don't think it's wrong of you. In fact, I'm sincerely glad to hear you both have finally moved on and assessed your feelings. It will help me move on as well. Although I admit, it stings a little. I've grown to like her in the short amount of time I got to spend with her in the astral plane. So I'm sure, since you have spent much more time together, that you must have developed feelings for her, too.

"I liked her, but I was actually also cheering the both of you on. It's a complicated feeling," Gene continued with a frown, "There were times I went out of my way to hold her close to me, knowing full well she'd be thinking of you the whole time. I was jealous." Then he smiled kindly, "But then I also felt mischievous. I was curious to see how things would progress along in the real world if she thought she was dreaming about you touching her."

Naru nodded in patient understanding. After all, he was also undergoing through the same torn feelings just a few months ago. He explained, "I was hesitant to act on my own feelings because I knew you liked her as well, and honestly, I also thought she figured out she wanted you instead. But we've clarified the situation and have come to an understanding."

Gene nodded. "There isn't anything to be sorry for, Noll," he reiterated, reading right through his brother's mind. "'All is fair in love and war', after all. Besides, I'm dead Noll, dead before even I met her. It's only natural she'd fall for you, you're the one who's been with her through everything. You're her's and she's yours, as it should be."

The two shared a moment of silence, committing to memory this unusual, but necessary exchange. As soon as the tension has been lifted, Gene asked conversationally, "How long have you guys been with each other then?"

"Four months. December."

"December?"

"... On Christmas Eve."

"Christmas? Nice! How terribly romantic! There's no way you'd ever forget then-not that you would anyway." Gene laughed. "Oh, then I suppose... you've probably gotten laid already?"

Naru scowled. "We will not be speaking of that."

Gene guffawed. "You haven't?! Oh Noll, you've got to make the first move, mate!"

"I'm surprised you're being quite nonchalant speaking about this topic, seeing that mere moments ago you've admitted to liking her as well. Would you really like to explain to me how I should go about it?"

Gene racked his mind to think of ways to retort to this remark, but countering with, 'It's okay I don't have to be jealous because we have the same face so it's not so bad to think of it that way' would just be crossing the line, so he had no choice but to drop the subject. He cleared his throat and said, "A-anyway, about the dream. I won't trigger the dream for her, but I can't promise she won't access the vision herself."

Glad for the sudden change of subject, Naru nodded and replied, "If it's of her own doing, then it can't be helped. If it comes to that, please keep an eye on her and pull her out when it gets too much." Gene nodded with a smile. "Gene. Would you please speak to Mai? I'm sure she'd also like to settle things between the two of you."

"Of course. You're okay with that? What if I want my farewell kiss? Is that allowed?"

Naru rolled his eyes with an irritated scowl, and snapped, "Just don't cross a line, Gene. Do what you need; I'll trust you."

With one final chuckle and a wave of goodbye, Eugene turned and disappeared, leaving Naru staring at his own reflection, which he noticed, wore an expression of bittersweet content. Finally rid of the dizziness, he stood up from the sofa and made his way toward the door, faltering in his steps intermittently for although his vision no longer spun, his body still felt drained. He shook his head to steel himself and stepped outside.

He slowly made his way toward the base and found both Masako and Mai asleep on the sofa. Whereas Masako was elegantly leaning against the couch's arms with her hands supporting the side of her head, Mai was curled up like a fetus, cradling a pillow between her arms with her hair splayed out all over the place. Naru noted a kind, content smile playing along her face, and heard her softly murmur, "Eugene..." and figured his brother must already be speaking with her this moment. He smiled and turned on his heel, making his way over to Lin, whose attention was glued to the monitors in front of him.

When Lin saw him approach, he asked, "Were you able to contact Gene?"

Naru nodded. "I've got what I needed. After Yasuhara-san comes back with the necessary information, we'll come up with a plan to exorcise the spirit. However, I'll have to run it with Mai before we go forward with the case."

Lin decided not to question his charge's surprising (though not unwelcome) decision to confer with Mai first. "Shall we wake her then?"

"No, let her sleep. She's currently with Gene, so I'd rather not disturb them for a while."

A/N: Just a very simple snippet from their story. Naru and Gene finally open up to each other and come to an understanding.