"Noll, I'm gay, why don't you just ask Mai?"

Mai was lying in bed. She appeared to be half awake. I could see her eyelids fluttering, as if they registered the light and regretted it. The duvet from my half of the bed had been pulled around her small frame.

I slipped off my slippers and sank back into bed, gently tugging the duvet back towards my body. An incomprehensible mumble escaped Mai's lips as she grasped at the disappearing warmth. I slipped an arm in the gap between her neck and the pillow and guided her closer.

Mai snuggled up to my chest with a small smile.

"Why are your feet cold?" she whispered.

"Because I went to get tea."

"You made tea without getting me any?"

"I didn't want to wake you," I admitted. "Would you have wanted me to wake you?"

"No," she mumbled. "What's the time?"

"Half seven."

"So early… Why are you up so early? It's a Sunday!"

"I wanted to phone Gene," I explained.

"Why? Couldn't it have waited?"

"It could have. But I saw no reason to wait."

Mai's face screwed up. Such complicated thought so early in the morning evidently caused her pain. I gave her a light kiss on the forehead and she relaxed her features.

"I suppose I could forgive you for no tea then," she mumbled. "You're lucky I love you."

"I am."

I kissed her again. This time, it made her frown.

"What did you need from Gene?"

"Advice."

Mai's eyes opened wide and she twisted around to prop herself up on her elbows. She fixed me with an intense stare before she began her interrogation.

"About what?"

"You."

"Me?"

Mai's face morphed into a mask of worry. She recoiled and wrapped her arms around herself.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Are you breaking up with me?"

I rolled my eyes. I tried to contain it, really, I did.

"Yes, Mai. I have just crawled into bed with you, kissed you twice, and I am now going to break up with you."

She poked me in the side.

"Well, what else could it be?" she asked, then attempted to answer her own question before allowing me any chance to speak. "We agreed that marriage was off the books until I had finished my Master's, so it's not that. We already live together, so it's not—"

I leant forwards and kissed her again, this time a quick peck on the lips to stop her spiel.

"That's rude. I was speaking."

"Mai, between you, my mother and Madoka, I have been called 'rude' so many times that the word has somewhat lost its effect on me."

Mai pouted.

"None of your guesses were correct."

"Can I have another clue then?" Mai asked, creeping back towards the warmth my body provided.

"Gene's advice was 'ask Mai'."

Mai frowned again. I raised my hand and used a finger to idly draw patterns on the exposed skin of her back. I felt goosebumps rise at the contact, but Mai did not pull away. If anything, she relaxed.

"It's not my birthday, so it can't be a present."

"It could be the present," I mused.

"Is that a riddle?"

"A very simple one if it is," I replied. "We did discuss this previously."

Mai's frown deepened. Then she flopped down on top of me.

"I give up. I'm not awake enough for your silly riddles."

Gently, I lifted her body so that she was more comfortably placed on my chest. Then I rolled her over onto her side, so I could slide down a little. It resulted in my head being at the same level as hers. She opened one eye and regarded me with suspicion.

"You're being weird."

I sighed. Yes, I suppose I was. Normally on a Sunday morning, I would have just let her hug me while I read or something. For a moment, I doubted my plan. I hesitated.

Then Mai kissed my cheek.

I cupped hers and guided her mouth to mine. Open mouth kissing was not my favourite thing, but the effect it had over Mai allowed some of my intentions to transmit.

"Oliver, are you—"

"Yes."

My lips grazed her jaw, then peppered kisses up to her ear and down her neck.

"Oliver, please tell me you didn't ask your brother for advice about our physical relationship?" Mai whispered.

"Anything else you want me to lie to you about?" I whispered in reply.

Mai groaned.

I returned to kissing her neck and her groan morphed into a moan of pleasure. At least, I hoped it was a moan of pleasure. She didn't push me away.

One of her hands grabbed mine and placed it on her breast. I left it there for a moment before realising I ought to do something. I massaged it for a moment to gauge her reaction.

"Tell me what you want," I whispered.

Mai's eyes, that had slowly been closing in presumed enjoyment, opened.

"I… But how far—"

"If I don't like it, I won't do it," I promised. Tension emptied out of Mai's body. Was she that concerned?

"Then… You could…" Mai bit her lip, her cheeks flooding scarlet with embarrassment. Apparently saying her fantasies out loud was too daring this early in the morning.

"Guide me," I instructed.

Mai hesitated a moment, then put one of her legs over my body and straddled me. She pulled off her nightshirt, then placed my hands on her waist.

"T-touch me," she breathed, leaning forward to kiss me again. I ran my fingers lightly up and down her back, knowing where her ticklish spots were and only just avoiding them. Mai squirmed at my touch, pressing herself against my crotch.

She wanted a reaction from my body.

I pushed the pressure of this want to the back of my mind. I tried to remember the other things I had read. Kissing her neck. She had enjoyed that.

I reached up and pressed my lips to her skin, I kissed down her neck and to her collar bone. When I reached it, I had every intention of repeating the action. But Mai's hand cupped the back of my head, holding it in place as she arched backwards, bringing her breast closer to my face.

"Could you… Carry on kissing me here," Mai mumbled. I could almost feel the forced confidence in her voice. Her red cheeks exposed her embarrassment at being so bold to ask for these things.

Curious, I continued to kiss her skin. She groaned in frustration. Whatever I was doing was not quite right. But perhaps…

I took her nipple into my mouth and flicked my tongue against it.

Mai gasped. Her whole body froze up, then relaxed with a low moan. Her reaction to the simple touch was oddly satisfying.

"Oh yes… Yes, do that."

I did it again. Mai writhed against me. She grabbed at my chest, apparently unaware of what she was doing. She murmured affirmations as I repeated the motion, encouraging me to continue.

Her arousal turned me on more than anything had ever done before. The gratification that I had caused Mai to cling to me and make those sounds sent blood southward.

I hoped she wouldn't notice. I wanted this to be about her. I pulled away for a moment and Mai whined in protest.

"No… Don't stop!"

I switched to her other breast. Mai gasped again, the nails of one of her hands pinching my skin as she gripped me like her life depended on it. I let one hand massage her other breast while running my thumb over her nipple. My other hand trailed down to her arse. I grabbed one cheek and squeezed gently.

Mai shivered at my touch, so I left my hand there, hoping my ministrations were as good as they sounded from the soft noises she was making. I did not know how long to go on like this. How long would it be before she wanted more?

What would the 'more' be?

One of Mai's hands — the one not holding herself up — crept down my body. I knew where it was going before it got anywhere close. Mai went slowly so that I could stop her. A frown formed on my face. I did not want the distraction, yet I could imagine that Mai gained satisfaction from my arousal in the same way I did from hers.

I did not want to deny her that.

So I let her touch me. Slipping a hand under my pyjamas, she wrapped delicate fingers around my length and stroked me. Shoots of pleasure warmed my core as she worked.

My hand left her breast and traced her skin down between her legs. A sudden thought struck me and I quickly licked my fingers before slipping them under her underwear and pressing them where I hoped her clitoris would be.

Mai, almost immediately, moved my fingers a little to one side. I began a small circular motion to test the spot.

"Oh yes, there…"

I took this as a good sign and repeated the small circular motions. Mai, who had previously been writhing under my touch, suddenly went very still. I wondered if she thought that moving would ruin whatever sensation she felt.

Her own hand became erratic. One moment, she sped up. Then she stopped dead for a few moments before starting up again. The resulting spikes of pleasure were quite diverting. My fingers sped up a fraction and when there was no complaint from Mai, I sped up again.

Mai panted between incomprehensible mutterings. I made out odd uncorrelated words.

Her hand sped up. So did mine.

Then Mai's whole body jerked. I kept my pace until she collapsed on top of me. Before I could ask if she was okay, Mai pushed herself down the bed.

"Mai, stop, you don't have to."

"I want to."

I lifted my hips up off the bed as she pulled my pyjama bottoms down. She threw them to the side without a glance to where they landed and then lowered her head.

Sensations flooded my nerves as Mai wrapped her lips around my length. I grabbed at the sheets, trying to hold onto some real feeling that wasn't—

I wanted to back away.

I wanted it never to stop.

The feelings — somehow — grew stronger. It wouldn't be long. I just had to relax. I closed my eyes and forced the tension from my limbs.

I finished.

Air returned to my lungs and I gulped it down. When I opened my eyes, I found Mai sat between my legs with white goo escaping from her mouth.

"I tried to… But it didn't…"

Shame filled her expression. I wriggled out from underneath her and padded towards the bathroom. I pulled off some toilet paper and then threw the rest of the roll to Mai so she could clean herself up.

Taking deep breaths, I washed myself off.

"Oliver? Are you okay?" The uncertainty in Mai's voice sent guilt into my stomach.

"Yes."

I splashed water on my face, dried it and returned to the bedroom.

"Did I do it wrong?" she asked.

"No."

"Then—"

"It was just a little overwhelming," I told her. "I would have stopped you if it was painful."

Mai relaxed and patted the bed beside her. I climbed back under the duvet and she cuddled up beside me. I could feel her breath on my skin.

"Why did we do that?" she asked a while later. "I was happy not doing anything like that, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I know."

How to explain it to her? Curiousity was a strong part of it, I suppose. Other, more practical elements were also a part of the decision. One day, Mai would want children. Though being a way off, I wanted to be comfortable when the time came for that.

"So why?"

"Why not?"

Mai sighed and changed tack.

"Did you really ask your brother about what to do?"

"He had more experience than me in this matter, it made sense."

"He's gay."

"Which is also why he advised me not to start with 'butt stuff'."

Mai stilled for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"That's so gross!"

I smiled at her reaction and kissed her on the forehead.

"He'll probably ask you about it at some point," I went on.

"What? Why?"

"Well he isn't going to get anything out of me."

Mai groaned, buried her head in my chest and pulled the duvet over her head.

"If you hide under there, I can't make you breakfast," I pointed out.

"You're only offering that so I'll make you tea."

"Yes."

She poked me in the side.

"Fine, I'll make you tea. Just give me a few more minutes like this."

I smirked and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. I supposed I could give her a few minutes before hunger became an issue.

"Are we doing anything today?" Mai asked.

"Oh yes, didn't I mention it?" I asked. Mai shook her head. "Gene and Yasuhara are coming over for lunch."

Mai groaned and shuffled further under the duvet. My chuckle subsided into a satisfied smile. Perhaps the fun of the day wasn't over just yet...

Author's note: So this arose from the (funny to me) idea of Noll asking Gene for sex advice... Thank you so much to CSakuraS for editing!