A/N HEY! this is my first ghost hunt novel and am still getting use to the charecters. Naru is intentionally ooc here in the first chapter as I needed to set the scene but have done my best to keep it semi-charecteristic. Sorry about any spelling/punctiation mistakes, they really arn't my fortay. Anyway please R&R.

Disclamer: I do not own Ghost Hunte (D: sadly...)

Mai stood, leaning on the edge of the wooden desk, ready to make and escape if she overstayed her already almost non-existent welcome. Staring with intensity at the boy of 18 who sat in the large, plush leather chair, reading his file she had just fetched as requested from the cabinet on the other side of the dark office.

"Mai...?" he asked from the pages of his file.

"Yes, Naru?" He lifted his gaze from the pages in the file to her. Their eyes locked for what, for Naru was a long, long time whereas most of us would have counted two.

"Mai, I know you get endless enjoyment out of standing here and watching me work but it really is the most distracting thing in the world so..." he was lost for a moment as for what to say, (what he wanted to say was get out on pain of death. But he didn't,) finally he sighed a heavy sigh. "Mai, go and get me some more tea, and this time I expect it to be HOT when it is brought to me, not so cold I wouldn't let penguins swim in it." He half scolded half mocked.

"You narsccistic, arrogant, vain, tea-drinking, unappreciative..." Mai muttered under her breath, but load enough for Naru to hear.

"Moron?" Naru finished her little speech with an all-so-knowing smirk. Mai hopped of the desk, managing to trip and twist her ankle in the process as only Mai can. Naru reached out to steady her as she muttered "jerk" under her breath before standing up straight and heading to the door.

Before she reached the heavy wooden door which broke the floor to ceiling book cases which lined the walls of Naru's office. She swivelled on her ankle (the one that she hadn't twisted (the other one throbbed like mad)) and smiled at him.

Naru, whose eyes were still following the small girls figure as she moved around the dingy room. When he saw her smile he returned it with a smile of his own.

Only two people were allowed to see Naru smile, Mai was one, and Gene was the other.

Mai slipped out of the room silently and Naru's head dropped straight back into the file that lay, half forgotten in his hands.

Mai almost skipped to the small kitchen but stopped herself, calmly walking the length of the lobby to the kitchen. As she waited for the kettle to boil she reached up and set two mugs on the counter top and added the tea.

Then the door to the office opened just as Mai started to poor the tea, forgetting herself she rushed into greet the clients falling over her feet as she did so, sending burning water all over her arms.

A gasp went up from the assembled crowd. Mai looked up, her eyed stinging with tears. She could see Bou-san, John, Ayako and Yasuhara standing in the doorway looking down at hear.

Hearing the crash and exclaims from the people in the reception Naru walked out from his office/lair. He had a face full of glare and a speech about work rate and noise level. But when he saw Mai on the floor and the steaming liquid all around her, his anger fizzled out.

He crouched down next to her and helped her into a sitting position rather then spawled face first on the wearing carpet. He looked at her arm and sighed. "Mai, can we get one day where you don't break, blister, bump or bring to a halt yourself or my office?" he asked in exasperation.

She moved to get up and once standing, took a step forward, wincing at a blister which was beginning to form on her right foot where she had spilt yet more boiling liquid. She winced again when she put her arms out to steady herself.

We're never going to get to the kitchen at this rate, and I have a stack of paper-work which Lin so kindly deposited on my desk 40 minutes ago, just as we were opening.

Naru, in a bid to hurry her along, gently, but swiftly lifted Mai of her feet and into the kitchen where he deposited her on the side.

He gently started cleaning and wrapping Mai up and was done swiftly in around 10 minutes. He should have had enough practises by now. Mai somehow managed to injure herself every other day.

He helped her off the side and examined her mummified forearms and ankle, once he was satisfied they were done up safely he looked into her eyes. "Now, if i go back to my office do you think you can stay out of trouble?"

She nodded her head, painfully aware of the four characters standing, smirking in the doorway watching the scene play out. She was also aware of Naru's long pale fingers being intertwined with her own. This combined was enough to send her into a light pink blush.

With a small smile that only Mai could see, Naru lowered his head and almost brushed a soft, caring kiss across Mai's lips. Hearing the cat-calls and wolf whistles from Yasu and Monk he refraind from getting to passionate with Mai at that moment.

He broke their bubble and turned with a scary Naru-style glare to face his four employees. Reminding them for what seemed like the 300th time that: his office was not a cafe and that noise which should not exist in the first place should be kept to a minimum. Both he and Lin had a large amount of work left over from the last case to deal with and it needed to be completed TODAY!

Finally he finished his lecture and returned to his office.

Mai was just brining the tea cup out of the kitchen and into the main reception area when Ayako burst through the door of the SPR office. She stopped in the middle of the room looking very un-Ayako like!

Her hair was a mess, some stuck to her forehead, some sprouting wildly in all directions, her beautiful flame read skirt which matched her wild hair was caked in mud and dust from the bottom to the middle of her calf! Plus her beautiful face was about 3 shades paler than Mai's best ever I've-just-been-attacked-by-a-ghost look.

Mai (carefully so as not to spill any of its precious cargo) dumped Naru's cup of tea onto her desk which guarded the doors to the inner lairs of Lin and Naru. She gasped when she saw Ayako bend double, clutching her side. "Ayako? What's the matter?" she said as she steered her to the couch.

"Ran...All...The...Way..."she muttered in between wheezes. "Got...A...Stitch..." the wheezes were coming lighter and further apart and her eyes were turning from blood shot red back to there white-and-black contrast.

Mai jumped up and ran toward the desk, bringing Ayako the tea which was ment for Naru. He could wait, Mai thought to herself. Serves him right for not being home at a reasonable hour last night. Smiling seacretly to herself, she sat on the couch opposite as Ayako gratefully sipped the tea.

Get you, Mrs. Domesticated!

Gene! Not now, look at Ayako! Shes obviously terrified!

Fine i'll go Lin's shiki are on to me anyway, but call me as soon as she leaves! Your my only line for gossip around here, my good for nothing brother is use-less! Goodbye sister!

Gene! I am not and most probably never will be you God-forsaken sister! Not if your brother has anything to do with it! But it was too late, Gene had left.

"Ayako?" Mai ventured again.

The miko whipped her eyes up to look at Mai, "Mai, something terrible happened..." mai lent forward and gripped Ayako's free hand. "i think...I think Bon-San has asked me on a DATE" she gasped watching the amusement Mai was trying so hard to repress twitch at her lips and give her away as it danced in her gleaming chestnut eyes.

'Mai!' she cried, bording on tears. 'This is not funny' No matter how hard Ayako protested the dancing delight continued to sparkle in Mai's eyes

(Naru's POV)

I was sat at my desk, expectidly drumming my fingers on my desk, my chin cupped in my free hand. It can't be long now. Mai never takes to long on a cup of tea. Okay well maybe on, urm.

394 occasions? I look around in bemusment. Psst! Bro! I look down at the open draw and see Gene smiling out of the mirror I keep in my second left hand draw. Mai had found it once and had called me a vain moron but i like it so i keep it.

GENE! How many times have i told you to not appear in my office like that! If you wish to speak to me do what you do to Mai. Pop in and speak to me in my head!

How did you know that? And because brother, i like to be able to see the face of people i talk to. Apart from Mai. Its funnier to read her than to see her.

I know about your mind convocations because Mai tells me about them as part of this funny thing called a relationship we're in!

Oh, really? Did she tell you about the time that she dreamed that we were alone, in the office kissing? I was silent, glaring at the mirror. Relax, relax it never happened, jeez i though having Mai might actually light you up. But i'm going and i thought i would tell you, Ayako's out there which is why you have no tea.

The image of Genes smiling face vanished, to be replaced by my scowling one. I got up and stalked out the room, shoulders round my ears. 'Ayako, for the last time this office is not a..' I trail of as she spins around and looks at me, tears welling up in her eyes.

I cross my eyes to Mai who mouths something like: 'girl trouble...Monk...date' i sigh tea from mai will be a long time coming and i'm in no mood to stand and make tea with a hysterical miko in the next room so retreat back to my office, my scowl set deeper on my face.

Mai watched as the door slammed shut behind Naru before turning back to Ayako. "Right, start from the beginning." She said as she saw normality begin to wash over her colleagues face.

"About 20 minutes ago Bou-san called and asked if i would like to grab a movie tonight as a kinda date"

"Okay what did you do?"

"Ran straight here" Mai looked at her friend in wander.

"Did you even hang up the phone"

"No! Mai, he asked me out...on a date?" a smile spread across Ayako's face. "Maybe... that would be okay as long as it dosen't become a ongoing thing" Mai, rolled her eyes and smiled. The she went and picked up the phone and called Monk.

"Mai?" he asked, his voice full of worry. "Is Ayako there? I called her to ask her ermm something and then i couldn't get an answer, it sounded like she dropped the phone. I thought she collapsed to a went round there and her front door was open..." he trailed off breathlessly.

Mai tried her hardest not to laugh at him. "She's fine Bou-san, shes here and safe. She'll meet you outside the theatre tonight what time. Um-hm, Um-hm yep i'll tell her, bye Old man" (she added the old man part as he called her short).

"Right, go home get sorted and meet him looking your best at 9" She laughed at her perplexed look. "what shall i were?" she cried looking at Mai in curiosity. "What did you were on your first date with Naru?" she asked.

Mai couldn't understand why it made her feel so un-easy, it was a simple question. "I don't think we've ever had a proper 'date'" she said finally.

"Disgraceful," she muttered to Mai before turning to look at the door behind which Naru was cowering. "Disgraceful" she pretty much screamed through the door.

Finally, an hour later with her hair, clothes and make planed she swept out the office. The spark back in her eyes.

Then Naru poked his head out the door and looked at Mai. "Do you really want to go on a date?" he asked her, looking deep into her eyes. "umm, well" Mai stammered, un-sure how to answer.

Naru felt a weird sensation in his chest, was that guilt? For what not taking her on a date? It's not like she ever asked for one. But one look at her face told him all he needed to know. "Come to my place at 5:30 tonight and we'll have a date" he said, not totally happy with the idea. "But as long as this doesn't become a long term thing." He stalked back to his office with one last demand for tea.

Mai smiled to herself as she moved to the kitchen. Her first date. Plus it was with Naru. Could this day get any better?

Yes, her conscious replied, the dates tonight! She let out and involuntary squeal! Then, remembering herself she shoved her hand in her mouth to stop the noise being heard, her eye sparkling with anticipation.