Work Text:
25 Days of FicMas
Day: Sixteen
Dedication: DamonSelenaaa
Fandom: Ghost Hunt
Pairing: Mai/Naru
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt
Only Her's
-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-
Mai groaned as she stretched, feet landing softly on the carpet as she got up from the couch. The irregulars were currently in the office since they'd finished up a case a day ago and they'd been enjoying a little down-time when Naru had called out for his tea.
Not that it was surprising, Mai noted looking at the time. It had been at least an hour since his last cup.
“Why don't you let me, Taniyama-san?” Masako offered, standing up from the couch at the same time; an odd look in her eyes.
Tilting her head, Mai frowned. “That's okay, Masako. It's part of my job and I feel bad for sitting around and being paid anyways,” she denied, moving to head into the kitchen only to be stopped by Masako.
“I insist. After all, I'm sure that Naru will appreciate some decent tea for once,” the younger girl explained, her kimono sleeve lifted up to obscure her face.
Gritting her teeth, Mai huffed. “There's nothing wrong with my tea. If there was then he wouldn't ask for it so many times a day,” she grumbled.
Masako sniffed. “Or he merely puts up with it because he doesn't have a different option,” she simpered.
Opening her mouth to argue again, Mai found herself being interupted by Ayako who simply smirked at the medium. “Just let her do it, Mai. If she's willing to do it, then there's no reason to stop her.”
Something told Mai that there was definitely a reason – namely that Naru had asked her for tea but she didn't bother to waste her breath. Collapsing back into her previous spot on the couch she rolled her eyes.
“Fine. Don't complain to me when Naru gets angry though,” she muttered.
With a sniff, Masako made her way into the kitchenette while conversation restarted in the main room between them all.
(Or rather, it was a conversation until Bou-san made a reference to Ayako's age and turned things into an argument instead but that was neither here nor there.)
Five minutes later, Masako appeared with a cup of tea, her feet moving elegantly as she made her way over to Naru's office door.
Peering over her shoulder, Mai couldn't help her curiousity as the younger girl knocked quietly. She waited until she was permitted to enter before stepping in.
Straining her ears, she pouted when she couldn't manage to hear anything.
“I wonder what he's saying?” John asked.
Glancing over, Mai managed to catch Bou-san's shrug.
“It's just tea – even Masako should be able to make a decent cup,” Ayako pointed out; eyes on her finger nails like she wasn't as interested as they were in whatever was happening behind Naru's door.
At the sound of the door reopening, they all rushed to start a conversation between themselves to act natural.
“Mai, tea!And I do mean Mai.”
Mai winced at the dark look on Masako's features as she made her way straight out of the office, the door slamming shut behind her.
“Well, I guess I'd better get the tea ready quickly,” Mai muttered getting up. With any luck she wouldn't be in too much trouble for letting someone else do her job.
On autopilot she quickly threw together a cup of earl grey for Naru, thankful that the water was already heated so it didn't take too long.
A couple of minutes later she made her way to Naru's office – knocking lightly but not bothering to wait for him to respond like Masako had.
Ignoring his stare, she carefully placed in on the desk next to the mostly full cup that Masako had brought in with her.
“Would you like to explain to me why Hara-san saw fit to bring me tea this afternoon?” Naru asked after a moment.
Shrugging, Mai couldn't help but look a little sheepish. “She insisted no matter what I said,” Mai admitted, “though I can't understand why she'd bother. You're picky with everything.”
“You knew I wouldn't like it?”
Mai snorted, “I was reasonably sure. I've been making tea for you for months, Naru. I've got it down to an art form. I doubt Masako has the same kind of practice,” she pointed out.
Humming, Naru picked up the cup to take a sip. There was something pleased in his eyes that made Mai curious and she couldn't help but open her mouth. “Was her tea really that bad?”
Raising an eyebrow, Naru scoffed. “Yes. Take it with you and get rid of it. Next time I ask you for tea, I expect you to insist just as much that you be the one to make it – am I clear?”
Rolling her eyes, Mai nodded. “Okay.”
“Good.”
Taking the obvious dismissal, Mai grabbed the other tea cup and left the room swiftly; door clicking shut quietly behind herself.
“Well?”
Looking up at them, Mai rolled her eyes at their curious expressions. “He said that Masako's tea was bad and told me to get rid of it but I'm not in too much trouble.”
John blinked, tilting his head innocently. “Is it really that bad?”
Biting her lip, Mai glanced down at the tea cup, contemplating for a moment. “Only one way to find out?” she pointed out.
Bringing the cup to her mouth, she expected to want to spit it straight back out with the way Naru had hated it. Instead she found herself swallowing it without a problem. She wasn't a huge black tea drinker but this was perfectly fine. Nothing too bad about it.
“It's normal?” she asked.
“Seriously?” Ayako asked.
Shaking his head, Bou-san sighed. “That kid.”
“Why would he get me to re-make it if it was fine tasting?” she asked, her head beginning to throb from her confusion.
“Why don't you ask him that?” Ayako asked, smirking.
“Huh? Do you guys know why?”
Bou-san simply grinned. “You'll understand when you're older,” he joked.
Pouting, Mai crossed her arms. “But I wanna know!”
Shrugging, Bou-san motioned for her to come closer. “It's because he wanted your tea specifically.”
Mai frowned; no less confused then a moment before.
“But why?”
Ayako groaned. “Kami-sama, you're dense?”
“Don't waste your breath, old woman. She'll get there eventually.”
“I seriously don't get it,” Mai whined, looking between the two adults before glancing over at John in the hopes that he would explain it to her.
Instead he simply smiled and shook his head, not offering a single word of explanation.
With a sigh, Mai resigned herself to never understanding because there was no way she was going to ask Naru.
(Except she would, eventually, and when he replies it will still take her a while to understand the proper meaning behind his words.
But that's okay because he knew she was dense from the beginning.)