53Oliver did not take Mai to dinner. He went home, he fed Luna, he lay on his bed and he phoned his mother to ensure she knew everything was okay.
He returned to work the next day and acted as if nothing had changed. He and Mai were assigned a new case; a robbery. It was an open and shut case.
Gene was not given bail. He was considered too much of a flight risk. Oliver visited Gene whenever he had the chance. He also spent a large amount of his time reading about similar cases.
Mai saw all this happen and accepted it.
"I don't understand why you aren't pissed at him," Madoka said, one lunch time. Oliver had not joined them in the shared kitchen area, something he used to do.
"There's no point. He's fixated on helping Gene I think."
"He's hurting you."
"No he's not," Mai said quickly.
"You're not a very good liar."
"Madoka, please? I just want to eat my lunch."
Madoka relented and Yasuhara piped up.
"Gene won't speak to me. Still."
"These twins are more trouble than they're worth," Madoka muttered.
"No, they're not," Mai and Yasuhara retorted in unison.
"Oh sure. I give up with you both."
Madoka left.
"You like Gene, huh?" Mai asked Yasuhara quietly.
"Yeah."
"Wasn't it weird though? Paying him for…"
"Didn't you pay Lin to fix your laptop last year? It's no different."
"It's a little different," Mai said with a frown.
"How?"
"Well, there were emotions involved between you too."
Yasuhara laughed.
"You cannot sit there and tell me you do not have strong feelings for your laptop."
Mai chuckled.
"Okay, you have me there. But it's different, isn't it?"
"I don't know… I liked his company. We had a laugh. If he'd been in any other profession I would have asked him out… But I didn't want him to think I just wanted free sex." Yasuhara shrugged. "I don't know."
"I'm sorry it turned out this way," Mai said.
She took a bite of her sandwich.
"Oliver's been acting weird towards you, hasn't he?"
"Yes," she admitted. "He's stopped calling me 'Rookie' and I thought I'd be happy about that. It pissed me off so much when he started doing it… But I miss it. Yesterday, he actually called me Detective Taniyama. Like, to my face, not just because other people were there."
"Call him Detective Davis then. Maybe he'll realise how weird he's being."
"I'm not sure he'd notice. I think whatever he felt for me was fleeting and he's over it. I shouldn't date a co-worker anyway."
"We're a right mess, huh," Yasuhara muttered. "Do you want to get a drink after work? To commiserate?"
"Sure—"
"Taniyama, we have a case," Oliver called through the doorway.
He stuck his head in to check that she had heard with a raised eyebrow. Mai shoved the rest of her sandwich in her mouth, waved goodbye to Yasuhara and followed after her partner.
"What is it? What's the case?"
Oliver didn't respond, he just lead Mai down into the garage and to the car.
"Detective Davis," Mai said, stamping her foot down. "What is going on?"
"Get in the car."
"No."
"I am your superior," Oliver stated. "So get in the car."
"I will not."
Oliver took a deep breath.
"I'm not having this conversation here."
"I thought we had a case," Mai muttered. "So tell me what it is, or I'm returning to my desk."
"I want to talk to you in private."
Mai faltered.
"A-about what?"
"Get in the car. Please, Rookie…"
Mai complied. Oliver drove them through the town without speaking. Eventually, he pulled off on the side of a road, a little out of town.
"You're not going to murder me and dump the body are you?" Mai asked, looking around at their surroundings.
"No, I'm not."
"Then what's going on?"
"I've been neglecting you."
"I'm not a plant."
Oliver chose to ignore this.
"You did something for me, something I can never pay you back for. You cleared my name and you found my brother. Lin told me weeks ago that I should… But I didn't. I didn't listen to him and I let things deteriorate."
"Oliver…"
"I like you, I've liked you for a while. Lin told me I should ask you to dinner and I never did. After what happened…"
"If this is you trying to ask me out then you could inject a little more enthusiasm into your voice…"
Oliver ignored her.
"I don't think I'm in a place to be dating right now, but if you're still interested, perhaps after the trial…"
"You dragged me all the way out here for that?" Mai asked with a sigh.
"I didn't want the others listening in."
Mai laughed. Oliver glanced at her out of the side of his eye and smiled.
"You realise they could have bugged this car quite easily? And Madoka would have done that."
"Well, Lin searched my laptop so I can believe that Madoka would bug my car…"
"Oliver, I'll help you with the stuff for Gene, if you want me too."
"I—"
"Forget everything else, we're friends, Oliver. Let me help you."
"I can't let you do that."
Mai sighed again.
"You're a pain in the neck, you know that right?"
"Yes," Oliver said. "We should probably get to this crime scene."
"What?"
"We do actually have a case."
Mai rolled her eyes.
"Come on then," Mai said. "Let's get on it."
Mai was unable to take the tension in the courtroom and so she had left halfway through proceedings. She wasn't much better outside, but at least she could tap her leg without people glaring at her.
Yasuhara joined her.
"Hey."
"How's it going?" Mai asked. "What's happening?"
"Jury is deliberating or something."
"What do you think…?" Mai could not finish the question.
"He still won't look at me."
"I think he has bigger stuff on his mind," Mai pointed out. "You know, trial for manslaughter and all."
"Prosecution is saying that Gene took advantage of Miyama or something," Yasuhara muttered. "His nephew is pressing charges to try and suppress the implication that Miyama was a homosexual."
Mai shook her head.
"Their case isn't very strong though."
"Are you saying that out of hope? Or genuine conviction?" Mai asked.
"I don't know…"
Mai put her head in her hands.
"It's going to be okay, Mai."
"I know. Even if he is convicted for manslaughter it'll only be a few years."
"Unless the prosecution wins and he's put away for murder…" Yasuhara pointed out.
"I thought you said it was going to be okay?"
"Sorry."
Suddenly, the sound of hustle, bustle and scraping chairs was heard from inside the courtroom.
"They're done," Mai said, standing up.
People started filling out. She watched as a multitude of people she had never seen before exited the courtroom.
"Why can't people be cheering or something," Yasuhara muttered from behind her. "Can you see them?"
"No."
Oliver, Gene and Masako were the last three people to leave.
But Gene left with them.
"You're free to go?" Mai asked.
"The judge said he was only going to accept it if I had somewhere to go. I have to check in with social workers for the next year to show that I'm not back on the streets. Noll had to show that he could support me and stuff but—"
"It's all sorted," Masako summarised.
Mai beamed. She looked to Oliver. He yawned.
"So dinner?" Yasuhara said to the group at large. "Lin and Madoka will be off by now. Monk might join us if Ayako isn't being difficult."
"When isn't Ayako being difficult?" Mai asked under her breath.
"She's heavily pregnant, give her a break. She does have an excuse," Masako pointed out.
"Yeah, this time…"
They laughed as they left the courthouse. The group wandered down to centre of time and looked for somewhere to eat.
They let Gene pick.
He picked an Italian.
"Really?" Mai asked. "Of all the things you could pick…"
"The only meal I liked at the care home before I left was lasagne…" he mumbled.
"Lasagne is good," Oliver agreed. "When you meet my parents, I'll ask Luella to make you one."
"You can't—"
"Yes, I can," Oliver said. "I told you, she already feels guilty for not knowing you exist. A lasagne will make her feel better."
They were shown inside and about ten minutes later, Madoka, Lin and Monk turned up from work.
"What on earth are we going to do with two of them?" Monk asked.
"You're assuming I'm going to let him have anything to do with rabble like you," Oliver muttered.
"Oh, we're rabble? Are we?" Mai asked, eyebrow raised.
"No. He's rabble," Oliver replied. "And I'll throw Madoka in with him."
"Lin," Madoka said, slightly louder than necessary. "Do tell everyone here what you found on Oliver's laptop—"
"Lin wouldn't dare, that's a breach of his—" Oliver started.
"Why does Madoka know anything anyway?" Mai asked.
Oliver looked taken aback.
"Good point," he said. "Why do you know anything?" he demanded.
"Noll, I think she's winding you up," Gene mumbled.
"Oh, you spoilsport," Madoka said. "I could have had him going for at least five more minutes."
Oliver glared at Madoka, who just laughed. The waiter appeared and they all ordered. Mai decided to redirect the conversation.
"How's Ayako?"
"Like a bloated whale. Every part of her body is swollen and she's miserable," Monk replied. "She said if it takes too much longer, she's going to ask to be induced. And she blames me for it." He put on a high pitched whiny voice and said, "Only someone as slow as you could produce a baby this lazy!"
"When was her due date?" Masako asked.
"A week ago, but the doctor wasn't too worried."
"I thought there was a thing where the reason women give birth when they do is because the human body literally cannot hold a baby any bigger?" Mai asked.
"Yeah something like that," Monk said. "But Ayako does have wider hips so she'll be alright."
"I'm going to tell your wife you think she has a fat arse," Masako muttered.
"I didn't say that—"
Mai stopped paying attention for a moment. She had noticed where Yasuhara was looking. Straight at Gene.
Gene was resolutely ignoring Yasuhara.
"So Gene, what do you want to do now you're a free man?" she asked, cutting across Monk showing the sonograms that they had already all seen at least twenty times.
"I, uh… Well, we—" He gestured to Oliver. "—talked about me going back to school and stuff."
"To do your A-levels?" Mai asked.
"Well yeah, and then go from there…"
"Would you like to go to university?"
"I don't know," Gene said. "Maybe. That'd ages away."
"A-levels is a good start," Mai said, smiling. "Don't you think, Yasuhara?"
"Yeah, if that's what you want to do," Yasuhara said quickly.
He smiled and Gene half smiled back.
Progress, Mai thought.
As if the universe could sense how awkward it was at the table, Monk's phone started ringing.
"Ayako? What? Shit! Yes. I'll be there as soon as I can!"
He put the phone down and jumped up.
"I've got to go! Monk Jr is going to be born!"
"I thought you didn't know the gender," Mai muttered.
"We don't, but I'm putting my bets on a boy. I've got to go! You're all going to be godparents by the end of the night! Ahh!"
He literally ran from the restaurant.
"We can't all be godparents, " Yasuhara muttered. "I can't deal with that level of responsibility in my life."
"I want to be a godparent!" Mai said. "Then I get to dote on the kid! It's going to be so much fun!"
"Yeah. Crying, whining and pooing," Oliver muttered. "Sounds delightful."
"Don't you want kids?" Yasuhara asked him.
"Eh, I might. But I don't like the idea of cleaning up someone else's kid's poo…"
"Noll would make the worst parent," Madoka said.
"No he wouldn't," Lin countered. "Maybe not so good when they're young. But as soon as they start being interesting. You know, when they're learning and can talk and stuff…"
"Yeah, he's a good teacher," Mai said. "I mean look how much he's helped me as a detective."
She saw the corners of Oliver's lips upturn a little at her words.
"You're a good detective," he said.
"I think that's the nicest thing he's ever said," Madoka said. "Did anyone record that?"
The food turned up before the potential argument could flourish. Everyone tucked in with relish. It had been a long day after all.
"This is so good," Gene said through a mouthful of lasagne. "I could die happy, right now."
"Please don't."
A week after the trial, and the birth of Ayako and Monk's daughter, Naoko, Mai and Oliver went on their first date.
Oliver chose the restaurant, as the fussier of the two eaters. He went for a tapas bar — on Gene's suggestion.
"Why tapas?" Mai asked as they entered.
"Gene said that sharing food is a good ice breaker and I haven't had tapas in years."
They were shown to their table and ordered they drinks.
"Did you think we'd need an icebreaker?"
"I decided to prepare just in case," Oliver said.
Mai smiled.
"How's Gene?" she asked.
"He's fine. He's looking at colleges and stuff. He can't start until September, but one or two have short courses he can do before then."
"Does he not want to work until then?"
"I think if the incident hadn't happened, he would have continued quite happily in his previous line of work," Oliver said. "But after being attacked, he's not so keen."
"We could definitely get him something at the station. They've been looking for someone to clear out the evidence locker for ages…"
"I think he'd want to stay away from disturbing images for a while."
"Oh yeah, good point."
The waitress returned with their drinks and they quickly looked at the menu.
"Should we each just pick a couple of dishes?" Mai asked.
"Yes."
They did just that.
"Yasuhara is still upset Gene won't speak with him," Mai commented.
"Yeah I know," Oliver replied. "Gene… I told him they should talk but…"
"I understand he's upset but Yasuhara didn't lie to him, he just didn't tell him the whole truth and it's not like he arrested him or anything. I only found him because one of the other streetwalkers snitched on him…"
"I think he liked Yasuhara and it feels like a betrayal to him. I'm hoping once things have settled down he'll come round. But it might be too soon for that sort of thing anyway."
"He should probably get counselling."
"Yeah, I was going to ask Mum to talk to him. She wants to meet him anyway…"
"Have you still not introduced them?"
"Gene keeps wanting to put it off," Oliver said.
"Maybe we should do it at a group thing, so the pressure is less."
"We?" Oliver asked, eyebrow raised.
"Sorry," Mai said quickly. "I just—"
"I understand, you want to help."
"Yeah."
Oliver smiled.
"Perhaps you have a good idea there though," he said. "Ayako and Monk want to christen Naoko right?"
"Yes?"
"My parents have a large garden. We could throw a party for them. I can then introduce you as my girlfriend and Gene as my brother and Luella will have a lot to deal with so she won't be fixated on one thing…"
"Oh so I'm your girlfriend now?"
"Do you want to be?" Oliver asked, straight faced.
Mai studied him for a moment.
"Yeah okay then."
Oliver smiled. Mai smiled back.
Their food arrived and they begun to tuck in. Sharing plates of calamari and croquettes.
"This place is really good," Mai said. "Why have I not had tapas more?"
"You obviously haven't been on a decent date in a while…"
Mai laughed.
"I haven't been on a date in a while," she admitted. "A long while…"
"Because of me?" Oliver asked.
Mai shrugged.
"Partially. My last proper boyfriend was a bit of a dick really. He put me off dating for a while. Then I moved to this station and started working with you and… Well I was out with Masako one evening and a guy asked me out and I realised that I was waiting for you to ask me out."
"How long ago was that?" Oliver asked with a slight frown.
Mai looked away.
"Maybe a year or so ago…" she whispered.
"Oh…"
Mai ate another piece of calamari.
"When… When did you…" she trailed off, unable to finish her question.
But Oliver got the gist.
"It started when you stood up to me."
"What?"
"On our second case, I think? You told me I was wrong and then went and proved it. My last partner was scared of me so…"
"You did have a bit of a reputation," Mai said. "That's why my previous captain put me forward for this role. They didn't like me very much because I called them out on their sexist bullshit so they figured that you'd get rid of me…"
"That backfired for them."
"Yeah."
Oliver smiled.
"I'm glad it did."
"Me too."
The christening party was a great success. As Oliver suspected, Luella had been torn so many different ways that not one of her victims suffered too greatly. She gushed over the new baby. She interrogated Mai. She offered help to Gene.
Oliver managed to avoid the baby for the most part. He sat with his father and Lin, and watched Mai playing with some of Monk's young cousins. He knew that off to one side, Gene was finally talking to Yasuhara. From the snippets he overheard, it sounded like they were talking about food. Good. A safe topic.
Things were going okay.
He began to smile, but his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was the Chief.
"Davis, I'm sorry to call you on your day off, but we have a big murder case. I need you and Taniyama on it right away. I can't get hold of her though."
"We're at Monk and Ayako's kid's christening party. She turned her phone off," Oliver explained.
"Great, I'll send you the location."
The Chief hung up.
Lin looked around.
"Work?"
"Yeah."
He stood up, stretched and pocketed his phone.
"Rookie," he called. Mai looked around with a frown. "We have a case." He tossed her the keys. "You can drive."
She beamed, and led the way.
Author's note: This is a little late but I also have no more fresh work to give you all... And nanowrimo has now started so nothing new is going to come until December and I feel really bad... Sorry...
