"Are you worried that things will move too fast with Atsuko? I mean her being an empath has to make you feel slightly off balance."

"It does. But honestly, I think she might be just what I need. Since the accident I haven't really fully been myself. I've let myself lock away some of my emotions, and I think she will help be the one to help me realize that sharing the things I have been going through will help me to move past them." It wasn't easy for him to talk about this now, even with Mai. But he knew his brother was already on his way, and that he had to face the music sometime.

He watched as Mai's mouth turned down slightly at the corners. "Are you afraid of things potentially moving too fast?"

"I made out with her within days of knowing her. Things have already moved exceptionally fast." He paused to linger over those stolen moments that the two had shared in the hallway of the first case that they had taken since himself, Noll, and Lin had come back to Japan. It was hard to verbalize but the whole moment just seemed so right. It was what kept him from being overly concerned but he didn't want to tell Mai this. So instead he only shared half of what he was feeling. "I'm really not worried about things going too fast though. I lost just over a year by being trapped in a coma. I need to start truly living my life again. If it means a whirlwind romance with someone that immediately jump started my heart within only a moment of knowing her then so be it."

Yes this was all true enough but he wasn't ready yet to shout it from the rooftops how perfect things felt with Atsuko. Luckily he didn't have to because his brother had finally arrived, and he could sneak out and head his way to visit with Atsuko.

It was surprising that the walls in the conference room were able to suppress so much sound. The minute Gene headed out into the main entrance way he was overwhelmed by the cacophony that echoed off the surrounding walls.

It shouldn't have surprised him that the noise he was hearing was conjured up from an argument between Monk and Ayako. Sometimes he wondered how the two were even a couple. All he ever saw them do was fight. But perhaps the two showed more affection behind closed doors.

Gene was sure that Atsuko was probably the most aware about the monk and the miko's feelings than anyone else in the building. But he knew better than to ask about it. If she wanted to share something like that she would, and he would just have to be patient for it.

He got into the elevator and clicked the corresponding button that indicated the top floor. It wasn't long before he heard the tell tale ding and was stepping into the hallway. He looked around trying to get his bearings. He hadn't been up here much so he had to stop and remember which direction her room was in. It only took him moments to remember that she had done her best to seclude herself from the others and that her room was tucked in the far corner.

Gene began his trek that direction only to stop and nod at the former priest as he was pacing back and forth in front of a door. Was he debating on visiting with Akane? That was definitely an interesting development. But he knew that John had a lot of emotional red tape to go through before he could even begin to develop a relationship with the young woman. Not just on her side but on his as well. With his plan on becoming a priest he probably had never considered a romantic future for himself and working on one now with anyone would prove to be difficult. Working on it with someone who had seen a lot of nastiness and negativity in her life would definitely be even more so challenging.

Once Gene arrived at Atsuko's door he lifted his fist to rap on the door but hesitated. He could just make out noises inside. Her feet rapidly moving across the floor. A loud thud and curse followed by a short laugh. When she answered the door her hair was falling out of the ponytail she had placed it in and the short robe she was wearing was misaligned and crooked. This fact had the material gaping enough to give him a glimpse of the short satiny fabric she was wearing underneath.

He felt his blood shooting through his system as he looked her in the eyes. "I hope you don't answer the door like this often."

Her mouth formed an 'O' shape in surprise. "Oh, no. Not at all. It's just... I knew it was you, and I didn't want to keep you waiting." Admitting that she didn't want to keep him waiting was more than she meant to verbalize. So, she took a deep breath before continuing on the conversation with a slightly different train of thought. "I wouldn't have gotten ready for bed so early if I had known you were coming back tonight."

His hand reached out to her. Taking one of her long loose strands of hair and curling it around his finger. "I would be lying if I were to say that I regret not calling to inform you of the plans. However, there is definitely a part of me that is thankful for forgetting to call."

Her face heated even more as her abilities took in his emotions, enabling her with the ability to feel them as if they were her own. "Yes, I can definitely sense that parts of you are very enthusiastically cheering the oversight." She would have chuckled at her own comment if she hadn't been so overwhelmed with need.

He pushed her back into her room and let himself in behind her kicking the door shut with his foot. "I am not sure I want a potential audience to my 'enthusiastic cheering' as you put it. I was never into the idea of being a cheerleader."

"Not even with the chance to openly grope the girls when helping them into lifts and tricks?"

"If you are about to tell me that you used to be a cheerleader I may have to reconsider my previous thoughts on the matter."

If it weren't for the fact that she knew he was teasing she might have felt a bit hurt by the comment. It was never easy to explain to anyone how she hadn't been able to form any real solid relationships of any kind before. She had been exceptionally lucky to end up with the people she was surrounding herself with now. She was even happier to work with kids with special abilities. They didn't have to attempt to be 'normal,' and had a place where they could easily cultivate and grow their personalities and abilities without fear of being ridiculed or ostracized.

"I think I lost you for a second." The heat from his hand on her cheek had her resurfacing from her thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry."

His concern swept her up in a reassuring blanket. "Was it something I said?" A tinge of guilt peeking through had her reaching up to place her hand on his own in reassurance.

"Not exactly. I just momentarily wondered how different our lives growing up must have been."

Gene nodded. "True enough. That doesn't mean I can't sympathize though. I mean look at my brother. I might not have lived his life but I was with him almost every step of the way through our telepathic link. I may have been the more 'normal' of the two of us, and because of this had a more 'normal' social life. But, there were times I wish I did have a quarter of his abilities."

"You have your own."

He nodded. "Yup, I do. But it was never something that would keep me out of having a regular education. Although, I did actually go to a private school rather than public. My parents insisted."

"Were you a troublemaker or one to follow the rules to the letter?" Atsuko dragged him to the couch.

Gene waited until they were seated before considering her question. "Somewhere in between. Some of the rules simply didn't make any sense to me so I challenged them in my own mischievous way." He smiled at her. Atsuko found she liked the way his eyes crinkled at the sides when he smiled.

"Is it weird if I say I feel like we have known each other for years rather than a little over a month?"

He gently pushed her back down so she was lying prone against the couch and leaned in against her. "If that's the case then does that mean I can pretty much get away with anything." He leered down at her.

Her face became heated and she knew he was partially being serious with his threat. But luckily she could also sense his mirth swirling around his arousal. "Nope, but I have missed your lips."

"Then we will just have to get them reacquainted won't we." As he vocalized this promise he leaned further into her. He pushed her left leg to the side so he could jigsaw their bodies closer together. He would regret it later but right now he just wanted to feel how her curves fit against his more angular body. Once his chest was planted firmly against her own he could feel how her nipples pebbled through the sheer pieces of fabric she wore and his own cotton t-shirt. He shifted his hips, and they both moaned as he was now cradled perfectly against her body. He took that opportunity to fully capture her lips. His tongue immediately tangling with her own. He placed his hands on the arm of the couch behind her head so he could keep himself upright while exploring the recesses of her mouth. Her hands moved to his hair raking through the shorter strands.

He had just moved his hands down to the belt that cinched the panels of fabric together when he heard a niggling at his mind. Atsuko felt his annoyance immediately. "What is it?"

"My brother."

I just dropped Mai off at her door. Are you quite ready to go?

"Lin already went home to talk to Madoka, and Noll is my ride back to our place. Apparently he's ready to get back."

Gene groaned into his brother's head. No, but since you are my ride I guess I have no choice in the matter. I'll be down in two minutes. Give me that long to give Atsuko a proper goodbye.

If you are not down in two minutes I will mentally pester you with my singing.

He snorted aloud. "He's threatening to mentally sing to me."

We have the same singing voice! How is our melodic tune supposed to annoy me?

I could sing a rousing rendition of John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt, or I Henry the 8th I am.

Ew...yeah okay then. I will be down in two minutes. Gene couldn't keep the grimace from forming on his face. "Okay, yeah he is definitely threatening me."

Thirty seconds have already elapsed. You now have a minute and a half.

You, brother dear, are a thorn in my side. I did not bother you when you were telling Mai goodbye.

Only because the idea didn't occur to you.

"I'm going to remember this to punish him with later."

"You mean when he is off alone with Mai?"

"Damn straight."

Gene groaned again. Get out of my head and let me say goodbye!

Very well.

"Excuse me for saying this Atsuko. But my brother is a huge cock block."

Instead of being offended Atsuko laughed instead. The amusement shook her whole body and since he was still against her had interesting effects on his anatomy.

"Hm. However your enjoyment at my expense seems to have a revitalizing effect." He snuggled in close to her and felt her moan all the way to his toes when she felt how much she was affecting him against her core. "I really do need to tell you goodbye before he does start singing. Or worse yet breaking down the door."

"We'll have to continue this later."

"I'll hold you to that." He waggled his eyebrows at her before getting up and adjusting his clothing.

Once he met up with his brother again in the lobby. He glared at him. "We are going to have to something that means to telepathically stay out. Otherwise we are going to be telepathic cock blocks to each other for the rest of our lives."

Noll smirked at his brother. "You haven't even went on a date yet. You couldn't have gotten that far yet."

"No, but things were about to at least get really interesting before you stuck your nose in where it didn't belong." Gene only had just realized that Ayako and Monk were no longer in the lobby themselves when the glass door hit him on the ass before following Noll to his car.

"So, should we make our first dates with the girls a double date?"

Gene scowled at that concept. "Hell no!" He reconsidered for a second. "But we could plan to go out the same night just so you can drop Atsuko and I off at a separate location."

"That's a waste of petrol."

"It's better than wasting money on a taxi."

"Hm. Yes, but how were you going to be picked up after the date ended?"

Gene grumbled for a moment. "We'll work something out! Idiot Scientist, always has to have the last word."

"Not always."

"See? That's my point exactly you could have left that comment alone but you still had to make some kind of retort."

"Huh? I guess I do, do that."

Gene groaned in annoyance and took a seat in the car. He stared out the passenger window as the landscape passed him by.  

I'm a bit behind in all my stories.  I have been having daily massive headaches and it has delayed my ability to write.  So, next month I will probably update this story only once instead of twice.  If that changes between now and then you will have an author's note to let you know.