Disclaimer: All characters in Ghost Hunt are the creation of the Goddess Ono Fuyumi-sama.

"She killed everyone," Lin growled as Mai opened her door.

"What?!" Mai exclaimed in horror.

"The book," he clarified as he pushed past her into her apartment.

Mai sighed in relief, raising a hand to her chest to calm herself.

"Please," she begged, "don't do that!"

"I can't help it," he mumbled angrily as he roughly toed off his shoes. He absently kicked them aside.

"What happened this time?" Mai sighed in resignation.

"She killed everyone," he restated, "and then left him to wander the earth alone for all of eternity."

"Some people are into that," Mai shrugged. "Don't you remember Romeo and Juliet?"

Lin stared at her in shock. He was so enraged by her statement that he jerkily raised his hands to rest on his waist.

"Lover's suicide is not romantic," he said bitterly, glaring at her.

When Mai offered nothing in response, Lin turned away from her to pace uneasily back and forth, silently fuming for several minutes. Every so often, he blew puffs of air through his nose like an angry bull.

Finally, seemly unable to bear it any longer, Lin exhaled loudly and unceremoniously collapsed onto Mai's couch. He closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"Lin-san," Mai exclaimed, running over to him.

He was red in the face and breathing heavily. Worrying for his health, Mai lifted her hand to his forehead.

"Just leave it," he muttered in irritation, trying to swat her hand away.

"Stop it," Mai said peevishly, "you have a fever. Don't get so worked up."

Lin waved his hand, indifferent to his state of health.

"Wait here," Mai instructed. "I'll be right back."

Lin remained silent as he inwardly ranted about the injustice of the world. He wondered why bad things always had to happen to good people.

Mai sighed, slowly rising to go fetch a cool washcloth. When she returned, she knelt in front of him, attempting to place it on Lin's feverish forehead.

"I don't want it," he said tersely, trying to push her hand away again.

They struggled against each other for several moments before Mai finally gave up.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed in frustration, throwing the washcloth aside. "Stop being such a baby!"

Opening his eyes, Lin squirmed to sit up. He wanted to be in a better position to address her.

"But Taniyama-san," he said, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees. He stared at her with a crinkled brow. "They were so in love."

"So?" she responded coldly.

"Why are you being so insensitive?" Lin asked, deepening his frown.

"It's your mood," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest, "it's affecting me."

Lin looked at her in disbelief. "I'm upset!"

"Then cry," Mai suggested, fed up with his fit.

"You know I can't," he replied testily.

Mai rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up already."

"Make me!" Lin yelled.

"I will!" Mai yelled back, moving forward.

She roughly grabbed his face, bringing his mouth to hers in a crushing kiss. She lightly nipped at his bottom lip for good measure.

"Ow," Lin said, pulling back. "Taniyama-san, don't be so rough."

"Sorry," she murmured as she softened her grip on his face.

Lin sighed softly, releasing the last of his anger.

"Oh, my poor, soft-hearted Lin-san," Mai whispered sympathetically, "didn't I tell you not to read those books anymore?"

"Yes," he grumbled, looking down. His face held a soft scowl.

"They never turn out happy, do they?" she asked.

"No," he grumbled yet again.

"See," Mai said.

"But they went through so much!" Lin argued. "I thought they'd get to be together in the end."

"You're such a baby," Mai sighed.

"Am not," Lin whined.

Mai quirked her eyebrow in amusement.

"Give me a hug," she said firmly, leaving no room for argument.

"Fine," Lin pouted, wrapping his arms around her.

"Such a baby," Mai laughed.

"Be quiet," Lin mumbled into the crook of her neck.

"Make me," Mai said, pulling back.

"I will," he whispered before gently kissing her lips.

After several moments, Mai ended the kiss, sighing.

"I think this is why you read those books," she murmured against his lips.

"Mm," Lin hummed, kissing her again. "You know me so well."

"Masochist," Mai accused playfully.

"You love it," he insisted, resting his head against hers.

"No," Mai gently argued, "I love you."

"I thought so," Lin smirked.

"Why do I even bother," Mai sighed in mock exasperation.

"Because I love you, too," he whispered as he kissed her once again.

Author's Note:

So yeah, I finished reading a LinxMai story today that I was sorely disappointed in. I was enjoying it, but then it took a turn for the worse. I won't bad mouth anyone because everyone has different tastes, but I was definitely unhappy that lots of people died. Not gonna lie, I've read some LinxMai character death fics and have been moved by them, but my philosophy is: if you're going to kill one of them, at least kill them both so they can be together in death rather than live the rest of their lives in agony over it. They don't deserve that even if they are fictional... Anyway, I needed this to vent. Let's say my reaction was worse than Lin-san's.