Over Rain and Hot Chocolate by Gaki

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is a Tatsumi/Watari fic Shiroi-ama-ama challenged me to write. It's only hinting of them... actually.. I don't even think it's hinting anything between them.. *sweatdrops* I'm so sorry Shiori-chama! ^^;; I tired my hardest to write this fic. I hope you enjoy it!

//flashbacks//

Rain makes us realize just how lonely we are....

Soft warm steam drifted slowly upwards from dark hot chocolate. Plush pink lips formed a small 'o' and blew across the surface of the drink gently. A slender face, slightly pale skin a result from lack of sunlight; finely arched eyebrows toping off laughing golden-brown eyes playing hide-and-seek behind thin framed glasses which did nothing to dull the beauty of those forever smiling eyes. Tall slender nose turn up just slightly at the tip, as if asking for a stranger to plant a small innocent kiss on it, rose above slightly pink cheeks on either side. Lush rose painted lips smiled softly as the delicious smell of melted chocolate floated up to that pert nose. A sigh was recongized in the eerily silent room void of any lifeform beside the form leaning it's back against the countertop of the breakroom.

Tap-tap-ta-ta-tap went the raindrops playing against the windows. The head covered in sunshine locks turned slightly to the right to watch the rain trail down the slick surface of the glass. Another sigh was registered as soft lips meet with the warm rim of the cup in hand. He slowly set the cup down on the table infront of him and sat down on the chair. Crossing his arms out on the table infront of him, he yawned as he rested his golden head on them and slowly closed those smiling eyes as the sound of the raindrops singing along the windows lulled him to sweet slumber.

In the back of his mind, he pondered slightly, wondering why he felt as if he'd forgotten about something. But soon, his thoughts were put to rest as the old faithful Sandman greeted him with a happy smile.

=====

In the slightly darken room of the office of the Shoukan Division, a lone form sat at his desk, fingers moving swiftly across a calculator as sharp blue eyes looked from paper to paper. Bills stacked upon piles of older bills littered the once dark blue surface of the cool desk as skillful hands sweaped across the loads of paper to pick up a pen to write down his calculations. He stopped, straighten up and yawned widely. Placing that same pen down on the table, he rested his elbows on the stack of papers and rubbed his tired eyes.

In the silence of the room he listened carefully to the soft drumming of the rain. He suddered slightly at the cold air hovering around him. Eyes scanned across the room, jumping from one desk to another. Everyone had gone home hours ago, but he stayed behind to finish up his work. He hated leaving anything unfinished. Reaching for the pen again, he pondered slightly, wondering why he felt as if something was missing in the now empty room.

//The soft tap-dancing of the rain on the windows drummed in his ear as he filed some papers into the drawers. He was so caught up in his work, that he didn't notice a figure covered in a white coat drift into the room. He jumped slightly when a joyful voice rang out from behind him.

"Konban wa, Tatsumiii!! Staying in late again I see!"

After catching his breath, he turned around to cast his stern blue eyes to laughing golden ones.

"Watari-san..."//

Done.

Pushing his chair back as he stood up, he crossed the room, heading for the filing cabinet. Pulling out a drawer he carefully went across the name tag of each folder before placing the stack of paper in hand into the correct one. He turned around slowly, letting his clear blue eyes scan the room once again. Emptiness greeted him with cold arms. Fine brown eyebrows frowned slightly, wondering why it was so cold. Sitting down he remembered slightly, that the room wasn't this cold before...

//Golden eyes danced wildy as a head surrounded by sunshine grinned up at him. "I was passing by after making something to drink and heard something so I thought I have a look see to see who was in here. I didn't think I'd see you, Tatsumi!"

A sigh. "Watari-san-"

"I mean." The sunny figure went on. "I thought it was Kachou locking up his office, or bon forgetting his book. You're usually the one home early because you always have your work done in time."

"Watari-san-" He tried again.

"But finding you here is great too! I mean, I was expecting either Kachou or Tsuzuki-"

"Watari-san!"

Golden eyes blinked. "Hai, Tatsumi?"

He rubbed his forehead. "What are you doing here, Watari-san?"

He was answered with a bright smile that illuminated the dim room. "To keep you company!"//

It was the soft sound of something hitting against the hard glass that made him lose his concentration. Looking up from another one of Tsuzuki's bills he noticed something sitting outside the ledge of the window. Muttering under his breath, he got up and walked over to the window. Bending down just a bit to look at the little thing hitting the window, his eyes widen slightly when he realized what, or rather, who it was. Standing back up quickly, he unlocked the window and lifted it up, letting the small wet owl into the room.

"... what are you doing out in the rain?" He asked quietly as it hopped onto his arm, fluffling it's feathers and drying itself, making him slightly wet in the process.

003 answered him with a loud 'hoot' and continued to dry itself. He raised an eyebrow. "Really.. Watari-san is so forgetful sometimes." Walking back to his desk with the owl still on his arm, he sat down and stared at it for awhile. "Well... you'll just have to stay with me until I finish my work. Then I'll help you find your..." He wondered slightly at what he should say. Master? Partner? Friend? He shook his head and tried again. "I'll help you find Watari-san after I finish with Tsuzuki-san's bills."

//"Nee! What are you working on, Tatsumi?" Watari asked as he looked over his shoulder.

He gave the long haired man a weary look and answered. "Tsuzuki-san's bills."

Eyes widen behind metal rimmed glasses. A small whistle was heard. "So that's what's keeping you back."

He sighed. "Hai hai. And if you'd leave me alone, Watari-san. I can finish this quicker."

A meek smile and the man backed away from him, only to slide a chair next to his desk and place his drink on the table. He gave the man a look. "What are you doing, Watari-san?"

The blonde rolled his eyes and answered as if he were talking to a child. "I'm keeping you company, Tatsumi!"//

Almost done, if only that bird would stop getting in his way and giving him that look. Slightly annoyed he looked up from his work and glared at the owl. "What is it now?"

It only looked back at him with large brown eyes asking silently, "Where's Watari? Are we going to go look for him now?"

He sighed. "I have work to do right now. We'll go find Watari-san after I'm done."

A loud hoot.

"I have to finish these bills now."

Two loud hoots.

".... I can't believe I'm talking to an owl..."

Fluffled feathers and three loud hoots.

A sigh. "Okay. Okay.. fine.. we'll do it your way. We'll go find Watari-san." He picked up the stack of papers and stuffed them underneath his arms and waited for the bird to hop onto his shoulder. 003 happily did so and hooted into his ear softly as if to say smugly, "I knew you'd see it my way." He snorted. "Birds."

Walking out of the office, he was greeted by the darkness of the hallway. Fully knowing where he was headed, he started towards the golden shinigami's office. He noticed many things he usually didn't have the time to as he walked down that darken pathway. Like how his shoes clicked loudly and bounced along the walls, chasing after him before fading out. Like how strangely cold it was even though there were no windows in the hallway to let any cold wind in.

Upon reaching Watari's office, he knocked before entering. Not getting any response from the otherside, he cracked open the door just a bit.

"Watari-san? Are you in here?"

Blue eyes wandered around the now dark room. It was strange to see no light coming from Watari's office. There would usually be loud explosions sounding off every ten seconds, telling everyone and anyone not to enter unless they wanted to die again. He looked around the room again, making sure he didn't miss anything. Backing away slowly he closed the door and glanced over at the owl sitting on his shoulder.

"He's not in there."

003 hooted and stubbornly sat on his shoulder, telling him in it's own way that it wasn't leaving until they found the missing shinigami. He sighed in defeat. "You're lucky I'm not charging you anything for this."

003 gave him a look.

A chuckle echoed in the blacken hallway as man and bird wandered deeper.

"I know."

//A cup was offered to him. He blinked, looking at dark warm swirls of rich brown.

The man behind the cup smiled. "Try some! It's really good!"

He gave the man a weary look.

A sheepish grin. "I didn't add anything into it, Tatsumi! Honest!"

He didn't believe him. "Unlike Tsuzuki-san, Watari-san. I don't fall for these tricks." He gently pushed the cup back to it's owner, ignoring the hurt pout that bloomed on pink lips.

"Hidoi, Tatsumi."

He resisted the urge to chuckle.//

There was only one place left to look. Why hadn't he looked in this room in the first place? "I'm turning more and more into Tsuzuki-san," he muttered amusingly to himself. The bird looked at him as if it were agreeing with him.

A lightly tanned hand reached out and pushed the door of the breakroom. A sigh of relief was let out as a set of blue eyes and brown eyes took in the sight before them. Resting his yellow head on the table, was the sleeping Watari. A still warm cup of what seems to be hot chocolate rested not too far away from where his hand was. Tatsumi walked in and let the owl down beside the other man. He rested his hands on his hip.

"Well.. we found him." He said as he looked down at the sleeping man.

Warm silky sun colored hair fanned out around a slender face, long lashes kissed lightly blushing cheeks as the steady breathing filled the quiet room. He really must be heading back to the office to finish his work, but the sight before him seemed so much more inviting than having to head back into that cold dark hallway, and this time, without the little bird hooting in his ear. He glanced at the little owl, who was now happily sitting on Watari's head.

A twitch of the lips. "I guess I could finish the rest of my work here." With that out, he pulled out the chair quietly, as to not waken the peacfully sleeping man next to him. Placing the bills out before him, he found himself looking at the warm cup of hot chocolate. Warm steam was still floating up slowly from the dark liquid, filling the room with the delicious smell of slowly melted chocolate mixed with heated milk and poured neatly into a cup.

Unable to stop himself, he reached out a hand and picked up the cup, lifting it up to smell the sweet aroma of the drink. He closed his eyes as he drank the liquid, letting it slowly warm him from the inside out as it made it's pleasant journey down his throat. After a minute, he placed the cup back and watched the other man sleep. He realized suddenly what had been missing...

//"I don't need you to keep me company, Watari-san." He said as he filed another stack of papers.

He didn't see a soft smile and a wistful glance. "But don't you know, Tatsumi?"

"What, Watari-san?" He turned around then just as the man picked up his hot chocolate, drinking it before answering him. An amused smile played on slightly wet pink lips as golden eyes chuckled sideways at him. "Rainy days aren't ment to be spent alone. They're ment to be spent with a friend, talking over hot chocolate."

A raised eyebrow. "Hot chocolate?"

A face beautifully surrounded by golden sunshine, laughing warm eyes hiding behind thin rimmed glasses, a tall pert nose, slightly blushing cheeks and a lush pink mouth turned to face him. How can a grin make a room so bright and warm? "Hai, Tatsumi. Hot chocolate."//

A gentle smile formed on his lips. Looking away from the sleeping man, he went right back to work on Tsuzuki's bills. As the rain drummed against the window, he noted something was different in this room.

Another smile lighted his face.

This room was warm.