Wow... I just realized how long it's been since I last updated... I'm so sorry! But, good news everybody! My mother has finally decided I'm crazy enough to need a therapist, so my life is about to get very interesting! Oh, and I got a new computer! Yay! Yup, so, I still have no idea where this story is going, please enjoy this filler chapter and send me ideas for where you want this plot to lead!
Watari cautiously walked back into Hisoka's office. The boy was once again dutifully working at his papers and doing a very good job of ignoring Watari.
"Bon? Are you really okay?" He knew asking again wasn't going to get him any where, knew that Hisoka would just give him another fake answer, but he couldn't help himself from trying. He had never been good at dealing with people, computers just made more sense to him. Hisoka took a deep breath, set his pen down on the desk slowly, and folded his hands together.
"Really, I am. I mean, sure, it was an awful experience, but I'm sure there are worse things out there." He shrugged, brushing off the concern. Watari knew he shouldn't just drop it and accept such an answer, but he didn't know how to proceed.
"Can you look me in the eyes and tell me that?" Watari had been watching Hisoka's face the entire time and the boy had yet to meet his gaze. Hisoka looked up slowly, his blonde hair falling away from his face, piercing green eyes glaring at him. Under the cold exterior though, Watari saw a deep well of pain and sadness. There were dark circles under his eyes that suggested Hisoka hadn't been sleeping well.
"I'm fine. Please, I need to work." Hisoka spoke quietly and Watari nodded, standing up.
"I'll be down in my lab. Come see me if you need anything. Hisoka nodded in agreement and Watari left, disappointed with himself. When it really came down to it, he was a coward, always running away from people. He laughed ironically at himself and went down to continue the ongoing battle with his lab. It always seemed to get dirty somehow.
Hisoka let out the breath he had been holding. Finally, he was left alone again. Every time he had to smile or say he was fine just built up the pressure he was feeling in his chest and left him wanting to scream. He knew he was avoiding the problem, but he didn't really care anymore.
Tatsumi opened the door for Tsuzuki, motioning the man inside his house.
"Can I make you anything? Tea? Or are you hungry?" Tatsumi sat Tsuzuki down at the kitchen table and bustled around, putting the kettle on the stove for tea. When Tsuzuki didn't answer, Tatsumi turned around to look at him. He was staring out the window, watching the cherry blossoms fall off of the tree just outside Tatsumi's house.
"Oy, Tsuzuki! Have you eaten anything lately? I know you have amazing healing powers, but even you still need to eat." Tatsumi crossed the floor and lightly shook Tsuzuki by the shoulders.
"Oh, I'm fine." He smiled and in that smile Tatsumi saw nothing more than a childlike simplistic happiness. The Tsuzuki he knew was locked away in some dark place inside the man's thick head. Tatsumi let him be and started to re-heat the soup he had eaten for dinner a few days ago. He set the steaming bowl down in front of Tsuzuki and handed him a spoon.
"It's hot, be careful." Tatsumi walked away to clean up what little mess he had made while preparing the food, but quickly turned around when he heard a loud gasp of pain. Tsuzuki in his dazed state had taken a huge gulp of the hot liquid, presumably burning his tongue. Tatsumi sighed and got an ice cube out of the freezer. He knew he would heal fast, but it still had to be uncomfortable to have a burn on your tongue. He handed it to Tsuzuki and put another one in his bowl.
"I told you to be careful. Why don't you ever listen?" Tatsumi knew he was pretty much talking to himself by this point, but didn't really care. Tsuzuki nodded blankly and took another sip of soup.
"It's good, thanks, Tatsumi." Tsuzuki finished the bowl and sat there, once again staring out the window. Tatsumi knew how much effort it had taken on his part to say thank you and was glad Tsuzuki still had some presence of mind left.
"Are you tired again? Do you want to sleep some more? I think that would be the best thing for you now." Tsuzuki nodded in consent and Tatsumi led him into his bedroom. Tsuzuki crawled into bed looking for all the world like an adorable little child. Tatsumi was about to close the door when Tsuzuki called out to him.
"Tatsumi? Can you... stay?" He looked down nervously, as if waiting for a rejection. Tatsumi smiled kindly.
"Of course I will. Tsuzuki, you know I'll always be there for you." He went to sit on the bed next to Tsuzuki, who put his head in Tatsumi's lap and sighed. Tatsumi began running his hands through Tsuzuki's dark hair from habit over anything else, but soon found it relaxing for both him and Tsuzuki. Tatsumi watched as those purple eyes slowly drooped closed and as the perfect chest began moving at a steady, regular pace as his breathing slowed in the clutches of sleep.
"I love you, Tsuzuki." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and Tatsumi was grateful for Tsuzuki's ability to fall asleep quickly. He leaned his head back against the wall and continued stroking Tsuzuki's head. He didn't want to move lest he disturb the man sleeping on him, so he closed his own eyes, thinking to get a bit of rest himself.
It was dark when he opened his eyes again and a quick glance to the clock revealed it was three in the morning. Well, that's what you get when you go to sleep in the afternoon. Tsuzuki was still sleeping soundly and Tatsumi knew that if he just let him be the man could sleep forever, especially in his current state. He carefully moved Tsuzuki to the side and stood up to stretch. He knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep so he walked to the front room to grab some papers he was supposed to be going over. He turned his bedside lamp on and climbed back into bed after throwing on some more comfortable clothes. Tsuzuki noticed either the light or the change in pressure on the bed, but he groaned and rolled over closer to Tatsumi, pressing his face into the secretary's side. Tatsumi smiled to himself and started back in on his work.
Hours later, when the sky was starting to lighten again, Tsuzuki finally opened his eyes. He lay there for a moment, gazing up at Tatsumi who had yet to notice he was awake. At last, Tatsumi stretched and looked down to check on Tsuzuki.
"Good morning. How long have you been awake?" Tatsumi set his papers on the bedside table and put his glasses on top, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache.
"Not long. But I feel a lot better, thank you." Tatsumi handed Tsuzuki a glass of water he had gotten earlier that morning when he first woke up and Tsuzuki drank it gratefully.
"That's good. Do you want to do anything or are you happy here? I'm taking a little time off work." He paused as Tsuzuki looked pointedly at the stack of papers next to him. "Or, at least
I'm taking some time off going into the office. I thought this would be a good chance to take a little vacation." Tatsumi smiled.
"You mean you got stuck babysitting me again." Tsuzuki frowned and was probably going to say more, but Tatsumi shut him up with a glare.
"Don't ever say that. I am here of my own free will and don't you forget it!" Tsuzuki was a little shocked at Tatsumi's strong reaction, but he nodded in agreement.
"Okay then. Why don't we go get some breakfast? What do you say to some waffles, I know you like those." Tsuzuki nodded and Tatsumi went to go get dressed.
Watari finished yet another cup of coffee and looked down proudly at his latest potion. It was an energy potion and he took a big gulp of the bright yellow liquid, feeling it's effects immediately. Yet another night had been spent in his lab without much sleep. The day before he had continued to check in with Hisoka every hour or so, but the boy just waved him away and eventually his visits became less frequent. Watari looked at the clock. He received quite a shock when he realized it was already five in the morning. A thought crossed his mind. Had Hisoka gone home eventually? Watari rushed out of his lab and ran up the stairs, his new boost of energy helping tremendously. He quietly pushed open the door and saw Hisoka asleep at his desk, papers scattered everywhere. Well, at least he had gotten some sleep. He left him snoozing on the desk and retreated back downstairs, leaving his owl to keep and eye on the teen.
Please please please review! Thanks to the cool new traffic graph thingy, I know there are lots of people reading this! Unless, you know, it's just an accident you're clicking on this, which in that case means I only have about four readers... Oh well, that's life! *Author shamelessly using pity to get reviews*
