Author's Notes: Finished! Finally done! This is the last part, folks... thank you all so very, very much for reviewing. As I type this even now, this story has the most reviews I've ever received for -anything- on ff.net. You're all so good to me! *heart*
Incidentally, I have no -idea- what my next fic will be. Requests are appreciated. ^_^
Warnings? Yaoi! 003 being cute and fat.
Enjoy! ^_^
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The Incident with the Owl
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Chapter 4: Solutions
===============
Yuma and Saya certainly hadn't been mistaken. For whatever reason, the secretary still had 003 with him; a small ball of fluff settled comfortably on one shoulder was hard to miss, even at the far end of the hall.
It was not for the owl, however, that Watari rushed to catch up with his co-worker.
"Tatsumi-san!" Waving one hand wildly over his head, the scientist ignored the curious gazes that turned his way. "Tatsumi-san," he called again, less loudly but more urgently, as he slowed to a stop. "I need to talk to you." His voice dropped to a whisper, eyes dancing with the excitement of understanding. "I know what's going on-- I know why everyone's acting so strangely."
"Oh?" Raising an eyebrow, the secretary turned to regard him with a steady blue gaze.
"Your office," the scientist insisted, snagging the other man by one arm and hauling him toward the door. A moment later, the wall stood between them and the steady stream of chatter that had become common in the halls.
"The truth!" Watari told him, expression animated. "The chief ought to know-- not the truth, that is-- well, the truth, but that that's the problem." His mouth was going faster than his mind could keep up with, but it didn't matter; things were starting to fall into place, and all that was left was to put everything back to how it had been. "Last night, when we had the meeting at your house," the blonde shinigami insisted. "003 was on the counter, and she had something on her feet. It had to have been from my lab, it had to have been the potion I was working on." A thought struck him, and he added it excitedly to the rest of the stream of words, grinning wildly. "She must have knocked it over-- I didn't think it should have had the strength to bubble out, and that must have been--"
"Watari-san." The calm voice sliced neatly through the explanation. "What -happened-?"
"I made a truth serum!" the scientist exclaimed. "A truth serum, and everyone's affected. I tested the theory on Tsuzuki, and then Hisoka-- well, that's not important. I can worry about that once everything's fixed. What -is- important is that--" Abruptly, the blonde's words came to a crashing halt, and he stared with wide golden eyes at the man in front of him.
"Holy gods!" he breathed. "That means what you said before, about--"
But before he could finish, Tatsumi had removed a very soft, very disgruntled looking bird from his shoulder, settling her gently in both of the scientist's hands. "I held onto her for you," the secretary told him, with a smile that seemed completely out of place on his usually stern face. "I'd hoped you would come looking for her sooner."
Watari's mouth worked, but words seemed to be having a difficulty leaving. "Oh." He wondered if the other man realized that he'd never broken the contact after handing over the little owl. "Thanks."
As though sensing where the scientist's thoughts had wandered, Tatsumi drew away, coughing nervously and reaching to adjust his glasses. "Your invention would explain quite a bit," the man agreed after a long moment. "I'll see to it that the chief is informed, and that everyone's made aware of the situation." A slight hesitation. "But can it be reversed?"
The potion's effects made Watari consider before answering. "I don't see why I wouldn't be able to. I kept notes while I was making it, after all." Brightening considerably, the blonde shinigami gained confidence as he continued to speak. "And I know the way to neutralize the chemicals that I used in the powder-- the rest was a formula that I'm really familiar with. It didn't actually take very long to -create-, so in theory, reversing it shouldn't be much of a problem!"
"In theory," the secretary noted, attempting to hide a smirk. "But... do you think you can manage it -before- everyone kills each other?"
"If I start now!" Forgetting momentarily about the fact that 003 still sat cupped between his hands, Watari attempted to raise one fist in a gesture of dedication. Instead, the little owl was knocked off balance-- she almost hit the floor again, but caught herself at the last possible moment, flapping her way to perch on her human's shoulder.
"Of course. Then you'd better start on it, hadn't you?" Watching with amused eyes, Tatsumi offered a polite nod.
"Right!" Watari turned toward the door, face glowing with the prospect of conquering this newest challenge. The secretary's voice caught him mid-step, hand on the doorknob.
"There is one more thing, before you go." The tone was even, businesslike.
"Huh?"
Turning to face the other man, Watari discovered abruptly that his co-worker had closed the few steps between them. He was left staring into blue eyes that were less than a hand's breadth from his own-- and then the secretary was pulling him closer.
The kiss was deep, and thorough, and matter-of-fact. It was, Watari thought, exactly what he would have expected from the other man, had he given the matter previous thought. Which he hadn't. Often, in any case.
Pondering the implications of whether the potion could cause honest actions-- or reactions, as the case may be-- the scientist found himself leaning into the touch, snaking his arms around Tatsumi's waist. He was only vaguely aware of the man's hands in his hair, pulling the bow lose, of the blonde strands falling around his face. Something in the back of his mind registered that 003 had taken flight, abandoning the perch that the secretary's arms now occupied.
It was only when Tatsumi pulled away that he realized he'd succeeded in undoing the man's tie. He felt the flush creeping its way up his cheeks, and for the moment, didn't care. Taking two deep breaths to steady himself, Watari offered the most honest thing he could think to say:
"The antidote can wait."
* * *
Notes still semi-charred from the abuse of the last explosion lay splayed across the tables. A set of cooking spoons rested on the counter, attempting to substitute for missing equipment. From her perch atop an empty beaker, a small owl watched the goings-on with sleepy curiosity.
And, closer to dawn than sunset, one -very- happy scientist let out a shout that woke several of his neighbors. "-Finished-!"
* * *
It was a fairly unusual start to a fairly usual day.
Which is to say that the office was still rife with the buzz of conversation fully two hours after Watari arrived, and no work was being done. Terazuma and Wakaba were conspicuously absent; so were Tsuzuki and Hisoka. Both couples had arrived on time, only to find their way from the office a short while later. It was, the scientist supposed, the best sign that could be hoped for.
Wherever the chief had found himself while dealing with the steadily growing insanity, the blonde shinigami hadn't run across him. And so his report remained unshared. Smiling to himself, the man helped himself to a cup of coffee and reached absently to scratch 003 under her fluffy chin.
"Watari." It was Tatsumi's voice, level and unrevealing-- but the blonde took silent pride in the fact that the honorific had fallen from the end of his name.
An already pleased grin crept minutely wider as he turned to face the secretary. "Good morning," he greeted, spirits soaring. "You look... well today." His eyes trailing down the other man's form were enough to make Tatsumi shift uncomfortably, but when he added the wink, it earned the slightest hint of a blush.
"As do you." The heat in the depths of blue eyes flickered past in a moment and was gone, lost in the concern for office matters. "But... how did the experiments go? What about the antidote?"
"Finished," the blonde conceded. "And tested." His grin was wide, and monumentally triumphant; on the man's shoulder, 003 had ruffled her feathers so that she appeared twice her actual size. "No explosion. No chemical residue. No discernable side effects."
"Incredible!" Tatsumi exclaimed, and the scientist couldn't stop the flush of pleasure that the compliment brought. "We should tell the chief right away-- you can begin administering it immediately!"
Golden eyes laughed silently, teasing, and Watari caught his lover by the arm before he could turn away. "I slipped it into the coffee pot this morning. Everyone here's taken it already." Ignoring the shocked look that he was receiving, the scientist grinned more broadly. "But isn't it more fun if we don't tell them?"
~owari~
Incidentally, I have no -idea- what my next fic will be. Requests are appreciated. ^_^
Warnings? Yaoi! 003 being cute and fat.
Enjoy! ^_^
===============
The Incident with the Owl
===============
Chapter 4: Solutions
===============
Yuma and Saya certainly hadn't been mistaken. For whatever reason, the secretary still had 003 with him; a small ball of fluff settled comfortably on one shoulder was hard to miss, even at the far end of the hall.
It was not for the owl, however, that Watari rushed to catch up with his co-worker.
"Tatsumi-san!" Waving one hand wildly over his head, the scientist ignored the curious gazes that turned his way. "Tatsumi-san," he called again, less loudly but more urgently, as he slowed to a stop. "I need to talk to you." His voice dropped to a whisper, eyes dancing with the excitement of understanding. "I know what's going on-- I know why everyone's acting so strangely."
"Oh?" Raising an eyebrow, the secretary turned to regard him with a steady blue gaze.
"Your office," the scientist insisted, snagging the other man by one arm and hauling him toward the door. A moment later, the wall stood between them and the steady stream of chatter that had become common in the halls.
"The truth!" Watari told him, expression animated. "The chief ought to know-- not the truth, that is-- well, the truth, but that that's the problem." His mouth was going faster than his mind could keep up with, but it didn't matter; things were starting to fall into place, and all that was left was to put everything back to how it had been. "Last night, when we had the meeting at your house," the blonde shinigami insisted. "003 was on the counter, and she had something on her feet. It had to have been from my lab, it had to have been the potion I was working on." A thought struck him, and he added it excitedly to the rest of the stream of words, grinning wildly. "She must have knocked it over-- I didn't think it should have had the strength to bubble out, and that must have been--"
"Watari-san." The calm voice sliced neatly through the explanation. "What -happened-?"
"I made a truth serum!" the scientist exclaimed. "A truth serum, and everyone's affected. I tested the theory on Tsuzuki, and then Hisoka-- well, that's not important. I can worry about that once everything's fixed. What -is- important is that--" Abruptly, the blonde's words came to a crashing halt, and he stared with wide golden eyes at the man in front of him.
"Holy gods!" he breathed. "That means what you said before, about--"
But before he could finish, Tatsumi had removed a very soft, very disgruntled looking bird from his shoulder, settling her gently in both of the scientist's hands. "I held onto her for you," the secretary told him, with a smile that seemed completely out of place on his usually stern face. "I'd hoped you would come looking for her sooner."
Watari's mouth worked, but words seemed to be having a difficulty leaving. "Oh." He wondered if the other man realized that he'd never broken the contact after handing over the little owl. "Thanks."
As though sensing where the scientist's thoughts had wandered, Tatsumi drew away, coughing nervously and reaching to adjust his glasses. "Your invention would explain quite a bit," the man agreed after a long moment. "I'll see to it that the chief is informed, and that everyone's made aware of the situation." A slight hesitation. "But can it be reversed?"
The potion's effects made Watari consider before answering. "I don't see why I wouldn't be able to. I kept notes while I was making it, after all." Brightening considerably, the blonde shinigami gained confidence as he continued to speak. "And I know the way to neutralize the chemicals that I used in the powder-- the rest was a formula that I'm really familiar with. It didn't actually take very long to -create-, so in theory, reversing it shouldn't be much of a problem!"
"In theory," the secretary noted, attempting to hide a smirk. "But... do you think you can manage it -before- everyone kills each other?"
"If I start now!" Forgetting momentarily about the fact that 003 still sat cupped between his hands, Watari attempted to raise one fist in a gesture of dedication. Instead, the little owl was knocked off balance-- she almost hit the floor again, but caught herself at the last possible moment, flapping her way to perch on her human's shoulder.
"Of course. Then you'd better start on it, hadn't you?" Watching with amused eyes, Tatsumi offered a polite nod.
"Right!" Watari turned toward the door, face glowing with the prospect of conquering this newest challenge. The secretary's voice caught him mid-step, hand on the doorknob.
"There is one more thing, before you go." The tone was even, businesslike.
"Huh?"
Turning to face the other man, Watari discovered abruptly that his co-worker had closed the few steps between them. He was left staring into blue eyes that were less than a hand's breadth from his own-- and then the secretary was pulling him closer.
The kiss was deep, and thorough, and matter-of-fact. It was, Watari thought, exactly what he would have expected from the other man, had he given the matter previous thought. Which he hadn't. Often, in any case.
Pondering the implications of whether the potion could cause honest actions-- or reactions, as the case may be-- the scientist found himself leaning into the touch, snaking his arms around Tatsumi's waist. He was only vaguely aware of the man's hands in his hair, pulling the bow lose, of the blonde strands falling around his face. Something in the back of his mind registered that 003 had taken flight, abandoning the perch that the secretary's arms now occupied.
It was only when Tatsumi pulled away that he realized he'd succeeded in undoing the man's tie. He felt the flush creeping its way up his cheeks, and for the moment, didn't care. Taking two deep breaths to steady himself, Watari offered the most honest thing he could think to say:
"The antidote can wait."
* * *
Notes still semi-charred from the abuse of the last explosion lay splayed across the tables. A set of cooking spoons rested on the counter, attempting to substitute for missing equipment. From her perch atop an empty beaker, a small owl watched the goings-on with sleepy curiosity.
And, closer to dawn than sunset, one -very- happy scientist let out a shout that woke several of his neighbors. "-Finished-!"
* * *
It was a fairly unusual start to a fairly usual day.
Which is to say that the office was still rife with the buzz of conversation fully two hours after Watari arrived, and no work was being done. Terazuma and Wakaba were conspicuously absent; so were Tsuzuki and Hisoka. Both couples had arrived on time, only to find their way from the office a short while later. It was, the scientist supposed, the best sign that could be hoped for.
Wherever the chief had found himself while dealing with the steadily growing insanity, the blonde shinigami hadn't run across him. And so his report remained unshared. Smiling to himself, the man helped himself to a cup of coffee and reached absently to scratch 003 under her fluffy chin.
"Watari." It was Tatsumi's voice, level and unrevealing-- but the blonde took silent pride in the fact that the honorific had fallen from the end of his name.
An already pleased grin crept minutely wider as he turned to face the secretary. "Good morning," he greeted, spirits soaring. "You look... well today." His eyes trailing down the other man's form were enough to make Tatsumi shift uncomfortably, but when he added the wink, it earned the slightest hint of a blush.
"As do you." The heat in the depths of blue eyes flickered past in a moment and was gone, lost in the concern for office matters. "But... how did the experiments go? What about the antidote?"
"Finished," the blonde conceded. "And tested." His grin was wide, and monumentally triumphant; on the man's shoulder, 003 had ruffled her feathers so that she appeared twice her actual size. "No explosion. No chemical residue. No discernable side effects."
"Incredible!" Tatsumi exclaimed, and the scientist couldn't stop the flush of pleasure that the compliment brought. "We should tell the chief right away-- you can begin administering it immediately!"
Golden eyes laughed silently, teasing, and Watari caught his lover by the arm before he could turn away. "I slipped it into the coffee pot this morning. Everyone here's taken it already." Ignoring the shocked look that he was receiving, the scientist grinned more broadly. "But isn't it more fun if we don't tell them?"
~owari~
