Okay, this one's a tiny bit shorter than the last, but still longer than the previous. Why? Well, this just seemed to be the perfect place to end the chapter. Besides, all the good stuff's gonna be in chapter 6 (which will be long, I anticipate). Anyway, you'll see some more plot progression then, I promise. Hopefully this chapter gives some insight into Watari and Tatsumi's thoughts. Once the whole story is over, I'll reveal where I got the idea for this fic. I don't wanna say now, because I don't want anyone to get any preconceived notions! Now, the reviews:

Kara Angitia - Aww, but if Tatsumi doesn't get hurt, I don't get to write angst! *sniffles* Don't worry, though…I'm a happy ending person. ^_~

Meritite - You don't think Tsuzuki and Hisoka are compatible? Hmm…Personally, I think they're great for each other, even if the relationship is quite strained. ^^;; And I agree that Watari spilled too many beans…but as you'll see, he realizes his error.

LinaLau - *grins happily* I'm very glad that you think I've managed to keep Tatsumi in character. It can be hard at times…my perverted, angsty fangirl mind wants to steer me off course sometimes! I hope I can keep them in character!

Tysoyo Kalli - *swoons in delight* Wow, you really like the fic, huh? ^___^

Once they returned from lunch, Watari bid Tatsumi farewell and locked himself in his lab. 'Idiot!' he chastised himself. 'Ugh…"you need a stuffy know-it-all to keep from blowing yourself up." Gee Yutaka, you might as well have just told him what your words implied. It's not like he couldn't figure it out. Stupid…'

As 003 alighted his shoulder, he sighed.

"Well…I had to say something personal. Dammit, I hate it when I have to make myself look vulnerable! Especially in front of Tatsumi! He's such a tightwad though, and I couldn't think of any other way to get him to drop his shields some."

003 hooted.

"I know, girl. I might as well just be throwing myself all over him at this rate. I've gotta keep focused…gotta keep focused…"

He repeated this mantra in his head, pacing the floor absently. It eluded his logical mind as to why he was so frazzled. He was in control, right? There had been no complications yet, so…why worry so much?

"Oh, but you should have seen the way he looked at me after I said that, 003! I swear, I feel so stupid now. I feel like I made a fool of myself…"

A loud thud followed by a low keening noise from the other side of the lab door startled Watari. He hurriedly unlocked the door, stepping backward as Tsuzuki sprawled over his feet, his forehead adorned with a red bump.

"Ouch…" the injured man mumbled, hauling himself to his feet slowly.

Watari grasped his arm and helped steady him.

"Are you alright, Tsuzuki?"

His comrade nodded, rubbing his head gingerly.

"The door was supposed to be open…" he complained.

"Ah, sorry 'bout that. I know I usually keep it open…"

Tsuzuki eyed the scientist suspiciously.

"Where was Tatsumi today? I went to drop off some of 'Soka's paperwork, but Tatsumi wasn't in his office. And where were you? I came here to see if you knew where he was, but you were gone, too!"

Watari shifted uncomfortably, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Well, uh…wewentouttolunch."

"Wait - what did you say?!"

Watari glared at his friend. "We went out to lunch."

Tsuzuki's eyes widened.

"Together? As in…at the same time? And he went willingly?!"

The scientist rolled his amber eyes.

"Yes, Tsuzuki, together. He wanted to speak with me about something, and I suggested we talk over lunch. I was paying, and he agreed to it. That's all."

Tsuzuki furrowed his brows.

"Is he feeling okay? Every time I've ever asked him to grab some food with me, he said he had too many things to do and to stop wasting his time or he'd cut my budget."

"Did you offer to pay for the food?"

The older Shinigami sweatdropped.

"Well, er…no?"

Watari smiled.

"That's why, then. This is Tatsumi we're talking about, after all!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Tsuzuki pouted as he walked out the door. "Hisoka never asks me on dates…hmph."

Watari's eyes widened slightly as the lab door was closed.

"It wasn't a date!" he said loudly to the door. "It wasn't…really! Tatsumi would never agree to a date, would he? No, it was just lunch. A business lunch."

He sighed, pushing that train of thought aside. He pulled out the notebook in which Operation: Tatsumi was documented, and began to write.

Operation: Tatsumi, day 2 - convinced the subject to go to lunch with me. He noticed a change in my behavior and called me on it. I reacted poorly, but luckily my reaction had the (unintended) desired effect. Subject accepted my company and future attempts at "friendship". AS far as I can tell, he has no idea what's really going on. I think I said too much about my intentions, though…luckily, subject appears to be somewhat dense. There still appears to be much work to be done in the experiment, though!

He closed the notebook and set it aside gently, his mind preoccupied.

***********

Tatsumi sat in his office shuffling paperwork. His hands were moving automatically, however, as his mind was still on the lunch he and Watari had shared. He smiled softly at his friend's consideration for him, pausing and setting the papers down. 'Maybe…if I take care of extra paperwork today, I'll be able to ask Watari-san to lunch tomorrow without losing any productivity…'

He nodded to himself, happy with his new plan. There was something about Watari's words that bothered him…something that seemed off. Tatsumi wasn't quite sure what it was, but it made him uneasy. 'Perhaps it's just my imagination,' he rationalized, thinking over their earlier conversation.

"That's exactly what my theory is, Tatsumi. If you're an uptight, money-grubbing tightwad, you need a silly, light-hearted genius to balance you. Of course, if you're a spacey, brilliant mad-scientist, you need a stuffy know-it-all to keep you from blowing yourself up. Especially when they threaten to cut your budget again!"

He frowned, thinking those words over. What surprised him the most was that he found himself agreeing with Watari. 'But what would possess him to say something like that…? It almost sounded as if he…' Tatsumi shook his head. 'No, that's ridiculous. Don't even think such things. You'll only make a fool of yourself, thinking that he might…'

Tatsumi could tell that he was only upsetting himself with such thoughts, not to mention that he was neglecting the extra paperwork he had decided to do. In his musings, he failed to realize that not once had his thoughts drifted to Tsuzuki, despite half of the earlier conversation centering on the violet-eyed man.