Watari smiled widely as he took in his lab, proud like a new parent. He pushed a stubborn strand of hair out of his face, smearing dirt into the blond mane in the process. He looked as dirty as the lab had been, but he didn't care. He was simply proud.
Glancing at a box that contained an assortment of odd things, he walked over and went through them. There were flasks, boxes and containers ranging from small to medium-sized. All unlabeled. He had absolutely no idea what was in those containers, but he would find out.
An hour later he had two neat stacks. One was made up of tea and instant coffee of all flavors, the rest of Things To Be Tested. Those he couldn't identify by smell or taste alone.
Something fluttered and a tiny owl landed on the unlabeled containers, hooting softly. Large, orange eyes looked critically at him.
"Yeah, I know, I'm dirty," Watari laughed. "I'll take a shower later. First, let's have some tea." He rummaged through the newly found tea boxes. "This looks good. How about 'Green Surprise', hm, 003?"
The owl hooted again, shuffling over to peek at the box.
Watari heated some water and poured it over a tea egg that he had filled with the Green Surprise tea. The door to the lab opened and he looked up, smiling at his visitor.
"Hello, Tatsumi."
Tatsumi stopped in the doorway, eyes widening behind his glasses, and he was close to gaping.
"What happened here?" he blurted.
Watari's smile grew. "I cleaned. Looks great, hm?"
"What bit you to clean your lab?"
"You make it sound like I'm a slob," the blond muttered with a mock pout.
"I wouldn't call you a slob, just a bit... chaotic."
"All geniuses are chaotic," Watari explained, grinning. "A genius is the master of chaos."
"I see. So... you cleaned up why?"
"I felt like it."
"Ah."
Watari shuffled a little and coughed under the blue gaze that seemed to penetrate his mind. "I...errr... couldn't find something, so... I decided, well... I cleaned up."
"Master of chaos, hm?" came the mild taunt.
Watari refrained from sticking out his tongue. He just grimaced. "So... why are you here?"
"I passed by outside," was the vague answer.
Watari smirked. "Uh-huh."
It wasn't like his lab was the center of everything. He was slightly out of the way. So for Tatsumi to pass by, he must have planned to come here.
He walked over to the other shikigami and leaned forward, golden eyes sparkling. "I like visitors," he purred and placed a gentle kiss on Tatsumi's lips.
The kiss was answered and he closed the last distance, both men melting together in a tender display of affection.
"I thought we wouldn't do something like this at work," Watari murmured. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you..."
"You never do."
He grinned. "Nope."
Tatsumi stepped back and looked around, smiling. "Looks nice. Everything does." His eyes were on Watari again.
The blond had the decency to blush a little.
Tatsumi caught sight of the steaming mug and picked it up, sniffing at it. "New tea?"
"No idea. I found it among the clutter. I'm still trying to ID most of the stuff, but we have some very nice tea and coffee additions now."
Tatsumi tried the tea and his eyebrows rose. "Tastes good. Lemony."
Watari wasn't put out by his lover's choice of drinking his tea. He had more of it and Tatsumi was such a workaholic that having him here, sharing his tea, was a wonderful occasion.
"You working late?" he teased as Tatsumi savored the tea.
"I wasn't planning to."
"Dinner?" Watari wanted to know, putting a hopeful note into his tone.
Tatsumi chuckled. "Who's cooking?"
"Well, I was thinking along the lines of going out... I know this fabulous little place in Nagasaki..."
The Shadow Master smiled more. "Your treat."
Watari beamed. "Eight?"
"I'll pick you up."
It was what he loved about Tatsumi, Watari thought. That and so much more. Despite being a work animal, someone who usually didn't leave the office before eight, he was flexible. He could be very flexible, part of him reminded the blond. Oh yeah...
Heat coiled in his stomach and anticipation rose. He wanted more than dinner, but food was a good entrée.
Smiling at his lover, he grabbed the tie and pulled the man close, kissing him soundly. "Eight it is. Now, shoo! I need to work or the boss will reprimand me."
Blue eyes smiled at him even as the face was set into familiar, stern lines. Tatsumi left the lab, mug still in hand, and Watari turned to look over his little kingdom. He still had a few things to test and label, so he better got to it. He had a date to keep.
° ° °
It was an hour after Tatsumi had left that the door to the lab opened again and Watari found himself facing the man he had a date with for tonight. A visit twice in one day? Now that was a first. So this was either something official or... or...
He frowned.
He could only think of official reasons.
"Tatsumi, what...?"
He was cut off by a mouth crushing down on his, by a tall, muscular body pushing him back against the lab table, hands roaming over his body. Watari gasped, which gave the invader a good chance to enter his mouth, and he groaned into the rough, wild kiss.
Blue eyes burned with emotions, flaring behind the thin glasses. Watari was pushed onto the table and he fell back, wide-eyed. He had never seen Tatsumi like this... this intense, this...
By the powers, he groaned to himself as those hands began to get rid of his clothes. Skin was exposed, stroked, caressed, kissed and lightly bitten. A harder bite was delivered to his neck and he whimpered as the sensation went straight to his groin.
"Seii..."
He didn't know what had triggered this. He had never experienced this side of his usually so controlled lover, someone who wouldn't let go of this control outside the bedroom or anywhere else that was completely private.
Okay, so it had been his secret fantasy to have wild, unrestrained sex with the man in his lab, but hell, how had Tatsumi known? Something else, a fleeting feeling of uneasiness, something like a dark foreboding, raised its ugly head, but Watari pushed it down.
You were so easy, Yutaka ...
That last thought fled him as the other man stroked over him and then all Watari could do was feel.
°
Harsh breathing filled the otherwise silent room and Watari groaned a little as he moved. He felt Tatsumi's weight on him, his breath against his shoulder, and he delivered a little kiss to the sweaty skin.
"Seii..." he whispered. "I love you and all, but this is getting a bit less than comfy."
Blue eyes filled his vision, dazed blue eyes. Tatsumi blinked, then slowly raised himself off the prone body. Watari watched as disbelief and then mortification chased each other over the handsome planes.
"'Taka... what...? Enma's name!"
Tatsumi pushed himself all the way off, embarrassment coloring his voice and his face. He was actually blushing.
It looked cute, Watari decided as he sat up as well, thanking the Powers that shinigami healed fast. The pain of having someone fuck the living daylights out of you on a hard surface was already fading. As well as assorted other aches.
"I... 'Taka, I... I'm sorry," Tatsumi blurted.
"What for? For throwing me over the lab table and having your wicked way with me? Or for waiting so damn long to do it?"
... You were so easy, Yutaka ...
Oh, shuddup.
Blue eyes blinked again. "Yutaka?"
He grinned. "Granted, it was a surprise, but hey... it was good." He dropped his voice at the last three words, which made Tatsumi blush even more.
... you liked those games...
No, I don't. But I love you, Seii.
"I don't know what came over me..."
Watari reached for his lover and partner, curling a hand around the warm neck. "Seii, it's okay to let go once in a while. I didn't protest. It felt good. Did it feel good for you?"
Tatsumi bit his lower lip, then nodded hesitantly. It drew a brilliant smile out of the blond.
"See? You needed it. And you broke your own rules in the process. Cool."
A dry chuckle. "Only you, 'Taka."
Watari slipped off the table and glanced at the clock. It was close to five and officially they could go home now. Office hours were over.
"How about we call it a day, get home, shower... and then proceed with our plans? I'm feeling slightly hungry."
Tatsumi's expression shifted a little, then he nodded. "I'll... I'll meet you at home."
"Great. See you, Seii." He kissed him again, a parting gift. "Don't be late."
Watari watched his lover leave the lab as he closed his slightly ripped shirt.
The strange feeling was back again. No, he hadn't protested, nor had he fought, and yes, having wild unrestrained sex with his usually controlled lover in the office had been a secret fantasy of him. Then why did he feel so...
...used, Yutaka.
Watari sighed as he switched out the light, 003 on his shoulder, and went home. He had to get ready for a date with the man he loved.
°
Tatsumi left the lab, feeling like everyone he met knew what he had done. Everyone but himself. He couldn't remember going to the lab, approaching Yutaka, and... having his way with him, as his lover had so rightly said it. His last conscious memory was of his office, of feeling something like... need?... and then he woke to the sensation of Watari beneath him, breathing hard, feeling to incredibly sated.
Blackout? he mused. Brought on by what? Sexual appetite? Hunger? Watari deprivation?
True, they hadn't been together all week, since the 'housewarming party' at Watari's new apartment with work getting in the way, as well as a gruesome case that had required Tatsumi to accompany Tsuzuki to Tokyo. But he had gone without sex longer... much longer... and it had never felt like this.
Slightly bemused, even frightened, the Shadow Master entered his office, looking around for any signs that might help him figure out this puzzle.
Nothing.
Everything looked like it always did, neat, tidy and orderly.
He gathered his things and left again, unable to understand what had made him do this.
Maybe if he slept things over... maybe...
He had never lost control of his senses before, of his consciousness. It terrified him to think that he couldn't recall the incident. It terrified him more than he would ever confess out loud.
Tatsumi shook the dark thoughts away as best as he could and grabbed some notes from his desk to take home. He had a date tonight and Tatsumi Seiichiro wasn't known for letting his dates wait.
tbc...
