The following week passed without much incident. There were no new cases for Watari and the scientist had all the time in the world to delve deep into his passion, his hobby, which was experiments and research. His sparkling clean lab was too enticing not to work in and he found there were a lot of interesting substances in the unlabeled boxes and flasks he had unearthed in his spring cleaning session.

Tatsumi had gotten over his uncontrolled sexual appetite of that one day. At least it looked like it. They had made love twice since then, and both times had been passionate, warm and loving. Watari had told his older lover that he was fine, that he hadn't been hurt, that it had actually excited him, and finally Tatsumi had relented. The guilt had disappeared.

Yesterday though, Watari had gotten a new project. Granted, it was computer research, but it was something other than the usual, boring stuff. After entering all parameters and launching the search, he decided to take a break.

Whistling to himself, Watari brewed another mug of tea for himself, trying out the various sorts he had discovered, then, out of a sudden thought, made a mug of the lemony Green Surprise for Tatsumi. His lover liked it and Watari had put the small box away for special occasions. Figuring any day could have a special occasion, he waited for the tea to be just right, then set out down the corridors to the office where he knew the Shadow Master was.

Bingo, he thought as he peeked into the rectangular room, finding Tatsumi working over whatever it was on that paper.

"Knock, knock."

The brown head came up and Watari smiled.

"Break?" He raised his mugs.

Tatsumi glanced at the wall clock and frowned. "That late already?"

"Don't tell me you worked through lunch?" the blond groaned, shaking his head.

He pushed the Green Surprise into Tatsumi's hands and it was taken with a slight smile.

"You are impossible."

"And you love me," Watari told him cheerfully.

"And I love you," was the quiet echo.

It sent a warm shiver down his spine, and Watari found himself smiling giddily.

"Want me to bring you something from the cafeteria?" he offered.

"No, I'll get something myself. Thanks."

"Good. Just see that you do. I don't want your ribs poking out."

Tatsumi scowled and Watari fled the office, laughing. He liked to tease his lover. It was such fun.

° ° °

Tatsumi made an appearance in his lab two hours later and Watari knew why. It was the research project that was running in the background that was sorting out several lost souls, cross-referencing them to the appearance of a new sect that was apparently responsible for many dead not making their way to Meifu. So far the computer hadn't finished, but everyone was eagerly waiting for the results.

His lover approached, standing over him, looking over his shoulder. Watari was aware of the close proximity, of the body heat, and then a hand brushed aside the heavy ponytail.

A kiss was planted onto his exposed neck.

°

Tatsumi had long since finished his tea and was gazing at the empty mug when he finally rose and walked along the silent corridors to the lab. It was time to check on the computer search, see if something had come up. Sure, Watari would have let him know first thing if something had, but he wanted to return the mug, too.

He entered the lab and spotted the blond at his computer worktable, typing away at the laptop. Without even thinking about it, Tatsumi approached the slender form, the mug forgotten as he placed it on the sideboard close by.

Like on automatic he homed in on the man he loved.

Like in a dream, he brushed aside the blond mane, exposing soft skin.

Tatsumi placed a soft loving kiss on his lover's neck, inhaling the faint scent of his hair -

°

"Seii, please, not now. This is really important." Watari turned a little, his attention focused on the monitor in front of him where the results of his latest research were about to be displayed.

He registered the long breath that was brushing over his skin, footsteps leaving. And then the sharp click of a door being locked.

"Seii, I just asked you to..."

The words stuck in Watari's throat as he looked up, his eyes widening at the sight of the figure that was stalking towards him. He stumbled out of his chair and his heart started to hammer with irrational fear- fear? Why the hell...? This was Seiichiro!

And he felt himself draw back a few steps.

"Seii?"

Watari bumped against a table and staggered for a second- and then his wrist was grabbed in a vice like grip, made him hiss in pain. Dark blue, almost black eyes regarded him with a nearly predatory look- Seiichiro?

No, this wasn't his gentle lover Tatsumi Seiichiro; this was a stranger, a man Watari had never seen before. A man he deeply feared.

Something old uncoiled inside him, something he had thought buried, and it frightened him... he only knew too well what the creature in front of him wanted. Watari felt his stomach clench with the thought.

"Seii, please, stop this. You don't want to do that..."

Placing his free hand against the other man's chest Watari tried to push him away... and felt himself being airborne the next second, flung through the lab with incredible strength. He heard a sharp snap and cried out in pain when his wrist gave way to the pressure of fingers around it. And then Tatsumi was all over him, pinning his wrists down regardless of the broken bones or his groaned protest.

Watari noticed a movement from the corner of his eyes and watched with growing horror as the darker parts of his lab came alive, hovering over them... a hand on his belly made his head jerk around and his terror grew even more, his conscious mind now finally realizing what was about to happen, that it indeed was about to happen.

"Seii... don't, please, don't do this... no..." he pleaded to deaf ears.

The sound of torn fabric... his legs being pushed apart roughly...

He didn't even hear the shattering of destroyed glass or furniture.

°

- inhaling the faint scent of his hair.

Blinking, Tatsumi's mind registered something was off. He was laying on the ground, blanketing the trembling body of his lover, his fingers curled tightly around the other man's wrist...

What the...?

Letting go he slowly pulled back, not quite understanding what had happened, why he was lying between his lover's legs...

"Taka?"

There was a choked, sobbing sound, and as Tatsumi brushed back the tousled hair he gasped. The strands were damp and there were tears streaming down his lover's face.

"Yutaka?"

Watari sobbed again, rolling onto his side and curling into himself, cradling his left wrist that was bent at an unnatural angle to his chest. He flinched violently when Tatsumi tried to touch him again, so the Shadow Master pulled back in total confusion.

"What happened, Taka? Please, talk to me...?"

Seii... don't, please, don't do this... no...

That was when he registered the state his lover was in, partially undressed, the state he himself was in- along with the traces of blood. Looking up he saw what was left of the lab, and realization hit.

Oh god, no ...

"Taka?"

A shiver ran over the huddled body at the sound of his voice. Tatsumi watched the man he loved more than his own life - or what was left of that- more or less trying to scramble away from him and went looking for the phone, hoping it had survived the uninhibited fury of his shadows.

He needed help.

tbc...