Lumping all the One Shots together..

Rhea-sama · Lumping all the One Shots together..

At least the short ones XD (For me 1,000 words and under=short XD)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lucid

A Stolen Opportunity

Oedipus Rex

A Simple Matter of Persuasion

The Perscription

Or as the extremely vulgar call it, "Loblolly Boy"

Summer Haze

The Eternal Problem of the Red Moon Phase

Secrets

Cancer Sticks

Hiding Hides

Exactitude

Valentine's Day

Aftermath

---

Lucid
I must be dreaming. I know I must be, because I can smell fresh air laden with the wet, fresh smell of spring. I know I'm dreaming because I feel soft, pliant grass underneath me instead of a hospital bed and one of those damn, awful, white linen sheets. The kind that aren't ever soft enough or warm enough to be useful or comfortable. I wish I could say it didn't hurt either, but it does. It always does, though not as bad as when I'm awake. Outside my dream I can sense, feel the dull murmur of the thousand other people in the hospital. A dull, grey hum, mixing all the thoughts and emotions together like a child with paint expecting to find a rainbow, only surprised at the dull, disgusting, colorless mess. I wish I knew how long I've been asleep, how long I've been in this damn hospital. But then, maybe I don't want to know. A needle pierces my arm, but I still sleep. The morphine enters my veins and the pain ebbs even further, washed away by a chemical cloud.

Slowly I start to realize that there's nothing here in my dreamscape at all, that I'm alone.. And but for some ancient, flimsy bathrobe, I'm naked. I can feel my throat convulse, my jaw lock into place as my mind recognizes the dream that is to come. Yet somehow I am still very much asleep, embedded into unconsciousness with a vengeance and a will. I guess I still hate getting up, even if I'm sick of nightmares and sick of being sick. I'll wake up with a sore throat again, even though not a single word will pass my lips. It's happened before. So many times before. In my dream I see a sickeningly bright man, who is blinding against the dull, polluted pink sky and wet, dark brown grass. I won't remember what happens. I never really can. But while it happens it's horrible and inside my head I watch myself scream with a detached and morbid fascination, wondering when-oh-when this is all going to kill me. Because it will kill me. I know. There's no question of that. I can see it in his eyes. The eyes of a frighteningly sane, anti-social lunatic. My lips are bleeding, as if I had really bit my lip too hard, but I hardly even move in my sleep now.

I used to thrash. I used to scream. I used to rip all the damn hoses and cords out over and over, even as they tried to put them back in. They couldn't get me to stop. They gave me so many sedatives they were afraid they might kill me. Kill me fools, kill me! I'm already dead. Eventually, it was determined I had some sort of allergic reaction to one of the hundreds of serum they keep pumping into my systems to keep me alive. I don't know if that was true but they changed yet another something, and suddenly I found myself aware, sleeping and yet still conscious, a strange, fleeting sort of duality that kept me intrigued, fascinated me. Gave me something to ponder about when my hands became to weak and frail to hold onto a book. When my fingers finally hurt too much to lick and turn a solitary page. I decided to try and expand on this occurrence. This sensation of existing in two places was so..perhaps not natural, but not strange. Just an alternate way of doing things. Like sliding an extra tumbler on a lock and revealing a secret hiding place within a safe. And for reasons I still can't unbaffle--and perhaps I shouldn't--coexisting in two places of such exquisite pain at once seems to terminate most of the waking pain in my body. Mostly.

I still pay for it when I wake up. Aches, bruises, bleeding, itchy eyes and lots of sore throats. It works better when I don't move. That's why I don't thrash anymore. It took a long time, but they were pleased that whatever trauma it was seemed to be working out nicely, and that I slept much better as the weeks, months, years rolled on. They could finally ease up on all the sedatives that were threatening my vitals. My eyes barely move, I've been told, even though I know I'm experiencing REM sleep. No, I don't move around anymore.

Now I sleep as still as death.

-FIN-

Rhea-sama

Hisoka always seems to be a bit inordinatly angry at Hijiri when he wakes up in meifu, and let's face it--it's too early for him (in more ways than one) to be jealous of him and Tsuzuki. So what could it be?
Tsuzuki's not the only confused by their similarities...
A Stolen Opportunity

Hisoka stared at the bandaged, dark-haired youth on the bed, a scowl deeper than usual resting on his features. His emerald gaze lingered resentfully on the gauze wrappings around the musician's slender neck. All of it seemed highly unfair to Hisoka, that Hijiri could live the life of normalcy he'd been robbed of. To go to a public school, have friends, share life, love, and laughter. To have all of that and yet also have the choice to end it all. Suicide--one of the many comforts the young Shinigami had been denied in life. Even if Hisoka'd had the strength to go through with the much coveted act, strict rules and regulations within the hospital ward would have made that choice an impossibility anyways. As it was, the youth had barely had the energy to turn the pages of a book--on his good days. A quiet, amused voice from the doorway startled him from his thoughts.

"If you glare at the boy any harder Hisoka, you may end up burning a hole through him. Does the likeness bother you that much?" Unwittingly, Hisoka clenched his fists and turned his head to glance at his partner,

"It's more the unlikeness that bothers me." An ebony brow quirked, and Tsuzuki didn't need to voice the curiosity that Hisoka felt from him. He turned to face the other man, trying to justify the uncalled for bitterness in his observations of the boy. "It's just that.. I mean... " His voice was painfully small and tight, warning him against making such a personal confession. Biting his lip, Hisoka plunged forward anyways, "I suffered for three years..wanting.. And craving death. Yeah this kid has had his hard knocks," He gestured at the still sleeping form, "but only after a couple weeks of really suffering.. That kind of hunger... He gets to..." A slashing motion across his jugular, "It's just not fair." Hisoka blinked furiously and turned away from Tsuzuki's carefully inscrutable face, unable to articulate himself any further.

Hisoka blew a section of bangs out of his face agitatedly, "If we hadn't been there this kid would've..." Tsuzuki considered Hisoka thoughtfully,

"So are you glad that we stopped him?" The boy shrugged,

"Maybe. I don't know." A pause. Then, "Why does he have to look so much like me? It complicates everything." The pout/sulk was back in action. "On the one hand I can't help but think ‘how dare he try and end his life,' but on the other end I see me laying in a hospital bed and... It's too confusing. It's making my head hurt." Tsuzuki clucked his tongue sympathetically,

"Maybe you should head out for the day? He probably won't wake until tomorrow anyways according to Watari." Hisoka turned the glare on him,

"I'm not going to take the day off every time we do a case like his. I'm not going home, so don't waste your breath trying to convince me. I don't need any special treatment." Tsuzuki cringed a little and held up his hands,

"Gah! Alright! I'm sorry, it was just a suggestion. There's nothing wrong with keeping yourself in top condition either Hisoka!" The boy crossed his arms stubbornly,

"I would say I won't take the day off unless you do, but since you're such a slacker that doesn't mean much, now does it?" The older man grinned easily,

"Nope! Not really." Hisoka withheld another disparaging remark and turned to leave the room.

"I'm going to the library, you should finish your paper work from the Hisae case. It's been over three months, Tatsumi might have a coronary if you keep him waiting any longer." Tsuzuki grinned impishly,

"I'll think about it." Hisoka rolled his eyes,

"Don't expect me to mourn when Tatsumi kills you a second time." His partner sniffed and wiped away an imaginary tear,

"Meanie."

"Moron." And with the customary half-hearted barbs exchanged, Hisoka left the room to find sanctuary in the library, and perhaps a headache remedy from one of the medicine cabinets.

-FIN-

Rhea-sama

Oedipus Rex

Tatsumi froze as he recognized the black flames of Touda the Blazing Serpent. The impossibly hot, impossibly dark tongues of fire danced eagerly, wrapping everything in a searing embrace that ate through steel and melted glass away like frost on a window pane. Kurosaki was shouting, trying to reach Tsuzuki, but he was beyond contact now. Tatsumi had seen this before. Tsuzuki..You truly... wish to die, don't you? The secretary stood there, unsure of what to do. A moment ago he was prepared to save Tsuzuki at any and all costs but now... Shouldn't I respect his wishes? Just this once when it matters most? I have already given him so much pain...

Their relationship had always been a strange one. It was a tangled web of hurt, confusion, need, and psychological disorders up to the wazoo. Tatsumi knew the dozens of reasons why Tsuzuki fascinated him, but that didn't make it any easier or more comfortable to think about. The principle fact was that Tsuzuki reminded Tatsumi so much of his mother it bordered on some sort of Freudian Oedipus complex. However those moments weren't really often, but they were always at the worst times. Just when Tatsumi had wanted something a little bit more, Tsuzuki had the infuriating habit of embodying Seiichiro's mother, which was disturbing enough to act as a bucket of ice water and a slap to the face. It was painful, to want to protect this man, to want this man, and yet be reminded at every crucial juncture that he was a failure and unequipped to do what he sought out to do.

That feeling of deficiency and failure was too painful, too humiliating to bear. And the fact that whenever he thought he dared to try and advance their relationship anyway, his mother's ghost would resurface, quelling any hormones and brought forth a sense of disgust and self-loathing. Those feelings eventually turned from a confused love into exasperated frustration and twisted longing. Eventually it all became a passionate resentment of his former partner. You never knew that the truth was.. I hated you. Yet I needed that...comfort so much...I ended up hurting you...using you. Then let your death be my punishment...for all the pain I caused you. Yes, that would be just. Tsuzuki would be beyond any pain he could ever inflict again. Tsuzuki would be beyond the secretary's cruel selfishness. Tatsumi dispassionately lent his voice to Watari's explanation about the inherent danger of Touda's inky flames, that Tsuzuki had meant for his double-edged axe swing to fall back on his own head. And with the stubborn determination of youth--or whatever twisted parody of it that Hisoka embodied--the youngest Shinigami leapt into the hellish inferno.

"You're running away Seiichiro Tatsumi." Tatsumi closed his eyes,

"Watari..." The scientist grasped his jacket and smacked him hard across the face,

"Forget about your guilt for a moment and think about Tsuzuki! Think about the kid!" Tatsumi brought up a hand to touch his stinging, throbbing cheek. "Are you going to condemn them both because of your feelings?" Watari paused. His voice was suddenly quiet and calm, barely audible over the rage of Touda's power, "It's alright to respect the wishes of other people, but at the same time it's okay to over-rule those wishes as well, Tatsumi. Tsuzuki's doing what he thinks is right, and so are we. There's no need to decide who's correct right away is there?" Tatsumi turned his gaze to the flames before them, threatening to break loose, already eating their way through the cheap, thin, industrial carpeting and tile. His hand went to his forehead and he chuckled depreciatingly at himself,

"I suppose you're right. And...it would be too hard on Tsuzuki if Kurosaki died..." Watari smiled as the faint, heat obscured figures of his two friends were enveloped into Tatsumi's Shadow Vaccum. Silently, Watari placed a hand on Tatsumi's shoulder, before ghosting into spirit form in order to wait out the fire. Tatsumi followed him shortly after, silently thanking Watari for giving him the strength to save that which mattered to him most--his home.

-Fin-

Rhea-sama · Doctor's Orders

A Simple Matter of Persuasion
Watari Yutaka was skilled at getting what he wanted out of other people. It was all rather like an appalingly easy science experiment to him. He knew people, and what buttons to push, how to prod, when to tease, when to back off, and when to persevere. He knew psychology and had a fair number of twisted mind games up his sleeves for the harder cases. And his irrefutable logic was infamous to those that knew of him. Fortunately, Watari was a kind, people-liking person and used his powers of persuasion and interrogation only when nessisary. In fact, he could get what he wanted half the time by begging and making a fool out of himself. Either that or just being his usual cheerful self. Yes, the tools at his disposal were many, and underneath the lanky, absent-minded front, he had the will and the experience to use every single one to get his way. But his true trump card, was his degree.

Watari had a masters degree and had been two years into his doctarate before he died. However, he'd since finished the course, and gotten a few other unrelated degrees as well. Of course, it was somewhat difficult, and he had to take all his courses by correspondance, and under false names, but it was well worth it.

Because whenever all the aformentioned methods failed to make someone give in, Watari would lean in with his own evil, devious grin and let the command, "Doctor's orders" fall. Of course, he didn't use it all that often. In fact that was part of that manuever's power, it was so rarely used, and if Watari had actually pulled out a ‘doctor's orders' it probably meant whatever it was, was important.

In fact, the number of times he let the command ring was only about half a dozen times or so--over a total of 25-26+ years.

...Tatsumi wasn't quite sure why he knew the exact number, but perhaps he'd always known it somewhere in the back of his head. Now it resurfaced to the blank forefront of his mind as he tried desperately to think of something to destroy Watari's argument--all the while trying to buy time by rearranging the papers on his desk.

...He found nothing. The secretary glared sternly up at the blond standing on the opposite side of his desk, over the edge of his wire-rimmed glasses.

"..You know how incredibly obnoxious you are when you are right, you know that don't you?" The accusation was delivered in a shrewd tone, because it wasn't a question. Of course Watari knew he was nigh unbearable while gloating. It was all part of the man's calculations. He smiled, still radiating smugness and superiority.

"Of course!" Tatsumi sighed and shook his head. Though he could summon up his shadows and kick Watari's ass six ways from Sunday if he wanted to, though he was several years and a couple decades his superior, and that he was no intellectual slouch himself, Tatsumi would always lose the game played on the mental battlefield. He stood up grumbling,

"I think it's unfair to use your superior people skills against me. Not to mention sinking down to using your degree." That was no whine at the end, Tatsumi Seiichiro did not whine, it was a soulful lament. Watari linked his elbow with Tatsumi's, flustering the elder man wonderfully,

"Probably, but how else would I get you to take me to dinner?"

-Fin-

Rhea-sama · Doctor's Orders

(Warning! Naughty Word ahead, ahoy!)

The Perscription

A small, innocuous white pad of paper lay on the Secretary's desk. Everyone else had gone home, so no one else would see it. It had a large "Rx" hastily scribbled on the top and had a short list written down in smaller, equally rushed, slanted writing.

1. Follow Watari-sensei's orders. It was an assertion, not a request. The unwritten words were: 'or I start kicking your butt.'

2. Fuck Watari-sensei senseless... There was a smaller scribble next to this demand, clearly a tiny, pleading afterthought. ...please?

When Tatsumi appeared in the lab later, white note in hand, the scientist turned and almost fell over when Tatsumi deadpanned with utmost sincerity: "How many doses do I need to take Watari?"

-Fin-

Rhea-sama · Doctor's Orders

I borrowed the title from a Garth Nix book.
"Or as the extremely vulgar call it, 'Loblolly Boy'"

Tatsumi stirred and opened his eyes, which turned out to be a mistake. They instantly closed against the blinding white ceiling lights. What had happened..? Where was he? And where were his glasses? Slowly, stiffly Tatsumi sat up, looking at his lap this time when he slowly opened them. Ouch. The sudden excess of stimuli to his retinas after such a long period of dormancy gave him the seedlings of a headache. He blinked a couple more times. Why was he so stiff? Oh.. there were bandages all over him. That must be what had hindered his sitting up motion.

"I see you decided to wake up." Tatsumi turned his head toward the voice, but he cringed as the muscles caught partway there. "Don't do that you idiot," this was said with half an exclamation point. The voice came into view and it was a white blob with yellow hair. That could only be Watari. Blindly Tatsumi reached a stiff, well-wrapped hand to the small table beside the bed. After a few moments of searching he found his glasses and managed to clumsily shove them onto his face. Now that Watari was in focus they stared at each other for a few minutes. After awhile Tatsumi finally broke the silence,

"What...happened?" Watari walked over to the bed without any sense of urgency. He visually assessed his patient while he queried,

"Does getting your butt kicked and stomped on by a gone-rouge, wild Tsutsuga sound familiar?" Tatsumi let his head fall back as far as it would in its swollen and bandaged state,

"Aaah." Yes, now he remembered. Someone's shiki had decided its master was no longer worthy and started wreaking havoc. Since Shikigami expert Tsuzuki and Shrine maiden Kannuki were gone, Tatsumi had been called in to help with security in subduing the large, red demon-wolf. And I looked into its eyes... Tatsumi hadn't meant to. It was a momentary slip on his part, but then he was immobilized and no longer able to see...and that's when he started to remember severe pain and lots of roars and growling before slipping under. Meanwhile, Watari had finished his examination and had changed one of the bandages around the secretary's side.

"You seem to be healing up okay. Seems like there was a bit of venom in the thing's teeth that's slowing down your healing powers, but other than that you're fine. I want you to stay here though, just to be sure the toxin doesn't exhaust your powers. Lie down." Tatsumi shifted slightly so that the was facing the other man,

"How long was I asleep Watari?" The scientist frowned at him,

"I told you to lie down. And if it matters to you--three days." Tatsumi felt his body lurch and he threw the covers aside and sprang out of bed as best he was able--that is he hopped up, winced at the soreness of his leg and back muscles, and collapsed into Watari's waiting arms as he fell the moment he put weight on his foot. Watari helped him get into a more vertical position--arguing all the while, "You idiot! I told you to lie. down."

"I need to get to work Watari!"

"Like hell you are! Calm down before you hurt yourself again!"

"Get me to my office! As your superior I--" Tatsumi was trembling at the extended effort of standing.

"What is wrong with you? Can't you follow simple directions?" Watari shoved Tatsumi back down onto the bed by the shoulders, "Honestly. Ever hear of the phrase 'follow the doctor's orders?'" Tatsumi adjusted his glasses with a bandaged hand,

"In my day, people died regularly of appendicitis and hospitals were just about as good as the death sentence, which was carried out by beheading." Watari's eyes flashed with a mixture of danger and good humor,

"Well, I can believe that if Muraki's grandfather was in business."

"I never met the man, so I don't know how alike they are. I am reasonably certain however, that he was using the best technology available to him at the time, which included skull drilling for headaches and bloodletting for fevers."

"Yeah well, I am not one of your butchers from The Dawn of Medical History, Tatsumi-san. Don't you dare lump me in with those Loblolly Boys." The man quelled slightly, attempting to justify himself,

"I wasn't--"

"Shut your face then, and rest. Doctor's orders!" Tatsumi snorted, even as he made to lay back down,

"You don't have a doctorate. You don't even have a masters!" Watari shushed him while pulling the white linen sheets over the secretary,

"Only because I died before I completed my final year. That does tend to get in the way of conferences of educational degrees. Never fear however, since my untimely expiration, I have since done enough research for doctorates spanning several fields." Tatsumi stilled while Watari removed his glasses for him,

"I am not reassured." Watari flashed a smile, somewhat fuzzy to Tatsumi now that his glasses were off,

"I haven't killed anyone yet." The secretary groaned,

"You might just achieve it if you continue with your terrible jokes." Watari smirked. Or maybe he was grimacing, it was difficult to tell now,

"Be careful. One day you might find something I say funny and die laughing." Tatsumi suppressed a slight upturn of the lips,

"I thought I was supposed to be resting?"

"You are. I am now going to bore you to sleep Tatsumi. Ahem!" There was the sound of flapping papers, and the blurry figure of the scientist pulled out what appeared to be a thick stack of paper from one of the pockets. Strange. It really shouldn't have fit in the labcoat...Tatsumi yawned, fighting off the fatigue that still clung to his bones and joints.

He closed his eyes simply to rest them, they still hurt a little. "This is the story about ‘The Resonance of the Basic Glucose Molecule and its Practical Application in the Use of Computers, as Applied through the Talisman of a Basic Fuda.' This is one of my thesis papers," The blonde confided before going on, "‘Fig. 1a Notes the basic strokes needed to convert matter from one form to another. Notice the esoteric markings in each of the four corners. The fuda takes any glucose strain carbohydrate, reduces the molecules to their electrons and directs that energy into the nearest electrical wire or metal object...'" Watari's voice droned on and on, dripping and rising in an odd, yet not quite monotonous pattern. However, the kansai burr was strangely soothing, and the pattern was smooth and regular, and before Tatsumi realized that this was some of Watari's ‘computer wizardry' to beat the ancient machines into submission, the secretary fell asleep.

-FIN-

Rhea-sama · Doctor's Orders

Summer Haze

There comes a time in any person's life when important questions must be asked. Sometimes this query changes on a daily basis. For example, yesterday the most important question Tatsumi Seiichiro would have liked answered was, 'How the hell did they get pink frosting on the ceiling before putting holes in my roof?' Terazuma, the chief, and Tsuzuki were a force to be reckoned with when it came to the matter of sweets. (Konoe won the battle, for those who care.)

Today's question was, How did you get me out of the office?

No seriously, he really wanted to know. It happened rather quickly, suddenly his sanctuary of numbers and files had been rudely invaded by a walking, blonde, tornado with a winged side-kick, and the next thing he knew, he was outside in the hot, hazy late-summer air, enjoying himself immensely. He had long ago given up trying to hide his small smile.

Watari was always able to get him off kilter. It was good for him--or at least that's what the scientist claimed.

Who knows, maybe he was right?

"Of course I'm right, you silly person." Tatsumi half-stumbled and stared at him,

"H-how did you...?" He narrowed his eyes, "You haven't stolen Kurosaki's empathy in some sort of haywire experiment gone wrong have you?" The scientist laughed gaily and then winked at him,

"No, no. Can't tell you though, trade secret." The ever short attention span brought something else to his notice. "Hey cool! Look at that!"

Drifting through the sky, like warm, down feathers, white thistle seeds floated lazily through the air. The gentle breeze kept them aloft and made them seem nearly gravity defying.

It was a peaceful sight.

They stood silently and watched them serenely for a moment. Then Watari's need for motion reasserted itself and he started chasing after the little white seed-carriers. Like everything else he did, the movements were frantic and wild. Tatsumi tried very hard to keep the chuckle out of his voice. "What are you doing?" Watari's limbs moved frantically, only pushing the objects of his chase further away.

"Trying to catch one! What does it look like I'm doing?" He jumped up and tried to snatch one just above his head, "Aw! So close! You know if you catch one, you're supposed to make a wish!" Tatsumi couldn't stop the low, rumbling of laughter building up in his chest. His voice was thick with amusement,

"You know, you'll never catch one like that. You're only making more of a breeze that carries it away." Watari snorted,

"Oh ye of little faith! Huuutah! Gah! Where'd it go I know I had it!" The secretary coughed in order to cover up his undignified snickers.

"Here, this is how it's done." Lazily, Tatsumi held up a hand, his fingers slightly cupped. Keeping his movements gentle, he picked one of the hundreds of white explosions of puff and tracked its motion. Letting the breeze carry it to his hand, he intercepted the seed and gently closed his hand around it.

"Bah! Anyone can do it like that! But anyways, close your eyes and make your wish!"

"What..?" Watari flashed a brilliant smile at him, and Tatsumi knew he couldn't refuse it.

"C'mooon! Just do it!" Grumbling good-naturedly, the secretary closed his eyes and silently made his wish. Strangely enough, he knew what he wanted...He opened his fist and let the slightly crumpled vessel go.

"HAH! I got one! Told you I could do it!" Tatsumi looked over at Watari and smiled. The gold eyes were closed, his face screwed up in wildly serious concentration. The corners of his lips twitched again.

Watari lazily opened his eyes and let his wish carrier go too. he looked over at Tatsumi. He smiled cheerily, "So. You get your wish?" The elder man took a few steps closer to his companion.

"No, not yet..." They looked at each other, the warmth of the summer sun infecting their gaze. A hint of a smile played around smug, pale lips. A smile full of gentle promise. Tatsumi bent down and brought their mouths together.

It was a slow, subtle kiss, full of lazy passion, heat that would later show the true fullness of its fire.

For now it was quiet, loving, and placid, with the force and pace of a sluggish, summer stream.

Tatsumi drew away, his heart suddenly feeling feather-light and skipping a few beats. Watari looked up at him and then smiled broadly,

"I got my wish." Tatsumi nodded and smiled back.

"Good, because I did too." There was a pause. "We should go back to the Ministry now." Hand in hand they started their walk back to the closest shrine--for who would want to teleport on a day like today?

Tatsumi started laughing quietly for no reason at all. Watari looked at him strangely, before joining in his chuckles.

The answer to his question was perfectly clear.

I'm out here because I love you.

-FIN-

Rhea-sama · Doctor's Orders

(Another naughty word ahead, ahoy. Terazuma and his colorful tongue XD)

The Eternal Problem of the Red Moon Phase

Meifu was sickeningly pretty that morning. One could have even said that purgatory looked like a little piece of heaven. The cherry trees seemed to wriggle and bloom with extra energy and zest today.

Wakaba was sure it was to accentuate just how bad she looked that morning.

Kannuki looked like Lucifer's left wing after a bad night in a mosh pit.

And that was an understatement.

Her orange eye had a spiraling bloodshot pattern on the white of her eye, her normal eye was also bloodshot, but just the normal, icky, veiny kind of bloodshot. There were hollows underneath them, and darkened as though bruised from tiredness. Her hair, usually so beautiful and well maintained, was a veritable rat's nest drawn back into an untidy, viny ponytail that was threatening to explode. She wouldn't have been surprised to find briar thorns in there. She hadn't even changed out of her PJ top--an old, oversized "Carebears" t-shirt. She was wearing old dark jeans with completely worn out knees. The pants were so long on her petite frame that the cuffs pooled around her ankles, even though she'd folded up the ends a couple times. The waist was cinched in by an extremely tight belt across her middle. It was clearly digging into her skin.

And she was running fifteen minutes late.

For Wakaba this meant she had woken up thirty mintues late, and was now entering the Summons Section five minutes later than her usual time. She slammed the door behind her. Tatsumi poked his head out of his office to yell about being gentle with the structural integrity of the building because they didn't have enough funding to fix anything--but then he stopped, when he saw it was Wakaba. He just stared. Maybe it was because of how she looked. Maybe it was because it had been she who'd slammed the door. Or maybe it was because it was unusual for her to be this late. Wakaba snapped at him. "What?"

"...Are you feeling well Wakaba? If you are feeling ill you should go home."

"Damnit Tatsumi I'm not sick! Leave me alone!" The secretary shook his head and retreated back to the sanctuary of his paperwork. He did not understand women well enough to avoid some sort of strife. He only thought how odd it was for Wakaba to be so angry and disheveled.

"Waaaaaa-kaaaaa-baaaaa~!" The girl stiffened. Oh great. She turned to face a disgustingly over-enthusiastic Asato Tsuzuki. "Wakaba-chan didja bring any sweets in this morning for meee-eee--woah! What happened to you?" The girl glared at him, making Tzuzuki shrink and regret even coming over to say 'hello' in the first place.

"NO I DON'T HAVE ANY SWEETS FOR YOU! AND NOTHING HAPPENED TO ME! YOU CAN ALL JUST DROP DEAD!" Wakaba paused to draw in a breath. Tsuzuki took this oppourtunity to escape. ("Eeee! Scaaaaary! Hisoka! Save meee!") The girl took this moment to announce to the department at large, "I am going to my office now. Anyone who doesn't want to spend the afternoon regrowing their limbs will leave me the hell alone."

Wakaba stomped to the office she and Hajime shared and slammed the door.

Her partner looked up at her and groaned. "Oh no. Why didn't you take some fucking painkillers Kannuki?" The girl flopped down into her seat and shat a glare at him,

"Oh can it Hajime." She snorted, "You're the only one here who ever seems to remember what time of month this is." Terazumi regretfully put out his cigarette, not wishing to anger his partner further.

"That's not true you know, I think the kid picks up on your hormones 'cause he gets crabbier too. I kinda feel sorry for the little brat." Wakaba frowned,

"Hisoka is not a brat Hajime!" The detective waved a hand.

"Normally I'd say the same for you. Just don't get too close to me. Kuro hates women enough as it is." She walked over to him and stuck her tongue out--before flipping him (or perhaps the Shikigami inside of him) the bird,

"If Kuro was a lady he'd understand!" Hajime backed his chair up immediatley,

"I'm serious Wakaba!" He was blushing now, making the marks beneath his eyes stand out. "In your condition you don't even need to touch me!" Wakaba crossed her arms.

"That's what you say every month!" Hajime stood up in defense, face entirely red now,

"Well it's not my fault that Kuroshuengi can smell menstural blood okay?" Wakaba's face resembled a slapped tomato. Then her face twisted and her body trembled, like the shudderings of a volcano about to erupt.

And for the next three hours anyone who walked past, stopped in front of, or stood in the general area of Kannuki's office could hear a heated rant on the curse of womanhood (as well as furniture being thrown around).

Why did the King of Hades not give historectomys to all female agents? This was cruel and unusual punishment. Not only was she bleeding, but whenever she tried to rip out her uterus, it would simply grow back and hurt even worse--stupid healing powers. And the hormones? Whe couldn't she have waited until after menepause to have died? Or have been a late bloomer? Did the king not know how this felt? Maybe if some harpies with twelve inch long steel claws started carving out inside his belly he'd understand! And why had Terazuma neglected to share that little fact with her before? Didn't Wakaba have a right to know? Why was the universe so unfair!?

In his lab Watari looked at his latest sex-change potion effort in fear. Hesitating for just a moment, he poured the concoction down the drain. Maybe being a woman wasn't really worth it after all.

-Fin-

admin

Lucid

Very fitting title. Felt much like reading a dream, sad though. But very much a good read especially the way you used detail for it. Nothing is completely explained yet I got everything, and the details used were good. I enjoyed it overall thank you tons for posting it!

A Stolen Opportunity

Never thought about it that way. Really intriguing, poor Hisoka, nice perceptive piece though. Made me think about what Tsuzuki might be feeling hearing what Hisoka say all that as well.

Oedipus Rex

All your views on the couple re brilliantly put together there. I always liked in the manga and anime how well Watari kept together and the moment he and Tatsumi had there as well. Good story, great title!

A Simple Matter of Persuasion

Strangely enough, my favourite. Absolutely loved this one! It was put together with wit and good plus clever writing skills. Especially the end when you find out it's about going out to dinner!

The Perscription

"Or as the extremely vulgar call it, 'Loblolly Boy'"

I loved the interaction between Watari and Tatsumi in this story!! Especially that recurring doctors orders line. I have to say that Tatsumi and Watari are very much themselves and at home in these stories. Can't wait to read the next two!!

Going to read the last two later. ^_^

Rhea-sama

=^_____^= Aww, you have me blushing over here, thanks! x'33

Paurie

Finished! =DDD (And I can't believe I read them since I was tired when I started. Now I'm awake!)

:insert fangirly sounding "kya!" here: I'm very much a fan of yours now. =3 I had told you I loved your style of writing, well now I can tell you I love the way you tell the story, too! X3 They.were.awesome. I really enjoyed them..... :little hearts all around: <3

My faves were the ones of Watari and Tatsumi of course. And though Watari was trying to bore Tats asleep(in that one ficy), I saw this cute image of him reading the other to sleep. (so sweet)

You really do write so well... When I can not only picture everything so detailed, but feel the atmosphere around the characters... :le sigh: Thank you. =3 I'm real floaty and happy now.

And now I must encourage you more about that fic idea!!!! >D

(What's your ff.net account? Linky?)

Rhea-sama

*smiling and blushing so hard cheeks are in danger of falling off

http://www.fanfiction.net/u/556792/

You've read most of the stories in "Doctor's Orders" but there's a multi-part drabble in progress 'Mad Scientists' in there

Paurie

Thank you! ^.^ If you get a review from CattyNebula, that's me! =3

Rhea-sama

Ah so that was you! x33

admin

Summer Haze

Awwwwww, so sweet. I could see it clearly in my head, a really kawaii read, I love how you describe the kiss, so romantic. Wonderful Tatari story, your a professional at this pairing, how comes I've never heard of you before now.

The eternal problem of the red moon phase

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! *can't stop laughing*

Paurie

Yes! Very fun to read. <3 And since you aren't here for the weekend, I can finally read the rest of your stuff on FF.net! =DDD (Though I deeply miss the RPing and chatting... Must be patient.)

Rhea-sama · Secrets don't make friends.. but sometimes they make b/fs!

Prepare to die from too much sweetness. XD This is my.. beta version I suppose XD It might change a little before it goes on ff.net x3

Secrets

Watari Yutaka was nursing a secret.

No one was sure what it was, but they were all certain it was some dastardly new wave of mischeif and none of the other Shinigami wanted a part of it. Especially not one Tatsumi Seiichiro.

The reason for this being, of course, that his birthday was coming up.

He hated the winter months enough as it was. Especially December.

Winter was a time of great stress. It was cold, lifeless, and heating his house was expensive. (He cut back on these costs by spending more time at the office than usual, but even there it was cold, because they didn't have enough of a budget for proper heating either. He swore Watari burned/exploded more things than usual purely for the warmth value.) Extra test tubes weren't the only thing to burn however. Money flowed out of his pocket like it were made of water, yen dissapearing like the light snow on unmelted ground.

Really, did people not realize just how expensive frivolity was? That's why it was called frivolous!

However, despite his penny pinching, Tatsumi did use Christmas as oppourtunity to express his appreciation for his friends and co-workers. Despite some jibes, and suggestions behind his back, he did not go out of his way to cut costs on presents. (He wasn't heartless!) However, he didn't go out of his way to put himself into debt either. (He had a lot of people to shop for!) Usually he made castella cake for the resident sweet fiends Terazuma(Maybe it was Kuro who actually liked the sweets so much), Konoe, and of course Tsuzuki. For Hisoka he visited old, used-bookshops and picked up old and interesting titles that couldn't be found anywhere else. For the Gushoshin, he simply did his best to threaten everyone into returning their books by the end of the year. The Count (urg) generally got a very brief, impersonal card from him. Chidsiru (and his Okinawan secretorial counterpart), Saya, and Yuma all also got cards--the latter two usually recieving a Pinkhouse catalouge gift card. For Wakaba, who was the epitomie of the female domestic, he usually got a high-quality sewing or cooking apparatus. And so it went down the line leaving only... Watari.

Watari was one of those infuriating people that were impossible to shop for. It didn't seem that way of course. Mostly because other didn't make as much of an effort when it came to the man. And Watari would accept whatever trinket or book or sadly inferior bit of science equiptment they had for him, and he would smile brightly and express grattitude. Because if nothing else his friends at least thought about him.

Tatsumi was one of the few people who ever asked the man outright, "What do you want for Christmas this year?" And it was always the same, infuriating, impossible answer.

"Really, I don't need anything. I have most of what I want, and anything technical that I wanted to get I'd probably have to help you order, thus eliminating the surprise element of it. It's okay. You really don't have to get me anything. I pretty much have the things that matter, my friends, and any stuff that I need I can get on my own. As if I need any more stuff."He chuckled here. And Tatsumi growled mentally because he was correct.

Watari did have everything. (He would not have been surprised if the Kansai man had the Holy Grail tucked away in a box in the lab somewhere.) What did that leave to get for him?

Tatsumi hated shopping for Watari, because he never could find anything up until the very few weeks--sometimes even days preceding Christmas. (Tatsumi did his Christmas shopping all year long, thank you he did not procrastinate!) However, he enjoyed seeing Watari's eyes glow in genuine appreciation when he unwrapped whatever gift Tatsumi had given him. Watari would simply light up and ramble on and on that this was just what he needed, just what he'd wanted without realizing it.

This year he'd failed in his search, nothing seeming to quite fit. He wanted to get the man another electric blanket, as apparently the other one had worn out but.. to repeat a gift was just..

Watari didn't even have the good grace to be annoyed with him either. No, he had to go and be all Watari about it and thank him for not getting him something excessive that he didn't really need. Damnit. How could he feel both better about the situation and guiltier at the same time!?

...What had he been thinking about again? Oh that's right. Watari. Winter. Winter sucks and Watari had been scheming since late October.

The Christmas party had passed and, other than the usual drunken revelry that had occured, nothing else had happened, meaning that whatever plot Watari had been concocting was waiting for Tatsumi's other least favorite event of the winter. And that was namely his birthday party.

Why did everyone assume he needed 'a good stiff drink' or 'cheering up' or 'a good hard lay'? That is generally what his birthday party ended up being--people forcing drinks on him in an attempt to get him to 'open up about his problems' and inquire about his nonexistent lovelife. (Some bolder souls threatening to set him up with suitible cantidates.)

Tatsumi hated it. He was a boring drunk, and he didn't like the way alcohol made him feel. It only drew him further into himself and made him cranky, more irritable, and more likely to say offensive things and hurt others.

To put it lightly, it sucked.

However, he couldn't just not go into work. People kept dying, despite Christmastime.

He took relief in the fact that he could, at least, avoid most of them as they tended to get too drunk themselves to remember what they had been trying to do.

He didn't get presents either (not that he really minded), as people tended to give him them on Christmas. Sometimes they got him one large present, or two smaller ones, but it was all taken care of already.

Watari had broken tradition this year however, and had only given him a Christmas present.. promising him his birthday present later.

He wasn't sure if the prospect should frighten him or not.

Strangely when he got to his office, the customary birthday decorations were up, but there was a definite absence of half a dozen people trying to shove various forms of alcohol on him. How bizzare.

Even stranger was the note on his desk, informing him to go to Watari's lab immediately.

Tatsumi wasn't sure he liked that command. He had a suspicious this was what all the grand scheming had been about. (For months, months, whenever walking by the lab he had heard the sounds of paper ruslting...Being folded, being cut, flapped about..Yet whenever he stepped into the lab it was.. clean immaculate. It was frustrating.)

In another twist of the bizzare everyone seemed to be looking at him as he walked down the hallway. As if they knew something he didn't..? Oh hells. They were in on it too.

He should run. Turn back and run right now.. and yet....

Suddenly he was greeted at the door to his lab by Watari who tossed his long winter coat at him. Tatsumi caught it, utterly bewildered. Watari smiled mysteriously, shrugging on his own long jacket.

"Watari," he started suspiciously, "What is--"

"Put your coat on. It's cold out there." Tatsumi blinked, but did as he was told. (Knowing that even if he didn't Watari would teleport them out into the cold anyways, ready or not.)

A hand found its way to his arm the moment he'd finished zipping up. And Watari transported them away...

...into a field. Somewhere where there was snow. He looked at Watari blankly,

"Watari," He tried to start again, but the man cut him off.

"Tatsumi." He paused. "Seiichiro," he corrected himself, "I know how much you hate the winter months.. I know how much you hate the strain and stress of the holidays and all the extra work that comes with it. I know you detest shopping for me, since I'm so hard to buy for, but in all those years I've always noticed you've never asked for anything in return." He paused. "I had to help the guys at the office to help me arrange things, but I .. hope you like it." Tatsumi looked around again and suddenly he noticed something. Paper. Paper flowers, oragami shapes, cut outs, it was a sea of white paper on snow, invisible at a first, careless glance. He looked back at Watari, stunned. It must have taken ages to make all these... And that would explain why he'd needed the help in setting it up. There had to have been thousands of the things! Just as he was about to speak Watari cut him off again.

"My gift to you, Seiichiro, your birthday present is this: A moment of spring. From me to you." Tatsumi blinked, had he.. heard that right?

Watari stood in the center of his creations, arms raised wide to the heavens. A gentle breeze kicked up and there was a ripple throughought the medow, rustling the paper. And things burst forth into life and color. Tatsumi fancied he even saw snow melting away to reveal grass underneath. There was so much color it was blinding! It spread from Watari out to the edges of his creations, birds, butterflies, dragonflies swirling up around him, intensifying that breeze, sending gold hair flying. At his feet flowers and even toadstools came to life, rich, vibrant colors assaulting his eyes. Tatsumi was transfixed.

"Beautiful..." but he wasn't really looking at the flowers. He was staring at the man spinning at the center of it all, a whirlwind of gold and light. He felt so small in the face of such beauty and power, such.. raw being. He realized Watari was so much more than just a Shinigami. He was a god of life--able to create it in places where there had been and should be none. (And perhaps that was why he was fascinated with women.) Watari was the consumate god of spring, a creature of destruction and regeneration.

How long the moment lasted Tatsumi could not say, but as the creatures and plants faded away, one by one, he was left still staring at Watari, who stood smiling back at him, hands in his pockets. It was another several moments before Tatsumi could bring himself to say anything.

"Watari..." it came out softly in a white steam of cloud. he tried again, "I.. this.." The blonde's mouth twitched pleasantly in one of the corners. Tatsumi had to put a hand to his cheest, his heart was beating far too fast for some reason. "Watari this was... thank you." The blonde shrugged, trudging past him.

"It was no problem." Tatsumi was almost reduced to spluttering at that. N-no problem!? He turned to look at Watari, who was concentrating his energy to teleport back to the office. Tatsumi's hand shot out and grabbed his arm, jarring his focus. Watari blinked up at him. "Tatsumi is something wrong..?"

Yes. Yes there was. I almost let you get away. He'd almost let Watari leave without telling him how much that scene had affected him, how that was the best birthday present he'd ever recieved. Without telling this man.. who had just changed the seasons for him and defied Mother Nature.. how damn beautiful he'd been. Without telling him...anything. Tatsumi tried to collect his thoughts which were all racing wildly, as if scattered to the wind that Watari had summoned.

"Watari I........you never got a Christmas present from me this year." Watari blinked,

"This again? Really Tatsumi it's not a big deal. I already have--"Tatsumi shook his head.

"That was because I was a fool.. and.. I didn't know what it was I wanted to get you but I .. I know now. So.." He took in a breath. This was so.. ermbarresing but his body was clamoring for him to do it, too many forces had been at work just now for him to sit by and let things happen. His hands shifted and suddenly he was bringing the man closer, bending his head down and all but stealing a kiss.

To say Watari had been surprised would have been..a little bit of an understatement. However, that was not to say he didn't respond, cold lips warming with their combined breath. Watari almost felt like giggling. Tatsumi never took these kinds of openings, and he always scorned the mistletoe tradition. Which was really a damn shame, seeing as how good the man was at kissing... When Tatsumi pulled away again, his blue eyes were full of uncertainty, almost fearful of what Watari might say. He mumbled another apology. "Sorry it's late.." Watari put a hand to Tatsumi's shoulder, shaking his head.

"No, not really. I think it was right on time." He smiled, "Let's continue this somewhere warm okay? I have some hot cocoa warming up in the lab." Tatsumi nodded and smiled right back.

"I think I'd like that." Watari ghosted them back to his labratory and Tatsumi suddenly felt like laughing until his head spun.

Winter....was fantastic.

Paurie

D'awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! I've always loved winter. <3

I've already told you how much I love your writing style, so I'll just skip to the story part of it. Obviously, I love it!! Very Happy

It was such a fun oneshot. From begining to end. I loved how it was carried out. ^^ Like a little bonus chapter, it was! And of course, the scene with the medow was beautiful. <3<3 The whole fic was. (And yes, fluffy!!!)

*le sigh* I have a happy buzz right now....

Oh, I especially liked the part where Tatsumi was recalling all his other "parties" where people are trying to get him to drink so he'll open up. X3

That was so cute. *huggles Tatsumi* My first fic I've ever read where it's about his b-day. =3 Oh, and *guggles you*

Thanks for sharingggggggggg!! (Don't evah stop!!! D: )

Rhea-sama

It'll be a sign of Armageddon if I ever stop being a feedback whore XD

Yami no Kaze

*dies from the sweetnes* =D can't stop grinning! ^^ LOVE it!

Rhea-sama · Random Oneshot that just came to me.

Cancer Sticks

Pay for the cigarettes, leave 'Kaba's money on the counter and go. Leave the gas station and its disgusting, overpowering smells. Pull out a soft paper cylinder and light it up. (Ignore the little girl who just came up to say 'Smoking is bad for you' before her mother shoos her inside.)

Fumble with a match, because that's all that's on hand, and then slowly inhale the noxious fumes.

Breathe in. Exhale out.

Marvel at the power of Shinigami lungs, healing themselves of damage that should have caused cancer years ago. Ignore Tatsumi-san's dissaproving scowl at having them in the office. Replace the spent butt with a new cigarette, repeat. Slowly suck the smoke in, drink the calming, soothing niccotine.

Let the sickly sweet smell of the drug sooth the monster within, the Beast that Should Not Be. Feel him simmer, go away, go away.

Simmer, heal, sleep, kill, regenerate, sleep, lull...smoke.

Revel in the feel of burning lungs, continue to be amazed as they heal right back up. Wonder how much abuse an immortal body can take. Consider using dumbass Watari or dumberass Tsuzuki to test that thought.

Empty the ashtray and pull out a third cigarette. A habit that was never broken. Death itself could not cease the need.

Grit the end between animalistic fangs, glare at paperwork. Hope it combusts.

Nothing..

Growl. Fill out gods-be-damned forms. Wait for partner.

Wait.

Get a fourth stick.

Wait.

Fight the Beast.

Ask partner where she was, try to avoid thinking about the answer. (Damn Tsuzuki..)

Don't meet her eyes as she sees the cigs are still there.. still there. She has never approved.

("Hajime when are you going to quit?"

"When I'm darn good and ready to!" Which is never)

Ignore that sad little sigh. Ignore it.. ignore it...

...douse out unfinished cancer stick. Aplogize.

"...I'm sorry." Ignore the creature that says to attack her.

"I'm sure you'll do better tomorrow." A lie. The same one she said yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. And the day before that too.

...Break down an hour later and whip out the box.

Smoke.

Breathe...

-FIN-

admin

Not a fan of winter, at all, nope. Only good thing about it is the extra hour and lack of insects, other than, winter must die *insert pyscho theme here*

Oh that was really sweet, I lliked it, please continue to post more one shots this was like omg sweet.

Paurie

Oh wow. Fantastic. XD Did you just do that?

Short, but powerful. Hell, it made my lungs hurt even. X3 (Not really, but it did make me aware.... or something like that.)

Mooooooooooooore! Very Happy

Rhea-sama

Paurie

Hey, I smoked once. XD I wanted to be cool like the other kids! (Really did, but minus that last part and add one friend who I asked "Hey, let me try that thing." X3 It sucked. lol I didn't even know how to do it at first. XDDD Then when I did... *cough, cough* Oh... *cough* You suck! *cough, cough* Why'd you... *cough* Lemme do it?! *cough* O_o)

Annnnnnnyway, are you almost done with Shadow Tease???? ^^

Rhea-sama

Rhea-sama · Hey guys, remember this? XDD

Really, RPing here has given me some of the best ideas ever XD

Hiding Hides

Watari had a penchant for skin tight clothes. He also had a penchant for being 'cold' when it was anywhere less than 80 degrees Farenheit.

Some days Watari cheerfully admitted he was in fact, wearing two pairs of pants in order to keep his long legs warm. But never with his leather pants.

One day Tatsumi finally discovered the secret.

"Your leather pants are lined with fur!?"

"Yes." Tatsumi felt his mouth go slack as he stared incredulously,

"..Fur?"

"Yep."

"As in.. from animals?" As in.. costs a small fortune for a five inch square of the stuff?

"Yup."

"You're covering your butt with stolen fur?" He shook his head. Watari was a walking PETA protest waiting to happen. "Watari, how many animals did you kill in order to create these pants?" The scientist smiled proudly.

"Thousands of animals were slain for the sole purpose of adorning my fine ass!"

"...I'm going." Watari grinned cheekily and called after him,

"If it helps, I'm sure many of them were adorable!"

"Idiot."

-Fin-

Paurie

hahahaha That last part got me. "If it helps, I'm sure many of them were adorable!" I laughed out loud for that one... I remember this, though. I can't remember if you told me in the chat or what. Great work. And glad RPing is inspiring you. Write!!!!

Jani_chan · ^^

I don't know how you do it, Rhea. I get so many ideas, but they last for forty pages because they take years to dovelope into what one could actually call a fanfic. I bow to your greatness, and continue wish for the day when I could be as greatly wonderful as you^^

Rhea-sama · Drunken Logic at its finest XD

Exactitude

Conventional wisdom/methods for instant soberization were all a bunch of crap.

Watari knew this, he had many years experience with the matter of being drunk and/or tipsy. That's why, even after being scared witless he was still unfocused. He was drawn a little out of his drunken haze when Tsuzuki fell victim to.. "A clog?" He picked it up and stared at it blankly. He kinda liked being drunk. It made his mind slow down, he stopped analyzing things. Had he been sober, he would have already determined the kind of wood it was, when it had been made, what tools had been used, the surface area, weight, volume.... Instead it was just a clog. He fobbed it off to Tsuzuki and went back to staring around in a stupor for another few minutes.

"Alright, Watari and I will pair up." ZOOM~! He ears zeroed in on that. (And he was certainly a good deal more alert now!) The next part of what Tatsumi said was almost lost as Watari stared at him with only the intent a drunken genius can. "...the girls can search the castle again. Tsuzuki, Kurosaki, Kattsue and Ketto C can search together." Watari had to smother giggles as he stood there, waiting for his partner to get rid of the girls, who were complaining at the loss of Hisoka. Finally Tatsumi turned to him. Wh-what's up with that look? Watari's 'hit by a hammer' grin became all the wider.

"So..." Tatsumi raised a brow parroting the word back,

"'So'?" The blond titled his head, still grinning without a care in the world,

"So you wanna be on top or should I?" There was a pause in which Tatsumi tried to digest this statement.

"I--pardon?" He cleared his throat, "I don't think I understood your question Watari." But the tone indicated that (of course) he had, though for Watari's health there better have been some sort of misunderstanding. The scientist smiled and was happy to clarify,

"When we have sex. I assume that's what we're going to do here yes?" Tatsumi could not hold a lid down on his composure any longer,

"WHAT!? How on earth did you get that--where... I never said anything remotely sexual you, you perverse inebriate!" Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely, Watari didn't seem put out in the slightest.

"You didn't, it was all implied." Tatsumi was annoyed to find the glare was doing nothing to phase the other man.

"Oh do go on," he grumbled, voice heavy with sarcasm. Grinning like a loon Watari stepped up and threw an arm around Tatsumi, his grip startlingly hard to get out of,

"Actually I'd go further and say it was subconscious, maybe even unconscious. But let's review what you said when arranging the search parties."

"Alright..." Tatsumi said warily, wondering why he was even going along with this in the first place.

"'Watari and I will pair up.'(Notice the double entendre here.)" There was a scowl in place now,

"I still fail to see how that translates to 'Oh Watari let's have hot sex here and now, take me, I cannot wait any longer.'" Tatsumi instantly regretted opening his mouth, and he could not look at the other man's licentious, knowing grin.

"I said nothing of the kind either, but obviously you're understanding the nature of implied statements now. Now combine that first signal with the fact that we don't seem to be planning on doing any actual work..." The secretary was indignant at that,

"Don't lump me in with you, slacker!" Watari sniggered,

"Please, you told the other two parties to go search, but there was no mention of us having to go look for anyone or anything anywhere. Isn't that just a little bit suspicious?" God damned hair-splitting scientist!

"I--You.. over-analyzing little..."

"You know what else is funny? You haven't actually turned me down, nor expressed disinterest in the matter." Watari laughed, for no real reason. Tatsumi half-growled, half-sighed,

"You are drunk."

"So if I was sober your reservations wouldn't be an issue?" Tatsumi's glare increased.

"You're drunk," he repeated a little more firmly. Watari only smiled with deceptive simple-mindedness.

"That's still not a 'noooo~oooo~!'"

"You are drunk." Tatsumi repeated a third time, as though closing the matter. Watari's hold on him tightened a little,

"So I am." He swooped in and pecked Tatsumi on the cheek, "You'll forgive a drunken pass, won't you?" Mentioning the pink touching Tatsumi's face would be a ticket to an instant second death.

"That was not a pass, that was a.. an argument." Watari giggled--only because he was tipsy.

"Oh did I make a good case for myself?" Tatsumi rolled his eyes, praying to the Powers Beyond for patience,

"As loathe as I am to admit it, that was some of the best drunken logic I've ever heard. But it was still drunk. Now do me a favor and get sober quickly so we can drop this matter."

"You know I hear sex is a great way to sober up quick." The shadows in the room gave an interesting twitch,

"Watariiii---" The other man smiled,

"Now that was a pass!" The secretary rubbed his forhead and the headache forming there.

This was going to be a long night.

-Fin-

Paurie

Ooooh, do you know how much of a treat that was! <3 Waking up in the morning and then seeing that one of your fav. fic writers wrote a shorty! And a shorty about your fav. arc, too. <333 So much loooooooooove I have right now. X3

I loved this one! Cute/funny/sweet good-ness-ness. :3 I want more!! Very Happy

Pleeeeeeeeeease, write us a dirty scene. >3 Or, let us know what happened next. ;3

*hugs* You're awesome! :'D

(I <3 drunken Watari, too. XD)

Jani_chan · XD!!!

Aiyaaaa!!!!!

That was the best!! You rock!! XDDDDD

I'm SOOO a Tatari fan now because of you and P-chan^^ XD

Paurie

Always a pleasure to help! ^_~d

Now... about that next part, Dearest Rhea. <3333

Rhea-sama

Valentine's Day

Dating a man like Watari... usually meant that the unexpected was to be expected. But nothing could have prepared Tatsumi for his Valentine's day gift that year.

"....You got me a thong?" His tone betrayed no emotion as he held the red, lace-encrusted.....thing. Watari smiled,

"Uh huh. And I expect you to wear it." The scientist winked.

"And I expect you to sleep on the couch tonight." Watari started to laugh a little.

"Of course Tatsumi." But he still smiled. He now had about 16-hours to wheedle some Valentine's day sex out of his lover.

Watari always loved a challenge.

-end-

Paurie

Oh awesome! XD I swear I've had a (weird!) dream where Muraki(of all people) had made Tatsumi wear a pink thong. XDDDD

I loooooooooved this, Rhea. :333 Please, please, please.... continue it? >3

And Happy V-day to you! ^.^

Jani_chan

THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!!! XDDDDDDDD

*dies laughing x10000000*

Rhea-sama · Whoo storytime :'3

Aftermath

Watari Yutaka has nightmares.

It was not a unique fact as all Shinigami have them, accquire them.

Watari once estimated that if he could somehow put every nightmare, every hellish dream, into solution and pour it out, he would run out of beakers.

Watari was an active field agent in one of the quieter sectors, yet he probably had more nightmares than all his friends and collegues put together.

Some of it probably had to do with how his mind operated--constantly turning the wheels, ever on the alert for some (new) horrible situation or catastrophe to arrive. (And therefore, be ready for it.)

Some nightmares were spun from his own cases, his past that he could recall, his faliures, his dissapointments, his futile hopes.

Yet he still had it easy, yes, and Watari would be the first to admit that.

He had no Muraki plauging him, dogging his every step.

He had no curse, no hex to haunt his dreaming time.

He had no partner to interfere with his style, to slow him down. (Though sometimes working without a partner was hard, even for a genius.)

He got to work in his lab as much as he wanted, which was probably too much.

Yes, all in all, Watari had a pretty fine afterlife, compared to some.

So why was he burdened with so many, so many, awful dreams?

It was because Yutaka was forced to care for his friends. Always 'after.' In the end, when they came back from their haunts and trials, he was the one who sewed them back together. He was the one who rejoined muscle, drew out poison, who realigned tendons.

He was the one who bandaged wounds that should have healed alone.

He was the one who saw their haunted, paniced, frightened, deadened eyes.

Watari was the one who monitored them, observed them, heard the noises they made in private nightmares--big or small.

He was the one who soothed their sleep, listened to their harrowing tales (while his vivid imagination provided pictures and sound), healed them, helped make them whole--or as whole as they could be--again. Watari was forced to form them back into the spectres of themselves--a duty he took upon himself to do, something that he gladly did.

But voluntarily going through such a task, caring for his friends, didn't change the fact that Watari too often woke from troubled dreams.

It didn't get rid of those horrifying images, those awful thoughts.

Just because he had volunteered, didn't mean he did not see his friends reaching out to him with bloodied, injured muscle and bones in his dreams.

Watari still woke, covered in sweat--always convinced, in horror, upon waking that it was blood.

And though he bore it all with a grin--because he knew he was at least keeping them safe from something--and never said a word, he knew his intentions could not change his dreams. His love, his compassion, his desire to help others...

It didn't change the aftermath.

-FIN-

Rhea-sama

Eugh... now that I look at it... I may rework it some later after I mull it over more...

AND ZOMG NO TATARI!!! D8

It's like... a miracle XD

Paurie

Why is it a miracle if there's no Tatari?! D': X3 (*ahem* Really, though... >.> You should do a Tatari soon. <3<3)

Poor Watari... If only Tatsumi had been there to comfort him when he woke up! Oh! Sequel? :333 Just like the one above but with a different ending? X/3

Very niiiiiiiiiiice! :'D *cheers for more*

laustic

I love your one shots. They're so entertaining and well written.

Rhea-sama

((Totally inexcusable late expression of gratitude! XDDD))

Thank you very kindly ^^ And I love the way your own story has progressed as well :3

Paurie

~P-chan uses the ultimate attack!(created by Kaze)~

:tackle, glomp, snuggle, purr: Write more! :333 (please) X3

I can't help it, though. D: Rhea writes so good and I always want moooooore. :'x

Lumping all the One Shots together..

Doctor's Orders

Doctor's Orders

Doctor's Orders

Doctor's Orders

Doctor's Orders

Secrets don't make friends.. but sometimes they make b/fs!

Random Oneshot that just came to me.

Hey guys, remember this? XDD

^^

Drunken Logic at its finest XD

XD!!!

Whoo storytime :'3