Title; With You
Rating; T (It's nice? It's fluffy?! AGH! T is really just in case.)
Disclaimer; I wish I owned it. I also wish I owned Kyouya from Ouran High School Host Club, and Soubi from Loveless. …Yeah, that'd be nice.
Author's Note; Oh my gosh! -jump jump, dance dance- I got a new computer! It's shiny and fast and not possessed. I think. At least it hasn't acted possessed, so I'm happy. Only one problem- no A drive, or as I intelligently put it "the disk-y thing". So, unfortunately, I can't transfer all my files over yet, and I'm going to probably have to stay after school to do it. Which is going to stink, especially since I'm so close to finishing up second chapter of Freefall. Anyway, enough about that. I wanted to write a little fiction for Valentine's Day, and I think I've been neglecting Tsuzuki and Hisoka, so this story's for them.
…Of course, there's Watari x Tatsumi, too. What else would you expect?
"You've given me so many things that I've never had,
And all in all I know it's you that always pulls me through,
If you reach deep inside you'll see my heart is true."
-12 Stones, The Way I Feel
There was no denying that Hisoka was a particularly smart kid; though calling him "kid" might have earned the speaker severe bodily harm. However, there were times when he missed things. And Watari would laugh while Tatsumi and Wakaba had small, knowing smiles on their faces, because as much as Hisoka would protest, was still, in so many ways, a child.
Because the entire time it was happening, he never noticed that he had someone who adored him so completely.
------
"Hisoka! C'mon, Hisoka!"
The boy in question glanced up at his partner with large, green eyes. Was it a good idea to follow him?
"Come on."
The question wasn't so much whether it was a good idea, he realized, as whether or not he could avoid it. Hisoka was fairly certain he couldn't. So, with only mild grumbling under his breath and trepidation, he followed his partner down the city street of Kyushu. Anything which made Tsuzuki this happy was most likely dangerous to his health.
The man in question waited for him with a wide smile and nothing to belie his patience with his younger partner's slowed pace. Rather, he was leaning languidly against one of the shop walls, clad in his ritualistic black trench coat and worn black suit.
Hisoka in his grey double breasted coat and dark blue scarf and gloves, could not understand how his partner could find such joy in anything about this day. It was cold. Like heat, Hisoka could not find much love of these frigid days, and he much preferred fall to either extremes. It was February eighth, though, and so that meant it was not only cold, but borderline freezing.
The other inevitable of February, or at least for the first two weeks, was a multitude of gaudy red and pink decorations around the shops, celebrating Valentine's Day. And there were couples; lots of couples. Hisoka sighed slightly to himself as he drew even with Tsuzuki, and looked up to meet bright purple eyes.
"There's something I wanted to show you, Hisoka." The boy wasn't given time to protest (which he probably would have,) when Tsuzuki grasped his wrist and firmly encouraged the younger Shinigami to follow him into a nearby shop. From even the slight touch, Hisoka could positively drown in the happy excitement his partner seemed to be constantly feeling. He was forced to stop when the boy pressed the heels of his scuffed sneakers against the white and black checkered linoleum.
Those eyes were on Hisoka again, and he had only a moment to think, stupidly, they reminded him more of iolites than of amethysts, before he collected himself enough to sputter, "T-Tsuzuki, this is a toy shop." The black haired man had just looked at him, and now Hisoka was sure he knew how Tsuzuki felt when he, himself, looked at the older Shinigami as though he was being especially dense.
"Of course it's a toy shop, Hisoka, now come on. There's something I want to show you." And Tsuzuki proceeded to cheerfully drag his partner after him as he headed through the store. The boy found that he didn't want to know why Tsuzuki knew this shop as well as he did.
Hisoka wasn't quite sure how this whole thing had happened. Tsuzuki had wanted to eat out for lunch, and they had ended up in Kyushu. For once, lunch had ended somewhat early, and Tsuzuki had insisted on looking around the city streets, despite the fact that it was cold. Hisoka had pointed this out, and it seemed as though not long after that he'd ended up in a toy shop of all things.
"I'm not a—"
"Here." Tsuzuki wisely cut off his younger partner's oft repeated protests by stopping in front of one of the shelves and dropping something into his hands. Something…fluffy.
Hisoka blinked down at something which was silky and soft against his palms. Sandy golden fur seemed to sprout from every inch, save for a small, dark brown nose, and a pair of eyes which seemed to resemble a darkened shade of emerald. A small, green and tan plaid bow was wrapped around its neck, and the flats of its paws seemed to be made from tan velvet.
The teddy bear was quite possibly one of the cutesiest things Hisoka had ever seen.
"Tsuzuki, what is…?"
"It's for you," the older man clarified, when it became increasingly apparent that Hisoka would not be finishing the thought. He smiled in a very Tsuzuki-ish manner, and added, "It reminded me of you, don't glare at me—" Hisoka was indeed, glowering a little bit at Tsuzuki's words, "I only said that because of its eyes. See?" He pointed to the plastic, unseeing green eyes.
And Hisoka could only watch, somewhat dumbstruck, as Tsuzuki picked up the bear and walked towards the cashier. Words returned to him after a moment, though, or at least enough to ask, "Why a-a stuffed animal of all things?" He turned a fetching shade of red, glanced at the brightly lit and flamboyantly painted store around him before he could meet his partner's eyes. "It seems a bit…ridiculous."
Tsuzuki smiled charmingly for the woman who ran the cashier. She seemed the type to be a mother figure to any, and the edges of her eyes crinkled into a smile when she saw the blushing boy and the man buying a stuffed animal. Cute. "Here you are," she said, and placed the bear carefully into a brown paper bag with small, thin rope handles at the top. "Have a nice day."
Tsuzuki took the bag and held it out to his partner, but the younger boy hesitated to take it from him. He cast another smile to the woman over his shoulder as they exited (no reason to be rude,) before turning his attention back to Hisoka. "Come on, it's not ridiculous." He smiled down at the sandy blonde head, hiding a face which was staring at his own sneakers as though they had done him great personal offense. "I have a stuffed animal or two back at my apartment."
"That's not something you want to admit to people."
With a sigh, Tsuzuki held the bag out once more. "You still have nightmares, right? Well, this will help because you won't feel lonely." He smiled, charmingly, disarmingly, and in the way that made most people want to do whatever he asked. "You can use it when I'm not there."
Hisoka was rivaling the shade of an apple now, his eyes wide, and he hissed, "Idiot." But since he took the bag and couldn't quite meet Tsuzuki's eye, the older Shinigami realized it wasn't out of anger so much as out of embarrassment.
It was as good as any heartfelt thank you, and he couldn't keep a smile off his face as they went back to Meifu. The little side trip had been worth it.
------
Okay, maybe not as worth it.
"Tsuzuki-san, as much I realize that time management has proven difficult for you, I would suggest that you not extend your lunchtime beyond the allotted hour again."
Tsuzuki cringed and pouted up at a frowning Tatsumi, who was glaring at him over the edges of his glasses. "B-but, Tatsumi! I was only a little bit late."
Tatsumi stood in the doorway to his office, arms crossed and staring sternly at the newly arrived partners. "Twenty minutes is only a little bit late to you? Never mind," he held up a hand, "I will ask for the sake of my peace of mind you not answer that." His eyes trailed to the younger of the two and he added, "Dare I ask what was so important, Kurosaki-kun?"
Hisoka hesitated, glancing over at the small brown bag that rested on his desk. Somehow, he had the feeling that explaining to Tatsumi Tsuzuki was looking through toyshops wouldn't help. "Probably not," he answered honestly. "But if it makes you feel any better, it wasn't anything destructive and you won't be receiving any bills." He sat down at his desk, picked up the files from the previous case, and attempted to tune out Tatsumi's scolding.
"I'd actually prefer he be destructive elsewhere…preferably where I don't have to deal with the repercussions."
"I'm not that bad, Tatsumi," Tsuzuki protested. "Don't be mean."
The raised eyebrow seemed to at once communicate an air of amusement and of disbelief. "How many times have you destroyed the library?"
"…Twice."
"Three times," Tatsumi corrected. "We had to rebuild it after the casualties of another argument between you and Terazuma-san. Remember?" The entire span of the argument had been Terazuma yelling at Tsuzuki for fawning over Wakaba, Tsuzuki insulting him, Terazuma making insinuations about Hisoka and Tsuzuki, and then the Shikigami had been released. It had all gone to Hell in a hand basket (somewhat literally) after that.
"The first time with Sagatanasu wasn't my fault," Tsuzuki pointed out, meekly.
Tatsumi paused. "Technically." He stepped to the side somewhat, indicating Tsuzuki should enter the office. "I have a few other matters to speak with you about, in any case. If you would be so kind…?" The secretary trailed off in a manner suggesting Tsuzuki wasn't going to be allowed a choice in this.
With an almost silent whimper, Tsuzuki did as he was bid. Hisoka watched, thinking he would be shocked if Tsuzuki wasn't pouting when he walked out.
------
"And it didn't work?"
Tsuzuki shook his head. "Not really. I mean…well, no."
Tatsumi sat at his desk, looking very tempted to loose his shadows on somebody. He wasn't sure exactly who yet, but pretty soon it was going to end up happening. "Why, exactly, is it necessary to discuss this in my office?"
"Because this is important, Tatsumi, and you invited Tsuzuki in when I was here, so that's your own fault." Watari grinned at his lover around a curtain of blonde hair, which only seemed to further irritate the secretary…something the scientist delighted in far too much.
Tatsumi folded his arms over his desk, his expression as close to exasperation as his well bred upbringing would allow. "So, let me see if I understand you. Because I needed to speak with Tsuzuki-san about his vagrantly flaunting the funds supplied to him it's my fault that my office has now become your place to trade gossip?"
"Precisely," Watari said with a smile and turned promptly back towards Tsuzuki. "So you gave him a gift and…nothing? What did you give him?"
Tsuzuki seemed to realize that while Tatsumi would threaten them within an inch of their afterlife, he was not actually at the point yet where the best bet would be to run, and quickly. "A stuffed bear," he replied.
There was a muffled sort of sound as Watari clasped a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter. "Y-you got bon a teddy bear? Our bon? The one who, at any suggestion of the fact that he looks sixteen becomes more defensive than Fort Knox?"
"Uhm…yes."
A soft sigh came from Tatsumi, who appeared very aware that for as long as this discussion would take place he would get no peace. No peace meant that the tax refunds would have to wait, along with addressing the Accounting Division's complaints. "You didn't think the gift rather ill-fitted?" he asked, then realized he wanted no part in this conversation and added, "And you can't continue this discussion in your lab because…?"
Watari ignored him. "Well, I guess we'll just have to go with the original plan, then."
Tsuzuki nodded. "I'll come up with something tomorrow, I guess. I'll just have to think about it."
"You have a week," Watari said, encouragingly.
"A week?" Tatsumi knew he would regret asking about anything Tsuzuki and Watari were plotting together. "Continue with what?" His eyes fell on Watari, sitting across from him, to explain.
The scientist was happy to oblige. "We're attempting to let bon know how Tsuzuki feels without scaring him—"
"And the stuffed animal didn't do that?"
"—and it's difficult," Watari continued as though the secretary hadn't interrupted, "because bon is just about as dense as you are about these things."
"I'm not dense," Tatsumi said, and noted how Tsuzuki was wisely staying silent for this portion of the conversation.
"You missed thirty-something years of subtle clues." Watari was grinning by now; the bickering had been a part of their friendship from nearly the first moment they met, and by now it was a welcomed habit to fall into.
"Oh, well, perhaps you should get Tsuzuki-san inebriated and suggest that he attempt to molest Kurosaki-kun outside his apartment building?"
"I was mildly buzzed, if that, and I didn't—"
Tsuzuki cut in, looking somewhat confused. "You want me to kiss him?" He was fairly certain that wouldn't work, he was also certain that Hisoka would kill him if he attempted it.
"No." Two voices spoke as one, both equally firm.
Tatsumi stood, collecting a file laying on his desk and heading for the door. "I am leaving as I have actual work to do, and by the time I return from the copy machine I would hope to see that both of you are doing something worth being paid for. I will, however, settle for having my office to myself." He made his way towards the door, suppressing a sigh; Watari and Tsuzuki combined were a force to be rivaled, and he knew when to a beat a retreat.
There was a pause after the door closed, broken by Tsuzuki. "So how long do we have, do you think?"
"Probably about five minutes," Watari replied. "In any case, did you have any ideas for tomorrow? Let's hear them."
"Sort of…."
The conversation passed quickly between them before Tatsumi returned and told both of them to leave now if they valued their working funds. Which was fine, because by which time, Tsuzuki had an idea formed in his mind.
Author's Notes; God, that was fun to write. I hope it's not too OoC and please tell me if it is. I'll try to correct it. This fiction will be seven chapters (small to medium length) culminating on, of course Valentine's Day. Silly Tatsumi, he didn't know it was Valentine's Day! Well, he wouldn't; I bet Watari gets Valentine's Day, he gets White Day. Originally, this was supposed to be based around one of Shakespeare's sonnets, number 149, but it didn't fit well enough for Tsuzuki and Hisoka at the ending, so I ended up just scrapping it and going with 12 Stones lyrics. On an ending note, in the fifth book, Tsuzuki has a stuffed penguin on his futon and something else, so I had to add that. Just so you know I'm not making that up. Please, read and review and I'll post again tomorrow.