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[fic] The Storm is in the Air
Title: The Storm is in the Air
Author: Shan
Prompt: Storm.070
Rating: PG-13 (language)
Word Count: 1,547
Progress: 6/100
Status: One-shot. Complete.
Summary: Even a perfect couple can't avoid quarrels and sometimes an explosion is unavoidable.

Author's Notes: This story has been sitting on my HDD since February x_x; I finally decided that I won't make it any better than it is, so here you go. I hope it's all right ^^ Big thanks to enchanter for beta on this puppy ^^ ::chuu::


Watari had a bad day.

Just when he thought he had found the perfect formula, the mixture fizzled in the beaker and violently exploded. It would have been spectacular, if not for the fact that another set of glass containers turned to a glittery powder. He suspected that the rest of the division had heard the commotion but, for once, it bothered him. The past week had been nerve-wrecking; filled with faulty experiments, an emotionally heavy case and a moody partner. The last thing he needed--

A loud slam of the door against the wall announced the arrival of the person he had been anticipating, but did not want to see: Tatsumi. As he had expected, the secretary had a murderous look on his face, much scarier than usual. The shadows in the room began to swerve; a perfect indication of how mad Tatsumi had to be. And yet, Watari had a feeling he should be more concerned than he was.

“Watari Yutaka-san!” At odds with his threatening gaze, Tatsumi's voice sounded unnaturally calm. “What is the meaning of this?”

Watari shrugged. He usually had more consideration for his partner, but his patience had already been stretched way beyond its limits.

“Depends on what you mean by this,” he replied acidly. “This is my lab and this is my experiment-gone-bad,” he pointed. “Anything else you'd like to know, Tatsumi-san?”

The impertinent reply hit exactly where he meant it. With a morbid satisfaction, he watched how Tatsumi silently gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. At the same time, Watari quenched the guilt that surfaced in his mind. He was too annoyed to care.

“Do you realize, Watari-san, that we are having important guests today?” Tatsumi asked quietly and took a few steps forward. He reminded Watari of an angry panther. “I have two representatives from the accounting department sitting in my office, trying to tell me that I can't have any extra budget this year. Thanks to your stunt over here, we are definitely not going to get it.”

Watari saw red spots in front of his eyes. He advanced on Tatsumi, completely disregarding the fact that their power levels were considerably different. He clenched his fists as well and glared into those blue eyes.

“Don't you dare blame everything on me, Tatsumi-san,” he slurred angrily. “First you walk around the whole department, growling at everybody like a hungry tiger, and now you think you found yourself a scapegoat? I'm sorry, but I'll pass.”

Tatsumi narrowed his eyes.

“You knew everything, Watari,” he said in a significantly softer voice. “You were the first one I told about this visit. Everybody has been on their best behavior, even Tsuzuki-san--”

At this point, Watari had had enough.

“I was wondering when his name would come up!” he cried out. “Tsuzuki-san this, Tsuzuki-san that. Soon enough they'll be announcing your engagement! I'm surprised you're sleeping with me, considering how much you talk about him. Or do you fuck me out of pity? Because I sure as hell don't need it!”

The air inside the lab went still, just as Watari realized he went too far. He kept staring into Tatsumi's eyes and watched how the vibrant blue gaze turned into a cold icicle. The shadows stopped at once as their master straightened himself.

“I see,” Tatsumi said. His voice was cool and detached. “Expect the money for the repair of the lab equipment to be deducted from your next paycheck. Have a nice day.”

For a brief moment Watari saw a glimpse of emotions behind the cold facade and his gut twisted painfully. The sheer disappointment and contempt in Tatsumi's eyes left him incapable of moving or saying another word. He watched the tall silhouette as it vanished behind the white door.

Watari's day had been bad, but it had just reached the all-time low. He felt like crying.

Hours later, he still had a mess in his lab. Thankfully, nobody cared to visit him to check on his well-being. He suspected it had a lot to do with his earlier outburst. As he sat on the windowsill, staring at the setting sun, once again he regretted his harsh words. No matter how pissed he had been, he should have known better.

Something stirred outside and Watari looked down at the stairs leading out of JuuOhCho. A lonesome figure slowly made its way along the pathway, treading softly over the sakura petals. Tatsumi. It hurt to watch him walk with such heavy steps, so alone. It would take only a brief moment of concentration to teleport next to his partner, but his guilt kept him in place. Many times they had walked home together, but not today.

Tatsumi must have felt he had been watched, because he stopped and turned to glance straight at the lab window. Watari couldn't exactly see his expression, but he had had a taste of it earlier and knew what it looked like. Afraid he'd burst out crying, he jumped off the sill and glared around the messy room. It still needed a lot of cleaning.

He tied his hair up, not wanting it in his face, and set himself to work.

:::
Shadows danced around the barely lit room as the blinds moved to the rhythm of the wind. The house looked deserted, but the open terrace door, and a faint scent of something familiar, convinced Watari that Tatsumi was home. He took a tentative step forward, constantly double-guessing his choice to come at such a late hour. Considering the way things progressed between them in the last few of days, he could expect to be thrown out rather quickly. Still, as each slow step brought him closer to the glass door, he had a feeling he had made a good decision.

Cold, crisp air filled his lungs when he stepped onto the dark terrace. He did not need magical abilities to feel the well-known presence, mixed with an awful stench of cheap cigarettes. Watari raised his eyebrows as he watched the dark silhouette against the night sky; so hunched and tired. Between his slender fingers, Tatsumi held an unlit cigarette.

“Are you going to light it?” he asked.

A visible tremble ran through that powerful frame as the small roll of finely cut tobacco fell out of Tatsumi's grasp. He followed its path for a brief moment and then shrugged. When he turned away from the railing, he kept his head low, hiding behind the long bangs. Watari swallowed almost audibly as he noticed the dark circles around Tatsumi's normally vibrant blue eyes. It only proved how poorly Tatsumi had been taking care of himself lately.

“Not anymore,” Tatsumi said in a flat voice. He stuck his hands in his pockets, where Watari suspected he would find the whole pack of cigarettes.

The sheer lack of emotions in Tatsumi's voice pulled at Watari's heart.

“Tatsumi, you don't smoke,” he said quietly.

Tatsumi shrugged again.

“Since when do you care, Watari-san?”

Another stab to his heart that hurt more than he cared to admit. After a couple of days spent alone in his lab, Watari found himself no longer capable of keeping his cold composure together. It took only a few rapid steps to approach Tatsumi, quickly enough to startle him and force an eye-contact.

“I do care, Seiichirou, and you damn well know it!” he said through gritted teeth.

Tatsumi's gaze held no contempt, so dominant a few days ago, but it did not show much of other emotion, either.

“I'm sorry, all right?” Watari blurted out quickly. “I behaved like an ass, but I can't turn back time. And we can't go on like that, not speaking to each other.”

The minutes slowly crawled on as Tatsumi stared back at Watari. Something extraordinary went on behind the blue eyes, as if a large piece of ice started to melt and wash away. As if a special chemical reaction started and suddenly Tatsumi did not look as stern anymore.

“You might be right, but...” he started reluctantly.

Watari quirked an eyebrow.

“Tatsumi?”

He did not know he stood at an arms reach until he felt those long, chilly fingers on his cheek.

“Don't do that ever again,” Tatsumi said quietly. “This is not one of your experiments to play around with, where you can start over when you mess up. Just remember that, Yutaka.”

Watari had fully expected scolding. He quickly swallowed his pride and nodded. The smile on his face had to look rather thin, though.

Another hand pulled around his waist and Watari felt himself fall into Tatsumi's arms. He deeply inhaled the musky scent, still mixed with the horrid stench. He was home again.

A dull sound rumbled through Tatsumi's body.

Even in the darkness of the night Watari could see the deeper shade of Tatsumi's cheeks. He raised an eyebrow and gave the other a pointed look.

“Tatsumi-san, when was the last time you ate anything decent?” Watari asked.

Without waiting for Tatsumi to give a proper reply, he pulled the man along and quickly headed for the kitchen. It had been his fault his partner neglected food, so now, Watari decided to make up for it. His smile deepened as he bustled around, preparing rice and vegetables.