Growing Need

Hisoka's vision blurred as soon as he saw the daunting piles of paperwork on his and Tsuzuki's desks, a migraine beginning to throb at his temples that he knew would only get worse once his lazy bum of a partner showed up. He hadn't managed to get any sleep the previous night, so he knew it was going to be a long, long day the moment he saw the terrified resident scientist running away from an infuriated glowing-magenta-skinned Tatsumi, who fumed with flame-breath, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU PUT IN THE COFFEE, WATARI??" He groaned miserably as he thought to himself, 'That means coffee's out of the question,' as many of his co-workers dumped the contents of their mugs into sinks, waste bins, plants... whatever was nearest to them.

He was so immersed in trying to write in comprehensible sentences, barely keeping his drooping eyelids open, that he didn't even notice Tsuzuki stumble in nearly an hour later. It was only when a heavy "plop" nearly broke the seat by the desk beside his own that his head snapped in his partner's direction, who didn't appear to have gotten much rest either, dark circles sagging under dull and bloodshot purple eyes. Hisoka, slightly concerned that the man hadn't even looked at him, let alone said anything, attempted to start a conversation. "You look like you got just about as much sleep as I did." Tsuzuki shifted his tired gaze towards the boy's, not quite looking into the emerald orbs, muttering a weary, "Oh... Ohayou, Hisoka," with a half-attempt at a smile, then placing his attention in the hellish stack of papers before him. Raising an eyebrow, the blonde inquired with a hint of concern, "Daijobu ka?" The only answer he received was a slight nod. 'Liar,' Hisoka mentally accused, 'you look like second death, you're being quiet, you didn't bring a single sweet with you... and you're working!' In the green-eyed shinigami's mind, something was very wrong with this picture. Probing the elder man's thoughts proved useless; exhausted or not, Tsuzuki had his shields up full force, for which there was only one explanation: the man had something he was trying desperately to hide.

Lunch break finally came, much to Hisoka's relief. Neither had said a single word to the other since he'd asked Tsuzuki if he was all right, but if there was one thing that could end his partner's unnerving silence, it was food. Stretching as he rose from his seat, Hisoka yawned, "So, where are we goi--- huh?" The idiot had fallen asleep while writing a report, and would probably wake up with it stuck to his face, ink staining his cheek when he peeled it off. 'It won't be the first time that's happened,' the youth mused. "Oi! Tsuzuki! Time for lunch," he stated loudly, amazed that the mere mention of the meal hadn't stirred the slightest reaction from the brunette. Stepping over toward him, the boy placed a hand on his shoulder and shook it roughly. "Oi! Bakayarou! If you don't get up, I won't bring you anything back!" Tsuzuki never even opened his eyes as he swatted at the offensive hand, mumbling incoherently.

Had Hisoka not already been dead, his shock at the man's actions (or lack thereof) would have sent him into cardiac arrest. 'He must be really drained to ingore the threat of no food...' As much as he hated to admit it, his partner was breathtaking when he slept, and the blonde found himself unable to tear his gaze from the peaceful look on those sharp features. A hand reached out to brush wayward chocolate strands back, recoiling suddenly as a contented sigh escaped from lips that now formed a small smile. Blushing madly, Hisoka rushed to the door, deciding he would get him some lo mein after all...


His head fell back as Hisoka began licking and biting his way down his neck, the boy's fingers snaking through his hair as he lead a hot, wet trail over his older lover's adam's apple, dipping into the hollow of his throat. Continuing lower, he nipped at the man's collar bone, earning a whimper as shivers shot through both spines. "That shirt," he purred as his fingers commenced in undoing its buttons, "is in the way." Tsuzuki let out a low moan, panting heavily as fleeting kisses were placed along his broad chest, his abdomen...

Upon feeling a sharp tug at his belt, he chanced a glance downwards to witness Hisoka undoing the buckle with his teeth, the button and zipper of his pants meeting the same fate. He groaned aloud at the sight, his breath hitching when a delicate hand slowly reached into his boxers---


"---WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT!!"

A decent-sized hard-cover book making painful contact with the back of his skull was enough to cause Tsuzuki's eyes to fly open, bulging out of his sockets. "Mou," he whined, "hidoi na, Hisoka-chan!" Puppy-Tsuzuki's comical rivers of tears came to a swift hault when he saw his partner's expression. He had never seen Hisoka's face this deep a shade of scarlet before, said shinigami doing all in his power to avoid the widened amethyst eyes that were fixed on him. The reality of what had just happened finally hit Tsuzuki, who barely managed an, "Oh, shit..."

He'd fallen asleep at work, and Hisoka had walked in on Tsuzuki having a dream about his partner that he was very clearly enjoying.

It was Tsuzuki's turn to blush as he stammered a string of apologies, which were promptly cut off with a snappy, "Whatever; I brought you lunch." Still refusing to make eye contact with him, the boy placed three boxes of lo mein on the elder's desk, saving one for himself.

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Watari Yutaka's eyes shone, an evil grin gracing his feminine features as he forced the last of the dropper's clear contents into the cup meant for Bon, the liquid drying almost instantly. Odorless, colorless, tasteless: the perfect disguise. After what he'd managed to witness before the kid had kicked their office door shut, there wasn't a snowball's chance in the Hells that he'd pass this experiment up.

He'd been watching those two pussyfoot around their emotions for too long now; it was blatantly obvious they were in love. Well, to a keen observer such as himself, anyway, though it didn't take anywhere near his level of genius to know how Tsuzuki felt about his partner. He and Bon were meant for each other... the golden-haired scientist was merely going to give them a push in the right direction. Positioning the cups, teapot, and cookies on the plastic tray, he made his way towards their office with a bright, devious smile on his face.

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AN: I know I said I'd make this chapter a little longer, and I'll probably go to Hell for using writer's block as an excuse... but it's true! The next chapter will get... interesting

laustic and OrenjiCloud, I couldn't resist doing the happy dance again knowing that Chapter 2 turned out okay. Thank you so much for the reviews!