Yami No Matsuei Fan Fiction ❯ Mistletoe Conspiracy Plot ❯ part 11 ( Chapter 11 )

Mistletoe Conspiracy Plot

By Mikarin continuation... from part 10

A/N: An update!

Thank you for reviews and again, don't be afraid to point things out such as grammar and spelling. Sometimes I read this some many times that I no longer see the errors that for you are probably pretty obvious.

I could use a beta-reader.

Just think, you'll be the first to read the story before anyone else.




(Previously...)

Konoe slammed his office door and drowned the screaming that was soon to follow. Tsuzuki could handle himself around the Count. He's done it for years.

(Let's continue...)

Tsuzuki was inconsolable crying his eyes out on a dingy white coat. Mild explosion averted... for the time being.

The blonde couldn't make head or tails of the muffled sounds between sniffs. Most of what he could understand revolved around Tatsumi and Hisoka. Tsuzuki cursed Tatsumi and pleaded Hisoka's name. That's about all he could make out... the rest was buried under sobs, stutters, and blurred exclamations.

Not two minutes later the Count made his grand entrance announcing himself with his battle cry.

He-He! Watari almost let a tear dropped of laughter. Ah, battle cry... Sometimes he killed himself--which sure explains why he's now a shinigami--Watari laughed to himself some more.

At the Count's entrance Tsuzuki scurried himself for cover stopping his cries cold, and putting a stumper to his Tatsumi-Hisoka make-believe soap opera.

Fast forgotten what he had been crying about Tsuzuki could only think of saving his skin.

The Count came leaping into the lab waving his white linen and lace handkerchief. "Yoo-hoo!"

Tsuzuki sweat-dropped, was that a sign of peace to trick him into a false sense of security. How stupid did he think he was? He'd fallen plenty of times for that trick already to learn from his mistakes. No, no... Not this time. Tsuzuki shook his head like a shaggy dog snapping back into reality.

Tsuzuki took refuge behind Watari. Not even the Count was crazy enough to approach the well-known crazy scientist into his den.

"Don't worry Tsuzuki, the Count is here to dry your tears." He waved the handkerchief around like a peace flag.

Amused, Watari interceded. "What brings you out here Count?" While Tsuzuki shriveled behind him.

"Word travels fast that two shinigamis are... shall we say..." The Count suggestively added, "missing in action."

At that, Tsuzuki started crying again.

Now Watari could understand a little of what Tsuzuki had been wailing about.
Watari only smirked at the cleverness of the Count taking advantage of the situation to play it to his advantage.

Tsuzuki could see right through him too, literally, but it still hurt to think about it. Tatsumi had held Hisoka hostage, earlier, just so he could get him to work. What if that hadn't been the only reason? After all, he was one of the only two who refuse to help Tsuzuki to capture the heart of his love. Those two only made him feel more depressed... and suspicious.

Tsuzuki growled a bit puppyish, not taking his eyes from the current menace.

"Oh, don't worry Tsuzuki this year I'm giving you an extra special gift to cheer you up. A gift just for you," he snickered covering where everyone assumed was his mouth with his handkerchief.

Watari's curiosity peaked. Ah, Watari clasped his heart. He was a sucker for soap opera activities, it gave him a chance to study his fellow shinigamis while interacting and adding his own grain of salt to the mix and watch the explosions fly.

The naughty undertone in the words had a hidden message, more so than the usual ones the Count sent Tsuzuki's way. Watari's eyes brighten. The Count was most generous when Tsuzuki asked. Ow, he wished Tatsumi was here to ask for a nice cash Christmas bonus, this was the time, Tatsumi could really milk it.

Of course it always had a price tag, but Tsuzuki was somehow always able to talk his way out, or run if necessary, and with some luck, straight into Tatsumi who could bargain the price.

"A little green here, a little red there...." The Count continued. "Oh, I can't wait to see the look on your face." He laughed impishly. "I went through a lot of trouble just to find out what would be the perfect gift this year. Just remember who's giving it to you." The count pointed a finger at Tsuzuki accentuating his words while the other idly waves his handkerchief. "Or better yet," he paused his extravagant gestures and a palpable smirk behind the mask could be sensed. Greedy fingers began to flex. "Why don't you start now and will get it out of the way. You'll be too busy later pacifying your sweet tooth with my special gift." He insinuated himself throwing a palpable wink at his intended victim.

Tsuzuki was busy at the moment trying to escape the Count who had opted to glomp him. Watari paid no heed. Tsuzuki--somehow--'always' escaped, he thought as the man was chased around the lab. Grabby gloves trying to pinch a handful of Tsuzuki's... well... that's not important, thought Watari, who dismissed the disturbance as he tried to decipher the nature of the gift.

As he pondered unaffected by the ruckus around him... 003 was zooming around the building peering through every window opening looking for her target.

Poor 003-chan was getting exhausted. Her little wings couldn't take much more. She had stated from the top and work her way down. Curiously, she had noticed smoke. Then it got smothered.

As she was descending, she caught a peek of Terazuma's hand waving out. But what made her flutter with excitement was that she had finally found her mark.

The two humans were retreating from the small window. She couldn't wait to get back to the lab and report to her owner.

Going around the building one more time, she lost sight of them but... at least she could return to the lab happy to be petted and rewarded for her good work. Her Watari-chan will be so excited.

Winding their way through the library, Tatsumi and Terazuma returned to their perch, where Tatsumi's reports awaited. Hisoka had disappeared.

Tatsumi assumed the teen had gotten bored and wondered off in search of a book as it was his habit. The boy could devour volumes if left on his own. Only once had he actually caught him reading something other than literary books or some non-fiction.

Tsuzuki's taste in books were questionable and Hisoka must have felt curiosity taking over at the perplexed look Tatsumi found on the boy's eyes looking down the pages of a colorful-covered book, those eyes were getting too big for his face.

Tatsumi felt guilty once those eyes lifted from the pages, only to find them looking in his direction, cheeks redden, he immediately dropped the book, so obviously Tsuzuki's, back at the other's desk where an absent Tsuzuki usually sat.

Tatsumi chose not to say anything and continued on his way not wishing any further embarrassment between the two. A day later he found himself asking the younger Gushoshin about the early history on manga and managed to find a book that concentrated on early forms of manga as an art form and its history throughout the ages from its earliest conception to modern times. Tatsumi felt the need to aid Tsuzuki in explaining to the boy why his odd taste in reading material fascinated him so.

Truth be told, it was because Tsuzuki got headaches if books had no pictures. But Hisoka didn't need to know that just yet. The boy will hopefully over analyze it and come up with the conclusion that Tsuzuki's choice readings were ulteriorly motivated to something more abstract and intellectual than what Tatsumi knew to be the truth. Give Tsuzuki a bit of clout and gain some brownie points with his love interest.

Tatsumi smirked. He could see the positive effects that having a Tsuzuki in love could do for the office efficiency meter when used to one's advantage.

Terazuma looked at the secretary seating beside him smirking and shuddered at the cold sight, scooting his chair away from the Shokan secretary. Tatsumi was giving away a vive that even he with his underdeveloped empathic abilities could sense. And it bode unpleasantness to who ever the hapless victim happened to be.