Whispers in the Dark, Part 4 A Side Story by MokonaChiirushia and Hokuto Kuzuki *The morning after part 3 is a beautiful day, everything temporarily washed clean by the rain. Sailor Bob is working in the kitchen, not looking much more frazzled than usual. Joker is mooching food, and Tetsuya, with nothing pressing to do at the moment, is watching the restaurant.* Sailor Bob: *washes dishes* Sailor Bob: *and chats with Joker* Joker: *chats back as usual, happy* *During one such chat...* Sailor Bob: *is on break* Joker-san... Joker: Yeah? Sailor Bob: I've been meaning to ask you... *asks completely innocently, with no innuendoes whatsoever* Could you show me where you live sometime? Joker: Uh - sure. It's nothing special, but if you wanna visit... *pleased* Tetsuya: *notes down conversation as always* Sailor Bob: *smiles* I would love to! How would tonight be? Joker: Fine, unless the boss makes me take double duty AGAIN... ;.; Sailor Bob: *pats his shoulder in a comforting way* I don't think he will... Joker: ^-^ Thanks. Tetsuya: *makes notes as always, including some about double duty* Sailor Bob: ^___# *then the head cook gives him more work, which requires him to leave the kitchen* Ja! Joker: See ya! Sailor Bob: *goes to work at being busboy* Joker: *goes off to do mysterious organizational duties; gets snagged by Tetsuya on the way out* Yes, boss? Tetsuya: Something has come up with regards to a group of bounty hunters. Tetsuya: I'm afraid you'll have to work a double shift tonight. Joker: ;.;!!!!!! But boss, I've worked double shifts for the last three nights! Tetsuya: *thinks about this* True... Tetsuya: *thinks some more* Joker: *refrains from giving the boss puppy dog eyes* Sailor Bob: *overhears, does give Tetsuya puppy dog eyes, but to his back and very discreetly* Tetsuya: *reluctantly* I suppose we'll be able to manage... Joker: All RIGHT! Thanks, boss! ^-^ *runs off to do his duties* Tetsuya: 9.9 *resumes scanning the restaurant* Sailor Bob: ^__# Sailor Bob: *gives Tetsuya innocent look when he looks over at him* ?.# Tetsuya: 9.9 Tetsuya: *ignores look* Sailor Bob: *is ignored, continues to smile* *Fade to later that night, as Joker proudly shows off his small apartment to Sailor Bob.* Joker: *shows off some of the valuable things he's stol- er, "collected"* Sailor Bob: *is impressed* Sugoi da... Joker: ^-^ Want anything to drink? Sailor Bob: Sure! Joker: Er - anything in particular? Sailor Bob: *shrugs* Whatever's fine. ^__# Joker: *makes green tea, figuring that should be safe* Joker: *gives Sailor Bob a cup, takes his own, and sits them both down in the living room* Joker: So... you think things are working out okay at the restaurant? Sailor Bob: *sips tea, suddenly looks wistful* Everything seems to be fine... Joker: That's good. No one bugging you or anything? Sailor Bob: *gets flashback of last night, can't suppress shudder* No... Joker: *notices shudder* ~.- Okay... Sailor Bob: Really, everything is fine. Sailor Bob: I just... never mind. Joker: *doesn't press issue* Gotcha. *sips tea* Sailor Bob: *sips his own tea, looking slightly depressed* Joker: *brings up harmless conversation topic - food* Where's your favorite breakfast place again? Joker: You mentioned it, and I wanted to try it sometime, but I forget the name... Sailor Bob: Kitty in the House! It has GREAT waffles! Joker: Yeah, that was the place! I gotta give it a try... Joker: It can be hard getting good food in this business - too busy running around... @.@ Sailor Bob: *looks sympathetic* Really? Joker: Really. Sailor Bob: Really... Sailor Bob: *innocently* You always seem to get enough when you hang around in the kitchen... *can't quite hide a tinge of sarcasm from his voice* Joker: Well, that's because I never get any anywhere else! ;.; Sailor Bob: *is sympathetic* Daijoubu... I understand that feeling. Joker: Yeah - I guess you would, wouldn't you... Sailor Bob: *looks away* Hai. Joker: *bangs head against mental wall* Sorry. I didn't mean to... Sorry. Sailor Bob: *looks back again, with one of those heartbreakingly wistful and sweet smiles on his face* Hontou ni, daijoubu. Joker: *resists strong urge to just glomp him* Sailor Bob: *wouldn't mind being glomped by someone, since Tetsuya never responds when he glomps* Joker: *doesn't resist urge to sit closer to Sailor Bob* Joker: *notices tea is gone* Want anything else? Sailor Bob: No, thanks. Joker: *is now at the VERY awkward phase of any sort of get-together* Sailor Bob: *feels VERY awkward as a result* Joker: Well... uh... I guess you wanna go home then... or something... Sailor Bob: *whispers* Not really... Joker: Oh. Er. *blushes* Joker: Um... Joker: Well, I've got an extra bed, I guess, if - uh... Sailor Bob: *blushes too* I - I didn't mean it like that! Sailor Bob: It's just... Joker: You're still staying with the boss, aren't you? Sailor Bob: Yeah... Joker: *pretending to be light-hearted* Well, THAT'S gotta be barrels of fun! Joker: Probably have huge chatty parties with lots of great food, huh? Sailor Bob: Not really... *remembers how he tried to comfort Tetsuya, and how badly it turned out* Joker: ^-^;;; 'Bout what I figured. Sailor Bob: *looks even more depressed* Joker: What's wrong? Joker: *thinks about the boss* He's not... nah... he wouldn't... Joker: Is he? Sailor Bob: *looks at Joker* He ignores me, mostly. Sailor Bob: Which isn't a problem, really, but... Joker: *shoots invisible scowls at boss* Just like him. Sailor Bob: I'm... very troublesome for him... Joker: *opens his mouth to agree, then closes it* Joker: He's just not used to stuff like this. Don't let it bug you - HE sure doesn't. Sailor Bob: Well... That's kind of why I was thinking... Joker: Thinking what? Sailor Bob: *looks at Joker again, pleadingly* Can I stay here with you? Joker: *blushes again* Yeah. Sure. Lemme go make up the other bed... Joker: Yeah. No problem. Sailor Bob: *smiles one of his sweet, unnerving smiles* Thank you so much, Joker-san! Joker: ^-^ No prob. *goes to make up other bed* Sailor Bob: *happily, to himself as Joker walks away, but is still in earshot* Now I won't be so troublesome anymore... Joker: *wipes at his eyes angrily* Damnit, boss... if you can't take care of him... Joker: *makes up the bed* Sailor Bob: *just sits and be's happy that he won't be a nuisance anymore* Joker: *calls back to Sailor Bob* It's ready! Sailor Bob: *jumps up* Haaaaa~i! Sailor Bob: *makes a quick stop in kitchen, to put the teacup in the sink, then searches out the extra bed* Joker: *points out the bed, which is in a separate room from the one Joker sleeps in* Sailor Bob: *thought it would be* Arigatou gozaimashita, Joker-san! Sailor Bob: *gives him a really quick glomp, then goes to bed* Joker: ^-^ *happy at the glomp, goes to bed himself* *In the middle of the night...* Sailor Bob: Iya... Kaasan... Sailor Bob: Kaasan! Sailor Bob: Blood...! Kaasan...! Sailor Bob: Kaasan...! Neechan...! Sailor Bob: Blood... everywhere...! Sailor Bob: Neechan...! Sailor Bob: *continues on this track for a little while, then...* Sailor Bob: *having been curled into little ball, uncurls and shrieks* KAASAN!!! IYAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!! Joker: *wakes up instantly, grabbing a gun* The hell?! Joker: *runs into Sailor Bob's room* What's going on?! Sailor Bob: *is still asleep, but has reverted to quietly sobbing in his sleep, re-curled into tiny ball* Joker: *takes him by the shoulders, dropping the gun* Oi! You okay? Joker: Grief, kid, you scared the hell out of me screaming like that... Sailor Bob: *wakes up, eyes wide and face tear-streaked* Joker-san...? Joker: Yeah, that's me. What's wrong? Sailor Bob: Oh no... I did it again... Joker: Did what? Sailor Bob: I'm s- sorry, Joker-san... *looks guilty and pitiful* Joker: Aw, jeez... *puts an arm around him* It's not a problem. You just had a bad dream, that's all. Everyone gets 'em sometimes. Joker: Don't worry about it. Sailor Bob: *sniffles* I always have bad dreams... Sailor Bob: Ever since... *sniffles again* Joker: *hands him a tissue, keeps arm around him* Since what? Unless - I mean, if you don't want to talk about it... Sailor Bob: *buries his face in Joker's chest* Please... Don't make me talk about it... Sailor Bob: *has begun to cry again* Joker: *hugs him gently, trying not to scare him away* Fine. No problem. We aren't nosy in this business... Sailor Bob: *wonders why Joker keeps saying "this business," but is a bit preoccupied at the moment* Sailor Bob: *after a little while, begins to fall asleep in Joker's arms* e.e... Joker: *lets him, occasionally stroking his hair or back* Sailor Bob: *just before falling asleep - snuggles against Joker and says sleepily* Joker-san... You're very warm... Zzzzzz... *is asleep* Joker: *blushes, carefully puts Sailor Bob back on the bed* Sleep well, kid... *strokes his hair one more time before going back to his own bed, which now seems kinda cold* Sailor Bob: *for the rest of the night, sleeps quietly, not curled into quite as tight of a ball as before* Joker: *sleeps fine himself; doesn't have much of a conscience to bother him* *Fade to the next morning at work. Joker and Sailor Bob arrived at the same time, both looking happy and well-rested. Tetsuya is his usual inscrutable self - apparently...* Sailor Bob: *greets Tetsuya politely... then reports to the kitchen* Tetsuya: *stops Joker before Joker can go in and start mooching* Tetsuya: *ever so slightly cooler than usual* Have a good time last night? *could be talking about anything at all* Joker: Yeah. Fine time. *resists urge to insinuate things, goes into the kitchen* Tetsuya: *goes up to his office, still looking slightly more inscrutable than normal* Sailor Bob: *spends most of the day doing work and chatting with Joker, just like normal* Joker: *chats happily, just like normal; occasionally touches Sailor Bob on the shoulder or pats him on the head, just normal quick touches like a friend* Sailor Bob: *is happy, possibly even slightly happier than before, since he's not being a nuisance to Tetsuya anymore* Sailor Bob: *still plans to leave as soon as he has enough money, though* Tetsuya: *works* Tetsuya: *and that is all* Tetsuya: *just works* Tetsuya: *puts Joker down for double duty for the NEXT three nights, too* Joker: *when he finds out, mock-cries into his mooched rice* ;.; Sailor Bob: *sees this, makes excuse to head cook, and comes over* What's wrong, Joker-san? Joker: I have double duty for THREE DAYS STRAIGHT! AGAIN! ;.; Joker: What did I do THIS time? *has very vague glimmer of an idea, but that only confuses him more* *Dramatic anime-like scene, where the camera centers on a stricken Bob, who has a look of shock on his face, then starts to spin slowly. Then it stops, and he looks at Joker.* Really...? *Has completely pitiful and heartbreaking look on his face, mostly scared to spend three nights alone. One he can handle. Three he cannot.* Joker: ;.; 'Fraid so. Joker: I could give you the key to my place, but do you know the way there? Sailor Bob: *shakes his head* Sailor Bob: *still looks pitiful and heartbreaking* Joker: And you get those godawful dreams, too... *thinks* Joker: Shit. What the hell is the boss thinking? He's GOTTA know about it... Sailor Bob: *nods, looks even more pitiful and heartbreaking* Sailor Bob: *and completely ready to cry* Joker: *gets grim look on his face* I'm going to go talk to him. This is just fucking CRUEL, and that's not like him. Joker: *is rather surprised Joker would go to so much trouble for him* But... Joker: No buts. Like I said, this is effing WEIRD. *before he can be stopped, marches off to the lion's den - er, office* Sailor Bob: *is shocked and incredibly touched that someone would do something like that for him* But... Sailor Bob: *says it even though Joker's already gone* Joker: *knocks on door to office* Tetsuya: Come in. Joker: *does so* Look, boss, about this double-duty thing... Tetsuya: *cold and collected as usual* Yes? Sailor Bob: *continues standing in kitchen, looking lost and confused and incredibly touched* Minor Cook: *pokes him* Oi. Oi. Daijoubu? Sailor Bob: *is too far lost in his emotions to notice* Minor Cook: *looks over at head cook* Do you think he's in shock or something? Joker: I don't think it's a good idea. I mean, what with Sailor Bob staying with me, and those nightmares he has and junk - do you think making him be by himself for three nights straight is a great idea? Tetsuya: *slightly colder and collected than before* If he chooses to stay - elsewhere - I will be there. If he wishes to be on his own - that is his business. Joker: Excuse me, boss, but what the FUCK does that mean? Tetsuya: Nothing. Was that all you had to say? Joker: Ooooooooooooh...!!!!! *almost hits Tetsuya's desk* BOSS, you are the most...!!! Tetsuya: The most what? Joker: *abruptly notices that the rosary is on the desk; color drains from his face* Joker: Er - er - the most - uh - the most - um... Tetsuya: You are dismissed. The duty orders stand. *goes back to his own work* Joker: *walks back to the kitchen slowly, trying not to fall over* Sailor Bob: *is still standing in kitchen, lost in his emotions, which still contain shock, confusion, guilt, and being touched* Joker: *dejected* Sorry, Bob... it's a no go. I still have the duty. Sailor Bob: *is snapped out of it* Oh... *is still feeling touched, but now looks pitiful and heartbreaking again* Sailor Bob: Joker-san... You didn't... Sailor Bob: *feels sudden tightness in his chest, as if it's hard to breathe* You didn't have to... Joker: Yes, I did. It was just damn cruel. *is getting mad again now that death doesn't seem quite so imminent* Joker: He said you could either stay elsewhere and he'd be there, or you could stay on your own. Lousy...! *smacks the wall* Joker: Ooh, I could just...!! Sailor Bob: *feels strange melty feeling in chest* Joker-san... Joker: *calms down slightly, turns around to him* Sorry... I just get kind of mad at him sometimes... Joker: He can be so damn thoughtless... Sailor Bob: *melty feeling continues* You're so kind... Joker: *getting slightly melty himself* It really isn't that big a deal... I'd have to be a real louse not to have tried... Joker: I'm just sorry the bastard didn't listen to me. Sailor Bob: *can't resist, snuggles Joker* Thank you... You really didn't have to... Joker: *snuggles back* No problem. I'll do it any time. *completely forgets about the feeling of knowing without a doubt he was going to die* Sailor Bob: *gives him incredibly sweet and unnerving smile* Thank you. *can't seem to stop saying that* Joker: *smiles back* You're welcome. Sailor Bob: *ignores how all the cooks are staring at them* Joker: *also ignoring cooks, but does that normally anyway* Joker: *looks down at Bob's sweet, innocent face, and unable to resist, starts kissing him - not long but well* Sailor Bob: *instead of being surprised, as one would expect, melts into the kiss* Joker: *melts, too, enjoying it* Kitchen Staff Members: *quietly whisper among themselves, not loud enough to disturb the happy pair* Joker: *breaks kiss temporarily* Sure this is all right with you? Sailor Bob: *snuggles into Joker's chest comfortably* Hai... Joker: ^___________________^ Good. *snuggles back, begins kissing him again* Random Kitchen Person: Sorry, guys, but we kinda have a job to do, okay? Kitchen Person: So can you go make out somewhere else? Joker: *blushes only slightly; has been asked this before* Yeah... Sailor Bob: *blushes furiously* Joker: *to Bob* Where would be good for you? Sailor Bob: Somewhere without lots of people... Joker: ^_____________^ I know JUST the place. *leads Sailor Bob off to nice, relatively deserted but beautiful park, PERFECT for making out* Sailor Bob: *is led off, hopes he isn't fired for shirking on the job, but doesn't care THAT much* Tetsuya: *comes through the kitchen a few minutes later, needing to go out on business; pauses for a moment, gets to hear ALL of the kitchen talk* Joker: *a dizzily happy half-hour later, is straightening his clothes and helping Sailor Bob with his* Sailor Bob: *Has never been so well kissed in his life. That he knows of, anyway.* Joker: We ought to be heading back... *steals another quick kiss anyway* Sailor Bob: Hai... Sailor Bob: *is clearly reluctant* Joker: *puts an arm around him (a la Chad's boyfriend)* It's okay. We can sneak away again later, probably... ^_____^ Sailor Bob: ^___^ Sailor Bob: Anou... Joker-san? Joker: Yeah? *smiles at him* Sailor Bob: *doesn't want to scare him off or anything, but...* What do you mean when you say "this business" all the time? Joker: Oh. Er. That. Sailor Bob: *looks kind of frightened* I'm sorry, should I not ask you that? Joker: *sighs* Nah, I guess it's okay. You probably have figured out by now that this ain't exactly a normal restaurant... Joker: I mean, what with us running around at all hours and having code words everywhere and the boss - well, just being the boss... Sailor Bob: *had only figured out that because of Tetsuya's behavior and Joker saying the things he has, didn't notice anything else* Joker: Yeah, well, we're not a normal restaurant. It's sort of - well, a front. Sailor Bob: A front...? Joker: For - an organization. Joker: Er - and it's not your local neighborhood Boy Scout club, either. Joker: *sighs and decides the hell with it* We're the best damn criminal organization in Tokyo. Sailor Bob: !.# Joker: That wasn't the best thing to say, was it? Sailor Bob: !.# Joker: Nope, it wasn't. *decides not to stress the fact that this means the boss is THE boss, the one with the huge bounty* Sailor bob: *is shocked* !.# Sailor Bob: *doesn't know anything about THE boss, hasn't been in civilization long enough* Sailor Bob: *or THE organization, either* Joker: 6.6 I'm sorry. Maybe we should have said something at the beginning... but I didn't really want to scare you off, and God knows why the boss does anything... Sailor Bob: *shakes his head* No... No, it's okay, Joker-san... Sailor Bob: *looks hesitant, as if he wants to ask something else, but isn't sure what answer he'll get* Joker: *still has one arm around him* If you wanna leave, I'd make sure nobody went after you... Joker: I mean, you're not really a part of the organization, so it's not like you'd be some kind of threat... Sailor Bob: *shakes his head* No, that's not it... Joker: Is there something wrong? *looks kind of worried, doesn't want Sailor Bob to leave yet or be uncomfortable* Sailor Bob: *changes topic abruptly* Can I call you Joker-chan? Joker: ^-^ Please. Sailor Bob: ^___# Sailor Bob: *asked what he wanted to ask* Joker: *glad that Sailor Bob isn't going to leave - at least for a while - walks back with him to the restaurant, whistling cheerfully and out of key* Sailor Bob: *is cheerful and tone-deaf* Sailor Bob: *at the restaurant, apologizes profusely to the head cook and promises to work extra-hard to make up for his shirking* Head Cook: *graciously forgives him; has often had members of kitchen staff "borrowed" for half an hour or so by Joker* Joker: *apologizes to cook also, slips him money, which is why Joker is allowed to continue mooching food and borrowing staff members* *Fade to that night; Joker is still at the restaurant working, and Sailor Bob is making his way to Joker's apartment, following the rather sloppy map Joker drew for him.* Sailor Bob: *follows map, has to concentrate very hard not to get lost* Sailor Bob: *is feeling kind of light-headed, because Joker gave him a good, long kiss before he left* Sailor Bob: *manages to make it there without any "mishaps," goes and unlocks the door* Sailor Bob: *Looks around kitchen, but doesn't feel hungry. Goes to his bed, but doesn't want to sleep. Sits on it for a few minutes.* Sailor Bob: *sniffles* Sailor Bob: *sniffles again, tries not to cry* Sailor Bob: *trying very hard not to cry, and not to be lonely* Sailor Bob: *finally gets up from his sitting position on the bed, finds Joker's room and goes in, clicking on light as he does so* Room: *is clean and neat and apparently not lived in much; contains a closet and some nice knick-knacky things that were probably gifts from various boyfriends* Sailor Bob: *goes around room, handles some things lovingly* Sailor Bob: *goes over to the closet, opens it and looks inside* Closet: *contains normal Joker clothes* Sailor Bob: *Picks out a pair of pajamas and puts them on, just being comforted by Joker's smell on them... Then goes over to his bed, and gets in it. Curls up in a ball and goes to sleep.* Sailor Bob: *has nightmares, but not as many as he's had previously* Sailor Bob: *and not nearly as bad as the ones he had the first night he was alone* *Fade to tomorrow morning at the restaurant; Joker is there, mooching coffee and looking sleepy, Sailor Bob is working and only slightly frazzled, and Tetsuya is - in his office again. Working. Just working.* Sailor Bob: *Looks more than frazzled, looks sleepy from night of nightmares. Doesn't get much rest when he has nightmares all night long.* Joker: *sips coffee by Sailor Bob* 'Morning, lovely. Have a nice night? Sailor Bob: *takes a short break to lean on him* e.e Not really... Joker: *leans back* I was afraid so... Joker: *sighs* I HAVE to talk with the boss. This is just not nice. Sailor Bob: *continues leaning* You smell nice... *half-asleep* Joker: e_e Thanks... I had to steal a shower in someone else's hotel room... Sailor Bob: *doesn't feel the least bit jealous, because he trusts Joker completely* Joker: *which is good, because it was a business matter that required showering afterwards - someone in a hotel room who owed the organization money* Sailor Bob: *snuggles into Joker, is three-quarters of the way asleep* Your pajamas smelled good, too... Joker: You got into my closet, didn't you? *smiles sleepily at him* Little busybody... Joker: *ruffles his hair* Sailor Bob: I was lonely... Joker: I'm sorry. I tried... but sometimes it just isn't safe to argue with the boss. Sailor Bob: Daijoubu... Your bed was comfy... And my nightmares weren't too bad... Joker: *snuggles* That's good. Better than nothing, anyway... Sailor Bob: *snuggles back* Hai... *almost all the way asleep, now* Tetsuya: *walks into the kitchen* Joker: *looks up, gives Tetsuya the evil eye* Tetsuya: *does not deign to return the evil eye* Sailor Bob: Zzzzzzzz... Joker: *speaking very quietly, so as not to disturb Sailor Bob, but forcefully all the same* Don't even think about waking him up. He's only like this now because YOU made me work all night and no one was with him and he probably didn't get half an hour of decent sleep, so just don't do it. This is too much, even for you, boss. Sailor Bob: Zzzzzzzzz... Tetsuya: *looks at both of them, expressionless* Tetsuya: There is a meeting with the Queen in ten minutes. Your presence is required. *leaves* Joker: *at Tetsuya's back* -.-!!!!!!!!!!! Sailor Bob: Zzzzzzzzz... Joker: *sighs, begins trying to wake Bob up as gently as possible* Sailor Bob: Zzzzzz...? Joker: You have to wake up, sweetheart... Sailor Bob: Zzzz? *wakes up* e.e? Joker: *kisses him on the forehead* I have to go work, okay? I'll be back as soon as I can... Sailor Bob: *looks downcast* Okay... 6.# Joker: *kisses him again, better this time* See ya. *leaves* Sailor Bob: *is left breathless and awake by sudden and good kiss* @.# ?.# Sailor Bob: *goes back to washing dishes and other things, working extra hard like he said he would yesterday* Sailor Bob: *and tiring much more because of it* Joker: *does manage to show up just in time for lunch break and steal Sailor Bob away for a nice, "relaxing" hour or so* Sailor Bob: *sleeps most of that time* Joker: *doesn't mind settling for that* Sailor Bob: *snuggled up to Joker the entire time, of course* Joker: *LOVES settling for that part* Sailor Bob: *is running himself ragged by working EXTRA hard when he's so tired* Sailor Bob: *is too tired to even have nightmares* Joker: *just glad that Bob is getting SOME sleep* Sailor Bob: *but, he was so tired this morning that he forgot to put his hair in a ponytail, like he normally does, so he's sleeping with his hair spread around him, in that cute way he has* Joker: *often strokes his hair, just because it's so beautiful and soft* Sailor Bob: *every so often snuggles against Joker* Joker: *snuggles back* *Fade to that evening; thanks to the nap and the head cook's admonition not to strain himself, Sailor Bob is looking a little less tired. Joker is mooching his last food of the day, and Tetsuya is still in his office.* Sailor Bob: *goes and leans on Joker, feels guilty about going away to sleep* Joker: *leans back happily, gives Sailor Bob some of his mooched kung pao shrimp* Sailor Bob: *eats it* ^.# Joker: ^-^ Sailor Bob: *continues to feel guilty about going away to sleep when his Joker-chan will be up all night* Joker: *ruffles his hair, doesn't seem at all depressed about it* Sailor Bob: *guesses if Joker's okay with it, he won't try and make him feel depressed* Sailor Bob: Well, ikimashou... Joker: ;.; Leaving so soon? Sailor Bob: *is tired* Well... Sailor Bob: *looks guilty again* Joker: I'm just kidding with you. Go on and get some sleep. Joker: *kisses him well again* Sailor Bob: *is kissed* Hai... @.# Sailor Bob: *stumbles off, half because of sleepiness and half because of the kiss* Joker: *sighs, wishing he could go along; stays and gets back to work instead* Sailor Bob: *reaches Joker's apartment* Sailor Bob: *does pretty much what he did last night, except with a different pair of pajamas* Sailor Bob: *Then gets into Joker's bed, curls up... and starts thinking about how empty the apartment is... how lonely... how silent...* *A few minutes later, the screams begin.* *Fade to the next morning. Sailor Bob has not reported to work, and Joker is duly informed; he nearly doesn't tell the boss, but goes up to his office at last and knocks on the door.* Joker: Yo. Boss. *trying not to sound too angry right at the beginning* Tetsuya: What is it? Joker: Bob didn't come in to work this morning. Sailor Bob: *is too busy having screaming nightmares, after all* Joker: *letting his voice show all of his bitterness and worry* So your plan to completely fuck up his mind and screw him over seems to be right on track. I'm gonna go make sure he didn't slit his fucking WRISTS or anything fucked up like that. Joker: *storms off before Tetsuya can say anything* Tetsuya: *stares at the door for a few minutes; then throws the rosary at it so hard that the beads almost shatter* Joker: *makes the trip to his apartment in record time; ignores the other tenants trying to tell him about the screaming, goes straight into the apartment and heads for his bedroom* Bob? Bob? You okay? Sailor Bob: *is just the way he was when Tetsuya found him, curled up into even tighter ball than usual, his eyes and mouth open, and his hands clamped over his ears* Joker: 0.0!!! *is by the bed in an instant, putting his arms around Sailor Bob* Bob! Bob-chan! Wake up, please, wake up! Sailor Bob: *snaps awake, attaches to Joker and starts sobbing violently* Joker: *holds him tightly, stroking his back and hair* Sssh... sssh... it's okay, I'm here now... it's okay... Joker: It was just a dream... it was all just a dream... Sailor Bob: *after a little while, calms down from harsh sobs into heartbreaking little whimpers* Joker: *holds him closer* Oh, Bob-chan... Joker: If that guy makes me stay away one more night, I'm going to chop him up into the Mongolian beef, I swear to God. Joker: I don't know why he'd do this to you... it's not like him... Sailor Bob: *is much more comforted than he was when Tetsuya found him like that, but is once again mainly just happy there's someone he knows with him* Joker: *keeps holding him and petting his back* Ssh.. it's all right now... don't cry... Joker: *kisses the top of his head* Sssh... Sailor Bob: *manages to calm himself down, feels incredibly safe in Joker's arms* Sailor Bob: *falls asleep again* Zzzzzzzzz... Joker: *sighs and puts Bob on the bed, then lays down next to him with his clothes still on, keeping his arms around Sailor Bob* The boss will just have to manage without my wonderful, shining presence for a day or two... Joker: Serves him right, anyway. Joker: *falls asleep himself* *End Part 4.* Credits: Tetsuya: Hokuto Kuzuki Sailor Bob: MokonaChiirushia Joker: Hokuto Kuzuki Minor Cook: MokonaChiirushia Head Cook/Kitchen Staff Members: Hokuto Kuzuki