Whispers in the Dark, Part 5 A Side Story by MokonaChiirushia and Hokuto Kuzuki *We begin with the morning after the day Joker finds Sailor Bob curled up. Joker is still asleep, and Sailor Bob is just beginning to wake up.* Joker: Zzzzzzz... *snores a little, not obnoxiously, but does snore* Sailor Bob: e.e...? Sailor Bob: Joker-chan...? Joker: *waking up* e.e Bo... Bob? Sailor Bob: *is snuggled into Joker's chest* I had nightmares again, didn't I...? Joker: *snuggled securely back* Yeah... 'S okay, though. Sailor Bob: *starts to cry, out of guilt* I'm so sorry... Sailor Bob: I did okay the first night, and then... Joker: Sssh... it's okay... *kisses him gently* It's not your fault. Sailor Bob: *still feels horribly guilty, sniffles* He's going to be mad, isn't he...? Joker: *feeling particularly brave since the boss isn't actually around* Well, if he is, he can just suck my toe. Not that anything ever really seems to get him mad, anyway... Joker: Boss is kind of funny like that. *snuggles* Sailor Bob: *is snuggled, snuggles back, trying to push back his guilt at missing a day of work, making Joker miss a day and a night of work, and anything else he can possibly think of to be guilty about* *Fade out to the restaurant, where Sailor Bob is apologizing profusely for missing work the day before and Joker is there aiding in the apologies, not wanting to face the boss QUITE yet (or ever). Tetsuya is, of course, working in his office.* Head Cook: *again graciously accepts the apologies, as well as more money from Joker* Sailor Bob: *gets to work, working extra hard, but isn't tired so it won't affect him as much* Joker: *hangs around and mooches food as long as he can possibly make excuses for; when he finally runs out of stalling actions, tiptoes his way into the anteroom and sits down quietly, beginning to work* Joker: *can actually FEEL the cold emanating out of the next room* Sailor Bob: *is incredibly worried for Joker; contemplates making an excuse and throwing himself at Tetsuya's feet, begging for forgiveness, since it's his fault Joker had to skip work* Joker: *keeps working, not getting any hint of what he ought to do* Tetsuya: *in the office, working* Tetsuya: *just working* Tetsuya: *not thinking about anything else at all; just working* Joker: *getting more and more unnerved by the boss's utter silence, which seems different from his normal silence somehow* Joker: *at last unable to stand it, gets up and knocks at the door to Tetsuya's office* Uh - boss...? Tetsuya: *sounding as cold as both rooms feel* Yes? Sailor Bob: *throws his dish-drying towel down, makes a quick excuse to the head cook, then dashes for Tetsuya's office* Joker: Look, about skipping out yesterday and last night... um... yeah... about that... and what I said... and... yeah... Tetsuya: *almost snapping the word out* What? Sailor Bob: *dashes into the office* Joker: ?.? Joker: Bob-chan? What are you doing? Sailor Bob: *stops just short of Tetsuya's desk, panting, then straightens up* Tetsuya: *still just as cold* What is it now? Sailor Bob: Tetsuya-san, please, please don't punish Joker-chan! It's all my fault, and he was just worried about me... *bows deeply* If you need to, punish me, but please, don't take it out on him! Joker: @.@! Tetsuya: *just stares at him, thrown off-balance* Sailor Bob: *looks up at Tetsuya again, with a pleading look in his big, brown eyes* Tetsuya: *looks back, still expressionless* Tetsuya: *at last says, quietly* Go back to work. Joker: ?.? Sailor Bob: ?.# Tetsuya: We will speak of this later. For now, go back to work. Joker: @.@;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; Sailor Bob: *decides this can't exactly be a bad thing, leaves, dragging Joker along with him* Sailor Bob: *gives Tetsuya one of his sweet, unnerving smiles just before leaving* Joker: *dragged along, grateful to still be alive* Tetsuya: *closes door to his office; sits and doesn't work for a few minutes, just thinking* Sailor Bob: *stops in the kitchen, bows and apologizes to the head cook, then goes back to drying dishes* Joker: *decides to take care of work OUTSIDE the restaurant, because it seems like a much safer place* Sailor Bob: *is kind of disappointed, but shrugs and cheerfully says goodbye* Joker: *promises to come back once or twice during the day, then takes off after giving him another good kiss* Sailor Bob: *stands and be's dizzy for a minute or two, until a cook bumps into him and tells him to wake up* Ah! Gomen nasai! *becomes a busboy for a little while when the head cook tells him to* Sailor Bob: *works pretty uneventfully for the rest of the day, hoping against hope that Tetsuya doesn't put Joker on double duty for the next few nights again* Joker: *returns at the end of the day, gives Bob a hug and a kiss* Had a good day, love? Sailor Bob: Hai! *is all cute and happy* Joker: ^-^ *does not elaborate on HIS day, which has been good but rather - criminalistic* Sailor Bob: ^.# Joker: Well, I haven't heard anything about working through the night YET, so wanna escape before the boss comes through? Tetsuya: *has just entered the kitchen* Sailor Bob: Too late. Joker: *curses under his breath quietly but with feeling* Sailor Bob: *is nervous and worried and also guilty* Sailor Bob: *has pretty much guessed by now that he might have something to do with the fact that Joker had so much double-duty* Tetsuya: *stops by them, face unreadable as always* It's getting late. Joker: ?.? Sailor Bob: ?.# Tetsuya: If you stay much longer, you'll have a difficult time getting home. *disappears on more business* Sailor Bob: @.# Joker: @.@ *not about to look at a gift horse's hooves, escorts Sailor Bob back to the apartment* Sailor Bob: *is escorted* Joker: *bustles around apartment, doing normal homelike things like making beds and fixing tea for both of them* Sailor Bob: ^.# Sailor Bob: *is generally genki and hyper* Joker: ^-^ *can be slightly domestic at times, usually when he has a brand-new boyfriend* Sailor Bob: ^.# Joker: *pours them both green tea, sits next to Sailor Bob on the couch and snuggles as he sips at his own cup* Sailor Bob: *snuggles back and sips* ^.# Joker: *wonders how to bring up something that's on his mind* Sailor Bob: *is all too happy to listen to any and all things that Joker would want to talk about* Joker: *isn't sure why he's so shy; figures it's probably because Sailor Bob is just too cute and innocent to be believed* Sailor Bob: *snuggles some more* ^.# Joker: *makes a beginning* Well... Sailor Bob: Hai? Joker: *tries again* Well... do you think you'll sleep all right tonight? Joker: Because - well - I mean, I'll probably be up half the time anyway not sleeping... so... you could always just come and talk to me... or something... Sailor Bob: *snuggles, likes snuggling a lot* Talking is good... Joker: *snuggles back* Yeah. Talking is nice. Joker: *bangs head against inner wall for being so idiotic and tongue- tied instead of his usual suave self* Joker: *tries new tactic* Of course - there's also this... *gives Sailor Bob a long, very serious kiss* Sailor Bob: *kisses him back tentatively, isn't very good at kissing yet* Joker: *perfectly happy to show him how; continues "demonstrating"* Sailor Bob: *learns rather quickly* Joker: *starts slipping his hands up Sailor Bob's shirt preparatory to taking it off; moves slowly, gently, trying not to scare him* Sailor Bob: *is slightly surprised, but likes Joker too much to care at this point* Joker: *is still kissing him* Sailor Bob: *is still kissing back* Joker: *manages to get Sailor Bob's shirt off, as well as his own, while only breaking the kiss for about two seconds* Sailor Bob: *is impressed, and now much more interested* Joker: *running his hands over Sailor Bob's chest and back, caressing him; they're STILL kissing* Joker: *brings his hands up to Sailor Bob's face, running his fingers over the delicate lines of his cheekbones* Joker: *slips one finger under the string holding the eyepatch on, intending to take it off and kiss the scar; has dated one-eyed men before, and they've appreciated it* Sailor Bob: !.#! *Pulls away quickly. As he does so, the string snaps, revealing his other eye, which is wide open.* Sailor Bob: !.! Joker: ?.? You've got both eyes? Sailor Bob: *looks away quickly, covering his eye* Joker: *touches him on the shoulder* What's the matter? Your other eye - it looked very beautiful... *only got a glimpse of the swirling colors, but liked them* Sailor Bob: *looks back* Joker-chan... *says very hesitantly and worriedly* Daijoubu...? Joker: *puts his arms around him, kisses his forehead* More than you'd believe. Sailor Bob: B- but... *is confused and a little scared* Joker: *leans back a little* Is this too fast? *looks into both of Sailor Bob's eyes, still unaffected; sounds worried, though, not wanting to take advantage of someone as obviously needy as he is* Sailor Bob: *shakes his head* No... But... Sailor Bob: *is still confused* You don't feel... strange... when you look at my eye? Joker: *shakes head slightly* No. *looks at it again* But it is awfully pretty... like you... *runs hand down Sailor Bob's arm* Sailor Bob: *is now even more confused* Hontou ni...? Joker: Absolutely. *means it with all his heart* Sailor Bob: *gives him a sweet, totally unguarded smile* Daisuki da, Joker-chan. Joker: *melts completely* Mo - daisuki... *doesn't usually use Japanese outside of business, but feels more comfortable using it in this case* Joker: *takes Sailor Bob in his arms again, resumes the kissing and caressing* *The camera resumes fading out.* *Fade to the next morning at the restaurant. Bob is even genkier and happier than normal, having had no nightmares, and the same goes for Joker; it's clear to everyone that their relationship has entered an - ahem - "new phase." Clear to EVERYONE.* Joker: *hangs around in the kitchen mooching and flirting with Sailor Bob like crazy* Sailor Bob: *tries not to shirk his responsibilities, but flirts back as much as possible* Joker: *doesn't have any duties until the boss tells him, so keeps mooching* Joker: *feeds Sailor Bob mooched food* Sailor Bob: *is fed* ^.# Joker: ^-^V Head Cook: *comes over to the two of them* Head Cook: Hey. The boss came through a minute or two ago, he had some news for you, Joker... Sailor Bob: ?.# Joker: ?.? Head Cook: Ya got double duty again. For the next week or "at my discretion," was what he said. Sailor Bob: !.#! Joker: !.! Head Cook: Sorry. *shrugs, goes back to running kitchen* Joker: Oh, shit. *has rather limited vocabulary at times* Shit. Sailor Bob: ;.# Sailor Bob: *is much more worried for Joker's sake than his own* Joker: *not worried for himself at all, since he knows how to go without sleep* Joker: Shit... and if I try and argue with him THIS time... Sailor Bob: *snuggles* Please, don't... Joker: *snuggles back* If you say so... But I'm still not leaving you on your own for the whole damn week. Joker: *tries to think of alternatives* Sailor Bob: I can manage... *is VERY obviously lying through his teeth* Joker: *knows BS when he hears it* The hell you can. Joker: Look - we'll figure out someplace where you can stay with someone. It'll be better than nothing, right? Sailor Bob: *nods* Hai! Joker: So... *thinks, but can really only come up with one person whom he could even imagine trusting with someone he cared about* Joker: This is going to sound sad... but I can't really think of anyone, except... Sailor Bob: *has no one besides Joker and Tetsuya* Joker: *sighs* Would you be all right if you stayed with the boss again? Joker: *didn't really hear Sailor Bob call the boss "Tetsuya-san" before, or if he did, figured it was another alias* Sailor Bob: Well... If he isn't bothered by me... Sailor Bob: 6.# *knows he's a nuisance to Tetsuya* Joker: The way he's been acting, I don't know WHAT he thinks about you. And - well, I just don't know anyone else I'd trust. Joker: Not with you. Sailor Bob: o6.#o *feels all embarrassed, blushes* Joker: *kisses him* I'll ask later, okay? Don't worry about it. Sailor Bob: *is still worried about being a nuisance* Hai...! Joker: *goes off to work after another kiss* Sailor Bob: *apologizes to head cook again and works extra hard again, to make up for all the time he's spent flirting* Joker: *later on, while working in the anteroom, raises his voice casually* Say, boss... Tetsuya: *colder than usual, as is becoming the new norm* Yes? Joker: *tries to keep a light, casual tone* Since I'm going to be working late all this week, would you mind too much if Sailor Bob stayed with you again? Don't want him to miss too much work, after all. Tetsuya: *is silent* Joker: *doesn't press the issue, just waits* Tetsuya: *hesitantly* If - he does not mind... Joker: Nope! *lying slightly, but not a LOT* Tetsuya: Fine, then. I will meet him at the usual time. *has gone back to original coolness level, which seems positively tropical by now* Joker: ^-^V Okay! *goes down and tells Sailor Bob* *Fade to the apartment in the crackhouse, which is still nice in comparison to the rest of the building, but clearly hasn’t been used since Sailor Bob moved in with Joker. Things have gone the same as they used to; Sailor Bob is now in the bed, and Tetsuya is sitting in the same position across from the door.* Sailor Bob: *is not asleep, misses Joker, but doesn't let that on to Tetsuya* Tetsuya: *having been working extra hard while Joker skips double duties, mooches, and flirts, is actually tired* Tetsuya: *resting his head on his knees, is asleep for only the second time that anyone knows of* Sailor Bob: *notices him, has a conscience pang and a heart twinge* Tetsuya: *whispering in his sleep again, but with emotion this time* ... kaette kudasai... kaette... Tetsuya: Genji, kaette kudasai... Tetsuya: ... kaette kudasai... Sailor Bob: *sits up, gets several more heart twinges in succession* Tetsuya: *then the nightmare seems to change* ... iya... kaeshite... Tetsuya: ... Genji o... kaeshite... Sailor Bob: ?.# Tetsuya: *almost yelling in his sleep, sounding about to cry* Genji o kaeshite! Tetsuya: KAESHITE! Sailor Bob: !.# *is instantly at Tetsuya's side, wondering what to do* Sailor Bob: *Wants to comfort him very much, but is afraid...* Tetsuya: *waking up a little too slowly, grabs the front of Sailor Bob's shirt* K- kaeshite yo! Sailor Bob: *is grabbed* !.# Tetsuya: *finishes waking up* ?.? S- Sugiyama... ja arimasen... *lets go* Sailor Bob: 6.# *feels bad for not being who Tetsuya thought he was* Tetsuya: *goes back to his sitting position, looking perfectly inscrutable again* I apologize. I did not mean to wake you. Sailor Bob: *shakes his head* I wasn't asleep. Tetsuya: *looks down at his arms, realizes there's a damp spot on one sleeve where he was crying* Tetsuya: I - I said nothing. This - this was - just a mistake. Nothing happened. Go to sleep. Sailor Bob: *turns to go back to the bed* Sailor Bob: *then turns back and hugs Tetsuya, hard, not caring if he gets killed because of it* I'm sorry, Tetsuya-san... I'm sorry... Tetsuya: *frozen* Tetsuya: *can't hug back, but doesn't do anything else, either* Sailor Bob: *finally lets him go and goes back to the bed, curling up and going to sleep* Tetsuya: *puts his head down on his arms and gets some more sleep himself; and for once, it's real sleep* *Fade to the next morning, at the restaurant again. Sailor Bob is decently well-rested, Joker doesn't look too bad himself, and Tetsuya is - Tetsuya. As usual.* Sailor Bob: *is happily working around kitchen* Joker: *mooches, flirts a little, but not enough to keep Sailor Bob from working* Sailor Bob: *flirts back* ^.# Joker: *goes to the anteroom to work for a while, so he can at least PRETEND he's not slacking* Tetsuya: *pokes his head out of his office, a rare occurrence* Joker. Joker: *looks up* Yes, boss? Sailor Bob: *works* Tetsuya: Certain matters have come up. Joker: *winces at thought of double duty piled upon double duty* Tetsuya: I will be taking care of them myself. You won't be needed for double duty for another two weeks. Joker: 0.0? Tetsuya: That was all. *goes back into his office* Joker: *at door* 0.0? Joker: *works a little while longer, than goes down to tell the good news to Sailor Bob* Sailor Bob: *is being a busboy* Joker: *finds him* Hey, Bob-chan! *gives him a kiss* Great news! Sailor Bob: ?.# Joker: The boss took me off double duty for the next TWO WEEKS! Sailor Bob: !.#V Joker: *gives him another kiss* Wanna eat out tonight to celebrate? Sailor Bob: Hai!! ^_____# Joker: ^-^V See you after I get off then, love. Mata! *gives him one last, good kiss, then takes off* Sailor Bob: @.# Ja... Sailor Bob: *shakes it off and goes back to being a busboy, occasionally smiling to himself* *Fadeout to a nice, rather fancy restaurant that serves good breakfast food twenty-four hours a day. Sailor Bob and Joker are having a nice, quiet evening, eating delicious food and chatting about nothing in particular, occasionally touching each other for brief moments during lulls in the conversation.* Joker: *after one such pause* What do you think? Better waffles than Kitty in the House or not? Sailor Bob: Hai! MUCH better! Sailor Bob: ^.# Joker: ^_____^ Sailor Bob: Joker-chan... Do you know much about the Boss's family? *sounds as completely innocent and genuinely curious as only Sailor Bob can* Joker: *almost chokes on bite of waffle* F- f- family? Sailor Bob: *looks alarmed* Daijoubu?! Joker: *swallows* Yes - sorry... Joker: Caught me a bit off-guard - the boss's FAMILY? Joker: I mean... *tries to think* Well, you know how chatty the boss is... Joker: So it's not like anybody knows much of anything. Sailor Bob: Sou... Sailor Bob: 6.# Joker: I've heard a couple of different rumors... the most reliable one is that he killed his old man to take over. Never heard anything about his mom or any brothers or sisters. Sailor Bob: !.# H- hontou...? *looks like he's seen a ghost* Joker: *looks alarmed, afraid that wasn't something Bob really wanted to know* Sorry - I mean, it IS just a rumor... Joker: Not like the boss would TELL anyone - or discourage anything that made him sound scarier, either... Sailor Bob: *shakes his head* D- daijoubu... Joker: If you're sure... so, yeah, that's the most anyone's ever guessed. Only real fact is that he did kill the old boss before he took over, but I wasn't here then so I don't know what the old boss was like. Never heard anything good about him, though. Joker: Why do you ask? Sailor Bob: Oh, no reason! Joker: Okay... Was there anything else? *doesn't eat any more waffles at the moment, in case more surprising questions are on their way* Sailor Bob: *pushes waffles around a little, then asks hesitantly* Do... have you ever met anyone named Sugiyama? I - heard the name a little while ago... Joker: *narrows eyes a little* Who's been talking about Sugiyama? If I catch them... Sailor Bob: Oh, I didn't hear it from anyone in particular... I just overheard the name, and I was curious... *is very nervous* Joker: *relaxes slightly* Okay... Joker: Well, I probably shouldn't be spreading this around, but Sugiyama was some guy who tried to get the better of the boss a couple of months ago. Joker: He didn't succeed - I think - but things have been kind of tense lately... So I wouldn't mention that name to the boss if I were you... Sailor Bob: *nods quickly* Joker: *sighs* I don't know what that bastard did, but I wish he was alive again so I could take it out on him. I bet the boss was way too quick. Sailor Bob: !.# Joker: ^-^;;; Sorry - I didn't mean to scare you. But life around here isn't the nicest one there is... Sailor Bob: *nods, understanding and trying very hard not to look upset* Joker: *touches him on the shoulder* It's okay... we won't let you get mixed up in anything like that. You're strictly legit help. Sailor Bob: *gives Joker another of his sweet, unguarded smiles* Thank you, Joker-chan. Joker: *smiles back* *Fade to the restaurant at lunchtime a day or two later. Joker is out on business, being extra busy during the day since he's not working at night; Sailor Bob is busing tables as usual, and Tetsuya is in the kitchen, eating for once in his life.* Middle-Aged Woman: *comes into the restaurant and is seated* Woman: *asks the waitress if she knows where she could find a priest* Sailor Bob: *buses a table nearby, whistling quietly to himself* Waitress: A priest? *thinks, since almost no one asks for Tetsuya and the proper question doesn't spring immediately to mind* Waitress: Well... Have you ever read any Heian-era literature? Woman: Like The Tale of Genji? Several times. Waitress: I'll see if I can find one... *goes into the kitchen and tells the boss about it* Tetsuya: *properly suspicious, goes out and sits at the same table* You asked for me? Sailor Bob: *moves to another table, but still nearby, completely oblivious and quietly whistling* Woman: *quietly, so that other people can't hear* What have you done with the others? There have been no reports from any of the three of them. Tetsuya: *equally quiet, sounding harder than normal* Only what I do with any who threaten me, as you should know well. Sailor Bob: *switches to humming* Woman: There is an understanding between your kind and mine, No Hands. I think you may have just broken it. The people of Japan will not stand for this sort of willfulness from criminals. Tetsuya: *without dramatics* I care nothing for the people of Japan. If you attempt anything against my organization, I will crush you. *is simply stating a fact* Woman: Then give him back. *points at Sailor Bob* Return him to us, and we will forget this. Sailor Bob: *goes back to the kitchen, where the head cook tells him to water the plants around the restaurant* Sailor Bob: *comes back out with a watering can* Tetsuya: *says nothing* Sailor Bob: *quietly hums to himself as he waters* Woman: *senses advantage* Give him back, and this entire unpleasantness will be forgotten. There may even be - other benefits. Perhaps another gang is becoming a little troublesome... Woman: Just give him back. Tetsuya: *continues saying nothing* Sailor Bob: *pats plants lovingly, talking to each one briefly* Tetsuya: *watches Sailor Bob doing so* Sailor Bob: *sees Tetsuya, waves cutely and continues watering* Tetsuya: *silent, doesn't wave back* Woman: He must be bothersome. I've heard that he has often interfered with your usual schedule of work... But we'll be happy to take him off your hands. Tetsuya: *silent for another minute* Woman: *waits expectantly* Tetsuya: *very quietly, sounding almost troubled* No. Woman: ?.? What? Sailor Bob: *finishes with plants, goes back to kitchen* ^.# Tetsuya: *still quiet* No. You may not have him. Tetsuya: If - he should chose to return to you - that would be a different story. Tetsuya: But as it is - no. Sailor Bob: *completely oblivious to the entire thing, is now drying dishes in the kitchen* Woman: *eyes narrow* Then be careful, No Hands. There are those on the streets and among my people who have wanted to bring you down for a long time - and if he is not returned... Tetsuya: *coolly* I did not realize you were that eager to join your subordinates. Woman: *face pales slightly at that, but she remains adamant* Watch your words, No Hands. Because now - there is no one who will even try to stand up for your organization. Everywhere you turn, there will be enemies... Tetsuya: That is as it has always been. *stands up* If that is all you had to say... Woman: There was only one more thing. A bit of - a personal message, you might say. *grins unpleasantly* From a girl we both know. Tetsuya: *eyes narrow* Really. Sailor Bob: *is told to go get a plate he forgot, apologizes and goes to get it* Sailor Bob: *goes to the table right next to the one where Tetsuya and the woman are talking* Woman: She says that Genji is doing well in Kamakura, enjoying the cherry blossoms. And that his daughter is doing wonderfully in school - she has straight A's, apparently. She keeps asking her parents when she'll see her uncle again... Tetsuya: *looks as if he was just shot through the heart* Sailor Bob: !.# Woman: *smirks, leaves the restaurant before the boss can recover* Sailor Bob: *looks around frantically, then back at Tetsuya* Joker: *hits the table, almost hard enough to break it in two* That bitch - that poisonous bitch... Sailor Bob: *reaches out one hand, but doesn't touch him; very quietly* Tetsuya-san... Tetsuya: *almost hissing* She wanted you back. *just wants to hurt something or someone right now* She offered to leave us in peace if I would give you back, and I almost did! Sailor Bob: *looks like his heart just broke* T- Tetsuya... san... Tetsuya: *hits the table again, splintering it* Eight years... Eight years, and she cannot forget...! Tetsuya: She needles me and needles me and the Queen will not let me touch her because she brings in too much money! Tetsuya: Damn her! Damn that sneaking viper to the hell she came from! Sailor Bob: *Takes a step back, then another, then...* Tetsuya-san... Sailor Bob: I'm sorry!! *runs out of the restaurant, his hands over his ears, tormented by voices no one else can hear* Sailor Bob: *Doesn't bother to look where he's going. Just runs.* Tetsuya: *finally looks up and notices that the restaurant has completely emptied; also realizes just what he said to Sailor Bob* Tetsuya: *sits down by the broken table, putting his head in his hands* Joker: *walks into the restaurant a few minutes later, having heard that something was wrong from a fleeing customer* Joker: *sees Tetsuya sitting by the table* Boss... *sounds nervous and scared and worried* Boss, what happened? Tetsuya: *not looking up* I should have killed her when I killed her father. Joker: ?.? Boss...? Tetsuya: A woman came. She offered a good deal that would benefit us if I would return Sailor Bob to them... Joker: *looks around, noting conspicuous absence of Sailor Bob* Boss! You didn't... not after...! Tetsuya: I told her no. She threatened us, and I told her no. Threats are empty things. Joker: Then what...? Tetsuya: *voice beginning to crack* Then she had a - personal message... from the Maragucci girl. Joker: !.! What did SHE have to say to YOU? Tetsuya: *voice becomes colder than usual* Nothing that is your business. Suffice to say that she left, and I told Sailor Bob her offer. He left. Joker: Boss... *sounds rather disappointed in him, as if wanting to say, "How could you do that to the poor little guy?"* Tetsuya: *hits the table again* I will not be pushed around like this! I will not stand for these threats and disruptions! I am NO ONE'S puppet any more! Joker: Boss... *edges a little closer, but doesn't try to touch Tetsuya* Boss - I'm sorry. I'll - I'll go look for him... he can't have gotten too far... Tetsuya: *taking a deep breath* No. I will look for him. Joker: ?.? Tetsuya: I brought him here. He is my responsibility. *stands up, looking perfectly normal - what passes as normal for him, anyway* Take care of things. Joker: Y- yes, boss. *heads for the office* Tetsuya: *walks out the door and starts talking to people, trying to find out which way Sailor Bob went; follows the trail of his leads* Sailor Bob: *After about half an hour, stops and looks around. Has no idea where the heck he is.* Sailor Bob: *ducks into an alley as someone turns the corner, shivering in the cold shadows* Sailor Bob: *leans against the wall, trying to drive the voices out of his head* "Yes, he will make a nice specimen..." "He's a freak! Look at that eye!" "That... eye..." "... freak! Look at his eye!" "... nice specimen..." *And the loudest of all...* "She offered to leave us in peace if I would give you back, and I almost did!" "... leave us in peace... I almost did!" Sailor Bob: *shakes his head violently* No! Stop it! Be quiet! BE QUIET!!! Sailor Bob: *shakes his head again, as the voices fade into the background of his mind* Stop it... Sailor Bob: *looks up* Tetsuya-san... was very upset... Sailor Bob: I'm... a nuisance to him... Sailor Bob: I should... go away... Tetsuya: *still checking leads, slowly making his way in the general right direction* Sailor Bob: I don't want to be a nuisance... anymore... Sailor Bob: *notices a broken wine bottle a couple feet away, gets an idea* I don't want to be... a nuisance... Sailor Bob: *is slightly delirious at this point* Sailor Bob: *Goes over to the broken bottle, tests the edge with his finger. Draws blood.* I think... this is sharp enough... Tetsuya: *is getting closer and closer, thanks to his powers of scaring information out of people* Sailor Bob: *fingers the scar he has on his left arm, then turns to his right and picks up the bottle with his left hand* I won't be... a nuisance... anymore... Sailor Bob: *with a quick slash, makes a long slit up the inside of his arm* No more - *collapses against the wall* - nuisance... Tetsuya: *asks one more person, who points at the alley in question* Sailor Bob: *closes his eyes* No more... Tetsuya: *walks into the alley, immediately seeing the blood, the glass, and the collapsed Sailor Bob* !.! Tetsuya: *is instantly beside Bob, trying to staunch the blood coming from the cut* Sailor Bob: *opens his eye* Tetsuya-san... Tetsuya: *starts ripping off part of his suit, wrapping it around Sailor Bob's arm* What were you trying to do? You don't know what sort of germs could be on a piece of glass like that... Sailor Bob: *is even more delirous than before* I didn't... want to be... a nuisance... anymore... Tetsuya: *in a tone of voice which brooks no argument* You are not a nuisance. Sailor Bob: But... you said... Tetsuya: *hesitates* I - I was not thinking clearly... Tetsuya: I did not mean to say that. Sailor Bob: *passes out from blood loss* Tetsuya: !.! *works harder on getting the arm to stop bleeding, having trouble since it IS a major vein in there* Tetsuya: *after doing what he can, picks Sailor Bob up and starts going through back alleys, headed for the nearest organization-affiliated doctor* Sailor Bob: *remains unconscious* Tetsuya: *quickly arrives at one, knocks at the back door twice* Doctor: *opens the door* !.! Doctor: *ushers them inside and shuts the door, quickly and silently* Tetsuya: *still holding Sailor Bob* I found him just after he did it. You should have time. Doctor: *takes Sailor Bob from him and heads into the operating room* Tetsuya: *sits just outside the room, seemingly unconcerned except for the nervous fingering of his rosary* Doctor: *about thirty minutes later - comes out again, looking tired* Tetsuya: *is up instantly* Well? Doctor: He'll live. Tetsuya: *pretends that this doesn't relieve him immensely* Doctor: He lost a lot of blood, but I managed to get him stabilized pretty quickly. Doctor: He's recovering from the anesthesia right now. Tetsuya: Good. I will see that you are paid well for this. Doctor: Thank you. Tetsuya: Where is he? Doctor: *leads Tetsuya into a small room with a bed and a chair in it* Sailor Bob: *is curled up on the bed, looking like he's taking a nap* Tetsuya: *heart pangs slightly* Tetsuya: *to the doctor, sounding rather sharp* I will keep watch. You may leave. Do