[BACKLOG] Drills and drugs.

[clover1412]

Who:Kaito and Komui
When:Monday of drug week, after the sprinkler incident.
Where:Suite 3
Summary:Komui needs some help drying out his drill, so he calls on his apprentice for help. But after Kaito "confessed" plus his hallucinations, it may not end well.
Rating:PG
Warnings:Awkwardness, fish, hinted shounen-ai.

Komui was stomping round the common room, his slippers skidding slightly, as he laid out his drill upon the large table in the center. It was ruined - ruined! - by the sprinklers that had gone off earlier. Now he had to open it up, dry every single nook and cranny in case the water got in and reassemble it. And then, he decided with a growl, he was going to hunt down whoever was responsible and use his spanners to smash their faces in.

Komui rubbed his hand through his bare hair, considering where to start. Small shivers were running through him from his still damp skin, though he'd changed his clothes already. A white uniform was not the best thing to wear in a downpour. His polo neck still clung to him and his beret had been soaked through, so he'd been forced to brush his hair down the best he could and try to shelter in a spare coat against the cold.

At least he had tools. That was a small boon. But still, this was going to be awkward to pull apart without another person to help him. Komui was considering waking up Lenalee to get her aid, despite her disinterest in machinery.

Kaito decided to walk the halls to see if the fish would by anywhere else. Unfortunately, they were. He was jumping at everything as he rounded every corner, as he looked up at the ceiling and down at the floor. They were everywhere! He couldn't get away from the damn fish, and it was grating on him! He trusted nothing and no one and he saw them even when he closed his eyes. He had bags under his eyes and his whole appearance was disheveled. He needed to go to someone who wasn't acting strange, and from what he could tell at the moment that was Komui. He wasn't exactly sure what his ailment was this week, but he could atleast tell he wasn't being mean or an idiot. He tried to remember which room was Komui's as he wandered. Despite his awkward confession they were still friends and he liked helping him make things. He wondered if he needed help today?

After a quite a while of wandering and more jumping at nothing he finally found Komui's suite. But which room was his? Instead of knocking on every door he decided to call from the main area. "Komui?" he called, though his voice was a bit shaky. "I forgot which room is yours! Though...I can understand if you want me to leave."

Komui popped his head over the sofa from where he'd been kneeling, blinking at the young man who was calling his name. He immediately stiffened, feeling a wash of awkwardness come over him. He'd not forgotten Kaito's confession, and he really hoped the boy wasn't planning on pressing things. However...

"Kaito!" He cried, leaping up, unmindful of his damp knees. "Just what I was looking for, an extra set of hands! You're going to help me mend my drill!" Normally, Komui would have asked, but in his current state he didn't see the need. If Kaito disobeyed him, well, he'd just have to give the boy a beating.

Kaito jumped when he saw Komui suddenly pop up from behind the sofa. He really hadn't expected him to be there and because he showed himself so suddenly his hallucinations took over. "Aah!" He yelped and stepped back, his eyes wide. He was shivering and had to look away to compose himself. "S...Sorry," he stuttered as he tried to pretend that didn't just happen. "I, uh...you startled me." He decided that would be much better than telling him what he was hallucinating. Though he was sure almost everyone knew his weakness by now. He just hoped most forgot by next week.

After a moment he was finally able to look back at Komui and listen to his request. "Ah...sure I'll help," he said with a forced smile. "I'd be glad to..." He was silent for another moment. "I'm sorry if I end up making things worse, though."

Komui gave him a smile that was far less soft than his usual expressions as he responded, hands planted on his hips. Kaito's nervous actions were out of character, but in his current state he was more concerned about possible threats.

"If you break my drill I'll throw you through a wall." He responded perkily. "Now come here, grab hold of the drill and stop it from falling on the floor while I unscrew it. We've got a long afternoon ahead of us. You're going to learn this thing inside out while we give it a good scrub and oil!" He picked up a spanner, rapped it on the table, then poised, waiting for Kaito to come and grab where he showed so he could begin.

Kaito chuckled softly at Komui's words. He knew full well he was serious, but the way he said it amused him. It was the first time he had laughed that week and he truly appreciated it. He just hoped he could keep Komui happy and not trying to kill him. He went over to him and grabbed the drill where he was instructed, going wide-eyed as his hallucinations made him see a fish wriggling inside, flopping around disgustingly with those beady little eyes looking up at him. He tried to keep his composure, but was visibly shivering. "D-Do you just want me to hold it?" he asked, cursing himself for stuttering. "I can do whatever." But he didn't look up at the man, both the weakness he was showing right now and the awkward air in the room preventing him from doing so. His grip on the drill was rather tight.

"I'm not going to bite you." Komui murmured, raising his eyebrows in amusement at the stuttering. Kaito must be nervous about Komui's response to his confession, he decided, and not sure how to act. Well, Komui was going to pretend the words had never crossed Kaito's lips, and that he was just the little apprentice he had been the week before. Komui began unscrewing, sticking his tongue out in concentration. However, he could feel something was a bit off. At first he put the slight stiffness down to the water in the joints, but then, looking up after finally getting the first screw off, he realized the source of the difficulty: the tremors from Kaito. The other looked terrified. Komui's eyebrows drew together and he rapped Kaito gently on the knuckles to break him out of the trance.

"Or do you want to unscrew?" He offered, seeing if a distraction would help... whatever it was.

It was still there. That damned fish was still right infront of him throwing itself around inside of Komui's drill. He wanted it to go away, now! He knew it wasn't real but he could still see it. It taunted him and made him want to scream, but he had to keep his composure with Komui in the room. He was one of the few people he didn't want to see how vulnerable he could be. It was no offense to Komui, in fact in a way it was a compliment to his cunning-ness, but he seemed like the type who would hold something like that over someone. Atleast to Kaito. He gasped as he was suddenly brought to his senses and the slimy thing disappeared. He looked up at Komui, blinking quite a few times. "W-What?" he asked, truly not hearing what he said. There was still a hint of fear in his eyes that added to his already disheveled look.

Normally, if one of his exorcists had given him such a look, Komui would have put down his spanner and given them a nice cup of tea while trying to wheedle their problem out so he could help.

Instead he threw the spanner across the room with a cut off yell and grabbed Kaito's shirt, growling as he pulled the boy up sharply.

"Pay attention to your work!" He snarled. "This is medical equipment and if you make mistake you'll break the Innocence! Do you think this is a game? Do you think this is something to amuse you? This is the difference between life and death for them and if you can't respect that then get out!" He was panting harshly at the end of his screaming, his face flushed and his eyes dangerously narrowed. His grip did not loosen as he glared at Kaito, waiting for an acceptable response.

Kaito's eyes widened at Komui's sudden harshness and it truly surprised him. He had no idea the usually kind man could yell like that. But instead of being frightened of him - he truly never could be - he found himself getting mad at his words. He glared right back at Komui and grabbed his wrists to make him let go. "I can't exactly help it, Komui," he said as he tried to keep his voice calm. He still didn't explain any further than that. But if he didn't tell the truth, what was going through Komui's mind? Did he think he was acting this way because of what he said earlier? Even that would be better than the true reason in Kaito's eyes. "But..." He sighed and closed his eyes, knowing that if he looked down there would probably be another of those things down there. "...I am sorry." He hoped that would be enough to make him let go and calm down.

Komui almost gave in to the urge to punch the boy when Kaito glared at him, but his raw temper was mollified by the apology. The fist buried in Kaito's shirt from unclenched as his temper waned, and he went over to grab his spanner again. He thrust it at Kaito.

"Right!" He said once he came back to the table, as if the outburst had never occurred. "You unscrew the rest of the casing, and I'll hold it steady. We'll have to pick everything apart after to dry and oil, and then rebuild. I'm sure you can handle that."

Kaito sighed in relief as Komui let go of him and didn't end up punching him or anything. He watched only Komui once he opened his eyes again, knowing what he would see if he looked around. But then when he tried to hand him the spanner he looked down at it and his eyes widened yet again. Damn those hallucinations! Damn his weakness. "I...I'll hold it." He looked back up at Komui. "I'll keep it steady, I promise." He gave a forced smile. "Besides, I might unscrew the wrong things." He truly knew the machine almost as well as Komui did, but he wasn't going to say it.

Komui made a frustrated noise and rapped Kaito's knuckles. It was a light tap, though, as Kaito's submissiveness was helping Komui keep his temper under control. Mostly.

"Fine, but if it wobbles at all I'll beat you black and blue." He said. The rest of the casing was quickly undone and Komui laid it carefully on the table. He tapped his lip, thinking about the problem. The air of the room still felt damp and his feet were soaked through.

"Kaito, if this doesn't work after, it's obviously your fault, but grab the oil out of the box while I start disassembling the innards. Wipe everything off as I take it out." The shifting of blame was not unusual for Komui. He never liked to admit anything he did was less than perfect.

This time Kaito was able to keep the drill mostly steady, though now he was shaking because he was cold. It seemed the hallucinations had stopped for now and he was finally able to act atleast a little normal. "Automatically my fault, huh?" he asked with a chuckle as he grabbed the oil. He was used to it from working with Komui before and he knew not to take it seriously. He never did before either, though. He nodded as he was given his instructions and looked around for a rag, afraid he might mess it up somehow if he grabbed anything with his bare hands. "Do you have a rag or something?" He also didn't want to grab something he wasn't supposed to. "I can use my shirt if you don't." His shirt was atleast mostly dry. He changed before coming over, though his skin was still wet. He didn't feel like getting a towel, mostly because the last time he went into the bathroom the tub was full of fish.

"Of course! After all, you're only an apprentice, you're bound to make mistakes all over the place." Komui replied. He patted himself, pulling out a handkerchief in triumph from one of his pockets.  He flourished it in front of Kaito's face, grinning.

"There! And I know this one's clean, too. Don't be afraid to get right into the cracks!" He instructed as he began to take out the first components, spreading them on the metal table. He glanced up, intending to tell Kaito which parts needed more oil, and finally saw the way the boy was shivering. He frowned, stood up, took off his long coat and offered it to Kaito.

"Don't stain it." Was his only comment.

Kaito took the handkerchief with one of his characteristic smiles, finally able to do so now that the hallucinations had died down for now. "Thanks," he said as he started to dry and oil his first object. But he was still shaking from the cold and anticipation that he might see a fish at anytime, or maybe the very handkerchief in his hands could become one. He usually wasn't paranoid, but this week...gods, he hated it.

He kept his eyes on the pieces he was drying, easily keeping up with Komui, but then blinked when he suddenly stopped. He heard Komui say something about not staining something and he looked to him. He was holding out his jacket. Did he want him to take it? "Oh, uh, th-thanks," he said, scratching the back of his head. "But...I will stain it." He chuckled. "And when I do you'll get mad at me."

Komui rested his fists on his hips and gave Kaito his sternest glare through his glasses.

"If you dirty it, you're washing it until it's gleaming! And as extra punishment, you'll have to wash my socks as well!" Komui lifted his feet, showing off his sadly soaked slippers and socks. "Look at this! If I don't have blisters by the end of the day, I'll be shocked! I'll need at least five cups of coffee to ward off the chill!" He harrumphed, stomping down with a small splash.

"Are you taking the coat or not?" he asked shortly, shaking it at Kaito.

"Until it's gleaming, huh?" Kaito asked with a chuckle. But he took the jacket anyway. "You sure that's not an excuse to keep me here longer?" He winked, teasing Komui, but quickly realized that was definitely not the right thing to say after what happened earlier. "Uhh...just kidding!" He chuckled nervously before putting the jacket on and looking back down. But his fears became true. The very handkerchief Komui gave him was now a fish flopping on the table, an ugly grey one with many sharp teeth and eyes black and vacant as space itself. He froze again and found himself gripping the slightly oversized sleeves of the jacket hard.

Komui didn't miss the flirting, or the sudden change that came over Kaito as soon as he clicked what he'd said.  He sighed, pinching his nose. Obviously ignoring the entire situation wasn't going to work. Damned consortium and their tests. He circled round the table and patted Kaito lightly on the shoulder. He was obviously suffering, with his increased libido

"Listen, you're not the only one suffering these side effects." Komui said. "There's others here, and while it all feels very real, by next week it'll go away completely. If it's really, really bothering you, I've been giving someone else an injection to relieve the symptoms. I could try the same for you..."

Kaito jumped as Komui touched his shoulder and he looked to him. He was listening to his words but his eyes kept going to the table. The fish was gone, but he was afraid it might come back at any moment. He would rather see it and get away than not see it at all and let it touch him. "Ah...do we have the same side effects?" he asked. He wondered what Komui was seeing, but decided not to ask as it might be personal. He wasn't saying what his was. But... "An injection?" Was there really such thing that could counteract hallucinations? "What kind of injection?"

Komui sniffed at the suggestion. What did the boy mean, side effects? Yes, he was a bit shorter tempered than he was last week, but every instance was well deserved and explainable.

"No, but one of my colleagues is. He's using a local anesthetic to the groin to take down the more visible side effects so he can function properly. It seems to work as long as he's not teased. If you need the same, just say. I've got a sterile needle. That way this little crush of yours can be kept under control before you jump me, and we can forget about that ever happening. You're a quick learner."

Kaito looked to Komui with a raised eyebrow as he spoke. What the hell kind of side effect did he think he had? So, he decided to just ask outright. "Uhh, how is an anesthetic shot to the groin going to help hallucinations?" He was very obviously confused. Though now he was even more curious as to what Komui's ailment was. He ofcourse wasn't aware of all of the side effects, only four of them really. Did he think he had the same side effect Naruto had? Being extremely horny?

Komui blinked. There went that theory.

"Hallucinations?" He asked, vaguely surprised. "But, you, ahhh, saying that about me.... are you hallucinating that I'm someone else?" His eyes trailed over to the table that Kaito had been staring at, slightly at a loss about what to do. "What are you seeing, then?"

"Hallucinations," Kaito said with a nod. It was obvious that Komui felt uncomfortable by what Kaito said, but he didn't really blame him. He himself was uncomfortable for letting it slip. He knew the age difference but he still couldn't help what he thought. When he asked what he was hallucinating and if he thought he was someone else. He blushed softly and closed his eyes. "I kinda wish it was that," he said with a sigh. He didn't mention what he truly was seeing, though, it was more embarrassing than the side effect he thought he had.

Komui pressed his lips together, looking very discomforted. What was one supposed to say when someone their sister's age, or near enough, went and confessed a forbidden attraction?

"Well, I suppose at your age that's normal. Heaven knows I used to develop infatuations for all sorts of people. I'm sure you'll grow out of it soon enough." With one last pat on the shoulder Komui bustled straight back to his drill.

"Right, there's still more to oil, so get cracking!" He plunged his hand into the depths of the machinery, unscrewing and tapping and pulling out various parts laying them out for Kaito to tend to.

Kaito smiled and gave a sigh of relief. He was glad Komui was understanding and greatly appreciated the change of subject afterwards. He was able to grab the handkerchief again, now that it wasn't a fish anymore, and started to oil and dry things once again. He kept his eyes on the parts. Even though Komui's words calmed him a bit, he still felt awkward. He glanced to the jacket he still had on and found himself wanting to keep it, eventhough he knew full well he couldn't. 'It smells like him,' he thought to himself, letting a small smile grace his lips.

While Kaito was working on the components, Komui was busily oiling the inner casing of the drill, frowning in concentration as he worked.  As Kaito finished with the parts Komui scooped them up and began rejoining them, stopping now and again to mutter and pound a piece into a better shape. When he finally reattached the last bit he looked up, intending to ask Kaito to hold the drill steady as he redid the casing. He paused at the sight before him.

"...Are you sniffing my coat? Are you sure it's not your libido affected?"

Kaito was somewhat in his own little world once he was done cleaning the parts, for a moment forgetting where he was. Yes, he was taking in the scent of Komui's jacket as he wore it, but he had no idea Komui was actually watching him. That is until he said something. "Uhh..." Kaito was struck speechless, his eyes widening and a deep blush coming to his cheeks. He couldn't bring himself to look at the older man and he knew he had to come up with an excuse fast. Or alteast a way to get out. "I...I should go..." He glanced down to the drill, realizing they still had one more step. Damn it. "...after we put the casing back on..." He swallowed, trying to rid the lump in this throat.

Komui raised his eyebrows and nodded, amused at the blush despite the awkwardness of the situation in general.

"Yes, that would help." He answered, holding the spanner ready again.  "Are you feeling a bit warmer than you were before?"

Kaito quickly grabbed the casing and held it in place, patiently waiting as Komui secured it back on. He watched his hands as he worked, unable and not wanting to look at anything else. He blushed again as he Komui asked him if he was feeling hotter. "Ah, well..." He couldn't lie with such an obvious flush to his cheeks. He nodded but kept his eyes down. "I should probably give your coat back then." He doesn't move to do so yet. He didn't want to make any kind of move until Komui had the casing secured and he said it was okay to.

"Of course you should!" Komui snapped out as he tightened the last of the screws. "That's a uniform of a Black Order Supervisor. You're not even part of the Catholic Church, are you?  That's only being lent to you." He let out a little crow of triumph at completing his task, and whipped up the drill. His grin was unsettlingly happy for a man clutching a large, pointed medical device.

"Right! I'll test this baby and if she works, you won't need to be punished!" He declared happily, before his face dropped. "But it's all wet. Even the plug sockets are wet! If something's wrong, I'll get electrocuted." He pondered the distresing situation for a few moments before brightening. "I know! I'll sew some plastic food wrappers together as insulation and make foot covers! that ought to do the trick!" He beamed at his own genius.

"Black Order Supervisor, huh?" Kaito asked as he finally let go of the drill. Though he had to back away as soon as Komui picked it up, a bit scared for his life to see a gleefully smiling man with such a deadly looking and sharp weapon. Let alone the fact that he might be hit with it if it didn't work. His head hurt just thinking about getting hit in the skull with it. He had a rather nervous look on his face and chuckled once he was at a safe distance.

"Where are you gonna get food wrappers?" Kaito asked, glancing to the wet floor. If he really wanted to try it right now - the mad man - it really wasn't a bad idea at all. "And can I get some, too? Or will I have to leave the room for this?" He had to admit, he was curious as to how the thing actually looked when it was running. He knew the thing inside out but still didn't know how to actually start it.

Komui sighed, eyeing the boy. Only the fact that he'd been gorging and not emptied his bin for a while meant he was willing to let Kaito stay.

"Fine, fine, but you'll have to sew them together yourself." He responded. "I'm not your mother, I'm not responsible for making you safe." With that he splashed off to his room, clutching the drill, and emerged shortly after with an overflowing bin. He dumped it on the table and pulled out a small sewing kit.

"If there's holes, it won't matter how tall you make them, so ensure you've got full coverage" He instructed before sitting down still cradling the drill, and slipping off one of his slippers to begin stitching food wrappers around.

Kaito smiled as Komui said he could stay, and it turned to a confident grin when he said he had to sew them himself. Now that, he was more then good at. "I can take care of myself," he chuckled, grabbing some wrappers and a needle and thread from the sewing kit. He randomly chose blue, as it really didn't matter what color it was he just liked it. His skill with sewing was surprising to most everyone and he had his makeshift shoe covers done in seconds. He walked around a bit to test them before turning back to Komui. "Ready when you are." He grinned playfully.

Usually, Komui would have chuckled and praised the boy for his skill, but in his current state, Kaito's actions seemed like a challenge. He threw his slippers at the other.

"Fine! You finish these ones off too!" he barked, hugging his drill as he scowled. His long toes twitched and curled within his socks, irritated by the damp material.

Kaito blinked at the irritated look on Komui's face. Really, what the hell kind of side effect did he have? He wanted the old Komui back, then one that would laugh and give a genuine smile, not throw stuff at him. Wait, throw stuff at him!? Kaito just barely caught Komui's slippers. "Making me do all the work?" he joked, though as he said that he sat back down and started sewing the food wrappers on. "I hope they're not too tight..." He was once again finished in no time and handed them back to Komui with a smile. "Here you g -" He stopped as once again the hallucinations were back, but this time the very slippers that were in his hands turned into slimy white fish. "Agh!" He quickly dropped the slippers into Komui's lap and backed away, staring horrified.

Komui blinked up as Kaito backed away with that horrified look on his face. He looked down. His slippers looked presentable enough.. It must have been a hallucination. Komui slipped the slippers onto his feet, wriggled his toes and stood up.

"It's not real, Kaito." He said. "Close your eyes. Whatever you're seeing, it's not real." He approached the boy, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be over soon, and you'll never see whatever it is again."

Kaito was trying to catch his breath, his heart still racing and his eyes wide. But when Komui started talking he looked slowly back up at him. His words were comforting and he listened intently, wanting them desperately to help. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He felt the hand on his shoulder, liking the comforting warmth coming from it. He wanted to look back at Komui, but he was also afraid to open his eyes again. "I'm sorry...I'm post-poning your work," he said with a nervous chuckle, trying to change the subject.

"You are," Komui responded bluntly, "but I suppose you can't help it. You won't be any use as an apprentice if you're unable to function, so I need you better. Can you open your eyes?" Komui bent his knees, bringing him down to eye height to look at Kaito. "It's just me here, Kaito, no one else. What is it that you think you're seeing?"

Kaito chuckled at Komui's bluntness. He knew he was practically being insulted, but he still found the way Komui said it amusing. Then came the comforting words again. Atleast somewhat comforting. He slowly opened one eye and looked to Komui. But unfortunately, for Kaito anyway, it was right into one of his eyes. He tried to keep his cool and luckily he was able to hold back a blush. "I-I know...you're the only person here," he said softly, still shaking. "But what I'm seeing...is something, not someone..."

"Something?" Komui inquired. "Is it a horrible monster? From the way you're acting, it must be pretty terrifying." Their one-eyed contact was enough to reassure Komui that Kaito wasn't completely collapsing from the strain of the hallucinations. With a slight groan, he straightened his stiffening legs, still looking down to keep the constant contact.  His hand still rested on the other's shoulder, a firm, warm touch.

"Is it still there? Just take a quick glance down."

A horrible monster? To him it was, but if he ever told Komui...dear God how embarrassed he would be! He would probably laugh at him, too. "It...well, t-to me..." He opened his other eye, still looking up at Komui. He really, really wanted to leave. Now. He heard Komui's request but couldn't bring himself to look down at all. "I...I can't look down...they might be there." He was clearly starting to crack. He had been dealing with it all week and simply couldn't take it anymore. "I...I should probably just go." He backed away reluctantly, Komui's hand falling from his shoulder. "I'm glad I could help...goodbye." He suddenly turned and started toward the door. Seeing the drill in action was now the furthest thing from his mind.

"As long as you're sure!" Komui called out. Normally, he wouldn't have let the boy go without being extra sure that he was alright, but his drill needed tending, and if he gave Kaito a comforting hug there was a chance things could be horribly misinterpreted and that was a mess Komui didn't want to have to deal with.

"I'll come on check on you later." He promised, already looking at his drill. He didn't thank the boy for his help. In his state, he didn't see the need to. His work came first, before such petty things as manners.

Kaito looked back once more as he opened the door, giving a small smile to Komui. "Thanks..." He turned again and headed out quickly, practically running down the hall. But it seemed they both forgot he was still wearing Komui's jacket.