[Yami no Matsuei] Green Thumb
Title: Green Thumb
Genre: General
Rating: G
Pairing: Tatsumi+Watari
Summary: Tatsumi and Watari have tea and discuss Tatsumi's plant life. Sort of.
Comments: I've had this thing with Tatsumi and bonsai trees stuck in my head for a while, and it turned into this. (Which isn't remotely like the original idea, but it sort of works. Also, super tiny thing from the manga involved in this fic. If you spot it, well...bully for you! (Nothing that will spoil the manga so much as it's something that continues to crack me up to this day whenever I think about it.)
“What do you know about bonsai trees?” Tatsumi asks, closing the door to his office after him with the back of an elbow.
“They’re tiny trees,” Watari answers, frowning at the report in his hands, “it’s also something of an ancient art form, if I remember correctly. Why?”
Tatsumi doesn’t answer, busy balancing their tea and a plate with an assortment of cookies and pastries as he makes his way to his desk. Which has been commandeered by Watari and his ever-growing pile of paperwork.
“I was curious.” Tatsumi murmurs, nudging a stack of lab results to one side as he sets the plate down. “I’m never really sure just what sort of things you have tucked away in your head.”
Watari’s frown deepens and he looks over his report at Tatsumi, eyes narrowing at the perfectly bland expression he’s met with. “And you decided to bring up the subject of bonsai trees, why exactly?”
Tatsumi hands Watari his tea and settles himself into his chair. “Random curiosity.”
“Well that’s just not good enough,” Watari says, putting his papers aside in favor of his tea.
“No?”
“No,” Watari answers, savoring the warmth of the mug in his hands as much as the scent of the tea itself, “it really is not.”
Tatsumi’s lips quirk into a small smile in acknowledgement of Watari’s words, but he says nothing else for the moment.
“Are you looking to take it up as a hobby?”
“Not precisely.”
Watari cocks his head to the side, regarding Tatsumi thoughtfully. “It might be something you’d like, actually. I’ve heard it requires a great deal of patience and attention to detail. I’ve also heard it has a calming effect on the nerves - not as good as actual meditation, but just as nice in its own way.”
“I’ve…heard the same.” Tatsumi admits, taking a sip of his tea. “Apparently it’s something that involves serious commitment.”
“That makes sense, considering how much time and work you need to invest. It certainly isn’t the kind of thing everyone would be interested in.” Watari says as he eyes the pastries on the desk between them. “Is that jelly-filled?”
Tatsumi glances at the pastry in question and nods. “Raspberry, I think. Some kind of berry at any rate, Wakaba brought them in.”
Watari sits up a little straighter at that, eyes lighting up. “And Tsuzuki hasn’t gobbled them up yet?”
Tatsumi actually laughs as Watari grabs the pastry in question, smiling as he takes a bite. “Tsuzuki hasn’t come in yet - Hisoka said it had something to do with a hangover and a bet. I decided not to ask any questions.”
“Probably wise, all things considered.” Watari mumbles around a mouthful of pastry. “Even I’m afraid to ask about some of the things those two get up to sometimes.”
Tatsumi hides a smile behind his mug with minimal success.
“What?”
Tatsumi shakes his head, amusement clear as he selects a cookie from the plate. “I hardly think you have room to talk, what with your past exploits.”
“I don’t think I like what you’re implying.” Watari says, trying for a wounded tone, lips curved in a slight smile. “And you’re nowhere near as innocent as you pretend to be.”
“Hmmm…no, but I manage to hide it better.”
Watari snorts, setting his tea down and leaning back in his chair to look at Tatsumi. “As entertaining as all of this you still haven’t told me what…bonsai trees have to do with anything.”
“They have a certain appeal.” Tatsumi says, looking suddenly unsure of himself.
Watari makes an encouraging noise as he finishes off his pastry, eyes never leaving Tatsumi’s face.
“There’s a sense of…”
“Tatsumi.”
“Yes?”
Watari’s smile widens at Tatsumi’s attempt to look as calm as possible despite the tension visible in his expression and the line of his shoulders. “Are you really that interested in bonsai trees?”
“Not…precisely.”
“I see.”
“I - “
“Tatsumi.”
“This would probably be easier if I was interested in taking up bonsai trees as a hobby, wouldn’t it.” Tatsumi asks, not meeting Watari’s eyes.
“It’s possible,” Watari muses, “but I would find it hard to believe as you’ve never had much of a green thumb.”
Tatsumi winces, nothing more than a barely noticeable tightening around his eyes.
“Still…you’ve done fairly well with the plant Wakaba gave you.” Watari says, gesturing at the potted plant sitting on the edge of the desk. “It seems lively enough.”
“I replaced it with a fake plant when it died.”
Watari stares at him, at a loss for words in the face of his matter of fact bluntness.
“It’s as you say, I don’t have much of a green thumb. Something like a bonsai tree wouldn’t be all that wise a choice for me.” Tatsumi says, still not quite meeting Watari’s eyes.
“Well…that much would be true, if we were really discussing bonsai trees.” Watari says, recovering nicely.
“Watari - “
“And besides, I think you have a very limited view of bonsai trees in general. Not all of them are fragile, delicate things that need to be tended to every moment of every day to survive, you know.”
Tatsumi looks up, a wry smile on his lips. “Do we really need to drag the - “
“Yes,” Watari interrupts with a fierce glare, “we really do, because I’m about to make a very valid and important point that won’t make any sense if we don’t.”
“All right.”
Watari scowls at Tatsumi, well aware that he’s being humored, and finding no amusement at all in that fact. “Cacti.”
“I…pardon?”
Watari smiles at the purely confused look on Tatsumi’s face. “Granted, cacti are hardly a…traditional choice regarding bonsai trees, but they’re really quite remarkable.”
“Indeed.”
Eyes narrowing at Tatsumi’s tone, Watari shrugs and goes back to eyeing the plate full of baked goods. “It was the best I could do with what you gave me to work with.”
“I suppose so,” Tatsumi answers, sounding equal parts amused and thoughtful. “but I’m still not sure it’s something I’m suited for.”
“Tatsumi, leaving behind all conversation involving non-existent or potential plant-related hobbies, let me assure you that I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in this matter.”
“I don’t think you’re considering the possible consequences.”
Looking up to meet Tatsumi’s eyes, Watari smiles. “I think you’re right, but I’m also willing to take a chance for something like this.”
“Is it too late to convince you I just wanted your input on bonsai trees as a suitable hobby for myself?”
“What do you think?” Watari asks, deciding on pastry with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
“I think I could do worse.” Tatsumi admits with something that sounds like relief.
Watari smiles, nibbling at his pastry. “I think you should start thinking about what you’re going to tell Wakaba when she asks after the plant she gave you.”
Tatsumi sighs, following Watari’s gaze. “I don’t suppose she’d be interested in a bonsai tree of her own?” He asks hopefully, earning a quiet laugh from Watari.
“Believe me, she's working on it.”
Tatsumi stares at Watari and wisely chooses to take a drink of his tea rather than inquire too deeply. Watari simply smiles.
Genre: General
Rating: G
Pairing: Tatsumi+Watari
Summary: Tatsumi and Watari have tea and discuss Tatsumi's plant life. Sort of.
Comments: I've had this thing with Tatsumi and bonsai trees stuck in my head for a while, and it turned into this. (Which isn't remotely like the original idea, but it sort of works. Also, super tiny thing from the manga involved in this fic. If you spot it, well...bully for you! (Nothing that will spoil the manga so much as it's something that continues to crack me up to this day whenever I think about it.)
“What do you know about bonsai trees?” Tatsumi asks, closing the door to his office after him with the back of an elbow.
“They’re tiny trees,” Watari answers, frowning at the report in his hands, “it’s also something of an ancient art form, if I remember correctly. Why?”
Tatsumi doesn’t answer, busy balancing their tea and a plate with an assortment of cookies and pastries as he makes his way to his desk. Which has been commandeered by Watari and his ever-growing pile of paperwork.
“I was curious.” Tatsumi murmurs, nudging a stack of lab results to one side as he sets the plate down. “I’m never really sure just what sort of things you have tucked away in your head.”
Watari’s frown deepens and he looks over his report at Tatsumi, eyes narrowing at the perfectly bland expression he’s met with. “And you decided to bring up the subject of bonsai trees, why exactly?”
Tatsumi hands Watari his tea and settles himself into his chair. “Random curiosity.”
“Well that’s just not good enough,” Watari says, putting his papers aside in favor of his tea.
“No?”
“No,” Watari answers, savoring the warmth of the mug in his hands as much as the scent of the tea itself, “it really is not.”
Tatsumi’s lips quirk into a small smile in acknowledgement of Watari’s words, but he says nothing else for the moment.
“Are you looking to take it up as a hobby?”
“Not precisely.”
Watari cocks his head to the side, regarding Tatsumi thoughtfully. “It might be something you’d like, actually. I’ve heard it requires a great deal of patience and attention to detail. I’ve also heard it has a calming effect on the nerves - not as good as actual meditation, but just as nice in its own way.”
“I’ve…heard the same.” Tatsumi admits, taking a sip of his tea. “Apparently it’s something that involves serious commitment.”
“That makes sense, considering how much time and work you need to invest. It certainly isn’t the kind of thing everyone would be interested in.” Watari says as he eyes the pastries on the desk between them. “Is that jelly-filled?”
Tatsumi glances at the pastry in question and nods. “Raspberry, I think. Some kind of berry at any rate, Wakaba brought them in.”
Watari sits up a little straighter at that, eyes lighting up. “And Tsuzuki hasn’t gobbled them up yet?”
Tatsumi actually laughs as Watari grabs the pastry in question, smiling as he takes a bite. “Tsuzuki hasn’t come in yet - Hisoka said it had something to do with a hangover and a bet. I decided not to ask any questions.”
“Probably wise, all things considered.” Watari mumbles around a mouthful of pastry. “Even I’m afraid to ask about some of the things those two get up to sometimes.”
Tatsumi hides a smile behind his mug with minimal success.
“What?”
Tatsumi shakes his head, amusement clear as he selects a cookie from the plate. “I hardly think you have room to talk, what with your past exploits.”
“I don’t think I like what you’re implying.” Watari says, trying for a wounded tone, lips curved in a slight smile. “And you’re nowhere near as innocent as you pretend to be.”
“Hmmm…no, but I manage to hide it better.”
Watari snorts, setting his tea down and leaning back in his chair to look at Tatsumi. “As entertaining as all of this you still haven’t told me what…bonsai trees have to do with anything.”
“They have a certain appeal.” Tatsumi says, looking suddenly unsure of himself.
Watari makes an encouraging noise as he finishes off his pastry, eyes never leaving Tatsumi’s face.
“There’s a sense of…”
“Tatsumi.”
“Yes?”
Watari’s smile widens at Tatsumi’s attempt to look as calm as possible despite the tension visible in his expression and the line of his shoulders. “Are you really that interested in bonsai trees?”
“Not…precisely.”
“I see.”
“I - “
“Tatsumi.”
“This would probably be easier if I was interested in taking up bonsai trees as a hobby, wouldn’t it.” Tatsumi asks, not meeting Watari’s eyes.
“It’s possible,” Watari muses, “but I would find it hard to believe as you’ve never had much of a green thumb.”
Tatsumi winces, nothing more than a barely noticeable tightening around his eyes.
“Still…you’ve done fairly well with the plant Wakaba gave you.” Watari says, gesturing at the potted plant sitting on the edge of the desk. “It seems lively enough.”
“I replaced it with a fake plant when it died.”
Watari stares at him, at a loss for words in the face of his matter of fact bluntness.
“It’s as you say, I don’t have much of a green thumb. Something like a bonsai tree wouldn’t be all that wise a choice for me.” Tatsumi says, still not quite meeting Watari’s eyes.
“Well…that much would be true, if we were really discussing bonsai trees.” Watari says, recovering nicely.
“Watari - “
“And besides, I think you have a very limited view of bonsai trees in general. Not all of them are fragile, delicate things that need to be tended to every moment of every day to survive, you know.”
Tatsumi looks up, a wry smile on his lips. “Do we really need to drag the - “
“Yes,” Watari interrupts with a fierce glare, “we really do, because I’m about to make a very valid and important point that won’t make any sense if we don’t.”
“All right.”
Watari scowls at Tatsumi, well aware that he’s being humored, and finding no amusement at all in that fact. “Cacti.”
“I…pardon?”
Watari smiles at the purely confused look on Tatsumi’s face. “Granted, cacti are hardly a…traditional choice regarding bonsai trees, but they’re really quite remarkable.”
“Indeed.”
Eyes narrowing at Tatsumi’s tone, Watari shrugs and goes back to eyeing the plate full of baked goods. “It was the best I could do with what you gave me to work with.”
“I suppose so,” Tatsumi answers, sounding equal parts amused and thoughtful. “but I’m still not sure it’s something I’m suited for.”
“Tatsumi, leaving behind all conversation involving non-existent or potential plant-related hobbies, let me assure you that I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in this matter.”
“I don’t think you’re considering the possible consequences.”
Looking up to meet Tatsumi’s eyes, Watari smiles. “I think you’re right, but I’m also willing to take a chance for something like this.”
“Is it too late to convince you I just wanted your input on bonsai trees as a suitable hobby for myself?”
“What do you think?” Watari asks, deciding on pastry with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
“I think I could do worse.” Tatsumi admits with something that sounds like relief.
Watari smiles, nibbling at his pastry. “I think you should start thinking about what you’re going to tell Wakaba when she asks after the plant she gave you.”
Tatsumi sighs, following Watari’s gaze. “I don’t suppose she’d be interested in a bonsai tree of her own?” He asks hopefully, earning a quiet laugh from Watari.
“Believe me, she's working on it.”
Tatsumi stares at Watari and wisely chooses to take a drink of his tea rather than inquire too deeply. Watari simply smiles.