Spilling Guts

Part 87 - Shower Thoughts

Tuesday, 12:30AM

Fueled by sushi, coffee, and spite, Cetz, Rachel, and Balcuwitz held a strategy meeting that went to the early hours of dawn. Hard to tell since a base two floors underground didn't lend itself to windows. They had outlined a battle plan for talking to the committee, and contingency plans if it didn't go over well. Rachel, leaning into her penchant of scientific gain over ethics, had given examples of what Harrison would want.

Rachel held out the plate holding the ice cream mochi. Cetz and Balcuwitz could each have one, but the sharing ended there. "A wider test pool."

"More people punching the pressure plate?" asked Balcuwitz, staring at the cold ball of sweet rice flour in his chopsticks. "I think we can round up enough people for that."

"Not just more people..." edged Rachel.

Cetz, mouth full of pistachio ice cream, caught on quicker. "Oh. Shit."

Balcuwitz glanced back and forth between them. "This will cause some friction, yes?"

"Like a rash," said Cetz.

"If we're lucky, he won't bring it up," said Rachel. "But I get the feeling he'll bring it up."

The plan had listed concessions that Watch Two might have to give Watch One. But they wouldn't know until the meeting started. Balcuwitz offered to attend the meeting with them and give his insight, as well as objections to certain things for the mental health of his patients.

They would know more after they slept a few hours.

Balcuwitz, the only one out of the three that declined coffee, found his couch very comfortable for sleeping.

***

Tuesday, 6AM

Once Will had a small cup of broth and was unhooked to the various machines and the IV, he did the best thing for his sinuses. A long, hot, steaming shower. Dried sweat and tears washed away under the nozzle.

Despite the SkySprechts being waterproof, Will left his with his clothes. He had wanted a semblance of privacy while he showered. Louis was left with the meditative sound of water rushing down the planes of Will's stomach. So he sat cross-legged and tried to actually meditate to the sounds while surrounded by shallow puddles of broth.

Instead of calm forests, a beach, or a mountain, Louis' mind brought up Will's shirt sticking to his torso.

"Hoookay," Louis declared to the sound of squelching insides and rushing water. "Let's figure this out because I can't be thinking these things all the time."

He didn't want to think about erotic things, and he certainly didn't want to think about it while Will was taking a shower, naked. But yeah, sure, self reflection while inside the object of a dream that had sexual leanings.

"Where the hell did this come from? Is it because I'm around him practically all the time? If so then why not an erotic dream with-" Louis shuddered. "Reese. Or Beni. I mean, Will's not bad looking. He cares... cared for me in his own way."

Will had cared by saying "good morning" with a smile and having a cup of coffee ready every morning. And then Louis screwed up. Louis fucking missed it.

"Coffee is not a good enough reason to think about someone that way or else I'd be dreaming of half the barista's in Denver."

Though he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up having a nightmare about Parker Lenore. He needed to meet with Megan and Teegan to get better insight on the case and his former barista.

Later. He had to focus on Will. Will had to get better, heal from whatever the Devil's Neckbrace did to him. Louis' intrusive feelings had no place in that process.

"Is it because I found out he had an ex-boyfriend and I'm feeling... territorial? Possessive? Not jealous. Fuck jealousy. Why would I be jealous of the guy?"

Because you haven't had a date in over a year.

Louis sighed. He'd had other priorities once he joined the Watch, priorities that shifted once Terry died.

The stomach tilted backwards, making Louis catch himself with an arm in a puddle. Low cracks snapped up Will's spine, muscles creaking as bones shifted.

Will moaned; the sound deep and vibrating as he stretched and let the high water pressure massage his shoulders.

Louis' eyes widened at the sound, face going red. With his mind in the gutter the moan had sounded like...

"I need a private talk with Balcuwitz."

After Will was dried, dressed, and had the SkySprechet hooked back into his ear, Louis asked if they could talk to Balcuwitz again. They found out through a nurse that the therapist was sleeping and probably wouldn't be available to talk until the afternoon.