Spilling Guts

Part 102 - Tiramisu and Curry Fries

A dozen patents later, and another list of possible victims of the Devil's Neckbrace from Misses Watts , Louis needed a break. Working in drudgery and silence had the same effect on him as being put in a cage. The massive chamber of Main Tech felt tight, like an over-starched bodysuit. The longer the silence stood, the more he wanted to yell in frustration.

This was why he hated paperwork. The caged feeling. The inability to act. To mentally pace between text and images to be scanned. And avoiding the huge elephant in the room.

Will.

Specifically, the annoying little voice in his head that whispered, "I miss looking at Will's hair when it's down."

Seriously? Who thinks that about a coworker that swallows them whole on a near weekly basis?

And the worst thing, Cetz wouldn't let Louis go back on active duty until the stack was done. He didn't need to try begging at Cetz's office, he knew a stonewall when he saw Cetz looking out over the walkway. His punishment for riling Will up in California. The bandaged arm and mental excavating with Balcuwitz wasn't enough, he had to be chained to a desk.

Louis rarely wanted to pout about a situation he put himself in, but he stood very close to the edge of pouting.

I could ask for help. Not from the sugar twins; Reese is still looking at me like I burned down Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. And they'd rob me blind and then sic their rabbit on me. Will...

Will was gone. Desk empty. On break?

Screw it, I'm getting something to eat. Fried stuff. That should satisfy Rachel's calorie requirements.

Louis left Watch Two, a man on a mission. Walking stiff-shouldered through patches of gold sunlight in the lobby. As long as his shades stayed on he'd be fine. He stood in line for curry fries and... fuck it, yeah, he'd like a side of Brussels sprout bites, sure. It's technically a leafy green. That means nutrition in some circles. Yes, he'd like an extra order of sour cream dip; he has to get those sprouts down somehow.

Did he have the frequent customer rewards card? No. And no, he did not want to fill out anything to get one. He'd sneeze paperwork at this rate.

Oh, there's an app? Scan and go?

Fuck, sure, he could do that.

As the sunlight changed from gold to copper, Louis came back to Watch Two holding an orange paper bag carrying good smells and technically enough food for two.

I can save the leftovers, thought Louis, tempted to sneak another fry out of the bag. No big deal. Or... I could share them. I don't think Will has eaten anything yet.

If Louis could summon the nerve to ask Will if he wanted to share. He couldn't even hand over a cup of apology-tea correctly, how was he going to share half his fries and most of his sprouts?

He didn't expect to see Will coming out of the Patent Office, carrying a blue dessert box and waving goodbye to one of the office drones. A friend? Will made a friend Upstairs? In one day?

Will is walking away.

Here's your chance.

Say "hi".

Carpe di-William.

Louis caught up to Will halfway down the hall towards the elevator to the first Watch Security checkpoint.

"Hey!"

Will turned, surprised, and clutching the dessert box against his chest. "Oh. Hi."

Louis gestured to the box with his bag-laden hand, curry spice drifting. "Dinner?"

The left side of Will's mouth curled up in a rueful smile as he tapped the button for the elevator with his Watch ID card. "Tiramisu. As promised. Apparently the building has a restaurant on the second highest floor."

"Oh, that high end place near the garden walk," said Louis. "Never been in there."

"Me neither, but they can deliver to lower floors."

"Hm."

Louis' words dried up as they waited for the elevator. In the garden he had nearly paced a trench into the ground while talking to Balcuwitz. He wanted Balcuwitz here now; a mediator, a smoother or cattle-prodder of words.

"I got a lot of fries." Louis lifted the bag as the elevator doors opened. "And sprout things. Want to share? They're best fresh."

Good job using your words.

Shut it. Will's actually smiling. I am a genius. I bribe with food.

Half the time I am the food.

Will held up his box as he entered the elevator. Walls of brushed silver and a mix of orange and blue lights on the buttons. "And I have enough tiramisu to eat in front of Beni and Reese for hours to torture them. Join me?"

Louis entered the elevator car and pushed the button for down. "Vengeance part one?"

Will nodded. "Vengeance part one."

"Vengeance for dinner. That'll do." Louis laughed.

Okay. This was easier than he thought. This was them having fun. Fun could be easy. Now the hard part. He could say "sorry" by the time they got down to Watch Two's level.

The elevator doors closed, the car shifting as it lowered. The scent of curry spice and sweet espresso mixed and melded in the small chamber.

Will coughed and looked around the car, as if suddenly lost. "Up. Why are we going up?"

"We're not going up. We're going down. Will?"

The blue dessert box fell to the ground. Will's head bobbed, hand fumbling at a small pack attached to his back pocket, before his entire body stiffened, eyes wide. The same slack, blank expression he had been cursed with when the Devil's Neckbrace had been attached to the back of his skull and Louis had to be dragged out of his throat. The look that made Louis think Will no longer breathed.

"Will?" Louis dropped his bag, and caught Will as he teetered forward. "Shit. Will!"