Is It Okay To Have Dinner With The Spider

【十】NERCOCN

He closed the door behind him. It had been a few nights since his last encounter with the Spider and he hadn't even gotten to look at the old bandages yet. He wanted to find out the source of the poison. She'd seemed so troubled by it that he just had to find out. Tetsuki knew that she was hiding away from it, trying to ignore it. But it was worse than she knew. The Spider may be no more if he took no action.

Walking towards his kitchen, he heard something tumble then crash. Chika was already making himself comfortable on his bed. "Try not to mess anything up, will you?!" he shouted down the hallway.

"I'm not doing anything," Chika protested loudly.

Tetsuki sighed. It was an obvious lie. Quietly he opened the kitchen drawer and rummaged around, trying to find the Spider's old bandages which he'd left here. Finally, his hand felt the rough cloth damp with blood and poison. Carefully, he took it out and laid it on the kitchen table. He would be able to inspect it in his father's lab room that almost never used, but usually he'd have to ask permission... It was his father's after all.

It was as if the universe had chosen fate for him. The door opened and then closed gently. The heavy but soft footsteps he knew so well, pressed through the hallway. Tetsuki poked his head out from the kitchen. "Otou-san? You're home? It isn't even the weekend."

"What's this? My own son kicking me out of my house? Unheard of! Well, I guess it was bound to happen sometime," the taller man smiled.

Tetsuki grinned and punched his father gently in the stomach, "Welcome home, Otou-san."

"Eh?! Takaoka-san? You're home? Oop-" Chika's voice emerged from Tetsuki's room. When he caught sight of Tozuke Takaoka, he gave a small nod. He'd seen him so many times that he was like a father to him.

His father grinned, "I see you're also here, Chika. Like always. Well, stay here then. There's no use kicking you out. Plus, Isaki-san will be mad at me if I do kick you out and make yo go home like this."

"Ah, thank you Takaoka-san." He went back into Tetsuki's room and Tokuze turned to his son.

"I trust that you have dinner prepared? I don't mind cooking but I'd rather eat your food, honestly."

Tetsuki nodded to the microwave, "It's in there." He hesitate for a second. "Actually, can I use your lab room for a moment?"

Tokuze glanced at his son and the bandages in front of him. "Those bandages have a weird purple colour. Why don't I help you out. Don't worry, I won't ask questions if it's confidential," Tokuze winked and walked down the hall. "Come one now, then."

Tetsuki chuckled. His father would make it easier.

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One eye was squeezed shut while the other stared through the microscope. Tokuze remained still as he zoomed the glass in, observing the tiniest fractions of poison that had been seeped into the bandage itself. His hands were gloved with the thickest most impenetrable of gloves. He knew, judging from the colour, that this was no normal poison and that he'd have to be careful.

After a while, he stood up and looked at his son. His face gave nothing away. "Otou-san? So?" Tetsuki asked.

"Tetsuki. It's-"

Chika was leaning by the doorway, watching them silently as the two dorks had been talking about some weird science thing. It was definitely not made to be comprehended by his brain, that's for sure. It sounded like a different language. Minutes later, when Tokuze left the room, he walked in as Tetsuki packed the bandages up carefully.