Author's notes: This story contains mild shounen-ai so if you don't approve of such topic, I advise you to not read on. To the rest, enjoy… ()
Disclaimer: I don't own YnM or any of its characters. It belongs to Yoko Matsushita. (Though I would be the happiest person in the world if I did own it…)
You Tell Him That
by: graveyardgirl15
"Well, you tell him that. Don't confess to me. I'm not him."
"I can't tell him."
"Why?"
"It's not right."
"What is not right?"
A shrug.
"I don't know,.. I'm so confused."
"…"
"Well?"
"…"
"Say something, Watari-san!"
"Oh, sorry."
"…"
A sigh of sympathy.
"You see… What you are doing right now is definitely disagreeable Bon. You always think of something like 'he doesn't like me' or 'he'll get mad' or 'he'll probably make fun of me' or 'he might think I'm too young for him and I don't deserve him' kind of thoughts. For once, set them aside and we'll have a clearer perspective of things."
"But what if he still likes Tatsumi-san? Even though… even though they're not partners anymore."
A feeling of jealousy.
"That can't be possible anymore Bon."
"Why not? I mean, he thought before that his situation was quite one-sided since he believed he was the only one who had a liking for him but now… now that he knows that they were both feeling the same thing all the time…"
Another sigh of understanding.
"Well Bon, it's simple… He told me, see?"
"Told you what?"
"He told me everything."
"Everything?"
"Yeah."
"Like what?"
"Oh come on, like the fact that he has gotten over him."
"Really?"
"Yes. Really."
A silent laughter of a heart. Actually, two hearts.
"…"
"But he also told me that…"
"Told you what?"
"…"
"What Watari-san?"
"He has suspicions."
"Of what?"
"Of you not liking him at all. I mean, total zero. No feelings, no friendship, no anything."
"But I do like him."
"Well…"
"Did you tell him that?"
A diffident grin.
"I only knew now."
A rolling of eyes.
"I thought you knew all along?"
"I needed proof."
"Wasn't everyday enough proof?"
"Well, Bon, if you really like him, you're not showing it properly."
An apologetic smile.
"So it's up to me then."
"Yup, it's up to you Bon."
An air of determination.
"Got more courage?"
"I think so. The fact that he fears I don't like him--"
"—proves that he likes you."
"That really helped me a lot."
"So, you are going to tell him about it, finally?"
A creaking of a chair.
A curt nod.
"Finally."
Silence draped with a feeling of excitement.
"Watari-san…?"
"Yup Bon?"
"You should too, you know."
"Should what?"
"Tell him that."
"Tell who what?"
A flow of heavy emotion.
A smile.
"You know who I am pertaining to, Watari-san."
"…"
"He might be dead serious and very business-like in everything, ninety percent of the time but he also has a soft spot. He also knows how to love. You just saw him do it."
"I know. But he doesn't like--"
"You helped me on Tsuzuki… I'm trying to help you on--"
"Don't say it."
"…"
"…"
"I'm going… Think about it Watari-san."
A smile.
Why are kids so meddlesome these days?
"I will think about it Kurosaki-kun."
"Are you sure it's ok with you?"
"It's fine with me."
"Are… are you mad at me?"
Silence.
"Why should I be?"
"I mean… Now, well,… now that you've told me about it… I mean, it's like, you know… before… we were partners… I…"
"It was short-lived but we knew we wouldn't be able to work it out."
"What?"
"Our partnership."
"…"
"Tsuzuki-san…"
"You called it off. You didn't give me a chance."
"I did."
"When?"
"Almost everyday."
An air of innocent confusion.
"I didn't know."
"You knew that, but you were scared, Asato."
Extinguished politeness.
A deep intake of air.
Followed by another silence.
"..."
"To be hurt, betrayed, or even played at."
"You're not Muraki."
"…"
"You could've just told me."
"That would've been too easy for you."
"But what's important is--"
"--you need to mature more Asato."
"Am I not… am I not mature enough for you?"
A blush.
"You told Watari-san you've gotten over me, right?"
A gulp.
"He told you?"
"Yes."
Another deafening silence.
Accompanied by an air of anger.
"I'm going to kill him."
A barely audible whisper.
"Listen, it's really ok with me."
"What? To kill Watari?"
"No. What I mean is you… going on with your life with Hisoka."
An extremely long period of silence.
"You ARE angry with me, right?"
"No. I am not."
"Because I've replaced you in such a short period of time?"
"I'm happy for you Asato."
"I know you are hurt! It wasn't easy for me!"
"You'll do well with Hisoka."
"But you made me do it!"
A slamming of fists.
Silence until… calmness and politeness returned.
"Stop pretending you're all well and that everything's fine because I know nothing's damn fine with you!"
A locked gaze.
Azure boring into amethyst.
"You still don't understand do you, Tsuzuki-san?
"What don't I understand?"
Breaking away.
"I may not be Hisoka but I can still comprehend others' feelings..."
A pause, then a deep intake of air.
"…If I claim you back, do you think I'll be happy?"
"Of course you will be."
"No Tsuzuki-san. Why? Simply because, I am not worthy for you. I am not meant for you. You will not be happy with me because you don't belong to me anymore."
"I don't get--"
"--Your heart belongs to Hisoka already. I'm not about to take it away from him."
Blushes and more blushes… deep breathes… serenity… tranquility…
"Is it really alright, Tatsumi? I mean, Hisoka might not…might not even like me at all."
A soft laugh, almost done heartily.
"You are so naïve Tsuzuki-san."
"What?"
"It's quite obvious that he likes you. He always looks for you, first thing in the morning whenever you are not around. He looks like he's always missing something whenever you are not around. You are the only person he confines his feelings to. He always feels comfortable when you are around. He's very happy."
"He is?"
"Yes."
"He doesn't show any of the things you said."
"You should have noticed by now how reversed Kurosaki-san acts."
A deep thought… then a smirk… followed by the nth silence.
"Tsuzuki, don't worry about me."
"Tatsumi…"
"I'm fine."
Seconds of silence, then the creaking of a door.
It was the end.
It was over.
Formalities started all over again…yet, another ray of light seems to show itself.
"Tatsumi-san?"
"Yes, Tsuzuki-san?"
"You have noticed, haven't you?"
"Noticed what, Tsuzuki-san?"
"'Who' is the right word Tatsumi-san."
"…"
"Somebody else."
"…"
"Somebody else more than better to take my place."
A not-so-innocent confusion. Tainted, more likely.
"…"
Then, a smile.
"I'm going to see Hisoka now."
"Good luck."
A closing of door.
Silence fills the room as words echo in his head.
You've noticed, haven't you, Tatsumi-san?...
Who have I noticed? Oh…
Enlightenment comes more easily these days.
"Yes, indeed, I have Tsuzuki-san. I have."
12:00 p.m.
A door closes behind.
Another door shuts close not far from the first one.
Two eyes meet.
Emerald against amethyst.
Two of the most precious jewels of Hades.
Seconds of silence.
"Tsuzuki--"
"Hisoka--"
A blush. Actually, 'blushes'.
All simultaneously.
"I--"
"I--"
An embarrassing silence.
"You go ahead Hisoka."
"No, it's ok. You go ahead… Asato."
"You called me by my first name."
"Well, I thought it should be, since we're partners."
"…"
"I thought you wanted to say something?"
Hesitations.
So much delay causes pain beyond comprehension.
Why can't I tell Tsuzuki now? I've thought over these facts already...but…
Soft footsteps fill the corridor.
He's leaving…! What are you waiting for Hisoka?
Wrong thoughts of departure.
Until the first feeling of contact.
Tsuzuki!
"Asato…"
"Are you afraid?"
The warmth of an embrace.
No urge to let go and to break free.
An unseen smile of contentment.
"Why should I be afraid?"
"That I'd never like you at all."
"…"
"That I'd leave you."
"…"
"And that I'll hurt you just like that."
"I know you won't."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"What makes you say that?"
Actions speak louder than words.
"How do you explain what you are doing to me, Tsuzuki?"
A mischievous but apologetic grin.
"Showing you I care."
Exactly.
"…"
"You resent it?"
Small slender hands wrap around the perfect torso, face buried in the darkness of fabric.
"Yes, I do. I do resent it."
"You have a very odd way of showing it."
An unseen smirk. An exchange of thought.
"You? You resent it?"
"Of course not."
A kiss on the forehead. For now, little one.
But wait for it…
Young cheek rests on mature chest.
"Asato?"
"Mm?"
"I want to know something."
"What is it you want to know?"
Last hesitations, all to be carried away by the wind.
"Why only now and--"
"--why not long ago?"
"Yes."
A smile.
"I needed to make sure I deserve you."
Stares, all so meaningful now.
Wait for it…
"Asato…"
"It was painful, having to see you everyday without being able to tell you anything."
"Idiot. Do you think I wasn't feeling the same way?"
"How was I supposed to know? You never showed me anything."
A moment of silence. A time to ponder.
"Honestly… I… I was scared…"
"You said you weren't."
"I'm not scared anymore now but, before, I was scared."
"Of what?"
"Of you, treating me simply as a child deprived of affection."
"And that I'll love you because you need love, is that what you are saying?"
A curt nod.
Young cheeks held softly by strong but gentle hands.
"I have closed my heart completely I was afraid to open it up for other people."
"Hisoka…"
"It was like that until you came."
An air of joy.
Wait for it…
"I thought I could open it up once more, and trust you."
"Of course you can trust me. We're partners, you know how important you are to me ever since we've known each other."
A stifle of a crying heart.
Almost there...
"Asato, I don't get it. Why is it, now that you've told me, I start to think it's me who doesn't deserve you."
"Don't say that."
"I'm just--"
Finally.
Emotions all over the place.
A heart sighs with contentment.
Drawing away…
"How did you--? I didn't even--"
"You could just tell me, you know... I could read it in your eyes."
A blush of embarrassment.
"Baka."
A laugh of another contented heart.
"Remember the first time we met, it's you who kept insisting you're not a kid anymore."
"I know."
"So the fuss was useless."
Another heated blush.
"Stop embarrassing me!"
One of the day's last hug.
"You're so cute do you know that Hisoka?"
"You're so annoying."
"Oh really?"
"You always know how to annoy--"
Last one… makes the ending perfect.
A blush.
Asato, baka!
"You should stop complaining, it doesn't suit you."
"…"
A snort, folded arms, rolling eyes, and the like.
"Stop doing that. You're making me like you more."
"Baka."
"Let's go out."
"Where?"
"Anywhere."
"Ok."
"You don't mind?"
"No, I don't."
A smile to one's self.
Beneath a coat, fingers interlock, something that goes unnoticed.
I didn't need to tell him anything all along.
The once stolen glances become outright stares. Clear expressions.
He knew it from the beginning.
No embarrassments. No barriers. No anything.
He told me exactly what I wanted to know.
Just two hearts finally freed from the bounding chains of doubt and fear.
I see you. I trust you. I need you. I love you.
owari
overly genki gg15 Well, there you go, my first ever YnM fic. Whew! I didn't believe I'd be able to do something this fluffy. Anyway, pls. review! Spare me lectures, I just love Hisoka and Tsuzuki. If I get good reviews, I might develop something else here. So, until then folks, thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it (as much as I did!) Matsushita-san is really something when she thought of doing YnM… Way to go girl!