A/n: this fic is for empath chan!
Key (---) is a pause in dialog and the roses divide my paragraphs.
Trench Coat
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It was a quiet morning in Maifu and Hisoka and Tsuzuki hadn't gotten a case in over a week.
Hisoka sat quietly in the break room reading.
He was really into the book and had the brightest smile on his face.
He was so wrapped up in it that he didn't notice Tsuzuki standing right in front of him.
"Hisoka---"
No answer.
"Soka chan---"
Still nothing.
Finally Tsuzuki grabbed the book and tossed it in an unknown direction.
Hisoka growled as he found a grinning Tsuzuki.
"BAKA!! I finally had some time to my---"
He suddenly stopped as Tsuzuki gave him a small wrapped box.
"Huh?"
Tsuzuki smiled brightly.
"Just open it and maybe you won't be so mad at me."
He stared at the box for a moment then slowly took it from his partner and unwrapped the purple paper.
Inside was a thin white box.
He lifted the lid and found a neatly handwritten card, and silently read it.
'To our dearest Hisoka,
Today you will be expected to do nothing. At ten o' clock Tatsumi san will take you into the human realm to shop. At noon Watari san will take you to lunch and a teahouse. At two Konoe will meet you in Peace Park. At four you and Konoe will return here to Maifu and meet the others and myself in the training room.
Always your partner
Tsuzuki Asato.'
He looked up in pure shock.
Tsuzuki really wrote it and had perfect cursive.
He looked up and found that his partner had slipped out just as quietly as he'd slipped in.
He glanced around the room and stood as he found his book, which was lying on the floor.
After retrieving the book he looked up at the clock, sighing with contentment.
'I have an hour and a half to read. This day just might turn out interesting.'
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At ten a.m. Tatsumi entered the room to find Hisoka sound asleep on the couch, book lying open in his hand.
He woke with a start and sat up as Tatsumi gently lifted the book from him.
"Sorry, I guess I fell asleep."
Tatsumi had a soft smile as he spoke.
"That's okay. It's your day off. Are you ready?"
He nodded silently as he stood and walked up to Tatsumi with a look of slight confusion.
"What's so special about today?"
Tatsumi shook his head.
"I'm not supposed to tell you. Though I will say this, Tsuzuki san is working very hard for you today. It's rare to motivate him so."
Without another word they left.
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Much of the first hour was spent in silence as Tatsumi and Hisoka walked through the busy street.
It was market day in Nagasaki so one strip of road by the bay was closed down to cars, and rows of tables were set up on either side.
Every one was buying or selling something and the air was filled with wonderful smells.
There were all kinds of food stands and some of them had foods from other countries.
Tatsumi smiled as he caught sight of a bookstand.
"Hisoka. Would you like a new book? My treat. I noticed you've read all the books in the library a few times now."
Hisoka turned to see the stand and smiled brightly.
"Sure."
They walked over and began to look through it.
He stopped Tatsumi as he found one that sort of drew him in.
"You found something interesting?"
He nodded and handed Tatsumi the book.
"It's called the 'Book of Dreams'. It sounds interesting."
Tatsumi paid for the book, carrying the bag.
It was an old leather-bound book with yellowed pages and had an impression of a woman in western medieval clothes on the front.
He couldn't wait to start reading it.
Tatsumi looked over at him as they walked.
They both were having a good time just walking and the people didn't seem to be bothering Hisoka in the least---until he stopped suddenly.
Holding his head he nearly screamed in pain and dropped to his knees.
He shook the feeling and stumbled to his feet, staggering forward.
It was then that Tatsumi saw it.
A young girl, maybe fifteen, was preparing to jump from the bridge they had just passed.
The girl jumped and Hisoka dove after her, catching her in mid air.
Tatsumi looked down over the bridge and saw them slowly descending to a grassy embankment by the steely black water.
Glancing behind him to make sure no one saw, he jumped the railing and landed squarely on his feet next to Hisoka.
The girl had fainted and he set her on the soft grass.
Tatsumi looked down into her pained face.
"What could be so bad that she'd want to kill herself?"
Hisoka started breathing normally and let go of her.
"Her parents were pushed from this bridge just last year. She was so depressed she just couldn't take it. I saw it in her head when I caught her. My head is still spinning from her depression. Tatsumi san---does this happen often?"
He looked up at the older man who had a soft look in his eyes.
"Yes it does. Suicides usually don't want to remain in the human realm. They may go on regretting their decision to die, but generally accept it."
Hisoka turned back to her as she began to awake.
"Where---you caught me but---you're bone dry!"
He stood as she sat up.
"I am a shinigami---god of death. You shouldn't do that. Your parents are happy where they are and you would not be with them if you killed yourself."
She stared at them.
"But I just saw you two walk by before I---how did you know I was going to do it?"
Hisoka looked into her deep red eyes.
"We just did. Go from here and remember that a taker of souls saved you because you were supposed to live."
She stood and bowed to them, a new will to live burning within her.
"May I know the name of my rescuer?"
Hisoka smiled softly.
"Hisoka--- Kurosaki Hisoka."
She bowed again and began to run up the hill, back to the street.
She turned to wave goodbye but they had already gone.
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They finished their shopping trip, which more or less turned into coffee at a café, and met Watari at a restaurant in Kyoto at noon.
Tatsumi then returned to Maifu, leaving the pair of blonds to lunch.
Watari was acting a little nervous for some reason.
He set his glass down with a shaky hand and smiled at Hisoka who was staring at him.
"Watari san---is there something wrong?"
Watari violently shook his head with a plastered smile and knocked over his glass.
"No, no! Nothing! I'm just on a sugar rush is all. So sorry!"
Hisoka nodded but continued to stare at him as he soaked up the water with his lab coat.
It was only a matter of time before the half confused emerald stare got to him.
He looked up at Hisoka and opened his mouth but only a squeak was heard.
The waitress approached.
Hisoka looked up with a smile as she prepared her pen and paper.
Both he and Watari ordered lunch, Hisoka having to translate for him, and sat quietly staring at each other.
Watari was staring at Hisoka with a look of terror, as Hisoka stared in confusion.
Watari reached for the salt and knocked his hot tea into his lap.
He jumped up, subsequently dropping the cup on the floor, which shattered at his feet.
"I'll be right back!"
Hisoka stared after him in confusion as he ran out.
The waitress came back with their lunches.
"Would you like anything else sir? I'll be right back with another cup."
Hisoka stopped her before she could leave.
"Make that decaf for him."
She smiled knowingly and walked off.
Watari came back and sat down.
He smiled when he saw his food and stared at his plate in absolute silence as they ate.
Hisoka got an even more confused look when Watari started mumbling to himself.
"Concentrate on your food, not what Tsuzuki said. Concentrate on your food, not what Tsuzuki said. Concentrate on your food, not what Tsuzuki said."
Finally he closed his eyes and whimpered.
Hisoka sat back and continued to stare with now worried eyes.
"Watari san. The more you try not to think about it, the louder I can hear it."
Watari shot up out of his chair with a yelp.
"You didn't really get that did you?!"
Hisoka folded his arms.
"The jumbled images of balloons, or Tatsumi threatening to cut your check if you tell?"
Watari sweat dropped and sat down.
"My thoughts were too jumbled huh? Okay…uh we ready to go to a tea house?"
Hisoka closed his eyes and nodded.
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Konoe met Hisoka and Watari back in Nagasaki at Peace Park later that afternoon.
Watari was more than happy to leave unscathed and without letting on the secret.
Konoe turned to Hisoka and smiled warmly.
"You know Kurosaki kun, I'm glad you've decided to stay with us. I know how difficult it is sometimes."
Hisoka smiled softly.
" Someone in Maifu needs a stable partner."
Konoe almost laughed.
"Yes he does."
Hisoka sat down with Konoe at the edge of a water fountain and looked into the water.
"He's lazy."
Konoe nodded.
"And he eats too much."
Hisoka also nodded.
" He's brash."
Konoe grinned.
"And codependent most of the time."
Hisoka chuckled a moment.
"He has sloppy handwriting but perfect cursive."
Konoe pulled two coins out of his pocket and handed one to Hisoka then threw the other into the fountain.
Hisoka looked over his for a moment, deciding what his wish would be for, then threw it in as well.
Konoe smiled suddenly at Hisoka.
"But you wouldn't like him as much if he had a clean desk and didn't eat so much or jump into his job so quickly. He'd be boring to all of us if he didn't depend on us so much."
Hisoka nodded.
"I never said I wanted to change him, but I bet if Tatsumi knew about his perfect cursive he'd be doing a lot less paper work."
Konoe laughed and nodded.
"That might very well be true. Speaking of paper work and jobs, I'd like thank you."
Hisoka looked confused.
"For what?"
Konoe smiled and patted his shoulder.
" Without you, Tsuzuki would never have gotten caught up on his cases. This peacefulness could last more than a month."
Hisoka smiled and the two continued to talk.
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At four fifteen Konoe and Hisoka returned to Maifu.
Hisoka was carrying a small white bag and had a bit of a grin.
They walked into the training room to find it decorated with balloons and a big banner that said 'happy one year anniversary Hisoka san!'
Watari, Tatsumi, and Tsuzuki all had party poppers and set them off as soon as Hisoka walked in.
Tsuzuki practically ran up to them.
(Glomp)
"Soka-chan! You've been with us for a whole year!"
Hisoka accidentally dropped the bag and yelled as Tsuzuki let go.
"Tsuzuki!---"
Then he smiled and picked up the bag.
"---Thank you. They might be a little smashed but---"
Tsuzuki grabbed the bag and his face lit up as he saw what was in it.
(Glomp)
"Cinipons! Thank you Soka-chan! Cinipons are good even smashed!"
Tatsumi rolled his eyes and Watari stepped forward with a small box.
"Hisoka…we all wanted to show you how special you are to us so I bought you this. It's for good luck."
Hisoka took the box, lifting the lid gently and smiled immediately.
He pulled out a one year journal with his name engraved on it.
"Thank you Watari san."
(Hug)
Tatsumi was holding a larger box that he handed to Hisoka.
" I had this idea a while ago but it's more appropriate now."
Hisoka nodded and took the box.
Opening it, he found a leather-bound spiral book with gold lettering engraved in the bottom corner.
He traced it with his fingers as he read it and the smile on his face grew.
'Hisoka's memory book.'
He opened it and found two pictures on each of the first two pages.
The first was of him and Tatsumi.
He laughed at it as he looked closely.
He and Tatsumi nearly looked like twins, each wearing white shirts with the sleeves rolled up to their elbows, knee deep in paperwork and both oblivious to Tsuzuki sneaking a donut from the desk behind them.
The next was a picture of him practicing Kendo with Konoe.
The third was of he and Watari attempting to wake Tsuzuki up after lunch.
And the last was from just that morning; sound asleep on the couch in the break room with his book.
"Thank you so much Tatsumi san. I'll pick my favorite pictures in the next year and keep my thoughts in it by them."
(Hug)
Konoe turned to Hisoka with a smile.
"My gift is for all of us and a little late. We five will have matching rings with stones the color of our eyes."
Tsuzuki was now standing quietly watching everyone else and smiled at Hisoka.
"You have to close your eyes first."
Hisoka looked confused but closed his eyes anyway.
They snapped open and he looked at himself as he felt heavy fabric surrounding him.
"But Tsuzuki this is your---"
He stopped as he turned to see Tsuzuki wearing his trench coat.
Tsuzuki shook his head with a warm smile.
"No---I had this one made for you. I thought since we were partners we could have matching coats."
Hisoka stood in silence for a moment until he realized how expensive it was.
"But Tsuzuki---why?"
Tsuzuki smiled wider and placed his hand on Hisoka's shoulder.
"Because you're my best friend."
Hisoka smiled and the room fell silent for a moment as he admired the new coat.
Tsuzuki clapped his hands and jumped a few times.
"Okay enough being serious! There's a cake no one's touched yet!"
Hisoka eyed the cake on the table with a look of distrust.
Tsuzuki saw the look on his face and bounced over to Konoe.
"Don't worry Soka-chan! Konoe san made it!"
So the five talked and laughed the rest of the day.
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Tsuzuki walked out under the moon and cherry blossom trees and sat down under one of them, completely unaware that Hisoka was on his way back from a walk.
He jumped as he heard a stern tone coming from behind him.
"You know what Tatsumi san says. If you stay out here too long you'll catch cold."
Tsuzuki smiled as he saw Hisoka wearing the coat.
"Do you really believe that?"
Hisoka shook his head with a slight smile as he began to walk away.
He stopped and turned.
"Not really. You know I don't think I ever thanked you for this. It means a lot to me, thank you Tsuzuki chan."
Tsuzuki smiled as he thought about the prefix Hisoka had used.
"Hey Hisoka."
He stopped again and turned.
"Yes Tsuzuki."
Tsuzuki stood and walked up to him.
"Don't tell Tatsumi san that I can write like that okay? I really don't want to be his apprentice, all those words and numbers make my head spin!"
Hisoka chuckled slightly, then started laughing and by the time they were to the door he couldn't stop.
Tsuzuki smiled, happy he could make Hisoka laugh, but wasn't sure how he'd done it.
Konoe stopped Tsuzuki as Hisoka left for his room, still laughing.
"What's so funny Tsuzuki?"
Tsuzuki grinned.
"I'm not sure but I've never seen him laugh like that before. All I did was ask him not to tell Tatsumi san about me writing so well."
Konoe then started laughing and just walked away, leaving Tsuzuki to wonder just what was so funny.
Hisoka closed the door to his apartment and stood against it as he stopped laughing.
He took off the coat and hung it neatly in his closet then pulled the card from his shirt pocket and looked at it for a moment.
" Don't worry Tsuzuki, it's our little secret."
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The end!