Disclaimer: I don't own Yami no Matsuei

Authors Note and Warning: The pairing is TatsumiXTsuzuki, even though it really seemed like to me that Hisoka and Tsuzuki were going to end up in the manga and anime, and Tsuzuki is slightly depressed again in the beginning. I drank too much I guess, and when I fell asleep I dreamed this up. I know it involves a lot of stuff before it and I'm leaving a lot of things out, but I can't make out my notes, and even if I could make heads or tails of it, I'm sure I would still confuse the hell out of you. (Yes, my special talent is sleep writing…) I brought the trench coat back, too! I pretty much messed up Matsushita-sensei's story up pretty badly in my mind. Total Destruction Anyway! On to the story!


"Yesterday's Feelings"
I stare at my face in the mirror, and I find myself fixated to my purple eyes. I glare a little, and then continue washing my face. Today did not start out great. This morning, I woke up to find myself sleeping on the floor, either I never made it to the bed last night, or I rolled out of it. Then I slip and fall in the shower. Damn that bar of soap. I'm hungry, but there's nothing in the fridge. And I have this nagging feeling that this wasn't the end of today's episode of "The Trials and Tribulations of Asato Tsuzuki".

"Can't be that bad…," I say to myself as I button my shirt and shove the ends of it into my pants, "I hope." I tie my shoes and grab my trench coat, and run out the door, ignoring the laughter of my elderly landlords; I'm late again.


"Are you sure, Bon?" I can hear Watari talking to Hisoka as I stand outside the door, clocking in.

"I'm as sure as I'll ever be, Watari." I love the determination in Hisoka's voice, but what is he sure of?

"I guess it's settled then…," Chief Konoe says, and I decide to open the door and come in, "Oh, you're late again Tsuzuki! What happened this time?!"

"I…uhm…I've got no excuse, chief," I sat sheepishly and tug at my collar as I put on a lopsided grin and sit down at my desk. I notice that Wakaba Kannuki and Hajime Terazuma are there, and I greet the girl and try to totally ignore Terazuma.

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka tries to get my attention, which I give him almost immediately. He sits on the couch and he motions me to join him. Everyone gathers around, even Terazuma and Tatsumi. It makes me nervous.

"I have something to tell you, Tsuzuki." Hisoka's eyes are cast down as he speaks to me.

"Alright, Hisoka, I'm listening." I fidget, and wring my hands together, making my palms sweat.

"I'm being transferred, Tsuzuki."

I look up at him in disbelief, "What?"

"I…I want to see other places other than Kyushu, and I want to work with other people. There's so many things I've always wanted to do, and now I can pretty much do those things."

"I….I…uh," I just couldn't respond.

"I want you to understand, Tsuzuki. I'll be going to Hokkaido. I'm going to stay with my girlfriend, Saya Torii," he pauses, trying to give my time to talk, but I just can't find the words, so he continues, "I'll be leaving today, and the Count has invited as all to a party tonight. He wants you to come."

He stops talking as he realizes my head is hung low, almost to my hands, and my back is hunched. I blink, fighting back tears. I want to disappear, but I can't. Why save me just to leave me? (AN: talking about Kyoto here. It's set a little after the incident) I always thought he hated those Hokkaido girls.

"Tsuzuki…I," Hisoka begins, but I hold up a hand to stop him.

"I understand, Kurosaki-kun," his eyes widen as I call him by his last name, instead of his given name, "I wish you all the best. I will attend the Count's party, please be sure to tell him that for me." I stand up on unsteady legs, and head towards the door leading out of the office. As I get out into the hallway, I use the wall for support, gliding my shoulder on it, and stumble out of the building into the garden. I fumble to pull out a chair for myself and I lean my head on the coffee table, crestfallen. I can feel eyes on me from the bureau's windows.


"That was….a little rough," Terazuma adds, bothered by the tension in the air. Only Wakaba looks up at him.

"He said he understood," Hisoka says gruffly.

"He may understand, but it doesn't mean he has to like it, Kurosaki," the other office members turn to Chief Konoe, knowing that it was the truth, but they didn't want to upset Hisoka as well, "Tatsumi, go over to the Hall of Candles…and tell Hakushaku and Watson they're going to need a lot of liquor tonight."

"Yes, Chief," Tatsumi dismissed himself immediately, glad to escape the room.


It was 6:00 p.m., 1 hour until the party started. Tsuzuki tugs on a regular black tie on top of a white button up shirt with slightly larger cuffs, pulls on black trousers and polishes his best pair of black shoes. He fixes his coiffure in the mirror and washes his hands. It was going to be a long night, but maybe some drinks would change that for him. The shinigami looks back and forth between his dependable trench coat and a long-tailed tux suit, and grabs the trench coat, throwing care to the wind.

"Do you think Tsuzuki's not coming? He's late," Wakaba pipes up, looking at the clock as it read 7:10 p.m.

"Don't say things like that," Tatsumi responds, "you're depressing the Count." He points to the disheveled mess on the floor, weeping for his "little Tsuzuki".

"I'm here...," I say and step out from behind the pillar. No one had the chance to greet me, however. The Count had pounced on me and had showered me with his promises of love and perverseness, "Hey! Give me a chance!"

"I looooovoeee youuuuuuuu, Tsu-chan!!!" The Count practically sings each syllable. My smile falters as he refers to me as 'Tsu-chan'.

The party starts, and I notice there are a lot of people there. The Count must've invited other people from different sectors so it wouldn't be so awkward. Saya Torii and Yuma Fukiya were also there, probably to accompany Hisoka back to Hokkaido with them. Hisoka is currently talking to the both of them, and they all look pretty happy, but I don't see the others in the pool of dancing people.

I pull up a chair at a table and order 3 bottles of sake from Watson. I finish them all in no time. I order 3 more and Watson looks at me questioningly, but heads to retrieve them anyway.

"Drunk yet?" Tatsumi's voice startles me.

"Working on it…," I briefly look up at him. He looks angry but at the same time sympathetic. I try to make conversation, "Great party, eh?"

He sees through me, "It doesn't look like you're having much fun though, Tsuzuki-san."

I try and smile, "I'm alright…"

Watson brings back the sake bottles I requested and took the others from the table. Tatsumi watches as I down one more bottle; they don't call me the "boa constrictor" for nothing! I pour myself some more from my 5th bottle and swish it around in my cup before going to bring it to my lips, but a hand stops me; Tatsumi's hand. I stare at his hand, shocked at his bold move. He pushes my hand down and makes me place the cup back on the table.

"Would you like to dance, Tsuzuki?" The question is rushed, but honest. I look up and he is blushing like a little schoolgirl, much to my amusement. I continue staring at his eyes, filled with hope and determination.

I place my hand over his and, using the hand that is current under his, clasp his hand and squeeze it lightly, "With you?"

His blush creeps up to his ears, "Yes."

"I'd be delighted, Seiichiro," I chuckle and blush myself as I call Tatsumi by his first name.


They waited, holding hands until a slow song came up and headed towards the crowd. At first, we're very slow. Tatsumi insisted that he leaded while Tsuzuki followed.

"Ow! Tatsumi…," Tsuzuki grumbled for the thousandth time as his dance partners stepped on his foot.

"I'm sorry," Tatsumi apologized sheepishly for the thousandth time.

"Don't worry; you'll get it eventually," Tsuzuki reassured the discouraged kagetsukai. He almost seemed himself again, "Try starting again, Tatsumi. Here," I place his right hand on the small of my back and intertwine the fingers of my right hand and his left together, and I raise them high. I rest my left hand on his shoulder, "Okay. Try again."

He seems very nervous at first, and ends up stepping on me again. I keep my composure, and set up our posture again. I count and pace, momentarily leading as I let Tatsumi look down to watch his feet. I laugh and rest my head in the crook of his neck, and take in his scent and warmth.

"C'mon, Tatsumi, you try," I murmur as I tilt my head upwards for a moment, taking in his face one again flushed with unease since I was so close to him, and he could no longer see his feet, "You can do it."

He leads again, and does a lot better. We're in tune with the music, and he hasn't stepped on me. I smile into his collar, and nuzzle his neck with my nose. He surprises me by twirling me out, and twirling me back to him, so that I was not facing him and he was pressed up against my back, arms crossed against my chest. His head bends down and he breathes in my ear, making me squirm. My head rolls back so my nose is underneath his chin, and breathe heavily, seeing if I could have the same effect on him. He laughs a little, and spins me around to face him again.

"I didn't know you could do that, Tatsumi."

"Neither did I."

He bends me backwards on his left arm, like men would do to women. My left leg goes up, balancing, and I wrap my arms around his neck, making him bend a little as I fling back my head, exposing my neck. He runs his nose up it, lifting me back up.

I giggle, "Didn't see that coming!"

We lock eyes and he grins at me. The song ends, and he leads me away from the crowd. I thought he was going to bring me back to my table, but we go to the Count's love seat. I glace at Tatsumi and I see he is either relieved that the couch is there, or that no one is currently occupying it. He sits and pulls me down to the right of him. He draped his arm over the back of the chair behind me.

"I trust everyone is having a splendid night," the Count's voice resonated through the ballroom, "I'd like to announce that pie is now being served around. It's simply delicious!"

The guests laugh politely and some head over to the pie and take their slices while other sit and wait to be served. I look around, and it seems like we are the furthest away from the pie, so we'll be served last. I get comfortable in my seat, since it doesn't seem like Tatsumi will let me leave. Watson finally comes around to us with the pie.

"Pie, Tsuzuki, Tatsumi?" The butler thing smiles his creepy smile at us.

"Oh…no. Thank you though, Watson." I reply. Tatsumi looks at me in disbelief, full aware of my love of sweets and the dents in our budgets because of it.

"I'll take a piece, Watson. Thank you." Watson hands a piece to Tatsumi, bows and heads away, "You don't want a piece, Tsuzuki? It's apple, your favorite."

"No. Thanks," I scoot away from him a little and I can't tell what he's more disappointed at; the fact that I moved away from him, or that I refused pie. I stare at my hands, I find myself falling into depression again as I remember how much Hisoka paid for my sweet tooth.

I can hear Tatsumi taking a bite of his pie and then placing the plate on the floor. Suddenly, his hands are under my armpits and I'm being lifted, so that my but is on his left side and my legs are draped over his lap. He casually picks up his pie as if he didn't just place me in his lap.

"Uhm…Tatsumi…," but I can't continue my sentence; he just shoved pie in my mouth. I look up at him surprised as I try not to choke. He forks off a piece for himself and eats it pleasurably.

"It's good, isn't it, Tsuzuki?" I almost choke again as I realize I hadn't swallowed yet.

"Yes, it is," my voice suddenly feels small, so I go to add another affirmation, but he holds the fork with another piece on it in front of my mouth. I look up at him, and he motions for me to eat it. I place my right hand on his lap and my left hand on Tatsumi's chest and I sit up to accept the piece. I blush, thinking about how Tatsumi and I are eating off the same fork.

He takes off another piece for himself, for me, for himself, and for me again. I feel oddly content while Tatsumi was feeding me, and he appeared as if he was enjoying it as well. They're getting down to the last piece of their slice, and Tatsumi surrenders it to me. He scoops it us, and I close my eyes cheerfully and open my mouth to wait to be fed, but it never came. It was replaced by something much more….wet.

I rapidly open my eyes, to see Tatsumi kissing me. I feel is tongue on mine, and revel on the sensation. I let my eyes slide shut again and I bring me left hand up to play with Tatsumi's hair as he deepens the kiss. He licks the roof of my mouth and I moan. My eyelashes flutter and I moan even deeper as he does it again.

I hear a collective "Awwwwwwwww," and we stop making out. The crowd is all watching us, the Count is weeping on the floor again, Terazuma is fainted on the floor, Watari has a nose bleed, and Hisoka is no where to be found. I blush and look at Wakaba; she has a picture in her hand of us kissing. I bury my head in Tatsumi's chest, wrapping my arms around his neck.

He smiles and smugly says, "Anyone wanna see that again?"

Owari


"Hakushaku", in Japanese means "Count" or "Earl". I made the Chief say this just so it would seem more professional…or whatever. I'm sure it got you wondering.

I said, "He fixes his coiffeur in the mirror…" A coif is usually referred to having to do with a lady's hair, but in Volume 1 of the manga, Matsushita-sensei uses it to describe his hair, and I thought I'd do the same.

Tsuzuki says, "They don't call me the 'boa constrictor' for nothing!' after his 4th bottle of sake. He tells Hisoka that people call him the "boa constrictor" for his strong stomach after the boy ends up with a hangover from drinking in Volume 1 of the manga. He tells Hisoka he's not proud of the title, but he seems to me like he's bragging about it.

I used the term "kagetsukai" when Tsuzuki and Tatsumi started dancing. In Japanese, "kagetsukai" means "Shadow Master", which is Tatsumi's special talent, shadow shifting.

In Volume 2, we meet 19 year old Hisae Tojyo. Tsuzuki reveals that his sister taught him how to dance, and he was pretty good at it.


I hope everyone enjoyed my little one-shot. Please review. No flames please, just constructive criticism!