This is dedicated to Walkerminion, who is wonderful and broke my writer's block.

Chapter 3

Tsuzuki set a large mug of coffee down in front of his partner. Hisoka was slumped over his desk, face planted firmly in his folded arms. "Headache or not enough sleep?" Tsuzuki asked softly in case it was the former.

Hisoka looked up, eyes instantly locking onto the offered coffee. He slid it closer and took a careful sip. Once, Tsuzuki had given him coffee the way he fixed it, not understanding how the blond could like it black, and since then Hisoka had been cautious of anything he was offered.

"Both."

Tsuzuki leaned against his partners desk. "Why don't you take something? Watari gave you stronger medicine, didn't he?"

"I took one this morning. If I take anymore I'll fall asleep." Tsuzuki thought that Hisoka already looked ready to pass out.

"But you need more sleep."

"Nn." Hisoka turned his face back into his arms. What he said next came muffled. "It…gives me funny dreams."

Funny dreams? He wanted to ask what sort of dreams would cause him to avoid sleep altogether. Since the day after Hisoka read the Kamakura file, things had more or less smoothed over. They at least talked now, and Hisoka didn't get angry with him as much. Still, they hadn't talked about anything that had happened, and it was like a specter following everything they did.

Tsuzuki was afraid to bring it up. What if he upset Hisoka again? Now things were back to normal, even if it was a false sort of calm, and he didn't want to ruin it. He wouldn't pry too much, even if he was curious.

He knew all too well after all, about what sorts of nightmares the younger shinigami was prone to. It was a sensitive subject. He would just have to wait until Hisoka felt ready to talk about it.

"Why don't you take it easy today? You shouldn't push yourself too hard if you aren't feeling well."

"Nn." Hisoka pulled himself up, and dragged some paperwork towards him. Tsuzuki sighed in exasperation. He was so stubborn! Tsuzuki had no idea how the younger shinigami could manage to work looking like that, when he couldn't even get himself to concentrate on papers for more than two seconds feeling perfectly fine.

The last few days had been just like that. While everything was now perfect on the surface, his nerves were still constantly on end, as if waiting for inevitable failure. Perhaps that was a rather pessimistic view of things, but he'd had enough experience with being let down by people to know that tense situations didn't just magically fix themselves. This could just be the metaphorical eye of the storm.

That meant he still had a way to go, and it wouldn't be truly over until Hisoka allowed himself to talk about everything that had happened. The word Kamakura alone would cause his partner to falter, and the case was being readily swept under the rug.

Still, nothing but time could help things, and he would have to deal with these discomforting feelings until then.

A knock at the door interrupted Tsuzuki's thoughts, and he turned his head just as it opened. Watari peeked in, blond curls dangling past the door jam. "There will be a meeting in five! Last one there is a rotten egg!" He disappeared the next second, his hair barely making it out of the way before the door shut.

"That is short notice," Tsuzuki said scratching his head. "Do you have any idea what it is about?"

Hisoka shoved off from his desk and stood up. Tsuzuki noticed a slight sway in his steps that he didn't like. "Well it won't be a general meeting. We would have been told ahead of time. Besides, other than Watari, we are the only sector that isn't out on a case," Hisoka replied tiredly.

"Hmm."

A few minutes later they ended up in the small conference room, sitting opposite of Watari, around a rectangular table. Tatsumi was sitting at the head of the table, a plain and unassuming folder in front of him. Tsuzuki could detect a hint of tension before Tatsumi spoke, and he was already bracing himself. "We have a case in your area that needs investigating." His cerulean gaze swept over them, lingering on Hisoka, as if silently questioning the decision.

Tsuzuki also had doubts. Contrary to what Tsuzuki had been hoping for, Hisoka seemed to be gradually getting worse instead of better. How was he expected to investigate with his empathy acting up? If his suspicions were correct, the teen also couldn't be getting near enough sleep to be functioning at full capacity. It would be dangerous to go out into the field like that.

"Alright," Hisoka said to his left.

Tsuzuki startled and turned, only to see a determined sharpness to his partner's eyes. He wouldn't be backing down…

It was their responsibility… Maybe if Hisoka at least got enough sleep, then it would help with his headaches. Tsuzuki quickly surmised that if they were on a case together he could keep an eye on Hisoka day and night, and perhaps get him to sleep more. It sounded like a plan.

"What is the case?" Tsuzuki added in support.

Tatsumi cleared his throat. "Very well. Watari-san?"

003 Hooted cheerfully from her owner's shoulder as if proud to present the information. "There has been an increase in missing persons from the Fukuoka prefecture, concentrated in Fukuoka City."

Tsuzuki almost groaned out loud. He looked at Hisoka once again to see that he'd paled. Lovely. Of course they would send them to the largest city in Kyushu during one of the hottest and most humid times of year. This had to be a joke.

"Obviously, in a metropolitan city missing case reports are bound to be high. I think the issue has been overlooked by the local police. However, this morning two of these missing persons were found dead. Their souls weren't received in Meifu, hence the need for you two." Watari waved the conversation back in Tatsumi's direction.

Opening the folder in front of him, he laid out several crime scene photos, each eight by ten. "Both of these woman, Suetsugu-san and Honda-san, were reported missing more that a month apart. They also came from different cities. At four this morning their bodies were found within several feet of each other. There is no news from the coroner yet on a cause of death."

Tsuzuki took the photos, and examined them. The women were young, at the most in their early twenties. One was more homely, the second slightly more attractive. Nothing about them seemed remarkable, and he couldn't see anything in the photos that would give him a clue as to why they'd gone missing and then been found dead together. He couldn't even see any outward trauma on their bodies.

Apart from their attire…

Hisoka was staring at the photos intently as well, and he spoke before Tsuzuki could voice his own thought. "They are wearing hospital gowns…"

"I noticed that too," Watari chimed in. "Neither Suetsugu-san or Honda-san were sick when they went missing, and so far no hospital has reported losing two patients."

"When are we to start?" Hisoka asked coolly, getting all the information that he needed.

Tsuzuki wondered if he was really so calm. The setting alone would make this mission an un-enjoyable ordeal. Sure, Tsuzuki liked big cities, but Hisoka would probably suffocate. Hopefully Tatsumi wouldn't send them to a slum of a hotel. At the very least he demanded a working air conditioner so they didn't have the heat to contend with as well. Even mild temperatures could floor Hisoka when he was in full health.

"Arrangements for your stay have already been made, so you can go as soon as you are packed," Tatsumi stated.

"And as soon as I get wind of the autopsy results I'll get them to you!" Watari added.

"I'll be entrusting you to keep to the budget," Tatsumi said sternly as he handed Hisoka the money book. "Keep close tabs on your partner's spending."

"Hey! Why does Hisoka get all the money?!" Tsuzuki complained indignantly.

"You'd spend it in a day, idiot," Hisoka said briskly.

"So mean…"

Tatsumi collected the crime scene photos, and put them in the case folder. He handed this to Hisoka as well. "The details are in there. The bodies have already been removed so when police presence has died down you can visit the crime scene. I'll be expecting you to check in every day and report on your progress."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, I believe that is all for now."

Tsuzuki and Hisoka both made to leave, but the purple-eyed shinigami lagged purposefully behind. As soon as Hisoka was out of the room, he quickly whipped around, and said worriedly, "Hisoka hasn't been feeling well. His empathy-- Fukuoka of all places!"

Tatsumi sighed, and gave a quick side-long glace towards Watari. "I'm aware of Kurosaki-kun's condition. However, he has to get back in the field eventually. Someone needs to take this case." The way he said it, Tsuzuki knew he was making it clear that he wouldn't be taking another case for them. It had been over a month since their last case…There wasn't much he could do to get them out of this one.

"What if he can't handle it?"

"You won't know unless you try. Ease back into things, and keep an eye on him. If worse comes to worse, come back here."

Watari smiled sympathetically. "He's a tough kid, Tsuzuki. A case might be just the thing he needs to take his mind off things," he said suggestively.

Tsuzuki frowned. "I hope so." Reluctantly he nodded and left the conference room. It wasn't like he could mope too much about it. Ultimately it was Hisoka who held those rights.

Hisoka was already in their office when he got there, gathering his jacket and restacking the papers he'd been working on earlier. He was more alert now, and focused on the job at hand. Tsuzuki watched with minor surprise, having expected a bit more of an outcry from the same person who had continually pointed out how much he hated the heat when they'd gone to Okinawa.

Hisoka turned and locked eyes with him. "I'll be fine," he said, but is was more reassuring than defensive. He wondered if he was projecting his feelings too much. It was almost like Hisoka had read his mind. He pushed his barriers up higher to spare his partner any annoyance.

"At least…it's an excuse to get out of the office."

Hisoka gave him an odd look but chose to ignore whatever was bothering him. "We can meet in an hour. That should be enough time to pack."

"I have to water my garden if I'm going to be gone," Tsuzuki interjected.

Hisoka's lips twitched but he couldn't tell if it was a forced down smile or frown. "Then I'll come to your apartment when I'm done."

"Ok!" His gaze turned hopeful. "Can we eat after that?"

"After we check into the hotel."

Tsuzuki wilted a little. He was hungry now. Oh well, he could snack on something as he packed. Hisoka picked up the case folder and walked out without saying any more. Tsuzuki grabbed his trench coat and draped it over his arm.

He doubted today would be any fun.

qpqpqpqp

Tsuzuki pressed a cookie into his mouth, and then turned on the hose. The air was warm as it rustled though his garden. He directed the flow of water out over his flower beds, watching as the sunlight caught through the spray, creating little rainbows that only he could see.

Soon it smelled like moist earth and his late blooming Dancing Geisha. His garden was beautiful--his one pride and joy. The flowers came in many vibrant colors and sizes, complementing their bedmates. He even had a small patch for growing some vegetables.

This was his special place. Even during the winter something would be growing, and he could come out here to relax. It reminded him of good things like hope and caring. Even his hands, which were stained with blood, could bring forth life. Their petals didn't wither under his touch. Working until he was covered in dirt and sweat, made him feel human, like the humility of the work could prove that he wasn't anything more.

Being in his garden reminded him of good memories, things left clean and wholesome, which he could reflect back upon without the usual pain of remembrance. Tsuzuki closed his eyes for a moment and breathed deeply. His sister had taught him how to tend to a garden, her green thumb far outstripping his. They used to spend hours outside in the sun, trowels in hand. He sighed, letting the memory slip away before turning off the hose.

He wrapped it around its stand, and sat down on the steps to the back porch. He picked up his package of cookies and popped another one in his mouth.

His landlady was a sweet old woman, so if their case lasted longer than a few days and the garden began to dry out, she would water it for him. He often shared what he grew with his landlords, and it kept them on good terms even when he came behind on his rent now and again. Tsuzuki had his suspicions though, that no matter how much Tatsumi diverted his paychecks towards reconstruction costs, he made sure that Tsuzuki took enough home to pay his rent and electricity.

Two more cookies passed through his lips.

The morning glories were beginning to curl as the sun rose higher in the sky, but Tsuzuki knew that their blue faces were beautiful when they opened in the morning. His Heliotropes were flowering as well, following the path of the same sun as it passed through the sky. Tsuzuki smiled wistfully. In the language of flowers, Heliotropes represented devotion.

"I'd give him a whole bunch…"

Then he would add snowdrops, delicate and symbolizing hope. That was what Hisoka was after all; his hope after being alone for so long. They would match Hisoka's beauty perfectly. A dreamy expression crossed Tsuzuki's face at the image he summoned up. If only they bloomed this late in the year…

There were always sunflowers though. He had some growing along the back fence, stems tall and thick. A sunflower meant adoration. There could be nothing better to show his feelings than pure love.

But he doubted that Hisoka would appreciate receiving a bouquet of flowers, like a girl he would say, nor would he probably understand their significance. Besides, he'd already said those words out loud, and that was as obvious as he could be. Flowers wouldn't change Hisoka's feelings…if only he knew what those were.

"What are you still doing out here?" Hisoka's smooth voice asked behind him. He was standing in the back doorway, a curious expression on his face.

"Just admiring," he replied. The leaves and petals of his plants were glistening now, water drops clinging to them.

Hisoka took a few steps forward so that he could get a clear view of the entire garden. This would be the first time he'd seen it. Hisoka had only been to his apartment a couple of times, usually only for a moment or so, and never out to the garden. Tsuzuki made the trip to Hisoka's apartment much more frequently.

Emerald eyes revolved slowly, taking in the scene. "Your garden…" he murmured. He seemed stunned, brow crinkling in deep thought. "It's just like how you described--"

Tsuzuki was surprised. It was the first time Hisoka had said anything remotely related to what had happened under the spell. He knew for sure that the only time he'd told his partner about his garden in detail had been during their long afternoons in the gardens of Kurosaki estate.

Hisoka himself seemed taken aback, and quickly changed the subject. "Have you packed yet?"

"Yeah," Tsuzuki looked up at him, eyes still soft with his lingering thoughts.

Hisoka looked away, cheeks gaining the softest red hue.

"Did you knock? I didn't hear…"

Hisoka huffed, giving him a look. "Of course I knocked. You didn't answer and the door was unlocked. You really should be more careful…"

Tsuzuki stood up, taking his package of cookies with him, and chuckled as he proceeded to walk inside. "There isn't anything to worry about here in Meifu. Besides, who would want to steal anything from me?"

If he thought about it, he hadn't bought anything new for years. His last purchase had been a new microwave when he'd accidentally blown up the last one. That cooking experiment hadn't gone well…

Hisoka followed him through the apartment, back to the older shinigami's bedroom. There on his futon was a duffle bag. It never took long for him to pack, but this time, he'd been a bit more thoughtful about what he'd be bringing. In preparation for the worse case scenario, there was a small electric fan packed under his socks, and he had a couple ice packs hidden in a side pocket.

He slung the bag over his shoulder, and went to the front entry, where he spotted Hisoka's own bag. "Do we have a designated point to teleport to?"

"No. It will be busy everywhere. It would be best to teleport in spirit form and then fly down into the street." Hisoka picked up his bag and stepped out the door.

Just to humor him, Tsuzuki locked the door, before they teleported together. When they reappeared, the city was vast and sprawled out beneath them. The streets were bustling with cars and people alike, a general hum of life and noise floating up at them. From above, the sun was generating its own beat. In spirit form he could feel the faint warmth, but knew that once they became solid, it would be a more tangible force to be reckoned with.

Hisoka was besides him, and they descended slowly into an alley behind one of the smaller restaurants. Hisoka seemed to know where they were and how to get to their destination from there. As soon as they landed, he assumed human form and guided them out of the alley.

"It should only be a block from here," he said confidently. They didn't dare walk against the throng of people on the street, but instead circled around the block until the building of their hotel came into view. From the outside he could already tell it was going to be the seedy sort. It was crammed in the nook between two much larger buildings. The paint was peeling, and some of the lights in the sign were blown out. It looked like a by the hour hotel, and he frowned.

Glancing at Hisoka though, it was obvious that the blond was less concerned with the state of their hotel, and more worried about getting out of the heat and away from the crowds of people.

When they walked into the hotel, a fat man was seated at the front desk, flipping through a rumpled magazine. A fan was buzzing on the file cabinet next to him, just managing to stir the stagnant air. He looked up when they entered, letting his disturbingly knowing gaze pass over the new arrivals. Tsuzuki was suddenly very aware of what he might be thinking seeing a man wearing a business suit accompanied by a teenager of Hisoka's looks who was dressed casually.

Hisoka gritted his teeth, picking up on the mans thoughts, and made a show of dropping their luggage to the floor by the desk. The man lost some of his smugness at the sight of the luggage, a show that they weren't interest in just a brief stop at the hotel.

"We have a room reserved. Kurosaki and Tsuzuki," Hisoka said stiffly.

The man tossed down his magazine, giving Tsuzuki the chance to see a lewd picture of a woman with large breasts on the cover, before he flipped open his reservation book. "Yeah, got you here," the man said lazily as if uninterested in his job. He swiveled his chair around so that he could reach for a key hanging on one of the many hooks on the wall behind the desk. "Two doubles. Room 216."

Hisoka clenched his fists at his sides, making it clear that he didn't want to get any closer to the man or any of his feelings. Tsuzuki took the key instead. "Thank you," he said without meaning it.

They quickly picked up their luggage again and took a flight of stairs to the second floor. There was no elevator.

"This is it." Unlocking the door, he opened it with a bit of reserve. Sadly, it was about what he'd expected. The room was small, just fitting their two beds and a mini fridge for cheap champagne between. At the far end of the room was a small attached bathroom. Everything was some shade of brown, probably to disguise any stains, and smelled like old moth balls. He couldn't spot an air conditioner.

Hisoka pushed past him and dumped his luggage by his chosen bed. In two seconds he'd pushed open the room's only window with a loud scraping sound. With how humid it was outside, Tsuzuki wasn't sure if it helped any.

Resigned, he closed the door behind him and took the vacant bed. He flopped down onto the mattress wincing at how hard it felt. "This sucks," he said before he was even aware of himself.

Hisoka gave him a look that stated, 'well that is obvious, idiot.'

"The hotels must be expensive in this area, or full. We are probably lucky to get this much out of Tatsumi-san."

He was most likely right. The only line that the secretary had learned not to cross was to assign them a room with a single bed. No matter how big, Hisoka had refused to share it with him. Of course that had still been early in their partnership. Now…Tsuzuki wondered if he would be pushed away so quickly. Memories of their last night in a hotel together, Hisoka curled up next to him, invaded his thoughts. From the color that instantly flared into Hisoka's cheeks, he knew that he was thinking too loudly.

"Why don't we go somewhere for lunch, and review the file?" It would be better than sitting in this stuffy hotel room that was for sure, and his tummy was still hungry for something.

"Alright," Hisoka agreed easily. The heat had the tendency to make him more docile.

Pulling the file from his suitcase, Hisoka didn't linger any longer than needed, and they left their temporary dwelling. They purposfully ignored the desk man on their way out, and rejoined the packed streets. They stuck close to each other, not interested in losing one another in the crowd.

Even wearing a loose tank top, Hisoka looked a little flushed in the heat. Tsuzuki quickly scanned the area for the closest restaurant, knowing that there they would at least be guaranteed an air conditioner. He made a note in the back of his mind to have a talk with Tatsumi later.

"That looks good," he said pointing in the direction of a small café. Hisoka nodded distractedly and followed him.

The cool air of the café hit them refreshingly as they went inside, and he could hear Hisoka let out a sigh of relief. They were directed to an empty table, where a waitress gave them water and menus.

After they ordered, Hisoka pulled out the manilla folder and started to go over the information.

"The bodies were found at a park not far from here. We should wait until nightfall if we are going to poke around without being caught."

"What about family?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Honda Mammina was reported missing through her work. She doesn't have any family. She lived in Tagawa City prior to disappearing." His eyes quickly scanned the paper in front of him. "I don't think we'll be able to dig up much more on her."

"What about Suetsugu-san?"

"Suetsugu Ayame lived in in Fukuoka. She has an apartment we can check out," Hisoka said, circling the address. "She worked in a…bakery." Hisoka stopped and looked up. Tsuzuki was smiling expectantly.

"We should probably go there, shouldn't we? It is our duty to follow all leads…"

"Right." Hisoka didn't sound convinced. "I could always go alone."

"No! Don't be so mean 'Soka!"

"We have a budget to follow. We can't spend half our funds at a bakery," he deadpanned.

"Mm…" Tsuzuki put on his most pleading face, eyes big, and lip trembling. "I'll be good. Just one treat? Please?"

"Oh look, the food is here." Hisoka pointedly ignored him, a small smirk on his lips.

The waitress smiled nervously as she set a third plate down in front of Tsuzuki. His mouth was already watering at all the delicious food presented before him. Across from him, Hisoka only had a small wrap, which he was absentmindedly taking tiny bites from as he read more details about the crime scene.

Tsuzuki wondered if Hisoka even ate in a day what he'd consume in one meal. Not that Hisoka was skin and bones…but he was rather skinny for a boy. Of course, being dead meant that they wouldn't ever really gain weight, which Tsuzuki was grateful for every single day.

They ate lunch in relative silence, Hisoka jotting down notes now and then on the back of one of the papers. He was a good partner and good at what they did. Tsuzuki was always amazed that for someone who had died when he was sixteen, Hisoka showed a great deal of discipline and dedication to his work. The blond was also intelligent about most things, excluding certain social situations. Usually, Hisoka would take on most of the fact finding and general research, while Tsuzuki took care of the fighting and other things he had more experience with. They made a good team.

When Tsuzuki finished eating, Hisoka was already waiting patiently. They paid and left the café. Hisoka pulled out a map from his back pocket and unfurled it. "We can go to Suetsugu-san's apartment first. She has a roommate, and since it has only been a month since she disappeared there is a chance her room will still be intact."

"What is the roommate's name?"

"Sarita Mei."

Tsuzuki nodded, and looked over Hisoka's shoulder at the map. The teen was tracing his finger along a street. He stopped when found the right place. "Her apartment should be right about here."

It was too far to walk, so they teleported instead.

There were a few apartment complexes on the street they arrived on, all tall buildings made of concrete. Tsuzuki looked around, searching for the particular address they wanted. One of the older buildings ended up being their destination and they walked slowly, devising a cover.

"I could be a detective."

"No, you don't have a badge. Besides, how would you explain me?" They often ran into that problem because Hisoka looked too young to be any believable professional.

"Hmm…" Tsuzuki was about to try another suggestion when Hisoka stopped abruptly at the common board in the front entrance. It was full of various notices and other flyers. Nimbly, Hisoka plucked a small paper from the mess.

"This will do."

"What is it?" Hisoka passed him the handwritten flyer so he could read it. It was to advertise for a roommate… Tsuzuki's eyes landed on the apartment number and he smiled.

"So I just passed my college exam and am looking for a place to live that is closer to the university. You are my older brother who will be working everything out," Hisoka said without skipping a beat. "You talk to her about the basics like price and the area, and I'll take a look around."

Tsuzuki figured it would be the easiest way to get inside. Hisoka looked unthreatening enough, that a woman might be willing to live with him, and even if she wasn't interested, it would still give them a bit of time inside the apartment. "Alright, but give me some sort of signal when you are done."

They took the elevator to the fifth floor, and counted the doors until they came to the right number. Tsuzuki knocked for them. Inside he cold hear footsteps before the door opened to reveal a short woman with a heart shaped face.

"Sarita-san?" Tsuzuki asked genially.

She nodded her head, eyes darting to Hisoka. She smiled suddenly. "Oh! You must be the ones who called about the apartment! Come in!" she said excitedly.

Tsuzuki exchanged glances with Hisoka and then shrugged his shoulders. It wouldn't hurt for her to have confused them with someone else as long as they could play along and get inside.

"I was wondering if you might come by today. Forgive the boxes everywhere, but I was packing up my old roommate's things…" Tsuzuki noticed that there were quite a few around the apartment.

"She's still is moving out?" he probed.

"Ah…" Sarita-san wavered, a brief wave of sadness crossing her face. "No. She passed away."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's ok. We weren't really close, but it is still sad you know? She was a nice person." Shaking herself, she put a smile back on. "Anyway, this is the place. We have a kitchen and a good sized living area. The open room at the end of the hall would be yours…"

Tsuzuki walked in the direction of the kitchen while asking, "is the area around here nice?" He saw Hisoka retreat down the hall as Miss Sarita followed him.

qpqpqpqp

Hisoka looked exhausted when they managed to escaped Sarita-san's apartment. She had talked them out of two hours of their day, apparently determined to make them as interested as possible in the apartement.

Hisoka pressed his fingers to his temple and took in a deep breath. They were standing on the sidewalk in front of the apartment complex. It was past midday now, and the temperature had climbed unbearably high. Tsuzuki removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

"How did it go? Did you find anything?" Tsuzuki asked carefully. He was ready to move forward in the chance that Hisoka actually passed out.

"The room was already empty except for her bed and a dresser. All the emotions were old and washed out…" He paused, wincing a little, and tried to walk forward. "I didn't find anything that would be useful to us. Besides, Sarita-san wasn't lying; they weren't close."

Tsuzuki walked slowly besides him. Trying to use his empathy seemed to have made his partner only feel worse. He was worried that he would push himself too hard when he was still recovering. "Hey, it is sort of late now. All the fresh goodies will be sold out by now. Why don't we…visit the bakery tomorrow morning. Give ourselves a chance to rest up?"

Hisoka stopped, dropped his hand from his face, and looked up at Tsuzuki. "You don't have to baby me. I'm not stupid…I know you would never delay a trip to a bakery willingly."

Tsuzuki put on a placating smile. "It really will be better in the morning. Besides…tonight we have to visit the murder scene, and right now you don't look too good."

"I'm fine," he tried out the lie. It would have been more convincing if it wasn't for the fact that he always said that even when he was clearly not fine.

"You aren't and there isn't any point in lying about it. We'll get the work done either way, but I'd rather have you in top form when we go to the park tonight. It is our most promising place to gather information." Tsuzuki hoped that his attempt at logic would be more successful than his previous begging. "Anyway, Watari won't be getting back to us until tomorrow at the earliest."

Hisoka pushed his bangs out of his face, a grumpy frown set on his lips. "I hate wasting time," he mumbled.

"It won't be a waste, I promise. We can work extra hard afterwards."

Standing stationary under the mercy of the sun wasn't helpful at all, and the blond was already fanning himself. "So if we lounge about the hotel room until tonight, then you promise to stop bothering me so much about this?" His tone was beginning to get a bite to it, and Tsuzuki knew that he didn't have much patience left.

"Right," he said, not sure if he really could stop worrying over his partner's health.

"Liar," he said under his breath. "Whatever, let's just get out of this sun."

Back in the hotel room, things weren't much cooler. Tsuzuki took the opportunity to put the ice packs in the mini-fridge. Hisoka was lying on his bed, eyes staring glassily at the ceiling. His chest rose and fell quickly like he was panting.

Digging into his suit case, Tsuzuki uncovered the fan he'd brought. It wasn't very big, but he knew even a small breeze would be appreciated. He propped it up on the window ledge, and turned it so it would be facing Hisoka's direction. After a bit of trial and error, he managed to find a working outlet within reach.

Hisoka gasped in surprise, before blinking groggily at him. His eyes showed some of his gratitude as he wiggled on top of his bed to get more comfortable. Tsuzuki's gaze lingered on him, limbs sprawled carelessly over the bedspread, skin flushed and damp with perspiration. His tank top had shifted up with his movements, showing a small band of his bare stomach much to Tsuzuki's dismay, and he had to force himself to look away.

Guilt rose inside him. It wasn't right for him to look at Hisoka like that, not when he knew his partner didn't want it. Hisoka didn't take notice of his stray emotions however, or at least if he did, passed them off as remnants of some other inhabitant of the room before them.

Tsuzuki distracted himself by rearranging his hastily packed bags so that he would be able to find everything more easily. Somehow it wasn't enough.

qpqpqpqp

There was only so much Hisoka could protest when his body screamed for him to just go along with the relief Tsuzuki was offering him. He knew he was weak to have given in so easily and returned to the hotel room. They wouldn't get any work done now, and it was purely for his sake.

His head felt like it would explode if any more pressure built up inside it. Using his empathy to scan Suetsugu-san's room had only made it angry, if empathy could show any human sentiments, and now he was slightly nauseous.

The hotel could only have been a few degrees cooler than being outside, but the fan Tsuzuki had set up was helping more than he'd care to say. Hisoka wished that if it had to be so hot that it would at least give up on being humid. With the moisture content in the air it felt like he was sweating for no reason at all. Evaporative cooling was definitely failing him…

This area was rounding into its rainy season, but refused to let go of summer. All in all he felt like he was in hell, and it was a dingy little hotel in Fukuoka City.

His muscles twitched uselessly in a minor reflex to escape the uncomfortable emotions filtering in from where his skin touched the bed. They weren't strong, but it was as if the entire hotel room was drenched in fading pheromones and other equally disgusting emotions. It was like an oily substance being rubbed into his skin, but he didn't have the strength or motivation to push it away.

It wasn't like he had anywhere else he could go. This is where they'd been assigned to stay, and he'd just have to tough it out.

His eyelids were heavy, the heat making him feel even more drowsy than he was this morning. With his body so still his mind kept wanting to escape into sleep. He grudgingly held onto consciousness, too insecure to fall asleep with Tsuzuki watching.

Resting was one thing, but he didn't want to fall asleep.

Even though it was the middle of the day, it wasn't a guarantee that he wouldn't begin dreaming the second he closed his eyes. Tsuzuki was too alert and focused on him at the moment. He would notice right away that something was amiss, and Hisoka already felt pathetic enough as it was, without adding nightmares to the lot.

Vaguely he noticed Tsuzuki rearranging his suitcases for the fourth time, and thought it was just a little odd. Tsuzuki always wadded his clothing together. He wanted to comment on it, but all he managed was a grunt.

AN: Wow, I'm sorry I took forever to get this out ; I have been really busy getting ready for school, which I have just started. I also went through a small bout of writer's block, but a couple of REALLY nice reviews straightened that out, so I'm back on a roll. Thanks to everyone who did review, even those I was sadly too busy to reply to. Reviews make the difference for me, because I get really paranoid about the quality of my writing some times. Good critiques and encouragement go a long way.

Oh, and between you and me, Suetsugu is the name I got off one of my sushi books. I was randomly trying to make names and while eating some California rolls, and it just made itself.

Also…if anyone is interested in what happened at the convention I attended, I have plenty of YnM photos on my photo bucket account, and some crazy videos on youtube. You can find the links on my profile. Just click on the Kumori-con 2008 folder to get to the pictures.