"Hey, that's the guy," the bartender whispered, pointing. Watari turned and found himself staring at a young man, perhaps in his mid twenties. He wasn't particularly attractive, or anything, but he had a certain appeal to him. Something was off about him, though. Watari nodded and went to approach him.

"Excuse me, may I sit here?" The man looked up at him, astonished.

"Y-you want to sit…with me?" Watari smiled gently and sat down across the table from him. Tatsumi was investigating another dead body left by the Romeo Murderer. "I…I've never…been approached, before."

"Let me get you a drink."

"Nor have I ever been approached by a man. You see, I don't…I don't swing that way. So, I'm flattered, but…"

"Well, will you not humor me, as a friend, then?" The man tilted his head curiously.

"You're…lonely." Watari's smile faltered. "I can tell…when other people are lonely. I approach them and comfort them. But I don't know how to comfort a man." The shinigami looked away.

"Don't worry about it," he muttered. There is definitely something off about this man. "Did you hear about those deaths?" he asked, perhaps a little less tactful in his questioning than he usually was. The man blinked, surprised.

"Why are you asking about them?"

"I knew one of the girls, Keiko. You bought her a drink the night she died."

"Yes…I was her boyfriend. She was very sweet, very kind, but so sad. I just wanted to make her happy…how did it say she died?"

"Heart attack." The man shook his head. "What's your name?"

"Reiji Nakamura." Watari stayed and talked with him for a long, long while until Tatsumi came to pick up him. Then they, headed back to the hotel.

"Well?" the older Shinigami asked as they strolled down the street.

"Reiji Nakamura – something seemed off about him, and he's fixated on romance."

"So he could be our killer?"

"Yeah. Have you figured out how he's doing it?"

"That's the strange thing. These women…it's like their hearts just…stopped. I'm having the Gushoshin check for toxins in the blood, but nothing has come up, so far." Watari nodded.

"So, what seemed off about him?"

"I don' t know, he just gave me a…weird feeling. Have Gushoshin check on up on him – see if there's anything about him in our records." They got to their hotel room. As Tatsumi crossed the room to sit on the bed, he could feel Watari watching him. I've done my best to act professional…has he seen through it? "What are you going to do…when you get back?"

"What?"

"Well, clearly you're avoiding Hisoka and Tsuzuki. What are you going to do…when the mission is over?" Tatsumi chuckled. I should've known better than to try to keep a secret from Watari. He forced a smile, but it faded under his partner's sympathetic gaze.

"I'll do what I always do." Watari sat down next to him, draping an arm around his shoulders. He had always admired Tatsumi and his self-control, but he felt bad for the man. He was so restrained, so cut off, people often forgot he had feelings. Sometimes, he thought that Tatsumi himself forgot he had feelings, or at least liked to pretend he didn't. "What about you? You've seemed…off, since then." Watari exhaled and opted to finally come clean.

"Do you think I…I abandoned them?" he asked. Tatsumi frowned.

"What? No! Watari…if anyone has been there for them, it's you."

"No. I've been avoiding them." Muraki's words rang clean in his head. He had failed them. It was his fault. He hadn't even tried. Tears rose to his eyes.

"They…don't want much company."

"But I didn't go in after them…in Kyoto."

"Good! You'd have gotten yourself killed!"

"But you all went in!"

"Watari…"

"I sat outside, Tatsumi. I sat outside because I was scared. The flames were so…so hot, and I…I couldn't get close. I s-sat there like a coward, and I didn't even try!"

"Watari, you did nothing wrong, especially considering how you died." Watari's breath caught in his throat. "I…I looked it up a while ago. There's no shame in being afraid of fire after something like that." The scientist looked away.

"B-but for my friends…I should have…"

"No, you've done your best. That's all that matters." A large, calloused hand turned his chin back towards concerned, dark sapphire eyes. "You have no reason to feel guilty."

"I…I hate that I'm a coward. E-even after the fact, I was too…too scared to face them, so I…I buried myself in my lab…and pretended the world didn't exist."

"Watari, that's not what you did. You gave them what they needed, and checked on them when you could without making them awkward or offended." Tatsumi wiped away his tears and embraced him gently. "Don't cry. You've done that enough, recently."

"W-what…?"

"You fall asleep at your desk often enough, and when I come to wake you up, I see tearstains…almost every time."

"S-sorry."

"Watari, you're so perceptive, you forget that other people…don't know how to approach you. That's why if you need something, you should always come straight to me. I am your partner, after all." Tatsumi smoothed his fingers through Watari's hair. "If there's anyone in the office that takes care of everyone else, it's you, so never feel like you don't do enough." Watari let his eyes flutter shut as he inhaled the dark, musky sent of his partner. Tatsumi always had a calming affect on him. At last, he sat back, smiling shakily.

"Thank you, Tatsumi. You know…they're going to be okay."

"Hm?"

"Tsuzuki and Hisoka…they'll be fine."

"…Yeah. Get some rest, I'll tell Gushoshin what to investigate." Watari nodded and slid under the blankets. A broad, warm hand rested on his shoulder. His eyes fell shut and within moments, he was asleep. Gushoshin appeared a little while later in the room.

"No toxins in the blood," he reported. "How is the investigation going?"

"I want you to check a name for me in our records. Reiji Nakamura. Can you do that for me?"

"Right away, sir." The little bird-like creature disappeared only to return about twenty minutes later. Tatsumi was still seated on the edge of the bed, waiting for him.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

"Sir, he Reiji Nakamura was killed a week ago, but his soul never found its way to the afterlife." Tatsumi nodded.

"I'd begun to suspect as much. So we're dealing with a spirit, here. Any idea why he hasn't left earth, yet?"

"None, but Watari's been talking to him, so my guess is he might know."

"I'll let him sleep a little, before waking him. He hasn't been resting well.." Gushoshin settled down on the bed beside Tatsumi. "How are Tsuzuki and Hisoka?"

"Well, they hardly leave each other's sides, ever. Hisoka is surprisingly nice to Tsuzuki, and Tsuzuki is, well…more somber than usual. They spend a lot of time just sitting, watching the Sakura blossoms."

"I see."

"Hisoka is a little impatient to get out into the field, but he realizes that Tsuzuki needs a little more time, before he's ready." Tatsumi let out a heavy sigh and nodded.

"Thank you, Gushoshin. Go home. We can handle things from here." The little bird left, again. Tatsumi slumped. He hadn't missed the way Hisoka and Tsuzuki looked at each other, since the incident in Kyoto. He hadn't failed to notice the lingering touches or soft, whispered assurances. It hadn't escaped his attention that Tsuzuki no longer came to him for support, no longer looked at him the way he used to. It hadn't slipped by him that Tsuzuki reserved a special smile for Hisoka, and Hisoka only ever smiled at Tsuzuki. He pressed a hand against his chest, his eyes tearing up. Why did it hurt so much. He was the one who'd walked out in the first place. He was the one who'd ended their partnership and done his best to seal himself off even as he looked after the other Shinigami. So why, why was he so full of regret and pain now? Why did his chest ache so badly? He moved his hand to cover his mouth, stifling the soft gasp that issued from his lips. A tear rolled down his cheek, followed by several more. He got up to, but just as he was about to walk away, a thin, aristocratic hand grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down. He found himself staring into the concerned – albeit groggy – eyes of his partner.

"You're crying," Watari commented, his face growing sorrowful. Slim, slender fingers reached out to wipe the tears away. "You know, you're a hypocrite, telling me to always come to you and staying so withdrawn yourself. Did you think I didn't notice, as well, the changes in your behavior? Tatsumi-san…Seiichiro, you're suffering. Let me help you." The dark-haired shinigami blinked at the use of his first name. Losing his resolve, he slumped forward, allowing his partner to catch him against his chest. "You're so noble. You always want to be the one helping others, but sometimes…you need help, too."

"Watari…why…why do I feel like this?"

"Because, Tatsumi-san…no matter what happened between you and Tsuzuki, you still love him."

"Wh-why…why did things turn out like this? Is this my fault? If I hadn't pushed him away, if I'd opened my arms to him…"

"Tatsumi-san…I'm sorry." He couldn't tell the man not to blame himself for his loss of Tsuzuki. Nor could he be upset at Tsuzuki and Hisoka for finding happiness with each other. He clutched Tatsumi tighter. It just seemed that someone was going to have to suffer heartbreak, and the die were cast in favor of Hisoka, this time.

"I-I want to be happy for them…"

"You will be, in time. Eventually, your heart will mend and you will be able to feel happy for them. Who knows, one day, you might even fall in love, again."

"It doesn't feel that way. It feels like I'm…incomplete. It feels like there's this void in my heart that can't be filled." Suddenly, Watari's eyes widened. "It—what?"

"N-nothing. We'll talk about it once you're feeling better." Tatsumi used the hem of the blonde's coat to wipe his eyes.

"Tell me. You know I can't not think about it, now."

"I just…I know…what's wrong with our spirit – he was dead, right?"

"Yes. Reiji Nakamura is dead. I don't…I don't understand."

"He was heartbroken, when he died. And his soul clung to that. He feels incomplete, and he's trying to fill the void. He's trying to fall in love. Tatsumi-san…I don't think he's trying to kill anyone."

"What do you mean?"

"I think it might be an accident. I don't think he knows he's doing it. And if that's so, he's going to be searching for another girl, tonight." Watari jumped out of bed, and Tatsumi stood as well, his sorrows dropping into the background. He wiped his cheeks.

"When he realizes what we are, what we're supposed to do, he'll never come with us."

"Let me talk to him."

"Why you?"

"Because, Tatsumi, I can understand him. Have you ever seen someone I have been unable to console?" Watari offered him a confident smile. "Trust me, Tatsumi-san. I can convince him. And if I can't, you can force him." The older shinigami hesitated. Then, with a sigh, he nodded. "Fine. Let's go find your Romeo." Fifteen minutes later saw them heading back. However, they were only halfway there when they ran into the Reiji.

"W-Watari-san!" the spirit gasped. "I…I was looking for you." He glanced at Tatsumi. "Who is this man? Why did you leave with him?"

"He's my business partner. We had something to discuss." Reiji reached out and took Watari's hand. "I was actually just coming to find you. We need to talk."

"Not here…not with him." Tatsumi frowned. He didn't like the idea of the other man being alone with this murdering spirit, but Watari was already agreeing. He turned and smiled at Tatsumi.

"I'll be back in an hour." And with that, he allowed himself to be lead away. An hour…you think I'll even wait that long? Don't be stupid. That guy is clearly smitten with you, and if he kills the ones he likes, it's definitely not safe for you two to be alone, Tatsumi thought darkly. Reiji took Watari to a hotel and shut the door behind them. "Reiji-" Watari began.

"Wait! Please let me speak, first!" The shinigami nodded. "I…I like you, Watari-san!"

"I thought you didn't swing that way."

"I don't! B-but you're an exception. Watari, I've always felt…out of place, talking to men. I've always felt intimidated. But you're so kind…so understanding. No one has ever gotten me the way you did. When I was talking to you, it was like I could bare my soul to you with no fear."

"Y-you misunderstand, Reiji. I…I don't swing that way, either."

"Give me a chance! Please! I beg you!" Tears welled up in the man's eyes. "I…I've lost everything. Please, give me a chance to find my happiness, again."

"You won't find your happiness this way, Reiji." Watari reached out, cupping his cheek gently. "You're only hurting yourself and those you care about. Those women…?"

"They left me! I had just found them and they left me!"

"They didn't leave you on purpose, Reiji."

"Please stay with me! I-I'm so alone. I feel so cold. Please, don't leave me alone, Watari-san. Y-you showed me a love that transcends everything else! Please, let me try to earn that love and return it to you tenfold. I will be yours alone, forever! I will do everything to make you happy, so please don't leave me!" Watari felt his heart go out to the poor man.

"You're not alive, Reiji. You have to come with Tatsumi and me."

"Yes…yes, I'll go anywhere to be with you!" Reiji leaned up onto his toes and crushed their mouths together. Watari gasped, shocked, and the man's tongue forced it's way into his mouth. His insides coiled with disgust. No! I don't want this! He tried to tear away, but suddenly he couldn't move. Pain flared up in his chest, and he groaned in agony. His vision started to get hazy…