As usual schoolwork comes first to fanfic-writing. It got very hectic over and after the break. Anyways..
Disclaimer: I don't own Matsushita-san's wonderful story or characters.
ola – LoL! Hisoka doing work? Doesn't he have enough to deal with as a Shinigami?-giggles- XD Thanks for your review; though it's bad to procrastinate, I'm flattered you prioritized reading my story over doing your work. –no good at scolding people-
SonnyGoten – Thanks! I love humor and that's what always enthralled my attention with YnM, that it could be so dark yet be light with humor. I intend to keep things serious with the flavor of humor. I hate too much angst.
Literary Eagle – Are you suggesting I put in that scene for fan service? –eyebrow raise, then covers up giggling with a loud cough- Really, it was necessary to show Hisoka's unfamiliarity and discomfort in being in his 'adult' form. ... ok so I came up with that explanation after I had the thought of detailing Hisoka to change. You caught me. Thanks for the review!
happygreendragon – I'm glad you're excited! With schoolwork notwithstanding, I did hurry to keep up with my promised schedule. Lmao I'm only about 2-4 days off. Not too shabby. Hope this chapter meets up with your expectations!
Nicole – Ah, my friend. How good it is to see you reading and reviewing. XD Thank you so much for your comments on this chapter. It helped me out a lot!
This chapter was surprisingly difficult to write and was much shorter than I usually post. I think it's because I always have trouble setting things up to start off because I'm afraid I might create a plothole or change something later. Also, it tried to get too dark for my tastes, so I had to go over things and lighten it up, even thought there aren't many funny things in it. XP Maybe next time. Hope everyone enjoys and thanks for reading. Please leave me a review on your thoughts or comments. They are all greatly appreciated!
I didn't have a poem this time that fit, so I searched for a quote instead.
"I have six locks on my door all in a row.
When I go out, I lock every other one.
I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three."
-- quote from Elayne Boosler
Staring down at a large warm bowl of thick noodles instead of the thinner type (I preferred regular soba over the Okinawan variety; it was accidental that I had ordered it), with chunks of fried shrimp and sprinkled diced veggies on top, I found myself at a crowded, yet somewhat respectable noodle shop since a hostess had shown us to our seats. Definitely not a stand up eatery, but the shop wasn't what I would have normally picked as a restaurant since it was unhealthy; I had compromised when Tsuzuki hadn't complain that I didn't want dessert.
Everyone… I grimaced… kept staring at me because of my size, or maybe because of the too-small borrowed clothes I presently wore. Yet, I felt only the weight of their stares not their emotions.
Halfway glad that there were many people around, I blew out an irritated sigh at that. Apparently, with all these people around, they drowned each other's thoughts out in a cacophony of background noise. I could get used to that; it seemed worse, rather than better, the fewer people that were around. It sure beat passing out if an angry mob were to brush by me.
When he flicked his chopsticks under my line of sight and snatched one of my shrimp tempura with them, deftly placing it in his mouth, I was snapped out of my daze.
I growled hunching over my bowl picking up my spoon to catch the broth and noodles from falling and flopping back into the broth as I hungrily scooped the noodles with my chopsticks, stuffing my face. The thief just grinned at me and went back to slurping some of his light-colored fatty broth. My stomach lurched unpleasantly from eating too fast, and I slowed down until I finished off the suba and tempura, drinking down plenty of water.
Used to Tsuzuki's hapless inability to keep money, I pulled out my wallet to pay for our meal, but was surprised when there was already money to pay for his half of the meal. Closing my mouth from the mentally half-formed rebuke I had been about to dish out in habit, I decided to not comment on it, and paid for the rest, putting on my jacket.
I followed Tsuzuki out, thinking about what if anything needed to be tidied up at our office or at home, and knocked my head on the top of the doorframe for my trouble. My head ducked down in embarrassment, while my worried partner placed a supporting arm around my shoulder and explained that I had a little bit too much to drink to the hostess. Rolling my eyes, I let him guide me out as I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Mentally rebuking myself for my uncharacteristic clumsiness and inattention, I knew I was still unaccustomed to my large size, but somehow it had to slipped my mind. Of all things to forget.
Tsuzuki realized it was foolish to keep eyeing his partner, but he couldn't help it. The sharp jut of his jaw and the lengthening of his face had made him appear elegant, yet regal.
The fact that people kept giving him jealous or hungry looks supported the notion that Hisoka in that form was really attractive (not to say he wasn't cute as his usual self). Of course, those looks turned to him hovering over his unusual eye color, but never as long as they used to before returning to stare, unnoticed, at his partner until Tsuzuki handed out several serious threatening looks when Hisoka wasn't looking; his warning looks resulted in a rapid decline of hungry looks thrown at him, though the jealous, yet appreciative looks hadn't stopped.
Of course, Tsuzuki knew that it was quite dangerous throwing looks like that out right under the nose of an empath, but he'd rather stop people in their tracks before they started. Besides, he thought to himself, normal Hisoka would've had a fit to eat in such a crowded place, but he hadn't, so Tsuzuki had assumed that whatever change had occurred with his psychic abilities allowed for leeway with groups of people, which at the moment included himself. With an amused grin on his face, he imagined what would happen if somebody with a set of those admiring looks proposed eagerly towards the stern faced man across the table from him.
Sitting back because he was finished eating, Hisoka frowned, eyes closing as he gulped down water.
Because the sugar-addicted Shinigami hadn't bought any sweets this morning like he usually did (instead paying for cheaper 'real' food), he pulled out several of his preciously saved yen bills and paid for his half of the tab.
There was a moment where his partner's face briefly switched from stubborn chastising to a look of surprise, and then back to his usual blank expression after he pulled his wallet out and found money laying in the middle of the table.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Hisoka stood up and turned towards the door, while Tsuzuki hopped to his feet.
Thud. Hisoka hissed holding his forehead. For a second I blinked in surprise before smiling cheerfully at the concerned hostess, Kaida-san, and patted his back casually putting an arm around him as if to support him, making a quick excuse for him to save face.
Breathing in the hot air of the day, I almost didn't want to let him go when he stepped away. "Hey, why don't we check out the park? It's a beautiful day!"
Hisoka's eyes were closed in irritation. "We have work, idiot."
"What work? We finished it all."
He was quick to point out the obvious, that there was only a break of cases for now, and anything could happen and that they needed to be there to take care of it, scowling as he puffed out his chest unconsciously.
He's so damned cute when he does that. I thought to myself wistfully.
Then he frowned, cutting off the rant, leaving jarring silence, to glare sullenly at me.
Oops. I quickly covered the misstep in thought with a confused feeble grin.
"What is it? You don't like me paying for my half?"
His eyes pierced me to the spot and I suddenly had the feeling I was vulnerably exposed. My thoughts were hiccupping as they jumped from one panicked thought to another, cringing expecting a smack to my head.
His hand came down quickly as I knew it would, but it ruffled my hair, fingers brushing against my scalp. "Baka."
The soft mutter and touch left just as quickly. I blinked stupefied.
He gave me a hard stare. "As if I'd get angry at that."
I gave him a helpless smile, unable to think or feel beyond the relief I felt. Obviously he hadn't picked up all that I was thinking about.
"—zuki it really pisses me off." He cursed when he turned and another object went flying. "This damn shirt just popped another button."
I looked up, my eyes having been unfocused, to catch the tail end of his rant.
"Aa. We could go shoppin—"
"No." The answer was firm and crisp and I automatically nodded in agreement.
"Then we'll go during your coffee break."
He got pissy again, refusing to bend to my demands and turned into an alleyway, obstinately vanishing to the office without another word.
Left standing there was a smile filled with stubborn amusement on my face. "That's the second time today."
I didn't follow this time because I hated being cooped up in the office all day. Instead I walked over to a park bench sitting down in a secluded spot and relaxed. Young people these days didn't wander outside much anymore.
I chuckled lightly. When did I start thinking of them as young? I think like an old man.
My eyes slipped closed with my head upturned towards the bright noon sun, and listened to the chirping of the early springtime birds. Here alone, I was myself, but that's how it was for everyone.
It was going to be hard to keep myself hidden away from Hisoka's sharpened empathy. It stabbed deeper unknowingly, picking up nuances and thoughts like a hand that dipped into a pool to inspect its coolness.
Checking my watch, I sighed. How did an hour manage to slip by without my notice? Standing up I walked and transitioned to my proper plane.
Some hours later, sighing through my bangs, I sat bored out of my mind because of the lack of cases. I never thought I'd miss doing extra work because of Tsuzuki's laziness, but I did. My eyes flicked over to where he was, currently unfolding and re-folding paper and seemingly as bored as I was. He laid a new sheet down and murmured incantations over it purifying it until it turned a light lavender color.
When I had started to worry about him because of the time, the idiot had strolled in; because work would have been over in a few hours, I had yelled at him as he smiled sheepishly and apologized plenty. Then after he sat down in his desk next to mine he pulled out thick paper and his ink and brush to practice his calligraphy; he was making fuda to kill time, which to present he had been doing silently since he got back.
I originally thought he did it to keep his skills sharp, but his wayward thoughts slid from one emotional extreme to another. I couldn't figure out what he was worrying at, but the longer he made fuda the calmer his mind became, until his thoughts quieted altogether to a gentle whispering of magical chant.
What could it be?
"Tsuzuki."
His hand stilled, then continued finishing off the garbled kanji with a quick twitch of his fingers and a murmured prayer to seal the amplification fuda. Then looked up at me smiling very calmly yet cheerfully as he set his brush down. "Hai?"
I opened my mouth to ask what bothered him, but hesitated. He tilted his head curiously and grinned broadly. "You wanna practice fuda making with me?"
Scowling, I shook my head, and loosened my jaw for another try, but no luck as Wakaba clattered in noisily. "Tsuzuki, here!" A box of expensive-looking pastries was shoved under his face as I inwardly groaned.
As expected, his somewhat serious calm erupted into peals of joy, glomping onto her all smiles for her precious gift. She giggled and flicked her hand to wave towards me and I nodded at her.
"You should spoil him more often Hisoka! Or else he'll find some other to chase after." She winked and walked out. /They're so cute together! Oh if only Hajime would see me like that…/
My face tightened. What the… does everyone think we're..! I scowled ferociously, face red as my hands tightly fisted the loose cloth of the pants I wore.
Tsuzuki was oblivious to the exchange, choosing at that moment to stuff his face with a slice and chibify in blissful happiness, making a mess of himself.
The nerve of some people… thinking about the wrong 'partnership'.
Snorting, I turned to my desk, and pulled out my planner checking through it to see if I had anything planned. Tsuzuki wasn't… We're not. At all.
Besides, seeing guys together disgusted me, not to mention the fact it'd complicate things, and if something broke between us… where would I go?
"Heyy, what's with that look?" Bright purple eyes blinked up at me. There wasn't even a hint of worry or dimmed apprehension playing on his face that hung mutely around him.
"Nothing." I shrugged into the borrowed coat standing up. "Let's go. I'd like to have new clothes before I go to bed tonight."
"But we're leaving early!" Tsuzuki wheedled at me.
"And we're done with work. Baka." I closed up the done case reports and placed them in the basket. "I'm sure Tatsumi-san would rather not pay for extra hours of our time when there's nothing left to do."
"But we're on the salary payroll. Tatsumi's gonna get mad" He whined at me, while his emotions clearly read that he really only wanted me to talk because I had been quiet all day.
Dropping that line of conversation since technically he had been the one to want to leave early in the first place, I held my forehead from the headache that suddenly blossomed out of the blue. There was something else… but I couldn't put a finger on what it was.
"Do you know a good shop for clothes?" I groused out.
"Yea! I asked Watari and he looked it up on the computer and gave me a map with marks all over it!"
"Then come on. I don't have all day."
He touched my shoulder and we were off to the first place.
By the end of the third hour, I wanted to go home.
Tsuzuki hovered close to Hisoka as he was again measured and fitted with different clothes. "Nothing would fit," they had been told several times, "without a special order." These special orders not only would cost extra but they would not arrive within the week. By then Hisoka would have no need for them.
The current measurer, a woman in her 30s with a thick waist but a beautiful face, waved off Hisoka's adamant request for something close to his size rather than his size. After all, the last time they were told that no clothes in the store would fit him, Hisoka had looked like he had swallowed a bug, and pushed the uppity salesperson away stepping down demanding to go to the 'next place'. Thinking back on it Hisoka had felt embarrassed by his childish outburst, and resolutely decided that he would be more polite to this woman.
She had insisted that she could easily re-stitch certain types of outfits to fit him more comfortably, and Hisoka had found her price reasonable, paying for it upfront. Tsuzuki had stated that he needed some air and stepped out looking up at the magenta sky of light pollution; reaching out with his instinct for anything that screamed for attention and finding nothing, he relaxed. However, he couldn't quite shake the lingering feeling of wrongness.
After managing to get Hisoka to stop fidgeting, the matronly woman hummed and spoke about her family as she deftly threaded pins to thin the chest and arms of the shirt he was wearing. That she hoped her son's new food business would work out for the best, and that one of her daughters aspired to become a novelist. Her feelings in tandem dipped ever so slightly before bowling back to her normal serene state.
Quickly, she was done with the three outfits Hisoka had chosen, carefully pinning up the slack. "There we go. I'll have these ready for you to pick up in the morning." She beamed up at him patting his cheek before he had a chance to dodge back, and then nodded towards a set of comfortable looking pajamas, underwear and socks. "In the meantime, this should hold you out. Sorry to hear about the fire. Must be some rotten luck."
He nodded, and then thought a moment about when he had felt a flash of sadness from her. He had no idea why he had suddenly wanted to be nosy. "Sorry to intrude, but you mentioned that you had more than one daughter…"
Packaging his clothes, her back and neck stiffened. "She died of complications after childbirth." She smiled even as her mind choked on a sudden upwelling of grief and pain. "Lily had been barren, but she wanted to be a good childbearing wife so badly. All the doctors said it was impossible when she had conceived with Haseo, but she had. But all the omens read black about her pregnancy and child." She looked up at him. "I believe the gods stole her precious baby away with her because her conception was doomed to fail." /'I wish you eternal hell for stealing my daughter away!'/
She blinked covering her mouth as if she hadn't meant to tell so much about her troubles to a stranger and a customer no less. "Oh my apologies." Bowing she wiped at her face, her makeup running. "I spoke too much. Forgive my rudeness."
Forcibly shutting her thoughts and feelings out before they became much more than a nuisance, Hisoka raised his somewhat shaky hand at her to pause her words and, slightly bowing back, he picked up the package. "Good evening."
"Good evening."
And he left the woman with her screaming, haunting mental guilt.
I glanced up at glaring vibrant green eyes. "Done already?" I asked cheerfully, belatedly realizing I had left him alone with a stranger.
"Aa." He leaned his hand against his forehead, frowning.
Tilting my head at him, I curiously watched him before I opened my mouth again. "Are you okay? You don't look so well."
"I'm fine." With his heated voice he dropped his hand looking away from me. "I'm going home." He disappeared after I nodded mentally at him, and not long after I followed him.
Small cheerless eyes the color of the night sky stared at where the two Shinigami had disappeared from view. The delicate-featured boy, not more than a meter tall, turned and walked home with a brown bag in his arms.
The dark comfortable room he walked into held a chair in which he sat down, holding the groceries in his lap.
"Good, ayatsuri." A pale hand softly brushed his brown hair streaked with gold before curling under his chin as if held there by his beauty. "I'm pleased with your progress. We'll see your breathtaking performance in action when the moment is right."
Ayatsuri smiled blankly up at his face as long nimble fingers plucked the bag from his lap and carried them away.
The boy continued to smile at the ceiling until his body spasmed and fell limp as if only strings had been holding him up. Only the movement of his chest as it dipped up and down showed any sign of life.
His listless half-open eyes stared unmoving at the floor, waiting for the moment when the command to arise would again allow him to walk.
TBC.
ayatsuri means puppet; manipulation
