Okay, I am officially moved into my dorm and classes have started! I'm still going to try and get out one chapter a week around Tuesday or Wednesday, but please forgive if school gets in the way :)
Hiyami: Oh yeah…here's where it gets worse for those two. Tatari fans are going to flame me, I know it! We won't know the specific damage to Tatsumi's wallet till near the end, but it was pretty substantial. And everyone's going to be in hell anyway, just watch!
Evilfrogger86: Yep, we's out one informant! You really want them to get laid, don't you? XD I'll see what I can do…and if you'll recall my schoolgirl uniform joke around chapter 9, yeah, they do have some kinks. And it's exciting but I think you might be one of the ones to kill me soon…I promise I'll fix it ASAP!!!
Jennamarie: I know XD There have been several people I'd like to have 'forked' before, believe me! No Desirae this chappie, but nice TsuSoka for you! But I'm afraid I've made things worse for poor Watari (hangs head in shame) Even I hated to do this to him, but it had to be done to get the story going!
Laustic: It was all fun to right as well, I assure you XD Hokuto's not gonna tell how he knows though, at least not in front of his wife…although it sounds funny to watch if he did!
Evol-chan: Yes!! Although I think I might've broken the TaTari a little here…sorry. And I cannot reveal what Desirae or Virgil are there for just yet. You will find out next chapter. Ya like her? Wow…you're the first to say that. And of course I reply to every review! I love getting them (even bad ones weirdly) and the fact that you (and everyone else, of course) takes the time to write them means a lot to me. I hope you don't hate me for what I've done to poor Watari though… '' heh, don't hurt me till I can fix it!!
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(Last night, around 12:30)
Tsuzuki sighed and threw his towel around his shoulders to catch any lingering drops. Well that was nice…so now the demon we're dealing with his homicidal. That's just perfect! Don't know what I was expecting. Maybe I was just hoping it was on a sightseeing tour and would come back willingly once we caught it. Sighing again he opened the door and bumped into somebody about to enter the communal bathroom.
"Sorry!" He reached out and straightened the person as the tottered the tiniest bit. "Sorry Neina didn't know you were there."
"S'okay. You alright? You seem troubled."
"I'm fine, and please don't read me—" She moved her arm slightly, indicating the fact he was holding on to it, and he smiled. "Ah, yes, sorry." He let go and she arched an eyebrow. He sighed for the third time and hanged his head a little. "I'm just a little disappointed, that's all."
"About…?"
"Well, I guess I was hoping this case would be a little simpler and I'd get to do some sightseeing with Hisoka. But now…" He shook his head. "If the demon's dangerous enough to kill someone, we can't be taking breaks to go visiting tourist spots for fun. And unless we make some amazing headway in the next couple of days I don't think we'll have enough time before we have to go back to Japan."
Neina blinked before tilting her head slightly. "You're almost a hundred years old and you've never been to Paris?" He shook his head. "And Hisoka told me he hadn't either…" she mumbled. She looked him in the eyes suddenly and smiled cunningly. "I have a proposition for you, inu-baka…"
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His lips were hot as they grazed his shoulder, searing and wonderfully arousing to his oddly cold skin. Or maybe it just felt cold compared to the heat building between them. Watari shuddered, arching his neck to allow the other man better access. Hands were everywhere; caressing his chest, his abs, even smoothing over his thighs. His muscles fluttered as the hands roamed uninhibbited, welcomed really, across that soft pale skin. He gasped when they would trace over especially sensitive areas, shuddering in wanton arousal. He sighed in relief as the hands came to his shoulders and slowly turned him around. Opening amber orbs filled with lust and hope, he blinked in surprise as they met pale hazel-grey set in olive skin with an unmistakable sexy smile.
"Virgil?" he whispered in surprise. The man just smiled wider and leaned down to begin a fast heated kiss as he gently pushed him to the ground.
Watari woke up, panting a sweaty. Gulping, he cradled his head in his hands and shook it. What…what the hell was that?! I've only known the man a few hours and I'm already having kinky dreams about him?! I mean it was supposed to be… He sneaked a glance over at the other bed. Even though morning was arriving soon he was still a sleep and apparently not aroused in the slightest. Despite the fact he was sure he was giving off pheromones like a cat and heat after that nice little dream theatre. And there appeared to be one more after effect of his little imaginary romp.
There was a soft knock at the door and he quickly grabbed his pillow and stuffed it over his lap to hide the evidence. "Y-yes? Who's there?" he called, willing his voice to be steady and level. The door opened and Hokuto stuck his head in, casting a quick surprised glance at the still sleeping Tatsumi before walking quietly over to Watari.
"We, that is my wife and Tsuzuki and me by defeat, were wondering if you could do us a favor," he whispered.
"What?" he whispered back.
"Well, Tsuzuki wants to take Hisoka to the Eiffel tower this morning, just a quick trip so they at least get to see it. Neina and I are going to take over their job of info gathering, but we were hoping you could…" he cast his eyes over to the still sleeping secretary meaningfully.
Watari smiled and nodded. "Sure, I'll keep Mr. Doom-and-gloom busy for a while. Looks like he's still sleeping last night off too."
"What happened last night?"
"He got drunk as a skunk at the casino and gabbled. A lot." Then he kissed me but I ended up having a wet dream about the pianist we met last night. That would be too much information though.
"Oh…that's gonna be fun when he wakes up…" he said sourly. Watari chuckled and nodded.
"Go on a do whatever you need to. I'll stay here with him and try to distract him until you all get back."
"Thanks Watari. Evidently this is a big deal to Tsuzuki and I know Hisoka would like to see something before we go."
He nodded and waved as Hokuto left and closed the door softly. Sighing, the scientist glared at the pillow in his lap. Or more accurately his little 'condition' that it hid. Before I do anything, I need a cold shower.
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Hisoka grumbled as he felt himself being shaken. He turned over in an attempt to escape the constant rocking of his shoulder and get back to sleep but it persisted. Finally he turned his head back and cracked his eyes open enough to see.
"…Tsuzuki?" he mumbled in confusion. His partner smiled charmingly at his confused groggy state. He was apparently fully dressed for the day and perfectly awake. This made Hisoka wonder what time it was and whether he had overslept. He blinked stupidly at the clock that read 7:45. He looked up at his window where early morning sunlight was invading the dusky interior of their room through the slats in the blinds. He then looked back at his still smiling partner and arched his eyebrow. "You do realize that it's still before noon, right?"
Tsuzuki just smiled wider. "Uh huh. But I decided I couldn't wait."
"For me to wake up?" he yawned and settled back into his pillow.
"No. Well, yes, but for a reason this time. C'mon, get up and get dressed."
He opened one verdant eye again and narrowed it suspiciously. "Why?"
"It's a surprise. Now come on."
"Can't this surprise wait another hour while sleep some more?"
"No, because by some miracle Tatsumi is still asleep and we need to leave before he wakes up! Otherwise I'm sure we'll get lectured."
"Are you trying to talk me into it or out of it?"
He pouted and leaned nose to nose to his boyfriend. "Please??? I really want to take you somewhere in particular."
Hisoka looked into his eyes, trying hard to find the will to decline and failing miserably. "Fine," he sighed. "Just let me get ready."
"Yay!" He kissed him on the forehead and bounded up, knowing he still liked his privacy while he got ready.
Hisoka stepped out half an hour later, showered, brushed and freshly dressed in a long sleeved shirt the color of roasted pumpkin and a pair of jeans with sturdy walking shoes (his parent's suggestion after previous trips to Paris and other countries like it). Tsuzuki beamed and grabbed his hand, pulling him merrily along and extra quiet past Tatsumi and Watari's room before they were out the door and walking out to the street.
"Tsuzuki, where are we going?"
"You'll see," he smiled. "I looked everything up and this is the best time to go today, before the crowds really start coming in."
"The crowds start coming in where?"
"You'll see! Just be patient."
"Can we at least get breakfast first?" He did pause then and smiled sheepishly. Hisoka was actually mildly surprised he had not thought of food earlier.
"Okay, but just real quick! A crepe would be good…ah!" He smiled as he saw a café open for business early and they walked over to sit. They ordered quickly, a strawberry crepe for Hisoka and a chocolate one for Tsuzuki along with two cups of coffee. Hisoka eyed his partner before the food came with perplexity. He seemed almost giddy and bouncing with excitement, an odd thing for the morning hours.
"Why are you so bouncy today?"
He smiled and reached for his hand. "I've got something special planned. Remember how I said I wanted to go sightseeing with you?"
"Yeah, but we said we'd wait until the case was over with."
"I know but…well, sometimes we don't have time. Like the investigation takes too long and we end up having to go home before we see anything. So…" He took out a few scraps of paper from his wallet and fanned them out for him to see. "I picked up these."
Hisoka gaped at the tickets in his hand. They were quite clearly tickets to the world famous Eiffel tower. He blinked and looked up at his partner. "What…today?! Tsuzuki, we're supposed to—"
"You're mother said she and Hokuto would cover for us, picking up newspapers and magazines with any useful information and asking around. And there's no reason we can't ask around ourselves while we're, say, on the observation deck?"
The blonde looked at the tickets again, wavering. "Tatsumi would skin us alive…"
"And we'd grow it back and move on with our afterlives. Please, Hisoka?" Tsuzuki took his hand again, not even noticing as his crepe and coffee were set down next to him. "We're in the most romantic city in the world. I want to spend at least a few hours with you alone. Or as alone as we can get in such a crowded place." He smiled hopefully and Hisoka sighed.
"Alright...but let's try to get back before Tatsumi knows we're missing."
Tsuzuki whooped and wolfed down his crepe and coffee extra fast. Hisoka took a little more time, but was urged to hurry on by his partner. When he was finally done he took his hand and led him down to the side of the Seine, where they barely managed to board a ferry bound for the Eiffel Tower.
Both shinigami sat close to one another on the boat. A few of the other passengers eyed them and Hisoka shifted uncomfortably under their scrutiny. Some were eyeing him with admiration and lust and others were staring between him and the man next to him suspiciously. He felt all of this, but not in the overwhelming way it once would've felt like. Still, knowing what they were thinking, and knowing that some looked at them in repulsion made him squirm in his seat just the tiniest bit. Tsuzuki noticed how uncomfortable his partner looked and smiled before slipping his arm around his thin shoulders and drawing him closer.
Hisoka flushed and squirmed even more. "Tsuzuki, stop…"
"Why?" he asked, genuinely surprised. He'd thought that perhaps the direct sunlight on the river coupled with the motion of the boat going up stream was what was making him feel a little ill.
"People are staring…" he whispered harshly.
The purple-eyed man craned his neck back to see a few people quickly turn away with a disapproving purse of their lips or a scowl between their eyes. He pouted in annoyance but shrugged and turned his attention back to his boyfriend. "So?"
"So…so…"
He smiled and tightened his hold before pressing the crowns of their heads together. "Let them stare. They don't know us, we don't know them, and after today we'll never see them again. The only one I care about today is you."
Hisoka flushed again and turned away with a smile he was obviously trying his damnedest to fight. "Baka…" He leaned in and stretched his hand behind his back.
Both looked up in wonder as the Eiffel tower came into view. They could easily see it close from the river, stretching high up into the air like a spear piercing the sky. They boat loaded off nearby and they hiked up the steps to the courtyard of the tower.
"Wow…it's so tall," Hisoka craned his neck back in such a cute way that Tsuzuki couldn't help but slip his arm back around him. "C'mon. Our elevator's after the next one, we got here just in time." (a/n: for those of you who haven't been, the tickets to ride up the Eiffel tower elevator are timed. You miss yours you waste one very expensive ticket.) The ride up was interesting. The first elevator actually went diagonally up the iron structure. Once there they looked around the small mini-veranda briefly before boarding the second that took them strait up. Once they the pushed past the small (for that time of day) crowd and looked out as all of Paris was revealed to them.
"Wow…" they said together.
"I think I can see where we're staying!" Tsuzuki pointed.
"Tsuzuki, we came from the other direction," Hisoka said exasperatedly.
"Really? Oh yeah, I guess you're right…" He looked out the corner of his eye and smiled as Hisoka looked around in amazement. "Glad I woke you up early and convinced you to come?"
Hisoka turned and smiled as he stood on the tips of his feet to plant a soft kiss on the taller man's cheek. "Very. Thank you…Asato-koi."
It was Tsuzuki's turn to blush as he whispered his given name and the endearment reverently. Smiling with pride he leaned down and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips, the public be damned.
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Seiichirou Tatsumi had rarely gotten drunk in life. There had been one time in college many, many years ago. Another time when a cousin of his had gotten married and he'd just kept pouring wine into his glass. After his mother's death…well, that was a low point in his life and he wasn't aware of much going on before he died. He'd gotten drunk a couple of times after becoming a shinigami. Especially after he'd discovered his feelings for his then partner. And another time right after he'd split up with him. This however had been the first time in nearly half a century he'd gone over his limit.
What was strange about his occurrence was that he continued to have the same dream over and over. Someone kissing him sweetly on the lips and it feeling so nice, so wonderful, so…right. Try as he might he could never make out the person's face though. It was always obscured in shadow by a great shining light behind them, as if they were an angel. He was grasping pitifully for that dream as his mind wandered up from its latest rendition into something akin to near waking. Opening his eyes he winced as a lance of sunlight caught him in the eye and buried itself painfully in his head. Groaning he actually pulled the covers over himself and turned away towards the wall in an attempt to reenter the dream yet again and determine the mystery person's face.
If it had been anyone else Watari would've understood. But this being Tatsumi he paused in browsing through his computer and browsing the news articles and magazines Neina and Hokuto had already brought him for clues on their case in disbelief. Was the infamous secretary of Meifu, with chilled acid for blood and known for his strict no tardy policy, actually trying to sleep in more?
Mustering up his courage the scientist, with his infinite curiosity for the odd and out of place, quietly padded across the floor and stood over him worriedly. "Uh…Tatsumi? You alright?"
One sapphire blue eye peeked out from beneath the blanket and glared at him. "My head hurts, my mouth feels like dried cotton and I have the distinct taste of last night's dinner on the tip of my tongue thanks to my stomach trying to turn itself inside out. What do you think?"
I think I'm lucky you haven't looked in your wallet yet. Watari just smiled good naturedly, taking the acidic tone in his friends voice and the death glare aimed at him in stride. "Well that's typically what a hangover feels like."
"A hangover…oh lord, I got drunk last night, didn't I?" He rose to a sitting position, wincing and covering his eyes against the light again. He fumbled for his glasses and accepted them gratefully from Watari.
"You don't remember?"
The secretary narrowed his eyes in concentration. "I remember…trying a slot machine and finding a game chip…so I played it at roulette…and I won! So I tried it again and this woman came by and kept refreshing my drink…after that it gets a little fuzzy."
"So…you don't remember me leading you home?" Or your lame pick-up lines? Or our…kiss?
His face screwed up more in a redoubled effort until he sighed and rubbed his temple. "No…I'm afraid I don't. So I suppose I should thank you for getting me back safe?"
Watari smiled and waved his hands as if dismissing such a notion. "I was more than happy to do it! What are friends for?"
Tastumi smiled then noticed the other's computer was on and had evidently been running for a few hours. Then he noticed that his sometimes partner was fully dressed in his casual clothes and not his pajamas or the clothes he wore last night like he was. "You've been working? How long have you been up?"
Watari smiled sheepishly. "Ah…a few hours. It's almost noon."
"WHAT!?!" Tatsumi scrambled for the clock on his dresser and stared at the time. "You let me sleep for that long?!"
"You had a hangover! I figured sleeping would be good for you."
"Regardless of what's good for me, we have work to do!"
"And I've been working! And so have the others! Neina and Hokuto picked up all these news articles for me and Tsuzuki and Hisoka…ah, went out early this morning to try and situate where everything was from up above."
Tatsumi glowered at him more, his apparent frustration at having been in bed so long coupled with the headache still invading senses. "And have you found out anything then?"
Watari frowned. The other man was unusually grumpy; almost irritated by the fact he was merely standing there worried about him. "Yes…I've narrowed down the list of possible demons we could be dealing with."
"Good," he grumbled. "So what are they?" He rose from the bed and followed him stiffly over to the laptop.
"Only two possibilities, really. Given the condition of Mr. Corvenu's state when we found him, and several other cases from the past week with similar symptoms and stories, we're either dealing with an Incubus or a Succubus."
"So we're down to two options. Which is the more dangerous?"
"Both are equally dangerous, just to different people." Watari sighed and folded his arms. "This is where it gets confusing. Incubi attack only females and succubi…succubeses? Oh whatever, they only feed off of men. But in the past week, two women and three men, counting Bill, were all killed in precisely the same manner."
Tatsumi grunted. "Well, that does make this more difficult. How do they do it, precisely?"
Watari rarely blushed, but now he colored just the tiniest bit. "Ah, well…they seduce who they want to feed on then…when they're ah…" Oh lord, I could go through this no problem if it weren't for this morning and last night!! Deep breath, Yutaka, deep breath! "When they're having sex, they suck out their victim's life force and leave basically an empty lifeless shell," he said quickly but clearly.
"I…see…"
"Heh, if there was a best way to go, I suppose…" Watari flinched at the humorless look the man gave him. "Tatsumi, is everything okay? You seem…kind of irritated. Is your hangover that bad?" Does he remember what happened last night? Is he angry? Does he think I was trying to take advantage of him? Wait, what?
The older man sighed briefly through his nose, something like an exasperated snort, and rose. "I'm perfectly fine, Mr. Watari, I assure you," he muttered. He walked out the room door, Watari close behind and unconvinced. "Neina!"
The blonde woman jumped in her chair in the communal living room, almost ripping the magazine she was highlighting in two. Turning, she blinked at the rather disheveled secretary behind her, dressed in his rumpled dress shirt and slacks. "Yes…Tatsumi?"
"Call your son and Mr. Tsuzuki. I want them back so we can discuss what might be happening with this demon."
"Uh…I would, but there still snooping around the police station."
Tatsumi's eyebrow ticked upward. "I thought they were flying resonance."
"What…Oh! Yes, that's right. Disregard what I just said. Anyway, still can't do it. I…broke my phone."
"Then use the house phone."
"That's…broken too."
"It's right there and perfectly fine. I'll just do it myself." Before he grasped the receiver she snatched it up, unplugged it, opened the window and tossed it out three stories to the street below.
"See? Broken."
Tatsumi glared at her so fiercely she actually backed up and looked wary. "Neina-san, while usually I might be amused by such half-assed antics as that, I am in no mood for them now. Call-them-now."
Watari blanched and gawked. The Tatsumi he knew would never use a tone like that to one of his friends. He looked to Neina and was even more shocked to see her actually quaking and backing up. She was frightened of him!"
"T-Tatsumi, what's wrong? You're really angry about something…" she tried to say consolingly. Her voice broke over every other word.
"I'm perfectly fine, except in the fact that nothing appears to be getting done," he growled menacingly.
"We're doing our best! I'm sure Watari told you—"
"You're best is when the demon is caught!"
"Hey!" Hokuto walked in and actually pulled Neina behind him as if to shield her from the waves of anger emanating off of the usually reserved secretary. "What the hell's your problem?! If you're angry about something, don't take it out on innocent people who're just trying to help."
Tatsumi paused and the glare softened a little. He glanced at Neina peeking out behind Hokuto, obviously confused but also worried and a little skittish of him now. He sighed and opened his mouth to apologize when the door opened.
"We're back!!" Tsuzuki yelled. "The Eiffel Tower was amazing!! Thanks for covering for us!!" Tsuzuki's cheerful grin deflated like a punctured balloon as he entered and saw Tatsumi standing there. Hisoka, coming in behind him, blanched.
All thoughts of an apology were forgotten as Tatsumi rounded on them all at once. "This…this is doing you're best?!"
"Tatsumi, I can explain—" Hisoka began.
"Be quiet! You…you most of all should be ashamed, Kurosaki!! I thought at least you out of anyone in the bureau had some sense of responsibility!! But here you go, gallivanting of on a-a date instead of doing your job!!"
"Tatsumi, it's not his fault—" Tsuzuki tried.
"Oh, I'm sure it's not," he spat. "Why am I not surprised that it was your idea? You'll do anything to get out of your job to go play with your little toy, hm?"
Everyone was silent for a moment. They were shocked, to put it quite simply. They had never seen this side of him before. It was a side he had kept locked away deep down in chains. The side most people tried to keep out of sight and out of mind. The belligerent, angry, incoherent side that is sparked by the most poisonous of emotions…
Watari, having picked up on this even before the empaths in the room, quickly grabbed Tatsumi's arm and dragged him back into the room and shut the door. He'd pushed Tatsumi upon entering towards his bed to sit but he remained standing and glared at the other man. Watari just glared back, not a complete bluff on his part this time.
"What the hell is your problem?" he hissed.
"My problem? My problem?! My problem is that I'm the only one—"
"Oh get off your pedestal!" he shouted back, causing Tatsumi to flinch in surprise. "You were in a drunken stupor till half an hour ago and the three of us have been working since 7. And yes, we let Tsuzuki and Hisoka go on a date this morning to the Eiffel Tower."
"They should've been working! They have no right to put their personal pleasures above a case when lives are at stake!"
"That's not the problem is it?" Watari asked quietly. "That's not why you're angry at them."
"Of course it is! Why else would I be—"
"You're jealous."
That. That was the one thing Tatsumi had not wanted to hear, had not wanted to face. And he still didn't want to.
"I am not—"
"You are," he affirmed, monotone and yet somehow forlorn. "You're jealous that their trying to make it work and you didn't. That it is working, and you gave up early."
His jaw worked soundlessly for a moment before he erupted. "I am not jealous!!" The shadows in the room spoke differently. They surged and waved in frightening masses, even going so far as to break the clock on his desk and the picture right behind Watari in a shower of glass.
Watari didn't move an inch just stared at him until he got himself under control. "Tatsumi…their happy. I know you don't want to hear it, but they are. Tsuzuki has…moved on. You should too."
I know that…
"What do you know about that?!"
I know that…
"Tatsumi, stop acting like this! They're your friends, you should be happy for them!"
I know…why won't I stop?
"Then why don't you go throw them a bridal shower?!"
Stop…stop before you say it.
"Tatsumi, stop yelling at me!! I'm just trying to help!!"
Stop before you ruin it.
"Well I don't need you're help!"
Stop.
"You can't do everything on your own, Tatsumi! Let me help!"
Stop!
"Why do you care?!"
STOP!!
"Because…because…I—"
Don't say it!!
"What ever the reason, I don't care!! If you really want to help me, just go away and never come back!!" Tatsumi sucked in a breath as soon as the words left his mouth. Watari stared at him, mouth slack, eyes wide and…hurt. "Watari…"
To his horror the blonde man backed up as he took a step forward. His face was cast down now, not meeting his eyes. "Whatever you say," he choked. He turned and wrenched the door open to run down the hall.
"Watari!"
Everyone else gather near the hallway's entrance looked up as the scientist ran past them, almost pushing them down. He didn't even pause to apologize like he usually would, just kept racing for the door until he was down the stares.
"Hey! What the heck is going on around here…Hisoka?" Tsuzuki clasped an arm around his back in surprised concern. Tears were falling down the blonds white cheeks in rivers. Hisoka seemed confused by them himself and was brushing at them with his shirt sleeves. Neina was similarly affected, looking at the moisture on her hands in confusion as she brushed them away.
"Was Watari…crying?"
Tatsumi remained in the hallway to the room, looking past them at the still open door. "What have I done?"
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Like I said, it gets worse before it gets better…how much do you hate me right now?
REVIEW and SUGGEST. Just don't kill me or I can't put it right.