Author's notes: This story is set a little while after the conclusion of both the Kamakura and the Gensou Kai arcs and since I have no clue how either of those stories will end, I'm pretty much going to have to fake it, making this story an AU of sorts. I'm also going to have to warn anyone reading this that a lot of my information is solely gleaned from translations (found at Theria.net, a Yami fan's paradise ^_^) and so maybe a little inaccurate at times. If I've misunderstood any key points, please alert me and I'll be thrilled to make corrections; unless it ruins my entire plotline, then I'll just have to use the good ole 'its an AU' excuse.

Spoiler Warning: There's probably going to be heaps of spoilers relating to Hisoka's family. In fact, I'm not even sure it's possible to understand this story without being aware of everything that has happened in the manga so far…Which is going to make things difficult for me because I don't have a full understanding either. ^^;;

Disclaimer: I do not own Yami no Matsuei, that privilege belongs to the wonderful Matsushita-sensei. Let us all worship her.

Learning to Breathe

Chapter 1

Despite Tatsumi's workaholic nature, it was unusual for the secretary to successfully get through the workload he set for himself each day. This was not due to any slackness on Tatsumi's part. It was just difficult to concentrate on paperwork when the usual, daily chaos was in full swing in the Shokan division. Today, however, the shadow master had been quite fortunate; Watari had only blown up his lab twice, Tsuzuki managed to only short circuit one of the older, less expensive computers when he was typing up his report (by spilling hot cocoa over it) and when the violet eyed Shinigami had gotten into a quarrel with Terazuma it was because the younger God of Death had pushed him out of a window, so the following brawl took place outside, leaving company property undamaged.

Of course opinions on this might differ if one were to consider that both Terazuma and Tsuzuki could be counted as 'company property'. But this didn't bother Tatsumi in the slightest because, being shinigami, both men had fully recovered from their injuries soon afterwards, and whatever damage they inflicted to each other was their own fault anyway and would hopefully discourage them from further fighting; not that it ever had before.

Tatsumi took advantage of this current peaceful state to work through the reports and documents that had managed to build up over some of the more hectic days, with a furious pace. His hands darting like lighting across his desk as he collated papers, signed documents, tallied receipts and balanced budgets. The secretary was on a mission, to get back on schedule or die trying…although the latter would be a rather difficult feat since Tatsumi was already deceased, but that was not the point.

Even Tsuzuki should have known better than to disturb his colleague when he was in this condition. But the violet-eyed man had learnt his lesson earlier that day when he had tried to coax the secretary out for lunch and in return had been thrown out of the office…literally. Needless to say, everyone made sure to keep his or her distance after that. If something like that could happen to Tsuzuki, who everyone (except the brunet himself) knew to be Tatsumi's favorite, then there was no telling what the secretary might do to someone he was on less favorable terms with.

So it was surprising when, just towards the end of the day, Tatsumi was finally snapped out of his work frenzy by a simple piece of paper.

A notice of death. Over his years as a shinigami Tatsumi had seen many such documents. Considering it's significance the notice was truly nothing much to look at. Plain paper, ironically the colour of bleached bones, thin, almost skeletal looking typed characters and finally Enma Daioh's official seal written with deep violet ink. Tatsumi did not receive a notice for every single death that occurred in Japan, if so the sheer amount of paperwork would make it impossible for him to leave the office. The Shokan division only received individual statements, like the one he was currently holding in his hands, when the death mentioned was related to one of the cases being conducted by the shinigami.

This simple piece of paper informed him that Kurosaki Nagare had died in his sleep early that morning.

He delicately placed the paper back onto his desk for a moment while he pondered this new information. He realized that this ending must have been long coming for the young clan head. The toll that Yatonogami's curse had taken, and the trauma of the previous weeks, had been clearly displayed in Nagare's depleting form and dull eyes. Eventually the once proud stance and regal posture, that Tatsumi had so admired, gave way as well, Nagare's straight spine becoming slightly bent, like the blade of katakana, his sure and graceful movements turning fragile and delicate. And that had just been a few days after Yatonogami was vanquished. Surely the other man's condition had worsened further after Tatsumi and Watari left Kamakura.

Tatsumi couldn't help feeling guilty for that. Even though Nagare had been aware that neither he nor Watari were true doctors, the clan head had let go of his pride for a moment and implored both men to stay in his home for just a little while longer. The secretary wondered if Nagare would still be alive now if he and Watari had just lingered on in Kamakura for one more day.

No, that was impossible. With the demon gone and Kasane's spirit finally sent on to the afterlife, they had no real reason to remain, and it would have been a breach of regulation for them to have done so. Also, there was the possibility that Nagare might have eventually discovered their status as shinigami.

Tsuzuki was the one who got into trouble for being too concerned for the people in his assignments. Not Tatsumi.

He sighed softly and picked up the sheath of paper again, wondering how he would break the news to Kurosaki-kun. As he did so a flash of violet caught his eye. There was something else bearing Enma's seal. How unusual. Tatsumi found himself reaching down for the pile of papers on his desk. Each of them was signed with that deep purple ink, seven documents in total.

The first being an application form for JuOhCho's newest Shinigami.

***

Ah…The AU part's pretty obvious now. I'm just assuming that by the end of this arc Yatongami would be taken care of as Tatsumi seems powerful enough to be able to finish the job.