Okay, a note: Starting from this chapter onward, the demon will be referred to by the following monikers: the demon, Tatsumi-kage (shadow Tatsumi), and sometimes the creature. This is to avoid calling him just plain Tatsumi, which would end up getting pretty confusing. Saying 'the demon' all the time would be too repetitive, so I hope it's not too lame. I had a hard time figuring out what to call him! Anyway, that's the only thing you should take note of. I hope it reduces confusion this way, since occasionally the characters will be talking about Tatsumi (not possessed). ; Plus, FF.net fucks with my formatting since they introduced that edit/preview crap. So if you see anything that doesn't make sense, let me know. Now, if any of what I just said actually made sense, onto the reviews, then the fic!

Triskell - Ah, thank you. I hope I can manage to write a dark fic well.

Fish1 - Thanks!

Kara Angitia - LOL. Glad ya like it so far, dear.

james - Even your review makes it sound suspenseful! Thank you.

Watercolor-Dragon - Well, maybe he will, maybe not. Who knows? Except me.

Schatten Wolfendorf - Just tell your classmates you forgot to take your medication that day. ; I'm glad you like the characterization so far.

Chapter 2

"Excellent deduction," the creature standing before him said, almost looking pleased. "I had planned to keep it secret longer, but you really are too clever for your own good. Of course, I should have known his lover of all people would figure it out first."

"What do you want with him?" Watari asked, tired of small talk.

The demon smiled.

"How powerful do you think I am, Watari Yutaka?"

The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Obviously pretty fucking powerful to control a Kagetsukai!"

He could practically see the demon's ego flare at the acknowledgement of his power.

"Will you answer my question now?" the blonde asked impatiently.

Tatsumi-kage nodded.

"I want a toy. Something to amuse me. Not to mention the fact that, using this body, I can destroy all of you. However, I always play with my food before devouring it."

Watari backed up a step.

"Why Tatsumi, then? Why not Tsuzuki?"

The demon grinned unpleasantly.

"Possessing him would result in my expulsion and eradication. No, I much prefer the Kagetsukai, considering how few of them there are. It should prove quite challenging for you to get rid of me. And I know everything about this...Tatsumi. I can see all his thoughts, his memories, his emotions. I have ample material with which to destroy all of you. And, just to make things interesting, he is aware of everything that is happening while I possess him. Our conversation right now is being witnessed by him, but he's powerless to interfere."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" the blonde demanded.

The demon tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Because every time I hurt one of you, I'll be hurting him as well. It gives me great joy, and your knowledge of his pain only adds to my fun. Remember, I know everything. All your weaknesses, all your strengths... If I so chose right now, I could slaughter you, Shinigami."

Watari watched Tatsumi carefully, looking for any sign that his lover might have some control. Finding none, he calculated the seconds it would take him to rush to the doors, open them, and try to flee. The demon's eyes bore into his own, sending a shiver down his spine.

"I would suggest thinking carefully before alerting the others to this. After all, your lover's life is in my hands," the creature said.

The scientist nodded.

"Duly noted," he said, licking his lips. "I suppose you're letting me walk out of here?"

Tatsumi-kage nodded, a glint of amusement in his now cold blue eyes.

Not wasting an opportunity, Watari fled the room.

"This should be interesting..." the demon murmured to himself.

The next morning, Watari paced his lab. 'So he's aware of everything that's happening... If I can just find a way to get him to surface. I'll have to weaken the demon to do that, though. Can't very well weaken it if I don't even know what the hell it is! So back to square one... He's definitely planning something, though. The way he was talking, he has something specific in mind. I really doubt this is all about killing us off, or he would have started already. Hmm...he said he wants amusement. If I were a demon, what would amuse me? Killing, torture, pain, suffering, fear... Shit, that doesn't sound promising.' He stopped abruptly at the sound of footsteps drawing near. Turning to face the door, he held his breath. It opened slowly, only to reveal Tsuzuki's face. Watari deflated, gripping the countertop behind him.

"Don't do that! Geez, you're liable to give me a heart attack!" he admonished.

The violet-eyed man gave him a look of confusion.

"Huh? What'd I do? Well anyway, have you seen Tatsumi-san? I need to go over something with him regarding that case 'Soka and I just finished."

Watari sighed.

"Can't it wait? He's probably in his office, but..."

"But what?"

The scientist looked away.

"Ah, he's...not feeling well. You know, pretty worn out and whatnot. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you waited a few days to speak with him about the case."

Tsuzuki gave him a sympathetic look.

"I hope he feels better. Hey, make sure he gets some rest, okay? It's bad enough when he's in tip-top shape!"

Watari smiled.

"Sure thing. I'm sure he'll be fine, but we should let him be for now."

Tsuzuki gave a thumbs up, disappearing from the crack of the door. The blonde closed his eyes, leaning back slightly. 'Man, I hate lying to my friends...' he thought. He heard the footsteps return, and prepared to shoo Tsuzuki off once again.

"Expecting someone?" The silken voice belonged to Tatsumi, but the eyes...

The scientist shuddered, watching the man enter the lab.

"How can I help you, Demon Spawn of Hell?"

Tatsumi-kage chuckled, closing the gap between them. He reached up, cupping Watari's cheek in his hand.

"Is that any way to talk to your superior?"

Watari let out a low growl.

"Do not...touch me," he warned.

The demon tilted his head curiously.

"Oh? You don't want your lover touching you?"

The blonde took a purposeful step backward, out of the other man's reach.

"You aren't Tatsumi. If you touch me..."

"If I touch you what?" the demon dared. "You'll hurt me? Why, then you would be hurting your precious Tatsumi, wouldn't you? But please, do try."

"I'm going to destroy you," Watari said, glaring. "You'll be gone soon."

The Kagetsukai's eyebrow rose.

"As I recall, you've done quite enough damage to me already, 'Taka. Remember your little...experiment?" Tatsumi-kage said.

Watari squeezed his eyes shut momentarily.

"Don't pull that shit, it won't work. You're not him, you fool."

The demon smiled.

"Yes, but I do know his every thought, every emotion. Every ounce of pain you've caused by your carelessness."

The blonde shook his head, refusing to acknowledge the statement. 'He's making it up to fuck with my head,' he told himself firmly.

"Do you really think the past is set aside so easily?" the demon continued, whispering in his ear. "Can a man like Tatsumi really forgive and forget like that? Do you think that if it came down to a choice between you and Tsuzuki, that he would choose you?"

Watari's heart sped up and he gripped the countertop more tightly.

"You expect me to trust your word?" he growled. "You already stated that your purpose is to amuse yourself, after all."

Tatsumi-kage wrapped an arm around the scientist's slender waist, pulling Watari's body backward so that it touched his own. The demon leaned his head on the blonde's shoulder, his lips brushing the pale column of neck.

"He thinks you're incompetent, you know."

Watari tried to shrug.

"So what else is new?" he said jokingly.

He could feel the demon smile against his neck.

"How about the fact that he still loves Tsuzuki...more than he loves you?"

The blonde stiffened. He had expected such a comment, but it was hard to hear nonetheless.

"You're a liar," he whispered, trying to sound confident.

"If you think that, you're only lying to yourself," Tatsumi-kage said. He pulled away, exiting the lab without another word. Watari waited until he heard the door click shut, then let himself slide to the floor.

"Bastard," he muttered angrily, fists balled so tightly that his knuckles were white.

Hisoka frowned, staring blankly at the paperwork in front of him. 'Something isn't right...' he thought. 'I can feel it...something strange is happening.' He raised his head, watching Tsuzuki eat a cupcake.

"Did you ask Tatsumi-san about the case?" he finally asked.

The violet-eyed Shinigami looked up in surprise, frosting clinging to his lips.

"Hm? No, Watari said he's not feeling good."

The boy's frown deepened.

"Tsuzuki, I don't think-"

His words were interrupted by a knock on the door. Tatsumi peeked in.

"Tsuzuki-san, may I have a word with you?"

The man in question shoved the cupcake wrapper aside, quickly wiping his mouth. Jumping up, he cast a glance toward his partner before exiting the room. Hisoka stared at the door, his feeling of unease growing.

"You've caused me great suffering over the years," Tatsumi-kage said as he ushered the other man into his office. Tsuzuki sat down nervously.

"I'm sorry, T-"

"What are you going to do to make it up to me?" the demon interjected.

Tsuzuki lowered his head.

"A-anything you want, Tatsumi-san. I'll do paperwork, um...I'll file things!"

The demon shook his head.

"I was thinking something more...intimate than that."

The younger Shinigami froze.

"W-what? Tatsumi-san..."

Tatsumi-kage sat on the desk, facing the other man.

"I think," he said, running a finger over Tsuzuki's cheek, "that you are in no position to object."

Tsuzuki's eyes went wide and he tried to shrink away.

"Tatsumi-san! I don't...understand..."

The demon frowned.

"I know for a fact that you aren't as naïve as you pretend," he pointed out. "All these years you've made me suffer... Don't you think you owe me for it? For all the pain you've caused me?"

Tsuzuki's eyes filled with tears, not yet realizing that his co-worker wasn't himself.

"I...I'm sorry," he managed weakly.

Tatsumi-kage's expression turned dark.

"That isn't good enough," he said, leaning downward to capture Tsuzuki in a kiss.

The door creaked open, then was slammed against the wall, causing both men to jump.

"Get away from him," Hisoka growled, fighting back his anger.

The demon sighed, standing to face the boy.

"Why should it matter to you, Kurosaki-kun? After all, who could care for him more than I?"

The boy gave him a disgusted look.

"You aren't-"

"But I am. What have you ever done to deserve his affections?" the demon inquired, struggling to keep the smirk off his face. "All you can do is hurt him with your cold attitude and demeaning comments. You demand so much, yet give so little."

"Stop it!" Tsuzuki cried, putting his body between the two. "What the hell is going on?! Why are you fighting like this?"

"Tsuzuki," Hisoka said in a warning tone.

Tatsumi-kage stepped back.

"I'll leave you two to sort this out," he said. "But I will see you again soon."

He transported out of the room. Tsuzuki looked at his partner.

"What's going on? Why was Tatsumi...?"

The boy sighed, resting a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Tsuzuki, that wasn't Tatsumi-san. C'mon, let's go talk to Watari-san. I have a feeling he knows more about this than we do..."