since i forgot this on the first chapter-
Disclaimer: i dont own Yami no Matsuei. it would be awesome if i did, but alas i dont.

sorry this chapter is so short! just trying to set up more of the insanity.
containted within are the further adventures of two of the most cluelessly adorable individuals ever. and one large shikigami. and some of watari's potions...
as always PLEASE review!!!!! pleaseohpleaseohplease! if nothing else it gets me to update faster!

-Fireun

'Man, I screwed that up. I really am such a hassle to him. I don't even know why you keep me around Hisoka, why you asked me to stay...I know you need me; I have felt you cling to me needing comfort from your nightmares. I am like one big fluffy security blanket. Cuddled and loved all night, put in the closet all day. Something to keep hidden, never to show anyone else.'

Tsuzuki munched on a danish, wide purple eyes shimmering with unshed unhappiness, not even tasting the sugar. It was more reflex than pleasure at this point. He was upset, so it was time to eat sweet things, like putting a band-aid on a wound that really should have some stitches. And about as effective. He considered calling Byakko. The shikigami would be company if nothing else, someone to spend time with who didn't hate him or wouldn't demand he get back to work.

'I want to cuddle...'

Well, at least Byakko wouldn't laugh. Or tell anyone about how his master called him to be used as a sort of massive stuffed animal...

Which is how Byakko found himself settled comfortably amidst the blooming sakura trees, his master curled up against his flank, sleeping. 'Unconventional...but pleasant.' But, then again, what was there about his master that was conventional? He glanced affectionately at Tsuzuki's sleeping form. That was what made Tsuzuki such a pleasure to serve, a master so different than any other, so caring and involved with everyone. Byakko caught himself as he huffed a most un-godlike purr into existence and went still, hoping no one had happened to wander by and hear. Didn't want to ruin his image after all...

"'Soka..." Tsuzuki muttered in his sleep, curling tighter against the comforting warmth of his shikigami.

Byakko pricked his ears back, tilting his head to the side in bemusement. Hisoka? Tsuzuki's partner? What had that little brat done THIS time to upset his master? He was going to have to have a talk with that kid...

"..am going to have to have a talk with him, Tatsumi." Watari sighed, carefully pouring something green into a beaker of something a sick looking yellow. There was no puff of smoke, no explosion, and Watari looked vaguely...disappointed?

Tatsumi tried to ignore his eccentric partner, determined to keep his attention on the problem at hand. "I could talk to the boy tomorrow if you want. I would rather this didn't drag out too long. Tsuzuki tends to splurge on sweets when he is depressed, as well as spend money he does not have on sake."

"Tsuzuki? Spend on sweets? Surely you jest, old friend!" Watari shook the beaker a bit, causing the green liquid to drift around the yellow, not quite mixing.

"Watari...!" Tatsumi inched backward as a sweet sort of burning smell drifted from the beaker in the form of sickly yellow smoke.

"Ahhh...not quite what I wanted..." Watari coughed as almost all of the liquid puffed into smoke with an audible pop right into the scientists face. "Well, that didn't work."

"Watari...about our coworkers?"

"Ah! Right! Bon is a bit taken with our Tsuzuki, if I am not mistaken. And knowing him, it is making him miserable."

"Right. And we all know Tsuzuki's opinion of Hisoka."

Watari grinned. "Better than chocolate, if my understanding is correct."

"What else would have kept him around? We all know it wasn't his paycheck."

"You know, Tatsumi, you could consider giving him a little more leeway when it comes to expenditures..."

Tatsumi pushed his glasses higher on his nose, flashing Watari the accountant-look-of-death. "Give him more? Let's try not to encourage him."

This time Watari's cough was completely a nervous function. No one liked to be the subject of that particular look. "Well, if we manage to untangle this situation for them, he will have something better than sweets, correct? And then he won't be as tempted to spend as much on...frivolous things like dessert!"

That did the trick. He had Tatsumi's undivided attention, though that in itself was a little intimidating. Watari could almost see the number crunching going on behind those deep blue eyes. "Excellent. I assume you will take care of this as soon as possible, Watari?"

"Sure! I will talk to bon first thing in the morning!" Watari all but bounced in his (mostly ineffective) effort to contain his enthusiasm.

"Sooner is possible, Watari. If they mope about and do as little as they did today much longer I will have to cut their pay." Tatsumi winced as Watari's beaker gave off one more burp of depressed looking gas, and hastily retreated.