Disclaimer – I am, unfortunately, not the proud owner of the bishies contained within. I am just continually abusing them to my own ends. I will return them when this all works itself out.

And another chapter. Thank you all SO much for reading. Grad school just started up again, so I don't know how fast I will be able to post, but at least this is a good place to pause. The boys really do need to sort things out a bit. I hope this one reads alright. I am so sleepy right now...

-Fireun

'Poor guy looks like he has been smacked in the face with a plank...' Tsuzuki bit his lower lip thoughtfully, a slight line of contemplation scratching its way down his forehead. For those who knew him best, Tsuzuki in actual Tsuzuki-mode only took a little adjusting to. For those whose acquaintance with him was casual at best, seeing Tsuzuki quietly looking thoughtful while walking slowly and purposefully would have come as quite a shock. But, alas, there were in fact times when there were more important things to consider then when the next baked delicacy would be available. And right now, that thing was the apparently muddled emotional state of his partner. 'Seriously, I have seen sheep that look less confused...' A quick reaffirming look at Hisoka's usually closed face made Tsuzuki wince a bit. 'I really hate that I, again, am the source of his mental state. I appear to be rather good at making him twitch...Well, at least he is working out his feelings for once instead of sitting on them and pretending they don't exist. Though, if I had the emotional state of everyone around me constantly intruding, I might admit to some difficulty in the feeling department myself.'

Quietly considering what to do with his partner, Tsuzuki decided on a park bench in slight disrepair beside a tiny pond that was a little on the....green side. 'Well, at least there wont be much human traffic over here...that should help him get his bearings with the least possible amount of interruption. Although, being stuck with me still might not help.'

Setting Hisoka on the bench was akin to putting one of those large stuffed bears in a sitting position- you had to make sure they weren't going to flop forward and fall. Having done all that he could in the helping out department, Tsuzuki settled himself on the other end of the bench to wait.

'Tsuzuki. OK. I can understand that, I mean he IS good looking, and kind, and caring...and a total idiot. All those people staring...that was horrifying...I don't want him to leave me. Ever. He can't leave me. He said he would stay, stay with me. He wants to be with me. I need him here. But those people were all looking. I don't like being stared at. I hope they aren't staring now. Wait, someone is looking at me, staring...can't tell who it is...' Hisoka untangled his thoughts enough to tentatively reach out and attempt to identify his observer. That particular flavor was distinctly Tsuzuki, riddled with the usual concern for Hisoka's wellbeing, affection, and guilt, a deep sort of guilt weaving in and out of everything else as he watched Hisoka work through a particularly muddled situation.

'That idiot. He feels guilty for this? That idiot.'

Hisoka shook his head once in an attempt at some sort of emotional spring cleaning, then turned his attention completely onto his partner. Tsuzuki lounged in a position that appeared for all the world to be the epitome of casual nonchalance. That careful stillness was what gave him away. "Tsuzuki?"

The other man gave a start, his eyes but not his attention having been on Hisoka. He blinked his wide purple eyes and grimaced. "Hisoka, sorry. I was thinking..."

"Such an alien activity. You must not be feeling well." GAH! There I go again. That is not what this situation needs. I don't want him to go into hyperhappyfuneverythingisfine mode.' "That didn't come out right. Let me try this again. This is not your fault."

It was Tsuzuki's turned to act the stunned sheep. "Ne?"

"This latest edition of Hisoka's mind overloads. Not your fault. At all."

"But the brownie..."

"It was delicious. Really it was."

"But it made all those people laugh, and say...things."

"And?"

Tsuzuki squirmed a little bit, eyes uncertain. This was it. That point in a not-quite relationship where no one wanted to be the one to ask if it was actually going to be a relationship. The awkward point where there was the answer you wanted, and didn't ask the question in case that wasn't the answer you got. "Well...they were saying how we were a couple..."

Hisoka took a deep breath. It was one thing to know you needed someone, and another all together to admit it to anyone. Hell, admitting it to the person involved was always the worst. 'And I even have an unfair advantage. I know he at least feels something for me. I don't know how anyone else gets all this relationship nonsense worked out without knowing what the other person is feeling. Must take some sort of courage...' "It wasn't being a couple that upset me. It was...being stared at. It bothers me. And that was just a lot of people at once...and I didn't know how you would react to...well, being a couple."

There. He had said it. 'At least I think I did. Tsuzuki looks like his processing power is overloading...'

Then a smile broke across Tsuzuki's face. A real smile. "So...we are a couple?"

Again some squirming occurred, on Hisoka's part this time. "...I suppose that is what I meant."

Hisoka braced for a glomping that never landed. Tsuzuki seemed content to place a hand on his partners shoulder and smile. 'Well, he knows me well enough to know I am still getting used to being touched. I think...I think I can do this. If it is with him...' Hisoka closed his eyes for a moment, soaking in one of the first instances of complete contentment he had ever felt in Tsuzuki. The other man had finally gotten a solid grip on something he had needed for a long time. Slowly, tentatively, Hisoka reached up a hand and placed it on top of Tsuzuki's. 'I need you, Tsuzuki. Your patience with me and your affection. And...I think you need the same from me.'

Whistling quietly to himself Watari handed the girl a small collection of money as she left the coffee shop. "I think this is one expenditure that Tatsumi is going to have no problem with." He grinned, seeing his friends on a bench a little ways off, obviously completely engrossed in each other. "Hell, one of my plans worked out. I should get a raise. I am glad Hisoka did turn out to be the jealous type." Whistling a jaunty tune Watari went to find himself something to do for a bit, to continue gloating quietly before telling Tatsumi of the results of this particular experiment.