AN: Gah! I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. It started off as me having no idea what I was going to do with this, and then I was away for spring break, and then I had a ton of tests and projects, and then I had badminton four times a week, and then there was my birthday…. Finally I have it typed an posted. I'm glad for the positive response, and I love everyone who reviews! You guys are great. Enjoy the next chapter. It turned out to be a lot longer than expected.
Chapter IV
Angst
It was warm, dark and blessedly comfortable where he lay. He didn't wake up enough to remember the previous night. His mind didn't register the dull ache in his body or the foreign location, or the warm form lying beside him. Rolling onto his side, he curled up against the warmth and went back to sleep, more comfortable and rested then he had been all the previous nights combined.
When he awoke a second time he was more coherent. He could feel every muscle in his body throbbing in a dull, restless pain, and the firm arm trapping his body. Without his glasses the room was blurred and unfamiliar. He felt a moments panic. Fumbling for his glasses, he dislodged himself from the arm.
The blond scientist didn't find his glasses but, though his weakened vision made it difficult, he was able to see who was sleeping beside him. He was close enough for that. Propelling himself off the bed, everything from the night before came back. He landed in a heap on the ground, not because he was tangled in the sheets, but because he was so frantic to get away.
He'd slept with Muraki! He'd slept with the very man who'd murdered and raped Hisoka, and he'd done it out of his own free will. It didn't matter that he was drunk, or upset. Those were excuses for hitting on someone's girlfriend, crying on their shoulder, or spontaneously dying hair and getting multiple nose piercings. It was not and excuse for running to a mass murderer or serial rapist. There was no excuse for that.
The loud tumble work the sleeping doctor, and the sliver haired man rolled over to see what the commotion was. When Muraki saw the blonde sprawled on the floor, a smile passed over his face. "I imagine you're rather uncomfortable down there. Maybe you should consider joining me back her and warming up a little."
The doctor has picked up on the goose bumps starting to form on Watari's flesh. They weren't from the cold, however. They were from the doctor's intense stare. He immediately wished he could curl up and disappear into the floor. As it was, he felt incredibly vulnerable. He tried to scramble back across the floor, limps flailing. He managed to reach the wall, which he considered a relatively safe distance from the doctor, and stopped, using a chair to pull himself up. He was self-conscious about his nudity and tried to cover himself as much as possible without appearing to do so.
Muraki responded by arching one eyebrow wryly at his display. "As much as I enjoy the view, I'd much rather admire it up close. Come back to bed."
Shaking his head, Watari's eyes darted frantically around the room, searching for his clothing. He needed to leave, but he certainly wasn't going to show up half naked in Meifu. That would simply be rubbing salt in the wound.
"I don't think so…" Watari began, much more calmly than he felt. "I need to be going. Work…"
Muraki grinned mischievously. "And where you have to go is more entertaining that what you were doing here?"
"No, but…" Watari caught himself with a hand a hand clasped over his mouth. He realized what he'd just admitted, and not just to Muraki. He'd enjoyed what had happened the night before. It didn't matter that he'd gotten his pleasure at the hands of a sociopath. He'd enjoyed it. He wouldn't be able to look at himself in the mirror again, let alone look his friends in the eyes. And, oh gods, Hisoka's empathy…
"Whatever you're doing can't be that pressing…"
The blonde shook his head again. "I have to go to work," he mumbled nervously. "Could you tell me where my clothes are?"
Muraki laughed softly at the blonde and pointed to the floor on his side of the bed.
"Thank you," Watari mumbled again and shuffled with embarrassment around the bed. The doctor lay there, arms folded comfortably across his chest, uncaring of his stark nudity. The silver haired man only smiled in response to Watari's awkward motions.
The blonde bent to pick up his garments, but before he could reach them a strong hand grabbed his are and dragged him onto the bed. In the time it took him to gather his thoughts Watari found himself pinned down on his back with the silver haired man straddling his waist, predatory grin on his face.
"Now," Muraki began, but paused to nip lightly at Watari's neck. He then soothed it with his tongue. "Isn't this much more entertaining than work? I doubt anyone will even know you're gone."
Craning his head to the side to give the silver haired doctor better access, Watari gave in to the ministrations. Muraki's words were ironically correct, and the blonde lost all desire to try and leave. He was much more resistive the second time around, but no less willing.
______
Hisoka walked into the break room that morning unsurprised to find Tsuzuki already there. He himself had been at work for over an hour, and only now was feeling hungry, but his violet eyed partner always stopped in to grab caffeine and sweets.
"Good morning," he greeted, far more pleasantly than Tsuzuki had any right to expect. Hisoka's office was next to Tatsumi's and the boy was able to experience and share in the joys of all of the secretary's emotions that morning. They ranged from frustration to anger to annoyance all lightly spiced with a copious amount of guilt.
Tsuzuki looked up from the cup of coffee he was adding sugar to. "Hiya Hisoka," the older man returned pleasantly. "How's your morning?"
The empath flopped into the chair beside him and closed his eyes tightly. "My head hurts."
Tsuzuki knew something was wrong, not only from the fact that Hisoka had forgotten to call him an idiot, but also from the fact that the boy had also admitted he was in pain. Immediately he had an arm around Hisoka's shoulder in what he hoped to be a comforting manner. "Are you alright?"
Hisoka shook the older man's arm away, though he was truly touched by the gesture. Contrary to when they'd first med, Tsuzuki's emotions were soothing. They made him feel safe and wanted. The two of them had come a long way since the whole incident with the Tern Snake. They'd come a long way in that they were more restful now, but they still had a long way to go. Tsuzuki still felt guilty over things he couldn't control, and Hisoka was still difficult and unable to express himself. There were changes though. Tsuzuki no longer felt guilty over what he was, and Hisoka was more personable.
They were making progress. Enough to say that the fledgling relationship they'd entered into might actually have a chance.
"Don't worry about me," Hisoka replied gruffly. "You should be more concerned with what you're putting in your coffee."
Looking down, Tsuzuki let out a faint yelp. He'd forgotten about the sugar he'd been pouring into his mug, and he'd created for himself a super-saturated cup of coffee-sugar solution. A smile graced Hisoka's lips as he asked, "Would you like some coffee with all that sugar?"
Tsuzuki stood, muttering to himself and whining about how mean Hisoka was being. He moved to the sink and poured the sugar down the drain. Hisoka felt himself under an intense glare as his partner moved to fill his mug once again.
Once satisfied, the violet eyed man sat back down and, with a contented sigh, he poured a modest amount of sugar into the cup. A small, foolish smile formed after he took his first sip, causing the younger shinigami to roll his eyes.
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to appreciate the finer delicacies in life," Tsuzuki said in defence. "What's the point in eating if you don't enjoy it?"
"So that your body can consume the necessary nutrients and energy it requires to survive."
"Oh no, my dear Hisoka," Tsuzuki said wisely. "That's what intravenous is for. Eating is so that you can delight your senses."
His moment was spoiled when he emphasized his point by biting into a powder-covered, strawberry filled dough-nought, and came away with the powder lining his lips and a small amount of filling dribbling down his chin.
Shaking his head, Hisoka fondly muttered something along with lines of, "Moron," and wiped the filling off his partner's face with his thumb. Without thinking, he brought his thumb up to his lips and licked it clean, earning him a double take from the older shinigami. Hisoka's face flushed when he realized what he'd done.
Tsuzuki smiled at the boy's actions, but didn't let Hisoka's comment slip. "Watari, with all of his extensive scientifical knowledge, would agree with me."
This caused Hisoka to frown, brows furrowed deep in thought. For once Tsuzuki wished he'd kept his mouth shut. They'd both seen how poorly Tatsumi had treaded Watari, as well as Watari's response, and while it was easy to put it out of one's mind, it was equally easy to think of it again. With empathy, Hisoka could not only hear what was being said, but he could also sense the emotions behind the words. Unfortunately, he couldn't read the reasons behind the emotions.
So he, like everyone else, was left to try and see what had happened to upset the usually chipper blonde scientist enough to destroy his lab, and what had caused Tatsumi to treat Watari so heartlessly. Sure Tatsumi was known as cold and distant, but he always took care of those close to him. It wasn't in his character to strike at someone so deeply.
"You haven't seen Watari, have you?" Tsuzuki asked, disturbing the younger man's train of thought.
Hisoka shook his head, short blond hair falling into his eyes so that he had to brush it away. "The lights weren't on in his lab… I don't think he's shown up yet…"
Trailing off, the boy realized that that was odd. It was nearly ten o'clock, and the scientist was almost always in the office before he himself got there. He was about to comment on that, but then he sensed the secretary coming by. He quickly motioned for his partner to remain silent, not wanting to provoke Tatsumi's anger. Just in time, as well, because the man stepped into the break room.
"I'm glad you two are in here. We have a meeting at one this afternoon. I don't want you to be late."
Tsuzuki and Hisoka exchanged puzzled glances. They'd had a meeting only days earlier to discuss overspending in the department. Mainly Tsuzuki's. There was no reason for them to be having another so soon.
Before Hisoka could stop him, his violet eyed partner asked, "Would you like us to tell Watari if we see him?"
Hisoka closed his eyes, resisting the urge to either rub his temples or smack puppy-like shinigami upside the head. He could feel Tatsumi's emotions radiating from the taller man. It was even more disturbing that earlier because there was no longer a wall to separate them. There was guilt, because of what he'd said to Watari, most likely, and anger as well, directed at Watari. Hisoka surmised it was because of the scientist provoking his anger. Finally, there was underlying frustrations, the reason for which Hisoka didn't even want to try and guess.
Tatsumi took a small step back, the emotions he felt flashing briefly in his eyes before he quickly slammed his stony mask back in place. "Yes. If you see him."
Hisoka and Tsuzuki didn't see the blonde scientist before the meeting, but someone else obviously did, or else he had the uncanny ability to be in the right place at the most awkward time.
Watari appeared in the meeting room looking light a train wreck. His hair was tied back by a ribbon, but it looked as though it hadn't been brushed at all. His hair, therefore, was all over the place. His clothing was dishevelled as well. It was the same outfit he'd worn the day before, and it looked as though they'd be slept in, or else left in the bottom of a closet for months. It was as though the blonde hadn't gone home at all the night before, though it was nearly undeniable that he'd slept somewhere. He looked utterly miserable.
Sitting down without a word as far away from the empath as humanly possible, Watari earned himself several odd looks. It didn't matter that the scientist sat at the other end of the table, Hisoka could still sense his emotions. They were even more confused and contradictory than Tatsumi's. There was anger, frustration, pain, confusion, hopelessness, all mixed with the heady flavours of pleasure, comfort and satisfaction, and to top it all off, lightly sprinkled with compassion and disgust.
The young shinigami was itching to make the emotions leave him alone, or at least to figure out the underlying causes for them. Sure, there was the argument in Watari's lab the previous night, but there was something far more drastic responsible for the puzzling mix.
Tatsumi was obviously shocked by the scientist's appearance, and by his flustered, dishevelled look. The secretary's eyes widened, but right after his lips tightened and he directed a sceptical glance at the blonde. Watari, however, wouldn't to meet his eyes, instead looking down at the small file folder resting in front of him.
At the blatant refusal to make eye contact, Tatsumi had no choice but to begin the meeting he had scheduled. He opened with his usual tactics, but it wasn't a meeting about budgeting, as he was quick to explain.
"There have been a series of murders in Japan, all with the same M.O., and no small few have taken place within out divisions territory. A number of souls have started showing up in Meifu without appearing in our records… at all…"
There were a few gasps of shock throughout the room. Even those souls forced to return to Meifu before their time were registered. Their names appeared as soon as they body died. It created confusion for the Gushoshin twins, but even so, the souls were accounted for.
For a soul not to show up in the records meant one of two things. One, it wasn't going to proceed to judgement, as was the case with shinigami, or two, the soul had been stripped of its identity, making it impossible for it to be judged. It would be doomed to wander or it could be used for nefarious purposes. Neither of which were desirable options. It distorted the balance in Meifu.
Tatsumi gave his co-workers a moment to collect themselves before ploughing on. "The victims have all died in either hospitals or nursing homes, and have either been elderly, or infants. Of those from the hospitals, they have been on the verge of discharge, with no reason for their deaths. It's very similar for those in the retirement homes.
"As far as we can surmise the killer, or killers, have chosen their victims due to will power. An infant's soul lacks the time to bind with the body, and an elderly's begins to lose that same connection.
"Twenty-three souls in total have come to Meifu in this condition in the last month; eight in the last week. We are reassigning you all to this investigation. This case takes priority over what you're working on now. You'll be given additional funding, within reason, to determine the cause of these deaths.
"You are not, I repeat, not to proceed alone if you establish the origin of this disturbance. We do not, as of yet, know who is behind this, and we do not want any casualties. Once we know what's going on here, as well as the killer, or killers' intent we will determine how to progress.
"Are there any questions?"
The secretary was met with confused glances. They were being reassigned, the lot of them, to a case that was potentially dangerous and spanned all of the divisions, and they were receiving a larger budget. Not many realized what the implications of this were, but among the few who did were Hisoka and Tsuzuki. Tatsumi wasn't the one behind the reassignment. The blue-eyed shinigami had mentioned other murders throughout Japan, and if Hisoka was to guess correctly, the other divisions were being reassigned as well. This was a major crisis, and it was Enma himself who was ordering them to solve it.
Tatsumi dismissed his fellow shinigami after answering their questions to the best of his ability. He pinched the bridge of this nose once they left, trying to prevent the onslaught of a migraine. He couldn't help but feel as though he were sending them into something far more complicated than they thought, which was saying quite a bit. It was hard to get more complicated than souls being stripped of the very things that made them human.
It didn't help matters that Watari had shown up. It was bad enough that the blond had provoked him into saying things he had no right to speak of, but it now looked as though the blonde had been out all night, hadn't slept restfully, and he was to blame. He felt guilty that he'd put the scientist in such a state, but couldn't figure out how to apologize.
Things weren't supposed to happen like this. He didn't dislike any member of EnMaCho, though it was undeniable that he preferred some over others. Tsuzuki and Hisoka, for one. While he couldn't stand Tsuzuki's work ethics, he cared deeply for the man's well being. And one point he might have even said he loved the man. He knew better now. Hisoka as well. It had come to the point where he could imagine what the office would be like without the two of them… or without the two of them together.
Watari was a different case. He possessed Tsuzuki's enthusiasm and love for life, though until recently it had seemed less forced. He also had a certain amount of charm and an infectious smile. While Tsuzuki outshone him there as well, the scientist didn't seem to mind. Until recently Tatsumi had seen the blonde as, a friend and co-worker yes, but more importantly a pale imitation of Tsuzuki with a little more intelligence. Ever since the incidents in Kyoto he'd been seeing something else now, something more, and it worried him.
He was about to step out of his office when he heard Hisoka's voice.
"What were you up to last night?"
"I went to get a few drinks with Terazuma," came Watari's falsely cheerful reply.
"And what about after that? You were really late for work."
There was a long pause before Watari replied, his voice pained. "I went for a walk. What does it matter?"
It sounded like a mother interrogating her wayward teenager. It was clear, even without seeing the scientist, that Watari was lying. What Tatsumi would have given at that moment to know what Hisoka's empathy showed him.
The younger shinigami dropped the topic, and bid Watari good-bye. Tatsumi took the opportunity to speak with the blonde. He couldn't bring himself to apologize, but he hoped that Watari would have a pleasant conversation with him, or at least one free of insults.
He opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't lead to either of them thinking of what had happened the night before. Watari looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to say something, and the secretary was unexpectedly more nervous than he'd ever been in life.
"Do you require a partner for your investigation?" he finally asked. It was a business question, one that normally wouldn't hold friendship, but he hoped he would be able to keep the calculation of his business side out of his voice, and convey something like concern.
Watari gave him a look of confusion and shock before replying in a dry voice. "This is just like research, Tatsumi. Don't you think a partner would only get in my way?"
The blonde left, leaving the secretary to try and figure out his departing comment. It wasn't until much later that he realized it might have been possible for Watari to have thought he was offering himself as a partner, and that the reply was much more scathing than he'd taken it.
