Disclaimer: Yoko Matsushita is the creator of all Yami no Matsuei and all its characters. OC(s) so far include Rina Ito, and that's it. More will follow.

Warning(s): WARNING WARNING WARNING!!!! There will be more of what happened in the previous chapter by way of violence and blood and... uh, much worse stuff, and implications of so said much worse stuff from this chapter on. If you can NOT stomach this, stop reading this story now! It's all a downward spiral of angst, pain, and horrible things. I'm sorry but this will be the last time I post such a general warning on these things so PLEASE continue at your own risk.

Pairings: TsuxSoka, more reveled below.... (Hehe!)

Plot starts to simmer heading towards boil

POV: First person POV will always be Tsuzuki and no one else; however POV will change when I feel it's best for the story.

Notes: Again, '...' thoughts and ...is memories.

You knew it would come to this,

Under Swaying Clouds of Pink Sakura

"What?"

'White bandages.... Your arms are covered in them...'

"It's what I told Konoe-san. If we're both against it, they can't make us stay partners anymore."

'It's too late to do anything about them now, but...'

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we'll both be assigned to another temporary partner until they can find a replacement. There are a few different agents in the section, but I think you'll be partnered with Tatsumi." There's a pain that shoots through my arm. A tiny glance down reviles my left hand's death hold on my own wrist. Carefully I force the hand to release it's vice like grip over that wrist. Swinging my arms behind my back, all I can do it seems is smile on at that blank face, that face, void of emotions. "You'll like Tatsumi, I'm sure. He's very strong and a MUCH better agent then I am."

'If it was him, then you wouldn't be sitting in that bed right now...'

"What about you?"

"Wha... W-Well, I'm sure that they'll partner me with Watari until a new agent is found," This isn't good. "I mean, there's no way they'd partner me with Terazami..." I can feel the barrier I've placed up beginning to crumble. I can put it up rather strong for short periods of time it seems, but only for short periods of time. He's eyes are still searching me, behind that cold face of his, and the barrier that is stopping those searching eyes from reading my soul like an open book is quickly weakening.

'I can't even do this right, can I?'

"...Is that all?" The tone is cold and unfeeling. He doesn't sound angry, or upset. Had I hoped he would?

"Y-Yeah, I just have to go and tell Tatsumi about the decision," Turning to leave, I make sure to keep my hands from his eyes. I can already feel the warm liquid that is slowly dripping down my right hand; it's nothing I want him to see.

"Well, I'll send Tatsumi by so you two can get acquainted!" Happy, happy and smiling. That stupid happy face, that smile, that voice. I give my all into it, that fake mask, as I turn my head just over my shoulder, all the while keeping my red stained hands in front of me, out of his sight.

'Its okay, if I stay like this.'

"Fine." He isn't looking at me, the horribly smiling fool, as emerald eyes seem to have found the window across the room a far more interesting sight.

"I'm sorry." I whisper the apology just under my breath as I leave the room; more then sure no human ears could have heard it. I know it's not something I have the courage to say to his face, but it's more important for me to even say it. To make it real, I need that at least.

I can hear the door closing, far away from me, my feet having carried me as fast as they could away from that room. My legs refuse to stop as I ascend the stairs of the NSF headquarters, until I have reached the roof of the building; the greenhouse.

Reaching the top of the last flight of stairs, without missing a beat in my steps, I swing the green tinted door open, and let it fall closed again behind me as I enter the foreign realm of plants and animals. The greenhouse is huge, and it covers the entire roof of the building, some would even say it was the top floor, except it there are no offices and it doesn't really seem like it belongs as a part of the NSF building. It holds unnatural trees, mostly pink sakura, which never stop blooming no matter the season. Also, there are a few animals that Watari keeps inside, some of which I was pretty certain don't exist anywhere except inside the greenhouse.

From the outside, anyone would think it looked just like another level of the building. However, the inside was transparent, letting you see the sun, sky, and the city all around, as if there really were no walls surrounding this misplaced Eden. In truth, it was very much its own man-made habitat, or more like Watari-made. I don't think any normal man could make a more perfect garden then this greenhouse. As to how he did that, well, he did tell me once, though I never really retained that knowledge.

Ever since the greenhouse was created, though, it has been my favorite place. It's where I've come whenever I want to escape from things. Needless to say, I've been coming here more and more recently. Today seems no exception.

I don't know how long I stood there, in the middle of those forever flowering sakura trees, before I let myself fall back, my body landing on that soft grass littered with little pink petals.

I like the smell of the sakuras.

It's nice to come here, to just lay under the blue sky, in this perfect little paradise, and just forget about rest of the world. I always come here; somehow it seems easier to forget everything, when I'm surrounded in the un-aging flowers, under that sun that also has never showed signs of its true age. Time seems to stop in here, bringing everything and nothing with that possibility. To stay forever in this state; never changing. If only I could let all of the horrible things that taint this world stay away from this perfect Eden.

However...

"...What is it?" My voice is louder then I mean it to be, it's tone breaking the spell the silence has cast over this world.

Even here things have a way of finding me.

"How did you know I was here?" I didn't need to even hear that voice to know who was watching me. There was such a familiarity in the feeling his eyes always gave as whenever they followed me. As for myself, well, I guess I got used to it.

"The shadows," turning my head to the side, my eyes follow the length the pink flowering tree a few feet to my right. Standing there with a hand pressed against the trunk is the man with deep sea blue eyes that hide behind bright glasses; Tatsumi. "They got darker."

"I'm sorry if I'm intruding on you Tsuzuki-san." His words are genuine, and I know he only means well. Normally, I suppose I would tell him, 'No, it's alright!' and smile and offer him the spot next to me. Smile, and talk about everything, everything except what was really bothering me. Right now though, I don't seem to have the capability. To smile, to say that 'It's fine', to pretend to be happy just so that the others won't look at me any differently; I don't have the energy for that right now.

Just this once, I can't find the strength to be happy.

Tatsumi must have taken the silence as cue to leave as he turns his back to me, heading towards the door. The air in my lugs escapes my lips as I watch him go. Had I been holding my breath?

Returning my own eyes up to face the blue sky, that holds soft pink clouds, hanging out of reach and lightly swaying with tiny cherry petals raining down from them.

'I like this place.'

If I could stay here in this place forever, I could be bathed in the sent of sakura forever. The gentle feather like caresses they make against the skin, the sweet, soft sent that warms and lulls you into their dreams. I would want to stay in a world like this until the end of time, and I could be content to stay in this dream alone...

'Forever alone?'

That's not what I meant; I really don't want to be left alone, but I think it's better if I'm alone. If being his partner means he'll end up getting hurt so badly... Oh, great! Here I come, all trying to escape the world, and the one thing I desperately need not to think about has already wormed its way into my head. Well, actually, I don't think Hisoka is someone who would worm anything, but...

'Why does it have to be like this?'

Pressing eyes closed, I only want to block the pink swaying clouds from my sight. Though, in the darkness of my own creation, I can't keep the vision of my partner from my mind. Okay, scratch that, EX-partner. It was going to happen sooner or later. I know I've heard those words many times from many different people. So many now I think I've lost count. Just one more time, I don't think I could stand to here them again... Right?

No, that's wrong too. I know that hearing the rejection again won't bother me. I resigned myself to the idea that I'd be alone all my life, so being told that again, it doesn't bother me. It's from him, his mouth, that soft and strong voice telling me 'I don't want you,' that's the problem. If he told me that, I can explain it, if he spoke those words to me, somehow I know my existence would end right there. There would be no point, no point in having lived, no point in waiting this long for...

Waiting? That's right, I know, I was suppose to wait. Wait... what was I waiting for? It's the one feeling I can say I've held onto since I awoke, since I became an agent. For as long as I can remember, I've had this anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach. Exited, and yet scared at the same time. It feels like I've been waiting my whole life for something to happen. I've lived this long, but what was the point? There was a time I stopped waiting though. It's hard to wait for something to happen, something you know is important, when you can't even remember what that thing was. There was a time, when I gave up, and all I wanted to do was disappear. That doesn't seem any different from now though. I wanted to disappear. I tried to end it all, yet...

That's not important. I don't want to think about that. What was I thinking about?

Oh, that's right; green eyes, angelic features, and a cute red blush. Things that seem so precious could have been erased from this world. Even though he made me smile, a real smile, in that short time we spent together, I was inadequate to protect him. I know that the reason he's hurt, the reason he almost died, the reason he's sitting wrapped in those bandages, all the horrible things that happened to him, all of it...

"...It was all my fault."

"How do you mean?" My body arches and my head jerks to the sound of that tranquil voice, pulling my mind from the requiem that it was unable to attain inside its own thoughts. Tatsumi is standing just above me, holding a silver try that catches the rays from the sun ever so slightly.

"Tatsumi-san?" The question of his return is silenced as he sets the tray down on the grass. My eyes are greeted with a small assortment of pastries cradled on a plate in the center surrounded by two cups of steaming tea. On the tray's far side is a small flower painted glass pot that matches the cups and plate.

"You were looking a little warn out there, this should help give you some energy. Besides," Tatsumi continued as he gracefully lifted up one full cup that was on the flower painted saucer, one of his other skills asserting themselves. "I came out here to take my tea alone under the trees, but I've noticed it tastes better when there are two sharing it."

Using my muscles in my stomach, I easily lift my body up right. I really can't make out what Tatsumi means by that, but hearing those words with that reassuring voice somehow make me feel better, making the troubled thoughts that had been taking over my mind become distant and hazed. Extending both my hands to retrieve the offered drink my finger tips touch that cool, white painted glass. However, just as I touch it, the saucer and cup slip away from my hands, falling and smashing on the ground in front of me, the hot liquid quickly being soaked up by the earth. I can't stop my own eyes from staring in shock at the broken cup. Quickly turning up to Tatsumi, pleading words fueled by guilt at my clumsiness for not taking the cup soon enough welling up and spilling from my lips. It was my fault; Tatsumi would never just drop a glass cup like that!

"I'm sorry Tatsumi, I didn't mean-," His face is a visage of shock and what even looks like anger. The words of apology quickly choke in my throat. Tatsumi's face is never that un-composed, not unless...

Catching the movement of Tatsumi's hand shooting out at me though the corner of my eye, my reflexes kick in, raising arms to cover my face. The hand doesn't strike, but grabs my right forearm pulling it with strength I had forgotten the man possessed. My body, losing its balance, falls forward. Quickly dropping my knees down into the earth, I stop just inches from the face that holds those blue, tempest filled eyes before me.

"Tsuzuki?!" That always composed voice unhinged from its usual calm and calculated speech, almost on the verge of yelling.

"Tatsumi-san, I-," My tongue unbinds, this time fueled by fear more then guilt. I stop just short when a small wave of pain shoots up my right arm. Crying out, my body crumples under the throbbing that is racing in from the pressure of Tatsumi's grip. My left hand grabs onto the pain filled arm, trying to somehow stop the agony that is pushing up it. The throbbing lessens slightly as the other man relaxes his grip just enough to not hurt, but not enough that I could pull my wrist free. There are gentle, yet strong fingers prying my left hand away from my arm. Looking up, my eyes find the opposite of what I had seen not but seconds before. Sad, sapphire eyes looked on as his hands cradled my wrists within his grasp.

"Asato, what did you do...?" The hurt in that voice as he uses my given name drew my own gaze to follow his. The unbidden gasp escapes my lips as realization dawns on me. Yanking my wrists away from the secretary, I pull them into my chest and tug the sleeves of my suit down as far as they would allow, trying my best to stop him from seeing the mutilation I must have inflicted just a little bit ago.

"Asato, you're not...?" Panic quickly fills me at the unasked question. I turn wide eyes to the man next to me, feverishly shaking my head 'no' as hard as I can.

"No! It's not what you're thinking. It's not that!" If they think I'm doing that again, then they won't let me be an agent. They'll make me go back to that place again, or worse. Fear quickly rips into my heart, the pain forgotten as I reach up desperately to grab onto Tatsumi's arms. I can't go back there!

"Really, that's not it! I just didn't realize wha-," A hand comes to my mouth, stopping the hysterical explanation that was bursting out of me. Blue eyes smiled kindly at me, as again hands gingerly pulled my wrists into that calm gaze, scrutinizing my self-inflicted wounds. My right wrist is swollen an there are deep red and bleeding angry nail marks left from my other hand, which, in turn, bears the crimson stains of those marks.

"Can you turn your wrist?" Obeying the request, silently I try to turn the purpled wrist with only a whimper breaking through my lips in response. "I think you fractured it."

My eyes turn pleading up to the deep sapphire ones before me.

"It's alright," Tatsumi lifts his hand to my face, brushing away a tear that was pulling at the corner of my eye. "Go to my office, I'll be there shortly with some bandages, okay?"

Carefully he returns my injured wrist to me and I don't lose a second as I pull it in close to my own body, again, hiding it as best I can under my sleeve.

"...Tatsumi-san...?" He only turns his head slightly over his shoulder in response to my unasked question, letting a small smile fall on lips that others rarely see in expression of such kind feeling.

"You're always far too clumsy Tsuzuki-san, spilling hot tea over your hand like that. We need to wrap it up to help it heal faster." These are his last words to me before he exits the garden. The entire time my eyes are unable to leave that retreating form.

Tatsumi-san has always been too kind to me. He has always looked out for me, even after he was no longer bound as a partner to me.

Yes, sometimes we partner up still on missions, as I am in permanent want of a partner it seems. However, at one time, we really were partners. That was until... the incident.

He really shouldn't be this nice to me.

Keeping my arm close to my side, I raise my body up, and head toward the door. It's best if I try and avoid running into anyone right now. Instead of taking the main hall to Tatsumi's office, I take the most round about route there is. It's also the least traveled one.

Hisoka sat in his bed, fingers still knotted up in the white sheets around him. His face remained composed, yet inside he was anything but. As to what he was feeling after hearing that, those simple words from that smiling face? He really didn't know what to feel. What was wrong with him? He should have been ecstatic, right? He only had to be partnered with that idiot for one day. That was nothing. He had tried his hardest to be cruel to that man, and through it all, he had never been angry with the boy. He had never even become upset with him! His personality, all the horrible things he said, the cold glares, none of that had made Tsuzuki turn away. The thing that must have, the only other thing that could have made Tsuzuki say what he had, to not want to be his partner anymore, must have been...

"...It's because he knows." Hisoka's hand slowly freed itself from the sheets to cover his mouth, which parted ever so slightly in realization. Yes, that must have been it; it's because he was dead. Back then, after he had let it slip in front of Tsuzuki, his partner had clamped up his emotions rather strongly when he had pick Hisoka up and taken him from that hospital, and even just now. The empath had always tried to drive away the people he had to interact with by being, for lack of a better word, a horrible brat. Tsuzuki though, it didn't work with him. It must have been due to his undead state, that the man had so quickly rejected him.

"Someone knows what?" A voice painfully familiar pulled the boy up out of whatever train of thought he had been carrying on. Green eyes darted to the sound of that voice, and standing in the corner or the right far corner of the room, was the one thing that made his stomach curl the bile rise in his throat on sight. Silver hair swayed slightly around glasses. That smooth, pale face, turned ever so slightly to the side; as it directed its unnatural right eye at the young boy. A tiny smirk pressed upon those lips, as he must have been enjoying the fear and confusion that drew so easily on Hisoka's face at his mere presence.

"Muraki...?!" The words were barely a whisper, a fear that to utter them any louder would cast a horrible spell, summoning the real man if the one before him was only a mere trick of his mind. Muraki just dipped his head slightly, smiling at the entire exchange, dispelling any fools hope as to the fictitious state of his being. He shifted from his spot against the wall, his pristine white trench coat billowing just slightly at his advance on the fear stricken boy.

"Yes that's right," That voice hummed unnaturally inside Hisoka's ear as Muraki leaned in close to the boy, raising a hand to caress paled skin, and smiling at the small quiver that ran through that young body on his touch.

He really was enjoying this exchange.

"I wanted to see you.," He offered at first by way of explanation as to his presence. Hisoka's brow still stitched itself in confusion. That reason, while so very simple, was defiantly not the reason why he would risk coming into the NSF Head Quarters. This wasn't how the plan was suppose to play out...

'...Was it?'

"Now, before we talk about 'what someone knows'," the silver haired man began, his eyes reveling more a menacing edge to them. "I must say, I'm disappointed in you. Barely gone from my sight and you almost let yourself die?" Wide green eyes could only stare on at that calm smiling face, the dark, angry emotions that pushing into his skin through the contact of those hands, revealing more behind his intentions then that smile.

"The plan was not for you to die, boy. I could feel your soul waiver. Even though you are dead, that does not mean you are immortal. Were you trying to commit some kind of suicide?" The silver eyes that shown unnaturally bright behind those glasses focused in on the sight of Hisoka's own vivid green ones. The caressing hand slid behind the boys head, coming to rest just at the back of his neck, turning those fear ridden eyes to look back into his own. "We have a problem now, don't we?"

"Wha-What do you mean?" His voice was quivering under that touch, as that dark essence that filled the man, draped in white, pushed into him. He knew this touch. It was not something that he enjoyed; no, it was not something he could have ever enjoyed. He knew this touch, these emotions, as he had known them for some time. This man, this horrible being, who looked as though an angel draped in white garb, was truly the worst monster to walk the face of the earth. It was a creature he could never escape, even now, inside this place, he knew. There was no place that was safe, not from him.

There would never be an escape.

"My beautiful doll," that sick humor that lulled behind those lips pulled them into a smile, as he leaned in closer to the boy. Hisoka froze, knowing that approach, reflexively his head went to back away, but that hand behind his head kept him from escaping. Green eyes widened even more as those lips drew even closer to his own, stopping just a breaths touch away from meeting.

Muraki whispered low, words only meant for Hisoka to hear. "You've caused me a great inconvenience, making me come all the way into this place just to prove a point to you. Once you were no longer under my direct sight, did you think I wouldn't, or couldn't come if you tried to destroy what is mine? You are mine, your body..." a hand ran down the boys torso, the effect on the empath was just as if ice had slid down his chest. His body became rigid, stiffening under that man's touch. Muraki, for his own part, acted as though he was unaware of the effect his touch had on the boy, how his eyes hazed over, and even the trembling stopped as every muscle in the Hisoka's young body tightened. That roaming hand came to rest over the boy's heart just as a great pain shot through his body. Hisoka's body jerked, overcome with spasms, slamming itself back against the headboard of the bed. Tears welled up deep in pained, emerald eyes, his mouth opening to give way to the scream he could not keep down. However, the scream was muffled under his attacker's hand as his skin glowed red. The ancient spell that was written over his skin flared to life again through the old scares that covered his body.

'Even your soul is mine.'

"Do you doubt I could come to you at anytime, in anyplace?" The question was one that would never receive an answer, the subject of his inquisition unable to stop his own body's spasms as it wrenched and shook as the pain came in waves washing over his whole being, reaching down into his core.

"I'll have to show you just how untrue that is." Before the fake angel's lips claimed his own, a soft tapping at the infirmary's door broke the dark spell Muraki's presence had enveloped the room in. Two sets of eyes looked on as a man's voice broke into the room, wide fear filled green and enraged steel blue eyes turned to face that white door as it opened.

"Sorry to disturb you Hisoka," Tatsumi's calm voice entered the room as he opened the door. A cool breeze washed over the shadow master. Hisoka sat on the bed, looking a little disheveled, curtains from the open window blowing lightly in the breeze. "I just came in here to get some supplies." Tatsumi stated as he strolled over to the cabinets opposite the beds.

"S-Sure," A tiny quivering voice answered, making the secretary's usually smooth motions falter slightly. Calm deep blue eyes turned to take in a better look at the boy. The empath's green eyes that Tatsumi had only seen as vivid, now were dulled, turned down to look at the sheets he gripped in his hands, his skin even more pale as slight perspiration drew on his brow. Tatsumi placed the bandages he had come to retrieve on the counter and turned to the boy.

"Are you alright Hisoka?" His tone exposed no worry, and Hisoka couldn't feel any emotions coming from the man, who supported a very strong and secure mental barrier what seemed at all times. The empath cursed under his breath, this one time wishing he knew just what the other person was feeling. Had he heard anything? Was this man suspicious of him, or had he really just come to get bandages and was truly worried about him. The thought of someone actually being worried about him would have made him laugh out loud, and he quickly dismissed the last option from his mind. Hisoka tried to gently reach out with his empathy, to read anything from this man. Yet, to no avail, and trying any harder would make Tatsumi, who was very mental conscious, aware that he was being probed. Uncertainty of where he stood always made him nervous. Desperate to drive attention away from himself Hisoka grabbed onto the first thing that came to his mind.

"Did Tsuzuki send you?" The question was cool and controlled, his voice not betraying the fear his white coated visitor had instilled in him. If Tatsumi had seen Muraki, he would have said something about it, right? Muraki's exit from the room was swift, his skills and power once again were demonstrated before Hisoka.

That wasn't such a good thing though mind you.

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka's diversionary tactic was working as it had stopped the questions about him; however he seemed to have even more of the secretary's attention directed his way. "What do you mean?"

"He said that you were going to be my partner now..." Emerald eyes looked over the man before him, unable to clearly read the older man's reactions. "Oh, or maybe you haven't spoken to him yet?" It was rather unnerving not being able to read the emotions of this man, and Hisoka was actually for once wishing his gift was stronger. He wasn't sure which way to drive the conversion so it would equal the other man saying, 'good bye', and him walking out the door he came in from without flat out saying 'Get the hell out!!'. Though, the thought slowly started to occur to him, with this man here, there was no way Muraki would dare return. After all, he wouldn't want to be discovered would he? The wheels in Hisoka's mind began turning quickly, the only real draw back was that he couldn't let Tatsumi suspect anything was wrong with him, or let the man know why he was as shaken as he was. Blaming his behavior on his injures would work, if he tried to ask if he was okay again.

"I'm going to be your partner? Why would that happen?" The question was expressed with only a very dim interest behind it, only slightly affecting his tone. This man really was a master over his emotions and actions as that was all Hisoka could graze from talking to him. Though he must not have seen Tsuzuki, because he didn't seem to know what Hisoka was talking about. Finally getting his footing on the subject, Hisoka's own cool mask slid back into place. He liked to know what he was dealing with.

"He told the Chief that he didn't want to be my partner anymore," Hisoka's own calm voice explained to the secretary as the other man leaned only slightly back against the counter top, letting his hands come up on his sides and press down on the smooth blue surface for support. Tatsumi let his full attention rest on the boy before him. Hisoka continued with that same calculated and uncaring tone as he finished his explanation to the older man. "He said that you would be the one to be my partner until a new permanent one could be found." Green eyes turned away from the secretary, quickly becoming distant as they looked at the billowing translucent white curtains next to the window.

"Oh, I think I see now..." Tatsumi turned his back to the boy, as he gathered up the white rolls of cloth, scissors and bandage clips he had pulled out of the cabinets. Taking the supplies he headed to the door, though the boy's voice called out to him with one question.

"He hasn't said anything to you about why he would want to stop being my partner, has he?" Tatsumi stood in that spot, just in front of the door, his gaze directed at the floor in front of him. A few red drops of blood lay just in front of the door. Shifting the supplies to one arm, the sapphire eyed man took a handkerchief out of his inner breast pocket of his suit, rubbing away the small spots on the floor. Hisoka, who had not seen the blood, could only stare on in confusion at this act, until the man finished, and returned upright. Turning to face the boy, deep sea blue eyes looked into the confused emerald ones. Hisoka fought with his will to control the fidgeting that was taking over his body under that strong gaze.

"No," Tatsumi's well trained voice calmly answered the offered question, his gaze taking in the full sight of the boy whose body was wrapped in bandages. "Though I don't think that it was a wise decision he made, I think I know him well enough to understand why he did that."

"Huh?" Confusion stole over the boy's face, his eyes focusing on the man before him, trying to understand what it was he meant. Tatsumi looked on at Hisoka a little longer, before nodding his head, smiling ever so slightly as he had come to a decision. The older man turned again to leave and Hisoka found his eyes cast down to his hands, which had again somehow knotted themselves in white sheets. The calm voice he had not expected to hear answered back to him from the doorway as Tatsumi stood just inside its frame, his eyes looking on into the shadows of the hallway.

"I could be wrong, however," The older man began, keeping his eyes directed still into the shadows, "I would say that he blames himself for your injuries. He no doubt thinks it's his fault what happened to you. That he failed you. It's so typical of him." Hisoka couldn't see Tatsumi's face, but even if he could, he knew he wouldn't have been able to tell if that last thought made Tatsumi happy, or upset, as even his voice carried a mask that could not break under the empath's scrutiny.

"Hisoka, I know he may not be the partner that you had thought you would receive, however," Sea blue eyes finally turned over that shoulder, letting them rest on the empath, confusion dancing across his young face. A tiny smile touched the older man's lips, "I think you should know. Tsuzuki has had numerous partners over the years. Not one of his partnerships has lasted very long, they've always broken up. Most of them left after only a few months. However, this is the first time he has ever refused a partner." That blue gaze shifted off the boy, as the older man exited the room letting the door close behind him.

"So, it's because of me." It wasn't a question. Hisoka's fear had just been confirmed. Judging from Tatsumi's testament, and his own knowledge as an empath, Tsuzuki was a really good guy. Sure he was rather slow on the up-take, but he was kind. He had never told another person he didn't want to be their partner. He was a really nice person who never told someone, 'I don't want to be your partner,' even though he himself had heard it over and over again. He was never the one to reject another person, it had always been the other way around.

What did that say about him then? Small hands twisted the white cloth that gathered in his lap, anger and frustration furrowing his brow. Tatsumi thought it was because of his injuries, but that was stupid. No one could be like that. It was because he was little more then an animated corpse, wasn't it? He didn't like him because he wasn't alive, right? Well now, what the hell was he suppose to do about that?! It's not like he wanted to be this way. It's not like he had a choice! Flopping down on the bed, jade colored eyes searched the white ceiling above him. A deep sigh breaking through his lips.

"This is what I wanted anyways, so it shouldn't be a problem..." Okay so he knew it shouldn't be a problem, so why was it bugging him?

The white ceiling, the color, quickly drew images of Muraki again into the boy's head. Hands pressed against green eyes, trying to shove that image out of his mind. He knew, no matter what happened now, it really didn't matter, did it? That's not why he was here, it really didn't matter if Tsuzuki liked him or not. No, it was better if he didn't like him. That would make it easier, right? That would make his mission easier. After all, he wasn't here to make friends with these people. He was not here of his own volition anyways.

Just as to how Muraki had managed to make his way into the Headquarters was beyond the boy at this point, but, then again, not much was out of reach of that man.

I really screwed up just now, didn't I? I didn't realize I had been squeezing that wrist that hard. Though, considering my strength, I'm not too surprised I was able to fracture it. Side stepping a small pile of crumpled papers that has littered the dark and dusty hall, a small silver light catches my eye. Turning on the ball of my heel quickly, my eyes scan over the area. The darkness has no hindrance on my sight, though I can see nothing down the hall. Great, so now I'm seeing things??

Returning down the direction I was heading before picking up my pace again, I continue my way to Tatsumi's office. It's childish, this feeling you get when your alone in dark places...That feeling like someone's watching you.

It's childish.

.............................tbc

Author's note and a little ranting:

The rant? Updates are a bit spaced, right? Actually I don't have internet and haven't had it for quite some time know.... (like the last time I updated ) this chapter has been sitting on my computer so I finally got it over to my mom's house where there is internet so I could post it. I'm going to use her comp from now on for this as I'm really doubting I'll ever get it back.... This SUCKS!!!!

Okay, so the notes....

Hope I got more relationship foundation going on in this chapter. There were two more introduced in there, a lil' TasxTzu and MurxSoka. Both not uncommon. More will come by next chapter I think...?

What's the whole thing with Muraki showing up?? THAT wasn't planned. He wasn't suppose to come for another 2 chapters or so but the damn bastard worked his way in there

Spotlight hog....

Well, I hope this will make up for the lack of updates, that's right folks! Two chapters for the price of one!! I hope this helps... (sorry it took so long!! ;;)

Thank you to everyone who encouraged me on the last chapter!! (throwing chocolate hearts to everyone)