A/n: wow you're right, I didn't realize I was turning Tatsumi into such an ass! Thanks for pointing that out! I think my anger at a certain person in real life is unintentionally coming through Tatsumi. I think I'll try what you said and write a four way confrontation. It won't be in this chapter though. I should have the next chapter up on Tuesday.

Oh yeah, and Muraki and Oriya are out of the way for a while.

Follow Me

''

Konoe sat at his desk with his eyes closed, thinking back on the last three weeks.

He was sick of watching the four of them beat on each other.

Tatsumi was already facing penalties for dragging Tsuzuki into the human realm for two days without telling anyone, and now he was helping said purple-eyed shinigami hire thugs to hurt Hisoka and Watari.

Maybe he had really been lusting over Tsuzuki for over sixty years, but whatever the case it all had to stop and so Konoe made an unsettling decision…he was going to lock them all in his office until they resolved their issues with each other, and he was prepared to be the mediator.

''

The longer Hisoka lay there quietly waiting for Watari to come back, the more he thought about what was going on.

And the more that he thought about it, the less depressed and more angry he became.

Angry with Tatsumi.

Tsuzuki had to be partly to blame too, but it was Tatsumi's sudden decision that had caused the lives of the four to spiral so desperately out of control.

After another few moments he couldn't stand to sit still he was so angry.

He grabbed his shirt and prepared to leave as Watari entered.

"Hisoka. You're leaving?"

Hisoka nodded as he finished buttoning the shirt and closed his eyes.

"Watari…I'm sorry about last night. Thank you for not listening to me…you're a real friend."

Watari shook his head and looked away.

"No I'm not. I almost gave into you twice. I…shouldn't have even kissed you. I'm sorry that it went that far."

He turned back to Hisoka as he was smacked over the back of the head.

"BAKA! Will you just tell me already and stop thinking so damn much about it! Setting last night aside you kissed me twice. You still haven't explained that."

Watari stared at him for a moment.

"Fine…"

But the words refused to come out of his mouth.

Hisoka sighed deeply and began to leave but suddenly all the fear and frustration of the last few weeks forced Watari into action.

He grabbed Hisoka's wrist and pulled him against himself tightly, kissing him roughly.

"Hisoka…I fell in love with you four years ago. You know why I couldn't tell you?"

Hisoka stepped back as he was released, eyes wide.

Watari didn't give him the chance to speak.

"Because of Tsuzuki. He begged me to let him try first. If Tsuzuki had waited one second longer past you're nineteenth birthday it would have been me. I have regretted letting you go in the name of friendship for four years."

Hisoka was unable to speak, everything suddenly standing still, his breath caught in his throat.

Wide emerald eyes stared into Watari's.

The next words that fell from Watari's lips were like bombs and everything suddenly made complete sense.

" In the past four years we've all been substituting what we want for the next best thing. I wanted you so I started dating Tatsumi…and Tsuzuki wanted Tatsumi so he began to date you. I'm the one who's truly loved you in complete silence all this time. Only you Hisoka, only you really loved Tsuzuki and I wouldn't say anything even after you'd been ditched because I knew that."

Hisoka slowly stepped closer and spoke softly.

"I'm going to find out if it's really over. If he can tell me that he really doesn't love me anymore than I will free my heart from him."

Watari stared down at him.

"Just remember that no matter what happens, first and foremost you can trust me with anything."

Hisoka nodded with a slight smile.

"I see that now. I'm sorry it didn't work out the way you wanted it to…but things may change very soon."

Watari watched him as he left, making sure he heard the door shut before laying down.

Partly he hoped Tsuzuki would say it…but then he also knew that Tsuzuki at one point really did have feelings for Hisoka and he feared those feelings would return when confronted.

''

Konoe managed to catch Hisoka on the way in as he was leaving to find him.

"Hisoka, I was just coming to look for you. Can I talk to you for a few minutes alone?"

He was about to argue but caught the look in the chiefs eyes nodded, silently following him out to the Sakura trees.

Once seated at the table, Konoe had Hisoka under a stern look and spoke to the point.

"Hisoka, I am angry and confused. I need to know what is going on."

Hisoka looked away.

"I don't entirely know myself. All I can say is that we all made a huge mistake."

Konoe nodded.

"That however doesn't excuse Tsuzuki, Tatsumi, and Watari from being late for work, or not showing up at all. I really hate to do this Hisoka, because I know you enjoy working in Kyoto and Nagasaki, but if things don't settle back into their normal pattern, I'm going to have to split the four of you up permanently."

Hisoka looked shocked for a moment, but then nodded.

"I understand. Chief…did you see this coming too?"

Konoe shook his head.

"Tsuzuki seemed to be very in love with you."

Hisoka nodded.

"What about Watari?"

Konoe was silent for a moment.

"He told you than? Watari I think was in love with you from the second you walked through the door. He expressed to me that he was afraid to tell you of his feelings because of what had happened to you…"

Hisoka nodded.

"That's understandable. If Tatsumi hadn't broken up with Tsuzuki, do you think I'd be with Watari?"

Konoe thought about that for a few moments and slowly nodded.

"I think if Tsuzuki hadn't begged Watari not to talk to you, he very well could have ended up back with Tatsumi long ago. But this afternoon we're going to get definitive answers and one way or another, this will be stopped before things get any further out of control."