Disclaimer: I don't own Yami No Matsuei

Background Information #1: Okay, so I had to make up how Ruka died. Here's the basic idea: Ruka was attacked and killed by demons. Tsuzuki saw the demons hovering over her murdered body. His supernatural powers took over his body and he slaughtered the demons. Upon returning to normal state he saw the carnage he had created and promptly went insane. (There are more details, but they'll reveal themselves as necessary). Hisoka knows these basic facts.

Background Information #2: In regards to Saki, I'm using the manga plot line.

Shout-outs:

Yami Chikara: Hee, I thought you'd like it! Thank you very much.

Kiko812: Thanks! I really tried to see Hisoka as a Libra. But it just didn't work. Oh, and the Name-Number thing is the Character Number, which is what I used to have a vague idea of Taimou and Kouchin's personalities. With characters who have a defined personality, I use the Star Sign to get a broad idea of when they should have been born, and then the Tree Sign to get a set of dates. Then I pick a Life Path number that fits the character, and then use the dates to find which particular day adds up to that Life Path number. (I.e. I picked Tsuzuki to be Life Path 9, so I went through all the dates in his Tree Sign and found which one added up to 9. BTW, I'm using 1899 as his birth year, because that's what I initially thought it was, and I have a logical explanation as to why 1899 IS his birth year. Tsuzuki died at age 26 in 1926, right? Well, according to Muraki Yukitaka's records, he committed suicide in January. His birthday isn't until later in the year. Therefore, if he was 26 at his death, he would have been turning 27 that year. 1926 minus 27 is 1899. Bwahaha I have beat the system. Anyway, back to astrology.) With characters who don't have set personalities, I start with the Character Number, and then go through the above steps. I got all my information from (remove the spaces)

h t t p / c a l l i s t a z m . t r i p o d . c o m / a s t r o f i l e s / s i g n s . h t m l.

If you wanna check it out, it's a great site!

December Jewel: Thank you!

jennamarie: Don't wake babies on my account! (Smile) Well, this chapter starts with fluffy humor and turns completely around into angst.

LucreziaB: Thank you! I'm actually rather satisfied with the Big Announcement scene, which is a huge deal for me. The face changes in slow motion…that must have been very funny to imagine! Oh, and I love Tatsumi, too. In fact I almost, maybe, not really but sort of, never write or read but sometimes squeal over Tatsumi/Tsuzuki. Tatsumi will have his own issues to deal with, but I like the place where he's headed. Hopefully you will, too!

Kaoru-Uesugi138: Really? Oh, but I'm nothing compared to Whispers of a Ghost, Evil Asian Genius, and Snowdancer when it comes to YnM fanfiction. But thanks for the compliment! It really means a lot. By the way, your name implies you like Rurouni Kenshin and Gravitation. Excellent serials, both. Do you?

happygreendragon: Of course Hisoka beat the Count! Tsuzuki/Hisoka ALWAYS prevails! And comparing Tsuzuki to a rose…doesn't that seem like something the Count would do?

Amethyst-eyed Koneko: Isn't that usually called "OOC"? I kid, I kid. (Smile) Well, we're taking characters and putting them into an entirely different situation (with a dash of humor), so I guess they'd be a bit manic. For example, Tsuzuki and Hisoka act different here than in, say, the manga, because here I'm making them an official couple, while in the manga Matsuhsita-sensei is still tormenting me with her "They're totally in love but not really!" vibe. But I guess every fanfiction author does that to some degree. I'm really glad you find it enjoyable! As for the bad words…at the risk of sounding young, I do share a computer with my parents, and I don't trust them not to go snooping.

Masami-chan: Thank you! And yes, Tsuzuki and Hisoka have the best shounen ai ever. I'd say their only competition is Raenef V/Eclipse from Demon Diary, and maybe Yuki/Haru (as children) from Fruits Basket.

Genderless: Thank you! Awesome name, by the way.

Lynn: You use the term "blatantly plagiarize" in a lot of your reviews, did you know that? (Smile) Watari and Whor—I mean Oriya (wink) called Hisoka "Bon" because it means "Kid". Not in the literal sense (the Japanese word for child/children is "kodomo"); it's just a term for someone younger. Muraki calls him "Bouya", which also means "Kid", but I'm guessing it has some negative connotations with it, since this is Muraki we're talking about. (BTW, inferno equals cold!)

Ola: Here it is!

Celendiar: Thank you! Tatsumi/Watari is actually very hard to write, because I see them as a fanon ship, given that they fight a lot in canon. But Tsusoka is adorable, duh. (Incidentally, Tsusoka is one of two combined names that I can stand. The other is Spulia—Spkie/Julia from Cowboy Bebop. 'Cause I made that one up).

Side Note #1: I found this really great Hisoka/Tsuzuki quote today (2/7/06): "I wanted you from the first I saw you—but I loved you when you wept in my arms and let me comfort you." It really reminds me of them. I totally see Tsuzuki and Hisoka crushing on each other in the first two DVDs. It's kind of "duh", to me at least. But the two best moments, the ones that really defined their relationship to me, were when Tsuzuki holds Hisoka after Tsubaki died, and in Touda's flames when they're hugging and crying together while "A Meeting of Fate" plays in the background (Best…song…EVER! I will love Francesca forever for giving me the YnM soundtrack for Christmas!). I totally made an avatar with that quote on it. Yay.

Side Note #2: I have absolutely NO clue what hospitals are in Kyushu.

Side Note #3: Having a green face means that you're jealous. Wearing green on Thursday is a sign that you're gay.

Side Note #4: I did some color symbolism tests on Tsuzuki and Hisoka, and found that the former was most compatible with the color Pink (hee-hee-hee), and the latter most compatible with the color Red. Unfortunately, Matsushita-sensei listed their favorites colors as Green (hee-hee-hee) and Blue, respectively…

The Weight of Being

Buzzes usually don't last long. And everyone had had the night to get used to the idea of their engagement.

At least, that was what Hisoka kept telling himself over and over in his head.

No one was going to tackle-hug him. He was sure of it.

Still, his insides couldn't help but give a little twitch when he heard someone calling their names. Thankfully, the owner of the voice was just Konoe calling them into his office for a Summons order.

"The soul in question belongs to one Tsukiori Ukyo," Konoe informed them. "According to the Hall of Candles, she's been bedridden for about 18 years. Her candle was due to go out three days ago, but it obviously has not."

"So, someone is keeping her spirit from leaving," Hisoka said logically.

"That might be it. I'd lay odds that it is. However, Tsukiori, in life, practiced spirit magic. It appears that she was quite adept at it, too. She is also reported to have associated with other magic users. She may be keeping her soul with the help of someone else. If that's the case, you may have to…erm…convince the person to let her go."

"Spirit magic, eh?" Tsuzuki said. "I hope this doesn't turn into some kind of battle in the middle of a public place."

"Wouldn't be the first time, and probably wouldn't be the last," Hisoka said listlessly.

"Well, we haven't had a lot of battles lately," Tsuzuki pointed out. "Not since the good doctor disappeared. Though that's not to say I'm ungrateful for it…"

"Ditto."

"Earth to you two."

"Oh, sorry," Hisoka said, returning his attention to Konoe. "Where can we find her soul?"

"Nagasaki General Hospital. You know the drill. Get her soul in Meifu ASAP."

"On it," Hisoka said, rising and pulling the folder into his hands.

"Oh, and I never got the chance to properly congratulate you two," Konoe said, as Tsuzuki pushed back his own chair and stood.

"Yeah, the office was a bit…manic yesterday," Tsuzuki said apologetically.

"Well, you can't blame them, they all love you," Konoe said. "This Tsukiori Ukyo, her file says that she has a fiancé who's skilled in magic, too. Who knows, it might be him keeping her soul from coming to Meifu."

"That's nothing new," Tsuzuki said. Hisoka could sense a bit of wavering in Tsuzuki's resolve. Forcing someone away from loved ones was especially hard for him.

"Come on, Tsuzuki," Hisoka said, reaching for his partner's arm and imperceptibly sliding his hand into Tsuzuki's. "Let's get this over with. The sooner the better, okay?" He gave Tsuzuki's hand a tug and pulled him out of the doorway, both of them muttering their good-byes to Konoe.

"I hate breaking up fiancés," Tsuzuki said fiercely, suddenly, once they were safely outside the office.

"I'm not particularly fond of it, either, Tsuzuki."

"I wasn't even dead the first time I did it."

That made Hisoka stop in his tracks. "What?"

Tsuzuki shook his head and continued walking.

"Tsuzuki, you don't seriously expect me to forget that you just said you broke up an engaged couple while you were still alive."

"Hisoka, not now, okay?"

"Well, if not now, when?"

"When this job is over. I don't even know why I said that; if I think about it now I won't be able to go through with this. Let's just get this over with." He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked on as if his life depended on it. Hisoka could see his fists clenching against the fabric.

"All right. Fine," Hisoka said coolly, putting his hands in his own pockets and following, keeping his pace decidedly slow so as to not come up directly beside Tsuzuki.

"Don't be upset with me, please, Hisoka?" Tsuzuki turned his head so he could see Hisoka. "I promise you'll know about what happened, but can we just get this job over with first?"

"Fine," Hisoka said, attempting chilliness to let Tsuzuki know what he thought of his keeping secrets. But the small, sad smile Tsuzuki gave him effectively broke the ice, and Hisoka quickened his stride to catch up to him. Tsuzuki removed his hand from his pocket and squished it in beside Hisoka's, and with a sigh of faux exasperation Hisoka took both their hands out and let them dangle at their sides, fingers interlaced.

"I hate hospitals," Hisoka said.

"I'm not particularly fond of them, either, Hisoka," Tsuzuki said, mimicking their former conversation, completely lacking any hint of humor.

Nagasaki General Hospital was a several-story, imposing, pristinely white building set back in the heart of the city. The inside, complete with bright white lights and sterile, pale green tiling, did not contradict the image the outside posed. It was the sort of hospital that people, both patients and visitors, respected but did not feel distinctly comfortable in.

"Excuse me?"

A nurse power-walking by them almost ignored Tsuzuki's call, but the sense of duty instilled in her by her many years on the job prompted her to never leave a person high and dry. She turned around, irritably pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Yes?"

"We're looking for Tsukiori Ukyo. Would you happen to know which room she's in?"

"Tsukiori?" The nurse frowned. "It's rare she gets visitors outside of her fiancé. Are you family?"

"Cousin," Tsuzuki lied easily. "I've been living abroad."

"Oh," the nurse acknowledged dismissively. "Well, Tsukiori is in Room 355. That's the third floor, of course. It's a private room. Go all the way to the left, turn right, and go all the way down that hall. She has another visitor right now, so I hope you two get along. Visiting hours won't be over for a while. Though, I'll be here for the rest of the day…" she tacked on suggestively, eyeing Tsuzuki. "If you want me."

Annoyed, Hisoka grabbed Tsuzuki's hand pointedly and tugged it. "Come on, we had better go find her," he said petulantly, mixing feigned politeness in his tone and glance. "You get lost in these types of buildings so easily, Tsuzuki." He looked back at the nurse. "Thank you for helping us." He dipped his head slightly.

The nurse glanced at their hands and let her eyes linger on them for a few seconds. "It wasn't a problem, sir," she said, giving a small bow of her head and turning away. "Always the good-looking ones…"

Tsuzuki blinked, a little confused at the exchange that had just gone on under his nose and out of his understanding. "Hisoka, what just happened here?"

"That woman was trying to hit on you, that's what happened," Hisoka said snappishly.

"Really?" Tsuzuki looked a little embarrassed and rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't notice it."

"Don't play dumb. You've hit on women before." Hisoka began walking away, towards the stairs.

"I have never!" Tsuzuki insisted indignantly, chasing after him.

"Oh, and you were just being friendly with the hostess when we went to Hokkaido on the office trip, right?" He opened the door to the staircase and began climbing them.

"That was literally years ago, Hisoka. Do I detect a hint of jealousy?"

"Shut up."

"Your face is as green as your eyes," Tsuzuki teased, coming up behind him and putting his arm around his shoulders.

"Shut up."

"That nurse is probably checking the calendar, seeing if today's Thursday…"

"Tsuzuki." Hisoka turned around, fixing his partner with an evil eye. "Shut. Up."

"Oh, relax," Tsuzuki said, planting a little kiss on Hisoka's mouth that surprised the younger man into dropping his glare. "I like the color green."

Hisoka turned away. "And the color pink."

"Hisoka!"

Seemingly deaf, Hisoka continued to stomp resolutely up the stairs with Tsuzuki plodding after him, muttering complaints that seemed more like ways to needle Hisoka than to truly scold him.

"All right, come on, get serious," Hisoka admonished when they had reached the top of the flight of stairs. "We're on assignment."

"You're such a killjoy," Tsuzuki sighed. "All right, all right, I'll be good."

"That nurse said that Tsukiori had a visitor," Hisoka said, businesslike. "If the visitor is her fiancé—and it probably is—we have a huge problem on our hands. Konoe-kachou said that her fiancé is a magic user, too, and if he's keeping her alive he might attack us."

"So we'll have to either get her soul before he can stop us…"

"Which has two chances of happening: slim and none."

"…or we can fight him in a public place."

"Which isn't the greatest idea."

"Rock…" Tsuzuki said, raising one hand. "Hard place…" He raised the other. "Us." He stuck his head in between his arms.

"Yeah."

"So we'll just have to play it by ear," Tsuzuki said. "Maybe we'll just have to try again later."

"I suppose. This is the room," Hisoka said, stopping. The door was shut, and a glistening dry-erase board sat primly at Tsuzuki's eye-level, reading: "355. Tsukiori Ukyo-san".

"Here goes." Tsuzuki reached out his hand and turned the doorknob. The hinges creaked ominously as the door opened.

"Well, hello."

Hisoka's intestines seemed to jump out of his abdomen and lodge into his throat. "No. No, no, no…"

"Tsuzuki-san, Bouya, this is a surprise," Muraki deadpanned, his tone contradicting his words. "But I suppose I might have expected my most beloved Shinigami would come after my fiancée."

"You're Tsukiori's fiancé?" Tsuzuki barely managed to spit out.

"Please refer to her as "Ukyo"; she would appreciate familiarity much more," Muraki replied flippantly. "And yes, she is my fiancée."

"Who would want to marry you?" Hisoka hissed venomously.

"Well, I was quite different 18 years ago, when I asked her to marry me. One does change between the ages of 18 and 36, you know."

"I wouldn't know," Hisoka muttered icily.

"We're here for Tsukiori's soul, Muraki," Tsuzuki cut in. "She's overreached her life span. Her candle was supposed to go out two days ago."

Muraki chuckled. "You Shinigami and your candles. Do you know how easy it is to snuff or light a candle? I expect Bouya's candle should have burned for much longer than 16 years."

"You…" Hisoka began.

"The brightness or dimness of the flame is what truly matters," Muraki continued as if uninterrupted. "This is where my attraction to you, Tsuzuki-san, come from. Your flames, yours and Ukyo's, are twins."

"What are you talking about?" Tsuzuki snarled.

"Ukyo-koi." Muraki flicked the fingers of both hands at the sleeping woman in the bed beside where he sat in a revolving chair. "Open your eyes."

Tsuzuki and Hisoka stared as if spellbound at the thin, pale lady as she roused from her sleep. Her delicate porcelain face stirred, and a small "mmm" sound escaped her lips through the breathing tube attached to her face. The veined butterfly lids of her eyes flicked and then opened.

Tsuzuki's eyes widened. The breath caught in his throat. Blindly he clawed the air with his fingers and hooked on to Hisoka's sleeve for support.

Staring out from her sunken sockets was a pair of vivid, dark violet eyes.

"After the carnage of the American Civil War," Muraki began, as if giving a history lecture to bored, distracted students, "many demons thought the world was susceptible to demonic reign. After waiting x amount of years to make sure, in 1899 one of them decided to release his seed into Chijou by possessing a married man attempting to procreate with his wife. That seed, of course, was you. Your eyes are the mark of your heritage."

Muraki flicked his hair out of his eyes, unfazed by the increasingly pallid face of his audience. "However, you did not do as you were supposed to. You were too influenced by your human family. That, of course, didn't please your father, and he sent two demons to awaken your power by killing your psuedo-sister. Unfortunately for them, the plan backfired. Instead of realizing your hellish heritage, you killed the demons and promptly went insane."

Sweat was running down Tsuzuki's face and dampening his palms. "You're a liar," he accused unconvincingly, his voice a quiet whimper.

"Suffice it to say, the demon who spawned you was none too happy with that," Muraki continued calmly. "I suppose he thought humanity was not yet ready for his dark reign. It took several more wars for him to try again. This time his seed yielded a daughter to the Tsukiori family. She, too, proved that nurture triumphed over nature."

He picked up Ukyo's anorexic-like hand as if showing off how her bones and vein protruded into her skin. "Now, I'd wager you're curious as to how she wound up in this state. This is where my dear stepbrother comes into play."

"Enough," Hisoka demanded, loudly and clearly, as he felt Tsuzuki's grip on his arm tighten with every passing second. "We're here for Tsukiori's soul, not to listen to your bulls—t. Get out of the way."

"Oh, but I'm sure Tsuzuki-san wants to know," Muraki offered conversationally. "Surely he deserves to, at least. This woman is his sister, after all."

"I only have one sister, and she's dead," Tsuzuki whispered, so soft that Hisoka could only hear him through his empathy.

"And besides, my dear stepbrother Saki, through his mother, was the descendant of the demons Tsuzuki-san killed in 1917, when he saw how they mutilated Tsuzuki Ruka-san. Needless to say, Tsuzuki-san, your father made some enemies, what with his son killing demons that had previously been his allies. But since said son was already dead, Saki turned his vengeance first on the father, killing him, and Ukyo, nearly killing her. My faithful butler managed to murder Saki before he could deliver the fatal spell, but it appears that he cursed her so badly that she has been dying, ever so slowly, since. The doctors don't quite know what is wrong with her or how to help her. Rather like with you, Bouya." Muraki drew a cigarette from he pack in his pocket and lit it with a lighter he held in his other one. "Quite the tragedy, isn't it. The culture of us demons is certainly barbaric."

"You're a demon, too?" Hisoka gasped.

"You are slow, aren't you, Bouya?" Muraki stated dully. "Not many humans can become as skilled in magic as I am. Unlike Tsuzuki-san, Ukyo, Saki, and I were all very well aware of our birthrights as creatures of Hell. Also unlike Tsuzuki-san, it bothered us naught. How did I put it? Ah, yes, being "a monster with the blood of a demon" never affected us quite as much as it affects Tsuzuki-san.

"You…"

Hisoka was cut off as Tsuzuki suddenly let go of his arm and left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. A very pregnant silence reigned over the room, broken only by the shallow, laborious breathing of Ukyo.

"Well, that's the story," Muraki finished casually, taking a drag. "Amazing what a bit of research, critical thinking, and a braggart yet knowledgeable stepbrother will reveal."

Hisoka could only stare. A thousand different thoughts and insults were flying in his head but all of them seemed to jam in his brain before they could make it to his mouth. His mouth opened and closed like a beached fish's as he stared at the man who had violated him in so many, innumerable ways over the past seven years.

"Why…" he managed to breathe out. "Why did you…why did you tell him all that? You are never going to have Tsuzuki," he suddenly spat. "I'll never let you torture him into giving up again. Never, you hear me? Never!"

"Bouya, you're such a child, throwing a tantrum like that," Muraki said disinterestedly. "That fire effectively destroyed what was left of Saki's body. I am no longer in need of Tsuzuki-san. At least, not for that purpose."

Hisoka's head was suddenly jarred with Muraki's purposefully disgusting, lewd thoughts. "H-how can you? With your fiancée right in the room?"

"Well, Ukyo is rather incapacitated right now," Muraki said, giving Hisoka a "duh" look. "And besides, Ukyo has never minded any…hmm, how shall I say…objects of my attention. She cares very little about bodies, because she knows how very little bodies mean. At the risk of sounding—"

"Human?" Hisoka snorted.

"—hopelessly romantic, she would rather have my heart than my body. Especially since her own body can barely stand any physical contact at the moment."

It took a moment for Hisoka to notice that Muraki had taken Ukyo's dead leaf of a hand in his own again.

"What's keeping her alive?" Hisoka asked, staring at the ashen, grainy face of the dying woman.

"The brightness of her flame."

"That brightness is withering," Hisoka said, surprising himself with the gentleness of his voice. "She's suffering, Muraki. Look at her."

"I'm well aware of her state, Bouya," Muraki said, and the vision of the emaciated, cracked China doll of a lady lying helplessly in the bed reflected in Muraki's remaining biological eye.

"You can kill her," Hisoka said, a statement and a suggestion. "You can kill her now, and quickly. You could just pull out that plug and it'll be over with."

Muraki chuckled again. "You're not very subtle, Bouya. I can see right through you. You want to get the Summons done and to see me suffer."

"I wouldn't mind accomplishing either of those," Hisoka said frankly, honestly. "But I suffered for only 3 years. She has for 18. Do you know how much I wanted someone to put me out of my misery after a month with that curse? Not that you would care in my case, but your own fiancée…"

"Quite the hypocrite. You wouldn't let Tsuzuki-san euthanize himself."

"Tsuzuki was crazy," Hisoka stated plainly. "Because of you, he thought he caused people's deaths. Ukyo has no such false guilt. This is an entirely different situation."

"Not quite," Muraki countered. "You loved Tsuzuki-san too much to let him go, didn't you? It is that exact selfishness that keeps Ukyo from leaving the world of the living."

Hisoka stared at Muraki, wondering how his tormentor and executioner could seem so weak and so unequivocally human.

"You yourself said it's easy to snuff a candle," Hisoka said steadily. "It can die slowly or it can be put out instantly. If it's her brightness keeping her alive, then your darkness can kill her."

"You aren't going to attempt to kill her, Bouya?"

"I'm doing you the goodness of letting you chose what to do with her," Hisoka replied, hardly believing what words were coming out of his mouth. "I don't want to battle you now; I have to go find Tsuzuki. And anyway, you like to play God, don't you?"

Hisoka turned away quickly, but remembered something and turned his head back. "You never answered my question."

"What was that, Bouya?"

"Why did you tell Tsuzuki all that?"

"He destroyed my chance at revenge on Saki. I wanted him to suffer for that."

"You're sick." But Hisoka's voice betrayed no surprise.

"It is in my nature to care selectively," Muraki explained away. "Demons do not understand abstract concepts like the equality of human value."

Hisoka made a noise in his throat. "Funny. For a minute there, you were almost human. But I guess not everyone can do what Tsuzuki and Ukyo did. Me, I pity her for having the misfortune of falling for you. But then, I pity you for yourself."

"Pity?" Muraki faked a chuckle. "What an odd thing for you to feel for me."

"You think so? Well, that just reinforces it."

Hisoka turned his head away and took hold of the door handle. His insides were shaking though his hand remained steady as he pulled open the door, stepped out into the hallway, and shut it behind him.

"One day, I'll exceed him."

"Yeah…I'm sure we can do it, with the two of us."

"Tsuzuki." Hisoka dropped his barriers and cast his mind about, searching for Tsuzuki's spiritual trace. It was going back the way they had come. It was stopping…it was sitting in the stairway…

Hisoka quickly teleported from the hallway and into the stairs, just a few steps above where Tsuzuki was hunched over, staring at a combination of the floor and his hands. Resolutely Hisoka walked down to him and sat beside him. He folded his hands in front of himself and looked at the ceiling.

"I'm letting Muraki decide to pull the plug or not," Hisoka informed his partner. "It's his turn to struggle with something like that."

"Mm."

"He told you all that to "punish" you for stopping his revenge on Saki. You would do well to remember it's only in his warped mind that you deserve to be "punished" for that."

"Mm."

"Tsuzuki."

"Yeah?" Tsuzuki asked, his voice tight and strangled.

Hisoka took Tsuzuki's head, one hand on each side, and pulled his face around so they were looking at each other eye-to-eye.

"I don't care. And neither should you."

Tsuzuki's breathing seemed very controlled, but Hisoka could feel that his mind was not. "A monster with the blood of a demon…"

"I grew up being called "monster", Tsuzuki," Hisoka said, his voice and gaze unwavering. "I never believed it. I felt too much to be an apathetic monster from the old stories. You care 10 times more than me about any random given thing. So, even if you were born a demon, that does not make you a monster." He took a breath. "You and Muraki are both demons. I left a monster in room 355. I'm sitting next to, and engaged to, and in love with, a human. So don't even think about beating yourself up about this, or I'll beat you up myself. Clear?"

Tsuzuki bowed his head in Hisoka's grasp, the corners of his mouth tilted up in a humoring, fake smile. Hisoka pulled Tsuzuki's head into his own collarbone and wrapped his arms around Tsuzuki's skull, holding him in place as his breathing pattern gradually turned from controlled to shuddering and finally to steady.

"Kurosaki-kun, something odd happened."

"What, Tatsumi-san?" Hisoka looked up from his desk. It had been dark by the time they returned to Meifu and Hisoka had sent Tsuzuki home, insistent that he do the paperwork himself. It was odd for Hisoka to admit that he had been glad to see Tsuzuki's usual smiling expression at the prospect of skipping out on work. But if it meant Tsuzuki was returning to normal…

"That woman you and Tsuzuki were supposed to bring in. Tsukiori Ukyo?"

"What about her?"

"She got here before you two returned. The Gushoshin escorted her over to the Judiciary Department and she's passed on to Heaven already."

Hisoka's eyes widened. He looked down at his paperwork. As if in a dream he scratched out a few lines with his pen and began writing over them.

"Wel, d—n," he breathed to himself. "The b—d's got some human in him after all."