Disclaimer: I do not own Yami no Matsuei

Shout-outs:

December Jewel: I've continued!

Kiko812: Thank you! I'm a teensy bit proud of my Hisoka, too. Such a grumpy sweetie! (Glomps him)

As for everyone else…well, I actually think it's much, much easier to have storylines revolving around lots of people. Makes for great scene changes when I run out of ideas. Besides, they're all my babies and I like to put them all through Hell (I can write it if I'm talking about the place!) before I give them a happy ending. Just like the main characters. Hee-hee!

Though I wish I had a bigger plotline for Saya/Yuma. They're one of my Three True Pairings (the others being Tsuzuki/Hisoka and Tsubaki/Eileen), but I just can't think of how I can torture them like I do the others (Well, maybe not to the extent of Tsuzuki/Hisoka—they just beg to be tortured, and besides, they're the main couple—but at least as much as Tsubaki/Eileen, who will be having much more angsting going on, starting this chapter). But…maybe that's okay. We need some reminder that love can be fun, y'know?

Stratus5: Hugs for you, too! It's great knowing that my writing makes people smile.

Karou-Uesugi-138: …and ever!

Amethyst-eyed Koneko: I'm totally an attention-hog, too. You can expect an answer to every last one of the reviews (except for the ones on the last chapter, of course).

(Braced for fawning) Those two parts were my absolute favorites, too, and I have a hard time choosing one over the other. I was really, really hoping that someone would pick up on the "This is what a fiancé does" line in the first scene, and how there's still love between Tatsumi/Tsuzuki, just not the same as the love between Tsuzuki/Hisoka. While I don't expect everyone to see a piece of writing the way the author does (authorial intent is nothing, nothing I tell you!), it really does make my day when someone catches on.

Yami Chikara: Best chapter yet? Hmm…yeah, I agree.

Side Note #1: Okay, seriously, this chapter is filler and not as drama-racked as the previous. It's more like light angst sprinkled with plot points with a dash of psuedo-humor, if anything. I need a break from the angst and drama before it gets too maudlin and loses its power.

This chapter is also more focused on everyone else, kinda like how chapter 2 was.

It'll probably suck in comparison to the others.

What's funny is that I wasn't planning Tsuzuki's breakdown over Ruka for last chapter. He was only supposed to show Hisoka the picture and explain how she was engaged before she died. His huge breakdown was meant solely for chapter 7. But hey, the muses led me. Which is okay, because I got a new idea from it. That will be played out in chapter 7 and put into words when we finally get to the wedding.

Side Note #2: Lots of references this time around.

"Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." – An old Epicurean (Greek philosophy) saying

"Très Children of the Corn." – From a (I think) Stephen King book. The CotC say, "We love you name. We know all your secrets."

Ring stand, crucible, Bunsen burner – All equipment found in a chemistry lab

Side Note #3: Volume 10 is finally out in English and I have loads to say.

The Shiki:

1. OMG I love Riko! That cactus is the cutest thing ever. I will bawl my eyes out when he dies.

2. Suzaku…Touda…UST. (Snerf) Seriously, Matsushita is just asking for them to be paired together. Touda's such a clueless guy when it comes to her. "I made her mad again…was it something I said?"

3. Tenko is OMG the cutest thing ever! Yes, I said the same about Riko, but…GASP must start pairing Riko with Tenko!

4. Rikugo is the prettiest thing ever. I love him so much. I think he is my favorite of the Shiki.

5. My guess at Taimou and Kouchin's characterizations were pretty accurate! Yay!

6. I like Touda's present appearance. The long hair, leg warmers, and bondage thing from his flashbacks just wasn't working. Sorry.

The Kurosaki family:

1. Hisoka's imaginary friends? C-R-E-E-P-Y.

2. Kurosaki Iwao? U-G-L-Y.

3. I already want to beat Nagare's head in with a lead pipe. That awful man put his son through Hell and doesn't show any kind of regret for it. Rui's not much better. When even the imaginary friends feel badly for Hisoka when his mother beats him, you know there's something wrong. I'm so glad Hisoka died; at least now he's far from them.

4. Argh! It's driving me crazy because I know who it is that yells, "Give me back my name!" at Hisoka. And I'll drive you crazy by not telling you!

Hisoka's Characterization:

1. Consistent. At times he seems a bit conceited and downright childish. But when he talks about how he's tired of running away, and wants to be equals with Tsuzuki and protect the ones he cares for, I can forgive it all. Plus, he really loves Riko! It's so sweet.

Best for last; the Tsuzuki/Hisoka quotes.

1. "Nobody knows you better than I do."-Tsuzuki to Hisoka.

2. "Tsuzuki's just worried about you."-Suzaku to Hisoka.

3. "I don't want to be a burden to him anymore. I want to be his equal. I can't match his years of experience. And no matter how hard I try, I can't reach his level of genius."-Hisoka to Genbu.

4. "Tsuzuki cares for him deeply."-Touda to Genbu.

5. After Hisoka is sucked into the wormhole…"Tsuzuki must be worried sick. Poor guy."-Suzaku to herself.

6. "It never used to bother me, so why am I afraid to be alone now?…………I want to go home. Why aren't you here with me, Tsuzuki?"-Hisoka to himself.

7. "Don't be sad. It's not your fault that Hisoka disappeared." "If only I'd been with him!"-Kijin and Tsuzuki.

Needed

"1…2…3…4…4 minutes."

Hisoka felt a strange rushing as the spirit of the young man he was channeling left him. Three weeks had passed since the Count initially offered this training in Illusory Magic, and it was now nearing the end of May.

"You're improving, Kurosaki-san," the Count offered sincerely. "Your progress is coming along much quicker and smoother than even I predicted."

Hisoka wept sweat of his forehead. "Thanks."

"Tired?"

"No," Hisoka negated, shaking his head.

The Count frowned. "I disagree, Kurosaki-san."

"You what?"

"You will take a break now."

"But—"

"No buts, Kurosaki-san. You cannot expect to channel spirits in this state. One must rest after strenuous exercise." The Count clapped his hands. "Come. Have some refreshments with me."

"Whatever."

It appeared that Watson had psychic powers, as tea was already poured and bread already sliced by the time the Count had led Hisoka through the labyrinth of hallways and maze-like rows of candles to the outside gardens.

"Ah, lovely," The Count said, pulling his seat out and sitting down, taking in the pale pink landscape. "The sakura are quite healthy."

"I'm not a huge fan, personally," Hisoka said tightly, wrapping his fingers around his teacup.

"Sakura symbolize death," the Count said.

"I can believe that," Hisoka said, his voice almost constricted.

"So how fitting that they bloom in a place of half-death. Do you know, I think they are the only things truly alive here."

"I think the definition of "life" is subjective, Count," Hisoka countered.

"Well, I sha'n't argue that," the Count said. He took a sip of his own tea. "You really are progressing as an Illusion-worker, Kurosaki-san."

"I suppose."

"Only suppose?" The Count cocked an invisible eyebrow.

"Only being able to hold on to a form for 4 minutes, after practicing for 3 weeks, isn't exactly what I'd call progress."

"Illusory Magic is very difficult, Kurosaki-san. You should be proud of what you have accomplished so far."

"3 weeks? 4 minutes? That's something to be proud of? You don't have high hopes for me."

"My, you're impatient." The Count folded his hands in front of him. "Kurosaki-san, you have eternity to become more powerful. You've only been a Shinigami for four years. It did take Tsuzuki-san several years to control all his Shikigami, and he has magical powers that he was born with. Yes, I know something about that," the Count said at Hisoka's startled look, taking a sip of tea. "Probably not as much as you do, but something. The point I'm trying to reach, Kurosaki-san, is that you have time." He took another sip of tea. "Why is it that you want to have such power, anyway?"

"I hate being weak."

"And why is that?"

"Because I can't protect what I love if I'm weak," Hisoka said, deciding not to hold anything back.

"You speak of Tsuzuki-san, I assume," the Count said knowingly. "Correct me if I'm mistaken, but wasn't it your weakness that saved him from Touda a little over a year ago?"

"It's different now," Hisoka insisted, feeling heat rising to his voice. "He needs my strength now."

"I suppose he does," the Count said musingly. "However—and this is just an outsider's opinion, Kurosaki-san—he needs your weakness, as well."

Hisoka frowned. "Not following."

"Every living thing," the Count said, tracing the rim of his cup with his clothed index finger, "likes to be needed. And we usually comply when someone needs us, but only if we know that they are sincere." He took another sip. "I think this might be why you can only hold a form for a few minutes. The soul you are channeling doesn't feel any sincere need from you, or a humble request for help."

"The soul thinks I'm being selfish?" Hisoka questioned unbelievingly.

"Yes. The soul feels that you are using them just for yourself, and not to help their loved one pass on in peace. This is the case with many Illusion-Workers; it's not just you, Kurosaki-san." The Count finished his tea and set his cup down.

"Huh."

"Surprised?"

"It's not every day I'm told spirits don't like me because I'm a self-centered a—shole."

"Language, language, Kurosaki-san. And I think it's your impatience, not any lack of compassion, which makes them believe you are selfish. If I truly believed that you were lacking in that department, I would have put up more of fuss when you announced your engagement."

"More than you did?" Hisoka snorted.

"Well, I can get carried away," the Count said, and then laughed so mirthfully that Hisoka felt the tiniest bit freaked out. "But I do adore him."

"You don't hold back, do you?" Hisoka muttered, annoyed.

"Living as one pleases is the key to longevity."

"But you're immortal."

"So I might as well do as I please!"

"And with that absolutely airtight argument…" Hisoka stood. "I think I should get back to practice."

"Oh, relax," the Count said, placating. "Do sit and discipline yourself into patience. As I said, I do not believe you are truly selfish. Irritable, impatient, and impetuous—hmm, assonance—but not selfish."

"Not selfish, eh?" Hisoka said, biting his lip as to not retort with listing the Count's own faults.

"Did it…bother you that I saved you?"

"You don't think it was selfish of me?"

"I doubt Tsuzuki would be as involved with you as he is if you were," the Count said, as if reading Hisoka's mind. "Even if saving him from Touda actually was."

"He doesn't think it was," Hisoka said.

"Then he probably felt a sincere need of him from you. That's why I'm saying, Kurosaki-san, that he needs your weakness as well as your strength. Now, that being said, we'll adjourn back to training in a few minutes. Until then, eat, drink, and be merry."

"For tomorrow we die?"

"Kurosaki-san, we're already dead."

Hisoka felt the urge to bang his head against the table.

"003, don't…shoo!" Watari swiped at the air, pushing his feathered companion away from where he was measuring a beaker of liquid into another. "I have to be…very…careful…"

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK

"Yeah?" Watari whipped around, and the fluid he had been cautiously pouring began dripping onto the counter.

"Watari, your nosiness has reached new levels of insane."

"The door's unlocked!" Watari called, grinning as Tatsumi opened the door, brandishing a yellow piece of office paper with the message "We love you, Tatsumi. But we don't know all your secrets" scrawled across it in red ink and an evil smiling face, complete with fangs, horns, and cape, drawn underneath it. "Oh, I see you got my note."

"Très Children of the Corn, Watari," Tatsumi said flatly. He glanced at the counter. "Is this a bad time?"

"Huh?" Watari followed his gaze. "Oh, shoot!" The liquid he had been pouring was now eating away at the counter. "Great. Well, it'll stop reacting in a minute."

"Working on your sex-change potion?" Tatsumi asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"It's only my afterlife's work!" Watari said, half-serious, half-joking. "Well, are you here to finally tell me what's wrong, or are you just being nosy, yourself?"

"I came to tell you that you're nuts," Tatsumi said impassively.

"Ah, nuts about my friends, you mean," Watari corrected. "Come on, Tatsumi, it's not like I'm going to go blab it to the rest of the world."

"You're a freak," Tatsumi said plainly.

"Fine then," Watari said, tantrum-like. He crossed his arms and stomped his foot for effect.

"And a child."

Watari stuck out his tongue, shut his one eye, and pulled the bottom eyelid of his open eye down. "Nyah! Why don't you just leave, then?"

"Nothing would please me more."

The pencil-thin hand on the clock ticked by a few seconds. But neither man had moved. Tatsumi twitched and made to, but equally jerky was his impulse to pull back and stay put.

"Ah, conflicting desires," Watari said, faux-wisely. "While you're busy sorting out your brain, mind if I make some tea?" He turned away, peeling off his gloves, and went to a counter a few feet away from the one that was hissing and cracking as the chemical ate away at the metal. He set up a ring stand and planted an enlarged crucible full of water on it. He had just plugged in the Bunsen burner and was balancing the flint striker over it when Tatsumi's voice reached his ears.

"To be honest, I'm jealous."

Watari gave a little jump and set the Bunsen burner aflame. He turned around, his hair barely escaping being ignited, as well. "Oh, really?"

"Not in the way you think," Tatsumi said hastily. "I was…fond of Tsuzuki, true. I still am, but not in the same way. And besides, I wouldn't risk my friendship with either of them that way."

"Oh?" Watari cocked an eyebrow. "Then what's the problem?"

"Mm." Tatsumi paused. He seemed to be searching his thoughts. "Watari, have you noticed how we refer to each other by our last names around here?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know why that is?"

"I've got a feeling you want to tell me," Watari said, propelling himself up to sit on the counter next to his boiling water.

"Culturally we Japanese avoid getting too close," Tatsumi began, "and that's why we only refer to each other by our given names when we are family, friends, or lovers. Personal names are a privilege of closeness. It's different with Kurosaki-kun and Tsuzuki—Tsuzuki wants to be identified by his family, so even after they're married Kurosaki-kun will call him "Tsuzuki". But for the rest of us, we use family names to indicate personal space." A short pause. "It is a barrier."

"Huh," Watari intoned. "I never thought of it that way."

"We rarely do. It is one of those cultural norms we've long forgotten the meaning of but protect fiercely."

"Like Happy Hour in America!" Watari exclaimed.

"…Yes, like Happy Hour," Tatsumi allowed, somehow seeing the logic in Watari's words. His mouth twitched in a smile somehow mixing sadness and amusement. "Did you know…back when Tsuzuki and I were partners, he told me that he liked me?"

"Really now," Watari said, cocking an eyebrow. "I can imagine that went over quite well, didn't it."

"I rebuffed him, of course," Tatsumi said matter-of-factly. "But that's not the problem."

"Then what is it?"

"When he did, he called me "Tatsumi"."

"Aa-aa-h," Watari said, understanding. "I'm getting it now."

"I wasn't the best partner to him," Tatsumi continued, as if unaware he still had an audience. "I put up a barrier with my aloofness. Even when admitting romantic feelings for me, he still deferred to that barrier."

There was a silence. Tatsumi seemed intensely fascinated with staring at his hands.

Watari nearly jumped when Tatsumi cleared his throat. "Well, as I said, Tsuzuki and I are water under the bridge now. It was years ago, and I have no feelings for him now similar to those Kurosaki-kun has. However, no one, since I've lived in Meifu, has ever called me "Seiichiro". Do you know…I miss the sound of my given name being spoken."

Watari gave him a hard look. Tatsumi rung his hands and stood, giving a small inclination of his head as he did so.

"Well, that's the story, Watari," he said, walking towards the door. "All your nosiness has finally paid off. I don't know what came over me…Now that I've wasted both of our times, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

"Tatsumi…wait a second."

Tatsumi stopped, his hand on the doorknob. "What is it?"

"Would you…" Watari trailed off, and then impulsively flung himself into his next words. "Would you like to be my date to the wedding?"

"Would I what?" Tatsumi turned around, his face hammered into surprise.

"I'm going alone, you're going alone," Watari said. "And we're friends, as much as we bicker. It makes sense. Plus, you've given me the most original "I'm gonna die alone" speech I've heard in quite awhile, so you deserve a date for that."

"Thanks…" Tatsumi said acerbically.

"Oh, relax, Tatsumi," Watari said, grinning. "Why not be my date? We can just share a dance or two, and when Tsuzuki and Bon leave, we can go get coffee or tea or booze or something."

"That sounds…"

"Ridiculous?" Watari asked, smirking.

"…nice," Tatsumi said, surprising Watari and, as evident by his face, himself.

"Really?" Watari asked, blinking. "You'll be my date?"

"I suppose…" Tatsumi said uncertainly. "You're right, I have no reason not to be."

"Oh…well…it's a date, then!"

"It…is." Tatsumi stood nervously, watching the equally tense Watari rock back and forth slightly on the countertop. "I really have to get back to work now."

"Tatsumi…wait," Watari said, and Tatsumi stopped mid-turn. "In all seriousness, would you actually like to be my date?"

"I already said "yes", didn't I?" Tatsumi returned, though softer and less biting than he might be.

"…Good."

A pause.

"You know," Watari mused aloud, "there was never any love lost between me and my given name. I mean, who wants to have the same name as a bathrobe? But sometimes…I miss someone saying it, too."

Tatsumi turned back to the door and took the knob.

"Maybe…we'll both hear it eventually," Watari said conclusively. He could tell by the twitching of face muscles that Tatsumi had, for a fleeting instant, smiled.

"5 minutes…well, it's an improvement," Hisoka muttered to himself, trudging away from the Hall of Candles. The Count had made him quit just after he managed to extend his power by another minute, insisting that Hisoka shouldn't push himself so much. Arguments to the contrary fell on deaf ears, and Watson had had to practically drag Hisoka out of the building to make him leave.

"Oh, hey…Hisoka!"

Hisoka turned around. Strolling aimlessly around the street, a bag of groceries hanging off her arm, was Tsubaki.

"Hi, Tsubaki-hime."

She jogged up to him, the plastic bag swinging to and fro on her forearm. "Isn't this nuts?" she asked, raising the bag so he knew she was discussing it. "3 years to get used to food shopping on my own, and I still always manage to forget something I need."

"Why don't you go back and get it?"

"Why, I'd rather talk to you, of course!" Tsubaki said, smiling. "Actually, I have some cash left. Why don't we go to that teashop up the street and get something? My treat!"

"I'm not much company, you'll find," Hisoka said blandly.

"Sourpuss," Tsubaki chided. She caught his arm with her free hand and began pulling him up the street.

"Tsubaki-hime…"

"Come on, we're friends, aren't we?" she pouted, batting her eyelashes. "You can't resist this adorable girl asking for some time with her friend…"

"Fine, fine, whatever," Hisoka said, giving in. It was hard to say "no" to Tsubaki.

"Yay!" Tsubaki smiled to show her childishness was over. "Seriously, my treat."

"So, how goes it with Tsuzuki?" Tsubaki asked, stirring a teaspoon of sugar into her cup. "I wasn't keeping you from going to meet him, was I?"

"No, not especially," Hisoka said. "I was just going home."

"Oh, so you were going to meet him," she said sagely.

"How did you…?"

"Aside from Tsuzuki, I'd like to consider myself your best friend," Tsubaki said, absently stirring her tea. "I have a little something called "intuition". I know these things."

Hisoka groaned loudly, slapping his face with his hand. "Great. Who else…"

"Oh, just me, as far as I know," Tsubaki said cheerily. "And I wouldn't tell anyone else, on my honor." Tsubaki drew an imaginary X across her chest, and then folded her arms across the table. "So, how long?"

"About 6 months."

"Wow," Tsubaki said appreciatively, though surprised. "That's a fair bit. What made you want to get married, then?"

"Why does anyone want to?" Hisoka challenged. "It's what happens. It was on a whim that I asked him, but it felt right."

"Hmm." Tsubaki smiled again, a little lacking this time.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Tsubaki said.

"Bulls—t," Hisoka said. "You're forgetting my special little power, remember? I'm trying hard not to look inside your mind but you're not making it easy."

"Oh…sorry," Tsubaki said sheepishly. "Makes you wonder how I kept Muraki's secret so well, with you see through me so easily."

"Possession does that," Hisoka said. He felt a strong pulse of unexpected emotion from Tsubaki at the thought of Muraki. "Is this something to do with the Queen Camellia?"

"No…not exactly," Tsubaki said. "It involves Eileen."

"I figured," Hisoka said. "They felt familiar." Upon their first reunion in Meifu, Hisoka had unintentionally felt Tsubaki's emotions and was the first to discover that her regret had to do with losing someone in Chijou. He had learned to associate Eileen with these particular emotions, a la Pavlov's dogs, after Saya and Yuma had produced the girl some months afterwards.

"Mm. You know how I wanted to get the Shinigami post on the off chance that I'd see her more often?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, I didn't get it."

"Sorry."

"So I began looking into other ways we could see each other more often. International Meifu laws only allow occasional visits between Shinigami from two countries. I don't think that's good enough to form a committed relationship."

"Understandable."

"Eileen was, too, apparently," Tsubaki said. She paused. "She left me a message on my phone today. Her research said that the way for Shinigami of two countries to see more of each other than just the government-regulated occasional visits is to get married."

Hisoka blinked. "Whoa. D—n that bureaucracy."

"Seriously."

"What's the problem, Tsubaki-hime? You wanted the job so you could see more of her, didn't you?"

"That's exactly it! I wanted to see more of her so our relationship could get stronger. But her voice on the machine…it sounded like she really wanted to get married. ASAP."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do!" Tsubaki yelped at him, rising a little from her seat, surprising them both and some of the surrounding tables. "Sorry," she apologized to the room collectively, shamefacedly sitting down and clearing her throat. "Look, Hisoka, Eileen always knew what her feelings were for me. She left her country, just to be with me. Yes, we were only 8 at the time, but she already somehow knew she wanted to be with me. It's not that simple in my case. I was in love with someone for 7 years, and she wasn't around for most of them. I didn't even know that losing her was my regret until Saya and Yuma practically waved her in my face! I lost her for 9 years and I've only had her again for 1…that's not long enough."

"I understand," Hisoka said slowly.

"At least someone does," Tsubaki mumbled.

"You already told her?"

"Not yet." Tsubaki shook her head. "She just sounded so…hopeful on the phone. How can I crush her like that?"

"It'll be worse if you're not honest with her," Hisoka said levelly. "You of all people know what blind love can do to someone."

"Yes, I know what it can do," she said slowly, her voice low. An uncomfortable silence passed. "But this won't end in her death. I do love her, Hisoka. Just…I'm not ready for it."

"You don't have to tell me," Hisoka said. "Literally. You're extremely bad at hiding your emotions."

Tsubaki gave a watery smile. "Thank you." She leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"I hope it goes over well," Hisoka said.

"Eileen…she just throws herself into things. She's so gung-ho, Hisoka," Tsubaki said fondly, smiling. "But she gets crushed so easily. The littlest things make her upset. She's just a little bit like Tsuzuki." She frowned. "But when she gets upset, she gets angry. That's where their differences are."

"Don't let her cow you, Tsubaki-hime," Hisoka advised strongly, almost commanding. "That's not fair."

"I won't," Tsubaki said. She smiled weakly, and then cleared her throat. "We had better get going. I should call her as soon as possible, and you have a fiancé waiting for you at home…"

"Tsubaki-hime, please…"

"Yes, yes. Whispered, not spoken. You know," she said with a teasing, impish smile, "none of this would've happened if I'd have just stuck with you. But you can't have any regrets, you know?"

Hisoka refrained from commenting on the irony of that statement.

ARGH! (Rams head into desk). I am so sorry for this chapter. This was awful as filler goes. But I had to get it out of the way as there are plently of plot points covered by it. Please forgive me.