YAMI NO MATSUEI

THE SHADOWS OF MY PAST

Chapter Twenty-Four – Partnerships

Warning and note about this chapter:

This chapter has lemons. Be warned.

This particular chapter, just like the previous chapter, attempts to touch such a sensitive point on the Tatsumi-Tsuzuki relationship. Please consider this chapter, and this fic, as my interpretation on what would cause such a relationship shared between the two of them not work even though the two of them did love each other very much.

For readers who are familiar with the general flow of the Tat-Tsu relationship, the two became partners at the Shokan Division. Before Tatsumi, every single one of Tsuzuki's partners lasted less than three months working with Tsuzuki.

Tatsumi, per canon, lasted for no more than three months. Immediately after being reassigned, he became Konoe's executive assistant and chief administrative officer for the Shokan Division.

The only one who broke the record for lasting longer than three months as Tsuzuki's partner was none other than Kurosaki Hisoka.

And so let's continue the story. Let me know what you think via reviews and/or Private Message(s)!

Best regards,

PJ Zatken

To the Reader

For those who are not familiar with Yami no Matsuei (YNM) or Descendants of Darkness, this anime/manga series is shounen-ai (guy/guy relationships or suggestions of such). This entire fan fiction has a PG-13 rating due to its content and keeping in line with how the actual anime and manga are rated.

Timeline of this fanfic

Little is known of Tatsumi Seiichiro's past – not just to us fans, but also to his fellow YnM characters.

Using the pieces of information provided by YnM's mangaka as well as my imagination, this fic is my attempt to fill in those many "holes" about his past. This fic is also my interpretation on why he is the person that we know, love, and fawn over as YnM fans.

By the way, the timeline for this fic is after the Gensoukai story arc. Since Gensoukai is still pending, I'm going to take the position that the Gensoukai arc is over, Hisoka succeeds in getting the powerful dragon shikigami, Tatsumi and Tsuzuki - even though they are in more comfortable terms now – still have unresolved differences from Tatsumi's prior dumping of Tsuzuki, and Tatsumi and Watari's relationship becomes deeper and more intimate.

Readers who have been following this story will find this chapter to be a rather abrupt turn from the pace that it had been enjoying. There is a rhyme and reason for this, so please have patience. Secondly, one may notice that some of the names in this chapter sound familiar. Yes, their names appeared in Kyoto Files Revisited (KFR), Apocalypse Rising (AR) and Ragnarok Descends (RD) – three other Yami no Matsuei fanfics that I have been working on.

There is another TatWari fanfic in my inventory – The Beginning of a Beautiful Relationship…or Not (BBR) – which shows how Tatsumi and Watari became an item before the events told in Chapter One of this fic. This fic also might have references trailing back to 3

One does not need to read KFR, AR, or RD to understand what is going on in this fic since this fic stands alone. For avid readers of KFR, AR, and RD, I strongly believe that the "continuity" between the three fics and this one that you are about to read is a nice treat.

Additionally, one does not need to read BBR to understand this fic, but readers would be able to see, empathize, and appreciate the reasons which led Tatsumi to travel back to his past and relive the pain – and the major part of those reasons have to do with Watari and Tatsumi's desire to make their relationship work and last.

Happy reading, Happy New Year, and thank you so much for your patience in waiting very long for this story update.

Disclaimer

By the way, I do not own Yami no Matsuei and its lovable characters. However, I do own this fic, Asukawa Mako, Chief Satori and other original characters.

Please sit back and enjoy reading. I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this and the fics that I have been writing.

Timeline: January 2, 1952 (6 days after Tatsumi Seiichiro's 32nd Birthday)

Time: 8:00 A.M.

Location: Shokan Division Main Office (Meifu)

Takeda Ryosuke

Itou Daisuke

Tanaka Koji

Fujikawa Seimei

Kouya Isa

Cause of death – Pending

Date of death – December 27, 1951

Status of Souls – Pending

Six days had already passed and there was still no resolution to the whereabouts of five additional souls…one of those souls included Kouya Isa.

Additionally, it had also been nine days and counting since Mako-san disappeared…the old man disappearing since Christmas Eve and had not been seen since then.

These two unresolved occurrences had left me on edge to say the least…unsettled…

I have been fortunate that Asato continued to be that supportive and empathetic figure in my afterlife. He might not have the answer as to where those missing souls were located, or what exactly happened to Mako-san that made him in absentia since Christmas Eve. However, his presence had the profound effect of keeping me at peace…and how the gods know all too well that a little peace in my heart would go a long way in holding my sanity and keeping my errand shadows at bay.

On a better note, today marked my first official day at the Shokan Division. Generally, half of my time was allocated in field work as Asato's junior partner while the remaining half was devoted as Kacho's secretary. Since Asato was ordered to get busy with desk work, my whole day had been figured out to learn the administrative aspect of the Shokan Division.

My morning at my new workplace was good…so far…

A sweet young lady who introduced herself as Wakaba Kannuki greeted everyone with a sunny smile, her gloved hands carrying a basket filled with freshly-baked chocolate muffins along with napkins and a pair of serving tongs. She stopped by each occupied desk, greeted the other person good morning, laid out a napkin, and served that person with two muffins each.

I kept my silence as Asato and Wakaba chatted in front of my as I sat behind the desk across from him. The two seemed to be close to say the least, and although I was initially bothered by what I saw and heard as they interacted, I surmised that their relationship was similar to that between siblings. My logical mind readily accepted that to be true, but my more irrational and highly reactionary side still held on to those stewing sensations of annoyance.

Once Wakaba left, Asato immediately ate his pair of muffins with such gusto. He then motioned Wakaba once she passed by our shared space, asking, "Wakaba-chan…may I have some more, please?"

"Ah, I'm sorry, Tsuzuki-san. I only baked enough so that each person in the office today has two. I can check later on if I have any, but for now until the end of the day, I can't spare any. I'm sorry…" was Wakaba's reply, her smile both warm and apologetic.

"No, you don't have to apologize. Consider my words as a compliment. You're always an awesome cook and baker – just like Seii here," said Asato with a friendly smile of his own.

"You bake too, Tatsumi-san?" asked Wakaba with such excitement reflected in those expressive heterochromatic eyes of honey and lilac.

"I do, from time to time…" was my response to her, stopping whatever administrative task I was doing so that I could give her the courtesy as well as the undivided attention.

"That's great! So please be honest with me about anything that I make. I'd love your feedback, especially when it will make me learn more and become a better cook."

"Sure…" I nodded with a smile. I like Wakaba. I could see why Asato loved speaking with her. She had this way of lightening the hearts of those around her, which by the way was a major secret for good cooking or baking.

Wakaba then waved goodbye and went about her business, leaving Asato and I to do ours.

The time quickly passed, with me feeling a little accomplished over tying up loose ends in some documents coming from the mountains coming from the inbox. Judging by the look as well as the document dates, it seemed that this desk – the one dedicated for Kacho's secretary – had not been attended to for at least four months.

A few feet away from my desk, I hear Asato whimpering for the past four hours and counting…his whimpers becoming more pronounced as time went on. This prompted me to lift my head, watch my lover making different variations of pouty and troubled faces, and listen to him make helpless noises similar to a lost puppy looking for his home or seeking a long-sought meal.

I sighed, asking as I tapped the red-leaded pencil that I held in my right hand, "What's wrong, Asato?"

"These travel and expense reports from Hell…" was Asato's complaint. "Every since time, I want to burn these but Kacho will yell at me more if I do that."

I blinked and then shook my head, trying to comprehend as to what was causing Asato's dilemma. "That should be easy. Why are you crying over it?"

"They give me a headache," pouted Asato. His amethyst eyes then rested on me, and his expression became more hopeful. "Seii, please help me. Kacho's scaring me even more this month."

"I don't understand why you're struggling over one report. Last month, December, was a short month considering that all of Ju-Oh-Cho's offices were closed for the winter vacation break."

"It's not only one report."

My eyes narrowed even further, and I scrutinized my lover even more. "Were you late for November last year as well?"

Asato fell quiet, looking more bothered and about to burst in tears.

I dared ask as I felt my right eyebrow rising because I was just simply stumped on why Asato was so troubled, "Just how late are you in your travel expense reports? How many months do you actually owe Kacho?"

"Th – "

Since Asato stopped, I gestured with my hands for being left hanging while my forehead creased. "Th – ?"

Asato remained quiet.

With my tone sounding surprised and feeling the frown on my forehead deepen, I became more tight-lipped. "Th –? You owe three months worth of expense reports?"

Asato looked more defeated as he shook his head.

Now consider me stumped. Since the answer was not the number three, my mind did a chronological enumeration of the number chart starting from zero. I noted that three was not the answer; I went ahead and continued with the exercise.

When I reached the second likely number which closely matched what Asato was trying to say, I felt as if my head grew three times its size. So much logical and emotional reactions coursed through my mind, heart, and body as I dared ask, "Please don't tell me that you owe thirteen months' worth of expense reports…"

My lover and new work partner looked as if he was about to melt in humiliation – a confirmation that I was right.

Something in me just could not help but blurt out, keeping my voice down while I sharply scolded Asato, "How in the gods' names did you end up owing thirteen months of expense reports? The only way that would happen is if you ignored doing it for thirteen consecutive months – thirteen consecutive times!"

"Sorry," was Asato's whimpered reply.

I could not help but vigorously shake my head to wake up from disbelief. "You're filing all of those thirteen reports by the end of the day today."

This time, it was Asato's turn to blurt out in a way that a petulant child would, "Who made you my boss?"

"I'll help you."

"But it's hard…"

I could feel my blood thicken as they coursed through my veins, and my face heat up. My right eye was twitching when I told Asato, "I couldn't reconcile the expense accounts because you owe reports. I couldn't close the income and expense books and do the monthly accounting closing processes until you do your reports. And you will do your reports – do you hear me?"

Asato looked like a sad puppy. "You're so mean, Seii."

"And you're haphazardly carefree and deluded to think that it's okay not to file any of your reports for thirteen months – especially administrative and accounting reports." I shook my head vigorously once more, letting out a sigh to release the tension. "Now come on, let's work on getting you caught up before the workday ends…and not a word of complaint from you. If you've done your work timely, you wouldn't be in this predicament."

"But –"

I raised an eyebrow and continued to look straight at him as I pushed my glasses back against the bridge of my nose. I swear…it felt as if I was reprimanding a clueless offspring who refused to accept the logic on why responsibilities such as timely turning in reports should never be ignored. The more that I pointed out the error of his ways, the more I receive that clueless petulant gaze coming from him. By the gods, I love him with all of my heart but he was just pulling the threads of my patience. If I did not need the documents in front of me, I would have crumpled them with my hands in sheer frustration and it still would not be enough to placate my anxiety.

My shadows actively lapped around my leg under my desk, ready to strike Asato yet decided to wrap their tendrils around my ankles and legs. The only reason why they did not strike or mangle the subject of my frustration was that they recognized and acknowledged him to be the love of my life – one of the very few people who I would risk life, limb, body, heart, soul, and power for in order to save him.

But still, love of my life or not, frustration and impatience just bubbled inside me.

And so I deadpanned, "No buts, Asato. You only have five hours to do your reports. That means you need to finish two to three reports for every hour of work. All thirteen reports must be done by the end of the day today. No ifs, ands, or buts."

With a light-hearted tone, Asato announced as his right index finger pointed up near his ear, "Lunch – don't forget lunch. I'm not working during a lunch hour. You should take a break, too."

And the red-leaded pencil in my right hand broke in the middle, my hand having a mind of its own by letting off a sliver of that pent-up frustration of mine into my pencil. I could see that I startled Asato because of how the pencil now became two halves in my hand.

Along with that, I said while I could feel my teeth clenching, "Then that leaves you with four hours. Three to four reports to be finished every hour, so that you finish it by the end of the workday. No ifs, ands, or buts."

"But –" Asato then changed his words, cautiously avoiding the word "but" as he stated, "You're going to help me, right?"

"I'll guide you. I'm not going to do your work for you. I have my own work to complete." I then let out a burdened sigh, and told Asato, "Work on it now…."

I followed Asato's gaze, which led me to the two chocolate muffins that Wakaba had given me. Putting two and two together, I figured that he wanted my muffins but was afraid to ask.

I told Asato as I grabbed another red pencil, the corner of my eye watching how he would react, "If you finish your work on schedule and meet your deadline, I'll let you have my muffins."

"Really…?"

"Yes, really…"

"All right…" Asato cheerfully said, and then returned to completing his expense reports.

Time: 5:05 P.M.

Location: Shokan Division Main Office (Meifu)

"Unbelievable…."

I have been sitting on the chair across from Kacho's desk for the past 15 minutes now, watching him go through all 13 months' worth of Asato's expense reports with a fine-toothed comb.

"What did you do?"

"What do you mean, Kacho?"

Kacho chuckled, shaking his head in amused disbelief. "You managed to move a sloth and make him do administrative work. Either you're a great motivator, a cruel taskmaster, or both."

"Maybe both, I should say," I replied as I let out a quiet sigh. "Frankly speaking, you all spoil him – that's why he doesn't produce timely reports. And if he does, they're either incomplete, inaccurate, or both."

"Tsuzuki Asato may be the worst in report writing, but he's one of the best shinigami the Division has to offer. Our teams here are great, but Tsuzuki stands above the rest."

"Even by himself…?:

"Even by himself…"

I blinked a bit, contemplating and then broadcasting my thoughts by asking, "Then if that's the case, why do his partners leave after a month or two? I don't think it has to do with personality. Asato's one of the nicest people I've ever met."

"It's hard to explain, but you're right. He has a good heart."

Something in how Kacho replied struck me as odd, especially when he had that sad expression veil over his face. He then added, "Tatsumi, please watch over Tsuzuki. You're his partner now. Judging by how you two have been with each other, and these reports being completed accurately… I'd say that you two bring out the best in each other. If you ever need to talk – about the cases, Mako, Tsuzuki…anything – I'm here to listen…"

"Thank you, Kacho. I'll bear that in mind," I said with a small smile. I could not muster a bigger reaction than what I just did. I was just completely sapped out, and I have one person to thank for that.

Kacho stood up, approached, and tapped me in a consoling, fatherly fashion on the back. "Thank you, also…and good work, Tatsumi. I'll see you tomorrow."

As I said goodbye to Kacho, I approached my desk and noticed that something – make that "two" somethings – were obviously missing. That fact prompted me to ask as I looked at the now-vacant white napkin that lay on my desk, "What happened to my chocolate muffins?"

And there it was…

I had no more strength left in my body, and so I would not be surprised if I sounded defeated when I told him in quiet disbelief...my voice trailing off, "You just ate my muffins..."

"I thought…"

"You thought…?" I asked Asato, who clearly and just recently enjoyed my muffins. Crumbs of chocolate muffins were at the corners of his mouth.

"You said that the muffins would be my reward once I finish my work on time."

"I'm supposed to give those muffins to you after Kacho reviewed and approved your work – not before or during." I could feel my face heating up, yet emotions of different and conflicting sorts were bubbling inside me.

Asato looked at me with those imploring amethyst eyes of his and that innocent face of his looking so apologetic. "I'm sorry, Seii. I got hungry, and those muffins of yours were tempting me all day."

Not knowing how I would like to react, I just mumbled, "Let's go home. We'll talk more on the way home." Deep down, I was even more pent up than five minutes ago…and that sensation had been building up since this morning.

Remembering the chocolate crumbs that were around Asato's lips, I picked up the white napkin and took it with me. Asato and I then walked out of the building and into the parking lot where my car was parked. There were only two cars left in the lot – Kacho's, which was parked at the opposite end of the parking lot, and mine.

"We could stop by at a pastry shop and buy another chocolate – "

And for me, hearing Asato's apologetic words was the last straw…

Whatever possessed me at that time, it prompted me to act. I had my hands cup Asato's cheeks, drew him close to me, and then slowly licked those chocolate crumbs away with my tongue…my mind's eye recalling where the crumbs were located. I closed my eyes, enjoying that teasing hint of chocolate with his lips along taking in his scent.

Once those crumbs were gone, I initiated a kiss – the first ones chaste, and the subsequent ones being more teasing, bold, and hungry for him. I kissed Asato as deeply and as many times as I wished, letting all the pent-up stresses of the day be washed away by every kiss we shared…and with him reciprocating with heated kisses of his own along with his hands that rested on my sides as he drew me closer to him.

Oh, I needed this…and most especially Asato…so badly… I could not think about anything or anyone beyond him and what we were doing for each other…with me wanting more of him as each second passed. My hands went down from his cheek, with one going behind the nape of his neck to draw him closer to me while the other hand undid his tie and then unbuttoned the first three buttons of his white shirt.

Asato and I then drew away from each other. I felt heady from the kisses, touches, sounds, and scents during that shared moment. "I don't want to stop…"

Asato nodded with a kind smile. "I don't want to, either…but either we stop now, or we'll be stopped later."

"I know," was my tired reply, turning on the ignition and then stealing another kiss from Asato. After kissing him, I closed my eyes and let our foreheads rest against each other. I had the fingers of my left hand affectionately carding through the hair behind his head. "Stay with me tonight, please?"

"Yes, I will…" was Asato's reply, the smile that he gave me becoming warmer.

I smiled back at my lover, my heart warm and my mind filled with promises of how our night together would be…those thoughts and emotions swirling inside me as I drove us to my house.

As I drove us home, it dawned on me that Asato might not know the true and full extent of the word "reading a room."

Why?

It had to do with how Asato talked about the reports that he had to do, which stoked the flames of all those negative feelings and pent-up anxiety and frustration that I fought and bottled up all day.

And to make matters worse, I held off due to obvious reasons as well as decency and practicality's sake. All I could say was that the stolen moment in the car was just a small release. However, at the rate that Asato was de-stressing in his innocent kind of way along with the not-so-far distance between the office and home, a force of divine or infernal proportion would most probably be the only way to keep me at bay.

Once we got home, I took Asato by the hand and hurriedly marched inside the house. I locked the door behind us, had his back against the door, and hungrily kissed him – with one hand pinning his hand against the wall while the other hand continued on unbuttoning his shirt.

In-between kisses, Asato asked in a near-moaned whisper, "Seii…?"

"You've been driving me crazy all day long. Take responsibility for it," was my reply in between kissing his lips and planting marks on parts which was close to his neck but could be hidden by his work shirt. "Can't get enough of you…."

Eventually, both of my hands wrapped around Asato as I drew him closer to me…the heat of his skin tempting and consuming me even further, teasing me to want and take more of him while the exploratory kisses between us continued.

The two of us continued kissing and touching each other over our clothes, with me guiding us closer to my bedroom.

Once my bedroom door closed behind us and I locked it, I kissed Asato more urgently and he did the same. I felt as if I was drowning in my wants as well as the sensations from the intimate time and urgent needs dictated by our bodies, but I welcomed being lost in them…the tensions of the day as well as my lingering worries being pushed away and replaced by thoughts and feelings of him, us, and what we were to each other.

Soon, a trail of clothes had been left from the door to the foot of my bed…the two of us now in bed and exploring each other. I recalled whispering the words "I love you" in Asato's ear, followed by me kissing him as I poured all the love and need that I have for him. To tell anyone that I was smitten with my lover would be a grave understatement. I did not even have a word or a series of words that could fully or deeply explain the totality of my feelings for the one who now shared my bed…whose body I was now exploring, revering, loving, and lusting over.

The two of us had our way with each other…both of us hungry, needy, and seemingly never sated from each other. We knew how to ignite and stoke each other's desire. Over time, we knew how to fulfill each other's desire more boldly and thoroughly. And along with such intimate knowledge came anticipation on how the other would react…at times pushing boundaries and teasing the other to elicit reactions that proved to be all-consuming, very-much welcomed, and highly addicting moments of give and take where the whole world seemed to be reduced to my bed, Asato, and me.

The intimate moments ate up the hours, with us finally deciding to take a short break in each other's arms in the middle of the night. I held Asato close to me as I kept my eyes closed, planting a kiss on his forehead and then letting out a cleansing sigh before I settled in once more.

I gazed sideways, smiling as I saw Asato asleep in my arms. I kissed his forehead once more and whispered "good night" to him.

My mind and body could still recall how my lover shared himself with me, and vice versa…those sensations warming the core of my being along with a blanketed feeling of love, belonging, and acceptance because of how openly unselfish and caring Asato had always been to me.

My mind and body were still craving for more, but those desires have to be put on hold or be taken in the land of dreams.

That would happen if my dreams would grant me reprieve….

Sleep eventually took over me, and fitful dreams seeped into my mind once more just as it had always done night after night since Mako-san's disappearance on Christmas Eve.

Timeline: January 3, 1952 (7 days after Tatsumi Seiichiro's 32nd Birthday)

Time: 8:00 A.M.

Location: Conference Room, Shokan Division Main Office (Meifu)

One picture after another panned on the projector screen. What was shown to Asato and me were chilling pictures of victims – women who had certain parts of their bodies missing.

So far, there had been four victims…each one dressed in a snow-white kimono and dressed as if she was about to be wed.

One was missing the eyes.

Another was missing the hands and arms.

Another was missing the feet and legs.

Another was missing the face.

In every scene, the un-taken parts were left behind with the perpetrator laying the body neatly with the arms crossed above the chest except of course for that one particular victim whose arms and hands were missing.

I took note of the fact that the locations were not only isolated, but they were supposed to be places that one would consider as beautiful and peaceful – the riverside, forests, gardens, and shrine grounds.

Another detail in common with each victim and crime scene was that each victim had gold coins covering their eyes. Flowers – black dahlias, to be specific – surrounded each victim in a rectangular fashion which looked like viewing the victim laying on a bed of black flowers inside a casket.

As Asato and I discussed facts and brainstormed next steps with Kacho and the Gushoshin Twins – two aviary gods serving as assistants and librarians of Enma-Cho's one and only library.

"So I guess we're off to Kyoto," said my partner, Asato.

There was something in Asato's tone and the way that Kacho and the Gushoshin Twins have quietly reacted…and the curiosity weighed down on me even more as I stared at partner's face.

"Well, you two, off you go," Kacho told us, standing up and giving us a nod. He then rested his hand on a stack before him. "Here's the main folder, and there are copies of the main folder – one for each of you. This investigation of yours involves a work trip. Partners work in pairs, so remind each other to follow procedure and be careful out there."

Asato and I gave our respective nods. We then watched the three leave the conference room and close the door behind them. Once left alone, Asato and I discussed next steps.

And so Asato and I exited the conference room while I held the folders. After placing the folders in my briefcase, he and I left for Kyoto and officially started our first case as partners.

End of Chapter Twenty-Four