Author's notes: Well. This chapter was very hard to write. One more chapter after this, folks:D

Hi laustic, thanks for the review!

Hello Literary Eagle, yeah…I've had that line for awhile, but I didn't have an appropriate place to put it in until then. Thanks for your comments. :D

Hey Experimental. Aha… I don't like to make Muraki the 'hero', but with enough motivation he can and will do something that may be offhandedly 'good'. There is quite a bit of deceit going on between the Shinigami, but the truth will be revealed.

Lalalaaa, thanks for reading! Expect the next chapter to be short.

Desperate for changing
Starving for truth
I'm closer to where I started
Chasing after you
I'm falling even more in love with you
Letting go of all I've held onto
I'm standing here until you make me move
I'm hanging by a moment here with you

-excerpt from "Hanging by a Moment" by Lifehouse

Tatsumi looked across at the five Shinigami sitting at the table as they waited for Chief Konoe to appear. Sitting next to her rookie partner, Nui was strangely subdued, not even teasing any of her coworkers that sat across from her as her eyes looked unfocused.

Sachiya fumbled with his hands having no camera to play with, while Wakaba chatted about climate to Terazuma who was eyeing Nui's torn, dirty shirt suspiciously hidden under Tsuzuki's overcoat.

There was a brief knock on the door and Watari flounced in. Clearing his throat, he clapped his hands to get attention. "Everyone I'm very sorry to let you know but Hisoka and Tsuzuki are not a couple and haven't done anything R-rated. Be sure to spread the news!"

Only glancing briefly at him, the rookie continued fidgeting restlessly eyes on his hands, while the rest of the Shinigami looked at Watari. Terazuma's expression was of disgust, while his partner's was of disappointment. Tatsumi had already known so he didn't look surprised though one couldn't tell by the explicit relief and satisfaction on his face at Watari's words, while Nui's interest was piqued as she had not known of any office rumor. Chief Konoe walked through the door solemnly. Everyone in the room was immediately quiet and at rapt attention.

The elderly man looked around the room. "Where's that lazy bastard gone off to now?"

Silence met his ears, until Tatsumi picked at his folder calmly answering, "He's in the infirmary watching over Kurosaki-kun, who was injured in Tsuzuki's fight with the demon, Hidouzaki."

Chief Konoe held his face grimly. His Lord would not be pleased that they had come into contact, but the chief was secretly relieved and removed his hand. "Give me your detailed accounts later. The important thing is that Lord Enma-sama has declared that Saki Shidou has been judged for hell. We are not responsible for losing his soul to their realm."

Tatsumi eyed Sachiya who apparently wasn't paying attention, but said nothing of the discrepancy in his verbal account. "What about Muraki?"

The other Shinigami looked to the secretary surprised at his sudden question.

Chief Konoe smiled. "Only that he won't be troubling us anymore."

"Well that's a relief!" Watari sighed out. "Enma knows he's caused enough trouble as it is."

"Are we dismissed to debrief Chief Imano, Chief Konoe?" At his nod she continued addressing the room, "It has been a pleasure re-meeting you all." Receiving blinks at her subdued tone, she stood up, pinching her partner's arm to get his attention, who yelped and rubbed the mark that had formed and soon disappeared as he healed. He shot her a miffed look as he left his chair. "You didn't have to pinch me."

The more energetic two of the bunch, Wakaba and Watari, wished them equally cheerful goodbyes, though for different reasons, and, while Terazuma growled something unintelligible out, the secretary and the chief nodded though it was the latter that spoke. "I'll be expecting a copy of your report, Hatakeyama."

"Yes, sir."

The Chuubu partners did their parting bows and teleported as the remaining Shinigami did their post-discussion session of their cases.

The village was shabby and worn but that was okay. It was home. A very young scrawny girl surveyed from the pier she was standing on at the sea beyond. "Io-chan! Io-chan!"

She turned grinning brightly at the sound of her oneesan's voice running down the piers to greet her.

"What have I told you about standing over there? You could have fallen into the water!" The woman dressed in clothes sewn together from scraps of cloth chastised her pushing her along for chores as her eyes traitorously were drawn to the boats still moored.

The scene shifted as buildings grew around her like bean sprouts while her own form barely reached half of Hisoka's height. He was an observer, separate and completely ignored, yet able to step through the shifting scenes of the dream-memory he had been sucked into like holding sand spilt on his hand. The surrounding environment grew fuzzy as a dilapidated building was suddenly the center of attention zooming in on the entranceway. A flap of grungy cloth was thrown back, the noonday light streaming in behind him. The large hut was crammed with moaning people, and interspersed through the silent muggy heat of the room was the stench of decay and death. A sense of despair that had nothing to do with his ability pervaded the room. Young Io was choked with grief at the body laying before her.

"Oneesama!" The girl cried out reaching for the corpse but was held back by a firm hand on her shoulder as a shroud was pulled to cover the woman's face. The occupant had already gone to the next world. Disfigured and shadowed people were strewn on the ground in the room, wasting away from something the villager's doctor had no cure for.

The silhouette of a man wearing glasses knelt down in front of her, tipping her chin up to look him in the eye.

"Io-chan. Stay away from the fish."

"But Oniichan…"

The sand slipped faster through his fingers unable to contain the memory. A flurry of birds flew by as the same girl stared out the window at the sunset low in the horizon. She barely understood why she had gotten so weak, forced to lie in bed surrounded by beds occupied by other dying children. So tired… Oniichan! Where've you gone?

"Io-chan?"

She turned her head listlessly at the speaker barely able to move under her own strength, squinting and mumbling out a faint 'Who?". Her face had trouble forming words and often spasmed when she did.

Two tall shadows of figures were what she saw until she blinked them into focus and her eyes adjusted to the dim light. "Oniichan?" The man in glasses addressed was startled. "Oniichan, I…did not eat…. Fish." She smiled beauteously and expectantly though her face twitched involuntarily. As the second man got closer a cool hand touched the side of her face and drifted up to lay on her head gently. "Io-chan," he spoke again evenly though his eyes were mysteriously watery, "your brother's waiting for you."

His eyes were a color she had never seen in anything but the skies during sunset. Her hand twitched but she couldn't get it to move. She couldn't manage anything but a light frown. "Something…. caught… in your eyes?"

The tears brimmed over unexpectedly at that as he wiped them away. "Yeah, yeah, but it'll go away soon."

"Name, mister?" Her voice cracked.

The man turned away finding the situation unbearable. Blocking her view of the man holding his stomach as if in pain, her brother knelt by her bed answering for him. His clothes were nicer than he normally wore.Oniichan's job must be paying him more… Hisoka recognized that she was delirious and devastated by symptoms of severe neurological problems that she probably had mistaken Tatsumi for the stouter, shorter shape of her brother.

"His name is Tsuzuki, Io-chan. You did well avoiding the fish."

She smiled brightly. "Been waiting… for Oniichan." With a sigh, she was gone.

There was nothing left to see as the last few grains disappeared from his palm. Relaxing Hisoka drifted expecting to lose his lucidity as he fell into deeper sleep. Light winked out as Hisoka became aware of being in different, but familiar, surroundings.

"You can't make him forget forever."

Hisoka spun around and was met with a field of rose bushes, trimmed of all their red wilted buds. No one was in sight. He looked around at the bizarre environment he was in, believing it to be a surreal representation of his partner's guilt. A trail of broken glass littered the ground in front of him leading the path to a black cast-iron gate. Hesitating only a moment he lightly touched it to open it, yet nothing happened. Things grew considerably cooler and a thick mist obscured the faint outlines of the horizon beyond the gate.

Gripping the decorative iron bars, Hisoka leaned forward suddenly angry. "Tsuzuki, you idiot!!"

"He already knows something is not quite right with his memory even without you trying to undo your block." Stumbling back, immediately losing contact with the grill, he looked around, but couldn't discern where the voice was coming from. Lines branched out from under his feet on the ground and seeped a gelatinous marigold color. Gingerly stepping away off the beaten glass path, he watched in morbid curiosity as the substance sprouted a black, leafless bush of thorns as pieces of glass crystallized together at the base.

"Nothing can get past his self-hatred." He whipped his head to the right looking at the demented Tsuzuki-child of the first nightmare Tsuzuki hadn't meant to share with him. Hisoka grew uneasy at the emotionless gaze so unlike his partner. The boy smiled eyes moving down to his feet. Looking down, he quickly backpedaled out of the abstract patterning of blood covering the ground and the bleeding red-turned-white buds laying about his feet. Rusted gardening shears were held in the boy's cracked black-crimson gloves. His stomach cramped at the metallic stink thick in the mist around them.

"Are you really so arrogant, Hisoka?" A twisted smile curled upon the boy's lips the angelic demeanor shattered by the malicious, hungry emotions he could sense. "Do you think you can erase a century of torment?"

Not able to stay silent any longer, he opened his mouth to retort vehemently, but found himself mute.

"Don't." Gloves and field gone, the boy held a finger against the teen's lips. "Hisoka, my secret, since I like you so much, I'll tell you a secret." He whispered. "What doesn't work the first time, won't the second. What can't be fixed, cannot be replaced. What is repaired, may still broken. Do you understand?"

With the subdued feelings threading easily into his mind whispering of perverted acts, Hisoka knew that this boy had to be the representation of his partner's inner darkness. The boy was some part of the same monster Tsuzuki tried so desperately to suppress. Hisoka did not like having the boy near him. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

The child's frame leaned closer, on tiptoes his lips almost brushing Hisoka's his jawline. "Your blood is sour, but, maybe, your milk is sweeter?"

Jerking back as if the kid had waved a hot poker at him, Hisoka took a few steps back to add distance between them and closed his slackened jaw, glaring down at the boy a protective hand over his ticklish skin and trying without success to wipe the red from his cheeks. "…"

The boy merely smiled, and when he sat down the field reappeared around him. "If I ever find the demon that tainted you while you were unborn, I'll be sure to devour them slowly, Hisoka." He stooped down to the black bush in front of the gate, careful of the abundance of thorns it bore and delicately touching the petals of the white buds it had sprouted not a few seconds ago. "As for that man, I have to thank him for killing you or else I might have never met you. You'd be willing to accept me for that 'idiot'."

He shook his head slowly as he took another step back.

"Hisoka, Hisoka. Are you scared of me?" The boy purred next to him, since space was an illogical, undefined reality in dreams. "I promise not to make you bleed again."

With a choked gasp, Hisoka blinked up at the ceiling his heart hammering in his chest. Taking a moment to calm himself, he took a moment to look around. He was in the JuuOhCho infirmary. As he plucked at the IV in his arm and then moved nimble fingers to the bandage above it, he picked at the details of the dreams he remembered with a frown, running a hand through his hair, which protested the movement as dried dirt clump met his fingers. He needed a bath.

A curtain was pulled back quietly and Watari stepped in with a clipboard, smiling in surprised relief at Hisoka. "Bon, am I so glad to see you awake."

"Tsuzuki?"

The scientist paused mid-step taken aback at the loaded one-worded question. "Er. He went to the bathroom, less than a minute ago actually. He's been sleeping in that chair." With a pointed look towards said object, Watari went to the IV checking the amount and the line. "Have you noticed yet?"

"Noticed?"

With a small exasperated noise, Watari waved towards him, grinning broadly. "I intravenously fed the antidote to you while you were sleeping! I also want to apologize about spreading rumors of you and Tsuzuki being a couple."

Hisoka faceplanted into his pillow unable to bring words of anger out over Watari's gossip, and while he originally wanted to be cured, after discovering unsavory things about Tsuzuki he felt he was at a disadvantage because of his size. "…"

"That wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting, Bon." There was a glint of seriousness in his eyes. "What happened out there? I thought Tsuzuki was going to be severely injured when you retrieved him, but he doesn't have a scratch on him. I checked."

"…" Hisoka scowled and looked away sensing his partner closing in, though Watari needn't know that.

"I know there's been a lot on you mind, but I need to ask you about the injury on your arm. It..." Watari paused hearing scampering from the hall and was interrupted from pressing the issue further at Tsuzuki, who upon entering the room, retook his chair.

"Hisoka! How're you feeling?" His emotions were strained, like bubbles on the verge of popping. Hisoka knew he was having trouble keeping himself together, and yet only he seemed aware of the resonating link between them. He wasn't unhappy about it but…

Watari cleared his throat noticing the tension between them. "Well, I have other things to go check up on at the lab. 003 can't handle all the reactions by herself! I'll be back in about ten minutes." Watari winked and removed himself from the scene.

"Ok, Watari." Tsuzuki answered readily without removing his eyes from Hisoka's. Once the scientist left, the faux cheerfulness left his face. "What's wrong?"

Sighing heavily at Tsuzuki's exhausted, unkempt appearance, Hisoka frowned. "Why haven't you been eating well?"

Smiling sheepishly, his partner pulled his charm out looking it over with a slight frown. "It hasn't burned out or anything though… I guess Watari's warning about your empathy was right."

"mm." Green eyes looked at Tsuzuki edgily and his partner took note of that.

Noticing that his partner had noticed, Hisoka balled his fists in his lap as his chest constricted, swallowing since his mouth had gone dry.

"Would you like some water?"

"Sure." In a few short seconds Hisoka had gulped down the cup of water he had been given.

Tsuzuki refilled the cup with a pitcher that was on the nightstand beside the bed. "Saya and Yuma told me that you hadn't been sleeping well. Is it because their fudas haven't been working too? You should have said something."

"mm." Hisoka's eyes were downcast staring at the surface of water. "The fudas aren't the problem. My reception capacity has doubled so I can hear the neighbors."

"Oh. Then I'll set up a barrier for you in that case. Though it doesn't explain why you knew I was hungry." Tsuzuki stared at him critically automatically suspicious.

"I can do it myself," Hisoka stated crassly almost defensively, sipping some more from the cup. There was a brief pause.

"It's weird. I don't recall ever completely forgetting only bits of a fight … and yet I don't remember the end of the fight with Hidouzaki." His partner's eyes lingered on the bandage.

Hisoka didn't look at him as he drank, feeling as if his muscles and joints had gone tight. "Maybe you're going senile. You are old." The lie sounded flat even to him.

Tsuzuki narrowed his eyes, bewildered that Hisoka would lie to him. "What did I do?"

"Nothing. I'm tired." Vulnerability leaked out in his tone as he tried not to think of it.

An almost-tense silence followed. There were things that Hisoka needed to say, but didn't know how to start without giving Tsuzuki one more reason to have another heart to heart with Touda in the realm of the living.

"Your cursemarks have changed haven't they?"

Suddenly self-conscious his hands automatically folded over his arms, though he knew it was futile. "mm."

His partner cautiously wrapped his fingers on his left shoulder and the cursemarks glowed, brightening at Hisoka's discomfort. "Why do they react to me? It shouldn't work that way. Curses always loop back to the original caster."

"I don't know why." Hisoka lied.

Tsuzuki's hand gripped his shoulder uneasily. "Then, how do I know that you've been anxious the moment I walked in? How do I know when you're lying to me?"

Rage and uncertainty flooded into Hisoka as the marks brightened in aggravation. "We're bonded, you idiot!! Okay?!"

Releasing him, Tsuzuki winced as he felt a stinging backlash of energy. He blinked looking rather puzzled at his hand. "It's… a power conduit? But that's nearly impossible to synchronize between…" His voice trailed off feeling foolish, since it was very obvious why it was easy for Hisoka to be the base, the transmitter, with his empathy.

Hisoka shrugged looking uncomfortable.

Then he unexpectedly smiled. "Well, that explains a lot actually, though I've never heard of a passive-oriented system before." Tsuzuki tried to keep an optimistic outlook, understanding now that the 'cursemarks' were the visual representation of the incantation needed to create a link of power, except that it was folded in on itself like an infinity sign that would never cease, and in his partner's case were probably directly connected to his soul until he was cleansed and reborn again, meaning that he was essentially both a boundless power source and amplifier. "Have you been more energetic?"

Nodding Hisoka looked at him. "I haven't been particularly sensitive to the temperature and I haven't fainted since it switched ownership to you."

"About that, when did it switch? I wasn't aware of any difference until you were in my arms when I had to carry you back to JuuOhCho."

"One..." Ducking his head down in shamed excitement and embarrassment, Hisoka's voice broke as the erotic memory of the dream flooded through the link to Tsuzuki as vibrantly as the night it occurred, "One of your dreams."

Tsuzuki let out a small noise standing up and moving to the other side of the room, red-faced. "You weren't.. I mean… Are… are you alright?"

"Tsuzuki, I'm fine."

His anxious and somewhat awkward partner remained standing, keeping distance.

With an agitated sigh, Hisoka gritted his teeth, very quiet. "I would rather you than Muraki."

He could feel his partner's objection to that the guilt, the depression, the contradiction. His hands clutched for his partner's, but remained firmly in his lap, as his voice growing heated as his confidence grew. "I'm bonded to you. When you got hurt, you called to me. That's why I was there."

"But you're—"

Cutting off the attempt back to the embarrassing fantasy, Hisoka scowled. "You think I'd complain about making you stronger? Stop being an idiot, idiot, and come here." Without a word Tsuzuki sat down, surprised at his partner's sudden firmness watching Hisoka's face for any sign that he may be forcing himself to lay that timid hand on his head, his own face warming from the contact.

"You aren't the type to use me as a tool of power. Your Shiki don't think so either."

"I'm sorry."

Hisoka couldn't tell him to shove off the useless apologies because he honestly felt he was to blame. "My dreams shouldn't be so bad anymore."

Tsuzuki's heart jumped a little as he blushed looking to the side, trying not to contemplate insinuations that may or may not be there. "Even I have nightmares."

"I know."

When Hisoka removed his hand, Tsuzuki hung his head having too many conflicting feelings warring on in him. "Will you… tell me what happened after you arrived at least?"

"You were hurting so badly, that I sapped my strength trying to heal you. When you finally came around, you had forgotten the state you had been in." It omitted a lot of details, but Hisoka couldn't bring himself to say anymore. The lack of details left much to be desired for Tsuzuki, but he understood why Hisoka would leave them out if they made him that upset. Tsuzuki was completely silent.

Hating the the tense, awkward quiet, Hisoka broke it. "Tsuzuki?"

"Hm?"

"Trust me."

Tsuzuki's breath caught in his throat, though he was nodding with the practiced ease of a liar. "Al—"

"You're lying."

"Fair enough." Tsuzuki smiled. "Before I agree, could you handle my trust?"

Hisoka closed his eyes thinking about it for a moment before exhaling and looking at him. "I think I could handle that burden if it meant being closer to you." He could tell he won a lot of points for that answer only because his cursemarks and their link hummed to life, but shortly after it shut back off. "Tsuzuki?"

"I…," he licked his lips, trying to make sense of Hisoka's feelings for him even though he knew that what he'd been hoping for was sitting right in front of him, pained with the same lovesickness that plagued him. He was stricken with disbelief.

At his expression, Hisoka only reacted, falling out of his bed, tearing the IV out in the process, and grabbing Tsuzuki's knees so he could pull himself free of the damn blankets holding his legs fast together and push himself towards him.

Holding his arms up at his partner's sudden lunge and tangle, Tsuzuki stared down at his head. "H-hisoka! You're bleeding..."

His cramped muscles protested but he was able to wrap his small arms around Tsuzuki, half in his lap and feet splayed on the ground. "It'll heal, idiot."

Tsuzuki blinked at him with a dumbfounded expression. "And you love me…"

"And?"

Tsuzuki lightly touched the top of his head, but seeing the difficult position he was in carefully hoisted him into his lap, not the least bit bothered by Hisoka's lack of pants. The armless chair resettled but held up under their combined weight. "That should be better."

"Thanks." Instead of grumbling under his breath because he was flustered, Hisoka hesitantly looked at Tsuzuki, who smiled happily, but his joyfulness only exacerbated the situation he was in. How could he continue pretending that the situation wasn't as serious as it actually was after he finally had been given his trust?

"I'm back!" Having impeccable timing, Watari popped in, surprised that Hisoka remained where he was sitting in Tsuzuki's lap glaring at his intrusion. A cheerful voice enunciated. " Tsuzuki, you know the Chief wanted to hear that report from you after Hisoka woke up!"

"But I... Okay. I did say I would." Tsuzuki looked to his partner.

It was with great reluctance that Hisoka stood up. Tsuzuki stood running quick fingers over his head in reassurance. "I'll be back."

"mm." He nodded, now left with the chilling stare of Watari, feeling Tsuzuki leave down the hall.

"Bon?"

"The demon he was fighting bit me."

Watari smiled lightly. "I suppose that could have caused it…" He stepped closer. "If Nui hadn't reported that the demon was gone by the time you arrived, and the bite didn't match our coworker's."

"I-it's not his fault! He lost control, and I… made him forget. He doesn't even remember."

Watari adjusted his glasses, sighing lightly. "You can't know for sure how long that patch will work. Halves have a history of mental instability, which makes them hard to control. Your telepathy may not be the panacea you were looking for."

Turning to look at the tiles on the floor, he held his bandaged arm in cautious thought. Was Watari looking for a confirmation on Tsuzuki's abilities? "..."

"Only with the influence of a powerful demonic or angelic power does one gain the ability to change the rate of regeneration in a Shinigami. Angels can speed the process up, while demons are quite the opposite. Radiation poisoning has the same effect a demon has on us. Obviously half-demons have the best of both worlds and seem immune to the demonic withering effect."

"Is it so obvious that he isn't human?"

"The eye color was a big hint, but not the discerning evidence. Other factors helped shore up the hypothesis, like Enma's unwillingness to damn him to hell in spite of his method of death. Half-breeds are an extremely rare occurrence after all, and extremely powerful."

"Who else knows?"

Watari shifted his feet, his demeanor taking on a sad contemplation. "The chief, the secretary, and definitely his shikigami, but as for the others I'm not entirely sure of their opinion, though it'd be safe to say Nui knows too now."

He sat back down on the bed as the tension lifted from his shoulders. "…"

"Don't worry. We'll watch out for you two." Watari smiled placing a hand on his shoulder.

The support somehow left him freer, while the paternal affection warmed him. He wasn't as alone in this as he thought. "Thanks." He looked up hearing another person entered. "Hello, Tatsumi-san."

He glanced to Watari briefly before smiling. "I see you're faring well, Kurosaki-kun. You were out for a couple of days. Not surprising all things considered." The secretary seemed hesitant.

"What's up?"

"According to the reports, Muraki has Saki's soul, but Lord Enma has expressly decreed that he has already been delivered to hell. I need you to sit in as I have a word with Kato Sachiya on his misinterpretation since Nui's report was based on his."

"I can do that."

"I'll let you know when I've gathered enough information. Also, see that Tsuzuki is fed properly. He hasn't eaten since bringing you here, even with the enticement of apple pie."

"Of course."

"Oh Hisoka! We brought you lunch!" Saya and Yuma hopped in a several layered bento box in hand. He was suddenly aware that he was starving as they proceeded to unpack it in front of him.

"I'll be going, since I'm very busy with the paperwork your latest case has brought me."

"See you." Hisoka said absently, muttering 'Itadakimasu' as he broke the chopsticks apart to use as the girls took turns feeding each other.

Watari however followed the secretary out. "You mean, the paperwork dealing with the damages you caused, Tatsumi?"

He received a miserable sounding grumble in reply as Tatsumi studiously continued walking. Watari raised a hand, calling after him. "It's not as easy to not damage things in the midst of battle as you thought, eh?"

Tatsumi ignored him stalking in irritation back to their communal office.

"Heh. Stubborn git." The scientist smiled forlornly, turning back to the infirmary.

"Hajime!" Wakaba called out, cheerfully shoving a large wrapped bento decorated with floral designs on it. "I made too many sweetbean rolls for myself last night."

"You always make too much." Smoking as he leaned against a tree near the break area outside of JuuOhCho, he took the sack anyway and waited to see if she had anything else to say.

"Hey… I taught Gira-kun and Toka-chan a new trick, you want to see?"

"Why the hell would I—" The ribbons had dutifully slithered down her arms and crawled into her hands leaving the elastic bands that kept her hair in place and wrote out a shifting message as a smiling Wakaba uncomfortably looked up at him awaiting a reply.

He continued to stare as a bit of ash fell off the cigarette in his hand. "How long did it take for you to train those things that?"

Disappointed, Wakaba wiggled her fingers and the ribbons slipped back into her hair. "Oh. A couple hours…" She shrugged. "So if you like the buns I'll mak—mm!"

Terazuma pressed his lips to hers gently curling the hair from her cheek, trying to ignore the ribbons purring in her hair and the beast growling at him for getting far too close. After a moment, he pulled away placing a hand on her upper back and tugging her into his chest as if he'd been doing it his entire life. "I've been around you enough to know he likes you."

"Kuro-chan?" She looked up, a bit overwhelmed with happiness at the voluntary contact he was giving her.

He nodded curtly. "I think it's got something to do with you being one of the mikos."

"Oh. Hajime?"

"What?"

"You're cute when you turn red." With a giggle, she pulled out a sealing fuda when Terazuma transformed as expected. "Seal!"

"Why you gotta say stuff like that!? " Especially since it was hard enough not transforming while I kissed you! Terazuma fumbled to put on his coat.

"If you're this shy about your feelings, how do you suppose you'll react when we get intimate?"

"In-in-in-INTIMATE?!" With a roar, the black lion was out again tearing the tree down with a massive jaw, while Wakaba calmly hopped and tapped the fuda in place yelling 'Seal!'.

Out of breath, she smiled as her partner reappeared. "I guess we'll have to schedule these talks so I can manage Kuro-chan's appearances without being too drained. Until tomorrow then!"

"How can you be so fucking cheerful?! Just 'cause he likes you, doesn't mean he couldn't hurt you!!"

"Because you agreed to our date!" she said matter-of-factly.

He sighed at the non-answer, rubbing his temples. She was completely fearless after being his partner for almost a decade. Maybe it would work out.

However, he didn't know any nice restaurants that would be within his budget that would ignore the ears, but knowing her she would have a list of affordable places or a disguise already lined up for him to use. He set his face to pleasantly blank as she pulled out said list, and enthusiastically described what they would do to pass notice.

Wakaba was the only person he could like in this world, too. She was here, for one. As he lit another cigarette listening to her brainstorm ideas, it occurred to him that she had been trying to get his attention of a romantic nature for some time. He held the cigarette out, looking at her face, particularly at her different colored eyes, as she spoke to him. She paused when she noticed him looking at her intently.
"Hajime?"

He stuck the cigarette back in his mouth sucking the nicotine down, pushing off the tree. "Why don't you eat over at my place? It'd save us alotta trouble."

She blushed smiling happily. "Ok!"

The beast grumbled crankily when he smothered his desire to kiss her again, and he headed back to the office as she followed after her.

Yeah, things would work out.

"Thank you for all your hard work, Hatakeyama. You will be missed."

"Thank you, Imano-sensei." With a deep bow, Nui exited the office, placing a hand at her hip when she noticed her partner leaning against the wall of the empty Gotenrincho building. "How long are you going to wallow over that camera? Your ability is not gotten from it, but channeled through it. Find a replacement."

"You're leaving." His tone was accusatory. What he really meant was 'You're running away'.

She smiled wearily. It was probably best that she didn't say goodbye to Tsuzuki, unable to meet the clear guilt in his eyes over her situation. "When you grow up and old after-death, what more is there to do but tie up loose ends and move on?"

Sachiya tugged at his hair. "I think I get it. Sorry."

"There is not a thing to be sorry for Sachi-kun."

He chuckled lightly, covering his face. "I'll miss you, old hag."

"May I make a request?"

He wiped his eyes with the backs of his hands. "Yeah?"

"Take plenty of pictures of Tsuzuki's blossoming relationship to decorate my grave marker."

"… They have graves here?"

"But of course. Graves are for the people who are left behind, but once enough time has passed the old, forgotten markers are removed to provide enough room for more people that pass on."

"Didn't know that. I'll do my best to fill your request, but I think keeping a photo album in remembrance would be better than sticking pictures on your grave."

She nodded. "Then, I will take my leave now to visit Enma-sama. Happy hunting."

"Goodbye, Nui."

He watched her walk down the hall and disappear when she teleported.

"Right. Who'll be my partner now?" He asked aloud to the empty hallway that gave no response. He scratched his head frustrated with his position, unaware of the tenuous standing he had in the Judgment Bureau with a certain secretary.

When it was announced that he would be paired with Watari for the time being, Sachiya arrived at the office only to be cornered in the empty meeting room where a younger version of Kurosaki was already seated and interrogated extensively by the frightening secretary, scared shitless by the evidence that contradicted his lies.

"Okay…" He eyed Kurosaki a little too distracted to ask why he looked younger. "I'll tell you what really happened if I can get two rolls worth of Tsuzuki."

"Twenty-four exposures and no more." Hisoka replied nonplussed.

"Done." Sachiya crossed his arms frowning as he collected his thoughts.

The secretary awaited his confession patiently, while Hisoka fidgeted some.

It was no good, he couldn't focus. "First, I gotta ask. Why are you younger?"

Face-palming, Hisoka sighed, but offered up no explanation.

"Kurosaki-kun met an unfortunate accident with one of Watari's potions. This is his true form. Now if you please, Kato-kun." Tatsumi's glasses flashed.

"Right, right. I was a fool when I was alive, sold my soul to Ashtarothe in return for fame and fortune, and through a series of unexpected events became a personal favorite of the notorious Lady. When Abalim's plot was discovered too late to stop the incubation process of the demon meant to carry a human soul, I was sent to infiltrate Meifu to harbor her third in command, Rashaverek, within me."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves at the unsettling staring he was getting from the both of them. "Her command objectives were to destroy Abalim, capture the demon host and soul if at all possible, and to spy on Tsuzuki, her second-in-command who Enma refused to turn over. I had collected the soul after Tsuzuki had been beaten, but Muraki's appearance enraged Rashaverek, so he separated from me after destroying my camera. They fought. Rashaverek fled with the soul back to hell, then Muraki left." Shade leaned heavily on the arm on the table, head down. "Please don't cast me back to hell. I'm sorry I lied, I just didn't know what to do."

"You won't be going anywhere. There must have been some exchange that had occurred between the God of Death and the Archduke of Hell that we aren't aware of." Leaning back in his chair, Tatsumi looked perplexed having never heard of such an outlandish story though it fit seamlessly together with everything else he knew, and then looked to Hisoka.

"He's telling the truth." Kurosaki heaved a sigh. "And I didn't feel any demonic influence when he showed up either."

"Because I wasn't actively possessed you see. For the most part Rasheverek was dormant deep in me. He was only to awaken to assist the mission."

"Is your ability dependent on that particular camera?" Tatsumi asked.

Sachiya shook his head. "No, it's universal. I just have to concentrate more to affect the film a certain way."

"Then. There's no problem with having you remain as a Shinigami. However, your pay will be docked some for punishment over your misconduct."

"Is that what they call espionage and conspiracy here?"

The secretary chuckled. "I'd suggest that you play it safe for the duration of your stay. Or Enma may change his mind about your Purgatory assignment."

A nervous laugh met their ears. "R-right! Well Kurosaki, I'll be visiting your office for those pictures of your partner."

"Sure."

Feeling like a small rodent fleeing the observant eyes of birds of prey, Sachiya quickly opened the door only to be tackled by Watari who was holding a beaker of a mysterious liquid.

As it grew noisy right outside the door, Hisoka looked to Tatsumi, whose eyebrows quirked in askance. Hisoka looked back to the door. "I didn't expect him to fold so easily."

"They say that some people in this world aren't meant to keep secrets" was Tatsumi's solemn reply.

"Yeah." Hisoka looked away, suddenly reminded of the exclusions in his retellings to Tsuzuki, knowing that he would have to explain everything before the block snapped apart.

TBC.