Yami No Matsuei Fan Fiction ❯ Ascend from the Darkness ❯ Chapter 2

Part Two

"WHA-!!!!" Tsuzuki yelled as a sharp pain shot through the back of his head and he leapt from the bed. Rubbing his head he shot Hisoka a wounded look. "What was that for??"

The blonde crossed his arms, still holding the case file that he's slapped his partner with, and scowled darkly. "We have work to do; you should have been up two hours ago." He raised an eyebrow and tossed the file at Tsuzuki. "Or did you forget what we are here for?"

The dark haired Shinigami pouted and flipped open the file again as the blonde shoved a cup of coffee at him. "Breakfast?" He looked up hopefully.

"You should have thought of that before you decided to sleep in!" Hisoka grumbled.

Tsuzuki sighed and peered at the photo of the first victim. "Are the markings the same on all the bodies?" He finally asked taking a sip of the coffee and wincing. Peering into the cup he shook it a bit as he walked to the little counter that held the coffee maker. Checking to see if the Hisoka was watching him, he poured more sugar into the liquid and tried it again.

Hisoka scowled at him out of the corner of his eye; at this point he figured that the violet eyed man was drinking more sugar than coffee. "Yes,"

"I think the first thing to do is take one of these photos to Watari and have him look at the symbols, see if he can figure them out." Tsuzuki drained his cup and reached for his jacket. "You do that and I'll go check out the site where the first victim was found,"

Bristling at being given orders by his partner, Hisoka opened his mouth to throw a retort at Tsuzuki. Then he realized that unfortunately, the brunette was right. Taking the photo from his partner, he glared at him. "Stay away from the pastry shops!"

"Would I do something like that?" The brunette laughed nervously.

Hisoka shot him another glare as he blinked from sight.
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Hisoka peered around the door to the small lab the Watari Yutaka liked to work in and immediately ducked as there was a crash and a cloud of blue-green smoke wafted over his head. Idiots! I work with idiots! Waiting for a moment, he finally stepped carefully into the room, to see Watari's bright blonde head bent over a book, his little owl fluttering over him in agitation.

"Guess I got that backwards," The man mumbled to himself.

Hisoka coughed to get his attention and Watari straightened up a smile lighting his friendly brown eyes. "Bon!" He chirped happily, using his pet name for the young Shinigami.

Hisoka ignored the name and held out the photo. "I need you to take a look at these symbols,"

Watari reached over the table and opened a window to let the last of the smoke out of the lab and turned to take the photo from Hisoka. Straightening his glasses he looked closely at it. "They aren't very clear," He commented as he walked over to his computer.

Hisoka leaned against the wall by the computer as the blonde scanned the photo in and then enlarged it on the screen to show the symbols more clearly. As the symbols popped up, Hisoka leaned forward to get a closer look at them. "Well, do you know what it says?"

The Shinigami shook his head. "No, but if you give me some time, I'm sure I can figure it out." He said his brown eyes never leaving the screen as he started to type rapidly. "I'll let you know when I come up with something."

The young blonde watched him work on several codes for a few moments before turning to leave the lab. He knew that once Watari was fixated on a project, the rest of the world pretty much ceased to exist. The boy also knew that despite his absentminded appearance, Watari was good. He'd figure it out faster than anyone else.

Shoving his hands in his pockets he headed down the hall, he figured he should report in to the Chief before returning to earth. At least let him know what their plans were for getting started on this case.

"Kurosaki,"

Hisoka stopped and looked over his shoulder to see Tatsumi Seiichiro step out of another hallway leading from the records room. "I didn't expect to see you back so quickly," The tall brunette Shinigami commented as he walked up to the blonde.

"Tsuzuki sent me back to get Watari to check into something for us," Hisoka replied.

"And what's he doing?"

The blonde snorted, "He's supposed to be checking the areas where some of the bodies were found, but knowing him he's raiding the local shops for sweets."

Tatsumi pushed his glasses up and studied the young boy. "Things still not smooth between you two? I thought after all that happened; you would be getting along better."

Hisoka sighed and stared at the wall. "I don't know…I mean…I thought…at the time…" He stopped trying to figure out what he wanted to say.

Tatsumi's dark blue eyes softened as he watched the young Shinigami. "Come on, let's go someplace where we can talk," He said, gesturing down the hall.
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Tsuzuki popped the last bite of a sweet roll into his mouth as he looked around him. This was where the first victim had been found. Just outside of the city near the river. She had been a young woman, about twenty and like all the others very attractive. From what he could tell from the report, she was probably strangled and then left here.

He knelt in the grass, his eyes taking in the area; there were spots all around where the grass had been tramped down, probably from when she had been found. He didn't see any signs of blood lingering on the green blades, or any other sign of a struggle for that matter. It looked like maybe she had been brought here from somewhere else.

But where? How far into the city had she been? Why had she been chosen? Was it because she was just convenient or had there been another reason? All the others had been found within the city limits, this girl, the first of the victims, was the only one found outside of the city.

Standing, a faint sound caught his attention. Tilting his head he listened carefully, it sounded like someone weeping. Moving silently, Tsuzuki walked in the direction of the sound, careful not to alert whoever it was of his presence. Emerging from behind a small stand of trees, he was startled to see a young man sitting near the edge of the river bank, his face buried in his hands. He looked to be about eighteen or so with short glossy dark brown hair.

"Um…excuse me," Tsuzuki spoke up. "Are you alright?"

The boy looked up, his face wet with tears. "Who are you?" He jumped to his feet, fear creeping into his smoky grey eyes. "What are you doing here? No one is supposed to be here!"

Tsuzuki laughed softly. "I might say the same of you," He pointed out. "I'm not going to hurt you, I heard you crying and thought I should see if you were alright."

The boy flushed brightly. Finally, he decided that there didn't seem to be anything dangerous in the vibrant violet depths of the man's eyes and relaxed a little. "Komiya Miyoko," He said holding out his hand.

Tsuzuki blinked for a moment Takeshi, that had been the woman's name also, Komiya Akemi. "Tsuzuki Asato," He shook the boy's hand. "I'm here because I thought I might be able to find something the police might have missed."

"Are you a detective?"

"Sort of," The brunette Shinigami replied.

Komiya looked around them, his sadness surrounding him like a shroud. "She was my sister. I've been coming here almost every day; it makes me feel closer to her."

"You must have been close to her," Tsuzuki slipped his hands into the pockets of his black trench coat.

"Yeah," The boy looked at him again. "I'd better go. Father will be worried because I'm not home yet. He's been terrible since…" He gestured helplessly.

Tsuzuki nodded and watched the boy turn and head towards the path leading back to the city. "Komiya," He called out.

Komiya stopped and turned around.

"We'll find who did this,"

The boy nodded, "Thank-you," He said softly before disappearing down the path.

Tsuzuki turned around and gazed into the rushing water. He'd have to eventually talk to the boy again, see if maybe there was something he might know that would help. Right now, though, he would concentrate on checking the other areas in the city.
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Hisoka sat at the small table under one of the many cherry trees outside the agency and stared into his cup. Across from him Tatsumi sat back in his chair and waited for the boy to speak. Finally, the blonde leaned on the table, resting his cheek against the back of his hand.

"Do you think he'll ever change, Tatsumi?"

"Not in the way you are suggesting," The older man replied.

Hisoka sighed and stared at the table. "I understand why he's had so many partners," He grumbled. "I thought that after everything that happened in Kyoto…" His words trailed off again.

"He has changed," Tatsumi took a drink and set his cup back down. "Those of us that have known him for so long can see that, but he's always going to be Tsuzuki."

The blonde made a sound and scowled. "One track mind…" He muttered.

"Not anymore," Tatsumi responded watching the boy's face. "I can think of one other thing he obsesses on more than his pursuit of sweets,"

"What is that?" Hisoka looked up, his green eyes puzzled.

"I'll leave that to you to figure out," The brunette smiled.

The pair sat in silence for a few more minutes before Hisoka suddenly stood. "I'd better report to the Chief and get back, he's probably cleaned out every pastry shop in a fifty mile radius by now."

Pushing his glasses up again, Tatsumi watched the boy walk stiffly away. Despite the distance the pair had come since becoming partners, they still had a long ways to go in learning how to deal with one another. If they ever reached that point, he felt that they would be one of the most formidable pair of Shinigami in the division.

But sometimes it seemed that that was a very big if.

He wondered idly as he headed back into the building, if either one of them would ever figure out their feelings.
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H isoka arrived back to the hotel to find, much to his irritation, Tsuzuki sound asleep on his bed. Muttering to himself about the idiocy of his partner he looked around for something to throw at the man. Tossing his jacket he turned around and glared at the sleeping brunette, wondering if he'd even done anything while he was gone.

Then he found himself just simply staring. Tsuzuki was boyish looking in a way to begin with, but asleep, he looked even younger. His dark hair was tousled around his face, and he lay with one hand thrown over his forehead, his mouth, even in sleep curled up into a slight smile. Watching him, Hisoka found himself wondering what it might be like to…

Mentally shaking himself, he blinked and snorted in disgust. He already knew that his partner would never consider him anything more than a child. His actions had shown that time and time again, constantly protecting and watching over a boy that was eternally stuck at the physical age of sixteen.

Leaning over he grasped Tsuzuki's shoulder giving him a rough shake. "Wake up idiot!" He snapped, more in anger at himself than his partner this time.

Tsuzuki just murmured unintelligibly and let out a light snore.

Swearing under his breath, Hisoka shook him again and then suddenly found himself clasped tightly in the brunette's arms. "TSUZUKI!!!" He yelled a bright flush coming to his face.

Rather than wake, Tsuzuki pulled him closer until the blonde Shinigami found himself half leaning and half laying across the man's chest. Murmuring something again, the brunette turned his face so that their lips almost touched. Hisoka recoiled in horror, his blush brightening. Tsuzuki's warm breath fanned across his face and his senses were flooded with flashes of emotions, pricking at him…things he didn't recognize…or didn't want to recognize. He fought desperately to gain some control over his empathic abilities.

Overcome with the strength of what the other man was feeling Hisoka let out a strangled scream and shoved violently at Tsuzuki's chest. "LET ME GO!!!!!" Tsuzuki's eyes flew open and in an instant Hisoka found himself released and stumbling backwards, his breath coming in harsh gasps.

"Hisoka," Tsuzuki gasped as he leapt from the bed to kneel beside the blonde crouched against the wall, his arms wrapped around himself, trembling violently.

"Don't TOUCH me!!!"

The brunette continued to kneel beside the boy, his hands hovering over him, but not coming in contact. "I know," He said quietly.

"What the hell were you doing anyway?" Hisoka took a shuddering breath and started to relax as the effects of the contact started to fade.

"I'm sorry," Tsuzuki rocked back on his heels. "I-I didn't realize…I was asleep. I'd never…"

"Idiot!" Leaning his head against the wall and closing his eyes, he breathed more easily.

"Hisoka," Tsuzuki's violet eyes were filled with deep worry and regret.

"I'm fine. I'll be fine. Just leave me alone for a few minutes,"

The brunette stood, "I'll make us some coffee," He said quietly. "When you feel up to it, I'll go over what I did today."

Hisoka nodded silently, his green eyes still closed as he listened to his partner move around the room. Sometimes, he hated what he was…this ability of his to be able to tap into intense emotions of other people. Self anger welled up in him along with a tiny thread of fear.

Fear caused by the feelings he'd picked up from Tsuzuki. Things he'd only ever felt from one other person…and that had played such a large part in his own eventual death. He didn't want his partner to remind him of him. He berated himself, Tsuzuki was nothing like him and he knew it.

Taking another deep breath to steady himself, he slowly stood and went to join the other Shinigami to go over what they should do next.
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TBC̷ 0;…