Yami No Matsuei Fan Fiction ❯ Ascend from the Darkness ❯ Chapter 4

"Tsuzuki!"

The tall Shinigami turned to see Komiya running down the sidewalk towards him waving one hand in the air. Smiling and waving back, Tsuzuki asked Hisoka to stop and wait for the boy to catch up. The blonde snorted and crossed his arms over each other as he stopped. Tsuzuki frowned lightly at his partner before turning to greet Komiya who had now stopped breathlessly beside him.

"I'm glad I found you," Komiya said finally. He reached into the pocket of his uniform and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to the Shinigami. "I found this in my sister's room last night. I thought it might help."

Tsuzuki took the paper from him and unfolded it, aware of Hisoka's sudden interest as the blonde leaned in to look. It was a newspaper clipping, the date several months old.

"Students Give Talk on Occult"

It went on from there to tell about how a pair of female college students had given a talk and presentation at their local school about several old books that had been found recently. Tsuzuki ignored the article and studied the picture underneath it.

Standing in the middle of a small stage was Komiya's sister. She was obviously talking, one arm caught in the middle of some gesture and the other cradling a very large book. The book was open and held out to the audience, but the picture was small enough that he couldn't tell what might be written in it.

Then his eyes traveled to the young woman standing behind Komiya Akemi. She was about Komiya's height with short hair and a slim build. She was watching the other woman with her hands folded in front of her, a folder of papers in one hand. Tsuzuki knew who she was. She was Hiyama Yasuko…he'd seen her picture in the case folder, she had been the second person killed.

"They knew each other," Hisoka said quietly taking the clipping from Tsuzuki. "Do you know where we can find that book?" He turned his eyes to Komiya.

The boy shook his head, his grey eyes shifting away from Hisoka's. "It was her book, something she had found at an old estate auction. I haven't seen it since right after she gave that talk on it."

"Maybe you should take that to Watari and see if he can make out any of what is written on those pages." Tsuzuki said.

"Yeah," Hisoka folded the paper and slipped it into the breast pocket of his denim jacket.

"I need to get going, I'll be late for class," Komiya spoke up. "I hope that helps some."

Tsuzuki nodded as the dark-haired boy smiled brightly and headed down the street. Turning around he saw Hisoka watching the boy, a scowl on his face.

"I want you to be careful of him," The blonde finally said turning to his partner.

"Komiya?" Tsuzuki's eyebrows shot up. "He's just a kid and he's trying to help as much as he can."

"You need to quit trusting everyone!" Hisoka snapped. "I think he knows more than what he's telling us."

"I don't see how he could; he said that he hadn't even seen much of his sister in the last few years since she went to college." Tsuzuki rubbed the back of his head in confusion. "You say I trust too much, but you know…it seems like you aren't willing to trust at all."

Hisoka shot a cold glare at the brunette before flickering out of sight.
______________________________________________________________ < p>Tsuzuki stared out across the calm surface of the tiny pond at the park's center and let his mind wander. It seemed that they were no closer to figuring this out than they were when they started. So far their only real clue had been that newspaper clipping the Komiya had given them this morning. And that really didn't tell much except that two of the girls knew each other and at least one, Komiya Akemi, had an interest in the occult. He wondered if Hisoka had found anything else out from Watari. It seemed unlikely.

"Tsuzuki?" A light hand dropped on his shoulder.

Looking up the Shinigami smiled gently at the grey-eyed boy standing over him. "Komiya, hello."

The boy moved around to sit on the bench beside Tsuzuki. "You looked like you were lost."

"Ah, no…just thinking."

"About your case?" Komiya studied the taller man, admiring the smooth lines of his face, the way his dark hair fell over his forehead, threatening to conceal his bright violet eyes.

"Yeah, trying to put what we've found out so far in some sort of order." Tsuzuki replied.

"Hmmm," Komiya tilted his head sideways. "Have you learned anything?"

Tsuzuki leaned back on the bench and stared up at the sky, oblivious to the steady gaze of the boy sitting beside him. "Just bits and pieces, nothing to explain what has been going on,"

Firm hands fell on his shoulders and he started, leaning back a bit further to stare up into Komiya's grey eyes. He hadn't even heard the boy move from the bench.

"Maybe you should relax a little, it could help to stop thinking about it so much," The dark-haired boy murmured, his fingers steadily massaging the tense muscles of Tsuzuki's shoulders as he leaned over so his face was besides Tsuzuki's.

Violet eyes collided with grey ones and something lurched in the Shinigami's chest. What was he doing? "My partner would say I don't think enough," He laughed, deciding that he was reading too much into the boy's actions.

Komiya's hands left Tsuzuki's shoulders and slid around his neck, the boy leaning his cheek against the older man's. "He doesn't understand you then. I see you working on it too hard."

"Komiya…"

"Miyoko," The boy said softly, turning his head so that his lips brushed Tsuzuki's cheek.

The dark-haired Shinigami bolted from the bench and spun to face the boy. "Mi…Komiya!" He stammered in shock. This living boy had just….

"What?" Komiya came around the end of the bench, his grey eyes pleading. "Tsuzuki, I like you…I have since I met you. I thought you knew that!" He threw his arms around the taller man's neck, leaning his head on Tsuzuki's chest. "I thought you liked me too! You're so kind to me!"

Tsuzuki's eyes softened. This boy had no idea what he was…how impossible what he wanted was, but somewhere in the back of his mind and soft "what if" nagged at him. What would happen if a Shinigami became emotionally involved with a living soul? He brought his hands up to grasp Komiya's shoulders and carefully pushed the boy back. "It's impossible," He said gently.

"But…"

"Don't ask me why. It's something that I can not tell you, just believe me." Tsuzuki took a step back and shoved his hands in the pockets of his long coat. "I will find out who killed your sister and those other girls, but that's all I can give you."

Komiya sat with a thud on the bench, his eyes misting over as the tall man turned and walked away from him. "Why?" He whispered softly.
_____________________________________________________________ < p>Tsuzuki threw open the door to the room he shared with Hisoka. "I'm back!" He cried merrily as he bounded into the room.

Hisoka shot him and icy glare and went back to gazing out the window.

"Eh…Hisoka?" Tsuzuki leaned over so he could see into the younger Shinigami's green eyes. He waved a hand in front of the blonde's face. "Hisoka? Are you mad at me for something?" His face held a plaintive expression.

Hisoka sat back and glared at the brunette. "Watari is looking into that newspaper clipping," He said brusquely. "He thinks he's close to decoding those symbols also."

Tsuzuki pulled over a chair from the small table and sat down, looking worriedly at his partner. "I'm glad to hear that, but that didn't answer my question." Damn, he'd been too serious too often lately!

The blonde sighed and swung his gaze to the slender man. "You shouldn't be toying with the living, you know that." A vision of Komiya in Tsuzuki's arms flashed through his mind, filling him with anger.

"What??" Violet eyes blinked in astonishment. "I wasn't…I haven't…"

"Don't lie to me, Tsuzuki!" Hisoka jumped from his chair. "I saw you in the park when I came back!"

Tsuzuki's hand shot out to grab the blonde's wrist, keeping him from fleeing. "It's not what you think." He said softly.

"I know what I saw!" Hisoka struggled to free his arm. "Let go!"

"No." Tsuzuki's voice dropped to an even tone, indicating his seriousness. "He offered, I told him that is wasn't possible. That's all."

The blonde snorted angrily. "But you wanted…I saw it in your eyes!"

"I was touched by his affection, nothing more." The dark brunette didn't know what gripped him then but he jerked on Hisoka's arm, bringing the young Shinigami down to his eye level. Looking into the angry pools of green, he could see the iron grip the blonde had on his power, how he was forcing himself not to feel his partner's emotions. He'd been learning how to do that and it looked like he'd been learning well. He was gaining more and more control over his empathy. "I don't want his attention," He said evenly.

"I don't believe you!" Hisoka struggled against his grip even more. "Let me go!" He snapped again.

Jealousy? Tsuzuki pulled on his arm even more and before the blonde realized what he was doing, his mouth was against his. Reaching up with his other hand, Tsuzuki held the back of his head and he carefully, gently kissed his lips. He refused to relent as he felt Hisoka struggle against his grip, his hand coming up to shove forcefully at his shoulder.

To Hisoka this was something like a nightmare. This forcefulness was too close to what he'd experienced before. He fought Tsuzuki and he fought his powers all at the same time. He couldn't bear the thought of seeing what was in his partner's thoughts at this moment. After all wasn't he taught all too well what that was like? To think that his gentle partner might carry similar emotions filled him with a crawling fear.

Trust had always been the one thing he had shared with Tsuzuki.

Just as he thought he might lose his grip on his empathy, Tsuzuki released him and watched with sad violet eyes as Hisoka scrambled across the room, desperate to put as much distance between them as he could. His back hit the further wall and he slid down it to sit on the floor, not daring to take his eyes of the brunette.

"Do you understand now?" Tsuzuki said his voice laced with pain. He stood up and picked up his coat. Then casting once last look at his partner he walked quietly from the room, his shoulders slumped in defeat. Do you understand that I wouldn't want him because you are the only one I do want?

Hisoka wrapped his arms around himself and leaned his head back against the wall trying to stop trembling that gripped his body. Do you understand now? He blinked back tears of rage and frustration. Understand what? I don't! Tsuzuki…I thought you'd never do anything to hurt me!
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TBC….