For a moment, everything around him seemed to stop. It was as if time itself had frozen, and the stillness was only broken when Tsuzuki's breath left him in a rush. However Tatsumi didn't give him much time to recover as he continued his explanation.

"A while after you left, Demons, not the half breed or diluted type that we are used to dealing with, but pure-blooded Demons began causing havoc all over Japan. We still don't know what released them from their hell dimension, but we have since discovered that they have slowly been gathering an army."

Tsuzuki tried to soak up this information but shook his head when something suddenly bothered him. "But the door between Chijou and the Underworld was sealed hundreds of years ago! How could it have possibly been opened?!" he asked, trying to understand the situation.

"We don't know. After seven years of investigating we know barely anything Tsuzuki." Tatsumi sighed, took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. "We only found out about the army recently which is why we had to bring you back. You are possibly the only Shinigami with the power to stand up against it. We also just learnt that whatever the demon's are planning is nearing completion so time is of the essence."

Tsuzuki frowned. With something so big about to occur, he wondered why were they keeping everybody in the dark. "So...Why don't the foreign Cho's know of this?"

Tatsumi pulled out a handkerchief and began rubbing the lenses of his glasses with it. "Because quite frankly they have their own problems to deal with and we don't want to cause a world wide panic. If we released this information they probably would send back up, but that might leave their own countries vulnerable and we don't know just how strong this army will be." he pocketed the handkerchief and replaced his glasses on his face, he looked tired. "That is why we are willing to sacrifice Japan if it can possibly help protect the rest of the world."

Tsuzuki gaped at him like a fish. "You can't be serious! Thousands will die!" He couldn't believe that they would risk all those lives on 'maybe's' and 'what if's'.

"And if we don't it could be millions Tsuzuki!" Tatsumi immediately retorted. Then laughing bitterly he added, "Don't you think we already know what we are doing?"

Tsuzuki stayed silent. He felt guilty now. Guilty that he had been given the time and peace to sort through his own problems and personal demons for seven quiet years only to realise that his friends had been clinging to try and keep things together. Then to begin shouting at them for it... "I'm sorry." he said.

Tatsumi nodded. "It's understandable."

"So... How is he?"

"You mean Kurosaki-kun?" Tatsumi nodded understanding immediately that Tsuzuki was referring to his blond ex-partner. "He... he's had a rough time."

"Muraki?" Tsuzuki asked quietly, not sure if he really wanted an answer or not.

Tatsumi suddenly seemed uncomfortable and Tsuzuki inwardly cringed, cursing himself for leaving Hisoka to face such a fiend alone. "... it's hard to explain Tsuzuki and it's really Kurosaki-kun's business to tell you. If he wishes to discuss the matter, he will."

Tsuzuki looked at the spectacled man incredulously. "How can you say that?! What if that bastard-"

"NO Tsuzuki!" Tatsumi suddenly interrupted him, and again showed his weariness by rubbing his temples. "Things have happened that... you quite possibly won't be able to understand. It is Hisoka's business."

Tsuzuki decided not to push the matter any further. He had learnt years ago, that if Tatsumi wasn't willing to discuss something, you should leave well enough alone. Besides, he felt he had heard enough to hold some understanding over the situation, his thoughts inwardly raging angrily around that single all too familiar name. Muraki. He carefully reigned in his anger however so as not to allow Tatsumi to pick up on it and calmly asked the man hesitantly, "...can I see him now?"

Tatsumi slowly nodded, but as Tsuzuki rose from his seat the spectacled man caught him by the sleeve causing the purple-eyed shinigami to look at him in puzzlement.

"Just... please understand that some things have changed." Tatsumi told him, his eyes showing him much more that his words did. Tatsumi was hiding something, and Tsuzuki wasn't sure what exactly that meant.

"I guess that just depends on the changes." He answered coolly, frowning as Tatsumi seemed to wince at his words and withdraw his hand as if burnt. He could never remember Tatsumi ever behaving the way he was at that moment, and it only served to increase his awareness of something being definitely and undeniably wrong.

However Tatsumi's face was suddenly stoic and business-like once more and he nodded firmly. "Yes, you can go see him. He'll update you fully on the situation." The secretary, or chief rather, then began opening up folders and using a pen began writing on the documents therein.

Realising that he was now dismissed, Tsuzuki pulled away from the desk and headed out the door. He was just about to close it behind him when Tatsumi's voice called softly after him, "Thank you Tsuzuki... for coming."

Tsuzuki paused, considering how he should respond to the words of gratitude. However, not knowing whether or not he still believed his decision to return to JouOhCho was an altogether good idea, he decided to remain silent and without anything to say closed the door behind him.

~~~~~

Hisoka had decided to wait until he had seen Tsuzuki leave the office before approaching Tatsumi himself, unable to bring himself to face his former partner so suddenly. He had ducked into one of the open doorways as Tsuzuki had had stepped out in the hall, and Hisoka's own response to seeing the purple-eyed man then both surprised and dismayed him.

He felt... an ache, a desire, a pang of loneliness, and an overwhelming need to feel secure in that man's strong arms again and to have soft assurances murmured in his ear at night. Oh God how he had missed that feeling. A feeling of total security and contentment that had left him feeling so safe and wanted, no matter how had he had once tried to deny it. Of being wrapped up so completely in someone else's emotions and consciousness that he didn't have to think, didn't have to worry and didn't have to fear.

He shut his eyes tightly to block out those feelings. Unable to watch the man walk away from him in case he would desperately call to Tsuzuki as an irrational fear of losing the man swelled inside him. So he stood there hidden as he patiently listened to the soft slap of rubber soled shoes echoed progressively softer down the hallway while desperately trying to steady his own emotions.

When he pushed open the door to Tatsumi's office without knocking, Tatsumi didn't seem in the least bit surprised at his sudden arrival. In fact, Hisoka sensed that the man had been expecting him.

"Take a seat." Tatsumi nodded to the chair before him and Hisoka complied by sitting down silently.

"So... when did he arrive?" he asked resignedly, wondering how long the office had been conspiring to bring the violet-eyed man back to Japan without his knowledge. He and Muraki had only discussed the situation the night before, and he still didn't want to believe that they really did need Tsuzuki's help, but apparently his opinion wasn't necessary for the decision to be made without him.

"Yesterday evening." Tatsumi replied, "I went to meet him just after you left for last night's shift."

"Oh."

There was a heavy tense silence.

"Seiichirou-"

"Hisoka-"

They both spoke at once but then stopped once they realised they were speaking over each other. Tatsumi nodded for him to continue.

Hisoka sighed. "Seiichirou," he paused, knowing he was breaching an unspoken agreement between them by using such an informally at work, but he only used it only to try to break down the professional barriers the man constantly put up between him and the rest of his co-workers. Hisoka didn't want to speak to the cool authoritative person Tatsumi presented most everyone with, but the other more personal side to the man that Hisoka felt shadowing beneath the surface of his faint, and for the most part, unreadable emotions. "Why didn't you tell me you were doing this?"

He knew he sounded hurt when he said that, and he was hurt. He was hurt that his co-workers hid him from what they were planning and only took the time to tell him when there was nothing he could possibly do about it, and even that was done grudgingly. He hadn't been able to prepare himself to face this and was dreading the confrontation that was sure to arise from having so much to hide and so much too lose.

"Why the secrecy?" he rephrased after a moments pause.

Tatsumi's expression softened. "I couldn't risk letting you know Hisoka. I didn't know how you would react or how even... he would react. At least now that Tsuzuki's here I can keep an eye on him. It was too dangerous to say anything before Tsuzuki had arrived here safely."

He. It was interesting how Tatsumi never called Muraki by his name anymore, or was unable to bring himself to say it when Hisoka was around anyway. The blond wondered if it was because Tatsumi didn't want to remind him of the doctor, or he didn't want to think of the doctor himself while in Hisoka's presence.

"Muraki won't go after Tsuzuki." Hisoka told him, unable to look Tatsumi in the eyes while he said it. Tatsumi knew what was between him and Muraki, most everyone did, but even after seven years Tatsumi still couldn't accept that it was the way things had to be.

Tatsumi's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe in the worth of that man's words, and you never should have either Kurosaki-kun." The 'Working-Tatsumi' was back, his other self buried once more in layers and walls of formality as if trying to distance himself from the topic as quickly as possible, unable to deal with it's truth and his own helplessness. "I suggest you go and brief your partner on our situation now, unless there was anything else you needed?"

Hisoka eyes widened in astonishment and his heart seemed to stutter to a stop before he exclaimed alarmed, "You made him my partner?!"

Looking vaguely puzzled by the question Tatsumi nodded. "Of course. I recall you two working well together in the past, and you are the only one who ever stayed partners with him for more that six months. It's perfectly logical-"

Hisoka suddenly felt the urge to hit the man. How could he close himself off like that and sprout such indifferent bullshit without a thought given to the awkward position this renewed partnership put Hisoka in?

"But what the hell am I supposed to tell him Tatsumi?" the blond hissed lowly and vehemently, afraid someone out in the hallway might hear their conversation, "Sooner or later he's going to suspect something... and then what do I say? Gee, yeah, I happen to be sleeping with the maniac who kept trying to get in your pants for a while back there? Oops?!?!"

Tatsumi visibly twitched at that comment and glared at Hisoka with barely restrained anger. "Then I suggest you either hope he doesn't find out, or tell him the truth."

He couldn't believe what Tatsumi was saying, he felt like he was panicing. His breaths where coming to short and he felt slightly giddy. Was he panicing? "What?!" he shouted, not caring who heard him. "How can I tell him that, how Tatsumi? How could I do that to him!" his anger left him suddenly and he took a deep breath to still his growing hysteria. He felt defeated, looking at the taller man with tired eyes, "how could I ever tell him I betrayed him like that?"

Tatsumi's anger fled him then too and leting the walls he usually kept so high around him fall slightly, he slowly moved towards Hisoka and carefully enveloped him in a hug. Although startled at Tatsumi's sudden rare show of emotion, the blond couldn't bring himself to resist the comfort of the embrace and buried himself in the larger arms.

"I know... you don't want to do this Hisoka-kun," Tatsumi said softly as he ran his hand up and down Hisoka's back in a soothing motion, "But we...," a breath, "I can't see you like this anymore. It has to stop. Now. And telling Tsuzuki is the only way to do it."

Tatsumi slid a finger under the boy's chin and tiled his face up to meet his own sapphire blue eyes. "I can't watch him destroy you anymore."

Hisoka's breath caught in his throat at the words, touched by the concern that radiated from the usually stoic and distant man, and the realisation that he was one of the very few people able to bring it out in him. He smiled sadly as a thought of 'what might have been' washed over him and made him almost physically ache with the knowledge that he could no longer accept what Tatsumi offered him, not anymore, and not ever again.

He bought his hand up to the one supporting his chin and held it in his own, entwining their fingers together and let out a sad breath, "You do realise that in doing this you are risking Tsuzuki's safety. I can't allow that Tatsumi, not after what I've given."

Tatsumi's fingers tightened around his own. "He's had time to grow stronger Hisoka, and you can't do this anymore. You've given enough."

He felt his eyes burn and wished that he could believe Tatsumi's words and that everything would turn out alright, but he couldn't. He couldn't trust that Tsuzuki was healed and couldn't trust that he wouldn't lose everything he had hoped to protect.

He reluctantly pulled away from the embrace slowly, and allowed a distance between them to settle, composing himself as Tatsumi did the same. It was a shared weakness they had, their desperate need to hide their emotions behind indifferent masks and they both needed time to settle into those masks again, to be ready to face the world with a put-on face. It was probably what had drawn them together in the beginning, the shared understanding and knowledge of what really lay underneath their facades.

"I should go," Hisoka murmured, letting the argument die because he knew he had already lost. All the decisions had been made for him.

Tatsumi nodded, "Yes, but before you do, did you get any leads from last night?" back to work, and everything that had happened a few seconds earlier was now hidden and buried.

"A business card," Hisoka told him, "It was in the pocket of the demon's host body, I was going to check out the place tonight."

"You'd better get Tsuzuki up to speed then."

"Yeah."

Tatsumi nodded then and doing the same in responce Hisoka turned to leave, Tatsumi going ahead to open the door for him.

"I've had all the necessary files sent to your office, they should be on your desk when you arrive. Please try to make him read them all."

Rolling his eyes Hisoka shrugged, "I'll try Chief, but I make no promises."

*****

Tsuzuki had headed straight towards his old office after his chat with Tatsumi figuring that his partner would be there if he was finished with Watari and if not, would head there eventually.

However, it seemed like he was stepping into an alien world as he pushed past the door, his eyes unable to understand the picture he was presented with. He had expected to be greeted by the neat and tidiness that his young partner had so often insisted on, or at least see the immaculate shelves stacked with all the novels the boy used to bury himself in when he had finished his paperwork, and was just staying in the office to make sure Tsuzuki did his. Instead he entered, what looked like, and could only be described as, a war zone.

"It really must be the end of the world," he murmured. Deciding that things must really be serious for Hisoka to neglect his fussy and tidy nature.

"Damn straight it is," came a gruff voice behind him and he immediately bristled, turning to see none other than Terazuma standing behind him with a stack of folders in his arms.

Tsuzuki sniffed in annoyance and turned to critically eye the dark haired man now in front of him. "Great. Of all the people in the office, I have the pleasure of meeting you first."

Terazuma Hajime had to be one of the few people in existence with the ability to bring out the worst in Tsuzuki. He had always had a low opinion of the purple eyed shinigami because of Tsuzuki's power, or rather, his reluctance to use it. Terazuma had been a detective before his death and because of his black and white view of the world, had felt that those with power had an obligation to use it for good. Therefore, the fact that Tsuzuki had worked in a district that saw very little activity had been something like sacrilege to Terazuma... and Terazuma had then used every opportunity he could find to let Tsuzuki know of his particularly low opinion of the purple eyed shinigami.

Terazuma glared warningly at him. "Don't you start with me Tsuzuki-'san'. I imagine you still have a large sum of money to pay back for the destruction of the library. You wouldn't want to be even more in debt would you?"

Tsuzuki repayed the words with a devious smile, "You should watch your step also Hajime-'chan'. I'm not the only one making payments am I?"

"That was your fault you idiot, hardly mine."

Tsuzuki tuttered in annoyance, "It was yours you shape-shifting freak."

"Was not."

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Was not!!"

"Was too!!"

"WAS NOT!!!-"

"Hajime-chan!"

Both of them froze as a young woman dressed in a green school uniform bounced up to Terazuma with her arms crossed in front of her chest disapprovingly. Then she stopped in front of man and started wagging her finger in his face while berating him. "It's Tsuzuki's first day back and already you are acting as if you're a little toddler who has just had his toy tractor stolen!"

Terazuma warily backed away from the wagging finger as it shifted just a little to close to his nose for comfort but frowned at into the mismatched eyes of his partner at her words. "Well..." he huffed indignantly, "It's the idiots fault," and pointed at Tsuzuki who was, at that moment, doing his very best to look as innocent as possible as well as shocked by the 'false' accusation.

Wakaba Kannuki sighed in mock weariness and rubbed her temples with her forefingers. "Oh really. With you two I sometimes wonder why I bother at all," then bounding up to Tsuzuki she gave the man a big hug and giggled, the long curls of her hair bouncing up and down from her pigtails at her excited jittering. "I can't believe you're baaaaaaack!"

Terazuma grumbled something in the background but they both chose to ignore it- although Tsuzuki made sure to throw him a dirty look when Wakaba wasn't looking.

Almost instantly however Wakaba was assaulting him with questions on where he had been, what he had been doing, if he had missed them, and Tsuzuki didn't even have time enough to answer even one of them before she was asking something else. Although he loved Wakaba, bless her kind heart, it was really quite scary to face such enthusiasm that early in the morning and he began wondering when the girl would actually release her stranglehold on him. He really would like to be... able... to... breathe...!!!

However he was saved from having to pry the girl off him -he would have been very reluctant to do so anyway as it would have been awfully rude- when Wakaba suddenly left out a loud exclamation of "OH!" and promptly let go of him, eyes settling on something just over his shoulder.

"Hisoka-chan!" she exclaimed delightedly, "Look who's returned!"

He had barely enough notice Terazuma wince at the words, vaguely wondering why he would do so, before he turned to look behind him-

And froze.

#####

His hands shook and they wouldn't stop no matter how much he tried. He watched them in horror as he tried to pour the clear solution from the small vial into a half glass of wine, both of which he held in his shaking hands.

//Careful... careful...//

The edge of the vial clinked softly against the rim of the glass and he froze. Eyes darting in panic towards the open door behind him that was emitting the sound of running water.

//He couldn't have heard... couldn't have...// he assured himself, turning back to his original task and trying to focus on keeping his hands steady again, trying to hurry. Trying trying trying...

"...bouya?"

The word was like a blade of ice straight through his back and he jumped in fright, scrambling away from the counter he had been steadying himself against, losing his grip on both the vial and the glass in the process. They slipped from his grasp and smashed loudly against the tiled kitchen floor.

//Oh god oh god oh god ohgodohgodohgod!//

His hands rose to his lips to stifle a frightened gasp as the noise of the shower suddenly ceased. He felt glued to the spot, unable to move as complete terror rolled over him. Then suddenly he dropped to the floor, grabbing the shards of broken glass in his arms as quickly as he could, not caring that the sharp edges were cutting and scrapping into his own skin. The pain was nothing, only momentary, there were worse pains.

"What are you up to boy?" the voice held an edge of warning and he knew what was coming. He was too slow, he couldn't get the all pieces, couldn't reach the waste bin in time, too slow, too late, too careless, stupid, stupid.... His vision blurred with un-spilt tears.

The footsteps came and paused at the doorway and he froze again. He knew he was caught, there was no way to hide and he could feel those penetrating silver eyes wracking over his form and the scene in front of them. He shivered as he felt the anger grow. Building like a blaze. Freezing and burning in one, making him nauseous.

The steps stalked towards him intently, with purpose, and he scramble up and backed away from them fearfully as they came closer. He refused to look up however, afraid of what he would see deep in those unusual and horrifying orbs that glared and glared and glared...

Shards of broken glass clattered noisily to the ground from his numb fingers. Too scared to stay steady, to scared to hold...

His back hit the wall and he tensed. Trapped. Caught. Caged.

The man before him chuckled and picked up a shard of glass with long pale fingers. Horrible fingers. Always cold, always taking and hurting and stealing what he was unwilling to give. His eyes burned, the tears silently fell.

His captor read the label and tutted in mock exasperation. "Now now bouya. Poison? Really? Did you not learn anything from our past encounters?"

He couldn't breathe. His breaths came too quick, too sharp and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears. It was stupid. He should have known it wouldn't work. Too dangerous, too foolhardy...

"Didn't I tell you before that poison can't harm me?" and his captor closed the gap. Moving in so close that he could see the tips of the man's bare feet in his vision. He closed his eyes tightly, pressing himself against the wall. If only he could melt through, make himself smaller, somehow disappear...

//I don't want to be here please don't let me be here I want to be far away oh please let me be somewhere else please Tsuzuki please let me be with you pleaseletmebethere oh someone please save me pleasesavemePLEASESAVEME!//

His chin was yanked up roughly and his eyes snapped open automatically and stared into two burning silver eyes. Muraki's eyes.

"I think someone has to be taught a lesson."

He shook. He could feel the tremors wracking his frame. "...no... please..." he whispered hoarsely.

The silver eyes narrowed and suddenly swift brutal lips descended on his own, pushing harshly and bruising, tongue forcing it's way into his mouth and plundering ruthlessly, feeding greedily.

He whimpered, tried to pull away but those damned cold fingers gripped his wrists and brought them above his head, pinning them against the wall, and a naked thigh pushed between his legs, parting his kimono in the process, pressing their bodies close enough for them to be touching chest to chest.

Muraki pulled back slightly, releasing his lips but was still close enough for the silver haired man's breath to brush against them as he asked huskily, "Will you scream for me tonight?"

His breath caught and he swallowed painfully.

"Will you scream my name like you did before?"

His own shame and disgust at himself overwhelmed him, and coupled with the raw lust and repulsive amusement he felt rolling off Muraki, it made him feel sick to his stomach, his abdomen contracting slightly as if about to retch.

"I did enjoy that Kurosaki-kun," a mocking laugh, " so will you do it again?"

Hisoka threw his face to the side, and strained against the grip on his wrists, crying out in frustration when the iron grasp of the silver-haired man refused to give and his struggling only made Muraki press against his body more firmly to prevent his movements.

"You can't pretend you don't enjoy this yourself bouya. After all, you seem to be able to find the same pleasurable release from our... 'activities' as I do."

He shook his head. "...no."

"You want it."

"I-I'd never."

"You need it."

"Stop!"

"You can't resist it. You even called my name. Are you claming you didn't?"

"I didn't mean that!" He was crying now, unable to obstruct the tears coursing a burning liquid trail down his flushed cheeks. "I wanted you to stop! I never meant ANYTHING you bastard! Stop... stop twisting things!"

The words didn't seem to affect Muraki at all, he hardly even seemed to have noticed them. "Do you really think that pitiful secretary you're involved with would want you after this?"

Hisoka's head dropped. "...please stop," it was a futile request.

"Do you think... Tsuzuki will come back once he hears of how I've taken you" Muraki took one hand away from Hisoka's wrists, the other still keeping them pressed firmly against the wall, and traced the side of the blond's face with his fingertips, "...and knowing of how you've even betrayed that Secretary too?"

Hisoka's eyes narrowed suddenly at that, his fears forgotten in the face of such an accusation. "I've betrayed no one," he growled.

A silver eyebrow rose sceptically at those words. "Oh really? Then you have been completely faithful to your lover have you?" Muraki chuckled in amusement, "My dear boy, it's such sweet naivety that you actually believe that. Besides, even if what you are saying was true, nobody would want soiled goods anyway."

Emerald eyes widened and looked up sharply at those of silver. Green filled with confusion... fear...hurt...

"...no..." the word was only a pained breath.

...denial.

"That is what you are you know," Muraki whispered sardonically in his ear, "nothing but a filthy toy that has been overused. Played with time... and time... and time ... and-"

"SHUT UP!-"

Muraki slapped the boy and the shout was silenced immediately. "And time again," Muraki finished sharply and Hisoka cringed away from him fearfully. There was a pause, a moment in which the two stared at each other, sliver clashing against emerald, and then suddenly the silver haired man's demeanour changed.

"Remember this bouya and remember this well," he growled, threateningly and menacingly, "You can't escape me, not through your death and certainly not through mine. If I find you playing one of these games again, you WILL wish I had killed you properly the first time." Muraki suddenly gripped the boy's shoulders and shook them roughly, not caring that he slammed the smaller boy against the wall painfully, "Understood?" he barked.

Hisoka nodded, trembling, unable to stop the renewed flood of tears.

Satisfied Muraki released him and the young blond slid bonelessly down the wall to sit in a crumpled heap, unable to stifle his sobs. The silver haired man then dressed himself in his immaculate white suit he had arrived in the evening before, and when he was ready to leave, turned to the fallen form of the young shinigami who still hadn't moved from his position. He crouched down by the boy and lifted the blond's chin to look into a pair of glassy emerald eyes.

"Unfortunately I have work now but... I will see you tonight," he told the defenceless quivering form with a smirk and standing swiftly, swept out of the apartment.

Hisoka brought his knees to his chest, burrowed his face in his hands and continued to cry softly to the silent empty room.

#####

~end chapter 2 ~