by Rina K. Fenderson
6. New
Hisoka shrugged as he flipped through the folder, sitting Indian-style on his bed. He scanned over the profile, noting the partner was coming from the GoHanChou, fourth block. A �well capable and responsible� worker, the paper claimed as well as shown he had recently taken the test to become a shinigami. *�His powers aren�t very high...he�s still a novice with magic. Not that I should be critisizing.�*
Tsuzuki was propped up against the wall, legs stretched out over the comforter and crossed at the ankles. His arms were, as well, crossed with a upsetting frown on his face. Hisoka almost smiled at the childish gesture. *�Tsuzuki, it has to be done. You are still Shinigami--�* �So. Are. You!� Hisoka frowned, his mouth in a firm line. His eyes flickered away from his comrade as he lifted up the picture of Tenkuu Meirou an attractive male looking around the age of thirty. Tsuzuki could heard the reprimanding tone through his head as Hisoka �spoke�. *�You know that isn�t true...I�m not giving up, Tsuzuki and neither is Tatsumi-san. He even told you he wasn�t�* �I know, but...� *�So stop acting so juvenile. I�m sure you�ll be fine with this Tenkuu-san for a few weeks.�* Tsuzuki didn�t hesitate a moment before he threw himself in a full on tackle, against Hisoka. Both of them were tossed back against the mattress, papers flying while Tsuzuki�s voice whined. �But I want to be with yooooooouuu!� It was a moment after his statement that he realized the echoing sound in his head was laughter, and it was coming from the slim male beneath him. Tsuzuki recoiled slightly, pulling his weight from Hisoka�s lighter frame and stared down dumbfounded at the boy. His emerald eyes were half closed, the deep green laughing and upon his mouth a open smile. After a moment his lips closed, though a light smile remained as he reached out and flipped a bit of Tsuzuki�s bangs out of his eyes. *�I�m sorry, I won�t be there. It worries me that someone else will have your back...�* �What? Scared you�ll lose me to an older man?� Tsuzuki joked, poking Hisoka�s side as he still remained half-draped over the boy. Hisoka�s expression grew serious, his green eyes loosing their elated glitter. *�Muraki�s still out there...Tsuzuki...�* �Oh...*that* older man,� Tsuzuki growled, then let his body collapse on the bed next to Hisoka, his arm still lying over his partner�s chest. �I�ll be fine.� Hisoka�s hand ran over Tsuzuki�s arm, intertwining their fingers together. *�Be careful...okay?�* �You�re worried about me?� Tsuzuki teased, bouncing their hands against Hisoka�s side and smiling, as he propped his head up with his free arm. Hisoka rolled his eyes, his head tilting toward Tsuzuki. *�You always make me worry...you�re such an idiot sometimes.�* The elder shinigami smiled despite the insult and leaned in to nudge his forehead to Hisoka�s. �And you�re such a kid sometimes.� *�Look whose talking!�* Tsuzuki laughed. �Mmm, it�s true. You do have a few degrees of maturity on me.� Hisoka�s eyes seemed to grasp onto a little of their previous light. *�Finally, he admits it.�* Neither knew who leaned in first, or when they had become close enough, but they were kissing as soon as Hisoka finished the sentence within their minds. Once again chaste and gentle, but just as intimate as before. Tsuzuki�s hand slipped from Hisoka�s, running up the smooth skin of the boy�s arm to his neck where he fingered the fur-soft hairs at his nape. Hisoka�s neck tilted, giving Tsuzuki more access to which he took as an invitation. Cupping the one side of his partner�s neck, Tsuzuki deepened their kiss. A new wave of essence hit his senses when they parted mouths and he thought he would pass out from the intensity when their tongues touched. *Always dreamed of...to have him so close...feeling *him* completely...,* Tsuzuki thought, his brow furrowing as his chest began aching from passionate emotion, but despite the pain he refused to give it up too soon. *No walls, no fears...to show him...my love...* He felt Hisoka shutter and reluctantly pulled back to assess if he was all right. His green eyes fluttered open a moment after and blinked groggily. Another few seconds passed, then he curled himself up close to Tsuzuki�s body. His neck arched into his partner�s chest. His voice was silent in Tsuzuki�s mind. �Hisoka...did I frighten you?� *�A little...�* Hisoka admitted after another pause. *�But I don�t really think it was you...just...emotions.�* �Mmm...you heard me, didn�t you? My thoughts?� Tsuzuki could feel the soft nod against his chest and smiled gently to himself. �I scared you by saying I loved you?� Another nod and a small chuckle from Tsuzuki. �There�s no reason for that, Hisoka...you had to have known how much I cared for you...I mean, I know you care for me, whether you say so or not...I can�t claim your feelings as love, but I know you look out for me because you don�t want to loose me...� *�One can�t say �love� when one doesn�t know what it is.�* Tsuzuki felt his chest tighten at the words, his eyes closed and he wrapped himself around the young man�s lanky body. �Oh, Hisoka...let me show you...and don�t be frightened, you know I could never hurt you.� It was at that moment Tsuzuki�s cell phone decided to ring. Scowling, he clutched Hisoka tighter, knowing it was Tatsumi announcing Tenkuu�s arrival. Hisoka waited until the third ring passed and it was clear Tsuzuki wasn�t intending on answering it, before he wriggled out of Tsuzuki�s hold and pulled out the phone, handing it to Tsuzuki. *�You said to me once: �You don�t have to like me, but you *do* have a job to do� Likewise, now, you may not like it, but you still have a job to do, Tsuzuki.�* �I hate when you�re right.� Tsuzuki picked up the phone on the fifth ring. �I�m on my way.�* * *
From the moment Tsuzuki stumbled into the office, quite a few minutes after the allotted time Tatsumi gave him, he knew he was in for it. The man that stood beside Tatsumi, chatting with a business-like smile to Konoe was a tall handsome male that could pass for JouOhChou�s secretary�s brother. Both of them held sharper features and narrowed eyes, though Tatsumi was taller and with darker coloring. The newcomer, assumably Tenkuu Meirou, had his golden blond hair slicked back, his pale blue eyes peering at Tsuzuki with incredulity. �Good afternoon, Tsuzuki-san,� Tatsumi said, in a monotone, not even bothering to chide him for being late. �This is Tenkuu-san, he will be your partner for the time being. I�m sure after you lengthy break you will not be complaining as I start you off on a case immediately.� His tone enforced no complaint whether Tsuzuki had wanted to or not. He resigned to a nod, his brow furrowed as his only sign of unhappiness. Tatsumi adjusted his glasses and turned away from Tsuzuki slightly so not to be swayed by the saddened expression. �Tenkuu-san has already stated he would like you to be diligent with your work, so you visits with Kurosaki-san will have to be less time-consuming.� �I�m not going to abandon him.� �We aren�t asking you too, Tsuzuki-kun,� Konoe exclaimed, shaking his head. �But we do need you to remain on task.� Tsuzuki�s eyes seemed to narrow, something they rarely saw when Muraki or Terazuma weren�t present. �Then I will do so...no more than usual.� They stared wide-eyed as he exited without another word. Then Tatsumi shook his head and sighed. �Good luck, Tenkuu-san...he is unusually short-fused today.� �Aa, I was told he was quite easy-going,� Tenkuu muttered, gazing at the door with a concerned expression. �He is normally. He cares deeply for his previous partner, though, and is greatly concerned for him, you�ll have to excuse his actions.� �Oh, he left before you could give us the case,� Tenkuu exclaimed, then bowed briefly. �Excuse me, I�ll go get him to return.� �I think you should leave him be, Tenkuu-san,� Tatsumi said, holding up a hand to motion for the new shinigami to remain. Tenkuu smiled politely. �But the sooner we get this case done, the sooner he can return to Kurosaki-kun.� The two higher shinigami paused at this, seeing the truth, then Tatsumi nodded; Tenkuu took it as a signal to proceed and exited from the room to retrieve his new partner.