"Good day, Kurosaki kun," said Kijin, giving Hisoka a smile.

Hisoka Kurosaki's head jerked up and he saw the Water Dragon family staring at him. He had arrived in Gensou Kai only a few minutes ago and had arrived at the main square without seeing anyone. Retracing the steps he had taken not so long ago, he felt a wave of both relief and nostalgia enter his body at the path before he was stopped by the sight of the Shikigamis he met. Souryuu held his daughter Tenkou in his arms while he held his son's hand. Despite his strict demeanor, his eyebrow raised upon seeing Hisoka, making the youth feel smaller. He had never gotten over his reservations for the Shikigami despite everything that had happened.

"I--I was just looking around," he muttered.

"I see," said Kijin, looking up to his father and seeing that he had not turned to him. His gentle smile did not disappear as he returned his glance to the Shinigami. "Is Tsuzuki-san around?"

"N-no," Hisoka stuttered, staring hard at his shoes. "I came by myself this time."

"Did you have a safe journey?"

"Yes, thank you." Hisoka's blush heightened and he risked a glance up at them.

There was a loud silence broken only by the singing of the birds. Kijin glanced up again to his father and then to Hisoka. Tenkou was squirming silently in Souryuu's arms, apparently realizing the tension present in the air. The blue-haired boy took a hesitant step forward and stopped when he felt his father's hand tightened its hold. He straightened and said instead, "Well then, congratulations on your first successful visit alone here in Gensou Kai."

Hisoka nodded again, still not meeting their eyes.

Then, Souryuu spoke in his low rumbling tone, "He's at the balcony."

Kijin and Tenkou turned to him questioningly.

Hisoka looked surprised, blushed, then bowed stiffly but gratefully. "Thank you," he said, met his eyes, and if it was possibly, blushed more before running away to the direction of the main house.

There was a tug at his hand and Kijin felt himself being pulled to the direction he and his father were walking to. However, he looked back to watch the disappearing figure of Hisoka Kurosaki.

"Father," Tenkou piped, clutching the lapels of his father's robe, "what was he looking for?"

Souryuu gave his daughter a small glance before replying, "Why, his prize, of course."

Kijin straightened at this, gave one last look behind him, and finally smiled in understanding.

~ * ~

Hisoka gave himself a mental shake to relieve himself of the stalking nervousness that stemmed from seeing the family. They had seemed so normal  that it made him uncomfortable. And to see that serious Shikigami actually carry his daughter in his arms, to hold his son's hand...it made him remember the last time his father held his hand...

He shook his head again and quickened his steps.

But then, he mused, this nervous feeling had started even in Meifu, when he had made a decision to visit Gensou Kai. It was standard for the Shinigami who have just taken up a Shikigami to visit so Wakaba-chan was not surprised when he requested for the Gates to be opened. Instead, she had reminded him to give either Kotarou or Koujirou a shout if he was ready to return, to which he had nodded. It did not make his anxiety go away; it had, in fact, grown steadily.

On the way, he met no other Shikigami that he knew except for the servants who guided him to the general direction of the spot given by Souryuu. He hurried on.

There...

Sitting on the balcony rails sat a singular figure who stared nonchalantly at the sky, his back to him. Hisoka hesitated, keeping to the shadows of the curtains. Seeing that figure calmed him somehow, he did not know why, when it was the reason for his agitation.

He stayed that way for a while, watching only. The figure did not move; it seemed as if he was made of stone except for the few stray hair pulled back moving with the breeze. He was shorter than Hisoka so his legs did not reach the lowest railings where he sat. The empath noted this and smiled.

Then, without even acknowledging, the figure said expectantly, "Well, are you going to stand there all day?"

Hisoka started. He had not known the Shikigami could feel his presence. "Y-yes." Fighting the blush again rising in his cheek, he went to the figure's side, leaning forward on the railing.

A few more minutes passed spent that way; the awkward silence was there and Hisoka thought furiously for a way to break it. Tsuzuki had told him a long time ago that he was friends with all his Shikigamis, and Hisoka expected he would be no less. He had a lot to make up for, though.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Hisoka looked up and found that Kurikara's crimson eyes were trained solely to him. Cursing his fair skin that easily blushed, he shook his head and racked his head for something to say. "No." He mentally kicked himself.

A smirk found its way on Kurikara's mouth. "Or are you just shy?"

The redness on Hisoka's cheeks, if it was possible, heightened. "Of course not," he retorted. Then, he ducked again, staring down at the trees. Unlike Kurikara, he could not stare into the sky. "I just came here to say I'm sorry." This statement was said very fast but Kurikara understood.

"You should be," the smaller one snapped. "Causing all that trouble, starting up a war, making the Tengu retract their alliance with the Golden Emperor, getting Riko killed--" Hisoka winced visibly but Kurikara continued on, "--and generally wreaking havoc in Gensou Kai, you should be sorry."

Hisoka's lips were now a thin line and his fingers were clenched. He could not meet Kurikara's eyes and he felt a huge wave of sorrow wash over him at the mention of Riko's name.

"--but you apologized already."

"...What...?" Stunned, Hisoka's head shot up again and he peered through his hair that fell over his green eyes. He was almost afraid that what he had heard was not true.

But Kurikara was smiling at him, looking as if he had no care for the world. "You deaf as well? No? Well, I don't have to repeat what's been said already." Hisoka wondered if he should strangle the Shikigami but Kurikara turned away to watch the sky. His next words were said softly, "That goes for you, too."

"Aren't you mad at me?" Hisoka burst out. "That I forced you to become my Shikigami, that I had Riko killed...and Kotarou-san's wing..."

"Well, I gave you the test, didn't I?" easily came the reply. "And Kotarou's wing is healing marvelously. Riko...Riko chose his own fate." Kurikara looked sad. "And I had a hand in it, I have to admit. But--" And his smile returned. "--you're equal to Tsuzuki-san now. Isn't that what you've always wanted? Power?" Yet there was bitterness in his voice.

Hisoka bit his lip. "I wanted to become Tsuzuki's equal. But...I can't." He watched his fingers and tried to unclench them. "I can only be myself, can't I?"

"Is that bad?"

"I don't know," Hisoka muttered. "I don't know myself too much even now."

Kurikara stretched. "You should."

"What was it like?" Hisoka asked suddenly. He leaned closer to Kurikara. "The cave...living there for the longest time? How did it feel?"

Kurikara fell silent and he frowned, elegant eyebrows drawing together to form a ruffled pensive look. "Lonely," he admitted finally. It was said with acceptance though. "It felt like every day was getting longer, even though I can feel time through the sun. And every day it felt like a little more hope died." It was his turn to look angry. "I was mad at everyone, mad at myself, mad at the world. It felt a little like dying every day." He stopped as if he had said too much but Hisoka did not mind.

Hisoka spoke quietly, "I felt like that, too."

Kurikara snorted but did not say anything, waiting.

In a silent tone, Hisoka went on, "I had a cage that I could not escape from. I felt all that you felt...loneliness, anger, death. I wished and wished for someone's arms to hold me." He looked up, not to the horizon but to the darkening sky, arms stretching to hold on to the rails. Kurikara leaned back to watch him. "And I became a Shinigami." He turned to Kurikara and offered him a tired smile. "So I guess we're the same...?"

"You presume too much," Kurikara said.

Hisoka reeled back as if he was struck but he did not say another word and would not look at his Shikigami.

Then, hesitantly, he felt a hand cover his own and realized it was Kurikara. He looked down and was surprised when two arms wrapped around his lithe form. Hesitantly, he let his own arms encircle the Shikigami. Kurikara pressed closer to his chest, still trying to balance himself on the railing and keeping his expression hidden from Hisoka's eyes.

"But I can hold you," continued the Shikigami, almost shyly, "if you'll hold me back."

Hisoka felt tears prick his eyes. Here was another person who can understand the loneliness that he felt, touched something that no-one else can touch. Here was someone else who relied on him in a way that Tsuzuki had not.

He felt protective and at the same time dependent. He liked the feeling.

Against his chest, Kurikara muttered, "Do you like sunsets?"

Hisoka nodded before realizing that Kurikara could not see him so he said, "Yes."

"Gensou Kai's sunsets are beautiful."

The young Shinigami closed his eyes and smiled, remembering the crimson against black and white eyes of the Shikigami who was leaning against his chest. "I agree," he murmured.

Kurikara shifted so he was facing the sky again while his arms stayed around Hisoka's neck. Hisoka's arms tightened on his waist and they leaned on each other, watching as the sun set over Gensou Kai's horizon.

~ * ~

omake:

"Kurikara, stop chewing my hair."

*muffled apology*