Most of Enma-chou’s workers, if asked, would say that Tsuzuki never knew what
\n was on his desk. Notices of meetings, memos about cases, budget forms, if
\n any of them were attended to before it was too late, it was the talk of the
\n department for weeks. According to the average Watari had worked out once
\n to settle a bet in the cafeteria, Tsuzuki was only seen actually reading
\n anything at his desk once every five weeks.<\/p>\n
If asked, Tsuzuki would have pointed out, quite reasonably, that he knew exactly
\n what was on his desk. He found out once every five weeks, on average.<\/p>\n
"Late anyway, late anyway, closed last week, late anyway," he muttered,
\n sorting through the pile of paper. "Late… hunh?"<\/p>\n
"Is one of them actually still current?" Hisoka asked, acidly, not
\n looking up from filling out next month’s budget request form.<\/p>\n
"Yes," Tsuzuki said, slowly, "but it’s not from here."<\/p>\n
Now Hisoka looked up. "What?"<\/p>\n
"To all demons rank of Brigadier or Duke," Tsuzuki read aloud, "from
\n the domain of Beelzebub. Angelic response to recent demonic acquisitions
\n among mortals are reaching undesirable levels. Any demons who are free are
\n encouraged to go, forthwith, to Assiah (e.g. Earth, the mortal realm) and
\n rectify this. Sec’y, Choronzon."<\/p>\n
Hisoka was staring. "There is nothing more blind than bureaucracy,"
\n he declared with conviction. "They can’t possibly really think you’ll
\n participate."<\/p>\n
"Well, no, of course not." Tsuzuki nibbled his lip. "But I do
\n kind of wonder just what’s going on."<\/p>\n
"Not our business," Hisoka said, promptly. <\/p>\n
"But we don’t have a case right now," Tsuzuki murmured, fingering
\n the memo. "We could go take a look. No harm in that."<\/p>\n
Hisoka gave him a baleful look for a long moment before throwing up his hands.
\n "Fine. Fine! Don’t think you’re going without me, though. Who knows
\n what you’ll get involved with if you go alone."<\/p>\n
Tsuzuki smiled at his partner, pleased that Hisoka wanted to come, too. It
\n would be good for Hisoka to get out more. "Of course."<\/p>\n
"Tennis<\/em>?" Hisoka said for about the sixth time. "Two "I’m pretty sure a lesser demon was hiding out in one of the boys, too," Fairly sure. That Mad Hatter character was making him wonder.<\/p>\n "Maybe we should ask the Gushoushin whether this has ever happened before," "I do wonder what it might be doing to the boys, to be around this many "Hisoka, can you get anything off that one?" he asked, gesturing.\n<\/p>\n Just in time for the boy to notice and take a few fast steps back, steel gray "Oh, just great," Hisoka groaned.<\/p>\n "I’m sorry, but we don’t allow spectators at club practices," the Tsuzuki smiled as brightly and soothingly as he could. "We don’t want The gray eyed boy backed up a little more. "I was right, you are another "No, no," Tsuzuki protested holding up his hands, "we’re not, Hisoka smacked him on the shoulder. "And now you’ve confirmed that we The dark boy, who had listened to all this with his head tipped consideringly, "Shinigami."<\/p>\n Both boys edged back this time.<\/p>\n "We’re not here on a case," Tsuzuki hastened to add. "It’s just… The boy crossed his arms. "Aniki said Hatter would stay away from me."<\/p>\n "Yuuta." The dark boy put a hand on his shoulder. "Fuji Shuusuke Tsuzuki fished through his memories of the day for that name. Ah, yes, the "So what, precisely, are you suggesting?" a new voice asked from "Mizuki-san," Yuuta greeted him.<\/p>\n "Yuuta-kun, Akazawa," he nodded, and turned his eyes back to Tsuzuki. "To keep outside influences away," Tsuzuki said, simply.<\/p>\n Hisoka slumped against the fence and crossed his arms. "You said it was "We can’t just leave this," Tsuzuki answered firmly, knowing that "Fine, fine." Hisoka raked a hand through his hair. "Just don’t Tsuzuki smiled, and reached out with the warmth of his pleasure in place of "I see," Mizuki murmured. "Yuuta-kun?" Yuuta blinked. "It Yuuta was still for a moment before his mouth tightened. "Yes," he "Great!" Tsuzuki beamed at him. <\/p>\n "Right," Yuuta sighed. "Excuse me, then, I need to get back Tsuzuki fetched out a handful of ofuda, sorting through them, as the three "Mizuki-san, I understand why," he heard Yuuta saying as Mizuki came "Because they seem like the most disinterested parties we’re likely to "Mizuki-san!" Yuuta sputtered.<\/p>\n Tsuzuki decided, observing Hisoka’s suddenly edged glare at Mizuki’s back, <\/p>\n End<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A memo is mis-directed to Tsuzuki’s desk.
\n of the Great Angels, a Demon Lord, the Messiah, Gabriel’s reincarnation,
\n and a Principality are all here on Earth, dancing around each other, stressing
\n the fabric of reality, getting involved with tennis teams<\/em>?"<\/p>\n
\n Tsuzuki added. "Some of them do have a lot of spiritual power, I suppose."
\n He had to admit to being just a little puzzled, himself, though. Not that
\n he couldn’t see the fun in watching these boys play; they were very determined
\n and earnest and involved. But he was fairly sure that high ranking celestials
\n wouldn’t be hanging around just to appreciate that.<\/p>\n
\n Hisoka said, frowning. "This concentration of them on Earth can’t be
\n good."<\/p>\n
\n celestials," Tsuzuki agreed, leaning on the fence to watch the latest
\n team on their list. There didn’t seem to be any demons around, or angels
\n either, which almost surprised him. He could hear the church bells from further
\n down the campus. One of the boys did seem to have a touch of… something,
\n though. Tsuzuki squinted.<\/p>\n
\n eyes wide. A tall, dark teammate came to him and asked something. After a
\n short exchange involving some vigorous gestures they both approached the
\n watchers at the fence.<\/p>\n
\n dark one said, politely.<\/p>\n
\n to be any trouble, we just wanted to check that no one was bothering your
\n team."<\/p>\n
\n of them!" he exclaimed.<\/p>\n
\n really. Exactly."<\/p>\n
\n know exactly what he’s talking about." He gave the wary boy a direct
\n look. "We’re not angels or demons. Shut up<\/em>, Tsuzuki,"
\n he added, as Tsuzuki’s innate honesty made him start to correct the technical
\n lie. "Our work deals with the messes they leave behind a lot, and we
\n just want to contain the damage this time."<\/p>\n
\n asked, "So what are you?"<\/p>\n
\n I think one of them has already touched you." He looked at the gray
\n eyed boy.<\/p>\n
\n is impressive, but setting him against a demon? This year has gotten strange
\n enough; if it’s affecting you we should do something."<\/p>\n
\n watchful one at Seishun Gakuen. "I’m sure your brother will do all he
\n can protect you. And it’s true that Seigaku has its own guardian," Tsuzuki
\n said, softly, "but the Mad Hatter has a reputation for power and subtlety.
\n Your brother doesn’t have the training to deal with that, and Raphael doesn’t
\n have the motivation. Celestials don’t usually get involved with humans without
\n an ulterior motive."<\/p>\n
\n behind them. Tsuzuki turned to see a slight boy with sharp eyes watching
\n them.<\/p>\n
\n "So?"<\/p>\n
\n just to look," he reminded Tsuzuki. "Not that I believed it for
\n a single second, but that was what you said."<\/p>\n
\n his partner didn’t genuinely disagree. Probably.<\/p>\n
\n expect me to ask Kurikara to get involved in this. Though he’d probably laugh
\n too hard to manage to be insulting, for once."<\/p>\n
\n actually touching Hisoka’s arm, which his partner hated for him to do in
\n public. Hisoka sniffed and gave him a sidelong look a little softer than
\n usual.<\/p>\n
\n is your team, now," Mizuki told him, with a very significant look for
\n such a simple statement.<\/p>\n
\n agreed, not as though he enjoyed the thought right at the moment. "We
\n accept," he told Tsuzuki.<\/p>\n
\n to practice."<\/p>\n
\n boys turned back toward the courts.<\/p>\n
\n up to walk beside him, "but why them?"<\/p>\n
\n get," Mizuki told him. "Besides, doesn’t he have lovely eyes? You
\n know how fond I am of purple."<\/p>\n
\n that it would be better for all concerned if he pretended he hadn’t heard
\n that. <\/p>\n