Disclaimer- characters still not mine.

well, i think this is it. it kinda wrote itself this evening, and i think i am satisfied where it stopped.
thank you all for reading. this was tons of fun! now to plot something else to do to the poor guys...

-Fireun

'It's my turn to watch over you as you sleep, Tsuzuki. Remarkable, isn't it, where we are now? I never would have dreamed of this. It still seems too surreal to be happening. But...seeing you smile, feeling your hand rest tentatively on mine...it is worth it. It will take getting used to, but it is worth it. I never dared dream something this good could happen to me. I tried to warn you. I am not...good at expressing myself. This is going to be tough. But I get the feeling you understand. Hell, you are trying to learn to be open again, to feel without flinching. I want you to know I can accept you, and all you are. There isn't a hair on your head that I am loath to touch. In fact, I take a weird sort of pleasure in running my hands through your hair. Like I am doing now...If someone had suggested a month ago even that I would be here with you, in this place in this way, I would have coughed a laugh and moved on. It feels good to curl up in the protective embrace of your arms, even if you do tend to hold me tight when the nightmares creep in. I am not going to leave you, Tsuzuki. Just...have patience with me. I am so new at this...'

Hisoka rested his head on Tsuzuki's lean chest with a gentle sigh. It was a brave thing, climbing into the other mans bed to sleep. It had been a study in will not to flinch away when Tsuzuki pulled him close, pillowed him on his chest. To his credit, Tsuzuki held him loosely, careful to let the younger shinigami know he was free to flee if he felt the need. Tsuzuki had fallen asleep like that, a smile on his face, his partner safe in his arms. For all appearances Tsuzuki was a pillar of contentment, but Hisoka could feel the tension, the anxiety that hovered beneath the mans happiness.

'So afraid I will decide to leave, to reject you. It is going to take us both a bit of time, isn't it?' Hisoka yawned hugely. Having had so little sleep the past few days, the sirens call of sleep was proving overwhelming. 'Well, it can't hurt...can it?' Cautiously settling closer against the warmth that was Tsuzuki, Hisoka finally let his eyes slide shut.

For a quick minute Tsuzuki panicked upon waking and feeling another body in the bed. Then the previous evening caught up with him. This was Hisoka, no demon from his past. Hardly daring to believe he regarded the smaller form cuddled against his side. Hisoka's face was completely relaxed in sleep, giving him the appearance of his physical age that his normal cautious, almost crabby, demeanor hid. And he was pressed tight against Tsuzuki's side, one arm twinned around the older shinigami's in a sort of sleepy death grip. It was so strange. Welcome, but strange, to have Hisoka sleeping there, in his bed. It was the prize he had secretly yearned after for so long, but was scared to want too much as he had grown to expect disappointment and rejection. 'No rejection from you, 'Soka. Just shy nervousness. Like my own. Neither of us really know what to do with this situation, do we? We just know we want it to work out, to not go away.' Slowly, careful not to jostle his bedmate, Tsuzuki shifted so as to be able to rest his chin on the top of Hisoka's head. This. This is what he had wanted; the feel of another's warmth, the physical contact of being needed. The comfort of touching.

"I stayed for this, 'Soka-chan. Please don't ever change your mind. Don't send me away..." It was a fervent prayer, intended to be heard only by the morning itself.

"Idiot." It was a quiet mutter, a sleepy jumble of syllables and muzzy emotion painstakingly pronounced. Hisoka opened bleary green eyes and managed a half-awake smile up at Tsuzuki as he moved around a bit to get a better view. "If I wanted you to go I wouldn't have climbed in here. Or paid for dinner last night after coffee. Or watched that horrifyingly sappy anime with you before bed or..." a massive yawn interrupted his evidence, and he plopped his head back onto Tsuzuki's chest, where he listened to the comfortingly rhythmic beat of the others heart.

"I'm..." Tsuzuki started, his voice strained.

"If you apologize I am going to kick you. I am most definitely close enough to smack you a good one." Another yawn. "Although, it is not like the bruise will stay long. Might have to kick you again..."

Guilt aborted by a gentle smile, Tsuzuki mussed Hisoka's hair affectionately. "Well, I..."

"When you get that mess in your head sorted out, and when I am actually awake, then we can talk." At Tsuzuki's bemused expression Hisoka tapped the side of his head like that was the most important piece of information he would possible have shared with his partner. "Why so puzzled? I can feel you. Too tired to do anything about it right now. So pause the guilt trip so I can get some sleep. You can be miserable later. I will buy some cake. You will eat it. And then everything will be better. Sound like a plan?"

Tsuzuki didn't even bother answering. It was definitely a function of Hisoka's less than complete wakefulness that he was saying so much at all. It would do nothing to try and reason with him in his current state. 'He is stubborn enough when he is awake.' Tsuzuki breathed deeply, pulling in the scent of his partner, basking in the feel of him snuggled close. 'I could get used to this...'

With a smile he let his own eyes slide shut. 'I want to get used to this.'

Watari pranced around the office, displaying what Tatsumi assumed he was going to have to refer as the Watari Dance Of Victory for some time. The scientist was crowing happily, his plans having worked out fantastically. His results were prefect.

"You are sure then that they spent the evening together?" Tatsumi sipped his coffee, pondering.

"The evening, as well as the entire night!" Watari cackled happily.

"I would assume then that they are still together? As it is two hours past when they should have been here at work." Another sip. "I was hoping that if they got this sorted out more work would get done, not less."

Watari paused in his victory dance, horrified. "Tatsumi...you wouldn't...."

Carefully setting his mug on the counter, Tatsumi pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "They are late."

"Tatsumi...."

"And the first person who disturbs them is getting their pay docked for a month."

Watari grinned at the smile in his friends voice. "Tatsumi. You really are a nice guy."

"Don't let that get around. Then no work will get done around here."

"From the first hello you gave to me
I've done nothing else but smile
And I know you're in a hurry
Ah but it's gonna take a while
So forgive me if we go slow
But there's something I think you should know
I'm goin' fast as I can, please dont make me rush
This feelin's comin' on way too fast
I'll tell you all of the things that you'll never forget
But I'm not ready to say I love you yet
I'm not ready to say I love you yet
Don't push me in too deep
I've always been the fool who rushes in
I know you've got to take the pieces one by one
For you've got everything
So forgive me if we take time
But there's something that's been on my mind
I'm goin' fast as I can, please dont make me rush
This feelin's comin' on way too fast
I'll tell you all of the things that you'll never forget
But I'm not ready to say I love you yet
I'm not ready to say I love you yet
Oh there'll be times when I'm mistaken
And there'll be times when we're gonna fight
Ah but you needn't doubt
We can work it out
And in time we'll get it right, oh....
Oh so forgive me if we go slow
Ah but there's something I think you should know

I'm goin' fast as I can, please dont make me rush
This feelin's comin' on way too fast
I'll tell you all of the things that you'll never forget
But I'm not ready to say I love you yet
I'm not ready to say I love you yet..."

"Fast As I Can" – Great Big Sea

-End.