Blah

I'm not feeling so good at the moment due to the fact that my niece was kind enough to give me her cold. >_<

But...new Yami fic-thing. Will try to be more social and the like later on tonight after the cold medicine kicks in, honest.





Glancing down at the report he held in his hands, Hisoka debated going home for the night or checking to see if Watari was still in his lab. Odds were in his favor that Watari was still there; after all he was known to keep unusual hours regarding his various experiments. Not to mention the lab work he did concerning the cases they worked on...

Deciding that it wouldn’t hurt to stick his head in the door, Hisoka grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and turned the desk lamp off. Working after hours wasn't a commonplace thing for him as he liked getting his work done as soon as possible in order to make the best use of his free time, but there were always...interruptions during work hours. Almost all of which involved his partner.

Lips tightening as he remembered his somewhat harsh words to Tsuzuki earlier that day, Hisoka pulled his jacket on, tugging a little too hard on the collar as he did. Not that he felt...bad for snapping at Tsuzuki, exactly, it was just that... Perhaps he had been a little too harsh, and really, he was sure Tsuzuki hadn’t meant anything when he -

Grabbing the report, Hisoka set off towards Watari’s lab, frown deepening as he went. Surely Tsuzuki knew him well enough by now to know that...

They’d been partners long enough that...

Well, he just should have known better.

Wincing as that particular phrase echoed in his mind, Hisoka knocked softly on the door to Watari's lab. Receiving no answer, he took a deep breath and opened the door knowing full well that if Watari was still there he might not have heard his knock. The incident from last month with was reason enough to assume such a thing.

Looking around, Hisoka tilted his head to the side as he realized Watari had quite obviously gone home for some well-deserved sleep. The computers were turned off for the night, and even Watari’s experiments had been tabled for the time being.

He was just about to leave when he noticed the light coming from the back room Watari sometimes slept in when he was too tired to go home or was working on some involved experiment.

"Watari?"

His frown deepening when he received no answer, Hisoka turned eased past a stack of books and stopped dead at the sight that met his eyes.

Seated at a small table near the front of the room was Tatsumi, still wearing the suit he’d worn to work that day minus the jacket. The topmost button of his shirt was undone and his tie was loosened. His shirtsleeves were were rolled up to his elbows giving him an oddly...relaxed appearance.

While it was a bit unusual to see Tatsumi so clearly...at ease, it was what he was doing that surprised Hisoka the most.

On the table closest to Tatsumi was a deck of ordinary playing cards. On the table in front of Tatsumi was a remarkably intricate structure built out of similar cards. One, that judging from the size alone seemed to indicate that Tatsumi had apparently spent quite a bit of time working on it.

"Watari's rather...indisposed at the moment, Hisoka.”

The fact that Tatsumi hadn’t taken his attention away from the house of cards as he spoke didn’t escape Hisoka’s notice. Nor did the fact that Watari was sleeping on the couch set against the back wall of the room.

"Was there something you needed?"

Holding the report he’d brought with him, Hisoka edged closer to the table to get a better look at Tatsumi’s handiwork. Tatsumi didn’t even glance in his direction as he wove the playing cards into the structure one after another with steady hands.

King of diamonds. Three of spades.

"I just need to get a copy of the lab results with Watari's signature for my report.”

Two of clubs. Five of hearts.

"Place it on the counter and I’ll see to it he deals with it in the morning.”

Hisoka did as he was told, taking care not to wake Watari or disturb Tatsumi.

"Tatsumi..."

Lips pulling up into a smile, Tatsumi glanced at Hisoka, the soft lighting of a table lamp playing off his glasses.

"It’s amazing how much concentration and focus building a house of cards requires. I’ve found that it’s an excellent way to improve mental discipline."

Nine of clubs. Ace of hearts.

Hisoka watched silently, wondering -

"Working as we do, with people of different temperaments from ourselves can often be... stressful and occasionally frustrating. But I’m sure that I don’t need to tell you that.”

Hisoka looked up, eyes narrowing.

Ten of diamonds. Eight of hearts.

"I find that it's frighteningly easy for the daily stresses and frustrations to...disrupt my mental balance and peace of mind."

Taking a seat at one end of the table, Hisoka sighed inwardly. That much was true. It wasn't that he disliked Tsuzuki - quite the opposite, in fact - it was just...he was just...

"Sometimes it's best to discuss the things that upset you. Other times...there are things you can do that might help if you feel you can't speak about what's bothering you."

Four of clubs. Three of hearts.

And why did Hisoka have the sinking feeling that Tatsumi was no longer referring to himself?

“Some people prefer to meditate, others like to work off their frustration using exercise and physical exertion.”

Hisoka knew, when Tatsumi added that last part that Tatsumi knew.

And yet, he was not referencing it directly. Almost as though he felt that -

King of clubs. King of hearts.

Watching Tatsumi’s hands, Hisoka didn’t see the appraising look Tatsumi gave him.

“It’s understandable for a person to lose their focus on occasion. In fact, it’s actually quite reassuring. No one is perfect, of course. Flaws and imperfections are to be expected, although they may not always be appreciated. Losing one’s focus...it is the thing that makes a person know they are human. The thing that needs to be understood is that being human is more than mental discipline and focus - very few people ever see beyond that fact. Those are the people that never manage to regain their focus once it is lost to them.”

Hisoka watched Tatsumi silently as he added to the house of cards until there were only a handful of cards left. He was preparing to leave when Tatsumi slid the last two cards over to him with a slight smile.

Picking them up, Hisoka had the strangest feeling that -

“Go ahead.”

Looking down at the cards in his hand, Hisoka took a breath - and carefully placed them.

King of spades. Jack of hearts.

And the house of cards stayed standing.



==========

Why hello, there. The last four cards mentioned are the ones that closest represent Tatsumi, Watari, Tsuzuki and Hisoka according to this book I have about fortune telling, although I have my doubts on some of them.

The cards:


Tatsumi - King of Clubs - A mature professional man, honest and straightforward in his dealing, who can be of great assistance.

Watari - King of Hearts - A good-natured man, well-disposed towards the enquirer.Sociable, generous and enthusiastic, he may lack discretion, so is not always a wise judge.

Tsuzuki - King of Spades - A successful man of some standing, perhaps a lawyer or other professional, who is in a position to help the enquirer. Influential and authoritative, he will demand repset and his advice is to be trusted.

Hisoka - Jack of Hearts - An amiable, sincere young person, probably a friend of long-standing or near relative of the enquirer. He or she could be instrumental in introducing the enquirer to someone who is to become very important emotionally.


And just for fun:

Muraki - King of Diamonds - An abitious and influential man who has it in his power ot help or hinder the enquirer's interests. Any proposition should therefore be considered very thorougly.

Interestingly enough, Terazuma's card is the same one as Tsuzuki's. :D