Going Home

Thank you: to Auburnimp for very helpful beta.

On the eve of what would have been his 32nd birthday, Hisoka goes home. His parents have both passed on and the damage from last year's fire has been repaired. Another Kurosaki family lives here now - relatives he never met.

He visits his grave first, surprised to find it well tended. The last time he'd been there, weeds had nearly covered the small marker. He touches the stone lightly before turning away.

Hisoka's cell is next. The bars are gone and the room is used for storage. There are faint marks in the floor where the bars once were, but most of them are covered by dusty boxes and old furniture. Before he leaves, he gazes up through the partially covered window towards the sky. It is a clear, moonless night.

He makes himself invisible again before he transports upstairs. In what once was his bedroom, a young boy is sleeping.

Hisoka looks at him for a long minute then surveys the untidy surroundings - a messy, colorful assortment of toys and books. It never looked like this when Hisoka lived here. Hisoka's parents believed in study not play, and untidiness was never tolerated.

A twinge of nervousness hits him suddenly, and he wonders if his secret remains hidden. Everything is so different.

He moves quietly to the far corner and lifts the edge of the rug. He closes his eyes and lets his hands remember. He finds the small gap and struggles to pry up the loose board. The last time he did this, he was five. It was easier with smaller fingers.

With a faint sound, the secret compartment opens.  And underneath... is his treasure box.

With exaggerated care, he extracts what were once his most treasured possessions. It's been exactly twenty-five years since he last held this small, wooden box. He'd taken it out of hiding to add a shiny coin - a birthday gift - to the collection of pebbles, feathers and other oddments. The next day he'd been moved to the basement.

He hugs the box to his chest but doesn't open it.  He knows every item by heart anyway. Instead, he returns the board to its' place - leaving it slightly askew and the carpet rumpled. He stands up, studying his work, sure that the boy will discover the hiding place in the morning. It's time for new treasures.

Hisoka gives the boy one last look before transporting.  He was away longer then expected and he knows Tsuzuki will be waiting for him. They have tomorrow off and they'll be spending a quiet day together - as quiet as a day can be when Tsuzuki's had birthday cake for breakfast.

Hisoka thinks he'll wait until then to show Tsuzuki his treasure box.

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