Written for Lady Ganesh, for donating in livelongnmarry, a community created to benefit the fight for marriage equality in California. She requested Oriya/Hisoka, memory. Shinigami!Oriya decided to make an appearance. Audienced by Eliza.

"I thought I'd find you here," Hisoka says, nothing else. He saves his lectures for his impetuous partner. Oriya's infractions are always deliberate.

Oriya straightens from trailing his fingers in the stream, glances at the sakura that's no longer his. It's autumn in Kyoto. The tree's heavy with pale blossoms. It's a lesson that he'd say he doesn't need, but then, he's here.

He turns to spring-eyed Hisoka, asks, "Do you remember when we met?"

Hisoka tilts his head, then shifts and steps forward. He answers without speaking, drawing Oriya into a slow motion retread of that first swordfight. They end feet apart, backs to each other, but Oriya's certain he can hear Hisoka pressing hand to unbloodied chest.

"I'm unlikely to forget."

Oriya huffs out a breath. It might be laughter. He turns, stares at the graceful line of Hisoka's back under the fitted jacket. Hisoka lets him look, another lesson, or perhaps the same one, but he likes it better in this form. He moves closer, raises his hand. Hisoka waits until the last moment to turn and catch his fingers. Skin-to-skin, in this place where they're both now ghosts.

It's Oriya who takes them back to Meifu.

~END~