Chapter Forty-Six: The Devilï¿½s Joy:

Chapter Forty-Six: The Devilï¿½s Joy:

Lucyï¿½s happy again and that could only mean one thing.

ï¿½Jaredï¿½s back, isnï¿½t her?ï¿½ Tsuzuki asked.

ï¿½Uh-huh!ï¿½ Lucy said.

ï¿½For how long?ï¿½

ï¿½Two years.ï¿½

ï¿½Ah,ï¿½ he replied. Lucy being happyï¿½ Oh boy! Yeah. Plus for two years too? Oh boy!

ï¿½Whatï¿½s wrong with that?ï¿½ Anna asked. Tsuzuki looked up from eating his cake.

ï¿½Thatï¿½s just it,ï¿½ he said. ï¿½Youï¿½ve gotten to know her, right?ï¿½

ï¿½Yeah,ï¿½ Anna said. Her love put up his hands.

ï¿½So?ï¿½ he asked. Anna thought about this and her face dropped. ï¿½Oh.ï¿½ The shinigami nodded.

ï¿½Yeah,ï¿½ he said. It didnï¿½t end there. Lucy always came around with cuff bruises on her wrists. She grinnedï¿½ no, she bragged about them.

ï¿½Good night?ï¿½ Hisoka asked to get it over with. She grinned at him.

ï¿½Uh-huh!ï¿½ Lucy said.

ï¿½Jared, huh?ï¿½

ï¿½Yep, for two more years!ï¿½

Hisoka rolled his eyes. ï¿½Yes, I know.ï¿½ Jaredï¿½s not a bad guy. He has a decent job. He doesnï¿½t play around on Lucy. He doesnï¿½t hit her except as their fun in the bedroom. Itï¿½s justï¿½

ï¿½When heï¿½s around,ï¿½ Tsuzuki broke down to Anna. ï¿½Everyone knows it.ï¿½

ï¿½How?ï¿½ she asked.

ï¿½First,ï¿½ he said. ï¿½There are the marks on her body. Cuff marks, hickeys, bite marks, things like that.ï¿½

ï¿½Oh my,ï¿½ Anna said. ï¿½She really does like it rough.ï¿½

ï¿½Donï¿½t see why youï¿½re surprised. Youï¿½ve known her close to a year now.ï¿½

Anna nodded. ï¿½Trueï¿½ï¿½ Her eyes turned to him. ï¿½What else?ï¿½

ï¿½Well, she brags about it next.ï¿½

ï¿½Yeah, Iï¿½ve heard that from the others.ï¿½

ï¿½And then, something else happens.ï¿½

She peered at him. ï¿½Like what?ï¿½

ï¿½Last time, they moved in together.ï¿½

ï¿½And this time?ï¿½

Tsuzuki shrugged. ï¿½Donï¿½t know yet.ï¿½

ï¿½Itï¿½s funny,ï¿½ Anna said. ï¿½Sheï¿½s usually anti-love.ï¿½ Tsuzuki nodded.

ï¿½Yeah,ï¿½ he said. ï¿½But Jaredï¿½s different, want to know why?ï¿½

ï¿½Youï¿½re just itching to tell me, arenï¿½t you?ï¿½

Tsuzuki smiled like a hyper little puppy. ï¿½You know me so well. Alright.ï¿½ He leaned in to her ear. ï¿½Heï¿½s like a male version of her.ï¿½

ï¿½Ohï¿½ï¿½ Anna murmured. ï¿½Her better half?ï¿½

ï¿½Yep.ï¿½

ï¿½Just like you and me?ï¿½

Tsuzuki nodded uneasily. ï¿½Minus the S&M parts.ï¿½ She nuzzled him on the ear.

ï¿½Ooo!ï¿½ he said. Anna giggled. Tsuzuki smiled and shook his head.

ï¿½You,ï¿½ he said. On the thirty-first, Lucyï¿½s big news came that morning. It began with a text.

Big news. Meet me at noon at the Viron.

What could this be? The shinigami, Anna, demons, Rihoko, and Vivian all waited at the cafï¿½. Anna leaned over to Tsuzuki.

ï¿½So whatï¿½s this news she has?ï¿½ she whispered. Tsuzuki shrugged and shook his head.

ï¿½Weï¿½ll have to see,ï¿½ he said. Anna sat back in place. In twenty minutes, Lucy and Jared walked over to their table. She leaned on him, smiling, not smiling but grinning.

ï¿½Hey guys,ï¿½ she said. Jared waved at them. The crew waved back rather confused.

ï¿½Okay,ï¿½ Anna said. ï¿½Whatï¿½s this about?ï¿½ Lucy held up her hand.

ï¿½Patience, Barbie,ï¿½ she said. ï¿½Iï¿½m getting there.ï¿½ Tsuzuki held Annaï¿½s hand as Lucy grinned.

ï¿½Everyone,ï¿½ she said. ï¿½We got married.ï¿½ She held up her left hand to show off her deep black wedding band. Shock just bitch-slapped the crew where they sat.

ï¿½What?!ï¿½ they yelled.

ï¿½Itï¿½s true,ï¿½ Jared said, smirking. ï¿½We are now married.ï¿½

ï¿½When did this happen?ï¿½ Hotaru asked as she bounced Akira-kun in her lap.

ï¿½Two weeks ago,ï¿½ Lucy said.

ï¿½In the courthouse,ï¿½ Jared added. Okayï¿½ No one expected this, they should have, but stillï¿½

ï¿½Anything else?ï¿½ Anna asked.

ï¿½Nope,ï¿½ the S&M queen said. ï¿½That was it.ï¿½ Lucyï¿½s smile became brighter than the sun. ï¿½He needs to go work now, Bye.ï¿½ Jared grabbed on her ass as they walked away. The others sat there trying to process what they just learned.

-------

ï¿½So, Lucyï¿½s married now,ï¿½ Tsuzuki said later that afternoon.

ï¿½Yep,ï¿½ Anna said. The couple passed a bridal shop.

ï¿½Thatï¿½s going to be the talk around Ju-Oh-Cho,ï¿½ he said.

ï¿½Uh-huh,ï¿½ Anna replied.

ï¿½Takes some of suspicion off of us,ï¿½ Tsuzuki mumbled under his breath, averting his eyes. Anna glanced up at him.

ï¿½What?ï¿½ she asked.

ï¿½Oh shit!ï¿½ Tsuzuki muttered as he froze, trembling. Anna frowned.

ï¿½You havenï¿½t told them yet, have you?ï¿½ she asked. Tsuzuki tried not to look at her, chuckling to himself.

ï¿½You werenï¿½t going to tell them, were you?ï¿½ she asked.

ï¿½Not yetï¿½ï¿½ he mumbled.

ï¿½When?ï¿½

ï¿½I donï¿½t know.ï¿½

ï¿½It canï¿½t stay a secret forever.ï¿½

ï¿½I know that!ï¿½ Tsuzuki took a deep breath and rested his hand on her shoulder. ï¿½Look, weï¿½ll tell them together tomorrow.ï¿½

Anna looked him in the eye. ï¿½You promise?ï¿½

Her love nodded. ï¿½Yes, I mean it, I really do.ï¿½

Anna gave him a little smile. ï¿½Iï¿½ll hold you to it.ï¿½

ï¿½Alright,ï¿½ Tsuzuki replied. Anna was about to speak when her cell phone rang.

ï¿½Excuse me,ï¿½ she said. The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

ï¿½Hello?ï¿½ she asked.

ï¿½My dear niece,ï¿½ a creepy voice croaked on the other line. ï¿½Itï¿½s been so long.ï¿½