Muraki

Such beauty he holds, this creature. The thick hair that flows like a dark waterfall, the pale skin that seems to have been made only for me to touch, the slender hands with long fingers, the kind that is good for playing the piano…and then, just when you think that such beauty can't exist and he must be an illusion, his eyes hits you. What cruel god could have given him such eyes, I wonder. Who would curse the world with such beauty in a mortal creature that would fade away with time? Only the thought of his violet eyes being lifeless with old age makes me want to weep. It's good that he died young and it's even better that he didn't move on. In shinigami, beauty lasts forever. Shinigami. Just taste the word. Each syllable tastes good, doesn't it? Shinigami, guardians of death. It's ironic that I, who plan to live forever, should fall so hopelessly for one of them. I have a large bouquet of red roses in my hand as I walk towards the casino. I know that he won't accept them but still, I can't resist giving them to him, just to see how beautiful they will look next to his face. He seems shocked as he sees me enter and I have to smile. Sometimes his face is like that of a five year old. There's something about his face, about his entire body, that fills me with a need to possess, to hurt, to destroy. I guess it's the same as when you see an exquisite crystal glass. The urge to break it is always there. There's something pure about him that I can't wait to taint. It is with this intention that I suggest he wager his body into the game. If I win…

I repress a shudder of expectation. If I win, he'll be mine for the night. He knows he'll have to play this game or I might blow his cover. Ah, to have the upper hand. My dear Tsuzuki, you don't have a chance tonight. If I have the possibility of spending a night with you, I sure won't lose. Poker is an old favourite of mine and I'm pretty good at it too. We do not speak as we play and he is doing his best to avoid eye contact, which, of course, makes me try to get it even more. I'm very satisfied when I finally catch that amethyst gaze. It only takes the time of a heartbeat before he looks away, but in that instant, I think his eyes has burned their way straight into my soul. We continue the game.

Tsuzuki

How can he wear all white? It seems a miracle that the evil from within him isn't tainting it. But then again, I wear a lot of black and I'm not exactly evil, am I? Ye gods, even his hair and skin are white as snow. The only colour on him is the ruby earrings, which reminds me of tiny blood drops. Lost in my thoughts, I do not notice him coming until he's right in front of me with all those red roses that he pushes into my arms before I can refuse. Their scent is strong and I can't help but to take a deep breath, letting it spread through my nose and find it's way deep down into my lungs. His voice runs down my spine along with a shiver as he speaks.

"Here, they're Red Queen roses. I chose them just for you."

I almost do not notice shutting my eyes until I actually can't see anything, as I take in another greedy breath full of the smell. I shouldn't be enjoying these flowers, I should throw them back in that grinning face but still, the smell is too good to throw away. That's the only reason I'm still holding them. Right…?

"Red roses signify passion…I hope to see you in full bloom this evening as well…"

He has stepped closer to me now and I can fell the musk of his cologne mixing with the scent of the roses. It's confusing. He is a monster but he acts more like a gentleman. I do my best not to let any emotion shine through my voice when I say:

"Never gonna happen Muraki."

After all, this man is as evil as you can possibly get. He raped and cursed and killed Hisoka, he's a murderer and a vampire and if I didn't know better, I'd think he was the Devil himself, dressed in white. And yet, every time I look at him, an uninvited thought enters my head. What would it feel like if he…

No! That way of thinking is simply forbidden! I hope Hisoka hasn't sensed any of it, since it has been going on since I first saw Muraki aboard this ship.

He leans even closer until our foreheads are touching and I can feel his breath on my face as he whispers:

"You prefer to feed the fishes then?"

Okay, scratch the gentleman part. I jerk away, dropping the roses. I wish I could snap back at him but the chief will kill me if my cover is blown. I know I'm already dead but he would kill me anyway, or at least reduce my paycheck! Can't let that happen! With a defeated sigh, I ask him what game he will have. Of course, he chooses poker, a game that I'm not very good at. I guess it's Murphy's law or something, the one that says that if it can go wrong, it will. I mix the cards, quite unnerved by his smile. I wonder what he's after…

A nice game of poker and some chitchat? Not likely.

"Let's wager something more…interesting than chips, shall we?"

The question catches me of guard and I look at him, confused.

"Like what?" I ask suspiciously.

Something is coming and I have the feeling I won't like it.

"Oh, I don't know…your body?" he says, raising a finger in the air.

The cards fall out of my hands as I yell at him, unable to do anything else to vent my nervousness and worry.

"Are you high!"

He just sits there, as cool as ice with a smirk on his face, making my outburst seem childish and stupid.

"It's only a game. Are you afraid of losing, Mr. Tsuzuki?"

Oh no…I've got a bad feeling… He can't be suggesting…that, can he?

"What do you…mean exactly?" I ask warily .

His smile grows wider and sparks are beginning to dance in his eyes. He looked creepy before. Now he looks simply evil.

"Isn't it obvious?"

He looks into my eyes and curls his fingers like claws.

"I mean to do shameful things to your beautiful body…"

Ever since I first saw him on this ship, I've felt this coming and it has been scaring me half to death. What will I do now? I start to shiver uncontrollably under that gaze as I hug myself protectively. I was afraid of this. If I don't play, I will be feeding the fish, wrapped in a reed mat. If I play…

There's only one word that I can think of in this situation.

Damn.

Muraki

My own voice breaks the silence.

"I call. Full house kings over fours."

For the second time this evening, Tsuzuki drops the playing cards. I only need to look at his shocked expression to know the outcome of the game but just to make sure, I look at the cards as well and a chuckle escapes me.

"You have a flush. I win."

I rise and he backs away until he hits the wall. There's a terrified look on his face as I raise my hand and beckon to him. He presses closer to the wall, hoping perhaps, that it will swallow him. Oh, Tsuzuki, I can assure you it won't. Walls have never been in the habit of swallowing people, except maybe in nightmares…

You think this will be a nightmare, don't you?

"Mr. Tsuzuki" I say, unable to keep the satisfaction out of my voice "Tonight, you're mine."

I walk closer, enjoying his reaction when I finally get to wrap my arms around him. How I've waited for this. I can feel his heart pounding and he's breathing a little faster than I. Well, well, well, what do you know? It seem like he doesn't have as much against me as he would like to think. I gaze down into his beautiful face, trying to imprint the image into my memory, the glowing eyes, so filled with desperation now, the thin black eyebrows, the pale skin on his cheeks that is covered in a slight blush and his lips…how could anyone resist those lips? I lean closer until my own lips are almost touching his. He tries to shrink back further, only to find that his head is already as close to the wall as it is going to get. Slowly, slowly, I press our lips together. He smells of sugar, probably from all that candy he eats…

Then, a voice breaks the spell of the moment, a voice that I know very well.

"Wait," Hisoka says.