Disclaimer: I do not own Yami No Matsuei. Wish I did.
A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews! Enjoy!
A New Year, A New Beginning
The doctor led Tsuzuki inside to the dining room, stepping aside to let the brunette enter first. Tsuzuki goggled in amazement at the lavishly decorated room. Candles and red roses seemed to be everywhere giving the large, airy space a romantic glow. A large mahagony table stood at the center, laden with two place settings of delicate bone china plates, bowls, teacups and saucers. Flowers of every vibrant hue and tall white candles adorned the center causing the crystal wine goblets to sparkle and lend even more dazzle to an already spectacular setting.
Muraki brushed against Tsuzuki's side. "Do you like it?" he asked softly. Suddenly, Tsuzuki's opinion mattered very much to the doctor.
"It's so wonderful," Tsuzuki awed. "You've must have gone to so much trouble."
Relieved, the doctor smiled. "No trouble, Tsuzuki-san. I want this night to be perfect."
He proceeded to pull out a heavy chair for the brunette, making sure he was comfortable and took the seat to Tsuzuki's right at the head of the table.
No sooner had they settled into their seats, a servant appeared holding a bottle of wine. Tsuzuki started, wondering if the man had been waiting by the door all this time.
The stoic butler held the bottle up to the doctor for inspection. Muraki looked it over leisurely. Satisfied, he gave a sharp nod. Expertly the butler uncorked the bottle, neatly pouring a small amount of the dark red liquor into Muraki's glass. Muraki picked it up and swirled the contents, bringing the goblet at eye level. Tipping it, he took a sip and after a moment, he smiled.
"Excellent," Muraki declared.
Tsuzuki exhaled, relieved the wine had passed muster, although he didn't understand why go through such an elaborate ritual. All wines tasted good to him. The butler poured both men's glasses, then disappeared from wence he came.
The doctor held up his glass. "To a most enchanted evening, Tsuzuki-san," he announced, silver eyes dancing.
The brunette blushed slightly and clinked his glass with Muraki's.
"An enchanted evening," he murmured. Tsuzuki took a tentative sip. Delicious! He tipped it further,
swallowing more. The doctor quirked a silver brow, but was nonetheless pleased to see that the brunette enjoyed it so.
Muraki engaged in conversation. "How was your Christmas, Tsuzuki-san? Did you receive a lot of gifts?"
"Oh, yes! And all my favorite desserts, too! Our Christmas tree is still up. We took such a long time to completly decorate the office, but it looks great. Tatsumi was a bit stingy with the budget, as usual, but we managed to pull it off. We just covered the place with colored lights, candy canes, mistletoe -- " Tsuzuki stopped. Suddenly, images of the silver blonde kissing him passionately under said mistletoe flooded his mind.
Muraki looked at him quizzically. "Yes, Tsuzuki-san?"
Tsuzuki swallowed, "Umm, yes. Well, Meifu was decorated really nice," he grabbed his glass and gulped at it, hoping to blame the redness of his cheeks on the liquor.
Muraki smirked. He knew full well why the Shinigami faltered. He, too, never looked at mistletoe in quite the same way! As much as he enjoyed teasing Tsuzuki, he decided to let him off the hook, just this once.
"I'm glad your Christmas was an enjoyable one, Tsuzuki-san," he replied.
"Was yours?" the brunette queried.
Muraki's glass halted halfway up to his lips. "Yes, it was, thank you," he murmured as he took a sip from the rim.
Tsuzuki bit his lip unsure if he should proceed, but he was extremly curious and it must have shown on his face because the doctor asked, "What is it, Tsuzuki-san?"
"Well, I just wondered how you spent your Christmas. Did you go anywhere or stay here or visit anyone?" the brunette pressed.
Muraki calmly took another sip, carefully setting the glass down. "I went to one of my other residences and spent a relaxing Christmas there. By myself."
"Oh," Tsuzuki hesitated. "It-it must have been a bit lonely."
Although Muraki appeared calm, inside his heart gave a sharp squeeze at being told that he was lonely. On impulse he was ready to defend himself, to say he wasn't lonely, not in the least! But looking into those beautiful violet eyes and Muraki felt himself breaking, not wanting to put up a facade, not to this man.
"Yes, Tsuzuki-san," he said quietly. "It was a bit lonely." He tried to smile, but could only manage a weak shadow of one.
Tsuzuki heart instantly went out to the doctor. Impulsively, he reached for Muraki's hand, giving it a hard squeeze.
"I'm sorry, Muraki," he sympathized, hating to see the usually confident doctor, saddened. It pained Tsuzuki to think of Muraki sitting all alone in a big empty house, sipping his wine and staring sadly into a brightly lit fireplace. Tears pricked the back of his eyes as he struggled to say so much more.
But the butler took that moment to enter again with two covered plates. Tsuzuki took his hand away from Muraki's as the servant set his plate in front of him. With a flourish, the covers were taken away revealing the steaming entree. Tsuzuki inhaled a delicious aroma of savory spices and his mouth began to water.
Muraki went back to playing host. "Ah, good. I do hope you enjoy 'pheasant under glass', Tsuzuki-san. It's a favorite of mine," he replied as he picked up his fork.
Tsuzuki nodded and immediately dug right in. It was good! The meat was moist and succulent; the potatoes were fluffy and buttery; and the assorted vegetables, crisp. Tsuzuki rarely indulged in such delicious fare as this so he delighted in the different flavors dancing on his tongue.
The conversation then steered to more topical subjects: books, movies, restaurants. More and more Tsuzuki began to feel relaxed and even regaled Muraki about Watari's latest disaster in the lab that morning.
"And Watari's hair turned bright blue! Poor Tatsumi was covered in soot, waving his fist and chasing after Watari, a bright blue streak all over Meifu!" Tsuzuki clutched his sides, laughing at the memory.
Muraki laughed heartedly as well, wiping at his eyes. Soon the brunette leaned against his chair, patting his stomach appreciatively. "That was great!"
Muraki dabbed at the corner of his mouth with the cloth napkin. "I hope you saved room for dessert, Tsuzuki-san."
"Absolutely!" Actually, if Tsuzuki had it his way, he'd have started with dessert first.
Right on cue, the butler returned carrying two small dishes. The guardian practically squealed with joy at the chocolate confection.
"Dark chocolate mousse topped with raspberry cream. I hope it is to your liking," the doctor stifled a snicker at the sight of Tsuzuki's purple eyes wide as saucers. Picking up his spoon, the doctor glanced at the brunette pointedly. Tsuzuki took it as a signal and grabbed at his own spoon. Muraki gently scooped a small portion, while at the same time, Tsuzuki dug into his. Both men sighed at the rich, velvety texture melting in their mouths. And the raspberry cream was to die for!
Having finished, both men stood, cueing the butler to begin clearing the dishes.
"That will be all, Sakaki. I won't be requiring your services for the rest of the evening. You may go," Muraki instructed.
"Very good, sir. Good night," Sakaki bowed, cleared the rest of the china and promptly took his leave.
"This way, please, Tsuzuki-san," Muraki guided the Shinigami through the large house to an elegant sitting room. A cheerful fire was glowing in the massive marble hearth. Bookcases of dark wood stood from floor to ceiling on one side of a wall, Japanese silk screens in subtle hues of red, gold, and black against another wall. Tsuzuki turned this way and that, taking in the intimate setting.
"Tsuzuki-san," the doctor called softly. The brunette turned to see the pale man stretch out his hand to him, standing by a cream-colored loveseat situated in front of the crackling fireside. Shyly, Tsuzuki walked up, reaching toward the doctor and took ahold of the firm hand. Muraki smiled, pulling the brunette next to him, and wrapped his arms around Tsuzuki's lean form.
Tsuzuki couldn't help but breath a contented sigh as he laid his head on the doctor's broad chest.
He quietly breathed in Muraki's distinctive scent of faint roses and sandlewood, so unique.
Muraki's fingers played with dark, silkly strands. "Are you enjoying the evening, Tsuzuki-san" he asked softly.
The guardian nodded. "Very much," he confessed. It was turning out to be a perfect evening. The doctor's lavish and tender attention, the sumptuous food, the heady wine; Tsuzuki had never received such pampering. Muraki was being remarkably attentive. Suddenly, Tsuzuki remembered their conversaion earlier at dinner. "He's lonely," he thought sorrowfully.
"Muraki?" he asked tentatively.
"Yes, Tsuzuki-san?" Muraki asked, combing his fingers through the brunette's hair.
"Are -- are you often lonely?" he asked quietly.
The doctor's fingers stilled, tensing a bit. He let out a soft sigh. "I have my practice, which occupies a great deal of my time. There are meetings, conferences that also keep me quite busy. In fact -- " Muraki paused, keenly aware of how weak the explaination sounded. Didn't he promise himself to be more open with the violet-eyed man?
Tsuzuki lifted his head to gaze up at him. Stunned, Muraki found himself drowning in limpid violet pools of shimmering unshed tears.
"Muraki," the brunette whispered.
The doctor, fascinated at the violet orbs swimming, shimmering like vibrant amethysts, lifted his hand and gently stroked the smooth cheek.
"Tsuzuki-san...are these tears for me?" he wondered.
Tsuzuki swallowed, the doctor watched as a tear made a path down the brunette's cheek and drip down his delicate chin. Unable to resist, Muraki closed the gap between them, capturing Tsuzuki's mouth in his. With a moan, the brunette's eyes slid shut, causing more of the hot wetness to spill down his cheeks. Upon tasting the salty moisture, the doctor groaned softly and shifted in his seat to fully gather the smaller man in his arms. Deepening the kiss, he twined his tongue around Tsuzuki's and gently sucked at the firm muscle. Tsuzuki shivered, eagerly matching stroke for stroke.
Thus, for several minutes Muraki continued his sensuous assault, relentlessly feasting on the brunette's sweet mouth and succeeding in driving Tsuzuki mad with want. His silver head lifted to draw a breath, only to plunge back down and begin anew. Tsuzuki, growing incredibly hard, began thrusting his hips a little, making his need known.
Muraki broke away, panting harshly. Cradling Tsuzuki's face gently in both hands, his silver gaze scanned the brunette's flushed features.
"Come with me," he whispered hoarsly.
Speechless, Tsuzuki could only manage a nod. Reluctantly, Muraki untangled himself from the guardian's arms. Much as he wanted to continue and make passionate love to the Shinigami then and there, the doctor had other plans.
He stood up, reaching down to pull Tsuzuki to his feet. Smiling, he stroked the smooth cheek, then took his hand, leading him out of the room. Tsuzuki had all he could do to keep up with the pale man's long strides, his legs being a bit wobbly from their heated makeout session. Not to mention the rapidly forming erection making itself painfully known.
Muraki led the brunette to an opulent bedroom glowing with candlelight. Releasing his hand, he walked to the middle of the suite, then turned and faced him.
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A/N: Lemon in the next chapter!