Chapter 11

Muraki paused and looked up at the building. Had it really been less than three weeks since he was a patient here? So much had happened so quickly…

He avoided entering the hospital through the front doors, through the glass he could see Watari pacing the lobby and he didn't want to announce his presence, not yet anyway. It took very little effort to find another entrance as there were many ways into the building, and his documentation would identify him as a doctor if anyone stopped him to ask.

Although he had spent several weeks in Jikei hospital, he had not seen very much of the building, so when he passed a familiar hallway, he turned down it. Soon he was pausing outside of the room where he had awoken after his accident, his mind a blank, his past gone.

Where he had first felt the nearly physical draw to his doll, where he had peered out of the door for a glimpse of the green-eyed youth.

Passing the room Muraki continued down the hall, he feet following a path he had followed once before, until he reached the corridor outside the ICU. He remembered the boy laying on the floor, barely clinging to consciousness, the violet eyed man nearby, crumpled on the floor against the wall. And I had thought he was dead!

He remembered the feeling of possessiveness that had flared when he saw the living shadows descending on the small, defenceless form.

Mine!

Muraki paused, looking down the hallway, as if he expected the shadow to shift and covalence.

But that darkness is a part of me.

A feeling of loss settled upon him, as if something he wanted had just slipped through his fingers

I don't want…

He pushed the feeling aside and headed back the way he had come. He knew who he was and it was far too late to change that now.

XXX

Hisoka sat in the little examination room on a paper covered table shooting annoyed glances at his companion, whom the hospital staff had allowed to follow him into the room. Not that he really thought they'd have been able to stop her.

An older nurse stepped into the room and stopped dead, looking at Hisoka.

"Kurosaki-kun! Is that you?"

Hisoka and Shori both looked up in surprise.

"Do you know me?" Hisoka asked hesitantly.

"Of course!" The nurse replied, coming further into the room. "You may have only been a volunteer here for a few days, but you made an impression." The nurse gave him a warm smile.

Shori looked confused. "Kurosaki?"

Hisoka turned to her. "What?"

She shook her head. "But your brother's name is…"

"Brother?" The nurse looked back at Hisoka who was beginning to look a little panicked. "You didn't have a brother, did you?"

Shori pulled on his sleeve. "Hisoka-kun?"

Hisoka jumped down off the table, he wasn't even sure who was confused anymore, was it Shori, the nurse or him? "I gotta get out for a while!"

"Oh no, you can't go yet!" Shori pulled him back down with her usual determination. "The doctor has to look at you first!"

The nurse nodded her agreement. "Why don't you tell me what brought you here, and I can get anything the doctor may need ready."

"I don't…" Hisoka began, but Shori caught hold of his wrist and pushed his sleeve back to his elbow.

"We need someone to take a look at this."

The nurse's eyes widened as she stared at the lines decorating Hisoka's arm. She took his wrist from Shori and pushed his sleeve up even further. "How far does this extend?"

Hisoka flinched backwards as she reached for the collar of his shirt. "Okay! That. Is. Enough!" He jumped off the table for a second time and backed towards the door, keeping a wary eye on the two women. "I am fine, I will continue to be fine. Shori-san, I thank you for all your help, but I think I can travel the rest of the way on my own." He bowed slightly in her direction and bolted out of the room and down the hall.

Sparing a quick glance behind him he ran straight into a tall man who was just walking into the hallway. The collision knocked both of them to the ground. Hisoka jumped back to his feet with a muttered apology and took off towards the nearest exit.

He had almost made it to the door when his pace began to slow. He came to a stop with one hand on the door, slight tremors running through his frame. Slowly, he turned and looked back. The man was still on the floor, watching after him with a shocked expression on his face. Dark brown hair fell down into the most unusual violet eyes. And looking into those violet eyes felt like…

Home.

He had taken several hesitant steps back towards the man when someone else stepped into the corridor behind him.

Kazutaka.

For several moments green eyes flickered from one man to the other, the need to flee warring with the desperate desire to fling himself at the violet eyed man.

Who is he?

XXX

Watari was pacing small circles in the centre of the hospital lobby when Tsuzuki finally showed up. He gave his friend a lop-sided grin. "Finally! I'm exhausted!"

"Where are they?" Tsuzuki asked, all worry and nerves.

Watari gestured back towards a hallway leading away from the lobby. "They went back that way, to the examination rooms." He patted Tsuzuki on the back. "Don't worry. Bon is fine if the fuss he was putting up is any indication."

Tsuzuki's mouth quirked upwards. "That bad?"

Watari chuckled. "I almost felt sorry for the lady… Almost, but it looked like she was more stubborn than bon."

"So why did they come here?" Tsuzuki asked, confusion furrowing his brow.

Watari shrugged. "Beats me, I didn't get a chance to look bon over at the Kokakuro. I wanted to of course," He shrugged again. "Very stubborn lady, and very protective."

A real smile turned up Tsuzuki's lips. "I'm glad Hisoka has someone looking out for him, even if it didn't help much." He wondered briefly if the unidentified lady had anything to do with the reason Hisoka hadn't returned to Meifu, he supposed he would find out in just a few minutes, he thought, shrugging mentally.

"So, if you don't need me Tsuzuki," Watari stretched his arms up above his head. "I really need to get some sleep. I'm not used to flying for such a prolonged period of time."

Tsuzuki nodded. "Thanks Watari. I'll see you later, 'kay?"

"Absolutely, I expect to see you and bon at work tomorrow." Watari gave him a victory sign, and headed for the nearest exit. Tsuzuki watched after him for a moment before turning down the hallway that the scientist had pointed out as the way Hisoka had gone.

Walking briskly, Tsuzuki rounded a corner only to have the wind knocked out of him as he collided with something solid. The impact knocked him backwards and with a startled 'oof' he landed hard on his backside.

The other figure mumbled an apology in a very familiar voice, jumped up and quickly headed away. In a state of shock Tsuzuki could do little more than watch, his mouth hanging open, as his partner hurried towards the exit, his steps slowing, until he finally came to stop with one hand on the door.

He watched as Hisoka slowly turned around, looking a little dazed, emerald green eyes wide with confusion.

He watched as Hisoka took a few steps towards him, and stopped, his eyes flickering up to something behind him, and as much as Tsuzuki wanted to turn and see what was behind him that made indecisiveness fill those green eyes, he couldn't bring himself to look away from the form of his much missed partner.

"Hisoka-kun."

Tsuzuki flinched at the voice that sounded behind him. But that familiar voice didn't resound with its normally silky and slightly mocking tone, instead, Muraki's voice sounded soft, gentle and sad. He noticed that Hisoka had flinched as well.

"What do you want with me?" Hisoka's voice was little more than a whisper. "Why are you following me? Why won't you just leave me alone?"

It hurt Tsuzuki to hear his partner sounding so vunerable.

"Because you are mine bouya, I told you that I would keep you and that's a promise that I don't intend to break."

At those words Tsuzuki turned to glare up at the man in white. "He is not yours."

Muraki ignored him. "You've been running blindly bouya, but where are you going? Come home with me now and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Tsuzuki climbed to his feet. "He's not going anywhere with you Muraki." He reached out a hand to the empath. "Hisoka…" He looked over at the youth and almost fell over in shock. He was so used to stoicism from his partner that the myriad of emotions playing through the emerald eyes shook him to the core. Longing, fear, hope, confusion and indecision were all clearly evident in the bewildered eyes that moved between him and the doctor. Finally his gaze locked with Tsuzuki's own.

"Who are you?"

The question knocked the wind out of Tsuzuki and it was Muraki who answered.

"His name is Tsuzuki Asato. He is Shinigami, a guardian of death, and he is here for you Hisoka-kun."

Hisoka's eyes widened. "Oh. That makes sense." He said softly before his small frame crumpled to the ground.

Muraki took a step towards the collapsed form only to be blocked by Tsuzuki who stood in his way, violet eyes flashing with anger. "What did you do to him Muraki? Why didn't he know who I was?"

Muraki smiled and stepped in close to Tsuzuki. "He seems to have forgotten you Tsuzuki-san, perhaps you just weren't important enough to him for him to remember. He remembers me after all."

Something flickered in the depths of the violet eyes and he pushed Muraki away from him. "Leave Hisoka alone!"

"Hardly." Muraki chuckled softly, closing the distance between them once again. "He belongs to me, and someday…" Muraki raised his hand and ran it caressingly down the side of Tsuzuki's face. "So will you."

Tsuzuki swatted the hand away as he backed away from the touch. He quickly turned and scooped up Hisoka into his arms. Hisoka stirred and green eyes flickered open, not truly focusing on anything, then closed again.

"I want to go home…"

The soft words were uttered with such longing that Tsuzuki ached in sympathy and he almost dropped his partner when a moment later he began to scream.

Muraki approached for a third time, cursing softly under his breath. "Quick bring him…" but he was cut off as doctors, nurses and other hospital staff came running into the hallway.

"What's all the noise out here?"

"Is someone hurt?"

Tsuzuki repeated Muraki's earlier curse under his breath, he couldn't just teleport them out of there with this many people around.

"Please don't be alarmed, it's only a seizure." Muraki was effectively clearing the curious and concerned crowd out of the hallway. "I am his doctor, he'll be fine." He turned to a young nurse. "Do you think you could assist me?"

She blushed slightly as she nodded. "Of course."

Muraki grabbed Tsuzuki's arm and dragged him and his burden into the nearest empty examination room, the nurse following behind them.

Muraki relinquished his grip and moved to a supply cupboard to look over the contents. Picking up a vial and an empty syringe, he quickly filled it and once again approached the pair.

Tsuzuki eyed him suspiciously, tightening his grip on Hisoka and backing away slightly.

Muraki sighed. "It's a painkiller, unless you enjoy the sound of the bouya's screams."

Tsuzuki shook his head silently and allowed Muraki to come closer.

"Could you please hold his arm still?" Muraki asked the nurse who nodded and hurried forward to do as she was bid.

Tsuzuki watched as the needle slid into the restrained arm and Muraki pushed the plunger, removed the syringe and disposed of it.

In a few seconds Hisoka's screams had become cries and soon he fell silent. Tsuzuki slumped in relief still cradling the younger man.

Muraki turned to the nurse. "Could you please help Tsuzuki-san put the bouya to bed, he should sleep for several hours after the sedative I gave him, and stay with them, if anything happens page me right away."

The nurse nodded. "Is there anything else?"

"No, but make sure that you keep a close eye on them, if the bouya has another seizure while under the effect of the sedative he will need immediate attention." Muraki turned away from the nurse to face Tsuzuki and smirked. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay here for a while Tsuzuki-san, but don't worry, I'll be ready to take the bouya home soon. That is where he said he wished to go, correct?"

Tsuzuki glared at man in white, who ignored the frigid expression.

"I'll be back to check on him in a little while." Muraki told the nurse as he stepped out of the room.

The nurse approached Tsuzuki. "Tsuzuki-san?"

Tsuzuki looked at her and nodded.

"Let's get him into bed where he can rest comfortably." The nurse gestured to Hisoka.

Unable to think of anything else he could do, Tsuzuki followed the nurses' suggestion and laid Hisoka in a nearby bed. He perched himself at the foot of it.

"Would you like a chair?" The nurse asked hesitantly.

Tsuzuki shook his head. "No, I'm fine." He wondered how he was going to get rid of the nurse so he could teleport Hisoka and himself out of there before Muraki returned.