Chapter 12-ness! You're all so totally awesome that I just can't help, but write really really quickly. :pause: I finally am getting started on Tsusoka-ness. Be proud of me and let me know what you think. On with Chapter 12
"Bon, there isn't anything wrong with your throat other than you can't make any sound, is there?" Watari asked as he set himself down in a stool set up between Hisoka and Motoko's bed. Tsuzuki was sitting on the other side of the bed with his hand still holding Hisoka's. The empath shook his head.
"I just feel like that collar is still there. I don't know why, though. I know it isn't." Tsuzuki repeated the thought to Watari who gave them a serious look. Tsuzuki gave the hand he was holding a slight squeeze and pushed comforting thoughts to Hisoka through the link they had created.
"We don't know what Muraki did to you, Bon. If Motoko did what I think she did then we will not be able to get any information out of him about it either." He gave the two partners a sad smile. "On the bright side, it doesn't seem to be affecting anything other than your ability to speak. You might just have to cope with being mute, but . . . " The scientist shrugged his shoulders. "It could be much worse than that." Tsuzuki squeezed the hand and tugged slightly to get Hisoka's attention.
"You're with us now and that's all that matters. We'll work around this collar thing, no problem. We've already got communication down pretty good." He smiled a genuine smile and turned to Watari. "And if it isn't doing anything else, then we can leave it be." Watari nodded to assure them that the collar wasn't doing any more damage.
"I don't like it." Hisoka stared down at the foot of the bed. Tsuzuki was ready to glomp the empath, but managed to hold back. He had sounded just like a little kid in his mind and that was almost too cute to stand. "I don't want to depend on someone else like this. It's nothing personal, Tsuzuki." The empath quickly added as he felt the sadness come from his partner. "I hate being weak. I hate not being able to fend for myself." Tsuzuki made eye contact with Watari and the scientist left.
"Hisoka, you aren't weak. I think I would be freaking out right now if I was in your position." When this didn't make the empath look up Tsuzuki tried another tactic. "We can always work on sign language. It'll be a way for you to communicate with others so you don't have to rely on me, if that'll make you feel better. I'm sure Watari, Tatsumi, and the others would be happy to learn as well." He beamed when Hisoka looked back up at him. "There are a large group of people that know sign language, so you won't be lost on a case either." Hisoka hesitated for a second before squeezing his partner's hand.
"Thank you, Tsuzuki." There was a slightly pink tinge to the boy's cheeks and he looked down at the hand he was holding. "If you don't mind . . . can we still talk like this? It's close to normal conversation and . . ."
"Of course we can, Hisoka!" The older man exclaimed. "I like talking with you like this. I feel special 'cause I'm the only one that can actually hear what you are saying." Tsuzuki radiated happiness and Hisoka felt his face flush to a bright red. "I almost forgot. Toko-chan and I took good care of him while you were gone." Tsuzuki jumped up, releasing the empath's hand and rushed over to the table.
"What are you talking about, Tsuzuki?" Hisoka moved to get up, but Tsuzuki whirled around before he could. In his hands was the kitten from his house. The empath felt his face flush again and he looked at the corner of the room. "Where did you get that?" His eyes were narrowed slightly as if the corner was what had outed him.
"Promise you won't get mad, but . . ." Tsuzuki gently held the cat as he spoke. "When you disappeared I went to find you. I was searching your house for the third time when I saw him. I remember the day I gave him to you." He looked down at the cat as the memory came back to him. "Well, Toko-chan and I took good care of him so we could give him back to you." The older man walked over to the bed and set the cat on Hisoka's head. "Did you ever give him a name?" Hisoka blushed and refused to meet his partner's eyes. Tsuzuki was about to give up on getting an answer when there was a soft whisper in his mind.
"It's Ryuji." Hisoka's eyes were once again focused on the foot of the bed. Tsuzuki, who knew his partner well enough, knew that he was hiding a huge blush. He smiled and decided to make it ever worse. In a matter of seconds, Hisoka was surrounded by Tsuzuki's arms and crushed into the older shinigami's chest.
"You're soooooo cute, 'Soka-chan!" Hisoka struggled to get free, but found the arms holding him to be too strong and he just didn't have enough energy. After a few minutes of the bone-crushing hug, Tsuzuki loosened his hold just enough to allow the empath to breath properly without allowing him to free himself. "Listen, Hisoka. Um . . . Ryuji and I sort of created a bond and I was wondering if I could come over and visit him more often." Tsuzuki looked down at the kitten sitting on his partner's head, hoping slightly that the boy didn't see through his lame excuse and yet, half hoping that he did.
"You can take him home if you want. I'm sure you'll take better care of him than I have." Hisoka said without looking up. Tsuzuki shook his head and pushed the boy back at arms' length.
"I don' wanna take him from you. Ryuji is yours I just wanna be able to visit more often. Is that okay?" Hisoka met Tsuzuki's amethyst eyes and his face flushed. Right then, Tsuzuki was sure that Hisoka had seen through the excuse.
"Sure. I'm sure Ryuji would be happy to see you more often." The empath's face turned a deeper red that spread across his entire face and moved to his ears. Tsuzuki smiled and nodded his head.
"Then it's decided. I'll come over to visit Ryuji more. Maybe we can even have sleepovers." Tsuzuki wouldn't have believed his partner's face could have gotten redder if he hadn't seen it happen with his own eyes. "Ryuji can come over to my house to visit, too." Hisoka nodded slightly, still refusing to meet his partner's eyes. "Then it's settled." There was a small period of silence before Tsuzuki spoke again. "Hisoka . . . why did you disappear in the first place?" Hisoka froze and his eyes shot over to Motoko who was still lying unconscious on the bed.
"I panicked. Motoko told me that when she got sucked into my mind she found out everything about me. Things I've told you, things I haven't, even things that I don't remember." Tsuzuki gave him a small smile and pulled him into a loose hug. Hisoka didn't protest. He was too busy working through what happened in his mind. "I just panicked and had to get away. I'm sorry, Tsuzuki. I know it was childish."
"It's okay, Hisoka." Tsuzuki was ready to squeal like a schoolgirl. Hisoka had never been this open with him before. He wondered, slightly if it was the link that was allowing it, but quickly pushed that thought out of his mind. "We're all allowed to be childish when things like that happen. Plus, you've been enough of an adult for the both of us. You were due to act like a child. You're not to blame so don't be so hard on yourself." Hisoka pushed back with narrowed eyes. "What?"
"Hypocrite. You are such a hypocrite, Tsuzuki." The older man just smiled and pulled Hisoka back into his chest. The empath struggled with how to explain his thoughts to Tsuzuki. He settled on a rather strange tactic. "Ryuji says you shouldn't be such a hypocrite." Tsuzuki stopped hugging him and looked down at Hisoka. His eyes were focused on his own hands and his face was bright red. The angle of his head forced the kitten's eyes to meet with Tsuzuki's. "Ryuji knows that you're blaming yourself as much as I am and you should take your own advice." Tsuzuki raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Well, Ryuji tells me that you're being just as stubborn as I am about this whole thing. Why don't we agree that it is all that bastard Muraki's fault and leave it at that?" Hisoka nodded his head. "Good. Is Ryuji really okay? He went through a whole lot today." Again, the empath nodded his head.
"Ryuji wants to know about you." Tsuzuki smiled and gently ran his hand through the empath's hair, careful of the kitten on his head. Hisoka was sure that all of the blood in his body was now in his face.
"I'm fine, now. I was so scared, Hisoka. I thought you were gonna leave me. I don't ever want to go through that again." He squeezed the empath in his arms tightly as if to reinforce that he was actually there. "I was so worried."
"Ryuji says he's sorry, idiot." Tsuzuki smiled. This form of communication was simply adorable and he squeezed his partner even tighter. It allowed Hisoka to stay himself, while still letting Tsuzuki know what he was feeling. It was the empath's way of opening up and Tsuzuki found it absolutely adorable.
"I accept Ryuji's apology and want to know if he and Hisoka are hungry. We all missed dinner and I'm sure that white chocolate wasn't enough to hold you until now." Hisoka nodded. "Great. I'll go get us something to eat. I'm sure Wakaba-chan would be happy to cook something for you." He released his partner and stood up from the bed. Hisoka looked absolutely adorable with the kitten sitting on his head and the slight pink tinge still on his face. Tsuzuki couldn't help himself as he leaned forward and kissed Hisoka gently on the cheek. Before the empath could react Tsuzuki was out the door in search of food.
Kawaii::squeals: I actually know someone that speaks through their stuffed animals. I just couldn't see Hisoka opening up suddenly like that so I decided to use Ryuji to open him up a bit.
Hisoka: . . . :glares:
Tsuzuki: Um . . . Hisoka says that speaking through a kitten is strange.
K::sticks out tongue: It's too cute not to do.
Hisoka: . . . :glares:
Tsuzuki: Um . . . :really nervous: He's going into detail of how he plans on killing you, K-chan. I would think of running now.
K::hides behind Tatsumi: Hide me, Tatsumi-san! If 'Soka-chan kills me this story will never be finished. :cowers: