AN: ~sniffle~ Only one review for last chapter.so this one's for
you!!!! ~hands reviewer lots and lots of cookies~
Rei Shiro- I am continuing.you can feel special, you're the only reason this chapter is out ^__^v and thanks..lying awake at 12:00 p.m. does wonders for your muse ^_~
Jade groaned, trying to roll over. Her muscles screamed in protests, and she decided that where she was would be just fine, thank you very much. A voice, insistent and low, repeated her name over and over, and in defeat she cracked an eye open, slamming the abused lid shut as soon as the light hit her pupil.
" She'll be just fine!" As a last ditch effort, Jade ignored her muscles and dragged a pillow over her head, stuffing the noise out. Maybe she could just fall back into the black pit like she had a few times before, when she heard voices trying to coax her out of the sleep. No such luck. Especially when she was attacked by four very rough, very wet tongues.
" Alright, alright, I'm up!" Aside from the fact that her throat felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper, she could croak out the sentence fairly well. Three resounding 'wuffs' and what sounded like a purr followed her sentence. Peeking through barely opened eyes once more, three scraggly dark heads swam into view, along with a snowy white addition. Smiling weakly, she just lay there.
" Hello Cerberus.Byakko.." Brown hair peeked around the corner, puppy hood donned and tail wagging.
" Jade.? Are you alright now?" Tsuzuki.she fought a blush. 'Just because you happened to wake up when we were coming back..'
" H-hai.." The blush won, and she glanced to the side, toying with the edge of the blanket. Absently, as the pain in her muscles ebbed to a dull throb, she rubbed at her arm. Concern touched her briefly, but was soon replaced with the usual happiness.
" I'm so happy that Jade is back!!" Chibi-Tsuzuki bounced around the room, and Watari rolled his eyes. Jade chuckled, wincing as it turned into a cough. 'owww..' Watari was there immediately, putting a hand on her forehead, and making her open her mouth.
" Oi, Jade, your throat! It's like you have an infection! I'll get some tea!" Watari then flew out the door, leaving her with two shikigami and one very excited shinigami.
" Waah, Jade, are you alright??" Giving a weak smile, she swallowed.
" I'm fine." Tsuzuki went serious almost immediately, concern and a little bit of amusement and nostalgia mixed in along with it.
" You know Jade.you don't always have to be strong. You're just like Hisoka, you know? Always saying your fine when you know you need another person's help. Why do you do that?" Jade could feel her insides twist uncomfortably. She needed to talk to him about that. 'Hisoka.have I forgotten a part of me..so quickly?' Tsuzuki looked at her, frowning slightly, and the shikigami took that as their cue, and disappeared.
" Jade.you know you're not a replacement for Hisoka, right?" Jade looked up at him, confusion written on her face.
" Wha?" Tsuzuki was about to go further, but Watari came back in, holding a steaming mug. She could've sworn that she saw him grin, and then he was serious again.
" Jade, here's the tea. I also want you to get out and walk around for a bit, get those muscles uncramped." This time she caught the grin, and the look she gave him was pure murder. 'I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. I'M GONNA ACK!' Her train of thought was cut off as she was almost yanked off the bed by Tsuzuki's enthusiasm. She thanked Kami-sama that she had a robe on. Wait a minute..she shot another glare at Watari, who backed up.
" Wakaba did it!" Satisfied, she nodded and let Tsuzuki put the warm mug into her hands before dragging her outside, grinning. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Watari give her a thumbs up sign. Her train of thought resumed. 'Oh yes. Definitely gonna kill him.' Then Tsuzuki looked back and smiled at her. '...After I thank him. Profusely.' * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tsuzuki had been so worried when they had found Jade. He was afraid that Muraki had done something to her, something that couldn't be healed. And then she passed out on him, and that scared him. Especially with her arm glowing like that. All through the ride back to EnMaCho he was worried that he had placed a curse on her like he had done with Muraki. He was still worried about that, actually. And now.she seemed to be hiding something from him. What if Muraki really HAD done something..?
" Jade..is everything ok here with you? It seems like every time I try to talk to you about it, something interrupts us." Her face fell slightly, though she tried to keep it from doing so. Gaze falling to her cup, she sighed, halfway closing her eyes. Taking a sip of the tea, she gracefully slumped against a tree, sliding to the ground as the first flakes of the Meifu winter fell. Breath coming out in puffs of vapor, she patted the ground beside her. They were well into the Sakura trees, hidden from view. Now, Tsuzuki was no empath, but even he could tell that something was worrying her.
" I...oh gods, Tsuzuki, this is." He watched the emotions play across her face, hidden only by the sheen of tears threatening to spill over. Frowning slightly, he reached forward to wipe the tears away, but she jerked back, almost spilling the tea.
" I..I'm not who you think I am." Those seven words carried more dread and despair than he had ever heard in his life. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jade struggled with the blob in her throat, trying to keep the tears behind her eyes as she continued. Why did it have to be so hard?
" I don't understand Jade.what do you mean?" She squeezed her eyes shut, shifting the mug of warmth from one hand to another as snowflakes stung her cheeks.
" Why did you have to be so wonderful?" Ok. That was NOT how she wanted to start this conversation off. Now she just felt confusion washing over her like a tidal wave.
" What?"
" I...Tsuzuki, I.you still.care a lot for Hisoka.don't you?" Her brain was not connected with her mouth. On the walk to the grove they were in, she had a speech perfectly planned out. But of course, her body was unwilling to let her go through with it. And now.
" Yes. Don't tell anybody this, but I"
" No!" She shook her head, trying to block out the sound. She couldn't hear how he felt about the part of her that had died. It wouldn't be fair to him, to her.a hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts.
" Jade.I'm sorry. If I had realized that you.cared about me like this, I would've gotten you a different partner. You see, I love Hisoka, no matter what he says. He never gave up on me, not even when I gave up on myself. He's harsh a lot of the times, but that's just how he is. And I wouldn't trade that for the world." This time the tears won, and she couldn't stop them from falling. 'Stupid.'
" Baka.." She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes, the mug clutched in her free hand. He wanted to apologize, she could feel it, but she continued anyway, regardless of what happened next.
" How.how can you love him? You said you'd always stay with him, and he left you! He left.and he can't come back.I won't let him! I'm happy here, and I.I want to stay here.I'm not weak anymore, Tsuzuki!" Turning to him, she ignored the look of confusion, then anger, then confusion again. 'He thought I was keeping Hisoka from him.? Well.I am.' Jade stood, anger mixed with depression and exhaustion, creating one hell of an adrenaline rush.
" It's difficult for me, you know, to love you the way I do. Because.when I was here before, I loved you too. But I could never show it, because I wasn't sure about you. I never was. And now, when I come back, you don't even recognize me. Isn't that what lovers are supposed to do, Tsuzuki? Recognize each other no matter what?? I went through the flames of hell for you, Tsuzuki, and you don't even realize." Now he was shocked. Tsuzuki had a right to be, after all. Jade could feel her arm growing hot, pulsing uncontrollably. It was uncomfortable. She didn't even notice that her voice changed, growing deeper, and the hair that snapped up and disappeared into blonde tresses.
" I'm Hisoka, you idiot! I tried not to fall.I tried to forget him so hard! But..with you..it's impossible..." She, now he once more, trailed off, eyes widening as the change in voice was realized.
" Hi..hi..Hisoka????" * * * * * * * * * * * *
The blonde was sitting in a corner, steadfastly avoiding the brunette's eyes. The brunette was listening in shock as Watari and Tatsumi finally explained everything to him, occasionally sending hurt glances over at the boy in question.
" So.that's why you didn't want to go get Hisoka.because he was already here." He had never felt more betrayed in his life. He had trusted Jade, and told her...oh gods.
" So.Jade.." In the corner of his eye, he saw Hisoka wince, before finally speaking up, still clutching that mug like a safety device.
" Is gone, ok? For now, anyway. I think..I think it has to do with emotions. I was.upset, and." He watched as Hisoka trembled violently once, twice. Then he was still, silent, and shut down into himself. Tsuzuki stood, scowling. Tatsumi blinked at this, and then looked at Watari, who just shrugged and looked upset. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oriya was sitting outside of his restaurant, eyes closed, and relaxed. It was quiet, for once, and he was ignoring the part of his brain that said he should be concerned that Jade managed to escape Muraki. Taking his cup of tea, he sipped the liquid.
" ORIYA!" Nearly choking and spurting tea out everywhere in the process, he glanced up at the familiar voice. Hisoka?? A glance at the boys face, and he understood.
" Oh...well, come on. I'll show you to your room." A grateful look passed over the shinigami's face, so reminiscent of Jade that it startled him. 'What were you expecting anyway? They're the same person. Idiot.'
" Thank you, Oriya. It..means a lot." The long-haired man nodded, stopping in front of an empty room. And he couldn't resist.
" Want me to send an 'employee' of mine to lessen the stress?" Oriya was rewarded with a simmering glare, a bright streak of red across his cheeks, and a very girly slap.
" BAKA!" Oriya walked off, laughing. As soon as he heard the door close, however, he frowned. Muraki had better know what he was up against. * * * * * * * * * * * *
They often say that if you speak of the devil, he appears. In this case, Muraki was busy cleaning up his house, muttering a few choice phrases every once in a while. Normally he would just hire somebody to do it and then kill them afterwards to prevent gossip, but he felt tired. And that was not normal. Then again.neither was being beaten. A quiet chuckle invaded his thoughts, and he spun, glaring. And then, he did something very uncharacteristic of him. He paled. The figure walked closer, shoes crunching over broken glass, a smirk upon its lips.
" Really brother..aren't you glad to see me?"
AN: Buh buh buuuhhhhmmm...^^v
Rei Shiro- I am continuing.you can feel special, you're the only reason this chapter is out ^__^v and thanks..lying awake at 12:00 p.m. does wonders for your muse ^_~
Jade groaned, trying to roll over. Her muscles screamed in protests, and she decided that where she was would be just fine, thank you very much. A voice, insistent and low, repeated her name over and over, and in defeat she cracked an eye open, slamming the abused lid shut as soon as the light hit her pupil.
" She'll be just fine!" As a last ditch effort, Jade ignored her muscles and dragged a pillow over her head, stuffing the noise out. Maybe she could just fall back into the black pit like she had a few times before, when she heard voices trying to coax her out of the sleep. No such luck. Especially when she was attacked by four very rough, very wet tongues.
" Alright, alright, I'm up!" Aside from the fact that her throat felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper, she could croak out the sentence fairly well. Three resounding 'wuffs' and what sounded like a purr followed her sentence. Peeking through barely opened eyes once more, three scraggly dark heads swam into view, along with a snowy white addition. Smiling weakly, she just lay there.
" Hello Cerberus.Byakko.." Brown hair peeked around the corner, puppy hood donned and tail wagging.
" Jade.? Are you alright now?" Tsuzuki.she fought a blush. 'Just because you happened to wake up when we were coming back..'
" H-hai.." The blush won, and she glanced to the side, toying with the edge of the blanket. Absently, as the pain in her muscles ebbed to a dull throb, she rubbed at her arm. Concern touched her briefly, but was soon replaced with the usual happiness.
" I'm so happy that Jade is back!!" Chibi-Tsuzuki bounced around the room, and Watari rolled his eyes. Jade chuckled, wincing as it turned into a cough. 'owww..' Watari was there immediately, putting a hand on her forehead, and making her open her mouth.
" Oi, Jade, your throat! It's like you have an infection! I'll get some tea!" Watari then flew out the door, leaving her with two shikigami and one very excited shinigami.
" Waah, Jade, are you alright??" Giving a weak smile, she swallowed.
" I'm fine." Tsuzuki went serious almost immediately, concern and a little bit of amusement and nostalgia mixed in along with it.
" You know Jade.you don't always have to be strong. You're just like Hisoka, you know? Always saying your fine when you know you need another person's help. Why do you do that?" Jade could feel her insides twist uncomfortably. She needed to talk to him about that. 'Hisoka.have I forgotten a part of me..so quickly?' Tsuzuki looked at her, frowning slightly, and the shikigami took that as their cue, and disappeared.
" Jade.you know you're not a replacement for Hisoka, right?" Jade looked up at him, confusion written on her face.
" Wha?" Tsuzuki was about to go further, but Watari came back in, holding a steaming mug. She could've sworn that she saw him grin, and then he was serious again.
" Jade, here's the tea. I also want you to get out and walk around for a bit, get those muscles uncramped." This time she caught the grin, and the look she gave him was pure murder. 'I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. I'M GONNA ACK!' Her train of thought was cut off as she was almost yanked off the bed by Tsuzuki's enthusiasm. She thanked Kami-sama that she had a robe on. Wait a minute..she shot another glare at Watari, who backed up.
" Wakaba did it!" Satisfied, she nodded and let Tsuzuki put the warm mug into her hands before dragging her outside, grinning. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Watari give her a thumbs up sign. Her train of thought resumed. 'Oh yes. Definitely gonna kill him.' Then Tsuzuki looked back and smiled at her. '...After I thank him. Profusely.' * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tsuzuki had been so worried when they had found Jade. He was afraid that Muraki had done something to her, something that couldn't be healed. And then she passed out on him, and that scared him. Especially with her arm glowing like that. All through the ride back to EnMaCho he was worried that he had placed a curse on her like he had done with Muraki. He was still worried about that, actually. And now.she seemed to be hiding something from him. What if Muraki really HAD done something..?
" Jade..is everything ok here with you? It seems like every time I try to talk to you about it, something interrupts us." Her face fell slightly, though she tried to keep it from doing so. Gaze falling to her cup, she sighed, halfway closing her eyes. Taking a sip of the tea, she gracefully slumped against a tree, sliding to the ground as the first flakes of the Meifu winter fell. Breath coming out in puffs of vapor, she patted the ground beside her. They were well into the Sakura trees, hidden from view. Now, Tsuzuki was no empath, but even he could tell that something was worrying her.
" I...oh gods, Tsuzuki, this is." He watched the emotions play across her face, hidden only by the sheen of tears threatening to spill over. Frowning slightly, he reached forward to wipe the tears away, but she jerked back, almost spilling the tea.
" I..I'm not who you think I am." Those seven words carried more dread and despair than he had ever heard in his life. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jade struggled with the blob in her throat, trying to keep the tears behind her eyes as she continued. Why did it have to be so hard?
" I don't understand Jade.what do you mean?" She squeezed her eyes shut, shifting the mug of warmth from one hand to another as snowflakes stung her cheeks.
" Why did you have to be so wonderful?" Ok. That was NOT how she wanted to start this conversation off. Now she just felt confusion washing over her like a tidal wave.
" What?"
" I...Tsuzuki, I.you still.care a lot for Hisoka.don't you?" Her brain was not connected with her mouth. On the walk to the grove they were in, she had a speech perfectly planned out. But of course, her body was unwilling to let her go through with it. And now.
" Yes. Don't tell anybody this, but I"
" No!" She shook her head, trying to block out the sound. She couldn't hear how he felt about the part of her that had died. It wouldn't be fair to him, to her.a hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts.
" Jade.I'm sorry. If I had realized that you.cared about me like this, I would've gotten you a different partner. You see, I love Hisoka, no matter what he says. He never gave up on me, not even when I gave up on myself. He's harsh a lot of the times, but that's just how he is. And I wouldn't trade that for the world." This time the tears won, and she couldn't stop them from falling. 'Stupid.'
" Baka.." She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes, the mug clutched in her free hand. He wanted to apologize, she could feel it, but she continued anyway, regardless of what happened next.
" How.how can you love him? You said you'd always stay with him, and he left you! He left.and he can't come back.I won't let him! I'm happy here, and I.I want to stay here.I'm not weak anymore, Tsuzuki!" Turning to him, she ignored the look of confusion, then anger, then confusion again. 'He thought I was keeping Hisoka from him.? Well.I am.' Jade stood, anger mixed with depression and exhaustion, creating one hell of an adrenaline rush.
" It's difficult for me, you know, to love you the way I do. Because.when I was here before, I loved you too. But I could never show it, because I wasn't sure about you. I never was. And now, when I come back, you don't even recognize me. Isn't that what lovers are supposed to do, Tsuzuki? Recognize each other no matter what?? I went through the flames of hell for you, Tsuzuki, and you don't even realize." Now he was shocked. Tsuzuki had a right to be, after all. Jade could feel her arm growing hot, pulsing uncontrollably. It was uncomfortable. She didn't even notice that her voice changed, growing deeper, and the hair that snapped up and disappeared into blonde tresses.
" I'm Hisoka, you idiot! I tried not to fall.I tried to forget him so hard! But..with you..it's impossible..." She, now he once more, trailed off, eyes widening as the change in voice was realized.
" Hi..hi..Hisoka????" * * * * * * * * * * * *
The blonde was sitting in a corner, steadfastly avoiding the brunette's eyes. The brunette was listening in shock as Watari and Tatsumi finally explained everything to him, occasionally sending hurt glances over at the boy in question.
" So.that's why you didn't want to go get Hisoka.because he was already here." He had never felt more betrayed in his life. He had trusted Jade, and told her...oh gods.
" So.Jade.." In the corner of his eye, he saw Hisoka wince, before finally speaking up, still clutching that mug like a safety device.
" Is gone, ok? For now, anyway. I think..I think it has to do with emotions. I was.upset, and." He watched as Hisoka trembled violently once, twice. Then he was still, silent, and shut down into himself. Tsuzuki stood, scowling. Tatsumi blinked at this, and then looked at Watari, who just shrugged and looked upset. * * * * * * * * * * * *
Oriya was sitting outside of his restaurant, eyes closed, and relaxed. It was quiet, for once, and he was ignoring the part of his brain that said he should be concerned that Jade managed to escape Muraki. Taking his cup of tea, he sipped the liquid.
" ORIYA!" Nearly choking and spurting tea out everywhere in the process, he glanced up at the familiar voice. Hisoka?? A glance at the boys face, and he understood.
" Oh...well, come on. I'll show you to your room." A grateful look passed over the shinigami's face, so reminiscent of Jade that it startled him. 'What were you expecting anyway? They're the same person. Idiot.'
" Thank you, Oriya. It..means a lot." The long-haired man nodded, stopping in front of an empty room. And he couldn't resist.
" Want me to send an 'employee' of mine to lessen the stress?" Oriya was rewarded with a simmering glare, a bright streak of red across his cheeks, and a very girly slap.
" BAKA!" Oriya walked off, laughing. As soon as he heard the door close, however, he frowned. Muraki had better know what he was up against. * * * * * * * * * * * *
They often say that if you speak of the devil, he appears. In this case, Muraki was busy cleaning up his house, muttering a few choice phrases every once in a while. Normally he would just hire somebody to do it and then kill them afterwards to prevent gossip, but he felt tired. And that was not normal. Then again.neither was being beaten. A quiet chuckle invaded his thoughts, and he spun, glaring. And then, he did something very uncharacteristic of him. He paled. The figure walked closer, shoes crunching over broken glass, a smirk upon its lips.
" Really brother..aren't you glad to see me?"
AN: Buh buh buuuhhhhmmm...^^v