[18 July 2013] Edited, because I notice people are still reading this old, old story, and I'm horrified at the grammar of my old self. -_- Also taken the opportunity to straighten out warnings in Author Notes.
Author Notes:
I have quite some explanation to make, so let's leave it after the chapter. ^_^0
Italics are thoughts and flashbacks.
A Wing Short of Flying
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For after all, the best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Chapter Six: The Choice
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Tsuzuki whirled around, as much as his hold on Hisoka would permit. The boy turned more slowly, having sensed Muraki's presence beforehand.
The doctor seemed composed despite his injury. The bandages were hidden behind his neat clothing, and he was smiling as usual.
They looked at each other, gauging.
"Give it up, Doctor," Tsuzuki warned. "You know what I can do to you."
"What you can do? From what I see, not much, Tsuzuki-san."
Tsuzuki scowled. Of course he didn't look so powerful draped across Hisoka's shoulders like that.
Muraki shifted his gaze to Hisoka. "I thought you said you would never leave me."
The tone was neutral, just as his usual commands to the boy had been, revealing no emotions at all. Hisoka lowered his gaze from Muraki's face.
"I…"
As he fell quiet, Tsuzuki pressed on their physical contact, trying to reassure him. Hisoka didn't respond.
What's the problem with him? Tsuzuki frowned. I thought he'd gotten over those feelings…
Muraki walked closer.
"Stay away!" Tsuzuki barked. Muraki ignored him, looking straight at them defiantly as he kept approaching.
Tsuzuki gritted his teeth, and, much to Hisoka's panic, lashed out with his psychic power.
But Hisoka shouldn't have needed to worry.
The result was pathetic. There was no explosion save for a patch of flaming grass near Muraki's feet. It seemed that his aim had also been off. The only thing he managed to accomplish was upsetting his balance and falling from Hisoka's support.
"Tsuzuki!" Hisoka tried to pull him up.
"Exhausted, Tsuzuki-san?" Muraki mocked.
Damn! Tsuzuki cursed. The journey had indeed consumed most of his energy.
Hisoka leaped between him and the doctor. "Master! Don't hurt—"
He squeaked as Muraki had suddenly come face to face with him. He took a quick step backwards, leaving Tsuzuki on the grass.
Muraki lifted a hand to Hisoka's cheek, touching it lightly. "Hisoka," he called, very gently.
Hisoka startled.
It was the first time Tsuzuki heard Muraki call the boy's name. His tone of voice sent a shiver down Tsuzuki's spine.
The doctor kept his eye on Hisoka, and his expression was far from the cold indifference he had always showed towards his assistant.
"You think I've abandoned you, don't you?"
He was gentle, very gentle. Hisoka was unable to speak.
"Is that why you left?"
Hisoka nodded slowly.
"And you thought you could help Tsuzuki-san, so you left with him," Muraki continued. "Ever a helpful one, aren't you."
Hisoka lowered his head.
The doctor's hand moved behind Hisoka's neck, drawing the boy closer. "See? I know you so well."
"Master…" Hisoka breathed, and Tsuzuki was shocked to hear so much longing in his voice.
"Hisoka!" he hissed. Muraki must be playing a mind game, knowing Hisoka's weakness for him. How could the boy not sense it with his empathy?
But Hisoka didn't seem to have heard him.
"Can you read my mind?" Muraki asked. "Do I not want you anymore?"
"You… still do," the voice held a profound relief.
The doctor smiled reassuringly. He was just too good in doing that. "And don't you still want to stay with me?"
"I—" Hisoka paused suddenly, as if reminded of something. He glanced at Tsuzuki uneasily. "But how about… Tsuzuki…"
"Of course he'll come with us," Muraki said. "You can see he's not at all fit for moving about. And just because I like him doesn't mean I don't like you anymore."
"I'm not going back with you," Tsuzuki interjected sharply before Hisoka could reply, glaring at Muraki.
"I am responsible for taking you home from the hospital, Tsuzuki-san," Muraki said. "I can't just leave you here."
Tsuzuki snorted. "As if you cared."
Hisoka looked at him guiltily. He was torn between them, that much was obvious.
"Hisoka, let's go," Tsuzuki urged.
The youth bit his lips uncertainly.
"Don't you remember what we talked about?!" Tsuzuki pleaded desperately.
"But it seems to be a misunderstand—"
"He is lying! It can't be true!"
Muraki drew Hisoka's face back to his direction. "You're the empath," he said, "you know how I really feel."
Hisoka closed his eyes briefly. "He… does want me to stay with him, Tsuzuki."
"Of course he does! He's using you all along!" Tsuzuki raged. "I thought we'd been through this talk?!"
"And you're not?" Muraki interjected mildly. "You're using him to help you escape, to stay by your side, to take care of you until you're able to do things on your own. And one day… one day, Tsuzuki-san, if what I read from your eyes is correct, you'll also use him to satisfy your lust."
"I'm not like you!"
"No?" Muraki smirked. "Is he so good in making you forget why you were cast out by everybody around you?"
"Shut up!" Tsuzuki yelled angrily. It frustrated him that he couldn't read what the doctor was trying to do.
"Well, what can you feel from him, Hisoka?" Muraki turned to the boy.
Hisoka had been watching the furious exchange nervously. He shook his head, confused.
"I promised him," he said in a little voice.
"So?" Muraki's tone was emotionless.
"We'll live through this," Tsuzuki said. Hisoka looked at him. Tsuzuki's expression was firm.
Hisoka moved away from Muraki's touch, turning towards Tsuzuki.
"You've chosen?" Muraki asked. His hand fell back to his side.
Hisoka was now standing between the two of them. He turned to face Muraki, and Tsuzuki couldn't see his face.
Then suddenly he bowed deeply to the doctor.
Tsuzuki was stunned. He could tell Muraki was, too.
"Thank you for accommodating me all these years," Hisoka said, "and forgive me for leaving."
Muraki stared at him. Hisoka straightened, and turned to Tsuzuki.
"Let's go, then. I promised you."
"I promised you"! That's the reason he left. Not because he could finally let go of his feelings for the doctor…
As Hisoka pulled him up, Tsuzuki searched into his green eyes.
I've always known that. I just can't accept it.
They walked away, and Muraki made no move to stop them.
Tsuzuki found it very suspicious. He kept glancing back. Hisoka, on the other hand, moved almost mechanically forward. Tsuzuki could understand his sadness, but it didn't mean he sympathized.
"Forget him," he mumbled.
Hisoka avoided his eyes, and didn't answer.
It was a short period of distraction, but long enough.
The gunshot was barely audible. Hisoka let out a choked cry and slumped down, his hand clutching his left thigh.
"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki called frantically. He had fallen down together with the boy.
"First one, out of six," Muraki said from behind him. Tsuzuki heard the next bullet clicking into position. "Am I not generous in giving second chances, Tsuzuki-san?"
Tsuzuki whirled around furiously. "You tried to kill him!"
"I gave that life to him," Muraki said. "I have the right to take it away."
"His life is his alone," Tsuzuki spat out. He dragged himself nearer to Hisoka to check on him.
Hisoka lay on the ground, twitching in pain. His eyes were wide open, staring in disbelief at his master who had shot him. Blood oozed out from the wound on his left thigh, which he was pressing hard on in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
"I'm afraid that's not the case," Muraki said, pointing his revolver at Hisoka. "Will you two go back with me now?"
Hisoka was breathing with difficulty, trying to bear the pain.
Tsuzuki clenched his fists. What should I do? His wound…
Muraki fired the second time, and this time Hisoka cried out loud as the bullet penetrated his other thigh.
"Muraki!" Tsuzuki shouted with rage.
"The bullets must be extracted out as soon as possible," Muraki said casually. "You'll need a doctor."
Tsuzuki tried to gather his energy, but it was only a fading shimmer between his fingers. His power still denied him. He cursed to himself.
"I'm… sorry," he heard Hisoka say between jagged breaths.
"Silly, why should you be sorry?" Tsuzuki snapped. He started to panic, knew he shouldn't; and because of that, panicked even more.
"Neither of you can walk now," Muraki said. "I believe the decision is made."
Saying that, he reached out towards Tsuzuki with his empty hand.
Tsuzuki slapped it away. Muraki raised an eyebrow.
"Now, Tsuzuki-san… this is a life-and-death situation. It is not the time to be stubborn."
Tsuzuki glared.
"…You… g…go… Tsuzuki," Hisoka said in a weak voice.
Tsuzuki paused. If he tried, he might be able to walk, albeit very slowly. Hisoka seemed to believe that the doctor wouldn't hurt him. He couldn't be hurt, anyway.
But.
"Not without you," Tsuzuki said.
Muraki smiled.
This is what he wants. Damn it.
"You… should…n't…"
But I have no other choice. "Take care of him," he told Muraki.
Muraki bent down and gathered Hisoka into his arms, lifting him up. He wobbled a little, perhaps from the injury Tsuzuki had inflicted. "You come with us too, Tsuzuki-san."
As if I will leave Hisoka alone with you?
Tsuzuki grabbed Muraki's arm, pulled himself up from the ground. "If he dies, I'll bring you to join him."
Muraki laughed. Tsuzuki grumbled as he reluctantly held on to the doctor.
"Someday you'll be grateful to me, Tsuzuki-san. Do you really think there's any place you can go if you leave?"
"Any place is better than yours," Tsuzuki retorted, dragging his feet alongside of Muraki.
"That's what this brat thought when he tried to run away, years ago," Muraki said. "I remembered bringing him back all traumatized from the villagers' treatment—"
"Enough," Tsuzuki cut him off sharply. He didn't want Hisoka to recall that.
The boy's eyes were closed, as though sleeping, except for the heavy breaths he took.
"…And he has stayed with me since then," Muraki calmly continued. "He learns."
"You know what he feels for you."
"Of course."
"And of course, you exploit that as you please."
Muraki smiled. "Shouldn't I? He would still feel the same no matter how I treated him."
An ache inside his chest. "Damn you."
"You cursed a lot today, Tsuzuki-san."
"…If I hated you any less, I might have asked you to just kill me."
"Ah, that's the spirit," Muraki's smile grew wider.
He is… mad.
And Tsuzuki shuddered, remembering the obsession the doctor confessed he had for him.
Blood oozed out from Hisoka's wounds, staining the doctor's white coat deep red. The metallic smell dizzied Tsuzuki.
They passed by pedestrians every now and then. There were curious stares… careful avoidance… but Muraki's profile as a doctor seemed to offer a logical explanation for the weird sight, and nobody attempted to question them.
Night fell. In Muraki's arms, Hisoka too fell unconscious.
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Author Notes:
Ugh… I'm not used to writing action scenes. Hope this one is acceptable. Please criticize so I can improve.
I suppose I owe you all a huge apology for keeping you waiting for so long. *bows* Thanks for reminding me not to be slow in updating. I try my best! ^^0
Some of your reviews didn't show up on the review page (due to some bugs in the system, I suspect… Thanks Tessa for reposting your comment.) If you don't mind, please repost any questions or comments you had. Thanks. =)
On to the explanation... I originally planned to finish the fic in two more chapters. The plot was rather simple and straightforward. But then I got several requests to keep the fic going. Well, I'm afraid things will get pretty dull if I drag it any longer beyond the planned plot… but then I also agree that the plot IS too simple if I just finish it off there. So… yeah, I stretch the fic, and with that, now I don't have a clear idea where it's going... =P Please tell me when things start not making any sense! ^^0