Cold Flower
by Kaz

disclaimer: Matsushita Yoko, Hana to Yume, etc. Not mine, obviously...
warnings: Mu x Tsu, angst, dark, PG-13 to NC-17
notes: beta-ed by Leah and Tiggy

Part 1

The loud scream echoed through the hallway and Tsuzuki froze on the spot. He closed his ears but he could still hear it. Tatsumi's hand on his shoulder strengthened, squeezing more tightly. He needed that, or else he felt he might die of fear and anger. Hisoka's cry from behind the door was more than just heart wrenching; Tsuzuki could even feel the pain he was suffering inside. The secretary stood beside him, biting his lip hard. He too wasn't sure of what to do.

Another series of screams started and Tsuzuki turned pale, his fingers clenched white, turning to fists. The beads never stopped falling from his forehead. Fear was what he was feeling right now...

"Tsuzuki san, are you okay?" Tatsumi's question startled the violet-eyed shinigami.

Tsuzuki turned to him, lips trembling. He caught one of Tatsumi's arms, clutching it almost persistently, tears starting to fall from the beautiful violets. "He'll be okay, right? Tell me, Tatsumi! He'll be okay, right?!"

Tatsumi's mouth opened and closed. He wished he had the answer to give to his beloved friend, but nothing came out of his mouth. A minute passed, and the door creaked open. Watari came through the door, sweat covering his face. Tsuzuki ran to his side, grasping the scientist's two arms almost painfully.

"Tell me! Tell me how is he?! How is Hisoka?!"

The amber-eyed man threw a glance towards the secretary and received a nod. Watari was hesitant, not looking into Tsuzuki's eyes as he talked. "I don't know, Tsuzuki. The truth is I don't know what happened to him..."

"Watari! You have to know! What do you mean you don't know?! You've got to help him!!" Tsuzuki's body was shaking. Watari tried to calm him, holding his shoulders that started trembling faster.

"Tsuzuki san!" Tatsumi pulled the violet-eyed shinigami from Watari, turning him to face him. "Please don't be like this, Tsuzuki san...!" With that he pulled the slim figure into his embrace, Tsuzuki balled his fists in his shirt, wetting his suit with tears. A moment later, he pulled away and ran to the door, pushing at the doorknob.

Watari was too late realizing what he was going to do as he had already entered the previously closed room. "No..!! Tsuzuki, noo..!! Don't go in there!!"

Violet eyes widened in shock as he entered the white tiled room and saw Hisoka's figure lying on the bed, legs and wrists tied to the nightstand with ropes. His skin was covered with scars while the white-sheeted bed was smeared with crimson colored blood. Emerald eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, wide open and starting to water. Hisoka's lips parted, gasping and panting.

"Gomen," Watari took a pace closer to the violet-eyed shinigami who stood frozen on the spot. "I had to tie him up with the ropes or he might hurt himself..."

Tsuzuki could only nod. He had seen the scars left by blunt fingernails all over the ivory skin. He knew that Hisoka did it to himself. He could only guess why...

"Hisoka..." Tsuzuki stuttered, taking a step towards the bed.

Tatsumi closed his mouth as he saw the small frame on the bed, turning his face to the young scientist beside him. Watari could only give him a sad look. "The wounds will heal soon, but..." He didn't continue, he didn't have to. Tatsumi knew what he wanted to say. The wounds on his skin would heal, but the wound inside his heart...

"Hisoka..." Tsuzuki stared down at the beautiful eyes of Hisoka. He stretched out his hand, wanted to touch one cheek.

"No! Tsuzuki, no...!!" Watari ran to his side, eyes widened with a new fear. The second Tsuzuki's finger touched the cheek, the green colored eyes opened in shock. Hisoka's body started to tremble heavily and the next minute, his scream filled the room once again.

"Don't!" Watari pulled Tsuzuki away from the boy, "He's an empath, remember?! He could feel your wariness from the touch, and in his state now he is very sensitive..."

Tsuzuki bit his lip hard, hearing the cold cry of his partner on the bed. Tatsumi nodded and carried him outside to the sakura garden. The place always brought peace to the violet-eyed shinigami and Tatsumi thought it would probably help. The frail figure was still trembling heavily as Tatsumi soothed his back lovingly, trying to diminish the burden inside that heart. He knew he could never do that. He knew that the only person who could cheer Tsuzuki was Hisoka, and now...

"Tsuzuki san, I'm sure there is a way to help Kurosaki. You know that he's a strong boy, don't you?"

Tsuzuki nodded hesitantly, violet eyes watering. "It's that curse, isn't it? That caused him to be like this... He was okay yesterday, he said that he would get me apple pie if he went to earth, but... but..."

"Ssh... Tsuzuki san," Tatsumi held the shinigami in his arms again, almost crying himself. "Don't cry, please don't cry..."

"Why?! Why does this have to happen to him?! Why? Tatsumi!" He punched Tatsumi's chest, still crying. "What's going to happen to him now? Tell me...!!"

The secretary was hesitant, but he knew that sooner or later Tsuzuki would find out either way. "If he keeps on like this, I'm afraid that his spirit will become weak, and finally cease to exist. But Tsuzuki san, there's nothing we can do about it... We can only depend on Kurosaki's strength..."

"Hisoka..." Tsuzuki pulled away from the man and ran back into the building. He had to see him now, he had too see Hisoka again. Before it became too late for him to do that.

Watari still stood there, looking worried as he saw his violet-eyed friend come back and rush through the door. But he also understood that Tsuzuki was the person who cared most for the young shinigami's life. He saw Tsuzuki standing beside the bed, looking down at Hisoka.

"Watari..." Tsuzuki started, "...it's because of the curse, isn't it?"

"Eh?" Watari started, amber eyes glinted with fear and hesitancy. "Tsuzuki..."

"Tell me!" Tsuzuki whirled, facing him. "It's because of that man's curse on him, isn't it?!"

The longhaired man turned away. "Part of it, yes."

"Damn him! Bastard!" Tsuzuki swore, "Why can't he leave him alone?! Why is he still torturing Hisoka after what he did to him?!"

"It's not like that, Tsuzuki." Watari stopped, his eyes searching for Tsuzuki's hesitantly. "Tatsumi didn't tell you, did he? Today… Today is Bon's day of death..."

Tsuzuki gasped, "...what?"

"Yes. Some of the dead would feel the pain they suffered at their death once again on this kind of day. And as for Bon..." Watari swallowed hard, "...His dying had caused him to have a mental breakdown, that's why this is happening to him..."

"And there's nothing we can do about it...?"

"I'm afraid not."

Tsuzuki stared once again towards the limp figure on the bed, closing his eyes briefly. "So are you going to say that we have to let him suffer like this?"

"Tsuzuki..."

The violet-eyed shinigami didn't answer as he exited the room. Watari could only see his back as he retreated back to the corridor and disappeared from the front door of the health administration building. He didn't know what was on Tsuzuki's mind that time; he wished he'd never have to know.

While Tsuzuki knew that there was only one thing he could do. There was only one person who could help Hisoka from the entire nightmare. Hisoka suffered because of his death, and he died suffering because of the curse. That left only one person to ask for help. The same person who gave the curse to Hisoka.

Tsuzuki shivered as the sudden breeze wrapped around his body. Clutching his jacket tighter, he descended to the earth. Who would have thought that he had to ask for help from the person he hated...

Muraki Kazutaka.

*~*~*~*

It was a nice day at Muraki's residence. The morning was awfully warm; there was no sign of rain coming. The sun shone brightly between the white clouds and the blue sky, while the birds sang happily from outside the window. Muraki Kazutaka sighed once again as he sat himself on the seat in his dining room, alone. He loved nice weather, but more, he loved nice weather at night. Morning made him sleepy.

Tipping his glasses, he took the morning paper from the table and started flipping the pages. The butler came in and gave him the mail for that day on a silver tray. The young doctor lazily picked up the pile of letters and started to sort them one by one. One letter caught his attention. It was an invitation to a party from a friend.

"Well, well, Matsuoka san is celebrating his fortieth birthday tomorrow..." He smiled bitterly, "wonder why it took so long for this letter to arrive..."

The butler smiled to him, "Are you going to ask Miss Ukyou to come with you to the party, Muraki sama?"

Muraki tilted his head and smiled. "I don't know if she could come with me on such short notice, Sakaki. I don't know... I guess I'll have to go there by myself..."

The butler nodded and left him to finish his breakfast. Muraki tossed the invitation onto the pile of letters and continued to read his paper. There was nothing interesting to read. There was no murder happening in town, it was just another normal boring day. He flipped the next page, puckering one of his brows in surprise. A silver eye gleamed behind the glasses as he read a small advertisement.

"The King of Swords.

I'll be waiting for you at Nagasaki.

Shinigami"

His lips curved into a wicked smile as he finished reading that. There was no doubt that it was sent by Tsuzuki Asato. But why? Was it a trap to catch him and finally kill him? No, Tsuzuki would never do that... The reason why he placed the advertisement was because he didn't know where he was, and he thought this way he could invite him to come.

The shinigami needed something from him, Muraki realized. Something had happened and he needed his help. Muraki smiled in satisfaction as he reread the invitation on the paper and chuckled evilly.

"My beloved… At last, we can see each other again..."

-tbc-

To some of you who didn't realize earlier... my fic 'Under The Red Moon' was removed by FF.net admin *sticks tongue* it was my only success fic, I guess.... and they took it down! I can't believe this... Anyway, it was stored at Mu x Tsu ML home though, but the revised (aka beta-ed version) is at my site,

-end of rants-