Cold Flower by Kaz
Part 2

Standard disclaimer applied
Warnings: Muraki x Tsuzuki, angst, dark, lemon in parts, PG-13 -- NC-17
Notes: This part beta-ed by Tiggy!! yay! And oh--the title taken from the song by The Brilliant Green, 'Tsumetai Hana' (Cold Flower)

* * * * *

Tsuzuki clutched his dark coat more tightly as he entered the church building; it was the nervousness that made him do so more than the cold air. He walked down the long aisle and knelt in front of the altar. He didn't even know why he did that. God couldn't give him the answer to his prayer for help for Hisoka. There was no single being in the world that could help his partner except the man he hated so much. Muraki was his only hope, and if he failed...

The violet-eyed shinigami closed his eyes, shaking his head. No, he didn't want to think about that. The only thing in his mind now was to cure Hisoka, no matter what it took.

He sat there for more than ten minutes, not moving a single muscle. Until a single red rose dropped next to him. The color of the flower was crimson red. Just like blood. A Red Queen rose, Tsuzuki recalled.

"Waiting for someone, Tsuzuki san?" That familiar voice tickled him as the newcomer whispered in his ear, a wisp of warm breath touching his neck.

Tsuzuki stood up and turned to face the man standing behind him. He recognized the long white coat and the enigmatic charisma that enveloped the man with an angelic aura. But his look couldn't fool Tsuzuki. Muraki was far from an angel. A fallen angel would be more appropriate.

"Muraki," he gulped and looked up to the other man. Muraki was smiling almost sincerely at him, following his every move with his eyes. "Yes, it's me, Tsuzuki san. Were you expecting someone else?"

Tsuzuki closed his eyes briefly and then, "I need to talk to you..."

"Well, it is quite obvious, Tsuzuki san," Muraki chuckled. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have bothered calling me to Nagasaki."

The shinigami nodded and walked to the door. "Let's talk outside."

"Are you afraid of God listening to our little conversation?" Muraki asked with a cynical smirk.

The question didn't receive an answer, for Tsuzuki turned away and opened the door. The doctor followed him to the back garden of the church. The place was quiet and beautiful, covered with trees and far from people's sight. But then again, Tsuzuki never thought that people actually noticed them both.

Tsuzuki stared cautiously at the other man, eyes trembling with hesitancy. He couldn't even think of a single word to say. He'd thought it would be easy after he finally met with Muraki, to confront him about what had happened. But once again, he was wrong.

"Are we just going to stay like this forever?" Muraki's smirk was evil. "I could offer you something more... pleasant, if you just let me, Tsuzuki san."

Hissing silently, the handsome shinigami finally spoke. "I want you to leave him alone."

The doctor wrinkled his forehead. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you're talking about, Tsuzuki-san," he replied with genuine puzzlement. Tsuzuki gritted his teeth, eyeing the doctor suspiciously.

"Hisoka. I want you to leave him alone."

"Hi-soka?" the silver eye blinked and then he chuckled lightly. The kind of chuckle that made Tsuzuki shiver along his spine. "You invited me to come here just to talk about that boy? You're making me so jealous, Tsuzuki san." He gave a playful pout and chuckled some more.

"Stop that! You know what I'm talking about! He's in pain now because of you! You have to do something about your curse!" Tsuzuki blurted out everything. His knuckles turned white in anger, teeth clenched. "You did that to him! You have the responsibility to save him!"

"Eh?" Muraki made a face, "did what to him? Really, Tsuzuki san, I'm not following you..."

"You made him almost lose his mind. You tortured him with his past and now... and now..." Tsuzuki couldn't believe that his eyes had started to water. Dammit, why now? Why did he have to cry in front of his worst enemy...?!

And he gasped as strong arms enveloped his body tightly, a finger dancing its way across his cheek, trailing Tsuzuki's tears. "Please don't cry, Tsuzuki san... Why do you always ending up crying when you're with me?"

"I'll give you anything..." Tsuzuki whispered suddenly, his voice almost inaudible. He felt Muraki tense for a second, but the doctor managed to control himself better than anyone.

"Anything at all?" Muraki whispered seductively in his ear, pulling him even closer. The shinigami could feel his body flush against the other's. But then he nodded. To his astonishment, Muraki let him go instead.

The taller man looked thoughtful, albeit curious over what he had said. Tsuzuki could only swallow hard as he saw the changing of Muraki's expression, as he gazed at him with a cold silver eye under the glasses.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" The doctor finally asked, a smile crossing his lips.

"I want you to save Hisoka from the curse. To take away his pain..."

Muraki chuckled. "Why do you think I want to do that? Even if you do give yourself to me willingly."

Tsuzuki looked away; nothing came out from his mouth. And then the doctor continued, "It's the boy's day of death, isn't it? He suffered because what caused his death was my curse, isn't that it?"

"You!" Violet eyes glared, "So it was you all this time!"

"No, Tsuzuki san. Everybody knows about that; all lost souls will suffer from their cause of death if they're not strong enough. It's his hatred of me that made him like that... It's not my fault this time, is it?" He smirked, "But I can still help you if you want."

Tsuzuki's lips trembled. "S-So, you can really help him?! Muraki?!"

"Is your offer still valid?" Muraki took another step towards the shinigami. Tsuzuki nodded slightly, swallowing hard.

"Yes."

The doctor smiled. "Okay then," he leaned in to kiss the side of the shinigami's neck and felt him shivering at the simple touch. "I want you to be mine, Tsuzuki san..."

Tsuzuki didn't move from his spot, biting his lip hard as the other man started to suck his skin and planted light kisses over his throat.

This is for Hisoka, for Hisoka... for Hisoka...

The words had became his mantra as one arm snaked around his waist and pulled his body against Muraki's once again. Muraki's hand roamed his back and down, leaving him with a sick feeling all over his skin. He was sick of himself, he was sick of the other man.

But anything for Hisoka...

The doctor released him at last, eyeing him carefully from behind his glasses. "I want you to be mine for five days, Tsuzuki san."

"Eh?" Tsuzuki's eyes went wide, mouth open in disbelief. Five days? Muraki only asked five days of him. It was something he never thought would come from the mad doctor's mouth. "F-Five days?"

Muraki gave him a small smile and turned around, walking away from the shinigami's view. "...for only five days, Tsuzuki-san..."

"Muraki?!"

White feathers started to form in thin air, accompanied by white lights surrounding the white-clad man. And in only a blink of an eye, Muraki had disappeared from his view. Tsuzuki swallowed hard. He did it. He made the agreement with the doctor; the only thing that he believed could save his best friend. Hisoka would survive and that was the only thing that mattered, right?

Taking a deep breath, he walked back to the church. It was time to go back to Meifuu.

* * * * *

Muraki sighed heavily as he stared out of the window. It was such a beautiful day, he thought dimly. He'd never thought that his meeting with the shinigami would give him such a pleasure. Tsuzuki indeed asking for his help, and it was for that boy. That doll of his. Why would he bother to help that boy if he could have Tsuzuki in his own way? He could just invite the violet-eyed shinigami with piles of corpses, or play with his mind until he just couldn't help it. The doctor smirked at the thought. No, it wouldn't be fun at all... He wouldn't enjoy it one bit if Tsuzuki wasn't willing. And now there was a chance... Now he had come to him of his own free will and offered him the one thing he always wanted so badly…

Well, maybe he wouldn't be doing that if it weren't for the boy. But, it didn't matter, as Tsuzuki would become his completely for five days.

One or two days would not be enough to tame the shinigami. Three or four days wouldn't be enough for him to enjoy himself. But six was just too much... He didn't want to find himself in danger. He mustn't get trapped in those amethyst depths that fascinated him so. He didn't want to fall in love, even with Tsuzuki Asato.

Love... is after all... just an illusion...

Smiling to himself, he walked to his chamber to prepare the ritual.

-tbc-

This story is definitely more easy to write than 'Daughter of The Darkness' so I think I'll finish this one first o.O Long way to go, Kaz... =P And uhm--Thank you for the reviews! *hugs reviewers* I read them all =)