Starless Nights

[Part IV: Unease]

"It's hard to pretend that I don't know you. What shall I do so that you and everybody would remember who they really are? Why don't you remember that it's me, Tsuzuki…the Shinigami in your dreams?"

It was that helpless sigh the stirred Hisoka from his peaceful sleep.

"…Where…am…I?"

"You're awake. Your head hurts I suppose."

"Like hell. Anything to help it?" asked Hisoka while placing an arm on his forehead. His head hurt badly that he could not even open his eyes nor move any part of his body. Tsuzuki took pity so he to his medical cabinet and took out his stock of headache reliever. A satisfied smiled played on his lips as he watched Hisoka swallow the tablet and followed by a gulp of cool water.

"Rest a bit. It would help you a lot since you're down by alcohol," Tsuzuki said and Hisoka nodded to acknowledge that he accepted the suggestion. He didn't care where he was right now; all he wanted was to drop asleep. And that was what Hisoka did when he fell softly on the pillows.

A melodic ring came, unceremoniously surprising Tsuzuki. He ignored it, but it grew louder and annoying. He guessed it was a cell phone ringing so he decided to hunt for it inside Hisoka's pockets. He found it and immediately answered the annoying phone,

"Hello?"

"Ah, Tsuzuki. How nice of you to even take Hisoka's calls."

"Hisoka's asleep. Who's this?"

"We just met an hour ago, Tsuzuki. You know what, I'm warning you. Distract the boy and beware for yourself," An odd ring of laughter sounded through the phone's receiver. Undoubtedly, that laugh is Muraki's.

"Do you have something to with this mess?"

"What mess?"

"ME and the others having their best time in Ningenkai with new jobs and stuff?"

"I do not know what you are talking about…But I suppose you should be on guard…especially you bear a height of knowledge more than others."

"Damn. Stop talking like you know a lot!" Tsuzuki was literally yelling at the speaker. Finally, when he was about to give a growl for severe annoyance Hisoka disturbed him,

"Tsuzuki! Who called? Why are you mad?"

 He vainly replied as he tossed the phone to Hisoka and saw Muraki's number flashed on the lighted display of the phone, "Your lovely manager. I just hate him."

"Now you see. He's quite annoying…what's with the new jobs? I heard you." Hisoka frowned while looking for an answer from Tsuzuki's face.

The older man shook his head, "You'd call me a freak if…if I tell you now."

The frown deepened on Hisoka's face. He offered, "Then try me."

"We belong to the JuOhCho, we are Shinigamis who make investigations about untimely and unnatural causes of deaths. Somehow, we were placed in a whole new place with you and the others and somehow couldn't remember where we are from."

"I think that doesn't make sense."

"I told you…just forget it."

"Let's just say that he's a distraction both for you and Kurosaki-kun." Oriya wasn't mistaken by his accusations right now.

"Really? I was trying to get rid of him."

"I am not going to argue this any further. Press would sniff things about them and soon gossip would make him their object of attraction. Keep that in mind. In addition, oh, I remembered, you should also keep a little distance from the boy—you are likely the next person who would swoop down and become a distraction since he doesn't like you much. "

"A little fault on his side, Oriya. It was not my will or by any chance, that he hates me. And he does not have a good reason for it," Muraki incredulously told Oriya. The other man raised an eyebrow, very unlikely his.

"Then work with it. It may sound harsh my friend, but that's your job. Leave now or you'll be late for Enigma's practice. I will deal with Kuroasaki-kun next time." Muraki smiled one of his trademark pristine smiles before dropping a sentence about Oriya being jealous of attention. However, Oriya just looked at him indifferently and pointed at the door.

Muraki briskly passed the different glass entrances to the different parts of the recording studio until he found the last one at the end of the corridor where the changeable sign read Enigma on it. There was a muffled sound of a distortion electric guitar, a synthized piano and the voice of the girl lead Wakaba coming through the room.

The Enigma members took sight of Muraki and acknowledged him while they practiced. As usual, Hisoka batted his eyes and continued singing. Watari noticed this and he kicked Hisoka from behind so that it would cause ruckus in their practice, thus allowing them for a break.

They stopped and looked at Hisoka for ruining the best part of the song. Hisoka then looked fuming and traipsed towards Watari, "How dare you kick from the behind."

"You deserved it, baka. You're not singing properly," Terazuma told. He was again in a mood to criticize Hisoka for not paying attention to his singing. He passed the recording panel and looked at their guest sitting silently.

"Maybe mainly because he has Tsuzuki waving and was warding off invincible monsters inside the control room for the past thirty minutes of practice." Tatsumi said sardonically as he pulled the chicken roll from Tsuzuki's hands and ate the whole thing.

"I'm not making a distraction here—Hey, that's mine! And I wasn't waving at Hisoka thirty minutes ago."

Wakaba laughed a little and asked, "Then what were you doing there?"

"Who on earth brought a pet chihuahua that doesn't know proper toilet manners? I've been battling a pint -sized warrior here, see. It was biting my pants."

"Oh Pochi…you'll find that he's a sweet dog, right Kannuki? He greets visitors with a pee ceremony. By the way, fine sandwich roll you have, Tsuzuki-san. Bring me some next time," Tatsumi said, smiling.

"What pee ceremony?" He looked around for an answer and Muraki did so, pointing at the peeing chihuahua beside him.

"NOOOOOO!"

For the most of three minutes, everyone was laughing and didn't notice that Tsuzuki was silently dreadful. In that situation, Muraki suddenly fancied to have a little chat with Tsuzuki at the lounge found in the third floor of the building. Since the recording rooms were found at the fourth floor, they descended two floors before entering an empty lounge.

Muraki made sure he first closed the glass doors and drew the drapes and the vinyl blinds to hide them from view before turning to Tsuzuki. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No. Why did you bring me here?" Tsuzuki cast a suspicious look towards Muraki who gave another smile.

"Well, we've talked last week over Hisoka's phone remember?"

"Yes…and what about it? You're giving another round of warnings not to distract Hisoka? If that's the case I'm leaving."

Tsuzuki moved towards the door but found it locked. He turned his head to give another dirty look at Muraki. He was already seething with annoyance at him that all he wanted to do was hurl the nearest object at Muraki. Their meeting was like an old movie flick that he was watching for the nth time. This scene where Muraki was smiling at him despite his own rage wasn't new…only now that it had catches.

"Tell me, knowing you…you have something to do with Enma bringing us here to the human world with no apparent reason, stripped of our ability to return to the Spirit world, don't you?"

"Such foolishness. Is this the kind of rubbish you find in writers who have lost their marbles?" Tsuzuki was pissed off. It was clear that Muraki should have taken theater for career since he was very good at acting.

Why on earth did Muraki not know that his abilities as Shinigami were dampened? How come they were thinking that he was insane at the moment and nobody knows that they have been chucked out of their jobs in the afterlife? That they were already dead?

Muraki watched the agitated Tsuzuki before approaching him. He grabbed Tsuzuki by the collar of his shirt and viciously said, "Hisoka just missed meeting the president because of you. You're too much of a distraction—not only that, I see you as someone who is not to be safe company. You are not aware how senseless the things you are gibbering."

Out of frustration, Tsuzuki accidentally summoned Suzaku. Muraki did not notice that the fire phoenix was poised to strike.

"Oh I am not good company, I guess" Tsuzuki muttered darkly as he moved backward. That moment, A burst of flames came hurtling directly towards Muraki and hit him squarely. It caused a startled yelp and a flashing light that made Tsuzuki raise an arm to block out the light.

"How come you're here Suzaku? I didn't sum— " Whatever Tsuzuki was saying was never finished because she flew sharply towards him and hit him hard on the chest.

"What the? Suzaku, no!" The phoenix did not listen and poised to strike again. This time however, caught Tsuzuki in a bad shape and sent him injured with severe burns and shock. "NOOO!!"

It was agony to have those burns as received another blow that literally sent everything to explode. Nothing can he do to stop the Shikigami from striking him. Suzaku was out of his control and definitely, he fell to the ground unconscious.

Firefighters and Paamedics were surrounding the area, carefully taking Muraki and Tsuzuki's body inside ambulances. It was a miracle that nobody was on that floor except for them and they both received reparable injuries. Hisoka just stood as he watched Tsuzuki being carried away by the ambulance to the hospital. He was so shaken when a sudden flash of  Tsuzuki in an explosion came through his mind. When he ran downstairs, he found himself facing flames that he could not approach any further down he stairs. He thought it was just imagination that he saw Tsuzuki caught in the flames…but another flash and he saw Muraki too…and they were both there when the fire occurred.

"They would be okay. Now we'll have to close the building for the meantime. We will use the branch buildings for your practices." Oriya said as he stood facing the street. Apparently, he was just a floor below when it happened.

"I would be following Muraki and the other man at hospital, so I won't be around most of the time," He told them. Tatsumi, Watari, and Terazuma clutching a weeping Wakaba looked at him and nodded in unison to acknowledge that they understood. Hisoka however, made a request to join Oriya to the hospital.

"I want to know their status right now. Please, Tsuzuki is my friend and Muraki…is my manager."

They all looked Hisoka when he said Muraki's name. He just looked at them and back at Oriya how somehow gave small smile before giving another blank expression.

"Very well then."

Why did he see those things? He is normal right?

But it was scary because he saw what was about to happen to them…is this something related to Tsuzuki's explanation or something?

I hope he's fine because I need answers.

[to be contiuued…]

Authors' notes: Okay…it's a belated HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Yeah I'm sorry to those whom I promised  Tsuzuki and Hisoka fanart for xmas…Kaze-san's dear scanner was broken so she didn't get to scan it…but anyway, I'm still putting it up for those who want to see it ^_^ after sometime dun worry.

Thanks everybody for the reviews…it did make my Christmas a little brighter (yeah I've got problems and lotsa stress for holidays. Nope it isn't the holiday stress…nah I wouldn't put it here since it's not my journal. Feh it's me actually not Yukie-chan.) Yeah…thanks again and I hope that  you guys still read this. Love you guys! This is my late Christmas gift for everyone…so enjoy! Enjoy the twist in the story…I enjoyed putting Hisoka in those clothes (wink, wink read chapter three) You guys think we should elaborate it sometime? ;P

Ja!