Author's Notes: Wheee...It's been a while since I continued typing this story. ;) Though, I hadn't realized that it was a bit like Devil's Trill reversed.... ^^; Oh well. All the usual disclaimers hold true, enjoy!
Tsuzuki Asato
#2 all is not what it seems
Tsuzuki took the elevator up. Yes, it would be far easier if he'd simply flown or teleported to Hisoka's door, but he rather liked the tediousness.
It felt so very human.
He flicked the little button marked Open and with a ping, the elevator doors slid open. He stepped through them and looked around. Tsuzuki'd been here several times before, mostly whenever Hisoka became incapacitated and he'd had to carry him home, and whenever they had quite a lot of paperwork that needed to be done together, he'd always voted to go to Hisoka's.
It was less roomy than his condo, but so clean and neat that there was actually some space to work in. And while he secretly itched to get Hisoka into his much larger bed, the mounds of mess in his place weren't very inviting.
As he casually walked up to the door, he thought of what excuse he should make. Hiya 'Soka, for no reason at all, I brought you some pocky and leftover pastries. Wanna share? Hey there kid, I just came all the way here to tell you what a great job that was. Hisoka, I just wanted to chat...and I'm too lazy to use the phone.
Stupid, he thought angrily to himself. It was possible to craft a good lie when it was well known that he was an idiot whose every emotion was stamped so visibly on his face. Besides, he didn't even have any pocky. He reached the door with Hisoka's apartment number on it in gold, and tentatively, he knocked.
There was silence; then a click. The sound of a lock opening.
A face peeked out, and with a widening grin, the door swung open. "Tsuzuki." Hisoka burst into a smile and his eyes gleamed. "Good evening. Come in."
Tsuzuki felt a slight shiver trickle down his spine as he stepped in. Everything was in its proper place; nothing seemed wrong. Yet there was an oddness that seemed to steep the entire apartment, and that same, strange uncertainty tainted the figure of Hisoka.
"Erm. Would you like a drink?" He smiled as he made his way to the kitchen counter and popped open the fridge door.
"Uh...anything 'Soka. I was just..." Why was Hisoka so nice now? So formal and even overly polite. He was moody but...
White wine. Hisoka poured out two glasses and handed one, sparkling in its crystal cup, to Tsuzuki. His eyes still fixed on his, the boy downed his glass thoroughly and poured himself another. Tsuzuki tasted it curiously. Then it was if the gears in his mind fell into place.
He looked up. Hisoka had seated himself on the counter, tipping the contents of his drink straight down his throat. His legs were crossed.
What's wrong with this picture?
The violet eyed shinigami took a step back. His hand dived into his jacket pocket, felt for paper. The green orbs were staring at him.
"Anything the matter, Tsuzuki?"
His arm flew and he held up the fuda paper talisman, a fierceness spread over his features. His eyes grew into dark, glinting stones, brimming with realization. Hisoka...he fainted at even the slightest hint of alcohol. Even so much as a sip.
Things aren't what they seem.
"You're NOT Hisoka! Who the hell are you?!"
'Hisoka' didn't move. His smiling expression didn't leave, but...his eyes had changed. They were no longer the beautiful, bright emeralds but now hot, red-black embers. His lashes were suddenly long and spiked, and his body was elongating, transforming. Taking on the curve and form of something new and definite. A woman.
"I see." Hisoka's normal voice had disappeared and it was now dusky and haunting, with a soft, strange accent. Such a voice. She still retained the boy's face, yet it was twisted with those loathsome eyes and large, pouty lips convulsed into a sinister little grin. Her hair too was changed. It was increasing in length; now long, ragged, and midnight black.
"You figured me out. The partners always did."
Tsuzuki's teeth clenched, preventing a gasp of shock from escaping him. Who is this woman... He raised up the talisman, readying to spellcast, He ran over the events in his mind. If he decided to use his fuda magic here, he might not be able to control it. The apartment and the others near it could be torn apart. It was a risk.
"Where is Hisoka?"
She lazily ran clawlike fingers through her hair, twirling the twisting, raven strands in her palms. She could see the sweat trickling down Tsuzuki's face, and in contrast, seemed perfectly self-assured. She didn't answer straight away; only haughtily threw back her head.
She's holding the cards here. She can afford poise.
"In the bedroom, dearie." Her composed smile revealed rows of gruesomely pointed, pearly teeth. "So you can't summon any shikigami now can you? Or you could hurt that beautiful little boy when they raze this apartment."
His impulsive instinct didn't pause for contemplation. He stumbled through past furniture and unpacked boxes, tripping over the bedroom's beige carpet. Upon sight of his partner, he was dumbstruck.
Hisoka lay in a mess of blood-stained sheets on his futon. His eyes gazed powerlessly at the ceiling, blood trickling out of them and his lips. He seemed a pale white, shrinking, aging version of himself. By all appearances, a still, ivory corpse rubbed with traces of crimson. A strange black tentacle was wrapped around him, digging into his skin.
That woman's hair, he realized.
Then she was suddenly upon him , cradling that shrunken body. To his horror, Tsuzuki felt his own body freeze. He could scarcely move...this woman wielded such a powerful aura. As she ran her tongue over the top of his forehead, Hisoka stirred ever so slightly, and a soft, ragged breathing issued from his mouth.
Thank the gods...he's alive.
"I'll be leaving now darling. And I shall take your boy with me. I hope you understand. He's my power source. And he has such an excruciatingly delicious morsel of a tortured soul."
"Damn you...!"
Gritting his teeth, he shut his eyes and forced himself. To move. The talisman waved in the air, and he readied for the spell. He was blinded by thoughts of Hisoka. But before he could even speak, she blinked at him with those dark red eyes, and he felt his legs giving out and the floor crashing into him. She laughed, a high terrible laugh, before she and his partner, Hisoka... My Hisoka... Tsuzuki felt dampness stinging the corners of his eyes.
Disappeared without a trace.
