Ch.4
Hisoka couldn't help the sigh of relief that passed through his lips as it was finally decided that everyone would be coming with them. They made a circle, each grasping somebody's hand and then they teleported back into the office, with only the first rays of sunshine to light their way. Manx, Omi's boss from what Hisoka had been able to pick up, had been notified that they were moving to a more secure position since Omi's attack gave a very good indication that where they were staying was not safe. Not safe at all. He bit his lip wondering how long he would be able to keep this up. He still had no shields… none whatsoever and neither did Omi. It was of no use to ask Tsuzuki to place one on either of them for they each would break, shatter and send the older man into pain at having such huge amounts of power come back and slap him in the face. Tatsumi, who was the only one in the office as they arrived, raised an eyebrow but didn't bother to speak until after Tsuzuki had managed to garble out some sort of explanation. Hisoka felt as some of Tsuzuki's own mental shields weakened as the explanation was given and he winced, shuddering. Thank god that he still couldn't hear any of Tatsumi's emotions as usual. Omi still in Yoji's protective embrace turned his head away from the older man's chest to look at Hisoka, eyes wide and pained as well.
What a hell of a day.
Tatsumi actually cursed and looked at them, really looked at all of them. He placed a hand on Tsuzuki's shoulder trying to comfort the man that was his best friend.
"I'll tell the boss about this situation. Tsuzuki and Hisoka, you've done the right thing. Omi…" Tatsumi nodded in the eighteen year old's direction. "… as well as Hisoka and you, Tsuzuki will go to the infirmary and will stay there until you've been checked and cleared by Watari." His voice told everyone straight off that there was no buts or arguing against this decision. Not, Hisoka thought wearily, that he would even try. It hurt too damn much. And to tell the truth… he didn't really know who he was at the moment. He blinked trying to ward off waves of darkness and other peoples emotions from ramming over him. In a moment Tsuzuki was at his side, picking him up and for once glaring at Hisoka as a warning to not bother to protest. Since usually it was the other way around, Hisoka was too surprised to do much of anything. And that is how Tsuzuki was allowed to carry Hisoka in a princess like manner into the infirmary with Weiss following the Shiningami pair closely.
"Why do they…" Ken asked a bit curious and just plainly trying to cover his own fear and anger at the whole deal. He waved a hand at the two that were in front of them and then at the infirmary sign not bothering to finish his sentence.
"He's an empath, Ken-kun." Omi answered wearily voice hoarse. "He feels what people are feeling… and his shields are broken right now." Ken's eyes widened.
"Well… shit. That's got to be painful."
"Enough to drive one insane." Tsuzuki muttered, looking at Hisoka worriedly before depositing the boy into a bed. "…but we are Shiningami so… we were already insane, ne?" The empath didn't bother to answer, just gave a weak smile and covered himself with the covers forgetting that he was supposed to be strong and cold. He watched as Omi was placed in the bed next to him and as the other assassins gathered around his bed, all looking like anxious mothers. Tsuzuki looked a bit lost and then shyly asked mentally, Is it all right if I…? Hisoka nodded after blushing and wondering what the others could possibly think but what the hell, it didn't matter. There were only two beds anyway. He turned to lie on his side, making more room for the older man. Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you.
You won't hurt me anymore than I already am hurting right now Tsuzuki. And whether you're near me in the bed or just in the room won't change the fact that my shields are gone.
I know but…
Get in Baka! I said… I said that I would hold you… that I… Hisoka stopped, knowing that he was stumbling even in his own thoughts. He had said enough any how as he felt a wave of happiness float his way, nearly smothering him with warmth.
Oh brother. I didn't know you two were like this. Omi suddenly commented, his mental voice teasing. Two Shiningamis turned bright red and Tsuzuki tried to hide it as he climbed into bed with Hisoka, careful to not nudge his young partner off the bed in his state of embarrassment. Cute. No need to feel bad…There was a slight pause as Omi tried to organize his thoughts. I'm relieved to see that… He stopped his thoughts suddenly realizing that if he 'said' anything more it would create a tension between the two… more than there already was. Yet even if he never let the thought finish he knew why the knowledge of the two Shiningami being together in such a way didn't bother him… even after what Muraki had done to him. It was a couple of things, first because they were nice and it was obvious that they needed each other even if they weren't quite aware of that themselves yet but the main part was that Hisoka was still capable of being in love and… accepting that love.
After all the hurt, after all the disgust and the darkness… there was still a way. It was that… it brought a small smile to break onto Omi's face and it stayed there even after an energetic blonde came bounding into the room with a concerned expression on his face and a dreadful concoction of a medicine in his hand. That medicine was poured into three cups and instantly, even before he could ask what it was for, Omi and the other two fell into a deep sleep that would protect them from others' thoughts and their own.
…
Tsuzuki opened his eyes and saw at first something that looked soft and golden. It was only after blinking a few times that he realized what exactly it was. 'Hisoka?' He thought, some sleepiness still making his mind clouded. He dared not move for risking awakening his partner. A small smile tugged at his lips. His 'Soka had kept his promise. They'd be together for always. He felt his eyelids get heavier and he felt no qualms about falling back to sleep. After all, if 'Soka wasn't up yet then it was ok to sleep in as well.
Yet… there was something about Hisoka continuing to sleep so peacefully that was nagging him. Keeping him slightly aware. Perhaps it was that reason that he heard the whispered conversation that was taking place in the hallway. Hold on? Hallway? 'Soka and him were supposed to be on vacation. They were in a hotel! There was no hallway inside their room… was there?
Carefully as to not disturb the boy that was sleeping peacefully next to him, Tsuzuki lifted his head up. Quickly he made some acute observation on there whereabouts. First, they were no longer at the hotel. Second, they were in Watari's infirmary section… third; there were humans…He frowned. Many humans. All of them still alive. That was bizarre. He shook the rest of his sleepiness and quietly slipped out of the bed, pausing only when Hisoka turned, mumbling at him as the boy's pale hand reached out for his. He gave a small chuckle before shushing the boy back into a deeper sleep, never realizing that even if he hadn't…Hisoka would not have woken up. The boy was too far from where they were to be reached.
Still since he was blissfully unaware of that fact, Tsuzuki moved on, grimacing as his socked feet seeped in the coldness that the floor held. He got to the door, getting only one reaction from the group of humans that surrounded one bed where a strange Hisoka look alike slept. The one who reacted was a tall redheaded human with eyes that… His breath stayed caught in his throat. He blinked… then blinked again to no avail. Those eyes stayed the same color. They were violet… like his.
He had never seen anyone with eyes whose color matched his. It meant demon… devil… monster. Something tugged at his heart as he continued to stare. The pale redhead frowned, rising but staying silent. There was no question in his eyes, just a demand for the staring to come to a stop. Tsuzuki blinked for the last time, his hand coming up to scratch at his head an apology already at his lips. That was where it stayed though because the redhead came towards him, his hand grabbing Tsuzuki at his forearm.
"Stay quiet." He hissed and then jerked his head to the half closed door, making his bright colored hair fling with the movement and showing a glint of gold from a dangling earring. Not one to disobey especially since he had been curious about the conversation, Tsuzuki stayed quiet only to have his eyes widen in shock and some fleeting emotion that could only be described as betrayed.
"Tatsumi—be reasonable. I need time to understand the implications of reincarnated souls on this curse. I don't know yet the depth this bond the blonde boy and Bon share or what the impacts will be… but… You need to tell him. He has to know that there may be a chance that we'll lose Bon. We might lose them both…" Tsuzuki yanked the door open, ignoring the tightening of the pale hand that still held him. Tatsumi who had been about to reply, suddenly straightened, his eyes behind the glasses only showing a passing startlement.
"Tsuzuki… it's good to see you up and about." The secretary started smoothly, clearly ignoring the signs of anger on his friend. Watari sighed, seeing where it was going and placed his smile back on his slightly aggravated face.
"You shouldn't be up, you know. The potion I gave you should…" Tsuzuki ignored him, his icy glare still turned on Tatsumi's stern face.
"What is it you were going to keep from me? Something about Hisoka and…Omi." He suddenly remembered everything, the last of the potion's effect wearing off with his anger. "What the hell is this reincarnation business about?" He tried to keep his voice down, but couldn't. The redhead, Aya, released his hold and stepped by his side.
"I also demand an explanation." His cool and collected voice stated. "And I'd like it now." The hand tightened at the katana that was at his side. Suddenly, Tsuzuki felt two other join their ranks as they glared down Tatsumi. The brunette named Ken was there, face strained and worried, and then the eldest of the group… Yoji, who was baring his teeth in a manner that was a threatening grin.
For the first time in years or since the first arrival of Tatsumi in this realm, the collected secretary backed down.
"Come along then." He muttered, waving them down the hallway into a meeting room. "Watari wouldn't appreciate it if we were in his way as he continues to tend to the sick. Get back to work, if you find anything new… let me know." He stated to Watari who nodded and wished the serious man some good luck in dealing with the angry looking cloud. Still calm and collected, the secretary nearly nodded.
After having made his own way into the room and closing the door behind him, he sat down, staring at each of the men in turn. "So how much have you already heard?"
"It doesn't matter. None of it made sense… so start from the beginning and say everything! Everything!" Tsuzuki spat out, too angry to take a seat and who was instead pacing up and down the room. Aya had his back to the wall, arms crossed against his chest, his eyes half way closed as he regarded the man in front of him. Ken and Yoji sat though, their faces not any less serious for the fact.
"…" Tatsumi pushed his glasses back up his nose, his eyes closed as if this was just as painful of a subject as it was to Tsuzuki. "A day or two after you left for your vacation, the Gushoshin twins found something that was added to Hisoka's personal file. Not only a reincarnated soul, he is a lost soul. What his mission on earth was, no one knows. While you were gone, with my orders, the Gushoshin and Watari tried to find more on Hisoka and what exactly did it mean to say that he was a lost soul. The information they gathered only started becoming clear when you arrived with that boy in tow. Hisoka's soul through out the reincarnations has been split into three, Tsuzuki. Tsukiyono, Omi is part of the missing soul, thus clarifying the why those two resemble each other and the why Hisoka is reliving the curse along with Omi."
"What do you mean… reliving the curse?" He didn't like the sound of it. Didn't like any of it at all. A light glimmered off those damn glasses again, hiding any emotion that might have passed through those dark brown eyes.
"It means Tsuzuki, that Hisoka is dying again."
"Wait a minute!" Ken punched the table, his body standing up right and his chair crashing to the ground behind him. "What do you mean dying? You said you could save Omi! If you break this curse… then… then… Omi and Hisoka should be fine!" There was a dark and cold silence that filled the room.
"The only way to break that curse is to kill Muraki. Tsuzuki… you knew this already." The secretary muttered. "We can only slow the process down to give us time to find the doctor."
"How much time?" Yoji asked, his hands digging into his pocket, his already frayed nerves demanding for a cigarette. Demanding to go back to Omi and out of this place where nothing made sense. Omi was the most whole person he had ever seen. There was no way that he was a lost soul… no way. He didn't even believe in reincarnations. This was bull shit. They should have left Kritiker to handle this. They should have…
"Hisoka died after three years. Technically since through the bond, they're sharing the curse… it should take even longer but…"
"But?!" Ken exclaimed, voice almost shrilly in fear and anger for his best friend. The secretary glared at him.
"The curse is slightly different from what Watari has noticed." Tatsumi stood up, walking around the table so he could go up to the man that had once been his partner and was now his friend. "I'm sorry… but we don't know how much time we have left. It seems… that it will all depend on Muraki's moods."
There was a slight pause during in which Tsuzuki's mind seemed to make sense of all the information that had been given and his hands were clenched into tight fists, curling and uncurling. "There is one thing… that could help us gain more time and that might save both boys… and that is to find the third piece of the soul before he does." Tsuzuki's violet eyes widened with understanding.
"Does Muraki know…?" He asked softly, his insides reeling already with the all too obvious answer. Tatsumi nodded, needing no more words. If Muraki knew…
He closed his eyes.
"We think that we have found the third child. His name is Shindo, Shuichi a twenty year old in the Bad Luck band. He's touring in Tokyo right now… Will you help us to find him?" Tatsumi continued, looking at the members of Weiss. Each of them nodded. Tsuzuki though continued to think…
They needed to find that third child. They needed to find him and protect him. Because if Muraki got there first, if he was able to get his hands on him… he would have the best way to get his doll and the doll's partner back. So lost in his thoughts that Tsuzuki did not notice the slight glimmer of relief that shimmered in Tatsumi's eyes for a simple second and even if he had, he probably would have dismissed it naively that the relief was due to the Weiss' agreement to help. He never even realized that one piece of information was still being kept away from him. And that was that nobody knew what would happen if three pieces of a broken soul were brought back together.
A/N- Thank you so much to all who have reviewed and I'm really sorry its been taking me so long to update. Gives a sheepish grin. I've been working on many different fanfictions and my one original story so… I kind of skip back and forth! Hopefully this chapter on Falling is still up to the expectations. Let me know what you think or if anything is confusing, bad… good… anything at all!!!
And I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can!