Thanx to the nice ppl who commented on my work. I'm glad you approved. -niko- I'm not entirely sure when I'll get the next chapter up, but hopefully it'll be soon. I hafta sit down and write it. ^^* So far, I only have a vague idea about plot. Just a major point or two, but I'll do my best to finish and improve my writing. Expect the return of Muraki (blah) and a touch of madness in the next chapter or two. Thanx again.
Pairings: Tsuzuki/Hisoka (eventually)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. They belong to Yoko Matsushita. The setting is mine, tho.
Hisoka woke slowly, blinking his sensitive eyes in pain against the goldenrod rays of sunshine angling through the window. He looked around, confused, wondering where he was and why he wore human form. He sat up and stared at the pale hands resting limply on his lap. Slowly his mind caught up, and he remembered the cause of his current circumstances.
Hissing swears in dragon speech, he got out of bed and yanked off the overlarge tunic the mage had loaned him. It hadn't taken him long to learn that anger, or other strong negative emotions caused the curse to flare to life against his skin. So he concentrated now on memories to awaken the marks. He bit back what would have been a loud swear in a language the mage could understand when his trial revealed that the curse had not worn off during his rest.
For a long time he stood, shaking with rage, unable to think past what had been done to him...and what he wished to do for revenge. He clenched his fists, becoming even more furious as blood oozed from the cuts his nails opened in the soft palms.
He started and whirled, tensing, as the door opened behind him. His expression cleared and he stood straighter, calming down as Tsuzuki entered the room.
The mage smiled at him nervously. "Sorry. I heard noises, and I wasn't sure if you were actually awake this time, so I came-"
Hisoka blinked. "This time? What do you mean, this time?"
"Ah...you don't remember any of it?"
"Any of what?"
"You've been having nightmares." Tsuzuki looked at him with solemn purple eyes. "I came to check on you when I heard, but you wouldn't wake up."
Hisoka looked away, embarrassed. "I told you nothing could wake me up until my body was rested," he muttered. "...What did you hear?"
For a moment Tsuzuki was silent, wondering what he should tell the young dragon. "Nothing I could understand," he said finally.
Jade eyes watched him suspiciously. Hisoka didn't believe the lie, but it was more comfortable than discussing the nightmares further. He shrugged.
"Sorry I bothered you." As soon as the words left his mouth he winced. Proper dragons did not apologize except to more powerful dragons.
"It was no trouble." Tsuzuki's words were accompanied by a reassuring smile. "Would you like to have some dinner?"
"A...aa. Sure."
"You're in for a treat! I'll make you a special dish as my guest, and tomorrow we'll work on solving your problem." The mage padded out of the room to go begin preparations for dinner, then suddenly turned around and stuck his head back into the room. "Almost forgot! I had the elves bring by some clothes to fit you. They're in the dresser." He smiled, pointing to a small chest of drawers beside the bed. "Come on downstairs after you've changed."
Hisoka nodded and Tsuzuki left humming to himself, pleased to have a guest to talk to.
The dragon shook his head and shut the door before turning to the dresser. He looked through the drawers, picking out a pair of tan pants and a dark green shirt. All the clothes were soft cotton, dyed with simple shades of brown or green. Hisoka recognized it as being typical of elven cloth, and wondered how much he would be expected to pay for the clothes. He doubted the elves had given them to him for free.
Once he was comfortably attired in clothes that fit, he made his way down the stairs. An appetizing aroma wafted through the air, and he followed it to the kitchen, where he found Tsuzuki stirring a pot of something over a wood-burning stove.
"Almost ready," the mage said, not turning his attention from the bubbling concoction. "There's a table and chairs in the next room, if you want to have a seat."
Hisoka passed into the dining room, and eyed the dishes piled about the table with distaste. He gathered them up, and carried them carefully back to the kitchen.
"Oh! Sorry! I'll get those."
"You're cooking," Hisoka reminded him, setting the dishes into the sink. "Focus on that."
Amusement wove through the atmosphere. "Of course."
With the dishes taken care of for the moment, Hisoka retreated to the dining room and took a seat at the battered wooden table. He didn't have to wait long for Tsuzuki to enter with a pair of spoons and two bowls of steaming soup.
"Here you are!" Tsuzuki smiled widely. "I made it with my own special blend of spices!"
Hisoka accepted the bowl with a quiet 'thanks', and waited for Tsuzuki to sit down. Under the mage's encouraging smile, he lifted a spoonful of the thick soup to his mouth. As soon as the piping liquid touched his tongue he regretted trying it. He couldn't imagine how anything could taste so awful. The spoon dropped with a clatter as he clamped one hand to his mouth to keep from spitting the offending food all over the table. His other hand went to his throat as he forced himself to swallow something that was far too hot.
"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki was beside him in an instant, one hand on a slim shoulder, the other patting the dragon boy's back. "Are you alright? You're supposed to blow on it to cool it! Don't choke!"
"I-I'm fine...." He broke off, coughing.
Tsuzuki chuckled as his worry subsided. "You dragons really don't take on human form often, do you?"
"It's not...nevermind." Dragon etiquette was not generally so forgiving, but Hisoka held his tongue, judging it unwise to insult the mage he was seeking help from. "You can let go now." He glanced at the hand on his shoulder before turning a serious stare onto the mage himself.
"Sorry." Tsuzuki backed away, smiling in a lopsided, embarrassed sort of way that was actually quite amusing. It was only a lifetime of living by draconian codes of conduct that kept Hisoka from smiling back, or even laughing at the mage.
"I'm not really hungry right now." The soft scraping of wood on wood sounded briefly as he pushed away from the table. Stretching a bit, he stood and reached for his bowl and spoon to take them back to the kitchen. "I need some fresh air."
"I'll get those." Tsuzuki indicated the dishes with a smile. "You go on ahead outside. I'll join you when I finish cleaning up."
Hisoka nodded and set the bowls down, wondering absently if the mage would actually clean them up. Deciding that it didn't matter, he made his way to the front door, and the twilight world beyond.
As soon as he stepped outside, he regretted it. One of the elves, the tall one he had pegged as a village leader, was walking up the path to the cottage. Hisoka shut the door and took a few steps down the path before he stopped and waited for the elf to approach. He kept his face carefully blank. Proper dragons did not show emotion.
Tatsumi stopped several steps away and regarded Hisoka for a moment, wearing an equally unreadable expression.
"So," he said finally. "You are awake, young dragon."
Hisoka bowed his head slightly, keeping his eyes on the elf, but showing no surprise. "I thank your village for the clothes provided. I will repay you as soon as possible." Proper dragons did not carry debts.
"That will not be necessary. The clothing was given freely."
Jade eyes narrowed in suspicion as the dragon stared at Tatsumi. "No one does anything for free." The cynical certainty in his voice surprised the elf, and for a moment both were silent.
"How old are you?"
"Old enough to realize that truth."
"Little one, I highly doubt that-" Tatsumi stopped short as he heard a sharp intake of breath He stared at Hisoka, noticing that his skin had blanched, making him even paler than usual. He was holding himself rigid, trying unsuccessfully to hold back tremors. "What is it? What's wrong with you?"
"Don't," he began. His voice was quiet and shaking, and he had to start again. "Don't call me...that...."
Tatsumi stepped forward, reaching out a hand to grasp the youth's shoulder. He stared in shock as Hisoka leapt backward.
"Don't touch me!"
"Hisoka? Tatsumi?" The two looked to the door of the cottage where Tsuzuki stood peering out into the dim light of the clearing. He stepped outside, watching Hisoka with worried eyes. "What's going on?"
"Nothing!" Hisoka whirled and stormed off to the back yard, leaving Tsuzuki to stare questioningly at the elf.
Tatsumi lifted his arms in a graceful shrug. "Apparently he objects to being called 'little one'. Your guess as to why is as good as mine."
"Tatsumi...." The mage kept his voice low, and watched the corner of the house Hisoka had darted around. "Don't be mad at him. Please? He...he's been through a lot."
"Such as...?"
"I don't know exactly." However, Tsuzuki wouldn't meet Tatsumi's eyes, and the elf realized that he knew more than he was letting on. "The whole time he was asleep he had nightmares...bad ones. When he wasn't screaming, he was crying."
Both were silent for a time. Finally, Tatsumi ventured his own guess about the dragon.
"He really is very young, isn't he? Relatively speaking, I mean. Not much older than he looks."
"Not much older?" Tsuzuki laughed shortly. "No. He had to grow up too fast." He sighed. "I don't know if I can help him."
"Tsuzuki." Tatsumi laid a comforting hand on the mage's shoulder. "Just do your best. You can't take every affliction that crosses your way so seriously. You're much too caring."
A thin smile spread across Tsuzuki's face. "I know. You've been telling me that for years."
Darkness descended in full upon the forest, casting shadow over the two men. The sun had set completely, taking its warm yellow light with it. Fog began to rise amidst the trees like magic, wrapping translucent silver tendrils about the darkened trunks. The pair watched in silence. The fog was a familiar occurrence within the forest, and one of the reasons behind the various strange stories that circulated.
Tsuzuki's voice was hushed as he spoke. "Would you like to come in for some tea?"
"No, thank you. I merely came by to check on the boy's condition. I shall have to inform the village that he has awoken."
"I don't think he's a threat." The mage cast a sidelong glance at Tatsumi.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. For now I shall keep everyone informed of his behavior."
"Tatsumi-" The elf raised a hand, cutting off Tsuzuki's protest.
"We will do nothing as long as he does not become a problem." There was nothing to say in response, so Tsuzuki bid him goodbye, and turned to look for Hisoka as Tatsumi disappeared into the silver shrouded trees.
He wandered into the back yard, scanning the fog carefully as he went. For the first time in many years he felt uneasy walking through the pale mist. As much as he wanted to ignore Tatsumi's suspicions, he had to admit to himself that he didn't know Hisoka very well. The dragon boy seemed withdrawn, but he was obviously holding in a great deal of anger and pain. Things like that could affect the mind, making a person unpredictable. On top of that, he had no idea what dragons were capable of.
Something glinted ahead of him and he froze. It took a moment for him to realize that the light was coming from a pair of leaf green eyes. Slowly Hisoka stood, rising out of the fog like a haloed specter.
"This fog is not natural," he stated calmly. His eyes dimmed suddenly, and Tsuzuki realized that he'd been using his astral sight. With a start, the mage drew a breath, not remembering having stopped breathing in the first place.
"Y-you startled me." He laughed nervously.
Hisoka didn't move. "I know. I could feel you coming."
Violet eyes blinked in confusion. "You could-oh! You're an empath! I'm sorry, I forgot!"
"Why are you apologizing?" Although Hisoka's stare remained unwavering, Tsuzuki could detect a hint of sullen surprise in the dragon's soft tone.
"Because I forgot, and I didn't mean to be projecting things like that at you. I came looking for you to see if you were okay."
"You were concerned about me?" There was definitely surprise this time, although he still sounded wary.
"Of course! You're my friend, aren't you?"
For a long moment, Hisoka didn't respond. Finally he lowered his gaze, and walked past Tsuzuki to the cottage.
"Baka. I'm nobody's friend. I'm just here to be cured, then I'm going h-then I'm leaving."
The mage watched him disappear into the darkness inside the back door. He wondered about the slip, but resolved not to question it. At least for the time being. After another few minutes of staring at the ghostly radiance of the fog, he followed Hisoka inside.
The atmosphere over breakfast the next morning was strained. Hisoka had avoided the mage last night, laying still and pretending to be asleep as Tsuzuki checked up on him before turning in. The problem with his act was that he had been too still. Sleeping people were never as tense as the young dragon had been. Since waking he had remained completely silent unless Tsuzuki had asked him a question that required a verbal answer.
The fact that the eggs were burnt and the pancakes contained twice the amount of sugar called for did not help the situation.
A sigh escaped the mage's lips, and was ignored by the sandy haired youth across the table. Obviously he had offended his guest last night, but Tsuzuki had no idea how. He wondered if a general apology might make it better.
"Na, Hisoka...?"
"...Aa?"
"Gomen nasai." Green eyes snapped up to stare at him, concealing a whirl of emotions and thoughts.
"Why?"
"Well, because I said something-or did something, I'm not sure- wrong last night I guess, 'cause you've been so distant-well, more than usual, and...." He shrugged.
"You...don't know why you're apologizing?"
"I'm apologizing because I must've done something wrong, and since you'll be here until we work out what to do, I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Hisoka did not seem to know how to take this statement, so he looked back down at his plate and continued pushing bits of browned scrambled egg around with his fork.
Of course, Tsuzuki noticed that he hadn't actually taken a bite.
"Aren't you hungry? I thought you'd be famished after sleeping so long."
"How long was I out?"
"Ano...a little over a month, actually."
"Was that elf over here every other night to make sure I hadn't killed you or something?"
"You really can't fault Tatsumi for being worried," Tsuzuki said, sounding hurt by the dragon's sarcasm. "He's been looking out for me for a long time now. And he's the one who got the clothes for you."
"I know. I thanked him last night and offered payment. He refused. I hadn't expected that."
Tsuzuki chuckled. "I wish I'd heard that. Tatsumi-refusing payment! You have no idea how strange that is for him."
Hisoka shrugged. "Whether he accepted or not doesn't matter. Once I'm back to normal, I can pay you and the elves from my hoard."
"Don't worry about it. None of us expect repayment. Residents of the Forest take care of each other."
"I'm not a resident."
"Not a permanent one maybe but-"
"And I don't carry debts. You will be repaid."
For a moment, Tsuzuki eyed him critically. "Anyone ever tell you that you're too serious about everything?"
"Too...serious...?" Hisoka laughed shortly, but the sound was far from amused.
"What?"
"Why don't we get started on breaking this curse? That is why I'm here, after all."
"A-aa. Right. Just...let me clean up these dishes. Then we'll get started." Hisoka nodded in acceptance and Tsuzuki cleared off the table.
The short time it took for Tsuzuki to clear the table and return from the kitchen told Hisoka that the dishes had been left in a messy pile for later. The same was likely true of last night's dinner dishes, as well as the ones he had cleared off the table yesterday. It was a wonder the house was not full of bugs considering the man's appalling cleaning habits.
"Ready to get to work, then? We can go outside to talk. It's a nice day." Muttering under his breath about impending pest problems, Hisoka followed the mage out into the front yard. Tsuzuki flopped onto the grass a few feet away from his front door. Hisoka took a seat facing him, exercising considerably more grace.
"So," he asked. "Where do we start?"
"Tell me what happened. I'll need to know exactly what he did before I can find a way to undo it." At the young dragon's wince, he offered a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard, but I'll need to know as much as you can tell me. We can go back inside if it makes you more comfortable...."
"No. It...it's okay. I'm fine." He took a deep breath, and Tsuzuki noticed that his hands were shaking. "Where do I start?"
"Where ever you feel easiest starting at, as long as you don't leave out any of the casting."
"Right. Okay. It...it started when he caught me. Do you know the effects iron has on fey creatures?" Tsuzuki nodded. "Well it affects dragons the same way. He tricked me into taking human form, and dropped an iron cage on me. I couldn't change back because of the iron...so I couldn't escape. He managed to...bind me...."
As he was talking, Hisoka had slowly drawn his knees up to his chest, and now sat hugging them, huddled in a tight ball sitting on the mossy grass of the forest floor. His vibrant eyes were haunted as he remembered what had been done to him and related the tale to Tsuzuki.
"He cut me...actually carved the curse into my skin with an iron knife. He didn't...didn't chant or anything, just cut me and laughed. It took him three days." Hisoka found himself unable to hold back a shudder. "I escaped when my clan came, and then I came here to seek help."
"Your clan rescued you?"
"...Aa."
"Did they kill this wizard...Muraki? Or is he still alive?"
"He's alive. I was the one sh-shamed: tricked, captured, and bespelled by a human. So I must be the one to kill him."
Tsuzuki watched him carefully, keeping his face unreadable. Even without having overheard bits of the dragon's nightmares, he would have realized that the youth had not been telling the whole story. Large pieces were missing; pieces that probably had a much more powerful impact on Hisoka than the loss of his form. It would be these pieces that would leave scars.
The mage bit his lip. It went against his nature to just sit by and watch someone dealing with a problem. He resisted the urge to hug Hisoka, knowing that the comfort of the gesture would be lost. It was with reluctance that he spoke.
"Is that all? There was nothing else to the casting?"
"...No. Nothing else."
"Do you know what phase the moon was in at the time? Was it new? That's a common time for black magic."
"No. It was full...and it shone red."
"Red?" Hisoka nodded mutely in response. "But...that's impossible! The moon affects the magic-not the other way around!"
"I know what I saw, mage." His voice was bleak, weary. "Three nights in a row...under a moon red as blood he...." Pale fists clenched around rough cloth as Hisoka fought to keep himself under control.
After several minutes of silence Tsuzuki spoke again, keeping his voice soft. "All right. What I'm going to do then is look through my books for any type of magic like that. That will give me a better understanding of what he did, and I may even find a reversal. If I can't find out how to break the curse that way, I can try to figure it out on my own."
Hisoka nodded, absently fingering the undyed linen of his shirt. "I'd like to help you look through your books."
"I thought you might. I have to warn you, though: it's pretty boring. All my books are downstairs, so there isn't much sun, and they're all old spell books-no interesting stories or anything."
"Are you implying that I'm a child?" Hisoka growled, bristling.
"No! No! Of course not! It really is boring! For me, anyway."
Some of the tension left the dragon's shoulders after the rushed explanation.
"So, are we finished out here?"
"Yeah. We can go inside and start searching for information now if you'd like."
"The sooner, the better," Hisoka said, rising to his feet. He led the way back to the cottage, with Tsuzuki following several steps behind.
As he approached the house, the mage frowned, troubled. From what Hisoka had told him, this Muraki was a powerful wizard. It was unheard of for the moon to change in any way during a work of magic.
The curse itself, though, was what really bothered him. If carving the marks into Hisoka's flesh left permanent scars...then the curse would likely be permanent as well. The possibility that the young dragon would be trapped in human form for the rest of his life was very real.
He shoved his worries to the back of his mind as he caught up with Hisoka inside. He didn't want to burden the youth with his suspicions. It wouldn't do any good to give him any reason to think the situation was hopeless when there was no proof. If it turned out that there truly was no way to break the curse, then he would tell the young dragon.
Firmly ignoring his doubts, Tsuzuki smiled and led Hisoka to his basement library.
Pairings: Tsuzuki/Hisoka (eventually)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. They belong to Yoko Matsushita. The setting is mine, tho.
Hisoka woke slowly, blinking his sensitive eyes in pain against the goldenrod rays of sunshine angling through the window. He looked around, confused, wondering where he was and why he wore human form. He sat up and stared at the pale hands resting limply on his lap. Slowly his mind caught up, and he remembered the cause of his current circumstances.
Hissing swears in dragon speech, he got out of bed and yanked off the overlarge tunic the mage had loaned him. It hadn't taken him long to learn that anger, or other strong negative emotions caused the curse to flare to life against his skin. So he concentrated now on memories to awaken the marks. He bit back what would have been a loud swear in a language the mage could understand when his trial revealed that the curse had not worn off during his rest.
For a long time he stood, shaking with rage, unable to think past what had been done to him...and what he wished to do for revenge. He clenched his fists, becoming even more furious as blood oozed from the cuts his nails opened in the soft palms.
He started and whirled, tensing, as the door opened behind him. His expression cleared and he stood straighter, calming down as Tsuzuki entered the room.
The mage smiled at him nervously. "Sorry. I heard noises, and I wasn't sure if you were actually awake this time, so I came-"
Hisoka blinked. "This time? What do you mean, this time?"
"Ah...you don't remember any of it?"
"Any of what?"
"You've been having nightmares." Tsuzuki looked at him with solemn purple eyes. "I came to check on you when I heard, but you wouldn't wake up."
Hisoka looked away, embarrassed. "I told you nothing could wake me up until my body was rested," he muttered. "...What did you hear?"
For a moment Tsuzuki was silent, wondering what he should tell the young dragon. "Nothing I could understand," he said finally.
Jade eyes watched him suspiciously. Hisoka didn't believe the lie, but it was more comfortable than discussing the nightmares further. He shrugged.
"Sorry I bothered you." As soon as the words left his mouth he winced. Proper dragons did not apologize except to more powerful dragons.
"It was no trouble." Tsuzuki's words were accompanied by a reassuring smile. "Would you like to have some dinner?"
"A...aa. Sure."
"You're in for a treat! I'll make you a special dish as my guest, and tomorrow we'll work on solving your problem." The mage padded out of the room to go begin preparations for dinner, then suddenly turned around and stuck his head back into the room. "Almost forgot! I had the elves bring by some clothes to fit you. They're in the dresser." He smiled, pointing to a small chest of drawers beside the bed. "Come on downstairs after you've changed."
Hisoka nodded and Tsuzuki left humming to himself, pleased to have a guest to talk to.
The dragon shook his head and shut the door before turning to the dresser. He looked through the drawers, picking out a pair of tan pants and a dark green shirt. All the clothes were soft cotton, dyed with simple shades of brown or green. Hisoka recognized it as being typical of elven cloth, and wondered how much he would be expected to pay for the clothes. He doubted the elves had given them to him for free.
Once he was comfortably attired in clothes that fit, he made his way down the stairs. An appetizing aroma wafted through the air, and he followed it to the kitchen, where he found Tsuzuki stirring a pot of something over a wood-burning stove.
"Almost ready," the mage said, not turning his attention from the bubbling concoction. "There's a table and chairs in the next room, if you want to have a seat."
Hisoka passed into the dining room, and eyed the dishes piled about the table with distaste. He gathered them up, and carried them carefully back to the kitchen.
"Oh! Sorry! I'll get those."
"You're cooking," Hisoka reminded him, setting the dishes into the sink. "Focus on that."
Amusement wove through the atmosphere. "Of course."
With the dishes taken care of for the moment, Hisoka retreated to the dining room and took a seat at the battered wooden table. He didn't have to wait long for Tsuzuki to enter with a pair of spoons and two bowls of steaming soup.
"Here you are!" Tsuzuki smiled widely. "I made it with my own special blend of spices!"
Hisoka accepted the bowl with a quiet 'thanks', and waited for Tsuzuki to sit down. Under the mage's encouraging smile, he lifted a spoonful of the thick soup to his mouth. As soon as the piping liquid touched his tongue he regretted trying it. He couldn't imagine how anything could taste so awful. The spoon dropped with a clatter as he clamped one hand to his mouth to keep from spitting the offending food all over the table. His other hand went to his throat as he forced himself to swallow something that was far too hot.
"Hisoka!" Tsuzuki was beside him in an instant, one hand on a slim shoulder, the other patting the dragon boy's back. "Are you alright? You're supposed to blow on it to cool it! Don't choke!"
"I-I'm fine...." He broke off, coughing.
Tsuzuki chuckled as his worry subsided. "You dragons really don't take on human form often, do you?"
"It's not...nevermind." Dragon etiquette was not generally so forgiving, but Hisoka held his tongue, judging it unwise to insult the mage he was seeking help from. "You can let go now." He glanced at the hand on his shoulder before turning a serious stare onto the mage himself.
"Sorry." Tsuzuki backed away, smiling in a lopsided, embarrassed sort of way that was actually quite amusing. It was only a lifetime of living by draconian codes of conduct that kept Hisoka from smiling back, or even laughing at the mage.
"I'm not really hungry right now." The soft scraping of wood on wood sounded briefly as he pushed away from the table. Stretching a bit, he stood and reached for his bowl and spoon to take them back to the kitchen. "I need some fresh air."
"I'll get those." Tsuzuki indicated the dishes with a smile. "You go on ahead outside. I'll join you when I finish cleaning up."
Hisoka nodded and set the bowls down, wondering absently if the mage would actually clean them up. Deciding that it didn't matter, he made his way to the front door, and the twilight world beyond.
As soon as he stepped outside, he regretted it. One of the elves, the tall one he had pegged as a village leader, was walking up the path to the cottage. Hisoka shut the door and took a few steps down the path before he stopped and waited for the elf to approach. He kept his face carefully blank. Proper dragons did not show emotion.
Tatsumi stopped several steps away and regarded Hisoka for a moment, wearing an equally unreadable expression.
"So," he said finally. "You are awake, young dragon."
Hisoka bowed his head slightly, keeping his eyes on the elf, but showing no surprise. "I thank your village for the clothes provided. I will repay you as soon as possible." Proper dragons did not carry debts.
"That will not be necessary. The clothing was given freely."
Jade eyes narrowed in suspicion as the dragon stared at Tatsumi. "No one does anything for free." The cynical certainty in his voice surprised the elf, and for a moment both were silent.
"How old are you?"
"Old enough to realize that truth."
"Little one, I highly doubt that-" Tatsumi stopped short as he heard a sharp intake of breath He stared at Hisoka, noticing that his skin had blanched, making him even paler than usual. He was holding himself rigid, trying unsuccessfully to hold back tremors. "What is it? What's wrong with you?"
"Don't," he began. His voice was quiet and shaking, and he had to start again. "Don't call me...that...."
Tatsumi stepped forward, reaching out a hand to grasp the youth's shoulder. He stared in shock as Hisoka leapt backward.
"Don't touch me!"
"Hisoka? Tatsumi?" The two looked to the door of the cottage where Tsuzuki stood peering out into the dim light of the clearing. He stepped outside, watching Hisoka with worried eyes. "What's going on?"
"Nothing!" Hisoka whirled and stormed off to the back yard, leaving Tsuzuki to stare questioningly at the elf.
Tatsumi lifted his arms in a graceful shrug. "Apparently he objects to being called 'little one'. Your guess as to why is as good as mine."
"Tatsumi...." The mage kept his voice low, and watched the corner of the house Hisoka had darted around. "Don't be mad at him. Please? He...he's been through a lot."
"Such as...?"
"I don't know exactly." However, Tsuzuki wouldn't meet Tatsumi's eyes, and the elf realized that he knew more than he was letting on. "The whole time he was asleep he had nightmares...bad ones. When he wasn't screaming, he was crying."
Both were silent for a time. Finally, Tatsumi ventured his own guess about the dragon.
"He really is very young, isn't he? Relatively speaking, I mean. Not much older than he looks."
"Not much older?" Tsuzuki laughed shortly. "No. He had to grow up too fast." He sighed. "I don't know if I can help him."
"Tsuzuki." Tatsumi laid a comforting hand on the mage's shoulder. "Just do your best. You can't take every affliction that crosses your way so seriously. You're much too caring."
A thin smile spread across Tsuzuki's face. "I know. You've been telling me that for years."
Darkness descended in full upon the forest, casting shadow over the two men. The sun had set completely, taking its warm yellow light with it. Fog began to rise amidst the trees like magic, wrapping translucent silver tendrils about the darkened trunks. The pair watched in silence. The fog was a familiar occurrence within the forest, and one of the reasons behind the various strange stories that circulated.
Tsuzuki's voice was hushed as he spoke. "Would you like to come in for some tea?"
"No, thank you. I merely came by to check on the boy's condition. I shall have to inform the village that he has awoken."
"I don't think he's a threat." The mage cast a sidelong glance at Tatsumi.
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. For now I shall keep everyone informed of his behavior."
"Tatsumi-" The elf raised a hand, cutting off Tsuzuki's protest.
"We will do nothing as long as he does not become a problem." There was nothing to say in response, so Tsuzuki bid him goodbye, and turned to look for Hisoka as Tatsumi disappeared into the silver shrouded trees.
He wandered into the back yard, scanning the fog carefully as he went. For the first time in many years he felt uneasy walking through the pale mist. As much as he wanted to ignore Tatsumi's suspicions, he had to admit to himself that he didn't know Hisoka very well. The dragon boy seemed withdrawn, but he was obviously holding in a great deal of anger and pain. Things like that could affect the mind, making a person unpredictable. On top of that, he had no idea what dragons were capable of.
Something glinted ahead of him and he froze. It took a moment for him to realize that the light was coming from a pair of leaf green eyes. Slowly Hisoka stood, rising out of the fog like a haloed specter.
"This fog is not natural," he stated calmly. His eyes dimmed suddenly, and Tsuzuki realized that he'd been using his astral sight. With a start, the mage drew a breath, not remembering having stopped breathing in the first place.
"Y-you startled me." He laughed nervously.
Hisoka didn't move. "I know. I could feel you coming."
Violet eyes blinked in confusion. "You could-oh! You're an empath! I'm sorry, I forgot!"
"Why are you apologizing?" Although Hisoka's stare remained unwavering, Tsuzuki could detect a hint of sullen surprise in the dragon's soft tone.
"Because I forgot, and I didn't mean to be projecting things like that at you. I came looking for you to see if you were okay."
"You were concerned about me?" There was definitely surprise this time, although he still sounded wary.
"Of course! You're my friend, aren't you?"
For a long moment, Hisoka didn't respond. Finally he lowered his gaze, and walked past Tsuzuki to the cottage.
"Baka. I'm nobody's friend. I'm just here to be cured, then I'm going h-then I'm leaving."
The mage watched him disappear into the darkness inside the back door. He wondered about the slip, but resolved not to question it. At least for the time being. After another few minutes of staring at the ghostly radiance of the fog, he followed Hisoka inside.
The atmosphere over breakfast the next morning was strained. Hisoka had avoided the mage last night, laying still and pretending to be asleep as Tsuzuki checked up on him before turning in. The problem with his act was that he had been too still. Sleeping people were never as tense as the young dragon had been. Since waking he had remained completely silent unless Tsuzuki had asked him a question that required a verbal answer.
The fact that the eggs were burnt and the pancakes contained twice the amount of sugar called for did not help the situation.
A sigh escaped the mage's lips, and was ignored by the sandy haired youth across the table. Obviously he had offended his guest last night, but Tsuzuki had no idea how. He wondered if a general apology might make it better.
"Na, Hisoka...?"
"...Aa?"
"Gomen nasai." Green eyes snapped up to stare at him, concealing a whirl of emotions and thoughts.
"Why?"
"Well, because I said something-or did something, I'm not sure- wrong last night I guess, 'cause you've been so distant-well, more than usual, and...." He shrugged.
"You...don't know why you're apologizing?"
"I'm apologizing because I must've done something wrong, and since you'll be here until we work out what to do, I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Hisoka did not seem to know how to take this statement, so he looked back down at his plate and continued pushing bits of browned scrambled egg around with his fork.
Of course, Tsuzuki noticed that he hadn't actually taken a bite.
"Aren't you hungry? I thought you'd be famished after sleeping so long."
"How long was I out?"
"Ano...a little over a month, actually."
"Was that elf over here every other night to make sure I hadn't killed you or something?"
"You really can't fault Tatsumi for being worried," Tsuzuki said, sounding hurt by the dragon's sarcasm. "He's been looking out for me for a long time now. And he's the one who got the clothes for you."
"I know. I thanked him last night and offered payment. He refused. I hadn't expected that."
Tsuzuki chuckled. "I wish I'd heard that. Tatsumi-refusing payment! You have no idea how strange that is for him."
Hisoka shrugged. "Whether he accepted or not doesn't matter. Once I'm back to normal, I can pay you and the elves from my hoard."
"Don't worry about it. None of us expect repayment. Residents of the Forest take care of each other."
"I'm not a resident."
"Not a permanent one maybe but-"
"And I don't carry debts. You will be repaid."
For a moment, Tsuzuki eyed him critically. "Anyone ever tell you that you're too serious about everything?"
"Too...serious...?" Hisoka laughed shortly, but the sound was far from amused.
"What?"
"Why don't we get started on breaking this curse? That is why I'm here, after all."
"A-aa. Right. Just...let me clean up these dishes. Then we'll get started." Hisoka nodded in acceptance and Tsuzuki cleared off the table.
The short time it took for Tsuzuki to clear the table and return from the kitchen told Hisoka that the dishes had been left in a messy pile for later. The same was likely true of last night's dinner dishes, as well as the ones he had cleared off the table yesterday. It was a wonder the house was not full of bugs considering the man's appalling cleaning habits.
"Ready to get to work, then? We can go outside to talk. It's a nice day." Muttering under his breath about impending pest problems, Hisoka followed the mage out into the front yard. Tsuzuki flopped onto the grass a few feet away from his front door. Hisoka took a seat facing him, exercising considerably more grace.
"So," he asked. "Where do we start?"
"Tell me what happened. I'll need to know exactly what he did before I can find a way to undo it." At the young dragon's wince, he offered a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard, but I'll need to know as much as you can tell me. We can go back inside if it makes you more comfortable...."
"No. It...it's okay. I'm fine." He took a deep breath, and Tsuzuki noticed that his hands were shaking. "Where do I start?"
"Where ever you feel easiest starting at, as long as you don't leave out any of the casting."
"Right. Okay. It...it started when he caught me. Do you know the effects iron has on fey creatures?" Tsuzuki nodded. "Well it affects dragons the same way. He tricked me into taking human form, and dropped an iron cage on me. I couldn't change back because of the iron...so I couldn't escape. He managed to...bind me...."
As he was talking, Hisoka had slowly drawn his knees up to his chest, and now sat hugging them, huddled in a tight ball sitting on the mossy grass of the forest floor. His vibrant eyes were haunted as he remembered what had been done to him and related the tale to Tsuzuki.
"He cut me...actually carved the curse into my skin with an iron knife. He didn't...didn't chant or anything, just cut me and laughed. It took him three days." Hisoka found himself unable to hold back a shudder. "I escaped when my clan came, and then I came here to seek help."
"Your clan rescued you?"
"...Aa."
"Did they kill this wizard...Muraki? Or is he still alive?"
"He's alive. I was the one sh-shamed: tricked, captured, and bespelled by a human. So I must be the one to kill him."
Tsuzuki watched him carefully, keeping his face unreadable. Even without having overheard bits of the dragon's nightmares, he would have realized that the youth had not been telling the whole story. Large pieces were missing; pieces that probably had a much more powerful impact on Hisoka than the loss of his form. It would be these pieces that would leave scars.
The mage bit his lip. It went against his nature to just sit by and watch someone dealing with a problem. He resisted the urge to hug Hisoka, knowing that the comfort of the gesture would be lost. It was with reluctance that he spoke.
"Is that all? There was nothing else to the casting?"
"...No. Nothing else."
"Do you know what phase the moon was in at the time? Was it new? That's a common time for black magic."
"No. It was full...and it shone red."
"Red?" Hisoka nodded mutely in response. "But...that's impossible! The moon affects the magic-not the other way around!"
"I know what I saw, mage." His voice was bleak, weary. "Three nights in a row...under a moon red as blood he...." Pale fists clenched around rough cloth as Hisoka fought to keep himself under control.
After several minutes of silence Tsuzuki spoke again, keeping his voice soft. "All right. What I'm going to do then is look through my books for any type of magic like that. That will give me a better understanding of what he did, and I may even find a reversal. If I can't find out how to break the curse that way, I can try to figure it out on my own."
Hisoka nodded, absently fingering the undyed linen of his shirt. "I'd like to help you look through your books."
"I thought you might. I have to warn you, though: it's pretty boring. All my books are downstairs, so there isn't much sun, and they're all old spell books-no interesting stories or anything."
"Are you implying that I'm a child?" Hisoka growled, bristling.
"No! No! Of course not! It really is boring! For me, anyway."
Some of the tension left the dragon's shoulders after the rushed explanation.
"So, are we finished out here?"
"Yeah. We can go inside and start searching for information now if you'd like."
"The sooner, the better," Hisoka said, rising to his feet. He led the way back to the cottage, with Tsuzuki following several steps behind.
As he approached the house, the mage frowned, troubled. From what Hisoka had told him, this Muraki was a powerful wizard. It was unheard of for the moon to change in any way during a work of magic.
The curse itself, though, was what really bothered him. If carving the marks into Hisoka's flesh left permanent scars...then the curse would likely be permanent as well. The possibility that the young dragon would be trapped in human form for the rest of his life was very real.
He shoved his worries to the back of his mind as he caught up with Hisoka inside. He didn't want to burden the youth with his suspicions. It wouldn't do any good to give him any reason to think the situation was hopeless when there was no proof. If it turned out that there truly was no way to break the curse, then he would tell the young dragon.
Firmly ignoring his doubts, Tsuzuki smiled and led Hisoka to his basement library.