I am SO sorry this is taking so long. Honestly, I'm definitely not the brightest crayon in the box, posting this long thing without having it entirely finished beforehand. I know I said this would be the last chapter, but guess what...I apparently suck at estimating story length. There's one final chapter, but Imbrii, who very generously read through it for me, said it probably needed a more definite ending, so I'll need to fix that. (And just in case that comes out sounding sarcastic, it was NOT. I am extremely grateful for whatever help/tips/criticism I get that can help me write better.)
I swear I'm not delaying this on purpose. I really don't want to be a bother. ^^* I've learned my lesson about multi-chapter stories, though. I am never posing one of those here again until I have the whole thing finished.
So, the situation as it stands is that the final chapter just needs to have a few loose ends tied off, the second half of the omake chapter needs to be rewritten, and I am rather short on time due to massive amounts of schoolwork. I promised earlier that the omake and the last chapter would be posted at the same time, but if y'all want me to post the final chapter as soon as it's fixed and you don't mind waiting for the omake, please let me know. Otherwise, I'm sticking to my promise, and it'll prolly be a bit of a wait. Again, very sorry about this, but at least that way I won't be slow and a promise-breaker at the same time.
Peridot is a charming little almost-olive green stone, translucent just like quartz, and a very nice description of Hisoka-kitten's eye color.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. They belong to Yoko Matsushita. The setting is mine, tho.
~*~})|({~*~
To say that Tsuzuki had become slightly overprotective of his apprentice would be a great understatement. The argument that began when he insisted that Hisoka eat breakfast in bed lasted until Tatsumi finally tired of the racket and swooped in, trailing agitated shadows behind him. Towering over Tsuzuki who flinched away from the grasping forms of darkness, the irate Shadow Master soon pronounced Hisoka well enough to walk to the dining room.
The dragon immediately took to his feet as Tsuzuki complained that he needed rest. Tatsumi lectured him shortly on how absurd he was acting, and the mage pouted, but stopped trying to prevent Hisoka from walking around. To make himself feel better, he created a sling to support the dragon's broken arm.
Fortunately, Tsuzuki remembered the previous night's demonstration and didn't attempt to feed Hisoka himself. However, convinced that the dragon somehow was not getting enough nutrition to heal properly, he heaped a plate with three times the amount of food his apprentice normally ate. That earned him lectures from both Hisoka and Tatsumi on not treating the dragon like a child, and not wasting food. He remained sullenly silent through the rest of the meal.
Of course, when Hisoka insisted on taking a bath after breakfast, a whole new argument started. Tsuzuki insisted that he would need help, especially with the re-bandaging afterwards. Hisoka, however, was having none of it.
"Absolutely not! I'm not helpless!"
"No, but you need help for this!"
"Oh no I don't!"
"Oh yes you--hey! Where are you going?"
"To take a bath! I refuse to spend anymore time covered in dirt and blood!"
"But how are you going to take care of yourself afterwards when you can only use one arm? You can't just leave everything open!"
"I'll manage! I don't need your help!"
"Yes you do! You're just too stubborn to admit it!"
"I am not too stubborn! I know what I'm doing! Quit worrying at me!"
"'Worrying at' you? I am not 'worrying at' you! I'm trying to help!"
"Well I don't need help!"
"Yes you do! What's the problem anyways? I'm the one who bound your wounds in the first place!"
"So that's it!"
"So what's it?"
"You just want an excuse to get your hands on me!"
"Are you calling me a pervert?!"
Hisoka suddenly realized that the argument had gone too far. The insinuation that Tsuzuki could have a reason like that for insisting on helping had deeply wounded the mage. He cast remorseful peridot eyes downward, ashamed for saying something so horrible.
"I didn't mean it like that," he muttered.
Tsuzuki flapped his hand at Hisoka in a gesture of dismissal. "Of course not. Don't worry about it--just go take your bath."
The dragon's shoulders slumped as he padded back to the guest room to pick up a change of clothes. Despite his attempt to brush off Hisoka's slip of the tongue, it was painfully obvious that Tsuzuki was upset. He sighed, annoyed and upset himself, and made his way into the bathroom to clean up and calm down.
Half an hour later, Hisoka had managed to, literally single handedly, clean the blood and dirt off his skin and out of his hair. He watched the ripples on the surface of the water for several minutes before he climbed out of the tub.
Ignoring the tangle of bandages he had dropped on the floor earlier, he picked up a towel. With a scowl he began carefully drying himself, cursing his obstinacy. This really would have been a lot easier with Tsuzuki's help. What was the worst that could have happened? The mage was trustworthy, honorable. He had no ulterior motives behind his desire to help.
Slowly it dawned on Hisoka that he could feel the mage outside the door; hesitant, anxious, and concerned. Blast the man, he knew that Hisoka needed help, but he also knew that the dragon's pride would neither let him ask for it, nor accept an offer.
Hisoka threw the wet towel aside and turned his scowl to his broken arm. He had left it in the sling while he bathed to keep the useless thing from flopping around and becoming worse.
Brittle human bones, he thought with disgust.
Now, however, it seemed like that had been a mistake. The sling was almost painfully heavy, dripping excess water and cutting into him where it hooked over his shoulder. Tugging at the knots, he found that the water had made it impossible to loosen them single handedly. Hisoka swore.
"Hisoka?" The hesitant call came from Tsuzuki. "You okay?"
"...I can't get the sling off."
"You left it on?" He could picture the incredulity on the man's face.
"You said my arm needed support!"
Tsuzuki sighed. "Would you like me to try and see if I can get it off?" His offer was met with silence. "I'm coming in," he called, opening the door slowly.
Tsuzuki's entrance was met by an apprehensive glare from Hisoka as he stood naked beside the tub. The dragon stood tense, but said nothing as Tsuzuki closed the door and drew closer.
"Here, why don't we wrap a towel around your waist while I fix that?"
Still, Hisoka remained silent, providing what little help he could as the mage pulled out a towel and turned it round his slim hips.
To a dragon, there was nothing shameful about nudity. What need had the great scaled mages for clothes, after all? Dragons knew enough to conceal themselves behind fabric around humans in human form, but few ever found themselves embarrassed by such things.
Most, however, did not understand the dangers associated with human lust. It was a rare dragon indeed that realized humans could be thoughtlessly attracted to form rather than character. Hisoka understood this well, and so was wary, but not ashamed, to be seen unclothed.
However, Tsuzuki's emotions as he inspected the sling's knots were all caring and concern and that curious warmth, and Hisoka found himself relaxing ever so slightly.
Tugging futilely at the knots, Tsuzuki sighed. "I'm going to have to cut it and make a new one. I can't get it undone."
The dragon shrugged. Watching the mage slowly pull out a small belt knife, Hisoka repressed an irritated sigh. Pride kept him from rushing Tsuzuki. He had neither asked for help nor actually agreed to it. Asking the mage to stop being so careful about startling him would be like backing down.
Tsuzuki caught on to his irritation and cut quickly through the sling. The two exchanged no words as he moved on to unwrapping and re-splinting the arm. As he worked, he covertly inspected the slashes across Hisoka's chest, determining that they too should be re-bandaged.
The room was silent save for the rustle of cloth as Tsuzuki checked wounds, salving and wrapping the worst. To speak would have been to acknowledge that Hisoka needed help, that he had been unable to take care of himself. Knowing that, both accepted the silence as necessary, though Tsuzuki wished Hisoka would realize that there was nothing wrong with needing someone.
He clapped the dragon lightly on the shoulder and backed away when he finished. Hisoka dropped onto a stool and examined his legs as Tsuzuki looked on. Tugging the towel back and forth, Hisoka was able to check the cuts while keeping himself mostly covered. As he ran his fingers over the outside of his thigh, he winced and looked down at the scarlet-stained tips.
It was simple enough to retrieve a roll of clean gauze and lay one end over his bleeding limb, but when it came to wrapping the cloth under and around his leg to bind the wound, Hisoka found himself stumped. He frowned at the gauze as a larger set of hands entered his vision, covering his own pale fingers.
"I'll do it."
Jade eyes glittered with irritation. "I don't need your help. I can do it myself."
"Of course." Tsuzuki smiled. "I just thought that it might go a bit quicker if I did it." To placate his apprentice he added: "I've had more practice."
Hisoka looked away and let go of the gauze, dropping his arm to his side as Tsuzuki knelt and began to pass the cloth around his leg. The mage was gentle as he worked, and the occasional skin-on-skin brushes sent reassuring waves of care into Hisoka. The dragon inhaled deeply, taking in the man's scent: a combination of earth, cinnamon, and clean clothes.
Something about the situation, about how Tsuzuki seemed to embody comfort and safety, finally broke through Hisoka's resolve to forget about the attack. He closed his eyes and held himself still, trying not to let the furious, shamed tears fall from between his lashes.
It was several long moments before a tear plipped onto the back of Tsuzuki's hand, alerting him to the situation. Looking up from his task, he immediately dropped the gauze and wrapped his arms around Hisoka's bare shoulders, trying to project reassurance and care through the contact.
Left fist clenched resolutely at his side, Hisoka fought harder against the tears he didn't want to shed. Wasn't it bad enough that he couldn't even take care of the wounds on his own? This dependency on others scared him. He sniffed and sat rigid, tensing his shoulders until it hurt to keep them from shaking.
"It's okay to accept comfort." Tsuzuki's voice was low and soft...soothing. "It's okay to believe in people."
Hisoka bit his tongue, squeezing his eyes closed tighter to stop the saline flow.
"I'm not your family, Hisoka. I'm your friend. You chose me just as I chose you. I want to help you."
"I don't...need...help."
"Everyone needs help sometimes. Are you afraid I'll think less of you if you admit it?"
"No." That had been a blatant lie, and both of them realized it.
The mage pulled back a bit, sliding his hands to rest on the dragon's shoulders.
"Look at me, Hisoka. Let me see your eyes."
Slowly he complied, looking up to see Tsuzuki's warm smile.
"I just want to help you. I don't want to see you hurt or in pain." Hesitantly, he reached up to brush a lock of damp hair away from Hisoka's face. "I know that you probably don't want to hear this right now, but I really do love you. You mean a lot to me, and that isn't something that's just going to go away because you couldn't bandage yourself with only one good arm." A short breath of a laugh escaped him at the absurdity of that idea. "You've been through a lot, and I'm here for you if you need to let it out."
He meant it, every bit of it, but Hisoka had regained control. He'd always been taught to seek out weakness, both in himself and in others. His weakness was emotion, and developing complete control had been a necessity. The momentary lapse that had led to the tears had passed, and he schooled his features back into the calm expression that gave nothing away. Tsuzuki's smile faltered.
"Hisoka...." He sighed shortly and turned his attention back to bandaging the wound. "All right. Almost done."
Watching the mage evenly as he worked, Hisoka focused on the events to come as they had been laid out. Tonight Tsuzuki would go to confront Muraki. At worst, the mage would be killed. There wasn't much of an 'at best' scenario, since killing Muraki would be the only way to stop him, and that option would probably end up making Tsuzuki feel guilty for taking a life. Either way, Hisoka planned to be there for whatever happened. He just had to find a way around whoever Tsuzuki set to watch him, which he realized would probably be the easiest thing he would have to do.
~*~})|({~*~
It wasn't until just after dinner that Tsuzuki made any mention at all of meeting Muraki. Hisoka was tucked into a large armchair, reading and listening to Tsuzuki and Tatsumi chat as they cleaned up the kitchen.
"I've got to refresh the wards around the village tonight. Would you do me a favor and make sure Hisoka gets some sleep? The spell has to be cast fairly late, and I don't want him wandering after me instead of resting."
Tatsumi paused and turned to look at Tsuzuki. "You're lying," he said flatly.
Hisoka smirked, looking up from his book to watch. Tsuzuki was going to have a hard time explaining this.
"Not entirely. I really don't want Hisoka following me."
"Tell him why, mage."
Tsuzuki shot a look of exasperation in Hisoka's direction. Tatsumi shifted, crossing his arms in a subtle change of demeanor that demanded seriousness.
"What precisely is happening tonight?"
With a defeated sigh, Tsuzuki walked past him into the sitting room, knowing he was caught. Tatsumi followed sedately behind, waiting as the mage dropped down onto the couch, and frowned at Hisoka again. He hunched over to stare at his hands as they lay limp in his lap.
"Muraki has requested that I meet with him."
"Explain, please, why you would consider this. If he is as dangerous as Hisoka-kun says--"
"That's just it! He's every bit as dangerous as Hisoka says." Cloth rustled for a moment as Tsuzuki rummaged through one of his pockets, fishing out a crumpled slip of paper. He passed the note gravely to Tatsumi. "He left this in Hisoka's room last night. Came and went while he was sleeping."
The elf's silence weighed heavily for a long minute. It was his house that had been broken into, and a guest in his charge that had been threatened, however subtly. It was unforgivable that such things should have happened, more so when the people he cared about were endangered.
"I see your dilemma," he said slowly. "I will accompany you."
"No! Tatsumi, you can't. I need you to stay with Hisoka."
"I don't need a babysitter," the dragon snarled.
"You don't need to get involved."
"I was involved long before you ever met me! I've a right to face him!"
"Is that what this is? Some sort of power trip/vengeance thing? Hisoka, you need to stay out of his way right now. You're already hurt, he could--"
"You've got no right to keep me from going."
Tsuzuki's eyes flashed, harsh and gem-like. "I am your master, little mage-to-be, and I am ordering you to stay here."
"I'm resigning from my apprenticeship if this is what it's gonna cost me!"
Tatsumi cleared his throat, effectively silencing the pair. They looked up at him, both demanding silently to be judged right. He stared evenly at both of them before pronouncing his judgment.
"Hisoka-kun shall stay with me while Tsuzuki goes to speak with the wizard."
"I'm not--" Hisoka's protest halted as the elf raised a hand for silence.
"I will keep an eye on Tsuzuki through the shadows. If anything goes wrong, I will bring him back."
"And if you can't?" The dragon glared as he challenged Tatsumi, switching to astral sight. "What if he turns out to be a shadow user?"
"He is not. I would know if it were so."
"Hisoka, just once quit being so stubborn! I'll come back, I swear."
"What have I told you about making promises you can't keep?"
"'Soka...."
He looked away from Tsuzuki's pleading face, gaze focusing on one of the bare walls of Tatsumi's sitting room. The elf slipped out to go finish cleaning the kitchen. Tsuzuki remained motionless, watching.
"Do what you want."
The mage sighed and reached over to brush at the bangs that shadowed Hisoka's forehead. He placed a quick kiss on the uncovered skin, pretending to ignore the dragon's wince as Hisoka was pretending to ignore him.
"I will come back," he whispered.
The next several hours were passed in a tense almost-silence. Tatsumi wandered around in what would have been a casual house cleaning routine, save for the late hour and his unnatural attention to the tiniest of details. Tsuzuki meandered about for no apparent reason, trailing anxiety and no small amount of guilt as he went. Hisoka sat still in his chair, reading the same page of his book four times while trying not to look like he was going crazy from the attempts to simulate a casual atmosphere.
Twenty minutes before eleven, Tsuzuki's path led him to the front door of the cottage. His demeanor had changed, taking on grim purpose in place of the consuming dread that had filled him to that point.
Tatsumi entered the room as he was tugging on his cloak. The elf stood in the doorway that led to the kitchen, his iron control over his emotions a blessing to Hisoka's strained empathy. He seemed completely timeless, a pillar of quiet support, unshakeable by any circumstances. Hisoka envied him that control and strength, respecting him for it at the same time.
Gentle hands entered Hisoka's view, closing his book with a hollow thud. Looking up, he saw Tsuzuki, almost too close for comfort, watching him. He looked away from the mage's kind smile.
"Are you so angry that you aren't even going to say goodbye?"
"...Among the dragons, when one has to leave on a difficult task, no one treats it as anything out of the ordinary. To focus so readily on the danger is to invite misfortune." He looked up, expression still revealing nothing. "I'll see you in a little while."
Hisoka tugged his book out of Tsuzuki's grip and opened it again to continue reading. It had certainly not been the reaction Tsuzuki had expected, and he wondered if Hisoka had actually given up on following him. Somehow, the idea didn't seem very likely.
Tatsumi had moved to stand beside the door, waiting to wish Tsuzuki well as he left. He smiled, just a little bit, to reassure his friend that he would be watching and waiting, ready to help if needed.
Tsuzuki returned the smile, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Hisoka. "Keep an eye on him. I'll be back soon."
He stepped out into the night, playful breezes tugging at his cloak as he was swallowed by the mist. Tatsumi stared out after him, wishing his vision could follow the mage further. Beside him, the slight sound of bare feet against wood signaled Hisoka's approach.
The dragon stopped just beside Tatsumi, seemingly having no desire to chase after Tsuzuki. His posture was relaxed and his expression calm, but his eyes were lit once again by the strange light that meant he was seeing more than what was apparent on the physical plane. His attention was locked on a point in the fog that Tatsumi was sure was Tsuzuki, though he could not see the man himself. For the briefest of moments as he studied the young dragon, that intent gaze reminded him of nothing less than a cat following the movements of its next meal.
Frowning vaguely he dismissed the notion, staring out at the glimmering cloud that blanketed the village. Beautiful, ethereal, mysterious...the silver vapor was all of these things, but at that point in time, Tatsumi cursed it for limiting his vision, denying him the chance to watch over his friend without peering into the darkness of shadows to do so.
"Who created the fog?"
For all that the tone was subdued, the question was abrupt and startled Tatsumi out of his thoughts. He looked once again to Hisoka, who stood just has he had earlier, peering out at the mist with that eerie gaze that caught so much more than most.
"I beg your pardon?"
"The fog...mist...whatever it is.... Who created it?"
"The mist simply is. It always has been."
"It shouldn't be." His eyes narrowed. "I told Tsuzuki before: that mist isn't natural. He didn't know anything about it. Now you tell me there's nothing wrong with it...." He broke off, still staring into the earth-bound cloud. "Do elves not have a connection to nature?"
"Of course. Why do you ask?"
"Would you be able to sense if something was intrinsically unnatural about the mist? If there was something wrong about it?"
"There is nothing wrong with the mist."
Hisoka hissed a draconian swear, one that Tsuzuki had once related a translation of to the elf. He adjusted his glasses in disapproval.
"Was that necessary?"
"There's too much magic out there for that to be natural."
"What do you mean?"
"That mist is nothing more than condensed magic. The way it shines.... I want to know where it came from and what it's for, because I have never heard of magic doing this anywhere else...especially not naturally."
"And how do you know that the 'shine' is not merely the mist itself?"
Finally Hisoka turned his gaze away from the night outside to look up at Tatsumi. His eyes continued to glow, though there was the slightest change in the light. It seemed bluer almost, making his peridot eyes darker, more set apart from his pallid face. Those slitted eyes were nearly hypnotic: pools of steady-lit emerald, deep and calm, masking buried power. Tatsumi shook his head, pressing slender fingers to his temple. He'd read once that the gaze of a dragon could entrance the unwary. Now he could see why. It was little wonder Tsuzuki had fallen for such an enchanting creature.
Hisoka did not seem to notice. He was gesturing at the shadowed expanse beyond the door. Frustration colored his speech, and his fangs glinted as he talked.
"Are my eyes glowing or not? It happens when I look at something with power, energy, magic. Do you see anyone out there to provide an aura for my eyes to reflect?"
"It does not matter whether the mist is magical or not. It has existed for centuries just as it is. I see no reason to become worked up over it."
Hisoka muttered something unintelligible and turned away as Tatsumi closed the door. The elf moved to a corner of the room which housed a tall, thinly cushioned chair. Behind it, an oil lamp was braced on the wall. As he sat, he could easily look down into the pool of shadow on the floor. It made for a perfect place to scry.
He settled himself easily into a routine of meditative breathing which would make calling on the shadows easier. Soon the darkness began to shift, and not long after that he could make out Tsuzuki's figure striding through the woods.
"I suppose you're still not going to let me go after him, are you?" Hisoka had moved to stand beside him. He watched the elf carefully, noting his concentration on the shadow image.
"No. Tsuzuki was right to ask you to stay behind. It is safer here."
"Being safe here won't help him."
"Knowing you are safe will help more than you realize."
There was a pause. "I suppose.... That's all right, though. He won't know I've left unless I let him."
Tatsumi looked up at him and the image wavered. "What do you--"
He was cut off as Hisoka grabbed his hand, forcing entry into his mind. Tatsumi's mental shields were strong, but no match for even a self-trained empath. All he had to do was break through those shields, and he would be able to loosen the elf's protective spells. From there, it was a simple matter to cast a sleep spell. In less than five minutes, Tatsumi was slumped unconscious in his chair and the shadows in the room were nothing more than patches of darkness.
"I'm going to be there whether any of you like it or not." So saying, Hisoka spun on his heel and hurried out of the cottage.
I swear I'm not delaying this on purpose. I really don't want to be a bother. ^^* I've learned my lesson about multi-chapter stories, though. I am never posing one of those here again until I have the whole thing finished.
So, the situation as it stands is that the final chapter just needs to have a few loose ends tied off, the second half of the omake chapter needs to be rewritten, and I am rather short on time due to massive amounts of schoolwork. I promised earlier that the omake and the last chapter would be posted at the same time, but if y'all want me to post the final chapter as soon as it's fixed and you don't mind waiting for the omake, please let me know. Otherwise, I'm sticking to my promise, and it'll prolly be a bit of a wait. Again, very sorry about this, but at least that way I won't be slow and a promise-breaker at the same time.
Peridot is a charming little almost-olive green stone, translucent just like quartz, and a very nice description of Hisoka-kitten's eye color.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story. They belong to Yoko Matsushita. The setting is mine, tho.
~*~})|({~*~
To say that Tsuzuki had become slightly overprotective of his apprentice would be a great understatement. The argument that began when he insisted that Hisoka eat breakfast in bed lasted until Tatsumi finally tired of the racket and swooped in, trailing agitated shadows behind him. Towering over Tsuzuki who flinched away from the grasping forms of darkness, the irate Shadow Master soon pronounced Hisoka well enough to walk to the dining room.
The dragon immediately took to his feet as Tsuzuki complained that he needed rest. Tatsumi lectured him shortly on how absurd he was acting, and the mage pouted, but stopped trying to prevent Hisoka from walking around. To make himself feel better, he created a sling to support the dragon's broken arm.
Fortunately, Tsuzuki remembered the previous night's demonstration and didn't attempt to feed Hisoka himself. However, convinced that the dragon somehow was not getting enough nutrition to heal properly, he heaped a plate with three times the amount of food his apprentice normally ate. That earned him lectures from both Hisoka and Tatsumi on not treating the dragon like a child, and not wasting food. He remained sullenly silent through the rest of the meal.
Of course, when Hisoka insisted on taking a bath after breakfast, a whole new argument started. Tsuzuki insisted that he would need help, especially with the re-bandaging afterwards. Hisoka, however, was having none of it.
"Absolutely not! I'm not helpless!"
"No, but you need help for this!"
"Oh no I don't!"
"Oh yes you--hey! Where are you going?"
"To take a bath! I refuse to spend anymore time covered in dirt and blood!"
"But how are you going to take care of yourself afterwards when you can only use one arm? You can't just leave everything open!"
"I'll manage! I don't need your help!"
"Yes you do! You're just too stubborn to admit it!"
"I am not too stubborn! I know what I'm doing! Quit worrying at me!"
"'Worrying at' you? I am not 'worrying at' you! I'm trying to help!"
"Well I don't need help!"
"Yes you do! What's the problem anyways? I'm the one who bound your wounds in the first place!"
"So that's it!"
"So what's it?"
"You just want an excuse to get your hands on me!"
"Are you calling me a pervert?!"
Hisoka suddenly realized that the argument had gone too far. The insinuation that Tsuzuki could have a reason like that for insisting on helping had deeply wounded the mage. He cast remorseful peridot eyes downward, ashamed for saying something so horrible.
"I didn't mean it like that," he muttered.
Tsuzuki flapped his hand at Hisoka in a gesture of dismissal. "Of course not. Don't worry about it--just go take your bath."
The dragon's shoulders slumped as he padded back to the guest room to pick up a change of clothes. Despite his attempt to brush off Hisoka's slip of the tongue, it was painfully obvious that Tsuzuki was upset. He sighed, annoyed and upset himself, and made his way into the bathroom to clean up and calm down.
Half an hour later, Hisoka had managed to, literally single handedly, clean the blood and dirt off his skin and out of his hair. He watched the ripples on the surface of the water for several minutes before he climbed out of the tub.
Ignoring the tangle of bandages he had dropped on the floor earlier, he picked up a towel. With a scowl he began carefully drying himself, cursing his obstinacy. This really would have been a lot easier with Tsuzuki's help. What was the worst that could have happened? The mage was trustworthy, honorable. He had no ulterior motives behind his desire to help.
Slowly it dawned on Hisoka that he could feel the mage outside the door; hesitant, anxious, and concerned. Blast the man, he knew that Hisoka needed help, but he also knew that the dragon's pride would neither let him ask for it, nor accept an offer.
Hisoka threw the wet towel aside and turned his scowl to his broken arm. He had left it in the sling while he bathed to keep the useless thing from flopping around and becoming worse.
Brittle human bones, he thought with disgust.
Now, however, it seemed like that had been a mistake. The sling was almost painfully heavy, dripping excess water and cutting into him where it hooked over his shoulder. Tugging at the knots, he found that the water had made it impossible to loosen them single handedly. Hisoka swore.
"Hisoka?" The hesitant call came from Tsuzuki. "You okay?"
"...I can't get the sling off."
"You left it on?" He could picture the incredulity on the man's face.
"You said my arm needed support!"
Tsuzuki sighed. "Would you like me to try and see if I can get it off?" His offer was met with silence. "I'm coming in," he called, opening the door slowly.
Tsuzuki's entrance was met by an apprehensive glare from Hisoka as he stood naked beside the tub. The dragon stood tense, but said nothing as Tsuzuki closed the door and drew closer.
"Here, why don't we wrap a towel around your waist while I fix that?"
Still, Hisoka remained silent, providing what little help he could as the mage pulled out a towel and turned it round his slim hips.
To a dragon, there was nothing shameful about nudity. What need had the great scaled mages for clothes, after all? Dragons knew enough to conceal themselves behind fabric around humans in human form, but few ever found themselves embarrassed by such things.
Most, however, did not understand the dangers associated with human lust. It was a rare dragon indeed that realized humans could be thoughtlessly attracted to form rather than character. Hisoka understood this well, and so was wary, but not ashamed, to be seen unclothed.
However, Tsuzuki's emotions as he inspected the sling's knots were all caring and concern and that curious warmth, and Hisoka found himself relaxing ever so slightly.
Tugging futilely at the knots, Tsuzuki sighed. "I'm going to have to cut it and make a new one. I can't get it undone."
The dragon shrugged. Watching the mage slowly pull out a small belt knife, Hisoka repressed an irritated sigh. Pride kept him from rushing Tsuzuki. He had neither asked for help nor actually agreed to it. Asking the mage to stop being so careful about startling him would be like backing down.
Tsuzuki caught on to his irritation and cut quickly through the sling. The two exchanged no words as he moved on to unwrapping and re-splinting the arm. As he worked, he covertly inspected the slashes across Hisoka's chest, determining that they too should be re-bandaged.
The room was silent save for the rustle of cloth as Tsuzuki checked wounds, salving and wrapping the worst. To speak would have been to acknowledge that Hisoka needed help, that he had been unable to take care of himself. Knowing that, both accepted the silence as necessary, though Tsuzuki wished Hisoka would realize that there was nothing wrong with needing someone.
He clapped the dragon lightly on the shoulder and backed away when he finished. Hisoka dropped onto a stool and examined his legs as Tsuzuki looked on. Tugging the towel back and forth, Hisoka was able to check the cuts while keeping himself mostly covered. As he ran his fingers over the outside of his thigh, he winced and looked down at the scarlet-stained tips.
It was simple enough to retrieve a roll of clean gauze and lay one end over his bleeding limb, but when it came to wrapping the cloth under and around his leg to bind the wound, Hisoka found himself stumped. He frowned at the gauze as a larger set of hands entered his vision, covering his own pale fingers.
"I'll do it."
Jade eyes glittered with irritation. "I don't need your help. I can do it myself."
"Of course." Tsuzuki smiled. "I just thought that it might go a bit quicker if I did it." To placate his apprentice he added: "I've had more practice."
Hisoka looked away and let go of the gauze, dropping his arm to his side as Tsuzuki knelt and began to pass the cloth around his leg. The mage was gentle as he worked, and the occasional skin-on-skin brushes sent reassuring waves of care into Hisoka. The dragon inhaled deeply, taking in the man's scent: a combination of earth, cinnamon, and clean clothes.
Something about the situation, about how Tsuzuki seemed to embody comfort and safety, finally broke through Hisoka's resolve to forget about the attack. He closed his eyes and held himself still, trying not to let the furious, shamed tears fall from between his lashes.
It was several long moments before a tear plipped onto the back of Tsuzuki's hand, alerting him to the situation. Looking up from his task, he immediately dropped the gauze and wrapped his arms around Hisoka's bare shoulders, trying to project reassurance and care through the contact.
Left fist clenched resolutely at his side, Hisoka fought harder against the tears he didn't want to shed. Wasn't it bad enough that he couldn't even take care of the wounds on his own? This dependency on others scared him. He sniffed and sat rigid, tensing his shoulders until it hurt to keep them from shaking.
"It's okay to accept comfort." Tsuzuki's voice was low and soft...soothing. "It's okay to believe in people."
Hisoka bit his tongue, squeezing his eyes closed tighter to stop the saline flow.
"I'm not your family, Hisoka. I'm your friend. You chose me just as I chose you. I want to help you."
"I don't...need...help."
"Everyone needs help sometimes. Are you afraid I'll think less of you if you admit it?"
"No." That had been a blatant lie, and both of them realized it.
The mage pulled back a bit, sliding his hands to rest on the dragon's shoulders.
"Look at me, Hisoka. Let me see your eyes."
Slowly he complied, looking up to see Tsuzuki's warm smile.
"I just want to help you. I don't want to see you hurt or in pain." Hesitantly, he reached up to brush a lock of damp hair away from Hisoka's face. "I know that you probably don't want to hear this right now, but I really do love you. You mean a lot to me, and that isn't something that's just going to go away because you couldn't bandage yourself with only one good arm." A short breath of a laugh escaped him at the absurdity of that idea. "You've been through a lot, and I'm here for you if you need to let it out."
He meant it, every bit of it, but Hisoka had regained control. He'd always been taught to seek out weakness, both in himself and in others. His weakness was emotion, and developing complete control had been a necessity. The momentary lapse that had led to the tears had passed, and he schooled his features back into the calm expression that gave nothing away. Tsuzuki's smile faltered.
"Hisoka...." He sighed shortly and turned his attention back to bandaging the wound. "All right. Almost done."
Watching the mage evenly as he worked, Hisoka focused on the events to come as they had been laid out. Tonight Tsuzuki would go to confront Muraki. At worst, the mage would be killed. There wasn't much of an 'at best' scenario, since killing Muraki would be the only way to stop him, and that option would probably end up making Tsuzuki feel guilty for taking a life. Either way, Hisoka planned to be there for whatever happened. He just had to find a way around whoever Tsuzuki set to watch him, which he realized would probably be the easiest thing he would have to do.
~*~})|({~*~
It wasn't until just after dinner that Tsuzuki made any mention at all of meeting Muraki. Hisoka was tucked into a large armchair, reading and listening to Tsuzuki and Tatsumi chat as they cleaned up the kitchen.
"I've got to refresh the wards around the village tonight. Would you do me a favor and make sure Hisoka gets some sleep? The spell has to be cast fairly late, and I don't want him wandering after me instead of resting."
Tatsumi paused and turned to look at Tsuzuki. "You're lying," he said flatly.
Hisoka smirked, looking up from his book to watch. Tsuzuki was going to have a hard time explaining this.
"Not entirely. I really don't want Hisoka following me."
"Tell him why, mage."
Tsuzuki shot a look of exasperation in Hisoka's direction. Tatsumi shifted, crossing his arms in a subtle change of demeanor that demanded seriousness.
"What precisely is happening tonight?"
With a defeated sigh, Tsuzuki walked past him into the sitting room, knowing he was caught. Tatsumi followed sedately behind, waiting as the mage dropped down onto the couch, and frowned at Hisoka again. He hunched over to stare at his hands as they lay limp in his lap.
"Muraki has requested that I meet with him."
"Explain, please, why you would consider this. If he is as dangerous as Hisoka-kun says--"
"That's just it! He's every bit as dangerous as Hisoka says." Cloth rustled for a moment as Tsuzuki rummaged through one of his pockets, fishing out a crumpled slip of paper. He passed the note gravely to Tatsumi. "He left this in Hisoka's room last night. Came and went while he was sleeping."
The elf's silence weighed heavily for a long minute. It was his house that had been broken into, and a guest in his charge that had been threatened, however subtly. It was unforgivable that such things should have happened, more so when the people he cared about were endangered.
"I see your dilemma," he said slowly. "I will accompany you."
"No! Tatsumi, you can't. I need you to stay with Hisoka."
"I don't need a babysitter," the dragon snarled.
"You don't need to get involved."
"I was involved long before you ever met me! I've a right to face him!"
"Is that what this is? Some sort of power trip/vengeance thing? Hisoka, you need to stay out of his way right now. You're already hurt, he could--"
"You've got no right to keep me from going."
Tsuzuki's eyes flashed, harsh and gem-like. "I am your master, little mage-to-be, and I am ordering you to stay here."
"I'm resigning from my apprenticeship if this is what it's gonna cost me!"
Tatsumi cleared his throat, effectively silencing the pair. They looked up at him, both demanding silently to be judged right. He stared evenly at both of them before pronouncing his judgment.
"Hisoka-kun shall stay with me while Tsuzuki goes to speak with the wizard."
"I'm not--" Hisoka's protest halted as the elf raised a hand for silence.
"I will keep an eye on Tsuzuki through the shadows. If anything goes wrong, I will bring him back."
"And if you can't?" The dragon glared as he challenged Tatsumi, switching to astral sight. "What if he turns out to be a shadow user?"
"He is not. I would know if it were so."
"Hisoka, just once quit being so stubborn! I'll come back, I swear."
"What have I told you about making promises you can't keep?"
"'Soka...."
He looked away from Tsuzuki's pleading face, gaze focusing on one of the bare walls of Tatsumi's sitting room. The elf slipped out to go finish cleaning the kitchen. Tsuzuki remained motionless, watching.
"Do what you want."
The mage sighed and reached over to brush at the bangs that shadowed Hisoka's forehead. He placed a quick kiss on the uncovered skin, pretending to ignore the dragon's wince as Hisoka was pretending to ignore him.
"I will come back," he whispered.
The next several hours were passed in a tense almost-silence. Tatsumi wandered around in what would have been a casual house cleaning routine, save for the late hour and his unnatural attention to the tiniest of details. Tsuzuki meandered about for no apparent reason, trailing anxiety and no small amount of guilt as he went. Hisoka sat still in his chair, reading the same page of his book four times while trying not to look like he was going crazy from the attempts to simulate a casual atmosphere.
Twenty minutes before eleven, Tsuzuki's path led him to the front door of the cottage. His demeanor had changed, taking on grim purpose in place of the consuming dread that had filled him to that point.
Tatsumi entered the room as he was tugging on his cloak. The elf stood in the doorway that led to the kitchen, his iron control over his emotions a blessing to Hisoka's strained empathy. He seemed completely timeless, a pillar of quiet support, unshakeable by any circumstances. Hisoka envied him that control and strength, respecting him for it at the same time.
Gentle hands entered Hisoka's view, closing his book with a hollow thud. Looking up, he saw Tsuzuki, almost too close for comfort, watching him. He looked away from the mage's kind smile.
"Are you so angry that you aren't even going to say goodbye?"
"...Among the dragons, when one has to leave on a difficult task, no one treats it as anything out of the ordinary. To focus so readily on the danger is to invite misfortune." He looked up, expression still revealing nothing. "I'll see you in a little while."
Hisoka tugged his book out of Tsuzuki's grip and opened it again to continue reading. It had certainly not been the reaction Tsuzuki had expected, and he wondered if Hisoka had actually given up on following him. Somehow, the idea didn't seem very likely.
Tatsumi had moved to stand beside the door, waiting to wish Tsuzuki well as he left. He smiled, just a little bit, to reassure his friend that he would be watching and waiting, ready to help if needed.
Tsuzuki returned the smile, jerking a thumb over his shoulder at Hisoka. "Keep an eye on him. I'll be back soon."
He stepped out into the night, playful breezes tugging at his cloak as he was swallowed by the mist. Tatsumi stared out after him, wishing his vision could follow the mage further. Beside him, the slight sound of bare feet against wood signaled Hisoka's approach.
The dragon stopped just beside Tatsumi, seemingly having no desire to chase after Tsuzuki. His posture was relaxed and his expression calm, but his eyes were lit once again by the strange light that meant he was seeing more than what was apparent on the physical plane. His attention was locked on a point in the fog that Tatsumi was sure was Tsuzuki, though he could not see the man himself. For the briefest of moments as he studied the young dragon, that intent gaze reminded him of nothing less than a cat following the movements of its next meal.
Frowning vaguely he dismissed the notion, staring out at the glimmering cloud that blanketed the village. Beautiful, ethereal, mysterious...the silver vapor was all of these things, but at that point in time, Tatsumi cursed it for limiting his vision, denying him the chance to watch over his friend without peering into the darkness of shadows to do so.
"Who created the fog?"
For all that the tone was subdued, the question was abrupt and startled Tatsumi out of his thoughts. He looked once again to Hisoka, who stood just has he had earlier, peering out at the mist with that eerie gaze that caught so much more than most.
"I beg your pardon?"
"The fog...mist...whatever it is.... Who created it?"
"The mist simply is. It always has been."
"It shouldn't be." His eyes narrowed. "I told Tsuzuki before: that mist isn't natural. He didn't know anything about it. Now you tell me there's nothing wrong with it...." He broke off, still staring into the earth-bound cloud. "Do elves not have a connection to nature?"
"Of course. Why do you ask?"
"Would you be able to sense if something was intrinsically unnatural about the mist? If there was something wrong about it?"
"There is nothing wrong with the mist."
Hisoka hissed a draconian swear, one that Tsuzuki had once related a translation of to the elf. He adjusted his glasses in disapproval.
"Was that necessary?"
"There's too much magic out there for that to be natural."
"What do you mean?"
"That mist is nothing more than condensed magic. The way it shines.... I want to know where it came from and what it's for, because I have never heard of magic doing this anywhere else...especially not naturally."
"And how do you know that the 'shine' is not merely the mist itself?"
Finally Hisoka turned his gaze away from the night outside to look up at Tatsumi. His eyes continued to glow, though there was the slightest change in the light. It seemed bluer almost, making his peridot eyes darker, more set apart from his pallid face. Those slitted eyes were nearly hypnotic: pools of steady-lit emerald, deep and calm, masking buried power. Tatsumi shook his head, pressing slender fingers to his temple. He'd read once that the gaze of a dragon could entrance the unwary. Now he could see why. It was little wonder Tsuzuki had fallen for such an enchanting creature.
Hisoka did not seem to notice. He was gesturing at the shadowed expanse beyond the door. Frustration colored his speech, and his fangs glinted as he talked.
"Are my eyes glowing or not? It happens when I look at something with power, energy, magic. Do you see anyone out there to provide an aura for my eyes to reflect?"
"It does not matter whether the mist is magical or not. It has existed for centuries just as it is. I see no reason to become worked up over it."
Hisoka muttered something unintelligible and turned away as Tatsumi closed the door. The elf moved to a corner of the room which housed a tall, thinly cushioned chair. Behind it, an oil lamp was braced on the wall. As he sat, he could easily look down into the pool of shadow on the floor. It made for a perfect place to scry.
He settled himself easily into a routine of meditative breathing which would make calling on the shadows easier. Soon the darkness began to shift, and not long after that he could make out Tsuzuki's figure striding through the woods.
"I suppose you're still not going to let me go after him, are you?" Hisoka had moved to stand beside him. He watched the elf carefully, noting his concentration on the shadow image.
"No. Tsuzuki was right to ask you to stay behind. It is safer here."
"Being safe here won't help him."
"Knowing you are safe will help more than you realize."
There was a pause. "I suppose.... That's all right, though. He won't know I've left unless I let him."
Tatsumi looked up at him and the image wavered. "What do you--"
He was cut off as Hisoka grabbed his hand, forcing entry into his mind. Tatsumi's mental shields were strong, but no match for even a self-trained empath. All he had to do was break through those shields, and he would be able to loosen the elf's protective spells. From there, it was a simple matter to cast a sleep spell. In less than five minutes, Tatsumi was slumped unconscious in his chair and the shadows in the room were nothing more than patches of darkness.
"I'm going to be there whether any of you like it or not." So saying, Hisoka spun on his heel and hurried out of the cottage.