Ch.3

A pale hand pushed against the wooden door and it opened, the warm familiar scent of burning sandalwood meeting his nostrils. The heavy smoke attacked Muraki's eyes as he entered the brothel, searching out his only companion. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Kazutaka..." whispered a gentle voice as Muraki turned to see Oriya before him.

Muraki smiled weakly in response.

"Come on. I've got some tea in my room...Muraki you don't look so good. Is something wrong? Do you want me to..."

Muraki was tired of hearing Oriya's almost motherly concern and pressed a hand to the smaller man's lips. Oriya's heart raced at the very thought that Muraki was here before him, his soft hand against his own lips. He nearly broke down. Keeping his composure as best he could, he pulled Muraki's hand away, holding his hand by the wrist.

"Listen, I'm only trying to help. You never let anyone..."

Oriya had subconsciously moved his hand from holding his wrist to holding his hand, entwining his fingers with Muraki's. Realizing he'd done this, Oriya quickly pulled his hand away. Muraki noticed this and moved towards him, Oriya nervously stepping back.

"Just as you never let anyone know what you truly feel."

He sounded tired and yet his voice still commanded authority. He was used to getting what he wanted, and this situation was no exception. Oriya couldn't resist him for another moment and walked into his open arms. Oriya's eyes closed and moved so that his nose nearly touched Muraki's. The doctor gave a slight nod and let Oriya kiss him. Their lips met and Muraki gently returned the kiss, though Oriya could tell...there was no feeling behind it. He tried to ignore that and leaned his head on Muraki's broad shoulder. It was then that he noticed his friend was shaking. Not from the kiss as Oriya was, but from something far worse.

"You're a mess. The demon...he's being too hard on you, isn't he?"

Muraki shook his head.

"Yes he is; you can't lie to me. Muraki sometimes you forget you're human. And sometimes...so do I." Oriya said as he closed the door of the brothel.

Muraki didn't even blink. "After this, I will no longer be human. The human life...I don't want it anymore." he said without a trace of emotion.

Oriya's eyes narrowed. "And so what do you plan to do about it? Just decide not to be human? Listen, you were born mortal and..."

"And I'll change that or die. This time, I'm planning more for the second option. A beautiful suicide. What a perfect ending to my life."

Oriya hugged him tightly. "Don't you even consider that! Please, I-I love you..." he begged, his voice trailing off.

Muraki smiled a bit. "You love me...you know that I don't feel the same."

"I know. I don't matter to you any longer. I suppose I've lost whatever it was that made you say I was yours..." he started.

Muraki didn't answer.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. But...I can't lie to you." Oriya said, taking his hand.

"I am aware of that." he said with a smirk, his false eye shining with a malevolent light.

"Alright, so now I have a question for you. Why are you here? I have to work in an hour, so I don't have much time for company." Oriya stated, his voice taking on a professional air.

"Just...company I suppose..." he said dryly, still not pulling his hand from Oriya's.

Oriya smiled. "Company...The last time you said that, we ended up in my room...yeah, I know what you mean. But I have one request. Please, just this once, I want things to be like they used to. I don't want any of your new tricks and techniques. No mind games. I just want...my old Kazu back. Even if it's just for a little while."

Muraki brought Oriya's hand to his mouth and kissed it in understanding.

They walked hand in hand, Muraki's expressionless face ever cold as Oriya longingly gazed at him. Recently he'd taken it upon himself to be more affectionate as Muraki had become more and more cold. Oriya opened the door and sat down on his bed, leading Muraki down to him. Muraki placed his glasses on a small table beside the bed and cast his white coat aside. Oriya gently pulled him close and kissed his lips. The silver-haired man looked away as Oriya continued to kiss and caress his tired, shivering body.

"Muraki...please smile. I'm not being that awful to you am I? I only want you to be happy, but...if you don't respond to me..." Oriya started.

Muraki smirked and with adept fingers, unbuttoned his white shirt, revealing a pale chest.

"Listen, I don't really care how you feel about me being here so if I were you I would shut up and let me take you. Like I have so many times before." he said cruelly, slipping Oriya's yukata down further on his shoulder.

His friend tried to smile and shrugged his shoulders, the decorative clothing falling to the floor.

"Been saving yourself for me?" Muraki asked at seeing Oriya's complete and exquisite body before him.

Oriya smiled. "Of course." he said reaching his arms around him.

"I know, but you're becoming quite popular around here. You should see the way everyone here looks at you." Muraki stated, casually removing the remainder of his clothing.

Oriya scoffed. "Women are a headache. But you wouldn't know." he said as Muraki's strong hands pushed him to the bed, forcing all of his weight down on his former lover.

He smiled at the brunette's remark and pulled the sheets up. "I've been with women before. None that I've liked much, however. Or kept alive."

Oriya nodded and kissed his lips. "Sounds like you."

Muraki returned the kiss and lay atop Oriya, their bodies rubbing up against each other beneath the silk sheets. The mixture of warm body heat and cold silk was incredible as Oriya wrapped his legs around Muraki, clinging to him as if he would never let him leave.

Tsuzuki fell into a chair beside Hisoka and patted his full stomach. "Ah that was a great lunch! But...I wonder how Muraki's doing at the hospital. He seemed kinda mad." he said to the boy.

Hisoka looked at him curiously. "Hospital? Why would he be up at the hospital? Tatsumi called in for Muraki and said he was doing medical research for awhile in Osaka."

"What? So...he lied to me...why would he do that?"

Hisoka frowned and placed a comforting hand on Tsuzuki's shoulder.

"Listen Tsuzuki, I've seen...Tatsumi's planning something. You see, Muraki heard something about a demon that might have his brother's head. So he's working with this demon to have it returned to him. Be careful around Muraki. He's got a demon ally, so there's no telling what kind of powers this alliance has given him. I don't know why Muraki's here, or why The Count is going along with it. But that's what I do know already." Hisoka stated.

"Hmm...a demon huh? What kind? Muraki's only mortal, so I doubt he could reach a high level demon for summoning..."

Hisoka into Tsuzuki's eyes.

"This is Muraki we're talking about. Do you really think he would settle for anything less? Just watch him more carefully. You're strong so you could probably handle any demon he's controlling, but don't go doing anything stupid alright?" the younger shinigami asked, trying to be comforting.

"Thanks Hisoka." his voice was serious...until suddenly his eyes closed in a big smile. "But right now I need a nap! Gotta build up my energy you know!"

In a few minutes, he was asleep in his bedroom, snuggling into his sheets. After about an hour of sleep he realized something...Tsuzuki's eyes shot open as he noticed someone was watching him.

"Good morning Mr. Tsuzuki." said a familiar voice.

Tsuzuki fell out of bed at realizing Muraki had been sitting at his bedside watching him sleep.

"Muraki!!! How long have you been there?!" he shouted, accidentally wrapping himself in his sheets.

"Not very long. I couldn't help myself you see. You're so beautiful when you sleep. It makes me want to be lying there right beside you." Muraki mused with the sweetest smile imaginable.

Tsuzuki looked at him curiously. His coat was off and his shirt was half unbuttoned, his ivory skin shone in the fluorescent lighting of the room.

"Muraki where were you? You're my partner so we're supposed to stay together! What if you were up to something? I..."

Muraki suddenly leaned down and pressed his lips to Tsuzuki's. It was more aggressive than his usual kisses and full of formerly repressed passion.

"For once, you can believe me. I haven't been up to anything. Unless...you're jealous of what Oriya and I were doing..."

Tsuzuki's eyes widened. "Wha...? So...you were with Oriya? In Kyoto? I thought you were up at the hospital! Like you told me!" he said angrily.

Muraki ignored him. "Ah yes, Oriya. My first true lover, you know. There's not a single remnant of my feelings for him, but you see, he loves me and lets me use him. His dedication can be sickening to me which is why I came back just now- to be with you."

Tsuzuki looked horrified. "You just slept with someone you don't even love...just because you felt like it? I can't believe you! And to think that he actually loves you!" he said angrily and punched Muraki hard in the face.

Muraki just smiled, tasting blood on his lip.

"You've never hit me before...I rather enjoyed it. When we make love, I hope there will be a bit of pain along with the pleasure. Adds to the mood, ne?" he asked calmly.

Tsuzuki scoffed.

"But seriously, I haven't hurt anyone. Oriya knows I don't love him, but he allows me to take him even so. We were together a long time ago...but never has he meant more to me than simply a friend." Muraki admitted.

Tsuzuki turned his head to the side. "I don't understand you."

"It's simple to understand me really, I do as I please. That's all there is to understand."

"Why?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Because this is the way that I am. But there is one matter that I do not act on impulses, and that...is all things concerning you of course."

Muraki sat on the bed beside Tsuzuki, leaning in to kiss him. The shinigami moved out of his path and Muraki stopped, patiently awaiting Tsuzuki's approval.

"And now what? Why do expect me to enjoy what you're doing?"

Muraki tilted his head to one side in an almost cat-like manner. "You don't?"

"I'm not even answering that." Tsuzuki sighed loudly, getting up from his bed.

The doctor smiled and rolled over onto his back happily. "So there is a chance you do enjoy it? I'm so glad." he laughed.

Tsuzuki pounced on him faster than he could have the time to roll over again, the brunette for once above his enemy, pushing Muraki's wrists hard into the bed.

"Shut up! Shut up and I never want you to harass me! I don't want to hear another confession of your desire again! If you do, I swear..." he shouted furiously

Muraki's eyes were blank and expressionless. "Stop." he murmured quietly, his lips moving barely as if he were in a trance.

"What? Why should I? I'm sure all of your victims have asked you the same thing but you..."

"Stop."

It wasn't a command, but rather a plea. He looked...unusually upset.

"Muraki? Is something wrong?" he asked.

Once again his eyes regained their old fire and he shook his head. "Never mind, it's not important. I just...don't want you to do that unless you want me to take you. It's tempting you know..." and he forced a laugh.

Tsuzuki knew something was up, though he had no idea what. "What just happened there?" he persisted.

"Well Mr. Tsuzuki, I've got a lot to do with our 'case', whatever it is, and I've got no time for you to analyze me." he said, walking out of the room quickly.

Tsuzuki decided it would be best to leave him alone for now.

Muraki's heart raced as he walked into his own room he'd been issued by Tatsumi. Everything was stark white except for a small splash of color sitting on an old table. His one doll that he'd brought with him from home. She was a traditional Japanese doll in a pink kimono with deep black eyes and an ever-present smile. Shakily he picked her up from the table and sat her on his bed beside him, stroking her dark hair.

"How could I let my own memories influence me like that with Tsuzuki? Why should it still bother me? Just because of Saki, I..." his hands were now clawing at the doll's hair, pulling a few strands from its head as it still smiled at him.

When Tsuzuki had pinned him, another vision very similar to that...except when it had happened before, Muraki hadn't been so willing to go along with it. He shook the memory away and hugged the doll tightly, hoping for some sort of comfort. But it was no human. It was no Tsuzuki.