Chapter 12
Poisoning Madness
Hi, this is Yumi here! Here is my final chapter to Love and Hate and I hope I haven't kept all of you waiting too long. Muraki was giving me a lot of problems in this chapter. It's hard to write an emotional Muraki without getting him too OOC (and keep him from getting too annoying.) I like this chapter and I hope you all will too.
Black wings flapping in the dark dungeon against the force of the enchanted chains, the demon hissed and growled, slashing wildly at its bonds.
"Damn those shinigami! Damn that human!" it screeched.
Then suddenly, it realized something. Its black lips twisted upward, its ivory fangs gleaming in the light of the torches outside its dungeon.
"But I am not dead yet…and our pact is not fulfilled, Kazutaka Muraki. I think it's time to finish this once and for all, my dear insane friend. I have one idea that I think you will enjoy. I can kill four of you at once, I think. There will be two plans. One of them you will carry out for me. There is no escape!" The demon laughed to itself, its deep bellowing laughter shaking the dismal corridors of the dungeon.
"I think it's time I freed another from his prison. Arise…Oriya Miburo."
Trapped in the dark confinement of a wooden casket, a hand suddenly stirred, groping at the padded sides and top panel. It was only a temporary containment until burial, but it had been his prison for long enough. Oriya smirked, his mind no longer his own.
"The day for your judgment is now. But I will be merciful and kill you both. Goodbye Tsuzuki. Goodbye my Kazu."
"Hey…are you alright?" Tsuzuki asked, not knowing what else to say, after several moments of silence had passed.
The two were now in Tsuzuki's room with the door securely locked, although from the way Muraki was acting, there would be no need of privacy for a long time. Muraki was shivering terribly as he slowly bent down to sit on Tsuzuki's bed, struggling to keep his hands still.
He didn't answer the question and moved forward to lean his head against Tsuzuki's shoulder.
"Fine." he whispered, although his appearance proved this statement to be false.
Trying to be comforting, Tsuzuki raised his hand to hug him back when suddenly the taller man pulled back.
"…" Tsuzuki paused in confusion.
It was almost as if he thought I'd…hit him…
"I…apologize for my behavior, my dear." Muraki said in a monotone voice, staring at the floor.
Tsuzuki shook his head and smiled. "No, it's okay. I just want you to feel better, although I don't know how much help I can be." he said, smiling warmly.
Muraki looked up from the floor and met Tsuzuki's amethyst gaze; his unfeeling gray eye filled with sadness.
"Mr. Tsuzuki, I would rather you be here, yes, but you're correct. I don't know how much help you can be to me at this time. I love you and you've confessed the same to me, but no matter what I feel for you, there will always be this…remembrance of Saki. He was my first love. I admit it now. Even if it was incestuous and even if it means I'm going to hell for it, I don't care." he confessed, his voice filled with misery.
"But he raped you! Why would you fall in love with someone like that?" Tsuzuki questioned, trying to keep his anger down.
"I don't know! I don't know why I was in love with him at all." Muraki stated, still shaking. "But I was. I was in love with Saki Shidou. I admit it. Oh Asato there is something truly wrong with me…" he suddenly bit his lip, holding back tears.
Tsuzuki reached his arms around Muraki once more, hoping that this time Muraki would calm down. However, the doctor seemed unfazed by Tsuzuki's kindness. He simply continued to stare blankly at the empty ceiling of Tsuzuki's bedroom. His eyes were cold and empty even as Tsuzuki's lips brushed his, trying to kiss him. Muraki didn't move.
"Muraki… I don't want to see you upset anymore. I love you." Tsuzuki murmured, stroking his cheek lightly with the back of his hand.
In that moment, Muraki returned from his depression, a sad smile tugging at his lips. He placed a hand over Tsuzuki's and stared at him- at once realizing the significance of his words.
"I know. But every time I see you, even when I lay with you, I see him. He took so much from me, Tsuzuki, and recently, nearly all of my thoughts have been focused on Saki. I will never forget him." Muraki's voice was laden with sorrow, his blue eye glinting from behind his hair with madness.
Tsuzuki shook his head fiercely. "But if you don't forget about him, you're only hurting yourself! Don't you get it? Saki managed to wound you so deeply that it affects you even after his death. In my mind, he's won."
He grabbed Muraki's hand and kissed it.
"Listen, I don't mean to hurt you. But you have to try to go on with your life. You don't belong to him anymore."
Muraki stared down at his hand, tightly held in Tsuzuki's warm palm. Muraki hesitated for a moment before entwining his fingers with Tsuzuki's and lifting their joined hands, placing Tsuzuki's hand on his shoulder. Slowly, Tsuzuki brought his hand from Muraki's shoulder down the front of his shirt, as the taller man closed his eyes, fully enjoying the sensation of Tsuzuki's warm hands on his quivering body. Muraki's eyes were now closed in rapture at his lover's touch. But just as he allowed Tsuzuki to touch him, he felt instead Saki's cold, prying fingers.
This is our secret. Saki whispered through his mind.
"No… I can't. Not now…Saki no…" Muraki whimpered, taking Tsuzuki's hands in his own.
Tsuzuki frowned. "What? I'm sorry I was just trying to…"
"I know. I know, koibito, but I can't let you now." Muraki interrupted, falling into his now usual silence.
Tsuzuki moved closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright." he said gently, holding his shoulder lightly, keeping a comfortable distance between them.
Muraki nodded.
"Listen; let's get some rest, okay? Would you like me to stay here or will you be alright alone?" Tsuzuki asked.
He hesitated a moment and said quietly: "Stay here…please."
Tsuzuki smiled and moved so that they could both lie comfortably together in the rather small bed.
"You should sleep." Tsuzuki whispered, lovingly leaning his head against Muraki's shoulder.
Muraki smiled wryly back at him. "Of course, and then in the morning I'll be on trial for all of my illegal business dealings, raping of innocent people, and murders. How wonderful." he said, his hand hitting the light switch, as he moved closer to Tsuzuki.
"You are aware," Tsuzuki replied as he felt Muraki's hands on his shoulders, "you will receive fair judgment here." he promised.
"Of course, my dear." Muraki said, trying to smile. "Of course."
Muraki however was too upset to want justice for what the demon had done to him. In his mind, the demon had done nothing. It was his fault entirely. To Muraki, everything that had happened was his fault. His mother, Saki, Oriya, all had died because of his own sadistic nature. He only hoped that as he lay close to his beloved, Tsuzuki's warm body pressed against him comfortingly, that he could forget everything. Sadly no comfort came in sleep…
Muraki was in a dark room with only a small moonlit window. Suddenly a lamp flickered on from the left corner and he turned to see a young boy sitting at a desk. The light cast a dim glow throughout the room and he saw something else. There was a double bed and a sleeping boy about the same age as the one sitting at the desk. He started back. The sleeping child was his younger self. Then that must mean the one at the desk…
"Saki!" Muraki shouted, but no sound came from his lips. He ran at Saki and tried to grab his shoulder when his hand passed right through.
Apparently he was only meant to watch this dream. Muraki shook his head, not wanting to see any more of his brother. But Saki, apparently, was already preoccupied with whatever he was writing. Muraki walked over and glanced over at Saki's book. As soon as his eyes hit the page, Saki slammed the book shut and turned around.
"He knows I'm here…" Muraki thought aloud.
However, Saki didn't look directly at him and darted out of the room quickly. He picked up the book. It was a small, brown book, bound with thick leather strips along the side. The binding was worn with age and Muraki was curious as to what it was. He slowly lifted the book from the desk surface and turned it to the final page:
"I know, I shouldn't think of my little brother the way that I do but I don't care anymore. He's different than all of the other guys I've liked before. Maybe we could have had a future together. Oh what am I saying? Kazu is my brother! But I can't stop this anymore. I want him and there's no way around it! He doesn't think of us together at all and his mother has told me to stop doing this to him. Ha, like I cares what she says! I'll kill that woman. In fact, I'll kill all of them! Even Kazu! Even the one that I love."
The book hit the ground with a thud, just as Muraki's eyes shot open.
"Saki!" he cried, tears flooding his eyes.
Tsuzuki hugged him tightly.
"Shh…it's alright. It's alright. It was just a dream. It was all just a bad dream." Tsuzuki said comfortingly, as Muraki struggled against him.
"He…he…loved me? My mother knew about all of this? Why didn't she stop it? Why didn't she help me? If I would have let Saki have his way with me, I could have saved her! I could have saved ALL of them!" Muraki spat fiercely.
"Stop it. Please don't, Muraki. Please…" he repeated, gently stroking Muraki's back as his ranting quieted.
"He loved me, Tsuzuki. Saki loved me. He showed me." Muraki muttered softly, shaking his head forcefully.
"Shh it was just a dream. It's okay now. Tatsumi told me earlier that there might be some after effects from the demon's spell, but you'll be okay. I promise." he said calmly, one hand rubbing Muraki's shoulder.
Tsuzuki's warm smile melted into a miserable frown. Muraki shook his head and let the tears run down his pale cheeks. Instead of his usual politeness, he broke into full sobbing, struggling to breath. His chest rapidly rose and fell with the effort it took and his words were slurred as he cried.
"No. You don't understand! Saki loved me! Saki and I…we could have stayed lovers and none of this…none of this would have happened! My mother, father, Saki, Oriya…all of them were my victims! They did nothing to me and I…and I…"
Muraki ranted and his words trailed off into sobs. Tsuzuki stroked his back, trying to calm him. "Muraki…it's alright."
"It's alright."
Tsuzuki gently lowered him back to the bed, wrapping his arms around Muraki's waist. Soon the two were asleep. Pure silence…
"I wouldn't hold him that tightly. After all, no one can love a monster like you."
In the dark silence of Tsuzuki's room, Muraki's eyes shot open. The voice was very familiar…Muraki turned to his side and saw a blue, blood-stained kimono, halfway open, revealing a bare chest. The man had strands of dark hair falling over his shoulders and dark, piercing eyes.
"Kazu did you think I forgot about you? Our deal is not completed and although I can no longer appear in your world, I think we should really finish our business. The pact was that our…partnership couldn't be dissolved until death. That means that someone has to DIE!" Oriya screamed at him, his mouth agape in fury.
"Oriya…Oriya I thought you were dead!" Muraki cried, afraid of what was happening.
"Apparently not, you bastard. Although you did nothing to attempt to save me." he said with a smirk, reaching down to Muraki.
"Oriya…what's happened to you? Wait, this isn't you. It's the demon. But how?" Muraki realized the truth, but even so it hurt to see Oriya like this.
Oriya, or the possessed Oriya gripped the sides of his face with one hand and pressed hard against Muraki's jaws, his mouth opening.
"You know what I should have done! All those years. All those years, I wondered what would have happened if I would have struck you. But maybe you would just die if your Oriya didn't treat you as if you were some sort of god. Well you are no god. Not to me. Not anymore. You are a heartless monster!" Oriya spat, tilting his head to one side as he inched closer to him. Oriya mashed their lips together, his tongue exploring Muraki's open mouth.
He isn't Oriya. This is not Oriya! Muraki repeated to himself in his mind over and over. But his words were true. In all the years they had known each other, he'd treated Oriya poorly and up until now had had no regrets about it. Oriya pulled away and traced a line down Muraki's neck with his tongue.
"Oriya…I'm sorry." he said quietly.
Oriya looked over at him and laughed. He reached his arm across and hit Muraki firmly in the mouth with his elbow.
"What! I don't want to hear it. Don't say another word."
Muraki's eyes were filled with distress, not because of the pain of the hit, but because it was Oriya that had hit him.
"What do you want from me?" he whimpered sorrowfully.
"I want you to DIE!" Oriya yelled, hitting him again with the palm of his hand.
"Oriya…"
"You don't deserve to live, Kazu. Die."
"Leave me alone…" Muraki said, holding onto Tsuzuki tightly, trying to block out his words.
Suddenly another voice could be heard mixed with Oriya's. It was lower and more sinister…the demon.
"Leave you alone? I don't think you deserve that pleasure, you creature. You abomination, filthy monster, child of hell! You think that Saki was the only bastard born from your father's lust? Your mother was a tool to him, just as Tsuzuki is to you. You know it's true. By the way you look at him, I can tell the lust in your eyes…"
"No! I…"
"I was surprised that he slept with you on his own choice. It's not like you not to rape those you want…"
"Stop it!"
Muraki's entire body shook as he covered his face, but no tears fell. He was beyond tears now.
"You know what you should do. Kill one of the shinigami and I can leave you to wretch alone." The demon commanded through Oriya's body.
"I won't kill Tsuzuki and I won't lose Oriya again." Muraki stated.
Suddenly, Muraki felt a strong pain throughout his entire body.
"YOU WILL KILL ONE OF THEM! NOW SPEAK NO MORE!" The demon's growl was furious in Muraki's ear as he writhed in agony on his bed, struggling to hold onto Tsuzuki.
"How are you…aagh…doing this to me!" Muraki cried out, tasting warm blood in his mouth.
The demon laughed, moving Oriya's body forward. "We still have a very close bond, Kazu. You belong to me."
Muraki coughed heavily, blood covering his entire hand.
I killed all of them. Mother, Father, Saki, and…my Oriya. It was my fault.
More blood came.
I can not be forgiven.
Muraki slowly picked himself up from the bed as if in a daze. Whether it was blood or tears that clouded his eyes, he no longer cared. Death would be the only solution. He turned and saw that Oriya was now gone. He cast a loving glance down at Tsuzuki who was still sleeping peacefully. Muraki longed to be lying beside him, wrapped in his arms, and wondered what it would be like to no longer be burdened by his sin and sorrow.
"Rest well, my beloved. I do not wish to take your life. But no matter what, this will end in death…"
A deep silence surrounded Hisoka as he lay quietly in his bed. It was an eerie loneliness that he felt now, but he was too struck by it to get up. Something was wrong, but he didn't know what. And then he sensed it. Hisoka felt as if something had torn within him. He was suddenly overcome with a red haze, overpowered by the strong scent of blood and sakura blossoms. Hisoka clutched at his sides as he felt invisible hands at his face, stroking his cheek and neck with deceiving kindness. Instantly, he realized exactly who it was.
"Muraki! Damn you…" Hisoka growled as the hands traced a line from his chest to stomach, uncomfortably low on his body, although they were careful not to drop below his hips.
"How erotic that sounded, my dear boy! I find that even years after our lovely encounter, I can nearly come at the sweet sound of your voice. I must have you again in my bed…"
Hisoka cringed at the doctor's sultry purr, closing his eyes at Muraki's seductive tone.
"What do you want!" Hisoka gasped out breathlessly.
"To sin once more with you. I want you to scream for me." he said, the intoxicating scent of sakura blossoms overcoming the boy.
"It doesn't matter what you say unless you plan to appear in person." Hisoka said through clenched teeth.
"Ha, well I suppose you're correct in that. But I do really have something for you. A final parting gift, I suppose. We have been through many trials together, my boy. Our lives were obviously entwined for a purpose, both you and I struggling to kill or control the other. Now how will our story end? Which of us will ultimately lose and which of us will win? I suppose I'm too curious to know the answer to leave things as they are presently." His voice was now cold and unfeeling; just as he was now.
"What are you talking about Muraki!" Hisoka questioned, not knowing what to expect from him.
"I mean that my life is in your hands, child. As we speak, I am holding a gun to my head and I plan to die tonight. I am only telling you. If you wish it, I will take my life. Either way, I wish to give you this choice."
Hisoka nearly jumped from his bed. "What? Why do that? I hate you! I want to kill you!"
"Because you remind me of myself. That night that I found you, my first thought was that you were a younger me- curious and innocent, falling prey to the darkness. I was exactly like you, only I knew the one that…that…Never mind, boy. But for that night, for that night I was the one in control, instead of the victim. That night I wanted to know why anyone would rape an innocent child. I wanted to understand what Saki felt when he…" Muraki fell silent, leaving Hisoka alone for a moment.
Hisoka said nothing, turning his head to the side.
"I apologize for the way I have been lately. But that is all I wanted to say. It is truly your decision on how to handle this. Revenge or mercy? And is life any more merciful than death? This is in your hands now. On one hand, you can allow me to die, or you can tell Tsuzuki that I have returned to our church. My beloved will know which I mean. Sayonara, Hisoka Kurosaki."
Hisoka's eyes widened in shock. "What? Why are you telling me this! Why me and not Tsuzuki? You know you've sentenced yourself to death, you bastard! I hope you burn in hell."
Muraki laughed genuinely, probably smiling from wherever he was. "So do I. But remember, vengeance can in turn become obsession. This is my destiny, just as you have yours. Do not allow my fate to be repeated."
And then, the voice faded completely. Hisoka worriedly glanced down at his arms, but only saw the smallest traces of Muraki's curse.
"Do not allow my fate to be repeated."
Hisoka wondered at what Muraki had meant and looked up at the ceiling.
"And what does he expect me to do? Why did he have to tell me and not Tsuzuki?" he thought aloud, folding his arms behind his head.
"Vengeance can in turn become obsession."
Hisoka thought about Muraki's warning. The search for vengeance had completely destroyed Muraki after devoting half of his life to it.
"And I want revenge against Muraki so…if I let him die…I'll have what I want." he assured himself, although he knew otherwise.
If Muraki died, Tsuzuki would be hurt. There was no doubt in Hisoka's mind that Tsuzuki loved him and regardless of how much he hated Muraki…Hisoka quickly jumped from his bed and ran for Tsuzuki's room.
"Tsuzuki. Tsuzuki come on, wake up. Tsuzuki!" Hisoka shook Tsuzuki's shoulder and he slowly opened his eyes.
"Hisoka? What are you doing here? Is something wrong?" Tsuzuki asked groggily, rubbing his eyes.
Tsuzuki looked around. "Hey where's Muraki?" he asked casually, sitting upright.
Hisoka frowned. "Actually, that's why I'm here. He's…well he wants to die and…" he stopped at seeing Tsuzuki's fearful gaze.
"What? Where is he!" Tsuzuki cried, fumbling with his sheets, quickly jumping to his feet.
Hisoka hesitated. This was his last chance for vengeance. All that he had to do was tell Tsuzuki the incorrect location and Muraki would finally die. He glanced over at Tsuzuki and at seeing the concern in his eyes, realized he couldn't do it.
"Muraki is in 'your church'. He said you would know what he means." Hisoka said slowly.
Tsuzuki nodded and then stopped. "Our church…the place where we first met! In Nagasaki! I have to go."
"But Tsuzuki…he's made up his mind. He wants to kill himself. What if you're too late? Or what if he does it regardless of whether you're there or not!" Hisoka questioned.
"It doesn't matter. I don't care what he wants to do, but I won't let him be alone anymore…even if it means I hold him as he dies." Tsuzuki stated coldly, leaving the room.
The door clicked softly as it shut, Hisoka left alone. He hoped desperately that Muraki was still alive for Tsuzuki's sake, even though in his heart, he wanted Muraki dead.
"I hate him even if you don't, Tsuzuki. And…I can't leave you alone with him." he said, opening the door to Tsuzuki's room.
Hisoka nearly jumped at seeing Watari directly outside, with Tatsumi following close behind. "Watari? What's going on?"
The tall blonde was breathing heavily, his eyes filled with fear. "Tsuzuki's already gone after Muraki, correct?" Watari asked nervously.
Hisoka was confused. "Wait, you knew about this? How?"
"Well um…it's hard to explain, but…Oriya is gone. We thought that he was dead, but he's being used by the demon. We realized this when one of our shinigami was brutally attacked by a man that matched Oriya's exact description. So we checked Oriya's casket and it's the truth." Tatsumi said quickly.
Watari saw that Hisoka wasn't catching on so he grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hallway.
"However," Watari continued, "We can't expel the demon from his body. Oriya's body is too weak, and we have no idea how to split their spirit energies. In fact, it was the strength of Muraki and the demon's contract, rather than the demon's own power that kept us from destroying it in the first place. Somehow, Muraki entered into a very unusual contract that allowed the demon to keep its powers over him until Muraki killed someone. He thought it was over when Oriya was 'killed', but since Oriya did not completely die, the demon still retained its powers."
"And so what does all that mean? Do you think the demon has been possessing Oriya since his death?" Hisoka questioned, walking briskly down the hallway with the two.
"Precisely. A demon of this one's strength and ability wouldn't settle with a decomposing body. This also means that the demon is manipulating everyone around him. He wants certain people to die and is working to achieve that. If this wasn't the case, then Oriya would be dead and this would all be over. This demon was too powerful for us and we can't control it anymore. We locked it away, but it's only the demon's corporeal form that we could successfully imprison. Its demon powers however…" Tatsumi confessed, turning a sharp corner to the main meeting room.
"Wait, but if it can't be controlled, is there any way we can kill it?" Hisoka asked, deeply concerned by this new information.
Watari stopped walking at reaching the meeting room door. He quickly opened it and walked inside, closing the door behind Hisoka.
"Actually…I don't think that we can kill it. But don't give up. We hold Oriya here and are trying to learn what we can from him." Watari added, sitting at the meeting room table.
"What? But…" Hisoka stammered. Had Muraki really summoned such an invincible animal? Suddenly he froze. Muraki had wanted Tsuzuki to follow him. The demon could kill Tsuzuki!
"Watari we have to help Tsuzuki! If the demon still can use its powers after all…The demon wants to kill them both! It was entirely the demon's plan!" Hisoka slammed a hand onto the table and turned from Watari.
"Wait Hisoka! Don't. Not yet. The demon has Oriya under its power, so I doubt there is anything it can do right now. We should think about our plan first before running off."
Watari turned his attention to an open laptop on the meeting room table. "Here. I've compiled a lot of research on our demon and am trying to sort it out…"
"I can't believe this! While Tsuzuki could be dead, you're here trying to look up information! I don't care what all of you are going to do, I'm going to help Tsuzuki."
"Hisoka wait!" Watari protested and Tatsumi put a hand on his shoulder.
"He may be doing more help than we are, but we don't know. We should let Hisoka try for now. This is way out of our hands, Watari." Tatsumi said sadly, as Hisoka disappeared.
"Mr. Tsuzuki, I will miss you. My life is not worth destroying yours. I only hope that you can forgive me for this. This will be difficult…for both of us." Muraki whispered to himself as he lay on the church pew, his gun his only comfort now. Tsuzuki and Hisoka would come for him; he was sure of that, but how long he could live was unknown.
"I only hope that I can touch him once more…"
Tsuzuki threw open the large oak doors to the church, a loud bang echoing through the quiet sanctuary. "Muraki!" he called, his voice echoing throughout the room.
No reply.
"Muraki, I know you're here. Muraki?" he called.
Suddenly, a gunshot shattered a stain-glass window.
"You know, it's too bad that I missed, koibito." Muraki laughed, a cruel grin on his face.
He moved ever closer, reloading his gun as he walked. Tsuzuki cowered away from him, completely horrified.
"You…you're going to kill me? Muraki why? I…" he protested.
"Because Kazu doesn't need you anymore. Isn't that right?" A low voice interrupted as Oriya's form appeared directly behind Muraki.
"Muraki! It's the demon! I know it looks like Oriya, but this is not…"
Muraki aimed the gun directly at Tsuzuki's chest. "Die." he said with a malicious grin.
"Kill him Kazu." Oriya said in a monotone voice.
Muraki smirked and stepped closer. "Not yet." he replied, Oriya silently crossing his arms in impatience.
"I have something…else in mind." Muraki threatened, aiming the gun lower on Tsuzuki's body.
BANG!
Tsuzuki couldn't move…but the bullet didn't hit him. It was smoldering in a dent in the floor only centimeters from his foot.
"Why are you doing this? Did I do something or are you just fulfilling your goals to kill me in the very end? I don't know why, but I had thought you were sincere when you said…that you loved me. I should have never trusted you." Tsuzuki said, his voice tinged with hurt.
Muraki smiled. "Oh Mr. Tsuzuki, I wish you would not have said that. I don't think this is a reasonable offence to hate me for." he laughed.
"What! You're trying to kill me! Why…"
Just as these words left Tsuzuki's mouth, the church doors flew open once more. Tsuzuki turned to face the direction of the doors and Muraki, seeing that he was distracted, shot three more times. Two met their mark in Tsuzuki's right leg. Oriya laughed evilly as Tsuzuki fell, stunned as he looked up at Muraki. Casting a disapproving gaze at Tsuzuki, he walked over to Muraki and leaned a hand on his shoulder possessively.
"I'm so sorry it has to end this way, my dear." Muraki said, placing a hand over Oriya's.
"So am I you bastard!"
Muraki closed his eyes in silence. Hisoka's voice cried out to him as the boy shot several bullets at him.
"How regrettable. You're a terrible shot, boy." he growled, his eyes still closed tightly.
Tsuzuki could only watch in horror as Hisoka ran to Muraki, both wielding loaded guns.
"Kill me here. Have your vengeance. That's why I am here. I wish to fight with you again. Perhaps you can have revenge on your murderer." His silver hair blew from his blue eye, now shining a brilliant red.
Hisoka shook his head. "Well that's too bad. I'm not like you, so revenge isn't something I'd risk a life over."
He turned to look at his former partner, sprawled out on the ground.
"Especially not Tsuzuki's life." he added with a kind smile.
Muraki was angry. "Fine. Then we can relive our first encounter again!" he furiously shot a bullet at Hisoka and it ripped a hole in his jacket, grazing his stomach.
He shot again, this time slicing Hisoka's cheek. "Fight me!" Muraki shouted, the gun shaking in his hand.
Suddenly Hisoka realized something. Muraki had an accurate shot, but he was purposefully avoiding killing him as well as Tsuzuki. He wanted them to fight him. He wanted to be killed.
"No. I'm not going to." Hisoka insisted, lowering his gun.
Muraki's eyes narrowed. "Kill me." he said slowly, walking closer to him.
"Stop it Muraki! Please stop!" Tsuzuki called, struggling vainly to get up.
Oriya was laughing. "Come on Kazu, you can take him. Shoot him. Shoot them both. Do it, you murderer. You monster…" He moved towards Muraki, his kimono falling off his shoulder as he continued to walk in a slow, deliberate step.
Muraki tried to block him out. Although in his heart he knew it was the demon talking, he couldn't help but hear Oriya's voice.
He's possessed because of me. He's doing all of this and it's my fault.
Muraki closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating his decision and then quickly ran at Hisoka. The boy had no time to move and in a second, the barrel of Muraki's gun was pressed firmly against his chest.
"Either shoot me or die." Muraki hissed, their faces inches apart.
Hisoka shook his head. "I can't. I can't because Tsuzuki would be hurt if you…"
BANG
Blood covered both of them; they were so close together that Tsuzuki couldn't tell which one had been shot.
"What happened! Muraki! Hisoka!" Tsuzuki cried out, trying again to lift himself off the floor. He strained against the throbbing pain and finally pushed himself to his feet, trying to keep all weight off his right leg. It was starting to recover already, but it was still painful to move.
Hisoka and Muraki both stood for a moment…until Muraki fell forward on the boy. He had been shot in the stomach.
"Hisoka…you shot him!" Tsuzuki shouted in disbelief.
Hisoka was completely covered in blood and his features were fixed in a state of shock. "No, I didn't! He grabbed my hand and…and made me pull the trigger!"
Muraki was smiling- truly smiling. "I am…sorry I did that, boy. But I needed to die. Please…" he pushed himself off Hisoka, standing shakily on his feet. "…try and understand."
Hisoka fell to his knees, still holding the gun in his hands. "I didn't shoot him. I didn't!" he insisted to himself.
Tsuzuki ran as best he could to Muraki, catching him as he fell.
"Why did you do that Muraki!" he questioned, his eyes pearled with tears.
Muraki smiled at him. "My Tsuzuki…I don't want you to be upset with me. Not now. I want nothing more than to die with you here." he said, his pale eyes empty as he let Tsuzuki hold him.
"Muraki, you're…you're not going to die. Please…" he pleaded gently.
Muraki could hardly hold himself upright so Tsuzuki slowly lowered him to the floor, kneeling beside him.
"Shh Mr. Tsuzuki, I just want to lie here with you. You know, I was…" he coughed heavily, trying to hide his pain, but with every cough Tsuzuki knew he was dying. "I was worried that I would die quickly. I know, it's a childish idea, but I wanted to be here with you. I suppose…I didn't want to be alone anymore." he said softly, his voice losing its sharp tone.
Tsuzuki took Muraki's hand and held it tightly. "You…won't be alone, I promise." he said, holding back tears.
Muraki nodded, barely able to move anymore. He struggled to breathe, squeezing Tsuzuki's hand for comfort. The room slowly darkened and Muraki closed his eyes. On the other side of the room, the demon's hold on Oriya was fading, his body slowly dropping to the ground.
"Asato?" Muraki asked, his voice little more than a soft whisper.
"Yes?"
"Am I…am I…a monster?" Muraki asked.
Tsuzuki smiled sadly.
"No. You're not a monster, Muraki. I would never think of the one I love as a monster."
Muraki's eyes widened and he smiled in sheer elation, tears streaming down his face.
"Tsuzuki…thank you." he said as he closed his eyes, taking a final breath.
Days Later
"…so it's alright?"
Tsuzuki smiled as he heard this and pressed his ear against the door of the Count's room just to make sure what he was hearing was correct. It had been 3 days since Muraki had died and Oriya sent to a hospital and there were still matters that needed to be attended to.
"I apologize for Muraki's death, for Tsuzuki's sake of course and I take responsibility for it. I should not have exposed a human to such a demon." The Count said, taking a sip of his wine.
Tatsumi couldn't believe what he was saying. "What? Do you mean it?"
"Yes. And therefore, I would like to postpone his judgment time until he's had some…time."
Tatsumi leaned his head to the side in curiosity. "How much time?" he asked.
"That depends. But until I decide otherwise, I would like Muraki to stay here with all of you…conditionally of course." The Count decided.
Tsuzuki nearly ran in to thank him personally.
"Besides," The Count added, "They still have to actually finish a case."
The End
Well that was fun! This book has taken me since Christmas to finish and I've really enjoyed it. Thanks everyone for reading and giving reviews, sticking around to the end. By the way, I plan to write a sequel where Muraki and Tsuzuki actually work together too.
