Wind, a yami no matsuei fanfic

To: "Moony"

From: "Neko Kate-Chan"

Subject: Gift Fic

Requirements: Yami no Matsuei, PG-13, TsuzukixHisoka, One Shot

Author's Added Touches: Angst, Muraki, Songfic, OOCness (Muraki and Hisoka are OOC. That's part of the plot though...) Randomness...

Author's Notes: I couldn't resist using a song. The song 'Wind' is very beautiful and used at the end of Naruto series. I hope you enjoy your gift as much as I enjoyed writing. I suggest downloading the song if you haven't heard it. It is sung in English. Bear with it, after the song bits it gets sappy, but I had to set up the angst first, okay?

Synopsis: Hisoka decides to try to get a little bit of pay back against Muraki. However the curse he casts backfires and he's left feeling a little less than himself…

Wind

Cultivate your hunger before you idealize

Motive your anger to make them all realize

Muraki had been discovered. He had been taking shelter in a "blank spot". A magical equivalent to a dead zone. It had done him no good in the end. Although Hisoka was physically weaker than him, the boy had the advantage of being able to heal instantly.

The stab wound to Muraki's shoulder had burdened him a little too much. It would have been was easy to obliterate him then... Or it would have been had Tsuzuki not stopped the younger shinigami.

/"Do you really want to be like him?"/

The momentary indecision was all Muraki needed to escape. Naturally, Hisoka had been stomping around for a few days but soon his temper dissipated. No one could stay angry at Tsuzuki for long.

So, Hisoka turned all his pent up anger onto Muraki, for having gotten away again and decided it was about time someone put that perverted Doctor back in his place.

Climbing the mountain, never coming down

Breaking into the contents, never falling down.

He cast a curse on Muraki. It was really quite devious, almost on par with Muraki himself. It was cruel in a way Hisoka supposed it was meant to be, but at the same time, a part of Hisoka feared that Muraki would actually enjoy the torture.

Now, there was just one thing left to do. For that, Hisoka needed to talk to someone and probably to drink a lot of sake. Hisoka briefly thought of who to talk to. Tatsumi would probably make him remove the curse immediately, especially as it would only aggravate Muraki further. Watari would be too into it, frogmarching Hisoka through everything he had planned. In that sense, Wakaba would be similar.

Kanoe-Kachou? Terazuma? The Gushoshin?

Um, maybe not...

Well, Hisoka thought, looks like I've got a date with a lot of sake...

My knee is still shaking, like I was twelve

Sneaking out the classroom, by the backdoor

Even though he couldn't get hold of any sake, nor even get up the nerve to talk to anyone, Hisoka hesitantly knocked on Tsuzuki's apartment door.

He was only here for the curse. It was only to get back at Muraki and make Tsuzuki happy. Yeah, because Hisoka knew Tsuzuki loved him, so the man wouldn't mind being a pawn in the intricate chess puzzle that was going on between himself and Muraki. It wasn't because Hisoka desperately loved Tsuzuki more than he hated Muraki. Yeah right, Hisoka knew he was fooling no one.

"If I can't even admit it to myself..." Hisoka mumbled. Then the door opened and Hisoka felt suddenly very nervous. His stomach slipped to somewhere near his knees, his heart leapt up into his throat and his head felt extremely light.

"Tsu...zuki..." He managed to choke out. Was he really going to go through with this?

"Oh, hi Hisoka!" Tsuzuki's face brightened, those large violet eyes becoming mere slits through the huge smile plastered on the shinigami's face. He looked so beautiful when he smiled... A true smile, not the kind from before Kyoto, a real smile A smile that made Hisoka sure that he had done the right thing when he had pulled Tsuzuki out of Touda's flames. "I hadn't expected that you would come round to-mmph!"

A man railed me twice though, but I didn't care

Waiting is wasting, for people like me

"Did I really just kiss you?" Hisoka asked softly, his mouth only inches away from Tsuzuki's own, his arms around Tsuzuki's neck. Hisoka was standing on tip-toes, eyes closed. He didn't need to open his eyes to know how Tsuzuki felt. Warmth, love, excitement, happiness, comfort and a strange sense of guilt...

"Yes, Hisoka, you really just did," There was amusement in his tone but inside he was beginning to panic. Hisoka could sense the fragmented thoughts going through Tsuzuki's head. It was along the lines of 'only doing this for me. Not because he wants to. Only for me... Not for him'. Hisoka nearly screamed with frustration but kept it inside, settling for blushing instead as he asked the next question.

"Can... Can I do it again?" Hisoka asked. Tsuzuki hadn't even replied before Hisoka was brushing his lips against Tsuzuki's, this time demanding something a little more passionate. Which he received as the kiss deepened. Hisoka only just managed to concentrate enough to activate the curse.

Don't try to live so wise.

Don't cry 'cause you're so right.

Don't dry, with fakes or fears

'Cause you will hate yourself in the end.

He felt Muraki in the back of his mind, and could see an almost third person view of the murderer. He smiled at the look of shock on the man's face. He knew that Muraki's hands were going to his mouth, wondering why he could feel someone kissing him when quite blatantly, there was no one there. Tsuzuki wrapped his arms around Hisoka's waist, holding him tightly against him. Muraki nearly fell over, and Hisoka smiled into the kiss when he knew that Muraki had realised what was going on.

Hisoka had perhaps cast the cruelest curse of all.

A curse that would let Muraki know exactly how much Tsuzuki loved Hisoka.

Don't try to live so wise

Don't cry 'cause you're so right

Don't dry with fakes or fears

'Cause you will hate yourself in the end.

Tsuzuki was doing something extremely interesting with his tongue now, and who was Hisoka to complain. Gods, he'd wanted this for so long, but never had the courage. Perhaps the curse on Muraki had finally given him an excuse to let Tsuzuki know how much he loved him?

"Ahem?"

The two pulled apart, they appeared to have acquired an audience. When had that happened? Had they really been kissing... my god... Half an hour? Just making out? What the? The phrase 'Time flies' came to mind...

"It was detected by myself and confirmed by Watari that a curse had just been activated, about half an hour ago. Now, which one of you did it?" Tatsumi asked. Hisoka at least had the decency to look slightly ashamed. He should have known that someone would be always checking to see the balance of power flowing between Meifu and ChiJou... Damn, why did it have to be Tatsumi as well as Watari...? Hisoka might have been able to talk his way around Watari

"It wasn't me, Tatsumi-san. Who would I have to curse?" Tsuzuki asked, giving his usual genki smile. It faltered when and he saw how serious Tatsumi thought this was.

"Muraki-sensei."

You say, "Dreams are dreams."

"I ain't gonna play the fool anymore."

You say, "'Cause I still got my soul."

"What? Someone cursed Muraki? Why?" Tsuzuki asked. Ah, clueless to the last.

"Gomen nasai, Tatsumi-san..." Hisoka whispered. He felt thoroughly ashamed of himself now. It had seemed such a good idea until he had got caught... Now he had to face the consequences of his actions.

"Hisoka? You cast a curse? Why?" Tsuzuki was asking. It seemed that Watari was about to second that question but was cut off by Tatsumi's more professional line of questioning.

"Which curse?" He asked. Hisoka felt like dying. To admit what the curse did would be like admitting that Tsuzuki's fears, that Hisoka was only doing what he did to placate him, were true.

"I used it to bind Muraki and my own sense of... sense of..." Hisoka faltered, clearing his throat.

"Yes?" Tatsumi pressed. Hisoka swallowed, he could see the shadows shimmering, if that were possible. He could tell how great Tatsumi's rage was.

"Feeling..." He finally choked out. He felt the pain from Tsuzuki before his put up powerful shields. Slowly he sank to his knees.

"I just... wanted him to hurt... I wanted him to hurt the way I had, I wanted him to know that Tsuzuki would never be his. That he had to know the pain it is never to have the one thing you want most. He deserves that punishment for his crimes..." Hisoka managed to choke out. For a moment Tatsumi looked like he might understand, then his face became cold and hard, like the ice walls that ensnared his emotions.

"You think this is the way, Hisoka? It makes you no better than him. Playing mind games to accomplish nothing except pain. Release Muraki from his curse immediately. That is an order Kurosaki-kun," Tatsumi commanded. Watari winced at the secretary's tone. Tsuzuki was being strangely detached from the whole situation.

"Tsuzuki, I didn't-" Hisoka began. Tsuzuki looked at him. For a moment it looked as though Tatsumi was going to intervene but instead it was Tsuzuki's cold voice that broke the silence.

"Remove the curse Hisoka," Tsuzuki ordered. Hisoka closed his eyes and prepared himself to cause the metaphysical explosion that would break the connection between himself and Muraki. He paused however, noting that Muraki was crying. Suddenly, all the pain Muraki was feeling was pouring into Hisoka, making him cry out.

"D-Damn..." The more he concentrated on destroying the link, the more of Muraki's sick, twisted pain fed down the line. He could see the tear tracks on the man's face. Oriya had arrived and was trying his best to do something... Anything...

"Hisoka?" It was only then that the boy realised he was crying.

"Forgive me... I can't... Muraki's pain... It's... It's..." Hisoka then looked to Tsuzuki. 'Well, I'm going to pass out anyhow...

"I... I didn't do this just to hurt Muraki... It just gave me a reason to show you... that I care... So I couldn't lie to myself and pretend I didn't... That it was just a game... I'm so so sorry, Tsuzuki..." He whispered, before he found himself losing to Muraki's pain. It had happened before; sometimes it was risky to have empathy. For a start, Hisoka was having difficulty recognising where he ended and Muraki began.

It was getting harder and harder to think of himself as separate from to Muraki.

Take your time, baby, your blood needs slowing down.

Breach your soul to reach yourself before you gloom.

Reflection of fear makes shadows of nothing, shadows of nothing.

"Kurosaki-kun? Are you hurting me like this on purpose?" Muraki asked. Hisoka wasn't sure whose voice spoke; they were one, after all.

"Yes," Was all Hisoka could reply.

"Why?"

"You can't have Tsuzuki. He's mine."

Hesmineminemineyoucan'thavehimhe'sallmineandifyoutrytotakehimi'llkillyou.iwouldn'thesitateandyouknowit.Ilo

vehimilovehimandyoucan'ttakehimawayfrommehe'llneverloveyouneveranditisn'tmyfaulttsuzukidecidedthatbeforeievendidthis.

"Yours, am I?" They heard a voice say. Violet eyes swallowed Hisoka whole and the explosion left both Muraki and Hisoka in darkness, wondering about their fate.

You still are blind if you see a winding road

'cause there's always a straight way to the point you see.

Hisoka was in blackness. He sensed someone was there with him, but he wasn't sure. He wasn't entirely sure where this blackness was either. Then suddenly it hit him. This blackness must be his mind after it had been virtually shattered after the backlash of the curse.

"Hisoka... Hisoka, it's time to wake up now... You've proven your point... Everyone's really worried about you... You can come back now... Please come back now..."

Tsuzuki...

He felt a flare of anger, jealousy and hurt from somewhere. It's not too far away. He tried to remember who it is but failed. All he could remember is a pair of large amethyst eyes, their passion, happiness, guilt, fear, love, burning into his soul. All those emotions...

"Come back to us, Hisoka... Just go straight up, break out of yourself Hisoka... We aren't angry with you... Not anymore..."

It was still Tsuzuki. And there was still that pain... He gradually began to see a light. Above him, he saw the violet eyes. However, they were distorted, as though seeing them through water.

"Tsuzuki..." He whispered. Sure enough, his efforts were met with a smile in those eyes. He struggled onwards, finally breaking through the surface and...

Don't try to live so wise.

Don't cry 'cause you're so right.

Don't dry with fakes or fears

'Cause you will hate yourself in the end.

"Tsuzuki! Tsuzuki!" Hisoka was trembling. He didn't know what had happened and he grabbed hold of Tsuzuki naturally. He clutched onto the man's shirt, sobbing into the man's shoulder. He couldn't remember what had happened. He could barely remember anything. Somehow, everything had gotten so mixed up inside his head.

He was pretty sure that he had never killed anyone though... So why did he remember killing someone? Why did he remember a man holding a gun up to his face and threatening to fire? Why did he remember holding Tsuzuki who was only dressed in a yukata...?

"Hisoka? Are you okay?" Tsuzuki asked. Tsuzuki... He was a constant in Hisoka's memories... Grabbing him, holding onto him desperately... But he had been watching himself hold Tsuzuki... No, that wasn't right...

"No... I don't remember... I think my memory... Is mixed up with someone else's..." Hisoka tried to think of who it was but everything was so confusing. It was like trying to look at a jigsaw without putting the pieces together...

"You don't remember what, Hii-chan?" Tsuzuki pressed. Hisoka looked around the room, saw a blonde man he had no recollection of ever meeting, a stoic looking man who didn't look best pleased rang a faint bell... Yes, Hisoka had been fairly afraid and angry at that man...

"It's like... I remember you, Tsuzuki... But I don't remember much else... And I'm sure I remember things I shouldn't... I remember a man holding a gun to my head, which I don't think ever happened to me. I died of a curse... But I don't remember who cursed me. I don't remember so many things..." Hisoka knew he should be ashamed to break down, but he did, crying all over Tsuzuki's shirt again. He didn't even realise he was almost throwing himself at the man until Tsuzuki readjusted Hisoka in his lap.

"This could be a good thing," The stoic one who Hisoka feared said carefully. There was a name surfacing... Tatsumi... Tatsumi... Seiichirou... That was it... Yes... He was... He was...

"Why don't you tell us precisely what you know? We could fill in the gaps a little, you know?" The blonde man asked, his genki attitude was endearing. Hisoka didn't realise he was using empathy until he noticed the stream of affection between Tatsumi and Watari.

"You two are lovers?" He asked. It was Tatsumi's turn to look confused and he glanced at Watari, who was blushing.

"No. Whatever gave you that idea?" The secretary asked. That was right, Hisoka thought, Tatsumi was a secretary.

"Emotion... Your emotions for each other... They are pulling you together... Like Tsuzuki and I have the same bindings," He explained. Then he paused.

"But... It's strange... There are so many bindings to Tsuzuki... From everywhere... Tatsumi is bound to him with coarse rope, Watari with wool, and there's another presence... He's attached to Tsuzuki with deep red ribbons... But they flow... Like... Blood?" Hisoka shuddered. He wasn't quite sure what was going on, or why he was seeing these connections between people... Was this his power, or Muraki's?

"Who's Muraki?" Hisoka asked. There was an incredulous silence.

"Hisoka? You've forgotten who Muraki is?" Tsuzuki pressed. Hisoka sensed that he was looking 'cute' and 'dumb' but he couldn't bring himself to bring himself to look anything other than he felt. He also felt he'd get a better reaction from everyone if he just played the lost lamb. Somewhere along the line he felt he was deviating from who he was originally...

"Yeah, who is he?" Hisoka asked. Tsuzuki glanced at Tatsumi. There was an unspoken conversation that seemed neither Hisoka nor Watari could read and then Tsuzuki turned to Hisoka, smiling sadly.

"Perhaps it's best if that part of you is forgotten, Hisoka-kun..." Tsuzuki whispered. Hisoka couldn't help but believe him.

Watari looked on in horror. Perhaps Tsuzuki and Tatsumi didn't realise what they were doing... For Hisoka to forget about Muraki, he would have to forget about himself...

Don't try to live so wise.

Don't cry 'cause you're so right.

Don't dry with fakes or fears

'Cause you will hate yourself in the end.

There was no doubt in Oriya's mind. Something was wrong with Muraki. The man was crying. Not the usual odd tear shed for his dead parents, or the occasional tear shed for Saki and his inevitable death (although not by Muraki's hands more's the pity). These were body wracking sobs that shook his entire being and made the entire body ache. Even like that, Muraki was still beautiful... In his twisted way...

"Muraki-sama..." Oriya then realised what he had said and cleared his throat, trying again. He was prevented though, when Muraki looked at him with haunted eyes.

"Where's Tsuzuki-san? I WANT TSUZUKI-SAN!" The platinum blonde yelled. Oriya blinked. Never had Muraki sounded so childish... He'd only heard such childishness once before, when Hisoka had been crying over Tsuzuki after Kyoto. The boy had returned to thank Oriya. The man had no doubt that Hisoka knew full well that Muraki was hiding out at the brothel, but to the boy's credit, he hadn't said or done anything. He'd merely had a nervous breakdown.

It had been a long night, but Oriya had learned a lot of what Muraki had done to Hisoka, and why Tsuzuki and Hisoka hated him so much. It was perfectly understandable when explained by someone who was so distressed at nearly having lost the one they loved.

Although Hisoka had denied that he loved Tsuzuki, preferring to refer to the man as a close friend, a father, big brother, anything other than a lover.

But now... Muraki... This was... unexpected...

"Tsuzuki-san isn't here. He has never come here of his own free will Muraki. Now, why don't you just calm down and-" Oriya was surprised to find himself pinned down, Muraki above him and looking at him with eyes filled with self-hatred... Since when had Muraki hated himself?

"I don't remember you... I don't remember you at all..." Muraki whispered.

Oriya felt the tears welling up, he tried to control himself, but he felt the betraying tears fall from the corner of his eyes across his temple to be soaked up by his hair. He watched Muraki track the tear and then the doctor looking into Oriya's eyes.

"You know me... Tell me... Who am I? Who is this Tsuzuki I want to see so much? Why... Why does everything hurt so much?" Muraki asked. Oriya shook his head, if only he held the answers. He had no idea what had brought this on. He had assumed that Muraki would wake up and know everything. He didn't expect to be the one to explain. After all, what did he know about magic really? He knew the basics but that was about it. Had it been another shinigami attack? To wipe his memory? But then, why wouldn't they have deleted the memory of Tsuzuki?

"I don't know the answers... I'm Oriya... I went to high school with you... Do you remember none of it... Muraki-san?" Oriya asked. From his position on top of Oriya, Muraki managed to pull of looking adorably puzzled. It made Oriya feel sick. This wasn't Muraki. What had they done to him?

"I am... Muraki?" There was a tremor in the doctor's voice. Oriya nodded. He didn't expect the strangled yell that came next.

"That's not possible! I'm not Muraki! I hate Muraki! I remember him hurting me! I remember him hurting Tsuzuki-san! I'm not! I'm not!" Muraki protested. Oriya blinked and then it finally sank in. Memory. Their memories had been mixed up somehow... Hisoka... It had to be Hisoka... Which meant that somewhere, Hisoka harboured a lot of Muraki's memories...

"This isn't going to be a fun day..." Oriya sighed

"I killed people..." Hisoka suddenly said. Tsuzuki was in the middle of a story about a vampire or something. It rang a bell somewhere in Hisoka's mind, but he couldn't quite place it. Apparently, he'd been there... Now however, there was a stony silence.

"Gomen, I could have just sworn I heard you say-" Tatsumi began. Hisoka looked at his hands.

"They are stained with blood. So many people's blood... Maria Wong, Tsubaki-hime, hundreds of nameless, helpless people... I remember... every sickening detail... Every time I cut through them, or toyed with them before they died... Every time, I wondered what it would be like to kill Saki... To finally get my revenge..." Hisoka's voice was deeper somehow. Tsuzuki looked alarmed, Tatsumi was blinking and Watari just sighed.

"Hisoka, you didn't kill anyone. What you remember is Muraki's memory. You can remember a boy, right? Cursing him? That boy was you-"

"No! You're lying! I wouldn't curse myself!" Hisoka yelled. Watari smiled, patiently.

"No, perhaps not... Tsuzuki... Please take care of Kurosaki-kun," The scientist was stroking Hisoka's hair soothingly. He really would make a great mother. It was amazing how he could calm someone down. He then turned to Tatsumi, his hands went onto his hips and then he took the secretary by the ear.

"You! We're going to sort this goddamned mess out!"

Ah, Watari would make someone else a very good wife as well... Tatsumi was already being the typical brow beaten husband... How... perfect...

"So, Hisoka-kun, what would you like to do?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka thought for a while, then did the first thing that came to mind. He hesitantly leaned forward and kissed Tsuzuki. Somewhere, deep inside him, a fire lit up. Passion burned within him stronger than any fire from his nightmares and memories. He grabbed hold of Tsuzuki's shirt, trying to make sure that the man wouldn't pull away.

But Tsuzuki was stronger than him. He pulled away angrily.

"What the hell? Hisoka! Or is it Muraki?" Tsuzuki's eyes were narrowed in suspicion. The younger shinigami stared at Tsuzuki with an injured expression. He knew that he was manipulating Tsuzuki. He also had a feeling that if all this hadn't happened, he would have hated himself for doing it... Perhaps it was this 'Muraki' that made him act like this? Who knew, or rightly cared? He just wanted to feel Tsuzuki's lips on his...

"If you don't love me, Tsuzuki. Please, just say so... I don't understand the way you are... I don't understand you. I think I did once, but it's lost... I think I was happy with you though. Have I misunderstood my memories?" Hisoka asked. Tsuzuki saw a gleam in Hisoka's eyes though that made him shiver. It was the same look that Muraki gave him while playing with him.

Angrily, Tsuzuki stood up.

"Hisoka or Muraki, whoever or whatever you are. I am no one's plaything!" He stormed out. Hisoka pouted and slouched down in his hospital bed.

"Well, you're no fun when you're in a mood..."

"This isn't a nice area of Kyoto, Watari. Why are we here?" Tatsumi asked. The scientist just gestured across the road from them.

"Isn't that--?" Tatsumi began. Watari smiled and gave Tatsumi a playful push that clearly meant 'get in there right this minute'.

"Oriya's brothel! Muraki-sensei will be in there and you have the amazing honour of finding out what went wrong! Lucky you, ne?" Watari asked. Tatsumi was about to fight back when he saw Oriya half dragging Muraki into the street. The man was uncharacteristically bawling... Literally... Great loud cries, more like Hisoka's pain-filled screaming than any sound that should ever have come from Muraki's lips.

"Ohayo," Watari greeted Oriya. The man looked up and a brief mixture of emotions spread across his face.

"Help me with him please! Kurosaki-kun's memories are driving him insane! Whatever you did reverse it! He may be a serial killer but... argh!" Oriya's grip on Muraki's wrist slipped and Muraki was heading back to the house, running at full speed. He didn't get very far, he was soon captured by shadows, pulling back kicking and screaming to the road in front of the brothel. Luckily it wasn't a populated street.

"Only Kurosaki-kun and Muraki-sensei have any idea what they did and both of their memories have been wiped..." Tatsumi explained. He then blinked, realising something.

"What the hell were you doing with him anyhow?" The shadow master asked. Oriya sighed.

"I figured if I dragged him around half the shops in Kyoto someone had to turn up. Whether it was the police, the doctors or you guys, anything was better than him clawing me to death... He has nails! They bite into skin! I have scratch marks all over and it's because someone, somewhere, made him have a conscience!" Oriya yelled. He was getting a little hysterical... After all, it wasn't every day that a serial killer suddenly had an insight into his victim's mind...

"I'm sure you wouldn't have minded Muraki-sensei's scratch-marks at any other time?" Watari winked. Oriya felt a blush rising in his cheeks and Muraki stopped struggling suddenly.

"I remember him... TSUZUKI!" Muraki yelled, beginning to struggle against the shadows anew. It didn't work... It was never going to work... Tsuzuki looked mildly freaked out.

"Hisoka's developing strange qualities. The sooner we separate these two into two people again the better. Hisoka giving me that twisted pervert look... I think I've got mental scarring..." Tsuzuki grumbled. He sensed a small amount of hostility. He looked up and saw Oriya. Although he had never met the man personally, he knew Oriya through Hisoka's descriptions of the man. Ah, the man was in love with Muraki, wasn't he...?

"Muraki-kun," Tsuzuki gritted his teeth and put up with it. He'd have to be fairly nice to Muraki, seeing as the man was at the moment, partly Hisoka. The best way to get Hisoka to co-operate was to be nice, not sickeningly so, but enough to get him secure... Surely it would work on Muraki as well...

"Tsuzuki-san... They're all being mean to me..."

Tatsumi and Watari shared a look then burst out laughing. Oriya glared at them but it didn't stop them. Tsuzuki just raised his eyebrows... Was Muraki... pouting?

"Why don't we take you somewhere so they'll all stop being mean to you?" Tsuzuki asked, as though talking to a three year old about a great treat it was about to receive. Muraki smiled and nodded. Within seconds, Tsuzuki had teleported Muraki away from the brothel.

"He didn't just..." Tatsumi began. Watari grabbed Oriya's wrist and beamed at the secretary.

"Yup! Tsuzuki just took Muraki-sensei to Meifu!"

If this got out of control, Tatsumi doubted he'd ever live it down... How many shinigami had ever invited a threat into Meifu...?

Not good.

"What took you so long, Tsuzuki--" Hisoka stopped when he saw who was with Tsuzuki. Green eyes widened as he looked at the white haired man who was stumbling into the room.

"I'm locking the door. Do something so you turn back," Tsuzuki said coldly. Muraki and Hisoka looked at each other then smiled slightly. Five minutes later there was an explosion.

"Where's Hisoka-kun?" Tsuzuki asked. He was seriously considering committing seppuku right here and now and meet Hisoka in the other life... Except for the fact seppuku wouldn't quite manage to kill him... So he'd have to summon Touda... And he couldn't do that in such an enclosed space without endangering everyone else as well...

"Bon! Bon! Where the hell are you! BON!" Watari was sifting through rubble, trying to clear some of it in hopes that somewhere under there Hisoka might still be alive...

"Kurosaki-kun is fine... He just passed out..." A voice said from behind them. Tsuzuki turned to see Muraki holding Hisoka. They were kneeling, with Muraki cradling him, his forehead leaning against Hisoka's own.

"He'll be himself again now... We have... fought and reached an understanding..." Muraki said softly. Tsuzuki blinked and then ran forward, grabbing hold of Hisoka's hand and kissing it. He ignored the pain of rejection in Muraki's eyes, he ignored the pained look from Tatsumi, he even ignored Oriya's wince, all that mattered was Hisoka...

"Wake up, Hisoka... Please! I'm so sorry! I yelled at you and was mean... I don't want you to disappear without me being nice to you... I know you were being truthful about how you felt Hisoka-chan! I knew but I didn't agree with what you did... My anger got the better of me and..." Tsuzuki faltered. Tears were forming in his amethyst eyes. Hisoka... Beautiful Hisoka...

"You know he isn't going to die, don't you? He just fainted from magical backlash..." Muraki asked. Tsuzuki looked a little put out now.

"Arigato gozaimasu," Hisoka mumbled, his eyes opening. "Asato-kun..."

He then passed out cold and Muraki hid his smile. Well, well, well, the boy was getting devious...

"So, Hisoka is Hisoka and Muraki is Muraki now, ne?" Watari asked. Tsuzuki nodded.

"And you and Hii-chan are an item, ne?" Watari asked. Tsuzuki nodded.

"And Oriya finally managed to make out with Muraki-sensei, using Hisoka's memories, ne?" Watari asked. Tsuzuki nodded.

"And Tatsumi and I are screwing each other, ne?" Watari asked. Tsuzuki nodded, then did a double take, then gawped like a fish. Finally he settled for blinking stupidly.

"Er..." He began. Watari smiled.

"Just what I told him you'd say!"

"Asato-san, are you nervous?" Hisoka asked. Tsuzuki looked at his 'bride'. Hisoka looked... amazing in what they'd let him wear. A white dress shirt, white trousers and a cute little green bow that only brought out the colour of his eyes.

"Did you have to invite Muraki though?" Tsuzuki asked, looking over his shoulder at the creepy serial killer. Hisoka mock-glared at him, but was obviously far too happy to just leave it at that. He waved at Muraki and playfully made a possessive motion towards Tsuzuki.

Muraki smiled a smile that clearly said 'I'll kill you later'. Most would have been afraid of that reaction but Hisoka just smiled.

A real smile this time.

Every since Muraki's and Hisoka's memories had been mixed together, they had changed. Hisoka had opened up about everything, feeling the need to pour out his horrible experiences. He had become kinder, knowing how much a kind word could mean to the right person at the right time. He'd eventually even admitted feeling sorry for Muraki, and eventually, he'd got over the fact Muraki killed him. He hadn't forgiven the man, but he'd just let it slide, chalked it up to experience (dying technically is the last experience most people ever receive...) and decided that he might as well get on with life. Which had meant getting off with Tsuzuki...

Not that the purple eyed Shinigami was complaining at all...

It had been Watari who had convinced the two to get married. He'd preached to them about living in sin, and Tsuzuki making Hisoka an honest man and various other things.

Then Oriya had got in on the act...

Then the Gushoshin had started to snigger...

Tatsumi had raised eyebrows...

Muraki had stopped molesting Hisoka...

"I do."

Hisoka smiled. His vow meant more to him that he could have ever meant it before. He knew true suffering now, after being trapped with Muraki's memories he understood pain more than anyone else. It meant he understood happiness better...

For Hisoka, having memories that weren't his own had been frightening, but Tsuzuki had been there... Tsuzuki had been a constant...

Perhaps he had been misguided at first, to use Tsuzuki as a tool to get back at Muraki...

But he was rather glad he had now...

If he hadn't... He'd have never accepted himself, Tsuzuki, Oriya, anyone. He'd still be in his shell... He'd still be alive, ignorant of Tsuzuki, not even knowing he existed...

Hisoka's 'I Do' meant more to the boy than anyone could ever imagine.

It meant he finally had one good memory to treasure and share for the rest of his life.

To remember -

To keep someone in mind as worthy of consideration, recognition or love.