Ryu was making himself scarce; unavailable except for emergencies. Watson was taking the calls or personal visits, skillfully steering everyone wanting to enter away.
No one else in Meifu knew about this, no one aside from Hisoka, and his partner could keep secrets. What Tsuzuki did on his days off was his to decide.
That he would walk into the palace of Enma-Daiou on a work day was his decision, too, but no one in his or her right mind would actually come here unannounced and confront their lord and master. Tsuzuki didn't care who or what Enma-Daiou was.
He cared for his friends, and Ryu was a friend.
So he had been harassing him since day one with his lecherous approach.
So he had indebted him by granting Tsuzuki his wishes concerning specific candles or entries into the Book.
So he had groped him once or twice.
So he had made very ambiguous and not so ambiguous remarks.
But that had been the Count, and Ryu... Ryu was the man behind the mask. He was the terribly injured soul who had been imprisoned in the Palace for two thousand years. He was the one who had been at Tsuzuki's side throughout the fever, who had taken care of him. And he had been the one who had opened up like a rarely blooming flower in Rikugo's presence.
This was the man he was fighting for.
"You set this up!" Tsuzuki yelled into the emptiness of the main hall.
There were no servants, no sign of life, but he knew Enma was here. The part deep down inside that came from Hell, that had been born by a demon, could feel the powerful entity.
"I did no such thing, Tsuzuki," a pleasant voice answered from out of the shadows. "We made a deal. Is it my fault you cannot uphold your end?"
Tsuzuki grit his teeth. "You agreed to the deal because you knew I would fail, right? Otherwise I'd still be begging on my knees for Ryu!"
A shadow detached itself from the deeper black and the expensively robed figure seemed to glide toward him. The smile on those perfect features set Tsuzuki off even more.
He should be afraid.
He should be cowering in the presence of the Lord of Hades.
All he felt was revulsion.
Despite the ethereal beauty, the pale skin and the midnight black hair that swung in perfect waves down his back, despite his handsome face and the exquisite way of dressing, Enma-Daiou was nothing more than a scheming devil in Tsuzuki's eyes.
"Your effort was admirable. Too bad you can't make up for the first failure with a second attempt."
Tsuzuki felt the power uncoil within himself, dark and dominant, and the idea of simply letting go of it was so sweet, so seductive... direct it at the source of his anger and wipe the arrogant half smile out of that bastard's face forever... And then another, more soothing darkness covered his soul, a warm presence that not quite extinguished the burning fury he felt.
:Touda: he snarled. :Let me go:
:Don't! Don't you see he's just provoking you? Do you want to play his game... again:
Again. Yes, again. He had had a similar confrontation already and it had gotten him the deal.
Enma regarded him with that damnable calm. The powers churned - and were caught once more.
:Touda...:
:Hush... Asato, please. You're still needed:
Tsuzuki blinked as warm arms embraced him from behind, very solid and real, holding him and guiding him back to reality.
"I don't remember allowing you to appear here, shikigami," the amused voice of Enma-Daiou cut into his thoughts.
"I don't remember asking," Touda answered levelly, pulling Tsuzuki with him, out of the Lord of Hades' residence and therefore out of harm's way.
It was easy to pull him completely out of Meifu and into GensouKai, especially since Tsuzuki wasn't resisting all that much. Finally away, the shinigami inhaled sharply, starting to tremble. Touda still had a firm hold on him, the golden eyes burning.
"Thanks," Tsuzuki whispered shakily.
"My pleasure. What were you thinking?"
A rueful smile was the answer. "I don't know."
"Idiot," Touda whispered, but there was no malice in his voice.
Tsuzuki sighed and sank onto a near-by fallen tree. He ran shaky fingers through his tousled hair. Touda remained where he was, an impressive, black clad figure.
"He knew this would happen. He knew I would see the shadows... and Muraki... and... that I would freak."
Touda sat down beside him. "Tsuzuki..."
"And I did. I freaked. I fear a man who has nothing on me but this fear... this terror. I've been an angel of death for over seventy years, Touda, and nothing ever scared me as much as this single human being... Enma knows and he used that knowledge. I doubt he can influence the shadows, but he knew what they would show me. I broke down and I failed. I failed Ryu and Rikugo... and myself. Whatever I do... it's never enough, Touda. Never enough. Never..."
Touda grabbed his chin and forced him to meet the golden gaze. "Asato, you failed no one. And what you do is more than enough. No one expects more of you but yourself. It was your first time completely alone in that place."
"And there won't be another because Ryu refuses to leave."
The smirk was downright nasty. "And since when did that ever stop you?"
"You sound like Hisoka."
The serpent chuckled, caressing his cheek. "Maybe you should listen to those wiser than you are, Asato."
Amethyst eyes flared with rightful indignation and a little smile graced Tsuzuki's lips.
Touda grinned. "See?"
A little laugh escaped the shinigami and he shook his head. "You're impossible."
Touda's smile widened. "That's what fire shikigami are known for, my dear Asato."
° ° °
Enma smiled, watching Tsuzuki shoot amethyst daggers at him as he was dragged out of the palace by his most dangerous shikigami, and then turned to retire to his private rooms. Closing the door of his chamber behind him Enma slipped out of his robe.
"You do realize one day he will kill you," a soft voice said conversationally, and Enma glanced over his shoulder at the tall, slender figure sprawled on his bed.
"He will have to stand in line."
There was a chuckle. "Of course. I have the prerogative."
"I can't wait to see you trying."
"You love a challenge."
This time it was Enma who chuckled dryly. "You're no challenge to me."
"Am I not?" There was the clinking sound of metal chains. "Then why do you chain me to your bed... apart from the obvious, of course?"
Enma walked over to the restrained man, smiling coldly. His eyes glinted as he took in the lithe figure, the flawless skin, without scars or blemish from prior injuries.
"Because it pleases me."
"I can't wait to see you on your knees before me, Enma. Your last breath will be mine."
Enma's hand shot forward, burying itself in the tall man's hair and pulled his head back forcefully until the tendons in the other man's throat were stretched almost painfully.
"Is that a threat, pet?"
"No. A promise."
Enma chuckled. "You do realize you're still mortal, don't you?"
There was an amused glint in the other man's silvery eyes, and he smiled.
"I will outlive you. I will hold your beating heart in the palm of my hand and enjoy your breaking eyes watching me crush it."
Enma laughed humorlessly. "You say the sweetest things, pet."
Then his mouth descended on the other man's lips, crushing them in a forceful brutal kiss, forcing the lips apart and ravishing the other's mouth thoroughly. Pulling back he released the silver hair, an unholy light shining in his black eyes as he looked down on the man.
"You were talking about kneeling earlier, Kazutaka?"
The fragile looking silver chains clinked softly as the other man looked up, starting to move languidly.
"Yes... master..." Muraki said softly, as he kneeled in front of Enma on the bed, fingers trailing over the immortal beings thighs, everything but submissive.
And Enma smiled.
to be continued in Threshold