Hello all,
First of all THE REVIEWS!!!!!! Thank you so much to all who reviewed chapter five. And there was so many of them. Never in my dreams did I imagine I would get this many reviews. You guys are the best. I'm glad that so many people like how this story is turning out. It was a big kick for me to do this chapter as fast as I could. And I'll do the same for the next chapter if I get a response like that again. *hint, hint* :)
Now to the story. First a warning, I think this chapter deserves one because of the amount of angst and hurt that is contained in it. I'm really cranking things up a notch here so if you don't like to see our darling Tsuzuki in a lot of pain, please don't read.
The rest of you – which I hope is the majority of you ;) – please enjoy.
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The Trial – Chapter Six
Isorou Masaki. He hated the name as much as he hated the face attached to it. Watari was a happy man, a fun-loving, easygoing guy who believed in love and peace for everyone. He never thought bad things about others, or about the bad things in those others. He never imagined that a time would come when he would say he hated someone. But it had, now, and he could confidently, positively, one hundred percently say that he hated Isorou Masaki. He couldn't count the things he would do to the man if he got his hands on him: strangle him, pound him to the ground, dress him up in a tutu and make him dance around the lab, turn him into a walrus that couldn't stop belching...but since he couldn't do any of those things all he wanted to do was to forget about the man, put him out of his mind.
Which proved to be harder than he thought when he saw him sitting in a chair in his lab the next morning when he came through the door. Isorou was impeccable, clean-shaven, dressed, his gray suite ironed and void of the smallest crease. Only his hair was a little wind blown, most likely because he had gone out that morning before coming to the lab. Watari deliberately ignored him and went about checking a row of his latest simmering experiments. He tried to pretend the man wasn't there as he started taking note of the measures inside each beaker. He hated the man.
"Ohayou, Mr. Watari. Sorry to have bothered you so early in the morning."
Leave it to the prosecutor to make his presence known. For a moment, Watari wasn't sure what to do. Every fiber in his body was telling him to kick the man out of his lab and be done with him. But a small part of him - the chicken part that remembered yesterday's events, and was the side you usually end up listening to - begged him to take the safe road and not do anything, at least for now.
"I was wondering, Watari-san. Do you by any chance have any painkillers here? I feel a bit of a headache creeping up this morning."
Watari gritted his teeth. How could he? He'd caused everyone so much pain in less than a day and now he was the one with the headache? Really…
"I'm sorry, but I'm all out of aspirin."
"Oh! That's too bad. Do you have anything else? I'm not picky, you know. I'll take anything."
Watari still had his back to him, acting busy. He wished he could just not answer, but he wasn't able to. "I don't have anything left, really. We're out of everything. I was planning to go shopping today." He cursed himself. Why was he talking to this man as if he were anybody?
"Are you sure you have nothing? Not even in the first aid kit?"
Of course there was always some medicine left in the first aid kit. This was Isorou's way of trapping him and testing his boundaries. The evil man enjoyed it, like he had enjoyed defeating Tatsumi, torturing Tsuzuki, and threatening Hisoka. None of them had found a way out of it. What made Watari think he would be more fortunate?
Behind him, he heard Isorou stand up from the chair. He swallowed hard and forced himself to remain calm. He hadn't given the man an answer yet. The chicken part of him screamed hysterically that and he finally gave in to it.
He turned and found Isorou standing behind him looking through his desk drawers.
"I...I will look for it. I promise. I'll give you some as soon as I've found them. Would you mind leaving the lab now, please, I have tons of work to do."
"Are you saying you are kicking me out, Watari-san? Because if you do, you are making a huge mistake." Isorou's eyes flashed dangerously. Watari froze. Damn. Had he finally ticked him off? Will the evil bastard lash out at him now? Will Tsuzuki suffer more because of Watari's foolishness?
Isorou studied the other man's expression, then threw his head back and laughed out loud. Watari jumped at the sound of his laughter and looked at him in shock. Isorou kept chortling until tears poured down his eyes. Then, hardly restraining the remainder of his chuckles, he removed a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes, saying, "Oh man, you should have seen the look on your face. I thought you were going to have a heart attack. Why did you get so scared? I was just joking with you. I didn't mean it that way."
Watari expected a sigh of relief but instead found himself fuming. This man, this evil, despicable man, was making fun of him. What did he want from them anyway? Why couldn't he just leave them in peace? And why did he act so normal and chummy around him?
The laughter died down. Isorou put the handkerchief back in his pocket and started for the door, announcing, "Don't take things so hard, Watari Yutaka. I'm not the monster you think I am. I wouldn't hurt you just because you didn't want me here, or refused me even the courtesy of some meager painkillers. I'm not like that. I only punish those who are guilty of a crime."
Watari watched him walk to the door. Soon he would be out of there. Soon he would step outside, close the door and be gone. Watari would be in peace, could go back to his work, and wouldn't have to bear the presence of this terrible man...
"Tsuzuki wasn't guilty of anything."
...Unless, he put his foot in his mouth in the last minute.
Isorou stopped and turned towards him. Watari expected to feel the pang of fear that had held him in its grips minutes ago, but he didn't. He stood his ground.
The gray haired man put his hands behind his back and started walking toward him, observing him curiously. He stopped midway between the door and Watari and said, "Tsuzuki Asato is guilty of killing a high ranking temple spirit. Did you forget that?"
"No I didn't." Watari said with as much force as he could muster. "But he did it while defending two shinigamis and a group of children. You didn't even consider that in your so called court of justice." Ok, that was just too blunt. Watari had said it without thinking, or giving the chicken in him a chance to back him down, and now it was out.
Isorou contemplated his words carefully. "Hmm, interesting," he said "Tell me Watari-san, what is so special about this Tsuzuki that everyone is so hot on defending him? One would think he's the most popular kid on the block."
Which was, more or less, the truth.
Watari took a deep breath. "Do you really want to know?"
"Of course, I am quite curious."
"Very well, if you must." Watari realized he wasn't afraid anymore, and that it felt good to give the man his honest opinion without caring about a damned thing.
"Tsuzuki Asato is the laziest, lousiest, most irresponsible shinigami in EnmaCho. He is always late, very disorganized and regularly behind in his work. On top of that, he has a tendency to run into trouble on a regular basis. In fact, he invites it. He's so clumsy he never could keep a partner for more than a few months. In his seventy years with the summoning division he has changed more partners than any of us have changed outfits. And he has a relentless appetite for sweets that just drives you crazy. You could be talking to him for hours about something and he'd be munching under the table all that time. Oh, and he's a terrible cook."
Watari stopped and stared at Isorou with a smirk on his face. Isorou was silent and not looking at him. There was a frown on his face. Watari felt triumph rise up in his heart. 'And don't even think about asking me why we all love him so much cause that part is private and is none of your filthy business,' was his thought.
Finally Isorou spoke. "You don't like me that much, do you Watari-san?"
Watari shook his head ruefully. "No Isorou-san. I don't. Is it that obvious?"
It was Isorous' turn to smirk. "Yes, it is. And it's a shame. Because I have nothing against you. We could have had a nice time."
"No, we couldn't. No matter what you say or do, I can't forget the fact that you hurt some of the people very close to me. I simply can't forget that, or take your reasons for it. I can only ask you to please leave my lab right now."
Isorou didn't answer. He eyed Watari for another while before turning and leaving for the door. This time, Watari let him walk out. He didn't realize he was crushing his notes in his hand until after the door was closed. He let out a long breath and looked at the array of beakers with the colorful liquids happily boiling in them. He thought about Isorou's last words and his reaction to them. Watari had never treated another person like that before. It was purely out of hatred. As unfamiliar as the notion was to him, and as much as he wanted to scold himself for it, a small reminder of Tsuzuki in pain, Tatsumi going insane and Hisoka with his tear filled eyes was enough to fuel the feelings inside him and make him hate the man ten times more.
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*Thump Thump Thump*
The main door to the Castle of Candles rattled with the force of a fist banging on it. There were a few minutes of silence before the sound repeated, this time persisting a little more.
*Thump Thump Thump* *Thump Thump Thump Thump*
The fist was about to hit the door again when the door made a small creaking noise and began to open. The visitor stepped back, waiting expectantly for whoever was answering his knocks.
A bald, disfigured head with one large eye and a mutilated hole for the other poked outside and looked at the visitor in surprise. The midget butler recognized the man and opened the door slightly more so that the rest of him and parts of the castle's interior became visible.
"Good day, Tatsumi-sama. Can I do something for you?" Watson asked in that polite, weird tone of his.
"Hello, Watson. I'm here to see Hakushaku-sama."
Watson scratched his head and said, "Hmm, Hakushaku-sama, ne? But he didn't tell me your were coming to visit him today."
Tatsumi said, "He didn't know I was coming. This is not an ordinary visit."
Watson blinked his large eye and closed the door a tiny bit. "Then I'm afraid I can't let you in Tatsumi-sama. You know Hakushaku-sama only sees people with prior appointments."
Tatsumi shook his head. "I know that Watson. But this is an emergency. I'm sure the Earl will see me after hearing the circumstances."
"But it is against regulations. If you want to make an appointment -"
"Watson-san, will you talk to him? Please?"
Watson tilted his head to one side, observing Tatsumi's face wonderingly. "What should I tell him?"
Tatsumi pushed his glasses up his nose. "Tell him...it's about Tsuzuki-san."
The butler kept looking at him a little more before saying, "All right, Tatsumi-sama. Please wait here. I'll go and see what Hakushaku-sama has to say."
"Hai, Arigato Gozaimasu."
Tatsumi watched as the little zombie-like butler trotted inside and out of his view. He looked up at the sky. Dark clouds were slowly gathering on the horizon. Was it going to rain? A cool wind blew and ruffled his hair. He reached up and brushed it with his hand, looking around at the castle's gardens and the empty patio furniture under the trees. It was the place where he and the rest of the office had tea only a few weeks ago. He looked at the table where the four of them had been sitting: he, Tsuzuki, Hisoka and Watari. Tsuzuki had been extremely cheerful and, at the same time, very anxious that day. He was desperately trying to hide from the Earl's lustful gaze while Tatsumi was trying to teach him table manners and wipe the cookie crumbs off his face. He smiled at the memory. At one point, he had reached with his napkin only to find the chair Tsuzuki had occupied a moment ago empty. He had blinked in surprise and then felt a tug on is pants.
He had looked down, and there he was. Tsuzuki. Under the table.
"Shh, is he still looking?" the younger shinigami had asked.
"Wh... Tsuzuki-san! What are you doing down there?" He whispered, disapprovingly.
Tsuzuki had blushed. "Hakushaku, is he still looking at our table?" he asked again, sending nervous glances at the direction of the Earl's table.
Tatsumi was speechless. "Tsuzuki-san. Are you crazy? Come out of there right now. Do you realize how rude your behavior is at this moment?"
And Tsuzuki had pouted, like he always did when he was chastised by Tatsumi. "But, Tatsumi-san. I'm not comfy with this. Any minute he'll swoop over here and start groping me. And I know you wouldn't protect me if that happened." His pout got a little more prominent.
Tatsumi finally had to reach down and pull him out of there before anyone saw them. Ignoring the hurt puppy looks the amethyst-eyed man was giving him, he had sat him down on his chair and hissed into his ear, "Yes, I will protect you Tsuzuki-san. Now, please sit down and try to behave. You are a grown man." And, once again, Tsuzuki had smiled, just like Tatsumi was smiling right now, recalling that memory.
He was wrenched out of it by the sound of the door. He looked back and saw the diminutive butler standing there. The creature twitched a bit and said, "I'm very sorry, Tatsumi-sama. But Hakushaku-sama said he is busy and cannot see you at the time."
Tatsumi's eyes widened. "Did you tell him it was about Tsuzuki?"
The creature bobbed his head like one of those toys people put on their dashboards. "I did, I did. Unfortunately, he said there are more pressing matters to attend to right now and that he's sorry he can't see you not likely until next month."
Tatsumi's face flushed red. He had a hard time speaking and ground the next words out instead. "Next month? More pressing matters? What could be more pressing than his favorite shinigami being slowly and painfully killed on JuOhCho's grounds?"
Watson backed away and bowed meekly. "Please don't be angry with me, Tatsumi-sama. I'm only telling you what Hakushaku-sama told me."
But Tatsumi had already put him out of his mind. He stepped away from the door and walked down the stairs of the large veranda to stand in front of the castle. With all the fury of a secretary turned away from an important visit he looked up at the huge structure and started shouting at it.
"You hear that, you arrogant, invisible stalker? Tsuzuki-san is dying. Are you going to act as if you don't care? What, you only cared when he was close enough for you to get into his pants?"
No answer. Tatsumi's eyes continued to blaze. With a meek sound Watson crawled inside the castle and shut the door. Tatsumi didn't pay it any attention; his focus was entirely on the building in front of him and a window where he thought he had seen some movement. Firmly, he walked to stand in front of that window, figuring it must be the room where the Earl was right now. He would place himself in his full view until the man conceded to seeing him. Even if it took days, or weeks, he would not move from that spot until his wish was granted. He was willing to do that and more for his friend. As long as Tsuzuki was out there on his knees hurting, Tatsumi would be here, staring at the Earl's window stubbornly.
It was because he cared that much.
Or was it?
As determined and heroic as he felt then, Tatsumi couldn't ignore the tiny voice in the back of his head that insisted that this was just a way for him to get away from the office and the shame he felt from having to watch Tsuzuki get hurt in front of his eyes without him being able to do anything about it.
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Night came with a cold wind blowing through the trees and scattering the clouds that had gathered all day in the sky. It kept the moonlight alive and Tsuzuki was thankful for that, even if the chilly wind made him shiver in his thin shirt. The moonlight brought light to the fields surrounding him, made everything less desolate and scary and caused him to feel less alone.
It was nighttime once again, the second night he was spending here. His wispy guardians were gone. They spent the day hovering around him and doing their silent duty of guarding him, but left as soon as the night came, going somewhere he didn't know. Apparently they didn't include nighttime hours as part of their work shift, just like he as a shinigami never did. It made him wonder whether they, too, were paid employees of Enma's organization. It didn't sound too improbable. After all, hard as it was to believe, they were all part of the same office.
A chilled breeze ruffled his hair and went under his shirt. He shivered and gave a small sneeze. He wished he could hug himself in the cold night. Being spread-eagled like that made him too exposed and vulnerable against everything nature had to offer, which was probably part of Isorou's punishment. He needed that hug badly. He longed to put his arms around him, curl into a ball and give into a quick nap. Just a little shuteye. To give his screaming muscles some relief from being stretched out for so long. And something to eat would be good too. He closed his eyes and smiled at the thought of hot apple pie sprinkled with cinnamon. His mouth watered and his stomach growled. God, what he wouldn't give right now to feel that that warm, gooey taste in his mouth. Biting down on the flaky crust and sucking the filling quickly before it dropped and made a mess on his desk. Then he would plunge his face into the cup and globber it down quickly before Tatsumi or Hisoka showed up and scolded him for eating on the job. But even if they did, he would just smile at them with a smeared face and tell them he had no idea what they were talking about… He swallowed the saliva that had gathered in his mouth at the thought of the pie and the pricks around his throat made themselves noticed, clinging deeper into the skin and drawing more blood. It was enough to ruin his sweet illusion. With a small choked sob, Tsuzuki opened his eyes to a cold, empty field with no apple pie, no office desk and no one to take care of him. He was all alone.
That was when he saw the shadow on the ground. Someone was there. He quickly looked up, fearing the worst and half expecting to see Isorou having snuck up on him to torment him some more while he was drifting into fantasyland.
The figure standing over him was not Isorou, he could tell that despite the moonlight shining from behind the other's silhouette. This person was much smaller, smaller legs and arms, had an orange sweater and jeans on, a halo of blonde hair, and magnificent green eyes. This person was...he was...
"Hisoka..." Tsuzuki whispered gleefully.
The boy immediately fell to his knees in front of Tsuzuki, dropping the things he was carrying to the ground and wrapping slim arms around Tsuzuki's aching body.
"Tsuzuki! Oh God, Tsuzuki." He whispered in reply.
Tsuzuki blinked. For a second he was afraid to react. Was this a dream made up by Isorou to test him? It couldn't be. It had to be Hisoka. He knew that voice, those arms, that scent. He had held him so many times, so many nights. It was like nature itself to him. Yet he still couldn't believe it.
"Hisoka!" he whispered as the boy hugged him tighter and hid his face in the crook of his neck. "What are you doing here?" He had to swallow before speaking. His voice was raw from lack of use and the dryness in his throat. "You shouldn't be here. If they find out... they will hurt you, Hisoka. You should go back home."
The boy raised his head to look into amethyst eyes. In the moonlight, Tsuzuki could see tear tracks on his face. He was crying. Then he heard him say, "I had to see you. I couldn't bear not being with you, after what he did to you. I was so scared. Tsuzuki, I was so scared for you." He hid his face in Tsuzuki's neck once again.
Tsuzuki smiled. He wanted so badly to put his own arms around the frail shoulders and return the hug. He felt a soothing warmth deep inside his heart at his partner's concern, happy at the knowledge that Hisoka cared. He tilted his head so that his cheek came in contact with the sandy blond hair, his imitation of stroking them. "Shh, please don't cry 'soka-chan. I'm fine, believe me. I'm still alive, aren't I?"
Hisoka didn't raise his head and continue weeping into his shoulder. He said through muffled sobs, "But this... is so cruel. How can they do this to you? I hate them, hate them so much. I hate to see you in pain. I hate myself for not being able to help. I'm so weak, so useless and I can't do anything. I'm a use-less... p-pathetic... little kid." the last part was broken by his sobs as tears started running down his face and dampening Tsuzuki's neck.
Tsuzuki felt his own eyes sting. He couldn't bear hearing his partner cry. Once again, he had made Hisoka sad. He closed his eyes against the pain in his heart - far greater than the pain in his body - and whispered, "Please don't cry Hisoka-chan, please. It will be all right, I promise. I'll get out of this real soon and be with you again so you won't be alone any more."
Hisoka let go of him and sat up, hiccupping a few times and rubbing his nose with his sleeve. "Baka," he whispered. Tsuzuki blinked. "What?" Hisoka looked up, tears dripping down his face. "Baka. You think I say that for me. So that you'd be there for me? Fool, I'm worried about you, we all are."
Tsuzuki looked at him, transfixed. "Everyone?" he asked. Hisoka nodded approvingly. "Yeah, me, Watari, Wakaba, the GuShoShins, even Terazuma. The whole office it in a jumble right now. Tatsumi-san even..." but there he trailed off.
Tsuzuki's heart leaped with worry. He looked into Hisoka's glittery eyes and asked, "Tatsumi-san? What about him? Please tell me, is he all right?"
Hisoka shook his head pitifully. "I don't know. No one knows. It is as if he's gone mad. Yesterday he attacked Watari and then stormed out of the office. No one has seen him since."
Tsuzuki bowed his head in dismay. So that was it. He had worried his friends, made them suffer because of him. He looked up with grief-stricken eyes at Hisoka, barely restraining the tears.
Hisoka saw his expression and reached for him again, surrounding him with his warm embrace. "Don't even start the guilt trip, Tsuzuki. Please. I'm sure he's fine. I will go look for him tomorrow. For God's sake, stop worrying so much about us." He laid his head on the broad shoulder and hugged Tsuzuki tighter. It jostled the barbs a bit more this time and the older man couldn't suppress an involuntary gasp.
Hisoka immediately released him, looking guilty and muttering apologies. Tsuzuki gave him a small smile and said, "It's ok, 'soka-chan." Then he sobered up. "Please leave now. I don't want you to get into trouble."
Hisoka looked up at Tsuzuki pleadingly. He said, "Please, let me stay a little more. I'll go back before they show up, I promise." His hand came up to touch his partner's cheek tenderly, trailing the deep lines of pain and exhaustion on his face, the dark circles under his eyes. "It's not fair." He whispered quietly, almost too quiet for the other shinigami to hear.
"What did you say?" Tsuzuki asked.
"Never mind," Hisoka replied. He then reached for the bag he had put on the ground and held it up for Tsuzuki to see. "Look, I've brought you some stuff." He announced happily.
Tsuzuki beamed. "What?" He was cut off when Hisoka held the mouth of a water bottle to his lips and poured the cool liquid into his mouth. "Drink something first. You sound like a rusty steam machine." Tsuzuki chocked a bit on the water, then drank greedily realizing just then how thirsty he was. When the bottle was empty Hisoka took it away. Tsuzuki looked even more exhausted; as if the water had reminded his body of the other things it needed badly. Like rest, and food.
Speaking of which...
"Hey, I brought you these too." Hisoka reached into the big bag and brought out a smaller bag from which he took out a donut. Tsuzuki's purple eyes twinkled with joy for just a second, but it was all the reaction he could muster.
Hisoka held the donut to Tsuzuki's mouth. "Here, eat. It's fresh. Bought them this afternoon."
Tsuzuki took a small bite from the pastry and started chewing. His tired eyes lit up at the taste and he raised his head to give his partner a genuine smile. "So good! Sankyu, Hisoka."
Hisoka smiled too, something that one would see the empath do only rarely. "You're welcome. Don't eat it too fast, I don't want you to get sick."
After Tsuzuki finished the donut Hisoka wiped the crumbs off his face and produced another donut from the bag. He wished he had brought more water. He made sure he remembered that next time.
It was strange, this calmness between them. Hisoka was reminded of the many times Tsuzuki had been the one to give comfort. When he had nightmares, or his empathy wore him down, or he had had a run in with Muraki, or even when he was suffering from common cold and had a fever, Tsuzuki had always been there to feed him and take care of him. It was rare that the situation was reversed. Like in Kyoto, and now.
"I've missed you." He murmured, coming out before he could stop himself from saying it.
"Hmm?" Tsuzuki inquired, mouth still full of pastry.
Hisoka blushed, and just then he realized his hand was stroking the other's hair. His blush deepened but he didn't pull his hand away. He was never comfortable with expressing his feelings but he was willing to let down his guard for now if it gave Tsuzuki a small bit of comfort.
Because Tsuzuki meant that much to him.
He took his eyes away from the donut he was holding and looked at the man. The clouds had left the moon now and he could clearly see the blood stains on Tsuzuki's shirt. Red splotches that had spread significantly since the last time he had seen him. He raised a finger to touch a spot and felt the crudeness of the barbed wire underneath Tsuzuki's shirt. Slowly, he slid his hand under the shirt and traces the twisted thin metal that went along Tsuzuki's collarbone down to his abdomen and around his back. Even as he touched it he felt Tsuzuki's muscles tremble under the strain. A lump raised in his throat. It wasn't fair, he thought as he closed his eyes. It wasn't fair. His poor, silly, kindhearted partner didn't deserve such a treatment.
"Hisoka, are you all right?"
He looked up, startled. "Aa. What do you mean?"
"I don't know." Tsuzuki said, forgetting the donut for a moment. "You went pale just then."
Hisoka shook his head. "Don't worry. I'm fine."
"Ne, Hisoka?" Hisoka looked up again and saw Tsuzuki's gaze was diverted. "Your curse marks...do they still hurt you?"
"What?" Hisoka said with a voice slightly raised. He looked at his partner incredulously.
"Nights, I mean. Do they still hurt?"
"What are you talking about? Who cares if-"
"Because... I'm not there with you if they do. When you need me, or when you have those nightmare and you hurt..."
"Stop it." Hisoka hissed, trying to keep his voice down in spite of his anger. "You, baka. How could you even think about my problem when you yourself are down to neck in yours?"
Tsuzuki seemed unfazed by his outburst. He just gave him a tired smile and his eyes shone with love that was deep within his heart. "It's simple 'soka-chan. I care for you very much because you are my partner."
That did it. Hisoka knew he would burst into tears right away again. He did the only thing he could think of which was to wrap his arms around Tsuzuki and hide his face in his shirt, mixing his tear with the blood that was already there. Tsuzuki was stiff for a second before he relaxed and bowed his head to touch his cheek to Hisoka's head. Hisoka closed his eyes, fisting the shirt in his hands and biting it to muffle his sobs. 'It's not fair' his mind kept repeating as the overwhelming sadness bubbled up in his throat and came poring down his eyes.
Neither of them knew how long they stayed like that under the silvery moonlight clinging to each other as the wind blew around them.
"Well, if it isn't a very touching, affectionate scene."
Soon as the voice reached their ears Hisoka was pulled away by a hostile grip on the back of his collar and separated from Tsuzuki violently. Isorou held him by the neck of his shirt, like a kitten caught by a rabid dog, then threw him toward the phantom guards that were waiting a few feet away. "Sorry to have interrupted your tender moment together." Isorou said mockingly as two of the guards caught the stumbling boy and held him by twisting his arms behind his back.
For a moment they were both confused. Tsuzuki only saw the threatening shadows around him and Hisoka being wrenched away before Isorou's words really registered in his mind. The man was looking down at him, waves of anger rolling over his face before he turned to look at the boy, still struggling in the grasp of the guards, and then at the food scattered on the ground.
"I thought I made myself clear about the rules regarding this one." He swiftly turned and marched toward Hisoka. Hisoka was trying to pull his arm away from one of the guards and was totally taken off guard when the prosecutor grabbed his jaw and made him look into his face.
"Kid, I'm talking to you. Didn't I tell you the rules?"
Hisoka tried to pull his head back with little success. He gritted out, "You bastard! I don't care about your damned rules or your-"
The slap made his ears ring and his eyes see white. Somewhere in the background Tsuzuki was yelling. Then, his head was gripped and forced up again, even as his eyes fell shut. "You...you dare talk to me like that? You dare to come here, bring him food, against my explicit orders?"
Hisoka blinked, completely dazed by the rough treatment. Isorou grabbed the front of his shirt and shook him forcefully. "ANSWER ME!" He yelled as he slapped him again and again. Blood oozed from the corner of Hisoka's mouth and he found it hard to concentrate. Just then Isorou threw him to the ground and his head hit the solid surface of a rock. Hisoka's last conscious thought as he passed out was how he'd failed to keep his promise to Tsuzuki.
"I said anyone who trespasses here will be punished and I meant it. You will be the next to join him in his ordeal." Isorou sneered at the unconscious boy. He then started chanting his spell and soon enough, a cloud in the form of a thin snake began appearing above Hisoka's head.
"No, please." Tsuzuki screamed. "I beg you. Don't hurt him, please."
Isorou shot him a contemptuous glance and said, "I warned him, didn't I? Why is it so hard for your friends to understand a warning?"
Tsuzuki strained against his bonds. "Please, let him go. He's only a kid. He didn't mean to break your rules. He was worried about me, that's all."
Isorou turned back to Hisoka who was still lying face down on the ground. "It doesn't matter what he is. Rules are rules, and I hate it when they are ignored." Tsuzuki struggled again. He could see the mist solidifying into a barbed wire identical to his own. He wouldn't... couldn't allow this to happen. Not to Hisoka.
"You said," He gasped for breath, "you said if anyone did anything against you, that you would punish me instead, didn't you?" He looked back at Hisoka whose upper body was now lifted by Isorou's magic. The wire languidly snaked around his neck and it made Tsuzuki's heart beat faster. He had to save him. He looked up at Isorou pleadingly and saw him gaze over at him with annoyance in his eyes. He continued, "I remember you saying that, to my friend Tatsumi. Why wouldn't you do as you promised? If you enjoy hurting people so much, then do it to me."
Isorou kept staring at him. The wire still hovered around Hisoka's body with a part of it touching him. "You are willing to do that for him?" Isorou asked. Tsuzuki shook his head yes. "Do you know how much more pain you would be in if I dealt his punishment to you? Are you willing to take that risk?" Again, the shinigami shook his head yes, eyeing his partner and the wire circling around him anxiously.
'He doesn't even consider the options.' Isorou thought.
"Very well then, I'll forgive him once more. But then, this is truly the last time." He made a gesture with his hand and the menacing wire disappeared, leaving Hisoka's lifeless body to fall into the ground. Almost immediately, one of the yurei came forward and picked him up, the boy's head falling back as the creature carried him away. Tsuzuki's eyes followed them intensely and at the last moment, he saw the green eyes open slightly to reflect moonlight and despair. He mouthed Tsuzuki's name incoherently before he was taken away and gone together with the rest of the guards.
Tsuzuki looked down and breathed slightly. He prayed for Hisoka's safety, hoping that Isorou would keep his word and leave the boy alone. The man's voice called his attention, "Now, the not-so-fun part. Then again, you asked for it."
Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the wire tightened around his body. At the same time, the small spikes that ran along its length began to grow frighteningly. Barbs that had been half an inch long before lengthened to twice their size, going so deep into his body they almost touched his bones. The pain was so incredible he had to bite down on his lip to keep from screaming. The world seemed to flicker out of sight and everything began to look blurred and disjointed. It was as if the world had plunged into a sea of darkness with the moon turning liquid and casting fluid shadows on the landscape around him. Everything that had looked safe and lucid before turned into a monster that rose up to attack him. He looked up at Isorou, his teeth chattering from the pain and his tears sliding down his cheeks making the world clear once again. The man was looking at him with no trace of emotion in his eyes. Tsuzuki wanted to lunge at him, to grab him and force him to stop, but could do nothing but to stagger in his bonds. He had never felt this helpless, this hurt before.
'But if it makes him leave Hisoka alone...'
He closed his eyes on that thought and blocked out all the rest. Hisoka... the boy had risked his life coming to him. I'm worried about you, we all are. 'Hisoka...' that was his buoy in the storm, his guiding torch through this agonizing trial. He, Tatsumi, Watari, all the rest of his friends who were worried about him and still cared for him. For them, he would endure. And he would come through victoriously if he had to, just to see them again. He managed a weak smile and when he next opened his eyes Isorou was gone.
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Yeaaaaaaaaay! Another chapter done. Sorry I left you hanging there again. Just makes you anticipate the next chapter more, doesn't it? Now, those of you who are eager to review, I have something for you to brainstorm on. It is a question that I'd like you to answer if you want:
*What do you think about Isorou Masaki? Like him, hate him, understand him? And why? *
I can't wait to read your answers to this. So go ahead and give me your two cents (which is way more than I earn writing this story g) :)