Hisoka awoke quietly and slowly. He was on a comfortable bed, names his own, but there was a rough pressure being applied to his wrists and legs. He tried to move, but he had little strength to do so. He could hear rough, harsh breathing just above him, and could hear a quiet dripping sound. He tried his hardest to identify these things, but they eluded him. But through the silence and confusion of his mind, a voice, calm and quiet, reached him.

'Hisoka… can you hear me?'

'Tsuzuki… what's…going on? I feel strange…'

'It's Muraki. He has somehow done something to you...!'

'Muraki…'

'Hisoka… I don't know how much longer I can… do this… please, you have to come back into consciousness!'

'Come back…? I don't even know what is happening… I'm so weak… I feel the darkness tugging on me… pulling me…'

'Just hang in there. I'll get a light.'

There was a pause, which seemed to last an eternity for Hisoka. Then, he heard another noise, like one of a painful grunt, and Hisoka's heart began to beat very quickly. Even on the outside, it was visible. Hisoka was shaking with fear and anxiety. His lips quivered and his face paled.

'T-Tsuzuki…? Tsuzuki?'

'H-Hisoka, it's okay… you can calm down now.'

'B-but… what on earth is happening! Your spirit has weakened, some, I can feel it! What is happening?'

'Shh…..Hisoka… Please calm down, or you'll end up hurting yourself! You are in your room. I turned on you bedside lamp; do you remember where it is?'

'…Yes…'

'That's good. Now, focus on its light and warmth… and open your eyes.'

Hisoka focused his tired mind and slowly drifted back into the conscious realm. The weight on his arms and legs remained, but his spirit felt more relaxed. And, a chill passed over him. He could feel that his shirt had been opened, somehow, and he felt the cold from that.

"Hisoka…?"

Then, he felt the light next to him, and the one coming from Tsuzuki, and opened his eyes. He was not at all prepared for what he saw. His blanket was in shreds, his pillow was nowhere to be seen, and Tsuzuki… The older man was just above him, pinning him down onto the bed, but he, himself was in shreds! His clothes were torn, and visible wounds showed all over him. Blood seeped from an open wound on his right arm. Despite that, he tried to smile at the boy, whose eyes were wide with shock. Hisoka had begun to shake again, and he struggled against his partner's grip.

"T-Tsuzuki! What the hell happened here!"

"Hisoka-"

"Tsu, how did you get hurt like that? Tell me! I need to know!"

"Hisoka, this isn't helping."

"Tsu, you need medical attention! Who did this to you!"

"Hisoka… don't-"

But the boy looked where Tsuzuki's eyes were at and he saw the blood on his own hands. He had hurt his partner so badly, and without any memory of it. The boy was on the verge of tears. His emotions were strong and painful-sounding as he yelled out loud. Tsuzuki had to put up a strong barrier to protect himself from the unleashed energy Hisoka was letting out, unintentionally. The boy thrashed roughly under him. With every movement, something in Hisoka's body made an ugly cracking noise. The struggle was hurting him more than he had hurt Tsuzuki, but there was just no calming the boy's pain and confusion. He was still partly under Muraki's spell, so Tsuzuki could not let him free until he calmed him down. Hisoka's struggles got more fierce and violent, and damaging to himself.

"Hisoka! You have to calm down!"

"No! How could I have let him use me like this! I hurt you, Tsuzuki! I hurt YOU?"

"Hisoka! Damnit, calm down!"

"I can't! O-ow…!"

Hisoka bit back a cry of pain as his shoulder disconnected itself due to his struggles. He really did try to calm down, but there was a feeling inside him, telling him to fight back. Tsuzuki could not let Hisoka hurt himself further, and he lowered himself on top of the boy, as was the only way to still restrain him. He leaned his face on the side of Hisoka's, which was covered in sweat and tears, and whispered into his ear.

"Hisoka… none of this is your fault… if you don't calm down… I can't help you…"

"T-Tsu…"

"Hisoka, you'll kill yourself and me if you can't calm down…"
"Tsuzuki…!"

"Shh…. It will all be over soon… Shh…"

Slowly, Hisoka's body relaxed and the boy was breathing almost like normal. His chest moved roughly from the weight on it, and his breath came in short gasps. As soon as Tsuzuki was sure Hisoka was able to move of his own will, uncontrolled, he slid off of him and sat upright. Hisoka coughed a few times, and then rolled over on his side facing Tsuzuki as he rubbed at his bruised wrists. No doubt, his legs were bruised as well, but Hisoka looked up at Tsuzuki's injury, which had not yet begun to heal. Tsuzuki removed his shirt and quickly dressed the wound. After he was fixed up, he loosely put his shirt back on and set Hisoka's shoulder back. He leaned the boy against, the headboard to rest.

"I'm sorry…"

"You weren't in control, it's not your fault."

"What happened?"

"Muraki took control of you while you passed out, and it would seem he's using you as the… vampire, that we have been searching for. I don't know how he's doing it…"

"…I do."

"Hm?"

"He invades my dreams… but he can't do it from afar. I think he was here…"

"But I didn't' sense a thing! How did he do it…?"
"I don't want to find out…"

Tsuzuki looked to Hisoka, who was sitting with his knees to his chest.

"I'm his puppet all over again… What will you do, Tsuzuki? Turn me in to the ministry?"

"No. We're going to find out how Muraki is possessing you, and we'll stop him."

"…R-right…"

"Hisoka, I'll give you something."

Tsuzuki pulled a small silver cross necklace out of his pocket and handed it to Hisoka.

"He's not a vampire, Tsu! This wont work on him!"

"No, but it will allow me to protect you. Trust me, Hisoka."