Disclaimer: Standard stuff. I own nothing.

Author's notes: I'm here! I hope somebody's reading, lol. This is my first attempt at m/m lemon, so you have been warned… (warned about the lemon and warned about the fact that it may not be the best written one out there. Like I've said, I'm trying to expand my writing horizons with this ff).

Chapter 2: Before there is Conflict …

Hisoka sat in his bed alone, arms wrapped around his own bone-thin frame. Shaking at the memory, he tried to ignore the red curse that decorated his body, the constant reminder that Muraki would always be part of him, even after his death. It was times like this he really wished Tsuzuki were in bed with him. Since the Kyoto case, their relationship had developed to a point that the two of them sharing a bed was not really surprising to imagine.

When that damned dream had taken over his subconscious for the fifth day in a row, Hisoka knew that something was terribly wrong. By some sort of miracle, he had not cried out that night, had not awaken Tsuzuki who was still sleeping peacefully by his side. Alone, that night, he had rolled closer into Tsuzuki's embrace and cried against the pillow, a cold wash of fear dominating every fiber of his being. In the morning, he pretended that nothing had happened and requested that Tsuzuki let him catch up on his sleep for a while. After pouting, Tsuzuki conceded, patting Hisoka on the head, letting his long fingers entwine in the sandy-brown locks of hair. With a gentle kiss and a wink, he said he understood that Hisoka needed his beauty sleep. Nine days had since passed, and every night his recollections became more vivid, and every night he awoke feeling more violated than the night before.

Why didn't he tell Tsuzuki about his condition? Hisoka shook his head knowing very much that it wouldn't accomplish anything. Tsuzuki would only worry and fuss over him more than he already did, and for what? Tsuzuki already knew about the curse and its horrifying origin. Even so, Hisoka never told his partner that he could still feel Muraki in him when the curse surfaced, never admitted, not even to himself, that he wasn't quite sure how powerful Muraki's hold on him was. There was nothing that either of them could do about it. Only Muraki could do something, although Hisoka was sure that the silver-haired doctor would do nothing of the sort.

I'm much more fun to him as his little puppet, he thought with disgust. Using breathing exercises, he calmed himself down enough to lie down and feign slumber. In a few minutes, he knew that Tsuzuki would be in to check on him, like he always did, only minutes after Hisoka's awakening. By now, Hisoka knew to pull up the blankets to his chin just in case the remnants of his curse hadn't faded by then. Today, he had the feeling that they would disappear before Tsuzuki's entrance.

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Tsuzuki sat up in his bed. Hisoka's calling me! The thought awakened him at once. But that was silly. As he sat in his bed, alone, he needed to convince himself of the fact over and over. Still, the nagging feeling bothered him just as it had bothered him every night since his ejection from the green-eyed boy's bed. Compelled by concern, he got out of his bed, pulling a robe over his normal bed attire, boxers, and tiptoed to where he knew Hisoka was sleeping. Like every night, the other boy looked so peaceful. Golden locks of hair fell beautifully across white skin of his face. High cheekbones and delicate features made him look angelic in his slumber.

Unconvinced of his partner's well-being, Tsuzuki, for the first time, approached the other boy's bed, sitting down next to him. Underneath him, the mattress groaned at the added weight, but Tsuzuki gave that no extra thought as gentle fingers brushed hair out of his partner's face. The boy stirred at the touch but didn't open his eyes. Still suspicious of Hisoka's increasingly withdrawn actions, Tsuzuki grabbed the blankets that covered him.

Are you still having that nightmare? he thought pulling down, convinced he'd see those horrible red markings that marred normally perfectly white flesh. His bold actions got a response.

"Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked, eyes opening. Brilliant green orbs peered curiously into deep violet ones. Slowly, a flush worked its way into his cheeks. "What are you doing here?" Even though he sounded cross, he was actually feeling quite the opposite. He loved it when the other man touched him tenderly. As an empath, he could synchronize with emotions, both good and bad. Feeling another person's emotion of love always warmed his soul, but knowing that it was directed at him was the ultimate elixir for him, one that he had spent the first sixteen years of his life without.

"I was worried," the other man pouted shaking deep brown locks of hair from his eyes. "I thought I heard you call me."

Hisoka opened his mouth but didn't know if he could honestly deny the claim. He knew that he talked in his sleep constantly, especially when a particular reoccurring nightmare was in question. "I'm sorry," he said. "But as you can see, I'm fine." A brave smile on his face, he presented his arms to the other man, showing off their sleek, white perfection.

"Hmm," Tsuzuki said, taking the offering into his arms. Pretending to inspect them at first, he suddenly pushed them away, pinning them and Hisoka to the bed underneath him.

"What are you doing?" Hisoka asked alarmed as Tsuzuki's fingers began undoing the buttons on his pajama top.

"I have to make sure that you're all curse free," he said playfully baring Hisoka's chest.

"Tsuzuki," Hisoka began warningly.

"I haven't been in your bed for nine days," Tsuzuki pouted. "Nine whole days!"

"Whatever. Do what you'd like."

"Hmph, when you say it like that, I don't want to do it anymore."

"What! Since when do you not want to do it," Hisoka huffed.

"You want me to," Tsuzuki prodded teasingly.

Hisoka didn't say anything, but turned his head away, so he wasn't facing Tsuzuki. He felt the telltale signs of blushing, that warmth that rushed to his cheeks.

"Ask for it," Tsuzuki suggested.

Bristling, Hisoka replied, "There's no way I'm going to ask for it." The flush on his cheeks darkened with embarrassment.

"You're so cute when you're shy. Did you know that?" Fingers trailed down the pale chest in front of him, down past the navel, where hands stopped and flattened themselves on the thin stomach.

"Don't tease me like this, Tsuzuki."

"I'll count that as 'asking for it,'" Tsuzuki said winking at his partner. Licking his lips, he lowered his head down to Hisoka's, pressing his mouth on the younger boy's, tongue slipping into a mouth that welcomed him. An adventurous hand worked its way beneath the elastic of pajama pants. Tsuzuki ran a palm across the thin boxers that separated him and the other boy's growing desire.

Panting heavily, Hisoka broke away from the kiss to utter, "Tsuzu-mmm." His body flinched with the intensity of the touch. Before he realized it, Tsuzuki's hands worked to undress him, hands pulling down at the restrictive clothing. Instinctively, his hips wiggled to slide out of his clothing.

"Uwa!" Tsuzuki exclaimed. "I always love seeing you naked."

"Don't say embarrassing things like that!" Hisoka protested, feeling a gasp rise up in his throat as he felt the light creeping of fingers on the inside of his thighs. Hands touched the sensitive skin, and Hisoka couldn't help but spreading his legs further apart and lifting his pelvis slightly as an indication of his expectations.

At that moment, Hisoka was able to feel the full intensity of Tsuzuki's lust for him, and it was the ultimate aphrodisiac. He felt the desire and felt desired as well. But, shy as always, Hisoka waited for his partner to make his move.

"Hmmm," Tsuzuki said, kissing down Hisoka's chest, down his stomach, even lower. "Maybe I feel like teasing you just a little bit today."

"Tsuzuki!" he cried outraged.

"Do you want to do it tonight?" he asked, knowing very well he was torturing his young lover. But this was the only time that he knew that he could be in control of anything.

"I …" was all Hisoka could manage as his mouth opened in a silent scream when Tsuzuki gripped his cock in his hand, fingers massaging the tip, feeling the slick wetness of pre-come being emitted from it.

Without warning, Tsuzuki took all of Hisoka into his mouth, rolling his tongue against the hard, hot flesh, relishing the taste and feel of the other boy. With one of his hands, he reached for the nightstand, pulling the drawer opened, fingers closing around a familiar tube. A practiced hand worked the bottle opened, managing to squeeze a generous amount onto his fingers. Carefully, he inserted one into the boy, feeling Hisoka's body respond, muscles tightening momentarily before relaxing.

"Hnnnnnn!" Hisoak cried, the uncontrollable sounds rising his throat. Tsuzuki was much better than he was; that much he was sure of. "Oh God!" His body writhed, head tossing back and forth, in pleasure as Tsuzuki worked him in his mouth, with his fingers. Another finger slipped inside of him, and he first tensed at the pain he knew would come. But afterwards, Tsuzuki was nothing but careful as he gently worked fingers in and out in a circular motion.

"We have to get you ready," Tsuzuki said, releasing Hisoka's member from his mouth, putting his full attention on widening the opening to Hisoka's body. "You don't want it to hurt."

But Hisoka was already beyond words legs spread, back arched, reacting only to Tsuzuki's expert touch. He could feel the fingers working inside him trying to find the spot that made him moan the most.

"There," he managed to utter between heavy breaths when the other man hit the spot that sent an electric pulse through him. "Ahhahhhhh mmmm. Tsu-tsuzuki."

Tsuzuki found that he couldn't wait any longer; he had long been hard and ready. Any more of Hisoka's noises, any more of merely touching the other boy's body, and he thought that he might burst on the spot. So he withdrew very aware of the fact that Hisoka protested this, trying to grab at him. He watched the boy with the stunningly brilliant green eyes while he disrobed.

"Hurry, Tsuzuki," Hisoka begged. He had turned to his front side and waited on hands and knees in anticipation of what was to come next.

Younger men are always so impatient, Tsuzuki thought, a smile spreading across his lips as Hisoka offered himself to him. He took a leisurely time to coat himself with lubricant, eyes focused on the body in front of him. Hisoka's bowed spine was a graceful arc that he wanted to touch. He wanted to touch the boy all over, to feel silky skin beneath his fingertips, to bring a fine sweat to that slim body.

No longer being able to deny himself, he said, "Get ready," while settling himself in a familiar position. Slowly, he worked himself inside as not to hurt the smaller boy.

Grunting, Hisoka endured the brief pain, knowing that his sacrifice would be worth it. He even tried helping, backing ever so slightly into Tsuzuki, helping the other man enter him more quickly.

"You're very eager tonight," Tsuzuki commented. He found it amusing how Hisoka always seemed to end up wanting it just as badly or even more badly than he did but was always so reluctant to start. Once he was sheathed inside of the boy, he began moving his hips back and forth, a hand grabbing roughly at Hisoka's arousal. Hand closed around the skin and tugged and pulled as he worked himself in and out of the other boy.

"Tsuzuki!" Hisoka gasped feeling his body tremble with the touches. Clawed hands gripped the sheets underneath him.

A low growl escaped from Tsuzuki as he bent over his partner, thrusting into him, hard. Again and again, working in and out, hearing the other boy moan and cry his name as he came closer and closer to climax.

Almost, Tsuzuki thought, working both himself and the boy. Warm sparks encompassed his entire body, filling it up with heat that radiated from his groin outward. Faster and faster, he thrust inside, their bodies becoming a sort of beautiful melding, wonderfully joined in both body and soul. As he moved, Hisoka tightened his muscles around Tsuzuki, gripping tighter to push his partner over the edge. A low moan ripped from deep in Tsuzuki's throat as he felt the sweet release hit his body. Determined to bring Hisoka to climax as well, he stroked hard and fast hearing the boy let out a throaty cry from beneath him. Underneath the movement of his hand, he felt the wetness leak through his fingers, felt the boy's body jerk in spasms underneath his, heard one final cry of his name with deep gasping breaths.

Hisoka collapsed to the bed first with Tsuzuki to follow.

"That was fun," Tsuzuki whispered into Hisoka's ear, body spooning the slighter boy's.

"For you," Hisoka huffed. Now that they were done, he had returned to his normal self, closed and reserved.

Tsuzuki didn't care, as he wrapped his arms around the other boy and prepared to sleep, happy to be once again in the other boy's bed.

Although worn from the activity and under slept from the last two weeks, Hisoka fretted. A deep knot of worry enveloped his entire being, because as he and Tsuzuki were making love, he got the distinct feeling that the two of them were not alone. A sick, familiar consciousness seemed to dwell within him. Without glancing down at his body, Hisoka knew that the redness of his cursed seal was rising for a second time that night. Luckily Tsuzuki, lying next to him, was already breathing slowly and regularly, a sure sign that slumber had already claimed him.

Terrified, Hisoka rocked back and forth within Tsuzuki's embrace hoping sleep would not come to take him to his worst nightmare.

Author's notes: What did you think? Reviews are welcome and appreciated. If I'm doing something wrong, please let me know.

Umm … there's a plot … seriously … somewhere. It'll come soon (once I figure out how everything's going to work out). : waves : I am late for a gathering, so I have to dash. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.