A/N: Ack! I really wanted to have this up by the end of the weekend but time just slipped away from me. Well no more words, here it is, the shocking conclusion! Well sorta, there's an epilogue and the bonus coming as well. Plus I have a little something special (as in short bus special) to post for Friday the 13th.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, but I'm willing to pay Matsushita 5 pesos 15 yen and 35 cents plus my soul if she'll finish it already!
vvv
Tsuzuki fell backwards under the gentle weight of Hisoka's body taking the teen with him. He circled his arms around Hisoka's waist and drew him closer.
"Hisoka?" Tsuzuki questioned the boy silently with his eyes. Too many thoughts conflicted in his head.
"Yes, Tsuzuki, this is where I want to be. I'm not under the influence of the potion. I mean, I am, we all are. But like I told you, this where I want to be, in your heart. But what I couldn't tell you in Kyoto, is that I love you too."
Tsuzuki lifted Hisoka's chin gently until their faces were just inches apart. Unshed tears darkening the empath's eyes to a deeper shade of green. Tsuzuki found that articulating the many ways he loved Hisoka to be quite difficult. Every word seemed wrong, as if the language to express such depths of love and awe had yet to be invented. Instead he slid one arm up Hisoka's back to cup his head gently and bring it closer, closing the millimeter gap between their lips. The boy's lips were softer than a silk pillow, sweeter than apple pie, and best of all, responsive. The chaste, yet emotional kiss lingered on, until Tsuzuki's fingers bushed slightly the curve of Hisoka's earlobe, causing the teen to shiver, parting his lips in an almost inaudible sigh. Tsuzuki's tongue drifted lazily across first the bottom, then top lip before venturing carefully between them caressing gently at Hisoka's own tongue.
Hisoka's inhibitions and unwillingness to tell Tsuzuki his feelings had never hinged on any doubts about his feelings. Nor did he have any insecurities about his small, eternally sixteen-year-old body, despite Watari's constant teasing. Hisoka had, however, been worried sick about this moment, their fist kiss. Soon after joining the division, Hisoka had overheard Wakaba and Watari discussing the importance of the first kiss. Wakaba had been telling a story about how her first kiss with one boy she dated in high school had been terrible an awkward. At the time Hisoka thought it was stupid, but as his feelings for Tsuzuki grew, he began to dwell on the conversation. Hisoka had never kissed anyone before and he didn't want to ruin the moment.
About the time Tsuzuki's tongue entered his mouth, Hisoka realized kissing was as instinctual as breathing. Cautiously he allowed his tongue forward to explore Tsuzuki's mouth eliciting a moan from the older man. Yes, their first kiss had been perfect, and being empathic, Hisoka knew that Tsuzuki had thought so too.
vvv
Konoe groped the wall, looking for a light switch.
"There's no light, I already checked."
The chief felt a chill at those words, or rather, at that voice.
"Todoroki, I'm sorry, I'll try to find somewhere else." He reached for the door handle, only to find that it no longer existed. Todoroki sighed from somewhere in the dark not far behind him.
"It's no use, Konoe. We're stuck here until our daughter sees fit to release us, like some fucked up version of the "Parent Trap."
"Oh," was all he could manage to reply.
"I suppose though, that other than the fact that we're forced to endure each others company, we're safe. The potion only works if we see each other."
As if on cue, a dim light illuminated the room just enough to bring the two elder Shinigami's faces into focus. Konoe stared at the floor and sighed. Todoroki began inspecting her nails.
"Roki, do you hate me that much?"
The woman bristled.
"I never hated you. It was unfair though, of our parents to force us into a marriage neither of us wanted."
"I never said I didn't want to marry you."
"I could not give you a son."
"You gave me a daughter who has more sense than both of us."
The woman stopped concentrating on her nail and looked at her cellmate.
"How is that?"
Konoe looked up at her with dark circles under his eyes.
"All this time, we've been unhappy, because we each thought we were making the other unhappy. Miya just wants her parents to put aside their stubborn behavior and act like a family again. I think I would like that too." He held his hand out to Todoroki, "Could we? Start over again?"
Todoroki's severe expression softened. Rather than taking Konoe's hand, she threw herself into his arms with a small sniffle.
"I think we can do that."
vvv
"Well, don't just hang there, help me pull us up onto that branch. Unless you really want to throw up all over your hair."
Touda winced at the visual imagery.
"How can we get up there?"
"Push me."
"Push you? How?"
"Take my hands."
Touda thought this was an odd request from Suzaku. Even odder was the image of her holding out her arms toward him when there wasn't a weapon in them. He may have dwelt longer on her motives if his stomach wasn't beginning to cramp up. Instead, he did as he was told.
"Now what?"
"Pull me towards you, as close as you can."
Hand over hand, Touda pulled Suzaku in until their hands were gripping each other's shoulders in some kind of awkward, upside down harlequin moment. Touda felt an uncomfortable twinge of heat in his cheeks.
"Now, push me away, as hard as you can." There was an oddly breathless quality to Suzaku's voice that Touda did not find unpleasant. He paused for a moment to clear the thought, before giving her a rough shove. Suzaku began swinging back and forth like trapeze artist, gathering momentum by twisting her body. Finally she was able to swing high enough to grasp the branch that was high above their heads and pulled herself up. Anchoring the vine that had ensnared her around the trunk of the tree, Suzaku pulled Touda up until he could hook his legs over the branch and pull himself into the sitting position. He groaned, looking a bit more green than usual. Suzaku sat down next to him on the branch.
"Here," she pulled a dram bottle from one of the small pouches around her neck and tossed it to Touda. He eyed it for a moment. Charcoal for his stomach. He swallowed the bitter tablets wordlessly. A few minutes later his stomach began to relax and he regained his normal color.
"I don't understand."
"Huh?" Suzaku toyed with a knot in the purse string, apparently very absorbed with the task.
"You helped me, you gave me medicine. I didn't expect that. I expected you to free yourself and leave me here."
Suzaku grimaced, staring intently at the knot that she had managed to worsen.
"Then, why did you help me get up here?"
"I asked you first."
With flushed cheeks Suzaku drew her attention away from the purse string and looked Touda in the eye (err...visor).
"I, uh, I don't know. It seemed, uh...I mean, you were...I..."
She turned away, embarrassed. Suddenly there was a light pressure on her shoulder and Suzaku looked down to see a clawed hand.
"You were concerned. Suzaku, thank you."
She sniffed disdainfully, brave with her face turned away from the very sexy snake.
Very sexy?!? Did I just think that??
"Yeah, well. Tsuzuki told me to be nice, I'm doing it for him."
The clawed hand lifted from her shoulder and moved to her cheek, gently forcing her to face Touda once again.
"He's told you that forever, why change now?"
Suzaku was unable to formulate a reply before her lips were captured into a kiss so passionate it could only shared by two fire elements.
vvv
"Hajime what are you doing? What happened to the wall?"
Terazuma continued to stare, unable to say or for that matter think any coherent thoughts. Wakaba stood over him wearing nothing more than a bath towel wrapped precariously around her body. She fidgeted nervously, pulling the cloth tighter.
"Wakaba I'm sorry!" Terazuma sputtered, "The wall, I tried to punch it and it disappeared." He pulled himself up to a sitting position. Wakaba knelt down in front of him and tentatively put a hand on his clothed shoulder.
"Why did you punch the wall?"
Terazuma mumbled something.
What was that?"
"Because it was between us. I didn't like it there."
Wakaba smiled slightly.
"But Hajime, it's there for both of our protection. If anything were to happen because of the potion Kuro would prob-" Wakaba's eyes widened and she drew back her hand as if it burned.
"Oh no Hajime we have to get out of here!" She tried to stand but tangled her leg in her towel falling awkwardly. Suddenly strong arms were preventing her from hitting the floor. Terazuma held her, his bare hands on her bare back and shoulders, but he was not transforming.
"He's gone, Wakaba. Earlier, in the woods, we had a fight. He wanted to get out, to go back to our world because there was something here he could not face. I told him he was destroying my life and yours. He fled. I think I know where he went, but I don't know how long he'll be gone."
Wakaba blinked. Her one and only wish had come true, yet she felt sad, guilty almost.
"So he's been gone since this afternoon?"
Terazuma nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Terazuma looked away.
"I wanted to make sure he was okay. And...I wanted to surprise you. I had planned to get you away from the party for a minute but then that bastard had to go and spike the wine."
Wakaba shifted so that she was comfortably situated in his lap and put her arms round his shoulders.
"What were you planning once you got me alone?"
Wakaba's voice was lower than usual and broken with emotion.
"Only this," Terazuma whispered before capturing her lips with his.
"Is that all?"
Terazuma scooped the girl into his arms and got off the floor carrying her to the nearest bed, laying her gently into it.
"Maybe some of this too."
vvv
"Um, not that I have any problem with this, but aren't you gay?"
Kotaro laughed as he tossed Yuma onto a very big bed that was already occupied by Saya and Kojiro.
"Gay would indicate strictly same sex, so no," The quieter Tengu answered in turn.
"So you're bi?" Saya asked.
"We're trisexual," Kotaro supplied, "As in, we'll try anything sexual!"
"Works for me!" Yuma chirped.
"Good, so why are we all sitting around having a conversation with our clothes on?" Kotaro asked as he slid out of his yukata, "And more importantly, whatcha got in that discreetly unlabeled bag over there?"
vvv
Byakko tumbled to the ground reverting back to his human form. He found himself pinned down by a tangle of limbs and hair.
"Hello kitty."
"Soryuu?" The blue dragon's hands were fast finding their way under the tigers clothing. His breath was hot on Byakko's neck as he spoke.
"Those girls were right, you are the perfect uke," his hands roamed south, "The tail is sexy, quite a turn on."
Byakko let out a loud moan (because everyone knows that ukes are loud).
"S-Soryuu," he gasped, "That's not my tail."
An evil, yet dead sexy smile spread across Soryuu's very seme face.
"Why you're right Byakko. And just what might this be?" His hand tightened around the thing that was not a tail, "I'll have to give it closer scrutiny."
Perhaps it was for the best that the tiger and dragon were far from the castle, because the noises Byakko made that night would have woke everyone.
vvv
"Did you hear something?" Suzaku asked.
"It's just the fan girls squealing," Touda replied, wrapping one of the discarded garments around them for warmth, "Just ignore them."
vvv
As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Watari noticed some not so subtle changes in the shadow master's appearance. His glasses, for one, were missing, and he was still wearing the yukata, albeit, a little haphazardly. The sash had come completely undone to the point where only the delicate balance of gravity was keeping Tatsumi's modesty safe. But what really surprised Watari was the look in his eyes, pure, unfiltered lust.
Watari choked, hardly able to breathe, torn between running from the sex-drugged secretary and yanking off the offending sash. it was Tatsumi, however, who upset the precarious balance of his clothing by crawling onto the bed, losing the sash all together, giving Watari an eyeful of the shadow master's sculpted torso as the robe slithered off his shoulders as he climbed further up the scientists body. Suddenly Watari was very aware that the only thing separating Tatsumi's flesh from his was a very thin sheet.
"T-t-Tatsumi you shouldn't be here!"
The brunette laughed softly, sending a burst of hot breath through the soft material to the skin of Watari's belly.
"Shouldn't I be?" He slid snake-like up the blonde's torso, capturing two pale thin hands in his own trapping them above Watari's head. "Isn't this what you wanted, Yutaka?"
Watari squirmed, very aware of the feeling of Tatsumi's lip grazing his. Even more aware of secretary's fully aroused body thrusting shamelessly against him.
"No! I mean, yes, but not like this!"
Tatsumi let go of one of Watari's hands and grabbed the sheet between them, sliding it dangerously lower. "Like this perhaps?"
Watari shivered and tried to repress the growing feelings in his body.
"N-No, Tatsumi! Oh!!"
Watari's scientific mind was shutting down.
"That's not what I meant!"
"Don't you want me as much as I want you, Yutaka?"
Watari's heart leapt momentarily upon hearing Tatsumi's declaration, but sank quickly with realization. As gently as he could he pushed the secretary away.
"Tatsumi, I'm in love with you. I created the potion without thought to how selfish and stupid it was. I want you to do this because you love me too, not because you are under the spell of some stupid potion that some manipulative bastard concocted. I'll understand if you hate me because of that, but you'll only hate me more if I allow this to happen. Plus, you'll hate yourself as well."
He laid back down facing away from Tatsumi and put his hand over his face to hide the tears that were flowing freely.
Tatsumi frowned, curling his body around the slighter frame of the blonde, inhaling the light perfume of his hair.
"I could never hate you. Even if you made a potion that turned me into a rock, I wouldn't hate you, because..." Tatsumi sat up a bit on his side and pulled Watari's shoulder. The blonde pulled away.
"Yutaka look at me, please."
Watari was dizzy, and nauseous, and very embarrassed, but he allowed himself to be guided back by strong hands. He rolled onto his back and opened his eyes. Tatsumi wrapped his arms around him, wiping away the remaining tears.
"I love you. I don't hate you because I have loved you for such a very long time, but I am an idiot who can't do something as simple as express his emotions. I should have realized you had feelings for me too, but I doubted myself. I would tell myself that you were just being friendly, and that if I told you how I felt you would be scared off. Please forgive me, Yutaka."
Watari hung his head to the side. Tatsumi's words were so beautiful, so sincere. He found that here was something very comforting in being wrapped in Tatsumi's arms. He shook his head.
'No, stop this right now. This isn't real,' he reminded himself, taking a deep breath to clear his head.
"Tatsumi, please, this isn't fair to me. I really do love you so much, but I will not take advantage of the fact that you are drugged. Please respect that and let me be before my resolve breaks and we do something we're going to regret."
"No regrets," Tatsumi whispered, "No one drank the potion."
"What?" Watari was confused.
"No one drank the potion."
"But Tsuzuki came to my room looking for Hisoka, I gave the bottles to him, he gave them to you-"
Tatsumi smiled. "And I noticed a telltale strand of blonde hair stuck in the cork of one bottle in particular. I got rid of it, I had Tenku bury it where it could not be found. Though I doubt there would have been any mistaking it for wine. It smelled terrible and didn't look like any wine I'd ever seen."
"Smelled like turpentine and looked like India ink did it?" Watari laughed lightly, "And her I thought I was being clever. So this whole time, you knew?"
Tatsumi nodded shyly.
"Why?" Watari asked, "Why didn't you say anything?"
Tatsumi looked uncomfortable and coughed nervously. "Well how else was I supposed to lower my inhibitions? You know how terribly shy I am. And besides, there is everyone else to consider. I thought it might be a good idea for some of them to work out their, uh, own inhibitions."
Watari smirked.
"Well yes, there are quite a few people here who could benefit from a love potion."
He looked up to see Tatsumi staring at him intently, their lips again a breath away from each other.
"I meant every word." Tatsumi whispered. Watari's breath hitched in his throat.
"So did I."
And finally, with no misunderstandings between them, Watari and Tatsumi shared their first kiss, and much much more