Night had fallen, bringing with it the cold this land was famous for. The
young man pulled his coat tighter, ignoring the sting of the bitter winds
against his face, focusing instead on the misted over road in front of him.
Only a fool or a mad man would be caught out this late and in the middle
of winter to boot. Chuckling at the thought, Hisoka wonder which he was.
Probably a bit of both, but what choice did he have? The dangerous of
openly traveling at night were nothing compared to what was waiting for him
back home. With a shudder, he envisioned the small, windowless room in
which his parents had a nasty habit of locking him in when the mood suited
them. No more. He would never go back there. Never again would they get
the chance to treat him like some sort of a monster. He would die first.
-That can be arranged-
Hisoka was pulled from his thoughts by the shadowy figure who took shape on the road before him. Halting in his tracks, he rose his arms up into a defensive stance, ignoring the obvious disadvantage of his smaller size. Even as his hands tightened into fists, recognition drew across his face. Born with the curse of being able to read emotions, he immediately picked up on the unnatural lack of feeling coming from the figure before him. It was like a block of sheer willpower kept him locked out from the inner workings of this seemingly simple man.
"Tsuzuki." He said dully, pushing his hands back into the warmth of his pockets. The figure took a step forward, moving through the light mist until the familiarly warm and smiling face of the older man came into focus.
"Imagine, running into you! And at such a late hour!" A hand reached out and messed up his honey stung hair. The voice matched perfectly the bemused look on his face, a light of pleasure flashing in those lavender eyes. "Why. could it be that Hisoka was looking for me?"
Pulling away from the other's touch, he clicked his tongue before brushing past him, shoulders hunched down. "Fool. Like I would seek you out."
Undaunted, Tsuzuki feel into step next to the boy, his long coat swaying with each step. The steady rhythm of their steps filled the night air with soft beats. Hisoka fixed his eyes on the road before him, doing his best, (and failing) to ignore the attention of the man walking next to him.
Several minutes past. The longer he felt Tsuzuki's eyes on him, the more self aware he felt. He wondered how much of the blush rising to his face was being covered by the slight rose color the cold had kissed his cheek. Apparently not enough.
"Have I embarrassed Hisoka?" His voice was a light chuckle. "Surely he wouldn't be getting worked up by my presence?"
Rolling his eyes, the young man let out a puff of white breath, hoping his voice wouldn't betray the truth of his emotions. "Do you mind? I didn't ask for your company. And as strange as you are, I'm sure even -you- have to think it odd that I should just happen upon you. Why were you waiting for me?"
-So cold-
The smile didn't falter from his face, but it no longer seemed to reach his eyes. "Is it a crime to enjoy such a beautiful night?"
"Feh." There was nothing beautiful about this night. Not unless one considered the way the stars shone off the frost the covered the landscape a thing of beauty. And to a nearly frozen traveler, it was far from good- looking. "Go away." He wasn't in the mood for this. There was a time he would have found comfort in Tsuzuki's company, but tonight, he was not in the mood for his riddles and mystery. He really did just wish to be left alone to wander. It wouldn't be long before his family sent out riders to collect him and before that bitter moment of defeat, he'd like to enjoy what peace was left to of the night.
The footsteps beside him slowed. For an instant, a strong feeling of pity washed over him. No, compassion, understanding with intense melancholy and. and what? Pausing, he struggled to hold onto the thread of emotions, only to have them fade once in focus. He turned his head back to the man. The faint hint of a smile was still lingering on his face though his eyes seemed distant. A second later, the idiotic grin flashed back over his face, and with a tilt of his head, he waved.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I have somewhere I need to be. I do hope you can forgive me, after going through all that trouble of seeking me out."
"What?! Fool! I did not seek you out! I-." Before the last of the sentence could be voiced, the man was nothing more than a shadow retreating back down the road, swallowed back into the mist. It was only than that Hisoka took in his surroundings. The familiar giant trees lining the roadside, naked of leaves. Faintly he could hear the sound of running water. An unseen creak made its path nearby. Realization dawned over him as he slowly turned, the castle looming like a giant rising from the haze.
Unknowingly, his footsteps had lead him back to the same spot where he had first stumbled upon the amethyst eyed man. Blinking in confusion, he brushed his hair back from his face, casting another glance towards the direction where Tsuzuki had traveled.
"I did not seek you out?" He whispered the question to the night.
The sound of horse hooves falling against cobblestone rose up into the silence of the night. Shouts of pursuit dotted the air. "He's up here!"
Hisoka could only stand there numbly, waiting for his family to drag him back to the prison that was his home. That didn't trouble him as much as the earlier events of the night. Was he loosing his mind?
From the rooftop of his castle, he watched the young man be collected by the riders, not even struggling as he was lifted onto the back of a straddle.
-Maybe it's for the best, Bon. It's hard now, but that's how life is.- Nodding as if confirming his thoughts, Tsuzuki sighed. It had been a shock to sense him so close to his home. As if his soul had known their time together was drawing to an end. Chuckling, he chided himself. -Such nonsense.-
Turning, he faded into the night. His Master would be upset if he was kept waiting.
-This is for the best, Bon. May life show you the kindness it denied me.-
Despite the nature of his parting thoughts, he was filled with a heavy foreboding. Only someone marked for death would seek him out.
-That can be arranged-
Hisoka was pulled from his thoughts by the shadowy figure who took shape on the road before him. Halting in his tracks, he rose his arms up into a defensive stance, ignoring the obvious disadvantage of his smaller size. Even as his hands tightened into fists, recognition drew across his face. Born with the curse of being able to read emotions, he immediately picked up on the unnatural lack of feeling coming from the figure before him. It was like a block of sheer willpower kept him locked out from the inner workings of this seemingly simple man.
"Tsuzuki." He said dully, pushing his hands back into the warmth of his pockets. The figure took a step forward, moving through the light mist until the familiarly warm and smiling face of the older man came into focus.
"Imagine, running into you! And at such a late hour!" A hand reached out and messed up his honey stung hair. The voice matched perfectly the bemused look on his face, a light of pleasure flashing in those lavender eyes. "Why. could it be that Hisoka was looking for me?"
Pulling away from the other's touch, he clicked his tongue before brushing past him, shoulders hunched down. "Fool. Like I would seek you out."
Undaunted, Tsuzuki feel into step next to the boy, his long coat swaying with each step. The steady rhythm of their steps filled the night air with soft beats. Hisoka fixed his eyes on the road before him, doing his best, (and failing) to ignore the attention of the man walking next to him.
Several minutes past. The longer he felt Tsuzuki's eyes on him, the more self aware he felt. He wondered how much of the blush rising to his face was being covered by the slight rose color the cold had kissed his cheek. Apparently not enough.
"Have I embarrassed Hisoka?" His voice was a light chuckle. "Surely he wouldn't be getting worked up by my presence?"
Rolling his eyes, the young man let out a puff of white breath, hoping his voice wouldn't betray the truth of his emotions. "Do you mind? I didn't ask for your company. And as strange as you are, I'm sure even -you- have to think it odd that I should just happen upon you. Why were you waiting for me?"
-So cold-
The smile didn't falter from his face, but it no longer seemed to reach his eyes. "Is it a crime to enjoy such a beautiful night?"
"Feh." There was nothing beautiful about this night. Not unless one considered the way the stars shone off the frost the covered the landscape a thing of beauty. And to a nearly frozen traveler, it was far from good- looking. "Go away." He wasn't in the mood for this. There was a time he would have found comfort in Tsuzuki's company, but tonight, he was not in the mood for his riddles and mystery. He really did just wish to be left alone to wander. It wouldn't be long before his family sent out riders to collect him and before that bitter moment of defeat, he'd like to enjoy what peace was left to of the night.
The footsteps beside him slowed. For an instant, a strong feeling of pity washed over him. No, compassion, understanding with intense melancholy and. and what? Pausing, he struggled to hold onto the thread of emotions, only to have them fade once in focus. He turned his head back to the man. The faint hint of a smile was still lingering on his face though his eyes seemed distant. A second later, the idiotic grin flashed back over his face, and with a tilt of his head, he waved.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I have somewhere I need to be. I do hope you can forgive me, after going through all that trouble of seeking me out."
"What?! Fool! I did not seek you out! I-." Before the last of the sentence could be voiced, the man was nothing more than a shadow retreating back down the road, swallowed back into the mist. It was only than that Hisoka took in his surroundings. The familiar giant trees lining the roadside, naked of leaves. Faintly he could hear the sound of running water. An unseen creak made its path nearby. Realization dawned over him as he slowly turned, the castle looming like a giant rising from the haze.
Unknowingly, his footsteps had lead him back to the same spot where he had first stumbled upon the amethyst eyed man. Blinking in confusion, he brushed his hair back from his face, casting another glance towards the direction where Tsuzuki had traveled.
"I did not seek you out?" He whispered the question to the night.
The sound of horse hooves falling against cobblestone rose up into the silence of the night. Shouts of pursuit dotted the air. "He's up here!"
Hisoka could only stand there numbly, waiting for his family to drag him back to the prison that was his home. That didn't trouble him as much as the earlier events of the night. Was he loosing his mind?
From the rooftop of his castle, he watched the young man be collected by the riders, not even struggling as he was lifted onto the back of a straddle.
-Maybe it's for the best, Bon. It's hard now, but that's how life is.- Nodding as if confirming his thoughts, Tsuzuki sighed. It had been a shock to sense him so close to his home. As if his soul had known their time together was drawing to an end. Chuckling, he chided himself. -Such nonsense.-
Turning, he faded into the night. His Master would be upset if he was kept waiting.
-This is for the best, Bon. May life show you the kindness it denied me.-
Despite the nature of his parting thoughts, he was filled with a heavy foreboding. Only someone marked for death would seek him out.