by Rina K. Fenderson
9. Soul Giver
�Something�s happened!� Four pairs of eyes turned their attention on the door slamming open and a very flustered Tsuzuki stumbling in, rather ruffled and ragged. Tatsumi and Tenkuu, who were standing near he chief�s desk, apparently discussing something with Konoe, looked up dumbfounded by the entrance and Watari, having entered on a moment before Tsuzuki, held a clipboard to his chest, amber eyes wide behind his glasses. �Tsuzuki?�
�Where have you been?!� Tenkuu snapped, for some reason panic, which was overlooked by the group, in his tone. �Tatsumi-san returned almost an hour ago!� Tsuzuki shook his head and hands violently. �That doesn�t matter. I have great news!� �Likewise, we might have found a way to save Bon,� Watari exclaimed with a cheerful smile. Tsuzuki seemed to pause, his violet eyes blinking. �Eh?� Tenkuu seemed to bristle. �What?� Watari eyed Tenkuu with confusion of his over-dramatic shock, then shrugged and explained. �I�m not sure exactly how it works yet, but since he still has his soul and is quite powerful he might be able to make Muraki�s claim on his soul null.� The group of Shinigami watched the blond scientist intently, as he shifted the clipboard in his hands looking down at its content. Tsuzuki settled himself against a table, so he could catch his breath after apparently rushing back to JouOhChou. �I don�t think it is possible to hold claim on his own soul...that just seems impossible with rational thinking. But at this point his soul is disembodied, his place is questionable, caught between worlds as he is. And since we are merely souls that occasionally fabricate a physical form, if Muraki were to retrieve Hisoka�s �soul�, he would have him completely; body, heart, and mind, because all we are is a soul.� Tsuzuki frowned, his amethyst eyes narrowing in a saddened expression. �Watari...this isn�t very good news...� Watari chuckled slightly at Tsuzuki�s pout and waved a hand. �That was just reiterating our situation. Let me finish. Bon has the ability to strip Muraki of the claim, I�m not sure exactly how he can do this yet, but my research proves its been done successfully. It seems he will have to find the will to become stronger than Muraki, in other words gain a great will to live or a reason to do so. Once he accomplishes that, Muraki will have no power over the boy at all. The problem is where his soul goes. As I said it is realistically impossible for a person to claim their own soul, so he would have to find a calming force to willingly place it in.� He began to pace, lost in this own thoughts as he spoke to his comrades, a pen tapping to his lower lip. �This is where is gets confusing. I�m not sure exactly what they mean by a �calming force� but he needs to place everything in that force�s �hands�. I also don�t know *how* he will accomplish that, but I do know it will take complete trust and leave him absolutely vulnerable, two things Bon has incredible trouble submitting to.� The group stared at him as if waiting for a cricket to sound. It was clear that there were one too many holes for them to grasp what he was saying. Watari sighed and bowed his head in resignation. �I�ll research it more.� �Thank you, Watari-san,� Konoe intoned, clearing his throat and glancing over at Tsuzuki. �Now, Tsuzuki-san, what news did you bring us?� �Eh?...Oh...Hisoka...he can talk,� Tsuzuki claimed, feeling his thunder had been stolen by Watari�s babbled hope. �The curse, at least the one on his throat, is gone...He can talk again...I was thinking...maybe it was something more?� Watari nodded, adjusting his glasses with a hum on his lips. �Possibly...it shows he has gained some control over himself. It will definitely irritate our psychotic doctor a bit, that is for sure. Was there anything that might have triggered it to occur?� Tsuzuki blushed significantly and lowered his eyes. �Well, it could have been a few things...� There was a length pause, that Watari broke with; �Like what?� �May we discuss this elsewhere?� Watari stared at Tsuzuki, amber eyes boring into amethyst. �What could possibly...did Bon...finally...� Tsuzuki�s blush brightened and Watari began smacking him on the back while laughing heartily. �Tsuzuki, good going! You finally got some affection from that ice-walled soul!� �Uhn...affection,� Tsuzuki repeated, with a embarrassed smile. Tatsumi folded his arms over his chest, his expression rather apathetic. �Aa, Kurosaki had changed greatly when I saw him this morning. He was much more open with his emotions. With Tsuzuki supporting that change, could he have over come the curse?� �Hmmm...,� Watari tilted his head as he thought out the information give. �Well, I suppose it would be easier to overcome the mute curse that way, but the claim would be a bit harder. It�s a stone-etched power, very strong...but I suppose if Bon put his absolute trust into Tsuzuki...�a calming force�...�complete trust� and �absolute vulnerability�...� Slowly the wheels in all four men�s brains turned toward the same conclusion, then all eyes settled back onto Tsuzuki, who was wringing his hands between his knees, his violet eyes flickering. Watari was the one to say it aloud, the smirk on his face showing his mischievous side. �Bon would have to give in to you completely, complete submission, in order to use you as his soul keeper...it sounds as if,� Watari�s winked, his smile sly. �He�d have to sleep with you.� Tatsumi cleared his throat, a slight blush on his cheeks, �I�m sure there are other ways to achieve complete submission, Watari-san--� �So...,� Tsuzuki interrupted, his blush covering his cheeks and bridge of his nose. �If...this were to happen, the curse lifting, I mean...one way or another...would Hisoka�s status in JouOhChou change immediately?� Watari glanced back at the chief, who nodded. �Kurosaki-kun�s aura is under constant surveillance. As soon as the curse is destroyed he will be reinstated. Although I don�t think it will be announced, we would probably have to check on it.� Winking, Watari smiled and pointed a trigger finger at Tsuzuki and teased. �So when he succumbs to that �complete submission�, we can go check on my database.� �Aa,� Tsuzuki stated softly, then flashed a meek smile. �Maybe...we should check up on that then...� Once again a dumbfounded silence fell across the group, and once again Watari broke it with a joking tone. �Damn, Tsuzuki, you two move fast.� �He started it!� Tsuzuki defending, making both male�s break into laughter a moment later. Watari wrapped an arm around his comrade�s shoulders and turned to the chief at his desk. �Meeting finished? Can I take lover boy, here, over to my lab to look up Bon�s stat?� �Yes, yes, that will be fine,� Konoe claimed, waving his hand and trying, in vain, to hide his blush. The grinning scientist promptly took that as his cue to drag his elder comrade out of the room, laughing and teasing him the entire time. There was another small bout of silence, where Konoe sighed and shook his head. �Well, Tenkuu-san, it doesn�t seem like Tsuzuki is going to be much help with that case. Why don�t you go to Earth with elder GouShoushin for the time being.� �Iie, it would be fine if I go alone. There isn�t much of a threat in this case.,� Tenkuu replied, his tone implying a certain amount of distance. �Something wrong?� Konoe asked, glancing at the male in concern. �Something on your mind?� �Aa, but it�s nothing. I will return shortly. I�m curious to see how Kurosaki is doing myself,� Tenkuu claimed, then bowed and made his exit, his fingers clenching and punching the air as soon as he closed the door. *Damn it all! This was not expected!* He growled low in his throat and stared down the dark hall as he stalked on. *And all be damned if that brat kicks me out of my position as Shinigami...** * *
The air went suddenly stale and Hisoka moaned in his slumber at the ill feeling that hit his stomach. He had been resting since Tsuzuki left, his body still a little weak, as well not used to that form of exertion. He curled over under the sheets, the cotton sliding over his bare skin, as he had not bothered to clothe himself after his lover departed. Still the air hung dark and Hisoka�s mind was pulling him out of sleep with the warning. One groggy emerald eye blinked open, as the other was pressed into his pillow, and focused on a tall figure leaning to his window not ten paces from the bed. Hisoka felt his heart leap and sat up quickly, his hands clutching the fabric of the sheets, as that was his only cover. It took him a moment to recognize the male as he had only seen him one other time in his profile picture, but once he took in the blond hair and pale eyes, the slight resemblance to Tatsumi and an even slighter resemblance to Muraki, Hisoka felt he could relax a few notches. �You must be Tenkuu-san�you frightened me,� Hisoka said, then his rationality kicked in and he narrowed his green eyes. �You should have knocked�just walking in is a bit rude, don�t you think?� �Don�t talk to me like I�m a child, brat,� Tenkuu growled, arms crossed over his puffed out chest and eyes narrowed to slits. Hisoka�s eyebrows rose at his tone, then he felt himself bristling with anger, but the new shinigami was continuing, though he hadn�t moved from his position against the window. �You think you are powerful, huh? Breaking through Muraki-san�s spell like it was nothing�makes you think something of yourself, doesn�t it?� �Excuse me?� Hisoka hissed, pulling his body in and the sheets around him, as he suddenly felt entirely too vulnerable. Tenkuu smiled a half-wicked grin, and pushed off the window, making Hisoka tense. �You know you are a pretty little boy, very effeminate. No wonder he calls you his doll, and I�m sure the �useless� term is accurate as well.� Hisoka felt his blood run cold. He knew very well none of his other co-workers would ever call him a �useless doll� so his assumption was Tenkuu heard Muraki say such, but then Tenkuu never met Muraki� �You�ve talked to him?� �Yeah, a few times. The guy�s insane, but he helped me get the promotion of an afterlife time,� Tenkuu declared, and ran a hand through his hair. �Sure the pay is less, but the glory�hehe, that�s a different story.� �You are helping Muraki?� Hisoka asked, his throat aching as much as his lungs, and his fingers, shaking, white-knuckled, clutched the sheets tightly. �You�what are you here for?� �Well�you haven�t been real cooperative. You see, Muraki-san figured, away from your little support group you would keel over and die, or go insane. Actually, his first plan was to hope you died that night where he left you, but apparently you�re resilient,� Tenkuu sighed and leaned one arm against the wall, looking passed Hisoka. �But the little pest that you are had to keep dragging your boyfriend out here, when he should have been depressed and lonely and falling into the hands of Muraki-san. While I took up Tsuzuki�s job, showed them I�m a shitload more competent than that fool and, bingo, I�m in for life. But no, you hold onto him tight, you lose the icy barriers, and then, of all things, you fuck and he breaks the spell�how fairy-tale-esque.� ��how sickening.� Hisoka�s body tensed and recoiled into itself at just those two words. His mind seemed to shut down in order to not feel the absolute darkness of the being that entered the room, but his eyes beheld the figure and he felt the bile creeping up this throat. The man smiled in the doorway, hands in the pockets of his white pants, a long jacket draped through one arm, while the rest of the ensemble was neatly pressed. �It�s been a while, boya.�