o19. [Written]
[Ten days after waking in the middle of the night with the feeling that the world was wrong somehow, Hisoka started awake with a sudden and profound awareness that whatever had gone wrong before had gone wrong all over again -- only in reverse. That, for the duration of a Malnosso experiment, he'd had a family, had love and warmth and people who
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[His heart felt like it had been permanently stuck in his throat, but he still went towards the office he remembered had been Muraki's. If he was lucky, it would be empty.]
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His eyes widens, realizing that something is very off about their conversation. Unfortunately he can't put his finger on what. It makes him wish he was somewhere else, that's for sure.]
What do you mean? The last time I saw you, you were alive.
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Staring into Tsuzuki's eyes, he suppresses his emotions in order to think rationally. Tsuzuki wouldn't dare summon Touda on the Queen Camellia with his bleeding sentimentality towards "innocent" lives--it was overkill and he knew it. He was talking about something else.
Alternate timelines come to mind. His voice becomes softer, but there are still noticeable barbs beneath the velvet coverlet.]
What do you mean, Tsuzuki? For what purpose did you call that snake out of his basket?
[His body shifts and takes one step towards him. In the closet space, that was almost half the distance between them.]...It almost doesn't even sound like you: how concerned you are with appearing as useless and weak as the humans you so ( ... )
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His scarred wrist feels warm and sore just thinking about it. He wants to hide it away. The watch simply doesn't hide it well enough.]
I had no choice!
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...Is that what you think? Or is that what you tell yourself every time that you prove to be more than just a pretty little house pet? [Another two steps and he's standing in front of Tsuzuki with only a sliver of space to call personal.] You said that you would end me in Nagasaki. Is that what you will say when I am gone? That you had no choice in the matter?
[Muraki frames his shoulders with his palms, and the sudden force to the metal shelf knocks over another precarious catheter package. But his body language is something other than angry, staring into Tsuzuki's eyes just as he did when he last had him pinned.] ( ... )
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Two adult men hiding away in a closet together, and yet you both still have your clothes on? That's rather disappointing.
[ But despite the amused, teasing tone to the words, there was no mistaking that Joshua's expression was anything but amused. It wasn't that he was angry. Annoyed, mostly, and maybe a hint bored if you knew to look for it. But not amused.
When he spoke again, the casualness had dropped from his voice. ]
I think it's about time this little conversation between you two ended.
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...Hiding? No, no, you got it all wrong!
[Whether Muraki intended for it, Tsuzuki found comfort in the doctor's refusal to die. He may be the one living person that knew how dangerous Tsuzuki was and wasn't scared of him. That carried a promise of something else, as well. Muraki did, in one way, claim that he'd manage to dominate him. That was an offer that Tsuzuki found tempting, and he loathed himself for even considering it.
Tsuzuki took a shaky breath and turned his attention to the teenager, offering a wide smile he didn't feel. It was still possible to make the best out of a bad situation.]
Joshua? W-what are you doing here?
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It was as if the stranger's first little quip manifested into written words on Tsuzuki's forehead when Muraki flicked his eyes over his face, digesting what this Joshua character said. Then he quickly becomes bored--a sarcastic voice supporting homosexuality was just as tedious as being chastised for it. He curls some hair behind his ear and sighs.]
Hm. That almost wounded me.
[Then he deliberately shifts his body so his thigh rubs Tsuzuki between his legs while he glances over his shoulder. Part of it was defiance, never one to take his entire hand out of the cookie jar when instructed to. By and large it was a punctuation mark to his conversation with Tsuzuki to end it on his note. Several hints run through the brief touch: possession, apology and humor (like his harassment was a private joke between ( ... )
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Too bad, I'm ending it now. Tsuzuki will be coming with me. [ He lets a small smirk appear on his face, but there's decidedly an edge to it. ] I'm afraid this isn't up for negotiation.
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Tsuzuki shoots Muraki an alarmed look when he hears the comment about 'lessons'. Although he's relieved and confused by Joshua's desire to help him, he is also afraid of what Muraki might do to him because of it. That is, more than anything else, the fuel he needs to muster up the will to act if he needs to.
As the two men talks, Tsuzuki wisely keeps his mouth shut. It doesn't seem like his opinion is needed, since he can't really move until they get out of the closet first. He just hopes that Muraki will cooperate.]
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Muraki could put his appetite on hold if he chose to (he often didn't, but he could). And apart from the moment being decidedly ruined, it was far too early in his plan to possess Tsuzuki body and soul.
So he shrugs his shoulders and pretends to lay down his cards.] If you say so. It's past my shift, anyway. [He makes his way past Joshua as politely as he can in the cramped space and shapes his hand around the doorknob before turning his head.] Take care, Tsuzuki. Let me know if you have any more concerns. [Translation: I'll see you again soon enough. And he leaves.]
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We're going.
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[Thankfully, it passes within a few minutes. He takes a trembling breath, looking at Joshua.]
Okay. Where are we going?
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[ That's the most important part. He steps out of the closet and looks around, just to make sure there's no Muraki in sight. Then he's turning again, making sure that Tsuzuki follows. Joshua is grudgingly admitting that there's a nontrivial chance he'll have to help support Tsuzuki, especially if he's freaking out over this. ]
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[Tsuzuki's not freaking out enough to refuse to come out of the closet, at least. He's just slow about it. It isn't helping that he stops to clean up the mess Muraki made when he pushed him into the supplies.]
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