Forever Mine

This chapter Muraki and Tatsumi go at it head to head.

Chapter Twelve: Till The Bitter End


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The bed was so soft and warm. If it were of any other circumstances Tsuzuki would of appreciated it. Feeling the soft silk sheets against his body and smooth velvet touching his back, but it was not. His head was killing him, it hurt so bad. In fact, his whole body was aching. The only thing that truly gave him any comfort after what had happened last night was the warm body he was laying against.

He never thought he would of fallen for Muraki. In fact, he hated the man. No, wait. I wouldn’t say hate, because Tsuzuki never hated anybody. Damn his weakness for caring too much! When Tsuzuki first saw that beautiful man standing in the church, his heart raced a mile a minute. His eyes were transfixed. It was like time had stopped at that moment. It was then that he knew he had fallen in love.

Could you even call it that? Could you really fall in love with someone just by meeting them? Is that what people call love at first sight? Because to Tsuzuki that is what he called it. But, then came the heartbreak. When the guardian found out that the man was nothing but a killer he became furious. Why is it every time I finally find something to make me happy it just blows up in my face?

His heart felt betrayed and he harbored resentment for Muraki because of it. But the doctor was persistent in getting him. Whether it was because of the pale man’s fascination over him or because he was just another toy for the doctor to play with, Tsuzuki didn’t know. To be honest he didn’t want to. When he lost that bet a part of him, despite his fear in the doctor, wanted it.

Again, though, the betrayal, the hurt is what caused him to draw back away from the doctors touches. Tsuzuki knew deep down the pale man would break him and just use him. He never thought the insane man would risk his life for him. That all these advances and displays of affection were from the doctor's heart and not a mind fuck.

Did that mean he loved me? Of course, it did. Tsuzuki knew the man really did love him, but the guardian also knew that Muraki was wondering if Tsuzuki loved him.

Tsuzuki sat up feeling like his head was going to explode. He rubbed at the temples. Despite the pain he was feeling, he had to get to work. He knew that going to work was no problem. It was what would be waiting there that had him scared out of his wits.

Tatsumi.

He didn’t want to face the fact that the one man in his life he trusted the most hurt him. Of course, Muraki wasn’t one to talk in trusting. But Tatsumi had gained Tsuzuki's trust with ease like no other had. Not even Hisoka or his best friend Watari has even came as close as Tatsumi. The guardian always felt comfortable and safe around the shadow master. Always running to the secretary when he needed a shoulder to cry on. But last night the guardian needed a shoulder and it wasn’t Tatsumi's he wept in, it was Muraki’s. Oh, how the tables have turned. It was quite ironic.

He looked over at the empty area of the bed next to him. He knew that his lover had to be at work himself. That was probably why Katzuaka's phone rang, they were calling him in. The guardian really wished he was still here holding him. Muraki knew exactly what to do. He knew how to push the shinigami's buttons and make him angry, but he could always find the right time to make him feel needed, loved, even safe. Everything Tsuzuki tried to push the doctor away for, the pale man just came back stronger with it. No other person has ever came that close to being that repetitive with him. Even when Tsuzuki resisted Muraki advances, Muraki wouldn‘t allow it. The man was, indeed, persistent. And what he wanted he no doubt was going to get.

Tatsumi was almost to that point with him. Almost. Now, Tsuzuki doesn’t know what to think. No. It wasn’t that he didn’t know what to think, it was that he didn’t want to. He was tired of hurting. Tired of people hurting him and the one person he thought was going to be the one to hurt him the most, only showed him how much he really loved him. And the one he thought he could trust only showed him how much he could be hurt by him.

Tsuzuki pulled the covers. He looked to see his clothes draped over a chair. They were torn and blood stained. The visions flooded his head again of last night's encounter and he felt sick to his stomach.

"No, not now," Tsuzuki shook his head. He had to get up. He shrugged it off and got out of the bed.

What was it he was going to wear? He certainly wasn’t going to sport the yutaka he was wearing. He went to the closet and found a white sweater. Though it was a little big, it would work and a pair of black slacks were also big on him, but nothing a belt wouldn’t fix. Slowly he put on the clothes. It smelt so much like Muraki, of a distinctive cologne Tsuzuki couldn’t quite decipher, but it smelt so good he raised the sweater to his nose, savoring the scent.

The purple-eyed guardian sighed. It was time to face the music. He already had it planed. He was going to go in to Chief Konoe's office and ask if he could be signed off the case. His reason? Well, that was the hard part. He didn’t have a reason. At least a reason that he wanted to tell the Chief.


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"Stay away from him!"
Shadows surrounded the secretary. Making him look more like a faded ghost than his physical form. Giving his body a eerie glow was a green light emulating the ground surrounding where Muraki was standing at. It formed a perfect pentagram underneath the doctor's feet.

"You're one to talk."

Streaks of light rose in the air around the pentagram causing a gust of wind to blow up with it. The scene was quite beautiful. At least it would have been if it were not for the two men staring directly at each other determined only on ending the other's life.

"Shut up! It is because of you that this happened!"

Tatsumi made the first move as shadows flew in all forms of dark mists toward the doctor. Some falling to nothing through the streams of green light while others enter inside the circle. One successfully hit the pale man's cheek, causing a streak of blood to surface.

The man wiped the blood from his cheek, smirking at the angry secretary. At the same time, the green streams twist like a cobra around Muraki then strike out toward the shadow master. It wrapped around the man's body causing him to fall to his knees.

"Is that so?"

The pale man narrowed his eyes in response, watching the secretary struggle against the stream of glowing wire.

Tatsumi huffed. "You warped his mind! Made him believe you cared! What does a murderer know about caring anyway!"

The rope broke away fading into nothing.

Tatsumi engulfed himself in shadows disappearing. Muraki shifted his weight behind him, catching the secretary in his grasp and slammed a surprised Tatsumi against a tree. The shadow master didn’t think a mere human could be so precise and quick-witted. Muraki surly was going to be more of a challenge then he thought.

Tatsumi grasped the pale man's arms trying to pull him away. Anger set in the doctor as he squeezes tighter to the man's neck.

"Tell me, Tatsumi-san. How does it feel? Choked against your will? I have seen this response many times in my life, but none have delighted me quite like this."

Tatsumi's eyes turn black. How dare this man describe him as one of his victims?! A shadow of himself appears behind Muraki. Unaware of its presence, it enters into Muraki’s body through the back.

Muraki lets go of the shadow master, falling to his knees. Tatsumi coughed in dismay falling also to the ground.

He cleared his throat.

"That shadow is in your every nerve."

Muraki gritted his teeth as the shadow can clearly be seen flowing through his veins. The pain was unbearable but Muraki wasn’t going to give this shinigami the satisfaction of knowing it. Tatsumi stood up wiping his clothes and pulling off his ripped jacket.

“Soon it with rip every vein in your body. I’m eager to see this.”

Muraki smiled with clenched teeth at the shinigami. Blood starting to fall from his nose and black starts to take over his eyes.

"You underestimate me, Tatsumi-san."

He clinched tight to his chest, one hand now falling to the ground. Blood staining his clothes as it seeped through the pores of his skin. Oh, yeah. It hurt. A feeling much like that of fire burning slowly inside your body, melting away every bone muscle and layer of skin. Muraki knew it wouldn’t be long until he screamed out in pain. Something he was sure the secretary would delight is seeing. But the weakened man wasn’t going to allow him the satifation. With pain steaking his features, his eyes glowed with white brilliance and the angel calls out in unspoken words.

The ground broke underneath Tatsumi's feet, sharp needle wires probe up thrashing the man's skin. Penetrating through his arms and legs. Tatsumi quickly worked his shadows to break the vines, but they just ripped through them like paper.

Muraki spat out some blood from his mouth. Still fighting the shadows thoroughly dislodging his body.

"You could have had Tsuzuki. He would of loved you, Tatsumi-san. He would of gotten over me and in the end you would of won his heart. I know he only has an infatuation for me, you he trusted. But because of your own selfish need you took that trust away from him."

"Shut up!"

Blood began to seep down the doctor's arm. This causing the vines to tighten around Tatsumi ripping skin open paper cut thin.

"You did something worse then I could of ever done to him."

"Shut up!" his voice choked

"Tell me, Tatsumi-san. How did it feel taking advantage of him like that? Did he live up to your expectations? Did it feel good to have complete control over him!? To take whatever it was you wanted! Did you at once think that it would of gained you a chance to be closer to him!"

This time a red pentagram surfaced and Muraki pulled every ounce of energy he had to lift himself up. It was dark and vulgar but the red orbs entered his body destroying the murky residue that once were the shadows that entered in his body.

"I said, shut up! You're nothing but a murderr who doesn’t deserves his love! You deserve to die!"

Tatsumi's anger threw him full force, melting the vines. Again, now two weak bodies staring at each other. Their powers equal in might and force. They both knew they would only destroy each other. But they were both willing to make that sacrifice.

"You're no different then me, Tatsumi-san. The only difference is I’m up front and honest with it."

No. Tatsumi surly didn’t want to hear those words.

"I’ll kill you!"

The ground gave way under Muraki's feet as Muraki sent a field of fire towards Tatsumi. Then Muraki raised his hands slowly in the air. Dark cloaked creatures rose from the ground. Their eyes red, bodies acquired in flames.

Tatsumi gasped. How did Muraki master this spell? To summon such vicious monsters. Tatsumi had his own tricks. Shadows appeared before him formed with no features but looked like the black abyss themselves.

"Now the fun really begins."


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Tsuzuki teleported in front of Konoe's office. He took a deep breath in before he enters.
Chief Konoe looks up to see Tsuzuki at the doorway.

"Come in Tsuzuki."

The shinigami slowly walked in lowering his head. He waited for the insult to be thrown at him.

"If it wasn’t for the great news I received today I would of fired you and Tatsumi for being so late. By the way where is Tatsumi?"

Tsuzuki looked up at the older man puzzled. Tatsumi hadn’t shown yet.

”I...I don’t know," voice sounding more nervous then it should have been.

"Well, since you are here let me tell you. I no longer need you and Tatsumi on the Rose Murder case."

Were my ears deceiving me? Did he just say that he no longer needed us on a case? Was he reading my mind or did Tatsumi already..? Tsuzuki became frantic.

"What do you mean, Chief? No longer need us on the case?"

Konoe smiled wickedly at the guardian.

"Well, my boy, it has been solved."

My heart skipped a beat. Did Muraki? I mean, he did leave this morning. Was he really the murderer and just turned himself in? I wanted to know. It would eat me inside if I didn’t. So, I asked the most simple of questions.

"Was it Muraki?"

"Eh?"

I must of caught him out of his babbling trance because now he was cocking a large bushy eyebrow at me.

"That just it, Tsuzuki. All this time I was thinking it was him and it turns out it was the woman that I assigned Teramuza and his partner to. It was her husband. Go figure. Two cases solved. My day just gets better and better."

So, Kaza, you were telling me the truth. You really did stop all your killing. You really do love me and, gods, Kaza, I really do love you. I want to show you just how much to when I see you tonight.

Suddenly a loud bang is heard from outside. The wall to Konoe's office started cracking. Tsuzuki knew already what was going to happen next and threw him and Konoe down to the ground as the wall exploded in. Tsuzuki abruptly gets up and realizes what is happening.

He left this morning not to go to work but...

"No! They're going to kill him!"

He ran from the office leaving a perplexed Konoe.

Tsuzuki ran down the corridor but his legs just didn’t seem to carry him fast enough. He knew he could teleport right there but his mind was not thinking rationally at the moment he just new he had to get there.

"No, god! No, please!"

The view outside was like being in a war. Men in uniforms, they were the security sector of Meifu. And demon-like creatures were fighting against each other. Some made of fire while other of dark forming clouds. Hard to even see them as they matched the dust filled sky. Everything was in total chaos. Buildings where on fire. Cherry blossoms no longer standing beautifully. Tsuzuki could see up in front of him. A sight he didn’t want to come to face. Both men he cared about fighting and blood every where. Oh gods.

The brunette had seen some of the guards raising their guns toward the direction of the blood-stained angel. Tsuzuki screamed, pushing the closest guard's gun down toward the ground.

"No, wait! Please!"

The guard tried to pull away but Tsuzuki forced the gun to fall to the ground.

"I said wait!"

The violet-eyed shinigami knew what happened last time. Muraki was lucky the first time. No matter though. There was too many and they will not stop until he was dead, especially if they find him a threat and he was far from a threat. He was pure chaos. He had to get to them. But he was just not running fast enough. He seen a guard push in front of Tatsumi holding his gun up towards Muraki. A shot is fired. Not thinking twice about the action he made next, the brunette closes his eyes and disappears only to reappear right in front of Muraki.

"Asato! What the hell are you doing?!"

Were the words the pale angel shouted seeing the guardian standing only a foot away from him.

Everything stopped. Tatsumi starts out of breath on one knee at the scene. His shadows dissipating from where the security was coming from, Chief Konoe now by his side. Watari helped the weak shadow master up. But the frail man's eyes never left sight of what was in front of him, causing the other two men to look over as well.

Tsuzuki stared at Muraki momentarily before placing a hand to his chest blood seeped through his fingers.

From the scene before him, Muraki’s heart drops and when he sees the blood fall like running water from his guardian's mouth. He already knew it was too late. The moment seemed to play out slow. It was a direct hit to Tsuzuki's heart

"See? I told you I could take the blow."

The shinigami falls as Muraki catches him in his arms.

"Asato!"

The guardian raised his mouth up close to Muraki's lips hushing the pale figure. In a weak whispering voice he responded.

"I know you have doubts about my love for you...don’t. Believe me when I say.
my love for you was unconditional."

Muraki softly pads his lips to Tsuzuki's.

"I believe you."

He ran his fingers through dark threads of hair and glided his face against the shinigami's cheek. Tsuzuki could feel a cool wetness on his skin. Muraki was crying. Tsuzuki just gripped him tighter then his hold loosens.

Muraki breath stills and he lifts his face up to look at his guardian. Tsuzuki’s eyes were open but there was no life in them. No spark whatsoever in those beautiful alluring violets. The pale man glides his hand down Tsuzuki's face closing his eyes. Muraki tilts his head down for a brief moment and then in a cold low tone he demands.

"Take me to Lord Enma."

Konoe says sorrowfully.

"We can’t."

Muraki looked at him, his eyes stained red.

"I said now!"


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Chapter Thirteen: My Last Goodbyes


This was indeed sad. for the most part i really wanted to show the affection between Muraki and Tsuzuki at the guardians death. I thought to hold off Muraki s anger at his shinigami dying till the end and point out the most direct emotion for the doctor when he looks at konoe demanding to see lord enma. obviuosly he was crying.