Baptism

Muraki gently stroked Tsuzuki's back as he slept. Lying trapped inside his dead body while the shinigami touched him and spoke to him had been exquisite torture. Such a loving tribute. The self-inflicted stab wounds had healed nicely, but he was still sore. His blood soaked clothes stuck to his body. He was filthy and he itched.

"The things I do to amuse you, Asato." Muraki eased Tsuzuki's hair away from his face and chuckled as the sleeping man tried to bat his hand away. "So trusting." He reached for the lube he kept under his pillow. “Let’s see what I can get away with.”

He slid his hands down to Tsuzuki’s firm round ass and peeled down the hideous plaid boxers with surgical precision. He deftly uncapped the lube and coated one finger, careful not to jar Tsuzuki. He slowly pressed his slick finger inside Tsuzuki’s tight entrance, and was rewarded with a happy wiggle. He wondered who had fucked the other man last, but set that thought aside. It didn’t matter whether it was the boy, the shadow master or even his beloved grandfather.

Tsuzuki was his now.

He leisurely twisted his finger inside the other man. For long moments, he catalogued every hitch and sigh. He withdrew his finger and slicked the one beside it. He slowly, slowly pushed both fingers into Tsuzuki’s ass. With a wolfish grin, he crooked his fingers and fiercely rubbed Tsuzuki’s prostate. The other man yelped, snapped his hips twice and opened startled violet eyes. Muraki withdrew his fingers and flashed him a smile.

"Alive?" Tsuzuki blurted out and scrambled for his jacket and ofuda, but Muraki grabbed his wrists and slammed him onto his back, crushing blood soaked roses between them. He struggled. Part of him wanted to escape and another wanted to be still. The calm from Muraki's "death" gave way to fierce joy. He lay unmoving beneath the doctor and waited for his response.

Muraki said. "Yes."

"The medical student-"

"Was far too squeamish for the task." He licked the hollow of Tsuzuki's throat. "My death was merely an unfortunate misdiagnosis."

The answer was ridiculous and angered him. "Liar!" He growled.

"I propose a temporary truce, Asato. I want the night you promised me and the bath."

“You heard that?”

“Of course I did. I was right here after all." Muraki purred. "And for your information, I own perfectly respectable pajamas.”

Tsuzuki smiled sheepishly at the mention of his silly ramblings and Muraki bent his head down and slipped his tongue past his parted lips. He eagerly sucked the warm wet invader, moaning into the other man's mouth. When Muraki withdrew his tongue, he followed with his own.

Muraki withdrew. Tsuzuki was panting, cheeks flushed and lips swollen. His violet eyes darkened. He lifted his head and crashed his mouth against Muraki’s, kissing him with sudden violence and bruising his lips. Keeping a tight hold on his wrists, Muraki matched his intensity and ravaged his mouth. He withdrew once more and Tsuzuki lay back with an indolent smirk.

"All of this blood is really quite unpleasant, don't you think?" Muraki released his wrists and sat regarding him on the bed. He brushed away the roses. "I'm going to bathe now. Will you come, Asato?"

"Yes."

"Take off your watch then." Muraki instructed. "You wouldn't want to ruin it."

"Oh, it's waterproof." Tsuzuki lied with a forced grin.

"Is it?" Muraki examined the watch. "What a useful feature. I'll draw our bath."

He gave Tsuzuki a secret smile that the shinigami didn't like much, and padded to the bathroom. He watched him leave and then glanced at his watch. He didn't notice the time.

"Here's your chance to run." He murmured. "Come on. Don't be a fool."

He climbed out of bed. He glanced ruefully at his red and purple plaid boxers. He would have worn something nicer if he’d known that Muraki would resurrect himself. He carefully slipped them down over his half-hard cock. He eased them to the floor and stepped out of the pooled fabric.

Since the brief but violent disaster that was his relationship with Tatsumi, Tsuzuki had avoided sex. One spectacular right, his greedy passion had repulsed and perhaps even frightened the other man. Tatsumi had maintained an almost professional distance ever since. Muraki was neither his coworker nor his friend, and he sincerely doubted that anything he said or did could shock him.

He walked to the bathroom. Muraki was sitting naked spattered with dried blood on the edge of the tub. His cock rose proudly from blonde curls. One hand rested on a pale thigh. The other held a cigarette between long aristocratic fingers. He smiled and nodded. A dented pack of cigarettes lay beside an engraved silver lighter on the vanity. His blood stained clothing lay in a heap on the floor.

"Why aren't you in the bath yet, Kazutaka?" Tsuzuki asked, his head cocked to one side.

"I haven't smoked in days." Muraki took inhaled deeply and exhaled with a pleasure-filled sigh.

"I'll hold your cigarette. Get in the tub."

"Thank you."

Muraki handed Tsuzuki his cigarette and climbed into the warm bath with a happy moan. He watched bemused as the other man took a drag.

"I've never seen you smoke." Muraki said. "I like seeing you relaxed like this."

"It's a filthy habit." Tsuzuki knelt beside the bathtub and pressed the filter end of the cigarette to Muraki's lips. He withdrew it after he had taken a drag, replaced it in his own mouth. "I'll grab some towels." He mumbled around the cigarette.

He turned on his hands and knees and opened the sink vanity. He pulled out every towel and washcloth, not knowing how many they would need. He set one aside and stacked the others beside the bathtub. He leaned over the tub and dunked the towel in the water. Added shower gel. He rubbed it over Muraki's chest, wiping away blood until the towel was filthy and dropped it on the floor. He put out the cigarette, which had burned down to the filter. He tossed the butt in the sink and lit another. He grabbed a fresh towel, dipped it in the water and swiped it gently across Muraki's nipples.

"I'll drain the bathtub and refill it." He said.

With the next batch of water, he washed the rest of Muraki's flesh with languorous detail. He squirted a dollop of shower gel into his hands and rubbed them together. He smoothed his soapy hands over Muraki's face and throat, and down to his shoulders and collarbone. Rinse and lather. He soaped and rinsed Muraki's flat belly and half-hard cock. He ran cleansing hands from his thighs down to the soles of his feet. He kissed clean toes.

The two men smoked in companionable silence. Tsuzuki coaxed Muraki onto hands and knees. He washed his shoulder blades, back and ass.

Drain and refill.

"Close your eyes and I'll start on your hair." Tsuzuki instructed.

Muraki obeyed.

Tsuzuki slowly poured the water over the other man's head. He repeated the process. He uncapped the shampoo and poured a thick dollop into his hand. He rubbed his hands together and smoothed the lather over Muraki's hair. He wondered if anyone else took care of him. He rinsed his hair three times for good measure.

"There. All clean, Kaz. I want to wash up a little bit."

He put out his cigarette and tossed the butt in the sink. He climbed into the bathtub and sat between Muraki's legs. He leaned back against his chest. Muraki leaned over the side of the tub and snagged a towel. He dipped it in the water and briskly washed Tsuzuki. He closed one hand around Tsuzuki’s right wrist and brought it to his lips. He pressed a kiss to Tsuzki’s watch.

“It stopped.” He kissed one wet shoulder blade.

“It must not have been waterproof after all.” Tsuzuki looked down. “What a foolish mistake.”

Muraki unfastened the watchband and Tsuzuki let him ease the watch from his wrist. The doctor pressed his lips to the scars.

Tsuzuki climbed out of the bathtub and kissed Muraki's forehead. He snagged a towel and left the bathroom. He dried himself briskly before climbing on the bed. He peeked under the pillow and found a half-used tube of lubricant. He knelt and spread his legs. He snapped open the cap and squirted lube over his fingers. He dropped the tube on the bed. He pushed two fingers inside his ass and fingered himself lazily. He fisted his cock with his other hand, humming and moaning. He felt the bed dip behind him.

"I love seeing you like this." Muraki snagged the lube and squeezed some into his hand. "Fucking yourself and making greedy little noises. I can't wait to feel you stretched around my cock." He tossed the tube onto the bed and briskly slicked his erection.

Tsuzuki arranged himself on his hands and knees. He glanced over his shoulder. He considered saying one thing, discarded it and said another. "It's been awhile."

"I'll be careful."

"Don't." Tsuzuki shook his dark head.

Muraki crawled up behind him and settled between his outstretched legs. He guided his cock into Tsuzuki's ass and placed his hands on his hips. He was still for a moment and petted his lover's back absentmindedly as he trembled. He had fucked people he would later discard or even kill, and they were faceless as animals beneath him. Tsuzuki was different.

I'm really inside him. He thought with strange wonder.

He pushed forward until he was fully seated; snapped his hips back and withdrew. He adjusted his angle and thrust steadily, nailing his lover's prostate. They found a rhythm. He moved inside the other man, who was hot for him and tight, eager as he moved back to meet him.

"Harder!" Tsuzuki demanded, driving his hips back. "I need harder."

Muraki replied by slamming into him, gripping his hips and forcing bruises to blossom and fade beneath his fingers. He set a harsh rhythm and Tsuzuki met his thrusts, moaning and swearing.

Tsuzuki said. “I need to break."

"I'll break you."

Muraki hauled him up into his lap and he groaned as he was impaled. The doctor reached around Tsuzuki and grabbed his cock. He jerked him off roughly. He pistoned his hips, slamming into his lover as hard as he dared, and then as hard as he could. Tsuzuki stretched his back taut strangely still for a long moment as he came with a scream, and his ass gripped Muraki’s cock almost painfully.

Muraki couldn’t hold back and bit down hard on Tsuzuki's shoulder as he came inside him. He eased his mouth from the wound with a lick. He raised his come-splattered hand and smeared the bite with Tsuzuki's release. He murmured. "Fall open to the supplicant." He withdrew his softening cock from the other man's ass, and pushed two fingers inside. He pulled them out and spread his own release across the bite wound. "Seal!"

The bite glowed and burned for a moment. Muraki spooned behind Tsuzuki and rested a hand on his warm flank. He buried his face in his dark tangle of hair and inhaled the mingled scents of sweat and his shampoo. He was content for the first time in years. Perhaps ever.

"Did you just curse me?" Tsuzuki asked.

He tried to sound indignant or at least incredulous and failed. Muraki couldn’t kill him, and anything else could be covered.

"Perhaps."

They dozed together. Tsuzuki’s ass healed and lost its soreness. The mottled bruises had already faded from his hips.

"Hisoka." He sighed. Muraki stiffened, angry and hurt. "Can't know."

He relaxed. "Of course not. This is between us alone."

"I'd better go." Tsuzuki slipped out of his lover's embrace and his bed. He dressed in yesterday’s wrinkled suit. “It would be best if you left the ship with your business unfinished.” He warned.

“I can arrange to leave early.”

“Good. I don’t want to fight you.”

He fumbled with his tie. Muraki climbed out of bed and walked around to stand behind him. He gave Tsuzuki’s topmost hand a slap and the other man let him fasten his tie in a crisp knot.

“Thank you.” He eased out of Muraki’s embrace and approached the bed. He selected a single blood soaked rose and tucked it into his coat. “I enjoyed our truce, but if you harm Hisoka, I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

“I know.”

“Goodnight Muraki-sensei.”

“Goodnight Tsuzuki-san.”

He walked out of the suite. Muraki collected the remaining roses and set them aside for safekeeping. He walked to his trunk and withdrew clean clothes. He dressed quickly in a pristine white suit and slipped a bottle and spoon into his coat pocket. He left the room. He walked to Tsubaki’s suite and let himself in. He approached the bed.

The girl had kicked off her blankets. She wore a delicate white nightgown. One of the straps had slipped from her shoulder, giving her an innocent wantonness that the doctor ignored. He grasped her shoulders and shook her impatiently. He was bored with this particular game. She opened her eyes and began sobbing and smiling. She clutched at him in a most distasteful manner and stated the obvious.

"Doctor, you're alive!"

"Yes, it was all a big misunderstanding.” Muraki disentangled himself from her embrace. “I suspect I was in a light coma, and there was no real doctor to care for me. Luckily I recovered on my own."

"That's amazing. I was so sad when you died; I mean when I thought you'd died." She looked down. "I love you, doctor. I don‘t think you feel the same way, but I had to say. I had to!"

"Shh, don't excite yourself." He pulled the bottle and spoon from his coat. "You have to take your medicine." He poured out a measure and deftly slid the spoon into her obediently open mouth. She swallowed.

"It tastes better this time."

"I've been working on a tastier medicine, just for you.” He recapped the bottle and returned it to his coat along with the spoon. “I've committed unspeakable crimes in the past, but I do hope you believe in the restorative power of love."

"Oh yes, of course.” Tsubaki nodded. “But if you don't mind my asking, what did you do to Hisoka?"

The doctor shook his head. "I very much doubt that he would appreciate my telling you."

"He hates you for whatever you did to him."

"That's his right." Muraki cocked his head to one side coyly, his wayward bangs falling away from his strange wide eye. He flashed the girl a boyish smile. "Go get your stationary, and I'll dictate a letter."

"Yes doctor." She nodded. "Or maybe I could call you Kazutaka when we're alone?" She looked down and blushed, amazed at her own boldness.

"Of course." Muraki said and his eye gleamed with preternatural light.

Tsubaki slipped out of bed and retrieved a pen, several sheets of stationary, and a brightly colored pencil board. She returned to bed to find the doctor had fluffed her pillows. She sat propped up.

"I'm ready, Kazutaka."

"I can't continue living with my pain." Muraki said cheerfully. "Please forgive my weakness and don't be sad. Kakyoin Tsubaki."

The doctor watched with a contented smile as Tsubaki obeyed crying. Tearstained paper would only add to the authenticity of the note.

"Good girl. Short and sweet is best I think." Muraki said. "I really can't stay. It would be unseemly for me to be seen leaving such a young girl's suite in the middle of the night and especially foolish since you'll be dead soon from the poison I gave you." He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well."

He left the room with a smile. He was having such a lovely night.

Tsuzuki crept into Hisoka's suite. He would guard the boy until they returned to Meifu. He settled on the couch and closed his eyes. He quashed his sudden urge to wake Hisoka and confess. Telling him would only hurt him and destroy their fragile trust.

He trailed his fingers from collarbone to shoulder and sighed as he reached the bite mark, which showed no sign of healing. Every other wound he had received since his death had faded quickly and disappeared. He only had to trace the scar to remember this night. He daydreamed about ways to thank Muraki for the gift, and then remembered where he was and why.

A wave of arousal and shame seeped into Hisoka's sleeping mind. In the nightmare, he relived his rape under the cherry blossoms. Shame added to shame as the dream twisted away from his memory, and he begged helplessly beneath Muraki, not to be spared this horror, but for it to continue. When he woke in the morning, it would be with tear stained cheeks and dried come on his belly.

His curse marks burned.

END

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