Puppet Master by Gaki

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The first part of this fic, um, I guess I could call it the introduction or whatnot, is taken from another YnM fic of mines. So yes, I'm 'stealing' the idea from that fic in a way.

Muraki-sensei still talking (Muraki: The truth is out there. *X-Files theme plays*), Tsuzuki is in here somewhere, Hisoka is still hanging around and oh! Oriya and his beautiful long hair is here too! Um, only to get a small part in this chapter and then disappear in a swirl of sakura petals o/~ Oh wait, that's Seishirou.

~~ remembered ~~

Dreams are no different from nightmares.

Or perhaps they are. Dreams are pleasant, are they not? They're full of lovely green fields and yellow daises. Clear blue skies with lovely kites of every shape and size flying about. Dreams are wonderful. Dreams are wishes the heart makes. Dreams are longings from a lonely soul. Dreams makes your desires come true. While you sleep.

Nightmares are your fears and your doubts. They are not made of lovely blue skies and green fields. They're dark and gloomy. Filled with horrible sounds and unwanted creatures. Nightmares brings your worst fears to life. While you sleep.

What happens when the line between dreams and nightmares fades? What if the dream turns into a nightmare? Would it still be called a dream, or would it now be called a nightmare?

Dreams leaves you wanting and longing for it to come back. Nightmares leave you wishing you'd never had it in the first place.

Both leave you feeling empty and lost.

"Do you think Tsuzuki-san'll come and rescue a killer?"

"With Muraki's gun..."

"Your hands are covered in blood."

"... it won't come off..."

"Just like mines."

"Like Muraki... happily killing..."

He closed his eyes painfully. He was a killer, as Muraki'd said. A copy of the one man he hated more than anything in both worlds. Would Tsuzuki come a save someone so much like Muraki? His chest felt heavy for some odd reason as he refused to even let his mind answer the question.

Demon. Hell spawn. Killer. Shinigami.

It was funny that no matter how much he hated and tried to avoid the darkness, he was also known as something that belonged to it.

He stared in absolute horror as the memory of that night sat there before his eyes. He could see the insides of his younger partner hanging out of the gap between his left arm and body. His heart was no longer beating, hanging like an ugly smashed up tomato. The sickening white of the bone jutted out from beneath the red flesh of his shoulder blade. Blood dripped and poured out of that slender body like a river. He covered his mouth when he felt the urge to vomit, taking another step back. Eyes widen when he tasted blood on his lips and he removed his hand from his face, feeling the need to cry when he found it was Hisoka's blood he had tasted.

Letting out a muffled moan, he closed his eyes and covered his ears from the disgusting sound of blood dripping loudly from Hisoka's mangled body.

Not real. Not real.

He gasped out loud when something took hold of his leg and his eyes shot open. Oh my G-

"Tsu... zu... ki..." 'Hisoka' had moved from his place against the wall and was now on the ground before him. His left arm being dragged disgustingly behind him as he held onto Tsuzuki's leg with his right. 'Hisoka' pulled on the cloth of his pants harder, trying to pull himself up as he looked up at Tsuzuki with his one good eye. "Tsu... ki..."

He wanted to shake the boy's grip off. Covering his mouth again as the smell of blood reached his nose, a muffled sob escaped his throat as he finally pushed his partner's grip from his pants.

'Hisoka', losing his balanced, fell to the ground in a sickening loud crunch. Tsuzuki took a step back, his breathing picking up faster and harder as he felt a wetness on his leg where 'Hisoka' had grabbed him. Not real. No...

'Hisoka' slowly raised himself up on one arm and stared up at him, his left eye socket flowing over with blood that trailed down his face like tears. His one good eye rolled back into his head, leaving the boy staring at him with the disgusting whiteness of the eyeball.

'Hisoka' slurped as he spoke brokenly. "Tsuzu... ki. Why?"

We trusted you. Why?

He choked, a sob forming at the base of his throat as he continued to gaze at his partner's body. He shook his head as his eyes filled with tears. "I..."

Why? How could you? Asato...

'Hisoka' tried to crawl closer with his own good arm, leaving a trail of blood on his way. He stopped and looked up at Tsuzuki again, tears streaming down his face as well as blood. "Why?" He gurgled, choking as blood surged up his throat and out of his mouth.

--trusted you. How could you? How could you? HOW COULD YOU?!

He choked, tears clogging his throat, as he stared down at 'Hisoka'. "I-I... Hisoka..."

"Tsuzukii..." 'Hisoka' choked out as he raised himself up on his one arm. His partner's face suddenly twisted itself into an ugly snarl.

"HOW COULD YOU?!"

In the pool of blood behind 'Hisoka', a large hand formed and rose over and above his partner's head as it reached out for him. He gasped in fear as he stumbled back, thousands of voices slamming into him as he whimpered in his defense.

howcouldyoutrustedyouAsatobetrayedushowcouldyouhowcouldyouAsato!

He screamed, and did the only thing he knew he could do at that moment. He ran.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed that Muraki was no where to be seen. He found that he didn't really care if Muraki was there or not anymore. He didn't care if Muraki was off killing another person while he was held captive. Didn't care that his wrists were still bleeding from the newly broken wound. Didn't expect to see Tsuzuki charging to his rescue. He smirked ruefully. Charging to his rescue. If he were anyone else but himself, he was sure he'd be laughing insanely right now by the thought. Hanging his head, he mused that he was probably nothing but a burden for his partner. He had no where near the skills Tsuzuki had, he couldn't summon a shikigami or properly use a ofuda.

He was nothing but a pest.

Demon. Hell spawn. Killer. Shinigami. Pest.

"Do you think he'll come for you this time?"

He hadn't expected the knowledge of knowing Tsuzuki wasn't coming for him to hurt as much as it did. Perhaps Muraki was right after all. He'd grown to trust in Tsuzuki far too much. Expecting the older man to actually care for someone like him when no one before him had even bothered. He was so foolish to actually hoped, believed, that Tsuzuki was different from the people he knew when he was still alive.

"Because you're my partner."

And that's all that he was, wasn't he? Just a partner, not a friend of Tsuzuki. He didn't smile and laugh with Tsuzuki like Watari. He wasn't a former partner who still worried over him like Tatsumi did. He wasn't his boss who loved sweets as much as he did like Kachou. He was just a boy who was unlucky enough to be killed when the moon was beautifully red and was curse to forever be bonded with a man who wanted nothing more than to have control over Tsuzuki's body. A boy who was a tool, a link, for Muraki to find Tsuzuki whenever he pleased.

Tears began to fill his eyes as he realize what he truly was. "I'm just a puppet."

"Do you honestly think that, Hisoka?"

He gasped out loud as he raised his head, eyes wide. "Tsuzuki."

He looked up at the moon as he dipped the tip of his katana into the small koi pond outside his quarters. A sudden movement from a moth caught his attention and he quickly raised the sharp blade in a fluid motion before bringing it down once again. The insect fell to the ground with it's wings neatly cut off from it's body.

He straighten back up and stared at the moth as it made it's way across the dirt.

A moth, how fitting. Sometimes he wonders which one of them was the moth and which the flame.

~~

Oriya sighed, running his hand through his hair as he gazed at the person before him. "Do you realize what time it is?"

Muraki chuckled. "I thought you would be pleased that I've come to visit, Oriya."

"Hmph. Visit, or to tell me of your most recent plans? Sometimes I think that's all you think about, Muraki." He lowered his voice, looking into his tea as the moon shone into the room.

Muraki smiled from behind his cup. "Your tea really is exceptional, Oriya."

He snorted, repressing a yawn. "What are you doing here, Muraki?"

Placing his cup down, Muraki gazed out room and at the moon. "I'm not here to tell you my plans." He smiled, and looked at his long haired companion from the corner of his eyes.

Crossing his arms, Oriya looked back. Not before repressing a shiver running down his spine. No matter how long he'd known Muraki, his knowing gaze would always have that affect on him. It was as if the man could see through him. "So I have the honor of having you visiting me in the middle of the night for no reason whatsoever?"

The doctor chuckled. "Not without a reason."

He knew it. Muraki was always planning something in his head. "What is it then?"

The smile was all too pleasant as Muraki answered him. "I'm on my way to fix my puppet."

~~

"Tsuzuki."

His partner was gasping for breath, as if he'd run all the way here to where Muraki held him captive. Despite his grogginess, he kept his eyes open as Tsuzuki quickly made his way to where he was chained. Tsuzuki... you came. You came after all. I... I knew you would. He kept his gaze on Tsuzuki's face, afraid that if he looked away for just a moment, the older shinigami would disappear and it would all have been a dream. He probably looked giddy to Tsuzuki who had reached up above his head to try and unlock the chains around his bleeding wrists.

That's when he saw the sudden change in expression on his partner's face. Tsuzuki's eyes became slightly glazed over as he stared at the blood sliding down Hisoka's pale wrists. His lips parted slightly as he watched a red drop make it's way slowly down the arm and disappear beneath Hisoka's ever present blue jean jacket. He licked his lips as Hisoka's fingers flexed before his eyes, causing the veins to show up more.

"Tsu," He cleared his throat. "Tsuzuki?"

He couldn't help but stared wide eyed at Tsuzuki when the man finally looked down at him. The expression on his face, he'd seen it before.

Tsuzuki smiled, lifting his hand up and brushing it against Hisoka's cheek. He pressed the flesh down slightly so that Hisoka's lower left eyelid was pulled away to let the air move against his eyeball. "Hisoka..."

"Hijiri..."

His brows drew together as his lower lip trembled. No, his mind whimpered. No.

"... Your soft white skin is well matched with blood's red..."

"... you're so lovely covered in blood."

He leaned his head back as the wind blew across his face, letting his thoughts drift back to that day Muraki had paid him a visit...

~~

"Puppet?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. He then glared, crossing his arms. "Is that what you call your victims now?"

Muraki only smiled.

"Stop this, Muraki." Oriya pleaded with the doctor. "Stop it all now, stop this... this... all these senseless killings! You can't keep doing this!"

"You know I can't." Was the soft reply as Muraki gazed into his tea. "You know I can't stop this. We're all puppets, Oriya. Each and every one of us." He stopped, the look in his eyes becoming distant as if he were remembering a time in his life where he'd heard the same thing spoken to him. A moment passed before he finally looked up and smiled once again.

"The only difference is that I am a puppet that controls another."

~~

Puppet.

Letting his head fall forward, his hair falling into his face, Oriya mused quietly to himself as he looked at the dirt beneath his feet. Is that what you see all humans as, Muraki?

"Puppets in the doll house known as Life..."

He struggled, turning his face sharply to the side so that Tsuzuki's hand was no longer touching his skin. No. Not Tsuzuki. He clenched his eyes shut, willing the person before him to disappear and never come back. This wasn't Tsuzuki. Wasn't the cheerful man who loved sweets and could summon up a waterfall from his eyes in a matter of seconds. This person wasn't his partner who would beg Hakushaku to let a soul finish it's business in the world of the living before moving on and letting go. Wasn't him, couldn't be him.

Never because Tsuzuki would never do this to him again. Tsuzuki'd never press up against him like this because it wasn't him. It wasn't Tsuzuki who'd sliced his arm halfway off his body. Wasn't Tsuzuki who tore his eye from it's sockets then lick his blood from his fingertips. It wasn't Tsuzuki because it wasn't and yet it was him because it was.

"Hisoka..." Tsuzuki murmured as he brushed the boy's blonde hair from his face. "It's not fair."

He flinched, biting down on his lower lip as he willed the horrible nightmare that was before him to leave him alone. It was too much for him. To see Tsuzuki and yet know it wasn't, couldn't, be him that was actually there. Tsuzuki wouldn't be touching him like this. Tsuzuki wouldn't lick the wound on his wrist nor would he say...

"It's not fair. I want to make you my puppet too."

No. He was in a nightmare, he was positive.

None of this could really be happening. He would wake up screaming any minute and everything that had happened, wouldn't be real. None of this could be real. Wasn't possible. He wasn't stupid enough to follow someone like Muraki, was he? He'd know better than that. None of this is happening, he'd probably fallen asleep waiting for Tsuzuki to come. This wasn't Tsuzuki, this wasn't real. He won't let it be real. Because if he did he knew he'd start crying any minute and he didn't like that. He didn't like to cry. Didn't like the cold air touching his skin as his shirt was pulled away from his chest. Didn't like the darkness even when he had his eyes closed. He didn't want to feel the tongue trailing up his torso or sudden shock when a knife sliced up his chest.

He didn't like it either when he screamed in pain.