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tampered2007-03-18 06:23 pm
metousiosis.livejournal.com) wrote in tampered2007-03-18 06:23 pm
log; complete
when; 14 March, late evening.
rating; PG-13.
characters; Sakurazuka Seishirou (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sakurazuka_san), Tatsumi Seiichirou (thrifty_shadow).
summary; Tatsumi falls prey too easily to an illusion the Sakurazukamori summons - and for good reason.
log;
Since Tatsumi had received his heart once more, he knew now that a certain sort of fun was to be had. After all, the shinigami had hardly been worthy of the usual banter as of late; Seishirou really grew slightly annoyed with the robotic staccato that the kagetsukai had perfected without his heart. Even if he did find some humour in the sharp, succinct quality of the heartless man. However, the fire of the debates - only provoked further at Tatsumi's expense with his own prodding - had been absent.
And, really, even he knew there was far more than his fair share of passion whenever Asato Tsuzuki, the purple-eyed shinigami with a bottomless sweet tooth, was concerned.
Building two, apartment eighteen. Yes, Seishirou had been aware of the residence for a long time, and only until now could he decently employ this knowledge as it was intended to be. The door had been simple enough to open - the doorknob itself was locked, and yet the padlock had been untouched. Seishirou found that an oddity in itself, although he had a sneaking suspicion of why that was so. That reason - he had to remember how he looked. After he had firmly conjured the image of the purple-eyed man, the image transposed upon his own, and the illusion was complete. He could feel it rather easily, even if he wouldn't be able to completely see it.
A few convincing cues would be all he really needed to completely reel in the other man - the heart seemed to believe the illusion if some semblance of the truth remained. And he knew how Tatsumi's was so prone to such a vice. Thus, a small little smile curved his mouth - really, now Tsuzuki's - while he reclined onto the sofa to feign rest. Once Tatsumi came in, well, he'd simply play by ear. He had his curiosity to guide him, and that was quite the impeccable strategy when the gears in his mind worked to solve the rest.
The first thought that came to Tatsumi's mind as soon as his heart was returned was Tsuzuki. The first emotions to overwhelm him were loneliness, worry and yearning for Tsuzuki. As he stumbled and teleported himself to the front door of his apartment, all Tatsumi could think of, and hope for deep in his heart, was Tsuzuki coming back... waiting for him...
After entering, he noticed the figure on the sofa and sighed in relief. Quickly, he gathered his composure and straightened up. "Tsuzuki, you're here," he said simply though in his mind, he was going about how relieved he was to see Tsuzuki had returned.
The moment that Tatsumi opened the door, Seishirou knew it best to remain where he was until Tatsumi further pursued it. After all, he was there under the pretence of resting upon the sofa, and, well, he had to make it such a convincing act if the kagetsukai were to believe it. The light that filtered in through the door of the apartment was certainly as good a catalyst as any, and with dull, sleepy insistence, his eyelashes fluttered before his eyes opened into weary violet slits. "Ta.... tsumi?" he called in a slur while he stirred in the sofa. "Mmmn.... there you are..."
"Tsuzuki..." Tatsumi closed the door behind him and stepped closer, towards the sofa. "You were waiting how long...? I haven't been home in days..."
Yes, Tatsumi had full possession and faculty of his heart once more. He could tell easily by the sheer inflection of the other man's voice. The look in his eyes. The mere presence he gave off. Had Seishirou the ability to get away with it while still in the illusion, he would have easily made a target of the kagetsukai just to rile him. However, he had to completely conceal his own presence, as an artist would with the art he created. He had always a fondness for the classical paintings - this work of art he was painting at the moment seemed a mockery of the style. He mentally ordered a small stroke of illusion to conceal the reddish glow of the inverted pentacles upon Tatsumi's hands. The art would not be sacrificed by the artist's pride.
Not yet, anyhow.
He rose from the sofa gently, rubbing at his eyes before sleepily blinking at Tatsumi and smiling graciously. "I just got back the other day, Tatsumi," he replied warmly while he watched the kagetsukai approach. "But I knew you'd come back, so I waited..."
The kagetsukai smiled warmly and ordered his shadows to switch the lights on. "You must be hungry," Tatsumi stated. "Have you eaten anything, Tsuzuki...? I hope you have, at least a bit..." He moved towards the kitchen and began looking into the refrigerator -- it looked exactly the same as when he had left. His eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't eat, Tsuzuki... at all?"
That worried him. Shinigami or not, proper nutrition must always be practiced.
Tatsumi actually displayed a semblance of caring. Seishirou made note of that while he sat completely upright and gave a loud yawn before stretching. "I got take-out, Tatsumi~" he called to the other in a little hum of satisfaction. "I didn't want to eat all your food," he added quickly while he rose to his feet now.
And he remembered something about Tsuzuki from their encounters. He was quite prone to close contact with the kagetsukai. He smiled to himself as he approached the man before launching into a large hug from behind. "But I'm glad you're back again," he remarked in the sweetest voice he could muster. He had to wonder just how strong a pull Tsuzuki had on this man - he had to find out just for curiosity's sake.
"Take out isn't healthy," Tatsumi had said sternly in response. Really, Tsuzuki... "I hope you didn't mean 'sweets' by take-out, Tsuzuki," he added quickly as he mentally run through of the list of foods he could cook quickly with the food he had available. He was contemplating on preparing some quick stir fry vegetables when Tsuzuki wrapped his arms around him in a warm hug. The action was so sudden and Tatsumi stiffened a bit, but he relaxed shortly after and began gently unwrapping the other shinigami's arms around him.
"Sit tight on the sofa, Tsuzuki. I'll cook you something quick. I don't trust your definition of a healthy take-out."
"Yay, Tatsumi's cooking?!" Seishirou had to pause a moment while he watched Tatsumi move about so busily. Tatsumi was a bit of an anomaly about Tsuzuki, he observed - far different than what Seishirou was quite accustomed to while he was in his presence. Jumping up in the air a few times in excitement, he then moved to the sofa and sat rather patiently, watching the kagetsukai with a sweetly expectant stare.
He finally decided to see if he could turn the conversation to a different topic to get more from the man. "I'm glad your heart's back, too, Tatsumi," he commented in a soft voice.
At Tsuzuki's words, the kagetsukai paused for a moment, leaving the the bok-choi under the running tap water. Then he smiled, gently. "I'm glad too, Tsuzuki," he said, almost wistfully and continued rinsing the green vegetable. He left it in a bowl filled with water for a while and then removed his blazer and vest -- he left those neatly folded on a chair at the dining table. He retrieved his apron hanging from the back of the kitchen door then and donned it. He rolled his sleeves before returning to work, dicing garlic.
"Do you want beef with the vegetable, Tsuzuki?"
Well, there was something Seishirou rarely got to see. That strange little look on Tatsumi's face was, quite frankly, an interesting sight to behold on the otherwise-scowling man's face. That pull Tsuzuki had on him must have been in effect while those words were spoken - and with a sharp accuracy, he reminded himself to take note of such things.
Good thing Seishirou was hungry.
"I- Will it be too much trouble for Tatsumi?" he asked quickly, frowning a little before a thoughtful look played about his face. "I mean, I'm a little hungry, but..." He had a curiosity about just what sort of boundaries he could push with the kagetsukai, and, to a degree, his questions had been answered. However, as another person, he had to re-establish those boundaries plainly. If there were any to begin with, that is.
"I'd do anything for you, Tsuzuki" was the first thing that came in Tatsumi's mind. Thankfully, he had enough presence of mind to keep himself from saying that. Instead, he replied in a stern voice, "It won't be any trouble at all-- that is, unless you don't want to eat my cooking, Tsuzuki?" He shot Tsuzuki the 'Hmn, yes, any objections?' look with an arched eyebrow and all, and waited for a response (he knew how Tsuzuki would respond, anyway) before returning to his work. He was sure to be finished in a bit.
"N-no, I like your cooking!" He shot the other man a concerned look while he looked over the back of the sofa to him. Who would have thought that the same man who had attempted battle with him would be acting so much like a harsh, yet gentle mother just because the person he was addressing was entirely someone else? Seishirou wasn't too surprised at that notion, but he found it terribly amusing that Tatsumi seemed to show a completely different side of his personality around the purple-eyed shinigami.
Quickly, he hummed a little to himself and then decided to address Tatsumi once more. "Where... where have you been, anyway, Tatsumi?" he seemed to ask shyly. "I wondered where you were..."
By that time, Tatsumi was already skillfully stirring the diced garlic on the wok. He waited for the garlic to become a golden brown before tossing in the bok-choi and continuing to stir. "I was with Rosiel-san," he said simply, "You weren't around... and Rosiel-san needed my assistance." He sighed. "You should have told me you --" He remembered Tsuzuki had been back then and he simply was not in the best of states. "-ah. Never mind. I think we have some orange juice in the refrigerator... vegetable and juice, that would be good."
This was fascinating. Seishirou couldn't help but think that Tatsumi was simply entertaining in the presence of Tsuzuki, and now he was a little glad he had thought to use his illusions for this purpose. "You're already almost done?" he asked quizzically, canting his head to the side at Tatsumi while he continued stirring the contents of the wok rather diligently. Again, he counted himself lucky that he was, in fact, a little hungry - the smells didn't seem to help matters in that direction.
"I am," Tatsumi said. "Patience is the virtue, Tsuzuki-san." He added various condiments and strips of beef, stirred some more, before finally deeming it done and ready for eating. He put the food on a simple bowl and placed it onto the dining table before going back to the kitchen for bowls and chopsticks. "Rice would take a while, Tsuzuki, do you think you can wait? Or will this be enough for you? If I had known you were here, I'd have come sooner and cooked something... better."
While he approached the dining table, Seishirou had to refrain from commenting on Tatsumi's skills so repetitively. It smelled good, at any rate, and the smell seemed to promise a rather satiated appetite. "No, no, this is fine!" he protested with a chirpy voice before getting a portion of the food in one of the bowls.
And when he had the first bite, instantly he shovelled in a second. The rudeness would be permitted, at the least, if simply due to the fact that it was Tsuzuki that the other man thought was in his company.
Tatsumi watched Tsuzuki eat without manners. He'd reprimand him, but the kagetsukai knew that would do no good -- Enma knows he'd done that so many times in the past. Tsuzuki simply couldn't remember manners...
Tatsumi instantly noticed the bit of food on the purple-eyed shinigami's face. On instinct, he reached for the handkerchief inside his blazer and leaned over the table to wipe it away. "Tsuzuki, eat slowly, you're making a mess of yourself."
Internally, Seishirou was smiling with satisfaction. Who would have known that Tatsumi Seiichirou, cold and stern kagetsukai, held so much a soft spot for Tsuzuki as to completely change most aspects of his personality? Of course, Seishirou wasn't stupid - he knew why such a change seemed to come over the shinigami while in his purple-eyed colleague's presence. And silently, he reserved a laugh just for the hypocrisy the other man held deep within himself.
"Oh, okaaaay," he replied, almost sounding reluctant like a child after being reprimanded by his mother. And he did obey while he shifted in the seat and slowed his pace. Tatsumi seemed quite the talented chef, at any rate.
Tsuzuki's lack of protests worried Tatsumi a bit, but he thought it possible the purple-eyed shinigami was simply tired. He decided then to ready Tsuzuki's pajamas and his bed. "I'll fix your things, Tsuzuki," he said as he rose from his seat and undid his apron. He folded it neatly and placed it on his chair's backrest before heading for their rooms.
He watched on as Tatsumi went to the bedrooms to "fix their things", and, alternatively chewing upon a green bell pepper and a strip of beef, he shifted in the seat to keep an eye on the bedroom doors. Surely Tatsumi wasn't going to assume they sleep in separate rooms...? The idea, the notion, was a rather quaint one, indeed. Not entirely uncharacteristic of the man in question, but quaint.
While he waited on the other man to reappear, he finished the remains of the dish Tatsumi had cooked so quickly and soon left the empty bowl sitting before him. Briefly, he considered picking off the remains that Tatsumi had left in the serving dish. Briefly.
Sometimes... sometimes, Tsuzuki would ask to cuddle with Tatsumi, or to have the kagetsuaki sit at his bedside. Sometimes, Tsuzuki just stayed with Kurosaki. Tonight, Tatsumi made sure to prepare Tsuzuki's room for him, just in case... well, if Tsuzuki asked, he'd sleep with him but... Tatsumi certainly wasn't hoping for that.
He did wonder which pajama Tsuzuki wanted... Blue or purple? Silently, he contemplated the choices as he looked into Tsuzuki's drawer.
When Tatsumi didn't return from the room after a while, Seishirou grew a little paranoid for reasons seemingly unbeknownst to him. If it was taking him so long, he had to wonder exactly what was taking up his time like that. He had to find out - if there was any room for doubt, Tatsumi most likely would begin to suspect.
He couldn't have any of that.
Once he had filed away a pretence for seeking out the kagetsukai, he pushed himself out of the dining room chair and approached the doorway. The other man's back was to him when he leaned against the doorway and watched for a few moments; were this an entirely different situation, Seishirou would have taken advantage of the opportunity at hand in a completely different manner than he prepared to.
"Tatsumi.... could you sleep in my bed with me tonight?"
Tatsumi stopped and turned around slowly, giving Tsuzuki a surprised look at first before the look turned worried. "Tsuzuki... what's wrong?" That could only mean something bad had happened. The other shinigami usually needed to be held when something was up and...
Thankfully, he had a good excuse up his sleeve when Tatsumi had showed concern over the request. Summoning a small frown, he shifted his look off to the side. Yes, he had to show a little self-guilt... a little sadness. He had a hint that this was the quickest way to have Tatsumi fall prey to his own weakness.
"I.... just don't want to feel lonely tonight," he replied in a small voice before biting his bottom lip, almost as though he regretted and damned himself for saying such a thing.
The kagetsukai smiled and easily covered the distance between them. He pulled the smaller man into a hug. "Alright, I'll sleep with you," he said.
Seishirou had to stifle a comment about the kagetsukai's words and the precise meaning behind them, and he chose instead just to smile a little gently while he moved in closer into that hug. "Thank you, Tatsumi," he replied in a quiet voice.
He was so, so curious as to what exactly the other man was going to do next - such intimate gestures, surely, indicated something lurking beneath the surface? Seishirou wanted to find out; his hand that rested on Tatsumi's back moved against the fabric that separated his hand from the skin that, certainly, now was positively warm with some sort of emotion. How much would he have to cajole the other man into doing more?
Oblivious to Tsuzuki's real intent, Tatsumi gently pulled away. "Which pajama, Tsuzuki? The blue or the purple one? And don't forget to brush your teeth before you sleep. I can't have your teeth rotting," he said seriously.
Tatsumi now seemed a little cooler in dealing with the situation. Would it perhaps be because he was unwilling to take that next step? Seishirou had a feeling such was the case, even though he still had reasonable doubt to prompt further investigation of the matter. And, well, he would explore that. So, as the other pulled back, he took a hesitant step forward and looked intently up into Tatsumi's eyes. "Could I get a kiss goodnight before, though?"
Something about Tsuzuki wasn't quite right, but at the same time, he was just the same. "If you wish," the kagetsukai said quietly and aimed for a kiss on the other shinigami's cheek.
And the whole situation made some sense. At least, on the surface. Seishirou mentally reserved a few chiding jokes about how purse-lipped Tatsumi seemed to be at times, yet a turn of the second and he was as gentle with Tsuzuki as one would think a lover would be - should be, ought to be. A wry little smile crossed his lips, though he was cautious enough to allow it to remain hidden behind the illusion in which he had Tatsumi seemingly mesmerised.
And, just as Tatsumi's lips aimed for his cheek, he guided the other man's face with his hands gently before initiating a kiss. He willed himself not to be unnecessarily rough - he was certain that Asato Tsuzuki wasn't the same sort of kisser at all. That would have implied a strange sort of irony for the very man who claimed to loathe the advances - cool, detached, and as rough as befitting the situation - of his owner.
At first, Tatsumi was unable to respond to Tsuzuki's kiss, thoroughly surprised, but within moments, he was kissing back, eagerly. Very eagerly. When, finally, they ran out of air and had to break apart, he pulled away and gave the other shinigami a questioning look. "Tsuzuki...?"
There was an odd response. Tatsumi usually - generally, really - was not one to return such an advance from Seishirou, but with Tsuzuki, it seemed he was more than eager to join in. It only served to confirm his suspicions that Tatsumi held deep feelings for the one he was currently impersonating. The hypocrisy of it all amused him quite deeply.
He instantly summoned a surprised look of his own and backed away slightly. "I... Tatsumi, I'm sorry, I don't know..." he trailed off in a slightly shaky voice. It wouldn't do to be persistent. The trap only worked if one took the bait, rather than if the bait were shoved down the target's throat.
"Ah..." Tatsumi pushed his glasses upwards and tried to hide the slight embarrassment on his face by turning away. "I understand," he said finally and stepped away from Tsuzuki. He'd rather not force Tsuzuki, even if he did enjoy the kiss. Tsuzuki was just confused. Yes, that must be the explanation. Both of them needed rest.
But what if the temptation didn't quite catch the eye of the intended target? The ante had to be raised; luckily, Seishirou was in the game to win. The façade of the purpled-eyed man, a face riddled with confusion, a hint of desire, and need met the kagetsukai as he approached and faced him quickly. "Ta-... Tatsumi...." The voice laced with longing, that canted head - surely that would lure in the other?
The kagetsukai was speechless for a while, not quite understanding - or rather, not wanting to believe - the meaning behind Tsuzuki's actions. "...Tsuzuki... you...?" Almost hesitantly, he reached for the other shinigami, to hold the other by the arms and to stare searchingly into those purple eyes. What do you want, Tsuzuki...?
And deep down, Tatsumi feared the answer that Tsuzuki would give him.
Subtle actions held such potency sometimes over people in similar moments of vulnerability. He couldn't afford to be brazen, anyhow, but the situation necessitated a certain finesse and grace in handling the situation accordingly. He had Tatsumi just where he wanted him. He now had to ensure that it would remain so.
For a moment, he still looked up to Tatsumi before shooting the floor at his side a conflicted sort of stare. With a moment's pause complete, he again gazed up directly into Tatsumi's eyes. "Please...?" Just one word, soft upon his breath.
That look on Tsuzuki's face just about undid Tatsumi. Wordlessly, the kagetsukai obliged and began with a gentle, but heated kiss. He treated Tsuzuki gently, almost fearing what would happen if he held the other too tightly. As if Tsuzuki would disappear or decide to ask him to stop suddenly... He was afraid of touching elsewhere, just held Tsuzuki firmly but not painfully by the arms while he kissed him.
It did the trick - beautifully, yes, and just the way he had intended. Tatsumi seemed unable to budge anything else but his mouth, but he knew some sort of movement had to happen in order to progress. It seemed he would have to take some initiative. With the few occasions in which Nandarou had spied upon them - the sharp amber eyes of a hawk almost appearing to glare through panes of glass as the two men lived out their desires - he had his own notions of the dynamic.
He was secure in the knowledge of what Tsuzuki would, perhaps, do in this situation. His arms coiled around Tatsumi's neck and pulled him with him as he moved toward the bed and fell upon the downy soft comforter. When he felt the need to break for a breath, he willed violet eyes to look up in sweet encouragement to the man hovering over him - that voice, just as soft and dulcet as the look in his eyes. "Tatsumi...."
They were on the bed? Tatsumi hardly noticed until he realized he was pinning the smaller man on the bed and looking down at Tsuzuki, whose hair was a mess and who looked absolutely... delectable. He couldn't stop, and when he dove down to begin kissing Tsuzuki again, he did so while feeling up Tsuzuki's chest and searching for his nipples underneath the fabric.
The fascination - the attraction - Tatsumi was drowning within it all. The entire notion of it all, well, it even held a reservation as a strange fascination for Seishirou. Hands roamed from the base of Tatsumi's neck to slide in through the collar of that shirt, and, finally, his skin was no longer separated from the other's by the barrier of such restrictive clothing.
Juxtaposition. The act was mutual, and yet the intent behind it was not. The phrase "make love without love" rang true within his mind, and accompanying laughter echoed between the thought and near-repetitions of it. Even so, pretence was important. The pretence of a love present was ultimately important to the kagetsukai.
It would be his downfall, though.
At that point, Tatsumi had himself go, to indulge and be indulged in Tsuzuki's body with little knowledge of just who this Tsuzuki really was. The thought never occurred to him and for a while, he was able to forget what had happened. Inside, he thanked Enma the inverted stars on his hands didn't glow. If Tsuzuki saw, he would worry and...
...he couldn't make Tsuzuki worry.
Little did he know, Tsuzuki was far from within the city at that very moment, and that he was only pushing deeper into the Sakurazukamori's trap.
rating; PG-13.
characters; Sakurazuka Seishirou (
sakurazuka_san), Tatsumi Seiichirou (thrifty_shadow).summary; Tatsumi falls prey too easily to an illusion the Sakurazukamori summons - and for good reason.
log;
Since Tatsumi had received his heart once more, he knew now that a certain sort of fun was to be had. After all, the shinigami had hardly been worthy of the usual banter as of late; Seishirou really grew slightly annoyed with the robotic staccato that the kagetsukai had perfected without his heart. Even if he did find some humour in the sharp, succinct quality of the heartless man. However, the fire of the debates - only provoked further at Tatsumi's expense with his own prodding - had been absent.
And, really, even he knew there was far more than his fair share of passion whenever Asato Tsuzuki, the purple-eyed shinigami with a bottomless sweet tooth, was concerned.
Building two, apartment eighteen. Yes, Seishirou had been aware of the residence for a long time, and only until now could he decently employ this knowledge as it was intended to be. The door had been simple enough to open - the doorknob itself was locked, and yet the padlock had been untouched. Seishirou found that an oddity in itself, although he had a sneaking suspicion of why that was so. That reason - he had to remember how he looked. After he had firmly conjured the image of the purple-eyed man, the image transposed upon his own, and the illusion was complete. He could feel it rather easily, even if he wouldn't be able to completely see it.
A few convincing cues would be all he really needed to completely reel in the other man - the heart seemed to believe the illusion if some semblance of the truth remained. And he knew how Tatsumi's was so prone to such a vice. Thus, a small little smile curved his mouth - really, now Tsuzuki's - while he reclined onto the sofa to feign rest. Once Tatsumi came in, well, he'd simply play by ear. He had his curiosity to guide him, and that was quite the impeccable strategy when the gears in his mind worked to solve the rest.
The first thought that came to Tatsumi's mind as soon as his heart was returned was Tsuzuki. The first emotions to overwhelm him were loneliness, worry and yearning for Tsuzuki. As he stumbled and teleported himself to the front door of his apartment, all Tatsumi could think of, and hope for deep in his heart, was Tsuzuki coming back... waiting for him...
After entering, he noticed the figure on the sofa and sighed in relief. Quickly, he gathered his composure and straightened up. "Tsuzuki, you're here," he said simply though in his mind, he was going about how relieved he was to see Tsuzuki had returned.
The moment that Tatsumi opened the door, Seishirou knew it best to remain where he was until Tatsumi further pursued it. After all, he was there under the pretence of resting upon the sofa, and, well, he had to make it such a convincing act if the kagetsukai were to believe it. The light that filtered in through the door of the apartment was certainly as good a catalyst as any, and with dull, sleepy insistence, his eyelashes fluttered before his eyes opened into weary violet slits. "Ta.... tsumi?" he called in a slur while he stirred in the sofa. "Mmmn.... there you are..."
"Tsuzuki..." Tatsumi closed the door behind him and stepped closer, towards the sofa. "You were waiting how long...? I haven't been home in days..."
Yes, Tatsumi had full possession and faculty of his heart once more. He could tell easily by the sheer inflection of the other man's voice. The look in his eyes. The mere presence he gave off. Had Seishirou the ability to get away with it while still in the illusion, he would have easily made a target of the kagetsukai just to rile him. However, he had to completely conceal his own presence, as an artist would with the art he created. He had always a fondness for the classical paintings - this work of art he was painting at the moment seemed a mockery of the style. He mentally ordered a small stroke of illusion to conceal the reddish glow of the inverted pentacles upon Tatsumi's hands. The art would not be sacrificed by the artist's pride.
Not yet, anyhow.
He rose from the sofa gently, rubbing at his eyes before sleepily blinking at Tatsumi and smiling graciously. "I just got back the other day, Tatsumi," he replied warmly while he watched the kagetsukai approach. "But I knew you'd come back, so I waited..."
The kagetsukai smiled warmly and ordered his shadows to switch the lights on. "You must be hungry," Tatsumi stated. "Have you eaten anything, Tsuzuki...? I hope you have, at least a bit..." He moved towards the kitchen and began looking into the refrigerator -- it looked exactly the same as when he had left. His eyebrows furrowed. "You didn't eat, Tsuzuki... at all?"
That worried him. Shinigami or not, proper nutrition must always be practiced.
Tatsumi actually displayed a semblance of caring. Seishirou made note of that while he sat completely upright and gave a loud yawn before stretching. "I got take-out, Tatsumi~" he called to the other in a little hum of satisfaction. "I didn't want to eat all your food," he added quickly while he rose to his feet now.
And he remembered something about Tsuzuki from their encounters. He was quite prone to close contact with the kagetsukai. He smiled to himself as he approached the man before launching into a large hug from behind. "But I'm glad you're back again," he remarked in the sweetest voice he could muster. He had to wonder just how strong a pull Tsuzuki had on this man - he had to find out just for curiosity's sake.
"Take out isn't healthy," Tatsumi had said sternly in response. Really, Tsuzuki... "I hope you didn't mean 'sweets' by take-out, Tsuzuki," he added quickly as he mentally run through of the list of foods he could cook quickly with the food he had available. He was contemplating on preparing some quick stir fry vegetables when Tsuzuki wrapped his arms around him in a warm hug. The action was so sudden and Tatsumi stiffened a bit, but he relaxed shortly after and began gently unwrapping the other shinigami's arms around him.
"Sit tight on the sofa, Tsuzuki. I'll cook you something quick. I don't trust your definition of a healthy take-out."
"Yay, Tatsumi's cooking?!" Seishirou had to pause a moment while he watched Tatsumi move about so busily. Tatsumi was a bit of an anomaly about Tsuzuki, he observed - far different than what Seishirou was quite accustomed to while he was in his presence. Jumping up in the air a few times in excitement, he then moved to the sofa and sat rather patiently, watching the kagetsukai with a sweetly expectant stare.
He finally decided to see if he could turn the conversation to a different topic to get more from the man. "I'm glad your heart's back, too, Tatsumi," he commented in a soft voice.
At Tsuzuki's words, the kagetsukai paused for a moment, leaving the the bok-choi under the running tap water. Then he smiled, gently. "I'm glad too, Tsuzuki," he said, almost wistfully and continued rinsing the green vegetable. He left it in a bowl filled with water for a while and then removed his blazer and vest -- he left those neatly folded on a chair at the dining table. He retrieved his apron hanging from the back of the kitchen door then and donned it. He rolled his sleeves before returning to work, dicing garlic.
"Do you want beef with the vegetable, Tsuzuki?"
Well, there was something Seishirou rarely got to see. That strange little look on Tatsumi's face was, quite frankly, an interesting sight to behold on the otherwise-scowling man's face. That pull Tsuzuki had on him must have been in effect while those words were spoken - and with a sharp accuracy, he reminded himself to take note of such things.
Good thing Seishirou was hungry.
"I- Will it be too much trouble for Tatsumi?" he asked quickly, frowning a little before a thoughtful look played about his face. "I mean, I'm a little hungry, but..." He had a curiosity about just what sort of boundaries he could push with the kagetsukai, and, to a degree, his questions had been answered. However, as another person, he had to re-establish those boundaries plainly. If there were any to begin with, that is.
"I'd do anything for you, Tsuzuki" was the first thing that came in Tatsumi's mind. Thankfully, he had enough presence of mind to keep himself from saying that. Instead, he replied in a stern voice, "It won't be any trouble at all-- that is, unless you don't want to eat my cooking, Tsuzuki?" He shot Tsuzuki the 'Hmn, yes, any objections?' look with an arched eyebrow and all, and waited for a response (he knew how Tsuzuki would respond, anyway) before returning to his work. He was sure to be finished in a bit.
"N-no, I like your cooking!" He shot the other man a concerned look while he looked over the back of the sofa to him. Who would have thought that the same man who had attempted battle with him would be acting so much like a harsh, yet gentle mother just because the person he was addressing was entirely someone else? Seishirou wasn't too surprised at that notion, but he found it terribly amusing that Tatsumi seemed to show a completely different side of his personality around the purple-eyed shinigami.
Quickly, he hummed a little to himself and then decided to address Tatsumi once more. "Where... where have you been, anyway, Tatsumi?" he seemed to ask shyly. "I wondered where you were..."
By that time, Tatsumi was already skillfully stirring the diced garlic on the wok. He waited for the garlic to become a golden brown before tossing in the bok-choi and continuing to stir. "I was with Rosiel-san," he said simply, "You weren't around... and Rosiel-san needed my assistance." He sighed. "You should have told me you --" He remembered Tsuzuki had been back then and he simply was not in the best of states. "-ah. Never mind. I think we have some orange juice in the refrigerator... vegetable and juice, that would be good."
This was fascinating. Seishirou couldn't help but think that Tatsumi was simply entertaining in the presence of Tsuzuki, and now he was a little glad he had thought to use his illusions for this purpose. "You're already almost done?" he asked quizzically, canting his head to the side at Tatsumi while he continued stirring the contents of the wok rather diligently. Again, he counted himself lucky that he was, in fact, a little hungry - the smells didn't seem to help matters in that direction.
"I am," Tatsumi said. "Patience is the virtue, Tsuzuki-san." He added various condiments and strips of beef, stirred some more, before finally deeming it done and ready for eating. He put the food on a simple bowl and placed it onto the dining table before going back to the kitchen for bowls and chopsticks. "Rice would take a while, Tsuzuki, do you think you can wait? Or will this be enough for you? If I had known you were here, I'd have come sooner and cooked something... better."
While he approached the dining table, Seishirou had to refrain from commenting on Tatsumi's skills so repetitively. It smelled good, at any rate, and the smell seemed to promise a rather satiated appetite. "No, no, this is fine!" he protested with a chirpy voice before getting a portion of the food in one of the bowls.
And when he had the first bite, instantly he shovelled in a second. The rudeness would be permitted, at the least, if simply due to the fact that it was Tsuzuki that the other man thought was in his company.
Tatsumi watched Tsuzuki eat without manners. He'd reprimand him, but the kagetsukai knew that would do no good -- Enma knows he'd done that so many times in the past. Tsuzuki simply couldn't remember manners...
Tatsumi instantly noticed the bit of food on the purple-eyed shinigami's face. On instinct, he reached for the handkerchief inside his blazer and leaned over the table to wipe it away. "Tsuzuki, eat slowly, you're making a mess of yourself."
Internally, Seishirou was smiling with satisfaction. Who would have known that Tatsumi Seiichirou, cold and stern kagetsukai, held so much a soft spot for Tsuzuki as to completely change most aspects of his personality? Of course, Seishirou wasn't stupid - he knew why such a change seemed to come over the shinigami while in his purple-eyed colleague's presence. And silently, he reserved a laugh just for the hypocrisy the other man held deep within himself.
"Oh, okaaaay," he replied, almost sounding reluctant like a child after being reprimanded by his mother. And he did obey while he shifted in the seat and slowed his pace. Tatsumi seemed quite the talented chef, at any rate.
Tsuzuki's lack of protests worried Tatsumi a bit, but he thought it possible the purple-eyed shinigami was simply tired. He decided then to ready Tsuzuki's pajamas and his bed. "I'll fix your things, Tsuzuki," he said as he rose from his seat and undid his apron. He folded it neatly and placed it on his chair's backrest before heading for their rooms.
He watched on as Tatsumi went to the bedrooms to "fix their things", and, alternatively chewing upon a green bell pepper and a strip of beef, he shifted in the seat to keep an eye on the bedroom doors. Surely Tatsumi wasn't going to assume they sleep in separate rooms...? The idea, the notion, was a rather quaint one, indeed. Not entirely uncharacteristic of the man in question, but quaint.
While he waited on the other man to reappear, he finished the remains of the dish Tatsumi had cooked so quickly and soon left the empty bowl sitting before him. Briefly, he considered picking off the remains that Tatsumi had left in the serving dish. Briefly.
Sometimes... sometimes, Tsuzuki would ask to cuddle with Tatsumi, or to have the kagetsuaki sit at his bedside. Sometimes, Tsuzuki just stayed with Kurosaki. Tonight, Tatsumi made sure to prepare Tsuzuki's room for him, just in case... well, if Tsuzuki asked, he'd sleep with him but... Tatsumi certainly wasn't hoping for that.
He did wonder which pajama Tsuzuki wanted... Blue or purple? Silently, he contemplated the choices as he looked into Tsuzuki's drawer.
When Tatsumi didn't return from the room after a while, Seishirou grew a little paranoid for reasons seemingly unbeknownst to him. If it was taking him so long, he had to wonder exactly what was taking up his time like that. He had to find out - if there was any room for doubt, Tatsumi most likely would begin to suspect.
He couldn't have any of that.
Once he had filed away a pretence for seeking out the kagetsukai, he pushed himself out of the dining room chair and approached the doorway. The other man's back was to him when he leaned against the doorway and watched for a few moments; were this an entirely different situation, Seishirou would have taken advantage of the opportunity at hand in a completely different manner than he prepared to.
"Tatsumi.... could you sleep in my bed with me tonight?"
Tatsumi stopped and turned around slowly, giving Tsuzuki a surprised look at first before the look turned worried. "Tsuzuki... what's wrong?" That could only mean something bad had happened. The other shinigami usually needed to be held when something was up and...
Thankfully, he had a good excuse up his sleeve when Tatsumi had showed concern over the request. Summoning a small frown, he shifted his look off to the side. Yes, he had to show a little self-guilt... a little sadness. He had a hint that this was the quickest way to have Tatsumi fall prey to his own weakness.
"I.... just don't want to feel lonely tonight," he replied in a small voice before biting his bottom lip, almost as though he regretted and damned himself for saying such a thing.
The kagetsukai smiled and easily covered the distance between them. He pulled the smaller man into a hug. "Alright, I'll sleep with you," he said.
Seishirou had to stifle a comment about the kagetsukai's words and the precise meaning behind them, and he chose instead just to smile a little gently while he moved in closer into that hug. "Thank you, Tatsumi," he replied in a quiet voice.
He was so, so curious as to what exactly the other man was going to do next - such intimate gestures, surely, indicated something lurking beneath the surface? Seishirou wanted to find out; his hand that rested on Tatsumi's back moved against the fabric that separated his hand from the skin that, certainly, now was positively warm with some sort of emotion. How much would he have to cajole the other man into doing more?
Oblivious to Tsuzuki's real intent, Tatsumi gently pulled away. "Which pajama, Tsuzuki? The blue or the purple one? And don't forget to brush your teeth before you sleep. I can't have your teeth rotting," he said seriously.
Tatsumi now seemed a little cooler in dealing with the situation. Would it perhaps be because he was unwilling to take that next step? Seishirou had a feeling such was the case, even though he still had reasonable doubt to prompt further investigation of the matter. And, well, he would explore that. So, as the other pulled back, he took a hesitant step forward and looked intently up into Tatsumi's eyes. "Could I get a kiss goodnight before, though?"
Something about Tsuzuki wasn't quite right, but at the same time, he was just the same. "If you wish," the kagetsukai said quietly and aimed for a kiss on the other shinigami's cheek.
And the whole situation made some sense. At least, on the surface. Seishirou mentally reserved a few chiding jokes about how purse-lipped Tatsumi seemed to be at times, yet a turn of the second and he was as gentle with Tsuzuki as one would think a lover would be - should be, ought to be. A wry little smile crossed his lips, though he was cautious enough to allow it to remain hidden behind the illusion in which he had Tatsumi seemingly mesmerised.
And, just as Tatsumi's lips aimed for his cheek, he guided the other man's face with his hands gently before initiating a kiss. He willed himself not to be unnecessarily rough - he was certain that Asato Tsuzuki wasn't the same sort of kisser at all. That would have implied a strange sort of irony for the very man who claimed to loathe the advances - cool, detached, and as rough as befitting the situation - of his owner.
At first, Tatsumi was unable to respond to Tsuzuki's kiss, thoroughly surprised, but within moments, he was kissing back, eagerly. Very eagerly. When, finally, they ran out of air and had to break apart, he pulled away and gave the other shinigami a questioning look. "Tsuzuki...?"
There was an odd response. Tatsumi usually - generally, really - was not one to return such an advance from Seishirou, but with Tsuzuki, it seemed he was more than eager to join in. It only served to confirm his suspicions that Tatsumi held deep feelings for the one he was currently impersonating. The hypocrisy of it all amused him quite deeply.
He instantly summoned a surprised look of his own and backed away slightly. "I... Tatsumi, I'm sorry, I don't know..." he trailed off in a slightly shaky voice. It wouldn't do to be persistent. The trap only worked if one took the bait, rather than if the bait were shoved down the target's throat.
"Ah..." Tatsumi pushed his glasses upwards and tried to hide the slight embarrassment on his face by turning away. "I understand," he said finally and stepped away from Tsuzuki. He'd rather not force Tsuzuki, even if he did enjoy the kiss. Tsuzuki was just confused. Yes, that must be the explanation. Both of them needed rest.
But what if the temptation didn't quite catch the eye of the intended target? The ante had to be raised; luckily, Seishirou was in the game to win. The façade of the purpled-eyed man, a face riddled with confusion, a hint of desire, and need met the kagetsukai as he approached and faced him quickly. "Ta-... Tatsumi...." The voice laced with longing, that canted head - surely that would lure in the other?
The kagetsukai was speechless for a while, not quite understanding - or rather, not wanting to believe - the meaning behind Tsuzuki's actions. "...Tsuzuki... you...?" Almost hesitantly, he reached for the other shinigami, to hold the other by the arms and to stare searchingly into those purple eyes. What do you want, Tsuzuki...?
And deep down, Tatsumi feared the answer that Tsuzuki would give him.
Subtle actions held such potency sometimes over people in similar moments of vulnerability. He couldn't afford to be brazen, anyhow, but the situation necessitated a certain finesse and grace in handling the situation accordingly. He had Tatsumi just where he wanted him. He now had to ensure that it would remain so.
For a moment, he still looked up to Tatsumi before shooting the floor at his side a conflicted sort of stare. With a moment's pause complete, he again gazed up directly into Tatsumi's eyes. "Please...?" Just one word, soft upon his breath.
That look on Tsuzuki's face just about undid Tatsumi. Wordlessly, the kagetsukai obliged and began with a gentle, but heated kiss. He treated Tsuzuki gently, almost fearing what would happen if he held the other too tightly. As if Tsuzuki would disappear or decide to ask him to stop suddenly... He was afraid of touching elsewhere, just held Tsuzuki firmly but not painfully by the arms while he kissed him.
It did the trick - beautifully, yes, and just the way he had intended. Tatsumi seemed unable to budge anything else but his mouth, but he knew some sort of movement had to happen in order to progress. It seemed he would have to take some initiative. With the few occasions in which Nandarou had spied upon them - the sharp amber eyes of a hawk almost appearing to glare through panes of glass as the two men lived out their desires - he had his own notions of the dynamic.
He was secure in the knowledge of what Tsuzuki would, perhaps, do in this situation. His arms coiled around Tatsumi's neck and pulled him with him as he moved toward the bed and fell upon the downy soft comforter. When he felt the need to break for a breath, he willed violet eyes to look up in sweet encouragement to the man hovering over him - that voice, just as soft and dulcet as the look in his eyes. "Tatsumi...."
They were on the bed? Tatsumi hardly noticed until he realized he was pinning the smaller man on the bed and looking down at Tsuzuki, whose hair was a mess and who looked absolutely... delectable. He couldn't stop, and when he dove down to begin kissing Tsuzuki again, he did so while feeling up Tsuzuki's chest and searching for his nipples underneath the fabric.
The fascination - the attraction - Tatsumi was drowning within it all. The entire notion of it all, well, it even held a reservation as a strange fascination for Seishirou. Hands roamed from the base of Tatsumi's neck to slide in through the collar of that shirt, and, finally, his skin was no longer separated from the other's by the barrier of such restrictive clothing.
Juxtaposition. The act was mutual, and yet the intent behind it was not. The phrase "make love without love" rang true within his mind, and accompanying laughter echoed between the thought and near-repetitions of it. Even so, pretence was important. The pretence of a love present was ultimately important to the kagetsukai.
It would be his downfall, though.
At that point, Tatsumi had himself go, to indulge and be indulged in Tsuzuki's body with little knowledge of just who this Tsuzuki really was. The thought never occurred to him and for a while, he was able to forget what had happened. Inside, he thanked Enma the inverted stars on his hands didn't glow. If Tsuzuki saw, he would worry and...
...he couldn't make Tsuzuki worry.
Little did he know, Tsuzuki was far from within the city at that very moment, and that he was only pushing deeper into the Sakurazukamori's trap.