Akuma no maaka na tsuki.

[The Devil's Crimson Moon] part2

"Hijiri get a warm cloth!" Tsuzuki called at to the boy that was in the kitchen.

"Hn? What is it, what's wrong?" Hijiri looked in and saw Muraki observing the girl's eye, "Oh my god!"

The violinist quickly returned with a damp, warm cloth, a glass of water and a bottle of pills and eye drops.  He quickly set them down and watched as Muraki began to tend to the girl.

"What happened?" Hisoka asked his calm, not caring voice.

Green eyes met his as Hijiri tried to smile, "It's something that happens when she gets to energetic."

"Is she going to be okay?" Tsuzuki was handing the girl two pills.

Before he could answer the shinigami Erin interrupted her roommate, "I'll be fine.  Just need to sleep a little bit." It seemed that it took only a few minutes after she had drank down the tiny pills that she had fallen to sleep.  Muraki picked up her fragile frame in his arms and took her to her room.  Hijiri followed and stayed behind when the doctor came back out adjusting his glasses.  Tsuzuki's amethyst eyes shown concern as the doctor came back.  Hisoka nearly growled when he saw the man's pale lips curve.

"Tsuzuki-san, there is no need to worry about her," the albino smiled.  "If she can survive a terrorist bombing then a little thing like that wouldn't bother her."

"Terrorist? Bombing?" Hisoka asked inching further away from Muraki as the man stepped forward.

"Oya? You haven't heard about that?  You must have had your nose stuck in another book."

Hisoka glowered at the man as Hijiri walked in.

The world was silent yet again, it was always silent.

\\The Id is always silent.//

Erin slowly opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling.  It hurt just like that day.  A smirk spread across her face as she rolled onto her side.

//Erin?  We know no Erin.//

She let out a sigh as she got up.

//She's a monster!! We aren't related to that demon!!//

The night breeze floated through the open window.  She took in the strange sent that was upon the air and her eyes narrowed.  There was something not too far away, something that had a sicking sweetness to it.

//Take care of her? HA! Don't make me laugh, we'll never take in that murderer!//

Walking over to her dresser a frown replaced her smirk.  It seemed that when ever she allowed her mind to rest their voices would replay.  Perhaps it was to prove them right that she did what she did? Or maybe it was in a way to get back at them.  She didn't remember anymore.

Looking down at her hands that held a black outfit she smiled bitterly.

"Is it my Ego or my Id that is in control now?" she whispered to herself.

It had been a few hours and Muraki had already gone home.  Hisoka had fallen asleep curled up on the couch and Hijiri was still talking with Tsuzuki in the kitchen.  Their sounds of laughter seemed to help Hisoka sleep.  Usually he would toss and turn in his sleep while having nightmares of Muraki and cherry blossoms but hearing such happy sounds lulled him into a sweet slumber.  Draped over him was the violinist's blanket and Tsuzuki's coat.

"So how long have you known her?" Tsuzuki asked smiling.

Hijiri thought for a bit, "Only half of a year."

"Oh?  Is she an exchange student?"

Hijiri shook his head, "Not really? She's become a Japanese citizen thanks to her brother."

"Muraki?  Why would Muraki help her?"

The youth shrugged his shoulders, "Don't know.  All I know is that her family died in a terrorist bombing, and when the Japanese government tried to get the living relatives to take care of her they all refused."

"Why would they do a think like that?"

Green eyes grew sad, "They called her a monster?"

A shimmering blade cut threw darkness.

"They said that she was a murderer that would bring back insanity.  They claimed that they didn't even know an Erin Lynch."

Blue liquid splashed as if reaching for the moon.

"Those people..." Hijiri gritted his teeth.

"Hijiri..." Tsuzuki looked at the boy almost hurt.

"I hate people like that!! I loath them!  They should.... They should suffer for their ignorance."

"Hijiri... enough."

"Am I wrong?  AM I TSUZUKI?!" Hijiri looked so pained. "It's not right!  It's not right to be so single minded.  I'm sure that people like that put you through hell."

Tsuzuki blinked, "How?"

Hijiri reached out a hand and brushed a brown lock of hair out of Tsuzuki's eyes.  "You're eyes," he simply spoke.  "You're eyes are purple.  That color has never been seen before on anyone.  Humans have a way of... placing blame on others that are different or things that they don't understand."

The dark figure stood, chest heaving as a large cat creature with spider like legs twisted its head upside down.  Its round tongue fell into the crack between sharp pointed teeth.  It lunged and a claw brushed against the hand holding the sword.

Hijiri suddenly hissed and pulled his hand close to him.  Tsuzuki reached over and took the boy's hand into his.  A cut from the violinist's thumb traveled across the back of his hand down to his wrist on the opposite side.  Tsuzuki pulled the boy to his feet and over to the sink where he turned on the faucet.

The cat demon cackled as one of its eyes fell out of its socket.  The person's tongue tip flicked over the wound savoring the stinging feeling that tingled through.  The demon arched back onto its hind legs as its ribs began to pull out of the thin fleshy cocoon.

"Time to die," the demon's voice hissed like a snake.

"Agreed," the person's smooth voice hummed.  Despite the attack to their hand the sword remained.  Their feet readied and the combatants crouched ready to pounce at anytime.

"Has this ever happened to you before?" Tsuzuki asked wrapping Hijiri's wound with gauze.

He nodded, "Ever since I was little, it wasn't often but I would get scrapes and bruises out of the blue."

The shinigami looked at his friend. "That... Is not normal in the slightest," he spoke up. "I suggest that we have Watari take another look at you.  You know, to see what's going on." The youth nodded in agreement.

Ukyou was a beautiful woman with long strait black hair and eyes that were black as night.  Muraki had known this woman since they were children and they were now engaged.  He enjoyed her soft, delicate voice.  The way she walked, the tender feel of her skin, the smile that was always on her face it all pleased him and caused him feel at ease.  But ever since Erin had come into his life he had seen characteristics to the woman that he had never seen before.  There was a sour, bitter jealousy, a hatred for the youth that took his arm like a lady of old would do to someone she was familiar with.

"I'm telling you I don't like her," Ukyou spat.

Silver eyes frowned, "You tell me this every time you come over and even over the phone."

"She gives off bad vibes!"

"Have you ever given her a chance?"

"Why should I?!"

Silver bangs swished to side to side.  The woman didn't understand a thing.

"At least try to get along with her."

"Fine."

There was a knock at the door to the study.  Muraki got to his feet, "Come in."

His old butler came in with his hands held in front of him as he bowed respectively.

"Master you have a guest," the old man said with out raising his head.

"Thank you, tell them I will be with them shortly.  Ukyou will meet them before I."

The woman looked at him then sighed and followed the butler out.  Soon as the foot steeps had disappeared down the hall the doctor went to the window.  Opening it up he looked at the dark figure coated with blue blood that crouched in the tree across from him.  With a sigh he went to his desk and pulled out a mini first aid kit.

"You should be more careful," his deep voice rumbled.

The figure was silent, unmoving.

"I told you to use the front door last time did I not?"

Green eyes with a eerie glow gazed at him blinking slowly as he came to the window again.

"You going to come in?"

"Not with her in there," finally came a reply.

With a shrug the doctor stepped up on the windowsill and jumped to the tree with ease.  There was only a cut on the hand but it still needed to be tended to.  He didn't understand why the two didn't like each other.  Their personalities were similar except that Ukyou was more quiet and smiled more.

"She has a poisonous tongue Kazutaka... Be careful to what you take as truth."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Tsuzuki shook her awake.  She looked at him with an annoyed look before she rolled over to her side.  He shook her again only to have his hand swatted away.

"Come on it's almost noon," Tsuzuki whimpered rubbing his hand.

"Go away and let me sleep!" Erin growled.

"Are you AB blood type?"

"NO! I'm blood type O... Wait what does blood types have to do with anything?"

She sat up looking at Tsuzuki who smiled a big smile that she finally reacted.  For the past half-hour he had tried to wake her up only to get her to fall back to sleep.  So her siting up was a huge improvement.

"Go away, I'm tired," she grumbled.

"I would let you sleep but Hijiri asked me to wake you up.  He was rather stern."

"Do I care?"

"Come on wake up!  I'll make you breakfast."

"I don't eat in the mornings.  I only eat dinner and dessert."

"Well that's not good."

"I'm a busy person."

"Are you going to get out of bed or not?"

"No, it's my day off."  She flopped back down and pulled the covers over her.

Tsuzuki grabbed the covers and pulled them off.  "Wake up!"

"Bite me!" she grabbed the blankets.

"Come on, I'm going to get into trouble."

"So what! Give me my blankets back!"

"No! You've got to get up!"

"Make me!"

The shinigami let go of the blankets causing Erin to fall back.  "Fine I will," he picked up the girl. Her face instantly turned crimson as she struggled.

"No, no, no!!" she complained.

"Oh quit complaining."

Then her body registered that he was warm.  Her eyes closed and she was then fast asleep curled up.  Tsuzuki frowned, //Maybe it's best to let her sleep.// After they got her to wake up Hijiri had insisted that the two of them went on a walk.  Tsuzuki was reluctant to let them go by themselves but Hisoka intervened and said it was fine.  Soon as the two where gone the young shinigami turned to Tsuzuki and looked at him sternly.  "Don't fall for her," he almost hissed.

"Fall for her?  What are you talking about?" Purple eyes blinked innocently.

Hisoka let out a sigh, "I know you like her already... But remember you are a shinigami and you can't have relationships like that."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, I'm telling you the truth!  You moron, she's dangerous."

"Huh?  Dangerous... How?"

Wheat bangs swished, "I don't know.  I just feel it."

"So what did you want to talk about?" Erin walked beside her roommate.

Hijiri held out some almond poke that the girl took, "You're not acting like yourself."

"Oh?  How can you tell?"

The violinist stopped and turned to look his friend in the eye, "Listen, I know you.  We've been living together for half a year now.  And when Tsuzuki came you stopped eating your almond poke that you eat every day, you've grown shy and more silent.  Your eye bled and you weren't even all that excited.  What is going on?"

The girl looked down at her shoes and looked at them as if they were something to loath.  Hijiri took in a deep breath and released it.  "Sorry," he softly spoke.  He usually got riled up when it came to her.

"It's alright," the girl smiled up at him and slapped her hand onto his back. "You're only worried about your beautiful friend."

"Beautiful, ha!"

She chuckled, "There's the Hijiri I know and love.  Your right though, I have been acting strange around him."

"But why?  He's like your average guy."

"The word 'like' is the key word.  Hijiri... I know your not telling me something about those two.  That Hisoka kid is an empath and Tsuzuki... well he's just plain weird."

"How did you know Hisoka is an empath?"

"Now that is a secret."  She winked.

He frowned, she never told him what she meant after that little phrase.  It was just vexing to him when she did that.  Then a question popped into his head.  "Why do you shy away from Tsuzuki?" he asked before thinking.

She looked at him surprised that he would ask such a question then turned her attention elsewhere.  "His eyes..." she spoke up softly.

"So what about them?"

"Their... so full of..." Erin sighed and took as seat on the railing that lined the curved cliff road, "I don't know how to explain it."

The young man took a seat next to her.  "Just try," he smiled. "I want to know what's going on in that head of yours.  Trust me it'll make you feel better."

"Well," she rubbed the back of her head. "It's like he's suffering but masking it over with happiness.  I see a constant sadness in them that never goes away... Sounds silly but... I want to make it go away."

"It doesn't sound silly.  You've always gone out of your way to make someone smile.  It's just 'you' to want to make it go away in him."

"I guess your right."

"Quit guessing, I am right."

Erin took in a slow breath before looking off to the side.  "Hijiri... Can I be alone for a bit?"

The boy looked at her worriedly.  There was something wrong and she wasn't going to tell him what it was.  Looking a little hurt he shrugged it off with a smile.  "Sure," he agreed and began to walk off.  "You'll be  home late again right?"

"Right," she called after him as she turned and began to walk the opposite direction.

When Hijiri got home he flopped down on his couch.  Technically it was Erin's couch but they always shared everything.  He flopped an arm over his eyes as he tried to calm himself down.  Something inside of him was crying.  Why? He didn't know.  There was a weight that settled above his head followed by large fingers that threaded through his hair.

"What's wrong?" Tsuzuki's voice softly asked.

"Tsuzuki..." Hijiri thought carefully about what he was about to ask. "Could you... Look over Erin for tonight?" The stroking fingers paused in their comforting action.  Tsuzuki was silent for a bit as he thought about cause and consequence that may happen if he did what the youth asked.  He brought his free hand to his mouth and began chewing at his thumbnail.  There was something in the air that worried him and he didn't want to leave Hijiri and Hisoka alone.  //But Hisoka is a grown man... Well, mentally, and he's strong he can take care of himself and Hijiri... He's done it before.// Tsuzuki's mind reasoned. "Please, Tsuzuki," Hijiri asked again.

The shinigami ruffled the boy's bangs, "Sure thing, just be careful while I'm gone okay?"

"Sure." Tsuzuki got up from his seat and made his way to the door.

"And Tsuzuki?"

The shinigami stopped after he grabbed the doorknob.  "Yea?"

"Thank you."

"It's okay," Tsuzuki smiled and left.

Erin stood on top of the sky scrapper.  There were few of them in that town but still easy enough to get to the rooftop.  Her emerald eyes gazed out at the city below.  Taking a step to the left she could see the city end and the countryside begin.  It was a lot different from America but America was no longer her home.

"You thinking of those bastards?" a smooth voice asked from behind her.

"..." she slowly answered. "Yes... For many reasons."

"That family of ours left us to rot," the black clad figure came closer to her.

She turned to look at the person, "You think I'm not aware of that?"

The two chuckled.  That was a ridiculous question to ask considering what they were.  The figure came closer and passed by bumping their shoulders.

"You feel it don't you?"

She nodded, "It'll happen soon."

The person turned around and held out their hand, "Till the end?"

She took the offered hand, "Till the end... Shinri."

Shinri smiled a smile that mirrored Erin's.  They both knew what was to happen, and there was no comfort in what they must do.  The two walked over to railing and sat down with their legs dangling over the edge. They stared out to the countryside as silence wavered in the air.  Shinri's eyes narrowed.

Erin watched her friend get up, "Must you go now?"

"That fowl woman is back," green eyes narrowed.

"The evil that pulled him out of the burning ruble... I'm grateful that she did that, but that woman has venom that is more potent than any creature's... Watch over Kazutaka well."

A gentle smile, "You know I will."  With that Shinri jumped off the building and disappeared.

Tsuzuki finally found her, it was rather difficult but he found her.  She was all by herself sitting on a rooftop as if waiting.  He came down from the air careful not to be spotted.  His feet softly patted down on the solid structure.

"So the shinigami decides to watch over the hated huh?" she said with out looking behind her shoulder.

The amethyst eyed man didn't move.

"Go away... No one is welcome around me."

He sighed and come to her.  Sitting down he spoke gently, "Not according to Hijiri."

"You don't understand..."  He looked at her depressed expression, "No one wants to be around a monster like me."

A tight knot wrapped around his heart as the gentle night breeze brushed through her hair.  She was truly sad and looked like she needed someone to lean on.  He reached over and placed a hand over hers.  The soft, warm feel of her skin was slightly coarse.  By that touch he could tell that she liked to work with her hands and didn't use lotion often like other girls.  He felt her hand tighten around the bar that she held onto.

"Why are you touching me?" she asked.

"I just... wanted to comfort you." His heart pulled and ached.

She looked at him hurt and confused.  "Why?" she asked her voice harsh.  "Why would you want to comfort a creature like me?"

"You're not a creature."

Erin took her hand away from his and got to her feet.  She paced around for a bit before speaking up again.

"How can you be so sure?" she placed a hand over her chest. "I'm a full blooded monster that killed her family!"

"All you did was want to go into a building," he got up. "You killed no one."

She shook her head as she took a step back looking more confused than ever.

"Hijiri told me what happened.  You shouldn't blame yourself for something like that.  It was a freak accident."

"Th-then why did they leave me here?" she kept an eye on the man as he came closer.

"I don't know."

"Don't come any closer to me!" she backed up some more.

"I'm sorry," he stopped realizing he was scaring her.

"Don't apologize." She gritted out of her teeth.

Tsuzuki looked at her hurt and apologetically.  She only closed her eyes and held herself tightly, "Someone... as disgusting as myself? doesn't deserve apologies."

//Why?// Tsuzuki wondered, //Why do you treat yourself like this?  Can't you see that you're not a monster that you're just like everyone else?  Why are you blaming yourself for things that you didn't do?//

He continued to watch her as the knot tightened even more.  The pain was so horrible, he wanted to reach out and hold her, to tell her that it's not her fault that she was a normal person.  To woo some of that pain away but something inside of him stopped him.  He was afraid to reach out, because he didn't want to push her away.  She, in a way, was just like him.  Knowing first hand what it was like he wished that no one else would have to go through something like that.

Erin wasn't feeling sorry for herself.  She didn't know how too, all she knew was that there was something that scared her, a feeling that she had never felt before.  It was so foreign to her that she was pulling back into the darkness that she knew so well.

"Please... just leave me alone," she hung her head.

"No one should be alone," Tsuzuki managed to smile. "How about we just talk about things?"

She looked up at him then nodded.  Any thing would be better than that awkward silence that stood in between them.  Tsuzuki looked up at the sky.

"Wow, there's a lot of stars.  You usually can't see this many in the city," he smiled in childish glee.

Erin folded her arms, "I guess."

Purple eyes gazed at her.  "You remind me of Hisoka."

She just looked at him with pursed lips.

"Want to go home?  I'll walk with you."

"... No..."

"Then what do you want to do?"

Green eyes heated with rage.  "What I 'want' to do?  I'll tell you what I want to do!  I want to die!  I want to get it all over with because I'm tired of being laughed at!  I want to go 'home' to Washington state with all those green, tall pine trees!  I want Hijiri to be well off!  I want that damn Ukyou BITCH too bite her tongue off so that Kazutaka can't listen to her lies any more!"  She took a step closer to Tsuzuki pointing a finger. "I want to be able to worry about myself for once!  I want to... to..." Her eyes started to fill with tears as she looked into those purple eyes.  "I want to be..."

"What?" Tsuzuki placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I want to be a house wife... Just a house wife with a husband that I truly love and have children..."

The pain got too unbearable in his chest as a tear rolled down his cheek.  She desired so much for others and yet she couldn't have her dream.  He could tell it in her voice, in her body language, in her eyes... it wasn't going to happen.  Then her soft murmur reached his ears, "I... just want to be held, truly held..." With out thinking he pulled her into an embrace wrapping her tightly in his arms.  His fingers pressed into silken strands of hair as his ear pressed against hers.  Controlling himself from crying any further he just held onto her with a longing look in his eyes.  A longing for it all to stop.

Ukyou glowered at the young man clad in black in front of her.  She hated him and wanted him to stay away from her Kazutaka.  Raising up a hand she slapped the pale cheek as hard as she could.  The boy didn't even blink as his lip began to bleed.

"Such rude and harsh actions are not lady like," he stated with green eyes that glittered with loathing hatred.

"You dare talk back to me!" she slapped him again causing the cracked lip to deepen.

Muraki came in and frowned, "Ukyou!"

The woman turned on her heels and sputtered, "K-kazutaka... This is... uh... well... um.."

"Exactly what you think," the boy pushed passed her to the albino.

Ukyou growled when she watched her fiancée take out his handkerchief and wipe the blood from the boy's mouth.  She took a threatening step closer but stopped her menacing pursuit when Muraki shot her a glare.  With his free hand he motioned to the door, he would have a talk with her.  She did as the doctor wished and left the room to wait outside in the hall.

"Shinri, I thought you were going to meet her," Muraki ran his fingers through the boy's dark bangs.

"I did," the boy pulled back from the touch. "And then I felt her coming to you."

A sigh escaped Muraki's pale lips.  It wasn't going to be easy to get those two to get along with each other, well at least to the point where they didn't kill each other.  He was a little surprised when Shinri stepped up and pressed his chest against his own.  The boy reached out and pulled the albino down so his lips brushed against his ear.

"The poison is taking effect," he whispered into the pale ear. "You can still cure yourself from her biting tongue and seductive touch.  Don't let it be this way, Kazutaka."  The youth backed away, "Well then, you should tend to that monstrous bitch before she thinks that I'm rapping you."

The doctor chuckled, like that would ever happen.

Erin pushed Tsuzuki away and frowned at him.  His eyes must of shown hurt because she looked away.

"Sor-." He tried to apologize.

"Shut up!" She said sharply, "Don't apologize to me."

That made him feel worse.

"Someone like me..." Erin looked disgusted, "Doesn't deserve apologies."

//What?// Tsuzuki's heart pained even further.  He reached out a hand to touch her but she pulled back soon as their skin contacted.

"Will you stop it," she backed away.

"I only want to comfort you."

"For what?"

Tsuzuki looked at her confused.

"No one ever does kind things for me unless they're after something."

"I don't want anything."

"Yea, like I would believe that.  No one does the things that you do with out wanting something in return."

The way this girl was acting was irritating Tsuzuki.  It wasn't her that he was getting angry at, it was the people that had raised her, treated her so badly in order to make her believe such things.  Then he blurted out what he never thought that he would in his whole life.

"Listen to me!  I'm only trying to comfort you because I care about you.  But it's obvious that you like to live in the dark and shy away from people.  Well excuse me if I'm not going to allow you to be alone for so long!  If you want to hate me for it then go ahead and hate me but I'm not going to leave you alone in that cold, dark bubble that you have made for yourself."

Erin raised an eyebrow, she didn't expect some guy to tell her off like that.  Then she began laughing.  Tsuzuki's anger drained immediately when Erin took a hold of his hand.  He blushed a little as she came so close to him that their thighs brushed against each other.  Her eyes were dark almost seductive.

"You say the dark is cold," she placed his hand above her left breast. "But in reality it is warm.  Like a womb that soothes the worries away."

Tsuzuki was crimson now, this girl was almost as bad as Muraki with her forwardness.  He felt like he was groping her even though her bosom was below his hand.  Then he felt it, the warmth.  He didn't know how he was doing it but he was.  The shinigami could feel the warmth of her darkness, it was so warm, almost a perfect warmth.  It was so inviting like how his sister would hold open her arms for him to run into.

"Sa," she let go on his hand and backed away. "It's about time we go back.  Don't want Hijiri to worry now do we?"

"N-no..."

End of part 2

Some of you might wonder who Ukyou is.  Well she is Muraki's fiancee in the comics.  Just a little information for you all that may not know.