Communion

Thick dark eyelashes fluttered and Tsuzuki awoke. Hisoka watched the play of lean muscle beneath rumpled clothing as he stretched with feline grace. Not for the first time, it occurred to him that his partner was beautiful. He had emanated love, lust, and shame while he slept.

Was he dreaming about me? Hisoka wondered.

The shame was understandable and he ignored it. Once he had shown Tsuzuki that he wasn't a child, there would be no need. He trusted and loved his partner.

"Good morning." Tsuzuki said cheerfully. He sat up and glanced at his watch. He poked it twice and seemed surprised, though by what Hisoka couldn't say. "What's up?"

"I've been calling you for the past five minutes." The teenager said in a rough voice. "You were sleeping pretty soundly."

"Sorry if I worried you." Tsuzuki said, and looked up at him.

He reached a hand towards the boy with a gentle smile. Hisoka waited for tentative fingers to caress his face, and to hear a stammered declaration of love. Tsuzuki gave his partner ample opportunity to move before giving his hair a friendly ruffle. He was taken aback by the baleful glare he received, but masked it with a grin.

"We need to evacuate the ship." He said standing. "Where's Gushoshin?"

"He's taking a bath. What's wrong?"

Tsuzuki walked briskly to the bathroom door.

"Hurry up in there!" He yelled. "I need you to contact the Ministry right away. Lives are at stake."

"I'll be right out." Gushoshin called.

"I need to tell you something." Hisoka said.

"Sure." Tsuzuki checked the time again. "What's on your mind?"

"Tsubaki's dead."

The force of Tsuzuki's disappointment and pain forced Hisoka to retreat several steps. He had barely met the girl, but his reaction rivaled Hisoka's who had befriended her. How could he feel so strongly about a stranger?

"How?" He asked.

"She killed herself. There was a note. We didn't find any poison or pills, but she was so despondent after Muraki died that she probably stopped taking her medication."

"He's alive." Tsuzuki said.

"I looked at him; he wasn't breathing. I touched his hand and he was cold."

"There's no time to explain, but he's alive." Tsuzuki said and banged on the bathroom door. "Innocent people could die, Gushoshin. Come on!"

The librarian emerged from the bathroom dressed and drying his head feathers with a washcloth. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"The Queen Camellia is about to sink." Tsuzuki said. "We need to get the people to safety."

"I'll get right on it, Tsuzuki-san."

Gushoshin floated to the desk and powered up his laptop. He typed furiously.

"How do you know any of this?" Hisoka asked.

"I can't talk about that." Tsuzuki said.

He walked back to the couch and sat on a corner cushion. He hugged himself and stroked his watch. Hisoka sat on the other end.

"Nice watch." He said. "Looks new."

"I found it in my room last night." Tsuzuki closed his eyes. "I seem to have a secret admirer."

"Who would admire a slacker like you?" Gushoshin asked.

"I'll have you know that I look pretty cute in my croupier uniform."

"Yeah right." Hisoka said, though he privately agreed.

"I got through to my brother." Gushoshin said. "He's sending a helicopter to pick us up. The passengers will be saved as well."

“Good work.” Tsuzuki said.

“Thanks."

Hisoka said. "We should go wait."

They headed up to the deck. Tsuzuki stood by the railing staring out into the open sea. His thoughts turned to Muraki. He had surely killed the girl, but left his partner alone. If he could have his lover and know that his friends were safe, could he sacrifice the rest of the world?