When I Dream

By Katia-chan

A/N: My first try at a Yami No Matsuei fic, please be kind but honest.

Enjoy!

()()()()()()()The flowered branches swayed over head, like the axe of his executioner, the moon flashing through them, and his body burned. It burned so badly, he just wanted to die. Wanted to slip into that final oblivion and never return. He wanted peace, peace verging on nothingness.

The burning intensified until he thought from his chest down would burst into flames, and he heard the laughter, the cruel taunting laughter. It plagued him every day, and it made the burning worse.

And then he woke, the scream ripping from his throat.

Hisoka curled his body into a tight ball, feeling his muscles quivering with the effort of not getting up and running away, as far as he could go.

Despite all the reassurances that day brought he was still only sixteen when the sun went down. He was so shaken that he didn't even mentally protest to the small whimpers that left his lips. He gave a tiny jerk as he heard the knob of his door turning, who was in his room? His eyes were pressed tightly shut and he didn't breathe, until he heard a soft sigh above him. "Oh Hisoka," Tsuzuki's voice was soft and pitying. He felt the older shinigami sit down on his bed next to him and lay a hand on his head. The comfort that his presence brought was so complete it took his breath away for a moment, and then his heart slowed slightly.

"It was the sakura again, wasn't it?" He put a hand under Hisoka's chin and lifted his face to look at him. He could do nothing under that gaze but nod. Tsuzuki sighed sadly again and rubbed his shoulder, then he stood up.

"Don't go." The plea was only a soft whisper, but Tsuzuki heard it and chuckled softly, then leaned down and lifted Hisoka from the bed as easily as if he had been a small child.

"I'm not going anywhere kid, you're gonna come with me." He opened the door and walked down the hall until he reached his own apartment, then carried Hisoka inside and set him down on the bed. His load deposited he stood studying the boy.

"The dreams don't go away, do they." He said it so softly, almost wistfully that Hisoka had to look up.

"What do you dream Tsuzuki?" he asked, staring into the intense amethyst eyes.

"Nothing to important." Hisoka felt the shield between them drop into place with a sigh. When it came to the inner Tsuzuki he gave everything and nothing of himself away.

"I dream of Sakuras, and burning," he whispered. Tsuzuki gave him a sorrowful glance and then climbed into bed beside him, wrapping him in a tight hug and causing the younger boy to blink.

"I dream of burning sometimes too, but it's, well, different." The room was silent for a few moments while they both pondered, each sliding into the skin of a dream they would rather forget.

"Do the flowers ever stop burning?" The voice that spoke was not that of the quiet composed Hisoka Kurasaki, but the voice of the young teen he really was. "Do the dreams ever go away, do you ever get better?"

Tsuzuki stroked his cheek gently. "When the flowers stop burning, and they become beautiful, as they truly are, then you know you can be better."

"Tsuzuki?"

"Yeah kid?"

"Do you actually know what you're talking about?" The older man smiled sheepishly.

"Nope, not really, but we can hope, can't we?" Hisoka yawned wide.

"I suppose so." He snuggled back against Tsuzuki and closed his eyes. Tsuzuki sighed deeply, getting comfortable. It was nice to know that under that icy exterior Hisoka still had a child buried somewhere. It was a relief to know his youth hadn't completely passed him by while he stared down the path of revenge.

"When do I get better?" He asked himself in a small whisper, gently rubbing the scars on his wrist with the thumb of his other hand. Then he felt Hisoka stirring and the teen's eyes opened slightly.

"Tsuzuki?"

"Yeah?"

"When you let me share your bed I have different dreams." Tsuzuki relaxed happily into the bed. Thank god the kid could find some peace somewhere

"That's great Hisoka, what do you dream about?"

"I dream of roses." Tsuzuki stilled and felt his heart stop beating. Hisoka seemed untroubled, but Tsuzuki could feel the blood draining from his face.

"Are they," he had to stop and catch his breath. "Are they white?"

"In the beginning." Tsuzuki's heart sank, and he opened his mouth to ask, to make sure, but the boy had already fallen asleep.

A/N: I don't really know a lot about this series, but I thought I'd give it a try. Please review and tell me what you think! Flames are ok too, it's cold here. If I get some positive feedback the next chapter will come up faster! Sorry this was so short, next chapters will be longer!

TTFN

Katia-chan