Chapter Text
Some time earlier, back at the Kujou mansion.
"Mmm! Right! I better get heading home now! Thanks again for helping me, Mr Yashiki!" Moe stood up and stretched her arms. She had stayed longer than planned but she had been so engrossed with her in-depth questioning and discussions that neither of them had noticed how late it had gotten.
"Anytime. You know I appreciate your visits." Said Yashiki as he cleared the table.
"Oh, I'm sure you're doing juuuust fine with all the visits from Mr Mashita, hehe." Hands on her hips and leaning forward slightly Moe flashed him a knowing grin.
Was she being serious or just teasing him here?
"...I appreciate the visits from you both." He tried to reply casually but that grin made him feel exposed.
"Although wasn't it strange how he left so suddenly with that Shou kid? It seemed, I dunno, really out of character for him? It's not like it was that dark out or anything."
"Yeah, it was strange."
Yashiki couldn't deny that. Having Shou visit out of the blue like that without any apparent reason and then Mashita of all people offering to take him home? There was something going on there.
"Eh, I'm sure it's no big deal! Despite how they act I guess they must be pretty close! Don't get jealous now, Mr Yashiki!" Moe teased with a mischievous grin, gathering up her own possessions and stuffing them into her school bag.
Confirming she would be fine to get home from here Yashiki walked her to the mansion's front door but on the way there he noticed something lying on the checkered floor. A thin sheet of paper lay there inconspicuously which he picked up and inspected; there wasn't much of interest written on the sheet, just a list of names and dates with the words 'to be updated' scrawled in sharp red pen. Mashita must have dropped this when he was leaving.
"Oh! H hospital! I've heard about that place!" Moe exclaimed, peering at the paper.
"Yeah?"
"Mm-hm! Apparently it's haunted by a ghostly doctor who'll kill you if you encounter him! Although it's not a very well known ghost story, the hospital was more infamous for the scandals that happened there years ago!"
Oh, another ghost rumor. Such urban legends seemed to be so popular these days. There was still an overwhelming part of him that felt a chill every time his mind lingered on the fact that alleged paranormal activity was on the rise around the city but quickly he would remind himself not to panic.
She wouldn't awaken yet.
He still had time.
"Oooh, are you thinking about investigating it? If you do you have to promise to bring me along this time, okay?"
"Moe, you-"
"Nope! I won't hear it! You don't have to deal with all your problems by yourself, y'know! And even if you try to stop me I'll still find a way to follow you!"
Holding out her delicate pinkie finger Moe stared up expectantly at the older man, her boldness and pure innocence left Yashiki powerless to refuse her so lightly yet reluctantly he entwined his own pinkie with her one, linking them in an oath.
"Hehe, it's a promise, okay!" She giggled. Waving him farewell Moe skipped off into the cold twilight in a carefree manner. Watching her leave Yashiki couldn't deny how her presence lightened the atmosphere in the mansion and now that she had left the usual somber air settled back in.
"I don't have to deal with my problems by myself, huh...?"
Alone once again Yashiki leaned back in his chair and shut the worn looking book he has been reading, placing it back on the desk in his room. Try as he might to focus on other subjects he couldn't get the data sheet and H hospital out of his head. Something about it just bothered him but he couldn't put his finger on it. H hospital was a place he had never heard of before yet if what Moe said was true about there being numerous scandals surrounding it that shook the news then that made no sense - yes, he was a recluse but he wasn't a complete hermit who ignored all local and world events. Why was Mashita collecting data on a closed down hospital? Most likely it was related to a case he was working but even that still came across as strange. Prior to Moe and Shou's arrival he had attempted to inquire about what sort of files he had been sorting through but the detective had been more guarded than usual on the subject, giving only curt uninformative replies or ignoring him all together. Perhaps he was just following client confidentiality but Yashiki couldn't deny it stung when Mashita refused to tell him anything, yet he in turn demanded to know where Yashiki had been and who he had contact with since his last visit. After all they had been through together he thought Mashita would trust him by now, he wanted Mashita to trust him but it was starting to look like that was wishful thinking on his part.
Ugh, all this speculating was getting him no where. Pulling his glasses off and rubbing his eyes Yashiki stood up to go and prepare himself another cup of coffee when a sudden thought came to him.
If there had been several scandals at H hospital then would that person know anything about it?
Admittedly it was a shot in the dark but on the other hand it was worth trying.
With curiosity nagging at his back like a temperamental child Yashiki picked up his phone and found the contact he was looking for. It rang out for a few moments before he heard a distinctive click and the soft yet refined voice of a woman answered.
"Yes?"
"Hello Christie, it's Kazuo Yashiki." He replied slightly awkwardly.
"Oh! Yashiki! It's been a while. How have you been?"
"Ah, I've been... well. Yourself?"
"Very busy with work, as you can expect."
Had he called at a bad time? It was late and not many people were adjusted to such unplanned schedule as him.
"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of a call this late at night? Wait... Please don't tell me this has something to do with spirits? Because I told you..."
That was fast. Yashiki quickly stopped her before she could continue to emphasize how much she would refuse to get involved with anything paranormal ever again.
"No, no! It's nothing like that! I was actually wondering if you knew about any scandals that happened at a place called H hospital?"
"H hospital? Hmm..."
She hummed, raking through her mind for any information.
"Ah, now I remember. Yes, there were quite a lot of shocking and gruesome operations happening there while it was functioning. The papers ate it up for a short while but due to a lack of any developments they soon dropped it, at least that's what we were told however I always thought it seemed suspicious that the higher-ups moved on from such a scoop so quickly."
"Do you have any idea what they were?"
"Why are you so interested in this hospital anyway?" She answered his question with her own, which was understandable given the odd nature of his phone call. He wasn't quite sure how to explain it to her without sounding paranoid so he settled with a half truth.
"It's actually not for me, Mashita is investigating... something there for a case."
Christie tutted on the other end of the line, probably wearing a grimace.
"I feel far less inclined to do anything for that rude man but I guess it couldn't hurt, plus I do still owe you. Alright, from what I remember there was a talented doctor working there who..."
-----
"You gotta be shitting me!"
Shou stared at Mashita with his jaw dangling and his hands gripping the edge of the desk he was perched on so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"It's only speculation but there's a high chance I'm right."
Mashita had done his best to explain the chains of thought he had formed concerning their situation, and it didn't look good; from Shou's account and his own personal experience with the hallway doors it seemed like the hospital shifted when the spirits were aware there was someone in the area near them, like when the nurse was hunting that stranger up on the second floor. Not an uncommon situation in ghost stories it was quite a shock to experience it firsthand, not to mention this meant escape might be impossible, even with that nurse gone. All it would take was for the shambling Doctor Skin to sense them and then they would be stuck running in circles.
"What's this doctor's damn problem?" Shou growled.
"Find out for yourself."
Mashita chucked the second journal to Shou who scrambled to catch it and began flicking through the journal. Compared to the other more cryptic one this was clearly a diary of daily logs. Starting out with boring medical jargon the entries were unremarkable but after a long gap in dates they shifted in tone. The doctor began rambling about how he was treated at the hospital despite his 'amazing talent' in both standard surgery and plastic surgery, how because of his malformed face his colleagues shunned and mocked him behind his back even though on the surface they pretended to be courteous and respectful. Many entries reflected his lamentations and his desire to be 'not beautiful, just normal' - a word which was scribbled multiple times over the tortured pages.
"Wait wait wait, so this dude's hanging around and killin' folks just cuz he was ugly? Fuckin' stupid." Shou scoffed in disbelief.
"I think there's more to it than that, but it's probably the base of his grudge."
The logs continued, growing more erratic. The doctor had found another plastic surgeon in a far away city willing to attempt to 'fix' him but the cost for the operations were extortionate and that wasn't including travel fees.
Shou was about to turn to the next page when Mashita swiftly snatched the journal out of his hands.
"Hey! What gives?"
"The rest isn't important. I know you can only retain a set amount of information."
"Tch."
Mashita wasn't entirely lying, but the remaining pages housed logs that Shou didn't need to see. Barely comprehensible scribbles revealed that as his despair and indignation grew he turned to more extreme methods to make money - purposefully killing patients and selling their organs, assisted by an unnamed nurse who he promised free plastic surgeries in return for her silence. The cadavers in the morgue resurfaced in his mind. As strange as it sounded it made sense for them to be missing their faces but not their organs, unless the doctor was still stealing organs from his victims? And if that were the case then where were they? Fretting over it was pointless, that particular mystery would have to wait for now.
"This is damn messed up... and what's with this room? Was he trying to summon a demon to wish for a new face or something?"
The elephant in the room - that being the actual room itself - was finally addressed. Too focused on tending to his injuries beforehand a more detailed aspect of the decorations had bypassed Mashita's eyes but he studied it closer now. Protection talismans were common at most traditional shrines and he had seen plenty of them in his lifetime but the ones plastered all over this room were of a different variety, each one made of strange, thin material that felt nothing like paper and bearing a crude drawing of what was probably meant to be a cow skull near the base.
Ah, so that's what was going on. It didn't fully answer the 'why' but it did help with the 'what'.
Mashita approached the heap of random items procured by Shou and grabbed the discarded robes, examining an embroidered insignia on the left breast pocket which was difficult to make out in the dank lighting.
"Hm? What is it?" Shou asked.
"... Seems this room belonged to our recently deceased friend." Mashita tossed the robes at Shou, telling him to look at the insignia. Running his fingers over it he seemed to be confused as to what the connection was between this room and the stranger, looking repeatedly between the robe, the enshrined ox skull and the walls before his eyes widened.
"Oh shit! Was this guy part of a cult?!"
"Hmm, I wonder?" Mashita replied sarcastically then shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever the case is it doesn't matter right now. Our main concern is securing a way out of here."
Preferably with all their organs intact.
Of course the presence of a cultist in the hospital for no apparent reason was intriguing but that was something he could look into at a later date along with the growing mountain of questions this night had dumped on him.
"Oh! Oh! I got it! How about we take this-" Shou grabbed the bottle of acid and shook it. "-and we chuck it at that creepy doctor's face! Boom! He melts and we book it!"
His proud grin faltered as Mashita gave him a condescending smirk.
"That's a terrible idea."
"Y-yeah? At least I got one! What's your big idea, huh? Mr fuckin' genius? You even got one?"
He didn't have a plan, per say, but he had been weighing up the options open to them, a few of them hinged on Shou's cooperation yet he wanted to avoid getting the kid involved anymore than he already was.
"You know, from what I've deduced I think that spirit has a limited field of vision. He can't see too far in front of him."
Unlike the hunting nurse the doctor appeared to lack any keen senses, evidenced by how easily Mashita had escaped him earlier, his eyes likely buried under the layers of stolen skin.
"So?"
"So I'd say you're probably safe to leave this place, providing you don't encounter him."
"Hold on, didn't ya say the hospital's shifting to trap people in here?"
"Yes, when the spirits are aware of people but only that nurse knew you were here. The doctor knows I'm here but since he's not searching for you then it's safe to assume that the building will remain normal for you."
"This is all just more speculation, isn't it?"
Undeniably, yes. Gambling on such unknown factors was highly dangerous but he had a talent for being correct.
"Yer sayin' I'm free to walk, but..." Shou scrunched up his face, staring at his feet which were swinging aimlessly for a few moments, then met the other man's gaze with serious eyes. "I ain't just gonna leave you in here! What good's it if only I get out alive, huh? 'Sides, you might just be talkin' out yer ass. So no, I ain't leaving."
Huh, this was certainly surprising.
Stupid, arrogant and cowardly were words Mashita would normally assign to the kid but here he was, offering to stay with him in a haunted hospital instead of running away. Wonders never cease.
"You sure you're okay with that?"
"I wouldn't be much of a man if I ran away now."
"...Have it your way. Just don't cry and piss yourself if things get too spooky."
"Yeah yeah, now let's thinkin' on how we're gonna pummel that doctor creep!" Shou grinned and punched his fists together.
True, their patchy comradely was all well and good but it wasn't enough to secure their safety, however now that Mashita wasn't doing this alone anymore they had a fighting chance. Gazing around the room he racked his brain for a plan of some kind, at least they had the luxury of safety right now unlike the previous times. Off at the far side of the room an object loosely hanging on the wall caught his eye.
Ah, of course!
He experienced a few impromptu exorcisms and heard enough of Yashiki's drunken recollections to remember the correct way to deal with the lingering grudges of the dead. In his mind a plan was forming. They had a limited arsenal, limited space and limited knowledge but if they did nothing then he - at least - would most likely die here and if they failed then they would just have their faces torn off and their organs ripped out.
"That look in yer eye, you've got an idea, don't ya?" Leaning forward Shou's eyes burned with excitement. "Alright, lay it on me!"
This hospital was truly otherworldly, for Mashita actually found himself appreciating Shou's enthusiasm.
"Yeah, I do. We're going to give this Doctor Skin the face he so desired."
-------
"Hey, what if he doesn't show up?"
"..."
"What if he's not on this floor?"
"... ..."
"W-what if... he's behind us...?!"
"... ... ..."
"What if-"
"Shut up."
Mashita took back any earlier praise he had given this kid.
No, that would be unfair, after all he had agreed to go along with this haphazard plan even though his legs were shaking and his face was the palest shade he had ever seen on a living person.
Positioned behind a corner they waited for the telltale sound of the shuffling surgeon slowly seeping down the hallway. Apart from Shou's nervous mumbling they stayed silent as so not to miss a step, the plan was risky and there was no guarantee it would work twice. Eventually they heard it.
Step. Step. Step.
He was coming.
Step. Step. Step.
"Do... I have...a... patient?"
Step. Step. Step.
Mashita could see Shou's hands trembling as the spirit approached their position.
"Easy, just wait." He whispered.
Arguably their roles in this plan were equally dangerous but he couldn't blame the kid for being scared considering that if even one minuscule step went wrong then, well, the outcome was obvious.
The doctor was drawing closer. Just a few steps more...
He was close enough. Swiftly Mashita dashed out from his hiding place, making sure to grab his attention.
"Hey! Over here!"
"Mmmmy... Patient!"
Recognizing him the doctor let out a stunted moan and began moving at a increased pace, heaving his rotting body forward. It wasn't the type of attention Mashita was flattered to receive but he had to put up with it for now. Wheezing and groaning the doctor closed the space between them shockingly fast, lunging at Mashita with his surgical drill.
"Guh! Ah!"
The whirling head caught the surface of the soft flesh above his waist, whittling down the skin and splattering droplets of blood onto the floor. It stung, it hurt, terribly so but he gritted his teeth and endured. It wasn't deep. It wouldn't stop him.
Baiting him forward he nodded at Shou, who lay in wait until the doctor had passed the junction they had been using as cover and quickly skittered behind the spirit, clutching the large object their plan revolved around in his hands.
Right, they were in place.
Now was the time.
"Hey, doctor! You wanted to look normal, right?" Mashita barked. "Well you got your wish! Look behind you!"
Would he understand? Would the doctor know what he was saying? And would he even listen?
He better or they were screwed.
"Ouughhh... Normal...?"
He heard!
"Yeah! You look normal now! See for yourself!"
The doctor stumbled to a halt, swaying in place until he slowly turned on the spot to where Mashita was pointing. Behind him he saw a mirror being held up, the dark reflective surface showing a young man in a doctor's coat, with smooth and clear skin, evenly matched eyes and attractive bone structure.
"Ouughhhhhh...? Ouuuu..."
Did he fall for it?
Like a toddler recognizing the child reflected before them the doctor reached out towards the mirror, awestruck by the normal face he saw despite the apprehensive expression it wore.
Mashita held his breath, cold sweat littering his forehead.
Please let his eyesight be as bad as he believed.
"Hhhgggg... Hnnnn... N-n-nor... Normal...! Normal! Normal!"
Slapping his hands against the sagging skin stapled to his head the doctor squealed in astonished delight at the sight.
"Normal! Normal! Normal!"
The reflection did their best to mimic him although they could only use one hand as the other was occupied yet it seemed that didn't matter.
Continuing to stroke his face the doctor's frantic cries grew to a delirious crescendo. Without warning his form began to glow, letting out a final content sigh before it burst apart into small white orbs that gently drifted upwards and vanished like dimming light bulbs.
"... I-is he... y'know?"
As if to answer Shou's question the frigid air around them eased back into normal temperatures, the heavy stench of antiseptic disappeared and the green glow was gone, plunging them back into darkness.
"I'll take that as a yes. Come on, let's go."
Chucking the empty mirror frame onto the floor with a clatter and tearing off the old doctors coat Shou exhaled dramatically.
"You don't hafta tell me twice! Let's bail!"
Finding the window they had entered through was almost stupidly easy when the building wasn't fighting against them, almost insultingly so. In no time at all they were clambering through the dangerous frame - Mashita taking extra care not to add to his collection of injuries - and out into the crisp cool night air. Shou inhaled deeply and stretched his arms.
"Hell yeah! We did it! We beat that hellhole hospital! Whoo!" He hooted and punched the air then turned to Mashita with a grin and held his fist up. Mashita looked at it then at Shou and rolled his eyes but at his continued insistence Mashita gave in and lightly bumped their fists together.
"I can't believe your crazy plan worked, though. For a second there i thought he was gonna catch on, fuckin' terrified me."
"Can't argue with you there. Let's just be grateful it did."
"Although my idea was good too! Just a quick- hup! Pwoosh!" Shou acted out chucking a bottle and the ultimately gross outcome.
"Yeah, no. Still a stupid idea. Are you that eager to get cursed?"
While checking he had all his files along with one of those talismans and a scrap of the robe with the strange insignia on it Mashita pulled out a crushed carton of cigarettes and lit one up, the burning end lighting up like soft star in the dark as he breathed in that calming nicotine. Shou eyed him with a frown.
"Phuuu... What?"
"Smoking's gross, ya know. The long-term effects- cough! Cough! Don't blow smoke in my fuckin' face! Cough!"
Smirking, Mashita blew out some more smoke then looked up at the stars. Supposing he should offer up some praise he cleared his throat.
"If you wanna take anything away from tonight it's that sneaking into abandoned buildings is a surefire way to get yourself into trouble of some kind, so don't do it. And... If you hadn't stayed behind I'd probably be dead so you're actually pretty reliable, for a kid."
There, he said it. And it was all true, Shou's impulsive actions had saved him from the nurse and his oddly defiant loyalty had allowed them to exorcise the doctor in a peaceful manner.
Shou stared at him in shock, unable to comprehend that the words leaving Mashita's mouth weren't dripping with sarcasm and insincerity for once.
"Y'know... I've been wondering this for a while but are the words 'thank you' even in your vocabulary?" Shou replied with a smirk of his own to which Mashita just snorted and finished off the rest of his cigarette.
"Go on, get yourself home. I've got places to be."
"Eh? Where are you going? Look at the state you're in! Are you gonna be able to drive to the hospital-" Shou cut himself off with a disgusted frown.
Wonderful, an unpleasant experience at a hospital was now something else they had in common. Gross.
At their mention the multitude of blossoming wounds adorning Mashita body hissed at him for neglecting them in conjugation with the aching sensation coating his body now that the tension had evaporated and left a space. Ah right, that was a good point but it's not like it changed his destination.
"I'll manage, besides there's someone I've got to see."
Shou was about to go off again when he paused and tilted his head, letting out a soft 'oh.' when he finally caught on.
"Ah, right. Hey, um... if you end telling him about tonight could you, um..." He scratched the back of his head and smiled awkwardly. "Could ya make me sound, y'know, way cooler and stuff?"
"Ha, as if. I'm gonna tell him you pissed yourself."
"Wha- you damn bastard! Get back here! Hey! Don't ignore me!"
Their squabbling was carried clearly throughout the still night air as they parted and went their separate ways. Remaining behind them H hospital watched the pair depart, any remaining adverse sentiments left behind gradually ebbing from it, free to now sleep peacefully and let the onslaught of time slowly decay it's aging walls. Yet from its silent shadows an aura of hostility radiated, a pair of eyes watching Mashita as he retreated from the area until his form disappeared from sight.
"... It seems we shall need to take action ahead of schedule."
It had taken him longer than usual due to having to drive slower thanks to his injuries and the intense aching pulsing through his body but Mashita eventually made it to where he was headed. Pulling up outside the mansion he wondered for a brief second if its occupant had retired for the night but a soft glow in one of the upper windows reassured him that wasn't the case. Knocking was more an act of formality as he didn't wait to be let in, instead just pushing open the predictably unlocked doors and stumbling over the threshold.
"Who- Mashita?!"
A comforting voice reached his ears while a pair of arms wrapped around his torso to support his wilting frame.
"What happened to you?"
Mashita looked up at Yashiki's panicked face and smiled half-heartedly.
"Guh... mind patching me up while I fill you in?"
Now they were perched on the bed in the guest room now predominantly used by Mashita, the detective hunched over shirtless with Yashiki carefully tending to the variety of cuts over his body; meanwhile Mashita informed him about the ordeal at the hospital: vaguely explaining how it had been part of his missing persons case, how he had found Shou in there and how they had no choice but to exorcise a hostile spirit. Yashiki's face projected the myriad of emotions he flicked through during Mashita's explanation but he remained silent until Mashita had finished.
"Part of me wants to say I can't believe that you got yourself into such a situation, but I'm honestly not surprised. I'm just relieved both of you are safe." Yashiki sighed. "Why on earth was Shou there in the first place?"
Mashita just shrugged and took a swig of the whiskey he had poured for himself to dull the pain. "Dunno, you'll need to ask him yourself but it's a good thing he was otherwise I'd probably be dead."
No reason to out the kid, he could do that himself.
"Don't say that." Yashiki's brow furrowed in slight distress.
Mashita studied him for a moment, watching as he gently cleaned the many cuts on his forearm, the gash on his upper arm and the larger gash near his hips. His movements were so gentle and delicate, either from limited medical skills or like he was trying to spare him from any excess pain. Shou's accusations of hypocrisy played through his mind, weighing his heart down with guilt. From how distant his eyes were and his clipped voice Mashita could sense he was upset about something.
"Are you angry with me?"
"Huh?"
"Are you angry with me for going to H hospital without telling you?"
The question gave Yashiki pause. He bit his lip and glanced down, seemingly deciding whether to be truthful or not.
"... I am, actually. I know you don't need to tell me anything, especially regarding your work but... it's difficult to put into words. I don't want to think about it but if you hadn't come back from that hospital, if you had died..."
"Heh, are you saying you would miss me?"
"Of course I would."
It had slipped out, a knee jerk reaction to someone showing him kindness but the payoff - that soft mumble, that expression, the mixture of bluntness and embarrassment in his tone - was enough to make his heart pound and simultaneously regret the inherit snarky undertone to his voice. Running his free hand through his hair Mashita kept quiet until Yashiki had layered his arm in fresh clean bandages and did what he could for the remaining wound.
"Right, that should suffice for tonight but tomorrow we should take you to get checked over, just in case. For now you should get some rest... and stop drinking." Yashiki nodded, hands on his knees as he began to rise to his feet.
"Wait."
Grabbing the back of his shirt Mashita yanked him back down and looked him right in the eye.
"Mashita? Are you okay?" Again Yashiki tilted his head in that endearing way that resembled a little bird, his hair falling across his glasses.
"... I'm sorry. For worrying you."
This was completely out of character for him, apologizing wasn't something he ever felt the need to do but this time was different. They were as bad as each other when it came to getting into trouble so he had no moral high ground to grandstand on. If he wanted to protect this man then he had accept that trying to persuade him to avoid danger and purposefully locking him out was practically pointless.
"Tomorrow, I'll tell you about my investigation, if it'll give you peace of mind. Actually, not just the investigation, I'll tell you anything you want to know. I swear."
Yashiki stared back in surprise at this sudden unexpected apology, and for the first time in a long while Mashita feared that his words were conceived as untruthful but Yashiki eventually let out a quiet laugh and smiled softly, that warmth returning to his dark eyes.
"Alright. I actually have some information to share with you too so it's a deal." Yashiki then lifted his hand and stuck out his pinkie finger. "Should we pinkie promise?" He joked with another gentle laugh.
"A bit old for that, aren't we?" Mashita smirked with hidden relief but then an idea came to him. No, it was more of an impulse. An excuse. A more mature way to seal their promise.
"Instead, how about we try this?"
He extended his hand and slid it up the nape of Yashiki's neck, feeling him shiver slightly as his fingers crept between the strands of his hair and moved their faces closer together. He wanted to take the time to admire the other man's face as the realization of what was happening dawned on him but holding back was impossible right now.
Closer. Closer.
There.
Their lips connected. Lightly. Mashita felt no resistance. Was this okay? Did Yashiki not mind it? Pulling back for a brief second he hesitated, waiting.
"...was that a promise kiss?"
"...mm. something like that."
"...ah..."
Warm breath brushed across his lips, inviting him back and a hand gently gripped his arm. They pressed their lips together again, Mashita going one step further and slipping past Yashiki's lips and catching his tongue, entwining it with his own and rolling them together, savoring the sensation. Sticking to a steady pace was certainly difficult, he wanted so badly to push Yashiki down onto the bed and devour him without pause but if he moved too fast it may scare the more reserved man, however it was hard to fight the overwhelming desires bubbling up in his chest as well as another part of his body; those docile moans and wet noises got him worked up something awful.
"You taste like smoke and whiskey..." Yashiki breathed meekly, pulling back and gazing at Mashita with lidded eyes, a deep blush coloring his pale face.
"You don't like it?"
"I didn't say that..."
"Good. Get used to it... Kazuo."
That shocked yet bashful expression, such a pure response to hearing his name.
Irresistible.
Hiding his face Yashiki whispered "Don't...!"
"Oh? So some random bartender can use your first name but I can't?"
"T-That's- mmm!"
The teasing worked, getting Yashiki to uncover his burning face and allowing Mashita to kiss him again.
Locking their lips together again he pressed the attack, his grip on Yashiki's head tightening while his tongue movements became more intense.
Do it now. Cross that line. Just gently push him down. Do it.
The hand that was caressing the back of Yashiki's head traveled achingly slowly down to his chest, his fingertips tracing that soft porcelain skin hot to the touch. Once there he applied pressure, pushing him backwards. They were falling together. Yashiki's hair fanned out as his head hit the pillow, breathing hard when Mashita managed to pry their lips apart to allow them time to breathe.
"Kazuo." He murmured in a low growl, picking up on the accelerated heartbeat of the man below him which only spurred him on, moving his other arm to adjust his own body and cage Yashiki's in. "Kazuo... Kaz- tsst! Damnit!"
Lust had clouded his judgement and made him forget the sorry state he was in, not realizing he had placed large portion of weight onto the arm that had been skewered by glass shards. In a domino effect the pain from his forearm shot upwards to his other wound then his side joined in, the ripe gash screaming in unison with the others. What strength he had left him and sent him falling down into Yashiki in a much less sensual way.
"Mashita! Are you okay?" Concern pulled Yashiki out of his breathlessness and he gripped Mashita's shoulders. "You shouldn't push yourself! Look, lie on your back!"
"Ugh... yeah."
Well that was embarrassing, and a mood killer. Going to that hospital had now cost him more than just his damn coat. Mashita let Yashiki help him shift his heavy body so he was lying flat on his back which did actually help lessen the physical pain but the not the damage to his pride. Expecting Yashiki to hurriedly excuse himself from the room Mashita shut his eyes, cursing that damned doctor for doing this to him then suddenly snapped them open. Something warm was touching his hand and a weight had settled on the edge of the bed.
"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep, okay? So get some rest, you've been through a lot tonight."
No verbal reply was needed. Squeezing his hand Mashita complied and let his already drooping eyelids close completely, drifting off into the most relaxed sleep he had experienced in weeks.
-----
"What should we do now? We've lost our source of income."
"We still have others."
"Yes, but I do feel we shouldn't ignore this. Is this not the second time that man has appeared?"
"Indeed, at the canyon and now the hospital. He may become a threat if he gets any closer to us."
"What say you, O' Father?"
Gathered around a ring of candles a group of hooded figures talked among themselves in the grand hall of a crumbling church, the small flickering flames casting stretched shadows against the moss covered stone walls. Seeking an answer they turned their attention to the person standing behind an alter at the head of the room. Upon the alter a large cow skull sat showered in dried flower petals and surrounded by strong incense that coated the air in a thick foreboding mist. The one standing there stroked their chin in deep thought while the group waited for their wisdom.
"... We shall bide our time for now." they eventually broke the silence.
"But Father! If he's left to run amok then it could cause more problems for us!"
The leader held up their hand and shushed the outspoken figure who promptly bowed their head.
"I understand your concerns, my child, but as of right now we have no reason to believe that man has the means to find us. Acting so prematurely could result in our downfall. Besides-" they lowered their hand and lovingly rubbed the smooth bone of the skull. "-he may prove to be of great use to us..."