𝖍𝖝𝖍 𝖔𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖍𝖔𝖙𝖘

Like You Like That ~ Illumi Zoldyck

Top!Illumi (but no smut miss gurl)

Author: hisokapegger (on ao3)

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The music was loud but it felt very far away to the young woman as she took another sip of her drink. She was sitting next to her work partner or as she preferred calling him, her friend.

She didn't like drinking too much but she had been hoping to use it as a cure to her loneliness tonight. Illumi who was almost immune to alcohol didn't understand how this would help her. In fact, he thought she looked ridiculous.

He knew [Name] well enough by now and he could tell that the glass in her hand would be her last drink for the night. He'd make sure of it.

He watched her silently as she stared at nothing, probably lost in thought he guessed. The young woman was sad tonight. The reason behind it was unknown to the assassin. But he was confident that it wouldn't take her long to start telling him about all her secrets.

[Name] talked a lot when she was drunk after all. The young man thought she looked pretty if it wasn't for the sadness in her eyes. He liked it better when she smiled at him.

"I just want to be swept off my feet...is that so bad? I'm fed up of being alone," she said out of the blue.

There she goes he thought to himself. Illumi brought his face closer to her. The loud music was starting to annoy him. He wished his associate would have chosen somewhere else to talk about her pain.

"You're not alone. I'm right here," the assassin pointed out.

She laughed and looked at his wide black eyes. Then she continued.

"Yes, I know. I mean, I'm just a little tired of dreaming about romance. I want it to happen to me."
"You want romance," Illumi repeated more to himself than to her "I'm sure you'll find it soon."

As soon as [Name] entered her apartment she knew something was off. Her aura sensing the stranger automatically. She advanced carefully to her living room and this was when her eyes met him. Illumi was sitting on her couch, a book in hand, almost like the place was his.

"What are you doing here?" she asked a confused look on her face.

The assassin's eyes finally left the pages he was so focused on to look at her.

"Hi [Name]. I'll be staying here with you," he explained nonchalantly.
"What?"

The young woman didn't understand. What did he mean by I'll be staying here with you? Did he mean he would stay the night? This must have been what he meant she was sure. But she also knew Illumi was a strange man.

"I'll be living with you from now on," he answered, black eyes starring at her soul.
"Why? Were you kicked out by your parents?" she asked a little concerned.
"No."
"So why are you here?"

Illumi was so elusive sometimes. It was always hard to understand what he thought when he decided he wouldn't talk about it. But the young woman deserved an explanation nonetheless.

"Because you said you were lonely."

Did she? The Nen user didn't remember ever saying that but she also had a tendency to blackout when she drank too much. So it was likely that she had in fact shared her fears with the assassin on their last outing.

So that was it. He was here because she felt lonely. That was all it took for Illumi to make such a gesture. She couldn't help blushing a little by the thought of it.

"I don't remember saying this but it's true. Still, are your parents okay with that?"
"It's only temporary," he declared.

Was it? Illumi wished it wasn't. The idea of sharing his life with the woman in front of him was so appealing. He didn't feel anything like that in such a look time. He thought it was strange how alive she made him feel sometimes.

But he also knew that getting [Name] to move in the Zoldyck manor would be no easy task. It was unlikely his parents would accept a woman they didn't choose in their family.

Still sharing this small apartment with her was the closest he could get to the one thing he wanted the most. Her. He wanted her to himself forever. Illumi wanted to sweep her off her feet as she demanded.

"Oh, I see," she answered a hint of sadness in her voice.

Illumi truly was a strange man but here he was helping her out through her lonely days. She wondered if he realized how much this meant to her. Probably not. He didn't think about that kind of stuff, did he?

The following days went by quickly, too quickly to their liking. The young woman started to get used to seeing his face in front of hers before drifting off to sleep. Meanwhile, he got used to all her cute habits, her kind words, and her calming presence.

This was too good to end. But how long would they hide if they were to tell each other how they truly felt? It only depended on Illumi. They were both aware.

"I like being with you," Illumi said starring at the ceiling, laying on her bed in the dimly lit room.
"I like being with you too," she replied a little smile on her face.

[Name]'s hand slid under the covers wanting to find his. But as soon as she did he brought his hand to himself. The young woman felt stupid for trying to hold it.

She knew he wasn't used to loving touches. She should have asked first. She wanted to apologize but before she could she felt cold fingers wrapping themselves around her hand. She didn't say anything. She just wanted to enjoy every little moment she had with him.

"Did I sweep you off your feet yet?" Illumi asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

She chuckled and with the brightest smile she replied:

"Yes, you did, Illumi."