POWERFUL ➴ Hisoka x Reader

IV. Objective

"My connection to the stripper priest?" His eyes narrowed as my eyebrows scrunched up. What did this clown want? Was he a friend or a foe? How was I to know?

"Exactly!" His thumb patted my chin absent-mindedly, keeping his hold on me. Even if it wasn't forceful, the threat was there. Bubblegum pink and creepy. It felt sticky, and it made me want to go wash the feeling away.

"Hmm... I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?"

"Now, now, those aren't the rules ♠." His pale long fingers traced the right side of my jawline, nails scraped the skin behind my ears. His smirk diminished and transformed into a pout. Yellow eyes dulled as his interest faded away.

"If I were to guess, I'd say you're not one to follow the rules." Why was my heart going off as I tried my best to sound sassy, but not in a defensive way?

His thumb that had remained in place, vertically between my chin and my lips, without lifting it, he dragged it to the left, pulling my bottom lip with it for a little before it reached my jawline and his hand followed the curve of my face before resting over my neck. My cockiness was packing its bags to move to the Azian Continent, I swallowed, unable to continue whatever I wanted to say.

"If I wasn't playing by the rules, I'd just rip the truth out of you. Right here." His hand flexed, and I felt it all, every shift of it, over my neck. A silent threat. No murderous intent, though. He seemed truly bored that I wasn't reacting or fighting back in some way. "Come now, little lamb, I don't enjoy repeating myself. It's such a bother."

I took the deepest breath I could, allowed my heartbeat to slow down. He probably felt it with his hand wrapped around my neck. "How about we move this somewhere else? I'd rather you rip it out of me somewhere private. Maybe a hotel room? Somewhere I don't have to concern myself with the mess?"

"Oh~♦? And why would I do that?" Why would he do that, indeed? The million jenny question.

"Because..." I swallowed again, feeling the pressure of his hand. I should be running away from this man, but this scene right now. The thumb swipe, the throat grabbing... Oh, it was so perfect, it sparked ideas for future novels and for already existing characters that I had been cultivating but never felt real. "Because... You're clearly interested in Chrollo. You want to know what I know about him, but you wouldn't be so clueless as to kill me right away~ After all... My connection may prove to be helpful in your future plans... No?"

"Hah~ The little lamb seems to be thinking rather well despite this ..." His eyes left mine and moved down to appraise the fit of his hand around my throat.

"As much as I hate to admit it, it does give me a lot of ideas, so perhaps we can both benefit from this." His pout faded, pale lips quirked up just a smidge, as his hand stopped its grip and stroke my skin as it left. A trail of pink nen followed it. As if a gum being stretched, it was attached to my neck and being pulled by him. I felt nothing but the sticky feeling around my throat, a reminder of whatever he had done. What could that do? It was like a leash. Would it behave like one?

His thin arched eyebrow rose in question after my continued stares at the hand. I shook my thoughts away and tried my best at a polite smile. "Lovely nails, are they ever impractical?"

"Not at all." He tilted his head towards the door, and I moved out of his way to gaze at Lin.

"Dear, I know it's last minute, but could you please find someone to fill in for me?"

"Is everything alright?" Her gaze was on the big clown in the room. It made sense for her to be worried, after all, he had been grabbing my throat just a while ago. Like an absolute lunatic. I rolled my eyes, why were these people so dramatic?

"Yeah, I- I found a bit of inspiration just now, think I'll follow it through. Is there a way to call Aikito or Nerus?" She nodded, grabbing the phone.

"Don't worry, I'll fill in until someone arrives. Call me after, though?" I nodded, Lin was a really nice person, I should find a way to raise her pay. Maybe after this next book inspired by the clown- if it sold well...

I followed him out, and now we walked silently to the hotel area of the city. "So, what's your name, clown man?"

"Hisoka, and I'm not a clown. I'm a magician." His hands floated about as he expressed his annoyance.

I hummed, taking in his figure once more. "I mean- I won't argue, though I'd say that is far from my first impression." I shook my head as I looked over at the cars roaming the streets to the right. "You guys really go for the drama and shock factor with your outfit choices... I mean, you don't look bad but - "

"So, you're into clowns or would you rather have a priest?" There was an edge in that question, mixed with mirth. I stole a side way look at him, his eyes were already on me, measuring every micro reaction, every little twitch and tell.

"Geh- Between clowns and priests... whichever I pick leaves me with a rather bad reputation..." Now, if I had to go for a hot priest or a hot clown... which one would I pick? That was a deep question, wasn't it...

"Hmmm~♠ Who do you think would win?" He tugged my arm as he turned to follow along a smaller side street.

"Win what?" Weren't we talking about my attraction to priests and clowns?

"In a fight, a battle to the death." His voice bounced off the walls of the narrow alley, excitement, and ambition both easily recognizable. His eyes now shined, they moved to meet mine, but it wasn't me he was seeing through his eagerness.

"The priest."

He stopped in his tracks, head tilted and another pout forming. "Why's that?"

"Because he's got it all thought through, priests have a lot of time to think about things." I assumed he was talking about him and Chrollo, but what would be the trouble of answering about some random clown and priest? "Priests have followers, and religion fanatics do unimaginable things for a piece of pleasure post death."

He opened the door to a decent hotel and walked in first. I was expecting something shabbier for his chaotic appearance but- it was always good to be pleasantly surprised. "Well, well- Guess I'll have to prove you wrong."

My smile grew. That was an objective figured out. He wanted to fight Chrollo. "Be my guest."

> Author's Note: :v I wasn't joking about the slow updates, I'm sorry guys~~