A Worthy Enemy (HunterxHunter)

Chapter 19: A Shot of Poison

Illumi slammed the door behind him. Hisoka perked his head up, stuffed under the blankets. It was four in the morning and throughout the room were thirteen houses of cards stacked in pyramids. Illumi sighed and reached for a towel. His clothes fell heavy in discomfort, clinging all over his skin.

Hisoka was already sitting up from the covers, raising an eyebrow. "Um," he started, "why are you all wet?~"

Illumi placed the black chip on the dresser then wrung his hair out. "What a mess." He undressed into a towel and prepared for a shower. "It was more unexpected than I predicted but nothing too out of hand."

Hisoka pursed his lips to the side. "Really? Because it looks like you..." He squinted his eyes, leaning forward. "Illumi. What is on your cheek?~"

Illuimi glanced in the mirror seeing the red-lipstick Raine left. "Oh, that?" He rubbed it off with the towel. "Nothing important."

Hisoka chuckled. "How lewd~ Didn't I tell you not to have too much fun without me?"

"It was the opposite of fun. Raine was not telling me anything. She carried out her own plans, per usual I guess. But it was all unaccounted for. Especially after the Raven appeared."

"Oh, Illumi. Of course you would say that." Then he sat up straighter, listing things out with his fingers. "Now explain in detail. How powerful was the Raven? Was she everything you thought she would be? Do you think her boss is just as strong or stronger? And lastly, did her power have to do with physical contact? I never thought you would let such intimate contact faze you~"

Illumi held his chin. "I could probably give you a better answer after I shower. And I had no physical contact with the Raven. Raine was the only person by my side."

"Oh, I suppose..." He deflated back to the covers, staring at the ceiling. "Perhaps I should have–" Hisoka shot up again, pinning Illumi with widened eyes.

Illumi raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Did Raine do that to your cheek?~"

Illumi entered the bathroom. "Yes." Starting the shower, he ran his fingers under until it was ice cold. Then the door creaked open. He turned around to see Hisoka standing at the doorway with arms crossed.

"But why?~"

Illumi tilted his head, looking at the open door then to Hisoka's ever so wrinkled forehead and deepened frown. A face written of displeasure. "Why does that matter?" He slid the crystal, glass door open and walked in. "Can I shower in peace or will you stand there and watch me like a so-called creep until I decide to get rid of you myself?"

"The latter~"

"Hisoka."

"Just kidding~ I'm leaving..."

But the sound of a closed door did not come. Illumi peeked out of the shower to see him still standing there. "You can go back to sleep. I have other matters to take care of anyways. I shouldn't disturb you."

"I never fell asleep~"

His noticeable eyebags did seem to pop out more at those words. Illumi raised a finger, "Go see what the others are up to then?"

A sunken breath left Hisoka's lips before he finally walked away. "Okay~"

Illumi headed down to the living room. There was one person he needed to find but no one could sleep at this hour apparently. A few members of the Troupe were lounging here, anticipating their return. He temporarily settled on the sofa, while just across from him, Nobunaga seemed to awaken.

"Finally," Shalnark started towards him. "You okay, Nobunaga?"

He groaned sitting up. "My head feels like concrete."