Beyond the Grave [ILLUMI X CHROLLO]

[8] Ballad of Pookie-Bear

Illumi, for better or for worse, would be confined to the afterlife by a measly pair of handcuffs. He couldn't punch back to Earth when both fists were involved, but by God would he try.

Within a millisecond of returning, Illumi's fist was at the ready. His elbow jerked back by something catching him from behind and, swinging back to shove it away, he came face-to-face with Pride.

Pride ducked back to avoid an elbow to the nose. "Careful."

Illumi yanked his arm hard as if to wrench his shoulder out of its socket. Pride followed, jamming his forearm down on Illumi's elbow and forcing it to bend. He caught Illumi by the wrist with a clamp of metal. It clicked into place—one half of a chain-less handcuff.

No, Illumi thought, frantic, and shoving his arm into Pride's chest to hold his free arm away.

It was like every horrible nightmare had prepared Illumi for the moment when his body deceived him. And Pride, the overpowered opponent, made quick work of dismantling Illumi's self-control with a sudden and enclosing force of his hand gripping Illumi under his chin.

His fingers pinched into Illumi's cheeks. Their eyes held just long enough for Illumi to register that the space between them was growing slim.

"Stop—" Illumi started, the word closing in on Pride's lips.

It'd been five years since Illumi had kissed anyone. And before then, his romantic bodycount—if such a count existed—was zero.

He hadn't thought to consider that number rising, and it was odd that this number was now two.

Pride's lips held a force Chrollo's didn't, and a heat that scorched Illumi to his very core. The suction of his lips gave way to an audible parting as Illumi sucked in a sharp breath to curse him out.

He shoved his forearm against Pride's chest, trying to budge, but Pride's hands only held his arm closer, tighter, as he cut off Illumi's breathless, "Fuck y—"

The prick of Pride's fangs was tasted before it was felt. The scatter across his nerves reminded Illumi of his starlight tears as they melted against their joined tongues.

When they separated, it was just enough for their lips to skim, damp with saliva, as Sukuna whispered, "Don't leave again. That body wasn't yours."

Illumi shoulders heaved against the adrenaline that had ravished his soul until that moment. It wasn't the adrenaline from the club, but he recognized a pinch of it from his flight response days before.

Speechless, Illumi nodded. His nose brushed Sukuna's, his eyes wide and expression relaxing into pure unadulterated irritation. He opened his mouth to speak, but it was then he registered the absence of Sukuna's hand on his throat and jaw.

Metal clamped onto his fallen, free wrist.

Illumi cursed, heaving his arm back and yanking his other hand with it. Sukuna resisted for a second before loosening his grip enough for Illumi to stagger and nearly fall. He was caught, balanced steadied, by Sukuna's hand shooting out to catch the invisible chain between Illumi's hands.

Sukuna reeled him back, fist closed between Illumi's hands mere inches from Sukuna's lips. "You aren't to leave my sight now. Is that understood?"

"No," Illumi said, and at the poised arch of Sukuna's brow, Illumi said, "I don't speak asshole."

Sukuna released a slow, calculated breath through his nose, lips drawn tight. "If you go back to Earth..."

"I won't," Illumi said, "just take off the handcuffs."