Beyond the Grave [ILLUMI X CHROLLO]

[ 18 ] Speed Dial

Waiting for him back at Meruem's apartment was another whiskey on the rocks and Pride, sitting poised on the living room couch facing the window. The night had grown dark and, judging by the sway of the trees down below, cold.

Illumi was nearly upon him, silent as a ghost, when Pride glanced in his direction and nearly threw his drink and book in fright.

"Holy shit! Announce yourself or something, Jesus."

Illumi winced. "Sorry. I just got back."

Pride glanced out the window, pulling his legs down from where they'd been hooked over the armrest.

"It's not morning yet," he said, completely disoriented. The hair on the left side of his head was sticking straight out—he'd been leaning his head against his hand on the back cushion.

"I know. Chrollo and I were done talking," Illumi confessed. After a moment's hesitation, he sat a cushion away from Sukuna on the couch. The two of them sat stiffly for a time as Sukuna set the book aside and cradled his drink between his legs. The ice was nearly gone.

"I can't read your mind," Sukuna said. "What's my diagnosis?"

"That I'm interested in exploring you," Illumi said, only to stammer uselessly over his phrasing and wind up staring vacantly at Sukuna, who stared straight back at him with wide eyes and stark red irises honed in on him like a goddamn radar.

"I mean, as a concept."

"A... concept."

"Explore us as a concept. Not just—Not just you specifically. I am interested in you specifically, but also Chrollo—Wait, I wasn't supposed to bring that up yet. I need a piece of paper. And a pen. I talk better with shit written down first—"

Illumi was on his feet and about to make off to the next room when Sukuna's hand caught him by the wrist and reeled him back. This time, Illumi landed on the cushion directly beside Sukuna. They may as well have been sharing a square.

Sukuna leant over Illumi's knees to rest his whiskey on one of the porcelain coasters. Illumi swallowed hard at his imposing eye-contact that made Illumi want to shrivel up and die again. His human irises this close were scorching and rimmed with a thick black line.

"What I understand," Sukuna started, one hand bracing over Illumi's legs and the other resting on the back of the couch, "is that you're interested in having us both. Am I correct in that?"

"Well," Illumi said, "you're not wrong."

Sukuna hummed, deep in his throat, and Illumi once again turned to putty in his arms. He felt it shimmer across his soul and threaten to dissolve him through the cushions and the floor out of embarrassment of his own response to the sound of Sukuna's hum alone. Anything more and Illumi was sure he'd combust.

Reflexively, Illumi thought, I'm going to Hell, aren't I.

"Assuming I agree," Sukuna said, "when would I have you, and when would he."

"Open to... suggestions," Illumi said as Sukuna's breath ghosted along his cheek, delving down to his throat. "I-I was thinking weekends with Chrollo would be fair, for starters. Given that's also the arrangement Wrath has with my brother, and he's still on house arrest."

"Generous of you." Sukuna's lips were on his neck now, wrecking havoc down to the collar of Chrollo's shirt.

Illumi caught him with a hand to his chin, angling Sukuna's eyes back up. Big mistake, Illumi thought, swallowing hard at the sight of Sukuna's pupils narrowing to catlike slits.