A Genius Thrown to the Wolves

A Second Meeting Ch. 29

The three of them continued scouting out the city after finishing their ice cream. They even had a nice dinner out at an Italian themed restaurant before walking back to the arena with the street lit up with colorful lights. They took their time getting back and when they parted ways felt content with how they had spent their day. Hisoka and Kiyotaka were changed into pjs, sitting on the couch, Kiyotaka's head in Hisoka's lap, ears and tail flicking and swaying, happy at the attention they were receiving and Hisoka's breath calming at the purring coming from the boy in his arms. But, he had a question he needed to ask.

"What about having ice cream made you smile the first time?" Hisoka asked. He felt Kiyotaka physically freeze for a second, but surprisingly, Kiyotaka snapped back and Hisoka got his answer, "The first time I had ice cream 4 years ago, I had also happened to be eating it with my first friend, and the times after that with more friends." Kiyotaka had expected Hisoka to ask questions about the timing of his first friend, but he stayed silent, showing Kiyotaka he genuinely wanted to hear what he was saying, that he wanted him to finish his thought and explanation. That felt good. "At the time I was just using them, but I'd learned a lot from them, and hoped that one day I could care for them like a friend would." "But that day never came, did it." "It didn't. Which is also another reason our relationship confuses me." "oh?" "I was with them for three years but could never get myself to truly care for them, but I've known you only a short while, and I am more emotionally connected to you that I'd care to be." The last part made Hisoka chuckle, but then had a serious thought to offer Kiyotaka on the matter. "Had you accomplished your goal for freedom yet?" "What? No not exactly I was still fighting for it, at least until I found you." "Maybe you couldn't change because your mind and body knew you weren't free yet." "So you're saying that because I wasn't fully free yet, my mind had trapped itself until it knew for sure it was safe to change?" "That sounds better then how I would have put it, but yes." "I see that makes a lot of sense. Thank you for helping me figure that out." No problem Hisoka said as he continued to free Kiyotaka's hair of any tangles, playing gently with the strands as Kiyotaka's tail wrapped itself around his stomach as a means of comfort for both of them.

They got used to living in heavens arena, and before either of them knew it, almost a year had passed.

Both Hisoka and Kiyotaka woke up on the couch. Kiyotaka was between Hisoka's legs, his head near his hip, and wrapping his arms and legs around Hisoka's. Hisoka had one leg propped up against the back of the couch, the other in Kiyotaka's grasp. One of his hands was acting as a pillow behind his head and the other was resting on Kiyo's head. Hisoka woke up, but remained still, he had never had much good in his life, that was mostly his fault at this point, so he knew that he had to cherish a good thing when he found it. The only difference this time, was that it wasn't a toy he was trying to get the most out of before killing it, he was cherishing something he didn't want to loose, someone he was afraid to loose. He was also hoping that Bel didn't come by knocking on the door this morning and ruining the perfect moment being given to him.

Kiyotaka slowly began to wake up, as he did, he could recognize the feeling of being observed, but this time, he didn't mind it. There was no ill will or ulterior motive behind it, and it wasn't picking him apart and scrutinizing, it wasn't planning out his next lesson or torture session. Instead it was full of admiration, appreciation, and even a little lust. Before Kiyotaka knew it, his face felt hot, and he found himself enjoying being watched like this, feeling like behind those eyes was care for him.

Kiyotaka was startled out of his thoughts when he felt himself being grabbed under the arms. Hisoka sat up only slightly and pulled Kiyotaka further up on his chest before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. "You're blushing~ I didn't know you could do that yet~" Hisoka pointed out and watched as Kiyotaka brought a hand up to touch his cheek, as if confirming for himself that he was blushing. It surprised him though, he did notice his cheeks felt warmer then usual, but blushing? He didn't that was something he'd ever be capable of.

The man below him really was the key to gaining his freedom, and tearing down the barrier his mind had put on itself. Kiyotaka, for the first time ever, truly felt an excitement and longing to see what the future holds. He couldn't wait.

...

"What are you still doing with him?!?" Gon yelled in an excited state. "What do you mean?" Kiyotaka asked calmly from atop Hisoka's shoulders, almost asleep after a fight that morning. It wasn't hard, in fact, it was the opposite. The fight was so boring that even thinking about it was putting him to sleep. "I mean- ah- ... never mind." Killua was slightly taken a back by his friends outburst. "Sorry for him, he's an idiot. What he meant to ask is what the both of you are doing here, and together?" "We're here for the same reasons as you, and why wouldn't we be here together?" "Well, it's just that I thought you were only working together for the exam, I didn't think you knew each other outside of that, guess I was wrong though." "You mean Illumi told you wrong" Killua tensed slightly "Yeah" He let out a sigh before getting his shoulders to relax.

"But" Hisoka started causing the two boys to look back up at him, "You're not ready for the 200th floor" "What! Yes we are, that's why we were sent here" "You're not, and I can prove it to you" Killua scoffed, but still followed Gon and put his guard up. "Oh pleas what ca-" froze as a dense pressure was suddenly pushing against them, with Hisoka on the other side. He was blocking them from getting to the check in point, so they tried to push through, but each step against the pressure was even more painful then the last. "Don't. If you keep going, you'll die." "Wha-" "You'll know you're ready for the 200th floor when you can safely walk past me, but hurry up~ times ticking~" Hisoka was right, they had to sign up before tomorrow, that gave them less then a day to pass Hisoka's test. "That was nice of you." was Kiyotaka's only comment on the situation, and it was a sincere one.