𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐒

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝟐𝟖 | 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀

Everyday Pleasures

THE man slowly closed the gap of space in between himself and (Y/N) so that his fingers could reach out to thread through her hair delicately even as she turned away, looking upon her as if she were the only one who existed to him—then again, such an idea wouldn't be too far from the truth considering how long he had desperately yearned to be able to touch her as he was doing then.

"Will you call me by name again?" He murmured softly. "I miss the way you say it."

"There is no need to," she answered, silently stepping back, watching as his smile faded. "The moment I left you, I never intended to speak your name again because I should have been nothing but a memory to you, and you a memory to me. That is all that we are to each other. Whatever fantasy you've conjured... end it. It's useless to me."

"Hm," the man hummed, lacing his hands behind his back as he did so.

"There is nothing more I have left to say to you," she enunciated as she turned to begin walking away from him and in to the blank landscape. "I've humored you long enough in life. I don't need to do the same in my dreams."

"That may be the case, but I want you to know that to me, I have so much more left to say to you," he smiled as he followed along behind her. "After all, your very being... consumes me."

She said nothing.

After all, she had nothing to say.

"It seems I still cannot tell what you're thinking," he uttered, a finger to his lips. "Do you perhaps hate me now? I wouldn't mind it since it would mean you do feel something towards me. After all, there is such a fine line between hate and love, don't you think? The concept has always interested me, really. Once I have you, I wonder if you'll hate me then? But don't worry. I'm nowhere near you. Yet."

At that, (Y/N) stopped.

There was something about his tone that made her feel as if he were telling the truth.

He was close.

He wouldn't stop searching, she realized.

Not until he had her, at least.

"It seems my time is up," he proclaimed after a moment, his entire visage seeming to flicker in and out of existence. "What a bother." Swiftly, he grabbed her, pressing a hand to her mouth and the other on her eyes whilst lightly brushing a kiss against her forehead, whispering, "I'll see you soon, (Y/N)."

Then, he was gone.

Bolting awake, (Y/N) let out a slow breath when feeling her erratic heartbeat.

How strange.

How could he have found me?

And why now?

Pressing a hand to her forehead, in disbelief of everything that was happening to her, she threw the covers off of her form and donned her cloak. Removing the layer of Nen over her bedroom door, she stepped out into the main living area and glanced over the shadowy figure casually strewn across the couch, a deck of cards in hand that he was intermittently shuffling.

"Hisoka," she stated evenly, having already felt his presence through the door. "It seems you've picked up a bad habit."

"Oh?" He smirked when catching sight of her, instantly his shuffling halting. "And what kind of habit is that, my dear (L/N)?"

"One that involves you breaking into my room unannounced," she exhaled in disbelief, irritation like a tidal wave smashing through her due to the recent events of the past hour. "If I have to ask you to leave, you will be doing so without your head, so I suggest you start thinking hard about what you should do right now."

"Seems someone had a nightmare," he chuckled, clearly amused.

Her eyes narrowed in distaste.

"It has to have been about a person, no? Seeing as to how you're this annoyed," he continued pressing, clearly intrigued in knowing more about the enigma known as 'Reaper,' his golden eyes flashing in the dim lighting. "Whoever was it? Should I kill them for you? You know I wouldn't mind~."

"Save your bloodlust, and just get out," (Y/N) muttered as she turned to pour herself a glass of cold water. "I won't say it again."

An emotion pricked within Hisoka at the sight of (Y/N) looking so vulnerable, yet so very hostile. A disturbing gut feeling told him that she was acting this way become of someone, whoever this 'someone' may be. The way (Y/N) was acting was so uncommon that he honestly couldn't believe him, his smile twitching into something akin to derangement rather than amusement.

Was he bothered?

Over something this insignificant?

Yet, to him, anything that involved (Y/N), the one he only knew as Reaper and (L/N), was significant to point it consumed him. Now, all he wished to do was eliminate whoever it was that was taking her attention away from him.

It was practically a maddening wish.

(Y/N) still had her back to Hisoka, slamming her glass down on the counter so hard it cracked as she dwelled in her dark thoughts. That was, until both she and Hisoka were interrupted by the window sliding open silently, a figure creeping in with the stealth that could only belong to one person. Illumi seemed surprised to see not only Hisoka present, but (Y/N) awake, his dark eyes glimmering with many mysteries.

"I thought you'd be asleep," Illumi uttered, looking at (Y/N) before direction his attention towards Hisoka. "More so, I didn't factor in the possibility that you would be here, either. An error on my part considering where your interests lay."

"Flattering," Hisoka smirked once more.

"So..." (Y/N) started, crossed her arms. "What are an assassin and a magician doing here when they shouldn't be?"

"Studying something interesting requires focus and accurate observations at all times," Illumi stated without missing a beat.

"I'd rather you study another," she shook her head as she once more turned away from the two, placing her glass in the sink before gripping the edge of the counter tightly. "I insist."

"(L/N)...." Hisoka interrupted with a small chuckle, his voice almost lilting. "I'm not sure you're exactly getting what my dear friend is speaking about. Those... other people that you speak about... well, none of them are you. Surely even you understand why we can't just abandon someone such as yourself who is so... tempting."

"So..." Illumi continued, his dark eyes boring into her own. "Why should we concern ourselves with such trivial beings?"

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To be continued...