Tattoos

Chapter 18

Hisoka grew increasingly annoyed by Machi's ringing phone. She wouldn't put it on silent, but she wouldn't pick up either. Chrollo had started calling at the same time every day for the past three days. Machi is notably doing better while Hisoka is continuing to struggle. He didn't go to class since the showcase, he knows there will be endless praise, but to him, he didn't do good enough.

None of their praise would help the way he feels.

He aggressively presses the end call on Machi's phone while they sit together in the kitchen.

"Hisoka, you're kinda starting to worry me," Machi says slowly.

"What?"

"It's been six days since you've slept or eaten properly."

Hisoka gives her a glare and storms out of the apartment. He did not need to be lectured on his heath, he has more important thoughts... Illumi. He finds himself stuck in his apartment lobby, looking out at the rain. Rainy season... He finds today he doesn't like the rain as he normally did.

His phone begins ringing and he sighs taking it out of his pocket to see an unknown caller. He answers anyway, with a half-hearted hello.

"Hisoka," Illumi's voice hiccups and Hisoka freezes in response. "I-I know you hate me right now... But I could really use a hug."

"Where are you?" Hisoka grips his phone a little too tightly.

Illumi pauses on the other end, falling silent for a moment, but Hisoka can hear his ragged breathing and sniffling along with the rain pattering roughly. "Herb street? In the telephone box."

"Stay on the line okay?" Hisoka runs out of his apartment, grabbing the spare umbrella the one kind neighbour always left at the front. Herb street isn't too far... Well, not too far with the shortcut Hisoka knew to take. Through the alley, over the fence, dash through the park.

Illumi's crying over the line made him move faster, ignoring the rain that pelted into him, seeping into his skin.

"Y-You're really coming?" Illumi's voice cracks and Hisoka winces.

"Of course," he slides out onto Herb street after a couple minutes. Both staying silent over the lines, but knowing the other is there. Hisoka pants slightly and looks up and down the street, searching for the telephone box desperately. Illumi using a payphone would have been funny to him if the situation were different but-

Hisoka catches glimpse of the box, a figure inside but completely blurred out by the heavy rain. He sprints toward it, pushing past a couple walking down the street roughly, uncaring. Illumi needs him. Illumi really needs him.

Illumi seems to spot him, although his reaction time isn't nearly as fast as he drops the phone, opening the box door to get slammed into by Hisoka. Hisoka drops his own phone, sure it's broken from water damage by now, the umbrella soon following it onto the ground, and he hugs Illumi. Their bodies colliding harshly but neither cared. Both of them wet from the rain, hugging each other as though they had been waiting to do this for a lifetime. Hisoka holds Illumi's head into the crook of his neck where Illumi starts to sob, grabbing Hisoka's shirt. Hisoka shushes him gently, whispering sweet nothings to him as they spin around a little at the force they collided with.

The rain soaks through them, but neither really feel it. Suddenly Hisoka realizes he's crying a little too. When they've stopped spinning, they stay like that for a moment, probably looking insane to anyone watching. Illumi looks up at Hisoka for a moment before kissing him.

Hisoka kisses him back needily, this is the first time Illumi initiated a kiss.

When they pull away, Illumi is still crying, just not as much. Hisoka gently pushes him away but Illumi takes hold of his sleeve.