Epidemic

by Cherrie

(Hisoka+Illumi) Hisoka's sick! Just to pass time by, he calls his best friend over to keep him company.

Disclaimers: Hunter X Hunter and all mentioned characters are owned by Mr. Yoshihiro Togashi.
Notes: Back to HisoIllu! ^^; And it's comedy! It's more on comedy than romance actually, just another attempt to cheer myself up. I swear, I work better with one-shots *sighs*

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EPIDEMIC
by: Cherrie
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Strange...

Hisoka tried to blink, but the thermometer still read the same. Of course, he's had minor fevers before, but he never had one this high. He's way over the normal body temperature to say the least, and he's already starting to feel uneasy. He could only be thankful that he was sitting down.

The television blared in front of him as he sat there on the couch of the expensive penthouse. The lady, whose youthful face flashed on the screen with her chestnut brown hair fixed on the sides of her face, was filling him in with the current events.

"The unknown epidemic is still spreading in various cities across the country. Symptoms of this disease are said to be on and off high fevers, headaches and dizziness, and at times slight nausea. Experts are still trying to figure out where it had come from. Some say that--"

Silence filled the faintly lit room as the magician pressed the "off" button on the remote control. So, it was an epidemic, huh? Maybe that explains it. But it was strange. As far as he was concerned, he was not one who would be the type to catch just any kind of disease. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't remember the last time he fell ill. It must've been a long time ago.

But still, there was no denying that he did feel sort of dizzy. And what timing too. He wasn't in the mood to get sick.

He fell back on his seat, resting his head to stop his vision from spinning. "I'm going to be SO bored!" he whined, not knowing what else to say. He thought of a possible solution, because surely, he wasn't going to just sit back and wait for days for the stupid virus to get away from his body.

For a few minutes, he sat there, silent. It didn't take him long to think, for in a moment, he opened his eyes, regardless of the brief spinning of his surroundings. He snapped his fingers in delight, and reached up for his cellphone that rested on a coffee table he had nearby.

* * * * *

The vast vegetation that covered most of the Zoldick territory was peaceful. Illumi was sitting atop one of the trees that stood just by the foot of the mountain their mansion stayed in, and was contentedly surrendering to sleep when he heard an insistent ringing in his ears and a patterned vibration from his side.

Ghostly white eyelids fluttered opened, revealing a pair of striking black eyes that rivaled the darkness of midnight itself. The afternoon breeze was making various strands of ink black hair dance behind him, but he didn't pay it any heed as he impatiently reached for his pockets to fish out his accursed cellphone. And sure enough, the screen blinked, indicating a currently on-going call.

Resisting the urge to throw the cellphone away, Illumi answered, but not before he scowled at the familiar name he saw. "What do you want?" he asked, not even bothering to hide the irritation that trickled from his voice.

The person from the other line didn't seem to be bothered though. "Illumi-kun!" came the familiar, irritatingly enthusiastic voice, further disrupting the peace that Illumi was supposedly savoring. "Guess what. I'm sick, would you believe that?" A series of insane laughter followed after that.

"You don't sound the least bit sick, Hisoka," came Illumi's indifferent answer. He was trying to suppress a yawn from breaking in.

"Have you heard about the spreading epidemic lately?" asked Hisoka.

"No."

"Well, that's it!" the magician declared, almost happily for some absurd reason, mindless of what he had said. But then again, he's cheerful most of the time anyway. "That is, that's what it seems like. I refuse to go to a doctor to see for myself. And it's not like I'm going to die from it," he added.

Illumi sighed, already tired from the magician's seemingly endlessly restless rants. "So...you called just to tell me that?" he asked impatiently.

"Hm?" For a moment, Hisoka seemed to be lost for words. But eventually, he took his expression back. "Oh, that! No, no, of course not. I didn't mean to waste your time. I called because I need you to work for me."

An eyebrow rose. "I didn't think you'd be the type who'd hire someone to kill for you. I thought mutilating people was your hobby?"

"Huh? No, it's not like that. I want you to come right here with me."

A slight pause. "Excuse me?"

"You see, it's like this," Hisoka stopped, as if he was deciding what to say next. "I was thinking. With me being sick and all, there would be nothing to do. I'm very moody, and I don't like to be bored. So I want you to come here and keep me company!"

A slight pause from Illumi again. "So...you want me to watch over you."

A small laugh from Hisoka came next. "Well, yes," he admitted.

Illumi sighed again. "Hisoka, I'm an assassin, not a slave for hire," said the young Zoldick, already in the verge of snapping at the magician. First he comes around preventing him from sleeping, and now he wants him to play nurse?

"I'll pay you twice the price of your assassinations done in the span of the days I'm going to keep you, how's that?"

"No."

"Thrice?"

"No."

"Four times the usual price then, I don't care," insisted the magician.

Illumi thought for a while. He hasn't been getting much offers lately. And after all, with the rate they were going through, he might get quite a huge amount from this. Finally, he decided. "Six."

"Pardon?"

"Six times the usual price," offered Illumi, his voice still plain yet irritated.

"Six?" asked Hisoka from the other line. "Why did you skip five?"

"Don't irritate me, Hisoka."

"Uhm...how about five and a half?"

"What's with the five?"

"What's with the six?"

A nerve was twitching threateningly now. "I'm hanging up."

"Fine, fine, six it is," agreed Hisoka with a slight chuckle. "I was just playing. Anyway, I expect you here as soon as possible, all right? Time limit's until I get better."

"Where are you?" Illumi asked, finally resigning that he'll have to postpone his sleep some other time.

"Yorkshin City," replied Hisoka.

Illumi opened his mouth, in the midst of asking why Hisoka was in that noisy city. But he stopped himself lest their conversation go even longer. Instead, he just went straight to his point. "Tell me the exact location and I'll be there."

* * * * *

"Come in~!"

The very tune of that voice made Illumi want to run over where the magician was and strangle him. But he kept his cool and just held the doorknob in hand, turning it so he could enter.

Hisoka's room, not to mention the whole penthouse itself, was luxurious enough, but Illumi's been around wealth enough to be used to it. There was a small fireplace that graced one side of the room. Illumi noticed that it was the only source of light the room had, and it gave it a dark crimson hue. It suited Hisoka for some reason though.

"You have a fever and you're here toasting yourself to death," remarked the younger man sarcastically as he made his way towards the huge couch.

As if on cue, Hisoka started. "Illumi-kun, I'm cold!" he whined, looking up at the assassin with his most pitiful appearance.

Okay, so Hisoka was a tad bit too pale, but Illumi's too proud to admit that to the other. "Stop it, I'm not here to shower you with sympathy," he snapped. He took a seat beside Hisoka and stared at the fire.

"Just in case you're interested to know, you're going to be with me 24/7. Well, if it takes as long as a week anyway, but that's okay. I get my playmate, and you get your money, right?" he explained, playfully adding that last part. Illumi knew that he meant what he said, but he didn't exactly like the way he had said it.

For a sick man, he's still the same enthusiastic one, thought the young Zoldick as he watched Hisoka tick a few things in his fingers.

"...and then you have to help me fix my things because I won't be able to do them myself with my condition and all, my bedtime's at 3 in the morning by the way, you have to adjust to that too I'm afraid. But that's all right, I can keep you busy..." he trailed off, and he was inching dangerously closer to him now. He was wearing his self-confident smirk as usual, and Illumi noted that Hisoka's fever had caused a soft blush to rise up on the magician's cheeks.

But he was determined not to turn into putty with something as simple as a cute blush. "Do anything funny and the deal's off," he said, not even the least bit taunted...or so it had seemed. There was a harsh beating in his chest for some reason, but he paid it no heed. He needed his full concentration in maintaining a straight face with the magician looming around him like that.

"Of course," grinned Hisoka, and he started to pull away. Illumi needed all the self-restraint he had to not heave a sigh of relief. "Ne, Illumi-kun, do you know how to cook? I'm hungry, but I can't face the stove without getting dizzy from the heat."

A slender eyebrow rose at that. "I see...so you'd rather roast yourself in front of a fireplace instead, is that it?" the assassin asked, his sarcasm still trickling a tad bit too much.

Hisoka laughed. "A fireplace is different from a stressful stove with pots, pans and cooking oil, Illumi-kun," chimed the magician cheerfully.

"It's none of my business, but I suggest you take a break from all the heat lest it starts to bother your mind," Illumi said, standing up. "As if it hasn't been twisted enough," he added in a low voice.

"Did you say something, Illumi-kun?" asked Hisoka. Illumi could feel the magician's sticky gaze behind his back, but again, he tried to ignore him and just went out of the room.

* * * * *

Several minutes have passed before the door to Hisoka's room opened again. Hisoka was currently humming an unknown tune, calmly waiting for Illumi to arrive. He heard footsteps coming closer and closer, and eventually, he heard the loud clang of glass against glass as the young assassin settled the tray on the table.

"You know, I'm paying a bit of an expensive fee here. The least you can do is to be a bit nicer," Hisoka remarked, staring at the tray. It contained a glass of orange juice, a spoon on top of a table napkin and a fairly small bowl of steaming, creamy white soup. "What's this?" Hisoka asked, pointing at the bowl.

"Asparagus, it was the first that I found," replied the assassin, his arms folded. He wasn't even looking at the other. He silently hoped that the magician disliked asparagus though. He wasn't exactly trying his best to please him, to be honest.

Unfortunately for Illumi, Hisoka just shrugged and proceeded in picking up the spoon. He took a small taste, and decided that it was done well enough. Not exactly gourmet cooking, but it wasn't bad either. In fact, he had expected something less from the assassin. He supposed that the other man was better than he had thought.

"What's your temperature?" asked the other out of the blue, interrupting Hisoka's thoughts.

The magician smirked. "First you acted cold, and now you're concerned?"

It was inevitable that he received a glare. "I only want to make sure that I get my money without the burden of having to bury a corpse," he replied in a harsh tone.

Hisoka laughed. "Now now, don't exaggerate. Don't worry, you'll get your money. And," Hisoka looked up at Illumi with a knowing grin. "I know you care for an old friend, you just don't want to say it."

A thin eyebrow rose. "Whoever said you were my friend?"

"Oh, yes, I forgot. Assassins aren't supposed to have friends. But then again, you are related to one who runs around with somebody he calls a 'friend', ne?" teased the magician, still smiling up at the other who did all but return his expression. "And what a cute friend too! I wonder how Gon-chan is doing..."

"Are you intending to finish your food or would you like me to take it away now?" the other asked, his irritation seeming to grow worse each time they exchange words.

"Like I said, you better start acting nice or I won't pay you," Hisoka said, taking another sip. "Oh, and my temperature. I haven't checked yet. For a quick check-up though, my head feels like hell, my joints hurt like hell, my eyes burn like hell, my stomach feels like hell, my--"

"I get the idea!" snapped the more than annoyed young man. His eyes then drifted to the fireplace. Rather irritated now with Hisoka's absurd habit of staying close to the fire, he looked around the room in search of the light switch. He found it eventually, and after opening the overhead lights--much to Hisoka's annoyance--he went to the fireplace and killed off the fire.

"Hey! What do you think you're do--" Hisoka's words died down from his throat when he felt cold, strong hands take a hold of his wrist, pulling him up a tad bit too harshly. Illumi's movement was fast, and Hisoka wasn't even able to catch that last one. He was again about to ask him what he was doing, only now he found himself being pulled towards his bed.

Illumi pushed him down, making him lie on his back. His next move seem thoughtful enough--he reached down to arrange the pillows under Hisoka's head in an attempt to level the lumps down--if only he would take away that confounded hand that seem to be stopping the circulation that goes through his arm.

"Like you said, I'm getting paid here. If our employer dies, our job is done and we don't get paid," he was now glaring at Hisoka. "So if you're intending to commit suicide, pay me the first parts of my fee so we'll both rest in peace."

Still, Hisoka doesn't seem to be bothered. "Is that you're way of asking me to take care of myself? Thanks, Illumi-kun, I'm really touched!" he said cheerfully, clapping his hands in a joyful motion.

Hisoka thought he heard a growl from Illumi before the other pulled away and went back to the table near the fireplace. Hisoka watched as Illumi picked up the bowl and glass, only to go back to his bedside to hand him his food. He bid him a happy "thanks!" and continued to eat.

"By the way, I sleep early," Illumi said as he took his seat on a chair beside Hisoka's bed. "Being that you're the one who needs rest here, you'll do the adjusting. Sleep at 9 o'clock."

The magician scowled. "He-ey, I hired you as a companion, not someone who'd take the role of a mother!"

Again, another glare. "Don't prolong your own sickness, Hisoka. That is if you want to get bankrupt with the days that you are wasting with me."

"Oh, don't worry about that, I've got plenty of money. Even if I don't, earning money is easy," he said, finishing his soup. He handed Illumi his empty bowl. "Thank you! That was great, never thought you'd cook so well. Anyway, since you said that I should sleep early, I guess I should get ready for bed now. I'm going to use the bathroom, okay? Oh, and can I take a bath?"

Illumi sighed. "I never thought you can talk so much," he remarked. "If you won't fall down, maybe you can take a bath. I'm not good with the sick. If a member of my family gets sick, we lock him up in his own secluded room and have him gain his health by himself. Don't blame me if you get worse."

"I'll be fine," replied the magician. "Of course, if you're too worried, you can give me my bath, I won't mind," he added.

Illumi heaved an angry sigh, allowing it to be his response. He stood up. "Where's my room?" he asked.

Hisoka chuckled at Illumi's reaction. "The room closest to mine, if you don't mind," he said, pointing at the opposite wall. "Your bathroom is right across from your room's door, and the closet there is big enough for your things. You did bring a couple of clothes with you, didn't you?"

"I'm not stupid."

"Okay, okay, just making sure," Hisoka said as he sat up, resting his head in his hand for a moment to settle his dizziness. "I never expected you'd be so snappy though. As far as I can remember, you were actually nicer than I had been to you during the Hunter Exam. Oh, and the things after that too," he remarked, his eyes casting their gaze up to the assassin.

Illumi shrugged. "Mood varies when I feel like it," he said listlessly, and started to walk towards the door.

Again, he wondered whether or not the magician really was sick. Like Hisoka, Illumi had remembered their past acquaintances with each other as something more different. He had been the submissive one for one thing. But then again, Illumi did do most of the talking before despite his being the submissive one. Hisoka wasn't THIS talkative, the magician was supposed to be a bit more dignified. Now, he just reminded him of a kid.

"Goodnight, Illumi-kun!"

A huge emphasis on "kid" and "not as he had remembered". Illumi could only shift a wary eye at Hisoka, who was grinning at him despite his paleness and the raggedness of his state. Not knowing what else to do or say, he just looked away and muttered his own "Goodnight" before closing the door behind him.

* * * * *

"I miss Machi."

Illumi looked up from the book he was reading to the magician who was sprawled on a blanket he had momentarily laid on the ground. Hisoka had told him that the room was getting boring (despite the many things to keep him busy there) and that he needed fresh air, so he asked him if he would like to do something elsewhere. So there they were, on the small, grassed plain that was the topmost part of the hotel's penthouse, with the long wire of the TV and extension chords to grace their ever so pleasing moment.

Not finding the right amount of control to ignore the other, for reasons unknown and best left undiscovered, Illumi snapped. "What?" he asked impatiently, not even intending to close his book, a sure indication that this conversation better not be long.

Hisoka turned the TV off with the remote and glanced at Illumi's direction. "You know, that babe from Geneiryodan that I've told you about? See, I tend to play around with her to pass the time, but then again she--"

"Always ignores you," finished the young Zoldick. "I've heard you whine more than necessary to know that, Hisoka."

A shrill laugh. "Yeah, well, it's frustrating," sniffed the magician soon after, staring off into space.

"By the way you talked about her, I'd say you have no chance." As if that in itself ended the conversation, Illumi's eyes wandered back to his book to take in the written words once again.

"Hey, that's not very nice! This is the part where you'd say, 'Don't worry, Hisoka, I'm sure she's just shy' or 'That's okay, there are others waiting to be taken'."

Silence. A sound of a page being turned.

"Illumi~!" But before Hisoka can start his in-coming rants, an idea more absurd than his usual ones popped in his head. "Oh, I know...Illumi-kun's jealous of Machi!"

A glare. Exactly the reaction he expected. Illumi was just too predictable. And if his confidence in truly knowing Illumi's personality pulls him through, he'll bet that the other would go in a series of defensive reasons to deny that statement.

"Excuse ME." Hisoka smirked. There, see? "I would not drop to something as pathetic as that. Besides, aside from the fact that I'd rather marry that horse-faced fiancé-to-be my grandfather presented to me last year than to find YOU attractive, the issue about this Machi girl can hardly be argued with anymore. You've quitted the Ryodan, and she's bound to despise you after what you did to their group."

Hisoka mocked a frown. "That's not a very nice thing to say," he whined.

Silence met him again. It really was impossible to trigger a conversation that would last more than five minutes whenever he's with Illumi. If the guy wasn't busy, he's bound to leave and do something more, to quote him himself, 'productive'.

The magician remained quiet, merely watching the other read his book, sitting ever so gracefully on that soft, couch-like chair he had brought along with him on their way outside. The chair itself was Hisoka's favorite, but he didn't really mind the thought that Illumi was using it. If possible, he was actually glad he was. He couldn't think of a better scene than a comfortable Illumi.

"Stop staring."

Hisoka laughed, loving the way those words were said. Despite the evident impatience, Illumi still hasn't hurt him. Hisoka picked up a random thought to strike up their conversation again. "Ne, Illumi. Ever wonder how we're going to die?" he asked out of the blue, staring up at the assassin with intent eyes.

Illumi looked up from the book again to eye the other. "Isn't it a little bit out of place to think of that?" he asked.

Hisoka shrugged. "I really doubt that I'll die in battle. Same goes for you. I'd surely hate to die from a weak body though. So...it's a thought," he said.

For a moment, Illumi looked like he wasn't going to reply, his eyes glued again on the book. But he was merely staring, no words coming in, and in the end, he sighed, knowing that he won't be able to stand the quiet without responding. "If we fight each other, one of us is sure to die," he said frankly, intending to go back to his book. But a second after he said that, he felt a small weight strain his left knee. He moved the book away to see what it was, and was surprised to see Hisoka sitting closely by his feet, his head leaning on the side of the said knee.

"I'd rather die knowing it was you who killed me. That's so sweet! When I go to hell, I'll be so proud to dethrone the devil himself, knowing that I didn't die disgraced! I'll die in Illumi-kun's arms!"

Several sounds of pounding and breaking concrete can be heard within the cloud of smoke Illumi had conjured for himself and his supposed client. It was hard to say if those sounds Hisoka was making was out of pain or amusement. Maybe both.

* * * * *

"Ne, Illumi?"

Illumi, who was sitting in a less than elegant fashion on the couch, looked up from the dark mass of his hair to grace the magician with yet another glare, his hand still clutching one side of his aching head.

"Hey, don't give me that look. Can't you take a joke? And I'm the one hurt in the end, aren't I?" asked the magician with a childish pout, having the least amount of success to soften the assassin's annoyance. Of course, Hisoka was the type who'd be hardly bothered by that. He's known Illumi long enough to know that he wouldn't stay angry with him forever.

He continued. "Ever wondered why I'm here in Yorkshin?" he asked. No reply. He expected that anyway, so he continued. "There's an item I'd like to get. Some ancient dagger found in the ruins of one of the most nen-influenced cities in the world. I saw it in one of the flyers and I got interested."

"I thought you don't like using common weapons?" asked Illumi, knowing fully well what Hisoka's taste in weapon is.

"Oh, I'm not going to use it. I just know someone who might," he said happily, both because of the idea of acquiring the dagger and also because he knew that Illumi's head has already cooled off. "And guess when the auction is!"

"Today?" Illumi won't be surprised if his answer was correct. Knowing Hisoka...

"Even better. It's in two hours! So I'd really appreciate it if you could just give me some pain killers for your own act of violence a moment ago and help me get ready."

"I'm not coming with you, am I?" asked the assassin, even if he doubted he'll like the answer anyway.

"Of course you are!"

It's almost creepy how they both know each other so well. Illumi sighed, weary of arguing any further, knowing fully well that he'll end up losing if Hisoka's determined.

* * * * *

It's 11 in the evening. Yorkshin was not the type of city that would sleep, but it does have a few secluded parts. And by some unfortunate act of fate, Illumi found himself with an uncharacteristically weak Hisoka in those said places.

After winning the heated battle for the beloved item (with the magician surprising him with just how much money he really had), and after several bouts of walking around the city, Hisoka finally collapsed due to his ill state. Thus, there they were, in a rather remote corner of Yorkshin where the grass served as their carpet, the trees were in their full majesty, and the night lamps glowed warmly. The niceness of the surroundings was almost insulting.

As for Hisoka, for his first encounter with sickness, things were going pretty well. Illumi was being completely submissive now that he's seriously sick. He never knew that the assassin could be so nice. And with his position at the moment...his back on the grass and his head resting on Illumi's lap, Illumi's dark red jacket sprawled on top of him, his prized dagger in one hand with the other taking a hold of the assassin's hand tight enough to trap it there...he was certainly doing very well. He resisted the urge to snicker at the memory of the small blush the other tried to hide when he made his moves.

Shifting his eyes from the golden hilt of the dagger, Hisoka looked up to see his dark-haired friend looking up at the night sky, a passive expression on his face. "Ne, Illumi-kun?" He squeezed the hand he had trapped in his own, causing the other to nearly jump in surprise. "What are you thinking about?" he asked, an innocent grin on his face.

Illumi didn't look at him though, and just continued with his staring. "I'm wondering how I got myself into this..." he mumbled unemotionally.

Still feigning innocence, Hisoka tilted his head, teasing the other. "Hm? What do you mean?"

Illumi looked at the other incredulously. "Hisoka, look at me! I'm right here with you, in some secluded park, with you using me as a pillow!"

"Don't forget holding hands," reminded the other amusedly.

"And that too!" snapped the other, casting their connected hands a spiteful gaze. "You're lucky you're sick..."

"Illumi-kun's so cute when he's angry. Did it ever occur to you that maybe I only like teasing you because I know that I'm the only one who can see you this way?" asked Hisoka.

Closing his eyes, the other sighed, using his free hand to rub a rather painful part in his temple. "No. I thought it was a poor attempt on suicide," he said exasperatedly.

The hold on his hand disappeared, and for a second, Illumi felt just how cold the night really was. He opened his eyes to see what was wrong, for the weight on his lap lightened just as well. He then found himself face to face with Hisoka, the warmth emitted by the other's fever radiating viciously from their closeness. Or maybe it was just him. After all, the distance separating them didn't even reach as far as three inches anymore.

Hisoka caught Illumi's gaze. "No," he said, his eyes unusually serious, with only a mere spark of his old mischief behind the golden hue. "This is."

The last thing the assassin felt was a firm hand that ranged from both cold and heated from fever reaching up behind his neck, under the mass of raven hair, to pull him close into a deep kiss. Hisoka's lips were soft but demanding, and...strangely sweet, that despite his instinctive attempt to push him away, Illumi finally found himself giving in. Rationality and common sense were no more than illusions now, for everything that he felt at that moment were all elicited by Hisoka alone.

Though in the midst of satisfying his long-time hunger for the other, Hisoka knew he had to stop before Illumi's mind starts working again. Whether or not it was shock or something that made the younger one so still, he wasn't sure. But nevertheless, the magician slowly pulled away, but not before he could open the other's limp hand to place the golden treasure he paid dearly for in its ghostly whiteness.

"My gift," he said. "Remember the time I said I'd be happy to die through your hands?" he asked, a soft whisper now, his lips touching the other's ear. "I really meant it. That was why I wanted the dagger in the first place. You're the only one I intend to fight with my last breath anyway."

Illumi was silent. Hisoka knew the risks involved in his last act, but when Illumi gave him the chance, that small, tiny vulnerable moment, he took it without a second's thought. He didn't anymore bother with the details. He only hoped that he won't be losing his most valued friend (if not the only one) through it.

Illumi seems to be fond of the practice of making other people anticipate his next move, almost killing them just from anxiety. And he was doing a better job than usual. Even without his fever, Hisoka would still be shaking nonetheless.

But the magician's silence, or fear of a more possible rejection, was rewarded eventually. Illumi shook his head, and his usual passive expression that most people normally fear somehow gave the other more relief than any other thing. "Idiot," the assassin muttered, his dark eyes meeting the other's. "You always have the weirdest ideas."

Hisoka grinned, his normal expression back just as well. "So, is that a 'yes'?"

"Kill YOU?" Illumi asked. "I'm not dumb enough to let such a thing pass me by."

If Hisoka hadn't known better, he could've sworn Illumi smiled. But that was no more than wishful thinking now, for the other hid it quite immediately. Inwardly shrugging, the magician just opted to other risky measures, and retaining his position before, he slid down the cold grass and fixed himself on the other's lap again. He caught the other's glare, but he pretended not to see it and just closed his eyes, turning away. "Illumi-kun's being very nice to me," he mumbled happily.

"I think you've had enough of my so-called 'kindness'," said Illumi, in the midst of pulling his hand away from Hisoka's death grip once again.

Hisoka laughed. "Nope, not yet." A tired yawn.

"Don't you DARE go to sleep!"

Another yawn. He snuggled closer to the other's inviting warmth. "Too late, Illumi-kun. Too late..." And he drifted off to sleep.

* * * * *

"Yes, that's right. He's right here. No, he's fine. I understand. He'll be well soon, I think. Yes, you're welcome."

Illumi opened his eyes, taking note of the sudden shot of pain in his head. He felt heavy for some reason, and the room seemed uncomfortably hot. The sounds of that familiar voice woke him somehow. Hisoka must've been talking to somebody over the phone.

"Good morning!" came the cheerful greeting, Hisoka's head popping just by the doorway. "How are you feeling?" he asked, a wide smile on his face.

"Awful," croaked the other, rolling to the other side. The dizziness from the movement was overwhelming.

"Figures," said Hisoka. "When I checked on you, you were burning. Looks like you caught the epidemic." A snicker. "Must've been the kiss."

A sharply thrown pillow immediately met with the magician's still ever as cheerful face.

"Aaw, Illumi-kun, don't be angry! I called up your dad and told him you're sick. He's okay with you staying here after he found out who I was."

Illumi eyed him suspiciously. "And you are...?"

"Illumi's boyfriend!"

Another, more sharply thrown pillow. Hisoka's laughter filled the room yet again.

"I was kidding! I told him that I was one of your most faithful clients. He said that you don't usually get sick, so it's a wonder why you actually are. But then I figured, if I suffered from it, why can't you?" Another laugh. Illumi swore that if he hears that again, he's going to snap.

"Would you mind leaving the room, please? I really feel like hell here."

"I know, I've been there. Ne, I'll be looking after you, so I expect that my supposed payment for you will decrease somewhat, all right?"

"Whatever." Illumi was too sick to argue. "Now, go away."

No leaving footsteps. Hisoka was still standing by the doorway. "Ne, if I told your dad that I AM your boyfriend, what would you do? I mean, we kissed last night, doesn't that mean that--"

Pillows were definitely flying now. Illumi's glare was as menacing as ever. "A little more of that, Hisoka, and I'm throwing the bed!"

THE END

That was long o.O Please drop me a comment, I'd really appreciate it! ^_^