Wow, two chapters in one day. New record! Not really, haha. Chapter Seven and Chapter Eight were actually the same chapter, but since it got so freaking long I decided to spit it into two.
Hisoka just jumped right into this chapter and refused to leave, so now it has lots of Hisoka/Rin moments ;)
I do not own Hunter x Hunter: it belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi.
Edited 7/4/18: Just some minor grammatical corrections and making the chapter flow better overall. I also added on to a couple of scenes as well. I don't have a beta, so I apologize for any remaining mistakes. Let me know if anyone spots anything in the chapter that I should fix.
So I just have to look for items with aura on them? Shouldn't be too hard. At least, that was what he thought.
They had decided to split up in order have a better chance of finding anything with nen that they could sell. When the plan was first brought up, Rin had nervously thought of all the people he would have to be around but agreed to it anyway. He didn't need to give Killua even more reasons to tease him.
So that was how Rin found himself wandering around the market with gyo activated and trying not to bump into anybody. Keeping an eye out for people and nen covered items at the same time was surprisingly more tiring than he had originally thought it would be. It also didn't help that he hadn't spotted a single object with any amount of nen since he first started almost a hour and a half ago, so he was slowly losing hope that he even would.
There's nothing here. I hope Gon and Killua are having better luck than I am, he thought and went over to one of the stands, kneeling down to get a closer look at the merchandise in a vain hope that one of them would have some type of an aura. Nothing. Rin sighed and started to stand up...right as he felt a rush of air blow into his ear. Letting out a yelp, he clutched at it and whipped around to look for the culprit.
The culprit whose face was only a few inches away.
"Are you following me?" Hisoka drawled. He was kneeling down next to Rin, face propped up on his hand, and the usual smirk filled with amusement and mischief.
Once he got over his shock, Rin opened his mouth to deny it, but then remembered that they had come to Yorknew City with the knowledge that Hisoka would be there, so in a way…
"I didn't actually expect to run into you," Rin finally admitted. It wasn't exactly a lie, he tried to tell himself.
Hisoka was still staring intently at him, his face carefully blank—excluding the smirk. "Hmm~ Is that so? Guess I'll have to take advantage of that."
Uh-oh. The remark sent warning signals blaring through Rin's mind, and he watched the man warily. "What are you planning?" he asked carefully, inching back slightly to put some distance between them.
Hisoka ignored the question, causing Rin's brow to twitch in irritation. It didn't help that he caught those lips twitching up even higher. Instead, he reached over to grab Rin's wrist and stood up, tugging him along. Nothing else was said as he made his way through the growing crowd of the market with Rin an unwilling companion. Rin yanked on his wrist to see if he could slip out of it, but the hand was like an iron shackle, and he reluctantly accepted that he would have to go along with the other man's whims. The thought of using nen crossed his mind, but it was quickly snuffed out when Hisoka glanced back at him with eagerness, almost as if he had read his mind. Some part of Rin worried that he could.
I won't give him the satisfaction, Rin thought defiantly, glaring at him with as much strength as he could muster. He ignored the larger part that was silently glad to have someone near to buffer the bustling of the crowd.
Rin wasn't exactly sure how long they walked, but he eventually ended up running right into Hisoka's back when the man suddenly stopped in his tracks with absolutely no warning. He rubbed at his forehead and threw a small scowl at him, though this only seemed to entertain Hisoka even more. Glancing up to see what had caused the sudden halt, his face went blank.
It was an ordinary looking building nestled between two others with light blue trimming the otherwise white walls. There was sign on the front that read "The Lazy Paw" in cursive letters, and it had a picture of a cat mid-stretch. However, Rin didn't get any more time to examine the place before he was, once again, being dragged. A bell ringing signaled their entrance, making the employees shout out greetings. Hisoka paid them no mind and immediately went to the table in the corner, choosing the seat that was facing the door. Rin stared at him for a few seconds before slowly sitting in the seat across from him.
"Why are we in a cafe?" Rin asked in confusion, watching as Hisoka put both elbows on the table and leaned on them.
Hisoka tilted his head innocently. Yeah, right. Rin wanted to roll his eyes.
"Why not?"
Rin gave a pointed look around the cafe, taking in the peaceful atmosphere and smiling people. "It doesn't seem like the type of place you would go to."
"I thought it would be interesting." Hisoka moved his head off his hands and then lifted up a menu that was placed in the middle of the table. "Pick whatever you want, it's my treat."
"No, thank you," Rin said bluntly, then he backtracked when he realized it sounded rude. He needed to stop forgetting exactly who he was talking to. "I mean, um, you don't have to. I can pay for myself."
Hisoka leaned forward, and Rin's eyes flitted to smirking lips before he forced himself to look away as his cheeks heated. "How about this? I pay for you," Rin opened his mouth to complain that it was the same as before, but the man continued, "But in return, I get to pay you back for that teasing little kiss." That made his mouth click shut.
Rin tried to hide the blush that spread across his face but ultimately failed. "You're the one who asked for it in the first place," he complained quietly.
Hisoka ignored Rin's mumbled statement. "Do we have a deal?" he asked. His voice was even and void of any threat, but Rin had a feeling it would be a bad idea to say no.
It's like I'm making a deal with the devil, he thought, but weighed his current options. He could say no and risk whatever reaction Hisoka would have, or he could say just yes...and it wasn't like Rin was...completely against the idea.
Rin sighed and nodded, his face still burning, both from the memory of what happened and the promise he just made.
The absolutely devious smirk that formed on Hisoka's face made Rin think he had just made a colossal mistake. "I recommend the strawberry sundae. It's delicious." A pink tongue darted out, and no, Rin did not stare at it.
After the waitress took their orders and left, Rin realized that he was still staring at those stupid lips and ripped his eyes away so he could look at him suspiciously. "Does that have anything to do with the fruit analogy you always use?"
Hisoka leered at him. "That's for you to decide."
"That does not make me feel better," Rin muttered quietly under his breath.
"You've gotten sassy since the last time I saw you," Hisoka said and reached over to poke Rin on the forehead, pushing his head back slightly as he did.
I blame Killua, Rin thought, feeling more amused than annoyed.
The waitress choose that moment to come back and set down the food. "Here you go. I hope you enjoy." She smiled kindly at Rin but paled when she looked over at Hisoka, probably because he was glaring at her.
Was he jealous that she smiled at me? No, it can't be. Still, the thought gave him a little hope—unlikely or not. He hid the growing smile by taking a bite of his sundae, and as soon as the flavor hit his tongue, he felt his eyes widened before he closed them in bliss, letting out a happy hum. It was only when he felt a burning stare on his face that he opened his eyes and found Hisoka staring attentively at him, or rather his lips. That made the blush come rushing right back. When he noticed Rin looking back at him, he raised his eyes, and silver clashed with gold.
A grin spread across his face. "I take it that you like it."
Rin gave a small nod, suddenly feeling shy despite knowing that he shouldn't be. "It's really good." And because his father had grilled manners into him, he couldn't help but ask, "Do you like yours?"
Hisoka had ordered cotton candy flavored ice cream, which had made Rin snort internally. He matches his ice cream.
"Hmm~ It's one of my favorites," he said, and something sparked in his eyes that had Rin immediately raising his guard again. "Try some." Hisoka scooped up some of the icy treat and held it out.
Rin examined it closely, making sure it wouldn't explode or something—knowing the magician, he couldn't be too sure. He debated his options. I am curious about what it tastes like, but if I try it then...it would be indirect kissing. Rin shook away the blush that threatened to overtake his face. What am I thinking? We've already kissed before. With his mind made up, Rin leaned forward to take the spoon in his mouth. However, before he could, the spoon was pulled back slightly. He looked up at Hisoka in confusion.
Hisoka simply smirked. "Say 'Ah'~" He waggled the spoon teasingly.
Rin gave him a pout, but said unsurely, "A-Ah." The reddening of his face did not help Rin's racing heart.
"Good boy," Hisoka praised tauntingly.
Rin's eye twitched in irritation, but the spoon went into his mouth before he could react to the teasing. Deciding to just enjoy the ice cream, he closed his lips around it and savored the wonderful taste. It was better than he was expecting, and he could kind of understand why it was one of Hisoka's favorites, but that didn't make it any less funny, though. Hisoka pulled the spoon back slowly and seemingly waited for the verdict, an expectant look on his face.
Rin felt his lips twitch. "I really liked it," he finally admitted. "Though, I think I like the strawberry a little better," he added as an afterthought.
"Seems like someone has a sweet tooth." Hisoka grinned in amusement. He was leaning on one of his hands again and was staring at Rin when his eyes lit up mischievously. "Well, at least now I know how to bribe you."
Rin pointedly ignored him, instead focusing on finishing his sundae before it melted entirely.
It was basically how they spent the rest of the time there. Rin eating his sundae, and Hisoka taking occasional bites of his but mostly just watching Rin. He thought he would be more creeped out by it but found that he was oddly relaxed.
After they were finished eating, Rin followed Hisoka out the door. This time making sure to stop when the other man did, not wanting another meeting with his back. His rather firm back, his mind whispered, but Rin smothered that thought before it could fully form.
"I guess I should probably go. I'm already late," Hisoka admitted, though he looked a little too pleased with this. "Now, about our deal."
"Eh? Right here?" Rin glanced around nervously at the all the people walking by.
Hisoka stood over him, aura turning slightly more menacingly as his eyes darkened. "Thinking of backing out? I wouldn't recommend it~"
Rin flinched at the threat, for some reason also feeling insulted. He met Hisoka's gaze with a glare and tilted his head daringly. "Well? I'm waiting," he said with more confidence than he felt. His hands were shaking slightly, though he tried to hide it by clenching them into fists.
Humor flitted through Hisoka's eyes as he leaned down, bringing his face closer to Rin's. When he made no other move, Rin twitched slightly in discomfort. He turned his head in a different direction so he wouldn't have to keep making eye contact, but a flare of killing intent had him whipping back around. Appearing to finally be done with his teasing, Hisoka let out a satisfied hum and pressed his lips against Rin's, whose muscles relaxed a little at the same time as his body started to heat up. Their surrounding started to bleed away as Rin focused only on the lips moving against his.
One of Hisoka's hands snuck up to grab his head, pulling him even closer, and a groan slipped out when Hisoka nipped his bottom lip, demanding entrance that was given eagerly. His head started spinning from lack of oxygen, so Rin reached up with both hands to grabbed Hisoka's shirt lightly, trying to find anything to help ground himself. The action caused Hisoka to chuckle into the kiss, and he pulled Rin's bottom lip between his and sucked. The new sensation made a strange combination of a whine and a groan leave Rin's throat, and if he was able to think clearly, Rin knew he would be absolutely horrified by the sounds he was making. In comparison, the sound seemed to spur Hisoka on—if the deep growl he let out was anything to go by. Rin was starting to feel light headed, almost like he was about to pass out, so he tried to push the other man away. However, it took some time before the man even noticed, which caused Rin to pout. I'm not that weak. When Hisoka finally pulled away, it was to peer down at his work with an oddly proud expression on his face. At this rate, my face is going to be permanently red.
Rin focused on trying to slow his breathing and calm his rapidly beating heart, but he was curious to see the other man's reaction, so Rin looked up at him through his lashes. The lust that could clearly be seen burning in the other's eyes was enough to make Rin shudder.
Hisoka tugged on a strand of hair that had fallen in Rin's face. "I should leave before I decide to finish eating you," he purred, and if possible, his eyes seemed to burn even brighter.
However, Hisoka turned and walked away before Rin could even respond, and he was left standing there with his face completely red and his hair messed up. Rin stared at the other's back until it was out of sight, then he sighed. I should probably go find the others, he thought, then slapped himself at a sudden realization. Shoot, I didn't find anything. Man, Killua is going to yell at me. His shoulders slumped at that realization.
Looking around, Rin realized that there were multiple people gaping at him in disbelief, and he felt his eyes widen as he ducked his head in embarrassment. This is why I didn't want to do it in public, Hisoka!
I knew it was a bad idea, but does anyone ever listen to me? No.
"I don't like this. They should be back by now." Rin said, pacing back and forth in front of the window. It gave him the perfect view of the street, so he would hopefully be able to see Killua and Gon when they eventually—possibly, a traitorous part of his mind whispered—came back.
Leorio laughed carefreely from his spot on the floor, gesturing wildly with a bottle of beer. "Calm down...hic...I'm sure they're fine," he reasoned, then turned to Zepile. "Yeah, I'm getting into this! How about another?"
Rin hadn't been entirely sure about Zepile when he first met him, but Leorio took to him like a fish to water so he couldn't be that bad—though Rin was starting to think that he shouldn't put too much faith in Leorio's sense of judgement.
Rin sighed at their stupidity and stepped over their legs so he could head toward the door. His plan was to go search for Gon and Killua, but this flew out the window when both came walking into the room.
"There you guys are! What took you so long? Did something happen?" Rin demanded, flitting around them and trying to spot injuries. "Ah! You're hand is hurt, Gon."
Gon lifted it up and shook it, smiling bashfully the entire time. "I'm fine. It barely even hurts anymore," he tried to reassure, but it might as well have flown over Rin's head.
The conversation drew the other two men's attention to them.
"Oh, you're back?" Leorio exclaimed loudly and waved a hand for them to come closer. "Come and drink with us!"
Killua put his hands on his hips and scowled. "Are you an idiot? We're underage! And aren't you underage too?"
"What's your point?" Leorio asked mischievously. "In my country, you can drink once you're sixteen."
"Wait, what?! You're underage?!" Rin exclaimed.
Gon chuckled nervously. "Oh, that's right. You didn't know."
Rin rushed over and grabbed the drink from Leorio. "Stop drinking, you idiot!" he scolded.
"Hey!" Leorio glowered at him and tried to snatch the drink back. "What's the big deal? Besides, why should I listen to a kid like you," Leorio demanded, irritated at being interrupted.
Killua smirked and slid closer, leaning over to whisper dramatically. "He's nineteen."
Leorio froze, then he shouted. "What?! Impossible!" He tipped over slightly and was pointing a shaking finger in Rin's direction.
Rin's brow twitched. Can I punch him? Why does everyone have the same reaction?!
Killua deadpanned. "Like you're one to talk."
"Calm down, guys," Gon said with his hands raised in the air, trying to keep the peace.
"Seriously, though." Killua sighed. "I can't believe you guys were drinking while we were captured."
"Eh?" Rin, Leorio, and Zepile asked at the same time.
It took Killua sicking Gon on him before Rin calmed down enough for them to explain what had happened, and he twitched slightly when they mentioned Hisoka, because of course he would be there.
"Really…" Leorio started, appearing to be deep in thought—something that had Killua snickering and Rin japping the boy in the side before another fight could break out. "I had no idea that happened. I'm amazed you escaped alive."
Zepile bent his head, seeming to finally realize the full extent of the situation. "The Phantom Troupe is that dangerous?"
"Back there, one of the tricks you taught us came in handy." Gon said, attempting to cheer him up.
Zepile relaxed slightly, but there was still a worried glint in his eyes. "I get it. I'm glad I was able to help in some way." He took a puff from his cigarette and said, "Experience can sometimes blind you. A con artist's knowledge might come in handy against the Troupe."
"Exactly! There's more to being a con artist than you'd think," Leorio said excitedly. "I haven't just been drinking myself senseless here, I've been learning a lot from Zepile," he declared and thumped a fist to his chest proudly. "And tomorrow morning, we'll hit the auction. You guys are coming, right?"
Gon glanced at Killua before he answered. "I'd like to, but I have to find Kurapika and learn about nen from him."
"Kurapika? You got through to him?" Leorio asked, leaning forward so suddenly that he almost face planted into the floor.
Gon nodded. "Yep, but we're waiting for him to call us back."
"Hold on." Leorio narrowed his eyes. "Did you say you need to learn about nen from him?"
"I did," Gon admitted.
Leorio tilted his head and slowly asked, "Why? He just learned about nen recently himself, right?"
Rin also felt his curiosity rising for the reason, though he was slightly disappointed that no one had thought to ask him.
"But Kurapika managed to defeat a member of the Phantom Troupe," Gon informed casually.
"Seriously?" Leorio asked in disbelief.
Killua paused from eating—a miracle upon miracles—and added, "Yeah. He must know some secret about nen. Some strength that doesn't require experience or power."
Rin frowned. He wouldn't try that, would he? Surely his teacher would have warned him about how dangerous it was. However, when he thought back to Kurapika's determined face, Rin realized he already knew the answer.
Kurapika did get a hold of them the next morning, and they agreed to meet up in the park later that day. Leorio and Zepile decided to opt out of it in order to try and find more information, but Rin had a feeling they just wanted to keep drinking. Before they left, Rin managed to pull Leorio aside to ask if he was okay, and the man laughed before admitting that he had simply been studying too much. Rin made him promise to take better care of himself before finally letting him leave. He didn't think Leorio was lying, but he was still worried, especially since the man's face was red again. He vowed to keep a closer eye on him just in case.
All morning, Killua kept complaining about being hungry, and Rin tried his best to pretend that he didn't notice the pointed looks the boy kept sending him, but he eventually gave in when Gon joined. He ended up making enough food to feed an army but refused to let them have any of it until they got to the park, much to the two boys displeasure. He even had to smack some wandering hands while cooking, and Killua almost had a permanent glower on his face because of it.
It was what led to Rin sitting on a blanket and staring in amazement as Gon and Killua devoured all the food in front of them as if it would disappear at any second.
"If you don't slow down-" Rin started, raising a hand.
Gon looked up and shouted, "Kurapika!" In the process, he spit food all over Killua's face.
"...you're going to choke," he finished lamely.
Gon didn't even seem to notice what he had done as he jumped up and ran over to the blonde haired boy. "This is great." He beamed.
"Huh?" Kurapika breathed, seeming a little out of it.
Gon didn't appear affected and continued happily, "The spiders are dead, so you can finally focus on your main goal. You have to find the eyes of your people."
"Gon…" Kurapika stared at him blankly.
"Yep." Gon nodded excessively—enough that Rin was worried about his neck—and said, "If there's anything we can do to help-" He was interrupted when Killua snuck up behind him and shoved a pie in his face.
"Hey!" Gon turned and started chasing the other boy. He even threw a pie at the fleeing Killua.
Killua smirked and dodged the food projectile easily. "You did it first. I was just getting revenge!"
"But I didn't do it on purpose," Gon denied helplessly.
"You did it deliberately!" Killua accused.
Rin got up when the two boys started to get closer to where he was sitting and went to stand by Kurapika in order to watch them fight. He saw Kurapika take a half step forward, concern written on his face, when Killua jumped over Gon and slammed another pie in his face. Rin smiled when he saw him finally relax and start to laugh.
"Quite the handful, aren't they?" Rin faced the boys, but watched Kurapika from the corner of his eyes, smiling in amusement.
Kurapika nodded, still chuckling. "I can imagine. I'm surprised you lasted this long."
"Gon's not too bad. It's Killua you have to watch out for," Rin stated wisely.
This advice was ruined when a pie suddenly shot through the air, hitting Rin right in the face. The force was enough to knock him to the ground.
Rin lifted it off his face so he could see and glared at Killua. "Oi!"
Killua stuck his tongue out at him, but let out a yelp when he was tackled to the ground by Gon. Kurapika's laughter could be heard ringing throughout the park, and Rin smiled at them sadly. Why can't it stay like this?
Rin put a hand on Gon's shoulder as he fidgeted for the fourth time in a row, almost elbowing Rin in the ribs again.
"Sorry," Gon apologized meekly, though his eyes were still burning with excitement and concern.
Rin couldn't blame him. They had all thought they were finally done with the Phantom Troupe, only to find out that they were, in fact, still alive. It was why they had piled into the car as they tried to follow the Troupe. Even from the back, Rin could see Kurapika's shoulders shaking with barely contained tension, but he knew there was nothing he could do to ease it.
Suddenly, Kurapika jerked forward in his seat. "They're running toward the hotel. They're fast!"
"Can we get there faster by car?" Gon asked hurriedly.
Leorio looked out the window, clenching his teeth. "It's rush hour. They might be faster on foot."
Rin heard the door open. "Kurapika!" he called worriedly.
"Wait here until I contact you," Kurapika shouted back over his shoulder, not once slowing down.
Gon jumped out of the car as well and took off after him, yelling, "Wait, Kurapika, I have a good idea. Kurapika!"
"Stay here. I'll go after them." Rin told Leorio before he took off in pursuit.
Despite the rain that was slightly blinding him, Rin managed to catch up with them, only to have Kurapika suddenly grab his hand and yank him into an alley. Rin looked at him and opened his mouth to ask, but he fell silent when Kurapika raised a finger to his lips and pointed toward the opening.
Over the pounding of the rain around them, he could vaguely hear someone say, "I couldn't see their faces, but two of them are in the alley."
Then another piped up, "Another is behind the dumpster."
Kurapika turned toward the entrance and raised a hand, his nen flaring to life on the chains. Bad idea! Rin thought and was about to reach forward to try and stop him when he sensed movement behind him. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed Killua sneaking up. Killua made eye contact with him and nodded. Rin sighed, realizing what they needed to do and not looking forward to it in the slightest. He turned back just in time to see Gon jump out from his hiding spot.
Gon raised his hands innocently, a sheepish expression painted across his features. "Sorry! I'll stop following, so can you let me go?" he asked.
"Him again?" Rin heard a faintly familiar voice say in exasperation.
"This is the boy he mentioned?" a male voice asked.
The same woman sighed. "The other one's here, too, and it looks like they brought a friend. Show yourself!"
Killua stepped out, and Rin followed right behind him.
There were three people standing in front of them, one of whom Rin recognized as the same person he had saw leaving Hisoka's room, and it made him worry that she would recognize him. The other two were another female with black hair, who appeared to be carrying a vacuum of all things, and a man with his hair slicked back with his hands in his pockets. The posture immediately reminded Rin of Hisoka's relaxed slouch, and he knew that this man was the one he needed to keep an eye on the most. It also didn't help that he was standing rather close to Gon, and it was enough to make Rin's nen seeth.
"What do you want?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow as she regarded them carefully. "The Mafia who put a reward on us are gone."
"W-What? Really? Why?" Killua asked in surprise. If Rin didn't know it was fake, he would almost believe it.
The lady who had been speaking looked over at the man. "What do we do, boss?" Eh? This is Chrollo?
The newly named Chrollo studied them thoughtfully, and Rin forced himself not to flinch when dull eyes landed on him. "Tie them up," he said, then turned and pulled out a phone.
The same lady came over and pulled out some thread made of nen, then proceeded to tie their wrists behind their backs. Unable to withhold his curiosity, Rin brushed his aura against the thread and felt his eyes widen. Oh! This is the nen I sensed in Hisoka's arms. That makes sense, she must have used it to sew them back on.
"Shouldn't we just kill them?" she asked bluntly.
This made Rin tense up, so he shuffled a little closer to Gon and Killua. If I really need to, I can probably buy them a few seconds to escape. He flexed his wrist, staring intently at the boss.
"No, I trust your instincts," he said easily. "If they're connected to the chain user somehow, we should keep them alive."
"I wouldn't trust my instincts…" she muttered.
"I have a question for you." Gon suddenly asked. "How can you kill people who have nothing to do with you?"
If he could, Rin would have facepalmed. Now is not the time for this, Gon. Rin looked between the two of them warily, growing even more worried when Chrollo began to radiate killing intent.
Chrollo took a small step closer and peered down at Gon, face partly covered in shadow. "You look pretty hostile considering that you just surrendered." He raised his face to the sky, letting rain drip down his face. "Why, indeed? Because they have nothing to do with us? No. On second thought, it isn't that simple. How to verbally express our motives…I'm not fond of it. But oddly enough...Or perhaps it's not that odd. Is that the key to understanding myself?"
Rin blinked, growing more nervous and tenser the longer he talked. I don't even think he's talking to us anymore.
Chrollo seemed to shake himself out it and started to walk away. "Head to the hotel and wait for Phinks and the others. If they try to escape, kill them," he ordered.
Machi nodded. "Understood," she said, then nudged them forward.
It took a shorter amount of time to reach the hotel than Rin wished it would, and it stood towering over them menacingly, standing as a beacon of light against the dark sky. There was a sinking feeling his stomach, and he knew this wasn't going to end well.
A shove from behind got him moving again from where he had paused. When they entered the lobby, Rin glanced over to where he sensed a familiar aura. Even with the newspaper blocking his face, he could easily recognize Leorio. However, he turned away before any attention could be drawn toward him, not wanting to give him away.
Chrollo stopped next to one of the pillars. "Wait here."
"Hey!" Leorio's voice drifted to them. "Do you realize what time it is?!" he shouted and threw the newspaper onto the table. "Idiot! It's Hotel Beitacle! How many times do I have to repeat myself?" he yelled into the phone, pausing for a moment to glare over at them. "What are you looking at, eh?"
The lady with glasses looked over at Chrollo. "Should I get rid of him?" she asked quietly.
"Ignore him." Chrollo turned his head away. "Don't look at him."
Leorio glared at the other people around him before going to back to the phone. "Eh? This ain't no show! Damn, my future's dark because of the failures working for me! Listen up! This once, I'll close my eyes like nothing happened. One more mistake, and you'll get it good! Now listen. Seven on the dot. You'll best be at the hotel by then!" He sighed and leaned back into the couch, picking up the paper again.
Good job, Leorio! Rin wanted to hug the man but settled for giving him a mental pat on the back until he could do so later. Now, it was just a matter of time before they could finally get away from these guys. However, it was just their luck that when there was only three minutes left, more of the spiders came.
"Paku and the others are here," the vacuum lady said.
"Oh? What's this? You got caught again? I get it…" A guy with a tall ponytail smiled at them. "You changed your minds and decided to join, right?"
Killua scowled. "We didn't know that the reward for you guys was rescinded," he stated bluntly.
"So you screwed up again while stalking us? Didn't learn your lesson, huh? But this must be fate at work." He leaned forward with a huge grin and said, "Well, let's be friends."
"No way. We were only following you for the reward. I wouldn't even want to look at your faces," Killua simply said, turning his head away and shutting his eyes.
Gon nodded. "I agree." He turned away and closed his eyes, too.
"Hmm. Then about your friend here?" The sword guy—Nobunaga?—took a step closer to Rin. "Well? What do you say?"
Rin decided for a polite denial. "Um, no, thank you. I'm not interested."
The man just took it in stride. "Well, boss? They've got guts, right? Their sass reminds me of Uvo."
"That's probably because they're kids. They know no fear," The pink haired woman—Rin was pretty sure her name was Machi—said without remorse. "Anyway, describe the chain user for us." She looked at a lady with short blonde hair.
However, before this new person could answer, Chrollo interrupted her. "First things first, Paku. Check these kids again, and while we're at it, check the other one, too."
Paku placed a hand on her hip, a bored expression on her face as she asked, "Okay, what do you want to know?"
"What are they hiding?" he asked. His gaze was burning as he stared intently at them.
Rin hid the concern clouding his eyes as Paku reached out a hand to touch Killua. Thankfully, the boy started talking, making her pause.
"It's no use. Your power lets you draw out memories from those you touch, right? We aren't hiding anything, and we know no-" He was forcefully shut up when she grabbed his mouth tightly.
She glared down at him, eyes cold. "I'll know the truth soon enough. Shut up."
"Even if we did know something, we could think about something else and hide it from you!" Gon tried but was given the same treatment as Killua.
Rin's hand twitched in it's confinement. The low growl, however, came out before he could stop it, but none of them seemed to pay him any mind. Big mistake.
Killua's eyebrows quivered in irritation. "Yep, there you go," he managed to mumble.
"You seem to be confused," Paku said slowly. "I draw out the purest essence of human memory. I'm not browsing through the images in your mind. My question will stimulate your memory, stirring up the dirt collected in its depths like throwing a stone into a pond. The dirt represents your pure, unaltered memories, and I simply scoop them up. It's impossible to deceive me. Now, it's time to ask my question. What are you hiding?"
The lights went out, sending the place into complete darkness. Rin immediately sent a sliver of wind infused with nen to cut through the thread tied around his wrists. Despite also being made of nen, it came apart easily, and he darted forward to help the other two just as he sensed someone let their nen loose...someone who was right next to Gon.
Not on my watch! Pulling back a hand and concentrating his nen there, Rin ran in the direction he sensed it coming from and stopped right as he felt a small brush of the other's aura against his when he got close. However, before the man could react, Rin threw his hand forward, sending out a strong blast of wind that sent him flying back. A thump signaled that Gon was safely back onto the ground, so he turned to help Killua, but a shout stopped him in his tracks.
"Move and I kill the brat!" From the sound of the voice, it was Machi.
Before he could decide what to do next, he briefly felt a presence behind him, but couldn't send his nen at them in time. The last thing he felt was a sharp jap at the back of his neck.
Rin woke with a groan, shifting uncomfortably against the hard object japping him in the back.
"Ah! Rin, are you okay?" Gon's voice helped clear away some of the cloud still covering his mind, and he turned his head faintly in the direction he was pretty sure Gon was in.
"Hmm." Rin hummed, desperately trying to ignore the throbbing pain coursing through his skull.
He cracked open his eyes, glad that it was still dark. He probably really would die if there were bright lights stabbing him in the eyes on top of his headache. They were in what looked to be an abandoned building. There were holes in the ceiling and debris scattered around where they were sitting in the middle of the room. Killua was sitting to his left with Gon next to him. Gon was peering over at him with concern, and even Killua shot him a quick look, though it was mostly disguised as mild annoyance.
The spiders were standing in a semi-circle around them.
"What happened?" Rin asked quietly, hopefully masking the pain in his voice. He tried moving his arms, but a rattling sound had him looking down to see chains wrapped around them.
Gon leaned as close as he could. "Nobunaga knocked you out."
"Kurapika made a deal with Paku. If they release us, then he'll let Chrollo go," Killua added softly, not once moving his watchful eyes from the rest of the room.
Movement to his right had Rin looking over to see Nobunaga kneeling down near him.
"You're not bad, kid. Been awhile since anybody has landed a hit on me." He looked at Rin in consideration, then grinned. "Your nen's pretty interesting too."
Rin blinked at him, not quite sure how to respond. "Thank you...I think."
"Oh." Both men looked over at Machi when she spoke up. "Now, I remember you." Crap.
"You know him?" Nobunaga asked, looking between the two of them with barely contained curiosity.
She shook her head. "Not really, but I know someone who does," Machi turned her body in Hisoka's direction, who just smiled with his eyes closed. "Well?"
"Hmm~" He looked up, eyes opening to show the mirth twinkling within. "He's my pet."
"Excuse me." Rin demanded, narrowing his eyes with indignation.
Hisoka shrugged in a 'what-can-you-do' manner and said, "His nen intrigued me, so I decided to keep him around until he got stronger."
"Enough about that," Phinks interrupted and whirled to face Paku. "Does he really expect us to accept those conditions? Tell us where he is, Pakunoda. We'll kill the kids, then deal with the chain user."
Machi honestly just looked amazed at his gall. "You're insisting?" she asked.
"I insist. If you don't tell us, I won't let you leave," Phinks stated bluntly, growling toward the end in anger.
Paku answered calmly, "I refuse to tell you where he is, and I am taking the kids alone. Don't interfere."
"Interfere? Who's the one interfering with our plans?!" he shouted, taking a threatening step closer. His nen was starting to fill the room, and it made Rin grow even tenser than he already was.
Machi's face scrunched up into a frown, and she took a step to the side so that she was partially blocking the other woman from sight. "Go, Pakunoda. We'll stop them."
"Stop us?" Feitan finally spoke, releasing his aura as well in preparation to attack. "Are you trying to insult us?"
"You're serious? I don't get it. Have you lost your minds?" Phinks tried to reason.
"I bet they were defeated by the chain user before we arrived. They're probably under his control. This is a waste of time. I'll make them talk," Feitan said blandly.
"Is it really so hard to understand?" Gon growled out, and Rin wished he could cover the boy's mouth before he said anything else. "You don't understand why Pakunoda wants to leave without a word? You don't understand why Machi is stopping you? You honestly think they're being controlled? They want to rescue your boss! Is it so hard to understand the desire to save a friend?"
Don't make them any angrier, Gon. They're about to attack each other, they won't hesitate to kill us. Rin tried to keep a careful eye on everyone in the room. He didn't want to be startled if anyone actually decided to leap at them.
"Shut up, kid!" Phinks roared, taking a hostile step forward. "Are you that desperate to be spared?"
Gon glared at him and threw his arms out, easily breaking the chains. He stood up and clenched his fists at his side angrily. "I'm not doing this for my sake. Take back those words!"
"Good grief." Killua sighed in exasperation and also broke the restraints, though he stayed crouched.
Well, in that case. Rin flared his nen and sliced through the chain. He moved to stand next to Gon in case he really needed to make good on his threat.
"I refuse. If you have a problem, come here." He gestured for Gon to come closer. "The second you take a step, I'll rip your head off."
"Then I won't budge an inch!" Gon declared childishly and stuck out his tongue. "Kurapika isn't like you. No matter how much he hates someone, he wouldn't lose control and kill them without mercy. If he makes a promise, he will definitely keep his word!" he said with conviction. "After meeting him in person, Pakunoda knows this. If you follow his conditions, he'll return your boss!"
"That's enough, kid," Phinks warned, his nen growing even heavier in the air. "Don't think you can say anything you want!"
Franklin interrupted, "That's enough. Let Pakunoda go."
The room went silent before Phinks whirled on him. "You're siding with them?" he demanded harshly. The man was practically spitting at this point.
Franklin ignored him completely. "Shal, right now what would our worst-case scenario be?"
Shalnark hummed in thought before answering. "The boss is already dead, Pakunoda and the others are being controlled, we can't find the chain user, and the three kids escape…"
"Then you've got it wrong," Franklin denied. "The worst-case scenario would be that we all die and the spider perishes. By comparison, your scenario would be quite pleasant. Am I wrong?" he reasoned out.
"N-No, you're right." Shalnark blinked in surprise.
Franklin glared at everyone in the room. "I don't care about your reasons. You're being too reliant on the boss. If the Troupe falls apart as a result, that's the greatest betrayal you could make toward the boss. If we keep bickering, that could well happen. Cool off. Let them have their way. Pakunoda can take the kids. If the boss doesn't return, we kill the members being controlled, and start to rebuild the spider. It's extremely simple."
"I'm fine with that, if that's what it takes to satisfy you," Machi acquiesced, but she added, "Well, I'm not being controlled, and it won't be easy to kill me."
Phinks tched, but before he could say anything in return, his phone rang. "Hello?" he answered, then scowled and tossed the phone to Gon.
Shalnark hissed. "Don't break it!"
Gon kept a watchful eye on Phinks as he talked on the phone. "Yeah, they're all here," he said.
Rin stared curiously as Gon threw the phone back after that one sentence. He spared a glance at Shalnark, who was seemed to be seething over the treatment of his phone.
"We're following your orders," Phinks growled into the phone.
Pakunoda nodded and gestured for them to follow her. "Come on."
Before they left, Rin spared a small glance over his shoulder at Hisoka, who simply gave him a roguish smirk and wink. Rin stared at him for a moment, slightly dumbfounded at his nerve, and then faced forward again, not wanting to give Hisoka the satisfaction of seeing him react.
Of course he would be here. Rin deadpanned, staring at the magician who just casually showed up as if he belonged there.
"Why are you here?!" Pakunoda asked in a panic.
Rin figured she was probably worried that Kurapika would count it as bringing another member, but at that point, he hoped that the blonde haired boy knew that Hisoka did whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, regardless of what everyone else wanted.
Hisoka ignored them and continued to talk on the phone. As he got closer, Rin could finally hear his side of the conversation.
"Allow me on the airship with them. If you refuse, I'll kill Gon and Killua," he promised, grinning wickedly. Gold eyes locked onto him as he said it, and Rin bristled. "My target is the boss. Once he's released, I'll get off the airship. I want to fight him. That's all I want."
Kurapika must have agreed because he hung up with a satisfied smirk, looking like the cat who got the cream.
Hisoka placed a hand on his hip. "Looks like you got another passenger," he said, and the look he gave just dared them to object.
Hisoka was the first one to board the airship, with the trio coming next, and Pakunoda bringing up in the rear. Killua and Gon stepped around Hisoka, who had decided to stand in the middle of the floor, and settled down against the farthest wall. Rin was about to do the same, but someone apparently had other plans. Hisoka blocked his path and smirked down at him, then he gestured with his head toward a metal box off to the side. Rin glowered at him, still angry over the pet remark—even though he knew the man had only said it to save his cover. At least, I hope that's the only reason...
Rin pivoted on his foot and made his way over to the box, plopping down with a huff once he reached it. Hisoka strode over and sat with far more grace, chuckling under his breath. He twisted his body so that his knees bumped into Rin's, and at the same time, pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling. Weirdly enough, the sight of the man's preferred weapon didn't even bother him. Rin wasn't sure what that said about him.
"Care for a game?" Hisoka asked playfully.
Rin shook his head and refused to speak, stubbornly keeping his head facing the wall in front of him. I have to get my revenge somehow. However, even in his irritated state, he felt a little amused. Only Hisoka would ignore the tension in the room and ask if he wanted to play a card game.
Though...I have a feeling the silent treatment won't work for long.
He was right. If there was one thing the man excelled at, it was getting under people's skin.
Rin watched warily from the corner of his eyes as the man set down the cards and leaned back a little since he didn't know what to expect. Hisoka's smirk widening was the only warning he got before both his cheeks were being pinched.
"Ow, ow, ow! Let go!" Rin grabbed Hisoka's wrists and tried to pull them away. However, all that did was tug on his own cheeks.
Hisoka leaned closer so that his face was only a hair's breadth away and gave another small yank. "Oh? For a second, I thought you couldn't speak anymore. You weren't ignoring me, were you?" He emphasized his question by giving several more painful tugs, but then finally let go.
Rin immediately covered his irritated cheeks in an attempt to soothe them and glared at Hisoka with annoyance. "What's with you always yanking on my cheeks or hair?"
"Hmm~ Would you rather I do something like this again?" Hisoka pressed his thumb into the scar on Rin's neck.
The touch made his skin tingle pleasantly, and he leaned into the hand with a sigh, his body almost automatically relaxing. Rin vaguely wondered if he should feel worried that this was the reaction he had, but at the time he couldn't be bothered, not when he felt the delicious warmth seeping into his neck.
The moment was ruined, however, when someone let out a cough. Rin looked up and made eye contact with Killua and Gon. Killua was staring at them in amusement, and Gon had a slight blush on his cheeks. Rin let out a small squeak and flushed to his roots.
"Get a room," Killua called out teasingly.
"K-Killua!" he exclaimed, absolutely horrified. Ah, man, he's definitely never going to let me live this down.
Still, even with the teasing jabs, Rin never pulled away, and Hisoka never removed his hand.
The next chapter is the start of the Greed Island arc, and you can probably guess what scene I'm looking forward to writing in that—coughHisokanakedcough.
