A/N:
Hello everyone! Here's an update (sorry that it's late, I kept fiddling with it)! We have some serious stuff being discussed here, humor, sexual tension and of course Hisoka and Gon drawing closer together as Gon grows comfortable enough to talk to him about more personal things.
Announcement: Yeah, so...I re-edited chapter 14 on the 05/10/15. If you had read it before that date, there is new stuff. I guess that would be the re-edit's edit? *Awkward laugh*
Guest Reviews (From most to least recent):
MajorCliffhanger: Oh my, your review came right before I updated...I didn't even see it at first! Thanks for loving this story, I hope you like this chapter and it fulfills your need! Awww you're too cute, sorry for the wait and thanks a mil for the review!
Anonymous: (For chapter 19) Nope, the door was open alllllll the time while they were making out against the wall. It was only after they were heading to the bed that he closed the door ;p
Guest: Bless your kind heart. Thank you for the encouragement! It's good to know that you're not disappointed with the present lack of smut ;w; Yesssss Leorio and Kurapika were super cute in the last chapter. I seriously had no idea how much fun I'd have writing them! It was a pleasant surprise xD Oh yeah something big is coming for Killua and Illumi! It's so hard to explain and I'm hoping I can write it just the way I see it in my head…Ah drama, drama everywhere! This fic is like a soap opera with more death and sex :o
Mel: Hi! Omg it's good to see that you enjoyed rereading the entire fic! I'm happy that you liked the re-edits :) oh my, I'm embarrassed but so thankful that you find the sex scenes good *celebrates* Muchas gracias para su resena y su ingles es muy, muy bien!
Nagito: Hey there, nice to see you again my friend! Oh no…poor Gon, he'd have to endure Leorio and Kurapika's reaction now! But after dealing with Killua, he'd know how to handle his two friends. Haha who would believe, you must be psychic because that kiss is exactly what Hisoka does in front of Leorio and Kurapika (at least that's what happens in the draft chapter, so prepare yourself for that! Lol you've been warned!). Who do you think would want to kill Hisoka more? Ah darn, I was about to give you a spoiler, phew. Oh and you'd want Dawn to kill that jerk of a boss even more in the next chapter! Oh gosh haha what you said about Killua wanting to make Gon moan before Hisoka did omg ha x'D Yep! Hisoka flirts with everyone, and although Gon gets jealous, he's the one gonna get it all when Hisoka comes home ;p Hisoka the Abercrombie & Fitch model indeed! Haha you are right, I should make them have public sex in the future *wink, wink* And don't you jump, you've gotta stick around for all the drama! Thanks for reviewing *hugs*
TheTopMagicianXD: I'm glad I made your day with the last chapter. Goodness, you're too kind, just knowing that these chapters helped to teach you life lessons, make me so darn happy. I have also been an introvert for most of my life too, so I know what you mean and to know that I'm helping you, helps me as well. Yessss I agree, HisoGon forever XD. Thank you so much for your review, it made me smile!
Chapter Summary: Hisoka meets with Dawn and they discuss the case but Dawn wants to know more about Hisoka's past. Does she succeed?
Chapter Dictionary:
Sumimasen: Sorry
Kuso: Damn
Phone calls are like this:
With only two persons involved, the person on the other line is: [["Speech"]]
Sound is [[noise]]
HuntsApp messages are like this:
(Incoming message): Name: Message
'POV person (the person with the phone) replying or sending a message is in italics.'
Don't forget that outside of a HuntsApp message, italics are thoughts.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to Yoshihiro Togashi. I do not claim ownership of any of the characters mentioned.
Warning: None, just some bad language.
References: Episode 18 of the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime when Gon was telling Hanzo that the won't give up because he wanted to become a hunter and find his dad.
Episode 37 of the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime where Gon told Killua that he'd accepted the possibility that his mother was dead.
N.B.: Don't forget that in this story, since Hisoka speaks with a sing-song / teasing tone, he loses the "~" whenever he gets upset, angry or serious.
Now let's get started!
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Vested Interests
N.B.: Day 12, circa 3:55pm (This meeting takes place about the time when Gon and Killua were leaving the café to while Gon was on the phone with Leorio and Kurapika)
As Hisoka entered the bar, the light from the doorway outlined his imposing figure with a mysterious glow that lingered in the darkened space whilst the doorman chatted with someone by the entrance.
Dawn sent a brief, curious glance in his direction before turning away to lean her elbows on the copper-trimmed oak countertop. It had been quite some time since she'd last seen him and it didn't surprise her that he looked more or less the same.
"Playing the role of average citizen now I see," she drawled, listening to the soft, almost indiscernible clicking of his low-heeled boots as he drew closer to her.
Hisoka paused with one hand on the high stool next to the blonde. "There is absolutely nothing that can be described as 'average' about me~" he replied with a lopsided grin, before taking a seat.
"I'll agree with you on that," Dawn said. "Nothing in this world can surpass your greater than average self-confidence." She didn't even bother to look at him again, but hunched over the counter to trace the rim of her glass with one finger.
Still smiling and not deterred in the least by her unwelcoming posture, Hisoka continued, "I must mention now, that although I was expecting you to contact me soon, I was still surprised by this sudden…"—he lifted one hand gracefully—"summons Ms. Weekes. I can hardly believe that you really did successfully manage to gather information for our mission~"
"Thank you for your unconditional faith in my abilities," Dawn mumbled, her comment as dry as the drink in her hands.
"Boohoo, it's no fun riling you up~" Hisoka leaned a little closer to inspect her dour expression. "At least try to look a little more offended when someone insults you. Sometimes, teasing you is like throwing rocks at a brick wall~"
Dawn scoffed. "And yet you continue..."
"I'm a very persistent man~"
One side of Dawn's lips curved downwards. "In that case, next time I'll try harder to show you how offended I am," she muttered sarcastically. "But don't be surprised if you get a fist to your face."
"Now that's the attitude~"
Dawn ignored Hisoka's jeering tone and instead brought the glass she was holding up to her lips.
"Is that a Martini you're having? ~" he asked instead of apologizing.
"Yes. Dry. On the rocks."
"Looks nice~" Hisoka turned away from her to smile handsomely up at the bartender who was walking toward them as if having sensed that he wanted to order something.
"What would it be?" the man asked in a heavy accent.
"I'll have what she's having~" Hisoka replied, pointing to Dawn. Returning his shrewd gaze to her to continue their previous conversation, he smiled. "You can't blame me for my lack of faith in your success. This is quite a sensitive case~"
"I'll agree with you on that one thing; it is a very sensitive case," she said, finally twisting in her seat to look at him. "And you can doubt me as much as you want but I've got a positive ID on our guy this time."
"This time..." Hisoka raised a slim eyebrow. "Is that so? ~"
Dawn looked from those mocking golden eyes to the skeptical smirk she knew too well and huffed. "As I said, go ahead, doubt me all you want but I think that my boss must be the one doing the killings."
Hisoka's teasing smile faded. "How sure are you of this?"
"Very sure. I wouldn't have been working at one of his overseas branch offices all these years if I didn't think that there was a possibility. All I needed was a chance, just one, to get close to this guy and my chance arrived with my new position. But let me tell you, here at Headquarters, it isn't a walk in the park; working with that guy…there are a lot of dark, hidden things around." She shivered as if something cold and unseen was crawling beneath her skin. "I can feel...sense something amiss every day I go to work there."
Dawn brushed away a stray lock of hair that was threatening to fall into her drink and the movement drew Hisoka's attention to something he hadn't noticed before. "And is that,"—he pointed to her bandaged arm—"supposed to be a memento from your foray with the 'dark side'? ~"
"Oh this?" She stroked a finger over the tightly wrapped bandage. "I guess you could say it's a consequence of my job."
"Really? ~"
"Go ahead Hisoka, mock me," Dawn muttered. "But in the end, you'd be glad that I did what I had to for this case."
"Glad?" Hisoka scoffed. "I came to YorkShin because you contacted me—"
"Yes," she cut in. "Because I knew you were after this guy and needed the help to locate him."
"'Help'..." Hisoka repeated the word with a sardonic smile. "Who's helping who? I'm no fool Ms. Weekes, you only called me to work with you because you're the one here needing the 'help'"
"I'm no greenhorn Hisoka," Dawn reminded him with a frown. "I know what I'm doing."
"So you're saying that, with all your experience, you could have handled this by yourself?"
"Not really," Dawn replied, suddenly feeling uncertain, "But…"
"This man is more than anything you've ever faced," he warned, his expression darkening.
"I've faced a lot and have endured worse," she said ignoring the seriousness in his tone. "Speaking of which, there was this one time—"
"So I've heard," Hisoka interrupted. "But rather than tell me again about the random unrelated encounters you've had with death, tell me one thing,"—he leaned toward her once more—"Why are you engaging people who may or may not be the individual we're after? Without confirmation?"
Dawn realized that he had caught on to what she had done, but as guilty as she felt for her unorthodox ways in getting the job done, she wasn't happy with his tone. "I'm supposed to be the one doing the confirmation in our little team,"—she pointed at her chest and her voice raised slightly—"have you forgotten the role I play here? It is my responsibility to confirm his identity and whether I use gut instinct, gathered evidence or my own blood, that's my business."
"No I haven't forgotten." His eyes held her recalcitrant ones. "You are to do the confirmation, but you were not supposed to physically engage anyone, regardless of how sure you were; not without conferring with the rest of the 'team' first."
At the truth in his words, her voice lowered and she became passive. "But that was the only way…"
"That wasn't the plan and I won't risk my objective if you intend to be reckless and botch this mission. Is this really the positive ID you insisted you had in York Shin? Did you make sure of that before engaging this person?" His eyes narrowed and he glanced at her bandage. "Because engaging him is how you got injured wasn't it?"
Dawn hesitated, looking away from him momentarily and Hisoka stood up. "Where are you going?" she asked as he turned toward the door. When he didn't respond but started to walk away from her, she jumped off the stool and grabbed on to his sleeve. He stopped walking and looked pointedly down at her hand, then back to her face. As their eyes met, her heart skipped a beat and her blood ran cold. Sometimes, because of his light-hearted facade and adopted persona, it was easy to forget that this man was a killer.
Taking a few deep breaths and releasing her hold on the sleeve of his button-down T-shirt, she smiled awkwardly up at him. "Don't leave. I admit that I took a chance and engaged someone I wasn't completely sure was the person we're after but you know I wouldn't have acted without—"
"You're reckless," Hisoka pointed out suddenly.
"Ah, yes, I do reckless things but do you actually believe that I'd have messed up our mission with that?" She placed her hands on her hips and looked up at him defiantly. "I never would have acted without being mostly sure of his identity."
"I don't have time to waste on your phantasmal pursuits." Hisoka frowned. "If this turns out to be another dead end like the others—"
"It is him," Dawn insisted, meeting his bold, golden stare. She didn't want him to walk out on her…she couldn't afford to lose the one person who she was sure could take on Arashi. "It won't be a dead end."
"How do you know this?"
"I just do."
"More vague answers Dawn Weekes? If you're wasting my time I will continue to hunt this guy down on my own you know," Hisoka said, looking back at the door as if contemplating leaving. "And when I find him, I can't guarantee that he'd be alive when I'm done."
"Whoever said that I want him alive?"
He looked down at her crooked smirk. "Oh? So is killing him the final consensus? ~"
"I'd never have involved you of all people if that wasn't the case. Do you take me for a fool?" Dawn took one bold step toward him and lowered her voice. "I know that you're a killer and you know that I'm a different kind of Blacklist Hunter; I don't like rules and most of the time I don't play by them."
Hisoka mirrored her move, stepping closer to her until he was invading her personal space and folded his arms. "So this has turned out to be another dirty job for you huh? ~"
"And what of it?" Dawn folded her arms too and maintained eye contact with him. "I like dirty jobs."
Hisoka smirked, pleased that she wasn't intimidated by his aura. "Sounds like it would be a delight to continue working with you then~"
It was clear that his mood had changed at the prospect of killing someone and now that she had his attention again, Dawn turned to walk back to their seats, knowing that he would follow her.
"So are you ready to formulate a plan? Or are you going to blow your cover again? ~"
"When have I ever blown—" Dawn stopped herself. "Anyway, that was a long time ago and for another case…it's…not going to happen this time," she concluded.
The frown on her face was clear indication that she did not appreciate him reminding her of her one failure but Hisoka did not care. "Are you sure? ~"
Dawn looked at him with a strained smile. "What more do you want me to say Hisoka?"
"This person is...very dangerous and a simple, reckless act can end in your death," he said with a smile that wasn't reflected in his eyes.
Dawn didn't allow herself to get spooked by his chilling tone. "I'm never afraid when death comes knocking," she grumbled.
"But you're stupid enough…"—Hisoka punctuated his sentence with a smirk as he positioned himself at the bar again—"…to die~"
Dawn drummed her fingers on the countertop, a sign of her budding frustration. "What do you take me for? Some newbie who rushes head first into a pit of vipers? I know what I'm doing," she reminded him. "When one has worked for a long time in the underworld, death is a thing that must be befriended, because it can take you any day."
"That may be so, but sometimes you're too careless and whilst you may have accepted the possibility of death, that carelessness can affect your work." Hisoka paused momentarily before adding, "Maybe the Association should have sent someone else to—"
"Why you…" she hissed, her cheeks red with anger. "How could you—"
"How could I what? Say something like that? Hmm…let me see, because I can? ~" Hisoka smirked at her seething soundlessly next to him. "I'm not Nick to sugarcoat everything for you, you know~"
"…"
"Now then Ms. I-know-what-I'm-doing," Hisoka started in the emptiness left by her brooding silence. "I suppose that injury,"—he pointed at her arm—"is a keepsake of some sort? A reminder of your troubles? Why didn't you heal it? ~"
Dawn's lips became a thin line. "I couldn't heal it because I couldn't let him know about my abilities."
"Hmmm...careful for once~" Hisoka mumbled as the bartender placed the drink in front of him. "If you of all people are exercising caution, then that must mean that this really is serious~"
"Yes," Dawn responded, ignoring the jab. There was no way that she was going to let him antagonize her anymore for that day. "The seriousness of this situation is also why I had to act quickly in spite of Nick's warnings," she said with stubborn determination. "I suspect that something big is going to happen and soon."
"Mmhmmm~"
"Plus," Dawn added with a slight frown, "I did not risk blowing my cover as you seem to think. He just lost his temper and lashed out at his 'assistant'. I doubt that he suspects anything untoward."
"So what did he do to your arm?" Hisoka asked, suddenly curious as he reached for his drink. "If this really is the suspect, then it must have been a dart, right?"
"Oh? Why am I not surprised that you know?" Dawn asked as she followed his gaze to the bandage on her arm. "It's not as bad as it looks."
At her dismissive tone, Hisoka studied her with a weird expression. "I never took you for the masochistic type~"
"What? Do you think I liked getting shot at with a dart and choked?"
"So you were choked too...~"
She raised an eyebrow at the look on his face. "It's no big deal, I've had worse."
"So you keep insisting~" Hisoka stirred his drink, as the silence lengthened between them. "You still haven't told me why you chose to call me to YorkShin out of all the other options I'm sure you had~"
"I guess I haven't said anything directly…but you've probably already pretty much figured it out."
"Maybe I haven't figured it out and you need to tell me directly? ~" Hisoka prompted when she did not go into detail.
Dawn rolled her eyes. He wouldn't leave her be until she said it.
Why are the people around me so damn insistent?!
Finally she replied, "Mizaistrom said that as soon as I arrived in York Shin I could call on whichever Hunter I felt could do the job; so I chose you."
"Oh~" Hisoka gave her a delighted smirk. "So out of all you knew you picked me~"
"Yes," Dawn confirmed humorlessly.
Hisoka made a sweeping gesture with his arm as if paying respects to royalty. "I'm honored~"
"Whatever Hisoka, it's not like we're strangers."
Hisoka grinned. "No we're not. But I've never told you about my connection to the one you're after. How did you know that I was after him too?"
"You know I have my ways of finding things out."
"That you do~"
Dawn looked straight ahead, but her eyes were far away. "In my research on this guy I found some pretty interesting things. The pattern of his present crimes match a string of incidents that occurred over two decades ago."
Hisoka stopped stirring his drink to give her a sideways glance. "So that's how you found out."
"Yep. And you're not the type to help anyone unless there's something in it for you so I figured that if I presented this to you there was no way you'd refuse."
"What can I say to that? ~" Hisoka drawled cunningly. "You've got me~"
"Yes I have." Dawn's gaze sharpened on him. "Now care to tell me a little more about that incident?"
"What incident? ~"
"The one that involves you."
"I know of no such incident~"
"You're lying," Dawn frowned. "I want to know. Don't you think it's time you told someone—"
"Knowledge can kill."
"Knowledge is the key," Dawn countered.
"Why are you asking me this though? Aren't you the investigator? You should already know."
"How can I when the person directly involved refuses to talk?"
"Last time we met in North City, when you first spoke to me about this case, I told you what you needed to know."
"Yes, but there are things that just don't make sen—"
"I told you what you needed to know," Hisoka repeated in a firm tone that indicated that the discussion on this particular subject was over. "There's nothing more to be said unless I decide that there is."
Dawn put up both palms briefly in mock surrender before turning back to her drink. "I'm just curious you know."
"As I said, knowledge can kill. There are some things that people aren't meant to know about, or see."
The seriousness in his tone intrigued her inquisitive side but Dawn resisted the urge to question him anymore. This was obviously a sensitive topic for him and she did not want to risk having her trump card walk out on her, so she changed the topic – for now.
"So…for this job...do you have a helper?"
"I'm sure that I don't need to tell you that either; you probably already know who it is~"
"Yes," Dawn admitted. "Ging Freecs' son." She thought carefully before asking her next question, "Do you have a reason for...involving him in this?"
"Do I have to have a reason? ~"
"Hisoka I'm sure you know that there are people who are keeping an eye on that young man."
"Yes, I am well aware~" Hisoka replied, his tone bored.
"Although Ging acts like he doesn't care, he's fully conscious of everything that happens in Gon's life; and while he allows Gon to make whatever decisions that would ultimately make him happy,"—Dawn paused to take a sip of her drink—"there are people who would seriously hurt you if you hurt him."
"Wouldn't be the first time I've heard that~" Hisoka laughed, his eyes sharp. "You're one of Ging's eyes aren't you?" He propped his chin on an upturned palm but didn't look at her. "And I bet you have people in the city that inform you all about Gon's whereabouts~"
"I won't deny it."
"I knew it."
"So if you're planning to hurt—"
Hisoka waved his other hand dismissively in front of her face. "Don't waste your time. As much as I want to fight Ging, I have no interest in hurting Gon in order to get that opportunity~"
"So you're saying that you…like Gon's company?"
"What's there to hate? He's a lively, interesting young man~"
"And what exactly is your relationship—"
"Are we here to talk about the case or entertain twenty-one questions about Gon Freecs? ~" The bored look on Hisoka's face intensified. "If you want to know about the type of relationship I have with Gon so badly, go ask those people you have watching him; maybe they could help you~"
"That doesn't sound like it'll help much..."
"Well that's too bad~"
Dawn leaned back and away from the polished oak countertop and crossed her legs. Tilting her head to one side, she continued to study him with a wary gaze. "I'm curious, that's all."
"Apparently you're always curious~"
"Anyway, it's just that I've known you for years and I still can't tell if you intentionally enjoy being mysterious; are an enigma; or just simply are a jerk." Dawn squinted at him. "What I'd give to know what goes on inside that head of yours…what motivates you…"
"Careful now," Hisoka warned. "I don't think you really want to know what's going on inside here~"
"I'm beginning to think you're right." Dawn sighed resolutely and leaned forward to pick up her glass. Bringing it to her lips, she paused when a thought occurred to her. "So…since you're interacting with Gon, do you think he's up to the mission? The way things are going you may have to engage Arashi at any moment."
"I think he is, but I still have to test him to be sure~"
"Test..." Dawn's hand paused in swirling what was left of the martini around in her glass.
"What's wrong? ~" Hisoka asked, sending a curious glance her way.
"I suddenly got a bad feeling," Dawn replied as if she didn't quite understand it herself.
"Is that so? ~"
"Yes. I'm concerned about you testing Gon. It doesn't sound like it would be a pleasant experience for him."
"I don't intend it to be~"
She raised one eyebrow suspiciously. "Are you sure you're not trying to kill him?"
"Dawn..."—Hisoka turned to give her a brief, fake smile—"You know how I treat the things I like. And when I see something I particularly favor, the more I like it the rougher I am with it...~"
That response made Dawn pause for a moment, forgetting everything else she wanted to ask him about Gon's 'test'. She did not want to think about what Hisoka meant and was afraid of what she might learn if she asked any more questions on the subject. "Um...ok let's not talk about that anymore."
"Oh really? ~" Hisoka asked innocently. "What happened to your infallible curiosity? ~"
"Whatever." Dawn's expression grew serious. "Are you willing to accept responsibility if Gon dies during this job?"
"Gon won't die."
"He doesn't have his Nen."
"So you know about that too? Why am I not surprised~"
It was Dawn's turn to smirk. "Back when Gon did the mission with the Ant King he had his Nen but was still quite inexperienced. Netero was the one who had to ultimately decide to include him, but the old chairman liked taking chances like that."
"So do I~" Hisoka smiled. "I guess Gon is surrounded by people who just love to take chances~"
"Lucky him," Dawn deadpanned. "I heard that that mission had been quite problematic and I'm concerned how he would do in this one, especially without his Nen."
Putting a thumb to his chin in contemplation, Hisoka's voice took on a more serious undertone. "I have a little theory about his Nen that I want to try out during this mission~"
"Care to divulge?"
Feeling her intense gaze already analyzing him, Hisoka shook his head. "Nope~"
"Why?"
He smiled at her obvious disappointment. Not this time~
"You, Ms. Weekes, have a troublesome ability that I'd rather not fool around with~"
"Are you that afraid of the truth?"
"No, I just feel more comfortable slathered in lies~" Hisoka admitted.
Dawn shook her head. "Anyway, take a look at this." She reached into her leather attaché case to withdraw what appeared to be a photo and slid it slowly along the counter toward him.
"Hm? ~" Hisoka looked down at the blank piece of paper curiously, and already knowing what he had to do, used Gyo to uncover what had been captured on it. "I know him…isn't this Arashi's son?" He looked up at her, not even concealing his excitement. "Are we going to kill him too? ~"
"No...Well yes, but here's the thing." She tapped the picture. "I think this is not Arashi's son but Arashi himself."
Hisoka cocked his head to the side. "You do know that Arashi should be about fifty-eight years old now right? ~"
"Yes."
"And the person in this picture is no older than 30..."
"But that is Arashi. That is the guy I'm working for."
"Of all the crazy things you've told me," Hisoka mumbled. "This guy…he could have just given his son the same name. What proof do you have that it's otherwise?"
"He has the tattoo you told me about before."
"On his left hand?"
Dawn nodded.
"Arashi does have a son. From what I know, I'm certain of that. He could have given him the same tattoo to throw off the police~" Hisoka's frown deepened. "This is a man who is not opposed to sacrificing whatever he can to achieve his goal. And if that sacrifice includes letting his son take the fall in his place, I'm sure he'll do it."
"He had the sword. Now how do you explain that? Is that a plan...or a coincidence as well?"
Golden eyes narrowed to slits. "What? Are you serious?"
"Yes, the Ketsueki Sword...I felt an intense, malevolent aura from the moment I stepped into his office this morning and when I saw it I knew…"—she took a deep breath—"I knew that that thing was the reason I had been feeling so uneasy at work for the past two weeks."
"But you've been in his office before, why is it that today is the first time you've seen it or felt the aura so intensely?"
"I don't know why this is the first time I've seen it out in the open, but my theory is that he has a way of keeping the sword hidden."
Hisoka was silent, appearing to ponder this new information carefully. After all this time, the wait was finally over and Arashi had shown himself. If the man was no longer keeping the sword hidden, then that could only mean one thing...
The time for the execution of his plan is near.
Hisoka's expression hardened but he did not look at her. "I don't think you should follow this case so closely anymore."
"Aww and here I was thinking that you didn't care about me," Dawn teased.
"I don't~"
"Ouch," Dawn replied, pretending to be hurt.
"We don't need to be feeding that thing anymore blood, especially from skilled Nen users~"
"Hmmm." Dawn deliberated a bit on his words before responding, "From the victims who have been targeted so far, his actions seem random so we don't know if he's actually targeting Nen users. And if that were the case, my Hatsu isn't all that impressive anyway. I'm sure he wouldn't want to waste time on someone like me."
"But you're still a Nen-user and I don't think Mizaistrom takes on just any fool to work with him. Plus, I've wanted to tell you since I got here,"—Hisoka leaned closer to her—"you smell delicious enough to kill..." His eyes glinted. "You got stronger since we last met haven't you? Your points must have increased by at least twenty~"
Dawn made a face. "Thanks...I think?"
"I'm sure Arashi's already noticed you~"
"I've hidden myself well. He doesn't know that I'm a Nen user. He just thinks I'm an inept assistant."
"Your pretense is futile~"
Dawn bristled, assuming that he was purposely trying to scare her. "This is my line of work Hisoka, I know how this works and I can guarantee you that he has not figured out anything about me."
"You don't know him~"
"And you do?"
Hisoka didn't answer her question. Instead he continued, "Even if you hide your aura, Arashi will know that you're special because something about you will stand out. Something he'll be drawn to and he won't stop until he kills you."
Dawn shivered a bit although the afternoon was warm and the air-conditioning was cool in the dimly lit, uncrowded room. "If the price to solve this case is my blood then that's a price I will gladly pay. I will not desert the people of York Shin all because I'm afraid of being stabbed through my heart."
Hisoka listened to her valiant proclamation and scoffed. "Don't be stupid. Nen users like you are rare~"
"The life that Arashi has taken so far is more precious."
"That's your own belief~" he replied flippantly.
"Do you really think that?" Dawn asked, wondering if deep down inside Hisoka really did not care about the fact that so many people had died. "I'm sure that you feel at least something..."
Seeing the serious expression on her face, Hisoka warned, "Let me give you some advice,"—his tone became darker, more detached —"it's easy to make the mistake and think that I actually care. Don't make that mistake~"
"But you're seeking revenge too," Dawn insisted. "Isn't it because of something you believe in…probably a memory of someone you want to protect?"
"I'm not like you to have such a morally just reason~"
He's lying, Dawn thought. "When will you tell me what happened that night—"
"So if the guy in that picture is Arashi," Hisoka said, interrupting her. "Where is his son? ~"
Dawn allowed him to change the subject. It wouldn't be the first time. "Maybe he killed him and assumed his identity?" she offered. "That way, people would assume that it's the son who's running the businesses and the father is somewhere in hiding or—"
"Dead~" Hisoka finished for her. That was definitely a possibility. A very strong one.
"You know what's weird? There are no records anywhere about this son," Dawn started but then stopped. It seemed as if she had paused for effect, but in actuality, Dawn's mind was astute as ever, carefully going over all the information that had been made available to her over the years. "It's as if someone went to great lengths to ensure that there was no record of him growing up or anything. By this I mean, no records of schools attended etcetera. All we know is that he had a child…that it was male and if alive should be about thirty by now but that's where all of our leads end."
"Every one? ~"
"Every. Single. One."
Hisoka frowned. Something bigger than what they were aware of was at work in this situation and it was not simply something that could drastically change their lives if they did not put an end to it. It was vile, cunning and mysterious and if what he knew about Arashi proved true in this case as well, if they failed, everything would take on a dangerous, unpredictable edge. "I feel as if the answer to this mystery is right under our noses~"
"So can I." Dawn flipped her hair out of her face, and directed both of her captivating eyes at Hisoka who had gone back to stirring his drink.
"What's on your mind? ~" Hisoka asked, his eyes still trained on the swirling liquid.
Smirking at how perceptive he was, she started, "I'm just thinking about this whole situation. What exactly is that sword and where did it come from? Why does he have it, and why is he killing all these people? Is it a requirement of some sort?"
Hisoka did not meet her eyes, knowing that if he did, he'd be compelled to tell the truth and without knowing what Dawn would want to ask him, he decided not to take any chances. "Why are you asking me? Haven't your cronies figured it out yet? ~"
"We need to know his motive, and"—Dawn's focus was completely on him now—"I believe you know more than you're letting on."
"I am as unsure as you are so I'm not saying anything~"
Another lie and Dawn knew it.
"I don't believe you."
"You're free to do whatever you want~" Hisoka countered.
The way he continued to refuse talking about something so critical made Dawn rescind her decision not to question him any further about his past. His knowledge of certain events had the potential to directly affect the outcome of their case and the more she thought about how elusive he was acting, the angrier it made her.
Dawn irritably raked through her blond mane before pinning Hisoka with a livid blue glare. "Stop bullshitting me; I already told you that I know what happened that night."
"Ok…" Hisoka replied with a sigh. "If you know, stop asking me then. You know how much I detest to speak of the past~"
She continued as if he hadn't spoken. "Police records are one thing but some of it was tampered with – there's a lot of missing information."
"I will admit that I may have been a witness to certain things but that was so long ago. My information is not credible~"
"Credible or not, you're still pursuing him. What is it that you know that makes you so persistent? Are you trying to stop something before it happens?" When Hisoka didn't respond she added, "I am trying to put an end to this as much as you are so help me to understand."
"You don't need to understand everything in order to do your job and you know that~" Hisoka replied absently, appearing to be more interested in finishing his drink and getting another from the bartender than in what Dawn was saying.
Dawn looked at him hopelessly, knowing that it was all futile but she still tried. "So are you going to lie and tell me that this case isn't important to you? That the fact that you thought the person here in York Shin was his son is not what kept you from killing Arashi a long time ago?" She slammed her fist on the counter and pointed at him. "I gave you the confirmation and I'm allowing you to kill this ghost from your past. At least give me something!"
Finally turning to meet her livid glare, Hisoka smiled. "You're so beautiful when you're angry~" he ventured teasingly.
"I already told you to cut the crap," Dawn said through gritted teeth. "Flattery will get you nowhere."
Hisoka pretended to pout, looking away from her to focus his wandering gaze on the mirrored wall behind the fully stocked bar in front of them. Through the neatly organized shot glasses and pitchers, he could see Dawn's reflection glaring at him as if she was ready to kill and he resisted the urge to laugh. "Ah, such a temper you got there~"
Dawn just hissed in response, as if she was no longer willing to speak with him.
"What more do you want me to tell you?" Hisoka asked, his eyes still focused on the mirrored wall. "I told you about the sword, the tattoo and about him possibly having a son. And I've accepted your little mission to go after him. There is nothing more I can tell you that can be of use~"
"Kuso…" Her fingers drummed the blank photo between them harshly. "I want to know the details of that night!"
"Hmmm oh really? ~" Hisoka asked with a disdainful little chuckle. "I wouldn't have guessed~"
Dawn could see now that she had wrongfully assumed that persistently asking Hisoka about what had happened in his past would eventually give her the answers she was after. She thought that he would have grown tired of her questions and told her what she wanted to know, but apparently, she was the only one growing tired of engaging him.
Huffing in defeat, she tried one last time, "I just thought that if I knew more, I would be able to figure something out about his intentions. The suspense is killing me…"
"Oh Dawn…" Hisoka said, pretending to be pitiful of her plight. "That's beyond the purview of our job~" he pointed out coolly, giving her a brief, iridescent smile. "Now. Have you given up this battle of wills yet? It's obvious that you've lost~"
Dawn sighed, bringing her glass to her lips and looking over its rim at the cheerful look on his face. Did frustrating her make him that happy?
Damn.
As usual, with Hisoka there was no point in trying to best him. Unless he wanted to, it was futile to believe that she would learn anything more from him – he would keep leading her around in circles and loving every minute of it.
I guess I'll just leave him be for now.
"Hmmm? ~" Hisoka raised an eyebrow at the sound of her sighing again. "Careful with all that sighing now Dawn," he cautioned with a smile. "If you keep on like that, you're going to get all wrinkled~"
Dawn almost choked on her Martini. "What did you just say to me?" she sputtered, forgetting about the earlier promise she'd made to herself to not allow Hisoka to frustrate her. "Hisoka…you…you're such a d-damnable—"
"Oh yeah, I forgot," he cut in, completely ignorant of her irritation. "Thanks~"
Dawn was at a loss. "What…?" His sudden expression of gratitude had her utterly confused. "What are you thanking me for?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing.
Taking a sip of his drink, Hisoka meditated momentarily on its cold, smooth taste before responding. "You were right, about the guy. I had been after him for so long and he kept eluding me. Even though there was this person bearing his exact resemblance, only younger, I was wary that this was either just his son or someone that he had masquerading as him in order to draw me out. But the sword…there's no way he'd give that to someone else."
"So you're done doubting me then?" Dawn asked hopefully. "You're finally admitting that I did a good job?"
"I had never doubted you completely~" Hisoka replied, wearing an expression of mock surprise. "What would ever make you assume that? ~"
Dawn narrowed her eyes once more to spear him with a glance filled with disapproval. "Playing tricks even at a serious time like this… Do you really enjoy torturing me that much?" Hisoka only smiled and she continued in a low grumble, "Sometimes I can't tell if you're seriously bullshiting me."
"You can consider meeting me today as having been practice to sharpen your abilities~"
"My ability to resist punching you?"
"No, your ability to seamlessly detect the truth~" Hisoka responded, pretending to sigh disapprovingly. "You have a pretty interesting talent and I got all excited anticipating the challenge..."—he smirked—"but being that you were unable to tell whether I was being honest or not, it's clear that your skills have possibly deteriorated over time." He turned to give her a closed-eye smile even though closing his eyes while she was glowering at him was a dangerous thing to do. "I've always told you that you're too reckless. Had you been more levelheaded, maybe you'd have been able to know—"
"It's been a while since I last punched you, you know…" Dawn muttered with a dark scowl, cracking her knuckles.
"Oh yes~" Hisoka only smiled wider. "Bringing back such wonderful memories…you're so endearing~"
"Whatever." Dawn pouted, deciding once more to ignore him. Giving in to Hisoka's taunts would be giving him exactly what he wanted. "Some people can never change I see," she mumbled.
"Change is exciting but when anticipated can be boring. I like to do the unexpected~" he said smoothly.
Dawn didn't even bother responding. Instead she said, "Speaking of unexpected things, I'd like to propose our next move."
"What have you got in mind? ~" Hisoka propped his chin on an upturned palm. "On my end, I can't quite make a move yet. There is no way I can get close to him without letting him become wary of my presence in York Shin…and my involvement with you~" His lips stretched into a shrewd smile. "And if my cover is blown, I'd have to kill him before you get to find out his motive~"
"Well I'll do it."
"You want to get even closer to him?" Hisoka met her determined stare and lowered his voice to a dark whisper. "You'd surely die this time~"
"What is with your obsession about me dying?" Dawn grumbled with a frown, not allowing his morose tone to scare her. "As I stated before, I'm perfectly aware that that's a possibility." She mirrored his pose, propping her chin and looking at him out of the corner of one eye. "But time is running out and we don't know when he'd kill again."
"And if he chooses you as his next kill? ~"
"I'm fine with that," she finished with determination.
"Do as you please then~"
"That's my intentio—"
[[Cell phone ringing]]
As her cell phone started beeping loudly, Dawn reached into her bag to retrieve it. "Good afternoon Mr. Hashira," she answered politely, already back into her administrative assistant facade. Directing her gaze at Hisoka, she smirked on seeing his sideways glance and the way his hand tightened just a fraction around the glass in his hand.
[["Are you free this evening Dawn?"]]
"Yes sir."
[["There are some things I need to discuss with you that are of utmost importance."]]
"I see."
[["Think you could meet me in the lobby of the Plaza Hotel, or do you want me to collect you?"]]
"I can meet you there sir. What time shall I be there for?"
[["Nine o' clock seems like an appropriate time. Walk with your notepad. There are some things we need to go over before the Auction."]]
"Ok, I will. Nine o' clock it is," Dawn confirmed, looking absently down at the display screen for a while after Arashi had hung up.
"How long are you going to stare at that thing? ~"
Dawn ignored Hisoka's taunt, too busy wondering about what had just taken place to bother with him. "I think our suspect has just walked right into our hands..."—she looked up at him—"…and decided our next move for us."
"I told you that you'd attract his attention despite your act~"
"I can't back out now," Dawn mumbled, more to herself than in response to Hisoka. "Maybe this is the best thing to happen."
"Oh? ~"
"Yeah. Actually, it would be the best thing if tonight I can get close enough to him to—"
"To not die~" Hisoka finished for her.
"Yeah, yeah, that too." Dawn waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, quickly replacing the phone in her purse. "But what I'm thinking is that if I can get close to him and find out more about his character than either of us knows, then we'd have our final confirmation about who this person really is – that is, if he's an imposter or the real thing. I might even be lucky enough to learn more about that sword."
"Don't underestimate him," Hisoka warned. "He won't be stupid enough to give away information so easily – or without a price."
"How nice it would be if you didn't underestimate me," Dawn grumbled. "I am a private investigator and sometimes my job demands that I go with the flow to get the information I seek, so stop trying to scare me."
"And how do you plan to get your evidence Ms. Private Investigator? ~"
Dawn straightened up and pointed to the back of her left hand. "His tattoo. That would be my objective tonight. I have a feeling that if I see it I would know what it does."
"If it serves any purpose, that is~"
"It does," she said with conviction. "I only got a glimpse of it this morning and I can tell that it's no ordinary tattoo"—she paused—"and I suspect that you are aware of this too."
Hisoka scoffed, neither confirming nor denying this.
[[Erratic beeping sound]]
Just then, his phone vibrated, interrupting the tense atmosphere and he looked down at the screen.
(HuntsApp Messenger: 1 unread message from 1 conversation)
Gon: On my way home now but I think I forgot my keycard on the end table…I'll be locked out ﾟﾟ・ ヾ(ﾟдﾟ)ﾉﾞ ・ﾟﾟ
Smirking, Hisoka quickly typed his response. 'I'm guessing that you've only just figured that out~'
Gon: I don't have to answer that you know…
'Your refusal only makes you look even more guilty~'
Gon: Whatever.
'That's pretty careless behavior Gon-kun. And you know what I do when you behave carelessly. Maybe I should punish you~'
Gon: Hey don't tease me. I'm not in the mood. Today really was a crazy day (；￣Д￣）
''Was'? It's not over yet~'
'And who said that I was teasing?'
'I'm serious.'
Gon: You home or not?
'I'm not. Want to come to The Bar for a drink? ~'
Gon: Why the hell would I want to come to a place like that?
'It's not a bad place~'
'So let's meet up~'
'We can get drunk and go home together afterward to have wild sex. That way, you'd get in the condo and I'd get sex~'
'And of course you'd be satisfied…as always~'
Gon: What?
'I said that we can get drunk and go home together afterward to have wild sex. That way, you'd get in the condo and I'd get sex~'
Gon: You didn't have to repeat the message…I saw what you said. It's right here on the screen.
'Then why ask? ~'
'Just hurry up and come here~'
'The sooner you come the sooner I can get you drunk~'
Gon: What the...I'm not old enough to drink.
Gon: You're acting like such a responsible adult ˚▱˚
'When have I ever been such an atrocious thing? ~'
Gon: I don't even know what to say…
'Don't say anything. Just come. Haven't you ever wondered what drunken sex would be like? I want to show you~'
Gon: No! Why would I even wonder about such a thing?!
Gon: There is no way I'm coming to meet you in The Bar Hisoka ○_○
Gon: And I'm not going to let you get me drunk.
Gon: So forget it.
'Well…I guess you'll be waiting outside the condo for a long time ≷• ܫ•≶'
Gon: How long?
'Maybe…all night. After all, you don't want to come meet me. I might happen to get distracted here…by people…who knows…? ~'
Gon: WHAT? Are you with Illumi again?
'Illumi? Why do you think that? ~'
Gon:(-`д´-)
Other than that angry emoticon, Gon didn't respond again and Hisoka looked back up at Dawn who was watching him. "Do you have to go?" she asked.
Hisoka shook his head, a smirk settling across his lips. "Not just yet, I think we could stick around here for a bit; there's someone I want to show you~"
"Who might that be?" Her brow furrowed. "Do I know who—"
[[Cell phone ringing]]
As Hisoka's cell phone rang, he flashed Dawn a conspiratory grin before taking the call. "That didn't take you long at all~" he answered mockingly.
[["Just cut the crap Hisoka, you were tricking me weren't you?"]]
"I was? ~" Hisoka asked innocently. "I'd never do that~"
[["Yes you would! You were lying about Illumi being there!"]]
[["A-and about getting me drunk!"]]
"Oh…I never did say that Illumi was here with me~"
[["…"]]
Gon's heavy breathing could be heard over the line and Hisoka's grin widened. It was obvious that he had probably just run all the way from wherever he had been just to get to The Bar.
Mission accomplished~
So predictable~
"Why would I do such a cruel thing as to resort to tricking you? ~"
[["…When have you not?"]]
Hisoka could feel Gon's irritation through the phone. "And you still came all the way here despite knowing that I was probably baiting you. You're so predictably interesting~"
[["Sh-shut up. Just come give me the key, I'm by the door."]]
[[Dial tone]]
Hisoka took his time in walking to the entrance of the bar. Just outside stood a very pissed-off-looking Gon, gripping the strap of the heavy grey gym bag on his shoulder tightly. From the young man's callous expression, it was obvious that he wanted to be gripping his neck instead.
Hisoka suppressed a moan. "That's a lovely expression you're wearing," he said with an amused look on his face. "What have I done to deserve such a pleasant greeting? ~"
Gon grunted in exasperation, his cheeks reddening and gaze now averted. "You're such a jerk."
Placing a hand on one hip and studying Gon with a sexy smirk, he drawled, "Mmmmhmmm tell me something I don't know~"
Thoroughly peeved, Gon closed the distance between them, pointing up at Hisoka and ready to give the man an earful for deliberately tricking him.
"You can't just keep—" Gon stopped mid-sentence, suddenly alert.
"I see you've noticed my presence," Dawn said, stepping out from behind Hisoka to stand at the man's side. "A very commendable feat considering your circumstances." She openly observed Gon who was still standing in front of Hisoka with his hand frozen in mid-air. "It's good to see you haven't lost your touch…along with your Nen."
"Do I know you?" Gon asked suspiciously, looking up at the woman. She was tall, almost as tall as Hisoka with long, loose platinum blonde hair and dressed in a business suit. She did not seem threatening but with the way she was observing him, Gon decided not to take any chances; especially since he could sense that she was a Nen user.
His voice dropped even lower, taking on a dangerous edge. "And how do you know about my Nen?" Not many people knew about his present condition and in Gon's opinion, that was reason enough to be wary.
Dawn smirked, putting one hand on her hip and extending the other toward Gon. "Let's just say we have mutual interests." Seeing Gon hesitate to make contact with her she added. "I know your dad, and—"
"You know Ging?!" Gon piped up suddenly, all caution instantly ablated.
Dawn laughed at his change in mood. "Yeah I do. There's not much more I can tell you about him that you haven't already learnt from your last meeting though." She looked down at her hand and then back up at him. "So what do you say?"
Gon blushed, feeling rude for leaving one of his dad's acquaintances hanging like that.
Dawn smiled when he finally took her proffered hand. "You've got a strong grip there young man, just like Ging." She giggled at the way he seemed to blush more at her words. "My name is Dawn Weekes."
When she released his hand, Gon clasped both in front of himself and bowed respectfully. "Nice to meet you Miss Weekes," he said.
"Call me Dawn," she corrected him and he smiled widely. "No need to be so formal."
"Um…how do you know him?" Gon asked pointing at Hisoka.
"Hmm?" Dawn spared Hisoka a cursory glance and then looked down at Gon again. "You could say we have history."
"Huh?" Gon was confused. What's that supposed to mean? Usually 'history' with someone like Hisoka meant that he desired to kill that person but eventually decided that they were more useful alive.
I bet that's exactly how they met.
Hisoka smirked at his overly thoughtful expression. "Gon, remember when I was telling you about the auction and my contact for this mission?" When Gon nodded, he continued. "Well this is my contact~"
"She's really pretty for a contact," Gon muttered.
"Why thank you," Dawn said with a small smile while Gon blushed in embarrassment.
"Ah sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud…" he mumbled, looking away from both her and Hisoka.
Hisoka laughed, walking up to him and putting a hand around his shoulders. "Don't mind him Dawn, he always says the first thing that comes to his mind~"
Gon puffed out his cheeks and looked pointedly up at Hisoka. "Just shut up and give me the keycard; I want to go home."
Looking down at Gon's extended palm and then back up at his face; Hisoka pulled him closer as Gon tried to wriggle away from him. "I'm not giving you the key~"
"Why not?" Gon protested, pulling away from Hisoka to point dramatically at the bar. "You know I can't go in there!"
"You don't have to go in there. The reason I'm not giving you the key is because we're going home together~"
"But…" Gon blushed. "Your meeting with Dawn—"
"Don't worry about me," Dawn said. "I was leaving anyway. I have an assignment to get ready for tonight."
"Do your best not to die,"—Hisoka smirked—"It'll be a pain to find another contact at such a short notice~"
"Will do," Dawn replied as she started to walk off but then paused to look back at Gon. "It was nice to have finally met you Gon Freecs. I've known your dad since before you were born and it is a pleasure to see what you've grown into." After a brief moment of hesitation she added, "You can ask me anything…and should you ever want to know about your mom you could ask me about her too."
"You knew my birth mother?" Gon frowned. "Ah no, I don't really want to know anything about her…" Seeing the pained look on Dawn's face before she turned away, he became confused and quickly moved to clarify what he had said. "Sumimasen…I mean well, it's just that I already have a mom, Aunt Mito, she's all I know…and want to know."
"Oh well that's fine, but we can talk anytime, so don't hesitate," Dawn said with a smile. "We'll definitely be meeting again."
"Thanks Ms. Weekes."
"Don't forget, it's okay to call me Dawn."
"Thanks Dawn," Gon said, waving as she walked off. He turned to look up at Hisoka. "Well that was awkward…"
"How so? ~"
"I think I hurt her feelings."
"Hmm…"
"Maybe that person was a friend of hers."
"'That person'? ~"
"You know who I mean."
"Who? ~"
Gon sighed. "My biological mother…you know, the person who had given birth to me."
"I know what biological means Gon~" Hisoka frowned. "Didn't you grow up with your aunt? Don't you want to know who your mother was? Or find out about her character? Dawn seems to know her~"
"No." Gon replied stubbornly.
Hisoka pondered Gon's resolute mood for a moment, wondering why the subject of his mother had suddenly brought about such a determined expression on his face. "Wouldn't it be like tying up loose ends, or putting the ghosts of the past to rest? ~"
Gon's lips twisted into a deep frown. "In that case those ghosts could haunt me forever."
"Hmmm…" Hisoka raised an eyebrow. "You seem pretty determined to not know…and for things to remain mysterious~"
"You don't know it, but I've had many opportunities to solve that mystery," Gon explained, focusing his gaze on the pavement beneath his grey sneakers. "I lived with granny and Aunt Mito back on Whale Island and could have asked granny anytime. Then I'd found information about my birth mother that Dad had left for me but I chose to ignore it." He paused to meet Hisoka's eyes. "Even when I finally met with dad after my hospitalization, we talked about everything but her."
Hisoka put a hand on his lower back. "I understand; some things in the past are better left undisturbed after all."
"Yeah..."
To Hisoka, Gon was pretty interesting. He'd have expected the young man to jump at the opportunity to learn about his real mother as soon as Dawn offered, with the same enthusiasm he had displayed to Hanzo when telling the ninja about his resolution to find his dad, but that wasn't the case.
Why? he wondered, not understanding his desire to find an answer to that question, or why he even cared. It was as if everything about Gon was suddenly intriguing to him these days.
"Do you ever think about her?" Hisoka asked suddenly, giving voice to his thoughts before he could silence them.
"Rarely, because when I think of the word 'mother', all I see is Mito-san." Gon gave him a brief, sad smile before looking away again. "She...whoever my biological mother is could be living or dead and it doesn't concern me anymore since I came to accept the possibility that she was dead a long time ago. Sometimes it makes me feel horrible to think that way but that's okay, because knowing that dad left me to become a hunter was something I had no problem with; but if I learn that she is alive and had left me too, without looking back...to know that the both of them..."
When Gon's eyes shone with unshed tears, Hisoka was surprised, not to see him like this, but by the way seeing Gon like that made him want to gather him close. But he made no move to do so.
"You see Hisoka…Aunt Mito…is my mother. She's been more of a mom to me than some stranger who gave me life and forgot about me."
At the downtrodden look on his face, Hisoka offered, "If that is what happened, I'm sure there is a good reason why you were given up. It probably wasn't easy for her either." After a brief silence, he added awkwardly, "And I'm sure that whoever she was...that she loved you~"
Words of consolation were not something Hisoka ever found himself having to offer to anyone and as awkward as he felt having to do that for Gon, he found that he didn't really mind it much. He'd much rather have Gon smiling by his side than sad or confused.
Gon's internal struggle was clear as his brow furrowed and his lips twisted with unspoken words. He hesitated. "I…"
"What are you afraid of Gon? ~"
"I don't want to forget Aunt Mito…who has given me so much more…who has given me life too, but in her own way."
"You won't forget her." Hisoka smiled, trying to lighten his mood. "It's not like Dawn is going to sit you on her lap and force you to listen to stories of your biological mother you know~"
Gon giggled, wiping the tears from his eyes and Hisoka knew that he was most likely envisioning that scenario. When soft giggles turned into a musical laugh that surrounded them in the lingering humidity to join the sounds of the nearby street traffic, Hisoka found himself feeling pleased to have been the one to make Gon laugh. Instead of wondering why he felt like that, he continued, "All Dawn did was offer to tell you about her and from your reaction, I'm sure that she knows now that you're uncomfortable with the subject and won't bring it up again."
Sighing, Gon slowly raised his eyes to meet Hisoka's when a finger under his chin encouraged him to lift his head again. "I shouldn't have said that I wasn't interested in knowing who my biological mother was…it's the truth, but it feels like I was rude to Dawn. She was probably looking forward to telling me about her."
"Well you were just being honest~"
"But she looked hurt when I said that a—"
"Don't stress about it," Hisoka assured him. "You see, Dawn was an orphan so that's probably why she seemed offended, but she really wasn't. Maybe she had just remembered something…"—he shrugged—"Who knows? ~"
"An orphan?"
"Yeah, her parents were killed in an incident similar to what's happening in YorkShin right now. The person responsible for the crime was never found and I guess that's why she feels so strongly about this case."
"Does that mean she's a police officer now?" Gon asked excitedly, his previous mood mostly dissipated.
"Not quite. She's a private investigator working for Mizaistrom – you know…one of the Zodiacs?" When Gon nodded, Hisoka added, "That's why she's here in York Shin~"
"Ah, I see." Gon's face was painted with a distant expression as he mulled over this new information. "I wonder if she knows Leorio and Kurapika?"
"That's a possibility~" Hisoka mumbled. "You should ask her the next time we meet. Now,"—he put his hands on Gon's shoulders and looked down into his eyes. "Want some ice cream? Although it might ruin your appetite for dinner and it's a bit late; the weather is still kind of warm, so I'll treat you to any flavor you like from D' Pastry Shoppe~"
Gon nodded eagerly. "Can we have the...uh,"—one hand came up to rub the back of his head as he tried to recall the name—"Macaron Ice Cream Sandwich with the...Coconut-Mango Ice Cream like the last time?" His face warmed over with excitement. "I really liked that combination Hisoka!"
"Of course, but on one condition~" Hisoka smirked, bending close enough to whisper seductively in his ear, "And that condition is that I get to feed it to you…like the last time~"
"Ah..." Gon's face immediately reddened as the color rose from below his collar to spread all the way to the roots of his hair. Just the thought of Hisoka feeding him the exotic treat again had him feeling incredibly flustered. "E-every spoon?"
"Yes~"
"O-okay I..." Gon started to respond but his voice trailed off when Hisoka did not straighten up immediately. He swallowed hard to ease the lump in his throat but that action did little to calm the butterflies in his stomach. "H-Hisoka…?" he croaked, but there was no reply. Hisoka's soft breath only glided past the fine hairs on his neck and immediately those butterflies in his stomach went from fluttering wildly to rioting.
"Ah…" From Hisoka's proximity Gon could feel that delicious added warmth and indecent thoughts assailed him.
His lips are so close.
Gon's eyes slid shut and he tilted his chin subconsciously, offering himself up to Hisoka. It felt as if at any moment the man would close the little distance left between those lips and the heated skin of his neck and he held his breath, anticipating the move and forgetting where they were.
Hisoka's eyes were drawn to the smooth, tanned, pulsing skin close to his lips. He wanted nothing more than to feel it against his lips, to lick a slow path all the way up until he could nibble at Gon's earlobe.
Wow~
He inhaled deeply, desperately wanting to give in to his desire to ravish Gon right there in front of the bar. To make things worse, Gon's submission and obvious desire for the same wasn't making it easy to resist.
"Absolutely irresistible~" Hisoka whispered against Gon's neck, his lips skimming over the heated surface.
"Huh?" Gon gasped, finally cognizant when Hisoka's voice broke the lustful spell he was in. He opened his eyes, confusion and desire written all over his features.
Did Hisoka just say that I was irresistible?
He wasn't sure if he had heard Hisoka correctly, but a large part of him wanted to hear the man say those words again.
Unfortunately Hisoka didn't repeat himself but straightened up to look down at Gon's burning face. His fingers slowly travelled upwards to curiously smooth over the tanned, reddened skin. "You're so hot Gon-kun~"
I'm 'hot'…? Gon stared up at him hazily. What exactly is happening here...my heart— He took a few deep breaths and blinked rapidly to clear the haze. "W-what do you mean by—?" .
"Your face," Hisoka interrupted, pointing to his own cheek. "It feels hot. Are you okay? ~" he asked smoothly. "You seem quite flustered~"
"Ah..." Gon felt as if he was lost in the depths of Hisoka's perceptive gaze.
I must have been imagining things...
He put a hand to his hot cheek.
So embarrassing...
Seeing that Hisoka was waiting for him to respond, Gon replied, "Of course I'm okay...why wouldn't I be?" Looking away from that intense golden stare that seemed to consume all of him, he stuttered quickly, "I'm just looking forward to you… I mean…the uh… ice cream that's all."
"Oh so that's all it was~"
No…that's not all it was… Gon thought, but didn't dare admit it. He was convinced that if Hisoka only knew how much he had been thirsting for him just a moment ago he'd never hear the end of it.
"I see. In that case, I won't keep you waiting any longer. We can pick up the ice cream on our way back to the Condo~" Hisoka smiled gently at him as his hand tightened around his shoulder. "Come on Gon-kun…let's go home~"
Gon felt his heart warm at hearing Hisoka say those words. "Let's go home," he repeated to himself in a barely audible whisper as a wide smile spread across his face to accompany the prevalent blush already there.
"Yeah, Hisoka, let's go home," he replied a little louder, allowing himself to be pulled closer to Hisoka's side as they turned away from the entrance to the bar and to the busy street ahead. It was time to take the long, serene walk back to their Condo.
Together.
Gon smiled at this thought, feeling incredibly content.
In the distance the sky was set aflame by the torch of a retiring sun and all around them, everything seemed to be painted in an orange, reticent glow. The air was heavy with smog and the noise of impatient traffic, but to Gon, there wasn't anything better than that moment. York Shin City was beautiful, and after such an emotionally draining day, he was happy to be with Hisoka again.
This is where I belong, he thought, peeking up at Hisoka and blushing slightly. Right by his side…
As if feeling the weight of his quiet observation, Hisoka looked down to give him a closed-eye smile and Gon's heart fluttered. I want to stay with you, he thought, returning Hisoka's smile. I want to stay with you because there's nowhere else I'd rather be.
A.N: Hisoka's favorite pastime – playing mind games lol. Poor Gon and those texts… Poor Dawn for having to tolerate Hisoka.
She probably doesn't want to meet him again for a long time. I'm beginning to think that Hisoka loves torturing all of my support characters (except Laura). I don't mind though ;p
I love how Gon came all prepared to beat him up and then one look at Hisoka and he was almost won over ha. Too much sexual tension *wink*
Ahhhhh fluffy HisoGon at the end...I live for that stuff. It's cute how Hisoka wanted to cheer him up and it seems like Gon is slowly getting into his heart without Hisoka even knowing that he's falling for him...or is he really falling or him, who knows ^.^ Don't fight it Hisoka – Gon is like a virus and by the time you notice the signs, you'd already be infected…
I hope you liked the update! Drop me a review if you can and until the next chapter, take care ;)
Next Chapter Preview: HisoGon moment *wiggles eyebrows* and Killua tries to make sense of what he's learned about Hisoka and Gon.
Right now I'm wondering just how much I should torture Dawn. Should I be kind? Hmm maybe not lol. The content in the next chapter will depend on whether my conscience wins / loses. Let's see how our main and support characters continue to deal with the changing events in their lives!
Oh and with all the things going on, it will be 'day 12' for a little while lol.