BLD18
(A/N: I'm aiming to close this at 20 chapters. So, time skip time! We're skipping to the wedding, just for the sake of plot. This one's gonna have a lot of plot going on in it, next one is the actual wedding, and the final one is… well the closing. Hopefully I can finish them all in the next few days, I'm running out of time.)
Ch.18: Rush
Alluka never let on that something would be going on that night. She helped Kalluto pick out some final things for the wedding, helped her mother with dinner, and spent the evening with Kurapica in the library for a reading lesson. It was, overall, a pretty normal day.
It was that night that would be different.
In an office not too far from the mansion, Leorio and Dr. Connor were making some final preparations for the operation.
It was based in Nen mostly, as Nanika's existence was a result of a mutation in Alluka's Nen that allowed a second soul and presence to form, using Nen as a means of sharing the body. So to anyone who didn't know better, it just looked like Alluka had a split personality Nen ability, when really the Nen was only a vessel Nanika used to communicate. A group of semi-humanoid creatures in the Dark Continent had called them "soul searchers" and had found a "cure" some years before. It was dangerous however.
First, you had to obtain a second body for the other soul. For the scientists it was no problem to clone Alluka (and mess around with the DNA just a tad to make a fully female body) and use Nen to keep the body dormant and unconscious. It didn't have Nen of its own, so there was no way to give it true life, even though all organs were functioning. Then they have to literally take Nanika out of Alluka, by forcing Alluka's Nen nodes open while simultaneously forcing her into zetsu using blockers akin to Kurapica's chains, so only Nanika's life force leaves the body. That was the dangerous part, because if they can't get the Nen blockers in the right spot at the right time, Alluka could "bleed out". But if they get that part right, all they have to do is put Nanika's life force into the clone body, and wait for her to wake up.
It would be a much easier operation if Alluka could use Nen, but being trapped in the basement she had no idea what it was prior to this, let alone how to control it. But, Nanika did and that's the important part. She used Nen to basically live, so it would be no trouble for her to force her way out of the open nodes. They just needed to make sure she didn't get trapped behind the blockers.
"Leorio, you should probably go pick up the girls." Connor said, turning from the table, "it's getting late, any later and it'll look suspicious."
"Right."
Kalluto was looking at the dress again. For what seemed like the tenth time that day he had disappeared from whatever he and Feitan were doing to stare lovingly at the mass of white fabric, black lace, and silver ribbon.
Feitan was on edge as well, disappearing from the rooms occasionally only to return with another blood splatter. Kalluto would just smile and wipe his face, not commenting on his behavior. He knew there was no changing him.
"I'm scared." Kalluto admitted, "I'm scared, and sad, and anxious, and excited… I don't really know what I'm feeling. I'm anxious because I want it to be over, scared of the fact that Feitan might not be ready for this. I'm sad that my whole family fell apart because I just wanted to leave home… but I'm still so excited about this. I'm getting married, to Feitan. If it were anyone else, I would have refused. Even Chrollo… especially Chrollo. He's far too… tall. Great guy, but too tall for me."
Kalluto sighed and leaned back against the couch, twirling the opal engagement ring around his finger. It wasn't professional quality, but Feitan had spent a month making it and Kalluto loved it. He was an artist at heart, whether his canvas is for paint or blood. He saw the world through eyes that could see nothing but beauty, no matter how gruesome. The worse the better.
That was true optimism, true rose-colored glasses. To see the most brutal pain and only smile, only see it as art and nothing more. To take the pain of others and experience warmth and happiness. Others call him freak, crazy, sadistic bastard, among other things. But Kalluto couldn't help but feel awe, and admiration. Perhaps it was his upbringing, perhaps it was fate. But somehow they found each other in a sea of people who just didn't understand.
Illumi was admiring his collection of special pins, ones used only for special targets. Like his littlest brother and his fiancé. Of course, why not the heart-shaped pins Hisoka got him for valentines a few years before?
Illumi drops the box back onto the table, a sudden pang in his gut. Memories flooded his head, of back when he was around Killua's age...
"Hisoka, what are you doing here?" Illumi hisses, "if my parent's find you, they'll kill you, then me!"
"I know, I know, calm down!" Hisoka replies in a hushed whisper, "I just have a surprise that simply couldn't wait till morning~."
Illumi rolls his dark eyes and holds out his hand. Hisoka places his in it and to Illumi's surprise, starts dragging him toward the window. Out on the roof of the house, under a canvas painted with stars, sat a blanket.
Illumi decided to humor the budding magician, sitting down on the soft spade-patterned fabric. It was the night of February thirteenth, and Illumi was expecting a visit from his friend the next day, possibly with chocolate or a balloon. But although Hisoka was, and had always been, a bit eccentric… Illumi didn't think he'd come early.
"Don't worry Illu-kun, I won't break tradition. The present will wait until midnight. But… I wanted to spend the rest of the night up here with you~."
Illumi fought the blush rising up on his cheeks. Yes, he had a crush on his flirty, player of a best friend. He knew Hisoka wasn't ever serious in a relationship, but his childish hopes still kept him holding on.
Besides, if Hisoka broke his heart, Illumi would simply break his neck.
"Illumi," Hisoka asked, laying back against the blanket, "why do you put up with me?"
Illumi was taken aback by the question, but answered anyway, "w-well… you're the only person who can get past the gates and Mike… I don't have a wide selection when it comes to friends."
"so if some other guy, a nice, normal guy walked in here, would you leave me?"
"Hell no! Normal people freak me out. Who would want to be normal?"
They stayed up talking all night, steadily growing closer until Illumi's head was lying on Hisoka's shoulder.
"Hisoka, I don't really know how to say this. It's been stirring in my mind for a while and I feel like it needs to come out. I know you're not the sort of person any logical person would be friends with, but when we're together, I don't feel scared at all. In fact, you make life so much easier for me. I don't feel like a Zoldyck. I feel like… me. Thank you."
In the distance, a clock chimed midnight. Reaching into his coat pocket, Hisoka pulled out a shittily wrapped present. Illumi tore into it greedily, eyes widening at the beautiful hand-painted heart pins. They were sharp, deadly, and most of all beautiful. And each one had his initials written on the back in calligraphy, Hisoka's secret hobby only Illumi knew about.
"I was so stupid back then. What a fool." Illumi mutters, wiping his face to stop the forming tears. Hisoka, being the player he was, had repeatedly broken the assassin's heart without even knowing it. After about the third time Illumi thought they were together, but apparently weren't (stupid pink-haired bitch…) Illumi had pretty much cut him off. No more presents, o more late night visits to talk on the roof, no more heart.
How, how could someone who understood him so fully break his heart subconsciously? A bitter, angry, raw wound in Illumi's frozen heart wanted to believe it was on purpose. That Hisoka wanted him to suffer. But the more rational part of him said that Hisoka just wasn't into him, and was simply rather affectionate towards close friends, sending mixed signals because that was just his personality.
But then what was all that talk about running away together? Of buying a shitty apartment in York Shin and going out partying every night? Or ridiculous matching outfits and getting a fluffy white kitten named Snowball? Did Hisoka have those conversations with the pink-haired girl? Or the young guy with flashy nen-swords? Any of the people Illumi had to watch steal all the affection that rightfully belonged to him?
That's why he stopped feeling emotions. Joy and laughter weren't worth all the pain he'd have to go through. It wasn't worth it anymore; it was so much easier to die inside. He knew he was being a coward, but the pain was just too much. To love someone so deeply and watch them just leave again, and again.
And now his youngest brother, the sweet, talented Kalluto was running off with a torturer who knew so little about humanity and hearts, just because Illumi got pissy with him. The jealousy of all the happiness his younger siblings had drove him to extreme measures. Why should they get to be happy? Didn't he deserve happiness? Assassins don't have friends, and they never, ever fall in love. All the world will ever do is hurt you. Better to stop it before Kalluto ends up worse off, right?
Right?
(A/N: sorry I'm evil I know! Tragic Illumi backstory! I had to do it, it was right there and… damn I ship HisoIllu so much. I mean, Illumi wasn't born the way he is, something happened that made him go nuts.)