Work Text:
"Illu? Why are you –"
Hisoka's words got interrupted by a loud, unfamiliar sound. Slightly sleep-drunk, he propped himself up on one arm. His eyes fell upon the alarm clock. Four in the morning.
Another sound came from the bathroom. It sounded known, yet new to him. It reminded him of partying and getting drunk as a young adult –
Illumi was vomiting?
Hisoka had never heard Illumi vomit before. Frankly, it wasn't even something he considered Illumi could do. The assassin had a stomach made of steel. His diet consisted of sugar and candy. He drank poison in his coffee.
Another purge, and Hisoka was sure: Illumi was puking. Did something happen at the Zoldyck Estate?
"Illumi, darling, are you alright?" Hisoka switched the light on, slid out of bed and into the bathroom. He found Illumi on his knees, wearing nothing but his sleeping pants. His upper body was splayed over the toilet, tears rolling down his cheeks, hair sticking onto his sweaty back.
"I am fine. I –"
Before he could finish his sentence, he started throwing up again. Hisoka quickly grabbed his hair, tying it together with Bungee Gum to prevent getting it dirty. His other hand stroked down Illumi's back, softly caressing it to bring him some comfort.
"You don't look fine." Hisoka wanted to say more, express his worries, ask Illumi what happened, but he knew this wasn't the right moment for that.
After a few more purges of Illumi emptying his stomach, until there wasn't anything left to spew anymore, the assassin stood up. He blinked his teary eyes, and his hand shot to his hair, confused to find it tied. His pale, seemingly cold feet stepped onto the bathroom mat, and he glanced into the mirror for a second. After fetching his toothbrush and the toothpaste next to it, Illumi started brushing his teeth thoroughly. Hisoka, who had still been standing at the same spot watching his lover, decided to offer some help. "Go back to bed once you're ready. I'm making you tea."
When Illumi didn't protest, Hisoka rushed towards the kitchen. Usually, Illumi would either drink poisoned coffee, or some sugary drink like hot chocolate. Tonight, however, Hisoka decided just a simple jasmine tea would do. Just a few minutes later he came back into the bathroom, holding a steaming hot cup. The assassin was seated against the headboard, paler than usual, eyes empty and hollow. Hisoka pressed a kiss on the top of his head while he placed the mug onto the nightstand.
"Illu, did something happen?" He asked as he scrambled back into the covers.
"No."
"Are you sure? You had training in Padokea last week."
"Nothing happened, Hisoka." His voice sounded weak. Less convincing. "It was physical endurance training. I think I'm just sick."
Illumi didn't seem to be making this up. Even though he usually underestimated the abuse coming from his family, he was an honest person through and through. There was no doubt he would ever blatantly lie to Hisoka. Still, Illumi and sick sounded like an odd combination.
"Sick? I don't remember ever seeing you sick."
"I don't remember the last time either." He grabbed the hot cup with two hands, holding it to warm his body. After a few minutes of silence, he brought the cup to his mouth. Hisoka silently watched all of his movements. Eventually, after swallowing the final sip, matted, black eyes turned to Hisoka, and he said: "Thank you. I would like to sleep now."
"You should sleep. You're home tomorrow, right?"
"I have one job scheduled. But it is nothing special." Illumi shifted onto his side, back towards Hisoka. He shivered. "I'll leave after dinner."
We'll see, Hisoka thought. There was no way he was going to let Illumi work like this. But now wasn't the time to argue – his sweetheart needed rest. So instead, Hisoka replied with a simple "okay," turned off the lights and threw his arm around Illumi’s waist to hug him from behind.
"Sleep well," he whispered in the assassin's ear after kissing his temple, but Illumi was already fast asleep.
--
The next time Hisoka woke up, the sun had already risen. Again, Illumi was in the bathroom, seemingly just as nauseated as he had been earlier tonight. And once it was coming, it didn't seem to stop. Every sound coming from behind that door made Hisoka's own stomach turn; he hated hearing Illumi like this, helpless and suffering. Moments later, Illumi appeared from the bathroom, hair still gummed together. He swallowed, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and got back into bed. Splayed onto his back with his hair fanned out on the pillow, Illumi threw his arms over his face, eyes shut. Everything about his body language screamed discomfort, and Hisoka was unsure how to help him. His large hand moved onto Illumi's torso and started stroking his stomach, awkwardly attempting to ease the sickness. My poor baby.
Illumi's initially heavy breathing started to slow down, evening out to a quiet rhythm. After a few minutes, he moved his arms away from his face. His eyes remained closed, so Hisoka took the chance to examine his face. He was paler than usual, the porcelain glow he often carried being replaced by a matted hue. Dark circles had formed around his eyes, and his face was covered in tiny red spots as a result from the pressure. His pink lips were uncomfortably dry, but the urge to kiss him still crawled into Hisoka. So, he leaned in.
"Why are you stari–"
Hisoka grinned, and kissed him, interrupting his sentence. "Shush. Go back to sleep."
"Okay." One eye slowly opened. "If I sleep in, will you wake me up on time for work, please?"
"I will," Hisoka lied. He grabbed his book from his nightstand using his right hand, his left still caressing Illumi's torso. After Hisoka read a page or two, the assassin shifted and rolled over, pressing his nose to Hisoka's side. After years, the affection Illumi showed when sleeping still managed to make his heart jump. He moved his hand to his lovers hair and started stroking the back of his neck.
There's no way you're gonna work like this, Illumi, Hisoka thought to his partner. I'll lock you up in here if that's what it takes. Hisoka was hoping Illumi would simply remain in his slumber until after work, allowing him to sneak away and carry out the job. However, that was going to be difficult for several reasons. First of all, Illumi seemed very sick. Even though he'd managed to stay asleep for two hours, Hisoka highly doubted if he could make twelve without having to vomit again. Second, Illumi had a great biological clock. He often felt when it was time. Third reason, Hisoka moving could be enough to wake him up. He loved Illumi unconditionally, but to stay seated here for the entire day, with a sick, sweaty hot assassin clinging onto him... rather not. Still, he was going to try and make it work for how long it lasted.
--
After a few more occasions of Illumi awakening to throw up and immediately scramble back into bed, Hisoka had gotten up. Leaving Illumi alone was sickeningly painful, even when he was just two rooms away. The current situation fueled Hisoka's ever-present urge to protect his fiancé (despite knowing he was the last person to ever need protection), so he preferred to keep him as close as possible. Foods supposed to heal Illumi’s stomach were scattered all over the kitchen counter. A fresh smoothie, a steaming pan of chicken soup and toast, prepared to ease his discomfort, covered the majority of the dinner table. The smell of fresh ginger tea warmed the penthouse, apparently also reaching the bedroom.
Hisoka could hear Illumi tiptoe through the hallway, to the door, and a moment later he appeared in the kitchen. All he was wearing was his emerald bath robe, and his hair was a mess. A beautiful mess, but still a mess. The "How are you feeling?" coming from Hisoka’s mouth sounded a little pathetic.
"I'm fine."
"That's great." Hisoka knew Illumi wasn't fine. Again, he wasn't lying, Illumi's definition of the word fine was simply... a little off. "I have made you some food."
"Thank you," Illumi's small smile didn't escape Hisoka's gaze. As the assassin sat onto a chair, Hisoka rushed to the living room to get a hot-water bottle. When he returned, he saw Illumi toss a tiny flask.
"What was that?"
Illumi took a large sip of his tea. "An empty bottle."
"Why? What were you doing?"
"Poisoning my tea, of course." Illumi didn't look away from his glass as he drank. Hisoka sighed.
"I think it'd be better if you skipped the poison for today, Illu."
"You think so everyday," Illumi didn't seem to see any trouble. "It's part of my routine."
Hisoka raised an eyebrow, and briefly considered snatching the tea from him. However, when he made up his mind, his lover already put the empty glass back on the table. Too late.
"You should take better care of yourself," Hisoka said. His mouth curved into a grin and he moved closer, sitting down on the table, brushing Illumi's neck with the tip of his pointy nails. "Or do you not want to get better?"
Illumi furrowed his brows, but Hisoka kept teasing. He pressed a kiss onto Illumi's forehead, lips still touching his sweaty, feverishly warm skin as he whispered: "Do you like it when I take care of you?"
"Hisoka, I –" Illumi started, but then his eyes widened. He jumped away from his chair and rushed into the hallway, in the direction of the bathroom. A told you so swiftly passed Hisoka's mind, but he couldn't help but to feel bad regardless. A couple of minutes later Illumi returned, eyes even more hollow than before.
"Do you want to go back to bed?"
Illumi nodded – him agreeing only proved how terrible he felt – and before he could protest Hisoka hooked an arm around his back, scooping his legs with another and lifted Illumi, carrying him to the bedroom in bridal style. He pecked Illumi's cheek. "It's almost like we're practicing our wedding night, don't you think?"
"No. On our wedding night I want to carry you."
"Then I guess I'll have to tie you up with Bungee Gum."
Illumi scrunched his nose. "I could paralyze you with my needles."
"We'll see." Hisoka's grin widened while he gently placed Illumi back onto the kingsize bed. His smirk melted into a warm smile and he tapped his lovers lips. "Now sleep. You can carry me in your dreams."
"I have to set my alarm for work." Illumi got up, but the magician pushed him back down.
"I'll get you when it's time, my love."
"Do you promise? I have to go through the mission details and get changed. My needles aren't prepared yet, so I will need at least an hour in advance."
"Promise." Hisoka leaned in, and Illumi complied by kissing him.
"Thank you."
"Anything for you." Hisoka grabbed the blanket and covered Illumi from shoulder to toe. He walked a circle around the bed and tucked him in precisely, to make him as comfortable as possible. Upon finishing, he leaned in one more time to pepper Illumi's face in soft, gentle kisses. "Sweet dreams."
--
Of course, Hisoka's promise was a lie.
When Illumi's work-alarm-time neared, Hisoka decided to go see if the assassin was still in his slumber. He had heard him get up several times – poor thing – but he deliberately never went to check on him. Talking to Illumi and distracting him would only drag him from his sleepy mode, and that wasn’t what Hisoka wanted. In fact, he wanted the exact opposite. If Illumi was sleeping deep enough, Hisoka could provide him with food and drinks. Then, he would sneak out and lock the door, stopping Illumi from coming after him. He'd finish Illumi's job, and get back in time for a movie night – if his fiancé was feeling okay. Easy as that. As long as Illumi was asleep.
Walking on his tiptoes, Hisoka opened the door and entered the dark bedroom. Illumi's silhouette was entirely covered by the duvet, and seemed to be breathing quietly. The magician sneaked around the bed and carefully lifted the covers, just enough to expose the upper half of Illumi's face. His eyes were shut, his breathing seemed even and he didn't seem to notice anything. Bingo.
Hisoka sneaked Illumi's phone away from the nightstand and left his own instead – just in case. He rushed back onto the kitchen and got some soup, a teapot, the hot-water bottle and a smoothie, and placed it all on the dresser that faces their bed. This will keep you engaged.
After shooting out of his loungewear – baby pink, low rise sweats with rhinestones and a matching black crop top – Hisoka changed into a purple signature suit with green card symbols and a tube waist. Fortunately he had found some time to do his hair and make up earlier today – before Illumi had erratically pushed him out on his way to the toilet. For a second he considered kissing Illumi goodbye, but the risk of waking him up was too big.
As he walked out of the apartment, he scrolled through Illumi's phone to find the job details. Like Illumi said, it wasn't anything difficult. He got onto a taxi to one of the few business districts in the city, and got dropped off in front of a huge skyscraper.
--
A wave of nausea crawled up Illumi's stomach, brutally waking him. He slid out of bed and into the bathroom for the umpteenth time today, and gripped the toilet seat with both hands as he started vomiting. The acid burned his empty stomach, his throat hurt, and tears ran down his face with every movement. When he was finished he flushed and caught his breath, sitting on the cold bathroom tiles with his eyes closed. His shoulder brushed the chilly wall, and Illumi shivered. He got up and brushed his teeth for what felt like the fiftieth time. Ultimately, he got back into his bedroom, subconsciously longing for his lover's attention and comfort. Where's Hisoka?
Illumi cleared his throat. "Hisoka?"
No reaction. He's probably in the living room. Illumi realized he couldn't sense the warm, saccharine aura that came with Hisoka's presence. My Nen must be weakened by the sickness. He moved to the bedroom door and grabbed the door handle – but nothing happened. The door was locked. Illumi furrowed his brows. Why was he locked up? He fetched a pin from his hair and tried to pick it, but still, nothing happened. Illumi bent towards the lock and closed one eye, trying to peak through. A pink, strong, rubbery texture blocked the way. Bungee Gum. What is Hisoka up to?
Illumi sighed, and got back to the bed to fetch his phone from the nightstand. In any other occasion he would've blown the door out, but frankly, he didn't have the energy for that. An even deeper sigh escaped him as he only found a larger phone with a pink, glittery, over-the-top phonecase. Hisoka's. He pressed the power button, and was greeted by his own face. Illumi scrunched his face at the background photo of him, in their favorite restaurant, with a blushy nose and rosy cheeks after eating spicy noodles. Quickly, he unlocked the phone, only to find out Hisoka had set another photo as his home screen wallpaper. This was an image of him and Hisoka together on a beach trip they went to a few months ago. Hisoka was wearing purple cat-eye shades, his hair was down in a lilac, wavy mullet. He grinned at the camera, yellow eyes peaking over the glasses, complimenting his freckles. One of his arms was thrown around Illumi from behind, pulling him close for the photo. Illumi's hair was a beachy mess, but he looked content and happy. He felt his heart jump at the lovely memory, and his cheeks flushed at the thought of Hisoka looking at this photo everyday.
Focus, Illumi. He still locked you up.
He opened Hisoka's messages app, seeing his own name pinned at the top. Well – ♡♡ Illumi (^з^)-☆, rather than just his name. Illumi couldn’t suppress a small smile. After clicking the conversation, Illumi started typing.
20:05 Hisoka: Hisoka, where are you?
Immediately Hisoka – now under the name of ♡♡ Illumi (^з^)-☆ – started typing back.
20:06 Illumi: Hi baby. Feeling better?
20:06 Hisoka: I'm fine. Why am I locked up in the bedroom?
Frustration grew inside him when Hisoka was reading the text and not replying.
20:08 Hisoka: I was supposed to leave an hour ago. I have a mission.
When he moved his eyes away from the screen, his gaze fell upon the drawer. Tea, food, drinks and a hot-water bottle were placed upon the surface. Again, Illumi's heart jumped at the realization. He shouldn't tolerate this type of behavior coming from Hisoka, but the slight wave of relief still clashed with the annoyance he was feeling.
20:12 Illumi: Taking care of it ♡ Enjoy your night off
Biting his lip in confusion, Illumi tossed the phone to the other side of the bed. He was supposed to be the one finishing this job. But if Hisoka had this all planned out, there was nothing he could do. Frustration mixed with a weird, misplaced feeling of appreciation, only making him grow more irritated. Still, he grabbed a bowl of soup and the hot-water bottle, and scrambled back into bed.
--
Hisoka had just been in the middle of his killing spree when Illumi texted. He wasn't sure about who the target was, and he didn't care to find out. So naturally, Hisoka just decided to kill everyone in the building. The job was prepaid anyway.
Illumi's annoyed messages were both endearing and amusing, and Hisoka briefly regretted not setting up cameras to film his reaction. Illumi's surprised face upon finding out he was locked up made Hisoka chuckle at the thought. The two of them did have security cameras in the rest of the house after all, but on every occasion their bedroom activities were to be filmed, Hisoka’s phone was used.
The magician grinned as he ran through the hallway on the final level of the building, killing people left and right. He threw a card at a man hiding behind a corner, slashing his throat in a single movement. A weak Nen-user was sneaking up on him from behind, so another card was shot backwards, blood splashing onto Hisoka's clothes and neck. When he turned around, his opponent was already dead. "A pity. I was excited for a challenge."
Hisoka stretched and tried to sense if there was still any threatening aura present, but his own Nen seemed to be the only remaining source of power. Mission accomplished. He walked through one of the offices towards the balcony, only to find the door locked. He stepped backwards, braced himself and shot a net of Bungee Gum, capturing the desk chair in a veil. He covered his face with his free arm and swinged the chair at the balcony door at top speed, causing it to break, glass shattering all through the room. Despite the shards slicing the uncovered parts of his face, a grin formed on Hisoka's mouth. He stepped forward, his high heels crushing on the glass pieces, and arrived at the balcony. His tongue slid past his bloody lip – caused by a splinter – and he jumped down, using his Nen as a safety rope.
--
On his way back home, Hisoka visited the convenient store to buy some more fruit and a bouquet of expensive, beautiful flowers. He had never said it oud loud, but Illumi liked flowers, Hisoka knew as much. For his assassin training he had memorized all sorts of plants and their effects on the human body, so wherever Hisoka brought him flowers, Illumi would ramble about their usage and effects.
The cashier at the shop didn't seem very pleased to see Hisoka, to say the least. Because this store was opened twenty-four hours a day, and located just around the corner of their complex, both Hisoka and Illumi had showed up in very odd circumstances. This wasn't the first time Hisoka visited covered in blood, and he was pretty certain the employees must have seen Illumi transformed into a woman, grabbing snacks on his way home from a job. And even though there was no chance any of the cashiers knew, a few months ago Illumi visited in a rush to buy lube while Hisoka was tied onto the bedframe, blindfolded and waiting for him.
"It's okay," Hisoka said when the cashier wanted to give him his change, compensating for his bloody appearance. Holding the bouquet and a grocery bag, Hisoka entered his apartment complex. After taking the elevator to the uppermost floor, he unlocked the door to the apartment. Carefully removing his Nen off the front door – he wouldn't allow Illumi to leave the bedroom and attack him – and quickly kicked off his shoes. He walked through the hallway towards the bedroom, not fully knowing what mood Illumi was going to be in. I hope he's not too mad. He should have gotten some rest.
"Hisoka?" As if on cue, Illumi's voice called for him.
"Right on time, darling." Hisoka released his Nen from the bedroom door. Though he'd been self-confident about his plan the entire time, he suddenly wasn’t so certain anymore. He was happy Illumi stayed at home, but he knew how much the assassin prioritized family, and their business. Slowly, Hisoka opened the door, not knowing what to expect.
"Hi." Illumi was lying on his side, resting his head on his own arm. He was wearing a clean pajama set — that belonged to Hisoka – and held the warm water bottle against his stomach. His eyes were closed and Hisoka's phone was next to him, unlocked and opened at the gallery map of pictures of them together. The thought of Illumi looking at their photos while he was gone warmed his heart, but still, Illumi's face was unreadable. Even for Hisoka.
"Hey, baby." Hisoka stepped inside, holding the flowers in front of him like a shield meant to protect him. "I brought you flowers. How are you feeling?"
"I told you, I'm fine."
"You were wrong."
"You were wrong for locking me up and killing my targets."
"That's true," Hisoka chuckled. He put the flowers down on the nightstand. "But I couldn't let you go like this."
"You promised to wake me up. You lied to me."
"I'm sorry, love," Hisoka said in a smirk.
One piercing, pitch black eye blinked open. "You're not. You lie all the time."
"Never about anything important."
"I am aware, though we do not have the same definition of important." He stretched like a cat, but immediately brought a hand to his stomach. "Will you come to bed?"
"You're not gonna kill me?" But Hisoka was already taking off his clothes to just his underwear. They usually had a rule about not going to bed after killing without taking a shower first, but today they could make an exception. I'll change the sheets before he goes to sleep again. He snaked into the right side of the bed and grabbed Illumi, carefully dragging him on top of him.
"Possibly. But not today."
"You're not mad, then?"
"I should be. And I was quite frustrated. But for some reason I'm not." He rested his head on Hisoka’s chest, listening to his heartbeat.
I love you, was all Hisoka could think. Sick Illumi was even sweeter than regular Illumi. He slid his hand under his fiancé's shirt and started gently stroking his lower back. They lay like that for a while, not speaking, just relishing in each other's touch. After a few minutes, Illumi opened his mouth.
"Thank you for the flowers. And for everything else you have gotten me today."
"My pleasure." Hisoka smiled. "Hmm, but I was thinking of a movie night, if you're feeling okay." He lightly kissed the tip of Illumi’s nose. "Are you still tired?"
Illumi shook his head. "I have slept for the majority of the day." He rolled over to Hisoka's side of the bed, and got onto his knees to inspect the bouquet he just received.
"Okay. Make yourself comfortable. I'll take a shower. I'll be right back."
--
Hisoka made quick work of cleaning his body, undoing it of all the blood, dirt and other traces of the assassination. He slathered himself in bubblegum-scented body butter, put on his loungewear and changed the bedsheets. Sadly, he'd heard Illumi rush towards one of their other toilets once more, so again, he wasn't so certain about him feeling fine. When Hisoka entered the living room, he found his lover wrapped into a blanket, staring at some bake off show on the television. He took a sip of the tea glass he was holding, and Hisoka asked: "No poison this time?"
"No poison. Just tea." Illumi didn't look away from the screen.
"Would you like some food? Your stomach must be empty?"
"I am unsure," he finally looked up to Hisoka, doe-eyed. It made Hisoka want to cradle his sweet, perfect face, maybe a little too hard. "I do feel hungry, but my stomach seems to be more sensitive than usual."
The wording made Hisoka chuckle. Still, a few moments later he presented Illumi a bowl of steamed rice with vegetables, hoping it would fill his stomach without disrupting it too much. Like Hisoka suggested, they had a movie night, on the couch, surrounded by pillows and blankets. Despite Illumi's lingering sickness, the two of them were feeling nice and comfortable, close to each other, veiled in the warmth of the fireplace.
"How's work for the rest of the week?" Hisoka asked in the middle of an off-brand horror movie. He was seated on the sofa with Illumi's feet in his lap.
"You are not doing any more missions." Illumi said simply, eyes focused on the screen.
"Neither are you when feeling like this, Illu."
"I do not have anything scheduled for the next four days."
Frankly, that was a relief. "I'll stay here with you, then."
"You signed up for a fighting tournament last month. It starts tomorrow night, did you forget?"
"I don't care. I'll stay."
"Are you sure?" Illumi awkwardly shoved towards Hisoka, legs still hooked over the magician's thighs.
"Mhm. I'll just fight you instead."
A sharp object scraped Hisoka's neck, unexpectedly. Illumi was glaring at him, pressing a pin to the side of his throat. "Don't think you'll stand a chance just because I am sick."
"This is not the right moment for dirty ta–" Illumi pushed harder, just a notch, enough to draw a single drop of blood. Hisoka laughed, and the smile he got in return was warmer than the flames illuminating the room. The two of them resumed watching the movie, snuggling just a little closer. Illumi would sometimes talk about a scene or make a comment, but other than that they didn't speak much. They would change their positions occasionally, and Illumi's sickness would still interrupt them once or twice. After about an hour, Illumi was seated on the floor, knees to his chin, inbetween Hisoka's legs. The magician was raking through his long, silky hair, nails carefully running down to the ends. Illumi leaned into the touch, and Hisoka started braiding his long hair. They often sat like this together, in a casual position of comfortable intimacy. As he tied the braid, Hisoka said: "Don't get me wrong, dear Illumi, but I kinda like you like this."
Illumi threw his head back, looking to Hisoka upside-down. "I am glad my vomiting brings you joy."
"Not you puking your guts out. I hate seeing you suffer like that," Hisoka kissed Illumi’s forehead, and then moved to his mouth. Another kiss, and their lips kept brushing as he continued: "But I like how you let me take care of you. You never let me take care of you."
Illumi fluttered his eyelashes. He opened his mouth, and said: "Oh." Next, he cupped Hisoka's face, and moved closer. "Well, I do not think I'm getting better yet. I guess you can take care of me, for as long as I'm sick."
"As long as you're sick, hmm," Hisoka lifted Illumi and dragged him back onto the sofa. "Then I suggest you start poisoning your tea again," he whispered, jokingly. Illumi bit his lip as a reply.
"If you keep teasing me, Hisoka, I'll poison yours too."