Chapter Text
Hisoka was already awake and poised to attack by the time Illumi had picked his lock, and there was a brief moment of tension before recognition dawned on Hisoka’s face. “Oh, Illumi.” Hisoka blinked at him, posture relaxing as he ineffectively tried to brush his long hair out of his face. He idly flung the card he’d been holding into a wall. “Do you need something?”
Illumi shook his head. “I would rather pass time here than at an airport.”
“I’m flattered. Well, if you don't need me, I'm going back to bed,” he yawned, gesturing across the apartment for Illumi to make himself at home. “Unless,” Illumi could just barely see the mischievous glint in his eyes beneath the bed-head as he struck a ridiculous pose, “you'd care to join me.”
Illumi rolled his eyes. “Goodnight, Hisoka,” he replied, keeping his tone flat. Apparently Hisoka couldn't resist, even at four in the morning.
He grabbed a rag from the kitchen and sat in the nearest chair, dabbing away a couple spots of dirt and someone else’s blood while Hisoka settled back into bed. Not long after, Illumi heard Hisoka's breathing deepen as he fell back asleep, and a strange feeling stirred in Illumi’s chest.
Sleep was when people were most vulnerable – largely unaware of the world around them, and slower to react even if they did wake. It was one of the reasons their family was trained to need very little sleep, and to sleep lightly. It was why Illumi, when not in a known area, preferred to sleep underground where he was difficult to find or reach.
Yet here was Hisoka, sleeping soundly in a room with a professional killer. If Illumi wanted to, he could kill him in a number of ways right now. Even if Hisoka woke to the hostile intent, there would be the instant before his faculties returned to him, where he'd move on predictable instinct. Hisoka would be too fast for almost anyone, but Illumi was faster, and good at his job. He could do it easily like this.
He didn't want to.
Hisoka believed (trusted?) that he wouldn't. Even if those words were unlikely to pass between them, the ease with which Hisoka had gone back to sleep said that louder than words ever could. There had been no wait for either tension to disappear or fatigue to overcome it. Hisoka felt safe even with Illumi there, even knowing who and what Illumi was. It was stupid of him, Illumi thought, but it was… nice, somehow. It had been a long time since anyone had shown such ease near him - even his brothers were vigilant, given his role in helping train them.
He stayed for just over an hour, with little else to do but look around or watch his sleeping companion. Illumi felt strangely protective, like he should be standing watch. He huffed at himself, annoyed; the idea of Hisoka needing protection was ridiculous, sentimental, and that was as good a sign as any for him to leave. He slipped out silently, one more shadow disappearing in the night.