Keys to the Kingdom

Put a pin in it

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1.5 weeks later

3rd POV

Illumi understands Hisoka has done something to y/n's soul, but is unable to understand what this moment, as nen marriage is an extremely rare and meticulous process- it wouldn't have crossed his mind to even suspect it. Illumi has returned and Hisoka and Illumi had confronted one another in private as well as in front of y/n. This time, when they fought in front of her,y/n used her power to break up the fight and in the process, and ruthlessly injure the both of them. She felt no guilt, seeing that retribution for both of their sins. Though, they were inevitably healed by a highly intrigued Barbara anyway. Her unusual display of power and hate shocked Illumi and Hisoka, and is most likely attributed to Hisoka's seemingly wholesome nen marriage has begun to infect y/n's soul and fester in her consciousness. Hisoka had been too hasty and far too imprecise following his performance of the reverenced procedure.

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Y/n POV
"Illumi-p-please, w-what are you doing?" His devoid lifeless eyes probed me as he kissed my chin. An odd place for a kiss, but much too close to my mouth for my liking. Daydreaming about him was one thing, actually doing this was another, and I'm not here for it. I pushed Illumi gently, setting my hands on his shoulders. I shook my head and said, "no!" His eyebrows drew inward ever so slightly and I said in a softer tone, "Lumi, please, you're injured. Stop this." I grimaced as I recalled of the intense fight Hisoka and Illumi had just had, upon his arrival. Being me, I of course had to step in and resist the urge to beat both their asses. By wrenching  Hisoka off Illumi, I'd worsened the situation and accomplished three things: temporarily ending the fight between them, accidentally revealing my empathy for Illumi in front of Hisoka, and thus, as an apology I agreed to ungodly amounts of makeup sex between me and Hisoka. Not that I minded at the time, however now it wasn't doing me any good whatsoever. I pursed my lips as Illumi just stared. I ignored the soreness at the apex of my thighs and I whispered, "you should go get cleaned up, and come back when you're better, okay, baby?" I added 'baby' because I enjoyed calling him that but also because if I was sweet maybe he'd let me go and me and Hisoka could run. He'd catch up anyway yeah, but at least we wouldn't be on his home turf. Why Hisoka and I were still at the Zoldycks was a fucking mystery to me. Illumi stared at me and I tried to suppress the splitting headache and odd vision anomalies that had been trailing me for days now. I needed to get it checked out but I was afraid I'd get an answer I didn't like. He said nothing as he gripped my hand like a vice and pulled me along, deeper into the corridors of his the Zoldyck mansion.

I bit my lip and cursed his name as he walked with his silent strides and I stumbled after him like a newborn baby calf. Thanks, Hisoka, for that, by the way. As if he sensed Hisoka's name in my mind Illumi's aura darkened as he looked back at me. I felt my own pain but also Hisoka's through our newfound nen bond. His heart ached, and I hated the feeling of knowing Hisoka was in pain because of me. I tugged on Illumi's arm and he stopped. I put on my best "pity me please" face and I whimpered and said softly as my legs shook, "Pl-please let me go back to him, Illumi, i need your help, please." Illumi narrowed his eyes and he said cooly, "Y/n what do you take me for?" My face burned and I choked on my words. "I? What?" He scrunched his nose and said forcefully, "After seeing you pull us apart two days ago I saw you." What the fuck?! He continued, "You're not the helpless girl you wish me to see you as. You lied."I balled my fists and my retort died in my throat as I examined his expression. As usual, I could barely read it but I detected one thing: agony...Or maybe it was just annoyance, who the fuck knows. Between Hisoka's bungee gum wrapped inside my skull like a blanket that just won't come off, and Illumi's and his word play, I was too discombobulated for this.

Illumi snaked his arm around my torso and
firmly pulled me toward him. I made no move to stop him, seeing as I was too tired to hold myself up to begin with. His eyes widened as he looked into mine. I stared back, matching his attitude. If he wants to play games, fine by me! I'd play right back then find Hisoka and confess that this nen marriage needs to reworked a bit. Then we'd fix it up and run from this gross mansion and let Illumi come chase us. Before I realized it, lost in my thoughts and his black eyes, his hand caressed the small of my back and he said in the softest tone id ever heard from him, "Sweet being, why would you allow him to ruin you? To beat you? To choke you, and sully your skull?..." Illumi's eyes drifted down to the whisper of a bruise on my throat. My heart throbbed and my eyes welled with tears. He doesn't get to be the condescending prick, in this story. I had my reasons and it would never happen again. Hisoka knew that. I knew that. Fuck Illumi and his judgment, he just got back for Pete's sake! The fuck?!