Cards and Keys

Chapter Sixteen: Prove It

Lucy POV

I returned to the clearing a little after Hisoka and Illumi, my kindling in hand. Hisoka was perched on the log where I'd previously been lying and Illumi was unsurprisingly on the floor. I figured it had to be an assassin thing.

"What took you so long? You didn't run in to any trouble did you?~" Hisoka asked, seeming concerned.

I cringed slightly- knowing the reason I'd taken so long was due to my little freak out about Hisoka. Curse my annoying feelings.

"Nope! No trouble I just...struggled to find any sticks?" I fumbled up an excuse, saying the first thing that came to mind and immediately regretting it as I remembered that we were in a literal forest.

"You couldn't find any sticks?" An amused smile played at Hisoka's lips as he glanced around at the trees surrounding us.

"Uh yep. Anyways did you two find something to eat?" I changed the topic away from my crappy excuse and hoped he'd let it go. I'd rather not reveal that I'd practically been getting therapy from one of my spirits.

"Of course we did." Hisoka revealed the body of a small boar from behind the log he was sitting on.
Oh thank Mavis, I was worried he'd bring a dead rat or something. And I was definitely hungry enough to eat a boar- practising nen for half the day had really tired me out.

"Let's get cooking then!" I cheered while I started setting up the kindling. As Hisoka and I began trying to start a fire, Illumi pierced the boar with a stick and set it up to be roasted. It took a few tries to get a fire started, thanks to the moisture in the air, but we got there eventually.
The crimson flames danced against the inky blackness of the sky, providing some well needed light. It spun wreaths of vermilion flames, puffing out glowing embers into the air.
Illumi slowly spun the boar above the fire, whilst Hisoka was cradling his hands against the flames for warmth. It was quite wholesome seeing him this way. Y'know, not attacking or fighting people. In the firelight, Hisoka's golden eyes looked like pools of lava, I could hardly look away. I wondered what he was thinking.

'If you want something then go for it'

Loke's words replayed in my mind. In moments like these, I really did want to just go for it. To just grab him by the collar like I had when I was drunk. Okay maybe not grab him, but you know what I mean. Though it may not have been a great idea with Illumi around .

It didn't take long for the boar to be roasted and once it was done we all dug in. Even without spices or sauce it tasted heavenly. Illumi was a surprisingly good cook! Though anything would've tasted good after such a long day. I could tell Hisoka was enjoying it to, most the meat was demolished in less than ten
minutes.

"This is great! It's so nice to feel full again." I sighed happily, collapsing back onto the log.

"Agreed~ I haven't had proper food since we were on the airship." Hisoka said contently, joining me on the log. There wasn't really room for two of us in there, but I couldn't bring myself to push him off.

"Yes, it was rather nice," Illumi started, "Will you two be sleeping now? I can dig you holes if you like."

"Ah...no thank you. I appreciate it though!" I smiled. I was pretty tired, but I didn't really feel like sleeping in the ground.

"Same for me." Hisoka agreed with me. I could tell by his troubled expression that he didn't really feel like sleeping in the ground either. I doubted that Hisoka or I shared Illumi's super power of not getting dirty.

"Suit yourselves. It's cold though." Illumi shrugged his shoulders, not offended by our declination. It was sweet that he was worried about us being cold. Though he did have a point, it was probably warmer under the ground.