Cards and Keys

Chapter Seventeen: Look Good In Lace

Lucy POV

I didn't quite know what to expect the morning after we'd confessed. Awkwardness? A bashfully stuttered 'good morning' perhaps? That's what happened in the books after all. But then again, this was Hisoka. Maybe he'd tease me about my lack of kissing skills. Or maybe he'd say nothing at all.

What I did not expect, however, was for him to wake me with a single tender kiss upon my cheek. His lips were still as soft as cotton candy, but the carnal want from the previous night had yielded. Instead, it felt like a gesture of adoration. Subtle, yet reassuring. Telling me that he'd meant what he said last night.

"Good Morning, my darling~." His gilded eyes met mine, adorned by the dancing light of the dawn.

"Good morning, Hisoka." I smiled sleepily back.

"Are you two quite done?" Illumi popped up next to us with a sneer, looking quite bored. Poor guy. I'd almost feel bad for him if his reactions weren't so funny.

We packed up our minimal supplies and returned the sleeping bag to Virgo- who, for whatever reason, looked rather pleased with herself. I couldn't help but be suspicious.
It was the final day of the phase, the morning where we were to meet at the shore. We were some of the first to reach it, since our camp was so near by. However, I was slightly worried as there was no sign of Gon, Kurapika and Leorio. What if Gon hadn't woken up from getting knocked out? Hisoka assured me that the boy was fine. But as time ticked on, and the sun rose ever higher, my worry grew.

But just as the sun reached it's highest peak in the sky, the three of them tumbled onto the sand, all looking beaten and bruised.
"You made it!" Me and killua ran towards them, and I wrapped them in a tight hug.

"Of course we did!" Gon beamed at us, not bothered by the scrapes and bruises that littered his face.

"I'm so sorry about Hisoka knocking you out. We didn't really know what else to do." I frowned at him, feeling guilty for leaving him vulnerable.

"Don't worry about it! I thought about what you said to me...and you were right. I do want to pass. One day, though, I'll give Hisoka's badge back." He said and scowled in Hisoka's direction. I nodded in understanding.
One day, the two of them would fight. I knew that much. And I hoped that when that time came, Gon would be grown up enough to know what he was getting into.

"Oh, by the way, why do you smell of Hisoka so much today?" The small boy asked innocently. Killua and Leorio burst into laughter next to me, and Kurapika elbowed them in the ribs to stop.

"I w-what?" I frantically waved my hands around, trying to dismiss it. Surely Gon's sense of smell wasn't that good.

"You smell like Hisoka! I mean, you kinda have for a while, but now you really do." Gon explained, his eyes innocent and wide with curiosity.
By now, the giggling had spread to near by applicants. Even Kurapika was having a hard time containing himself.

Hearing the commotion, Hisoka sauntered over, his grin wide and wicked.
"Oh that's just because we slept together-"
"Shut it!" I cut him off as quickly as i could, jumping up and slapping my hands over his mouth. My face flushed with heat as I cursed him out.

The damage however, was already done. Everyone had heard him. The hushed laughs had turned into gasps of surprise.
Great. Just great.
Now everyone thought I'd slept with Hisoka- which I had not! I mean, I'd slept next to him. And kissed him. But I hadn't slept with him.
Not yet at least.
That was a topic for another time...

Anyways, I made a mental note to give Hisoka a piece of my mind when we were next alone. He wasn't gonna get away with embarrassing like that!
Luckily, we were soon hurried onto the airship, which distracted everyone from my embarrassing predicament. I still got a few side eyes as I walked into the canteen area. But who cares, they could stare all they want. Who I got with was my business and my business alone.