Chapter 9: Under the Table

Natsumi swallowed the lump in her throat, allowing whatever lie she was going to sprout to dissipate. Hisoka's irises glowed a dangerous yellow, and she knew that he wouldn't tolerate a half assed answer.

"Well?" Hisoka tapped his fingers against his opposite forearm impatiently, "I'm waiting to hear what you have to say.

"How," she danced around her words carefully, testing the waters to see how much Hisoka wanted to know from her, "how do you know that I'm keeping something from you?"

Hisoka narrowed his eyes and looked at her as if she was a lunatic. "Natsumi," he said her name in such a low tone that she felt a chill race down her spine, "I would think that after the amount of time we spent together, you would know me better than the joke you're taking me for." He whipped out a joker playing card and pressed it close to his face. "Don't make me ask again."

Natsumi cut her eyes at him, not liking his threat. "You don't need to know everything about me, Hisoka. I'm sure there is plenty that I don't know about you."

"You know more about me than anyone else that I've come across in my life, Natsumi. And if you require my help in a matter that has nothing to do with me, it is very much my business to know all of the reasons why."

Natsumi looked down to the ground, letting Hisoka's words sink in. So I know more about him than anyone else? I'm not sure if I find that hard to believe…or if I just don't want to believe it.

She sighed before looking back up at him. "Fine, okay. I may have lied to you about exactly what happened."

"That's pretty obvious."

"Don't cut me off, Hisoka. I'm already telling you more than I originally planned."

He motioned one of his hands to tell her to keep going, but said nothing further.

"I met this man at the training camp, like I told you initially. He was in my particular guild and we talked every now and then. As you can imagine, we were all put through vigorous exercises and training, including learning more about our own individual Nen abilities. When we got to that portion of the training, I would make excuses as to why I couldn't master my own technique unlike the others. As you see now, the reason was because I already had mine, and it's not something that I wanted anyone else to know. Can you imagine what others would do to someone like me walking around with the power to take anyone's energy and use it as my own?"

"It sounds like a power that anyone who is as fixated on massacring as we are would gladly accept."

"I know. But like I told you, I made a promise to my parents that I would never use it. I want to be strong because I'm physically strong, not because I have this ability that pretty much gives me a handicap in battles. It's too easy, and that's not something I want tied to my name. I don't want to lose touch with who Natsumi is, and if I dive too deeply in my powers, that's exactly what will happen."

"So where does he fit in with all of this?"

"He saw through my bullshit. He kept telling me that he knew I possessed a dangerous ability, and he didn't understand why I was holding back. I ignored him to the best of my abilities, but he wouldn't leave the matter alone. He would say that he and I would make an unstoppable team and that he wanted to my power on his side. But I wasn't interested. I heard rumors that he was practicing some sort of Nen abilities when no one was around, something darker than any one of us had been accustomed to. I paid no attention to the rumors because I wanted to focus on my sole reason for being there. Eventually, he approached me a final time telling me that he had an ability that could use my power whether I wanted to give it or not. He offered me another chance to join his side, saying it was because he would like me as a partner and more, and when I became angered and challenged him to a fight, he went wild, and killed one of the guards. Apparently, beforehand, he managed to learn the guard's own personal Nen ability and used it in conjunction with his own. And because of this, the hierarchy of the Zoldyk family was instructed to take him out. They fought, but obviously he wasn't killed, and now Illumi says that he's returned home."

"And he's after you for your ability?" Hisoka pressed a finger to his chin and narrowed his eyes. "I see. That makes much more sense than your unrequited love story."

"Technically, I didn't lie about that, I just left out certain information. Telling you too much would have revealed my ability. And then you would have questioned me, exactly like—"

"-I'm doing right now." Hisoka dropped his hand and smiled at her before approaching her and throwing his arm over his shoulder. "Okay, we can go now."

Natsumi groaned at the added weight on her body. "That's it?! That's all you have to say after you were just about ready to kill me earlier?"

"I wanted the truth from you. Are there any more secrets, Natsumi?"

"No," she shook her head, slightly relieved that Hisoka was the one that she could come entirely clean to. "And now you have the honor, I guess, of knowing more about me than anyone else in the world."

Hisoka grinned and rested his chin on the top of her head. He didn't need to look down to know that Natsumi was blushing. Although Hisoka enjoyed toying with her to get a reaction, he was finding himself to thoroughly enjoy her company. Even with being as close to her as he was now was becoming more natural for him than he anticipated.

"Good. I would have hated to kill you before you've had the chance to ripen."

Natsumi clicked her tongue at his words. "Yeah, whatever you say Hisoka. This is all getting a bit redundant don't you think?"

"It's not redundant if I'm simply reminding you."

She rolled her eyes so hard she thought they would get stuck in a never ending cycle of movement. "Enough of that nonsense, can you answer my question now?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you know that I wasn't telling you everything?"

Hisoka chuckled and brought his face down to look at hers. Those cold blue eyes that he had grown accustomed to had gotten warmer lately, and he wasn't sure if he despised it or welcomed the change.

"Illumi made you tense up when he asked if that's why you were here. It implied that he knew something deeper than what you were willing to admit. I'm surprised that you didn't lose your patience with him like you do with me so often. I guess it seems that I'm the only one who can get under your skin after all. How exquisite! As a matter of fact, I would love to see a fight between the two of you, so I could have the pleasure of destroying the winner."

Natsumi looked blankly in his eyes, not finding the energy to retaliate against his words. He laughed at her defiance again and grabbed her wrists.

"Well are you going to continue to gawk at me, or do you want to go kill the man you're making me follow you around for?"

She couldn't fight the smile that emerged on her face.

Hisoka was starting to regret putting on all of his face makeup today.

The sun was beating down on his face, causing sweat to brew on the tip of his nose. Natsumi looked relatively cool in the battering heat, and Hisoka wondered how she faired with her skin tight clothing. He eyed her figure up and down, paying close attention to the way her body suit hugged the curves. He raised an eyebrow, as if he was seeing her for the first time. Or rather, it was the first time he noticed he was looking at her this way….

"What?" Natsumi peered at him through the corner of her eyes, curiosity swimming deep in her pupils. "Why are you just staring at me?"

Hisoka gave her a playful grin before turning his head back to the gravel road in front of them. "Aren't you hot?"

Natsumi shrugged her shoulders, not taking her eyes off of Hisoka. "I'm used to this kind of heat. Where I grew up, it was hot and dry all of the time. Don't tell me that you can't handle a little sun?"

"I just should've come better prepared, that's all."

Natsumi scoffed, fully aware that Hisoka wasn't trying to look weak in her eyes. While she felt flattered, the beads of sweat that raced down the side of his face told another story.

They walked in silence for a while, which they both equally welcomed, as they became lost in their own thoughts. Natsumi was beginning to realize that something was starting to change in their dynamic, and she wasn't sure exactly where her feelings stood. On one hand, here was someone who had made no progress except to constantly find new ways to annoy her. But on the other, Hisoka was quickly becoming someone that she felt safe around. Where in her life she was used to people leaving, here was someone that maybe-just maybe- she didn't have to feel that with.

The biggest question she needed answered was, did he feel the same?

Hisoka felt the small graze of Natsumi's hand against his twice before he decided to intertwine his fingers through hers. She let out a small gasp before turning to look at him completely perplexed. He smiled at her, mischievously, wanting her to formulate her own idea of what she thought it meant.

"What are you doing?" The rose rushed to her cheeks as she felt her face fill up with heat.

"Do you not enjoy this?" Hisoka purred, licking his lips in the process.

"Not from you, no," she tried to part her hand from his, tugging away swiftly in defiance. But Hisoka's grip did not release, instead pulling his arm in the opposite way with a stronger force. This caused Natsumi to crash into his chest, and he instantly wrapped his arm around her waist in a tight embrace before she had the chance to escape. Using his free arm, he ran his fingers through her thick ponytail and squinted his eyes at her. Natsumi remained frozen under his embrace.

"H-hisoka…." She breathed barely above a whisper. He was being gentle with her instead of the crude manner that he usually took upon when he decided to mess with her feelings. "What—"

"Have I told you lately," he interrupted, now using his hand to race his fingers down her neck, "how pretty you are?" Natsumi shuddered as she felt his fingers tickle the sides of her neck and the heat began to rise in her body. Hisoka grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him, hypnotizing her into a gaze. "Those eyes," he whispered, leaning his face closer to hers, "tell me such an incredible story. Just when I think that I have figured what lies beneath them, another layer surfaces. They're absolutely mesmerizing!"

Natsumi swallowed the lump that was emerging in her throat, her eyes half cast as Hisoka's face drew nearer to hers. I don't know….if I have the will….to pull away from him….

And that's when it clicked.

She was beginning to want this. She promised herself that night in the hot spring that this wouldn't happen again, but that conviction was proving harder and harder to keep. Hisoka seemed to have this thread on her that she couldn't break, almost as if his Bungee Gum had a way of reaching into the pits of her soul.

But this is a game. She had to keep reminding herself of that. Hisoka wasn't doing this because he was possibly feeling the same things she had. No- this was a part of his entertainment and she was merely a toy in his collection.

His nose was touching hers now, and she ran the thought over and over again in her head to tell herself- to convince herself- to break free from his grasp.

But she remained there all the same as she felt his breath on her lips.

A loud celebration interrupted the almost pairing of their lips, causing Hisoka to pull back abruptly. Natsumi felt slight disappointment as she eyed where his attention turned.

"There is some spectacle, going on up ahead. And I feel an abundant amount of power coming from it." He turned his face towards hers, and raised an eyebrow at the face in front of his. Natsumi was breathing deeply, her face flushed and anxious, and her eyelids were partly closed. Hisoka took in the sight and chuckled.

"Why, I'm surprised that my cheek isn't stinging at this point, sweet Natsumi."

"What?" She shook her head, apparently coming back into focus from the clouded mind that she was wrapped in. She had found herself lost in the heat of Hisoka's arm that was wrapped tightly around her waist and the other that cupped her chin. But Hisoka's eyes lost the sparkle that shined not too long ago, clearly finding interest in something more up his alley.

She wished, for the smallest fraction of a second, that they only shined for her.

Sighing at her own foolishness and the tug of war game that her feelings were playing, she pushed him away from her, daring not to meet his lingering gaze. Now that she wasn't locked into his embrace anymore, she could feel what he felt. Several, no hundreds, of strong auras were emitting up the road from their location. She reminded herself of her current mission and let her other feelings dissolve momentarily. But she couldn't fully escape the sadness that was reaching in her heart, either.

For the mighty dragon that was in front of her, the one that was never supposed to leave her side, was slowly fading away as reality set in. She reminded herself of the conversation they had a few days ago.

You are not capable of those feelings, and neither am I.

She looked down at the gravel wedged under her boot and began to walk leaving him behind. She couldn't speak to him, not now anyways, as her mind was still dizzy with the emotional torment that she was placing herself through.

This is why I avoid these types of situations, because sooner or later, the naïve Natsumi wants to show her ugly face. She thought about the feelings that she possessed as a child, when she was weak and forgiving, before Hitoshi unlocked the beast that slept within. Natsumi had prided herself on doing a good job of locking that part of her away, convinced that it was a side she would never come face to face with again.

And now someone- the someone who shouldn't even be a part of her equation- was unknowingly pulling that child from her resting place.

Hisoka watched her walk away, feeling her confused aura engulf him. He laughed to himself at what Natsumi was feeling. He didn't like weak people-it was what had caused him to lose the last bit of respect for his mother-and she was starting to give in to those tendencies.

But the difference in the two was obvious: Hisoka wasn't disappointed by her blatant show of emotions.

Even with that revelation, somewhere inside of him resonated disapproval for the unraveling that was Natsumi. Here was potentially the strongest Nen user he had come across, and she was shutting off that power because she couldn't get a grip on her emotions. Maybe it was his fault for constantly toying with her, or maybe it was hers for being too sensitive. Or maybe, the reason was completely out of his nature, one that he didn't want to waste the energy contemplating over. While he did not have the answer completely laid out in front of him, Hisoka was sure of one sole thought.

I am beginning to lose control around you, Natsumi, and when I do, I'm no longer sure if it will be good for either of us.

They arrived at a small bar where they sensed the strong auras emitting from. There were several men and a scatter of women drinking liquor and clanking their glasses together. Most of them appeared to be very drunk already.

"I can't believe those others couldn't make it this far!" One of the women was sprawled out over a table slurring to the men sitting around her. One of them was sitting back, lightly running his hands over her ass. She sloppily set up and pointed a finger in his face, hiccupping as she tried to use her words coherently.

"I'll kick your ashes…buddy….do you hearme?" The man laughed and put his hands in the air for defeat.

"Whatever you crazy broad, but I didn't realize you could kick someone's ashes!"

The woman scowled and took another swallow of the beer pitcher in her hand. "Oh fuck you, you know what I mean. Don't know how a dumbass like you thinks he can even take the examination in the first place."

"Oh please," the man chugged the remaining liquid in his glass and burped loudly, "I swear they made it easier this year for the registration process. Normally half of youse would have been dead by now!"

She laughed wildly at his statement. "Cheers to that! My old man took the exam before and he told me from the start it's pretty grueling. All they want us to do is drink the free beer? I'll be a Hunter before I finish off another pitcher!"

Natsumi cut her eyes at their words and she reached out to touch Hisoka's arm.

"Hisoka," she said under her breath, "These people have gathered here to take the Hunter's Exam."

Hisoka looked down at her. "Oh? And we just stumbled upon it? I never suspected that they would be so out in the open."

Natsumi glanced around the room at the applicants there. "I don't think it's started yet, this must be the meeting place before they start the actual eliminations and testing. I hear that they weed out the weaklings who are not strong enough to take the actual test." She surveyed the room around her, picking out everyone's aura as they drank happily. "Although we felt their strength from afar, I don't think there's anyone here who is on the same level as you or I."

Hisoka surveyed the room, mentally adding up each of the participants point values. 35….72….80….75….15…40….she's right. No one here would even show me a good time.

He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "If these people are eligible to be Hunter's, then this entire test must be rigged. None of them have the power to withstand a simple punch from me or you."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. So what were those powerful auras that we felt earlier?"

As if on cue, several men and women emerged from the back of the bar as the doors closed behind Hisoka and Natsumi. Their auras were very strong, and Hisoka could barely contain the grin that cracked his face.

"Well, well, well, I did not expect this. I felt the strength of at least one hundred men, but it appears that it solely comes from those in front of us." I must fight them, they look so appetizing!

Their eyes immediately darted towards Hisoka and Natsumi. "You two! In the back!"

All of the occupants in the room turned around swiftly to face them. It was only then that Natsumi noticed that everyone had a white badge fastened on their shirts- everyone except for her and Hisoka.

"Tell me," the man walked towards them, arms folded with serious intent, "how did ones who did not register find this place?" His blue hair stood straight, emphasizing his intense demeanor.

"It wasn't hard, with your incredible aura drawing us to it," Hisoka ran his tongue over his upper lip and smiled at the man, sarcasm brewing beneath the smirk. "I'm sure anyone could have infiltrated this place if they so desired."

"Nonsense," the man's eye twitched at the blatant disrespect that oozed from Hisoka's mouth, "no one can find this place without being properly escorted."

"Togari," a young woman with spiky teal hair stepped forward, looking rather annoyed at the current situation, "that was last year's requirements. The chairman decided to make things a little easier this year. These people came on their own accord."

Togari swung around wildly to face the woman, irritation coming off of him as visible as his Nen. "Why the hell would he do such a thing like that, Menchi?! Any idiot can take the test now!"

She shrugged her shoulders and turned back around to resume her original position. "My guess is he's gone soft this year, I suppose. That or he wants to get this over with already this year."

Togari sighed and looked around the room at this year's hopefuls. I still need to disqualify the weak ones, otherwise we'll be here for months! "Alright! Your drunkards are going to have a combat against each other. Anyone who is down for more than ten seconds is automatically eliminated and will have to try again next year. The winner from each combat will proceed to the actual test, and then you can be on your way to being a proclaimed Hunter!"

Menchi scoffed at his improvised plan, turning sharply in his direction. "And what exactly is that supposed to do!?"

"Well, not only will it weed out the weaklings," he eyed Hisoka, scowling at the grin that the magician still possessed, "but it will also cut down this number by half."

Hisoka laughed, causing all eyes to turn in his direction again. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I have no desire to become a Hunter. Not now, anyways. I came here hoping for a good entertaining fight, but no one here is worthy of my time. But," his eyes darkened as he pointed towards Togari, "you might be the exception. We will leave here if you will give me a spar."

The hopeful Hunters scowled at Hisoka, each one wanting to punch him in the face for his arrogance. Togari laughed darkly, pulling out two knives from behind him.

"No one will be leaving here without getting disqualified. Those doors will be locked until the fights are over. You're in the big leagues now boy." And if they don't kill you, I'll do the honors myself clown.

Hisoka frowned, angry at Togari's degrading words. "Oh? You would cause these poor people to lose their lives over your own ignorance? I told you, I have no desire to be a Hunter."

"Nor are you fit to be one, you fucking ingrate."

"Hisoka…" Natsumi grabbed his lower arm gently, her touch asking him to lower his guard, "let me talk to you for a second."

Hisoka turned to her, his eyes still ablaze. "Now isn't the perfect time, sweet Natsumi."

"I would listen to that girl of yours, clown. She might talk some sense in you before your words cut you down." Togari cackled, igniting the irritation in Hisoka once again.

"Hisoka!" Natsumi sternly called his name again, "let's talk."

He looked at her momentarily before allowing himself to be pulled in the direction she led for a more private conversation.

"Hisoka, do you know what a Hunter is exactly?"

"Everyone knows what a Hunter is, Natsumi," Hisoka's irritation swam through his words, punching Natsumi in the face. She frowned when she saw that he was missing her point.

"Then you should know that you shouldn't pass this opportunity up. Look at these people here. You and I could easily dominate these tests and become a Hunter in no time at all."

"I don't care enough to. And besides, don't you have a mission to carry out?"

"This won't take away from the mission, Hisoka. This will be a small detour in our destination, if anything. Being a Hunter can get you pretty much anything you desire, including fighting some of the strongest people in the world."

A flicker of anticipation twinkled in his eyes. A small smile curved his upper lip as her words finally resonated within. "Hmm…I hadn't thought of that."

"That's because you don't take the time to stop and think sometimes."

"Stopping and thinking requires time, and I've been a busy man throughout these years. But perhaps you have a point. I don't assume this will be relatively difficult to pass. But why do you seem so interested in taking this test? You never mentioned any desire to become a Hunter. I thought you said no more secrets?"

Natsumi softened her face as a small blush crept on her cheeks. "I didn't, but I got to thinking…when we finish the mission in Meteor City, what will happen to us?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, will you go your separate way and I go mine?"

"Have you forgotten our spar, Natsumi? To the death?" He watched her face frown at the reminder. "Or are you telling me that you don't want to anymore? How disappointing."

"Maybe not to the death….nevermind. Forget I said anything." She turned to walk away from him before he firmly grabbed her wrist.

"Natsumi," he said her name seriously, "say what you mean and explain yourself clearly."

She looked at him, choking on the words that she didn't want to say. If I say what I want to say, Hisoka, then everything will change.

"I'm only proposing that perhaps we can still…you know….be a….team." She said the last word as if it were poison she was forcing out of her mouth. "You have to admit that we're pretty….good…..together. You know, in a working…ehm…situation, kind of. And a Hunter's license would allow us to do more complex missions together." She dropped her head, afraid to meet his eyes. He softened the grasp on her wrist.

"Natsumi," he sighed, shaking his head, "when did you change on me? Where's my cold hearted killer?"

"She still exists!" she spat, declaring it to convince herself more so than him. "Is it so bad that maybe I enjoy being a cold hearted killer with a partner?"

"Yes, it is. I explained to you before that you shouldn't depend on me for everything, and it sounds like that's what you're doing."

Natsumi could feel her stomach sink to her feet as she broke free from his grasp. The ice in her irises returned and her voice became flat and distant. "I understand, Hee-soak-uh. After our business is concluded we can fight to the death or whatever the fuck it is that you want to do." I don't care anymore. I should've never let myself think that he would say anything differently.

Hisoka watched her back turn away from him before reaching out to grab her arm go. She yanked it away from him in annoyance.

"Natsumi, you misunderstand what is going on here."

"Well you've made it very clear, Hisoka. It won't happen again, trust me."

He reached out again to grab her, this time grabbing her hand. She looked down at the gesture with surprise on her face. What are you doing to me, Natsumi?

"Let me finish. I have no qualms about partnering up with you, but I won't babysit you. I'm not here to be your knight in shining armor, or save you if you need it. You need to be strong enough to handle yourself with or without me, and those are my conditions. If you fail to meet my expectations, I won't hesitate to rid myself of you. You misunderstand what type of man that I am, Not-sue-mee."

"So what are you saying, Hisoka? You're just contradicting yourself."

"I'm saying," he squeezed her hand before letting go all together and producing a series of cards. "That some wins require a full suit." He removed two of the cards and placed them face down in her hands before walking away.

"Where are you going?" Natsumi asked, confused at his riddle, once again.

"To get a Hunter's license of course. If it means that you'll go back to the way you were."

Natsumi scowled, although she felt slightly victorious for getting him on her side. She tried to hide the smile that threatened to split her face when she remembered the plastic coated paper in her hands and looked down at the mystery he left.

Two cards: A Queen of Hearts and a Joker.

The smile disappeared as her heartbeat increased.

As expected, the duo took no time at all taking out the majority of the competition.

Although Hisoka was only supposed to fight one person to be advanced to the real round, he felt that he had a point to prove to Togari. And the contenders had no arguments about rushing the man who had insulted them merely moments before. Hisoka easily took them out, not even having to resort to using his Nen. A few of the hopefuls died as a result of his strength.

Togari screamed in agitation, convinced that someone would have done the deed for him. He threw his large, curved knife towards Hisoka's head. Hisoka bent over backwards dodging the aim. Yes, now this is what I truly wanted!

"You!" Togari yelled, his vein popping on the side of his neck. "You are a disgrace to the entire Hunter organization!"

Hisoka rose back up, his blood lust starting to pour from his body. "And what makes you think, that you are any better? Apparently I am capable of being a Hunter, as I have passed your test in only a matter of minutes." His words came out slurred; he was drunk on the blood that he spilled.

"You were not instructed to kill anyone. They could have admitted defeat. You are unworthy of the title of a Hunter."

Hisoka's eyes darkened as he narrowed them towards Togari. "Unworthy?" The word got under his skin deeper than he intended to. "I will show you," he produced a card in his fingers, "who is unworthy." He lunged towards Togari, not giving him a chance to defend his position. Hisoka appeared behind him, slicing the sides of his face with one of his cards. Togari moaned in agony at the sting, turning around to punch Hisoka in the face. His fist slid through the air, however, as Hisoka instantly dodged the attack. He appeared at his side again, kicking him in the side causing Togari to double over. Hisoka pounced on top of him, punching him endlessly in his face.

"I haven't," he said in between the punches, "had to even use my Nen yet. This fight is so disappointing. I suppose I should just end it here." He produced another card, slicing the front of Togari's throat. Hisoka was so caught up in his bloodlust that he didn't feel two arms force him off of Togari.

Togari remained on the ground as the other Examiner's rushed to his side. "He still has a pulse," Menchi stated with worry, "but if we don't get him some medical attention soon he won't make it. Buhara, take him out of here."

Hisoka dissolved through his arms, appearing at Natsumi's side.

"You just couldn't control yourself, could you?" she said through hushed breaths.

"He called me unworthy," Hisoka pouted as his blood lust dissipated.

Natsumi scoffed and laughed a little. "You are an interesting puzzle, Hee-soak-uh."

He smiled warmly at her.

Menchi turned around to face the two angrily as the doors opened behind them. "You almost killed him!"

Hisoka shrugged his shoulders. "He shouldn't have provoked me."

Menchi curled her fists in anger, trying to hold back the hot tears that wanted to escape her eyes in frustration. She pointed at the opened door.

"I don't care if you passed or not, you're disqualified for attempting to kill a proctor! Leave this site now, clown!"

Hisoka laughed, prepared to throw another card to kill Menchi before he stopped. She isn't even worth the kill, she's only valuable at 45 points.

He turned to walk out the door before turning back to Natsumi. "You can stay and finish, if you want. You may as well get something out of this."

"You're just going to leave me here?" What about those cards you gave me?

"Like I told you, I have no qualms about partnering with you. So, I'll be waiting around for when you've finished. Just seek out my aura, I'm sure you know it by now." He walked through the doors, his silhouette disappearing in the blazing, white sun.

Natsumi stood there in place, contemplating what to do next. It would be handy to have a Hunter's License, and Hisoka managed to get rid of the majority of the competition. I can finish the exam in no time at all, but….

"Hisoka!" she called after him, sprinting through the doors just as they were about to close.

She looked around outside, searching for where he could have gone too so fast. She followed his presence upwards and saw him standing on the rooftop above. He raised an eyebrow at her appearance.

They stood looking at each other for a moment before Natsumi scaled the side of the building. He looked at her questioningly before speaking.

"I told you that you could finish the exam."

"It doesn't matter, it's a yearly thing. We can always try again next year."

"Perhaps, but I'm sure you could have finished in at least a week. I could have waited."

She approached him and reached out to grab his hand. She retreated the gesture at the last second, mentally reminding herself to not let herself get too close again. She rested her arm at her side, and smiled at him.

"I'd rather continue the mission. You were right, it wasn't very fun. It's like they didn't even try this year."

Hisoka crookedly smiled and turned to jump down off of the rooftop. A part of him was slightly relieved that she had decided to come with him instead of staying, but he swallowed that down, telling himself that he was too good for that type of emotion. "I suppose. You wouldn't have had it as easy as I did though. Without your little handicap, you probably would have taken more time than I did to reduce the number of applicants."

"Hisoka, you are the biggest asshole that I've ever come across."

"Good. I'd hate to think there is someone out there who is more troublesome than I am. And if there were, I'd have to-"

"Kill them. I get it, I get it."

He smiled and jumped down, Natsumi quickly following suit.

The truth is, I could have knocked out the exam in a week, like he said. But traveling with you, Hisoka, may be more entertaining than some Exam.

Hisoka turned around, noticing that she abruptly stopped in the middle of the road.

"What are you doing?"

Natsumi looked up, blinking her eyes several times to get out of her head.

"Nothing, let's just go."

There was a change in her, whether she wanted to admit to it or not. And reminding herself of who she was supposed to be wasn't doing her any good. She would work on that, though. She wouldn't allow herself to fall any further under the table.

Once they arrived in Meteor City and executed the mission, she would cease whatever was starting to brew inside.

Okay, I'm going to be honest here, I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter.

I'm really sorry that it's so long, and I'm trying really hard to make sure I keep Hisoka in character, but the more I write Natsumi+Hisoka scenes, the more I have this hope that maybe he could get out of his crazy antics (somewhat) and be…I don't know…nice?!

Am I asking for too much?

I apologize beforehand if any of you are reading this and thinking, "No no no Hisoka wouldn't act that way," or "What are you doing with the characters?"

To explain (because I like explaining), I envision Natsumi to be as Hisoka said: a person who tries to act tougher than maybe who she really is. So there's the reason for that.

As far as Hisoka, I don't have an explanation. I just write him as if Natsumi is the exception to his rules of being a maniac.

Okay, I'm talking too much!

Thank you so much for the reviews and reads of this story so far, you guys are the absolute best, and you have no idea how much it makes me happy when I check my email and see that someone left a review. Seriously, it means so much to me and I hope (and encourage!) you all to leave any feedback that you can. I can't stress how much it means to me enough.

Till next week, (sorry it was a day late, work n stuffs…)

-Bitchi-usa (FYI, because I was asked this, this name is a play on Chibi-usa's name from sailor moon. Someone thought it was bitchi + USA…as in America….lol no.)

Chapter Title Song Credit Goes To Banks