ENTER: The Magician, and His Assistant. [ PreExam Hisoka x Reader ]

EPISODE TWENTY NINE: Keeping x The x Devil x in x Good x Company

Just like the night before, her little demon had returned the next night, a box of cards in his hand and a mischievous smile on his pale, handsome face. It seemed that Hisoka had undertaken the responsibility of keeping her company at night, but if it was for her benefit or his, she couldn't discern. She was still stuck on bedrest, as her body was still healing from the severe contusions and the minor internal bleeding. Today, she had been propped up to a sort of upright position with an abundance of luxuriously soft pillows, so she was able to do more than just sleep. Her parents and brother were long asleep, it was into the early hours of the morning, just past midnight. Her lamp was on, casting the room in a dim golden light, almost as if they were under a dying chandelier in the Legends hotel. Her hair was down, freshly washed by her mother's maid, the thick [ strands / waves / curls / coils ] resting over her shoulder as it continued to dry. Hisoka's locks were a hot auburn in the dark light, the highlights just a hint of the flaming cerise they usually were. His eyes seemed more potent in the darkness, probably because they gleamed in any setting, like a cat.

They were both entangled, in a sense, on her bed. Not in the traditional sense, no, in a way that they could both build a card tower as she healed and he could remain entertained in the monotony of recovery. After some argument of him telling her to spread her legs, and her taking it the wrong way, they had come to a comfortable arrangement. She was still laid against the pillows upright, and the card deck was nestled in her grasp. Her legs did spread to the side, but under the blanket, and only so Hisoka could sit between them on top of the blanket. His feet rested on either side of her waist as he leaned forward to build the card tower on her stomach, seeing her breaths were shallow. It was an odd criss cross, but they made it work so they could both face each other on the bed and construct the flimsy structure.

Her job was to hand him the cards when he asked, and his job was to lay them down without knocking over the tower. Of course, they both did this flawlessly, as her job was easy and he was skilled at this particular thing.

They'd been talking for a few hours, sharing stories, and having a grand time, but all while being quiet as mice. It wouldn't do if the young heiress was caught with a strange boy not only in her room, but on the bed with her. She would actually die. Luckily, there was no sound of footsteps in the hall, the only thing that met her ears was Hisoka's lowered voice as he recalled things of his childhood.

"Sometimes I would go down to the candy store in this one city, I forget the name, it wasn't important. It was before Moritonio found me, I was still living in an abandoned parking garage with a few other homeless people, my mother and Himiko. Himiko was so small, she couldn't do anything but putter around on stubby legs and babble." He uttered in an even, casual tone, his voice deepened from his low volume. It reverberated in her ears, and she relished in hearing the uncharacteristically soft tone he used when speaking about his younger sister. "I couldn't afford anything there, but sometimes the man behind the counter would pity me and give some stuff as it expired. My favorite was the gum, bungee gum, and I would chew it for hours. I got my first card deck from that place too, though they're all ratty now."

Hisoka met her eyes briefly as she handed him a card, before his yellow gaze returned to the card tower encasing her stomach. After a moment of his silence, she commented, "I don't think I've heard of that kind. Is it from the Sahertan States?"

His lips quirked at the edges. "No, different country. I don't know if it's even being made anymore, it was so long ago. That candy store might not even be open now."

"Oh." She murmured.

"What do you remember from your childhood?" The redheaded boy prompted, hiding the curiosity in his face by angling out of the dim lighting. "Probably nothing interesting, it's so cushy here."

"Unwholly unnecessary." She clicked her tongue, but reflected on his question. "I remember being... trained. From the moment I was cognizant enough to learn, it's all my days were. It wasn't even to impress the other families, we really only stay connected with a handful. I'm never told the purpose behind what I'm taught, but I have to be perfect at it anyway. Anything less... isn't an option. I remember when I was young, I didn't know how to fit in with the other girls my age. They were talking about the after school organizations like choir, robotics, and the drama club, but I was being whisked off to gun ranges or whatever."

As she spoke, her gaze lowered from his hands to the base of the tower, reflecting on her childhood experiences, unsure of what to unearth and what to keep buried. She didn't like to share the parts she found difficult, as she considered herself fortunate to live the way she did.

The light temporarily glinting off of his nails caught her attention again as he sighed, prompting her again as she lapsed into silence. "That's surface level stuff, what messed you up as a kid? What thoughts keep you up at night?"

"Uh," She let out a laugh, and then quieted down again, "I remember when I was younger, my dad brought me to an auction in York New. It was my first time attending business with him that didn't involve our immediate circle, and I was very nervous. There weren't many girls there, in fact, I didn't meet any others except for a few older adults. I remember just standing in this giant room full of people in suits, none of them smiling. It was a sterile environment, lots of tension. The Zoldycks were hired as protection and fight prevention, and I got to talk to their son for a bit before he had to go. In the moment I was left alone, one of the mafia families -not the Nostrades or anything- put a gun to my back and ordered me to walk with them. I didn't know what to do, so I listened. I walked. I was lucky that Silva found me before I was put in the car. I felt very weak."

There was silence, but she knew he was listening, so she continued her train of thoughts. "I worked very hard after that, harder than I ever had. That was my first taste of my father's world, it was probably some sort of test, and I felt like I failed. I improved, and then my mom was pregnant with Raiden. Worse, a boy, something that could have usurped my desperate climb to strength. When he was born my father began to pay more attention to Raiden, and even though I loved him, he became my rival. Around this time, I began searching for other options to further my purpose, and I found it in Aitowa Glam. He was my age, in most of my classes, and our families were very close. So when mom suggested future partners, I didn't question it and signed as quickly as I could. My resolve made father consider me again, and I was chosen as the one to carry the legacy later that week. I've been working towards his purpose since, but now I've been questioning it."

"You are very determined and tenacious, it is something I admire about you." He commented when she finished, tone even, and he carefully added two more cards to the tower. "Though, you also have many faults, such as your stubbornness and quick temper."

"That was almost a sincere compliment," She exhaled in an amused tone. In almost a shy manner, suddenly vulnerable, she reached out for his hand and held onto his fingers gently. "I admire your intellect, talent, and your value of promises. You haven't let me down so far, besides siccing a few murderers on me."

"Something I regret, I'll admit." Hisoka rolled his eyes. "I didn't know I'd actually end up liking you."

"Why are you opening up to me now?" She questioned, hesitating to meet his gaze. "You usually dodge any questions I ask you."

"Is it throwing you off?" The devilish boy grinned, peering at her over his stack of cards with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I'll admit, I can be disarming."

"Yeah," She gave him a sad smile, "Just like that. That's what you do."

They fell into another silence, and the boy fell into his thoughts, focusing more on the card tower. The girl's breathing leveled out as the minutes dragged by, and when he glanced up, she was asleep, finally succumbing to the effects of her pain medication. Even bed bound, he still found her fairly attractive. Looking back down, Hisoka hummed out a quiet sigh, finally murmuring a barely audible answer to her inquiry.

"This won't last forever." With a gentle tap of his sharp nail, the tower crumbled beneath his touch, and he scooped up the fallen cards soundlessly. "I thought someone should know who I am."