X Syn X (Illumi) Hunter X Hunter

X Chapter Eighteen X

It wasn't too long after Killua left with his friends that I sensed a change in him, he was learning about Nen. It wouldn't be long before he'd discover the imp I sent with him. I was impressed that he'd learned to access it so quickly, but he still had a long way to go.

"You're spacing out." Illumi's voice was devoid of emotion. I jumped as he reached out to me, he was attempting to be tender and cup my face but instead managed to roughly grab my face smooshing my cheeks and lips together in the process.

I looked up at him curiously. We were working on a contract. Though Illumi was his usual emotionless self, he appeared to be trying to be more affectionate with me. It made me think he was getting relationship advice from someone, it was a little unnerving at times. Either he was really bad at being tender and affectionate or was getting relationship advice from a homicidal maniac. Perhaps he went to Hisoka for advice, that would explain the weirdness.

"Illumi-sama, that kind of hurts my face."

He released me from his hold and stared down at me, his dark eyes were blank as usual. "You're distracted."

"Kil-chan seems to have discovered Nen." I smiled thinking he'd be happy to hear about his younger brother's progress.

Illumi shrugged.

I could faintly sense Killua's presence. He wasn't too far from our current location. "Maybe we could stop by and see him after we finish with our contract? He's not too far from here."

Illumi's face was an emotionless mask of indifference as he watched me intently, "Would that make you happy?"

I looked up at him curiously, "Yes."

Illumi shrugged, "Then we'll go."

I couldn't help but smile at him and before I could stop myself I threw my arms around him in a hug catching him off guard. His eyes widened at my action as he caught me in his arms. "Thank you, Illumi-sama."

Rather than shove me away as I'd thought he would, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around me. We stood frozen in a warm comforting embrace for a long while. Illumi was acting strangely today, normally he'd keep the talking and physical contact to nonexistent since we were on contract.

I noticed our target slipping away, "Ah, Illumi-sama the targe-." I cut off with a gasp as he hurled a few of his Nen needles in the direction of our target without looking or breaking from our embrace. "Why did you even bring me along, you don't need me." I frowned as the target hit the ground, dead.

Illumi looked thoughtful as he released me from his hold but didn't think to give me any kind of response, which made me feel even more useless. Why did he bring me with him on contracts? Didn't I just get in the way and make his job more difficult?

"Let's go." He caught my hand in his and dragged me off so abruptly I thought he was going to dislocate my shoulder as he suddenly tugged me after him.

I scrambled to keep up with his quick stride. We continued on our way in silence. It didn't take us long to get to where I sensed Killua's presence. It was by Heaven's Arena. Illumi released my hand once we got to a small park and I spotted Killua and his friend Gon slumped on a nearby park bench, they looked exhausted, they'd been training endlessly trying to learn more about Nen. They appeared to have dozed off leaving themselves completely vulnerable.

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a few men who'd looked like they'd been on the losing side of a massacre of a fight with an oversized blender at least once or twice. They were watching the sleeping boys, thinking of making a move. My blood boiled and I clenched my fists at my sides.