[This has been in the drafts since the first date chapter and I thought since it's been awhile since I updated a bonus was needed.
This is after the first date but before the first kiss. Just a little extra, nothing that particularly adds to the plot. It's cannon to this story but over all is just here to be cute. I'll be moving back to the top once enough people have seen that it's here.]
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Illumi paced back and forth in his oversized bedroom in his oversized house that was known as the Zoldyck Mansion.
Just ask him. Oh, he'll do anything with you, why would he say no?
Illumi's mind was racing. He wanted to ask out a man who he'd sworn he hated. As much as every fiber in his being didn't want it to be true, Illumi couldn't keep denying every little flutter his heart got when he thought of the man. He couldn't ignore the small tinge of pain he felt when they had to leave or the warmth he felt when they were together.
They had only met a few other times to mainly help each other with jobs that they thought were to mundane to do alone. Only once did they meet outside of a job which was a while ago. It was the only time they were ever together out side of work and Illumi wanted more than that. He knew Hisoka did too but what was he supposed to say.
Will you go out with me. No too obvious. Let's go hiking. No that sounds weird. Hey I like you. No I can't say that. What am I? 12!
Illumi sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
Fuck this. I don't care.
He took out his phone a proceeded on a very simple text to Hisoka.
{Illumi}: Plans with someone else to go hiking have fallen through. You can either come with me instead or I'll find someone else.
Perfect. By lying and giving a vibe that he didn't really care was the idea perfect in his Zoldyck mind.
Hisoka's response was fairly quick.
{Hisoka}: If it's a date you want than you only need to say so. Where will we be going?
-♠️♥️♠️
Illumi rolled his eyes. He decided he'd ignore that first line proceeding to text Hisoka the time and place. He hated to admit the nerves he was getting.
***
Illumi leaned against the hood of his car looking up at the sky. He was waiting in the parking lot for Hisoka. He heard birds in the near distance of the forest. He could hear children heading to one of the lodges, giddy and gleeful. Illumi's lips curved slightly and closed his eyes. He recollected on the times of his childhood where he was just as happy and carefree. Because it wasn't very often, he clutched onto the memories for dear life.
"He does have a smile."
Illumi opened his eyes and looked back down. There Hisoka stood some feet away from him. Illumi stared at his perfect posture, he wore a loose windbreaker that was a pale blue, and a white tee underneath. He wore plain black shorts and surprisingly left his heels at home, opting for a pair of stylish sneakers.
"Are you done? You're free to stare at me all you want but we don't have all day." Hisoka teased.
"Oh please," Illumi pushes himself of the car, "lets go find a map."
"Okay." He chirped back.
The two walked side by side to a little building, where a man behind a window sold them a map. Illumi unfolded it just as they were about to start the trail.
"Why hiking?" Hisoka asked.
"Hmm? Oh, I thought it'd be nice to see some scenery. It's rare I see nature during the day, unless it's at the estate." Illumi looked back to the map.
"And because someone canceled on you was it?"
"What? Oh, yeah, that too." He shook his head.
They weaved their way through the trail, walking close to each other the whole way. Illumi tried very hard to keep their hands from grazing but every time he thought about it, the opposite happened. He eventually settled on making use out of them by unfolding the map once again.
"I want to go here, they have some food stands at the top." He pointed.
Hisoka looked over, "Okay, so we follow this path, to this one..." he dragged his finger up the trail till it met Illumi's, still pointing to their destination.
"Right, but look, if we just cut through here then it'll shorten everything and we'll get there sooner."
"I don't mind walking the long way. It's pretty out." Hisoka added.
"Yeah but..." Illumi trailed and as if on cue his stomach let out a large rumble.
"Oh, I see." Hisoka chuckled.
"Right here, lets just cut through." Illumi proceeded past Hisoka and off the trail.
"Illumi I don't think-"
"Yeah I know you don't." Illumi didn't stop.
Hisoka sighed, caving in and following Illumi. What's the worst that could happen.
Well, they soon found out, a lot. Some how the pair found them selves wandering around with no particular sense of direction.
"Maybe this way?" Hisoka offered.
"We just came from that way." Illumi huffed.
"Well I did tell you-"
"Shut up."
"Maybe I'll plan the next date."
"Shhh." Illumi held up his hand.
Hisoka took the signal and listened. In the very far distance they heard the sound of rushing water.
"Follow the water and we'll find our way back to a trail, using the map."
Illumi went forward.
"You got lucky."
"You doubted me, what's to be done about that?" Illumi glance to him, smirking.
"Whatever you desire." Hisoka intertwined Illumi's hand with his and brought it to his lips. He placed a gentle kiss on the back of Illumi's pale hand, lingering for a few seconds.
Illumi so transfixed on this action, eyes wide, didn't see the branch right in the perfect tripping position.
"Ow fuck." He cursed under his breath as he drop Hisoka's hand to catch himself.
He glared as Hisoka failed at hiding a laugh, "Sorry love."
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Illumi made sure their hands were no where near each other's.
Eventually they came to a rushing stream. Illumi pulled out the map once again.
"It's probably this one," He pointed, "if we just cross it and follow it upstream we'll land back on another trail."
"Alright so how to be cross?" Hisoka asked looking around.
The stream was 3 yards long and no deeper than a foot.
"Well we could just walk across." Illumi suggested looking into the almost clear water.
"Fair enough." Hisoka agreed.
They both took their shoes off and began walking into the water. It was cold but felt nice as it was a warm spring day. Illumi was focused on his slow walking, that is until Hisoka came bumping into him.
"Watch it." He warned.
"Sorry but I saw a fish."
"You're scared of a little fish, I thought you were better than that- AH! I felt it! Gross!" He frolicked around, accidentally ramming into Hisoka.
Hisoka loosely wrapped his arm around Illumi's waist, "What were you saying?" He smiled.
"Let's go." Illumi moved.
Onward they went, but no more than a foot they got before Hisoka - still behind him, arm still resting comfortably around him. All of which Illumi made no effort to change - yanked the man in front so his back was pressed against his abdomen.
"God what is it!?" Illumi questioned. If it wasn't for his focus on every step he took forward, he was certain he would have fell backward.
"Shhh," He whispered and got closer to Illumi's exposed ear, he lifted his free arm (which also held his shoes) and pointed in front of them, "you'll scare them away." He spoke all too softly into his ear.
The curious black eyes scanned the area until they quickly settled on a doe and her fawn. He let out a light sound that indicated he was witnessing the same event and Hisoka lowered his arm to join the other one. He dropped his head onto the shoulder in front of him. Suprised and unfamiliar with all the sudden affection, Illumi tensed up, especially in his heart.
Hisoka squeezed him ever so slightly, "If I'm making you uncomfortable, I can back off."
"No!"
Hisoka chuckled while Illumi cursed in his mind for his immediate response. He forced himself to relax, not because he was uncomfortable, but because he was shamefully embarrassed to be so nervous. They stood like that, watching the deer but neither were really thinking about that.
Illumi felt Hisoka's soft breaths on his neck, Hisoka felt the rise and fall of Illumi's stomach as he breathed, they both felt the current of the stream gliding past their legs - it was all remakably lovely.
The mother and fawn wandered far enough that there was no point in watching anymore.
"Let's go dry off." Hisoka suggested.
His hands slid off Illumi and he made his way to the other side. A breath found it's way sneaking out of Illumi's lips, one he wasn't aware he was holding.
Once on the other side, the two sat down, taking a long drink from their bottles. They sat facing the stream, content on watching it than making small talk. Pretty soon though, Illumi was itching to sneak a glance in the other's direction, just to look at his handsome face. He decided to put up his hair which would give him the opportunity to look over. So he took a hair tie out of his bag, proceeding through the ritual. Hisoka could see his actions from the corner of his eyes and had he not been preoccupied at the moment, he would have lost all control to not kiss the man up and down. This preoccupation was noticed when Illumi spared a look his way. Not only did the red-head look damning in the sunlight but he was also surrounded by an assortment of butterflies. Only five but they each had a different pattern and color.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're a butterfly whisperer."
Hisoka laughed lightly, causing the creatures to move away for a second only to come swarming back, "I wouldn't say that. I'm just incredibly good at staying incredibly still."
He rested his elbow on his knee and then extended his fingers slightly upward. Sure enough, a butterfly resting on his shoulder float on over to the new perch. Hisoka turned his lips to the sky in contentment. For the killing machines they were, this felt incredibly docile and innocent. He flickered his fingers slightly to which the butterfly drifted off. He switched his position to face Illumi and the rest flew away as well. A little flustered by his direct stare, Illumi watched them fly away to keep himself from making eye contact that most definitely would make his face get heated.
"Do you know what a butterfly kiss is?" Hisoka asked.
Brows arching high, Illumi turned to him a bit quicker than he'd of liked, "No, I don't."
"Do you want to?"
There was no helping his face this time, but still he didn't hold his response hostage for long, "Yes."
Hisoka leaned closer to him leaving Illumi to brace for what would be a disastrous kiss on his part. He's kissed a person before but definitely not enough to be confident in that area. He closed his eyes and kept his mouth relaxed. He felt a hand grip the back of his neck but instead of a face on his, he felt it at his neck. He opened his eyes in confusion then, in the next second he felt a light tickling just to the side of his Adam's apple. It took him a few more to realize it was Hisoka's eyelashes. Just as he came to the realization, the man pulled away to look at his face.
He let out a noise of amusement, "See? It's when someone else's eyelashes flutter against another's skin. As soft and delicate as a butterfly would."
"Oh, I see." Illumi replied still calming himself down from worrying about an actual kiss.
"Some people do it eyelash to eyelash. Do you want to try?"
Illumi was captivated by the gentle way he was speaking. He'd never heard him or seen him so... soft.
"Okay." Was his barely audible response.
"Lower you eyes just a bit. When you feel you feel mine on your's, blink softly like I did on your neck."
Illumi nodded, doing what he was told. Hisoka's hand guided his neck forward and the he felt the other's forehead on his. He kept his eye's lowered then felt his left lashes being touched but other ones. He flinched back at the touch out of instinct.
"My bad." He said quickly and rejoined their foreheads.
"It's okay."
Again, Hisoka (oddly patient) leaned back in, this time flickering his eyes as soon as they touched the other's. The first blink Illumi did was a little to big but he soon got the hang of it and for a bit, their eyes fluttered together. After a few seconds he pulled back and snorted awkwardly. Hisoka made the same noise. Illumi snorted again but this time turned it into a laugh and Hisoka did the same. Almost instantly were they laughing like the world's funniest joke had been told. The two laid their backs to the ground laughing uncontrollably with no intention to stop. Illumi had never cackled so hard and so genuine in his life. Hisoka couldn't remember the last time he shared a laugh with someone.
While the noise died down the mood certainly did not. With the last little bits of giggle's, finally Illumi was able to speak.
"Well that was certainly new for me."
"Which part?"
"Yes."
Hisoka tired to stifle a laugh which set Illumi off into one and around the cycle goes. The sounds of nature were filled with their own. Loud, obnoxious and free of anything important. At one point the raven haired man turned to his side, putting his hand on Hisoka's shaking chest to tell him to stop but it came out jumbled and weak and only made the two carry on as they were. Hisoka grabbed his hand with his own, holding it to his chest. Just as the pair were coming to tears they finally forced themselves to take deep breathes. It started to work wonders other than the odd chuckle here and there. At some point Illumi moved his head to the other's chest, he heard his heart beating fast, glad he wasn't the only one.
Maybe it was the extra release of serotonin or the extra the tiredness from an activity he's never done before, but it lead Illumi to speak without thinking.
"I didn't have plans with someone else. I lied in case you didn't want to come."
Hisoka stroked his thumb ontop of Illumi's hand, "I assumed so, you're adorable you know?"
"Ugh don't call me that, it's embarrassing."
"I'll do as I please."
"Will you be mine."
He's rhythmic touches stopped, in fact it felt like everything stopped however, Illumi noted how the answer wasn't hesitant.
"If you'll be mine."
"Deal."