drear | OPEN SEASON 2.

[another silence passes before Chrollo speaks again.]

Hold on.

[the line goes dead, but not a minute after that, there's a text that comes through for Hisoka - an address, actually, and under that one line.]

This isn't a conversation for cell phones.

[ ah. hisoka takes his phone away from his face and looks at the message.

he could, of course, use a burner phone, but why turn down an invitation from chrollo himself? hisoka sends him back a smiley face.

the address isn't that close, but hisoka shows up within half an hour, dressed in a fresh set of clothes (a few shades of blue), and holding a bottle of good wine. ]

[it's a great risk, he knows, inviting a self-confessed killer over, but in his own apartment, he knows where everything is. he knows where he's hidden weapons if need be, he knows how to safely get out of a few of the windows. it's also a psychological advantage - it's his territory, so he won't be the one out of place.

easy to slip back to this line of thinking, he wonders. easy to calculate with the same cold efficiency he might judge and discard fabric with. just in case, he deletes the message and the history of the call from his phone.

Hisoka's let in through the front door, and when Chrollo actually answers the door of his apartment, he's wearing the same neutral expression he'd left with earlier in the day. granted, his style's more casual - t shirt instead of turtleneck, scarf around his forehead less neat and more thrown on - but the air around him is such that the differences might as well not even be there.]

You got here quick...shoes off, if it's not a hassle.

[when he lets Hisoka inside, he'll be the one to shut the door. surprisingly, Chrollo's place isn't some sort of gothic cave - it's warmer, a place that feels more like a home than it might even if things are modern with windows that look towards the city, books idly scattered around - one there, a pair over there. the one peculiarity is that there are no photos. where they might be, a few places in frames, there are small artworks instead. no indication of what might be there either.]

You invited me. I wouldn't make you wait.

[ a joke, of course, and with a sardonic edge, considering hisoka had made chrollo and the rest of his crew wait earlier today.

but he takes his shoes off at the door without a fuss. he offers the wine to chrollo (the cork is sealed with wax), then walks past him to explore the room. ]

[the gift's accepted with a small nod of his head - it's appreciated, even if it hadn't been expected - but Chrollo goes to put it in to the side, retrieving a pair of glasses even if he's making no moves to open it yet.

it's clean, quiet. a place for someone living on their own who was fully accustomed to doing so. modest without being minimal, color drawn in by the covers of the books and the choices in art. by the book closest to the couch is a still warm mug of coffee - what Hisoka'd roused him from with the phone call.]

Not what you expected?

[the question comes when he returns, taking in the odd sight of Hisoka - bright, eye catching Hisoka - in his space.]

[ it's not a bad place, certainly, but hisoka judges very little anyway. he turns to chrollo, head tilted. ]

It's nice. [ he walks across the floor towards chrollo, pausing a foot or two away. ]

You won't have a drink?

It'd be rude of me to have one without offering it to my guest first.

[plus, Hisoka's reaction would tell him if it was altered or not. not that he thinks the man would kill him - not yet, anyway - but to prevent suspicion over the larger matter at hand, he'll indulge in some over smaller ones.]

[ ah, of course, of course. the wine doesn't have anything in it, but hisoka lets chrollo have his caution. ]

Then I'll take a glass, of course.

[ assuming that chrollo is offering, that is. ]

[his answer is nothing but a light smile before Chrollo goes to open the bottle, busying his hands with that task. with his back to Hisoka, he can speak again.]

So, what I'm meant to believe is that you were late today because you were out...what, killing someone?

[it's easier to say it when he's not looking at him, when the wine's pouring into the glasses, and then to hand one to Hisoka. Chrollo's keeping it to himself that he rarely drinks wine, but when he turns back around, his eyes are locked on Hisoka's.]

[ "killing someone"—how awfully inelegant. but true, as it is. hisoka takes the glass and sips it carefully. ]

Yes. Busy, I'm afraid. ♦

[ he gestures with his own glass at chrollo's. ]

It's good. Try it.

[at Hisoka's request, he does take one sip. just having it, not touching it wasn't going to fly, he sees. whether it tastes good or not, he doesn't know - but he'll assume it's fine, if Hisoka's deigning to drink it.

taking his glass, he moves to sit on the couch, looking up to see if Hisoka will follow suit.]

And how are you so sure I won't just call the police or something like that? Because you trust me?

[because he could. he very well could. he would never in ten years, even if Hisoka had shown up covered in blood with that same maddening smile on.]

Should I trust you? Chrollo. ♠

[ hisoka doesn't set down his glass, turning it by the stem carefully in his fingers. he isn't afraid of being persecuted by police, but it would be inconvenient.

still—he doesn't think chrollo will, if only for his own interests. ]

Besides, you don't know how I did it.

You admitted it, which is enough for some people.

[taking another sip of wine, he sets it aside, and his expression changes slightly - not so detached, a touch more intrigued than anything.]

So how did you do it?

[it's not asked to record a confession or anything of the like - the apartment contains none of that, and neither is Chrollo hiding any of it on his body. rather, it's a question asked because he simply can't help himself.]

[ hisoka tilts his head, smiling, amused. ]

How can I tell you that before you tell me anything? I'm curious about you, you know.

An equal information exchange, then. Questions for questions.

[he should have known it wouldn't be that easy.]

I'll answer with truth if you do.

Very well.

[ hisoka steps closer, close enough to almost feel the heat of his body. ]

I was very discreet.

[that's...close. but Chrollo refuses to back down, or stand up from his seat on the couch. even if the height difference from this angle makes him feel smaller, and the distance between them makes him doubly aware of Hisoka's presence, he'll power through it.]

"Discreet" could mean a number of things, Hisoka.

I won't bring you trouble. ♦

[ not when it'll inconvenience him too, that is. ]

It wasn't too interesting. Now, it's your turn.

If it's my turn, then you need to ask a question.

[calm even though he really doesn't want to do this. but if it's the only way to get information from Hisoka...well, he'd do worse.]

Do you believe me?

[ hisoka thinks he does already, but it's an easy question to lead with. ]

I believed you from the moment you said it.

[that's the truth, pure and simple. he hadn't doubted as much as he'd pretended to - that had been for any eyes that would have seen them, overheard. he had to be a skeptic, not someone sanctioning murder.]

Your turn. How long has this been going on?

For far longer than I've known you. [ darling chrollo. hisoka presses a sharp fingernail to the corner of his mouth for a moment, eyes curved in a smile. ]

Now, when was the last time you killed someone?

[skipping straight past have you into you have. again that defensive tension's in his posture, and the answer comes after a second.]

Years ago. [not so very many, but years all the same.] How did you find out?

[ hisoka doesn't answer for a moment. though he'd known for a while, hearing confirmation makes anticipation spread warm and heavy through his chest. ]

You're subtle ♦, but I know a like soul when I see one.

My profession isn't murder.

[though the foundations of this second life were soaked in blood. and what haunted him was not that, nor how little he regretted and what a monster he was in all likelihood. just the concern that someone would try and take everything away from him. that he'd have to run away again and try to reinvent himself.

Hisoka looms, and Chrollo holds his gaze, steady and sure, even as he needs something to do with his hands and picks back up the wineglass.]

Edited 2016-03-19 09:14 (UTC)

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