OPEN SEASON 2.

[crawly]

1. pick a character.

☛ optional.
☛ character list here.
☛ full list.
☛ specify in the subject line if you want one character in particular.

2. provide a prompt.

☛ image, words, music, whatever you want.
☛ i like to think at least one of my three tumblrs has something interesting. (be warned that all three blogs contain nsfw material, including porn.)

3. gotta go fast.

☛ not actually. this is a permanently open post! tag at your own speed.

previous post here.

Comments

[specialization]

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.]

[obscurant]

[ 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. ]

[specialization]

[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.]

[obscurant]

[ "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.

[specialization]

[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.]

[obscurant]

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.

[specialization]

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.]

[obscurant]

[ hisoka tilts his head, smiling, amused. ]

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

[specialization]

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.

[obscurant]

Very well.

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

I was very discreet.

[specialization]

[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.

[obscurant]

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.

[specialization]

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.]

[obscurant]

Do you believe me?

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

[specialization]

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?

[obscurant]

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?

[specialization]

[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?

[obscurant]

[ 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.

[specialization]

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.]

[obscurant]

And neither is mine.

[ murder is his art. hisoka watches his face, not even tracking the movement of the wineglass when he picks it up again. ]

Ask another question.

[specialization]

Hm.

[most of Chrollo's expression is controlled, but there's that faint unease in him, the minor twitches that betray how much he's smothering wanting to be defensive, or at least to tell Hisoka to back away so he has enough room to stand up. minor cracks in a well maintained mask.]

Why did you agree to come here? If we are "like souls", then you know I could be planning to kill you.

[obscurant]

You know... [ hisoka sees the cracks. to him they're something interesting, better even than the mask.

slowly, he leans closer. ]

...I would like that.

[specialization]

[Hisoka in his personal space sets him further on edge. the proximity isn't the problem, but the sensation of not having as much control over this situation as he wanted (the whole point of inviting Hisoka over was to keep the control in his hands), it unsettles him. only making things crack further while he stays still, unwilling to back down or away.]

The planning or the killing?

[or both.]

[obscurant]

I'd prefer the latter. ♥

[ hisoka hangs there for a moment longer, then draws back. he steps away, not looking even though he turns his back on chrollo. quietly, he walks to the windows and looks out. ]

[specialization]

[he's there, and then he's not, and Chrollo can fantasize about somehow silently getting his knife and dashing up behind Hisoka and putting it to his throat-

ah, but he's not stupid. he's not done it in years, and Hisoka was saying he'd done it just that morning. his own death would be swift and it would be his fault for it.]

Didn't you say this morning that I wouldn't replace you?

[saying back to him is as good as agreeing with it. but Chrollo rises from his seat all the same, coming up next to him to look at the view of the city. from up here, everything's quiet, calm. the noise and chaos of the world hardly exists.]

That you were valuable to me, and I to you. Do you think that's changed because of some disclosure?