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

[obscurant]

[ Hisoka stops walking and in the process draws himself up, the way he always does, shoulders back and spine straight, feet placed slightly apart to show off his best angle. There is, as usual, the sense of his energy flowing to every part of his body to brush against the outer surface of his skin.

(Nothing like how he'd look when truly hungry.) ]

You don't give a warning when things are safe. ♠ I'm keeping my eyes on you. Chrollo. That's all.

[specialization]

I know you are.

[Chrollo observes, keeps himself contained, and for a second he seems like he'll let the remark pass entirely. the answer something to meditate on later.

and then he smiles.]

But you don't really care about safety, do you?

[obscurant]

What makes you think that? ♣

[ Hisoka pauses, and takes a step forward, pressing his height above Chrollo. ]

I would never bring you into danger.

[specialization]

[it means Chrollo has to tilt his head the slightest amount to keep looking Hisoka in the eye, but he doesn't move aside from that. Hisoka looming doesn't bother him at all.]

Maybe you wouldn't. But that doesn't mean that I'm able to promise the same. If you're so set on accompaniment, that is.

[that might be caring, trying to keep Hisoka out of danger. if Chrollo wasn't Chrollo. he knows Hisoka can handle himself, so what he says is just fact.]

[obscurant]

Chrollo, if you put me in harm's way, I would already be hurt regardless of the danger. ♦ Would you do that to me?

[specialization]

I'm not going to put you there. You would choose to go.

[and if he went too far, then to extract him would take blood. this Chrollo knows as a calm fact.]

If you want me to protect you, that's another matter. All you have to do is ask.

[he could, if he tried. in his world he could spin something to make it possible. he could pull on the right threads, and it would all fall into place.

but he's cruel enough to not do it until it's called for.]

[obscurant]

So I'd go into danger with you, and you would protect me if I asked then? ♥ And what if I asked now, for your protection?

[ Hisoka slides his hands into his pocket, tipping his head slightly at him. ]

Would you help me?

[specialization]

Why not?

[why not. why not, if only to see what happened? it was a choice, just like that. it of course requires Hisoka to trust him - a curious thought, that.

suddenly, he's almost looking forward to the next phone call in the middle of the night.]

[obscurant]

[ Why not, indeed. It's almost like Chrollo is asking to be brought into Hisoka's crawling nest of a social sphere. ]

...I understand. Next time, then. ♥

[ He tilts his head down the street in the direction they'd been walking in. ]

For now—take me.

[specialization]

[finally, they can stop being assholes that take up the entire sidewalk. Chrollo shrugs and leads him on, making an abrupt turn at one point to guide him to where he'd been meaning all along. and it's...a sandwich shop. casual enough that Hisoka stands out quite a bit in his outfit, while Chrollo manages to fly under the radar just enough.

he has no problems stepping up and ordering, with the swift familiarity of someone who knows exactly what they're after and how to get it. the whole affair takes less than a minute, and he steps aside to wait.]

[obscurant]

[ A sandwich shop... Hisoka is somewhat disappointed. He'd hoped for a location that would give away more information about Chrollo than a place where so many people come and go, unlikely to remember much about each other.

He orders an Italian sub and fries off the menu before going to stand with Chrollo near the order pick-up. ]

Is this your usual place?

[specialization]

When I'm feeling indecisive, yes. Its proximity to the office usually wins out.

[which, no, doesn't tell Hisoka anything. but then again, he's not trying to.]

I was thinking we could take it with us, if you don't mind a little more walking. The park's not far.

[a better spot for peoplewatching, all told, and usually calmer. the weather's good enough for it, and so he'd rather.]

[obscurant]

All right. ♣

[ After taking up their food Hisoka goes with Chrollo out of the sandwich shop to the park. For the rest of the walk he's relatively quiet, though he looks around with interest and curiosity from time to time. ]

[specialization]

[the quiet seems to suit Chrollo, who occasionally glances to his companion but otherwise seems content on the walk. he knows where to go, he knows Hisoka won't fall behind. once they're there, he steers them to a bench off to the side - unobtrusive, a place to simply be, but a place where they can see everything else that happens at the same time.]

Sometimes it's suffocating to breathe the inside air all the time.

[this is dropped as they sit, an observation neatly thrown out.]

The walls get closer and it's like you can push a bit further and see the edge of going crazy. Not tipping over it, but understanding where it is. I wonder...

[Chrollo trails off, looking somewhere in the middle distance. his mind keeps going, it always does. wrapped up in his own chain of ideas.]

[obscurant]

[ Hisoka doesn't start eating just yet. He settles onto the bench, leaning back and looking around with his legs crossed. He listens to Chrollo talk, glancing towards him out of the corner of his eye. ]

Have you been working inside for too long?

[ Or perhaps Chrollo is thinking of something else. ]

[specialization]

[somewhere halfway between here and there. that's where he is, he thinks. somewhere where his thoughts are bigger than his mind allows.]

Ask me that a few years ago and I would have said yes without a doubt. Now...now I'm better at balancing my time, and making sure I remember to go outside.

[is it metaphor? is it reality? (yes.)]

[obscurant]

Did you not go out to see the world before?

[ Was he not in a situation to do so? ]

[specialization]

Can someone say they truly saw something with a veil over their eyes?

[tilting his head back, he stares up at the sky.]

Hmm. Maybe that's...

[but he doesn't finish the sentence, instead stretching his arms above his head before he changes tack.]

How much of the world have you seen?

[obscurant]

[ While Hisoka appreciates Chrollo's sense of artistry, sometimes he's a little too vague to understand. ]

Not as much of it as I'd like. But I'm fortunate to travel for my work ♣ and meet so many new people.

[specialization]

[it's him being pretentious, honestly.]

What's the best place you've ever gotten to travel? If you have one.

[can he at least get that out of Hisoka?]

[obscurant]

[ Hisoka allows his gaze to slide sideways at Chrollo. ]

Your apartment has a certain charm. A pity I didn't stay long that time.

[specialization]

Is that your way of saying you want to go back to it?

[it had been a rare occurrence to let him in once. it'll take a little more than a wish to let him in again.]

[obscurant]

Invite me in. ♣ I'll come.

[ It was a nice apartment. But any way to spend time with Chrollo, really. ]

[specialization]

I might.

[there's enough hidden in his apartment that he'd want to make sure it was locked down before inviting anyone else over. but also, it's Hisoka - and for whatever he thinks, there's a difference between having lunch with him away from the office and inviting him into his place. that's no longer neutral ground.]

I admit I wasn't the best host last time.

[obscurant]

[ If Chrollo wants to grant him another visit, it'd make Hisoka very happy. As things are, however, Hisoka wonders if he could offer something in return to encourage that offer.

Sneaking in is fun, of course, but being invited is special. ]

I'll gladly give you the chance to improve. Perhaps your hosting skills have ripened.