Part 4
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Chapter 4

///

She has a hunch, and it is not a desirable one.

To describe it simply, this hunch is like a heavy feeling of dread, sitting in the bottom of Machi's gut like a block of iron. A fear of what the future holds, and who it involves—how accurate it is, she cannot know, but her hunches are usually somewhere near on the nose.

Illumi Zoldyck. He is going to snap, and it is going to be catastrophic.

But when? And who can she tell about this hunch? She swallows; her throat still tastes like Chrollo, who is preparing to go to Faith with the rest of the Troupe to deal with a rouge gang that stole a valuable that Nobunaga wishes to obtain for personal reasons. Machi is considering opting out of the excursion, for this feeling of dread tells her that she should stay here. She has a duty to figure this out and stop Illumi.

Machi shifts, then stands up. She had been sitting on a cold, rectangular stone that made her hips hurt. Shizuku is sitting in the same room, staring at her phone. She looks up as Machi starts stretching her arms. "Are you going somewhere?" Shizuku asks.

Machi pauses, then, "Yes. I need to talk to Hisoka."

Shizuku fully sets her phone down, her curiosity now piqued. "You know we're leaving for Faith in a couple hours, right?"

"I'm not going."

Shizuku is not sure if she should ask her pink-haired counterpart why. Of course, it is probably not any of Shizuku's business, but they are in the Troupe together. One's business is technically everyone's business, especially if it is serious.

"If you want to know why, I'll tell you," Machi continues. "I have a hunch that the Zoldycks are going to do something terrible. I think I need to stop it from happening."

Shizuku remains silent for a while, then says, "Okay. Let me know how it goes, and text me if you need anything. One of us can stay behind, if you'd like help." She smiles a bit after her offering.

"No. I do not want to get anyone else roped into this." Truthfully, she just does not want anyone else in the Troupe knowing that she let (Y/N) live to see another day. Of course, Chrollo knows, but he and Machi have a... special relationship... that prevents further problems with matters such as this. On the other hand, the rest of the Troupe would not be so lenient.

"Are you sure?"

Machi nods, and Shizuku shrugs.

"Okay. See you later, then."

Machi does not smile, simply leaves the room. As she is walking out of the building to get some air, she pulls her phone out of her back pocket. She has a call to make—but she won't be calling Hisoka.

///

Hisoka gave virtually no reaction upon seeing the single blue line atop the pregnancy test, just a minute smirk. After seeing the results, he gave you a strangely firm squeeze on the arm, then left the Zoldyck estate to go get "supplies."

It has now been about a half an hour since he left. You and Illumi are sitting in one of the living-room/libraries, both sharing the same couch and just... relaxing.

"I do not have any upcoming work for the rest of tonight, or tomorrow," he says. It's already pretty late, but your sleep schedule has been thrown so askew that you are hardly tired.

"Thanks for the update," you reply, glancing up at him with a joking smile. It is slightly forced. You feel tense. Not just because of the true secret you are carrying, but also all of the recent events involving Hisoka. "I don't either. I haven't gotten any requests since the one you stopped me from finishing."

That statement is a blatant lie, of course; the secret. Should you tell Illumi about that? How will he react? Surely not well. Killua is... very important to him.

And the question still stands: what should you do about it?

"What are you thinking about?"

Illumi's question catches you off guard. You look up at him, eyes slightly widened.

"Just these past few days."

Illumi blinks.

"(Y/N)."

He is looking at you fully now, with his shoulders squared in your direction. You had been leaning back against the couch, but now you straighten, him having caught your attention.

"Yes?"

A second passes, and then, with the speed and sweetness of dripping honey, Illumi reaches up to cup your face beneath one of his hands.

He leans forward, eyes locked onto yours. Illumi's movements are painfully slow, giving you more than enough time to see what's coming: another kiss.

When his lips finally touch yours, your heart nearly explodes.

It feels like it lasts forever. The softness within the curves of his lips... the subtle possessiveness in the gentle touch of his palm on your cheek—

"Am I interrupting something?"

Both of you jump. Illumi bolts backwards and, before you can so much as blink, shoves you down so that your back slams against the couch. Despite the cushiony softness below you, the breath in your lungs shoves past your teeth with an embarrassing wheeze.

"Oh, Hisoka," Illumi chirps. "You scared me."

Hisoka chuckles. You sit up, one hand clutching at your aching chest, to see the magician leaning nonchillantly against the doorframe. Arms crossed over his chest, he lets his smirk widen.

"You could have easily sensed my approach if you were paying even the smallest bit attention, but clearly, you were distracted..." Hisoka trails off, chortling again. "Anyways. I brought the supplies!"

"Can you tell us what they are for now?" you ask.

"For painting our nails, of course!"

Illumi shakes his head a bit, then breathes a sigh of... relief, maybe. "Such a you thing to do."

Hisoka ignores Illumi's remark. "Illumi, I'm thinking I'll paint yours black. And maybe add some pointed tips, so they resemble your sharp personality." Hisoka brings his shopping bag with him as he finds a seat, cross-legged, in front of the couch. He starts looking through his goodies and continues, "(Y/N) I'm not sure what colors you like, but I think you will look really good with a sparkling white and a touch of dark green... or perhaps, baby blue..."

You tune Hisoka out and glance at Illumi, who is staring blandly at the other man. You are still catching your breath from Illumi's strangely forceful blow, and take the opportunity to ask about it.

"Ill?"

He turns and raises an eyebrow at you, even though Hisoka is still talking.

"Why did you get so scared when you heard Hisoka's voice?"

Illumi pauses.

"I thought he was my father for a moment." He glances away, then back at you, with those glaring eyes.

"Hey, can you two lovers listen to me?" Hisoka asks, slightly frustrated. "I'm trying to have some fun here."

///

"May I speak to Killua Zoldyck?"

A pause.

The voice on the other end of the line belongs to a man. It is slightly gruff, but very stoic. "Who is this?"

"Machi Komacine. 3rd member of the Phantom Troupe."

The man seems to enjoy taking his time. Before each of his sentences, he pauses, and his words come individually, like each one contains a whole story. "What business do you have with Killua," he demands.

"The personal kind. I'm afraid that I cannot give anyone else the details just yet." Machi glances at her finger nails impatiently. "I can give you my current location if you wish."

"There is no need for that, but Killua just left. It may take a moment for us to retrieve him."

"That's okay. I can wait."

The man hands the phone off to someone else, then leaves to search for Killua. The man's name is Gotoh.

Gotoh begins to search the estate for Killua, retracing every possible step the boy could have taken with an impossible speed, but, despite his inhumane rush, Gotoh can not find him.

Eventually, Gotoh comes upon Silva, where he stops. Silva is reading a news article before a roaring fire, which sits atop hot coals in a home of grey stone. His buff arms lean on the huge leather braces on either side of the chair. He does not glance up at Gotoh until the butler asks, "Do you know Killua's whereabouts?"

Silva's eyes shimmer with something frighteningly cold, despite the fire's warmth. His gaze meets Gotoh's.

"Yes, in fact, I do." He lowers his newspaper slightly, and Gotoh feels like he should bow. But he does not, for his master is still speaking. "He is unreachable at this time."

"May I ask why?"

"No."

Gotoh pauses. He was just with Killua... what could have happened in that time span that made him unreachable? Why does Silva know his whereabouts, but not Gotoh himself? Does anyone else in the family know where he is?

"Is the boy safe?"

"If you consider the bottom of my heel safe, then, yes."

Well, that settles it. Gotoh has no right to curious, for his master has given him an answer. Despite the mysterious and sinister undertones of the response, Gotoh cannot dig any further into this matter. But, perhaps, this strange Troupe member, whom Gotoh has never heard from before, holds ill intent towards Killua.

In that case, he is allowed to observe Machi, for security reasons. If she holds a threat to Killua, he can dig into every inch of her life and, if need be, kill her. Perhaps this will satisfy his desire to find more answers as to why Killua's whereabouts must remain secret. Maybe someone is out to get Killua, and maybe that someone is Machi.

Gotoh bows before Silva, then exits the room, leaving Silva to his newspaper, and his thoughts.