Illumi and Machi were allowed to watch the class since they were exchange students. Normally, his teacher pulls blinds over the door windows so no one can even watch from outside. He had no idea why the teacher loved doing that. The class was running through stretches, Hisoka could see Illumi watching him in the mirror and he smiles a little to himself.

He still wore the outfit Illumi had picked out, it fit for class anyway. This particular dance class was for ballet, not his favourite dance style, but he excelled in it like any other dance. He ran through the class like any other, towards the end, they worked on the dance they were doing for a showcase. The girl he was partnered with was a good dancer, but anyone could tell they didn't mesh.

"Don't drop me," Pakunoda says through her teeth, only quiet enough for him to hear as they danced in sync with the rest of the class. She specified in ballet, of course. So naturally, she wanted to be the best in this showcase. Pakunoda was already the best in the class... Besides Hisoka maybe.

Hisoka gave a devious smirk in response, lifting her by the waist easily and even though he wants to, he doesn't drop her. Their dance is flawless to the untrained eye but...

"The hell was that?" Their professor says directly at them, arms crossed.

"The dance," Hisoka responds cooly.

"Horribly done; Hisoka what was with the lifts and every time I saw you in fifth position I wanted to cry. Pakunoda what was your arabesque, please do tell me?"

"Can we please have a new partner?" Hisoka and Pakunoda ask in unison. Hisoka needed someone who would follow him and she needed someone who would listen to her. They just... Didn't go together.

"No," their professor hissed. "You have to learn to work with people that you don't get along with. I suggest extra practice for both of you."

The two glance at each other. "What if we perform it perfectly, for you, right now. Then can we switch?"

"Hisoka you're a great dancer but-"

"We can do it." Pakunoda interrupts, picking up on Hisoka's tone. Neither wanted to dance with each other and if one perfect dance was all it took...

"Fine. Enlighten me."

The class takes their seats at the mirror, all eager to watch easily the best two dancers in the class try and one up the professor.

"I don't know what you have planned Hisoka... But whatever it is, this better be the best performance you've ever done," Pakunoda warns before they part and the music starts.

Hisoka takes a deep breath, allowing himself to calm down and feel the music. Just for one dance... Do what she says, let her shine. Do everything your body tells itself to do because he knows he was holding back before, simply because he didn't enjoy dancing with her. They move seamlessly, perfectly... So perfect that when the music ends, there are tears in the eyes of the viewers. Hisoka proudly bows, the surprise is clearly written on Pakunoda's face.

"I shouldn't have underestimated you," the professor dabs at an eye. "You two may pick your own partners."

After class ends, Pakunoda walks over to him. "Why don't you always dance like that?"

"Because I didn't like dancing with you," he throws his towel into his bag before slinging it over his shoulder, catching the sighs of some of the other girls in their little gossip circle.

She snorts. "You're... really an amazing dancer Hisoka, but I hope I never have to dance with you again either."

Hisoka walks over to Illumi and Machi. "She stood out... Like she was supposed to in that dance... But the amazing dancer wasn't her, it was you." Illumi says simply before leading them out of the classroom.

Illumi saw right through it huh...

The goal of the ballet they performed, was to make the woman shine. Like she was a goddess worthy of worship. It took most of the attention of the male, which Hisoka had no issue with so long as it wasn't Pakunoda... And he had performed it perfectly, so she had shone for the class. But... Illumi saw right through it. The talent it took to make your partner shine...

Illumi isn't even a dancer, how could he have noticed?

Hisoka shakes his head, following them out. "Are you two heading back now?"

"Nah, we'll head back to your place, the boys will be there now," Machi responds.

They walk in silence back to Hisoka's apartment and find Killua scolding Gon about god knows what in the living room.

"Hisoka! Why do you not own a video game console!?" Killua cries out when he walks in.

"Because I rather play cards," Hisoka responds cooly.

"Cards!? Cards! Oh, my word," Killua sighs exasperatedly, falling onto the couch.

"Hisoka's taught me lots of card games... But he always wins, I think he cheats." Gon responds, glaring over at him.

"You have yet to catch me red-handed," Hisoka smirks, disappearing into his room. He has a quick shower and then pulls on the joggers from the morning and a deck of cards, he had to educate Killua.

Hisoka sits across from the boy at the coffee table and slips out the cards, dramatically shuffling them in all sorts of fancy ways as Killua watches. Killua obviously trying to suppress his amazement.

"So you can shuffle, big deal," Killua mutters.

"Can you play poker?" Hisoka inquires.

"Of course. But what are we using as chips?" Killua frowns.

"Time you spend in my apartment," Hisoka says cooly.

"That's so not fair Hisoka! You're gonna win! I live here too!" Gon whines.

"You can hang out somewhere else," Hisoka tsks. "Deal?" He raises an eyebrow.

Killua nods, sitting up straighter. "Deal."

And so the two play. Hisoka has the best poker face anyone has ever seen. Despite being quite full of expressions, he could be completely emotionless too. Gon always voiced how eerie he found it.

"This isn't fair," Gon kept whining as he watched them play. But Hisoka could tell Killua was gaining a good hand as Gon began to silence. Gon had played him so many times, did he really think Killua had a chance.

Their game was coming to a close, Killua smirking as he lays down his cards. "No way you could have beaten my ace four of a kind!"

Hisoka raises an eyebrow and skillfully lays out his royal flush.

"You're kidding..." Killua gawks at the cards on the table. "You cheated!"

Hisoka never cheated in cards. Not once. But he loved being accused of such. A smile plays onto his lips and he cleaned up his cards. "Guess I won't be seeing you around as much in the next week?"

"Hisoka!" Gon whines and Hisoka slips his deck back into the box.

"You guys can hang out at the hotel room," Machi chuckles.

"So long as you don't interrupt my work," Illumi adds, narrowing his eyes.

"What's for dinner?" Gon asks, forgetting Hisoka's evils.

"Take-out," Hisoka stretches. "I'm too tired to cook."

Gon and Killua order pizza for all of them while Hisoka retires to his room for a little while. Not too long after he leaves though, Illumi walks in. Hisoka sits up off his bed and straightens a little, watching the man walk in.

"Hey..." Hisoka says slowly, nervously.

Illumi sits on the edge of Hisoka's bed. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Have sex."

The room silences while Hisoka realizes what Illumi's is trying to bring up. "I was angry... Illumi I've been so desperate for a soulmate that when you rejected me... I-" Hisoka didn't even know.

"So you have an anger that makes you become petty and an ego as big as the Eiffel tower," Illumi mutters and Hisoka winces, he's not wrong. "I... I can't accept you Hisoka." Hisoka feels the pain all over again, his heart aching, his chest on fire, his stomach wanting to throw up the almost nothing he had eaten today. "Not unless you show me you're worth accepting."

Hisoka scrunches up his nose, the pain only slightly easing because now it was just a blow to his ego. As much as he wanted Illumi... What would he have to do to be worth accepting? "Maybe we weren't made for each other..." Hisoka's chest fires up in pain.

"Maybe," Illumi responds, standing up. "We'll just have to wait and see."

"I guess so," Hisoka murmurs, holding back tears from the pain his body felt.