#acitr

"What is it like to be a hero?"

He said, eventually, “Gloating is unbecoming of a gentleman.”

“I’m not sure I qualify as one of those,” Hisoka said as he slid into the bed beside Illumi, adjusting the covers around them so that they’d stay warm despite the frozen waters outside.

“You are very well-mannered, actually,” said Illumi. “A little flamboyant, but your behavior in public is largely appropriate.”

“Oh?” Hisoka reached out to smooth Illumi’s hair away from his face, idly, almost as if he was doing it on instinct. His eyes were tired but still very sharp and Illumi wondered, for a moment, what Hisoka saw when he looked at Illumi this closely.

Did Illumi look tired too? Was his skin too pale? Nose too red? His hair had to be greasy since he’d yet to thoroughly wash it in the cold water provided by the ship.

Why should he care? Vanity wasn’t becoming of a gentleman, either.

“You encourage some ungentlemanly behavior in me,” Illumi mumbled, his stare dropping to Hisoka’s swollen, damp lips. He sighed. “I know better.”

Hisoka rested his cheek against Illumi’s shoulder and said, quietly, “Should I apologize? Because, hm, I won't.”