[He doesn't realize how telling each of his reactions to this are. How can he help it? Illumi reaches out, and Killua looks afraid again, but it's certainly not the same type of frozen look he'd given him during the Hunter Exam. This one's more stubbornly determined.
Even if he knows he's right and he knows he wants to run (there's a weird throbbing in his head again, sharp and stabbing between dull beats), he has other motivations to worry about. Gon's helped him once, and he's been reunited with Alluka, in a way.
His mouth spreads into a thin line at first and he takes another step back, lowering his whole body like he's prepared to dart away if he has to. But he's not foolish enough to do that right off the bat. It's a crowded store and he hasn't perfected any of his training with electricity to the point where he even realizes it can be used to help speed.]
Are you afraid? [The look is slightly different, Illumi catches that - and catalogs it, remembers it, will use it to his advantage someday, if not today.] Are you going to run away?
[Truthfully, he doesn't want Killua to run. That will mean he has to find him again another time (and he won't buy the hat...), but if Killua has to get his bearings before he does what Illumi wants, he'll endure it. He knows this: Killua's defiance is worthless, and his own win is already guaranteed. With the ending fixed, the acts between have room to shift, if necessary.
Being patient is a decision he has made, and will keep making. Despite the deepening hollow look in his eyes, he drops his hand back to his side and taps his cheek with the other, faux-thoughtfully.]
If Kil runs away without telling me anything, what should I do? Ah— maybe I'll go see Hisoka after all.
[thanks for letting him know about those clown chats]
Previously inconsequential news is now coming back to bite him, and he wonders if there was anything else he shouldn't have let slip. If he reacts to that comment, Illumi will know he should see Hisoka to ask about anything going on. But if he doesn't react, he might go see him anyway... Staying is a statement in itself. Running is a risk now.
He's cornered.]
You tell me first. [Laughable attempt, really, but it's something while he brainstorms for a good way out of this.] If you tell me, I won't run.
I was working. [He answers immediately, without any shift in tone. The demand's such an obvious stall for time that neither of them really needs to point it out, and Illumi can't help himself from adding another layer to this - is Killua really listening to him? Can he pick through Illumi's half-truths while trying to get out of this?] In Yorknew City, a while after Dad let you run off again.
[And that's it, that's all he's willing to "share." At least Illumi doling out pittance details is nothing new, so unsuspicious...
But this is still taking too long.] If you don't say anything soon, I'll go. It won't matter if you stay or not.
[Run off again. It gives him a vague idea, but not enough of one. He should be picking through this more, or better, but the panic running through him and centering in his head is too much.
He needs to come up with an answer now. Even while answering reveals that he doesn't want Illumi to meet up with Hisoka, it could mean many things. Like he doesn't want a team up or Hisoka to be broken out of jail. If he says something right, he could prevent him from even bothering with it. Low chances, but they're there.
Gritting his teeth, he speaks with the first thing he can think to. It's not his own memory, but a lie built from what Hisoka has told him. He'll make it vague enough to be believable. Hopefully. He hasn't realized his own behavior is fighting against it.]
I was helping my best friend. [He words it like that on purpose too, what a rebel.] After he got hurt.
[Well, this is becoming a mess. Illumi tilts his head almost curiously, like "best friends" (ew) being hurt is news to him. Killua's actions still don't match up perfectly with his words— Hisoka, then? Going to visit the prison is so out of his way, sigh...]
Oh? I told you, you aren't suited to having friends. If you had listened to me...
[That's nonsense and he doesn't care, but he wants to get under Killua's skin and - ideally - put him even more on the defensive so he'll let slip something else that's of use.] What did you do to him?
[He's lost and cornered, and so he acts. It's not an entire lie. There's truth and knowledge and emotion behind it, and that's what makes it easy to react. His fists ball and he takes a step forward to make up for the one he'd taken backwards earlier. One arm swipes out in a violent motion at the air between them.
He doesn't seem to care that people are beginning to stare.]
It wasn't my fault! It wasn't anyone's fault! You don't know what you're talking about!
[So, yeah. Illumi shuts his eyes and ducks his chin slightly, the precursor to an exasperated sigh that doesn't come. He doesn't visibly react to Killua's swipe at- space- but the abrupt sharpening of his gloomy hot topic aura will be noticeable enough where it counts. He's not above giving a strict reminder of Zoldyck training here in the store.
Let the people stare.]
You're not the type of person who can claim it wasn't his fault. You're too dark. But it can't be helped— you're one of us. [so don't?? feel bad?] What did you think would happen if you spent all that time around an outsider?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Even if he knows he's right and he knows he wants to run (there's a weird throbbing in his head again, sharp and stabbing between dull beats), he has other motivations to worry about. Gon's helped him once, and he's been reunited with Alluka, in a way.
His mouth spreads into a thin line at first and he takes another step back, lowering his whole body like he's prepared to dart away if he has to. But he's not foolish enough to do that right off the bat. It's a crowded store and he hasn't perfected any of his training with electricity to the point where he even realizes it can be used to help speed.]
I'm not telling you.
no subject
[Truthfully, he doesn't want Killua to run. That will mean he has to find him again another time (and he won't buy the hat...), but if Killua has to get his bearings before he does what Illumi wants, he'll endure it. He knows this: Killua's defiance is worthless, and his own win is already guaranteed. With the ending fixed, the acts between have room to shift, if necessary.
Being patient is a decision he has made, and will keep making. Despite the deepening hollow look in his eyes, he drops his hand back to his side and taps his cheek with the other, faux-thoughtfully.]
If Kil runs away without telling me anything, what should I do? Ah— maybe I'll go see Hisoka after all.
[thanks for letting him know about those clown chats]
no subject
Previously inconsequential news is now coming back to bite him, and he wonders if there was anything else he shouldn't have let slip. If he reacts to that comment, Illumi will know he should see Hisoka to ask about anything going on. But if he doesn't react, he might go see him anyway... Staying is a statement in itself. Running is a risk now.
He's cornered.]
You tell me first. [Laughable attempt, really, but it's something while he brainstorms for a good way out of this.] If you tell me, I won't run.
no subject
I was working. [He answers immediately, without any shift in tone. The demand's such an obvious stall for time that neither of them really needs to point it out, and Illumi can't help himself from adding another layer to this - is Killua really listening to him? Can he pick through Illumi's half-truths while trying to get out of this?] In Yorknew City, a while after Dad let you run off again.
[And that's it, that's all he's willing to "share." At least Illumi doling out pittance details is nothing new, so unsuspicious...
But this is still taking too long.] If you don't say anything soon, I'll go. It won't matter if you stay or not.
no subject
He needs to come up with an answer now. Even while answering reveals that he doesn't want Illumi to meet up with Hisoka, it could mean many things. Like he doesn't want a team up or Hisoka to be broken out of jail. If he says something right, he could prevent him from even bothering with it. Low chances, but they're there.
Gritting his teeth, he speaks with the first thing he can think to. It's not his own memory, but a lie built from what Hisoka has told him. He'll make it vague enough to be believable. Hopefully. He hasn't realized his own behavior is fighting against it.]
I was helping my best friend. [He words it like that on purpose too, what a rebel.] After he got hurt.
no subject
Oh? I told you, you aren't suited to having friends. If you had listened to me...
[That's nonsense and he doesn't care, but he wants to get under Killua's skin and - ideally - put him even more on the defensive so he'll let slip something else that's of use.] What did you do to him?
no subject
[He's lost and cornered, and so he acts. It's not an entire lie. There's truth and knowledge and emotion behind it, and that's what makes it easy to react. His fists ball and he takes a step forward to make up for the one he'd taken backwards earlier. One arm swipes out in a violent motion at the air between them.
He doesn't seem to care that people are beginning to stare.]
It wasn't my fault! It wasn't anyone's fault! You don't know what you're talking about!
no subject
[So, yeah. Illumi shuts his eyes and ducks his chin slightly, the precursor to an exasperated sigh that doesn't come. He doesn't visibly react to Killua's swipe at- space- but the abrupt sharpening of his
gloomy hot topicaura will be noticeable enough where it counts. He's not above giving a strict reminder of Zoldyck training here in the store.Let the people stare.]
You're not the type of person who can claim it wasn't his fault. You're too dark. But it can't be helped— you're one of us. [so don't?? feel bad?] What did you think would happen if you spent all that time around an outsider?