Hello everyone.

This was a thing I wrote on a whim, and it quickly turned into a week long project full of symbolism and lots and lots of meaning. It's definitely not my first fic or my first time writing, but I am new to the Hunter x Hunter fandom, so I apologize if you find any inconsistencies within the text.

Have fun reading and take care,

-The Black Maiden

*Lyrics by Robert Dwyer Joyce

I sat within a valley green,

Sat there with my true love,

My heart strove to choose between,

The old love and the new love, -

The old for her, the new that made

Me think of Ireland dearly,

While soft the wind blew down the glade

And shook the golden barley.*

The grass blew softly in the wind that day. It was warm, bringing with it the first inklings of summer's rapid approach, while a cold still hung in the air, lingering past its want.

Illumi's hair blew slightly sideways and Hisoka brushed it away from his shoulder as the two sat in silence. Illumi's gaze was intently on him, but Hisoka didn't flinch. Eventually his eyebrow twitched softly, but he barely offered more than a smile.

"What are you thinking?" Illumi finally asked.

Now Hisoka offered a chuckle. "This, that…" He answered vaguely, lying back in the field. "It'll be summer soon." He declared, stating what the two already knew.

"Yes." Illumi agreed "Did you have something planned?"

"Maybe." Hisoka looked around. "You know, Catholics like to get married in summer in order to avoid Lent."

"But you're not Catholic." Illumi noted.

Hisoka shrugged. "They had some good ideas." He sat up again.

"So you're planning on getting married in the summer?" Illumi said with a teasing smile.

He expected Hisoka to disagree, but Illumi's smile dropped when Hisoka offered him a genuine but hidden smile, and then simply stood up. "You'll have to forgive me. I'm late for something."

"…For what?" Illumi asked with growing suspicion.

Hisoka waved back at him. "An engagement."

…

She was waiting for him beside the tree, the one behind the river and beside the cliff. It towered above the fjords that were tossed with frothing ocean foam, and stood directly below the blinding sun covered partially by grey clouds.

She looked up as he approached. "You're late."

Hisoka offered her his best smile and kissed her hand, saying nothing in his excuse.

Machi's eyes softened and she looked away. "I can't believe I'm doing this. How did you talk me into this?"

"There wasn't so much 'talking' as there was screaming and writhing~" Hisoka pulled her against him in one fell swoop and kissed her neck.

"Jeez, cut it out." Machi protested, but she didn't struggle. Nevertheless, Hisoka stopped and held up his hands, and Machi rolled her eyes and pressed herself to his chest again, her lips locking with his.

"I hate you for this." She teased. Then she smiled. "I was looking at dresses today. I don't want a long one, in case we need to flee the scene."

"And why would we need to do that?" He questioned her. "Is my darling bride planning to do something drastic? I love you as you are, Machi, I don't need a blood sacrifice."

"You sure about that?" She laughed. "You never know who'll show up, really. In the spirit of being…cautious," She said, removing his hand from where it was undoing her sash "I suggest running shoes."

"It's your decision, love." He kissed her neck again and she sighed.

"Hisoka…"

"Yes my love?"

"Why?"

He stopped. "Why what? You really need to be more specific."

"Why did you ask me to marry you?" She looked at him that way, the way he loved her to look at him. Suspicious, yet she trusted that he would always be honest with her. She still believed he was not above killing her, and in truth, he wasn't, but that didn't mean he'd be able to. Never.

"It's simple, Machi, I'm surprised you're so stumped with it." He said with a flick of his wrist.

"If I'm going to give you the rest of my life, however long or short it may be, I want to know why."

This time he pressed against her. "You are…so very intriguing." He replied. "You are a beautiful paining, or an ancient Roman vase. No…" He kissed her neck and breathed onto her skin "You are an ancient language, mysterious and complicated, and so beautiful." He kissed down the length of her arm. "I can't quite pronounce your words correctly, but I do try to understand them~"

Machi chuckled. "You're wooing me."

"Is it working?" He asked as he slipped a hand down her kimono.

She didn't pull away this time. "I think I'm falling in love with you, you crazy clown."

"Oh darling, you're behind."

…

Illumi's throat felt tight. His skin crawled and his breathing was far too rapid considering he was simply sitting in front of his mirror starring at his reflection, though none of his own image was what his eyes digested.

He'd seen Hisoka with her. He'd seen his best friend and only companion in the arms of that wench, ogling her breasts and making promises that he knew by no means were false. Hisoka was planning to elope with this bitch come summer.

Illumi clenched his fist. He couldn't allow it, he kept repeating as he tried to come up with a semi-plausible excuse as to why exactly he was so upset. It wasn't…respectable? No; no matter how much time Hisoka spent with his family, they weren't related by blood and thus Hisoka wasn't bound by the chains of what was socially acceptable or not.

Perhaps this woman wasn't good for him. Yes, it was clear Machi seemed to resist him. She passed it off as teasing, but what if it meant more? Maybe Machi was a liar, but why? Hisoka, as far as he knew, wasn't rich. He may have been well off, but he was by no means heir to any vast fortune, so Machi couldn't be a gold digger.

Then again, what Hisoka did have was strength and skill. A three time champion, his skills were nearly unparalleled. From what Illumi had seen Hisoka was obviously already dedicated to this woman; if they were married, Machi would have him right in the palm of her hand; he'd become her beautiful dancing puppet.

Illumi stood up immediately. He had to warn Hisoka, then the two of them could take down this wretched whore together, and things would go back to the way they were: the way they were supposed to be, and they way they should have stayed.

…

"Now you."

Machi's heavy breathing was interrupted by a faint "Huh?" in response to her fiancé's question.

Hisoka smiled and pulled away from her slightly. "Why did you say yes when I asked you to marry me?"

Machi was silent for a while, before she smiled. "You're intriguing."

"Really?"

"Oh yes." She sat up so she was inches from his face, still dripping with sweat. "I just can't figure you out. You're like a Davinci painting or a puzzle with several pieces missing."

"And you're hoping to figure me out?" He laughed.

She shook her head. "If I wanted to figure you out, you'd probably be dead." Machi gave him a wry smile. "I like how you always keep me guessing. There's always more to you than meets the eye." She shrugged. "It can be repulsive at times, sure, but it's mesmerizing." Machi kissed him deeply, trailing down from his lips to his jawline. "You're so cool…you always look so cool."

Hisoka let out a light moan and pulled her into his lap, her naked breasts pressing on his pectoral muscles. She reached up and entangled her hands in his hair as he placed one hand on her rump and pulled her to where she was, once again, easily accessible.

…

"What do you think?"

Gon shrugged, rolling back and forth on Killua's bed. "I think it's cool Hisoka's found love! I mean, he's creepy but…he deserves happiness too, so it's nice."

"That or you're just glad he's not coming after you anymore?" Killua smirked, shooting a glance out the open door.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Gon asked.

"Firstly because Mom thinks we're doing homework…" Killua noted. "And…I wanna keep an eye on Illumi."

"Why?"

"I dunno. He's been acting strange tonight." Killua shifted uncomfortably. "He came home really late, and he got mad at Mom when she asked him where he'd been."

"…Wow…" Gon didn't quite know what to say.

"I think he knows about Hisoka." Killua whispered. "And I'm kind of worried he'll do something insane."