Story: Horticulture

Pairing(s): Hisoka/Pandora?

Word Count: 176

Author's Comment: I like to consider this a little preview to the next chapter of Horticulture, but at the same time, it is a test to see how colorful I can make things. Enjoy.

Originally posted on December 26, 2018 for my 30 Days of Short Fiction. For more information on 30DoSF, please refer to the pinned entry on my WordPress, xlilim – link available in my profile.

Parade

Pandora wears a new face for the occasion. A younger model. Not as flexible. He does the trick though. She doesn't need flexible. She requires stamina. To walk along the parade's route, balls of red and purple bursting above her and raining down powder that sticks to her skin. Music is a loud rattling of handmade instruments.

Hisoka follows. Always in disguise. Everything, down to the flick of his wrist is a performance. His mask changes for all new occasions and for this, he exudes a tangible excitement that attracts people to the way he shuffles the deck in his hands so effortlessly. He offers tricks with splatters of pink across his face and grins her way as the crowd divides them.

They find their way back through the parade, looking less like each other than when they started at end of the street. He's tried to kill her more times than she bothered to count, but she laughs with her lips pressed against a chocolate cake pop, beckoning him to try again.

And he follows.