|| Intertwined || (Illumi x Fem! Reader)

Chapter 9: The Way Out

Approximate time remaining in Trick Tower:
68 hours, 34 minutes, 27 seconds...26...25...

-

You sat yourself down in the corner of the room. This room had been a temporary prison for Hisoka, Illumi and yourself for about 4 hours.

"I can't believe we've been trapped in this room for over 4 hours..." you said aloud.

"Mm yes, it has been quite tiring looking for a way out" Hisoka replied. "I think I need a break"

He walked over to where you were sitting and sat down next to you. Almost immediately he shut his eyes and rested his head on your shoulder.

"I hope you don't mind, (y/n)~" he smirked.

"I'm almost certain you wouldn't have gotten off of me if I had said something anyway" you rolled your eyes.

Illumi soon walked over and did the same. He sat on the other side of you and helped himself to your shoulder.

"Jeez, what are you guys? Kids?" you laughed.

Eventually you had begun to rest your head on Illumi's. The three of you did need a quick break.

Despite the needed break time, you still tried to think of a way out of the room.

'This room is small...no visible doors or windows. The only way in was through the ceiling...'

You looked up. 'Hmm...obviously the way out wouldn't be through the same way we came in though' Your gaze shifted to the wall straight across from you. That's when you noticed it: two tiles on the wall, right next to each other, had very slight indents, almost too small to notice.

Someone, most likely multiple people, had previously pressed on those two tiles before.
"Huh...could that be..?" You got up and walked over to the wall.

Having left your position, Hisoka and Illumi had lost their head rest. Hisoka groaned and Illumi looked up at you, curious at what you were up to.

"What is it, (y/n)?" Illumi asked.

"These tiles, I think they're buttons" you said while placing both hands on one tile each.

You firmly pressed down and the room began to rumble. Both Hisoka and Illumi got up. You quickly backed away from the wall.

Two doors opened. Each corresponding to one of the buttons. The door on the right revealed one pressure plate on the floor. The door on the left revealed two.

In addition to the two doors, a tile on the floor moved and a small sign rose from the ground. It read: "In order for the participants in this room to advance, two must continue through the door on the left and one must continue alone through the door on the right. Please step on the pressure plates, one person per plate."

"I see, so in order for us to move on one of us goes alone through the right door and the other two go through the left" you said.

"Yes, and I'm assuming the doors here won't close and the doors leading to the next room won't open unless all three of us are standing on a pressure plate" Illumi added.

"Well, there goes the plan for all of us to go through the same door together. Looks like we have to separate" Hisoka sighed.

'This is awkward...' you thought. "How will we decide who has to go alone?"

"I'll just go alone, (y/n). I doubt I'll encounter anyone or anything I can't handle by myself" Hisoka said.

"Are you sure, Hisoka?" Illumi asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine~"

"Thanks, Hisoka" you smiled.

"Sure, now, let's step though the doors" Hisoka said.

The three of you walked through the doors and onto the pressure plates. Hisoka, alone, on the right one and you and Illumi on the left ones.

The doors shut behind you and Illumi and a long hallway lit up with torches on the walls. The same had happened to Hisoka on the other side of the wall.

"Good luck, Hisoka! Don't get yourself killed, okay?" You shouted.

"I won't, (y/n)" Hisoka shouted back through the wall. "Don't have too much fun with Illu without me~"

You smiled. "Okay, then let's advance, Illumi" you said as you began to walk forward.

"Sure" he said.

-

Approximate time remaining in Trick Tower:
67 hours, 30 minutes, 10 seconds...9...8...

-

"It's been over an hour and we're still walking down this hallway" you groaned.

You kept a rather quick pace while heading down the hallway, probably because you wanted to reach the end as quickly as possible. Illumi, of course, followed behind you.

"I'm sure we'll reach the end soon. Nothing we can do to make things go faster really" Illumi stated.

"Yeah yeah. Unless we want to start running, and I'm not really up for that. I had enough running in phase 1" you replied.

"Hm, I wouldn't like having to do more running either" Illumi said.

You stretched your arms. "This exam isn't exactly what I was expecting"

"Well, what were you expecting, (y/n)?"

"I don't know...not this though. Maybe I thought it would be more complicated. I'm not saying it's been easy, just not...exactly what I thought would happen" you said.

"I see. Why did you want to become a Hunter in the first place?" Illumi asked.

"I thought it'd be kind of cool. I also wanted to get away from my parents. All they want to do is train me to be an assassin, it gets boring back at home sometimes. I just needed to get away you know?" you reply.

"I understand that more than you think" Illumi sighs.

You stare at him for a moment. He looks...sad. "So, why did you decide to take the exam, Illumi?"

"Oh, I have my reasons" he replies.

'Reasons, huh...' You nod in understanding. 'Doesn't look like he wants to tell me'

"Well, at least I can personally say I've been enjoying the exam, despite the strangeness" you say.

"Oh, really?" Illumi asks.

"Yep! Being with you and Hisoka has been fun" you smile.

He smiled back. "I think I can say the same about spending time you, (y/n)" he says.

"I'm glad to hear that!" you reply.

-

You two walked down the long hallway in silence for a little bit longer. It was obvious you enjoyed each other's company.

Soon enough, you both reached a wall.
'A dead end? Hm...'

"Oh, there's two pressure plates on the floor here. I suppose we stand on them, Illumi" you said.

"Yes, you're probably right"

You walked over and stood on one of the pressure plates. Illumi joined you, standing on the other. The door slid open revealing a large room, an arena by the looks of it.

You walked in with Illumi and looked around. There were two people standing across from you and Illumi on the other side of the room.
You stared at them, and they began to approach you.

-

Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)