Overhead, glass windows reflected pristine sunlight, which danced around the bank below. It was clean and crisp, as any bank. The open-concept entrance welcomed guests with lime carpets and white tiles. To the right of the four doors that patrons could walk through was a barista bar where self-serve coffee and tea sat, along with several couches and armchairs. Machines releasing cash to those fortunate enough to possess access cards were to the left of the entrance. 

But Violet sat in a deep green leather chair across from an employee who tapped away at her computer on the circular brown decks near the centre of the main lobby. Further back and to their right were the ten teller booths for those wanting a more human touch. Across from that was the hallway that led to professional offices where the financial advisors and branch manager worked. 

Frustration was a heavy weight on Violet's body and mind as she tried to control a temper that was treacherously close to exploding. The lady helping her had black hair tied high into a bun, perfect natural makeup, and peach lips that smiled pleasantly. Behind her chestnut brown eyes, Violet spotted the tell-tale signs that there was less to be pleased about than she was letting on. The lady wore a professional suit with a white blouse and a black pencil skirt. She looked around Violet's age or younger and wore a silver wedding ring on her left hand. 

The banker turned to Violet with a similar expression to the ones displayed at the five previous banks. "I'm very sorry, Miss Violet, but these IDs just aren't enough to allow us to open an account."

Bloodlust slipped out with intense rage from frustration alone. When the lady across from Violet lost all colour in her face and shuddered involuntarily, she reined back her Ren. The worker had been nothing but kind to Violet and didn't deserve to be on the receiving end of her meltdown. Once the aura was under control, she sighed to regulate her emotions.

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can do? I'll be fighting tonight, and Heaven's Arena won't let me collect any further winnings without an account," Violet asked. "Please, this is my last option. The fees are too large for them to offer cash any longer. I even have thousands of Jenny to deposit."

It was nearing the month mark since Violet arrived at Heaven's Arena, and her one-hundred-and-fiftieth-floor bout was that evening. Without any official documentation for any of the five countries that made up the world, she was hitting a wall. She had money, but not enough to bypass the rules. 

She tried getting an official ID, but the wait was at least six months without any previous paperwork. A person needed an official ID to get an official ID, which seemed senseless. Without it, the task of opening a bank account, or anything else she might need to function fully in society, proved impossible. 

"I'm sorry, there isn't anything we can do. I can see about alerting the bank manager, but he's in meetings all week, and it will take him some time to get back to you." 

Another sigh escaped the lips of the deflated Violet. I'll wallow for a bit back in my room while I come up with something else. I don't want to spend money on getting IDs, but I might have no other option. Little benefit remained in staying, and she deemed it best to collect her belongings and leave. 

Just as she reached out, she spun around with forced haste. Seizing the arms of the leather armchair, she raised her feet to an attack position when her eyes locked with the golden, blazing orbs of Hisoka. He leaned into her personal space wearing his signature cocky smile, but the intense eyes showed nothing apart from wickedness.

"Hello, Violet, darling. How nice to see you here~" He inclined even further to whisper near her ear, "Was that your bloodlust I felt just now? How irresistible ~ ♥"

Violet gasped, and her heart raced at the sudden invasion of his natural aroma into her space and the overwhelming heat from his closeness. It certainly had nothing to do with any temperature changes in her body, defintely not, despite heat racing to her face faster than ever. Why does this only ever happen when he is around?

Hisoka pulled back to stand at full height and looked down with his usual curved lips. It had been almost a month since she had seen him; what a glorious reprieve it had been. 

"Hisoka!" Violet cried out, recovering from the shock. 

A bewildered upper bank manager stood behind Hisoka. He looked well into his middle age with fully grey hair and slight wrinkles along his round face that matched his round body. His brown eyes showed concern, but age told of a man who was kind as his wrinkles outlined a smile given over many years. He wore a black suit and a name tag that stated his position as the bank manager and Sohee Chen as his name. His eyes shifted back and forth with flickering anxiety. 

Hisoka looked back with raised brows, noticing her gaze. "Hmm? Oh, I'm just in for a small banking matter ~♦" he said before returning his attention to her. "I didn't know you used this bank?"

"Uhh, I don't. I was trying to open an account. It was the last one I could try, and I won't be able to open an account here either since they won't accept me like all the others," some frustration leaked out as Violet responded. She turned away to grab her possessions again.

Hisoka frowned, then stepped away to give her room to rise. He rested his hands on his hips and narrowed his eyes towards the manager as she stepped beside the magician. 

"Ohh~ is that so? If they cannot even open a bank account for you, maybe I should consider moving my accounts elsewhere? ♠ "

Violet stood frozen with wide eyes jetting back and forth following the sudden chaos of movement and dark aura this statement caused in the bank manager and employees surrounding them.

"Mr. Morou! Please allow me to deal with this minor issue," the manager by Hisoka pleaded and rushed in with a flurry of options. "I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. Any friend of yours should have no issue opening an account with us. I can take care of it personally!" 

"F-friend...?" Violet looked on with shock.

'Friend' was not the first word that would come to mind when she classified her relationship with the psychopath. In fact, it wouldn't even be included in the vocabulary list. 

"Yes. We certainly are friends. Wouldn't you agree, dear Violet? ♥"

Oh, God. I wasn't mentally prepared to deal with him today.

Looking back and forth between the bankers and the red-headed giant, Violet was trapped. Of course, she could walk out, but then she wouldn't get a bank account. 

"Ah... yes... we're friends...," she lied with a stutter as the vowels burned like acid on her tongue. Those words held a vast amount of unknown weight and menace to speak in front of Hisoka. Will he use this statement against me later?

Hisoka smiled sweetly, but there was a fiendishness in his eyes, like a lion who just cornered his zebra. Even Violet could almost see his mouth-watering. 

"Certainly. If Mr. Morou knows you, there will be no issue opening any account you wish." Shoee smiled, further strengthening his pleasant wrinkles, but she didn't miss the beads of sweat around his forehead and neck. "Please wait here, and I will help you with your account once I've seen Mr. Morou." He pointed to one of the waiting room chairs by the coffee lounge.

"She can come in with us. I don't mind and would rather you see to the lady first~ ♥" There was sweet acid in Hisoka's voice.

He's definitely messing with the manager. Hisoka, you're such an ass sometimes.

"Oh! Of course. Please, follow me." And with that, Shoee was off at a pressed pace to his office.

She followed Shoee at a distance and leaned closer to Hisoka while looking up at him with suspicion. "What? You bully poor bank employees now, too? I thought you only wanted 'strong fruit'?"

Hisoka smirked and bowed to allow Violet to reach him for a proper angry whisper fest. "Certainly not, darling. I have a vast amount of money in this bank. ♦" He finished with a wink.

"Seriously? How rich are you? I didn't think they paid for fights after the two hundredth floor?" Violet struggled to gauge whether he was lying.

"It's not very good manners to ask how much money someone has, dear Violet~ ♥"

Her eyes rolled at the way he shut her down. Upon arriving in Shoee's office, Violet quickly took the chair closest to the door. Hisoka sat in the one beside her, waiting for Shoee to waddle around the desk and begin assisting them both. She handed the plump middle-aged man the IDs and information as she explained why she didn't have official documentation.

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear you're having so many issues with your official IDs, Miss James. It can certainly be difficult with the red tape sometimes." The banker paused. "Miss James. You're a doctor?" He pointed to one of her IDs.

Hisoka turned to spy the ID with both eyebrows raised, and his lips formed a pensive, thoughtful line with a slight frown. He gave his classical hum.

"Oh. Well. I only just received my degree. I was just starting my internship in a hospital, but it didn't work out. There is no need to use the honorific."

After completing a proficiency exam, Violet was given a degree without attending a university course. The government organisation dealing with supernatural beasts required that every team have at least one trained field medic and one chemist. She showed therapeutic proficiency, and they provided the training early in her career. This experience allowed her access to the perk of skipping the degree once she left the government ranks. It was an unconventional way to become a doctor, but valid nonetheless. 

"It's no trouble Mis—Dr. James. Even if you haven't fully completed your training, you still completed your schooling." He smiled at her with honesty and respect now.

In Violet's opinion, she had the self-control of a saint for not rolling her eyes at how he shifted his opinion once finding out she held a 'doctor' title. She hated people who changed how they treated others when they found out they fit into specific 'high-class' categories. I'm not a medical doctor, for all you know, entitled prick.  

"No. It's fine. M—"

"Put the doctor honorific on the account~♠" Hisoka smiled at Violet rather than the banker. 

"It's my account. Miss is fine." Violet glared at Hisoka. He acted as if he owned her, and she would not tolerate that behaviour. I'm not your wife, girlfriend, sister, or toy, least of all your toy.

Hisoka held his smirk and turned to the bank manager, and spoke with a commanding but pleasant tone. "Put the honorific on the account~ ♦"

The bank manager's expression was heavy with discomfort as he started to sweat even worse than before. He looked between them, and Violet couldn't let some innocent bystander be struck in the crossfire of the battle between Hisoka and herself.

"It's fine. I don't care, either way, to be honest." 

Violet tensed as the manager left to collect print-outs, realising she would be alone with the magician. 

"I heard you fight on the hundred and fiftieth floor tonight. How quickly you're moving through the floors. You'll be up on the two hundredth with me in no time~ ♥"

Violet had spoken with other fighters about Hisoka, and they all warned about his less-than-charming habits, like stalking. They collectively told her to stay off his radar at all costs. It had already been far too late for that, of course.

"Yes, it's tonight. I don't know who it's against; It's not important to know the name of someone I'm going to crush anyway." Violet shrugged. Her bouts had been easy, and her takedowns had become more brutal in recent days. Rarely did she leave the opponent conscious, but she hadn't killed anyone.

Hisoka chuckled. "You are absolutely right, my dear~ ♥"

Wait. Was that a very Hisoka thing to say? Shit, I need to get away from him. 

Shoee returned, and Violet signed the papers after he explained the account basics. She happily deposited most of her fund and a mental weight lifted to be carrying a reasonable amount of cash, with the rest securely tucked away in her new accounts. After thanking him, she rose to leave the office.

"You're welcome to stay, darling. I will be quick and happily walk you out~ ♣"

"No, thank you, Hisoka. I have some shopping to get done before my match tonight." 

Hisoka had his typical smirk as she rushed out. She sprinted out of the bank as fast as her body would carry her without running. Her time at Heaven's Arena was quickly coming to an end. 

Violet had no plans to enter the two hundredth floor and above. Once she completed her rise and the fights would no longer provide income, she would leave for brighter, less Hisoka-ridden pastures. She'd have all the necessary funds to search for a way home, and that needed to remain her first focus. 

But still, the lingering presence of the magician seemed to draw her mind back whenever things were quiet and still. A habit she would break at all costs. 

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How well do you think Hisoka will take it when he finds out she's not coming to the 200th floor?

This was a total fluff and unnecessary chapter; it's more for relationship building and because I think it's cute. Any editors reading, I know it could be cut, but it won't be. 

Thanks for reading, and please don't forget to comment and vote! It makes me so happy :)