Note: When CO came out, quite a few feedbacks said Kuroro and Kurapika's relationship kind of jumped. Here you'll find why. I initially planned to make this a one short chapter. I've no idea why when I started writing again, it became so long that I had to break it into chapters.
Hope you enjoy :D Please do review!
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Title: Atlantic
Summary: Sequel to the Sun also Shines at Night, prequel to Carry On. They were supposed to be enemies. Yet, fate was starting to change bit by bit.
So what had happened between Kuroro and Kurapika before they were at where they were now in Carry On?
Disclaimer: HxH belongs to the great Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei.
Special thanks to Yumii for beta-reading
edited 3/19
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Chapter 1 an Empty House
Everything was quiet.
A little peace of mind was something Kurapika had always been longing for since lately. He believed that he wouldn't be able to find real tranquility in this life unless his two goals had been accomplished. One was to retrieve all of the flame-colored eyes. And another one, to put an end to the people that destroyed his Kuruta clan. As of yet, he seemed to be far from both.
His green eyes drew open, and he worked his brain into alertness. 'Okay, still on the airship.' He pushed himself up on the bed and no longer felt lightheaded, his fever had broken. Beside his bed, the digital clock read 11pm. 'I've slept only for a few hours. He said we'll have a stopover before continuing to our destination.' His brain was wide awake at the thought as he voiced, "Kuroro."
Next to his bed was a chair with two sets of books, doubtless classified as finished and unfinished ones. The man responsible for those items was nowhere in their private cabin.
Weird as it was, Kurapika had been waking to Kuroro's presence for weeks. He had not noticed how strange it felt not seeing the man until then. That in mind, he slapped his forehead with an open palm and let out a soft sarcastic chuckle, followed by a sigh. "What am I thinking?"
Just as the door to his room swung open, Kurapika jerked his head up.
Kuroro was there, face betraying nothing as always. He closed the door, strode purposefully in the room and placed himself on the chair. While Kurapika gazed at him with uncertainty, the man leaned towards the boy, but remained intact on the chair, his elbows on his knees. Only then, did his poker face break into a faint smirk.
The boy's face twisted into a frown, he sank backward into the bed. "What?"
"You called me, did you?" The man said in voice that contained controlled amusement.
"No, I didn't," Kurapika blurted without a thought.
"Yes, you did," he countered.
'I did?' Kurapika searched his memory and 'oh.' Before he could say, act, or even think of anything further to that, Kuroro's chuckled. "It didn't mean anything." His voice came out calmer than he'd expected; a good a sign. He wouldn't want to waste energy being pissed every now and then the Spider head got on his nerves.
A cold hand came into contact with his forehead, causing Kurapika to shut one eye but remained the other opened to take in the situation.
"Good, you've learnt your lesson." Kuroro gave him an approving smile.
"Hold on, was that to test me?" Kurapika asked, his voice restraining a slight frustration.
"Yes, and no," Kuroro answered, but he shifted his gaze sideways, having a second thought. "I'm more inclined towards a 'no' though." He said as he withdrew his hand, keeping a small amusement to himself that Kurapika made no attempt to bat his hand away. Before the boy could ask for a reason behind his answer, he changed topic, "That aside, how are you feeling now?" he actually knew the answer to that. He wouldn't have left the room in the first place if the boy hadn't broken the fever.
"Fine," Kurapika nodded along with his own answer.
"Good, we'll be arriving at Ralph Airport in three hours. From there, you'll catch another flight to Attique City," Kuroro informed and as expected, the boy gave him a questioning look. "It's a change of plan. I've just discussed with my comrades; everything didn't go according to arrangement. Nobunaga, Machi, Franklin, and Coltopi faced some complication midway to Ryuuseigai. Phinx didn't want them or us to go either, so I ordered them to scatter. But-" Kuroro paused, not losing the line of conversation, but rather unsure of how to explain a certain circumstance.
"They insisted on seeing you again?" Kurapika supplied knowingly. Kuroro's head bobbed with the briefest look of awkward expression which didn't escape his keen observation. Kurapika's eyebrows lifted, as seeing that expression on the man's face was odd.
"We'll meet them at Melb City, probably next month."
The city was only three days travel away. Puzzled, Kurapika questioned, "Next month?"
Kuroro went straight to the point, "Like I said, I will have to fight with Hisoka tomorrow. I wouldn't want him tailing me since we'll be spending a bit of time in Attique and other places along the way to Melb, I told him to hold our battle in another city. Hence, you'll go to Attique first. When I'm done, I'll catch up with you. I take it that you wouldn't want to have anything to do with our fight anyway."
Thinking Kuroro's words over, Kurapika nodded. But he didn't really get the whole picture of this trip. "I don't get it. Why Attique?"
Instead of giving a direct answer, Kuroro asked back, "Weeks ago, did you manage to find your clan's eyes while you were in Attique?"
Mildly annoyed that his question was answered with another question, Kurapika frowned a bit. Then again, he figured it wouldn't do any good so he opted to reply, "No, I ran into you first, remember?"
"Of course." Kuroro chuckled then he disclosed, "You were right, Kurapika. The flame-colored eyes are there."
Kurapika's eyes lit up in anticipation. His hands pressed the sheets absentmindedly as he pushed himself up and leant forward in his sitting position. "The flame-colored eyes…there?"
Kuroro was amused at the boy's reaction, of how open he'd become with him by said statement. He was acting on his own accord without guarding his expression or demeanor. Kuroro nodded, "You followed the right trail, if there was any…they are in the area of the café we met."
Untold to anybody, Kurapika had agreed to Nostrad assignment, no matter how ludicrous it sounded, because he had a dream with faint images of his Kuruta clan leading him there. No matter how uncanny it seemed, Kurapika just couldn't rule that out that there might be a spirit guiding him. Although for the past five years, through all the bad chapters of his life, he was left to himself completely without direction, save for the cries of his people that he heard in his head. Then suddenly…this.
Kurapika sorted the man's intention about his bringing this up. Does that mean Kuroro was going to lend a hand in retrieving the eyes? It raised the question, "So, we'll…go look for the eyes?" The boy found himself asking.
"You said 'we' Why, I'm delighted," Kuroro said with a small grin. When the boy responded with a fast clap over his mouth, he chuckled and corroborated, "To make it even better, we'll just have to retrieve them, without having to search. I know where they are."
Almost allowing his heart to leap with anticipation, Kurapika had to hold himself from that as he realized one thing, "Wait, why are we…no…Why do you-" He was lost for words, but that was all he needed to get the message across.
"Why am I doing this?" Kuroro shrugged nonchalantly. "Back then I did say that we'll go search for Kuruta's eyes once our business is over, didn't I? I'm just keeping my words." He watched Kurapika's face progress from thinking to recalling, and ended up in doubt. Kuroro's brows furrowed as he pointed out, "You didn't actually believe me."
Hearing the unusual tone of disappointment, Kurapika wiped away the doubtful look from his face. Although it did raise another question, "But…you'd do that when I was considered a part of Ryodan. Now I'm not, then why…"
There was a look on Kuroro's face that Kurapika could imagine if the man was Leorio, the man would have yelled his ears right out to dead for asking so many 'why's. Why (again) couldn't Kurapika just accept the offer and be happy with it? Well, he couldn't. His mortal enemy, treating him this way. It was a long way out of his expectation, out of his rational thoughts and logic.
Fortunately, Kuroro was probably the most patient (if not apathetic and listless) being he'd ever encountered. The most he did was sigh in monotony. "I will not bother myself getting the answer for you on that one. Think about it yourself." Not giving a room for further discussion for that matter, he moved onto the next subject. "When you were in Attique, where did you stay?"
Dissatisfied with how Kuroro dismissed his question, Kurapika looked away for a moment. Soon after, he decided it was no good of him acting like a dejected kid; he complied to go Kuroro's way for now. "An inn located on the western city border."
"I see. There is an empty house, located on the city border in the east. It situated next to the sea, and the Attique forest is its backyard. You could go there if you like. It is the only Victorian-style house with deep crimson roof. I stayed there a day prior to meeting you."
"Okay," Kurapika nodded. When he actually processed Kuroro's words, he jerked his head to the man. "You were there a day before we met?" When given a nod, Kurapika started thinking to himself again. This time, it seemed that Kuroro could read him though.
"You were there a day before we met as well." Kuroro said, more of a statement than a question. The discreet silence that followed meant 'yes' to him. He laughed with the air of contentment. Only when Kurapika threw him a spearing glance did he stop.
Still, he couldn't contain the single word clouding his mind. "Fate."
"Coincidence," Kurapika retorted halfheartedly.
While he let Kurapika glared on, Kuroro pondered aloud, "Come to think of it. I've known for years that York Shin holds the auction annually, I've never planned on robbing there until this certain year that you just happened to be there." He fixed his thoughtful gaze on Kurapika. "If our paths crossing is a coincidence, then it sure is happening an awful lot, don't you think?"
The boy practically growled and hoped to have a decent comeback by saying, "That coming from a man who said how we met was just a petty accident?"
"Hmm?" Amusement in Kuroro's tone was obvious. "Things I've said back then still bother you?" Kuroro gave a disapproving shake of head, "Kurapika, you need to learn to forget that kind of nuisance." One look at the boy, and he knew his opinion was useless for him. Kurapika might have learnt to control his temper…more. But to forget what had been done upon him? When hell freezes over. "Well," Kuroro said while lifting his gaze upward, then back to meet Kurapika's. "At that time, I didn't know what had happened wasn't insignificant incident as I've said to you. It was just beyond that girl's prediction."
Blinking, Kurapika jerked his head away. So much for his attempt to counter, but was the only one affected by it. He couldn't help the feelings inside of him, causing by Kuroro's words. Why was Kuroro saying things to make him feel…liberated from the words that contracted his heart to aggravation weeks back?
Reading the atmosphere and sensed it change for good, Kuroro decided to backtrack, "Anyway, if you prefer an inn or a hotel, I don't mind too. Just let me know where you are," Kuroro said and added after. "Even if you didn't, I'd find you eventually. Or perhaps coincidence would lead us together again." He couldn't resist that line.
"Cut it out. It doesn't matter." Impatience marked his voice, but Kurapika ignored Kuroro's nag to the best of his ability. Mentally, though, he couldn't help the thought that crossed his mind:
If the search for the Kuruta's eyes here at Atttique City was led by the spiritual guidance, could the encounter with Kuroro in Attique be led by the same unseen force?
"Fine. What matters is-" Kuroro took turn to look at him in the eyes and asked, "-would you wait for me there, at the Attique?"
Kurapika realized that it would be the first time Kuroro would let him out of the sight completely. Without him being sick this time, he was bound by no obligations. The uncanny of all was how the man had delivered the question. Kuroro wasn't looking for a positive answer but allowing him the luxury of choice?
Oh well, that was probably because there was only one answer.
But instead of saying he had no other choice, Kurapika nodded, "Of course." He was even more surprised that his own answer made Kuroro smile. The kind of smile that described how the man was put at ease by it.
Between them, things were getting more and more unusual.
No sooner than Kurapika stared at the man did a terrible pain occurred out of nowhere, stinging his eyes. He clasped his hands over his face with a pained gasp. He felt a hand on his shoulder right away.
"What's wrong?"
Gritting his teeth, but hiding it behind his tight lips, Kurapika shook his head. Kuroro had seen him in pain enough; he'd hate anymore of this, even more so when Kuroro no longer hid his concern. Somehow, the man wouldn't comply with his dismissive gesture. He grabbed hold of his wrists.
"Let me see," Kuroro demanded.
With an insisting force applied, Kurapika was obliged to let go. His vision blurred but his skin felt Kuroro's touch on his cheeks. Mentally, he was greatly bothered by this but tried not to show it on his face since the man was right in front of him.
Kuroro steadied his face in his hand, pretty much the same way as he did back then. The Nen-sealer was gone for good and Kurapika's Nen had returned. What else could go wrong? By using Gyou, he found out. "Remnants of Nen. Eyes are sensitive organ of the body. No doubt the after effect of Nen would still cause your eyes pain to some extent. But it should be fine in a couple of days."
"Oh," Kurapika managed to respond, after the pain wore off to a tolerable level. He found relief in Kuroro's words. Even when his eyes recovered from the blurriness, time was needed. So only when he saw things a bit clearer did he realize Kuroro was still holding his wrists. His mind would have screamed the man to let go already, yet he didn't. All he could do was stare back.
Silence passed on by as both looked as if they had something to say, yet they found nothing to say to each other, and only ended up making no move as if frozen in time.
Until both, had simultaneously tore their eyes off from each other and turned their eyes to the door. It was Kuroro who spoke first. "Feel that?"
"Behind the door. Not a Nen-user," Kurapika responded in a low tone as he came up with the most possible circumstance. "Probably they're after my Hunter-license" His voice was a bit dragged, bored.
Kuroro's eyes shifted from the door to Kurapika, studying his composed feature. "I assume this isn't the first time, is it?" As soon as he finished that, he got himself up, eyes centering to the door. Before he made it anywhere far, a hand snatched at the hem of his shirt.
"It's my problem. I'll take care of it," Kurapika stated as he pushed himself up. That very moment, Kurapika wished his eyes were somewhere else rather than witnessing Kuroro's face.
Kuroro looked upset, even in that kind of poker face.
"But your eyes-"
"I don't need my full Nen ability to do this," Kurapika said, brushing past Kuroro.
While he heard a mumble, "I'm not taking that risk," he was hurled back by the hands that seized his arms. Losing balance, he stumbled back to find himself landed on the spot he'd been occupied earlier, the bed. Glancing up, he knew the man was going to take matters into his own hand. "Hey-!"
"Don't worry. I won't kill anyone," Kuroro smiled at him, and jabbed a finger downward, "So just sit back and behave like an ailing person. To make it even better, go behind the bed," he said, commanding than asking.
"I'm not-"
"Time's out." Kuroro cut his words short and shoved him.
He tumbled and fell on the other side of the bed. After regaining his position, Kurapika growled at no one since Kuroro was far at the door already. The man pulled the door open and slipped out of the room.
Kurapika rushed to the door, partly fearful for people's lives. Yanking the door opened, he was relieved to find the group of people just scattered away in different direction, with incoherent fearful cries but without any bloodshed. They had been armed, and yet hightailing away without so much as a one single gunshot.
What could Kuroro have done?
Too late to chase away these people himself in the less damage means possible, yet wasn't late to stop Kuroro from trying to go after them (and God knows what he'd do with them), Kurapika caught a hold of the man's arm.
Kuroro turned to him, unnerving. "Didn't I tell you to stay put?"
"And what made you think I have to obey your word?" the boy returned, equally unnerving.
Kuroro exhaled a short breath. Then having realized just how much he'd come to sigh these past few weeks since having Kurapika around. His hand pressed at his temple. More often than not, his sigh wasn't out of boredom, but of weariness. It occurred to him now that Kurapika could get on his nerves as much as he did with the boy.
That was one secret to take to his grave.
"Right. Okay, would you go back in the room, please?" Kuroro mocked requesting. Once Kurapika did so, with a light scoff, Kuroro followed. He closed the door behind him and started, "Carrying Hunter license brings a burden too, eh?"
"It's not a big deal," said hunter responded, his tone unconcerned.
"It still means you're being followed," Kuroro pointed out as he took his seat in the chair while Kurapika sat himself on the bed next to it. Then sensing it again, his head turned to the door. "What now?"
"What?" Kurapika questioned, following the man's direction. Surprise caught him when Kuroro looked back at him, face slightly twitched into a frown.
"You don't feel that?" The man asked. After getting a blank expression from the boy, he rose. And again, Kurapika's hand seized him. Before he made another move, the aura he felt behind the door was gone. Only then did Kuroro looked back at him and explained, "A Nen-user. Not as near as strong, but still a Nen-user with good use of Zetsu. At your level, you should have felt it. You didn't?"
Kurapika shook his head with a slight bothered expression.
"Your control of Nen hasn't returned entirely. I assume you'd have to wait out for a day or two, just like the state of your eyes," Kuroro said as he studied him. "Are you going to be all right by yourself?" Kuroro asked. He had to give his strangest look to the man. Kuroro added, "Your Nen…you wouldn't know if a Nen-user is nearby."
The explanation at the end failed to serve much as his indifference, Kurapika was already flabbergasted. Kuroro was worrying about him? For whatever reason that was. "I'll be fine. My senses still did catch on a bad intention. By the way, not every Nen-user is a threat. This guy may have nothing to do with us." Kurapika was even more stunned with himself to look at things in a positive way as such.
Well, one of them had to be. If not, someone's blood was going to be shed.
With those words, Kuroro couldn't help but fix his eyes on Kurapika. He decided against saying what was on his mind. He had no idea how Kurapika had made it until now as the last living Kuruta. What he knew now was that Kurapika had been made public by the Mafia's underground site. Kuroro had made sure he'd eliminated everyone involved at that time, but there must have still been a leak of information. Someone who was interested in getting the Kuruta eyes, or probably the last living Kuruta himself. It wouldn't be a surprise if someone was to pursue Kurapika.
That thought alone bothered Kuroro so damn much.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
After midnight, they arrived at the airport. Both being top-notch travelers, they skipped quite a few processes for tickets. Thus, they went on getting themselves a schedule to a different destination.
"Maybe you should come with me," Kuroro said minutes away before his departure.
"No way, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Hisoka and you and when you guys fight," Kurapika responded curtly, making a face. "I'll wait for you at Attique." Seeing the sudden change of Kuroro's attention, Kurapika followed the man's sight of direction. Behind him must be have been someone that Kuroro was surely suspecting. But Kurapika couldn't see no one out of ordinary among the ocean of crowd at the airport.
He wasn't even sure if there was someone after them, Kurapika turned back to Kuroro. One look at the man and he knew even Kuroro might have had only caught glimpse of the suspicious individual.
"He's fast," Kuroro said as he moved towards the direction he suspected, and away from his terminal.
There was something inside of Kuroro that Kurapika could see through. That kind of eyes Kuroro had were the same as back there at the Mafia mansion. Kurapika had to reach out and stopped him. "Hold it! Are you thinking of wasting away that guy!?"
Keeping his eyes far ahead, and expression blank, Kuroro ignored Kurapika at first. But then he couldn't help it but look at him when Kurapika rounded from behind and situated himself right in front of Kuroro. He had to let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair, caving in. "Fine, I won't kill." 'For now.' "But that's only because I trust you to not be harmed while I'm away. So don't get hurt or worse, kidnapped like the last time."
Kurapika's face colored, retorting, "I was sick!" As soon as those words left his mouth, he felt stupid. Why did he have to defend himself like a child?
"You still are, and your eyes aren't working properly. Same goes with your Nen," Kuroro pointed out the obvious.
"I'll manage," the boy said, closing his eyes in detached manner.
"If anything comes up-"
"-I'll make a call, got that." Kurapika heeded the man's advice. He reopened his eyes and fixed a stare on the man's slight surprise face, "That's the last call for you. Off you go!" He shooed the man away, shoving his hands on the man's back.
"Okay," Kuroro said, almost inaudibly. Before he began to walk the direction that the boy was pushing him to, he reached one hand out and lightly brushed against Kurapika's cheek. "See you then." With that, he turned and walked away.
To Kurapika's favor, Kuroro never looked back, else he would have seen Kurapika so out of place. Who was he to have his face feeling like it was on fire? Who was Kuroro to have done such a gesture with him? Above all else, why didn't he feel like decapitating Kuroro's hand? With those line of thoughts, Kurapika's face twitched in resentment, embarrassment, but amongst these things, it also brought a somewhat warm feeling he couldn't quite describe. 'Urgh, what the heck…' Deciding it'd be a bad choice wrecking his brain over it, he made his way to his terminal.
Kurapika got onto the airship. No sooner than he did that, he felt eyes on him as he strolled along the corridor of the airship. Stealing a quick glance, he still saw no one. Kurapika hated to get too ahead of himself. But he took Kuroro's words for granted. Whoever had been tailing him must have been unearthly fast. Otherwise, Kurapika would have noticed it, regardless of his Nen's status.
'Oh well,' Kurapikahoped he was wrong.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Once the airship landed, Kurapika headed out of the airport. He no longer felt the indication of pursuit. He sighed in relief as he'd hate to leap into any unnecessary battle.
To Kuroro's prior housing, Kurapika went. In front of what seemed to be an old mansion, the gate lock was rusted shut with small limbs and thicket of plants. Not bothering with undoing the lock, he leaped up over the fence to get to the other side.
The front door was locked too, of course. Kurapika circled around the house and got in through the window. Only when he was inside the structure did he realize that he should have got some form of lights with him. He'd been too used to having Kuroro lighting the candles whenever they stayed in places such as this.
'Holy crap, I'm feeling a lot like a break-in.'
Not that he minded, he'd been living through all kinds of condition in the past five years, breaking in an abandoned residence was a part of it. Given that the Kurutas never carried money and associated with the outside worlds, they had everything they needed in their own land.
Back when Kurapika had to leave his hometown, he barely had a cash to put himself into a decent bed. He could have used gold and silver from his clan, but he didn't have a heart to do so when all the bodies of his kins were six feet under the cold soil. Only when he had become a Hunter did he start to allow himself the luxury of comfort.
His head jerked at the thought. Shaking his head, he willed those memories away. He wouldn't want to worsen things now that he was actually started to feel better…at peace.
The two-story house was old and only a bit dusty, thanks to the clean air in Attique. Most of the furniture were somewhat intact. The place seemed abandoned in recent time. Checking around the house a bit for something he could use, he found candles and the remains of them in the huge hallway and in one master bedroom on the second floor. Kuroro had been here after all.
Kurapika lit the few candles where needed and settled himself in the hall. Nothing to do besides to wait, putting himself in this passive position. The night was a bit chilly and time sure passed by so slow for a waiting Kurapika. Old furniture made subtle sound, the grandfather clock struck an hour, the candles hissed with flames from time to time; other than these, everything else were quiet.
He continued to sit in solitude, staring at the flames. Something crawled past right in front of him: a mid-sized spider. The flame reflected Kurapika's eyes, but they no longer turned red by the sight of a spider.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Miles and miles from where Kurapika was sat with occupied mind, two Nen-users were engaged in a deathly battle. Once exchanging another fatal blow, they distanced themselves onto opposite ends of the open field in hinterland surrounded by high, blue-colored terrains.
"I am not amused," Hisoka said, his eyes narrowed.
Kuroro kept silent, his mind reading the atmosphere. The former-Spider number 4 seemed to be bothered to a great extent. What could be bothering him now? Didn't he get what he'd asked for? Weren't they fighting themselves to death right at this very moment?
"You're not even thinking about stealing my ability," Hisoka stated.
'And isn't that good for you?' Kuroro wondered.
"Are you sure that you're giving me all you've got? I can't believe I'm not feeling bin-bin!" Last two words came out almost as a screech in Hisoka-ish way, furious and perverted. He slapped his hand against his forehead, his body twisted in snake-liked fashion.
'I just want this to end, especially when he's like that…' Kuroro thought sourly, his eyes strayed to the side, avoiding an eyesore from the jester.
"You just want this to end quickly."
Kuroro blinked. More often than not, Hisoka couldn't really read him, at least not as much as to know what his intention was. This time, it seemed like he did.
"Are you worrying about something that you don't have a heart to fight?" Hisoka must have felt the sudden change in atmosphere. With a mischievous smile, he went on, "Oh, hit the nerve, didn't I? Come to think of it, where is he? That little Kuruta of yours."
Then it dawned on Kuroro. He bit out, "I see. You informed those kids about Kurapika's capture because you want them to take him away from me."
Hisoka's nod, along with that sly smile got Kuroro thinking. If Hisoka's desire was to get Kurapika out of the way so he could fight him, then why bother telling the kids about Kurapika when he declared that he'd kill Kurapika when he found him. Unless Hisoka still wanted Kurapika alive for whatever reason, then he must have not expected Kuroro to kill the boy.
If it were for the latter reason, then Hisoka must have known what was going on. Was it the same with the entire Ryodan? Remaining silent, Kuroro kept his face neutral. But what did he know about his face? If Hisoka's taunt struck a nerve, did that mean his face gave something away? Something even unknown to himself?
"Unlike you, I do worry. Things like: I hope my unripen fruit isn't killed by someone else, because that person has to be me," Hisoka said and pointed straight to Kuroro, "You don't know how to worry before, but now you're feeling it. And it's affecting our fight – it ruins our fight, or merely the fun and the thrill of it."
Kuroro made a 'huh?' face, working to register what Hisoka meant. It was true, the feeling he was having right now. The fact that his mind wasn't entirely on the fight but miles away from here where the last Kuruta could have been, was foreign to him. To worry about something, was…new.
Hisoka's face switched from expression to expression, like he always did. Then it came down to the thirst-for-blood look on his face as he finally said, "If I kill Kurapika, would you have a heart to fight me?"
They let the silence pass by as Hisoka studied his former leader closely. Kuroro's face was shrouded in darkness under the cover of huge clouds above that passed by in the night.
"Hisoka."
"Speaking at last, eh?"
"If you do that, I will not fight you…at all."
"I see, calm as ever. You might have caught on me, but your vibes said otherwise. That explains a lot."
"Let's end this fight," Kuroro said, disregarding Hisoka's riddles. He strode purposefully to Hisoka.
"Right, let's end it now," Hisoka responded, and surprised Kuroro by drawing his decks of cards with one hand, allowing them to be blown away by the wind. Once his hand was empty, he clapped and smiled in sweet demeanor. He then turned his back to Kuroro as he spoke, "It ends here."
"Huh?" Kuroro uttered with a slight frown.
"It's over. I don't want to fight you when you're not here. I've waited for years, to wait longer than this is a pain. But that was when I have thought you've already ripened." He craned his head enough to glance at Kuroro, "But now I see it, even when I've never expected that this, so to say - exclusive relationship of yours with Kurapika - could even ripen both of you more. Especially you, Kuroro. When that time comes, I'll claim you both."
'So that's that for now?' Kuroro had stopped a distance away from Hisoka.
The jester began to walk away, "I'll go back to the Ryodan after months to see what I said is true. See you there, Danchou."
"Hisoka."
The jester stopped, looked back, sensing the importance of this call. Nothing but graveness stared out of Kuroro's dark eyes.
"Kurapika is mine."
Hisoka's only response was a smirk. He turned around with a wave of hand and disappeared into the night.
Left in the middle of battle ground, with somewhat unfinished business, Kuroro let out a long sigh. 'Not only the Hunter License bounty, the Mafia and whosoever wants a claim on the last Kuruta, and now Hisoka…' Kuroro's eyes widened at the flow of thoughts. He couldn't shake this feeling of off him since he had left the airport. He lifted his gaze to the sky where dawn was coming and trailed off in the air. "Worry, huh?"
'This isn't the first time though. This is the same feeling that I had when Kurapika was taken away from me. Are they the same?'
He had yet understood it. Somehow, a faraway past came across his thoughts. With Kurapika, it seemed like the boy had just brought back what he'd forgotten as his humanity…once.
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Back to the east of Attique, Kurapika was getting impatient. He didn't like the feeling he was having right now. Was he worrying? He knew he couldn't deny it, but to worry about his mortal enemy was absurd.
He picked himself up and walked over to look out the window, the sky was red with dawn. Then his eyes strayed lower on their own to search for the ground where a person he was supposedly waiting for would arrive. When he realized what he was doing, he shoved his hands on the window ledge and closed his eyes. "No, I'm not worrying about the bastard. Only if he dies, I would lose the source in finding the eyes, that's all there is to it." Then again, he felt so stupid of vainly trying to convince himself.
"Hey."
Kurapika's head jerked, swiftly spun around.
Kuroro was standing right where Kurapika had been sitting earlier, with his usual apathetic demeanor, face typically expressionless. Aside from those, his overall looked completely torn up and so wreck, much the worse for wear. Well, Kurapika had a first-hand experience to what one would look like when he fought with Hisoka.
For a moment, he was at the lost for how to react. The man must have already came in a while ago.
"Has anyone followed you?" Kuroro asked first thing.
Struck by a question he didn't expect, Kurapika found himself having to stumble for words, "Eh…No?"
When Kuroro's poker face eased into what seemed to be a relief, his eyes fell upon Kuroro's form. Surely, there must have been at least one awful wound under those garments that Kuroro worn. From the looks of it, standing upright was already a difficulty for the man.
"Good," Kuroro said, smirking. "You don't look like you've slept too. Stayed up waiting for me?"
"Well, who could sleep in situation like that?" Kurapika bit back, but his voice was surprisingly devoid of sour tone. He observed Kuroro for a while. It seemed like the man wasn't going to mention about his fight with Hisoka, therefore Kurapika wouldn't pry.
"You should get some sleep. We won't be looking for the eyes until this late evening because-" Kuroro's eyes suddenly become heavy. "I have to take a nap-" he'd yawned, "-if you don't mind."
Flabbergasted at how child-like Kuroro Lucifer had reacted, Kurapika gaped, but regained his composure once a small chuckle from the man floated over. He nodded. The man had after all, didn't sleep at all since he'd come to – so to say rescue. On that note, he said, "I'm not rushing as that."
"Hmm?" Kuroro's face was etched with pure surprise before he smiled.
Again, Kurapika wasn't sure what he was seeing was real. Kuroro's expression became so unwind, something he'd never expected. Did he hit his head when he fought with Hisoka?
"See you when I wake then," Kuroro said as he turned his back to the boy, "But do call me if something arises." With that, he made his way away.
"Ah! Wait!" Kurapika called without thinking. Once Kuroro looked back, he didn't really know how to put it forward, "Aren't you injured?"
"So what?" Kuroro asked in ignorance.
"Er," Was Kuroro dense now? "You know…my ability-" He didn't finish, sensing the negative atmosphere around Kuroro.
For a long moment, Kuroro stared at Kurapika with an unreadable expression, before it was shown in a disapproval stare. "Kurapika. You have to know that this is not the reason that I want you with me."
Kurapika was taken aback, but gave a piece of his mind, "Of course, I know. Even if that's the case, you know damn well that you can't use me." Kurapika took one step forward, fisting a hand in slight frustration that he couldn't find the right words. "Just that-!"
Kuroro waited as the boy didn't finish. He tilted his head, curious, "Just what?"
Half of Kurapika's mind was reeling with the need of reason. Yet he couldn't think of one. Jerking his head away, Kurapika looked anywhere but at the man. Frustration was written on his face, and an aggravated noise escaped his throat, "Nothing – wah!" He gasped when Kuroro's hand pressed against his temple, then circling it as if teasing. He almost glared at the man, almost. For when he looked up, Kuroro was smiling warmly at him. The kind of smile he'd never imagined would be on the Genei Ryodan leader's face.
"Thanks, but I'm fine," Kuroro said, and retreated his hand. He turned around, "Now I'd like to sleep, if you'll excuse me." He turned around again, and walked away.
Kurapika didn't follow, but his eyes did. Until the moment the man swayed but quickly regained his posture before he reached the stairs to the second floor, Kurapika had to step in. He grabbed the man's shoulder, and while Kuroro hadn't anticipated that, Kurapika shoved to park the man down on the third step of the stairs. The gesture was far from gentle that Kuroro hissed, his face etched with pain.
"Ah? It didn't work." Kurapika said in disappointment. "I expect you to clutch where it hurts so I can locate the injury since you're not going to say it. Seems like you don't normally do what everyone would do."
"And you're the one to say?" Kuroro said with a mock grin, pain still lingered on his face. Kurapika, honestly, I'm fine-" His saying was cut off by his own grunt in pain. It seemed like their positions were switched. This time, it was Kurapika's turn to catch him off guard when the boy's hand pressed against his mortal wound.
"Here?" Kurapika asked, lifting his eyes to Kuroro but he didn't wait for a response, instead, slid Kuroro's overcoat aside and lifted his shirt to examine the purplish mark on the pale skin on the man's sides, "Broken ribs?"
"You don't have to-"
"Would you just tell me so I can get it done and over with? You let me heal you back then before, why not now?" Kurapika reasoned, but received a grim stare from the man.
"That wound might have weighed on your conscience, this one doesn't. You're going to regret doing this," Kuroro warned, seizing Kurapika's advancing hand. That did it; the boy was stunned and speechless.
Kurapika's insides seemed to be battling for a long moment. But when Kuroro was about to push himself up, Kurapika didn't let him. "I might, but I can't let you walk around with these injuries." Out of his own words, Kurapika's mind finally produced something plausible to justify himself. He spoke, "You're going to help me find the eyes, right? How far could you go with these injuries?"
Kuroro seemed like he was about to laugh. Was it too obvious that that statement was thought of only a moment ago? But he could see how persistent Kurapika was. He finally yielded. "Two. Lower right ones." Then on his second thought, "Are you su-"
"Please shut up," Kurapika bit and concentrated on his Holy Chain.
Another amusement to Kuroro. Only this little Kuruta who had the nerve to cut him off and ordered him to shut up. Left with no choice, Kuroro watched on as the boy healed him, feeling his pain alleviate in an instant. He observed Kurapika's face and noticed. "You don't look quite happy, but you held nothing against this."
"I would appreciate you holding back your comment," Kurapika said as he retracted his Chain Jail. He looked to the side, with the far away expression. 'When you came back, I'm not even sure what my feelings are. But there's a relief there. I don't really know what to do with that.' Trying to push the thought aside, he got himself up and told the other as well, "Now you can go away."
"Right," Kuroro responded but before going away he placed a hand on the blond head. "Thanks, I appreciate that."
Pretty much the same way he did before, he left the boy stood stunned at the very spot.
That was the end for the day. For the first time since Kurapika was forced to join the Ryodan, he was given a free space to sleep separately from Kuroro. The morning was spent with six hours Kuroro's sleeping before he woke up at late noon. By then Kurapika was nowhere in the mansion; Kuroro then went knowingly into the woods closed to the premise, finding Kurapika there as expected.
The boy was sitting on one of the boulder; he had his eyes closed in concentration. But they opened when Kuroro ambled towards him. Kurapika looked at the man while his aura floated in calm wave about him.
"How are your eyes?" Kuroro asked.
Letting his aura subside, Kurapika turned to acknowledge him. His face seemed a tad bit surprised, most likely at Kuroro's feature but he didn't take it into account. "Fine now, I guess. Hasn't hurt since then."
Kuroro, now, dressed pretty much the same way as when Kurapika met him back at the Attique. No overcoat, just the long sleeve shirt and trousers in black; hair was let down, making him looked years younger than his age.
"Good," He said with a smile. The smile that made Kurapika wanted to throw something at him just because it looked too innocent for his own good.
"I feel like breakfast…and coffee." Kuroro said.
Kurapika couldn't believe what he'd just heard. "Excuse me?"
"I'd like a decent breakfast. And I'm sure you need it too. Let's go grab something to eat; I know a good café near here." Kuroro said, pointing a finger to some particular direction to prove his point.
'Kuroro…going to a café?' Kurapika's jaw dropped slightly, but he collected himself. 'Okay what's wrong with that? He was technically human after all, he needs food.' Just that for the past times he'd been with him, all they'd been eating was the food his Spider's comrade had brought (by means of stealing, Kurapika reckoned) for them. Edible, but not really a good food. And they'd only eat in their living quarters, never in public place. They even barely ate, for that matter.
Talking about food, Kurapika had just realized he would need to feed his empty stomach before it eats itself too. So why not?
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Note: As always, feedback is greatly appreciated.
