Note: Holy crap! 2 months since last update!? Why do I have a feeling that it had only been less than a month. No wonder why some readers told me NOT to drop the story already ^^" My bad!
Special thanks to Yumiii for beta-reading.
Chapter 3 Treaty
When morning arrived, both of them faced each other in the hallway with the similar countenance of extra bags under their eyes.
"Haven't you slept?" Kuroro asked in irritated tone, pinching between his eyebrows. Hadn't he told the boy to get enough rest?
"I've dozed off for a few hours," the boy responded, looking sideways, then back at the man. "You're not better than me."
True, Kuroro couldn't sleep at all.
"I…want to talk about that thief yesterday," Kurapika started, firm.
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do," Kurapika scowled, taking one step closer to him. "Look, this is about me. I have to know."
One determined look was all it took for Kuroro to concede. As much as he thought Kurapika was better off not knowing and he'd wanted the boy to accept it that what he had done was on his own accord, he should have known that Kurapika was not going to change any more than he did.
They went to the foyer and sat themselves on the opposite couches. Kuroro recounted the event of him with that thief, leaving the details of his interrogation out. Kurapika had been listening attentively, quietly, nodding every now and then, and accepting everything.
Once Kuroro was done, he allowed silence to hang as long as Kurapika needed it to contemplate things over. Up until the boy clasped his hand and looked up at Kuroro after having his eyes cast low and deep in thought long enough.
"So now, I've probably being targeted by the Mafia, body collectors, or whoever that wants the Kuruta eyes, aren't I?" Kurapika reflected as he leaned his back against the cushion.
Said target's first gesture after all his disclosure had Kuroro surprised. "You don't look worried."
"Should I be? It's not far beyond expectation. Besides…" Kurapika settled for a searing glare. "I'm not that defenseless."
After all, they both knew that the Kuruta Clan was no stranger to violence. The Spiders were not the first ones to attack them for the eyes. They were simply the first to bring the whole clan down.
"Have you no fear?" Kuroro asked out of plain curiosity.
"That coming from a man who lives happily with death by his side every single day?" returned Kurapika with a slight frown on his face. When the man only nodded and beckoned him to elaborate, he closed his eyes in detached manner. "I don't fear death."
A small smile of sheer amusement of the boy's recklessness formed on Kuroro's lips, but disappeared as one significant matter was dawned on him.
"You don't, but I-" he paused, his words couldn't catch up with his own thoughts and feelings, if there were any, now. But he what?
Kurapika's frown deepened at that unfinished remark but he sort of knew where it was going. Finding it hard to wrap his head around it, he rose from the cushion and declared, "Anyhow, my point is… I can protect myself, like I've been doing all my life. So don't go killing anyone that is after me. Given that I'm the one they're after, I'll be the judge of what to do with them. This I ask of you, Kuroro. If you can't do the not-killing part then I don't need your help in finding the eyes." Kurapika came to a halt. He hadn't quite finished but the fleeting stunned look on Kuroro's face had him stumble over his words. Had the man not thought about this? Had he expected Kurapika to rely on him that much in retrieving the eyes and everything had to go his own way? NO.
Upon seeing Kurapika's face resolved, Kuroro went into a brief silence for contemplation. This wasn't what he had expected nor what he had planned. But…for the first time in life, he came to realization that this had to be mutual. This was no Spider head, arms and legs.
This was just Kurapika and him.
He rose from the cushion to level his gaze with the boy. "Okay, let's make a deal then. I'll obey your wish as long as you obey mine."
"And that is?" Kurapika raised, already skeptical.
"Two conditions. One: I'll have Coltopi make a replica of you. You'll fake your death to the Mafia public, with your eyes not turned scarlet. As to when and where I'll come up with that plan later," Kuroro said without explaining further, knowing the boy should have gotten an idea.
Giving only a few seconds of thoughts, Kurapika nodded easily to that. "Okay." He only needed to notify Leorio, Killua, Gon, and Senritsu beforehand to save their freaking out. This death faking would benefit him in more ways than one. That wasn't too bad coming from Kuroro, then he asked, "And the second condition?"
"If there is a threat to your life lurking near you, and you don't take care of it... I will."
His heart sank. He knew what Kuroro's 'take care of it' implied. This one was more like Kuroro. But no, this one condition wouldn't help him at all. He had to counter, "You still make it sound like I need protection from you."
The look on Kuroro's face was nothing but defiant. Really, Kuroro Lucifer could be so stubborn. Then again, he wasn't the only one. To avoid more blood and death, he had to pull this out.
Letting a mock smile creep to his expression, Kurapika sneered, "Look, I was the one who brought you down once. Has anyone ever achieved that before? No. Tell me you're not underestimating me because that would put you further down under my level."
Kurapika's words and how he had said them it that arrogant tone had Kuroro thrilled. It wasn't everyday the boy would show that side of him. It was one thing Kuroro was still unable to draw it out on his intention. Still, if he had to be more honest than this to get the boy to at least accept his deal…
"I know what you're trying to do, boy, putting my pride at stake. It won't work." Kuroro's tone changed to match with the boy's arrogant one. "Your strength and intellect are above all Mafias and most professional assassins combined, I might add. But there's a huge difference between being good enough to defend yourself and the intent to kill. People that are after you will kill you without so much as batting an eye. Your defending yourself will be nowhere near enough. That would be your downfall. It happened once right in this city where you weren't fighting as if you want to kill me. You know the consequence."
Right back at him.
The boy's face colored out of anger and possibly shame. Did they have to result this into a fight? Kurapika really didn't want one. Why couldn't the man just comply? Along the feeling of anger came the feeling of…what? He couldn't put it into words. The fact that Kuroro wouldn't back down on this and would go to that extent to…keep him safe? That sure was…unnerving, awkward, and in a strangest way…reassuring.
No…that last thought must have been the product of his disarray from lack of sleep!
Noticing the boy's rising hysteria underlying with anger, Kuroro had to take this the other way. "You know if you died, I die too. It's just a precaution." Upon that, he received a look from Kurapika that made it look like this statement was the most ridiculous and had been long overdue…which is true. How it had become an excuse as well.
"As if you care that much about your life," Kurapika scoffed with eyes narrowed.
Given it a thought, Kuroro gave a slow nod. "Believe it or not, I do now. I didn't go through all those trouble to bring you back with nothing." His jet black eyes zeroed in on the boy's.
He knew he had something to lose now.
When the implication sank in, Kurapika felt another wave of heat rise up on this cheek. He angled his head to the ground; let his bangs do the job in hiding his face. Why did Kuroro's words have to have this kind of effect on him?
"I just want you alive and well," Kuroro said again. He…who barely felt for anything, hated this…hated the sneaky suspicion that he might lose the boy again at anytime now. He didn't want to feel what he felt when he returned home and met with nothing but Kurapika's blood on the wall.
Slowly, Kurapika looked up at him. The sincerity in the man's words rendered his comeback mute. He had to weigh Kuroro's condition. What was Kuroro's standard in measuring whatever threat was edging near him? With a guess at this point, Kuroro would have even reacted to the slightest false alarm.
It brought that same feeling he had back at Dolinku Mansion when Kuroro came for him.
Kuroro studied the boy having gone silent, again. Anticipation crept up on him, was he going to get mad or… -he least expected but couldn't rule it out- sad? When Kurapika slowly looked back up at him, Kuroro was let down by his anticipation. Kurapika was giving him that look again, the one he had back in that mansion.
'Don't kill anymore,' the boy had said to him, almost pleading. And he ended up breaking that request.
This was going to be one of the most difficult achievements in his life indeed. There was nothing that could stop him from killing…those who are after Kurapika. Not even Kurapika and that look on his face.
He who had always been devoid of personal feelings, now took it personally when it came to Kurapika.
Then again, he was aware of the distance he'd created between him and Kurapika if he carried on killing.
"I'll try," Kuroro said at last. Yes, try. He could try and fail on that part, couldn't he?
"Try harder than the last time then."
Or not?
Eyeing the boy, Kuroro knew there was no sarcasm in that, Kurapika just meant what he said…his green eyes filled with a hint of doubt and underlying fear of this assurance being broken. Kuroro had to concede for now. He gave the boy a nod to which the other seemed a little relieved.
Problematic…than anything else he had ever encountered in life, even more than dealing with the Zoldycks. But he wasn't going to back down on this nevertheless.
How did Kurapika find this flaw in him? No… It was Kurapika who had become his weakness.
It came out as a stunning shock to Kuroro Lucifer. Yet in the light of it, he was amused of how Kurapika affected him this much, and continued to do so. Despite the worry it brought, it still kept him somewhat…entertained.
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
To Kurapika's biggest relief, there was no bloodbath whatsoever in regaining the second pair of Kuruta eyes.
Kuroro had led him to the small underground world in the west side of the city. Right near where Kurapika had been loitering about when he first came to this town. It was unnerving for him to see such even a small peaceful city have an underground museum. Yet its dark side paled in comparison with York Shin's Mafia auction. They were merely people interested in rare items, including body parts nevertheless. People just came to see things and left, nothing heinous.
Fortunately, all the museum people were just ordinary people, no nen-user involved. It was easy for the two to slip in and just grab the eyes and go, leaving the trouble of lost object in its wake.
"You're frowning," Kuroro commented upon the look on Kurapika's face as they sped away from the scene.
The boy's eyes casted down briefly to the clothed cylindrical shaped container in his hold, before looking back to Kuroro. "I didn't expect it to be this…simple."
"I can tell you honestly that these first two pairs of eyes would be the easiest to retrieve. But rest assured, the rest of them are not going to be anywhere near easy." Kuroro slanted a look to the boy at his side and wasn't surprised that the boy was unfazed.
"You've mentioned it's impossible to gain all of them, is it true?" Kurapika asked while both of them came to a halt. They were far enough from the crime scene.
Kuroro had to think back, that had been a while. He thought it was impossible before, when their relationship hadn't reached this point. Now he had to reassess. "Not if we work together."
Kurapika let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Nothing could weaken his resolve in bringing all of the eyes back to his clan. But now that he was holding the third pair of eyes -the other two already in a safe place-, it started to sink in that all of the eyes he had gotten back were led by Kuroro's lead.
As hard as it was to swallow, he allowed himself to wonder only for a moment, if he would ever regain them in this lifetime if not for the man who stole them in the first place.
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
Next to the ever calm Atlantic Ocean sat a still Kurapika against the trunk of an old tree, with a canister that held the Kuruta eyes inside sitting on his lap. A meter away, Kuroro was leaning on the trunk beside him. They had their eyes transfixed into the setting sun behind the soft blend horizon of pink and blue.
One glance at the boy and a smile appeared on Kuroro's lips. Wise move to bring the boy to this spot in the Atlantic Forest. The ocean and the air emanating from the old trees must have calmed the boy's frazzled nerves.
Kurapika shifted a tad bit when Kuroro sat himself right next to him. To his surprise, he didn't seem to mind it…that much. If it were for the reason that he had helped him retrieve the eyes or whatnot, he gave no thought on it. Not now when Kurapika felt so much at ease.
When it all came down to it, he knew perfectly well that Kuroro had no attempt to atone for his sin. He was just doing what he wanted…like he had been doing all along. That thought in mind, his eyes strayed to the man. He'd realized the raven-haired man looked…drowsy. No…he was dozing off already.
After all, Kuroro hadn't had any sleep, mind preoccupied with the safety of the last Kuruta. Under normal circumstance, he could go on without sleep for a week, but a fight with Hisoka, and especially due this worry just developing, had exhausted him in a way he hadn't felt for…like forever.
"Why don't you lie down a bit?" Kurapika suggested, his eyes turned a bit wary at him.
A thought ran through Kuroro's mind as his drowsy eyes zeroed on the boy. "Yeah, then why don't you put those eyes away first? It's safe here, no one's going to snatch them away from you now." Without so much as waiting for the boy's response, Kuroro reached to remove the cylindrical container from the boy's lap, placing it in the small hollow of the trunk next to Kurapika.
Having the object out of the way, Kuroro then proceeded to drop his head on the boy's lap. He drew a contented sigh and slipped his heavy eyelids close.
Stunned, Kurapika's whole body went frigid. For one thing, he had no idea how he had allowed Kuroro to remove the eyes from his lap in the first place. But most of all, why hadn't he throw Kuroro off by now? Once his shocked self wore off, he began: "H..Hey! I meant on the grass!" 'How dare he!?'
"Too cold," Kuroro issued an apparent lie. Who was he to say it was too cold? He opened his eyes to regard the boy above him. That blush that adorned his face had to mean something, hadn't it? Else, Kurapika would have decapitated or choke him already. It made Kuroro smile. The smile that affected Kurapika enough to stop fidgeting.
"Just for a while, Kurapika. Tomorrow we'll leave by train at first light. We'll work on the Kuruta eyes' whereabouts along the way to Melb city," Kuroro said, he was starting to feel too comfortable for his own good. Then he drifted off to a much-needed sleep.
Kurapika made a face to no one in particular. 'Again, this man fell asleep so easily like a little kid!' he growled mentally, but couldn't find it in himself to push the man away upon the look on Kuroro's sleeping face.
Somehow Kurapika was no stranger to this feeling, even though it might have been a while to get accustom to. When he was a kid, he used to have an aimless wander into Rukuso forest, there were times when a small wildlife approached him to sleep on his lap whenever he happened to be sitting or lying on the grass. Both of them would share the warmth in the cold night.
This was no different. It was like he was caught with a cat sleeping on his lap. But how did he possibly feel that it was the same? This was Kuroro Lucifer! Somewhere inside of him protested, but then again somewhere deep inside of him beat that protesting voice down. He didn't mind. His eyes rested on the man. Yes, he didn't mind at all.
It's warm.
The last thing Kuroro's senses picked up on before he fully drifted off next to the warmth, was a gentle hand stroking his hair.
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
"Three more minutes to train departure."
Kurapika let out a grunt at the man's note. He need not stress that! Who was at fault for waking up so late, leaving them with less than an hour to rush downtown to catch a train that leaves only once a month? Who was the one who insisted they traveled by train, when there was an airport that was more flexible in terms of availability and travel duration.
Being a slow, laid back and quiet city, there were no fast transportation that was going to get them to the train station in time, which left them with one option… Run for it.
They raced through, surpassing people and vehicles. Kurapika, trying his best to ignore the attention that they were drawing. One glance at the man and his brow twitched.
Indeed, Kuroro seemed to be…having fun. This running was nothing to him.
"This reminds me of the time you and that kid sped after the Spiders," the man trailed off.
'Exactly,' was Kurapika's thought. He rolled his eyes at their shared thoughts.
They neared the train station at the sound of train in a platform, hissing and sighing and threatening to leave any minute without them.
"9 more seconds," Kuroro mumbled.
"Eh!?" Just when Kurapika thought they were not going to make it even if they could save themselves the hassle of getting tickets, his hand was snatched and he had to go faster as the man pulled him along, almost throwing him off his feet. 'Ah! Too fast!'
The next thing Kurapika knew was a gust of wind when the train's door shut inches from his feet. An announcement sounded through the speaker and announced the train's destination. Feeling his feet on the solid ground of the train, he sighed while brushing away his sweat. Glancing at the man next to him, he'd no wonder why Kuroro hadn't broken any at all.
"Made it," Kuroro said between a chuckle.
"What's so funny?" That being said, Kurapika heard light laughters around him. Eyes looking about, he took in the sight of other passengers, either in group or pairs had a laugh of relief and out of breath, pretty much in the same state as Kuroro and he had probably ran together to catch the train in similar manner. Fashionably late. Something about this railway atmosphere made Kurapika feel brighter. Then he noticed Kuroro's hand was still on his.
"Let's go to the last carriage, this one's too packed," Kuroro said as he pulled the boy along a bogy. One after another until they reached the last one where only a few passengers were on board.
"You can let go of my hand now," Kurapika said, feeling he got that out perhaps a little too late.
"All right?" the man responded airily as he let go. Once the boy sat himself down, Kuroro seated himself next to him. He smirked at the surprised look on the boy. "Look at the seating layout and don't complain, boy."
This train, unlike the one they took to pass Baal Capitol which had seats parallel along the carriage, facing each other, this one was 2-2 seats. But it still didn't mean they couldn't sit separately given that there were plenty of empty seats around.
"I wasn't going to complain," the blond returned in a mumble.
A smile pulled at Kuroro's lips. He knew, why else would Kurapika seat himself in the space next to the window?
"You look weary; I'm guessing you didn't sleep the well last night. Take the chance to get some now," Kuroro suggested. After all, Kurapika had had him in his lap all night. Kuroro held back a scoff. He was actually still alive.
The boy nodded to acknowledge it as he kept his eyes glued to the window.
Once the bell rang, the locomotive shifted and swerved off in the foggy morning, Kuroro and Kurapika embarked on another journey.
tbc...
XXX
I hope all my days Will be lit by your face
I hope all the years Will hold tight our promises
I don't wanna be old and sleep alone
An empty house is not a home
I don't wanna be old and feel afraid
And if I need anything at all
I need a place that's hidden in the deep
Where lonely angels sing you to your sleep
Though all the world is broken
I need a place Where I can make my bed
A lover's lap where I can lay my head
Cos now the room is spinning
The day's beginning
XxxxxxxxxxxxX
Note: Kuroro is becoming a worrywart! XD How's that. He might have what he wants at last but I'm not gonna make it easy for him *evil laughs*
Song is 'Atlantic' by Keane. I didn't intend to make this a songfic. But I got a whole lot of inspiration for a theme in this story because of this song since when I first started this. It gives a calm feeling, which is what I want for Kurapika after all he's been through.
