Chapter 37: Words x Gone x Too Far

January 29, 1999

Machi smirks. "Don't worry about it. This idiot likes to run his mouth a bit too much."

The man indignantly rises up from the chair. "But I thought it was our little secret!"

Phinks spits in his direction, while Chrollo puts down Levi on a couch, propping his head up with a pillow.

As soon as he straightens up, he feels the temperature rapidly dropping. Looking at Levi, he notices his frown lines deepening.

Feitan transmutes more of his aura into heat to keep them from freezing.

"So, what do we have to do, Machi?" Chrollo turns to her.

"Hurt Levi." She replies. "His ability is activated when his victim injures him. I don't know what exactly he does to the victim, but if you can manage to give him the same feeling of pain... you can free him. He showed me his injuries, they aren't much-- just some deep cuts from a bunch of razor blades-- it shouldn't be that bad."

The man runs towards Machi with a gasp, but a burst of aura from Chrollo sends him whimpering to the backwall.

He gives Levi a sympathetic look and glances at Feitan who nods.

"What about his other ability, Machi?"

"That's also connected to his main ability, Danchou. He can phase through everything once his main has been activated. But that means, he can't attack us either. Also, as a condition, he currently can't leave this building."

"Well done. I suppose we ought to leave them alone for a while now. Machi, Phinks, let's meet up with the others. Feitan, you know what to do. Don't overdo it, and as soon as you're done, prioritise catching the man so that he won't try anything again. His ability is also quite interesting."

With that, Chrollo walks out of the room with the others.

Feitan looks at the boy. He doesn't feel any sympathy for him. He's only been an annoyance so far. But, Chrollo does trust him... enough to make him a Spider.

And perhaps, just maybe... the boy isn't as weak as he thought...

Sure he didn't go all out. But despite the boy enduring his torture for fifteen minutes straight, the most he's been able to get from him is a sharp intake of breath.

He's sure Chrollo won't be happy if he would give him any long term injuries, so he has mostly cut him, so that Machi can easily heal him up. But... that should have been many times the pain of those simple cuts...

Feitan snits, and is about to get more serious, when he gets an idea-- one so simple, that he curses himself for not thinking of it earlier.

He bends down and simply whispers something in his ear. Levi jolts awake and whimpers.

Something smashes through the window and lands outside-- wait, not something, but rather... someone... Levi, to be more specific!

As he bolts in the opposite direction, Machi fixes a needles into his clothes and hides it with In.

"We can follow him without a problem now."

"Good." A shadow falls across Chrollo's face. "Did Feitan go overboard? Hm... Phinks, Machi, come with me. The rest, check on Feitan. Oh, and Shal, update the others about our situation. Let's go."

Before Shalnark can nod, the three are gone.

They are faster than Levi, but he's got a headstart.

Halfway through, Chrollo's phone dings. He checks it and frowns.

"Not good. We should hurry."

A minute later, they reach their target-- lying face-down on the ground, unconscious and heavily bleeding.

In a flash, Chrollo's beside him, checking for his injuries. He finds plenty of them. Staying fifteen minutes alone with Feitan with an order like that sure has its toll.

"Machi, tend to him," He politely but firmly says, the apparant worry lingering in his tone.

She instantly gets to work. Both his arms are a bloody mess to say the least. His face is riddled with cuts. Peeling back his blood-soaked shirt, she finds more cuts underneath. They are numerous, but he has taken care to not make them too complicated for her to fix. Her eyes fall to the only place on his chest not marred with cuts. Right above where his heart must be, is a twelve legged spider tattoo with the number ten inside it.

Her eyes linger there for a moment, before she moves her focus to preparing her threads.

February 2, 1999

"Good morning, Levi." Chrollo's smooth voice greets him as he tries to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

Levi frowns as he catches the sight of the man sitting on a chair in front of him, a soft smile gracing his face, and a book propped open in his lap as usual.

"I'm sorry about last time."

Frank and straightforward, Chrollo doesn't want to beat around the bush this time.

"Liar." Levi mumbles.

"What do you mean?" He asks, an eyebrow raised, even though he knows exactly what he's talking about, having heard the dreadful news straight from Feitan himself

"Don't play dumb." His frowns turns into a strong glare, bloodlust leaking out of him.

"Listen-"

"I don't trust you-"

"Who do you trust then?"

An awkward silence. Levi buries himself into the blanket, not wishing to meet his eyes.

"You... I trusted you... until you broke it by trying to... sell me... again... I'm not- I'm not one of your treasures... to be sold and stolen back again at your whims." A soft sniff follows the complain, dissolving away any annoyance Chrollo previously had.

He carefully chooses his next words. "Do you remember bumping into someone after we left the hotel?"

"... Mhm."

"The man you bumped into... he is a nen user. He used his ability to trap your mind somewhere... the only way to break you out was to... hurt you."

A sharp intake of breath comes from underneath the blankets. Chrollo looks expectantly at the small mound on the bed. With no more responses from him, he continues his explanation.

"So... I asked Feitan to... well, hurt you. He tried a number of things. Your physical endurance is very impressive. In the end, he had to resort to words. You must understand-- he only did it to save you."

Another awkward silence reigns the atmosphere, before Chrollo tries to fill it back up.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault you got captured in the first place. I promise I didn't sell you. But I should have been more careful. Do you understand?"

A head pops out from under, eyes glistening with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Chrollo-san. I should have trusted you."

"I don't blame you."

His reassuring smile finally destroys the wall between them.

Levi steps outside confused. He previously failed to notice the difference in his location, but it's obvious now.

Chrollo leads him by the hand. By the looks of it, they are in a cosy bungalow. The corridors are well decorated with soft paintings and pretty plants. A beautiful pastel palette surrounds them, making Levi's eyes light up.

Down a flight of stairs, and they reach the main hall. A large space filled with crates and a few occupied couches. It seems to have been remodelled.

"Hey! Levi! You doing good?" Shalnark's cheerful voice asks.

Levi happily nods. A strange hush falls over as everyone notices the boy.

"Oh hey! You got a new haircut. Must've missed it earlier!" Nobunaga exclaims, cutting through the awkwardness. "Damn! Come here, let me see what Danchou did to you!"

Levi flushes and obliges. The swordsman runs a hand through his hair.

"Ah! As usual, Danchou has great taste. It suits you well."

The pink on his face turns brighter. His pale skin doesn't seem to help.

Machi approaches him next.

"Are you feeling well?"

"Mhm!" Levi beams.

She sighs and gives him a small smile.

"Good."

"So, Danchou!" Uvogin's excited voice gathers everyone's attention. "Now that the little kid's awake, can you reveal your plans?"

All eyes turn to Danchou.

He smiles. "Only if Levi's okay with it."

"Huh? I'm okay with what?"

"Danchou has planned a heist. He won't tell us about it unless you get properly healed first. Tch." An irritated Phinks answers.

"You are okay now, right? No longer whimpering at least." He adds with a smirk.

Levi narrows his eyes. "No. I'm not better until you get better."

"You heard it. Let Levi rest." Chrollo announces.

Collectice glares reach Phinks. He, in turn, scowls at Levi.

"What the hell was that, brat?"

"I'm not your toy. Doesn't matter whether you treat me as a Spider or not. I hate how you talk to me. Nobody else does it." Levi returns his scowl.

Chrollo must be in a humourous mood. Without saying a word, he sits on one of the crates and starts reading a manuscript.

"So... you don't have a problem with anyone else?" Shalnark confirms with a certain glint in his eye.

"Huh? Why would I?" Levi shrugs.

"Danchou! Is it okay if we leave Phinks behind?" Shalnark chirps.

Phinks looks ready to kill him.

Without looking up from his reading material, he answers. "Sure. Whatever Levi says."

"Why the hell is it all that brat's decision now?"

"He deserves it, and you know why." Chrollo calmly answers.

Phinks snits.

"So, Levi!" Shalnark pipes up. "Are you ready if we leave Phinks behind?"

Levi looks conflicted for a moment, before he frowns and shakes his head.

"Huh! What now?" Shalnark whines.

"If there's a heist, he should go too."

"Oh come on! It'll be fun seeing his face as we leave him behind!" Nobunaga says.

"Why?" Levi frowns. "We might not be on good terms. But aren't you friends with him?"

"Yeah. And?"

"Huh?"

"Teasing is part of the fun. You'll get it soon!" Shalnark replies.

Levi looks at Phinks, who sits, seemingly without a care. Even Levi can see through his facade though.

He smiles to himself. "If there's a heist, everyone should go!"

"Very well." Chrollo stands up, putting the manuscript aside. "I'll start with the basic overview..."

As the Spiders plan their heist, misfortune is bound to befall someone.