DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN HXH.
BETA READER: NONE. (I badly need one. Anyone?)
Chapter 6:A Safe Play.
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He was feeling bad again. Was he having a fever? His head was heavy and his body was feeling weird. Moving slightly to find a more comfortable position, he felt really odd as his skin brushed roughly on a leather-like surface. Then slowly, his memories had started working.
He stirred himself awake, only to find himself naked.
The thick blanket slid on his lap when Kurapika sat upright on the couch where he was sleeping. The sun outside was shining brightly. He wondered what time it was, and he realized everything.
"Damn," Kurapika cursed as he ran his hand to his forehead, clutching his nauseous head. Right. He drank wine, had sex with that bastard, then he took a nap after.
Well, it wasn't a nap anymore.
He looked around to find his clothes. His shirt, with his pants was neatly folded on a table near the couch. Beside the clothes was a box. As expected, no Kuroro Lucifer was found on the vicinity.
The Kuruta hurriedly reached for his clothes and wore them. Next, he opened the box, already knowing what it contained.
He sighed in relief when the box revealed another bright pair of his brethren's eyes. He used gyou to check for their authenticity, and heaved another relieved sigh. They were real, he couldn't help but smile.
He set the cylindrical container back to the box when he noticed a note underneath it.
Beside the note was a key card with the tower's name on it.
'You said I don't have to wake you up.'
"Bastard," Kurapika spat as he crumpled the sarcastic note on his hand. Just like their first night, Kuroro had left him alone after getting what he wanted. Right, 'it's simply about what you could give to me, and what I could give to you,'the man's words echoed in his mind. The man didn't care if he die in fever or whatsoever. The only deal was if something happened between them. After that, neither would think about the other nor care what would happen next.
What the hell was he thinking in the very first place, anyway? What, was he expecting something else from the man, like he would still be there when he woke up?
No. Of course not. This fiasco was just a cruel game that Kuroro had instigated. Nothing more, nothing less. The man got what he wanted from him. The Kuruta got his. And that must be all to it.
Okay, enough of the demented sentiments. He must go back to Dmitri's manor as soon as possible. He still had many things to do.
He made his way out of the apartment tower, feeling oddly contented while clutching the box with the eyes, somewhat wondering when he could get another one.
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"Again, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much for coming and I hope you enjoy the night. Good evening to all of you."
A round of audible applause followed as Lord Lurix Dmitri finished his small speech. It was exactly two and a half weeks ago when one of his newest and most trusted bodyguard acquired two more Kuruta eyeball pairs. All in all, he got four Kuruta scarlet eyes to proudly display, along with his other new antiquities, on his annual celebration that was upheld on his manor. The man got so many visitors, some of them were active Mafias, or who got high status among the society. It was the second gathering the man had made this year; that was why he was so worked up about acquiring more merchandises.
"Thank you, thank you!" Dmitri humbly bowed to a group of ladies as the women admired one of his painting collections. "Yes, the paintings are beautiful, but they are nothing compare to your beauties tonight, ladies."
Said ladies chuckled upon hearing the flattering compliment from the man. Most of these women were wives of the prominent, modern and influential men of times, wearing their signature-designed gowns, matched with branded killer heels. They were gracefully holding sherries, timidly chuckling and smiling while talking to one another. You wouldn't see if one of them was feeling uncomfortable with her gown or shoes, or if the other was currently suffering from an illness, or family problems, or financial difficulties. Everyone around the place was hiding their true selves within the masks of diamond-studded necklaces and elegant coat-and-ties. Each of them was acting to their most graceful and refined etiquette, enjoying their mild alcohols and admiring the antiquities around the luxurious mansion.
Upon the expensive relics, the Kuruta scarlet eyes were Dmitri's main collection. The four pairs of the crimson eyes were displayed near the mansion's majestic stairway. The body parts were floating inside framed cylindrical containers as some of the guests gathered around to admire them.
Not far from the table where the containers were held, was a blazing, alive Kuruta, hiding in a formal suit attire, standing still while lingering his eyes around the lounge.
Kurapika had no choice but to clutch his hands until his knuckles turned white as his brethren's eyeballs turned into some sort of attraction in the middle of this pretentious, greedy crowd. He tried and focused hard on his job and looked for anything strange around the place as he guard the Kuruta eyes, no matter how enraged he was and the thirst to snatch the eyes away from here was running vigorously through his veins.
"Kurapika," a familiar voice called. Kurapika looked on his side as Senritsu's figure, wearing her casual dress walked to him.
"Senritsu," Kurapika said softly.
"Kurapika... Your heartbeat again." Senritsu said in almost a whisper.
"... I'm really sorry for this, Senritsu. I can't really control my anger this time."
"I'm okay, don't worry about me. I'm more worried about you. Your heartbeat is unstable for weeks, and it got worst tonight. I suggest you to take a rest now, you helped more than enough to make this party successful. I'm sure Dmitri-san will let you. I'll take over from here. Alright?"
Kurapika smiled. "Thanks, Senritsu. But don't worry about me, I can handle. Besides, the eyes were displayed. You know that I can never rest if they were outside the safe. Really, I'm fine. I'll take a break right after the party, I promise you that."
Senritsu smiled back. "Right, as if I could stop you."
Kurapika beamed. "Thanks for the concern, Senritsu."
"You're really welcome. By the way, Dmitri-san's looking for you. He'd like to introduce you to some of his visitors. They were outside. I'll take over on your place here for a while."
"I see. Sorry for the trouble. I'll be back right after there."
Senritsu stared as Kurapika retreated towards the mansion's huge door. The music hunter had replaced the Kuruta in his position, still looking at his walking comrade, feeling worried and sad.
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"Good evening, sir. I'm sorry for making you wait."
Kurapika bowed at the five suited men who were standing near the entrance of the mansion. One of them was his boss, Lurix Dmitri.
"It's alright. I'd just like to introduce you to a fellow Mafia head. By the way, Meniandro-san," Dmitri spoke and referred to a dark-haired, gray-eyed man who was smoking. "This is Kurapika. He's the one who helped me to acquire the Kuruta eyes, even some of my rare paintings. This teen is exceptional. A superb nen-user. He's a former employee of Light Nostrad."
The blond regarded the man who was called Meniandro, then greeted him with a timid bow.
"Light Nostrad, huh?" Meniandro said in a deep voice. "I heard he suffered lost, but managed to regain some of his assets. Looks like the old man finally learned how to push his own ass." The man finished with a chuckle.
"Yeah, this lad helped him a lot," Dmitri added.
Meniandro left a small smile on his lips after chuckling then eyed one of the men on his side, apparently his bodyguards. The gestured suited man nodded once then moved his hand to his coat's secret pocket to reach for something inside.
He pulled a case of an expensive brand of cigarette out. The box's lid was slightly open. The man tapped the thing with a finger, and two cigarette sticks slightly slipped on the opening.
Kurapika eyed the offered tobacco for a while as though weighing for a decision. The next moment, his fingers reached for a stick and pulled it out of the case.
The bodyguard placed the case back on his coat and drew a silver lighter from the same hidden pocket. He almost opened the lighter for the blond when Kurapika himself opened his palm to the man after placing the cigarette stick on his pale lips.
The man handed the lighter to the boy, and Kurapika himself ignited the cigarette that was slightly held by his mouth.
"You sound so confident with this kid, Dmitri. And by the sounds of it, he really have the guts," the gray-eyed Mafia head uttered after blowing out a cloud of smoke from his dark lips. "Now, is he really strong enough to get a position? Do you really think that this rookie can be a Mafia commander?"
Kurapika's eyes widened a bit as Meniandro's sentence finished, but it didn't really surprise him that much as he let smokes out from his slightly parted lips. He spared a fast glance to Dmitri, but easily comprehended what his boss had done without his knowledge. Letting the conversation resume, he just placed his free hand on his pocket, then the other ticked the cigarette stick on his side to make the ashes on its end to fall.
"I know this sounds a bit risky, but I trust Kurapika. I would entrust him my life. Believe me, this young man is fearless. I had the strongest men before. They were tough, but not as strong and smart as him. You won't lose anything if you try him," Dmitri convinced his fellow Mafia head.
"Excuse me, sirs. I'm sorry," Kurapika faked a surprised and confused face. In all honesty, he was fully aware of what was happening and— he didn't like it at all. "I beg your pardon, but I can't actually understand what you're talking about, Dmitri-san."
"Oh, haven't I told you yet? I recommended you to the Council to be a Mafia commander under me. I really think you can be one, so..."
"Sir, I'm really sorry. I can't remember anything about it. I'm not aware."
"You're not aware?" Meniandro suddenly interjected. "You mean, you were recommended without your consent?"
"I've been in and out of York Shin lately in search for the antiquities for my boss. I was so busy nowadays that's why I'm not that aware of what's happening around here. I was..." Kurapika had to lie for his boss. " ...I once talked with Dmitri-san about it. But I didn't know that I was recommended."
"Well, brat." Meniandro sucked his cigarette. "You're endorsed by your boss to be a second-in-command for the Council, since the former was killed by a member of that Spider thieves. We're looking for the strongest, and Dmitri's really confident in you."
Kurapika faked a small, flattered smile. "I'm so honored, sir. It sounds great. But... I don't think I deserve it. I'm sorry, Dmitri-san." He regarded his boss. "I'm too young for it. I believe that there's someone else who's better than me. Besides, Dmitri-san still needs me in here. I'd like to learn more before entering the wider Community. I want the offer, but please let me think about it more." Dragging himself deeper to the Mafia after messing with the Genei Ryodan head sounded good— but dangerous. The Kuruta wanted to slow everything down first.
"Being humble is letting the once in a lifetime chances to escape. Why don't you just take the offer and lift your ass to a higher level?" Meniandro remarked with a smug on his face.
"Because I'm not strong enough, sir." Kurapika easily countered. " I don't want to compromise my boss. I'd like to prove to you that I'm more than enough once I take the offer. Yes, I'm still young and I lack experiences. I still got so many things to learn that's why I'm working hard. I don't want to lift myself just to boast around: I'll lift myself up once my ass deserved it."
Meniandro was nothing but taken aback with the kid's angst. Kurapika didn't mean to go that far. But anyway.
The gray-eyed man suddenly nodded. "Now I could see what you're trying to say, Dmitri."
The said man simply smiled. "Of course. Do you think I'll just choose some jerk?"
"Very well then," Meniandro blew a last cloud of smokes before throwing the cigarette butt on the ground. "Let me see what you've got, boy." He stomped his foot on the cigarette butt and twisted it once, turning the small flame off. With a smirk, he slowly started walking towards the mansion's direction.
"Make yourself stronger. I'd like to keep an eye on you. Once you proved that you're more than what I'm expecting, I'll give you something more than what you deserve." Meniandro spared a last glance to the Kuruta resumed advancing to the mansion along with his bodyguards.
Kurapika slightly bowed. Dmitri looked at him.
"Sorry for compromising you like that. When the Council announced about them looking for a second-in-command in a meeting, I instantly thought about you. I assumed you'd like it."
"It's nothing, sir. I'm honored, in fact. I won't deny that it was tempting. But just like what I said, I want to be stronger. I want to work on you full time first. Then I myself would apply for the job once I'm ready. I just hope you'll be willing to let me go once it happened." Kurapika smiled on his boss.
"You have my word." Dmitri smiled back and started to saunter back to his home.
The Kuruta was about to follow him when his phone rang. Dreading about the sender of the message and its contents, his eyes narrowed in annoyance as Kuroro's name flashed on the screen.
'It's been weeks. Don't you miss me?'
"Tsh," Kurapika hissed upon the creepiness of the message. This man was seriously getting to his nerves.
But on the other hand, it had been a long while since the last time he saw the man. Suddenly, he remembered the precious eyes inside the mansion that turned into some display that showed how rich their 'owner' was. It never failed to ignite the spark of wrath inside his chest.
Kuruta eyes were scared beauties of life— not some sort of decoration inside huge mansions.
To get a pair from Kuroro would lessen the chance for his boss to land his dirty hand to another pair. He must play everything safe this time, now that he already held some upper hand.
Kurapika simply looked at his boss' back as he retreated back to the ball, when he realized that he was still holding the cigarette. Half of it turned into ashes already. He ticked the stick with a finger to shake them off and placed it to his mouth for the last time. He sucked it hard before throwing it on the ground. Languidly stomping on it, he slowly drew the smokes out from his lips.
Yes, everything was getting hardcore.
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Note: It's been ages when I first had a dream about Kurapika smoking in front of a faceless, suited man. I can't remember what the dream was all about, since all that I can remember is the way I CRIED when I woke up. Seriously, that's one of the worst nightmare I ever had, next to my dream when riding on a giraffe's head.
Parang tanga lang. Hahaha. Next chapter: Do I really have to tell!? Well... Just don't forget to review!