A/N: I'm... scared to write the next chapter.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HXH

BETA: None.

Chapter 18: An Unasked Question.

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The stench of blood and heavy trails of death lingered pervasively in every corner of Meniandro's mansion and assaulted Kurapika's nose as he took the first step inside the main door.

Nothing changed that much from when he went inside it for the first time; the luxurious vibes and excessive wealth still screamed aloud. Just like in his first visit, bodies of guards were all over the floor, scattered everywhere. The only difference was they were just unconscious back after he knocked them all out— this time, not a single one of them seemed to be breathing. Their heads were twisted in odd ways. Some were drenched with their own blood from severe shots on the forehead. One body was lying twisted beneath the staircase with its head squashed against the tiled floor; it presumably had fallen down from the second floor right after receiving an attack.

Holes from gunshots pierced some parts of the living room with the scent of gunpowder still fresh in the air. The amount of bullets used and the thickness of the smell would make someone assume that their opponents must have been a pack of skilled assassins, and not a single man.

'Go to Meniandro's mansion. We'll meet inside his master bedroom.' It was an instruction he received from Kuroro through text some hours later after he gave his command. A command that he didn't know he would regret giving for the rest of his life.

Kurapika expected this much as he walked along the wake of death and destruction. Anger built up inside him; his order was vague and he overlooked to tell Kuroro not to kill anybody but this was absolutely unnecessary. There were many other ways to scare Meniandro; to make him shut his mouth forever and leave them alone. Killing must be on the top of the list but that was not the only option.

Kurapika then realized how rage blinded him so much this time around. The fact that he was the reason why all of these people died tugged at the back of his mind and stung his guts, and that exactly must be why Kuroro went that far: to make him feel so bad and guilty. He should have known. He knew from the start that killing was the only method Kuroro would use to deal with this and yet, he still gave an order.

Kuroro was up to something more, he could tell. The sight of the bloody hallway towards Meniandro's playground said it all.

More bodies laid lifeless along the way; they must have all gathered here to protect the twin door at the end of it. It was dim lit and hallowed. The smell of blood was poignant and sickening. The silence was deafening and void.

Each step reverberated as he got closer to the closed room. The walls and several paintings were stained with blood both dried and trickling. A few more steps away from the door, Kurapika recognized a dead body with huge wound across his abdomen as of stabbed by a big, blunt sword. It was the fast nen-user, one of his kidnappers before. He gave it one studying look; it must be his own weapon that was used to end his life, and proceeded to the door.

He stopped right in front of it, hesitant to open and see what was inside. But he had to— it was something he agreed to pay so dearly later on. With a quick but deep intake of breath, he grabbed the knob, turned it and stepped inside.

Unlike outside, Meniandro's bedroom was tidy and free from blood. The king size bed was still there, so were the leather straps, the TV and the adult toys organizer. Even the giant bowl was still there, and it seemed to have an occupant tonight.

Bloodshot eyes brimming with tears and terror looking pleadingly back at him, Meniandro opened his mouth to catch his breath as he sobbed uncontrollably and huddled inside the bowl. He scrambled to his feet and pressed his palms against the bowl's wall in attempt to reach him out. Kurapika wasn't filled with the satisfaction he expected to feel as he watched Meniandro shaking in fear and hopelessness inside his very own sadistic chamber. He even felt pity upon hearing him began to wail almost incomprehensibly.

"I-I'M SORRY!" Meniandro screamed from the top of his lungs, but it came muffled to Kurapika's ears. "I-I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED TO YOU! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I WILL NEVER BOTHER YOU AGAIN, I SWEAR!" He slammed his fists against the glass. "HELP ME! PLEASE!"

"Close the door, Kurapika."

Kurapika flinched at the cold at brusque voice that called his name. Kuroro Lucifer's presence was perfectly concealed and he was too focused on Meniandro that he didn't realize that he was standing just some steps away from him, leaning on the wall with one hand holding his closed Skill Book.

"I told you to teach him a lesson but not kill everybody!" his breath came ragged with anger but as their eyes met, he stood frozen on his spot for he knew right then that the Kuroro who was standing in front of him now wasn't the laid-back bastard he usually screamed at.

Eyes blank yet dark; face blank yet so expressive—oppressive aura and tremendous killing intent were roiling about him. He couldn't blame Meniandro if he pissed on his pants somehow: the look and vibes Kuroro gave off tonight was one of a heartless killer.

"Close the door," Kuroro repeated.

Kurapika's guts were telling him not to raise objections or else his life would be at stake. He stepped back and pressed the door close behind him without looking away from Kuroro. A soft sound of a click said it was automatically locked.

Kurapika wanted this to stop. He wanted to back out. He had to do something.

"This is enough, Kuroro," something was definitely off. He never felt so... so scared of Kuroro like this before that he even kept his voice low. "I'm not having you kill another man tonight."

"I never leave my work unfinished midway, Kurapika," Kuroro took a small, single step. The air between them became heavier that Kurapika absently backed off. "I run the show tonight, I'm afraid."

"Kuroro—"

"You and Hisoka somehow made a deal back then at York Shin, didn't you? Did he tell you anything about my nen ability?"

"No," Kurapika answered, thinking of summoning Chain Jail if that was what it would take to stop Kuroro. "Our exchange wasn't complete."

"I see. So you're not aware of my stolen abilities, then."

"Hisoka wants to kill you himself; he didn't see a reason why he should divulge me with the information. I want to find out, but perhaps Hisoka didn't know that much about it either."

"I see," he said, rather monotonously. "Do you remember that time when you kidnapped me and asked if I was the leader of the Spiders when we attacked your village?"

"What about it?" Spooked as Kuroro inched closer, Meniandro momentarily clammed up to listen to their conversation. Kurapika could somewhat see where it was going, and it was bad.

"Nothing. Just that you were so eager back then to find out if I'm the one who led Ryodan to the massacre of your clan, but you didn't seem so interested to know how we killed them using our abilities."

Kurapika was instantaneously ravaged with wrath at that. His eyes turned scarlet and he flexed his right hand to whip out his chains.

"Stop right there, Kuroro."

One moment Kuroro was on his side, the next was he's already right at Kurapika's back, right hand still holding his book while his left held a knife poised dangerously near his neck. It was so close that one wrong move or breath would surely create a cut through his flesh.

"You placed me under Zetsu back then not only because it was the only way to save your friends, but because you know that I'm stronger than you are and you won't stand a chance should we fight one-on-one."

"Which we proved right before you raped me that night. What the hell are you trying to get at, bastard?" Kurapika couldn't help but feel agitated with Kuroro's speed and close proximity that he wasn't able to dodge.

"I'd like to introduce you one of my abilities that I didn't get to use against you that time. It was handy when I used it with one of the assassins back then at York Shin auction. It's not much of my favorite, but it is one hell good of a nen ability. Stay still and watch carefully, Kurapika. I want you to know what other things I can just do."

"Kuroro," it was clear to Kurapika that he couldn't talk this one out anymore, but he would still try. "I'm going to pay what we agreed, so you can stop this right here."

"Don't make me repeat myself," Kuroro growled directly into his ear. "I want you to watch what I will do. Focus. Never forget what you'll see and make it a reminder to yourself not to mess with people who are much, much stronger than you are. Never take death so lightly because it doesn't come by as easy as you think it would be."

Kuroro opened his Skill Book and turned to a page, then two white, floating fishes with skeletal structures materialized in the air. "This ability is called Indoor Fish. Those fishes are carnivorous and made of nen."

Meniandro scampered and shrieked as the fishes darted towards him, slipped inside the bowl then one of them bit at his arm, while the other ripped at his side. Kurapika gaped at the sight.

"Stop it, Kuroro!" There he was again, just like that night when Kuroro defiled him. He couldn't stop what he was doing and all he could do was beg. "I already understand, just—"

"Move again and I'll have one of the fishes chomp at your feet. You'll feel no pain but once I close the book, you'll find out what it feels like to lose your feet then I'll watch you bleed until you die."

Kurapika understood it now. He understood it all now. This was another by product of him losing control of his emotions. As Meniandro freaked out with each painless bite the fishes made, he realized that there was another victim of his selfishness. But unlike Gon and Killua, he wasn't able to save him because it was him who instigated it. He shouldn't have called Kuroro. He shouldn't have let the anger get into his head that much.

He should have killed this monster when he had the chance.

"K-K-Ku-ra..." Meniandro's cracked voice called out for him again. The man who was huddling against the glass bowl earlier had one of his hands, the remainders of it, floating, fingers opened, still trying to reach him for forgiveness and help.

"No..." Kurapika could only mumble. The words 'I'm sorry' were left unsaid as it was useless, and Meniandro already lost both of his ears.

On his back, Kuroro closed in and sniffed at his hair before nipping at his earlobe, but Kurapika could barely feel anything. His tongue was already licking at the exposed part of his neck but Kurapika couldn't remember how it got there. His eyes couldn't stop looking at the remains of Meniandro's body: armless and legless torso, bitten half of his face, one hand floating with only three remaining fingers attached, and parts of some internal organs ripped and torn apart. He wasn't bleeding.

He never felt this kind of fear towards Kuroro before. Towards death. As he stood frozen by his side, unable to move or call for his nen, Kurapika had another glimpse of what kind of cruel demon this man who he had been sleeping with for months and now touching him. But what was worse was he could care less about what Kuroro had done to him within those months, what he was doing to him now and what he was about to do later, because he made him ponder about one crucial thing upon him pointing it out earlier. Kuroro was right. He overlooked asking.

'How...'

When Kuroro finally had enough of his show and he judged that Kurapika was completely out of it, he closed his Skill Book. Indoor Fish dissipated along with the book, then blood spluttered inside the glass bowl with Meniandro's body parts falling with sickening thunk and squelch against its floor.

Kuroro removed the knife under Kurapika's chin, tucked it somewhere in his pockets then slipped both of his hands under the hem of his shirt.

"Deactivate you chains," he breathed right into his ear. Kurapika's heart sunk and he prepared himself for he was about to plunge into the darkness again that this time, he had agreed to go. "We're going to do it here. Brace yourself if I were you."

Kurapika did what he was told. He knew he made a mistake, an unforgivable one, and he would pay its price.

'How did his clansmen die in Kuroro's hands?'