AN: *manga spoilers in the following rant*
Chrollo's ability is REALLY FUCKING DIFFICULT TO WRITE. I had to have Volume 34 out the whole time, like bruh. His stealy-wheely-automobiley-book is so annoyingly complex, and it made writing this fight scene really difficult. His fight with Hisoka was like… impossible to follow oof. It's always fun adapting their abilities into different scenarios, but because Shalnark and Kortopi are both still alive in this timeline, Chrollo can't use Gallery Fake or Black Voice, which is what he used the most while fighting Hisoka. So I was just left with Paired Destruction, because Transfer Student don't work when there isn't a live audience. (and I can't remember what he used to fight Silva and Zeno lol) Well, we can't fight chains with only explosions, now can we? So I was left to make up some shit for him to use… gross.
The final floor of the battle royal tower. The stadium at the very top. The highest place in all of Yorknew City. The 401st floor of the Heavan's Arena. Kurapika shouldn't have expected anything less.
The top floor was a glistening rotunda of solid glass and diamonds. The floors were pure white marble, the ceiling a classical painting of Angels and Cherubs. Thousands of sapphires and tiny aquamarines were embedded into the glass windows, and the pillars were decorated in mosaics of quartz and gold. There was a small balcony all along the circular wall, where the Phantom Troupe stood to watch. The place was lit by Angellights, glowing crystals that were only found on the Mountain of God, the homeland of the Light Angels. This spectacular fighting arena was the only location in Yorknew City lit not by electricity, but the natural glow of the outside world.
The blonde Elf stalked to meet his opponent in the middle. Chrollo was a speck of ebony darkness in this ocean of white and glass. He was wearing a traditional Dark Angel's robes, black with golden buttons, a deep v-neck, and white fur along the collar. His hair was loose, framing his face in elegant waves of obsidian black. His wings were the definition of beauty and grace, brushing the floor when he walked and absorbing any light cast their way.
He was truly a higher being.
A creature more than worthy of the paintings along the ceiling.
Kurapika met his opponent in the dead center of the room, directly below the depiction of the deity Only. The single god of the Angels, the only species not pagan in religion.
Chrollo's face was light, welcoming. A dusting of a smile accented his elegant lips, and his dark eyes were warm and happy. Kurapika was the complete opposite, with a frown on his face and eyes dancing in scarlet rage. Though his rage was forced.
"We fight until you impress me enough for a win, or you kill me," Chrollo announced.
Kurapika scoffed. "I already know that."
The Angel grinned. "You know, you've already impressed me. I say you win, right here and now."
He's dead serious.
Kurapika snarled. "Are you mad?! How dare you insult my clan and all that I stand for?! I have been waiting for a fight on equal ground ever since that dreaded night! Ever since you refused to kill me on the cliffs. You'd better be joking."
Chrollo sighed, "Fineee. I'll indulge you. Though we both already know what the outcome will be."
Kurapika held his gaze, and in unison they turned on their heels and walked a good distance apart. They turned back to face each other, and so the fight began.
"We're a matched pair, you and I," Chrollo called from the other side of the arena. He drew an athame from his sleeve.
"Don't taint the air with your foolish words," Kurapika shot back, flipping open his switchblade.
"You will accept that we are entwined, I'll see to it in this battle," Chrollo continued, ignoring Kurapika's retort. "If violence is what you seek, then it is what you shall receive. I'll give you anything you desire. Not out of pity or shame, but because I genuinely want to do so. When will you finally understand that?"
"Talk is cheap, especially from the likes of you," Kurapika ground out as he slit his wrist and activated Heavenly Chains.
"Words are the canvas of man, and man the humble painter. How could an exchange of wills be cheap, when two such minds shoot back and forth? Exchanging bold strokes of the brush?" The Angel slit his throat with a flourish, and as his chest was bathed in his own blood, a terrible Magical aura gathered in his right hand. Chills ran down Kurapika's spine, and his Ren shield squirmed in displeasure.
"Skill Hunter: Bandit's Secret," Chrollo announced, voice echoing off the walls as a black book with the motif of a bloody handprint materialized in his grip.
Kurapika lowered his stance. This was Chrollo's spell, his Hatsu. The Angel had always been a study of Sorcery, even before he'd learned the truth residing in Blood Magic. Rather than coming up with his own spells, he had crafted a spell used to steal the abilities of others. He stored them away in his book, ready to be used whenever he so chose.
It took an incredible amount of blood, which was why he had slit his neck. Angel's were known to bleed out for hours, so he had a natural surplus. With the fuel already flowing freely, all he needed to do was activate the spell. It was a messy process, but a striking ability nonetheless.
Under no circumstance could Kurapika allow Chrollo to steal Heavenly Chains. If that happened, he would never be able to use the same ability again, and he'd have to start his Sorcerer's training over from scratch.
Kurapika whipped out a flask of Dark Angel blood.
"Dowsing Chain."
"Will you be able to catch me with that?" Chrollo taunted with a grin. "I am the one who taught you how to fight with it, after all."
"The real question is whether or not your book of stolen secrets will be able to fend against me or not, considering I know all of its contents because of that training."
"Touche," the Spider mused. "This will be an interesting battle indeed. I wonder how our dance will change once we are both fighting to win, rather than to grow?"
Kurapika responded by taking the first move, swinging the metal ball directly for his temple.
Which spell will you select, Lucilfer?
"Magnetic Curse," the Angel announced as he flipped the book open. He held one now glowing hand up to Kurapika's incoming Dowsing Chain, and the attack was immediately flung in the other direction.
Smart. The Dowsing Chain is difficult to block, considering it moves according to my mind and not to natural movements. Magnetic Curse is an ability that redirects incoming projectiles or attacks, like swapping the poles of a magnet. It has other uses, like for propelling oneself in different directions. But knowing him he'll come up with some bothersome new application of this spell.
"My turn," the Angel declared, slamming the hand holding Magnetic Curse into the ground. He was flung across the arena in Kurapika's direction, much faster than his wings ever could have carried him.
The Elf gritted his teeth, and rolled out of the way, dodging an arching kick from Chrollo. The Spider was a master at hand-to-hand combat, and a prodigy when it came to mastering multiple abilities at a time. His experience had played a major role in Kurapika's mastering all five chains in a single month.
"A wonderful dodge, I taught you that one, didn't I?"
Kurapika just swung the Dowsing Chain at him again. It was a messy move that was redirected with incredible ease. Kurapika needed to get his head in the game. Chrollo was annoying as hell, but Kurapika couldn't let him be distracting.
The two of them entered a swift back and forth, Chrollo with a short range spell and Kurapika with a long range spell. They traded dominance in the battle back and forth like letters to a loved one, and earned whoops and cheers from the bothersome Spiders in the stands multiple times.
Kurapika was in the middle of bouncing off the pillars, however, when he noticed something. Chrollo was doing an incredible job of hiding it, but his hand would stop glowing every once in a while. Clear indication of Magnetic Curse being deactivated. Kurapika would not have noticed if he hadn't spared with Chrollo for so long, and he was glad that he did.
The Elf whipped his head around to look behind him, finding the stamp of a moon on the pillar he was flying towards. Kurapika quickly looked at the bottom of his foot, which had attained the stamp of a sun.
Shit.
Kurapika slung the Dowsing Chain at a different pillar, and pulled himself in the other direction just in time. Chrollo flew to a halt, pumping his wings as he hung suspended in the air, grinning that stupid grin at Kurapika, who had fallen messily to the floor.
The blonde dragged himself to his feet, and fixed his opponent with a steely glare. "You're sneaky."
"Thank you~"
"It's fucking annoying."
"Such language!"
Kurapika took his shoe off, and then chucked it directly at Chrollo's head. He ducked of course, but Kurapika had been hoping for that. He'd thrown it perfectly, and the sun on the bottom of his shoe and the moon on the pillar came into contact, reacting in a violent explosion that sent Chrollo spiraling into another pillar.
The Angel made a crater in the pillar, a cloud of black feathers floating to the ground beneath him. He barked a laugh, and pulled himself out of the rocky fixture, bleeding from a wound on his forehead. "Impressive, I underestimated your arm."
Kurapika ignored him, and when the Angel dropped back to the ground they began circling each other. Kurapika's eyes darted back and forth, searching for any other stamps. Sure enough, they were all over the pillars, laying out a path for Kurapika to take as he hit explosion after explosion. Which only meant one thing.
With a snarl, Kurapika ripped off his tabard, which sure enough, was covered in sun stamps.
Damned Spider. How the fuck did he get past me?!
That was easy, really. Chrollo was a far greater fighter when it came to hand-to-hand. Being a professional thief also happened to make one proficient with a slight of hand.
The next time Kurapika looked back to Chrollo, his hand was glowing with the power of Magnetic Curse again.
He's activated Bookmark Theme. He can't use an ability unless he has his book open to that page. The bookmark allows him to use two pages at a time. He's sneaky. I didn't see him bookmark Magnetic Curse and flip to Paired Destruction.
Paired Destruction was a two handed ability, which really made Kurapika slap himself. They had been moving so fast that Kurapika had forgotten to properly watch Chrollo's right hand. He'd clearly been tossing the book into the air to make Kurapika with the sun stamps, deftly catching it before it closed or changed pages.
One one hand Chrollo had the mark of a moon, and the other a sun. He could leave stamps of those marks on anything or anyone by touching them, and if two opposite stamps came into contact they would explode. It was a destructive ability, one Kurapika was surprised Chrollo had selected. This was an enclosed space, and explosions were typically not intelligent in such close quarters.
All the more reason to activate it anyways. He knew I wouldn't see it coming.
I underestimated him.
Again.
I need to stop doing that.
"You caught on quickly, bravo!" Chrollo taunted, holding his book up to show Kurapika the bookmark. "Though now that you have, I suppose I don't need this anymore." He shut the book, and stuffed it into his pocket. Effectively deactivating Paired Destruction and leaving him with only Magnetic Curse activated.
The bookmark also allows him to use a single spell with both hands free.
Chrollo darted back in, hand glowing with Magnetic Curse. Kurapika jumped out of the way, only to trip over a chunk of rubble. The rubble was flung into another pillar, where it exploded. Kurapika yelled in surprise as he was tossed through the air, landing roughly with a painful popping of his right shoulder.
Fuck.
Just because Paired Destruction is deactivated right now doesn't mean that all the traps he laid aren't still in effect. He probably marked every piece of rubble from that crater, the feathers he dropped too.
Shit.
I really should have thought that through before I threw my shoe at him.
He's crafty, dangerously crafty.
Kurapika jumped to his feet, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. It was dislocated. And it was his chain hand, of course. Chrollo didn't let up, darting right back in and going after Kurapika again and again.
The Elf was on the retreating side, unable to properly fight back while holding his arm in place at his side. He needed to activate Holy Chain, but Chrollo knew he was trying to do that and wouldn't let him.
The Angel was faster, much faster, using Magnetic Curse to fling himself about. Kurapika was being backed into a corner, having to jump and dart around every single piece of rubble on the ground, knowing that any one of them could have a trap laid.
Only one thing to do now.
Kurapika set his jaw, and jumped high into the air. He roughly grabbed his upper arm, and snapped his shoulder into place. It hurt, and he definitely had some torn muscles, but it was done.
The Elf then whipped out a new vial of blood, deactivating Dowsing Chain in favor of Steal Chain. He needed to even the playing field, mobility wise. He also needed to throw a wrench in Chrollo's rhythm.
Kurapika sent the Steal Chain flying for Chrollo, who was already jumping in for another swing. The Spider's eyes widened in surprise, and he attempted to dodge. He failed, to Kurapika's glee, and was punctured with the Steal Chain.
Kurapika sucked Magnetic Curse right out of him, and immediately injected the ability into himself. The Elf gasped in surprise as Chrollo's stolen Magical Energy pumped into his veins, he would never get used to that sensation no matter how many abilities he stole.
Heavenly Chains deactivated, the price of using the Steal Chain on himself.
Now he was left with only Magnetic Curse, and Chrollo was left trapped in a state of Zetsu. Kurapika had stolen his Energy reserves for himself, and Chrollo had already paid the blood price in full.
Save for having to activate Heavenly Chains again once he saw fit, Kurapika was in an impeccable position. He was the only one able to use Blood Magic, as Chrollos' Ren shield was down in his Zetsu. The Angel still had his wings, but now Kurapika would be able to follow him even faster.
The Elf smacked his glowing hand against the pillar beside him, and his stomach lurched as he was slung directly for Chrollo. The Angel spread his wings and flew away, and it took Kurapika a couple of minutes to get the hang of using Magnetic Curse to get around, but soon he was following the Angel everywhere he went.
Chrollo was incredible at evasion, and was clearly trying to exhaust Kurapika's reserves of his stolen energy. That was another drawback of using stolen abilities, he could only use them for as long as the stolen Magical Energy would last. Then the ability would be returned, and the victim would be removed from the state of Zetsu.
The Spider had another thing coming, however, because now that Kurapika was able to follow him in mid air, he would be able to attack him from mid air as well. The Elf pulled a large spurt of energy from his own Blood Energy Pocket, encasing his free fist in Ren. He then punched in Chrollo's direction, releasing a crude burst of raw Magical Energy.
It was a juvenile move, but a powerful one nonetheless. Had Chrollo's shield been up, it would not have worked. But thanks to the Zetsu from the Steal Chain, he was now susceptible to stage one Sorcery.
The Angel was struck with Kurapika's blast of energy, and the Elf cheered victoriously as Chrollo came crashing into the ground. He landed in a pile of rubble, and assaulted with a quick round of his own explosive traps.
Kurapika's eyes widened in surprise at the violent series of explosions. He hadn't meant for Chrollo to fall there–
The dust cleared and the Angel was on the ground, not moving.
He had just been struck by a blast of raw Magical Energy with no Ren to defend himself, and then had been assaulted with a round of explosions. Kurapika lowered his stance, ready for Chrollo to jump to his feet, a goofy grin on his face as he attempted to scare the daylights out of Kurapika.
No. It wouldn't work this time.
He was going to get up any second now.
Any moment.
An uncomfortable chill fell upon Kurapika's gut, the Spider wasn't moving. His wings were splayed about in a position that had to be painful, and a pool of blood was forming around him.
"What are you lying there for?" Kurapika snapped. "Get up!"
No response.
Shit.
Chrollo still wasn't moving.
Shit.
Kurapika's heart was starting to beat faster, and his cheeks were heating up. Had he made a mistake? Had he gone too hard? Izunavi had told him to go easy, but he'd completely ignored that–
The Elf straightened, and released Magnetic Curse. His hissed at the pain of Chrollo's stolen Magical Energy violently leaving him, and he watched as the glowing mass arched up and over to the Angel on the ground. Kurapika waited for him to jerk in shock from the unwelcomed pain, but there was nothing. No movement. The Energy was absorbed, but Chrollo still wasn't moving.
Kurapika's chest lurched, and he was sprinting across the arena.
What the fuck am I doing?!
What am I doing?!
He ran in a circle around the chaotic pile of rubble, and then hopped from empty space to empty space until he was at Chrollo's side. The Angel was completely covered in blood, and his clothes were a torn mess that barely managed to cover him. He was covered in soot, and the skin on his face was burnt, peeling, and saturated with a thick coating of blood. The blast of Magic had hit him square in the lower back, and when Kurapika leaned around he could see his exposed spine.
The Elf gasped, an unwelcome storm of emotions dancing around him in a frenzy.
He unceremoniously shook Chrollo's arm, trying to wake him up. The older male did not respond.
Kurapika slapped him across the face. Still no response.
… what did I…
Kurapika leaned forward, and pressed his two fingers to the Angel's pulse point.
…
…
…
Pulse.
…
Pulse.
He still has a heartbeat, he's still alive.
Kurapika could not put the wave of emotion that washed over him into words.
He slammed his ear into the Angel's chest, straining to hear the pumping of a heart. A strained breathing. Shit. He wasn't breathing, and his heart was slowing. Gods dammit, why the hell would he slit his throat at the beginning of every battle?! Was he really so arrogant that he believed he wouldn't take any critical hits?! He needed to reserve his blood for shit like this!
Kurapika angrily shoved his arm, rolling him onto his back. He knotted his hands over Chrollo's chest, and then pumped for thirty seconds, forcing his blood to keep moving. The Elf frowned as he watched his efforts work, but pumped more blood from the slit along his throat, and the puddle from his back grew larger.
"Dumb ass," he snarled.
This wasn't the first time he'd had to do something like this.
There was that time at the volcano.
And don't even get Kurapika started on that time in the caverns up north.
With rough hands, he knocked Chrollos' jaw open, and slammed their mouths together. He aggressively blew air from his own lungs into Chrollo's, disgusted by the taste of his blood in Kurapika's mouth. Damn it.
Usually he fucking woke up or coughed up a mouthful of water before Kurapika was forced to actually give mouth to mouth.
Asshole.
He alternated between pumping Chrollo's chest and forcing him to breathe for two excruciating minutes, before he finally gasped himself awake and started coughing up blood. The Angel sat up, only for Kurapika to shove him roughly back to the ground. He straddled his waist - for no good reason - and reactivated Heavenly Chains. Kurapika jabbed his fingers directly into the slit across Chrollo's throat, earning a strangled gag. Once his fingers were slathered with Angel blood, he activated Holy Chain.
"Hold still," Kurapika snapped when the Angel shrunk away from the cross at the end of the chain. He'd been Kurapika's practicing dummy, and knew just how much the Holy Chain hurt when it was used to heal. He held the cross over Chrollo's mangled face, and focused his mind.
A healing green glow encased the Elf and the Angel, and Chrollo's wounds began to heal. His blood was replenished, his spine covered back up, and the fractured bones in his wings reset. The skin on his face laced back together, and the headache from having his Magic forced back into his body was alleviated.
Kurapika sighed once he was done, relaxing the tension in his body and sitting slack on Chrollo's waist. He retracted the Holy Chain, and deactivated Heavenly Chains. Chrollo made to sit up, fingers reaching for Kurapika's cheek. The Elf slapped him hard across the face, and shoved him back to the ground.
"Thanks?" the Spider said slowly.
"What the hell is wrong with you," Kurapika hissed. "You could have died. I'm always the one who has to swoop in and save you from the brink of death. It's getting really fucking annoying. Stop slitting your throat at the beginning of every battle and this shit will stop happening. Bloodlet like a normal person, for gods' sake!"
The Angel had the audacity to grin up at Kurapika, a soft light in his eyes. "You've never had to save me, you know. Especially not now."
The Elf glared off to the side, he wasn't going to respond to that.
"I think this means that you won," Chrollo murmured.
Kurapika glared at him, that soft tone making him gag. He got up off of Chrollo's waist, ignoring the pout that he got in response. The Elf brushed off his ripped and bloodstained underclothes, and then stuck his hand down for Chrollo. The Angel gazed up at him in surprise, looking back and forth between Kurapika's hand and his annoyed eyes.
"Don't just sit there. I'm not waiting for you to take my hand all day."
A slow smile crossed the Spider's face, and he placed his hand in Kurapika's. The Elf hauled him to his feet, forcing himself to look at the wall instead of at the half naked Angel standing beside him.
"You're too kind," the menace chuckled as Kurapika dropped his hand like it was diseased.
"That was hot!" Uvogin yelled from the stands, starting a round of applause.
Kurapika flipped the Titan off, and stood grumpily with his arms crossed as he was swamped by Spiders. Disgusting.
"Those chains are super impressive!" Shalnark chirped.
"I, would, have left him, for dead. You're, too kind, too him," Feitan sighed.
"Blinky! Clean up all this rubble! And don't let any more bombs go off!" Shizuku ordered her Magical vacuum.
Kurapika glared off to the side as the Spiders chattered around him, ignoring the slaps across the back and the congratulatory words. He hated that they acted so casual with him. It wasn't like he'd followed them everywhere for seven years… and it wasn't like he'd get them out of trouble every other fucking month…
"Kurapika," Chrollo said with a flourish of his hand, gaining the attention of his fellow Spiders. "What shall your prize be? You have defeated me in combat, and as an honorary victor of the Heavan's Arena, you are allowed a choice between great money and fame, or a reading from the Witch, Neon."
Kurapika glared at him. He sure loved playing the role of a Floor Master. That's all he really was. A dumb ass 24 year old kid who had all the power in the world. Power that he used to fuck around and have fun. At least he was using that power for less destructive reasons these days, Kurapika supposed.
"Tell me the location of the scarlet eyes," his voice was quivering. His eyes were burning red, he was shaking with rage. This is what he'd been waiting for ever since that dreaded night.
The other Spiders left the room, leaving Chrollo and Kurapika alone in the center of the destroyed arena.
Chrollo's face got serious, and he lost his playful air. "Before I tell you, I want to apologize again. For our actions. They were wrong, evil, unjust. And above all hypocritical."
Kurapika scoffed and looked in the other direction. "I told you that I don't want your petty apologies."
"But they hold truth," Chrollo pleaded. Taking Kurapika's hands. The Elf fixed him with a look of pure disgust, like he had been forced to touch a slimy eel. "My truth." Sincere black eyes bored into Kurapika's red ones, red ones that were fading into a soft brown.
"So what?" Kurapika snapped, snatching his hands out of Chrollo's gentle grip. "I've been waiting seven years to hear these words. Just give them to me!"
"...I know this gives you pain."
Kurapika winced.
"I know you don't enjoy this. I just want to be here for you. You've been here for me for years now. Know that you're not alone."
"You are not of the Kurta. You have no place in this," Kurpaika shot back, though his voice was noticeably less aggressive.
Chrollo's gaze was sad, longing. It annoyed Kurapika to no end. "You really will never learn." He gave up on his heartfelt speech, and Kurapika murdered any part of him that felt guilty for shutting him down again and again. "The man who hired us to kill the Kurta and steal their eyes, is a dangerous mafia boss. He resides right here in Yorknew, actually. He is known as the Prince of the Underworld, I'm sure you know his name."
Kurapika's skin buzzed with chills.
"The Demon Lord Tserriednich," Chrollo said slowly. "That is the man who still holds the eyes of your clan. The one who bought their demise off of us."
A horrible dread filled Kurapika at the sound of that name. Of all these years he'd spent stalking the dark underbelly of this world… that was the one name he'd prayed to the gods not to hear right now.
"Tserriednich is the one in possession of the eyes you seek… but you will never be able to steal them back from him alone," Chrollo said.
"I'm not stealing them back. I'm taking what rightfully belongs to my clan. The word 'steal' brings to mind taking something that was never yours. The Scarlet Eyes were always mine, and always will be."
Chrollo nodden solemnly. "Apologies, I did not mean to word it in that way. But… please. Allow us to help you. Allow me to help you." Chrollo was taking Kurapika's hands again. He stepped in close, holding Kuraipka's hands close to his chest as he pleaded with the stubborn Kurta.
Kurapika just stared off into space.
Tserriednich.
Tserriednich was the man he'd been hating all this time.
Tserriednich was at the end of the tunnel, and Tserriednich was the man he had to kill.
There it was. His goal was spread out before him. It was so close–
Yet so far.
For this was a Demon Lord they were talking about.
The Demon Lord ruling over the reeking underside of the world they lived in.
"Kurapika, allow us to help you. It's the least we can do. I want to make amends, I want to fight this fight at your side. Allow me to do so. It's all that I want. We've renounced stealing, thievery. We've accepted this new life, this Arena of thrills and profits. But allow us to take one final job. Allow us to do this alongside you. Please, I beg of you. Don't force yourself to do this on your own."
Kurapika blinked once, not responding, and not meeting Chrollo's eyes.
He didn't step away either.
"Please. Join the Phantom Troupe. You need only to kill our newest member. He's vile, none of us like him. But we know you. All of them, they already see you as a fellow Troupe member. You've always been here. Please, Kurapika. Join us. Allow us to help you."
Kurapika blinked.
And then blinked again.
Tserriednich.
He had to kill a Demon Lord.
He had to enter the literal Belly of the Beast, the layer of that Kakin hailing terror.
"Join… the Spiders?" Kurapika whispered.
Chrollo nodded his head, squeezing Kurapika's hands and leaning in close. "Yes. Please. I beg of you. I want you to be one of us."
Kurapika finally met those dark eyes, sparkling like the moon off the ocean. Unmasked, baring all those emotions for Kurapika to see. "Why… do you want this so badly? This is… a Demon Lord. You'll surely die. We all will. Maybe we have a chance, but even so. I understand you need to make amends for your actions. But this? What's your game, Chrollo?"
The Angel's feathers fluffed out. That was the first time Kurapika had called him something other than "Lucilfer," "Spider," or some insult or Angelic slur.
The Spider's eyes shimmered with powerful emotion, and a faint flush dusted his cheeks.
Kurapika's heart sped up. His soul recoiled. No. Stop feeling warm.
"Kurapika," Chrollo moved his hands to the Elf's shoulders. "I love you."
The Kurta's heart skipped a beat. He froze up completely.
"I always have," Chrollo continued, voice deadly serious and eyes boring into Kurapika's own. "I always will. That's why I want– that's why I need to help you see this through. I can't stand to see you suffer. I can't stand to see you wander this world alone. Join my family, join this band of lowly thieves. Allow me to keep you by my side. Please. I just want to help you."
Kurapika stood in silence, ripping his eyes from Chrollo's to stare down at their feet.
His chest… was in a frenzy.
Kurapika… Kurapika felt–
-No.
"I… need to… go."
Chrollo moved his hands from Kurapika's shoulders, allowing the Elf to walk away.
The Angel watched, pain in his heart as he watched the Elf stifle his every emotion once again. Why did he do this to himself? He had so many people there for him… why did he have to always do it alone?
Kurapika entered the elevator, not remembering at all the walk from the arena to here. He stepped within, and pressed the button for the lobby. On the way down, he stuffed it all inside. All his rage. All his pain. All his returned sentiments.
None of it mattered.
Revenge was the only thing that mattered!
Tserriednich was the only thing that mattered!
Not Kurapika, not his aching heart, not Chrollo, and certainly not that dejected look in his eyes when Kurapika had turned away.
He could never accept help. He had to do this alone.
He had to.
This was his duty.
This was his destiny.
Kurapika walked out of the Arena in a daze, following that path that would lead him to a quaint apartment on the seashore. A location hazy in his memory, a place that had been… warm.
Kurapika couldn't… think.
His mind was so empty.
He was so dissociative.
Was it really over?
Had an entire month really passed?
Had he really mastered Hatsu?
Waking up from this prolonged fit of rage was like… resurfacing after spending thousands of years at the bottom of the sea.
Kurapika felt wave washed and bloated, too small for his body yet too big for the world around him.
But most importantly, he shoved every single emotion down inside.
Every last one.
Emotions were for the weak.
Emotions would turn your eyes red.
Emotions would get you caught.
AN: say it with me now: KURAPIKA IS NOW DROWNING IN AN INDESCRIBABLE EMPTINESS
DOREHODO YUME NI FURETEIRU-
