The gungi piece landed with a clack as she announced her move. Tail twitching, Meruem sighed as he poured his pieces onto the board.
"That's checkmate."
Closing her eyes slowly, Komugi gave a reassuring smile and encouraged him. "I'm sure you will win some day, Meruem-sama.".
He narrowed his eyes at her. "What did I say about using the honorific?". She shook her head vigorously. "I cannot address you without the honorific until you have won!"
Rolling his eyes, he collected the game pieces and returned them to their bags, standing to aid Komugi. She refused of course, her explanation being her wanting to be as independent as possible. After collecting her cane, she made her way to their small kitchen to fetch a glass of water. Standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, Meruem reflected back on the last two months. Their cabin in the dense forests of NGL was heavily monitored at all times, considering his past actions and plans. During his confrontation with chairman Netero, they had come to a compromise--Meruem had lost his drive to exterminate most of humanity due to his experiences with Komugi, offering to step down from his title and live in solitude with her if she wished it. He was taken before the Zodiacs and put on trial for his crimes, and he would not have lived if it hadn't been for Komugi. She vouched for him and his change in morals, and ironically offered to keep and eye on him should they let him live.
Pitou had been pounded to a pulp by that boy, Gon. Meruem held respect for him, considering the power it must have taken to have beaten a chimera of her status. Pouf had refused to leave his side, and had crumbled to a heap when Meruem revoked his title. He did not know what happened to him or Youpi.
After being strung up in nen-enhanced bounds that he could have broken easily, Meruem was blindfolded and taken onto a blimp to deliver him to his new "home", if you call the shack they currently live in a house. Hunters monitored him consistently--he never felt the absence of en. He could care less. The woman who changed his life was in the next room over and wasn't leaving any time soon, so he was content.
"Meruem-sama?"
He lifted his head, pulling out of his thoughts. "What is it?"
She looked sheepish. "We are beginning to run out of food and supplies...so I was wondering if I could go to the village to get some at the market place?" He sighed. "Of course that's okay, you do not need to ask permission, only tell me when and where you are going so I know where you are."
"Okay, if you say so. I was wondering if we could go tomorrow morning?". He nodded, them remembered that she cannot see, mentally face-palming. "Yes that soun-".
He stopped
We?
For the past month, a hunter would usually accompany Komugi down to the village every week to pick up supplies, considering how the public would react to him. They did not necessarily know he was the king who had caused all the fuss a few months back since his identity was never revealed, but his appearance would obviously cause quite a disturbance. There was also the fact that his power was so immense, that a wrong flick of his tail could be extremely costly--even those who could feel his aura would be heavily effected. He did not even know if he was allowed to leave the property, he had never tried too.
She beat him to the punch. "I know a hunter usually accompanies me, but I convinced them into letting you come to the edge of the village to get a look at it while I shop. Of course there will people watching us, but I thought maybe you would like a change of scenery, it can get quite boring up here."
Staring at her, he contemplated her words. Is it really that easy? He was always incredibly anxious whenever she went into town, even with hunters to help her. While he could easily track her with his nen, he was not at her immediate disposal should she need help--these mediocre hunters could barely hold their own in his presence alone. It would take him at least 45 seconds to reach the village from the top of the mountain, and who knows what could happen in that timeframe. The thought of accompanying her, even if just to the border, was comforting to him.
Fidgeting from his lack of words, she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but he answered first.
"I will go with you."
Dead grass crunched under his feet as they navigated down the mountain. He had offered to fly there, but she shook her head and explained that they needed the exercise. The mere thought of that made him laugh, and she shot him a dirty look. She clutched his hand tightly for guidance and constantly sniffled from the chilly weather, cold wind whipping her white hair across her face. Winter was closing in quickly--her constant allergies made him worry, sometimes making it hard for her to breathe. Sometimes he pondered the thought of his immense physical strength and overwhelming nen abilities compared to her frail and sickly body, not even counting her inability to see. But she managed to outmaneuver him in every game they played, and her ability to do so made up for her lack of physical abilities in his eyes. He constantly worried about hurting her, because the wrong flick of his tail or tight squeeze of a hand could cause a serious injury--even killing her. Even after opening up to her about his fears, Komugi picked up his hand and reassured him she was not worried, and that she knew he had every ability to control himself.
Meruem constantly admired her mental strength and fortitude, considering she could even be around him with his sinister nen, which he was religiously practicing to tame, going against him own biology. These thoughts often consumed him, and his constant fear of accidentally harming her loomed over him every second. But Komugi was always there to reassure him, and these softly spoken words combined with her pure, soothing nen enveloping him, he was able to relax and focus more on her strengths, rather than her weaknesses.
A yelp startled him out of his help, and he quickly turned to her to ask what was wrong, only to see she had stubbed her foot on a log in the path.
"I-I'm okay! Considering how far we have walked we should be ther soon, right?". He nodded. "I can see the village now, we are almost there.".
Coming to a stop at the edge, he squeezed her hand, turning to her. "I will stay right here, and I will monitor you constantly with my en. If you need anything, I will know. Please be safe."
In the first few weeks of the two of them living in the cabin, he had revealed the practice and manipulation of nen to Komugi. This had come from her questions of a strong presence she could feel radiating off of him, which almost any human could feel because of his vast containment of it. She was absolutely fascinated by it, and was nearly shaking with excitement when he told her of her own calming aura. While she was unable to manipulate her own, she was aware of it's presence and knew what it was capable of.
She smiled and squeezed his hand back with surprising strength. "I will be extra careful, so you don't need to worry! I won't keep you waiting to long, I only need a few things. Y-you will stay here, right?". He brushed a hand through her hair. "Of course.".
She nodded and slipped her hand out of his. She then began feeling the ground with her cane and onto the path to the village. He caught the flit of shadows belonging to the hunters that had been following them down the mountain, most staying with him, two following Komugi. He rolled his eyes.
Do they seriously think I don't know they're there? The thought almost made him laugh.
Reaching out through his en, he followed her every step all the way to the market. He was aware of every single person in the town and what they were doing, even knowing what they were thinking about Komugi's presence. She carefully made her way through the stalls, using her keen sense of smell to identify items she needed and asking booth sellers what they were selling. Her blindness was quite obvious to others, and she often received curious looks and offers for help. She always politely declined and explained she was perfectly capable, making his anxiety shrink, yet only a little. He watched her approach the stall with eggs and purchase a dozen, carefully placing them in her basket. As she made her way through the market, his entire body tensed as he sensed an aura that radiated lust and greed, and it was quickly approaching Komugi. He flexed his body for movement, yet remained still, aware of the consequences. He felt the auras of his "guards" spike, all of them tensing and hostility spiking. He focused all of his en on the encounter taking place.
"Hey, you blind?"
Freezing in the street at the male voice, she turned in the direction of the question. "Yes...?"
She felt him approach, and felt fear trickling into her bones. "Why don't you come with me and I can show you a good time.", he smirked. Taking a step back, she felt people around her continue to go about their business, despite her obvious fear and discomfort with the man in front of her.
"N-no thank you.."
"Come on it will be fun! I'm sure you will appreciate some pleasure in that sad, dark life of yours. Just come on-"
A sharp crack broke through the air and the man cried out. She sensed all movement seize around her and her heart plummeted to her stomach.
Oh no...
Meruem had reached Komugi in seconds as the man had reached for her, and was currently tightly grasping his already broken arm. Blood lust visibly oozed off of him as every ounce of his restraint was put into not taking off his head right then. He felt Komugi shivering behind him, only fueling his anger. The man's face had completely drained of color as he took in Meruem's warped appearance and the surrounding sinister aura. Screams broke out around them as people climbed over each other to escape his presence, still having not moved from squeezing the man's arm.
His eyes narrowed to slits, the expression alone on his face made every ounce of lust and pleasure drain entirely from the man's life. Lips spread into a menacing, mocking smile, he showcased his now sharpened teeth.
"Try that again. I have been craving human flesh lately"
A soft touch on his arm made him let go, and he turned to Komugi with tears streaming down her face.
"Meruem, please. You are scaring me."
The anger flooding out of him and forgotten, he looked around. People were scrambling to get away from his grotesque body and menacing aura, trampling children in order to get away. He felt the hunters closing in quickly, likely to attempt to restrain him. The man he had threatened now lay in a heap on the ground, passed out with a limp arm hanging to the side. His mind began to catch up to his actions, and he realized the seriousness of the situation. This incident would be an excuse to take Komugi away and loose his privilege, since he showcased "violent behavior".
Quickly yet gently scooping Komugi into his arms, he took off as fast as he could go while carrying Komugi, racing back to the house just as the hunters arrived. When he reached the door he placed her down and opened the door, then promptly took off to the woods, his prompt departure causing pleas to spill from Komugi. He raced to the cave he seemed solace in on his rare permitted walks in the woods, and slithered into the darkest corner. As his mind caught up to him, his head drooped as he recalled the fear he had placed in Komugi. She was almost guaranteed to be taken away from him now, and he was likely to be put back on trial--the zodiacs would not be forgiving this time. However, he worried for Komugi. Where would she go? Back to her family? She did not talk about them often, but when she did, it was often in a negative context. He had put together pieces that they had been the ones who had planted the seed of her constant self-deprecation, which he had to constantly refute. The situation made him fall into despair of the prospect of never seeing her again.
He could sense the hunters attempting to locate him, yet he had long since concealed himself. Leaning against the wall, his mind went blank.
He did not know how long he sat there before he heard the tell-tale signs of sniffling.
How did I not notice her?
Quickly sitting up, he raced to the front of the cave and took in the sight of a sopping wet and shivering Komugi.
"Komugi! What are you doing?!" Tears welled in her eyes and as she sucked in breathes. "I-I c-couldn't find y-you, b-but I knew s-sometimes y-you come to th-this cave, and I want-wanted t-to make s-sure you w-were okay." He stared at her, taking in her words. "Why in the world would you be worried for me? You know what I am."
She shook her head violently, entire for shaking. "I-I don't-t want t-them t-to take you away f-from me!", now sobbing. He approached her slowly and took her hand. "I'm so sorry Komugi. I reacted on instinct to protect you, I was not quite in control-"
He stiffened, tail shooting into the air.
Her arms wrapped tightly around him, she sobbed into his chest. He stood there, frozen. All the times he had touched her had been to guide her, that was all. For her to have initiated an intimate and vulnerable position shocked him. Yet he realized that she needed comfort, and slowly wrapped his arms around her, tail surrounding the both of them.
They stood like that for a long time, until he felt the presence of the hunters, in which he gently let go, her following suite. Slowly taking her hand, he walked closer to the entrance of the cave, the hunters coming into sight, all with nen flared and guns pointed. He instinctually moved to move in front of Komugi, but she grabbed his arm and shook her head.
"Let me handle this."
The lead hunter took aim right at Meruems head. "Explain yourself right now!"
Komugi waved her hands in front of her vigorously. "A man was attempting to take advantage of me at the market! Meruem was only protecting me!" The gun did not lower.
"The public is now aware of your presence and there is a panic! The man is hospitalized and in extreme psychological distress! Why should I not shoot?! This directly violates his sentence!"
Still standing in front of Meruem, she wrapped her hand around his. "I have complete in utter faith in his good intentions, and any of you would have done the same if a dear friend was in the same situation. Meruem's abilities make it hard for him to show the same restraint as humans, with our intended force being his normal movements. His immediate reaction to protect me should not be a cause for consequences, and the man's ill intentions caused this entire ordeal. He should be taking the blame."
A moment passed that seemed like ages before the gun lowered.
"I will take your word for it now, but I will need to confine Meruem to the cabin long enough to contact the Zodiacs and inform them of the situation. Be grateful for this."
Komugi let out a breath of relief and turned too Meruem.
"Let's go home."