Chapter Five
Dinner and Dancing
Melody follows Chrollo inside the cabin, eying him with suspicion.
"How long have you two been friends?" Queen Oito points at Kurapika and Chrollo.
Kurapika chokes. A killing aura begins to emerge from his body.
"Oh, Kura and I have known each other for about a year," Chrollo says, ignoring the fury on Kurapika's face.
Kura?! Kurapika wants to murder him right here, right now.
Leorio takes a step closer to his friend, and, mercifully, Prince Woble claps her hands. She leans as far as she can towards Kurapika.
He smiles, the first genuine smile Chrollo has seen from the sole surviving Kurta, and pulls the baby from Leorio's arms.
"Woble's particularly fond of Kurapika," Oito says.
"I see," says Chrollo. There's something odd about seeing the chain user laughing and playing peek-a-boo with the child in his arms. It's almost endearing.
"What is your name?" Oito inquires.
"Chrollo," he says, avoiding the last name, just in case she's heard of it.
He knows much of this Queen Oito. A newcomer in the Kakin king's harem. Someone scheming from birth, but rich and spoiled enough to become a queen instead of a thief.
"Chrollo Lucilfer, I presume?" Oito's gaze pities him.
"Yes." Chrollo is not fond of pity, although it can be useful.
She waves him further in, where Leorio, Alluka, and Kurapika sit on the floor. Kurapika tries to hand Woble to the queen, but the baby clings to him.
"Do you mind holding her?" Oito laughs.
"Not at all." Kurapika kisses Woble's forehead.
"I used to hate the Phantom Troupe, once," says Oito.
"You'll have to get in line," Chrollo replies, sitting across from Kurapika, who shoots him a glare.
Woble begins to cry, and Kurapika immediately shifts his attention back to the prince, who enjoys tugging on his blonde locks.
"It was a silly reason. You stole the jewels I meant to wear on my wedding." Oito shakes her head. "I was a vapid girl."
Chrollo was not expecting such honestly. "I see."
Oito presses her mouth into a thin smile. "I heard what your Troupe did during the Ant crisis. I heard what you do for Meteor City. My grudge is too foolish to bear. If possible – providing Woble and I survive – I'd like to send aid to Meteor City. Would you be able to place me in contact with those who could help?"
Chrollo stares at her. "I beg your pardon?"
"He wasn't involved in the Ant crisis," Kurapika says quickly.
"Oh?" Oito looks confused.
"I mean…he was recovering from an injury," Kurapika adds with a grimace.
Chrollo was not expecting the chain user to have any shame, but apparently before this gentle queen, he does. "I can, but you're not likely to find any contacts who don't dabble in the underworld."
"Is the underworld any seedier than a succession contest?" Oito flicks back a curl.
And Chrollo sees in her eyes a person who truly is not what he thought. Perhaps someone who has changed. He's not sure if he feels frightened or confused, but he knows he feels grateful. "Then I will be in touch."
Leorio sends Kurapika a confused face. He leans over to whisper in his friend's ear. "This guy doesn't seem all bad."
"He is," Kurapika replies, but even he recognizes that his words are a lie.
"You're certainly not what I anticipated," Chrollo admits to Oito as they sip simple soup. He feels Kurapika's eyes follow his every twitch.
"Oh?" Oito shrugs. "Well, I have my daughter to thank for that. After her birth…I saw people differently. Maybe it's nen. Maybe it's just human relationships and hearts."
"I hope everyone finds a Woble…even you, sir. Not a child, but someone who catalyzes a meaningful change in your life." Oito breaks into a smile, and Chrollo realizes she knows exactly whom he is.
"Kil – Killua – " Illumi corrects himself, because a nickname change is not something even he will pick a fight over, "shall we get dinner together?"
"Are you gonna make me kill and skin something myself again?" Killua jests.
"Not unless you can find something besides the rats aboard." Illumi's expression is almost happy. He recalls squatting besides his little brother, teaching him how to cut his kills. And even further back, cutting up food for Killua to eat, until Mom and Dad discovered and corrected him. Killua needed to be allowed to hurt himself, so he would learn how to handle knives from an early age.
But the first few times he copied all of Killua's cuts on his own hands. To show Killua how to handle the pain. He'd rub their blood together and tell Killua it would be all right because they were blood brothers.
That was from a magazine Milluki had snuck into home. Illumi was often afraid to disobey, and so he had never read an illegal magazine on his own, but Milluki had told him about blood brothers, and curiosity had gotten the better of Illumi.
"What are you thinking about?" Killua's voice interrupts his thoughts.
"I'm just glad to have you back." Illumi nods.
Killua gulps. He should be grateful for Illumi's arm around him, be grateful because he can use Illumi's feelings to stop his self-destruction. But all he feels is trapped. "Of course. Let's go."
He and Illumi step outside the cabin to see Gon waiting there. Killua furrows his brow.
"What is he doing here?" Disappointment flickers across Illumi's face, only to be replaced with his usual passive mask.
"I actually don't know," Killua says in frustration. "I thought you were watching – uh!"
"So Alluka is here?" Illumi taps his fingers together. Fascinating. But if stealing her powers means hurting Killua, he won't mind going without.
"I left her with Leorio and Melody. She's safer there anyways. From him, too." Gon glares at Illumi. "And I wanted to be with you and make sure you were okay, Killua."
He wants to be with nen users and hunters, even if he can't anymore.
Killua scowls. "If Kurapika did his unsavory job, you should have done yours."
"See, these are why friends are bad for you," Illumi says.
Gon wilts. "I know."
"Shut up, Illumi." Killua hugs his friend as his brother now wilts. "I know, Gon. It's okay."
"Really?" Gon smiles tentatively. He's not sure he could handle Killua truly being angry for an extended period of time.
"Really."
"Are all of your friends here?" Illumi tries not to show his distaste. Forgiveness? Without consequences? Hogwash.
"Yes – I couldn't try to help you alone," Killua confesses.
"You can do anything alone." Illumi echoes Grandpa Zeno.
"I didn't want to, then."
"You family should be all you want." Illumi had thought Killua had finally grasped this. "Goodness, Kil."
"It's Killua," he snaps, finally breaking. Because hugging Gon is a million, no, a trillion times more happy than hugging Illumi. "Friends are family, too! They help when your idiot brother decides it's fun to slaughter his fiancé."
Illumi blinks. "Idiot?"
"Oh my god, that's the one word you heard?" Killua stomps his foot. All the angst inside him bubbles up. All the threats against Alluka and Gon, forcing him to murder during the Hunter Exam. "Forget it. We're not having dinner. You – you're too stubborn to change!"
"You never needed to change, Killua. I would have told you if you did." Illumi looks confused. Maybe it's a defense mechanism. Maybe he truly doesn't want to understand.
"Gon, I want to go find Kalluto," Killua says through his teeth.
"Very well." Illumi watches them go. Watches his brother abandon him for that brat again. Killua changed when he met Gon, and Illumi would do anything to change him back.
He'd even ask Alluka, a thought that unsettles him.
"Wait." Killua grabs Gon's hand. Tears burn in his eyes. He can't believe he lost control – why is being around Illumi so difficult?
He turns around. "Illumi!"
"We're not getting dinner tonight, but I'm not giving up on you." Killua pauses. "Like you never gave up on me."
He and Gon leave a baffled Illumi staring after them.
"You can stay in Kurapika's room tonight, lest your cabin be a danger," Oito says after they've finished dinner. "Though I will require that, should Woble be attacked, you assist me."
"Gladly," Chrollo says as the blood drains from Kurapika's face.
Melody shakes her head at Leorio as she yanks out her flute.
Kurapika wants to slam his hands over his ears, even for music as lovely as Melody's, because he doesn't want to be calm. He wants to stop these lies, the lie that Chrollo Lucilfer can be anything but scum. He wants to remember the eyes of his clan, but he can't, because now all he sees is bloody holes, lines with torn tissue and nerves dangling out and it's horrible – it's so unfair –
"I know this song!" Alluka announces. She slips over to Kurapika and pats his shoulder. "I need a partner."
Kurapika melts a little. Alluka is here. Gon and KIllua are off somewhere. Leorio is with him, and even Melody is trying to help.
All he really has to do is tell Oito and Chrollo will be gone.
Though – he realizes with a start – if she knows of the Troupe, she surely knows of their massacre in Yorknew City at the very least. Even someone as kind and wise as the queen doesn't feel the weight of people she never knew. Like Baise, like Ivlenkov, like Tocino, and Squala, and Dalzollene.
Kurapika wants to cry at humanity as a whole, but he settles for handing Woble to Oito and swaying with Alluka in his arms.
"Psshh, such simple dancing." Leorio struggles to his feet and proceeds to flail about wildly.
Kurapika can't help but burst into laughter. He hears another chuckle echo alongside his, and to his discomfort, it's Chrollo's.
"We'll show you how it's done, Leorio." Kurapika nods at Alluka, who levitates and begins to spin in the air.
Chrollo watches her with fascination, until he realizes that, despite her suspension in air, she's just copying. The real dancer is actually Kurapika, and he's mesmerizingly graceful.
Melody finishes her flute and claps.
Kurapika bows to Alluka first, then the queen and prince. He sits back down, a blush on his face.
"I didn't know you could dance," Leorio says with a huff.
"Everyone in my clan learned." He used to swing Pairo around, much like Alluka.
"Your clan! Do you know any traditional dances?" Oito inquires merrily.
Kurapika inhales. Of course he does – but he'd rather not dance with Chrollo present.
Then again, maybe he'll show Chrollo another shard of what he destroyed.
"Teach us," begs Alluka.
"Okay." Kurapika rises and closes his eyes. He can hear the drumbeats and the tribal flutes playing. Feel the rhythm through the dirt, see Mom and Dad laughing in the firelight as he spins around and around –
He hasn't danced this dance in years, but he feels it now, and his feet know exactly where to move. Despite all he's lost, he still has this dance.
Kurapika stops, breathless. His heart races, and his face is flushed.
"Bravo!" Leorio claps.
"So beautiful," gasps Oito.
"Please teach us," Alluka repeats.
Chrollo remains seated as the rest of the room climbs to their feet. Even Melody places her flute down.
Kurapika approaches him, glaring down. "You too."
Chrollo smiles, almost sadly. He can see what Kurapika intends, but for beauty and learning, he doesn't quite mind a guilt trip.
"Use your left foot first," Kurapika commands. Chrollo watches the chain user's fingers tap to a song that will forever only be heard inside his head.
"You're good, Mr. Chrollo." Alluka giggles.
Kurapika wrinkles his nose. Chrollo has mastered a dance he took months to learn in a few minutes. And the Phantom Troupe leader is smiling, as if enjoying his graceful spins and leaps, as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Is there any justice in this world?
Chrollo pauses, stopping straight in Kurapika's face. His heart still beats to the rhythm, and for a moment, he felt as if he and Kurapika were connected, through nen or God or souls or whatever, and he too could hear the music.
"Go away, go away, never come back another day," Kalluto calls out upon hearing Killua's knock.
Killua easily picks the lock. He enters with Gon instead of Illumi. "You know, for someone supposed to be hunting Hisoka, you sure do spend a lot of time emo in your room."
"I was just eating ice cream with my friends," Kalluto shoots back. "How is that emo?"
Killua is relieved. "Ice cream? I'm glad."
"Where's Illumi?" Kalluto tosses out.
"Off determined to kill his fiancé," Gon says.
Kalluto scoffs. "Of course. I was stupid to think he would change. Or care about anyone besides Killua."
"He cares about you," Killua says quickly. "But you've always been more obedient."
"I don't care." Kalluto lounges back on his bed.
"You're practically crying," Gon observes.
"Shut up!" Kalluto hates that Killua and Alluka and Illumi are all here and he feels lonelier than ever.
"Well, I won't shut up, because I have a plan and I need your help," Killua presses. "You're an integral part of making this work."
"Plan?" Kalluto waits. He, frankly, is too trapped in prepubescent angst to believe that he's an integral part of anything.
"What's Illumi's one weakness?" Killua holds up his finger.
"Family," Gon says, at the same time Kalluto says, "You."
"Okay, close enough." Killua sighs. "So we have to turn Hisoka into Illumi's weakness."
"Huh?" Gon rubs his forehead. Kalluto, however, stares at his brother.
"It's simple." Killua rubs his hands together. "We need to find a way to marry Hisoka and Illumi without them knowing."
"We'll start investigating the captain and others tomorrow," Kurapika says. They're alone at last. Alluka and Leorio are in their respective restrooms, and Chrollo is making himself comfortable on the floor. His coat, though still damp, makes a lovely pillow.
Like he owns the place. Kurapika looks like he just ate a lemon.
"You? Or your friends?" Chrollo asks.
"Does it matter?" Kurapika has a feeling Gon's going to force him to do this, but that doesn't mean he's not going to try to weasel out.
"No, I suppose it doesn't." Chrollo smiles slightly. "On another subject, I will not teach anyone your dance."
Kurapika stiffens. Does this mean – no, surely the Spider just means that his people mean so little it's not worth teaching.
"I just thought I would tell you," Chrollo adds. He's not sure why he's still talking. Or why he wants Kurapika to know – it's like he wants to comfort him in some small way.
Besides, he assures himself, more trust will allow him to be closer to the Zoldyck girl.
"Good," Kurapika manages, because like hell will he say thank you.
The two young men stare at each other, each afraid to speak more.
The door opens, and Chrollo breathes a sigh of relief.
"What is he doing here?" Gon wrinkles his nose, and Chrollo has to laugh.
