Chapter Twelve

Horizon

"Illumi, what are you doing here again?" Kurapika frowns as the assassin enters the Queen's chambers.

"Giving you another chance to rest. Captain's orders." Illumi waves his long fingers. "Go sleep or train or whatever it is you do."

"I suppose you wouldn't know rest," Kurapika jabs.

"Rest is for the dead." And usually not the newlywed, but Hisoka won't even give Illumi that, and Illumi is growing more despondent by the day.

There's no love for him, anywhere, is there?

Kurapika hesitates, but Oito points to the door. "Go, Kurapika. You're a faithful bodyguard, but I'd also have you be an alert one."

Kurapika has to laugh as he stumbles back into his quarters. These last few days have been exhausting.

His phone buzzes the second he lies down. As if on cue.

Come to my cabin. I have a gift for you. – Chrollo

A death contract? Kurapika types back. Ugh, why was he happy to give his number to Chrollo?

Why on earth would I give you what you want?

Kurapika can't argue with that. He struggles off his cot and shuffles to Chrollo's room.

He passes Machi in the corridor. She narrows her eyes at him, but continues on her way without incident.

The door is unlocked, but there's no Chrollo to be seen. Kurapika instinctively summons his chains.

There's a soft red glow in the corner. Kurapika steps closer, and his blood promptly freezes.

An ornate glass container, housing two eyes that stare back at him.

A cry emerges from Kurapika's lips as he stumbles forward to grab the capsule. So, the Spiders did raid the Prince's storage, and yet…this is his? He won't have to threaten and maim anyone?

Kurapika examines them closer, and tears fill his eyes.

There's a defect in the left eye. A brown triangle.

Just like Pairo's.

"Why?" Kurapika's hands shake.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you noticed my presence." Chrollo steps out from the closet with a sigh.

"What did you do – how?" Kurapika clutches the glass case. He sinks to his knees and fails to suppress a sob. "The dark fleck – these are Pairo's eyes."

Chrollo swallows. Any response he gives in this moment will be lame. "I wish I'd gotten a chance to know him."

Kurapika starts. This is the closest Chrollo has ever come to an apology. To regret. "Really?"

"I don't say words I don't mean." Chrollo feels inadequate, no, beyond inadequate. He caused this, he hurt Pairo and Kurapika, and all he can do is retrieve one pair of eyes.

Kurapika raises his eyes to Chrollo's. "Thank you."

"It's not much, is it, Kura?" Chrollo sighs.

Kurapika holds the eyes to his chest, as if he's able to embrace Pairo again. Pairo, Pairo, everything Kurapika will ever do in life won't amount for failing Pairo while he was alive. But the least he can do is bury these eyes. Even though it isn't much on his part, either.

"When this is over – I can help you. Retrieve the eyes. I know I don't deserve to help, but this is too much for you to go alone." Chrollo waits.

"I've been alone since the massacre." Kurapika wipes his eyes. His voice is small.

"No, you haven't. What of Gon, of Leorio and Killua?" Chrollo squats besides Kurapika. "They'll always help you." He laughs sadly. "And you're not even alone right now, though you may wish to be."

"I don't." Kurapika grips Chrollo's hand. "Thank you."

The Spider tries to control his heartbeat. How the hell has the chain user wiggled so far into his feelings?

Kurapika places the eyes down and points at the fleck. "This made Pairo feel like an outsider even among us Kurta sometimes. Even before he was crippled. And then we went outside, and we were still outsiders in the outside."

"People are cruel," Chrollo remarks. He forces himself to admit further, to zero in on the truth like a target to kill or a treasure to seek. "I am cruel."

"You're not right now." Kurapika laughs through his tears. "I'm grateful."

"With a response like that, maybe you can be the righteous soul you fancy yourself." Chrollo nudges Kurapika with his elbow.

"When you said you were surprised at who I was, what did you mean?" Kurapika bursts out.

Chrollo frowns. When… Oh, yes. "You mean when you kidnapped me?"

"Yes." Pink haunts Kurapika's cheeks.

"I thought you were a girl, if you recall." Chrollo dips his head, a faint smile on his lips. "Because I was taken aback by how beautiful you were."

"Would you have preferred me to be a woman?" Kurapika doesn't know why he's asking these stupid questions, but he can't stop.

"I prefer you as you are," Chrollo answers instead.

Kurapika laughs, just slightly.

"What's funny?" Chrollo leans forward. His face is dangerously close to Kurapika.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Kurapika likes this feeling. Control.

Chrollo sounds insulted. "That's something Hisoka would do, not me. I have class."

"Oh?" Kurapika eyes him. "You, thief and murderer?"

"You? Vengeful and grief-driven?" Chrollo tosses back.

At that barb of truth, Kurapika leaps forward and latches his lips onto Chrollo's. His dazzling enemy tastes like the horizon.

Chrollo pulls back in shock, because the world is rarely this kind. He stares at him. "Kura."

Kurapika interrupts him with another kiss. He wants to find it, this horizon he's chasing, this echo of freedom.

And Chrollo kisses him back, seeking the safe embrace of forgiveness and the shimmer of hope.

They kiss until blood pounds in their ears and roars in their chests, and Kurapika squeaks as he tumbles backwards, pulling Chrollo with him.

"What's wrong?" Chrollo asks anxiously.

"Nothing," Kurapika pants.

"Then don't stop." Chrollo kisses Kurapika's neck, and the Kurta chuckles at the tickling sensation.

Kurapika feels Chrollo's hands caress down his sides as he digs his lips back into his. He places his hand over Chrollo's, stopping him again.

"Am I too forward, Kura?" Chrollo grins impishly, to cover how vulnerable he really feels.

"I want to," Kurapika says impulsively, because what has care ever gotten him?

Chrollo, though surprised, nods. He pulls Kura after him, sinks onto his bed and allows the Kurta to lie atop him. And he really doesn't mind giving up control tonight. His blood sings like the wind whistling through the trees.

Kurapika stutters at the bulge inside Chrollo's trousers.

Chrollo regards him with a slight smile before moving Kura's hand under his coat and into his pants.

Kurapika inhales as his hands explore deeper. Chrollo pulls off his coat, exposing the spider tattoo directly over his heart.

He's stunned when Kurapika bends over to suck his inked skin. Reclaiming the symbol he's for so long associated with death.

Kurapika hopes this is okay. He's heard people do this, at least. He imagines Chrollo has had many lovers, whereas Kurapika has never touched a man or woman. When he looks up to check, Chrollo's eyes are shining with delight.

Kurapika straightens to pull off his tunic, then his shirt. Chrollo's fingers trace his slender chest, and he sighs with sensations that creep over him like a thousand spiders.

"You can take off my pants," Chrollo whispers. He should be exposed first. It's only right.

Kurapika shakes and sweats at the sight of Chrollo. He fumbles with his own trowsers, though his first insincts are still to cover himself with his hands. Because he's never been this close to another person. Neither physically nor emotionally.

Chrollo touches his hands with a reverent finger, and Kurapika once more decides that, at least for tonight, he wants to trust Chrollo. He releases his hands and blushes at his excitement.

Chrollo's hands wander to grip his hips. "Do you want to go all the way?"

Kurapika nods. He wants everything. He wants to drown in Chrollo and be free.

He clutches Chrollo's hair as Chrollo joins their bodies and moves in rhythm.

Tears fill his eyes, but he feels happy, almost delirious. Like the past has fallen away with the sun, and for tonight, he can enjoy a life with Chrollo. And so Kurapika releases himself, crying out his former enemy's name as he releases himself into his lover's arms, as he feels Chrollo moving inside him and whimpering his nickname, Kura, Kura, Kura.

A short chapter, but there's a lengthy fallout to come. :P