Chrollo's body was numb, his ears ringing, while he was running up the stairs. His vision was blurry, he couldn't tell why. He wiped his eyes. Looked down at his hands with surprise. They were wet. He was crying ? Why would he be crying ? Why would he care ?

"Chrollo ! Wait !"

Someone was calling him. Milluki ? Maybe. Chrollo didn't stop, didn't face him. This little fat pig couldn't run as far as him. Serves him right. It was a relief. Chrollo no longer had to play the perfect brother. It had been such a bother. The shared laughters, the naive games, the genuine and unconditional trust in Milluki's eyes, and the warm, secure touch of Silva's hug… Such a bother…

It was so unfair. He was just arrived, and not only this baby were born the day after, but he was a transmuter. All his plans were falling apart. He shouldn't have brung out this flower. Its influence on birth may be real.

They made him lost his time, and it was an outrage. He wiped a tear that was running for good in his cheek. Wow, he was sure very angry. For having lost his time, yeah.

He sure had a good idea when he gave his snack to Milluki. He was so concerned about his brother...like performance that he asked the little boy what food he could eat and which were forbidden. Now he knew what was Milluki's allergy, and where were "the little phials dad takes when he goes out to work."

Now he knew where was the poison room, he knew where was the kitchen, and he knew how to run away very quickly. This family didn't need him ? Fine ! He didn't need them either ! Not like he had expected anything else anyway. It was planned all along. Everything was fake, but he was the one who faked it, right ? He tried a little laughter, but it couldn't pass through the tightness in his throat.

The last time he had cried, it was while he was earthing the puppy he and Feitan had adopted as children. Pets were a luxury in Meteor City. They were noisy, which can be dangerous when you robb as a living, requires too much care, and cost food, and above all, they could befood. They had lost sight of him and adults had found him first. It didn't remained a lot to earth, actually.

Chrollo lost his childhood this day. Not in the earth, not in the bones, not in the sense of loss. Death was nothing new to him, nothing scary, nothing sad. He had just wished they could live with the puppy a little longer. That was new. Children are excited about the future, and eager to grow up. As soon as they want to go back in time, as soon as they sight for the past, they are no children any more. They fall into youth, when you have lost everything, and nothing was offered you back yet.

It has been in the hole he dug in the trash he found the book about the seventh nen. It was everything he could have wished for. He saw it as a sign. Signs are very important when you just have lost hope.

This is how he decided his hatsu. He would find this nen, make it his own, and he would never be sad again.

It hadn't been as easy as he thought. His hatsu was special and complicated. He had needed years to perfect it. It gave him time to think about how he would make his way into the Zoldyck's mansion. He has never considered a single second to break into by force. He knew he was way too weak and clever for that. So when he saw Silva, walking alone in his city, right on his own fields, he saw another sign. He would come along, take his time, and his family. This last point was the most tricky. He had never tasted family life, he wasn't sure how to do. But why not, after all. It sounded fine when he heard about it. There were a lot of children in this family. Siblings may be amusing...And maybe he could bring Feitan along, they'd adopt a puppy, and…

"Chrollo ! Please wait !"

There were tears in Milluki's voice. This little brat was faster than he looked. And was coming from a side corridor. Where was he coming from ? Chrollo chose to ignore the twinge in his chest. He didn't care. He didn't care at all. Siblings weren't amusing after all. They'd all be dead in a few hours anyway. He ran faster, giving up on his silent walk. The sounds of his own steps calmed him. It was covering Milluki's begging voice, finally.

He was slightly out of breath when he reached the poison room door. No butler in sight. Neither Milluki. Chrollo smirked. Big mistake. He took the handle, opened the door, quick as a breath, silent as a cat, discret as a shadow, and he...

...bounced against Silva. He felt on the floor. It was like running against a wall.

They both looked at each other with stupefaction. Silva was holding an amber colored phial. Chrollo's thoughts were running all over the place. How did he manage to reach this place this far ? He was in the nursery one minute ago.

Between Silva's knees, he saw a trap door in the floor, and the top bar of a scale. A secret passage. Of course there were a secret passage. Milluki's had warned him about it. This place was a fucking labyrinth. That was how Milluki had caught up on him. Shit.

Meanwhile, Silva had recovered from his surprise: "What are you doing here ?"

Chrollo stuttered : "I hem, hum… I was looking for… em… the shower room." He felt a blush rising on his cheek. It was the lamest excuse ever.

"Good initiative. You look like a mess and I won't introduce you to the baby like this. You'd scare him. And Kikyo will be charmed to see you spruce."

Chrollo stood up and dust his bottom.

"I'd thought… she wouldn't see me at all…"

Silva pushed him back, came out of the poison room, closed carefully, and step onto the corridor, waving him to follow.

"Meteor City's customs are rude, but here, in the civilised world, it's expected to be congratulated when we have a baby. Get it ?"

"Yes mister." said Chrollo. He almost had to run to follow him. He was confused. He had something to do and it wasn't this. What was he doing ?

Silva looked back at him with a frown but didn't comment. Chrollo had a sudden flash of understanding.

"Congratulation, sir !" he shouted.

"Finally !" said Silva with an amused tone. "For someone who learn so fast, you're sometimes oddly slow. Here is the shower" he said opening a door. "I'll brought you clean clothes. You can no longer roam around in this rags."

Silva closed the door behind him, leaving the child alone, confused, and a little offended about the comment on his favorite shirt.

He looked around. The Zoldyck family was sure rich. There were a bathtub and a shower in there. Wow.

Chrollo only had heard about showers. He heard it was even better than splashing yourself. Chrollo liked that, splashing. He squatted in the basin, rinsing with the tin can, and he was so enthusiastic he always spread water everywhere. The basin got half empty and the water started to get cold, and the game started, the game of "how long can I stay in the water before the cold becomes unbearable", and when he started to shiver, he jumped out the basin and ran to his clothes on a scream, and he put them on all damp.

He liked to wash with his friends, because they all did that, even Franklin who was way too tall to squat in his basin, even Feitan who never screamed otherwise. Chrollo liked to think it was a secret, a secret between all the poor children, who can't afford a shower, all over the world.

He had a secret with the Zoldyck. The secret of the seventh nen. Families are made of secrets.

He belonged here, no matter what they thought.

He took his sweet time under the shower. It was indeed very pleasant. There were many little soaps that smelled so good he wanted to eat them. When he finished, he wrapped himself in a towel, looked for his clothes, couldn't see them, ran to the door and bounced against Silva. Again. It was already irritating enough if Silva wasn't showing his amusement.

"You take so much time in there. You sure like to doll yourself up. Why are you on the floor again ? Is it for style ?"

"I didn't mean it" groaned Chrollo as he stood up. He'd rather change the subject. "My clothes are no longer here." He didn't mean to take an accusing tone, but it uttered itself.

"My butler took them to the launderette. Don't worry, he will bring them back. We are not thieves." Chrollo pretended he didn't note the emphasis. "You didn't feel his presence ?"

Chrollo had to admit he didn't, for his shame.

"So you have to train more. A true Zoldyck must sense any tiniest aura." The words were harsh but the tone caring. Chrollo felt himself standing straight, squaring his jaws : "I'll make you proud !"

Silva snorted and ruffled his hair. "I'm sure you will, but for now, put these decent clothes on, and… not here, for fucking sake, there is a room for it..." Chrollo heard him muttered for himself : "Meteorians. They can't give hugs but they get in the buff in front of whoever…"

Chrollo pushed the dressing room door. There is an entire room just to change clothes ? Rich people are so weird. A Meteorian could rise a family in this useless room. This suddenly give Chrollo an idea.

"How many children do you and lady Kikyo want ?" he shouted through the door.

The question may have surprised Silva, because he took a couple of seconds before answering.

"I don't know. As many as will come. As many as Kikyo will accept to carry. And you, how many siblings do you want ?"

The answer gushed out from the dressing room in the same time of Chrollo : "Twelve !"

Silva looked at him with surprise : "Twelve ? That's… a lot. I'm not sure Kikyo would accept. Neither do I, to be honest. You look sure of your answer. Is it something you already thought about ?"

"Of course !" shouted Chrollo excitedly as he was combing his hair. "Twelve is a perfect number ! We can make teams of two, three, four or six. It small enough to everybody to learn to know each other, but large enough to pair with someone we have affinities with. Knowing there is sev… six nens it's reasonable to think each nen type will be present at least once. It enhances siblings potential. And I'll be the thirteenth and will watch over all the other ones."

Chrollo looked at his reflection. He never had a proper haircut and wasn't satisfied with what he was seeing. He could see in the mirror Silva's embarrassed smile.

"You talk about it like it's a gang."

Chrollo spined over to face him : "Of course not ! Power balance is way too different !"

"...Sorry ?"

"Gangs often choose a strong and defined hierarchy." explained Chrollo, facing the mirror again and trying to part his hair properly. "It protects the head and gang stability. I disapprove. Gang power is more important than head's power. Rigidity is a poor survival strategy. Moreover, who gains power will only seek for more power. In a family, power is hold by parents. No one would try to become his siblings' parents. If a sibling dies, another replace, without crisis or adaptation time."

Silva rolled up his eyes. Chrollo couldn't tell why.

"How comes you had to think about survival strategy at your young age. And how comes you can't do your hair ? Gimme this." he said clicking his tongue just like Kikyo and taking the comb off Chrollo's hand.

He took a little pot of hair gel and slicked the little boy's hair back. "Here. Don't try fanciful things. You look correct like this." He gave the boy a second look. "Actually, it even looks good on you."

Chrollo touched his hair carefully. The sensation of perfectly combed hair was new to him, but pleasant, and he liked hearing Silva's comment about his look. "Can I visit lady Kikyo and the baby now ?"

"I suppose" shrugged Silva.

He lead him to Kikyo's room. The whole family was here. Illumi was holding the baby and couldn't take his eyes out of him. Milluki was slumped on his mother's bed. He glanced at Chrollo, then looked away when he met his eyes. He asked his mother why the baby was so ugly.

Chrollo kissed Kikyo's hand and congratulated her. Silva asked him if he wanted to hold the baby. Chrollo panicked for a second and declined.

"Come on Chrollo" said Kikyo with a tired voice. "Don't be so shy. The baby must learn your smell."

"He said he didn't want" said Illumi, holding the baby tighter.

"Let Killua go, Illumi" replied Kikyo. "You hold him for an hour."

Obviously reluctant, Illumi gave the baby to Chrollo, deluging him with a million recommendations about how holding him.

It was the first time Chrollo saw a living baby. Those who were abandoned in the landfill weren't always found on time. He carefully rocked him. The baby sighed, moving his little fists.

"He's cute !" said Chrollo with a bright smile, as he just discovered the most important thing in the world. Milluki shrugged and left the room. Chrollo suddenly had an unpleasant feeling, like he had done something he shouldn't. He was feeling like following Milluki and spend time with him, even if he couldn't tell why it was suddenly so important.

"Don't bother about him" said Silva as if he was reading in his mind. "He's going to sulk a little and then come back. Moreover, I have a mission for you" he said taking Killua off Chrollo's arms, and giving him back to Kikyo, ignoring Illumi reaching out hands.

Chrollo followed him out of the room,very excited. A mission ? A Zoldyck mission ? Already ?

Silva took out of his pocket the little phial Chrollo already had seen in his hand when he left the poison room. "You said you were pretty skilled when it comes to poisons and toxic substances. Could you recognize this one ?"

Chrollo took the phial. "The glass is colored. Is it light-sensitive ?"

"Exactly."

"I have to recognize it without opening the phial ?" guessed Chrollo. It was a test, obviously. He looked through the glass, swinging the phial, observing the viscosity, sniffing the cork. "Hum… No smell, and something both light-sensitive and so liquid, sorry, but I can't tell." he admitted, very disappointed by himself.

Silva smiled. "I would have been very impressed and surprised if you could. I just wanted to verify something. Don't make this face. It is not your mission."

Chrollo blinked. Silva explained : "You see how Milluki is feeling right now. He's jealous of the baby. You heard him, he says he's ugly. He's no longer the youngest, he has to learn to be a big brother, to get new bearings with you, and he had heard a conversation with… hem… a family friend and took it the wrong way. He'll need a lot of attention, but the baby is already draining us. I count on you for this. Spend as much time as possible with him."

Silva took the poison phial back in his pocket and put his hand on the little boy shoulder, who looked up at him with a new feeling of pride and trust. Silva smiled back at him, and said, with a paternal voice :

"I want Milluki to love you very, very much."