Our love is pushing out and pulling in
Just like a rising and falling chest that's barely breathing
And did you ever wonder
About the dread on my tongue?
The blood in my lungs?
All I did was suffer
Why couldn't we just say
(You took my heart)
You took my heaven away
(Heaven – PVRIS)
On the vanity, lay a note and a bottle. Pinot Noir. Kurapika's favorite, though he had never told Chrollo this fact.
Relax today, Blondie. I'll come by tonight.
The bastard, he probably has done this kidnapping and manipulation technique countless times before. The gifts, the notes, the charm, everything. Why else would Machi call him a stolen good? Chrollo must have done this same thing to her. Although Kurapika always suspected it from the start, for some reason he had recently come to believe things were different for him. The thought of Chrollo being with Machi for some reason, made his stomach twist a knot and his lip curl in anger, before he realized what the instant physical reaction meant for him. He wasn't jealous. No way. He didn't care about this perverted criminal whatsoever; Chrollo could sleep with whoever he wanted. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he looked towards the wine, deciding that alcohol could be a welcome distraction from his stupid, overly emotional thoughts. He couldn't deny that he did really enjoy Pinot Noir. Kurapika reasoned he just needed to escape from the confines of a sober brain into a cloudy buzz of alcohol, to maybe gain a different perspective. Yes, he convinced himself, that's exactly what he needed. He poured himself a glass with shaky hands, the red liquid spilling up on the sides of crystal before settling on the bottom of the cup.
Yes, he needed a distraction from the intrusive thoughts of Chrollo and Machi. Looking throughout his room he saw the Meteor City novel on the nightstand, and settled down into the crisp white sheets of the bed with his wine and book. His eyes scanned the pages, taking in more of this Marcus Delucio guy's story.
With Lucy's murder, life didn't get any easier. We missed my sister dearly, and the stress took its toll on our mother as her illness grew worse. Father's face seemed to age more quickly by the day, he now wore a constant expression of worry, and bags constantly lined his under eyes.
Despite the dire consequences stealing could lead to, we were forced to do it more to fend off mother's sickness. Mother grew pale, lips cracked from dehydration, unable to get out of bed without help. We went more than two days without eating at a time to give her what little we could get with our rations, and stole whatever we could find without risking getting caught. Cough suppressants, painkillers, fresh bottled water stolen from the bag of a flunky- it was never enough. It was only a matter of weeks before she too would die an uneventful death stemming from the harsh reality of our hell hole of a city.
And so Kurapika read on the entire day, completely enthralled by Marcus's story. Marcus's father was eventually caught stealing too, and put to death by a corporate guard. Marcus's entire family had died at the hands of these evil business owners, one by one, leaving him an orphan. It was similar to Kurapika's situation. Kurapika looked down at the empty wine glass in his hands and frowned. He got up to pour some more red liquid, before returning back to the book.
Things were growing worse. With entire family gone, I was left to fend for myself- a feral child on the loose in a polluted trash jungle. I felt terribly guilty every day, wishing it was me who died that first day instead of Lucy, living with the truth that I caused her death, leading to the subsequent death of my parents. I tried to stay on my own as long as I could, but the flunkies captured me and put me in the sorry excuse for a home they put all the orphans- and there were a lot of them.
We were all underfed, lonely, overworked, slaves to the system, but at least I was able to meet other children. I banded together with four other kids, and when we were alone we'd make fun of the flunkies and talk about all the things we wish we could do to them, how we wish we could be the ones yelling at them to work harder and clean faster.
My orphan buddies and I got so good at stealing we were able to hoard entire freeze dried meals and toys underneath our beds to play with at night. Although, one time, we got carried away and were a bit too loud playing at night, receiving several beatings as punishment.
It was that night that with our tears and bruised bodies we started planning our escape. We swore to each other we'd get out of this place one day, and cause harm to these corporate assholes. But the flunkies weren't about to let us make bonds so easily. They started to give incentives to turn against each other, giving extra food and desserts to those who found thieves. I quickly found out who my friends were, and who was weak, sold out to the flunky's games. I was severely beaten, even breaking an arm, several times. Other children caught stealing weren't so lucky. Some were even killed for getting caught stealing more than five times, including some of my friends. The sadistic flunkies would often get carried away with their punishments.
Kurapika, on his third glass of wine, began to tear up. He didn't know if it was the alcohol buzzing into his thoughts, drowning him in catharsis, or if the story itself was truly profound, but he never related to something so much in his life. He knew exactly what it was like to lose your family and friends to selfish, greedy, evil people, and survive alone, regretting everything you have ever done leading up to the moment they were taken from you.
And like that, he read on, as Marcus's escape story unfolded. He and his buddies, finally as teenagers eventually killed the orphanage employees with shivs and stolen knives and made a break for it. They stole keys off of one of the dead bodies to a car and hopped in to make their escape. Not even knowing how to drive, they did their best, hitting poles and trash cans along the way. They plowed through the chain link fence and they were home free.
Kurapika had been reading for hours now, and was now fully inebriated. With a flick of this thumb, he turned to the final page of the novel.
Constantly being met with the stabbing pain of loss really hardens you to the world. We were forced to learn to let go quickly, for life is too short and fragile to stay lost in the past. Venturing out into the real world with my friends we had no idea what awaited us next. All we knew was that we had no respect for the outside world or anyone in it- they were all full of greed, ignorance, and complacency. After all, they had turned their backs on Meteor City years ago, and had allowed the horrors that take place there to continue this entire time. We will not allow anything more to be taken from us. We will not yield. We will take anything and everything back from this world.
The last paragraph was a sentence long, with words that burned deep into Kurapika's mind.
We reject no one, so take nothing from us.
After Kurapika closed the book he took a deep breath, on the verge of tears. The wine bottle was empty now, but Kurapika himself was filled with too many emotions. Marcus's outlook on the world was absolutely fascinating. He saw people raised outside Meteor as little more than insects; pawns and allies of the terrible system that put people in Meteor in the first place. Someone raised in such harsh brutality would of course find the average person's day-to-day struggle trivial in comparison.
It was too bad that the story was only fiction, as he would have liked to talk to Marcus in person, and help him take back and take down the evil people that ruined his childhood. If there was anyone who understood that desire, it was Kurapika.
Kurapika tried to get up off the bed to put the book back on the shelf but was immediately hit with a wave of dizziness, and had to collect himself before slowly standing up. Stumbling to the other side of the room he somehow managed not to fall down and completed his task. Boy, was he drunk.
In the bathroom sink he poured himself a glass of water before he locked eyes with the guy in the mirror, and realized that he was still in his pajamas. His next action was to pull on a long sleeved striped shirt and black, form fitting trousers, finally getting dressed for the day with clothes Chrollo had gifted him.
Chrollo.
Chrollo, the man who would soon chew him up and spit him out like used gum, seeing him as nothing more than a stolen good. Kurapika couldn't stop thinking about how much he would like to punch him right now. First Machi, now him, too? Hell, maybe he was fucking all of his slaves.
As he finished buttoning those dark trousers, as if on cue, there was a knock at his door. Kurapika, who was angry, drunk, and practically seeing double just yelled, "Go away!"
To which, naturally, the door opened anyway. Kurapika cursed the absence of a lock on his door. If it's that bastard, I swear to god...
As soon as he caught sight of the familiar dark hair the adrenaline hit, giving the temporary coordination needed to pounce on his target. He grabbed Chrollo's tie with one hand and yanked it down until they were eye level, his red eyes flashing with rage.
"Woah, blondie," Chrollo's shocked wide eyes held an expression of feigned innocence that Kurapika wanted to claw off his face. "I know you're happy to see me, but let's at least get to the bed first," he said, teasing.
Kurapika obliged by yanking harshly again on the tie, this time dragging Chrollo behind him. With a turn of his heel he roughly shoved Chrollo on top of the mattress and climbed on top of him, pinning his wrists down- the fabric of Chrollo's suit and tie now torn around the neck.
Chrollo let out a grunt of surprise as Kurapika tackled him before his expression turned to amusement. "I didn't know you were into this sort of rough play."
"Shut up." Kurapika squeezed on his wrists until he was sure it would hurt. He leaned in close, sending Chrollo his deadliest glare before he spoke again. "You... sick bastard. You fuck all of them, don't you? This is how you get them to join you. You manipulate, charm and fuck them until they're all obsessed with you, and then they join your troupe like a cult, you monster."
Blinking at the sudden outburst, a beat passed before the infuriating asshole started to laugh. A low, hearty chuckle broke the silence. This further provoked Kurapika, who dug his nails into Chrollo's flesh, drawing blood. He took both the wrists in his left hand and with the right reached down to Chrollo's neck, putting him in a chokehold. For whatever reason, Chrollo did not attempt to stop him, allowing Kurapika to pin him down.
"Stop laughing," Kurapika hissed in his face, leaning in.
After a few seconds Chrollo's laughter died down and he made eye contact again. "You're drunk."
"I'll kill you if you don't answer my question." Kurapika threateningly dug his nails in to his neck, drawing blood. He was not bluffing, he would gladly end the man underneath him. Chrollo was visibly struggling to breathe now, squirming underneath Kurapika. Kurapika leaned in closer until their foreheads were almost touching and spoke in a low, dark voice. "How many of them have you fucked?"
He eased his grip on Chrollo's neck just enough for him to talk. Chrollo coughed a few times from having his throat constricted and then spoke with a calm voice, eyes not leaving Kurapika's. "Actually, you are the first lover of mine that I've asked to join the troupe, Kurapika."
Kurapika was ready to shove him down again and end his pathetic existence until the words he'd just heard registered, freezing him in place. He blinked, his jaw dropping. His drunk brain was now unable to focus on anything except Chrollo's use of not only his name, but also the word lover.
Kurapika's flustered stupor did not go unnoticed. Taking advantage of Kurapika's loosened grip, Chrollo bumped Kurapika up by his hips and rolled over, switching their positions and pinning Kurapika underneath him.
Chrollo's smirk down at Kurapika made him suddenly forget how to breathe. He took in the sight of his teal orb earrings, and messy black hair framing his face. The deep crimson of blood staining not only his shirt but the pale skin of his neck and arms. The inhumanly strong, attractive man was an ever evolving puzzle.
"Just what kind of slut do you take me for, blondie?" Chrollo asked, leaning close enough in to tickle Kurapika's cheeks with his hair. The air between them was tense, tight, and thick. The close proximity left them both breathy, gasping for oxygen. Lover, he'd said. Lover. In Chrollo's dark eyes Kurapika saw a mirror of everything he was feeling.
Suffocation.
Intoxication.
Asphyxiation.
Lust.
And when Chrollo finally closed the distance between their lips, Kurapika kissed back deeply, a newfound passion taking over his body.
Take the mirror from the wall so I can't see myself at all
Don't wanna see another damn inch of my skull
Forget the poems of saints and ghosts
I'm the one I fear the most
Little did I know that I was only crying wolf
(What's Wrong - PVRIS)
The two lay splayed out on the bed, panting heavily after their fun time together. Kurapika had slowly been gaining sobriety, and a clearer look at Chrollo made him wince, seeing the aftermath of his earlier outburst.
"You're still bleeding," he said, reaching out as if to touch the dark red lines contrasting against Chrollo's pale, flushed skin. "Wait just one moment." Jumping up the blond pulling on his undergarments before disappearing into the bathroom.
He returned moments later with a wet towel, antiseptic, and the bandages Chrollo had given him on his first night at the hideout. Luckily, Chrollo hadn't moved much, and was still sitting on the bed, but with clothes on his body. Kurapika made his way over to guide Chrollo's head forwards in order to dab the wounds on his neck. Chrollo's eyebrows raised at the caring action, but he allowed Kurapika to tend to his injuries nonetheless.
"You know, you could have killed me back there, blondie."
Kurapika scoffed- Chrollo must be taunting him again. Right, as if the best fighter he'd ever seen would be killed so easily. But then again… another thought occured to Kurapika. He tilted his head to look at Chrollo's face. "Would you have let me?"
The man just smirked before his eyes became mostly unreadable- expression flickering with the tiniest bit of vulnerability before he looked away in stoicism. Yet another game that Kurapika didn't want to give any mind to at the moment. With a sigh he moved on to taking care of the wounds on Chrollo's wrists. Chrollo didn't so much as flinch when Kurapika applied the antiseptic, despite how badly it could sting against torn flesh. Kurapika wondered if the man felt pain at all, or if he feared for his own life. If he didn't, such a sentiment would surely be a unique form of sociopathy.
"So," Kurapika started, now moving to cover the wounds with bandages. "I get that you thought the old leader was reckless and stupid for taking all those lives. However, the troupe still causes casualties. How can you kill people who have nothing to do with you?"
Kurapika lifted his eyes from the bloody wrists as Chrollo spoke. "Hmm," he said, eyes wandering towards the ceiling in thought. "Well, I guess you could say we only kill when we need to."
Kurapika paused, grip on Chrollo's wrists becoming tight. "You scum. Why was it necessary for Pakunoda to kill those innocent security guards? What constitutes needing to kill someone?"
"I assume she killed him as a means to keep herself and the rest of the spiders there that night safe. You tell me blondie, when you're out in the field, what makes you kill someone?"
Kurapika blinked, the tables having turned. "Well…" Off the top of his head he gave the rehearsed answer he had always known. "We only kill when we need to. To keep the public safe."
"What about those people you kill? Do they not deserve to live too?"
"But they're criminals! They're evil. In the force, they don't— we don't kill for nothing. We kill for good. We kill for justice."
"Justice? Ah, yes justice. Big brother is always on about justice. Blondie, considering how smart you are I assumed you'd have figured it out by now."
"I don't know what you're talking about, and I'd appreciate if you'd stop speaking in riddles," Kurapika seethed, eyes flashing. He'd finished wrapping up the injuries and folded his arms across his chest.
Chrollo chuckled and blinked slowly, before looking back up again, to meet Kurapika's scarlet eyes. "Justice, vengeance, retribution. All just petty excuses used by killers who still haven't accepted what they are. There's no such thing as killing for good."
Kurapika felt Chrollo's eyes on him as he looked down to stare at his hands, then the floor. He heard the door open and close and looked up to find himself alone, again. He felt his hands clenching and unclenching, his whole body beginning to tremble. It was happening again. The weight of Chrollo's sentence hung in the air. Kurapika couldn't breathe. He got up and started pacing. How dare Chrollo insinuate that Kurapika was of the same fold as him? He passed the vanity, pausing. He saw the ruby red of his eyes, and deep shades of purple in the dark circles underneath them. He saw his tattered clothes and the scrapes on his forehead. He hated what he saw. With tears in his eyes he threw a heavy punch to the mirror and cried out as it shattered, his hand beginning to bleed from the shards falling on it.
Chrollo was wrong. He had to be. Those were just words meant to mess with Kurapika's head. They were meant to crawl in like a parasite, and make him question his sanity, meant to confuse and swirl every idea he'd held since he could remember. But… if that's all it was, why was his mind going blank? Why couldn't he shake off Chrollo's words? Why couldn't he get them out of his head?
Maybe because deep down, he knew the words held truth. He'd known somewhere in his heart for a while now. The rage he had always clung to so tightly was slowly slipping from his grasp.
Upon awakening Kurapika had to rub his eyes for a moment before settling into a troubled gaze. His door had been left open, exposing the common area of the hideout, and he didn't know what to do about it. Rising from the bed he peeked out hesitantly, and was about to close the door when a voice stopped him.
"Pika! You're finally up! Wanna play cards with us?" Shalnark's voice rang loud and high off the tall ceilings, creating a slight echo. As Kurapika poked his head out of the door he saw a circle of ragtag Troupe members with cards in their hands, and Shalnark's big smile waving him over.
Kurapika didn't exactly want to go, but he also didn't want to find out what they'd do if he didn't. "Alright," he said. Collecting himself, he slowly stepped out of his room, shutting the door behind him whilst trying to look nonchalant.
As he approached the circle he received a less-than-friendly look from the guy he now knew as Nobunaga. This look was echoed by an even sharper look from Machi, who sat next to Nobunaga. Next to her, Feitan, then a massive guy called Franklin, and that girl who always wore a turtleneck, who Kurapika now knew was called Shizuku completed the circle. Shalnark and Shizuku both made room for the ex-cop to join the circle, and as he sat down Franklin started dealing the cards. Kurapika then notices playing chips laying in front of their seats in little piles. They were going to play poker!
"Um..." Kurapika started, "I think you guys still have my wallet..." Although Kurapika had always been good at poker, he didn't have any money to bet with at the moment.
"Don't worry," said Shizuku. "We never play with real money."
Kurapika let out the air he had been holding in with relief. The last thing he needed was to also owe these guys money. He took a peek at the cards he'd been dealt to see two A's, one with a Spade, and one with a Diamond. Pocket Aces! What were the odds? The first round of bets commenced, and when it was Kurapika's turn he threw two extra chips on the table, to which Feitan threw a skeptical glance in his direction.
"Do you even know what you're doing?" he asked Kurapika incredulously.
"Obviously," Kurapika spat, offended.
Raising his eyebrows, Feitan muttered "alright then," and called Kurapika's raise. Smirking internally, Kurapika knew he couldn't possibly have a better hand than him. His exterior expression remained stoic despite his clear advantage, a perfect poker face. Machi and Shalnark folded, leaving just Shizuku, Nobunaga, and Feitan matching Kurapika's bet. Franklin dealt the flop, and Kurapika's heart started racing when he saw the two remaining Aces laying face up next to a three of hearts. He most definitely had the best hand on the table, and couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. He'd egg them on with just high enough of a bet to make them call instead of fold, to get a maximum profit.
Feitan tapped his fingers on the table twice, signaling a check. Kurapika's turn was next. He raised by fifteen, gaining new looks of surprise from everyone on the table.
"Oh dear…" Shizuku muttered, before calling Kurapika's bet with her own chips; she'd be staying in this round. Nobunaga threw a heavy glare in Kurapika's direction before clicking his teeth and handing his cards back to their dealer, Franklin. The turn yielded a five of diamonds, to which Kurapika raised yet again by fifteen. To his surprise, Shizuku called, and Feitan folded with a shake of his head. The river yielded a seven of clubs. Kurapika had this one in the bag. He raised again, only to have Shizuku match him again, clearly confident in her hand.
Kurapika finally revealed his cards. "Four of a kind."
Shizuku let out a sigh as she revealed her hand of two fives. "Two pair. Nice one, you win." The chips in the pot were pushed towards Kurapika.
Shalnark turned to Kurapika and held his hand out for a high five. "Nice, Pika!"
Kurapika returned the high five hesitantly, then ran a finger through his hair and blushed, muttering "thanks."
"Don't let the little bastard get too cocky," Nobunaga interjected. "He just had a lucky hand."
Kurapika narrowed his eyes. Rude.
Feitan chuckled. "I dunno, he actually might be pretty good."
Kurapika blinked, taken aback by Feitan of all people defending him. He was quickly learning which of the Troupe members he found tolerable. With red cheeks, he averted his eyes as Franklin dealt the new hand.
A peek at his new hand revealed a King and Ace of hearts. He didn't know what he'd done to earn the gods' favor today but he seemed to be rolling in luck. The initial bet above the big blind was raised by Machi to twenty, and called by everyone except Feitan, who folded. The flop yielded yet another round of good cards: a Ten, Jack, and 5 of hearts. Kurapika now had a flush, and was ready to bet some serious chips. Shizuku was already low on chips, since she'd bet against her odds last turn. It wouldn't be too difficult to take her out of the game this round if Kurapika played correctly. He raised by ten, which was called by Shizuku then immediately countered by Nobunaga, who raised another fifteen. With the stakes now so high, Machi and Shalnark folded, and Kurapika and Shizuku called again.
"Look what you've done Shal, his head is huge now. Let's hope he's got the hand to back it up," Nobunaga taunted.
"Pika's smarter than you're giving him credit for, Nobu. Boss wouldn't like him so much otherwise," Shalnark retorted.
Machi visibly twitched. "Oh, would you shut up Shalnark? This is the same guy who killed our friends, you know. I don't see why you and Boss are all... obsessed with him all of the sudden. He's nothing but an angry revenge whore."
Shots Fired. Kurapika was turning red all over again. What could he possibly say to that?
"Yeah, kid just murdered Uvo and Paku and he's still not over his clan's deaths. That happened what... like over ten years ago? Pathetic," Nobunaga added, shooting daggers with his eyes across the table.
Ouch. Kurapika felt a fresh wave of panic coming on, like he was being cornered with nowhere to hide. He turned his head away, looking down at his clenched fists when suddenly Shizuku spoke up.
"Leave him alone. You don't know enough about him to say these hateful things."
Kurapika looked up in wonder at the small girl who had just stood up for him. The tense exchange of words, mid-poker game, struck a twinge in his chest. These people were acting so strange, so full of emotion, and so incredibly... human. The spiders were showing a new side, one that was much too far from the soulless monsters his conscience needed them to be. "No, Shizuku, he's right. I haven't been able to move on," Kurapika admitted, owning up to his faults for once.
Shalnark put his hand on Kurapika's shoulder, an act of comforting his new friend. He was able to tell how much Kurapika was affected by the mention of his clan. "Hey, don't worry. We've all lost people close to us, and I understand how hard it can be." Kurapika looked into his bright blue eyes, full of concern. Why was this guy so nice to him? "Do you think there's anything that would help you move on?"
"Save it Shalnark. People like him can never see past their grudges," Machi interrupted.
Kurapika fiercely looked up in determination at the cold woman. "Their eyes," he said. "Their eyes are still out there, hoarded by body parts collectors who bought them for disgusting amounts of money. I want to retrieve them and give them a proper burial."
"Huh," Shalnark said, as he and Shizuku nodded their heads in understanding. Nobunaga and Machi turned away, refusing to give Kurapika their attention, while Franklin and Feitan looked mostly indifferent. "Have you told Boss about that? I'm sure he'd be willing to help you out."
Kurapika shook his head and waved his hand, dismissing the idea. "No, it's fine." He just wanted to shift the topic away from him, as his presence was clearly very controversial and he didn't need to be caught in a fight today. "Let's just keep playing."
"Yeah, alright. Go ahead, Franklin."
Franklin nodded, then dealt the turn. A Queen of Hearts. Kurapika's hand was now a Royal Flush-the rarest and best hand in the entire game. Nobunaga raised fifty. Kurapika raised one hundred.
Shizuku sighed. "Where did all my chips go?"
"You literally just bet them all away on a poor hand," Feitan answered.
Shizuku looked confused. "That doesn't sound like me..." she said, but pushed the rest of her chips towards the center, going all in. Feitan and a few others chuckled lightly, which baffled Kurapika.
"She's a bit forgetful," Shalnark explained as he saw the confused look Kurapika wore.
"Ah." How endearing.
When the river was flipped, Nobunaga tapped the table twice to check, followed by Kurapika raising by yet another fifty. Shizuku was already all in so the bet went back to Nobunaga, who matched Kurapika's fifty. It was time to reveal their cards.
"Flush," Nobunaga quipped with a confident grin.
"Damn," Shizuku said, "I only had a straight."
"Flip em' over, kid," Nobunaga said to Kurapika.
"Royal Flush." He showed his King and Ace.
"Ah, you've got to be kidding me! The odds of him having that hand are one in a billion!" Nobunaga cried, turning to Franklin. "This is rigged. I forfeit." Franklin just shrugged.
"Same," Machi said, moving to stand up. The two of them left the table in a huff, and Kurapika followed them with his eyes, unsure of what to do as the chips in the pot were pushed towards him again by Franklin, creating a huge pile in front of him—a gross display of his win.
"Don't worry about them," Shizuku said. "They're just salty."
Blushing again, Kurapika gave his cards back to Franklin. "I'll forfeit as well. Someone else can take these," he said, gesturing to his chips. He really, really did not want to end up fist-fighting the Troupe over one poker game.
"Well if you don't want to play… How about Shizuku and I show you around the hideout? I don't think you've gotten an official tour yet," Shalnark offered.
Kurapika contemplated for a moment. "Alright, sure," he said, standing up. Feitan and Franklin made grumbles about not finishing the game but they also got up and left the table shortly after.
He followed the bubbly blonde boy and the short, dark-haired glasses girl down a hallway made from folding room dividers.
"This room here is the kitchen
Raising his eyebrows, Feitan muttered "alright then," and called Kurapika's raise. Smirking internally, Kurapika knew he couldn't possibly have a better hand than him. His exterior expression remained stoic despite his clear advantage, a perfect poker face. Machi and Shalnark folded, leaving just Shizuku, Nobunaga, and Feitan matching Kurapika's bet. Franklin dealt the flop, and Kurapika's heart started racing when he saw the two remaining Aces laying face up next to a three of hearts. He most definitely had the best hand on the table, and couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. He'd egg them on with just high enough of a bet to make them call instead of fold, to get a maximum profit.
Feitan tapped his fingers on the table twice, signaling a check. Kurapika's turn was next. He raised by fifteen, gaining new looks of surprise from everyone on the table.
"Oh dear…" Shizuku muttered, before calling Kurapika's bet with her own chips; she'd be staying in this round. Nobunaga threw a heavy glare in Kurapika's direction before clicking his teeth and handing his cards back to their dealer, Franklin. The turn yielded a four of diamonds, to which Kurapika raised yet again by fifteen. To his surprise, Shizuku called, and Feitan folded with a shake of his head. The river yielded a seven of clubs. Kurapika had this one in the bag. He raised again, only to have Shizuku match him again, clearly confident in her hand.
Kurapika finally revealed his cards. "Four of a kind."
Shizuku let out a sigh as she revealed her hand of two fives. "Two pair. Nice one, you win." The chips in the pot were pushed towards Kurapika.
Shalnark turned to Kurapika and held his hand out for a high five. "Nice, Pika!"
Kurapika returned the high five hesitantly, then ran a finger through his hair and blushed, muttering "thanks."
"Don't let the little bastard get too cocky," Nobunaga interjected. "He just had a lucky hand."
Kurapika narrowed his eyes. Rude.
Feitan chuckled. "I dunno, he actually might be pretty good."
Kurapika blinked, taken aback by Feitan of all people defending him. He was quickly learning which of the Troupe members he found tolerable. With red cheeks, he averted his eyes as Franklin dealt the new hand.
A peek at his new hand revealed a King and Ace of hearts. He didn't know what he'd done to earn the gods' favor today but he seemed to be rolling in luck. The initial bet above the big blind was raised by Machi to twenty, and called by everyone except Feitan, who folded. The flop yielded yet another round of good cards: a Ten, Jack, and five of hearts. Kurapika now had a flush, and was ready to bet some serious chips. Shizuku was already low on chips, since she'd bet against her odds last turn. It wouldn't be too difficult to take her out of the game this round if Kurapika played correctly. He raised by ten, which was called by Shizuku then immediately countered by Nobunaga, who raised another fifteen. With the stakes now so high, Machi and Shalnark folded, and Kurapika and Shizuku called again.
"Look what you've done Shal, his head is huge now. Let's hope he's got the hand to back it up," Nobunaga taunted.
"Pika's smarter than you're giving him credit for, Nobu. Boss wouldn't like him so much otherwise," Shalnark retorted.
Machi visibly twitched. "Oh, would you shut up Shalnark? This is the same guy who killed our friends, you know. I don't see why you and Boss are all... obsessed with him all of the sudden. He's nothing but an angry revenge whore."
Shots. Fired. Kurapika was turning red all over again. What could he possibly say to that?
"Yeah, kid just murdered Uvo and Paku and he's still not over his clan's deaths. That happened what... like over ten years ago? Pathetic," Nobunaga added, shooting daggers with his eyes across the table.
Ouch . Kurapika felt a fresh wave of panic coming on, like he was being cornered with nowhere to hide. He turned his head away, looking down at his clenched fists when suddenly Shizuku spoke up.
"Leave him alone. You don't know enough about him to say these hateful things."
Kurapika looked up in wonder at the small girl who had just stood up for him. The tense exchange of words, mid-poker game, struck a twinge in his chest. These people were acting so strange, so full of emotion, and so incredibly... human. The spiders were showing a new side, one that was much too far from the soulless monsters his conscience needed them to be. "No, Shizuku, he's right. I haven't been able to move on," Kurapika admitted, owning up to his faults for once.
Shalnark put his hand on Kurapika's shoulder, an act of comforting his new friend. He was able to tell how much Kurapika was affected by the mention of his clan. "Hey, don't worry. We've all lost people close to us, and I understand how hard it can be." Kurapika looked into his bright blue eyes, full of concern. Why was this guy so nice to him? "Do you think there's anything that would help you move on?"
"Save it Shalnark. People like him can never see past their grudges," Machi interrupted.
Kurapika fiercely looked up in determination at the cold woman. "Their eyes," he said. "Their eyes are still out there, hoarded by body parts collectors who bought them for disgusting amounts of money. I want to retrieve them and give them a proper burial."
"Huh," Shalnark said, as he and Shizuku nodded their heads in understanding. Nobunaga and Machi turned away, refusing to give Kurapika their attention, while Franklin and Feitan wore expressions of indifference. "Have you told Boss about that? I'm sure he'd be willing to help you out."
Kurapika shook his head and waved his hand, dismissing the idea. "No, it's fine." He just wanted to shift the topic away from him, as his presence was clearly very controversial and he didn't need to be caught in a fight today. "Let's just keep playing."
"Yeah, alright. Go ahead, Franklin."
Franklin nodded, then dealt the turn. A Queen of Hearts. Kurapika's hand was now a Royal Flush-the rarest and best hand in the entire game. Nobunaga raised fifty. Kurapika raised one hundred.
Shizuku sighed. "Where did all my chips go?"
"You literally just bet them all away on a poor hand," Feitan answered.
Shizuku looked confused. "That doesn't sound like me..." she said, but pushed the rest of her chips towards the center, going all in. Feitan and a few others chuckled lightly, and Kurapika blinked.
"She's a bit forgetful," Shalnark explained as he saw the confused look Kurapika wore.
"Ah." How endearing.
When the river was flipped, Nobunaga tapped the table twice to check, followed by Kurapika raising by yet another fifty. Shizuku was already all in so the bet went back to Nobunaga, who matched Kurapika's fifty. It was time to reveal their cards.
"Flush," Nobunaga quipped with a confident grin.
"Damn," Shizuku said, "I only had a straight."
"Flip em' over, kid," Nobunaga said to Kurapika.
"Royal Flush." He showed his King and Ace.
"Ah, you've got to be kidding me! The odds of him having that hand are one in a billion!" Nobunaga cried, turning to Franklin. "This is rigged. I forfeit." Franklin just shrugged.
"Same," Machi said, moving to stand up. The two of them left the table in a huff, and Kurapika followed them with his eyes, unsure of what to do as the chips in the pot were pushed towards him again by Franklin, creating a huge pile in front of him—a gross display of his win.
"Don't worry about them," Shizuku said. "They're just salty."
Blushing again, Kurapika gave his cards back to Franklin. "I'll forfeit as well. Someone else can take these," he said, gesturing to his chips. He really, really did not want to end up fist-fighting the Troupe over one poker game.
"Well if you don't want to play… How about Shizuku and I show you around the hideout? I don't think you've gotten an official tour yet," Shalnark offered.
Kurapika contemplated for a moment. "Alright, sure," he said, standing up. Feitan and Franklin made grumbles about not finishing the game but they also got up and left the table shortly after.
He followed the bubbly blonde boy and the short, dark-haired glasses girl down a hallway made from folding room dividers. The tall tracksuit guy passed them on their left as they walked.
"Hey Phinks!" Shalnark chirped.
"Oh hey guys," Phinks replied, as he approached the three. "Showing Kurapika around?"
"Yeah, I figured I'd give him a tour."
"And this room here is the kitchen," Shalnark said as they entered the new space. The kitchen was surprisingly large, especially for a place in YorkNew. Kurapika ran his hands over the smooth granite countertops.
"Can I ask who cooks? They are quite talented," Kurapika said.
"Well," Shizuku chimed in, "We're actually on a rotation between me, Shalnark, Nobunaga, Bonolenov and Boss."
"You mean Chrollo cooks? Huh. I never would have guessed." Kurapika wondered what other talents the man was hiding up his sleeve.
"Mmhmm! Would you like a glass of water, Kurapika?" Shizuku inquired, her short hair bouncing up and down as she grabbed a glass from the cupboard.
"Sure." She filled the cup with water and handed it to the Kurta.
"Speaking of our cooks... Shalnark, do you know where Boss and Bonolenov went today?" Shizuku asked. Kurapika's eyes flitted to the other blonde, who was sitting on top of the island counter.
Shalnark tapped his chin. "My guess is they probably went back to Meteor to scope out the current state of the area."
"Ah, makes sense," Shizuku said, as Kurapika almost spit out his mouth full of water and fell into a coughing fit.
"You okay Pika?" Shalnark and Shizuku rushed to his side. "Don't die!"
Through coughs Kurapika managed to choke out "I'm fine." He collected himself, eyes burning. "But did you just say Meteor?!"
The two Troupe members shared a look of confusion. "Yeah," Shalnark said, "Meteor City. You probably haven't heard of it, but most of us are from there."
Kurapika's heart started thumping in his chest. "Meteor City… Like from the book?" There was just no way. No way.
Shalnark let out a snort. "You found that old thing?"
Kurapika just stared straight ahead, brain scrambling to form a coherent thought. "I thought that book was fiction."
"Understandable. God, that book's so badly written. It being banned was probably for the best, since no one can take it seriously."
"Then…" Kurapika was trying to understand. "Marcus DeLucio is…"
"Marcus was our former leader."
"The one who slaughtered my village?"
"That's the guy!" Kurapika's jaw dropped. This couldn't be possible. Not only was Meteor City a real place, but the story he related to most belonged to a man who ruthlessly massacred everyone he grew up with. Underneath it all, even the most terrible of killers had a story.
Kurapika felt that claustrophobic feeling creeping around him again. "I can't… believe this…"
He'd always believed that the people who committed such atrocities were nothing but evil, soulless demons. That they were lost beyond reason, incapable of normal human emotions and empathy. But if that was true, how come he had shed tears when reading about the brutality Marcus had been put through? How was it possible that as he finished the book he agreed with the man's point of view?
In his brain good and evil had always been just that. Good was light, truth, reason, and justice, and bad was darkness, hate, and cruelty. But the information he'd just heard was forcing him to rethink his entire paradigm. Perhaps the real truth, the real story, was a murky, chaotic system living in between the black and white morals he'd always held to. One with many actors, each with a myriad of backstories and motivations, all fighting within the mind frame they'd been raised to believe. Indeed, perhaps the truth was that they were all living in a different shade of grey.
"Kurapika?" Shizuku's voice returned him to reality. He looked up into her brown eyes full of concern. As the information sunk in Kurapika was finally starting to understand. He couldn't even fathom the horrors these people had had to live through. If all of them had been brought up in such a hectic life of cruelty, it explained so much of the Troupe's actions. Why they stole everything, why they constantly toed the line between infamy and anonymity, and the reason why they existed as a group in the first place. Even down to the people and the system they claimed to be fighting against. It all started to click.
"When will Chrollo be back?" he asked Shizuku-his new ally, his friend.
"Hmm… I would guess very late tonight. Why?"
"I need to talk to him," Kurapika said, with new determination filling his scarlet eyes.
