XP: Sup! There are some of you who've stuck with me since the start of this story, which is really long! To old and new readers alike, thank you for reading so far in my story, I appreciate the support.
***Start***
Kurapika massaged his aching head as he held onto his cup of coffee with his other hand. He had woken up with a migraine and puffy red eyes after falling back into a fitful sleep after Illumi had left. He was now staring at the phone on the table, wondering if he should call Illumi and ask him to back off from what he himself had to do. Although Illumi was a skilled assassin and a capable ally to have, Kurapika didn't like the idea of someone else dirtying their hands for him. He had always solved his problems himself. That's how he survived until now. But after he had killed Uvogin, the trauma still haunted him. He still had nightmares about killing someone. It would be a great relief to have the spiders all dead without him lifting a finger, but would his morals allow him to do so? He had to seek vengeance for his people, to kill them like they killed his.
Kurapika groaned. He sipped his hot coffee, feeling it warm his insides. He hated thinking so much sometimes. Sometimes he wanted to just let everything go and stop thinking. But he couldn't because the chains always reminded him of the heavy, heavy burden he had to carry. Sometime he wondered what would've happened if there was another survivor, someone just like him, so he wouldn't have to deal with this all alone.
The ringing of his phone startled him, and he almost dropped his coffee. Sighing, he picked it up.
"Yes?"
"Hello to you too, grumpy pants. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Leorio replied sarcastically.
"Leorio!" Kurapika beamed instantly. "How did your exam go?"
"You're talking to the top student," Leorio boasted smugly.
"Congratulations!" Kurapika grinned, instantly cheering up and forgetting his own problems momentarily to feel happy for his friend. "Huh, I didn't realise you were so smart. You sure didn't look it during the hunter exam," he teased.
"H-hey! This is my element, okay? I'm the best in medical theory, not fighting," Leorio retorted.
"I'll be sure to find you if I get injured," Kurapika smiled as he sipped his coffee.
"I'd much rather not see you then," Leorio joked.
Kurapika smiled when he saw Senritsu come into the dining area for employees at the hotel. He waved her over. She seemed glad that he was looking much better.
"When are we meeting up again?" Leorio asked excitedly. "My holidays are coming up soon."
"Ah, we'll have to check with the other two. I should be able to free up a day though," Kurapika hummed to himself. "But I think Gon is quite occupied with finding his Dad, and Killua is er, busy with Hisoka."
"Hisoka? Is he in trouble?" Leorio asked, confused. He was never updated on these kinds of things. He got a little angry at that, but he knew they didn't want to bother him or distract him from his studies. He was glad that Kurapika took time to talk to him sometimes and talk about the kiddos, but he slowly realised that Kurapika often avoided talking about himself.
"Nah. It's kind of terribly complicated actually," Kurapika admitted. "I'm afraid that I'll have to tell that story another time."
"Ah, alright. It's good to hear from you. Goodbye!"
"Bye, Leorio."
"Kurapika," Kurapika hesitated from hanging up. Leorio's gentle voice continued, "No matter what happens, know that I'll be here. When you get too tired, it's alright to take a break. You know that right?"
"Thank you, Leorio. Goodbye."
Kurapika finally hung up, and looked up to see Senritsu smiling at him fondly. A little bit embarrassed, Kurapika tucked his blond hair behind a ear and set his phone down on the table again. He had no doubt she knew exactly what transpired last night. She always knew when he had a nightmare, because she said the terribly scary heartbeats startled her awake every time. And with her ears, she surely heard the conversation between he and Illumi. She would usually play a soothing tune on her flute from her room, and the sound would travel over to his room, and the quiet melody would usually calm his nerves and lull him back to a peaceful sleep.
Despite their short period of knowing each other, they had come to know each other very well. Senritsu knew he wouldn't want her to enter his room when he was in that state, with tears all over his face and iridescent red eyes as he shivered and curled up into himself. He would be very embarrassed. As a Kuruta, Kurapika had a lot of pride.
"He's a very good friend," Senritsu eased into the conversation, sipping her own cup of tea. "He has one of the gentlest heartbeat I've ever heard."
"He is," Kurapika admitted.
"Is there something more?" Senritsu teased.
"Senritsu!" Kurapika burst out in a fluster. "Stop it already. Leorio and I are just friends."
"But I know from your heartbeat that there's a little something," She giggled. "Oh, Kurapika. You're so attractive and have so many suitors."
Kurapika sulked, refusing to meet her glittering eyes. "Well... He did confess."
"I knew it!" She exclaimed, and Kurapika had to lean over to cover her mouth hurriedly. He didn't want gossip about him circulating until Neon's ears. She nodded to show she would be quieter, and he removed his hand, sighing. "But you rejected him didn't you?"
"I said I'm only going to focus on my mission and have no time for nothing else," Kurapika traced a finger around the rim of his coffee cup. "He managed to convince me to still stay in contact and be friends. I owe him that much, at least. He's a very good man."
"You're sad," Senritsu pointed out plainly. "Kurapika, you deserve to be loved too."
Kurapika gave a little sad smile in response.
"What are you two talking about? You're always such good friends. Include Neon too!" Neon ran over cheerily, and Kurapika stood up in a hurry.
"Mistress, you shouldn't be here at the employee's area. What will people say?"
"But it's so boring! I'm tired of all the upperclass talk, it goes over my head anyways. I hate social functions like that," she pouted, rambling. "Besides, they're all so ugly. I like pretty things and cool artefacts. In fact, you're the most attractive person in this entire hotel. It's a little unfair. That young master staying a level below us even asked me if you're single and I had to tell him you're male!"
Kurapika shot Senritsu a look which screamed 'help-me'.
"Now now, when don't we go talk in the garden?" Senritsu said placidly.
"Okay!"Neon beamed, latching onto Kurapika's arm. "But you're both coming along! No one here dares to talk to me so freely like the two of you."
Kurapika never regretted a decision as much as he did. He screamed at Neon once for always being a brat and making a mess of her room when things never went her way, making trouble for her maids and even hitting some them with the items she flung. To his utter surprise, she gaped at him, and he immediately apologised for his insubordination and waited to be dismissed from service, but she laughed. She admitted sometimes she went overboard because she just wanted someone to stop her. Kurapika didn't get it, but Senritsu did. And Neon had become attached to the two of them ever since and always asked for them to escort her. Which was why Kurapika was always so tired.
Her shopping trips took a bizarre turn into her buying items for Senritsu and Kurapika, and although the duo always declined, she bought them things forcefully. Kurapika felt like her dress up doll sometimes, because she loved to buy him new clothes and suits. Although she was a little bit simple minded, Kurapika knew Neon was ultimately, a good person at heart despite some of her peculiar tastes, so he never managed to push her away.
***With our favorite protagonist***
This time, it was Killua and Hisoka who were walking in circles at the Island of Illusions, unable to find a proper entrance. They could barely see in front of them, and the usage of the torch light proved to be of little help because of the immense fog in the region.
"Ugh!" Killua complained when they saw the marked tree for the tenth time. "This is ridiculous. I'm so tired!"
"Want me to piggy back you then?" Hisoka chuckled.
"N-no!" Killua turned his head away in a pretense of anger. He kind of wanted it now though. He was sick of almost tripping over some stray tree root so many times. He thought about it a little. The way they walked... the formation of the trees... somehow, no matter where they walked, they would be teleported back, walking in a circle instead of a straight line. That meant that the entrance must lie somewhere-
He was suddenly swept off his feet.
"H-hey!" Killua screamed when he was carried bridal style by a very amused clown. "I said I don't want to me carried!"
"What if I said I want to?" Hisoka replied smugly with a smirk.
"And I was so close to figuring it out too!" Killua whined, but latched onto Hisoka anyway, throwing his arms around Hisoka's neck. Hisoka's phone rang all of a sudden, and he picked it up. Killua knew it was rude, but he strained to hear the conversation. He wanted to know more about the mysterious man. Hisoka hardly talked about himself, and Killua was pretty sure Illumi blabbed all about him. Hisoka smirked down at him like he knew exactly what Killua was thinking.
"Yeah? We're at the Island of Illusions. Some of the spiders are here too," Hisoka told the information easily.
"How many?"
Killua recognized it to be his brother's voice. Perplexed, he wondered why his brother was looking for the spiders. He knew Kalluto joined them, but what was Illumi planning to do with them? Something to do with Kurapika? Was Kurapika captured?!
"I'm not sure. A few," Hisoka hummed thoughtfully. "Probably Nobunaga, Machi and a few others. Kuroro wouldn't be there."
Killua snatched the phone hurriedly. "Hey, Illumi! Is Kurapika alright? Why are you searching for the spiders?"
The dead silence on the other end made Killua wait with anxious palpitations, with the doubt that maybe Illumi hung up. Then Illumi spoke again, "...He will be."
The call ended.
"Shit! That doesn't tell me anything!" Killua dug through his pocket impatiently for his phone. Although Killua was so angry, Hisoka couldn't help but find the situation comic. Afterall, how scary could you be when you're in someone's arms looking so huggable? He smiled as Killua dialed a number and brought it to his ear. He knew what the young Zoldyck was doing.
"Kurapika! Where are you right now? Are you alright?!"
Hisoka continued walking as Killua talked with an agitated face on the phone, looking anywhere but at him.
"Killua? I'm uh... at a shopping mall. I'm not sure if I'll be alright," Kurapika chuckled hesitantly, before he hollered, "Hey I don't need anymore clothes! And take those swimming trunks away, I don't swim! Oh sorry Killua. What's up?"
Killua wasn't sure if he should tell Kurapika about Illumi. "Ummm."
"Senritsu please for the love of god, go and stop her," Kurapika pleaded softly in the background.
"I think you're busy now, I'll call back later?" Killua offered.
"Yeah, sure! No don't swipe that card this place doesn't do refunds!" Kurapika shrieked.
The call hung up abruptly. Hisoka snorted in amusement. "Well, he sure seems busy."
Killua looked up abruptly, remembering he was in the arms of a psychopath. A psychopath that quite liked him and was nice to him, but still. "Put me down!" He struggled.
"Hey it's dangerous!" Hisoka warned, hugging the flailing boy to himself even further. Killua flushed at the immense amount of skin to skin contact and stilled. Hisoka looked down at the suddenly quiet boy.
Killua's face was flaming red to the tips of his ears, his innocent eyes quivering with excitement as he gazed at Hisoka with something indescribably alluring. Hisoka couldn't help himself. He leaned down.
His lips captured soft lips, and Killua gasped. Trembling hands grasped at his shirt tightly, and suddenly Killua was out of his reach, running away from him, the back of his neck and ears still tinged that adorable pink. Hisoka raised his hand to his lips, unable to comprehend what he just did. Only when he traced his own lips did he realise he was smiling.
"Hey, don't go off without me, Killua, it's dangerous," Hisoka crooned after the escaping boy, chasing leisurely with his long strides.
"S-S-Shut up!" Killua retorted in an embarrassed stutter.
Killua disappeared right in front of him.
Hit suddenly by a wave of anxiety, fear and worry, Hisoka rushed forward to where Killua seemed to have teleported. He stared up at the large tree trunk which seemed hazy and blurry with the haze, and he put his hand forward, only to meet thin air as his hand disappeared. He immediately made up his mind and ran through it, and was floored by the vastly different world which had a pink sky and black grass. More importantly, Killua was nowhere to be seen.
"Fuck!" Hisoka cussed loudly, frustrated by his own incompetence. He flipped his phone out, and like he expected, there was no signal. He screamed loudly, "KILLUA!"
But it was met with complete silence. There was not a trace of life in sight.
***End***
XP: Thanks for reading. Please review to tell me what you think of the new chapter!