Kurapika shifted uncomfortably in his chair, muscles straining against the chains binding him to it. Chains. The irony of his plight stung deeper than the knife lodged in his thigh, both making his insides twist in their own ways-- he'd earned the latter after refusing to activate his scarlet eyes. Needless to say, his irises were a glowing red now, enough to satisfy the desire in Chrollo's eyes.
Ah! Chrollo. What a disgusting sight he was as he sat down in the chair in front of him, forcing their knees to touch under the table. If only, Kurapika could do more than glare at him.
"Well?" Chrollo raised an eyebrow, chin resting in the palm of one hand. "Impressed yet, Kurapika?"
Kurapika only intensified his gaze, hopelessly trying once more to activate his aura... but to no avail. How could he have ever let his biggest enemy steal his most precious ability? But Chrollo had been sneaky, a master manipulator by nature. And now... Kurapika was stuck here-- in a fancy mansion Chrollo had likely taken over by massacring all its previous occupants.
Chrollo hummed. "I suppose it'd be unfair for you to judge now since you haven't even tasted it yet..."
Kurapika glanced at the various plates carefully arranged on the table-- the bastard was definitely a perfectionist-- and gulped. As much as he hated to admit it, the food did look good, especially after Kurapika had been kept borderline starving for the past few days.
With a grace Kurapika had grown to despise, Chrollo sliced a piece of steak drizzled in some sauce and topped with various colourful vegetables, and held it up to his mouth with a self-satisfied smile. Right... since Kurapika could obviously not move his arm without posing any danger to Chrollo... he had to be- to be- no.
Bile rose up his throat as he weighted his choices. He could either refuse, in which case Chrollo would either force-feed him or let him starve to death; or- or he could maybe accept it? For the sake of survival of course.
Chrollo was staring at him now, empty eyes judging his body language, calculating his next moves.
Kurapika hated this version of Chrollo. It was the only time he felt actually terrified of the man. If he had massacred an entire clan with such brutality and lack of remorse, what else could he do? What else could he do to him? Chrollo's gaze suggested every awful scenario Kurapika could imagine and worse.
Slowly, Kurapika opened his mouth an inch, quickly taking up the morsel of food Chrollo had 'so generously' prepared for him.
A moment later, Chrollo regained his usual smug self, preparing another bite for him. "Do you like it?"
Pretendpretendpretendpretend. "Yes." He choked out, voice barely above a whisper.
"And isn't there something you should say to me? For so generously preparing such a wonderful meal for you? Hm?" Kurapika was getting better at predicting him. Or maybe Chrollo was being that predictable on purpose. Kurapika could never be sure.
With self-control Kurapika didn't ever think he would come to possess, he gritted out. "Thank you... Chrollo."
His eyes turned a brighter shade of red as the monster in front of him chuckled-- a hollow terrifying sound.