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Chapter Text

A gasp, a yelp, and Kurapica sat up in bed, struggling to breathe through the crushing terror he had awoken to. It squeezed at his chest, blocking his air passage, tightened around his throat and when he managed to draw a gasping breath, it slid down his throat like liquid lead, and sat inside of his lungs, burning, heavy.

At first, he didn't understand what had woken him. His room was deathly quiet and still. The two shadows lurking in the corners of his conscience, he had mostly gotten used to. Oh, they still managed to choke him with the guilt he fought off with all of his might. But he didn't really see them anymore, not unless he was tired, feverish or in inner turmoil. Unfortunately for him, this still happened to him way more often that he was comfortable with or would admit to. But they weren't what had disturbed his sleep.

He ran his hand through his blond locks, fingers sliding easily through the soft hair. A soft metallic sound accompanied the movement; the chains on his hand swaying gently with his every move. That was a sound he had grown accustomed to, in the year since he had started using Nen. It accompanied every movement he made, awake or in sleep. This wasn't what had woken up either.

He sighed and opened his eyes, and suddenly froze.

Time seemed to still, and the weight pushing down on his chest got steadily more stifling. He held his breath as he lifted his hand before his eyes. One of the chains hung limply from his finger. His blood ran cold. He knew what it meant, but he refused to believe it, refused to accept it.

He followed the chain down with his eyes, ring by ring, link by link, all the way to the tiny metal dagger that was fastened to the end. It glistened coldly in the moonlight from where it lay on the bed covers. So small, yet so heavy, so insignificant in appearance, yet so full of meaning. The Judgement Chain.

So, he was dead.

Kurapica felt like he should feel elated, maybe. Exultant, jubilant, ecstatic all came to mind. Or happy, at the very least. Something, anything! Something more than this vast emptiness inside, something warmer than the cold nothing that managed to weigh heavier than the dread he had woken to.

“I'll ask you again,”he remembered his master saying, “give it up. Even if you succeed, you will gain nothing. All that will be left will be emptiness, and the blood seeping through your fingers. You do not have the strength to bear such a burden. This is your last chance to turn back. Give it up. This idea of revenge. Just give it up.”

He'd refused to listen, refused to turn back. And now he knew. Now he felt it. The cold, unforgiving emptiness. The blood on his hands. The bitter taste of revenge that settled like a poison in his stomach. The man who had massacred his people, his tribe... was gone. It was truly over now. Kuroro Lucifer, head of the Spiders, thief and murderer was no more.

One more death to haunt his nights.

Chapter Text

On Sundays, Kurapica was usually found reading by the cold mountain stream that meandered between the trees in the woods that surrounded the impressive Nostrad Mansion. He had Sundays and Mondays off, though he could be called – and usually was – anytime during his holiday. For that reason, he could never really wander far from the mansion that was now his work place. The York Shin debacle had shaken the Nostrad mansion more than anyone could have imagined. Not only had Light Nostrad spent a fortune to acquire a pair of eyes that were just as fake as the Spider bodies, but his daughter Neon had then lost all ability to predict the future His position in the mafia community was now threatened and it was extremely possible that he would go bankrupt. In the months that had followed the incident, many of the hired hands had left, seeking their fortune elsewhere. Only two bodyguards were left now, and being the one in charge made Kurapica feel pushed to the extreme and overworked.

On this particular Sunday, he was at his usual spot by the stream, engrossed in a book on the ancient civilization of Belthur. His cellphone was close-by in case his employer needed him, but so far it had remained silent. It was inordinately warm and though spring had just started, all kinds of insects buzzed by, and the air was heavy with the fragrance of newly bloomed flowers. He was so comfortable sitting between the great roots of an oak tree, leaning against the trunk, his fair skin shaded by the majestic foliage, that his head slowly started sinking towards his chest and his eyelids became heavier and heavier. Soon, he was asleep.

When he finally blinked awake and straightened up, the woods were darker and the sky to the west had taken on an orange glow. He snagged his cellphone from the top of his bag and looked at the time, blinking blearily until the numbers came into view. It was just a little before eight. He had stayed longer than he should have already, although thankfully, no call had come while he was sleeping. He placed his book marker between the pages of his book, before placing the book in his bag. It wasn't until he had placed his phone in its pocket on the side of his bag that he noticed something was off. Something felt wrong. There was something missing... inside of him. He frowned lightly, trying to understand what was different. Realization hit suddenly, and he gasped, bringing both hands up to look at them. Both looked perfectly identical. He turned them this way and that, then raised his right hand to eye level. Nothing. No rings around his fingers, no chains, nothing.

His Nen was gone.

He clenched his hands, fighting down the panic that threatened to engulf him. He tried to feel the usual surge in power, tried to summon his chains with all of his might and... nothing happened. He closed his eyes, breathing a little fast. There had to be a logical explanation, there had to be –

A loud sound to his right made him jump. It was short and sharp, like the strike of a whip. Fearful yet defiant, Kurapica got to his feet, turning towards the sound and dropping into a battle stance. "I have to say, you've created a whole lot of trouble for me and my group." A twig snapped and a shadow appeared from behind a tree. The sunset at its back made it hard to recognize the man, but Kurapica knew the voice right away.

Kuroro Lucifer.

The man who haunted his nightmares, amidst the sounds of battles and the cries of the innocent, slaughtered for the sake of riches. The man he had thought dead. Kurapica's eyes turned a violent shade of red. He started looking around, trying to find other members of the infamous Phantom Brigade, the Gen'ei Ryodan. He may not be able to count on Ren to detect the presence of other people, but before he had been trained to use Nen, he had already been an excellent fighter with quick reflexes and sharp eyes.

Movement to his left – one man. A smaller shape close behind. To his right, a tall, mountainous freak of a man. A quick glance behind him revealed two more people. Five, then – six, including their leader. But the head of the Spiders seemed to have little concern for the Kuruta. He found a convenient tree that had fallen and was now lying sideways in the underbrush, covered in moss. Stepping over it, he pushed his coat back and out of the way before sitting down. He placed his hands in front of his chin and regarded the blond teenager with something akin to mild interest. The index fingers pointed upwards, and he moved his hands lightly forward and back to his chin a few times.

“The Kuruta tribe was known to train all their children in the art of battle,” he finally said. The other Spiders had surrounded Kurapica, forming a circle around him. “Let's see what you can do.” His eyes were fixed on the young Hunter before him. Large and unblinking, his eyes seemed to be penetrating to the depth of Kurapica's soul. Not moving or once looking away from the Kuruta, he addressed his Spiders. “Take him – alive. Try not to maim him and do not touch his eyes.”

Kurapica barely had time to tense up before the Nen bullets were flying at him while the shorter man in black lunged at him with a strange, disconcerting grin showing on the upper part of his face. Kurapica jumped sideways to avoid the sword thrust, then did a back-flip, avoiding the bullets aimed at him. His right arm suddenly lurched back, nearly pulling itself out of its socket. Kurapica hissed softly and looked at his wrist. Something was tied there and it rendered his arm useless as well as limited his movements. He couldn't see what it was, but he could guess it was made of Nen since it was invisible to his eyes presently. He was in a bad position. He had been depending on his Nen for so long, he didn't have any weapon with him at all. His chains had always been more than sufficient. He wished for his short swords, the ones Hisoka had broken in their battle during the Hunter Exam. He scanned the area rapidly, trying to find something that he could use as a makeshift weapon. He spotted a large tree branch lying close to the Ryodan leader. It would have to do. The man hadn't interfered so far, but Kurapica wasn't going to bet his life on the predictability of a renowned thief and murderer. Still, it was all that was available to him presently, so he made a lunge for it, then went into a roll, away from the Spider head. His arm was twisted awkwardly by whatever it was that was tied around his wrist, but he managed to get up on one knee. Someone came at him from the left, and he just had the time to raise his fist to protect his head from the Nen-powered punch aimed at it. The force of the hit pushed him back and he had to repress a groan of pain as his right arm was pulled some more. He looked up just in time to see the man in the gym suit send another punch his way. He didn't have time to duck or block and it was coming right at his face.

“Don't –” Suddenly everything stood still. Their leader didn't scream or even speak loudly. It was a simple word, soft yet commanding. “– hurt his eyes.”

The man who was aiming the punch made a movement of impatience and moved away. Kurapica was still on one knee. He was already panting with exertion. Sweat had started beading along his forehead, and he wiped at it impatiently with his left arm. He still had the stick. He pushed himself up, shook his head to get rid of the perspiration. He eyed the Spiders one by one. There were four males. One stayed in the background, observing. One had a sword, one used his fists and the last man used his fingers to shoot Nen bullets like a Gatling gun. There was also a female. She seemed to be pulling on something he couldn't see. He pulled on his right arm and saw her move against the pull. So, she was the one restraining him.

The young man who was just observing was unnerving as there was no knowing what he could do, but Kurapica didn't have time to think about him. Already, the man in the gym clothes and the smaller one dressed in black were rushing him from both sides, fists and sword ready. He had very little time to react. He wrapped his arm securely around the threads he couldn't see and pulled as hard as he could. The woman behind him lost her balance for a split second, and it was enough for him. He lunged towards the taller man, blocking his punches with his left hand as he punched as hard as he could at the man's stomach with his right. He didn't have time to make sure the hit had caused any damage as the smaller one was coming at him with his sword. It slashed at his back and he couldn't help a muffled yelp of pain. But already he was turning and using the stick in his left hand to push the sword away. He used the opening created and hit that man too, as hard as he could. As the swordsman with the skull bandanna over the lower part of his face doubled over, Kurapica used his shoulders to push himself up, aiming a kick back at the man in the gym suit. He caught him on the side of his face, but the man didn't seem fazed at all. He gripped Kurapica's ankle and threw him down. Hard. The air was knocked out of Kurapica's lungs as he hit the ground. He felt something tighten around his left ankle and felt it pull. Another Nen thread. He only had his left arm and right leg left to fight with.

Kurapica wasn't one to back down. He got up on one knee and raised his stick as the sword came down from above his head. The wood gave way under the strength of the blow, but it moved the blade off of its trajectory and it missed his head, hitting his shoulder instead. He hissed in pain, but thrust what was left of his stick forward, catching his assailant on his thigh. The man jumped away and chuckled. It was an unnerving sound, but Kurapica barely paid attention. He twisted his upper body trying to hit his other attacker, but he had already moved away. They paused, eyeing one another, trying to gauge the strengths and weaknesses in their enemy. Kurapica knew he was losing this fight. And only three of the Spiders were actively taking part in the fight. It was humiliating, yet this was the very reason why he hadn't attempted to take them head on in York Shin the previous fall. The man with the sword was coming at him again, and the other man was throwing a kick at his injured shoulder at the same time. Kurapica jumped back, closer to the woman though far enough away that she couldn't hit him if she had a short-range weapon. She was quick. The threads around his ankle and wrist had barely gone slack that she was pulling on them so that they were taunt again, limiting his movements once more.

And still the two were coming at him. Kurapica waited until the very last second, then he jumped onto his left hand, letting go of the remains of his now useless stick, and kicked with his right foot as hard as he could. He heard it connect just as the smaller man's sword swung by, missing him by an inch. He had no time to feel relieved however, as the short man turned his sword and slashed at his back. Kurapica righted himself up to face the shorter man, but already the one he had kicked was coming back into the fray. Again, he jumped closer to the woman and again, she tightened her hold on her Nen threads, leaving him with little slack to work with. He tried a sharp movement of his arm, trying to unbalance her or get her to let go, but as he suspected, she knew her tools well and wasn't so easily shaken off. The next punch from the man in the gym clothes connected with his injured shoulder and he hissed in pain, going down on one knee. He brought his arm up to protect his neck from the blade that was coming down at him frightfully fast.

Two sharp sounds were suddenly heard and the sword stopped a mere breath away from his arm. Both men looked up to where their leader had sat throughout the fight. Fearing some trick or deceit, Kurapica hated to look away from the men who were still very much within attack range, but the leader's presence was... commanding so to speak. Seeing how they weren't attacking now that he had stopped them, Kurapica finally turned his head slightly to glance at the raven-haired man. Seeing that he had the Kuruta's attention, Kuroro Lucifer had a small, superior smile. “This is enough playing,” he said and got up. He paused, eyeing the blond until he saw the hesitation and worry cloud the brilliant crimson of his eyes. Then he smiled again and turned from him. “Take him.”

This time, there would be no exchange.

Chapter Text

“I am perfectly able to walk on my own.” Kuroro looked back to find the Chain-User struggling to extirpate himself from Franklin's grasp. The large man looked at his leader, and on a nod from him, the large man dropped the blond unceremoniously onto the ground. Machi made quick work of binding him with her Nen thread. She tied his hands behind his back and added a filament around his neck, ensuring that he would not live were he to try to escape. Kuroro was surprised. After Franklin had knocked him out, the Kuruta had only been unconscious for a few minutes. He was fairly certain that a lesser man would have been out of it for much longer. But then, he had found out the previous fall that the Chain-User was no ordinary man.

Once he saw that the blond could not escape them, Kuroro turned away again, making for the road. When they reached it, he summoned his book and opened it. A few moments later, he was sitting on the passenger seat of a black minivan, with Shalnark at the wheel and the rest of the Spiders that had accompanied him sitting in the back. Kurapica was sat in the middle on the back seat, jammed between Machi and Phinks. Feitan and Franklin, who had their seats in the middle row, were sitting sideways, keeping an eye on their prisoner. It was a tense drive, but Kuroro refused to stop in any of the villages and small towns they passed. Sometime around midnight, they made a quick stop and Shalnark got out of the car while they waited for him. He returned with bags full of hot takeout food. He distributed everything quickly, and even asked Kurapica if he wanted some, but the proud blond only glared back at him without answering. Shalnark got back behind the wheel and they drove on.

They made another stop in the late morning to have another meal and continued to drive throughout the day. The sun was low in the sky when Kuroro finally ordered Shalnark to drive into the parking lot of some imposing hotel. The town they were in was fairly large, though it was obvious it had seen better days. The roads were full of potholes and cracks and most of it seemed deserted, though you could still see vague figures could be seen hurrying indoors in the evening sunlight. The hotel itself looked derelict and was covered in graffiti, and a few windows had been smashed in on the ground floor. A nod towards the building from Kuroro's head and Phinks was already going in, to open the doors from the inside without letting it show that they had taken refuge there.

Kuroro motioned for Feitan to enter first, followed by Kurapica; Machi following close behind. Kuroro followed, and Shalnark and Franklin entered last. The van was already safely stashed in the Fun Fun Cloth, so that no one would know they were there at all. They found themselves in a large lobby that must have been grand when it was still in use. Now however, the carpet was riddled with mold and the wallpaper was peeling off the walls in large, stained sheets. “Find rooms that are useable. I will share mine with the Kuruta.”

The Spiders turned to their leader, surprised at the last sentence, but none of them would think of challenging his decision. Instead, they split to find suitable rooms where dust and mold hadn't taken over. Kuroro was left behind to watch the prisoner. He turned to the blond, assessing the damage he had incurred during his brief battle with Phinks and Feitan. His shoulder was injured, as well as his back. His clothes were ruined, torn and stained with blood. The young man looked pale and tired, but still had the strength to glare at him with beautiful red eyes. They were the most amazing things Kuroro had seen in a long time. He stole and sold many pieces of art that were considered to be the epitome of artistic beauty, but they were not as interesting as the living specimen he had before him. He was not only beautiful to look at, but he was also strong and vibrant. And as the last living Kuruta alive, he was quite literally a unique specimen. Even dead, he would be of inestimable value, but alive?

Alive, his strength and remarkable acumen would be of incomparable worth to his team. He knew he was up against a terrible will, a boy capable of taking down his team if he let him. But he was also confident he had the tools necessary to convince him to be temporary allies in spite of the Kuruta's deeply seated hatred. And once he got the young man to work with him, he would find a way to make him a permanent ally. Let loose, he was too dangerous. But killing him would be amount to destroying the most beautiful piece of art on the planet. No, he was both too valuable and dangerous to kill or let go of, so Kuroro would find a way to bind him to his side.

Shalnark came back and told him he'd found a suite on the third floor that would be quite a nice place for his leader and their prisoner. He lead them up two flights of steps and down a large hallway before opening a door and motioning for Kuroro to go in and see if it was up to his standard. It was definitely quite a step up from their usual trashed out basements, so Kuroro nodded to him and motioned for Kurapica to enter as well. The boy glared defiantly at him, but after a moment, he lowered his head and came through the door. “Shal,” Kuroro said without looking away from the Kuruta, “tell the others to assemble here in twenty minutes. Then make sure they all have decent accommodations and find a room for yourself as well. Close to this one as much as possible.” The young man nodded, stole one more look at the Kuruta and left. Kuroro closed the door and came back to stand before Kurapica. He looked at him, noting his posture, his carefully blank expression, the red, fiery eyes...

“Take your clothes off,” he ordered, and the glare turned to confusion. “I need to attend to your wounds. It wouldn't do to let them get infected.” His explanation didn't seem to make much sense to the Chain-User, but the blond complied anyway. Not that he had much of a choice. Although the Nen strings were no longer restraining him, he couldn't go against the Spider Head without the help of his Nen. He was pretty much defenceless, and he seemed to understand that. After only a slight pause, he undid the front of his blue vest and let it fall to the ground. The skirt-like garment followed, then a long-sleeved tunic and a sleeveless light purple shirt. And still, underneath all of this, he had another sleeveless black top. Kuroro arched an eyebrow as the blond took that one last shirt off. So many layers... But as the young man looked up, still glaring defiantly, he schooled his face into a carefully neutral expression. “Turn around so I can see your back.”

For a moment, he thought the Kuruta would not follow his order, but then the boy obeyed. Kuroro saw him tense up even more as he presented his more vulnerable back to his enemy. The Ryodan leader had no desire to harm the boy any further, however. He examined the wounds carefully, without touching the Kuruta. They weren't as bad as he had feared. They would certainly leave a scar, but he didn't need Machi to patch him up. They would heal well enough on their own, with regular stitches. It wouldn't do to have him all patched up right away anyway. For his plan to work, the blond needed to feel indebted to Kuroro in some way, so the Spider Head would take care of the wounds himself. There was little chance that the Kuruta would be won over with just this, but it would certainly help sway him into joining the Ryodan. And seriously, Kuroro needed all of the help he could have. The Kuruta was wilful and had had a long time to mull over his hatred of the group who had brought about the downfall of his tribe. But he would join them in the end, Kuroro would make sure of it.

“You will need stitches. I'll send Shalnark to get medical equipment.” He ran his finger along the least serious cut and watched in fascination as the younger man tensed up and shuddered. “It will leave a scar, but once they're cleaned up, there is little risk of infection. They should heal well enough.”

“Why –” The Kuruta's voice was a fierce, angry whisper. “Why are you doing this? You should just kill me.”

Kuroro smiled at that, though the other couldn't see him. “Why would I destroy such an incomparable work of art? You are worth a lot more alive than dead. And it would be quite a waste to kill the last of the Kuruta.”

The blond turned on him, fiery eyes ablaze with anger. “I'm only the last because you massacred all of the others. My family, my friends – you murdered them!!”

Kuroro looked down at him, observing his reactions, the way his eyes seemed to nearly glow in the drab light coming from the windows to their right. “It was a mistake on my part,” he finally said.

“A mistake?!” The Kuruta was shaking, fighting with himself to contain his hatred and anger. “Is that all the massacre was to you? A mistake?!”

“It was a mistake to leave you alive. Had I known there was a survivor, I would have searched high and low for him and killed him as well.” Kuroro's voice was devoid of any emotion. He said this matter-of-factly, as if it was the most reasonable thing to say. He saw Kurapica's eyes widen in shock, and then once again narrow in anger.

“You, you bastard!” he finally exclaimed.

“It is only natural,” Kuroro said lightly. “The tragedy of death is not in the death itself, but in the pain felt by those left behind. If you had died that night, you wouldn't have spent all those years a prisoner to your hatred and desire for vengeance.” Kurapica blinked a little in surprise, and a look of confusion flitted over his face, but then he took a step back, looking defiant yet again. Kuroro sighed inwardly, but then there was a sharp knock at the door and the other Spiders came in. He turned to them as they filed in and stood, waiting for his orders. “We'll stay here for some time. His wounds need to be attended to.” He paused here, waiting for their reaction. He wasn't disappointed.

“After all the trouble we went to just to get to him, you're going to have him all patched up and stuff?” Phinks snorted. “What if he attacks us again?!”

“He killed Ubo. He should die.” Feitan was as concise as ever.

“It'll cost extra.” That was Machi. “If I heal him, I'm charging double.”

Franklin and Shalnark remained silent, though they seemed as surprised as their more voluble teammates. Shalnark tilted his head after a moment and frowned pensively. “He is very strong,” he commented after a moment of silence. He looked over to the blond, sizing him up. Kurapica stared back, his face showing no emotion but for the hatred in his red eyes. “He could be useful...”

“Yes,” Kuroro replied. “And by killing Ubo and Paku, he's earned the right to become one of us.”

“Become a spider?” Kurapica's voice was shaking in barely contained anger. “Never! I would rather die.”

“That can be easily arranged,” commented Feitan. He eyed the Kuruta with anticipation. He would surely love torturing and killing this headstrong young man.

Kuroro made a cutting gesture with his hand and silence fell once more in the room. “I have a deal to make,” he said, and made his way to the couch. He patted at it a bit to get most of the dust off, and then he turned around and summoned his Book. From it, he called the Fun Fun Cloth and retrieved a metal case. He put it on a low coffee table in front of him and snapped the book shut, making the Cloth disappear. A move of his left hand and the Book vanished as well. He sat, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands clasped in front of his face. “After you have heard me out, I will let you decide whether you still wish for death or not.” He reached for the box and tapped a short pass-code number on a pad situated on one side. It opened and something slid out from it. He lifted it and placed it on the table, where everyone could see what it was.

Suspended in preserving liquid were two eyeballs, their red irises screaming to all present of the origins of these eyes. Kurapica let out a gasp and took a step forward.

“Now, I will say it again. I have a deal to make with you, the last of the Kuruta.” Kuroro had a little smile. “And I do believe you will listen to me this time.” Kurapica could only stare at the Scarlet Eyes and nod numbly.

“State your conditions,” he finally said.

Chapter Text

Kuroro considered the boy standing before him. He was somewhat still defiant, in spite of his apparent submission. He was standing straight as and I, dressed only in a pair of loose-fitting trousers. His bare chest showed a lithe, impossibly thin body. Kuroro knew from experience that in spite of his weak looking frame, the boy could pack one hell of a punch.

He would have to be very, very careful. The Kuruta was dangerous. Even without his Nen, he was a strong fighter. If Kuroro didn't plan every move for every person present, the young Kuruta would turn on them. He had nearly succeeding in undoing the Spiders, and Kuroro wouldn't give him another chance. He would make the blond join their group and he would use his powers to strengthen his team. He fingered the small silver band on the small finger of his left hand. Eventually, he would have to release the bind he had put on the Kuruta if he were to use the boy to his full potential. Before he could do that however, he would have to gain the blond's loyalty somehow. At the moment, the possibility of this happening was very, very slim. But that didn't matter. Kuroro was used to defying all odds and come out on top. He would win the Kuruta over and get him to join his team. He would make it happen.

He put his palms together and tapped the side of his index fingers against his lips, considering how to word what he would say next. He had to tread carefully. Then he straightened up and lifted his right hand, index finger extended. “Avenge the death of the Kuruta tribe and dismantle the criminal group known as the Gen'ei Ryodan.” He extended his thumb next. “Retrieve the Scarlet Eyes at any cost and return them to Lukso.” He clasped his hands together and looked at the young man before him. Angry red eyes stared right back. “Those are your goals, am I correct?”

The Kuruta obstinately refused to answer and just glared at him.

“Unfortunately,” the Spider head continued, not bothered in the least by the angry silence from the blond, “I cannot let you achieve your first goal. The Spider will live. You can kill me, but someone else will replace me. However many limbs you destroy, other members will replace them. You will never destroy the Gen'ei Ryodan.” The blond scowled darkly, but refused to take the bait and snap angrily back at him. “However,” the leader went on, “we can help you achieve your second goal.” That made the Kuruta react, finally. He blinked, then stared confusedly at him. Kuroro gestured towards the container with the Scarlet Eyes. “There is currently thirty-six pairs of Scarlet Eyes in collections around the world. Two pairs were lost in fires, one was lost at sea when The Mermaid of the West sank, and another disappeared in the Helkur volcano irruption. Two more pairs remain unaccounted for but I could find no trace of them. So, thirty-six pairs remain. This is one of them.”

He pushed the container forward on the table, disrupting a thin layer of dust in the process. “It is yours if,” he put emphasis on the word, “ifyou accept to join us.” He saw the Kuruta frown and begin to shake his head, so he cut in smoothly before the other could protest. “We will help you retrieve all thirty-six pairs of Scarlet Eyes as well. I will not release the bind on your Nen at this time. I believe you are strong enough as a fighter to proceed without the help of your chains and special abilities. However, to be sure, I will provide protection should we have to face a Nen user that could harm you in this state.” He looked up to his team, gauging their reactions. None of them reacted further to the proposition of having the Kuruta as part of their team. They all looked to him, waiting to see what he would say next. He chose his next words carefully. “These are my terms,” he finally said. “You are to join the Spiders and as such, you are to abide by our rules. Fighting amongst the Gen'ei Ryodan is prohibited. Normally, members are free to do as they please but must come at my call. In your case, however, you are to follow me. In exchange, we will help you find and retrieve the eyes of your fallen comrades.” He looked up at Kurapica, awaiting an answer.

Kurapica's eyes slid from his face to the pair of eyes on the table. He didn't let much show on his face, but Kuroro knew the boy was probably feeling very torn. Minutes ticked by and no one dared move. Still, the blond was staring at the eyes. He didn't look away when he finally spoke. “What if I refuse?”

“Then, as a threat to my Spiders, I will have to kill you. But I would rather not have to do that. You are a strong fighter, a learned scholar, as well as a living artifact.” The Ryodan leader didn't feel the need to add the fact he had promised to help the Kuruta come into his full potential. Well, if the boy refused the alliance, he could always have him killed and then just fight the promised duel. It wasn't as if he was afraid he would lose, after all.

“What about after? When I have all of the eyes returned to my fallen comrades?”

“I will expect you to keep to your word and remain with us. You are, after all, a man of honour, are you not?” He lifted an eyebrow, looking up at the blond. It was a challenge, one he knew the young man would feel strongly.

“What does a Spider know of honour?!” the Kuruta hissed at him.

“Enough to know you will keep to your word if you accept the arrangement I proposed,” Kuroro answered smoothly, not even remotely bothered by the way the boy spit out the words at him. “Shal.” The man he named all but jumped in surprise. He had been staring at the Kuruta during the entire conversation, a thoughtful frown on his youthful face.

“Yes, Danchou?”

“He will need treatment for his wounds. Find the necessary supplies.”

“I haven't given you an answer,” the blond protested. Kuroro turned his attention back to him. He didn't say anything, he just looked at the Kuruta, waiting for him to speak. The others began to shift uncomfortably, looking from their leader to the pale young man standing half naked in the middle of the room. Minutes stretched in awkward silence as Kuroro and the Kuruta stared each other down. Finally, the younger of the two looked away, averting his fascinating red eyes. “I don't seem to have much of a choice,” he finally said. “I am not afraid of falling in battle. But death here would be pointless.” He shook his head and stood straighter still, proud and defiant. “I will not die when there is a way for me to fulfil one of my oaths to my brothers. If I cannot destroy you at this time, I will see their eyes restored, at the very least.”

Kuroro had been fairly certain that the blond would comply with his demands, but he still felt something akin to relief when the boy finally agreed to his terms. He nodded to Shalnark, who threw one last glance at the blond and left. “Machi, call Hisoka and tell him to proceed as per our agreement.” Machi made a face at the jester's name, but left the room to place the call. “Feitan, his things.” The small assassin dropped a small wallet, a cellphone and a Hunter license on the table next to the container. “Thank you. You, Franklin and Phinks are to take turns keeping watch. That is all.”

They exited the room and he was left alone with the chain-user. He leaned forward and looked briefly through the wallet, then handed it back to the blond. The boy just blinked at him and wavered a bit before accepting it. Kuroro inspected the phone, then placed it onto the Hunter card. “I will keep these for the moment. The phone is probably GPS-enabled. I will have Shalnark scramble the signal so no one can come looking for you. I doubt you would want your former employer or your friends follow you back to us. I will also have him inspect your license. Then I will return both to you.”

“Why?” The Kuruta looked confused. “Why are you doing this?”

Kuroro put his hands together and tapped the tip of his index fingers lightly on the edge of the coffee table. “Despite how it looks, you are not my prisoner. It's your choice whether you stay or not. But be warned that I do not take deserters lightly. For now, you will be paired with me during missions.” He lifted an eyebrow, somewhat amused. “My Spiders follow my orders and fighting is strictly forbidden in the group, but some have quite a grudge against you. Ubo-san and Paku were two of the original members. They were both well liked.”

“They would try to kill me, then.” The boy looked like he... was looking forward to such a fight.

Kuroro had to smile. He shook his head. “No, but they could make it harder for you to survive a mission. So, you will be with me. Who knows, maybe you'll have your chance to eliminate me.” The Kuruta's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond. They both knew Kuroro would never let down his guard around him. “You should clean yourself,” the Spider leader said, motioning towards the bathroom with his head. “Hopefully, there is running water. Your wounds have stopped bleeding, but I would still suggest you not take a shower. Wash yourself by hand. I'll have Shal bring you a fresh set of clothes as well.”

The boy looked like he wanted to protest, but then he closed his mouth and headed towards the bathroom. Kuroro texted Shal and waited. The resident geek returned soon enough with clothes and medical supplies. He put them down on the desk that was against the far wall, then selected clothes at random for the Kuruta to wear. He heard him moving in the bathroom, so he knocked twice. “Brought you clothes,” he said cheerfully. “Danchou will want to look at your back, so don't put the shirt on just yet, okay?” The door opened and he handed the clothes over. The door shut quickly and he turned away, shaking his head. “You need me to check these?” Shalnark pointed at the Kuruta's mobile phone and license.

Kuroro nodded and handed them over. He let their resident geek work his magic. He had brought a small laptop with him and he quickly scanned the card in. He already knew his name from the memories Pakunoda had given them, and also that he had acquired his license the previous year. But accessing all of his information, he whistled softly. “Hey, Danchou... look at this.” He pointed to a date on the screen. Kuroro stood and glanced at what Shalnark was pointing to. The bathroom door opened at that moment. The Kuruta – Kurapica by name – walked out wearing a pair of jeans that was slightly too large and hung precariously on his thin hips. He was clutching a shirt protectively to his chest.

Kuroro walked away from the computer and motioned for Kurapica to sit on the chair in front of the desk. The blond sat stiffly in the chair, sitting sideways to let Kuroro examine his back. The older man silently went to the bathroom and came back with a wet washcloth. He carefully cleaned out the gashes on Kurapica's shoulder and back. Shalnark looked at them curiously, but didn't comment. There wasn't too much damage, Kuroro was relieved to see. One of the deeper wounds required a few stitches, but overall, they looked like they would heal well if he kept the wounds clean. All would leave scars, but with the stitches, it shouldn't be more apparent than the one Hisoka had given him at the end of his Hunter Exam. He did the stitches with the minutiae of a proper doctor, then he put a disinfecting, antibiotic salve over all three gashes before dressing the wounds with clean bandage. He stepped back, looking at his work critically before nodding, though the boy couldn't see him. “Finished. You may put your shirt on now.” Kurapica quickly pulled the shirt – a long sleeved, dark grey turtleneck shirt – over his head and the protection of the thin fabric seemed to make him feel less vulnerable. He stood and looked defiantly at the Ryodan leader. “Shal, give him his phone and license back.” Kuroro didn't take his eyes away from the boy as he said those words; and Kurapica likewise didn't look away as he accepted the items.

“Kurapica of the now extinct Kuruta Tribe from Lukso, you are now one of us,” Kuroro said softly, smiling as he saw the boy frown. He took out his pocket watch and broke eye contact only long enough to look at the time. “Also, happy birthday.” The blond stood still, dumbfounded. Finally, he looked at the time and date on his phone.

April 4, 288; 12:01am.

He had just officially turned 18.

Chapter Text

Kurapica sat stiffly in the chair by the desk, not daring to take his eyes off of his captor. The leader of the Spiders was sitting on the same couch he had been using earlier, one leg crossed over the other and was reading some old-looking book. He seemed to be ignoring the Kuruta completely, but Kurapica dared not let him out of sight. The other Spiders had all retreated, leaving him with their leader. It was humiliating to know they thought him too weak without his Nen to be able to either escape or harm the tall, dark man they followed nearly like one would worship a god. It was even more frustrating to know that... they were right.

His eyes had become painful. He had been using the Scarlet Eyes for well over twelve hours now and he had never before attempted using them for so long. They were usually used to strengthen the Kuruta, giving them a short burst of power and energy. In times of intense emotional state, they heightened the senses, strengthened the body and nearly seemed to slow down time for him. They were meant for use over a short time period, not for continuous use. Already, he could feel how it had depleted his energy. He was extremely sore and tired, yet how could he relax? The man he had sought for all of these years, the man he had thought defeated forever, the one who had caused him more pain and anguish than he had thought was even possible to live through was right there, sitting but a few feet away from him!

He closed his eyes for just a second, trying to get them to stop hurting so much. When he opened them again, he found the leader's black, unfathomable eyes staring straight at him over the upper edge of his book. Kurapica froze. For well over an hour, he had sat there with his eyes strained on his enemy, but the other had seemed to forget he was there entirely. But now, he was just... staring right back. The dark haired man closed his book and placed it on the coffee table. Then he uncrossed his leg, put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. He put the tip of his fingers together and tapped them lightly together a few times. “What do you know of hell?” he enquired, and Kurapica blinked.

The question appeared to be so... random. He half considered not answering at all, but he doubted the other man was just trying to have a conversation out of boredom. He thought for a minute, debating how to answer the question, and if he was going to respond at all. “Hell is a concept seen in many religious organizations and beliefs in which the souls of the dead go after they leave the realm of the living behind,” he finally said. “For some, it is a place of torment for the wicked, while others see it merely as the afterlife in its broadest meaning.”

The man nodded, like the answer satisfied him. “Have you read the writings of Petrus Binsfeldius?”

“The witch-hunter?” Kurapica was... intrigued. He had no idea what the man was getting at. He saw him nod and thought about it for some time. “I have read some of his writings. He was perhaps less extreme than some of his fellow inquisitors. He wrote extensively on demons and dwellers of the christian hell.”

The man nodded again. “I do like his writings,” he told Kurapica, “although I am neither christian nor have I been raised,” he had a strange little smile here, “as one. I am intrigued by their theology, however.”

“Is that why you chose the name Lucifer?” Kurapica asked before he realized that he was actually having a conversation with his worst enemy. He stood straighter and frowned a little, not sure how to feel about it. He suddenly realized that he was so intrigued that his eyes had returned to normal. They were hurting a lot less now.

“Lucifer,” the man replied, “lucem ferre, the light-bearer.” He paused here as Kurapica made a short sound that clearly meant bit full of yourself, huh? Once he had his attention again, he continued. “He was said to be the most brilliant of angels before he was cast out of heaven and became a prince of hell. I quite like him. Do you know the sin he is associated with?”

“Pride,” Kurapica answered easily. He remembered reading about all of this some years ago. The story had piqued his interest. And he knew his memory rarely failed him.

“Quite fitting, don't you think?” The man – Kuroro Lucifer – said with a tilt of his head. “I think it would also fit you quite well. But,” he raised his hand, stopping Kurapica's protest before he had time to voice it, “I think Amon would suit you even better.”

The meaning of the name at once came to Kurapica. “You would name me Wrath?” he enquired, wondering what to think about that.

“No man before you has ever defeated me,” the Spider head said by way of answer. “Your hatred gave you even more strength that you naturally possess. I would have killed you, but I now believe you are far too unique and powerful to kill, although I could do so at any time now. I would much rather use you, however. You are quite formidable.” Kurapica resisted the urge to thank him sarcastically. Instead, he just stared at him, waiting to see what he was getting at. “Every single one of my Spiders has a number tattooed on their skin – as I'm sure you know. I am the head, the number one.” He tapped his arm lightly and Kurapica wondered if that was where his tattoo was situated. “But you? You shall be number thirteen, for I know that in the end, you will betray me.”

Kurapica swallowed. He suddenly realized that he would have to have the symbol of the group he hated tattooed onto his own skin. Never,his mind screamed at him, I would rather die! But if he died now, there would be no way to avenge his comrades, no way to retrieve their stolen eyes and return them to the graves of the Lukso valley. He had to live. He had to live so he could put their spirits at rest. No matter the humiliation and shame he might have to endure, if there was a way he could fulfil his oath, he would have to bear it.

“Well,” the Spider Head got up and Kurapica tensed up immediately. “We have had a long night and we'll have another long one tonight. We'll be leaving this place around dinner time and drive out to this mansion I know has one of the pairs of eyes you're after. We'd better get some sleep.” Kurapica frowned. How could he sleep? How could he sleep knowing that man was so close to him?! There was absolutely no way. “You probably don't want to sleep on that stiff old chair,” the Spider head commented, turning to face Kurapica from where he stood in the doorway to a bedroom.

Kurapica shrugged and got up, looking around for the door that would hopefully lead to another room. There wasn't one. “I'll sleep on the couch,” he said.

“No, you will sleep in the room with me,” the raven haired man said, motioning to the room behind him. “There are two beds. I want to keep my eyes on you. I don't trust you anymore than you trust me.”

There was nothing for it. He was a prisoner, after all. Kurapica frowned but followed the man into the room. There were, as he had said, two beds. He sat on the one furthest from the windows, knowing that his captor wouldn't let him near a possible route of escape. He took off his shoes and slid under the covers, listening to the sounds the other made as he did the same on the other side of the room. He didn't intend to sleep, but it claimed him in the end, dragging him down into a world of nightmares.

Chapter Text

Things were moving so fast... Kurapica wasn't sure how to react to his new position within the group that he hated the most. He thought he should feel disgusted, angry, upset... but he just felt somewhat disoriented and...

Somewhat hopeful.

He had long wondered how he would manage to get all of the stolen eyes to his people. And here he was, in the basement of some lavish mansion in the middle of the night, staring down at a second pair of Scarlet Eyes. He felt the Spider Head at his back, hovering over him, watching his every move, every facial expressions. He hated the man, hated how he had played him so blatantly, using his weakest point to hit and get Kurapica to give in and join them. Yet, he was also acutely aware that he had done the same to him when he had captured him and used the Judgement Chain on him. He scrunched up his nose just as a door opened behind himself and his captor – he could not see him as anything but one – shifted to look towards the new arrivals. Kurapica didn't bother. He could smell the blood. One of those filthy Spiders, killing still. Murderers and thieves. Ah, yes, he sure had fallen in with a great crowd there.

“Hold on.” The voice was young, cheerful. Shalnark, Kurapica thought just as the computer expert moved to his left. He refused to look at him. The brunette knelt by a terminal and took a small laptop from his bag, hooking it to the larger computer. Kurapica kept his eyes on the large circular jar where the two ruby-coloured eyes floated. “I'll disconnect the security alarms. It'll only take a minute!” The young technician busied himself, and the door opened again.

Someone else walked in. Kurapica's eyebrows twitched slightly in disgust before he managed to school his face into an impassible mask. The new arrival also smelled faintly of blood. Not as much as the one who had come in with Shalnark (Feitan, Kurapica thought, he's the most bloodthirsty out of all of them), but it was obvious that Spider had also maimed of killed someone, at some point during the night. “Danchou.” A female voice: Machi. The man behind him shifted, his arm brushing against Kurapica as he turned to look at her. The Kuruta fought to repress a shudder of disgust. “The clown just called,” Machi said in a bored tone. “He said to tell you he's expecting good news soon.”

Kurapica could feel their eyes on him, but he refused to turn towards them. There was a moment of relative silence, where the only sound in the room came from Shalnark rapid typing. Machi's phone gave two beeps, barely audible. “The exit's cleared out,” she reported. “Franklin is outside making sure no guards are patrolling the grounds. Phinx is watching the door from inside.”

“Good.” It was that man. The leader. “Shal?”

“Two more characters and the password's cracked. Getting there.” He wasn't typing anymore, but staring at the screen intently. “Getting there.... getting there.... Ha! Cracked!” There was a soft beep, and some of the lights turned off.

Kurapica took a step forward and two glass doors slid open. No alarm resounded so he stepped into the vault and reached for the container he had come here to retrieve. “Wait.” The Spider head said, and he nearly disobeyed. But he knew there was bound to be some other mechanism to protect The Eyes. The container was placed on a strange looking pedestal. He looked it up and down, trying to figure out what purpose it served. It was obviously more than just for display. “Shalnark, make sure the current to that pedestal is cut. Kurapica.” The blond curled his hands into fists. To have that man, that bastard call him so familiarly, it made his blood boil in rage. He didn't acknowledge the Ryodan leader, but he waited, silently fuming. “You can't use Nen presently. As a precaution, I will take the Scarlet Eyes.”

Kurapica reluctantly took a step back. Everything in him was against letting that man put his hands on the precious artefacts. He stared intently at the Spider head as he reached the display. There was a click and the Ryodan leader froze, listening for any other sound. “Current disconnected!” Shalnark announced. The leader nodded in acknowledgement and quickly took the containers holding the Kuruta eyes, turning away to exit the small room where they were kept. Kurapica was itching to demand for him to give them to him, but he knew the taller man could transport them much more easily than he could with the help of the Fun Fun Cloth. As expected, as soon as he was through the glass doors, the dark haired man held out his hand for his Nen book of skills and summoned the red fabric. He had the eyes wrapped in it in an instant and both cloth and containers disappeared from view. “Current restored, as well as the alarms. Erasing signs of security breach.” Shalnark was typing rapidly on his little laptop. Kurapica refused to look at any of the Spiders in the room with him, content to stare at the far wall. After a minute, Shalnark closed his laptop and stood up. “We're good to go,” he said.

Their leader nodded and made his way to the door. Kurapica followed – how could he not? The loathsome man still had the Scarlet Eyes! – and the rest of the their little group fell behind him. He could feel their eyes on him still. It made his skin crawl. They made it to the tall wall that surrounded the property. The Spiders jumped the wall easily, their leader turning back towards Kurapica when he was on top of the wall. He had the gall to offer him a hand. The blond gave a scornful toss of his head, spotted a tree and used it to climb the wall, jumping from the side of the wall, to the tree trunk, to the wall and back rapidly. He might not be able to use Nen at the moment, but he was still agile. He had gone the first sixteen years of his life not knowing anything about Nen, and he had gotten by fine.

Once he was atop the wall, he looked at the taller man defiantly. See,his eyes were saying, I'm still strong and I don't need your damn help.The man just let his hand drop and smiled – smiled! – at him. Patronizing bastard! Kurapica turned away angrily and jumped down.

They all piled into the van and drove away. Kurapica was wedged between Phinks and Feitan this time, and the smell of blood the smaller man emanated was enough to make him want to gag. He fought it down, remaining as impassible as possible. He was relieved when they stopped a few hours after midnight. As he stepped out of the vehicle, he saw they were in the middle of the woods. The road was paved, but there was no light and there didn't seem to be anyone for miles around. “Franklin.” It was the leader. “Get rid of the car. We'll spend the night here and we'll make it on foot to the city from here. Feitan, Phinks. You go on ahead. There should be a clearing about 2 kilometres from here to the east. There's a house there. Make sure there is no one in it. Machi, Kurapica. You come with me.”

Kurapica gritted his teeth but followed him, the woman right behind him. They walked for some time before they reached the clearing. Feitan and Phinks were already at the door, the taller of the two sticking his thumb towards the inside. “All clear. There was nobody. Looks like it hasn't been used in a while, too.”

“Good.” The leader went in and surveyed the large, open room. There wasn't anything to sit on so he leaned against the far wall, waiting until all of his Spiders had assembled inside. “Phinks, Feitan, Franklin. Tomorrow you will leave and head east for 53 kilometres. The town of Iolar is small, but you will find some form of transport there. Try to find as many of the others as you can get in touch with. We'll meet in Ryuuseigai in four months. Machi, Shalnark. I will need you both with me until Morinya. There is another place we can retrieve a pair for Scarlet Eyes from. Then Kurapica and I will travel alone. I will send the Eyes with you as a precaution.”

He eyed Kurapica critically and the blond glowered back. There was no point for him to send the Eyes with them since, without his Nen, Kurapica had no chance of ever defeating the Spider head, even alone with him. But the man wasn't going to take any chances, it seemed. Kurapica had to admit that it was the most logical course of action – aside from the part where he had to travel alone with his worst enemy. Wouldn't it be safer to keep travelling in group? The thought of being stuck with the man for so long made him want to hit things. But he just stood silently, like none of what was said concerned him.

“On the 15^th of August, we will all assemble in Ryuuseigai,” the leader continued. “Machi, make sure that Nobunaga knows the Chain-user is under my protection. I will not forgive him if he attacks the Kuruta. He's a hot-head, but he's not an idiot. Even he can see why Kurapica can be a valuable addition to the Gen'ei Ryodan. He was Ubo-san's closest friend, but he must understand that the survival of the Spiders goes before personal grudge.”

“Why ask me?” Machi wanted to know. “He's a pain to deal with.”

The leader had a strange little smile. “He listens to you more than anyone else. For someone who hates interacting with others, you're the one who's best at dealing with any of the Spiders.”

“Apart from you,” the woman countered. “And Paku was much better at it than I am.” A long, heavy silence settled over them. Kurapica could feel them looking at him. He ignored them, content to stare ahead. He remembered the woman Paku – how could he not? She still haunted him. He had killed her. She had chosen death over betrayal, just like Ubogin had. Something in the back of his mind was trying to get his attention, whispering something that had to do with loyalty. He shoved it down, refusing to listen. They were monsters, plain and simple. Monsters.

But, the whisper said, monsters have no loyalty.

Chapter Text

It was way too early to be up and about. The sun wasn't even visible behind the trees; all Kurapica could see was a line of pale orange in the eastern sky. He hadn't gotten much sleep the few previous nights – barely a few minutes here and there when his mind blanked out in spite of his best effort to stay awake. It was starting to show, too. He felt a little wobbly and he knew he was not as guarded as he should be in front of his enemies. The exhaustion made it impossible for him to defend himself anymore.

He knew he should get some sleep, but he couldn't. He simply... could not. Every night, the leader of the Spiders slept beside him, his bed merely a few meters from where Kurapica laid. In the darkness of the night, the Kuruta thought crazy things and plots to rid the world of this evil man once and for all. But in the end, he knew he couldn't. If he moved from his bed, the Spider head would be awake and have him at his mercy instantly. Also, they were indeed gathering up the eyes of his people. So, he laid down and dreamt awake, dreamt of vengeance he could not have.

Not helping, was the fact that even a week into his captivity, his shoulder was painful to the extreme. And then, there were the apparitions. Pakunoda and Ubogin both visited him, night after night after night. It was a miracle he hadn't gone insane already.

Some of the Gen'ei Ryodan were leaving. Their leader, the woman and the young, overly friendly technician remained with him, but they had walked outside to see the others off. Kurapica stood to the side, resisting the urge to to lean against the side of the house they had stayed in the previous night. It wasn't important to him to see the others leave, but the leader wouldn't leave him out of sight. He had closed his eyes for a moment only, when he heard some heavy footsteps coming his way. His eyes flew open and he looked up to see Franklin staring down at him thoughtfully. He studied the Kuruta for a few minutes, then moved his right hand, reaching towards him. Kurapica tensed, everything inside him preparing to fight, but the large man just let his hand fall heavily on the top of the blond's head. He patted him a few times. “You're all right,” he said, then turned his back on him.

Kurapica stared after him as he walked away, followed by the small, sadistic man and the one without eyebrows. The Kuruta was completely dumbfounded. He noticed the Spider head looking at him from the corner of his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips. He scowled back and looked away. This whole situation was simply infuriating.

“I could really use a cup of coffee,” the man said, his voice smooth and devoid of any trace of mockery. “How about you?”

Kurapica looked back at him, feeling a little confused. Kuroro Lucifer was looking at him, expecting an answer. He shrugged. “Sure,” he replied sullenly. The taller man smiled a small, satisfied smile and walked back inside. They all followed suit and soon they were all drinking coffee together like some kind of fucked-up little family. Kurapica scoffed softly at the thought and three pairs of eyes immediately turned to him. He tensed.

“What made you laugh, Kurapica?” Trust that bastard not to leave him alone. Annoying prick.

“Nothing,” he replied and shrugged. He took a few sip of his coffee quietly, but still the man stared with his large, dark eyes. The silence was heavy. Kuroro Lucifer was still waiting for an answer. “It's just –” Kurapica shrugged again and looked away. “Drinking coffee like this like we're normal. It would look from the outside like we're some sort of peculiar family.” He half expected them to protest or laugh at him. He felt so silly, having said it out loud.

“No way,” the woman, Machi, protested. “There's no way I'm playing mommy.” She said the word like it was poison.

“Oh?” Shalnark grinned. “Does that mean Danchou is Daddy? Then what about me?”

“The geeky big brother, of course,” Machi said. “Then Blondie is the annoying little brother.”

Kurapica blinked. They were all joking around? They seemed completely at ease with each other. That whisper was back in the back of his mind. He shoved it aside, focusing instead on what the woman had called him. “... Blondie..?!”

“Well, your hair's blond, isn't it? She shrugged.

“I'd... appreciate if you didn't call me that,” Kurapica muttered. He just barely saw Kuroro Lucifer hide a little smile behind his coffee mug. Everything he did amused the man, it seemed. He didn't have the energy to get angry anymore. He got up and went to get himself some more coffee. Then they drank in silence. At some point, Shalnark left the room.

When they were all finished drinking their coffee, the leader got up and made his way to the door. Machi went to get the computer wiz. Kurapica waited for a moment, but when Kuroro stopped at the door and looked back at him, he got up wordlessly and followed. They started walking north and the other two joined them quickly. At first, Kurapica had a good pace, but as the sun moved higher and higher overhead, he started lagging a bit. It frustrated him to see the leader slow down for him, but there was very little he could do.

They finally reached the end of the woods sometime mid-afternoon. Before them was a small valley surrounded by low hills rolling out to meet the feet of tall, rocky mountains, far north. In the vale was a small town of white houses with red tile roofs. From where he stood, Kurapica could see people coming and going down unpaved streets. It was a quaint little place. He hoped they would stop. He really wanted to rest. But at the same time, he was with members of the Gen'ei Ryodan. It would be better for the town if they moved on.

“We should be able to acquire some form of transport here,” Kuroro said and Kurapica was horrified at how relieved he felt. These were the Spiders. The terrible Gen'ei Ryodan! He couldn't let them get into the town. He should stop them, somehow. What if more people died? “Don't kill anyone,” the leader continued, looking straight at Kurapica, as if those words were meant just to reassure him. “Don't attract too much attention. We're going to lay low until we reach Morinya.”

“Yeah, sure.” Machi shrugged and started walking towards the hamlet.

“Understood,” Shalnark replied, stole a look at Kurapica and went after the woman.

Kurapica turned to the dark haired man. “What are you playing at?” he demanded. “Surely you don't need to put up appearances in front of me. I know exactly the horrors you are capable of.”

“But you would still rather I don't kill any of the villagers, right?” the Spider head tilted his head at him. “I'm not trying to impress you. I don't think making you unhappy would be beneficial to any of us, that's all.” He motioned with his arm for Kurapica to precede him. The blond eyed him quietly for a few moments, then started making his way downhill after the other two. A short walk brought them to the outskirt of the small town. People stopped and stared openly at them. They obviously had very few visitors.

The Spider head smiled politely at a middle-aged woman holding a young boy by the hand. “Excuse me, Madam,” he said. “As you can see, we are visitors here. Could you kindly point me to an inn or a hotel? Also, our car broke down and we've been walking for days. Is there any vehicle we could possibly buy?” Kurapica mentally cringed. The man was such a smooth-talker. It was easier to understand how his boss had been deceived. Hard to suspect such a well-mannered man had killed and robbed more people than one would meet in a lifetime.

“Oh my,” the woman gushed, “what a handsome, polite young man! There is an inn by the mayor's house.” She pointed towards the centre of town. “You'll recognize it easily; it's the large house with the blue panels. I don't think anyone's got a car here, but I'll ask around. I do hope you'll stay for a few days?”

“Sadly, we have business to attend to, so we can't stay. Thank you very much.” It was just ridiculous how easily the part of an upright man came to the Ryodan leader. The woman was deceived by his charms, and Kurapica had to resist the urge to tell her not to be fooled, that this was a mass-murderer and a thief. Suddenly, the taller man threw him a look and Kurapica blinked. It was as if Kuroro was.... enjoying himself? But the other turned around and started walking in the direction the woman had pointed them. Kurapica was left wondering if the amusement on the older man's face was just his imagination.

Machi followed the Spider head, but Shalnark stayed with him, sending him a questioning look. Kurapica started walking and the young technician fell in step beside him. “So, Kurapica, you're a Hunter, right? Your card said you've just gotten your license last year.” Kurapica hesitated a bit, and nodded. The young man seemed friendly and open, but he was still a Spider. Kurapica had no intention of becoming friends with him. “I got my license three years ago.” Shalnark grinned. “I keep telling the others that they should get their license too, but they don't seem to care at all.” They walked in silence for a minute or two. “You're not really talkative, are you? Though you talk with Danchou.”

Kurapica eyed him for a moment. “He usually asks me questions,” he finally said

“Oh, well. I can do that!” Shalnark said, beaming happily at him. “Oh, seems we're here!” Kurapica looked ahead and saw Kuroro and Machi standing in front of a large house that had blue panels like the woman had said. A sign by the gate proclaimed it to be the Riverrun Inn. When Kurapica and Shalnark had caught up with the others, they all went through the gate. Kuroro pulled on a delicate chain hanging by the door. They heard a bell ring somewhere inside.

A few moments later, a short, plump woman with grey hair and a blue dress opened the door. She was wearing an apron and she wiped her hands on it. “Goodness me, you come just as I finish washing the floors. What can I do for you?” She looked friendly and smiled easily and openly. Kurapica couldn't help thinking she was the perfect stereotype of the loving grandmother.

“Just some rooms for the night,” Kuroro answered with an easy smile.

The innkeeper's eyes flicked over the little group. “So four rooms? It's four thousand zennies per room, dinner and breakfast included.”

“Just three rooms, thank you,” the Spider head said. “I'll be sharing mine with him.” He gestured towards Kurapica.

The woman blinked and looked from one to the other then had an awkward little smile. “Oh, hem, I see. Three rooms then. Follow me.” She turned around and Kurapica was horrified to realize that she had misunderstood in the worst possible way. He glared daggers at Kuroro's back as he followed him inside. He could only hope the man would specify they wanted a room with two beds. The innkeeper took them upstairs. Machi got the room closest to the stairway. Shalnark had the room next to hers.

Kuroro and Kurapica were to have the one next to that, but to the blond's immense relief, the dark haired man turned it down. “I fear you've misunderstood,” he said. “We would like to have two separate beds.”

“Oh,” the woman exclaimed, looking flustered. “I thought you two were –” Kurapica was extremely glad she never finished that sentence. He shuddered.

Kuroro threw him an amused look. The blond just glared back. He was fairly certain the taller man had let the innkeeper misunderstand on purpose, just to get to Kurapica. He seemed way too amused with this ridiculous situation. They were shown another room that had twin beds with just a small headstand between them. The thought of having to lie down this close to his enemy was horrible, but it was much better than having to share a bed. The taller man thanked the innkeeper and preceded Kurapica into the room.

“Dinner will be served in about two hours,” the woman said and Kurapica thanked her before following Kuroro inside the room and shutting the door.

The Spider head eyed him, with an amused little smile. “You look rather unhappy,” he told Kurapica, and the blond wondered if the comment was meant to be teasing.

“I fail to see the humour in this nonsensical situation,” he informed the taller man. Kuroro shook his head and took out the Fun Fun Cloth to retrieve a change of clothes for the two of them. Kurapica had to admit the skill was extremely useful for travelling light. He took the clothes the taller man handed him and made his way to the door. “I'm going to take a shower,” he said.

“Go ahead. I'll re-bandage your wounds when you come out.” He nodded to indicate he had heard Kuroro and then he left the room and made his way down the hallway to where the innkeeper had said the bathroom was. Once inside, he shut the door and started undressing. He took the bandages off and eyed the wounds carefully by looking at the mirror over his shoulder. They seemed to be healing fairly well. Showering would still be painful, however. There was nothing for it. He stepped into the shower and started the water, cringing as it his hit shoulders and started running down his injured back.

It felt good in spite of the pain. When he was done washing his hair and his body, he stayed in for some time. It felt so good to be away from the others, to be alone and just relax a bit. He hadn't had much time to himself since his capture. It was only to be expected. He was a prisoner after all, though none of the Spiders treated him like one. Other than the leader's insistence on sharing a room with him, he was treated like he was one of them. This bothered him more than if he were kept in chains in a prison cell. He finally got out of the shower and dried himself gingerly, careful not to rub on his wounds. He put a fresh set of clothes on. Kuroro had picked a simple pair of jeans with a high collared blue-grey top. He felt awkward about going out with his chest exposed, but he knew he had to get his shoulder and back bandaged first.

He hurried down the hall to his room and shut the door quickly behind himself. Kuroro looked up from the book he was reading. He closed the volume and set it down. The bandages and salve were already on his bed. He got up and motioned for Kurapica to sit down on the mattress by the medical supplies. Kurapica complied and heard the man walk behind him. It always unnerved him when he had to leave his back exposed like this to his enemy but there was nothing for it. It was better to let himself be treated than let the wounds infect. He had an oath to fulfil after all.

The older man was silent for a long moment that made Kurapica even more nervous. Finally, the leader moved closer and picked the medicinal cream up. He applied some of it on the wound on Kurapica's shoulder. It was cold and the blond flinched. He heard a little amused snort from the man behind him and he glared at the far wall. When the cold salve was put on his back, he sat straight, refusing to flinch and cause more amusement for the Spider head. Kuroro bandaged him up and Kurapica checked himself to make sure he didn't flinch or shudder whenever the man's fingers brushed against his skin. When it was finally done, he stood up and pulled his shirt on. Kuroro was already heading for the door. He looked after the taller man curiously and saw him go towards the other Spider's rooms.

A moment later, he was back with Shalnark. He picked up his own change of clothes and left the room wordlessly. Shalnark sat down on the floor by Kurapica's bed. “Hi,” he said. Kurapica turned to him, looking at him silently. The young Spider made a face. “No need to be so defensive. We're team-mates now, you know?” There was no point denying it. They all knew how he felt about that, but they simply did not seem to care. He had agreed to it, after all. Bought for the price of his tribesmen's eyes. Seeing how they were worth a few billion zennies a pair, he was probably the man who had the highest bribe paid to him in the history of mankind. It didn't make him feel any better about it, though.

Shalnark stopped trying to raise a conversation out of him after that and started playing a game on his phone instead. Kurapica went to have a look at the book Kuroro had left on the nightstand. It was one he had never read before, about the ancient culture of the Borongi people. Intrigued, he opened it to the first page and started reading. Time stretched in silence in the room. Kuroro returned, dressed in black denim trousers and simple black long-sleeved shirt. He looked so... normal. It was uncanny. He hadn't gelled his hair back either. It made him look so much younger.

Shalnark got up. “Now that Danchou's done, it's my turn to hit the shower!” He got up and headed out cheerfully, leaving Kurapica with the Spider head.

Kuroro looked at him, then down at the book in his hands. Kurapica hastily set it down. “You can read it if you want,” the Ryodan leader assured him. “It's really interesting. Just give it back when you're done.” The dark haired man took out another book from his Fun Fun Cloth and settled down to read. After a moment, Kurapica picked up the book again. The rest of the evening, interrupted only for supper, went on in silence.

Chapter Text

The next morning, they were all eating breakfast in silence around a long dinner table while the innkeeper fussed at the plates and made them way more coffee than they would be able to drink, when the middle-aged woman from the previous day came in. She strode into the room with the air of someone who knows will be welcome. “I found one!” she exclaimed. “Old George is selling his son's car. Said the rascal’s too reckless and needs to grow up before he's allowed to drive anymore. Kid's shown up with it one day – bought it in Murk city and he's been endangering people and cattle for miles around with the blasted thing ever since.”

“That is good news,” Kuroro answered. “Thank you very much.”

“He'll be at the bistro across the plaza around noon. He always plays cards there in the afternoon. You can talk with him about the cost and such.” She sat down and the innkeeper brought her a cup of coffee. The woman accepted both coffee and breakfast easily and then spent the rest of the morning chatting them up with gossips and tales about each and every one of the small town's inhabitants. She also tried again and again to get more information out of them, but only the Spider head answered her questions, lying easily and naturally.

Kurapica observed the leader closely, trying to find something in his posture and body language that would let him know without fail when the man lied, like he was doing now, but he found nothing. The Spider head was perfectly in control, using the perfect tone, words and gestures to convince their hostesses that he was a perfectly respectable man.

They gobbled it all up.

Kurapica had always thought that the leader of the Spiders would be filthy, insane and extremely violent. Instead, he found a charismatic young man who knew how to act the perfect gentleman.

Psychopathy, his mind provided easily, refers to a personality disorder characterized by the inability to form human attachment and an abnormal lack of empathy, masked by an ability to appear outwardly normal.

The man in question turned to him, as if he had felt Kurapica's eyes on him. The blond quickly looked down to his plate, his piece of toast getting soggy in the yolk of his eggs. His stomach twisted. He pushed his plate aside and focused on his coffee instead. It burned his tongue but he didn't mind. The pain felt good, felt real in this insane little scene.

Breakfast was laughingly normal, given the circumstances. Kurapica barely touched his food, but he didn't really notice. His thoughts were like a storm, raging, screaming – until his head was so completely filled with them, he felt he was going to drown. He looked up and found himself staring straight into the void of Kuroro's midnight eyes. He suddenly felt a chill, somewhere deep into his very soul. He looked down and found that his hands were gripping his mug so tightly that his knuckles were white. He breathed in, then out and slowly let go, setting the coffee down in front of him. When he looked up, Kuroro had his attention once more on the woman sitting with them.

Kurapica shifted uncomfortably, looking down to the mug sitting on the table in front of him. He listened to the inane conversation for some time, then picked up his mug when he was certain his hands weren't shaking. He took a sip of the bitter liquid every once in a while, letting the others take care of entertaining their hostess. He was suddenly aware of eyes on him, and he looked up to find the boyish looking Spider watching him curiously. Their eyes met and caught for a moment. Then the man – Shalnark, Kurapica reminded himself – smiled and looked away, drinking from his own cup.

The Kuruta turned to the last member of their mad little party, but the woman had been mostly ignoring his presence entirely since he had been captured, simply obeying her leader's commands with the air of someone who is bored out of their mind.

At some point, Kurapica noticed the village woman was getting up and taking her leave of the innkeeper. He nearly blew a sigh in relief. The woman could chat up a storm, and Kurapica really had no interest in knowing that Rory's old great-uncle had a serious case of the gout. Whoever Rory was.

He fled upstairs as soon as was politely acceptable, then sat down on his bed, opening the book Kuroro had loaned him. He was so engrossed in it, he barely noticed when the Spider head walked into the room. They read the rest of that morning away, the silence neither uncomfortable nor oppressive. When Shalnark opened the door sometime around noon, he froze in the doorway, looking from one to the other in surprise. He didn't comment, though, and after telling his leader that 'Old George' had been sighted at the local bistro, they both left together. The woman, Machi, took position outside his door. Kurapica didn't care. He went back to his book. Soon after, Kuroro walked back in, jiggling car keys in his right hand.

“Kurapica,” he called softly, since the younger man hadn't looked up at his entrance. “The car is at the door. We're leaving.” The blond looked up at his name. He nodded in acknowledgement, then closed the book and got up. Kuroro smiled pleasantly. “Enjoying the book?” he enquired.

Kurapica shrugged and brushed by him on his way out the door. “It's interesting,” he finally conceded. He didn't like Kuroro being nice to him. It confused him, made him waver. No, he had to hold onto his hatred, had to clutch at his rage. It was all that he had, all that he was.

Amon, indeed.

Kuroro sat at the wheel, Kurapica sitting next to him with the other two in the back. Shalnark tried to raise a conversation, but Kurapica only answered him minimally until finally, the man gave up and started playing games on his cellphone. The blond nearly sighed in relief, kept himself in check and opened the heavy volume again. They drove through a dense forest, following a road that went more or less westward, up and down through the hills. None of them spoke for the first few hours, but when they reached the highway, Kuroro spoke softly.

“Shalnark, Machi. I will drive for about a hundred kilometres north and then pull over. We'll make it look like we have engine trouble and leave the car there. You will flag down a car and ask them them to drop you off in the town of Brimbles which is close by. We will rendez-vous at the train station. Machi, you will buy two tickets in the car just before the VIP one. Shal, sometime later, you will buy two tickets in the VIP car. If it's taken, use your Hunter license and kick the previous customers out. We'll take the last train to leave tonight and travel separately. If I recall, the night train arrives in Morinya mid-morning. You will follow us at a safe distance and we'll find some place to use as base in town.”

“Hn,” Machi acknowledged.

“Okay!” Shalnark sounded nearly excited.

Kurapica raised his eyes and caught Kuroro's eyes as they flicked to him for an instant before returning to the road. He went back to his book.

As the signs saying the town of Brimbles was coming up came into view, Kuroro put the car to neutral and turned on his hazard lights. Angry motorists behind them started honking away, but Kuroro ignored them and managed to manoeuvre through two lanes to pull over onto the curb. He got out of the car and walked to the front to open the hood, helping the illusion that the vehicle had stalled. The sudden change of pace made Kurapica look up from his book for the first time in over an hour. He looked out front to where he guessed the Spider head was, but he couldn't see him behind the hood of the car. Machi and Shalnark got out as well to stand by him, Shalnark a bit to the side. He could see through the window of the car to where Kurapica was sitting, but he wasn't looking at him.

Kurapica looked from him, to the thick woods to his right. An urge to just get out of the car and run for it made him reach for the handle. He wanted out of this insane situation. It was intolerable. He was surely going to go raving mad if he were to stay. He checked himself. He had given his word. And this was an excellent chance to fulfil one part of his vow to his people. He let go of the door handle and clasped his hands together on his lap. One of the back window was open and he heard the leader's voice at the front of the car.

“Machi, we've been standing here long enough. Flag a car.”

“Understood.”

Then, silence. Kurapica looked out of the driver's side window, wondering if any car was going to bother stopping. He started counting the ones that didn't, trying not to think about escaping. He made it to thirty-seven before an old, beaten vehicle that had probably been on the road for at least twenty years pulled over. He heard the gravel crunching under the feet of someone – possibly the leader – and then a muffled conversation.

“Oh dearest,” came the call a moment later, and Kurapica twitched, recognizing the voice as Kuroro's, “This kind man offered to take one or two of us into town. Why don't you take the eldest and go with him? I'll stay here with our youngest until towing comes.” Were he less dignified, Kurapica would have hit his forehead with the palm of his hand. Had the leader just used his observation from a few days ago? And what was with the weird, happy tone of voice?! Kurapica had goosebumps just from hearing it.

“What a wonderful idea, darling.” Machi's voice sounded strained, like she wanted to kill something. The Kuruta nearly felt sorry for her. Nearly.

More footsteps, then the sound of car doors. Soon, the other car drove away and Kurapica gave the woodlands to his right another wistful look, before turning resolutely from the view. He looked at his book, wondering if it was worth picking it up. He debated for a bit, then decided that he probably didn't have enough time to finish a chapter. The sharp knock at his window made him jump. He hadn't heard the Spider head come back. He looked up.

“Come out,” Kuroro said, accompanying the soft command with a light movement of his head. He opened the door for him. Kurapica grabbed the book and obediently got out of the car. The taller man shut the door behind him. They stood for a bit, Kurapica refusing to look at the master thief, feeling Kuroro's eyes on him. The taller man seemed to be studying him. The silence stretched on for some time, until finally, Kurapica gave in and looked up.

Kuroro was staring intently down at him. His eyes were dark and unblinking, which was more than a little creepy. They seemed to shine as if from an inner light, and there was... something in them that made Kurapica very uncomfortable. He bore the scrutiny for as long as he could, but he had to look away at some point. When he did, Kuroro stepped away from him. Kurapica slowly breathed in and out, then unclenched the hands he had no recollection of balling into fists. When he finally looked up again, Kuroro was staring at the road, as if he expected a car to stop for him without him suffering the indignity of sticking his thumb out. To the Kuruta's surprise, one did.

It was a flashy sort of pick-up truck with flames painted on the sides. To his surprise, when he got closer, he saw that the driver was a middle-aged lady with curly blond hair and intense blue eyeliner. She had a cigarette in her mouth and the truck itself reeked of cigarette smoke. He scrunched up his nose and took a step back. He walked right into the Spider head who was waiting behind him. He hastily stepped to the side. Kuroro leaned in through the open window on the passenger side. “Hello there. Our car broke down. Do you mind giving us a ride into town?”

The woman took a puff of her cigarette and slowly blew it out. “Oh, honey,” she said, “I can give you a ride anywhere you like.”

Kuroro's suave manners didn't waver, though Kurapica thought that was a perfect time to shudder and walk away slowly. Instead, the thief took a step back and opened the door. He motioned for Kurapica to climb in first but the blond just looked at the truck and stayed where he stood, not willing to even get close to the horrible smell and the trashy looking woman.

Kuroro stared at him and only said one word. “Kurapica.”

His name. His own name that he had heard a million times in his life, but suddenly it sounded so different. It sounded like an order, a chain binding him to this man who dared pretend to have authority over him. He suddenly felt anger burning inside and he made to step even further back, but then all of his hairs stood on end and he froze. Something... was different. All of his senses were on alert and were screaming at him, 'danger, danger.'

Kuroro was staring at him. Although his face appeared completely blank, Kurapica could feel that he wasn't too happy with his show of defiance. His instincts were telling him to run, run as fast as he could. This man was dangerous and Kurapica had just defied him. He frowned and glared right back.

“Somethin' the matter, honey?” the woman asked, completely oblivious.

“Excuse him, ma'am,” Kuroro answered smoothly. “My cousin gets car sickness very easily so he doesn't like to go into cars he isn't used to. But our car stalled and we have no choice so he will get in.” He turned back to stare at the blond. “Won't you, Kurapica?”

Again, this commanding tone. Kurapica glared, attempted an angry retort, then shrugged in defeat and walked angrily past the taller man. He climbed into the truck and sat awkwardly next to their driver. Kuroro climbed after him. The blond sat, stuck between two people he would rather be miles away from. He set his face in a blank mask, though he felt sure the others could see his anger. His fingers were clutching the book on his lap, and he fought to keep his temper in check.

He was quite proud of himself for not flinching when the woman slung her arm over the back of the seat, effectively putting it behind his neck. She drove like a bat out of hell and Kurapica found that Kuroro's assessment that he got easily car sick could possibly be true in this case. She also smoked the entirety of the trip, lighting up a new cancer stick every time that she finished one. By the time they reached Brimbles, Kurapica was pretty certain that his face was green. The woman dropped them off in front of a garage with towing services and Kuroro thanked her politely. She made a few invitations that he declined easily. Kurapica turned away from them, embarrassed by the crude language the woman was using. Finally, she left and he looked back to find the Spider head looking at him, looking amused. Kurapica didn't have the energy to glare back, so he shrugged and looked away again. He breathed in and out slowly, then shook his head, as if to wake himself up.

“Shall we go, then?” The dark haired Spider asked.

Kurapica clenched and unclenched his fists a few times, trying to make his anger go away. It would serve no purpose here. He breathed in again, then let it out slowly. “Yeah,” he answered and Kuroro had a queer little smile in response. Together, they made their way to the train station. Kurapica felt that something had shifted somehow, between the two of them. He was pretty sure that it wasn't a good thing.

Chapter Text

“Oh, I'm so sorry!!” Kurapica sat up, rubbing the back of his head. It had hit the ground hard when he was bowled over. He would probably have a bump the size of a brick. He hadn't realized how much he had come to rely on his Nen until it was taken away from him. He would have been able to dodge this, normally. He looked up at the young man who had bent over and offered him a hand to help him up. Shalnark. “I'm so very sorry! I was in a hurry and I didn't see you!”

Kurapica frowned and took the offered hand, since the man was clearly playing a role. It was better to follow his lead for now. Once he was upright, Shalnark started patting him, dusting his clothes while worriedly asking if he was all right. Once Kurapica assured him that he was, Shalnark let go and looked down, turning his head this way and that, obviously looking for something.

“Oh, sir! You dropped your train tickets! Here!” He swooped down, grabbing a ticket envelope from the floor, then pushed it into Kurapica's hand. “Again, I'm very sorry. Gotta go, now.” Shalnark dashed off, nearly running into a few more people. A few moments later, Kurapica heard his clear voice echoing in the large train terminal. “Machi! I'm so sorry I'm late! We didn't miss the train, did we?”

Kurapica turned to face Kuroro, half-glaring at him. With this, they had their tickets and, to the average onlooker, no connection to Shalnark and Machi who were travelling separately on the same train. It was a pretty good plan, but Kurapica thought Kuroro should have been the one hitting the ground. He rubbed the back of his head moodily and winced.

His companion extended an arm to him. “This looks painful. Are you all right?” Kurapica figured he was just saying it for the sake of the people gawking at the scene. He felt like slapping the hand away and yelling at the man to leave him alone, but that would ruin the purpose of this little scene, and the headache he felt coming would be meaningless. He had no choice but to walk closer and let Kuroro's arm brush his back. He resisted the urge to shudder violently. The thief's hand settled between his shoulder blades, guiding him closer even as Kuroro started walking towards their platform. He looked the perfect example of a concerned friend. Kurapica grit his teeth and nodded. “I'm fine. I just had the wind knocked out of me.”

“Let's go,” Kuroro answered, and his concerned expression was so perfect, Kurapica couldn't help thinking he was a really good actor. “You can sit on the train. We'll get someone to bring ice. You hit your head pretty hard.”

“It's nothing,” he answered quietly. “I'll be fine.” He tried walking faster, hoping Kuroro's hand would move away if he got out of reach, but the other just followed his pace and only let his hand fall when they reached the train as he had to use both hands to get the tickets out of the little folded envelope to show it to the attendant. They were shown to a luxurious carriage that had beds, cushy seats and a private bathroom.

“My friend hurt his head earlier,” Kuroro told the attendant. “We'll need some ice, if you please.” The young man nodded and ran off and the dark haired leader of the Spiders turned his attention back to the Kuruta. “Take off your shirt,” he commanded. “I will have a look at your wounds at the same time.”

“I can do that myself,” Kurapica protested, though he knew he couldn't reach his own back and the argument was not going to be heeded regardless. Kuroro didn't bother answering him. He just eyed him levelly until Kurapica took off his shirt with a glare at the taller man. His tank top followed and he went to sit on one of the the cushy red seats, holding his garments in front of his chest protectively. He fixed his eyes firmly on the the window latch, trying to ignore the fact he had his worst enemy at his back and that he was in an embarrassing state of undress.

Kuroro looked at the back of his companion thoughtfully. His skin was pale under the bandage that covered the upper part and his one wounded shoulder. Kurapica was slightly less antagonistic than he had been at first, but he was still far from even being accepting. Still, there was some progress and Kuroro was a patient man. The book had been a good break into the Kuruta's enmity. He had found something they both had in common; their love for reading and gathering knowledge. He thought he could possibly reach the blond through that connection. Slowly, Kurapica would come to see the Spiders as people, not as the monsters he had painted in his mind because of the slaughter of his people. This event that connected them was not something Kuroro regretted. It would not even come to him to feel anything over events that happened in the past. In any case, Kurapica was strong. He would never have achieved this level of fighting abilities had he lived a peaceful, happy life. And the massacre had linked their paths and led them here.

In a way, Kuroro had had a hand in creating the Kurapica that was now sitting tensely before him. He had helped forge a piece of art. He would now turn it into a masterpiece. He only needed to find the cracks in the blond's armour, to find ways to make him follow his orders willingly. He was well aware that the only thing he had over the Kuruta was the possibility of finding and returning all of the stolen eyes. Kuroro had no qualms about that. He had pocketed the money for their sales already. He had no problems stealing them again if it meant having Kurapica in his team. But once all of the eyes were returned to Lukso... Then, there would be nothing to bind the fiery blond to his side. This left Kuroro with quite a task. As it so happened, he had always loved a good challenge.

He approached the blond, noticing how Kurapica's shoulders stiffened as he sat behind him. It was slightly awkward, both of them sitting sideways on the plush seat. He had just put his hands on the Kuruta's shoulders when there was two knocks at the door and the attendant walked in at Kuroro's acknowledgement. Kurapica hastily moved away from the man sitting behind him, and the Spider head couldn't help feeling amused at the hopelessness of the desperate scramble. The train employee had already stopped short just inside the door. He hastily set the bucket of ice down on a low table bolted to the train car's floor. “The ice you asked for, sir!” He left quickly, apologizing as he closed the door.

Kuroro got up and walked over to the table and picked up the bucket, taking it back to where the Kuruta was sitting. “I believe you like inducing people to come to the worst possible assumptions whenever there is a chance at humiliating me,” the blond remarked, refusing to turn around and look at him. His voice was strained, as if he was speaking through gritted teeth. Sitting behind him, Kuroro let the tip of his fingers run lightly over Kurapica's shoulders teasingly. He smiled as the blond shivered and clutched his shirts tighter still.

“You wound me,” he replied in his most charming voice – that he knew was always very effective. “I didn't plan for people to misunderstand the situation like this.” The lie came so easily. The first time, at the inn, hadn't been planned, but he had quite enjoyed seeing the younger man flustered. He had just wanted to see it again. “I'm hardly to blame if people see a beautiful boy travelling with a male companion and assume they must be in some kind of relationship.” He expected haughty silence, or maybe annoyance. He did not expect the blond to turn on him, eyes wide and an unmistakable blush gracing his cheeks. Faced with that expression, he decided he certainly didn't dislike it. He schooled his features into the most innocent look he could make – and he knew that to be very effective as well, on normal people – and tilted his head. “Mm?”

“Nothing,” the Kuruta replied, frowning a little and turning back towards the window again, but not before shooting him another disbelieving look.

Ah, well. It was nice while it lasted.

He put his hands on the blond's shoulders and smirked as the boy stiffened again. Kurapica was sitting very, very straight. Kuroro could feel the tight muscles under the pale, smooth skin. He let his hands slide over the Kuruta's shoulders, avoiding the wound Feitan had inflicted there, hidden under the bandage. He let his Nen flow around his hands, not really for healing, but just to feel it affect the Kuruta. Kurapica shuddered and shifted on the seat. There was something so elegant in his poise, the way he sat, so straight and dignified in spite of all of Kuroro's teasing. He stared straight ahead, his lips pressed together tightly. Their eyes met in the window's reflection and Kurapica frowned and pointedly looked away. Kuroro had to hide his smirk.

What a challenge.

Leaving the blond's shoulders, he slowly started unwrapping the bandage that covered Kurapica's upper back and shoulder. That done, he let the pale fabric fall to the floor, eyeing the wounds critically. “It's healing well,” he informed the blond, who didn't answer.

Ah, well.

He placed his hands low on Kurapica's back. He knew the effect such gesture would have on him; it was such a sign of tenderness that it was bound to confuse him further. He could feel the Nen he was emitting, warm and tingly between the palms of his hands and Kurapica's bare back. The younger man flinched violently, and Kuroro knew he had succeeded in making him hyper aware of his vulnerable state. He avoided the wounds entirely, ostensibly so he could observe them, letting his hands run over smooth, pale skin. “What are you doing?” Kurapica's voice wasn't as outraged as he had expected.

“Shh,” he countered softly, and there was a moment of silence where Kuroro's hands wandered a little closer to the gashes on Kurapica's upper back and shoulder, but without actually doing anything remotely useful to help them heal.

“What. Are. You. Doing?” Kurapica hissed, and Kuroro noted how a deep blush started spreading over his pale neck, cheeks and ears. So, the young man did have some notion of intimate gestures.

Interesting.

And here, he had pegged him down as a lone wolf, antisocial and remote. Surely, he had had no time for a lover. Idly, he wondered who had reached into the Kurutarian's heart like this. He wondered how far the had gone in their intimacy. Had they kissed? His hands went up towards Kurapica's shoulders. Had they held each other? His hands ran down Kurapica's sides and he felt the younger man shudder under his touch.

Very interesting.

Kuroro's lowered his head to hide a the slow, slow smile that was pulling at his lips. His plans were coming along successfully. Of course, he hadn't meant to take the chain-User into his bed when he had first captured him, but now it felt like a possibility. Anything to have this powerful young man to be part of the Spiders. Not that it would be hard for Kuroro. The boy was very nice to look at, and he was smart and well mannered, when not angered. He finally moved his hands away, retrieving the small tube of ointment that he had used before on the wounds. He put some over the blond's upper back and shoulder. Kurapica refused to react, still sitting straight and stiff. But Kuroro could see the boy was still blushing. He took his sweet time, letting his fingers run over the smooth skin more than was strictly necessary. As he recapped the tube, there was a jolt and the train started moving. He got a fresh set of bandage and tape and started putting the thin fabric around Kurapica's torso, his fingers ghosting over the Kuruta's skin as he worked. Every time that their skin connected, he could feel the blond's muscles tighten under his touch. When it was done, Kurapica moved away hastily and put his top back on. Kuroro got up to fetch a washcloth from the bathroom. He put some ice in it and pressed it against the back of the Kuruta's skull. Kurapica batted his hand away and took the little icy bundle from him.

There was no reason then for Kuroro to stay close to the blond. He moved away, summoned his book and sat across from Kurapica, studying the abilities he had stolen in his long career as a master thief. He would need all of his skills for their next job. The word was going around that the collectioners having living rubies in their hoard were being targeted by robbers. They were going to be on high alert. He had to plan carefully. He raised his eyes for a moment, looking at the blond again. Kurapica was already absorbed in his book. It looked a bit awkward, how he held one large volume in one hand and held ice to his skull with the other. But he was a proud young man and he managed. Kuroro lowered his eyes back to his own book.

Yes, he had a lot of planning and thinking to do.

Chapter Text

Kurapica flicked his eyes up briefly to observe the man sitting across from him. The cabin was quiet, the sound of the wheels on the rails muffled by the plush carpet and tapestries. Kuroro Lucifer was reading intently from the large, burgundy coloured book that he had summoned. Somehow, this had to do with his abilities, but Kurapica wasn't entirely sure what those were, yet. It was not a comforting thought.

The man himself was sitting impeccably straight, showing manners that Kurapica had trouble intertwining in his mind with someone who had grown up in Ryuuseigai. He had never visited the place himself, but his mind pictured the worse possible slums one could imagine. The people living there existed amongst the refuse of the rest of the world, after all. Yet here was this mystery of a man, showing signs of a good upbringing. The Kuruta was curious as to how the Spider head had learned to look so –so posh, for lack of a better word. What does it matter?!part of his mind protested, this is the leader of the people who have massacred your comrades!

The Spider leader who had just... touched him in a way that still made Kurapica blush. He wanted to believe that it was all a misunderstanding on his part. The man he saw as his captor could have been only trying to inspect his wounds, but... something just didn't feel right with this assumption. He nearly thought that the Spider head had, had touched him in a... se – sensual way. He brought his book up sharply to hide his face that he felt growing hotter, suddenly.

No, it couldn't have been. Kurapica had probably imagined the warmth at his lower back. There was no logical reason why the older man would have intended anything untoward with his touches, no reason why he should have any interest in the blond, other than on a professional level. He must have been imagining things. Not that he usually did. He was pretty observant by nature and he trusted his gut feelings.

The man was probably playing with him, trying to humiliate him some more.

He called me beautiful...

Playing, he reasoned. He is simply trying to get a reaction out of me.

His course of action seemed pretty obvious. He would pretend it had never happened. He wouldn't give that filthy criminal the satisfaction of raising any more of a reaction. He would have to be even stronger than ever before. Somehow, he would make it out of this situation. He would find a way to come out the victor. He would see the Spiders crushed, once he had regained as many pair of eyes as he could.

A sound – paper. He looked up just in time to see the page Kuroro Lucifer had just turned settle on the left side of the open book. A little higher and their gaze met. Kurapica felt his lips pinch and he stopped himself before it turned into a complete frown. No. No more of this. Ice. He had to be made of ice. He had to stop letting the older man get under his skin. That would be pretty difficult, considering what the man had done to him six years prior. He distractedly pulled gently at his earring, as he tended to do when thinking of his fallen tribe, and he caught the Spider head's eyes locking on his movement. He paused. Kuroro Lucifer returned to his book and turned a page. The sound was loud in the silence between them.

Kurapica placed his bookmark – one of Kuroro's, he reminded himself, but managed not to grimace – inside the volume and closed it. There was no point. He couldn't focus on the damn thing. He set it down on the seat next to him and got up. Out of his peripheral vision he saw the Spider head look up again, but refused to explain himself unless questioned. He made his way to a door he assumed to lead into the restroom. It latched behind him with a satisfying click. He locked it hurriedly – just in case – then put his hands on either side of the sink, leaning heavily on them, head lowered. Slowly, he breathed in and out, until he felt he was calm enough. It was so hard, knowing that his enemy was right there, yet there was nothing he could do. His need for revenge had to be forcibly squelched down. He knew well enough that being violent now would be counter-productive. He had to retrieve the eyes. He had to get them back and return them to the grave – the mass grave Kurapica had dug himself – where his tribesmen were laid to rest.

Again and again, he needed to remind himself that, not only would attacking any of the Spiders without use of his Nen be suicidal, but doing so now would mean forfeiting the only chance he might have at fulfilling the other part of his oath. It was hard. It was nearly more than Kurapica could bear, just to sit next to the man who had caused him so much grief and not be able to exact his revenge.

My only fear is that this anger should disappear, he had once told his friends. Well, there would be little chance of that happening with the way things were going with the Spider head. The man seemed to be actively trying to get under Kurapica’s skin. As if things weren’t bad enough as they were! But Kurapica wouldn’t let him have the upper hand. And he wouldn’t let him get anymore reactions out of him.

Ice,he told himself. I am made of ice and stone. The thought was somehow comforting. He felt stronger already. He noticed his fingers were curled so tightly around the edge of the small, metallic counter that the joints hurt. He took a shaky breath and slowly uncurled them as he exhaled. He straightened up and stared at his reflexion in the mirror. Sometime during his mental turmoil, his eyes must have turned red because they were now changing back. He hadn’t even felt it happen. He frowned lightly, but waited until they had returned to blue. When he was certain he looked calm and composed, he took another breath, let it out, then unlocked the door and walked out. As he walked back to his seat, the Spider head looked up but Kurapica refused to acknowledge him. He sat across from him and picked up his book again. This time, he had no trouble focusing on it.

~*~

Loud screeching jolted him out of sleep. Kurapica sat up hurriedly, instantly alert. Kuroro was already at the window, peering out through the darkness. Kurapica got up and grabbed his overshirt, putting it on even as he walked to another window to investigate. The taller man glanced at him. “Trouble,” he said. “We’re getting off here.”

Kurapica nodded as he saw the police car lights in the distance. He clamped down on the vague hope that his travelling companions might get caught, as he well knew they would have no qualm about killing off a bunch of police officers to get out of the situation. Getting off the train seemed like the better option. There wasn’t much to pick up, seeing how most of their possessions were in Kuroro’s Fun Fun Cloth, but he picked up his book along with Kuroro’s and joined him at the window the taller man had just punched broken somehow. Kurapica knew for a fact that these trains had reinforced windows. Somehow, nothing seemed to be impossible for the man. It was good that he had found out about this before facing him off in face-to-face battle.

Kuroro looked back at him, took the books from him and stepped on the bottom of the window frame. He jumped easily, and Kurapica followed. If the dark haired man was trying to impress him, he’d see he wasn’t the only one who could jump out of a speeding vehicle. He landed easily, then walked back to where he could barely discern Kuroro’s presence in the darkness. The other two Spiders soon joined up with them. “I guess this means we’re not going to a nice hotel,” Machi remarked.

Kuroro nodded. “It could be unrelated to our presence on the train, but we’ll err on the side of caution and lay low for a couple of days. Shalnark, Machi. You circle the city on the west side and find some place to stay until I contact you. I’ll go with Kurapica and call you when I think we’re free to move without interference from the authorities.”

“Roger,” Shalnark acquiesced easily. Machi gave Kurapica an appraising look. The blond regarded her coolly for a few seconds, and she turned and walked away, following after the techno-geek. That only left him with his nemesis. Again. He turned to the taller man and Kuroro tilted his head, his large, unblinking eye staring right into the Kuruta’s. Then, he turned away and started walking, and Kurapica followed. They kept the lights to their left and started walking up a steep hill. Soon, they were surrounded by odd, twisted trees with knobby branches and trailing vines. The lights soon disappeared from view, leaving only the moon to light their way.

When it set, Kuroro stopped. “We’ll stop here and catch a bit more sleep,” he said and summoned his book so he could get their luggage. He got blankets and gave one to Kurapica. Wordlessly, the blond took it and laid it on the ground, somewhere that looked relatively comfortable. He lied on it and folded half of it over himself. He listened as Kuroro settled down, only closing his eyes when everything was silent, save for the sounds of the woods around them. Sleep was hard to come, but he must have drifted off because when he opened his eyes again, dawn had come. He turned his head towards his companion. The man had his eyes closed, looking surprisingly young. Kurapica found himself wondering how old he was. He frowned at the thought, reminding himself that no matter the age of his enemy, he was a mass murderer.

He sat up slowly, careful not to make a sound, but as soon as he started moving, Kuroro’s eyes snapped open. Kurapica paused, caught by surprise. The Spider head sat up as well and turned towards the sun. Kurapica got up and picked up his blanket, shaking it to get all of the dead leaved and twigs off. Kuroro followed suit. He summoned the cloth and got some food out, just some bread and fruit. They ate in silence, then Kuroro put their things back into the handy cloth and they left.

The weather was hot for the season and heavy with humidity. They had to walk through dense woods and Kurapica could feel the sweat sticking his shirt uncomfortably to his back. He longed for a shower. They walked in silence, the monotony only broken by the cries of strange birds hidden in the thickets. Morning changed to afternoon and it was nearing dinnertime by the time they had made it back to the city. They stood on a rocky hill overlooking Morinya. They had made quite a detour; Kurapica couldn’t even see the railway or station from where he was. Kuroro looked back at him for the first time since their midday meal. He regarded him silently for a few moments before speaking. “We’re going to stay put for a few days before we go after the Eyes,” he said. “I would rather stay out of hotels in case those police cars were waiting there for us.” He actually said that like they could be looking for Kurapica, too. Well, the blond wasn’t entirely clean, but he still considered himself to be on the honest side of the law.

“I’m going to find us some accommodations.” Kuroro continued with a little smile. “But we should wait until after dark before venturing into the city. Do you think you can wait that long before a shower?” There was a teasing – mocking! – edge to his words. The blond was pretty certain he had made no comment or gesture indicating his distaste for the sweat clinging to his back. As far as he knew, Kuroro didn’t had the ability to read minds. He frowned and stared at the man, but the Spider head had a blank, unreadable mask on and Kurapica wasn’t sure what to think.

In the end, he shrugged. “I’m used to being out in the wild for days on end. This is nothing.”

“I’m pretty sure you would rather be clean and sleeping in a warm bed regardless,” the older man remarked. “I know I do. Let’s have dinner, at least.” They ate in silence, then read until the light started getting dim. Then they set out again and went into the city as the last visible sliver of sun went out behind the hills. Finding some accommodations turned out to sit near a market, listening to conversations to find a house where the owners were out of town. They broke in easily, showered and went to sleep in strangers’ beds. Breaking and entering. It was one thing to do it when it was for what Kurapica considered a just cause. But there were no Eyes here. He hadn’t even blinked before going in. The Kuruta... was adjusting well to criminal life.

Chapter Text

They laid low for a few days. Kurapica had not been overly friendly to start with, but Kuroro noticed him becoming increasingly withdrawn and asocial. That of course made him want to get a reaction out of the blond, but he controlled himself. It wouldn’t do to antagonize him entirely. He also had quite a bit to think about. He had only let Kurapica out of his sight for a few moments on the train and they had had a welcome comity. He had been pretty certain before then that, though the Kuruta hated working with them, he wouldn’t try to get at them or have them arrested until he had all of the Eyes the Ryodan could help him retrieve. Kuroro wouldn’t have lived this long as a free criminal if he hadn’t been very cautious. He needed to reassess the situation.

Although the young man with him looked emotionally closed off, he couldn’t ignore the fact that he interacted with the Spider head with careful and studied civility. Somehow, he was starting to get used to him. He had noticed that Kuroro liked to drink three cups of black coffee after his morning shower. Their second morning at the house, the Spider head found Kurapica’s mug drying on the dish rack, and exactly three cups of hot coffee in the pot.

The boy had devoured the book he had borrowed, so Kuroro left another one out - one about the archaeological finds in the desert ruins of Mui. A few hours later, he found the blond engrossed in his reading, sitting on the living room couch. He was surprised that the Kuruta wasn’t in the room that Kuroro had assigned to him. Until then, Kurapica had spent most time there, his door tactfully open so that Kuroro would know where he was and wouldn’t think he had run off. Kuroro had stopped to observe the blond and, after a few minutes, Kurapica had looked up, expression carefully blank. Kuroro had continued on to the kitchen.

It was risky to venture out too often, so they took turns cooking. The first dinner Kurapica prepared was a simple meal that Kuroro half expected would be poisoned. It wasn’t. The boy was a decent cook, though Kuroro preferred his own meals. Kurapica’s food tasted somewhat bland – the taste of one who doesn’t care about the taste so much as the nutritional value of a meal. By the time Kurapica had finished the second book, Kuroro had reached a decision. He didn’t think Kurapica had alerted the authorities. There was nothing on the news, so he couldn’t discount the possibility that those police cars had been waiting for him, but he didn’t think Kurapica was the one to tip them off. He thought he had waited long enough – he was itching to get back on the road. He waited until dinner time, then got his cellphone out and sent Machi a text.

‘Tonight. Veranzo mansion, east gate. 2:45am.’

That sent, he got up and made coffee. Kurapica looked up for his plate, where he had been pushing some bland, boiled waxed beans back and forth with his fork. This was a break in the routine they had gotten used to in their days spent cooped up in this house. After he got the coffee brewing, Kuroro turned to the blond. “We’ll go tonight,” he announced.

Kurapica nodded. “Think it’s safe? Those police cars were most certainly waiting for the train we were on.”

He wouldn’t say waiting for us, Kuroro noted with some amusement. “It probably isn’t,” he said instead, “but I’ve waited as long as I’m willing to. We’ll just have to be on our guard. I read on the Hunter website that you used two short swords during your exam. Can you fight with a knife?” The blond frowned at him for a moment before nodding slowly. Kuroro nodded in turn. “I’ll give you one. We’ll take our things with us. We won’t come back here.” He took two mugs out of the cupboard and added milk in Kurapica’s. As soon as the coffee was ready, he poured it and took the mugs to the table. He sat across from Kurapica. “We’ll join up with Shal and Machi by the mansion, then it’s a quick in and out. We’ll make sure no one can see us to avoid casualties.” Kurapica paused, his cup halfway to his mouth. Kuroro read surprise and confusion in his gaze before the blond could hide it. He continued, as if he hadn’t noticed the look. “We’ll take the Eyes and part from Shal and Machi. After that, the two of us will travel alone for some time. I plan to hit a few more places before we head to Ryuuseigai. Do try to keep that knife away from my throat.”

Again, he met with the blond’s startled blue eyes. He obviously hadn’t expected a bit of grim humour from the taller man. Well, Kuroro could get used to unsettling the younger man. Already, Kurapica was focusing his gaze on his coffee mug. The Spider head wondered how he could trigger those eyes to turn to that eerie, beautiful crimson shade that he had seen back in York Shin and when he had captured the Kuruta. There was just something haunting about those eyes. It was what had set his sight on the Kuruta’s most precious jewels in the first place, all those years ago. He had soon grown tired of the lifeless orbs, floating in their protective glass containers. But here was a live Kuruta, with a burning gaze of fire. If only he could trigger it somehow.

Kurapica finally looked up, his eyes carefully blank. Challenging. Kuroro sipped at his coffee thoughtfully. The blond stared patiently for some time, probably waiting for him to finish talking. When it was clear the taller man was done, he looked away again. They drank their coffee in silence, and Kuroro refilled their mugs. After they were done, the blond got up and started erasing every sign that they had been there at all. Kuroro ignored him, thinking it was a waste of time, since they would be long gone by the time the family whose house they were borrowing came back. He even saw Kurapica slip a bit of money in the pantry for the food they had used. Kuroro didn’t see the point, but if it made the boy happy, there was no reason not to.

He went into the other room and summoned his Fun Fun Cloth. He slipped out of his shirt and put on his usual vest and coat. He was just attaching the last bit of chain when Kurapica walked into the lounge with what little they had left in their rooms. He took in Kuroro’s appearance and seemed about to say something, but then he seemed to decide against it and walked over to his bag to pack his things properly. When Kuroro handed him a knife, the blond paused. He seemed about to refuse, but then he picked it up and eyed it critically. “A Benz from Central Period?” Kuroro nodded, watching Kurapica’s face carefully. The boy turned it over carefully, inspecting it. “Poisoned?”

“Yes,” Kuroro acquiesced. “You only need a bit of it into someone’s blood to immobilize them. It shouldn’t kill them unless the blade goes deep enough to get to a major blood vessel.” There, the blond’s lips tightened unhappily, but he put the knife back in its sheath and slipped it under his shirt and through the waist of his trousers.

Soon, they were ready to go. It was dark out but they still had some time before they needed to be off. Kuroro walked to the computer and turned it on. He slipped a card trough the slot on the right side of the keyboard and a window appeared on the desktop. He double clicked on one of the icons and brought up a blueprint of the building they meant to infiltrate. Kurapica walked over to have a look as well. He leaned slightly over Kuroro’s left shoulder to look at the screen, which surprised the Spider head. He didn’t expect the boy to voluntarily come close to him so easily. He pointed to Kurapica where he thought would be the easiest entry point and the blond nodded quietly. They spent some time memorizing the blueprints and reading the files (provided by Shalnark) on the property’s security. Then they left. The night was warm and humid. As they made their way across deserted city streets, rain started pouring heavily on them. They both ignored it, intent on just reaching their destination quickly.

They met up with the other two as planned and Shalnark warned them that he couldn’t use his laptop, but he had a bypass box they could use. He gave Kurapica an umbrella. “I don’t want to risk short-circuiting the equipment so you’ll have to hold this over my head,” he explained with a smile. Kurapica wordlessly opened the black umbrella and held it over the young technician. Shalnark smiled brightly at him, then turned around. Machi stood a short distance away, keeping an eye out for passers by or guards. Kuroro kept his eyes on Kurapica, but the blond showed nothing on his face. Shalnark cut two wires with cutters and connected them to a small box. “Okay, we’re good to go,” he whispered, and pushed the gate open. He took the umbrella from Kurapica’s hand and put it over the exposed wires while the other three walked in. He followed, leaving the gate a fraction open. Silently, they made their way to the main house, to what looked like a side door for employees. Shalnark took out another box just like the one he used previously and repeated the process.

Soon, they were inside, making their way into the basement. The place was lavishly decorated and reeked of wealth and power. They knew from Shalnark’s investigation that the owner of the house kept his most precious collected items in a safe vault down in the second basement, so that’s where they headed to. The guards weren’t due to make their round for another hour, which would leave them plenty of time to clear out the vault and leave. When they found the safe, Shalnark set about his work right away. He started by breaking off the number wheel on the lock. He then used a drill to make a small hole into the door. Kurapica looked about, probably thinking the noise was bound to alert someone, but Kuroro felt pretty certain they had nothing to worry about. There weren’t anyone anywhere close enough to hear the noise.

Shalnark put his drill away and got a pair of pliers and a pen light. Peering through the tiny hole he had drilled, he turned the central bit of metal the number wheel had been attached to. It took a couple of minutes only and the door swung open. “We’re in,” Shalnark announced quietly.

Kuroro walked into the vault, eyes scanning for the eyes that were Kurapica’s price for working with them. The place was packed with valuables, and Kuroro had no qualms about emptying it, but he had to make sure the living rubies were part of their haul. After he had spotted them, he got his ability book out. He could feel Kurapica’s eyes on his back. Well, he had no intention of only getting the Eyes this time. With the Fun Fun Cloth, it was easy to just clean out the entire vault. As he walked back out, the Spider head stopped dead in his track.

“Shal, Machi.” They both nodded and Kurapica looked at him, searching his face. Of course, the blond didn’t have access to his Nen so he wouldn’t have felt the people walk rapidly towards the top of the stairs. There would be no time to give the other Spiders the Eyes he had just collected but he had hid the other pair somewhere safe. “Collect the other pairs at the point in my text message. Then we proceed as planned. We part tonight.”

“Danchou, I didn’t –” Shalnark started, but Machi cut him off.

“Got it. Shal, this way.” She took off at a run. Good, she knew about the service staircase. It was bound to have even more guards as they probably expected them to retreat there once the thieves found the main stairwell blocked. But without the boy with them, they could kill at will, which would make things easier.

“Kurapica,” Kuroro commanded, “with me. We have company.” He flipped his skill book to the page he needed and made his way back to the staircase they had used on their way down. Kurapica followed, unsheathing the knife Kuroro had given him. They only needed to get to the top of the stairs and they would be fine. The Ryodan leader had still many aces up his sleeves. He stopped just as they came in view of the staircase. He wouldn’t have much room to manoeuvre. As soon as they would come into view, the guards were sure to rush at them. As long as Kuroro could get to where he could see the hallway, they would be fine. “Go,” he whispered and sprinted out of hiding, the blond to his right.

They took the steps two at a time. There was a rush of boots hitting the floors hard, and the first guards – no, policemen – came into view. But it was too late. Kuroro had a clear view of the hallway. He grabbed the Kuruta and pulled him close, staying clear of the knife. There was a lurch and a sickening feeling in his stomach, and they were clear. He was used to the disorienting feeling his teleportation ability created, but Kurapica looked a little lost. Not wasting time to explain, he grabbed the boy’s hand and made a run for it.

It took only a moment, and Kurapica pulled his hand out of his grasp, keeping up with the taller man. Another stairwell leading up, less guarded than the first. A few punches – oh, how easier it would be for Kuroro to just kill them instead – and a kick from Kurapica and they had an opening. They could hear more people running towards them and Kuroro took a hard left towards a ballroom he had spotted on the blueprints earlier. The windows were bound to be reinforced, but they would give him a clear view of the yard. He went right for the closest one, pulling the drapes hastily out of the way, Kurapica right by his side.

“Again,” was all he said, grabbing the younger man and teleporting them a few meters away, out on the neatly trimmed lawn. He took off at a run again, and this time the blond followed without needing to be pulled. They ran to the gates and reached it just as half a dozen guard dogs closed in on them. He slipped through and Kurapica followed, but then the blond yelped in pain. Kuroro whirled around just in time to see Kurapica slash at the dog with his knife through the bars of the gate. The animal whined and fell, letting the blond push the gate a tad open to get his foot free. He closed the gate again hastily, preventing the dogs from following them and they left, running through the streets, keeping to shadows.

Chapter Text

The entire city seemed to be crawling with policemen. They had run for some time when Kuroro noticed that Kurapica was starting to slow down. He was pretty certain the blond could run for much longer, but somehow he seemed to have trouble keeping up with the Ryodan leader. The taller man slowed to a walk and let the young Hunter catch up with him. The blond seemed to be favouring his left leg slightly. "Did the dog bite you?" Kuroro asked quietly.

Kurapica shook his head, but before he could tell Kuroro why he had slowed down, there was a voice just around the corner from where they were. "A tall man in black and a blond female," it said. "They're offering a few million zennies for their capture, too." Kurapica made a face when he heard them refer to him as female, and Kuroro had to repress a grin. They both turned around and started walking in the other direction. They had only gone a few paces when they saw lights that seemed to come from two electric torches, coming their way. Wordlessly, Kuroro grabbed the Kuruta's elbow and pulled him into a small space open between two tall, brick buildings.

It was a very tight fit. The Spider head had his elbows up against the wall on either side of the blond's ears and was practically standing right on top of him. He lowered his head, staring thoughtfully at the top of Kurapica's head. He felt the Kuruta grab at the front of his coat and twistin a silent request that he back off. Well, there was nowhere to back off to. He heard the sound of running feet on wet asphalt and he leaned even further into Kurapica's personal space. The blond's hands twisted some more. The policemen didn't even slow down but ran right by where they were hiding. They stood there for a long moment, panting quietly. The rain was still pouring down on them and Kuroro could feel small rivulets slowly coming down his neck and under his clothes. He waited for a bit longer, then straightened his back.

Kurapica had his eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed into a light frown. The Ryodan leader studied his face quietly for a minute, wondering if he had angered the Kuruta enough for the blond to flip out on him, but when Kurapica finally opened his eyes, they were clear blue. Somehow, Kuroro was slightly disappointed. It wouldn't do to engage in battle with the boy now, but he wanted to see those beautiful orbs turn to the colour of blood again. He pushed away the stray thought. Kurapica looked up at him quizzically and tilted his head. Something caught his eye and he suddenly paused. Any regret Kuroro might have had over the colour of his eyes went right out the window as the Kuruta flinched and, in just a split second, his irises went from a calm green-blue to a glowing red. The colour of blood, fire and fury.

He shoved Kuroro's shoulder harshly. “Let go,” he demanded, and stalked out of his hiding place. Kuroro blinked and glanced behind his shoulder. There was something crawling on the rough, red brick surface. Just a spider, scurrying below an overhanging pipe, looking for shelter from the rain. Just the sight of a regular spider could send the blond into rage?

Interesting.

He went after the Kuruta, noticing how the boy limped lightly as he walked. Kuroro caught up with him and walked silently beside him for a while. “You're limping,” he finally pointed out.

“I'm aware of that,” the blond replied coldly.

“As soon as we find the time, I'll have a look at your leg.”

The blond shrugged. “Whatever.”

Kuroro perked an eyebrow at that. He walked for a while longer, but they could still hear police cars driving around, blaring their sirens, and the sound of many running feet. At some point, he had enough. He wanted to get moving. It was essential that they be out of Morinya by the end of the night, and they would never make it out of the city at this pace. “I'll carry you,” he finally said.

The look Kurapica gave him was one of absolute shock and horror. “Absolutely not!” he protested indignantly.

“We need to hurry. You're walking too slowly.” Not listening to the blond's horrified protests, he picked him up easily, flung the Kuruta over his shoulder and took off at a run. To his relief, the blond didn't scream but fell silent the moment Kuroro picked him up, though he did kick the taller man in a silent but violent protest. He seemed well aware that causing a scene here have them both in serious trouble. Kuroro kept a good pace in spite of his burden. The boy was way too light. At the first opportunity, he started going up, using fences and low walls to jump up to balconies, taller walls and finally rooftops. Once they were sufficiently far from the Veranzo mansion, he finally let go of the blond.

Kurapica glowered at him, his blue eyes glaring in anger. But if he had anything to say about the humiliation he had just suffered, he kept it to himself. Kuroro walked to the edge of the rooftop they were currently standing on. He peered down to the street below. Kurapica stayed where he stood, waiting for the Spider head to tell him the next step of his plan. It was simple. They needed transportation. There was an underground parking lot across the street that would do just fine. “We need a car,” Kuroro said, and made his way back to the fuming blond. “Just a bit more.” Then he leaned down, swept Kurapica up with an arm behind his knees and the other around his upper back. The blond's eyes went wide, then he caught himself and forced his face to return to neutral. He only managed to make himself look like he was sulking, and Kuroro had to suppress his amused grin.

He jumped down to a balcony, then one below that, all the way down to street level. Then, he ran into the dimly lit parking lot. He chose a car that looked neither too flashy nor too suspicious; just a regular sized black car with semi tinted window. He set Kurapica down next to it and set about to pick the lock on the driver's side of the car. The Kuruta watched him, looking slightly unhappy in spite of his best effort to look neutral. But he kept silent. Kuroro got the door open and slid into the driver's seat, unlocking the other doors with the press of a button on the door's armrest.

He motioned for Kurapica to get on the passenger seat and, the second the blond had closed his door, he got the car running and backed out of the parking space. He drove out onto the street, careful to drive normally so as to not attract any unwanted attention. He got on a road that led to the northern bridge and once they were past the river, the would be out of Morinya city. There wasn't much traffic at this time of night, but there were still a few cars here and there. Kuroro followed a white pickup truck that had some vulgar bumper stickers. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kurapica make a face and turn his face away. Kuroro switched lanes and found a more sensible blue car to follow. Keeping close to a car would lessen the chance for them to get singled out and asked to pull over.

They made it across the bridge and into the suburbs without incident. They drove on until the sun had come up and finally, Kuroro turned into a motel's parking space. He got out of the car, took off his coat and mussed up his hair. “Wait here,” he ordered Kurapica and then walked into the motel's main office building. He came out with a key a minute later and sat behind the wheel again. He went to park in front of door number 44 and they both got out of the car. After a quick look around, Kuroro summoned his skill book. With the car safely hidden in the Fun Fun Cloth, he went to unlock the door to their room.

It was a shabby looking place, but it would have to do for the day. He tossed the key unceremoniously on the desk where the coffee machine was situated. There was a faint buzzing sound and Kurapica jumped slightly. He flicked Kuroro a quick look, and the taller man shrugged. “You can take the call. I'm going to shower.”

Kurapica frowned in confusion. “Aren't you worried I might get someone to come after us?”

Kuroro paused. “The mere fact that you're asking proves you will not.” He shrugged again. “If someone came after us, I could easily just kill them, and you will not risk it. No, you won't give anyone our whereabouts.” Then he went into the bathroom and half closed the door, listening to the call as he undressed.

“Hello?” Kurapica's voice was quiet, but Kuroro had excellent hearing. “Senritsu. It's good to hear your voice.” A pause. “Yeah, I'm all right. Something just came up and I had to leave suddenly.” It was quiet again for a moment. “Bashou did? Ah... No, really, I'm fine...”

Kuroro shut the door completely after that. He stepped into the shower and started washing away the rain and chill from the previous night's job. He remembered the diminutive woman named Senritsu. She was the one who could hear people's heartbeats. She didn't play into his plans but he knew that even if Kurapica didn't manage to convince her that he was fine, the Music Hunter could do nothing against the likes of the Spiders. He wasn't even worried. The shower felt amazing after such a long drive. He took his time, but he knew Kurapica needed to be looked at. He didn't like the limp. It was probably nothing big, but he had to know so he could take it into account for the next infiltration job. There were still a few pairs of Eyes he wanted to steal before returning to Ryuuseigai.

He got out of the shower and dried himself before slipping on a bathrobe with the motel logo on it. He got out of the bathroom and saw Kurapica making tea with the little coffee machine. “Go shower,” he told the boy. “When you're done, put on a bathrobe and I'll have a look at your foot and then redo the bandages on your shoulder and back.”

The blond nodded and left the machine, walking into the bathroom the taller man had just vacated. Kuroro walked to the side of one bed and summoned the Fun Fun Cloth so he could retrieve their luggage. He picked out a pair of black denim pants and a sleeveless, high collared shirt. He took off the bathrobe and got dressed before walking over to the coffee machine to finish making Kurapica's tea. The Kuruta got out of the bathroom at that moment and Kuroro turned to him.

“Sit,” he ordered, pointing down to the edge of the bed.

The boy frowned defiantly. He apparently had reached his limit with being ordered around all night. “So am I your dog now?” But he still went and sat where directed, tightening the robe around his frail body, as if it could somehow protect him from the dark haired man now down on one knee in front of him. Kuroro lifted the blond's bare foot from the floor and moved it gently up and down, eliciting a short, stifled intake of breath from the boy. He repeated the movement, but this time from left to right and he saw Kurapica's hands come down onto the covers on either side of his thighs, gripping the covers tightly.

“Most likely a sprain,” Kuroro said, looking up to meet the boy's eyes. Something caught his attention and he paused. Kurapica started moving his leg to get him to let go but he stopped him and moved the foot slowly, rotating the ankle as gently as he could. “Nothing appears to be broken, but tell me if this hurts in any way.” He prodded gently with the tip of his thumb and fingers, following the small, fragile bones inside of Kurapica's foot, looking for any sign of fracture. He looked up, searching the boy's gaze for signs of pain, but Kurapica just stared back, gaze carefully blank. Kuroro shrugged and shook his head, hiding a little smile by looking down again. Of all the proud, pigheaded idiots, he had to go and pick up the worst of them all.

There. It wasn't his imagination. He could nearly see them in the semi-darkness, barely discernible on the pale skin. Kuroro moved the ankle again, but moving so that Kurapica's leg would shift a bit to the side so he could see better. Three. There were three, pale orange dots forming a triangle on the inside of the boy's thigh. Freckles? He blinked, surprised, and reached up to brush them away, thinking it could be dust, or something.

There was a strangled sound of surprise and he moved his hand away. Kurapica's hands slammed down on the top of the bed and he closed his thighs firmly around them. Kuroro stood and blinked, surprised. The blond had his head down, his long bangs hiding most of his face from view, but he could still see – wait, was the boy blushing?! Of all the ridiculous things! It was just a touch; he hadn't meant anything by it. Surely the boy was old enough to –

“Get. Out.” Kurapica's voice was shaking with anger.

Kuroro lifted an eyebrow at him. “You're hardly in a position to make demands,” he reminded him, but he did give him some space, going back to the small coffee machine. “I'm making some tea, do you want some?” One of the pillows hit the wall near his head and then there was the sound of running. He turned in time to see the bathroom door slam shut. Kuroro looked at the door pensively for some time, pondering over the blond's reaction. Yes, he had a lot to think about.

Chapter Text

Kurapica sat on the side of the bathtub, repressing the urge to swear vehemently. The run he'd just made to get a door between himself and that infuriating man had put a strain on his already injured ankle, and it was now throbbing painfully. He leaned over and put his right hand around it, willing the pain to just let up so he could think. His other hand went to his forehead and he closed his eyes tightly, frowning to himself. The tap-tap of a faulty faucet (the bath's) measured the seconds as he sat there, trying to collect his thoughts. He didn't know what to think. He couldn't understand what was going on in the Ryodan leader's head. Having him join the spiders was – if he though about it from a totally objective point of view – a logical decision. As the man had said, alive and loose, the Kuruta was a threat to the group. Killing him or keeping an eye on him by having him under surveillance were  the the only two options they had. He nearly wished they had chosen to kill him. But no, his mind revolted against that thought. Dead, it was the end. Alive, he had both the chance to regain the precious Eyes stolen from his clansmen and  the chance to retaliate somehow.

So, he had to live.

Still, the Gen'ei Ryodan could  have just captured him, shanghaied him to Ryuuseigai and just kept him there. No one would be able to help him there. He doubted even Gon, Killua and Leorio would manage to. Willing – without a doubt. Able? Another story altogether. Instead, the Spider head had chosen to make him an ally. This proved him to be intelligent and adaptable. Kurapica knew that he was a strong fighter. He had worked hard to get to where he was in terms of fighting abilities, and he had confidence in his skills, both martial and intellectual. So, making him and ally was the best choice the Ryodan leader could make.

So far, so good.

But, as objective as Kurapica managed to be about the entire scenario he was snagged in, he just couldn't comprehend some of Kuroro's behaviours. To take interest in his newest... member was basic leadership. That could easily explain the efforts to raise a conversation, the effort to ensure Kurapica followed and was in no great discomfort. Even the books he was loaned could be explained away by ensuring that the Kuruta wasn't too unruly, and maybe gain some form of loyalty from him. What he simply could not explain, however, was the teasing. Jokes, he could take. If the man was to make fun of him, he would understand. But this?! First, there was the confusion with the innkeeper, then with the train attendant. Then, there were those comments about his physical appeal, and the strange, oddly intimate touches when the man was re-bandaging his wounds.

And now, this.

Kurapica wanted to scream. It didn't make sense! It just didn't make any bloody sense! But, regardless of whether he could understand the older man's behaviour or not, he had to come out of this bathroom eventually. He wasn't sure how he could face the Ryodan leader when he did.

There was a sharp knock at the door. Kurapica jumped slightly at the sound. As he hesitated on how to answer (or whether to answer at all), Kuroro spoke from where he stood on the other side of the door. “Kurapica.” The sound of his name from his enemy's lips usually made him grind his teeth angrily; now, it only made him feel confused and sort of vaguely irritated. “Kurapica, I've brought you a change of clothes. I'll leave them here.” Kurapica listened to the silence that followed, hoping to catch the sound of the man's retreating footsteps in spite of the thick carpet. He couldn't hear anything. He waited for some time, then finally he got up and hobbled to the door. He unlocked it carefully, moving slowly so as to not make any noise. The doorknob still creaked loudly when he twisted it, and he winced, inching the door open.

The small hallway that led to the room proper was empty. He looked down and found a small stack of clothes, all carefully folded. He leaned down and grabbed the pile, then retreated to the safety of the bathroom and shut and locked the door once more. He dressed slowly, not even bothering to examine the clothes the Spider head had selected for him. Again, they were plain, casual pieces; blue jeans and a blue-grey long sleeve shirt. It was as if the man was trying to take away all the reminder of his tribe. Not once was he given anything that even vaguely resembled the tribal wear he preferred. It hardly mattered. He had his earring. He fingered it gently, reassured by the light pull his movement made at his earlobe. It was all the reminder he needed. It was still there, deep inside: the deep, hungry, burning hatred. It was simply dormant, ready to awaken and give him strength when he needed it.

Reassured, he nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the door before making his way back to the bedroom. Kuroro was sitting in one of the armchairs at the far side of the bedroom, reading. He looked up from his book and raised his eyebrows slightly. “Welcome back. I didn't expect you so soon. Done sulking?” Kurapica didn't think this even warranted a reply. He stared at the man before him, fighting hard with himself not to let his anger show. The look didn't seem to bother the Spider head anymore than being chained by the blond had. “I made tea,” the taller man said after a while. “You're welcome to have some if you like.”

~*~

Kuroro had thought that maybe the boy would have used his invitation as an excuse to look away from him, but the blond simply stood there, clenching his fists and staring at him. His face was perfectly blank of all emotion, but the way his knuckles turned white betrayed his troubled state. Yet the eyes that stared at the Ryodan leader were perfectly blue. Seeing how the blond wouldn't move, or speak, Kuroro returned to his book, quite intent on ignoring the younger man. Yet he found that gaze somewhat unnerving for some reason. He couldn't quite pinpoint why it bothered him, but it did. Minutes stretched between the two, Kuroro making a show of moving his eyes over the pages, though none of the words actually registered. He nearly wished the blond would go psycho and attack him. Hands at his throat, eyes a brilliant red...

Finally, the boy turned away. He took the cup of steaming tea Kuroro had left for him next to the machine, then sat on his bed to drink it, facing away from the Ryodan leader. Kuroro could finally read in peace. He flipped back to where he had lost track of his reading, casting surreptitious glances at the blond, making sure the boy didn't see him turn the pages backwards. The silence stretched between them, heavy and nearly suffocating. After some time, the young Hunter stood up and walked to the dustbin. He let the paper cup fall in with a little tapping sound that nearly echoed in the quiet room. Then he turned and took a few steps towards the Ryodan leader. Kuroro looked up from his book and tilted his head in a silent enquiry.

The blond regarded him thoughtfully for some time. Just as Kuroro decided he was just going to stand there and stare and was about to return to his book, the blond spoke. “I hate you,” he stated calmly.

Kuroro nodded. “I know.” Kurapica turned away again and went back to his bed. Wordlessly, he lied down on the mattress, lying on his side, facing the wall. Kuroro allowed a smile to tug at his lips. It felt like a small victory.

It was the first time the blond had spoken to him without a prompt from the older man.

Kuroro looked down at the book on his lap and stared at it thoughtfully. He was making progress. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. Placing a bookmark in, he closed the large volume and got up. They had had a long night and they would have a longer drive still that night. A few hours of rest would be necessary. He walked over to his own bed, set his book on the nightstand and lied down over the covers, shut his eyes and let sleep claim him. He woke a few hours later, feeling rested in spite of the short time he had had to sleep. He was used to sleeping very little, and it didn't bother him at all, though he personally would rather laze in bed for much longer. There would be time for that later. Much later, judging by how slowly things were working out between him and his new recruit.

He opened his eyes and turned his head towards the other bed. The blond was still facing away from him, apparently still sleeping. He got up as silently as he could, and he knew how to move nearly soundlessly. They had both slept in their clothes, which meant there was very little to do to get ready for departure. The blond would need to be awake though, so Kuroro made his way to the coffee machine, setting it to make the first cup of much needed caffeine. He opened one of the tiny cups of milk the motel left by the coffee machine and poured it into the paper cup as soon as the coffee was done brewing. He heard Kurapica stir.

He set the machine to brew his own cup, then took the one he had made to the blond who was just sitting up. Kuroro stopped in front of him, looking at the younger man. Kurapica's hair was slightly mussed from sleep and he looked pretty sleepy still. But when he saw the Ryodan leader looking at him, his expression immediately closed off and his lips drew a thin, unhappy line. He looked at the taller man straight in the eyes. “I hate you,” he said, repeating the words he had last spoken.

“I know,” Kuroro replied and handed him his coffee. The blond took it from his hands wordlessly, and Kuroro turned away. He made his way back to the coffee machine and grabbed his own cup, grimacing as he took his first sip. “We'll be leaving soon. I'll make a stop at the first coffee shop we come across and get us breakfast – and real coffee.” He turned and leaned back against the low desk. The young hunter was sitting cross-legged on his bed, blowing softly over his hot beverage to cool it enough to drink. “After that, we'll be driving all night. A short stop early morning for food and we'll drive on until mid or late afternoon when we'll stop for the day. Do you drive?”

Kurapica looked up and took a sip from his cup. He shook his head sharply. “I don't.”

“Do you want to?”

“Not particularly.” Kurapica shrugged. “I'm fine using public transport, and I had a driver when I worked for Nostrad.”

“I guess that makes me your driver now,” Kuroro said with a little grin. “But I'm not going to call you 'sir,' if you don't mind.” Kurapica blinked at him, taken aback by the humorous banter. He frowned lightly, then tilted his head.

“I don't mind,” he finally answered seriously. “Actually, I would appreciate if you would refrain from addressing me like that.”

Talk about being too serious. The boy was such a stiff. Kuroro smiled and shook his head. “That's agreed then,” he said and straightened up. He went around the room and the bathroom, collecting their things with one hand, the other being pretty occupied with the process of getting caffeine into his bloodstream. They didn't have much lying about at all, and the coffee tasted so foul, there was no point in dragging it on. They soon left the motel and, after the promised stop at a local bakery and coffee shop, they left the town as well. As they sped on the highway, Kuroro turned on the radio, scanning the frequencies for something decent. He got to a rock station and left it there.

Kurapica was not much for conversation, seeing how he was nose-deep into another book. Music was a good distraction, and the song that was now playing was catchy and simple, but had good riffs. After some time, Kurapica closed his book and frowned at the car radio. Kuroro lifted an eyebrow at him. “Don't like the music?” he enquired.

“I can't read with it playing so loud. And the lyrics are trite and over-dramatic.”

Kuroro repressed a sigh and pressed the scan button a few times until he got a classical music station. “Is this better?”

“Much,” Kurapica replied, and opened his book again.

Yes, this was going to be a long  drive.

Chapter Text

They drove on through the night, each lost in his own thoughts. And Kuroro had a lot to think about. He still believed – and was even more convinced as the days unfurled with his new recruit becoming more and more communicative – that he had made the right decision. Everyday, his companion was a little less aggressive, everyday a little more vocal. That the first thing he had chosen to say was an utterance of hatred was only proof that they were making progress. If not, there would have been no need to say it at all. They would both know.

No, the reason Kurapica needed to tell his hatred was because he was losing his grip on it. Kuroro flicked his eyes briefly over to his companion. The sun had set and was about to rise again. They had been driving for what seemed an eternity. Kurapica had a sweater rolled into a makeshift pillow, wedged between his head and the car window. His eyes were closed in slumber. The street lights flicked over his youthful face, showing briefly the delicate features, the long lashes and the bruises starting to form under his eyes from lack of proper sleep.

Well, they were in no great hurry other than put some distance between Morinya and themselves, so after the their next stop, they could take it easier. They were reaching the borders and they would soon be safe from the law. For some time in any case. They would be able to take their time and take things easier. They had plenty of time to make it to Ryuuseigai before they met up with the others. Plenty of time to get to know his new recruit and get through his cold demeanour, somehow.

He flicked his eyes over to his slumbering companion again. There was something tugging at his mind, a small possibility that had started to germinate in his thoughts. Kurapica sighed and shifted in his sleep. Kuroro gently pulled over, careful not to wake the blond. He unbuckled his seat-belt and pulled at the sleeves of his coat. It took a bit of work to get the garment off. That done, he pulled out onto the highway again, intent to let the blond settle into a deeper sleep once more. He didn't want to see Kurapica's reaction were he to wake up now. It took some time until he felt confident that the blond was once again deep in sleep. Holding the wheel with one hand, he pulled his coat over the Kuruta. It was a little awkward, but he managed to get the coat up above the boy's shoulders. Satisfied, he went back to his driving, fixing both of his eyes onto the road again. Most of the time, anyway.

As the sun came up again over the horizon, Kuroro pulled over into a rest area off the highway. He needed to stretch his legs for a few minutes. As he turned the key and took it out of the ignition, he glanced over at the Kuruta. He was still sleeping soundly, something that the Spider head found incredible since the boy hardly ever seemed to sleep at all around him. Well, the rest would do him good. The mere fact that he hadn't woken up either time that Kuroro had stopped was proof that he had been tired to the extreme. Kuroro twisted in his seat, peering over the young hunter's shoulder. It was hard to see his face with the fur of his coat in the way but he was satisfied to see that the boy looked more rested than he had since – well, since the first time Kuroro had ever seen him, actually.

He was about to move away, when Kurapica stirred slightly, making him halt his movements for fear of waking the boy. He held still, taking the chance to observe the younger man's face. He had had many occasions to do so before, but never when the boy looked this unguarded. Kurapica stirred again, pulling the coat higher. A soft sigh and he rubbed his cheek against the fur. To say Kuroro was astounded was an understatement. Slowly, ever so slowly, he took out his cellphone. The fake shutter sound was a little too loud for his liking, but Kurapica kept on sleeping. Kuroro straightened back into his seat, trying to decide whether this picture would go in the Ryodan folder he had started years before. It had begun with a picture Shalnark had sent him by mistake, one of Nobunaga passed out drunk in a bathtub. Since then, he found he liked taking the small pictures. He was too good to let his phone fall into the hands of someone else, so he wasn't worried about them getting out. After careful mental deliberation, he made a new folder to save the latest picture in. That done, he opened his door and got out, taking a moment to just stretch before closing it again. He did it as softly as he could, but Kurapica still sat up in alarm. Kuroro walked to the front of the car, looking at the young Hunter from the corner of his eye. The blond blinked, stifled a yawn behind a hand, looked around for a bit, then finally noticed the coat that had now fallen to his lap. He brought it up with something like consternation showing up on his face. Then bewilderment. Finally, he rolled it carefully and set it on the back seat. Kuroro turned away, not wanting to be caught staring at the boy's reaction.

The passenger door opened, closed, and Kurapica made his way towards the front, stopping a relatively reasonable distance from Kuroro. They stood for some time in silence, just content to be upright and to let the blood circulate freely through their legs. Kuroro waited for Kurapica to speak first, wanting to let him initiate the conversation. The minutes trickled away slowly between them. Then, finally, the young Hunter spoke up. “I hate you,” he said, by way of good morning.

“I know,” Kuroro replied, fighting the urge to have a small, victorious grin. “Good morning.” Another moment of silence, where the Spider head waited to see if the Kuruta would speak again.

He did. “Whereare we?”

“About an hour from the border into Hamenz.” Kuroro turned to face him. “From there, we're going to head north for a while.”

“Are we heading for Eresvor, then?” Kurapica was not looking at him, keeping his eyes on the horizon instead. Behind them, the sun was rising above the mountains to the east. To the North of them, hills raised steadily up towards the tallest mountains in the range they had kept to their right since Morinya.

Kuroro pondered on whether or not to answer the Kuruta. He didn't want another run in with the local police force. In spite of himself, he couldn't help but doubt that the debacle in Morinya was pure coincidence. He wanted to believe in his new recruit, and yet... Oh well. Lying would be pointless at this point, anyway. Eresvor was the closest city to the north, sitting across a small body of saltwater. “Yes,” he finally answered. “There is another pair of Scarlet Eyes rumoured to be near the city. It's only a relatively small detour, so I believe it's worth looking into.” Kurapica nodded, eyes turning north contemplatively. That turned his head away from Kuroro, and the taller man studied the blond thoughtfully. The morning sun played on the golden locks, giving the boy a kind of ethereal quality. It was nearly ridiculous how beautiful the young Kuruta was. Well, that was only going to make things easier for the plan Kuroro was starting to consider. “We'll catch the Newport ferry,” he finally specified. “From there, it should take us a few days drive through the wilderness to reach Eresvor. I'm going to avoid public transportation as much as possible. The less we're seen, the better.”

“It's more than a small detour, then.” Kurapica shrugged as if it didn't matter to him anyway. “It would only take a few hours by dirigible. But I understand the need to be seen as little as possible. The ferry can't be avoided, but we shouldn't take the car on it. It is a stolen car, after all. They could track us with the license plate number.” He turned inquisitively towards Kuroro, and the Spider head hid another smile. The boy was making suggestions on their route now. Yes, they were making good progress.

“I was planning to go without the car. They do allow pedestrians, and even rent out small cabins. I doubt our descriptions reached the authorities there. I won't cross the borders with the car, just to make sure. You don't mind a small hike, I hope? If we start soon, we can make it into Hamenz by lunchtime. I need coffee, though. I drove all night, and I'm willing to risk horrible vending machine coffee at this point. Would you like some?”

“No thanks,” Kurapica replied, shaking his head a bit. “I do like coffee in the morning, but I can't stand to drink it from a reheated can. I can always have some when we stop for lunch.”

“Suit yourself,” Kuroro replied with a shrug. He left the blond by the car and headed towards a couple of vending machines that stood by the low building housing the restrooms and a canteen that was presently closed. He put some change in one of the machines, and the press of a button sent a hot can of coffee down into the retrieving slot. Kuroro grabbed it, then bought a second one. He'd have his third at lunch. He made his way back to the car and leaned against the hood. He opened the first can and took a sip. It wasn't the best, but it was drinkable. He sipped at it, enjoying the warmth and waiting for the caffeine to kick in. Kurapica went back to the car and retrieved his book. Rather than sit down to read it, he walked to the back of the car, leaning against the trunk. Kuroro threw a glance back at him, then went back to his coffee.

The highway was quiet; a few cars drove past the rest area but none pulled in. Kuroro surveyed the area, mentally preparing the hike he was going to take them on so that they could cross the borders without being noticed. He popped the second can open. The easiest way would be to follow the highway, but there would be a high risk that they would be noticed. It would be better to hike through the wooded hills at the foot of the mountains. They could avoid checkpoints and slip into Hamenz unnoticed. So long as they skirted the swamps on the other side, they would be fine. Actually, the swamps would be a very good place to drop the stolen vehicle. He was going to carry it in his Fun Fun Cloth until then. There was a small village nearby. He could go in and buy a car there to drive to Newport. That would mean interacting with some people, but it was better to buy a car than drive a stolen vehicle. The country they were going to be driving through was more heavily populated and had more patrols than the one they were leaving.

His plan made, he finished his canned coffee and chucked the can aside. He walked around the car to the back door on the passenger side of the vehicle. He retrieved his coat, knowing he would need it as they were making their way into cooler regions. Then he made his way to the Kuruta. The blond looked up from his book, impassively watching Kuroro walk up to him. The taller man stopped an arm's length away. “Ready?” he asked.

The blond nodded and put a marker in between the pages of his book. “Yes, I'm ready.” He stood aside and Kuroro summoned his Skill Hunter book, and from it, his Fun Fun Cloth. The car and Kurapica's book safely put away, he let the heavy Nen volume fall shut, and it vanished.

“Let's go, then.” He started walking north-west, up into the low hills. Kurapica followed. They walked in silence, Kuroro leading them deeper and deeper into the woods until he felt confident that they were well out of view. They stopped mid-morning for a light breakfast of bread and cheese, before veering west towards the ocean. When they could see the water glittering between the trees in front of them, they turned northward and hiked for a few more hours. At this point, they had crossed borders and were heading towards the marshlands that made up the south-most countryside of Hamenz. Here, the air was cooler, and Kuroro was glad for his coat. He got a jacket out of the Fun Fun cloth for Kurapica to wear. The blond accepted it wordlessly and put it on. Kuroro abandoned the car.

They trudged on, walking towards the north-west again so as to avoid the worst of the bogs. Soon, they could see houses peeking through the trees. They had reached a small fishing village by the sea. There, finally, they stopped to eat lunch. By then, it was already mid-afternoon. Kuroro, satisfied that they were far enough away from Morinya to rest a little, decided that they would spend the night. He found a small inn and rented a room. Exhausted, they showered, Kuroro going first. Once Kurapica was in the bathroom, he lied down on one of the beds for a nap. He heard the water turn on in the shower as he closed his eyes. Soon, he let himself go into a light sleep, knowing full well that any unexpected sound from the blond would wake him up instantly. He was conscious of Kurapica getting out of the shower and then back into the room a short while later. He heard him settle down on the other bed. After that, all he heard was the sounds of the pages turning as the blond read in silence.

Chapter Text

Kuroro woke up late that evening, feeling refreshed. He sat up in bed and turned towards the other bed. Kurapica was sleeping, his back turned to him. The taller man slipped out from under the covers as quietly as he could. The blond didn't stir, not even as he padded softly around his bed to look at the boy's face. The Kuruta still had one hand over the book he had been reading before he fell asleep. His eyes were closed and his respiration slow and even. Kuroro looked at him, weighing out his options. Kurapica's wounds had been healing well, but then he had been walking for a long time on an injured ankle that day. Were he to buy a car and drive out the next day, the blond wouldn't have to walk much, but the taller man decided against it. They would stay holed in this little B&B for a few days. The boy would need his strength for later. Better to let him heal fully now than to have another accidental run-in with the law that could potentially force them to abandon the car.

Still, he was going to start looking for one right away. Leaving the blond's bedside, he went downstairs to have a word with the owner. She had no problem renting out the room to these 'nice young men' for a few days, but she didn't know anyone with a car to sell. She directed him to a pub where he could have a chat with some of the villagers to see if maybe someone was willing to sell them a vehicle, but Kuroro was loathe to leave the Kuruta for long. He decided that they would grab dinner there once the blond was awake. His mind made up, he helped himself to a few cups of coffee. He read the papers as he drank, taking his time, knowing the Kuruta would not leave on his own. His blood properly caffeinated, he went back up to the room and settled on his bed, book in hand. Hours ticked by on the little mantlepiece clock. Sometime past midnight, Kurapica stirred in his bed. Kuroro looked up from his book. He saw the blond sit up in bed and hide a yawn behind his right hand. He might be slight and feminine looking in his outwards appearance, but his hands were larger than a woman's, and looked quite strong.

The blond blinked a few times, then turned towards him. The stared at each other for some time in silence. Then Kurapica got up and out of bed. “I hate you,” he told the taller man, looking away from him.

“I know,” Kuroro replied. This was starting to be routine. He didn't mind. One day, he'd have Kurapica tell him good morning normally. He would see to it. “I've decided that we are to stay here for a few days,” he informed the blond. “Your wounds need attending to, and you've walked long enough on that injured leg.”

“I can keep going,” Kurapica replied coldly.

“I know you can,” Kuroro said, “but there's no need to push yourself. I'll need you healthy and strong for when we hit Erestor. I know you can work as you are, but there is no need to hurry, so we might as well wait a few days.” He uncrossed his legs and got up. “Take off your shirt. I'll have a look at your back now.” Kurapica sent him an unhappy look, but he obediently slipped out of his shirt and undershirt, before sitting at the edge of his bed. Kuroro walked over to him and sat behind the boy. He undid the bandage around the blond's torso slowly, letting his fingers brush lightly over his skin as he went. The Kuruta was sitting ramrod straight, and if the touches bothered him, he was too stubborn to let it show. This, of course, made Kuroro want to see him react even more. He slowed down his movement, letting his fingers trail over the boy's back. Kurapica shivered slightly and Kuroro grinned.

“Why do you do this?” the blond asked softly.

“Mmm?” Kuroro reached around to undo the bandage at the front. “I need to look at your wounds to make sure they are healing properly,” he said after a moment of silence, pretending not to know what Kurapica meant.

“No, I mean...” The boy hesitated slightly. “I mean, touching me like this.”

Kuroro took a moment to decide whether to keep pretending, but in the end, he decided against it. It would only be an insult to his and Kurapica's intelligence. He finished unwinding the bandage. “Like this?” he asked, and let the tip of two fingers ghost over the blond's back.

Kurapica tensed up. “Yes,” he said tightly. “Like that.”

“Mmm,” Kuroro smiled, though the boy couldn't see it. “I just like it. What's this scar?” He touched Kurapica's side lightly, making him tense up even more.

“Hisoka,” was all the blond said by way of explanation. “Why do you like touching me like that? I believe it is not something that enemies do.”

“But I do not see you as my enemy,” Kuroro countered softly. He let his fingers trail from the older scar to one of the newer ones. “This will leave a light scar as well.”

Kurapica shrugged. “I don't care. And I would appreciate if you stop touching me on purpose. It will not stop me from seeing you as my enemy, if that is what you're hoping for.”

“I'm not hoping for anything,” the Spider head replied. “But I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

The blond shrugged again. “I don't care,” he insisted.

Kuroro shook his head with a smile. “You do care,” he said, unable to keep a bit of amusement from seeping into his voice, “since you had to ask me about it.”

“Whatever.”

Kuroro decided that this didn't forbid him from touching a bit more, though he had to make sure not to make the Kuruta angry. As much as he'd love seeing his eyes turn to the colour of fire again. He inspected Kurapica's wounds carefully, but there were healing very nicely. They didn't get infected and weren't likely to open again. “I think you don't need to bandage those anymore,” he said as he got up. “Show me your ankle.”

“It's fine,” the blond said a little sulkily, but he leaned down to roll up the hem of his trousers.

“I'll see that for myself if you don't mind.” Kuroro knelt in front of the boy and heard a stifled sound of surprise from him. He leaned over, hiding his smile. He started by prodding at the blond's foot, before lifting it off the floor carefully. Kurapica remained impassive. He moved the foot this way and that, left, right, up, down.

Finally, Kurapica spoke up again. “I told you, it's fine.”

Kuroro's answer was to move the boy's foot sharply, earning himself a gasp. “It's not,” he said, and got up to his feet. “We'll stay here for a couple of days at least. Are you hungry? The pub I meant to go to will be closing soon, but there was a sort of general store that advertised being open 24/7 about two blocks away. I could go get some food.”

Kurapica didn't answer for some time. He seemed to be trying to decide whether to answer him at all. He put his shirt back on and unrolled the hem of his pant leg. Kuroro watching silently as he straightened back up into a seated position. “I'm hungry,” the boy finally conceded.

“Anything you'd like?” Kuroro picked up his jacket from where he had left it on the back of a chair by the door.

“Anything's fine,” Kurapica answered softly. Kuroro paused to see if the boy would add more, but when he was sure the blond was done speaking, he turned and headed out. The Kuruta never seemed to care much how things tasted, so long as they sustained him. He should have known better than to ask him. But no, the good intention didn't go to waste. If it would just shake Kurapica from this tower of apathy he had locked himself into at some point, then it wasn't lost. There would be no way of knowing how things progressed until the boy started being a little more responsive, though.

He left the house and took a right, walking towards the store at a leisure pace. He already knew he wanted something that hopefully did not come with bread. He was getting pretty sick of the bland meals already. As soon as they reached Erestor, before they went and raided the small museum there, he would make sure to treat himself and the Kuruta to some decent cuisine, for a change. He reached the store and bells jingled as he pushed the door open. A moment later, an old man came out of a door in the back, wiping his hands on a worn towel. Kuroro went into the food section, trying to find something to eat that would not have that same taste of bland, unappetizing food he had been having on this trip so far. Tough luck. In the end, he selected two lunch packs wrapped in plastic containers. The man, now behind the cash register, offered to heat them up for him and Kuroro nodded. He paid his purchase in full. He didn't want to get the attention of the law so soon, and he had a lot of money to spare anyway. The food bagged and paid for, he made his way back to the house where he and Kurapica were staying, making a short stop by the kitchen to fix some coffee for the Kuruta. Then he took the food and coffee upstairs. Kurapica had showered again, and dressed in lose clothes that seemed a tad too big for him. That, along with his youthful appearance made him look ridiculously childlike. Kuroro handed him the coffee.The blond accepted the mug from his hands, careful not to let their fingers brush.

Ah, well.

Kuroro set the plastic bag with his purchase on top of the dresser. “I got boxed lunches. They're warm. I wanted something that had no bread. We've been surviving on that for so long, I thought you would be sick of it.”

Kurapica shrugged. “I don't mind. A sandwich would have been fine.”

Kuroro resisted the urge to sigh. “Well, I am sick of it.” He handed Kurapica a lunch container and a plastic fork, then dug his own out of the bag. He sat on the edge of his bed to eat, observing his younger companion from the corner of his eye. Kurapica ate slowly, looking bored and unconcerned. This routine was getting a little old. But Kuroro wouldn't let it get to him. It was well worth it. The boy would come to be on his side in time. Until then, he would not let small details like the Kuruta's anger and hatred push him into a hasty decision. He was patient. Let the young hunter wear his rage like a cold armour of ice. Kuroro would break through it eventually. He would break it and claim the skillful, strong boy who resided within and make him his own. Maybe not this day or the next. It would take time. Time and patience. Kuroro had both.

Their food eaten, the Kuruta got up and collected the empty containers, wrappers and forks and placed them in the trash. That done, he returned to his bed and picked up his book again. With a smile and a shrug, Kuroro did the same. They read the rest of that night away, then napped in the morning. Around noon, They showered and got dressed, before making their way to the pub that acted at the village's cafe during the daytime. There, they had their lunch and spoke with the locals. Between the villagers' talks – that ranged anywhere from the weather, to the catch of the day, to the comings and goings of other people who resided there – they managed to secure a vehicle that would be brought to them three days from then.

The next few days were spent in quiet, relative peace. They read and rested a lot, and got pestered by all manners of people who wanted stories and news from the outside world. Kuroro indulged them easily, always managing to get more information than he gave out. Kurapica remained quiet. It was probably better this way. A few times, when Kuroro was talking to one of the local people or reading, he looked to him and found the young Hunter watching him thoughtfully. Always, when their eyes met and the blond found himself caught watching, he would avert his eyes and look away. Kuroro was curious to know what was going on inside that golden head, but he didn't ask. He knew he would get no answer.

Chapter Text

The first day, they travelled mostly in silence. Kurapica didn't mind. He was used to travelling alone, and his current company made it hard for him to want to bother making conversation. He read or looked through the window at the wild countryside they were driving through. It was a hilly country with trees as far as they could see, the scenery of green only broken by the sea on their left and the mountains on their right. They bivouacked that night on the side of the road with a canopy of trees above their heads and the stars glittering coldly in the night sky they could see in between the leaves. Their blankets were a tad too thin to make it a comfortable night. Sometime before the sun came up, just as the light started turning the woods into a grey sea of fog and indistinct shapes, it started drizzling lightly. They got up and got everything all packed up, then left. Soon, it started pouring and they were glad to have lost no time in leaving.

Kurapica's clothes were slightly wet and he shivered. Kuroro wordlessly turned on the heating. His long, black coat was waterproof, and the taller man probably didn't even need the heat himself. He had probably turned it on for Kurapica only. He didn't know what to think of that. He didn't know what to think of the older man anymore. I hate him, he kept telling himself, but the truth was his hatred was starting to waver. He knew it was somewhat to be expected. They had already spent nearly four weeks being around each other constantly, day in and day out. The taller man had been civil – nice, even. He let the Kuruta be for the most part, letting him keep to his own thoughts. But when they talked, he showed himself to be intelligent and well-read. A far cry from the bloodthirsty monster Kurapica had imagined during all of the years he had spent training, honing his mind and his body so that when he had a chance to exact revenge, he would be ready. Now, he was starting to wonder if such a day would ever come, anymore.

No, he had to believe it would. And when it did, his time spent with the Ryodan leader would be to his advantage. This was as good an opportunity as there was to get to know the man's fighting style and abilities. But that would mean he would have to see the man fight to begin with. Could he stand aside and let him fight and kill people without lifting a finger? So far, the Ryodan leader had made it clear to the Kuruta that he meant not to kill people to get the blond to accept him. Though Kurapica was glad for it, it also meant the intelligence he could gather from their time together would be very limited. He stole a look to his companion, feeling torn and confused. No matter how much he professed his hatred to the older man, he knew that it wasn't the case anymore. Slowly, he was starting to see the man behind the title, the human being behind the Spider.

That... was probably a very, very bad thing.

The older man looked back at him from the corner of his eye and lifted an eyebrow. Kurapica turned back to the window. The rain was really pouring now, hitting the window pane and drawing odd shapes and ever-moving scenes in small rivulets of water.

“Penny for your thought,” his companion said, and Kurapica shrugged.

“I'd like to think my thoughts are worth more than that, and that you'd have more money to offer for them.” The older man laughed softly, which took the blond aback. Well, of course the man would know how to laugh. No matter the atrocities he had committed, he was still a human being.

“I'd like to think,” the other man said, “that you would be willing to tell me for free someday.” Kurapica shrugged, staring out the window. Some time passed in silence, only broken by the soft piano music coming from the car radio. After a few minutes, Kuroro started humming along, eyes on the road. It was a melody Kurapica had always liked, and it disturbed him a bit to realize that the Spider head liked it as well, enough to be able to keep with the intricate melody. There was a sign on the side of the road, some ways ahead of them. Kuroro squinted at it. “What's that say?” he asked. “I can barely make it out through the rain.”

Kurapica peered through the water washing down his window. He managed to make out the symbols just as the brown sign sped by. “It says there's an inn coming up in a few kilometers,” he said.

Kuroro nodded. “Fancy eating something hot for a change?”

Kurapica turned to the taller man, tilting his head. He regarded him quietly for a bit, then turned back towards the window. “You know I don't really care what I eat.”

Kuroro shrugged. “I know, but I'm still asking whether you would prefer to stop or keep going and eat as we drive”

Kurapica pondered over this. “Something hot... would be nice,” he finally said.

The Spider head sent a little smile his way and took a right when the road forked, leaving the highway as another sign pointed the inn to be off the main road. A short drive later, they parked in front of a low building with a flickering neon sign. The place looked shabby, but it seemed to have a small diner on the ground floor that was open for business. They got a table by a large window, close enough to the door to be able to leave quickly if needed be, but far enough that they wouldn't be too cold if someone were to open the door. The place didn't have much food on the menu, but it had some soup and some stew, as well as a roast. Kurapica chose the soup with some bread, while Kuroro opted for the stew. They ate in silence, the mood more melancholy than angry. When they were done, Kuroro paid for both their shares, and they left, feeling a little warmer already. They got back in the car and Kuroro drove back to the main road.

“Thank you,” Kurapica finally said, because he felt that just eating the food Kuroro had paid for and not saying anything was a little rude, regardless of their past.

“You're welcome,” the man answered easily. “Hope you liked the food.”

“It was good,” Kurapica acknowledged.

“I'm glad you liked it.”

Silence once again descended upon the car. Kurapica stared out the window. The woods were barely visible through the rain and fog. He turned his head to the other side and found he couldn't see the ocean from the mist either. Kuroro flicked him a look and raised his eyebrows slightly. Kurapica shrugged and return to his own window. The afternoon dragged on. As it was still raining by the time the sun went down, Kuroro proposed that they make it to another inn and have a late supper and a night in a warm bed. Kurapica accepted gratefully. They showered in turns, then the Spider head insisted he had one last look at Kurapica's wounds. That always made the Kuruta uncomfortable, but he still let the older man prod and poke at his back and ankle until he was satisfied the blond was fine, and then they turned in for the night.

As he lay in bed, Kurapica pondered over what he knew of the Gen'ei Ryodan and their leader. He turned his head sideways, to better look at the man sleeping in the bed next to his. What he knew was... very little, unfortunately. Hisoka had provided information on seven of them. Kuroro Lucifer wasn't one of them. Of the others, one was dead – the one called Ubogin. Of the six member whose abilities he knew, he had met five. One he hadn't met but heard the name. Nobunaga Hazama, the samurai. Pakunoda's abilities had been revealed by his younger friends, way back in York Shin. The woman was dead now, as he could tell from her shadowy form that was visible on some nights, haunting his sleep. One other, the number four, had been killed by Hisoka between the time of the raid and the time Kurapica had met the magician during his exam. Remained two. One's ability was surely of the Materialization category, as he had witnessed both fake bodies and fake Eyes in his time in York Shin. The last one was completely unknown.

The Spider head opened his eyes, lifting a delicate eyebrow at him. Kurapica turned on his side, facing away from him. He frowned at the wall, wondering – not for the first time – how the man had managed to break his chain around his heart, and how he had managed to seal the Kuruta's Nen entirely. From what he had heard the Ryodan leader say a few weeks earlier, it was pretty safe to assume that Hisoka had something to do with it. That the man would double-cross him came as no surprise. The Kuruta hadtaken his prey straight out from his grasp, after all. Still pondering over what the leader's abilities could be, relating to this book he had materialized a few times, Kurapica finally drifted into a deep sleep.

When he awoke again, Kuroro was standing on the side of the bed nearest him, holding a steaming cup in each hand. Once Kurapica had blinked at him two or three times, he tilted his head and moved one of the mugs closer. Kurapica sat up, wondering how he had not waken up the moment Kuroro was within a couple of meters from him. Had his hatred really gone so low? “I hate you,” he said, trying to cling to the few remnants of hatred that still embittered his heart. He reached out for the coffee the older man was handing him. Kuroro held it firm, though, not releasing it into his hand. Kurapica looked up, a little wary.

Once their eyes met, Kuroro let him have his coffee. “I know,” the Spider head said with a little smile, then he turned away. Kurapica frowned thoughtfully down at his steaming mug, wondering again about the enigma that his forced travelling companion presented. It didn’t help. He simply could not understand what the man was thinking.

It used to be so much easier, back in York Shin city, a lifetime ago. It was that much simpler to get into the man’s head when he was just the Ryodan leader, tied to the end of his chains. He frowned. No, not quite. Had it really ever been easier at all? He took his first sip of coffee, eyes sliding upwards to observe the taller man who had just sat down in an armchair with coffee in one hand and a book in the other. No, he realized. It hadn’t. Even back then, this impossible man had been hard to read. A complete and utter mystery. The Ryodan leader looked up and tilted his head at the blond, most likely curious as to Kurapica’s long, appraising look. The Kuruta felt his eyebrows draw closer together over the bridge of his nose; not quite a frown, but close. He sipped at his coffee slowly, looking away after a moment. But still the man was on his mind – questions of why, and how and when chasing one another in his head until he was nearly more confused than he had been at first.

After a short while, Kuroro got up and went into the bathroom. Kurapica put his cup down on the dresser and hastily changed into a fresh set of clothes. Then, he gathered their things and went once around the room to make sure they were leaving nothing behind. When the Spider head emerged from the bathroom, he was also dressed and ready to go. They put their things away in the Fun Fun Cloth, and left.

Chapter Text

They drove all morning and didn't stop for breakfast or lunch, opting instead to eat as they went, snacking on nuts and dried fruit. By lunch time, the rain had let up. Clouds scattered away to reveal a clear blue sky. With the sun, the road looked much more cheerful. The ocean glittered prettily to their left and when they lowered the windows, they heard the lonely cries of seagulls. They were driving away from the big cities in the south and barely ever saw cars anymore. Kuroro enjoyed the freedom he felt out here, on this empty road, far from responsibility and worries. The only thing he needed to concern himself with out here in the wild was the blond sitting on the passenger seat of his car. Kurapica was silent as usual, a book open on his lap. But he wasn't reading at the moment. He was staring out of his window to the woods that bordered the road to their right, a pensive look on his beautiful features.

It wasn't the first time the word had popped into his mind. The Kuruta was beautiful. If he didn't think the boy would slap his hand away, he would run his fingers slowly down that fair cheek, like he did to the paintings he stole that he found particularly enthralling. He turned his eyes back on the road, both hands firmly planted on the steering wheel. An odd feeling, that. He never had problems just taking whatever he wanted before, snatching it up and claiming it for himself until he grew bored with it and sold it. But he couldn't do that to the young man sitting next to him right now. He was too valuable, his abilities too powerful to risk spooking him. He liked riding this line, pushing just enough to make the blond react, but not so much that he would really, truly get angry or freaked out. There was just something about the way he reacted to things that made Kuroro want to get more out of him.

“I wish you would stop staring at me,” Kurapica said after a moment, turning to him.

Kuroro turned his eyes back onto the road again. He hadn't even noticed his eyes had slid over to the blond again. “I'm watching the road,” he said with a shrug. “I'm driving. I can't be staring.”

“You keep looking at me from the corner of your eyes.”

He flicked the blond a look. Well, he didn't seem all that angry, mostly just a little annoyed. He looked ahead once more. “I could return the comment,” he finally countered with another look. “You have been staring at me a lot. I suppose we are both trying to understand what goes on through each other's minds.”

Kurapica shrugged and turned back to the window. “I suppose.”

Kuroro had to repress the urge to grin. He didn't think the boy would actually agree to anything that he said so soon. Normally, he would get a shrug at best. There was a slight sound of a vibration and Kurapica blinked. He had to struggle a bit to get his phone out of his pocket because of his seat-belt, but he managed to bring it out before it went to the voice-mail. He flicked a look to the older man, and Kuroro nodded. Seriously! Kurapica was not his prisoner. He didn't have to ask permission to answer his damn phone. The thought put a bit of a damper on his earlier elation.

“Yes.” Trust the Kuruta to have such a straightforward, no nonsense way of answering a call. “Ah, Leorio. No, no. I'm good. I'm travelling at the moment.” Kuroro remembered the name. It was the man who had been driving when the Kuruta captured him. He had learned a lot more about the man in the past few months, but nothing overly impressive. He hardly thought he was worth thinking about. Though he had heard a lot of rumours...

Was it him, or had Kurapica's voice gotten softer and gentler?

He frowned slightly at the road ahead.

“I don't know if I can free myself.” Kurapica flicked him a look that Kuroro didn't bother returning. “I know. I would like to see the three of you as well. I'll see what I can do. I can only promise this much.” So, it was about those two children as well. Gon Freecs and Killua Zaoldick. Both very talented. And fearless. That had made quite an impression on the Ryodan leader. Both of them so young, so strong, staring at him straight in the eye to demand an explanation on his behaviour. Not many people were foolhardy enough to do that with him. “All right. I'll let you know. Ah, Leorio...” Kuroro saw the blond look at him again, out of his peripheral vision. Then he hesitated a bit before turning away from the Spider head completely. “How did your exam go?” he asked softly. There was a pause. “Ah... I see. Congratulations. Well, then. I'll be in touch.” Then he hung up. It took a moment before he looked ahead again.

“I would congratulate him too,” Kuroro said with a little smile, “but I doubt he'd want to hear from me.”

Kurapica looked at him and shrugged. “I don't think you care either way,” he said before leaning his head back.

“You're right,” Kuroro agreed easily. “I don't.” Kurapica shrugged again. A few kilometres sped by in silence. “I hear you're very close, the four of you.”

The blond straightened up and eyed him warily. “Where did you hear that from?”

“People who went through the Hunter Exam with you.” Kuroro flicked him a look. “I talked to a few of them. I had to know more about you before I went to the Nostrad estate to find you again. Don't look so worried. I only chatted with them. They're all unharmed.”

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” Kurapica said with a sigh.

“You wound me,” Kuroro sent back. “Why, you make me sound like a heartless criminal.”

“Well, you are.”

Kuroro grinned. “Right. I am.”

Kurapica sent him a startled look and Kuroro looked at him from the corner of his eye, still grinning. This had been the friendliest conversations they had had so far, and he found he quite enjoyed it. After a moment, the blond huffed and looked away, shaking his head minutely. Silence fell between them again.

“There was this rumour, too,” Kuroro said after a moment.

“Rumour?” Kurapica tilted his head at him.

“About you and the good doctor.”

Kurapica frowned lightly. “Leorio and me?”

Kuroro nodded. “Yes. Just about every other examinees I talked to thought you two were... abnormally close.”

“I don't see how that's any of their business,” Kurapica said, his frown intensifying. “Or yours.”

“So it's true then?”

Kurapica pursed his lips, his eyebrows still drawn together over the bridge of his nose. Kuroro could nearly see the cogs turning in his head as he pondered whether to answer the Ryodan leader's question or not. “We're not... together, if that's what you're asking,” the blond finally answered. “Though he did make his interest known.”

“How?” Kuroro was genuinely intrigued now. And pleased. He didn't think the Kuruta would answer him. Kurapica's cheeks coloured lightly and he turned his head to the side, looking out his window. “Did he tell you directly?” Kuroro pressed on. Kurapica shook his head. “A kiss then?” There was no reaction this time, but the boy's blush intensified. The Spider head barely had time to think he had put his finger on it, that Kurapica nodded. Again, he hadn't thought that the blond would answer at all.

They fell silent after that, Kuroro thinking back on their conversation, Kurapica fighting to regain composure. Saint-Saëns' The Swan was playing softly on the car radio, the piano light like summer rain, the violin graceful like the animal it represented. Kurapica closed his eyes and leaned back into his seat. Kuroro looked at him out of the corner of his eye, wondering what was going on in that blond head of his. The piece ended, followed by Schubert's Ständchen. This was a much more to Kuroro's taste. The melody was lighthearted and rather cheerful, and the singer had a clear, beautiful voice. Kurapica opened his eyes and picked up his book. After Schubert came Mozart and his Rondo alla Turca. Just as that song ended, Kuroro took a right. Kurapica looked up as Kuroro left the highway. His eyes were questioning, but the Spider head didn't explain himself. He saw the rest area advertised on the highway and turned into it. He parked under the boughs of a tall pine tree, then pulled on the break handle and undid his security belt. Kurapica frowned in confusion, closing his book and putting it on the dashboard.

“Why are we stop–?!” He never finished his sentence.

Kuroro leaned over and caught his left hand, pressing it down against his thigh. He easily pushed aside Kurapica's right hand that was coming at him to shove him away, simply holding it back with the back of his arm and pushing it back towards the passenger side window. It left Kurapica wide open.

He kissed him.

It was a simple kiss at first. Just his lips pressing against Kurapica's. He felt the boy tense and try to move his hands, obviously meaning to push him away, but Kuroro wouldn't let him. His lips pressed down a little more insistently on the Kuruta's. Kurapica made a soft, choking sound in the back of his throat and held still, no longer pushing against Kuroro's hands. The raven haired man took it as an invitation an moved his lips against the blond's, trying to coax him into some kind of positive response. Slowly, the younger man relaxed. Kuroro let the tip of his fingers trail down the sensitive inner wrist of the boy's right arm, all the way down to his elbow. Kurapica shivered and gasped lightly, tilting his head into the kiss just so. Kuroro nipped lightly at his lower lip, then pushed himself away and back into his seat. He fastened his seat-belt, eyeing Kurapica from the corner of his eyes, saw him looking frozen into place, lips still parted – moist – and slightly redder from his kiss – inviting.

He released the hand break and pulled out of the parking. The small book Kurapica had left on the dashboard slid and the blond caught it by pure reflex. Then he turned his confused eyes towards his travelling companion. “You kissed me,” he remarked.

Kuroro was looking back to make sure no car was coming. He sped up and got onto the road, letting a moment of silence fall between them. “I did,” he finally said, eyes focused on the road.

“Why did you kiss me?” The Kuruta pursued, not to be deterred. “I do believe this is a gesture normally used between lovers.”

Kuroro flashed him a grin. “Let's just stay I was stating my interest.” He let Kurapica ponder this new development and returned his attention to the road. But his mind wasn't entirely on driving. He had a lot to think about. For one, he was surprised at how eager he had been to kiss the blond. At first, he simply meant to claim all of his attention. He knew he was playing a dangerous game, but it was one way of getting through the boy's defences that would get the most result short-term. And possibly, it could help bind the Kuruta to his side. But he had to play the cards right, or it could potentially ruin everything. Yes, he would play it slowly, and pull out if it drove the younger man deeper into his shell. What he had not expected however, was how much he had wanted to deepen the kiss right away. And kiss him again when he had finally pulled away. He flicked his eyes over to his companion. Kurapica was still sitting with his back very straight, eyes wide and staring at the road ahead. He looked... shocked. But not horrified. Hopefully, that was a good sign. He turned his attention back to his driving. He changed lanes so he was in the one that branched off to return to the highway. Still the boy remained silent. It was both nerve-racking and exciting to wonder about Kurapica's thoughts and plan ahead to how he would win the young Hunter over. He hadn't felt this stirred up in a long, long time. The challenge was thrilling.

In a way, it was his biggest heist yet.

Well, he was a master thief, after all. He could pull this off. If he was careful and planned each and every move cautiously, he could make the blond into a powerful ally. And if the Kuruta didn't cooperate in the end, he could always steal his abilities and kill him. But that would be too much of a waste, and he'd rather not have to do it. He drove past a sign indicating that Newport was only a few kilometres ahead. Finally. It would feel nice to step out of the car for a bit. Driving for days on end had its charms, but he was looking ahead to being able to stretch his legs for more than a few minutes at a time. And they would be in town right around dinner time. They could catch the ferry leaving that night.

By the time they reached the town, Kurapica still hadn't moved, but as they drove onto the road that bordered the seafront, he sort of sagged into his seat. Kuroro glanced at him. “I can't believe you,” the blond finally said in a rough whisper. “I can't believe you just did that.”

Kuroro's sole response was to grin at him.

Chapter Text

To say that Kurapica was perturbed was putting things really lightly. He kept resisting the urge to bring his hand to his lips. Could be to rub this ridiculous kiss off. Not that it would change anything. Kuroro had kissed him.

Kuroro. Had. Kissed him.

He raised his eyes to the man sitting across the table from him. Kuroro raised his eyebrows at him and brought a bite of steak to his mouth. He chewed slowly, gazing at Kurapica as the younger man stared at him in silence. After he had swallowed, he tilted his head. “Is there something on your mind?” he asked.

“It's nothing,” Kurapica answered and frowned down at his food. It was so odd. Maybe it was because of this interest Kuroro had claimed to have, but suddenly, he had started noticing things about the older man that he never had before. Namely, that with his hair down like this, he actually looked pretty good. Something he had never wanted to notice. His frown intensified.

“If it's nothing, why are you glaring at your fried rice like it made you some personal affront?”

“I'm not glaring.” Kurapica looked away to the window to his right, trying to prove his point.

“Hmm.” Kuroro didn't seem convinced. Ah, screw him anyway. Stupid bastard, making him all disconcerted and confused. That was probably his plan from the beginning. Kurapica stabbed at a piece of broccoli and brought it to his mouth. Kuroro was still staring. The blond was getting more and more flustered, but was trying his best not to let it show. He looked at his broccoli and felt the corners of his mouth lower. He set it down.

He sighed softly and looked up at his companion. “I would really, really appreciate if you could stop staring at me,” he said softly.

“But I quite like looking at you,” the Spider head replied smoothly, which did not help Kurapica regain his composure at all. He could feel the blood rise up to his cheeks. Again. Ah, he hated being so bashful. He brought his fork to his mouth. He devoted the next few minutes to his food, trying to focus on the taste and texture just so he could calm down. By the time Kuroro finally looked away from his face, his shoulders hurt from the tension in them. He forced himself to relax his muscles slowly. “You seem tense,” Kuroro remarked.

“I am not,” he countered easily. Again, the older man made a sound that sounded more than a little doubtful. Kurapica saw him motion and he looked up. The waiter Kuroro had waved to was already moving over to them.

“We'll have a bottle of your best red wine,” the Spider head told the waiter once he had arrived. “And some lemon soda.” The waiter bowed and left.

“I'm underage,” Kurapica said as soon as he was out of earshot.

“Not here, you're not,” Kuroro countered. “Legal drinking age is eighteen here.”

“Hardly matters. I do not intend to drink.”

“I ordered some lemon soda,” Kuroro reminded him. “That was not for me.” That placated the Kuruta, and he fell silent. Soon, the waiter returned with their drinks and two cups. He uncorked the bottle and poured into one of the wineglasses. But Kuroro stopped him after it had barely a sip of wine in it. Kurapica frowned as Kuroro placed the cup in front of him. For his own wineglass, the older man had the waiter fill it nearly completely. He waited until the waiter had left to tend to another table.

“I thought I told you –” Kurapica began, but Kuroro cut him short.

“Just a sip,” he said. “It will not make you drunk, but it might help relax you just a bit. Here.” He poured half of the glass of soda over it. “Just try it. If you don't like it, you can leave it there.” Kurapica looked at him suspiciously, but he could not read him at all. Kuroro's face was a blank wall, looking neither too interested, nor too unconcerned. He slid the wineglass a little closer to the Kuruta. “Try it,” he said again.

Kurapica sighed and reached for the glass. One last glance at Kuroro's impassive face, and he attempted a sip. It wasn't bad. It was quite good, actually. And with so little alcoholic content, he felt confided enough that it wouldn't have any ill effect. Kuroro was staring at him. “It's good,” he admitted to the older man who smiled a little in return.

Kurapica looked away. It was somehow unnerving to see his expression change and look so... pleasant. He took another sip and watched as Kuroro reached for his own cup and drank. The Spider head tilted his head, then nodded to himself, obviously pleased with the wine. They fell into a contemplative silence, each enjoying their drink. It was so strange, Kurapica reflected as he tilted his glass slightly to watch the play of light over the bubbles and pale, pinkish colour of his drink. So strange how they could sit silent for hours now, not slightly bothered by the presence of the other or the lack of words between them. He looked up to the older man and found him looking intently at him. He hurriedly set his cup down and cleared his throat, picking up his utensils again. He once again turned to his food while he tried to compose himself. The other man's stares were making him nervous, suddenly. He ate in silence, taking sips of his drinks once in a while. When it was empty, Kuroro refilled it.

When he was done eating, the older man offered to pay for dessert as well, but Kurapica declined. It wasn't like it was his own money anyway. It was a sobering thought. What the older man was paying, he paid in stolen money. The Spider head paid for their meal, and then they left. There were many people out on the street, hurrying about their business at a rapid pace. The wind was cold and brought in the smell of saltwater and fish from the harbour. Kurapica zipped up his jacket and looked up to his taller companion. Kuroro took out a pocket watch from inside of his jacket and checked the time. “We're a little early,” he said, “but it's cold outside and I think we might find somewhere to warm ourselves up near the docks. Let's go buy our tickets at least, and see what is available to us there.” Kurapica nodded and looked around, trying to situate himself. He could more or less guess the direction of the sea from the smell on the wind, but he wasn't sure where the ship was going to be docked. “This way,” the Spider head said, and he started walking.

Kurapica followed him, pulling at his jacket sleeves with his fingers, trying to protect his hands from the wind. They walked at a rapid pace, mimicking the people around them as they too tried to reach shelter as quickly as possible. The harbour was deceivingly far, and it took quite a walk to reach it. Kuroro had already sold the car, seeing no use in taking it across the narrow sea. He felt it easier to leave it here and... acquire, as he had put it, another one when they reached the other continent. When they finally arrived at the ticket office, the place was far more quiet than they had anticipated. A few travellers sat huddled in uncomfortable-looking plastic chairs. A couple of clerks stood behind a counter and Kuroro walked over to them. Kurapica walked over to the far wall, where he could look out at sea from large windows. The wind was really strong. He wasn't entirely sure that the ferry would run. There was something poetic in the tall, violent waves crashing against the boulders and rocks. He could have looked at them for hours, but soon, Kuroro was back and jolted him from his reverie by tapping the tickets he had just bought against the back of his head.

Kurapica turned to him and made a face, smoothing back his hair with his fingers as he did so. “Is the ferry running?” he wanted to know.

“Yeah, it will leave in a couple of hours. The clerk said they're used to this weather and there should be no problem.”

Kurapica nodded and looked around. “Is there a cafe nearby? I don't really feel like sitting on a plastic chair for two hours.”

Kuroro chuckled. “Sure, there is one a couple blocks up. Quiet little place. You should like it.”

“Lead the way, then,” Kurapica said and motioned for the taller man to precede him. Kuroro stood motionless for a moment, looking down at his face with a little smile on his lips. Kurapica tilted his head at him. Kuroro shrugged with one shoulder and turned from him and Kurapica frowned lightly at his back in confusion before following him. He hesitated by the door, unhappy about having to brave the cold again. He disliked being cold, though it never prevented him from doing what he had set out to do. He stepped out. The wind had picked up and right away, it hit his face and hand, making him wish he had decided to wait in the ferry terminal.

“It's not too far,” Kuroro said, looking back at his face. “Can you walk?”

“I've seen worse,” Kurapica answered.

Kuroro stole another look at his face and turned back forward. He led him back up the hill, but on another street than the one they had used on their way to the station. This one was much narrower and seemed to be only for pedestrian. Small shops lined the road on either side, jammed between apartment buildings and small parks. Not many people were out on this street. It was an out of the way little place that Kurapica wouldn't have seen if Kuroro hadn't brought him here. The shop they entered was small and cozy. There were no more than ten tables, most of which bordered large windows at the front. They sat down at one. Kuroro ordered house blend coffee and a couple of berry tarts. Instead of talking, they both took a book out of the Fun Fun Cloth and started reading. Both the coffee and the pastries were exquisite, in Kurapica's opinion, and he took note of the place, thinking of taking his friends someday. A minute after the idea popped into his mind, he paused, looking up from his book.

Kuroro looked at him at the movement, but didn't say anything. After a moment, seeing how the blond didn't speak up, he returned to his book. Kurapica glanced at him and looked down to his book again, but he wasn't reading. For some reason, it just felt wrong to take his friends somewhere that Kuroro had taken him. He couldn't put his finger on the reason why, though. He couldn't really focus on his book after that, so he took to stealing glances at the man sitting across from him. If Kuroro noticed, he didn't comment. At length, the Spider head closed his book and stood up. Kurapica followed suit. After putting the books back with the rest of their luggage, they went out into the cold once more. A brisk walk took them back to the the ferry terminal.

Kuroro opened and held the door for the Kuruta who walked inside as fast as he could, then stood and rubbed his fingers on the palms of his hands to try and warm them up. Kuroro stepped behind him and ran his fingers through his hair, as if trying to brush something away. Kurapica slapped his hand away and frowned, looking back at him. “What are you doing?” he asked.

“Your hair is wet from the sea brine,” Kuroro answered easily, shoving both his hands in the pockets of his trousers. “I was just trying to get some of the water out.”

“Leave it,” Kurapica said as he turned away from him to walk to the windows at the far wall again. “It's fine.” He heard Kuroro's steady footfall behind him and knew that the older man was following him. He didn't look back. Something about how easily the man had managed to approach him and touch him really, really bothered him. He was letting him get way too close. It wouldn't do to make friends with a man like him. He was a Spider. A lawless criminal. Theirs was only an association based on temporary mutual benefits. Nothing more. Yes, Just like he had made a temporary alliance with Hisoka to get information on the Gen'ei Ryodan, he could partner with this man for the sake of retrieving the eyes of his people. But that's all it could ever be. It would not do to let the Spider head play him with his claims of interest or his show of friendliness. He would not fall into his trap.

There was an announcement over the speakers that the passengers for the continent of Srekelirk were to head out for boarding. Kuroro and Kurapica made their way to the doors, along with seven or eight other people. They went out into the cold wind once again, and made their way over to a huge boat that was docked nearby. A long plank had been lowered to the ground and they walked up one by one. At the top, an attendant took their ticket and, after a second look at both the tickets and the passengers, he guided the pair towards the front of the ship. There, they were shown into a very lavish suite and the attendant excused himself with a deep, deep bow. Kurapica looked around the expensive interior of their 'cabin.' It looked like something reserved for royalty. “You always travel in the most expensive ways available,” he remarked.

“Well, I don't really care to get to wherever I'm going with a stiff back and achy muscles from sitting in cramped seats or sleeping on hard, narrow beds. Would make more sense to get there completely rested, don't you think?”

Kurapica shrugged. He personally thought it was a pretty useless expense, but if Kuroro preferred it this way, he really didn't care. “I'm going to shower,” he said. “I need my luggage.” The book appeared in Kuroro's hand and soon, Kurapica had his suitcase with all of his clothes. Well, the clothes Shalnark had bought for him. It didn't matter. He selected a change of clothes and then made his way to what he assumed was the bathroom. It was a closet. Another door led into an overly large bedroom. Third door was the charm. He went in and closed the door behind himself. He undressed quickly and stepped into the shower. Soon, there was no more thoughts or confusion over his troubling companion. All there was, was the sound of the shower, hot water on his skin and the smell of luxurious shampoo and body soap.

Chapter Text

Kuroro was at his bedside again, holding two mugs of coffee. Finally, finally, he had gotten to have a room to himself, with the door closed – to have privacy – and the man still managed to bother him anyway. He sat up. “I ha–”

“I know.”

Well, it was pretty obvious what he was going to say, but it wouldn't have taken much time for Kuroro to just let him finish. He still accepted the cup that was offered him. No use in being difficult. He blew on the coffee a few times, then took a tentative sip. “We should arrive in Srekelirk around midday,” the Spider head was saying and Kurapica looked up at him. “The captain invited us for breakfast, which is standard for people renting this suite. We don't have to go, though.”

“I'd rather not,” Kurapica said and took another sip of coffee.

“Thought so.” Kuroro made his way to the door, then turned his head to throw him a look over his shoulder. Kurapica raised his eyebrows in question, mouth already at his mug for another sip. But the man just shook his head, opened the door and left, letting it fall shut quietly.

What was that all about?

Oh well. He'd be damned if he was going to set a foot outside that door until he was done with his coffee, dressed, and absolutely had to. He picked up his cellphone from his nightstand. It was still early morning. That gave him plenty enough time to relax and get ready before they arrived in Srekelirk. He put his phone back down and picked up his book. He spent the next hour or so reading, but then he wanted more coffee. If it were only that, he would have ignored it, but his bladder was also demanding his attention. In then end, he closed his book with a sigh and set it down. He got up and changed into his clothes for the day, a navy-blue top with dark denim pants. Then he picked up his book again and went to the door.

Kuroro looked up from where he was reading on the couch when Kurapica stepped out of his room. “Morning again,” he said.

Kurapica hesitated, then nodded. “Good morning,” he said, and that earned him a smile. With a shrug, he made his way to the bathroom. Next stop was the coffee machine. There was a small kitchenette with a refrigerator, and he opened up to see if there was anything inside. Instead of shelves usually found in such appliances, the inside of this one was made up of small compartments, marked with prices and containing everything from fruit to alcohol. He pressed the buttons for two slices of bread and one orange. He put the bread in the toaster and served himself his second cup of coffee, then started peeling his orange, trying to get as much of the pith off as he humanly could. His toast came up with a soft ding sound, and he went to retrieve it.

He carefully placed each piece on a plate from the cupboard, then used individual sized cups of peanut butter to spread on the bread. He sat at the small table with his breakfast. He broke off a few pieces of his orange and placed them over the peanut butter, frowning and scraping up more pith with his fingernails whenever he found some. When he had one piece of toast covered, he took a few sips of coffee, eyes going up to the living room area he could see from his seated position. He paused. Kuroro was looking at him, eyebrows slightly raised and looking amused. He frowned. Kuroro returned to his book.

Kurapica ate slowly, his book open on the table next to him, reading as he went. When he was done with the first slice of bread, he fought with more of his orange. Kuroro got up, drawing Kurapica's attention. But he was only going to the coffee machine for a refill. As he walked by Kurapica, he paused. “It looks like a rose,” he commented. Kurapica looked up, confused, but Kuroro was looking down at his plate. The blond looked down again. The pieces of his fruit were starting from the middle in an ever growing circle to the edges of the toast. Well, it did kind of look like a rose, he had to admit. But he just shrugged, picked it up and took a bite. Kuroro went on to refill his mug, then returned to his seat.

When he was done eating, Kurapica pondered retreating to his room with his book, but he was reaching the last few pages, so he stayed seated at the table to finish it. When he closed it, he sighed, and stretched his neck side to side. Again, when he opened his eyes, the Spider head was watching him. “Done reading that one?” he asked. Kurapica nodded. “Want another one?”

The blond nodded again and hesitated before opening his mouth. “If you please.” That got him another little smile. He frowned, but Kuroro was already moving to their luggage. He went through the titles of the books he had in his bag, then summoned his Nen book to get another bag out. He had more books in that one, and he finally settled on a green leather-bound volume with gold lettering. He studied the spine for a bit, then straightened up and brought it to the table.

“This is one of my favourites,” he said as he set it down next to the blond. Curious, Kurapica reached over and let the tip of his fingers run over the title. It was one he had only ever heard of existing, but he never thought he would ever be able to see in his lifetime. The people whose mythology was written in this book had been extinct for a century at least. The last few surviving member had written this book when it was clear that old age would soon claim all of them and their once great civilization would be forgotten. His eyebrows rose and his eyes widened slightly. “I know you'll be careful with it,” Kuroro said, and Kurapica could only nod in acquiescence.

He opened the cover carefully and turned the pages delicately to the first one with writings on it. He was just about to read the first line when he felt a light, gentle touch on the side of his neck. His hand moved to slap Kuroro's fingers away, but he had already gotten out of reach. Kurapica frowned, trying not to get annoyed since he had just been loaned a precious book, and turned to him. But Kuroro was not looking at his face. His eyes were still on the side of his neck. Kurapica put his hand on it, wondering if there was something there. “You never take off your ear-ring,” the taller man commented.

Kurapica blinked, taken aback. He didn't know what he expected, but discussing his choice of jewelry wasn't it. “I don't see why it matters. You never take yours off either.”

Kuroro had another one of his little smiles. “Have you had it long?”

Kurapica was getting more and more confused. “Six years, but I don't see why you care.” He hesitated, finding his last comment to be a tad rude, under the circumstances. His right hand was still on the book. “What about you?” he added, more to be polite than because he genuinely cared.

“Hmm,” Kuroro's eyes slid to his. “About the same, I guess.” Then he turned away and returned to his couch. Kurapica frowned and tugged on his ear-ring lightly. He didn't get it. He didn't get him. Kuroro Lucifer. He rubbed at his neck where the Spider head had touched him with the tip of his fingers. Ah, confound the man for always confusing him so.

~*~

Kuroro felt very pleased with his morning so far. He was making definitive progress with the blond. A few weeks before, the Kuruta would have rather been hanged than talk to him, and now he had gotten both a 'good morning' and a 'please' from the blond. He had been afraid that kissing the younger man the day before would have made him revert back to a hostile attitude, though he would have made sure that it wouldn't last. Instead, the blond, though shocked, seemed to be less surly.

Kuroro was very pleased indeed. He closed his book silently and sat for some time, simply studying the Kuruta and drinking his coffee. Kurapica was reading, an intense, focused look on his face. He was sitting very straight, though his head was bent over the book. He had left it on the table, no doubt to manipulate it as little as possible so as to not damage the previous volume. He turned the pages carefully, holding them delicately between his index finger and his thumb. There was a certain, natural elegance in the way he moved, Kuroro decided. It was not something that he did consciously. People who only pretended to have manners and elegance always slipped sooner or later. But Kurapica never did.

He caught himself wondering what Kurapica would have become, had he not killed his entire tribe. Would he have become a scholar? A leader? Surely in time, he would have been revered and respected by his people. He swept the thought away. It wasn't worth thinking about. Rather, he wondered, maybe he could groom Kurapica to become the best Spider that he had. He was smart, he was strong, had good leadership abilities and was charismatic. Surely, with a Spider like this at his side, Kuroro would be able to do absolutely anything he wanted to, no matter how difficult.

His eyes slid over to the clock hung over the sink. He got up and Kurapica's eyes left his book to follow his movement. Kuroro started putting what few items they had taken out of the Fun Fun Cloth and was putting them together on the coffee table. The Kuruta got up and did the same. It only took a few minutes and soon, all of their things were packed away in the Nen cloth again. Kurapica looked at the time. “I thought we would have a bit more time before we reached Srekelirk,” he commented.

“We do, I just want to show you something,” Kuroro replied and handed him his coat. Kurapica looked at him questioningly and put the jacket on while Kuroro went to retrieve his own. He slipped into it on the way to the door. “You'll see,” he said. He preceded the blond outside, then held the door open for him. Kurapica looked a little confused, but he followed him out onto the deck. He squinted a bit in the sunlight, shielding his eyes with a hand held above his head, moving away from the door so Kuroro could close it. Then they made their way to the forecastle deck and Kuroro searched the horizon quietly.

After some time, Kurapica seemed to lose patience. “What are you looking for?” he asked, frowning at the horizon.

Kuroro opened his mouth to reply, but then he saw the very top of a white bell tower peek over the line that divided sea from sky. He stretched out his arm and pointed. “That,” he said. “The bell tower of Mad King's Cathedral. It's the tallest building on the continent of Srekelirk. The city of Mirewald is a beautiful sight. Every house and building is made of white limestone that can be seen from far out at sea.” He stared ahead as more and more of the tower became visible, it's intricate architecture barely visible from where he stood. When the actual facade of the building came into view, he looked to the Kuruta out of the corner of his eye. The blond's eyes were a little wider than usual and it showed that he was impressed already.

Kuroro smiled. He quietly stepped back just a bit so he could look at him head on without getting his attention. They were going a fairly good speed and that, coupled with the sea breeze, sent Kurapica's hair fluttering, the strands catching the sunlight and shining like gold. A particularly strong gust of wind suddenly made his hair fly up, and the ear-ring he wore on his left ear caught Kuroro's attention for the second time that morning. Silently, he watched it swing from the blond's earlobe. How fitting, that he should be the one wearing it. The only man to have ever defeated him. He smiled at the thought. Kurapica turned slightly to look at him at the same time. He looked about to say something, but catching the older man's eyes on him, he blinked.

“Yes?” Kuroro tilted his head slightly.

Kurapica frowned, as if he had forgotten what he was about to say. He turned back towards the city that was slowly appearing over the horizon. “It's beautiful,” he said.

“Yes,” Kuroro acquiesced, eyes on the Kuruta. “It is truly a beautiful sight.”

Kurapica turned back towards him again and studied his face quietly. Kuroro looked right back at him, wondering what the blond was looking for so intently. Finally, the Kuruta turned away again, frowning a bit now. “You are strange,” he said softly. “I don't understand you.”

Kuroro grinned. “Maybe you will, someday.”

Kurapica shrugged. They could see more and more houses now, the white buildings clinging to the sides of the hill the cathedral had been built on, looking like white, blinding rows of square and rectangular pearls. “I'm glad we came out here to see this,” the blond said after a moment.

“Yeah, me too.” Kurapica sent him and inquisitive look and Kuroro only grinned innocently and didn't give the reason for his comment.

Anyway, he wouldn't know how to explain it himself.

Chapter Text

As they neared the docks where the ship was heading for, Kuroro grabbed Kurapica's elbow and gently pulled at him. He half expected that the blond would react negatively to being touched, but he simply turned his head toward the taller man and looked up at him questioningly. “We should avoid customs,” the Spider head whispered, leaning slightly closer so as to be heard. “I don't want anyone to know we're entering the country. We have two artefacts to recover here, and it would be best to not let our presence be known.”

Kurapica looked a little unhappy, but he nodded in agreement, seeming to understand Kuroro's reasoning. Well, he would have to get used to do things illegally if he were to be any use to the Gen'ei Ryodan. It was good to start small. Entering a country without going through customs wasn't that big an offence, compared to what the Spiders did for a living.

Kuroro pulled at his elbow again and made his way to their cabin, never letting go of his gentle grasp on the younger man's arm. The blond still hadn't pulled away so Kuroro took advantage of this and kept his hand on Kurapica's elbow. Once inside the cabin, he turned towards the Kuruta. “This is what we will do,” he began. “First, we are going to go to the bridge to see the captain and officially thank him for his work. This won't seem unnatural, seeing how we rented the first class suite. We will act like rich, well-bred gentlemen, and that will seem even more natural. He might remember our faces, but he will never associate us with criminals due to our manners.”

“Is this how you do things?” Kurapica asked. “Charm your way out of situations that could be potentially dangerous?”

“Well, it works,” Kuroro answered with a little smile. “Why change something that has proven efficient again and again?” Kurapica looked away and shrugged. That was as much of an acknowledgement of his logic that he was ever likely to get, so Kuroro continued, “After, we'll mingle with the crew and get off the boat with them. Chances are, the officials will look at the first few crewmen's papers, then will let the rest go through without the whole search and paperwork issues. We'll slip through custom with them, then part ways when we're out of view.” He waited for Kurapica's response, but the blond only shrugged like it mattered little to him. Oh well. Finally letting go of his elbow, Kuroro motioned gallantly towards the door for Kurapica to precede him. The blond gave him an odd, searching look, then turned and opened the door. Once they were out in the warm sunlight again, Kuroro took the lead and headed towards the bridge.

The captain was delighted to see them and Kuroro led the conversation towards pleasant subjects, never losing an opportunity to praise the captain on his ship and how wonderfully he was steering it. With every compliment, the captain puffed his chest and muttered muffled thanks, looking embarrassed and pleased all at once. Once he was sure he had the man in the palm of his hand, Kuroro asked him if it was okay to meet some of the crew to compliment them on their hard work as well. The captain was quite happy to introduce them to a crewman who could show them around the boat. They followed him all over the ship as the vessel manoeuvred towards its assigned dock. The man introduced them to people and Kuroro called them by name and thanked them warmly. Kurapica followed suit as best he could, though he seemed to have reservations about this whole fooling people in order to enter the country illegally plan. The result was that he looked rather shy and quite fetching in his stiff awkwardness. Many a crewman turned looks his way that made Kuroro laugh inwardly. The Kuruta was of course oblivious to all this, and so he ignored all of the looks and only talked or reacted when Kuroro invited him to talk with him and the crewmen. Finally, the passengers having all gotten off the ship, it was the crewmen's turn. Kuroro and Kurapica went with them, the older man chatting away with the sailors like they were old friends. They got off the ship and through the line of officials easily, the men around them too taken by Kuroro's interesting conversation about all of the places he had visited to notice they didn't stop to show their passports.

Mirewald was quite a bit warmer than Freeport. The ocean here had a warmer current, and it completely changed the temperature from cold to relatively warm. It wasn't quite tropical, but rather stayed mild throughout the year, becoming neither overly hot nor cold. The city had once been a large capital city, but was now rather provincial. A lot of the outskirt buildings had been abandoned, most of the people living now between the port and the cathedral. There was a large road by the harbour where a few trucks could travel to get supplies to and from boats, but most of the town had nowhere for motorized vehicles to travel on. The streets had been made quite a few centuries prior and were much too narrow to allow anything other than pedestrians and handcarts. There were quite a few of these, and some were made to accommodate one or two passengers.

They walked past those, following the sailors into the narrow streets of the city. When they were out of view, Kuroro stopped and asked the crewmen about a nice hotel they would recommend. The man who had showed them around directed him to a lavish hotel by the cathedral where he and his companion would have the most splendid view and they could count on the staff's discretion as they wouldn't ask questions about their relationship. Kuroro thanked him, keeping an eye on Kurapica's reaction at the man's assumption. There was none at first, to his disappointment. But once the sailors had taken their leave, he finally let his face show his displeasure. Kuroro smiled inwardly.

“They thought we –” The blond didn't seem to be able to even say it. “You let them assume that we –” He faltered.

“I didn't do or say anything,” Kuroro reminded him. “He just assumed on his own.”

“You could have denied it at least,” Kurapica said with a light frown.

“There was no point,” Kuroro said with a shrug. “Let's find a hotel. I'm tempted by the one the sailor mentioned. Discretion from the staff would definitely be to our advantage. However, large hotels mean a lot of people will see us. I think we should find ourselves something a little less flashy. The less people who see us, the better. We'll be going out tonight.” Kurapica's lips drew a thin, unhappy line when he realized that they would be raiding someone's house that night, going to fetch one pair of Eyes. Apparently, the thought of entering someone's property and steal an object of incommensurable value still tickled his high sense of propriety. But he would have to swallow that bitter pill if he ever was to recover all of his clansmen's eyes. After a moment, the boy nodded. “Come,” Kuroro said, “I know a place on the outskirt of the city where we can find a motel that would most definitely suit our needs. I'm afraid they don't have a suite though. We'll have to share a room again.”

A look of resignation flitted over the Kuruta's face. He shrugged. “That's all right,” he said, though Kuroro could tell he didn't like the idea. There was nothing for it, so they slowly made their way up narrow, winding roads that snaked between tall, white buildings. People were coming and going, minding their own business. Kuroro kept an eye on the blond as Kurapica looked around without seeming to, taking in all of the sight, topography and habits of the local inhabitants. He would definitely be a major advantage to the Spiders. He was quick thinking, knowledgeable and observant. Only his proud honesty was in the way of making a good criminal out of him. Oh well, he had plenty of time to work on that.

After a few hours of walking, they reached a neighbourhood that had obviously seen better days. Kuroro pulled Kurapica's elbow gently and walked closer to him, knowing the boy's frail stature and pretty face could potentially be considered an easy target by potential muggers. Kurapica frowned lightly, no doubt bothered at the taller man's protectiveness, but he didn't say anything. Kuroro was ready to remind him that without his Nen, he was at a disadvantage in a fight, but he didn't need to. They made their way to a seedy looking motel. Kuroro went into the main office to book a room. Kurapica waited outside, by the sign advertising their rather cheap price. When Kuroro walked out of the office, he saw the boy's horrified face. He was looking at the price list and Kuroro glanced at it, wondering what had the Kuruta's attention. He was looking at the bottom of the sign, where it said they rented a few rooms by the hour.

Kuroro hid a smile and walked closer. “Don't worry,” he said when he was by the blond's side. “I got us a regular room. The one at the end, far from both the office and the seedier rooms that are located on the other side. It'll be like a regular motel, but with the added bonus of no questions asked and no one will even take notice of our coming and going. It's just the one night, anyway.” Kurapica shrugged, looking away. He seemed ashamed to having been caught reacting to something so silly. Kuroro decided to drop the topic entirely. “Are you coming?” he asked, looking at the younger man, though the blond still had his head turned away from him.

Kurapica nodded and the taller man turned towards their room and started walking. The blond followed. The key wobbled in the old, rusty lock, and it took a bit of fiddling about to finally make it turn. The door opened with a soft creak to reveal a narrow room with two beds. Another door to their right was probably the bathroom. No kitchen nook here. Just the bare necessities.

Kurapica looked around, sighed and shrugged. “I've seen worse,” he said with a little smile that was probably trying to be encouraging.

Kuroro was pleased. Clearly, the boy was getting more and more talkative and involved. That was a very good sign indeed. He walked in after the blond. “I hope you don't mind eating more of our travel food,” he said after a cursory look around. “There's nothing to cook with.”

Kurapica shrugged. “You know I don't mind,” he answered, going to sit on one of the beds. “Could I have the book you loaned me?”

Kuroro hid his smile by pretending to look at the coffee machine. “Sure,” he replied when he straightened up. He summoned his Skill Hunter book and soon, he had two books out. He gave one to the boy, then took the other one for himself. “We should nap a little later so we're in top shape tonight,” he said a he settled on the other bed.

“I know,” the younger man replied, already absorbed in his book.

Kuroro couldn't hide hissmile properly this time, but the blond wasn't looking at him so it didn't matter. He, too, turned his attention to his book. The next few hours were spent in what could nearly be called companionable silence. When Kuroro had finished a few chapters, he closed his book. “I'm going to sleep,” he announced.

Kurapica nodded a distracted acknowledgement, still focused on his reading. They hadn't drawn the curtains when they walked in, so Kuroro simply turned away from the windows and fell asleep, facing the wall. He slept for a few hours, waking only when he heard Kurapica stir and get under the blankets to sleep, and again when the boy got up. The blond went into the bathroom and Kuroro wondered what time it was. He wanted to sleep for a while longer, but he didn't think he would have the time. It was dark. Kurapica came out of the bathroom and went to the dresser. He didn't turn on any light, but some was shining in from the open door to the bathroom. The smell of coffee soon permeated the small room and that roused Kuroro fully. He sat up and glanced at the alarm clock. Nine o'clock.

“Morning,” he said, getting up.

Kurapica threw him a look over his shoulder. “Good morning,” he acknowledged.

Kuroro smiled, but the younger man had already turned his back to him. The blond placed another cup into the tiny machine, then handed the one that was done to the taller man. Kuroro accepted it gratefully. He walked next to Kurapica and turned so he could lean back against the dresser and look at the Kuruta. “You should have gotten more sleep,” he remarked. “You're starting to have dark circles under your eyes.”

“I'm fine,” the blond countered tiredly. Kuroro didn't believe him, but he knew that arguing wouldn't accomplish anything. He sipped his coffee, observing the younger man quietly. Kurapica ignored him, busying himself with making his own coffee. Once he had had his first sip, he glanced at the Spider head. “What is it?”

“Mm?” Kuroro tilted his head.

“You're staring again,” the boy informed him.

“Does it bother you?”

“No,” Kurapica said, but then he frowned. “Yes, maybe. A bit.”

“Why is that?” Kuroro wanted to know.

“Because I have no idea what you are thinking,” the blond answered after a moment.

“I'm thinking that you are beautiful,” Kuroro said easily. It wasn't exactly what he had been thinking, but he liked seeing the younger man look flustered.

The blond stared thoughtfully down at his cup of coffee. “You keep saying that,” he said.

Kuroro was slightly disappointed at the lack of reaction. He looked closer and thought he could see a light blush on the younger man's cheeks. He wasn't quite sure if he was imagining it or if it was really there. He had excellent eyes, even in the dark, but not quite that good. “Because I really think it,” he answered, truthfully enough.

“Whatever.”

Kuroro lifted an eyebrow, then shrugged. They finished their coffee in silence. Afterwards, they both showered, and then they were off.

Chapter Text

“This way,” Kuroro whispered. He snagged Kurapica's arm to pull him into an alleyway and from there, into a yard. They hid behind the open, tall wooden gate, panting softly. Their pursuers ran down the main street they had just left and the sound of their booted feet faded into the distance. They remained where they were for some time, listening carefully to all of the sounds around them. Then Kurapica pushed against his chest lightly. Kuroro looked at him and found he had backed him against the corner of the fence, leaving him very little room. He took a step back.

“You really know how to make friends,” the blond commented.

“So do you,” Kuroro countered lightly. “As I recall, we were there to retrieve something you wanted.” Kurapica shrugged and stepped around him, but when Kuroro looked at his expression, he was surprised to see the blond looked... somewhat amused. He grinned.

“What now?” Kurapica asked, peeking into the alleyway. “I'm guessing we should leave town before the sun comes up.”

“You're getting used to this,” Kuroro remarked, and the blond shrugged. “Now, we go east towards the next town. Should take a few hours.”

“Won't that take us back towards the townhouse? They'll still be looking for us.”

“Yes, somewhere else. We should go now before they realize they've lost us and turn around. Come on.” Kurapica took a step away from the gate and Kuroro looked left and right before stepping out into the alleyway. Then he took off running, listening to the faint sound of Kurapica's feet hitting the cobblestones as he followed. They used a different route than they had on their escape and had left the rich neighbourhood behind, going into a more middle-class one. Kuroro led them at a rather fast pace, out of the town and into small fields bordered by the sea to their right and wooded hills to their left. Dark turned to the grey, murky light of an approaching dawn. A sound in the distance caught his attention. He slowed to a trot and let Kurapica catch up with him. “Can you jump onto an incoming train?” he asked the younger man. He was pretty sure the blond could, but he needed to confirm it. Kurapica nodded. “Freight train going north. We're lucky.”

He changed direction and started running faster again. He found the tracks easily and followed them northeast, listening intently to the sounds of the train. It was some distance behind them, approaching fast. When it caught up with them, he kept his eyes on it, looking for something to grab onto. He knew there was a bend up ahead that would force it to slow down slightly. There. He jumped, grabbing onto a ladder that went up to the top of a container. Gripping the rung of the ladder tightly with his left hand, he turned so his back was to the train. He only had a split second to grab Kurapica's hand and pull him up with him, turning at the same time to place the blond between the ladder and himself. The blond yelled something that was lost in the deafening sound of the metal wheels on the tracks.

Kuroro pushed Kurapica's shoulder slightly forward and up, to indicate the boy was to climb up to the top. The Spider head followed. Once his shoulders and head where above the top of the container, he looked forward, squinting his eyes against the wind. He knew there was a fork somewhere up ahead where the trains went either on towards the northeast, or veered off due north and then to the northwest, which was where he wanted to go. He wouldn't have long to see which way their train were heading and hop off if it was the wrong way. Kurapica was lying flat on his front on top of the container, but Kuroro was still on the ladder and had a better grip, so he held on with his right hand and grabbed the blond's arm with his left, ready to tighten his hold if the younger man lost his grip. There, the locomotive had started turning. It was taking the left fork. Good. He glanced down to his left, looking for a way to open the container to try and slip inside, but he couldn't find any opening. He looked to the front of it, but there was nothing there either. This was where his luck ran out, it seemed.

“Can you hold on for about an hour?” he asked Kurapica, speaking loud enough to be heard over the cacophony of the train. Kurapica hesitated, then nodded, but he didn't look entirely certain. Kuroro looked at how the boy was holding on. His right hand was holding onto the side of the ladder just above where it was welded onto the container. But his left was desperately holding onto a thin, raised band of steel with the tip of the his fingers. Change of plan. They would have to jump off. From the looks of it, he could probably hold on for a little longer, but not much. Kuroro tightened his grasp onto the boy's wrist, dividing his attention between Kurapica's hold on the container and the road ahead, looking for a place to hop off as safely as possible. It was going to be a challenge. The train had picked up speed again. But he was confident they would make it, ultimately. Somehow.

They held on for some time, the deafening sound of the train drowning out all other noise, wind rushing in their ears. Finally, he saw a bend up ahead where the conductor would be forced to slow his machine down again and then start going to the northwest. He tightened his grip twice on Kurapica's arm to get his attention. With his head, he motioned to the bend ahead, then moved it sideways and down, hoping the blond would get his meaning. Then he let go of the boy and started down the ladder. He stood to the side of it, waiting as Kurapica swung his leg over the edge and started down. He put an arm around the blond's back to hold onto the ladder with both hands, and Kurapica frowned up at him lightly. Kuroro decided he liked him looking like this, somewhere between confused and unnerved. His back was towards the locomotive, which put him as a disadvantage where jumping safely was concerned, but he didn't mind. He knew he could make it. He felt the train slow down, and they started turning.

Glancing over his shoulder, he patted Kurapica on his lower back, then jumped. He went into a roll and immediately got up onto one knee, turning towards the front of the train in time to see the blond hop gracefully off. Seriously, the boy had the gracefulness of a cat. He waited until the noise had died down before getting up to walk towards Kurapica. The young Hunter was waiting patiently for him. Kuroro grinned at him when he reached him. “Well, that was fun,” he commented.

Kurapica made a soft, disbelieving sound in the back of his throat. “You have an interesting definition of fun,” he replied, and Kuroro's grin widened slightly.

“We've made good progress,” he said. “We should come across a town or village if we follow the tracks. I meant to go northwest once we got out of the city so we've just saved ourselves a nice, long walk with our impromptu ride.” He eyed the boy, but Kurapica was staring thoughtfully east where the sun was slowly coming up behind the trees. Kuroro was very curious about what the blond was thinking about, but he refrained from asking – for now. “Come on,” he said instead, giving the Kuruta a light tug on his sleeve. “I'd like to find somewhere we can have something hot for breakfast. I'm getting pretty sick of nuts and dried fruit.” Kurapica nodded. They started walking. In the end, they didn't find so much as a house until past mid-day when they finally found a small village nestled between two tall hills. There, they stopped for lunch. Kuroro found a vehicle to buy, a beat-up little car that had seen much better days and smelled of incense and dry flowers. And then they were off again, driving due west through the hills.

~*~

Kurapica had a lot to think about. Something was bothering him. Actually, something was not bothering him, and that bothered him. They had already made quite a few raids and gotten back a few pairs of his clan's Eyes. That was good. What was not good was how little he thought of going into a place at night and committing theft, anymore. He kept telling himself that the ends would justify the means, but he felt that somehow, he should be more distraught over breaking the law again and again to achieve his goal. His current companion was definitely a bad influence. Kuroro Lucifer broke laws like he breathed, never so much as sparing a thought about the people he robbed. He did seem to keep the illegal activities to a minimum, though. For the most part. He actually paid for food, lodging and transport whenever he felt confident it wouldn't link them to a recent theft. But it was clear he was only doing it to impress the Kuruta.

Kurapica felt that he should have come to understand the older man a little better as time went by. Well, he didn't exactly want to understand the man, but a part of him was observing and making mental notes, as if he was trying to explain to himself how the Spider head could have ordered the massacre of his people. Yet, he knew there was no point. Kuroro Lucifer was a monster. A bloodthirsty criminal, hungry for riches. Only... he wasn't. Not exactly.

He glanced at the older man sitting behind the wheel to his right. Kuroro was tapping his fingers lightly to the rhythm of the light jazz tune playing from the car radio. Kurapica turned his gaze back to the road again. He frowned. They were exiting the highway they had been on since they had gotten the car the previous day. “Weren't we going to Marenke?” he asked, wondering what the man was planning now.

“Slight detour,” Kuroro said with an easy smile. “We'll go, but there's somewhere I want to go first.” Kurapica looked for a sign to indicate where they were going, but there was none. After some time, he picked up his book and started reading, figuring that whatever Kuroro was planning, he would find out soon enough. They drove all through the morning and stopped at a small, family-run inn for lunch. Then it was back on the roads again for a couple of hours before they finally reached mid-sized town. A large sign read Welcome to Quedlin in bright, bold letters. Kurapica had heard of it. Despite being quite out of the way, it boasted one of the finest museums on the Srekelirk continent.

Kurapica sat up straighter in his seat. “Quedlin?” he asked, peering out the window, hoping to catch sight of this famous museum.

“Yeah,” Kuroro answered. “Figured we could use a little break.” A few minutes later, they were parking by a large, stately building and Kurapica could hardly believe it. He stepped out of the car and looked up at the museum as Kuroro walked around their vehicle to stand next to him. He looked at the building for a moment, then took a step forward, turning slightly to tilt his head at the blond. “Are you coming?” Kurapica didn't need to be asked twice. He fell in step next to the older man and they made their way to the entrance. They went up a rather steep staircase, and Kuroro held the door open at the top. They walked in and Kuroro bought their tickets. Kurapica barely registered it, eyes wide as he looked around the large entrance hall. “This way,” Kuroro said, tugging on his elbow and leading him towards the special exhibit section.

He gave their tickets to an employee who let them through and soon, Kurapica was surrounded by the thing he loved nearly as much as he loved books; ancient artefacts from all around the world. He let Kuroro guide him towards the first display. They slowly went around the first room, and the awe the blond had felt at first changed to confusion. He followed the taller man into the second room. He walked over the first artefact and frowned lightly, eyeing the Zorglum vase behind the glass pane protecting it. The confusion had made way to concern over the man who stood next to him. He looked up and sideways, trying to observe the Spider head's face without being seen. The man was staring at the vase, his eyes flitting over every little detail of the craftsmanship and the paint. “Mid-first century, at best,” he muttered and threw and amused glance at the blond who averted his eyes. “It's a fake, but valuable in its own right.” Kuroro tapped a fingernail lightly against the display window. “Probably the work of Esper Murrdic. He's famous for producing amazing ancient artefact replicates. Many collectors will buy his work even knowing it's a little less than a hundred years old.”

Kurapica's frown intensified. He studied the vase in front of him, trying to pinpoint how Kuroro could tell it was a fake. It looked authentic to the Kuruta, and he prided himself on his knowledge of ancient civilizations, their cultures and their art.

Kuroro smirked at him – a look Kurapica found unnerving. “Here,” the black-haired man pointed to the side of the vase, by the handle. “This small symbol here is upside down. And the blue paint used around the base didn't exist until the year 43 of our era. The tint is unique and made using the sap of the deathbloom tree which was discovered in Burmee in the thirties.”

“You know a lot about this,” Kurapica conceded begrudgingly. It annoyed him to know Kuroro might know more than he did on ancient artefacts. The thought was humiliating. He glanced up. There was that smirk again. Kurapica frowned at him.

“I know my trade,” the Spider head answered easily, and he moved to the next display. He leaned forward, hands locked together behind his back. He looked somehow elegant, his black trousers and turtleneck shirt contrasting nicely with his pale skin, making him look quite fetching. This was definitely not something Kurapica had wanted to notice. Ever. Oh, how many people he must have fooled with his good looks and impeccable manners!

Kuroro looked back at him and raised an eyebrow, deliberately slow. Kurapica pursed his lips unhappily and followed. He eyed his companion carefully, doubt icy cold inside of him. “You're here for... business, aren't you,” he accused, sending the security guard at the door a worried glance.

“I'm here because I thought you would like to see this exhibition. I've also been wanting to see it. It boasts unique artefacts from all over the world and from all three ages. It seemed the ideal place to take you. I thought it would make you happy.”

“You made a detour that took us half a day's drive just to show me this exhibit, because you thought I would like it?” Kurapica looked confusedly up at Kuroro, eyebrows knotted above the bridge of his nose. He definitely didn't understand the man. Everything the Spider head had been doing since the afternoon they had left Machi and Shalnark had been highly illogical. He knew Kuroro had vested interest in winning him over to his side, but Kurapica had no intention of playing into his hand. Only, the game Kuroro was playing with him was one Kurapica had no experience in. If he was reading the signs correctly, the man was trying to win him over romantically. Which would mean that this little outing...

“Are you trying to tell me you intended this to be a date?” Kuroro turned to face him fully and Kurapica's chest tightened when those dark, unblinking eyes turned on him. He tried to swallow but found he couldn't. He suddenly thought of the saying, like a deer caught in headlights. He didn't like the feeling. At all.

Kuroro shrugged lightly and smiled. The moment passed. Kurapica found he could breathe again. “Why not?” the Spider Head replied. “Seems like an appropriate place to bring you for a date.”

An answer that wasn't an answer. Kurapica snorted in disbelief. “Of course, the fact that this exhibit has artefacts worth in the billions of zennies has nothing to do with us being here. I'm warning you, I will not take part in anything illegal.”

“Like infiltrating mansions and stealing pieces of private collections is entirely legal,” Kuroro countered.

Kurapica's face flushed and he glared at the taller man. “I'm only taking the Eyes to return them to their rightful owners,” he whispered with some heat.

Kuroro looked like he was going to reply but he stepped closer instead. Kurapica resisted the urge to step back, even though the taller man was crowding his personal space. He nearly jumped as the Spider head put his hands on his shoulders, leaning down to look into his eyes. “I'm only here to look at the exhibition with you, right now. You don't have to worry about these artefacts. They're safe from me – as long as you're with me.”

“Like I could trust you to keep your word,” Kurapica countered, stepping away from the dark-haired man. He turned and glowered at the display next to them, trying to settle his heart which was hammering in his chest. Damn that good-looking bastard. He was way too good at this. Kurapica almost though Kuroro was going to kiss him. Again, his mind specified and his glare intensified.

Kuroro suddenly stepped behind him, leaning forward to whisper in his ear. “If I have to lead an honest life to win you over, I will.” And then he stepped away, moving on to the next display. Kurapica shuddered, though he wasn't sure if disgust and anger were quite the reasons for it. He breathed in slowly, then pulled at his earring pensively. Just above the piece of jewelry, his ear still felt warm from Kuroro's breath ghosting over his skin. The taller man was definitely way too good at this. Even knowing that he was being manipulated, Kurapica couldn't help feeling a bit of excitement and anticipation when the dark haired master thief turned to looks at him, waiting by the next artefact. Kurapica walked over slowly, trying not to pay attention to how his body felt flushed, or how his breathing was short as he took in how elegant his 'date' looked as he waited for him.

Damn him.

Truth be told, though it had been an exhibition that he had wanted to see for a long time, he had trouble focusing entirely on it. Kuroro didn't leave his side for the entirety of their visit. After the special exposition, they visited the museum's regular collection. The day went by both too slowly and too fast. As they exited the museum, Kuroro offered him his arm in a gentlemanly fashion. Kurapica stared at it, scoffed softly and walked away. Behind him, Kuroro shrugged, smiled and followed.

Kurapica wouldn't give in.

He refused to let Kuroro win his little game.

Chapter Text

“Would you stop that?” Kurapica asked softly.

“Mm?” Kuroro tilted his head. Kurapica looked from him, to the door he was holding open, and back to him again. Did he think the blond too dumb to even notice the change in attitude and actions? Well, let him play clueless all he wanted. Kurapica had better things to do than argue about it. He preceded Kuroro into the hotel lobby, glad that they were going to a regular place this time. A place that would undoubtedly have a few suites available. Kurapica was very much looking forward to having a room to himself again. The museum visit had been more nerve-racking than any of their raids so far, and he couldn't wait until he could put a door between himself and the older man.

He walked towards the font desk slowly, letting Kuroro catch up with him. Once there, he stood to the side, listening quietly as the Spider head secured their suite and presented his credit card to the receptionist. Then they made their way to the elevators and up to the fifth floor. They had the rooms at the very end of the hallway; two bedrooms separated by a large, open lounge, kitchen and dining area. It was only when he saw the open doors showing the bedrooms that Kurapica felt sure he was really going to have some peace of mind that night.

“I'll make dinner,” Kuroro said, summoning his Skill Hunter book to get their luggage. “You can go ahead and shower or relax.” Kurapica nodded and collected his bag before heading off to one of the rooms. He shut the door quietly behind himself before turning on the light. Then he sighed and leaned against the wall, taking a moment to try and recollect his thoughts. Every day that passed saw him becoming more and more aware of his forced travelling companion, but certainly not in a good way. It had been so much easier when he still hated the man fiercely.

He blinked.

Hated? Past tense?

Something cold trickled slowly down his back, spreading though his entire body. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all. He tried to reach to his hatred, tried to grab hold of his fury and was left holding a fistful of confusion and doubts instead. He needed to sit down. He let his bag drop to the floor, before following it down slowly. He held his knees up to his chest, trying desperately not to panic. He focused on his breathing, forcing it in and out steadily to stop himself from hyperventilating. There were two sharp knocks on the door and he nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound. “Kurapica?” Kuroro's voice sounded concerned. “Are you all right? I heard a thump.”

“I'm fine,” Kurapica said after a steadying breath. “I just dropped my bag.” There was a long silence, and the blond winced, knowing he hadn't convinced Kuroro that all was normal. Finally, he heard the man step away from the door.

“Okay. Dinner should be ready in a half hour. I'll wait for you to come out, so keep an eye on the time.” Then he walked away from the door and Kurapica let go of the breath he didn't remember keeping in. He waited a little longer, then pushed himself to his feet. He glanced at the time on the alarm clock by the bed, then retrieved his bag from the floor. He set it down on the bed and rummaged through it for a change of clothes. There was another door in the small room, one that he hoped would lead into a private bathroom. It did. As he stepped into the shower, he let his mind go over the events of the past few weeks, trying to pinpoint when Kuroro's attitude had changed. He couldn't really tell. Then he tried again, but this time trying to figure out when his opinion of the older man had changed. Again, he couldn't.

The change had been so gradual that it was simply impossible to make a clear distinction between their initial attitudes and where they were now. Surely, this had to be what the older man had been planning from the start. To slowly let Kurapica get used to his presence, then make sure the blond was attached to him so that he would join the Spiders in a way that would make it harder for Kurapica to go back on his words after he had collected all of the Eyes. It had to be his plan. It just had to. Still, why like this? Why do it with innuendos and then flirting openly like this? There most definitely were other ways to achieve his goals than this! There just had to be! In the end, Kurapica had yet to figure out the older man's reasoning by the time he got out of the shower. But still, it stayed in his mind as dried himself and got dressed. He couldn't even concentrate on his book once he got back to his bedroom, so he just sat on the bed, thinking himself into circles. He waited until the very last minute before getting up to make his way to the door.

Kuroro was sitting at the table, sipping coffee and reading. The food was already laid out on the plates. Kurapica sat across from the older man. There was a mug of coffee by his plate, too. He took a sip. It was just as he liked it, and that didn't help his confusion any. Was this, too, shrewdly calculated in order to win the Kuruta over? He looked up. Kuroro raised his eyebrows, his own mug raised to his lips. Kurapica's eyes slid down to the plate in front of him and he frowned a little. He wouldn't put it past the Spider head.

“Well, shall we start, then?” Kuroro set his book aside. Kurapica nodded. He picked up his utensils and started eating slowly, still running things through his mind. “How did you like the exhibit?” the older man asked after a while.

“It was interesting.” He didn't extrapolate, and silence fell again. Yet, for once, it was not a comfortable silence. He started feeling more and more nervous as the minutes trickled by. He wasn't sure why, though. The fact that silence had been comfortable between them was proof that Kuroro had managed to get past his defence, somehow. But how? When had it happened?

“Which part did you like best?”

Kurapica was jolted out of his thoughts and his mind scrambled for an answer. “The Borongi room,” he answered slowly. “But the first century painting permanent collection surprised me. I didn't think I cared all that much for art, but I really liked it.”

“They had many pieces by universally acclaimed masters,” Kuroro said with a nod and a smile. He sounded somehow... pleased. Kurapica looked up from his plate and found he looked just as glad as he sounded. He quickly looked down again. “It was my favourite part, personally,” Kuroro continued after a moment. “But I do like art for itself, not for its representation of culture, but for its aesthetic quality. You could say that I like beauty for the sake of beauty.”

Beauty. Wasn't that something he had said a few times about the blond? Kurapica felt his cheeks grow a little warm and he frowned. He tried to fight it down, eating slowly, though he couldn't really taste any of it. It was more to keep doing something to avoid drawing Kuroro's attention even more firmly on himself than it already was. At the beginning, the silence hadn't bothered Kurapica because he didn't care what Kuroro thought, he suddenly realized. He hated him then. That the man should think it awkward to be around him would have made him feel glad. Now? Now it made him nervous, for some reason. Surely, he didn't want to be liked by someone like that, did he?!

“You seem a little out of it,” Kuroro commented, cementing the fact that Kurapica's attitude had changed enough that it was apparent to the older man as well.

“Just a little distracted,” Kurapica said hastily.

“Well,” Kuroro said, pushing his plate away, “I'm dying for a decent shower. I'll let you do the cleanup.”

“That's fine,” Kurapica said, relieved that the man was retreating to his own room. But once Kuroro was standing, rather than head off, he walked around the table to stand by the blond. Kurapica looked questioningly up at him, wondering what the older man wanted. The Spider head stared at him silently for a moment, then leaned over. Kurapica stiffened but held in place, refusing to back away. Kuroro placed a quick kiss on the corner of Kurapica's mouth and before the boy had time to react, he straightened up and grinned. “Thanks for the date,” he said in a tone that made Kurapica wonder if he was being made fun of. “See you tomorrow” With that, the older man turned around and walked to his room, leaving the door partly open.

Kurapica ran the back of his hand over his lips. Damn him. Damn him, damn him, damn him! Was it really so much fun to tease him? This was the second time! He rubbed his hand over his lips again. What was Kuroro playing at? Did he think he'd make Kurapica fall for him like this? Did he think he could make Kurapica believe he liked him? Kurapica might be young and inexperienced, but he was not stupid. Surely Kuroro knew that. So what was he playing at? Kurapica got up and slowly started clearing out the table. Then he did the dishes and washed the counter top, before retreating to the safety of his room. It took him a long time to be able to focus on his book properly, but when he did, he was finally free of his mental self-torment. He read late into the night, and finally fell asleep and the book slipped from his hands onto the bedcovers.

He awoke to a bright, sunny morning that slanted in through the shades of the patio door leading out onto the balcony. He sat up, blinking blearily as the book fell from his chest onto his lap. As his brain finally let go of sleep he gasped, flipping it over rapidly. The pages were fine, neither torn nor folded, and he allowed himself a breath of relief. He placed a bookmark inside and shut the old volume, setting it onto the nightstand carefully before standing up. He stretched the rolled his shoulders, trying to work out the tension he could feel in them. He eyed the door leading out into the main part of the suite, but decided he didn't want to risk running into the older man just yet. He took a shower instead, and then read for some time.

He couldn't hear Kuroro at all, so after a few hours, curiosity finally made him walk over to the door and open it slightly. He couldn't see anyone, so he stepped out and made his way to the coffee machine. There was some coffee ready and he poured himself a cup, glancing at Kuroro's door. He could see his legs, crossed at the knees. He heard a page turn. He wondered whether he could let him know that he was awake, but then decided the man had most likely heard him anyway. He would come get Kurapica when he was ready to go, if they were leaving today. He took his coffee back to his room and opened his book. Once his mug was empty, he went back for more. He couldn't see Kuroro's legs anymore, but heard him turn a page again. He returned to his room. Sometime mid-afternoon, he made himself a sandwich. The Spider head was still reading. Maybe he was enjoying his alone time just as much as the Kuruta did. Kurapica washed his plate and knife and returned to his bedroom yet again.

When the light in the room grew dim, he turned on the bedside lamp and meant to keep reading, but there was two light knocks at the door. “Kurapica?”

“Yes,” the blond answered, placing his bookmark between the pages of his book.

Kuroro opened the door and leaned against the door frame. “Are you hungry?” Kurapica tilted his head, felt just how hungry he was, and nodded. “Good,” Kuroro said and the blond blinked at him. “I've been hungry for a while, but it's your turn to make dinner and you didn't seem like you were coming out of your room anytime soon.”

“Ah, I'm sorry!” Kurapica set the book down and got up, brushing past the older man on his way to the kitchen.

“I take it you like the book then?” Kuroro followed him into the kitchen and leaned back against the counter the furthest from the stove and fridge, leaving Kurapica plenty of room to work in.

“Yes,” the blond said, retrieving a small bag of frozen vegetables from the freezer. “It's very interesting. I didn't even realize it had gotten this late.” He leaned forward to get the rest of what they had bought on the way back from the museum out of the fridge. When he turned around, he found Kuroro's eyes on him and suddenly remembered just how awkward he felt around the older man now.

Kuroro blinked at him. “What?” Kurapica shook his head, turning from the Spider head to start cooking. There was half an onion left, already chopped up by Kuroro the night before when he had used part of it. Kurapica put it in a frying pan, along with some meat and a seasoning sauce Kuroro had insisted on buying for him to try in his stir-fry. “Glad you like the book,” Kuroro said after a short pause. “You seem about to finish it. I'll get another one out after dinner. We'll probably leave very early tomorrow morning, though. Don't read up too late.”

“Okay,” Kurapica said, reaching into a drawer to get a wooden spoon to stir with. “What time will we leave?”

“Around 8.” Kurapica nodded. He heard Kuroro push himself away from the counter and glanced at him. The taller man wasn't coming towards him, but going to his own room. Kurapica added the vegetables to the pan and stirred. When Kuroro came out of his room, the blond glanced at him. The Ryodan leader had a red book in his hands. He set it down on the table and Kurapica walked over to look at it. It was about some recent discovery in quantum physics. “I don't know if you like science as much as you like history, but I just finished this one and it's fascinating.”

“I like science,” Kurapica replied, going back to the stove. “I'm sure it will be really interesting.”

Kuroro sat on one of the dining chairs. “It is. A lot of it is still purely theorical and unproven, though.”

Kurapica glanced at him. “If you're going to sit down,” he said, “you might as well help me and set the table.” Kuroro blinked at him, then this slow, slow smile spread over his lips, making Kurapica wonder what about what he said had brought on this reaction.

“Sure,” the Spider head said, getting up again to help. Kurapica did not want to notice how his nervousness increased as the distance between them shortened. He turned back to the stove, wondering how he was going to survive this trip with his sanity intact.

Maybe it was already too late for that.

Chapter Text

Kuroro peeked into Kurapica's room through the sheer curtains. The boy was still on the bed, apparently deep in sleep. Good. His absence hadn't been noticed and he might, just might, be able to get away with this without the blond ever knowing. He walked along the balcony to the patio doors leading to his own room and stepped inside. Holding his breath, he slid the door shut behind himself. He glanced at the alarm clock. Three in the morning. He had time for a short nap before they were scheduled to leave. He tip-toed to the chair where he had left the sports pants he had been sleeping in and changed out of his clothes. Silent as a cat, he made his way to his bed and slid under the covers. It had been a good night, he decided, closing his eyes to allow himself to relax enough to sleep. He ran a mental list of everything that he had acquired and couldn't help but smile. Yes, it had been a very good night.

He wasn't aware of the moment that sleep claimed him, but he certainly was of the moment he woke up again. The alarm clock was screeching and beeping loudly, a noise that was somewhere between a car horn and radio static, at the decibel level of a jackhammer right by his head. He sat up, running a hand through his hair while the other fumbled for the mute button. He pressed a few at random and the noise finally died, to his immense relief. He took a moment to clear his head, then took a look at the radio-clock to make sure he had turned the alarm off and not simply pressed the snooze button. A bit of poking around and he found the plastic pin that controlled the alarm and slid it back into the off position. That done, he stretched and finally slid out from under the covers.

It was earlier than he had planned to get up. All because of some idiot who had left the alarm on. Just his luck that he had ended up renting a room after some moron who thought that five am was a decent time to get up. He made his way to his bathroom and took a shower, then he dressed into a fresh set of clothes and wandered into the kitchen area of their suite. Kurapica was already sitting at the table with a book, a cup of coffee and an empty plate that still had bread crumbs in it. He had obviously finished his breakfast and was now enjoying his coffee. He looked up as Kuroro passed him by on his way to the coffee machine. “That alarm was loud,” he commented.

“Some idiot who rented the place before left it on,” Kuroro said with a shrug. “Good morning, by the way.”

“Good morning,” the blond answered.

That cheered Kuroro up a bit. He poured himself some liquid alertness before making his way back to the table and sitting across from the Kuruta. “We might as well start up early, since we're both up.” Kurapica nodded, his eyes moving over the page of his book. “Have you showered yet?”

This time, the blond shook his head. “I should do it now,” he said, placing a marker in his book and getting up.

“Yeah,” the Spider head acquiesced. “We won't reach Marenke until the day after tomorrow. Tomorrow, we can stop for lunch in a small town I know. It has this very nice coffee shop. But we won't be stopping overnight, so you should shower now, while you can.” Kurapica nodded and went back to his room. Alone once more, Kuroro reflected over his night while sipping his coffee. He hadn't had much sleep, but he was used to that. Of course, given the choice, he would have preferred to rest more, especially since driving for hours on end everyday was starting to put a strain on him. He usually liked it, but he'd been doing it for weeks now, and he was starting to think it'd be nice if someone else drove, for a change. But Kurapica still showed no sign of interest in learning, and so the task was defaulted to him. His first cup of coffee gone, he fixed himself some breakfast and poured more of the hot liquid into his mug. He had time to finish that cup as well before Kurapica finally emerged from his room.

They put their belongings into the Fun Fun cloth, then they were off. The day was rather warm in spite of being cloudy all morning. By the time they stopped on the side of the road to eat lunch, it had started drizzling. After putting the food away, Kuroro handed Kurapica a book, then reclined the back of his seat for a short nap. He kept his ears strained on all of the sounds around him, from the soft paper sound of Kurapica turning a page, to the steady sound of the rain that fell gently at first, then harder and harder. An hour ticked by in relative quiet, but then, there was a lightning, and the low rumble of thunder a few seconds later, which roused him from his half-sleep. He opened his eyes and met with those of the Kuruta. The blond looked surprised, then a little embarrassed. He lifted his book and went back to his readings. Well, Kuroro would never have thought he'd catch him staring at his sleeping face, of all things. Not without murderous intent, anyway. He decided not to comment.

“Ah, that helped,” he said instead, straightening back up before activating the small lever that controlled the back of his seat. “Ready to go?” Kurapica nodded, eyes still riveted on his book. Figuring this was as much of an answer as he was going to get, Kuroro turned the key in the ignition and drove back onto the road. Soon, the rain was pouring so hard that he had trouble seeing the road ahead of them. He turned the highlights on and kept driving. He liked the sound of the storm. There was something both soothing and exhilarating about it. The afternoon sped by without either of them saying a word. Kuroro didn't stop driving even as night fell. The storm had moved on towards the west and the rain had come down to a light drizzle again. There would be no way they could camp out, but Kuroro knew for a fact that there would be no where to sleep for miles. They would have no choice but to sleep in the car. That would probably be a little awkward. “We can't sleep outside in this weather,” he commented.

Kurapica finally took his nose out of his book to glance outside. Then he looked at the time on the car radio. “It's still early. It could clear out, yet. But I don't mind. I'm used to sleeping in trains and airplanes. This is no way as cramped as an economy seat on a passenger flight.”

Kuroro blinked at him. “Why would you ever want to fly economy class?”

Kurapica had this tiny, amused smile. “Before I got my Hunter license last year, I considered flying over taking the train quite a treat, and one that I didn't often let myself indulge in. I always bought the cheapest ticket I could get.”

Kuroro thought on that for a minute, then decided he didn't really care to think too much about the kind of life the boy had had between the annihilation of the Kuruta tribe and his Exam. “You'll have no trouble sleeping, then.”

“No, but you probably will.” Was he just imagining the teasing tone in the younger man's voice?

“Hey,” he protested with some amusement, “I'm not that delicate, am I?”

“Hmm.”

He had to chuckle at that. He decided he liked that teasing side of Kurapica's. Apparently, his gamble to get the blond to open up to him was paying off. He still needed to be careful, but it seemed like the payoff was more and more worth the risk.

In the end, it didn't stop drizzling by the time they stopped to rest. They ate, then leaned the front seats back to sleep. Kurapica curled on his side, his back to the older man. Kuroro laid on his back. They were woken up by a violent downpour around dawn, making Kuroro quite glad they had opted not to sleep outside. They had a light breakfast, then drove on. By mid morning, the rain stopped and the clouds scattered. Around noon, they drove into a small town counting a few thousand residents. Kuroro parked near the city centre, where a large plaza was bordered on all sides by quaint shops selling everything from fresh produce to fashionable clothes. Kuroro led Kurapica towards a coffee shop and sat at a table outside. He was tired of recycled air and wanted to feel the breeze on his skin for a bit. A server came to take their orders and they had lunch, then ordered coffee and got their books out to read.

“Say,” Kurapica began after some time, “something happened the night just before we left Quedlin.” His tone was deceptively light. Kuroro was not fooled. He knew what was coming, and he wasn't sure he liked it. Of course, he did factor in the possibility that Kurapica might find out, but he had hoped the boy would not. This could get a little tricky.

“Hmm?” He didn't even bother looking up from his book. All of his attention was focused on what the blond was saying, though. He reached for his mug and took a sip, eyes strained on the text before him.

“There was a robbery at the museum,” Kurapica continued. Kuroro made another half interested sound and set his mug down. “The entire exhibit apparently vanished without a trace.” The blond motioned and Kuroro finally looked up from his book to follow his pointed finger to a newspaper the man at the table next to them was holding open as he read. So, he had made front page again. He wondered if he should be feeling proud. “I somehow have an idea on who could be responsible,” the younger man continued.

“Do you, now?” Kuroro asked, gaze returning to his book even as he reached for his cup again.

“Yes,” Kurapica replied, and Kuroro could feel his eyes on him. He waited, refusing to take the bait. If the Kuruta wanted to tell him something, he would have to say his bit without Kuroro's help. Some time passed in silence. Just as Kuroro thought the blond wouldn't say anymore on the matter, Kurapica spoke up again. “You said you weren't at the museum that day to do reconnaissance. I was a fool to believe you.”

Kuroro smiled and closed his book, putting all of his attention on the blond again. “I didn't lie,” he said, tilting his head a bit.

“You said the exhibition was safe from you,” Kurapica accused.

“Yes,” Kuroro replied with a small smile. “So long as you were with me. You were not with me that night.”

“I was in my room, sleeping. Like any sane person would be.”

“So I left,” the Spider head replied and set his coffee down. Kurapica got up, a closed expression on his beautiful face. Kuroro wondered if he had gone too far, but a split second later decided he would be able to fix this situation. For now, he'd enjoy teasing the blond a little more.

“You're impossible!” Kurapica ground out. He turned around and started stalking across the plaza. Kuroro took a moment to smile at his back, before getting up and going after him. He caught up with the blond easily and walked just a pace behind until they reached the fountain. He grinned, wondering if he could make the younger man more flustered than angry. Well, he knew a way. He knew it was a bad idea but he didn't really want to resist it. Oh, he was so going to pay for this later, but for now, it didn't matter. He stopped walking and caught Kurapica's hand in his. The plaza was somewhat crowded, but he couldn't bother caring.

“Kurapica,” he called out softly. “Kurapica, come here.” The blond stopped walking and half turned towards him, his eyes both questioning and furious. He tried to wriggle his hand free of Kuroro's grasp, but the taller man wouldn't let him. He tightened his hold on the boy and pulled him right into his arms. Kurapica managed to simultaneously blush and glare intensely. He immediately set to push Kuroro away, but again, the Spider head tightened his hold on the younger man. And then he lowered his head and kissed him. To his left, the plaza's water fountain sent a tall stream of water. Some of it caught in the breeze and fell over them in a light drizzle. Kurapica was frozen in place, rooted to the spot in shock. Well, that only meant Kuroro got to kiss him a little longer before he –

Too late.

The blond pushed him away roughly. “I cant believe you just did that,” he said. “In front of people, no less!”

Kuroro chuckled. “No one cares,” he said, motioning to people around them, going about their own business without so much as a glance to the two men by the fountain.

“Still,” Kurapica said, glaring up at him. “That was very inappropriate.”

Kuroro shrugged. “I don't see how it was. I felt like kissing you, so I did. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Everything is wrong with that,” Kurapica sent back. “You can't just do whatever you want and you can't simply take whatever you set your eyes on.”

Kuroro shrugged and grinned at him. “I don't see why not.”

The blond stared up at him as if he couldn't believe what he had just said. Then he sighed, defeated. “I would be ready to bet on my life that you have some sort of oxytocin deficiency,” he said, shaking his head.

“Isn't physical contact suppose to heighten the production of oxytocin molecules in the brain? This could technically be helping me, then, don't you think?”

Kurapica sent him a side look that was quite eloquent. “Somehow I doubt it,” he said.

“It's worth a shot,” Kuroro replied, slipping his hands into his pockets and grinning at the blond. “Maybe you should try kissing me next time.”

Kurapica snorted. “Don't count on it.”

The Ryodan leader tilted his head, still grinning down at the blond. He was really enjoying himself. “Oh, I'm so disappointed.”

Kurapica lifted an eyebrow and studied his face doubtfully. Slowly, his eyes went down to the taller man's lips. A strange look passed over his features, but he suddenly turned away before Kuroro could understand what it meant. “I'm sure,” the blond sent back over his shoulder. Then he started walking. Kuroro took a moment to study his back as he made his way towards across the plaza. Then, with a shrug, he followed.

Kurapica never even noticed that they hadn't paid for their meal.

Chapter Text

The silence was getting somewhat uncomfortable as they drove on towards Merenke, so Kuroro turned on the car radio again, fiddling with it until he found a frequency that played classical music. He flicked his eyes over to the side. Kurapica was sitting very straight, his book closed on his lap. He had his elbow on the edge between the door and the window and had his chin on his hand as he gazed outside, a pensive look on his delicate features. Kuroro wanted to know what the blond was thinking about but didn't want to intrude in on his thoughts. Not when he had managed to get him more huffy than angry. The afternoon went without a hitch, in spite of the awkward silence that had seemed to fall on them after Kuroro had kissed the Kuruta on the plaza. The sun was still bright and warm, though the air was a little cooler the further north they drove. They couldn't see the ocean anymore and were driving through the hills at the base of the large mountain range that ran north-south, splitting the entire Srekelirk continent in two. The plan was to cross over the mountains after retrieving the Eyes that had ended up in Merenke.

By the time night fell, they were still driving along a long expense of empty road, with only trees and hills on either side of the car. If they passed any inn or village, they were lost in the woods and out of view. The few places that Kuroro knew were too out of the way to bother, and in any case, he wanted to lay low now until they reached Merenke. He knew there were two pair of Eyes in the city, and they would need to hit both places one after the other, and authorities would probably be asking a lot of people around a lot of questions. They could perhaps wait until the shock over the museum burglary died down, but Kuroro didn't want to let anyone take the time to react and tighten security. Newspaper seemed to indicate that most people thought that the museum had been a one-hit theft. That was going to work to their advantage, and hopefully not just for the next museum, but for the collector he wanted to rob from afterwards as well.

In the end, they ended up camping in the wilderness a short distance from the main road, sharing a bland supper over a little campfire before rolling into their blankets for the night. They were up again at the crack of dawn. Kuroro rekindled the fire so they could have their morning coffee, then they ate breakfast before scattering the ashes of the fire and leaving. Kurapica went for his book, so Kuroro turned on the radio and hummed along the melodies of the pieces that he knew. The morning passed slowly. They stopped again around noon so they could have a light snack. The woods had given way to fields and farmland over rolling hills, with the smog of a big city showing sort of greyish over the horizon. Then they were off again, driving into the city sometime in the afternoon. They still hadn't said anything to each other. Kuroro was the first to break the silence. “We could either lay low for a couple of days,” he said, getting Kurapica's attention instantly, “or rent a nice hotel suite to stay in and pretend to be regular tourists. There are two pair of Eyes here. I think we should hit the museum first and I will clean it out.”

“That's not necessary,” Kurapica protested right away.

“Oh, but it is,” Kuroro assured him. “See, the second pair of Eyes is kept in a private collection owned by this huge petroleum mogul. If we make it look like a gang has been hitting museums, he won't feel obligated to up the security too much. He won't think he's an actual target, not more than usual, anyway. He'll add some security to be on the safe side, but not anything we can't deal with. If we just grab the Eyes, he'll have an army ready for us by the time we reach his place. These oil magnates have way too much money on their hands.”

“Don't make it sound like this was your plan all along,” Kurapica said disapprovingly. “I know it wasn't.”

“Who knows,” Kuroro replied with a little smile. “But with us just targeting the Scarlet Eyes, things will only get more and more difficult here on out, as every collector or museum will tighten the security to a point where it will be impossible to retrieve the items without lethal actions.”

“How appropriate,” Kurapica replied. “You negotiate like a thief. Fine, but we return the other items when this is all done.”

“Sure, we will.”

Kurapica threw him a side glance, pinched his lips and shrugged, looking away again. “I don't believe a word you're saying,” he finally said. “But I will make sure personally that you return everything.”

“We have ourselves a deal,” Kuroro said with a grin, knowing he had him. “So now, do we stay out of sight until the museum robbery –”

“Don't say that word!”

“– or do we make like wealthy tourists who just happen to be around when it happens?”

Kurapica looked confusedly at him. “You're asking for my opinion?”

Kuroro shrugged. “I've made no secret of the fact I find you brilliant. When you don't let your emotions clog your judgement, you make a powerful mastermind. You had me captured in York Shin. Do you realize that it had never happened before? You wouldn't have been able to if your intellect didn't match mine. And my policy is to use the best abilities in each and every member of my team. So I'm asking you, what are your thoughts?”

Kurapica looked like he wanted to send back an angry retort, but he checked himself, perhaps due to the Spider head's comment about his emotions. Instead, he tilted his head. A small crease appeared between his eyebrows as he thought out the options. “I think,” he finally said after a moment, “the best option would be to drive to the airport, pretend to check in at the machines, then have a meal at a restaurant before leaving near the arrival gates. Then, we could take a taxi to a hotel. A few suitcases from the luggage will suffice to make it look credible.”

Kuroro grinned, quite pleased by the plan that his newest recruit had come up with. The boy had great potential. He would make a great criminal someday. All Kuroro had to do was chip away at his frightful, straight-laced honesty. Bit by bit, he'd make a chip in that armour. Having him agree to actually robbing a museum was already quite the victory. He took a turn to get onto a larger road that connected to a highway which would take them to airport outside of the city. “So we hit the museum, go on with our vacation as if nothing happened, give it a couple of days, then hit the mansion? Say, two nights, so security will be a little tighter but nothing we can't deal with. If we hit right away, the panic will make the guards trigger-happy. But if we wait too long, the mounting worry might have them implement new security measures I haven't prepared for.” Kurapica nodded. He picked up his book again from his lap, sending his older companion a quick glance to make sure he was done talking. But suddenly, he paused. “Hmm?” Kuroro raised his eyebrows at him.

Kurapica frowned lightly, hesitated, then turned away. “Nothing.”

Kuroro decided not to push him. The drive from the city to the airport took over an hour, but the silence wasn't so uncomfortable anymore. Kuroro parked the car and let Kurapica get out first, giving him a little more room to work with to retrieve a bag for each of them. The blond opened the back door on the passenger side. He had pushed his seat back to allow for more room to manoeuvre and he took the bags Kuroro handed him. When he had two suitcases out, the Spider head closed his book, then leaned over Kurapica's seat to pull the lever so the back would come back up. That done, he got out of the car, locked up and started walking towards the airport. The blond fell in step next to him and handed him the handle of one of the pull-along suitcases. Kuroro blinked at him, then took it.

Life was such a pain when you had to pull your own luggage along.

They walked into the airport, staying slightly apart from people. They went to the side, towards a counter that was still closed. “I knew it!” Kurapica huffed, though not too loud as to get the attention of people not already intrigued by them walking to a deserted part of the airport. “We're too early! The counter's still closed!”

He'd make something out of the boy yet.

“Well, there's nothing for it. C'mon, let's go grab a bite.” They left towards the rest and shop area, lugging the suitcases behind them. As they went down a corridor, Kurapica tugged at his sleeve lightly and Kuroro followed his line of sight to spot a shower room. Again, it was good thinking. Even if they had just gotten off a plane, if they were going to be passing for decent tourists, it wouldn't do to smell like road-trip. He grinned. “Are you propositioning to me?” he asked teasingly, in a low tone that no one else would hear even if the hallway was currently deserted. Kurapica's only answer was to let go of his sleeve and pinch his hand instead. Then he was making his way to the shower room, and walked through the opening. There was a little quiet area that forced them to make a sharp right turn and walk a couple of steps before there was the door to the room proper. Kurapica let the taller man wait there while he went in first, no doubt in retaliation for the teasing.

When he walked out, he was dressed in nicer clothes than he had opted for so far. Kuroro recognized the trend as one he had noticed on the fashion-conscious people they had walked by in the airport. Again, the blond was showing his adaptability. Plus, it looked really good on him. “Nice,” he commented, surprised that the younger man actually did have a fashion sense after all. Kurapica hesitated, blushed a tiny bit, frowned a tiny bit, and just looked so hopelessly self-conscious that Kuroro decided to end his misery by heading into the shower room himself. Clean once more, feeling refreshed and much better, he chose his clothes with the same attention to detail Kurapica had shown. Once he got out, they grabbed their luggage and continued on towards the shops.

Kuroro found a restaurant that he had never tried before and looked decent from the directory and they made their way towards it. A host took care of their luggage and sat them in a corner, by large windows overlooking the runway. A server soon took their orders. They dined on excellent food and Kuroro ordered a glass of wine. He didn't even need to coax Kurapica into letting him pour a sip of it in the boy's lemon soda this time. They didn't hurry, eating slowly, enjoying the meal and drinks while talking about the book Kurapica was reading. When the sun had set and most of the dinners had come and gone, they got up, and Kuroro used a credit card to pay for their meal. The name on it was not his, but it was not stolen. It genuinely linked to one of his bank accounts.

To think he was actually paying for things now.

They wandered off towards the arrival gates and left through the main doors closest to them. They had no trouble getting a taxi and Kuroro gave them the name of one of the nicer hotels in town. As they drove towards it, they commented to each other about their supposed flight and what they wanted to do that night and what were the sights worth seeing in town. Then Kurapica feigned falling asleep and Kuroro stared out the window at the city lights. The cab driver thankfully didn't try to raise a conversation out of him, but drove them straight to the hotel. Kuroro paid him once the man had gotten their luggage out of the trunk, then knocked lightly on Kurapica's window to 'wake' him.

They went into the lobby and though they had no reservations, they had no problem securing a suite with two bedrooms for themselves. Kurapica retreated to one of the bedrooms as soon as they walked into the suite, and Kuroro let the door fall shut with a soft chuckle. Well, he could understand the sentiment. It had been yet another long drive, and a good portion of it had been rather awkward. It felt good to know they would have a few days here and they wouldn't need to be on the road by morning again. He walked into the lounge area and let himself fall onto the grey couch, draping his arms over the back on either side. They'd take tomorrow off, he decided. Tomorrow off, then a day out to 'see the city' and they would come back late so they wouldn't raise any question if they left rather late on the day after. Then a couple days of acting normal before they would get the second pair. He wasn't sure if they should stick with their cover for another day after or if they should just leave. He hoped they could stick around for the night at least, to get proper sleep before leaving. Anyway, with the Fun Fun Cloth, the Eyes would never be found in their possession. So they should be able to stick around for a couple days.

This decided, he leaned forward and grabbed a brochure from the coffee table. It advertised things to do in the area. He found a few things that seemed interesting and circled them with a blue pen that had been left next to it. Then, he got up, stretched and made his way into his own room. He left the door partially open to hear if Kurapica moved around in the main area of the suite and settled on the bed with a book. He read for a few hours, then turned in for the night, looking forwards to lounging in bed as long as he could get away with the next day.

Chapter Text

Kurapica opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling. It was another unfamiliar one, but he was used to that. When was the last time he had stayed more than a year in one room? Probably when he still lived in Lukso, before the massacre of his tribe. He frowned. Here he was, travelling with his mortal enemy, yet he no longer felt rage when he looked at him. No, he felt... intrigued, if he were truly honest with himself. Intrigued, distrustful and a little sad, somehow. His thoughts had been going in circles constantly, round and round and round again. Whys and hows and what nows. He was sick of them already. He wished he could still be angry. He had never meant to let the rage turn to loss and sadness. But when he tried to reach down where the raging hatred used to be, all he could feel was emptiness. He felt so tired. So very tired. Disgusted with how self-pitying his thoughts had become, he mentally shoved it all away and sat up. He sighed softly, letting one hand run through his hair, raking the bangs back and away from his face. He closed his eyes and forced himself to take a few deep breaths. Then, he let his arm fall back onto the covers and lowered his head, opening his eyes again. He stared at his hands resting on his lap for some time, making sure that he felt up to facing the day.

He needed to meditate. It had been too long since he had. He needed to recenter himself. But first, he wanted a shower. He finally slid out from under the covers and got up. He rolled his shoulders, trying to get the tension to ease up a bit. It helped. With another sigh, he padded over to his suitcase, the only one he had gotten from Kuroro at the airport. Thankfully, it was one where he kept some of the clothes that Shalnark had stolen for him. It felt like it was an eternity ago. He chose a change of clothing for the day, then made his way to the bathroom. For some reason, the shower didn't help any. It usually was so soothing and relaxing, but with his thoughts still running in circles like a dizzying maelstrom, he was feeling just as tired and worn out when he stepped out of the bathtub. He dried himself quickly, not caring how his rash movements turned his skin red from the friction. He was starting to become quite irritated with himself. Once he was dry, he dressed into the loose jeans, t-shirt and hoodie he had selected for the day. That done, he brushed his teeth before going back to his room. He settled on the bed, crossing his legs and putting his hands together loosely on his lap. He breathed in slowly, trying to let go of all of the thoughts, all of the conflicting emotions raging inside. He breathed out, and let it wash away his worries and anxiety. In, out. Like a wave. Things come and go, but nothing is eternal. In, out; in, out.

It took quite some time before he felt calm enough to stop. He opened his eyes again and looked at the time on the alarm-clock that sat on the nightstand. It was just a little after nine. He cocked his head, listening for any sign that the Spider head was up and about, but he couldn't hear anything. Quietly, he tip-toed to the door and opened it to look out into the common area. It was empty. He listened for a little longer, but still didn't hear anything. Well, he had to come out at some point. And he wanted coffee. The machine was on the counter in the small kitchen area and Kurapica set it up to make his coffee, then he walked carefully over to the door that led into Kuroro's room. It was only partly open, but he didn't dare push it, fearing he would wake the older man. He leaned his head inside and looked towards the bed. The man was facing away from him, but he seemed to be still sleeping. He stood there for a moment, silently studying the form lying on the bed. He wasn't sure why he was doing it, exactly. Something had just pulled him to. The Ryodan leader stirred and Kurapica froze, holding his breath. Kuroro settled once more and the blond beat a careful retreat, walking over to the coffee machine instead. He stood in front of it, staring at the brown liquid that was slowly dripping into the glass pitcher. He frowned, wondering both what had compelled him to go to the Spider head's room. Curiosity, surely. He didn't know he cared.

Ah, everything was so confusing.

He retrieved a mug from the cupboard and poured some coffee into it, even though the pot was still brewing. Tiny droplets of the liquid hissed as they hit the hot plate. He placed the contained back, then used the milk provided by the hotel, pouring two of the tiny cups into his mug. A spoon from the drawer to stir, and he could take his first sip. Instead of sitting at the small table, he went over to the sofa, leaning slightly as he sat to grab the brochure that rested on the coffee table. Once comfortable on the plush seat, he took another sip of coffee and opened the brochure he had put down on his lap. He read through the activities proposed with mild curiosity, more for something to occupy his thoughts than because he really wanted to know what tourists did in Merenke. On page three, he found someone had circled a museum address in blue ink. He read the short description, intrigued in spite of himself. It seemed to be a small local museum with a small collection of artifacts from the founding of the city to the present day. Could be interesting to visit. He drank a bit more coffee and turned a few more pages before he found another entry circled. This one was a special exhibit on recent discoveries about the cosmos, including pictures and videos taken by a few space probes. It was held at the planetarium. That did sound really interesting, too. Whoever had picked out these obviously the same interests he did.

He took another sip of his coffee and glanced at the clock. It wasn't quite ten. He went back to the brochure. He found two more attractions circled. One was a talk by marine biologists at the aquarium and the other was a national library claiming to have ancient documents and scrolls on display. He finished his coffee and stood up, going back to refill his cup. He didn't have any food to make breakfast with; it was all in Kuroro's handy Nen cloth, and the taller man was still sleeping. He wondered if he was free to go down to the restaurant on the first floor of the hotel. Probably not. He took his second cup of coffee to his room and settled in a plush armchair with the book the Spider head had loaned him. The next few hours ticked slowly by but he wasn't aware of the time, engrossed as he was in this latest book. Definitely, the Ryodan head had excellent taste when it came to his reading. When he had finished the book, he closed it and stretched, glancing at the alarm-clock. It was past noon already, but still no sound came from the other room. Strange. His stomach growled, demanding attention. Maybe he could go grab some pastry from the coffee shop downstairs. But he wasn't sure he was free to do so.

He decided to go check on his travelling companion once more, and if the man was still asleep, he would leave him a note and risk it. He made his way back to the main room, then to Kuroro's door. This time, he pushed it gently and tip-toed inside. He walked quietly around the bed to the side Kuroro was facing. The older man had his eyes closed in sleep, one arm under his pillow and the other one in front of his chest. He looked so... young. Hard to believe that a man barely older than Kurapica could be at the helm of the most feared criminal group the world had known in recent history. The blond stopped by the bed, wondering what to do now that he was faced with the decision to possibly anger the man. Well, he was sleeping and Kurapica was getting increasingly hungry. He turned away and made to walk back to the door when something warm wrapped around his wrist and pulled him back. He stopped and turned back towards the Spider head. Kuroro's dark, unreadable eyes were open and staring straight at him. Kurapica heart was hammering in his chest from the surprise the man had caused by touching him suddenly when the blond had thought him asleep.

“Morning,” Kuroro said, his eyes fixed on the Kuruta's face.

“Good morning,” Kurapica answered uncertainly. “I'm sorry if I woke you up.”

“I just felt someone come in the room. I didn't know it was you. But I'm awake now. What time is it?”

“Twelve-thirty,” Kurapica answered and moved his arm, trying to get Kuroro to let go of him but the man held him fast. “I came to see if you were awake. I wasn't sure I was allowed to go downstairs to get breakfast on my own.”

“Are you hungry?” Kurapica nodded. The Spider head sat up, pulling at his wrist like he wanted him to come closer. The blond refused to budge. Finally, the taller man let go and Kurapica took a hasty step back, away from him. He wanted to rub at his wrist, somehow disturbed by the contact, though he wasn't sure why. But he didn't. He didn't want to let the Ryodan leader see that he was bothered by the touch. “I'll take a quick shower, then we can go downstairs to buy something and come back here to eat. Can you wait for a bit?”

The blond nodded again, then retreated back to the lounge area of their suite. He sat on the couch, finally giving in to the temptation to rub at his wrist. He was still feeling flustered and nervous, even though the older man wasn't in the room with him. It bothered him. All of the weird things Kuroro had been doing recently were really starting to get under his skin. Kurapica didn't want to let him have this much power over him, but felt helpless to stop it. After all, everything he had been putting himself through these past few years had been because of that man. The rigorous training, pushing his body to the limit of its strength and endurance, it had all been so that he could exact revenge on him. In a way, that meant Kuroro had had more power over him than Kurapica ever had over the Spider head. Even when he had captured him, the older man had seemed completely unfazed.

That still rattled him.

He realized that to defeat Kuroro alone wouldn't be enough to make him satisfied anymore. He wanted to see him lose control, wanted to see him feel even just a little uncertain. To see him show some feeling other than amusement or calm confidence. He had no idea what. Surely the man didn't know fear. Could he feel anger? Rage? Annoyance? Could he feel anything at all?

“Ready?”

Kurapica jumped slightly, not having heard Kuroro walk behind him. He nodded and got up. When he turned around, he frowned a little at the older man. “You could have taken the time to dry your hair,” he said.

“You're hungry, right? I can dry it when we come back. We're only stepping out for a moment.”

Kurapica shrugged. “I can wait a few more minutes.”

“Well, I'm out now and it's a pain to bother anyway. Come on, let's go.” Kuroro walked over to the door. Kurapica sighed and followed after him. They made their way to the hotel lobby and walked into the small coffee shop near the entrance. They bought a few croissants for their breakfast, and also sandwiches to eat for dinner. Then, they made their way back to their suite. Kurapica wanted to retreat to his own room right away, but he felt like it would be rude to just grab the food the Spider head had bought and then run with it. He put the coffee pot on, making enough for Kuroro's usual three cups, and an extra one for himself. They had brunch in silence, and Kurapica had been hoping he could just slip back into his bedroom as soon as he was done eating, but Kuroro came back to the table after refilling his coffee and dropped the brochure he had looked at that morning in front of him. “We're going sightseeing tomorrow,” he told the blond. “I've circled a few things I think look interesting in here, can you look at them and tell me where you'd like to go?”

Kurapicablinked. “You mean... you're the one who circled those?”

Kuroro sat across from him again. “Oh, you looked at it already? I did that last night. So yeah, what do you want to see tomorrow?”

“The planetarium and the library, I think. But they all sound interesting.”

Kuroro nodded. “We can visit the library in the afternoon and the planetarium after dinner then.”

“That works,” Kurapica said and pushed the brochure away. He got up and took his plate and mug to the sink, washing both quickly. That done, he turned back towards the table only to find the Spider head staring at him again. He paused, wondering what to do. He hated the way Kuroro stared at him. It unnerved him. He averted his eyes. “I'm going back to my room.” He walked past the table, feeling the weight of Kuroro's gaze on him. But he refused to look at him. He suddenly wanted to run, but he kept himself in check as he made his way to his room. Only when he had put a door between himself and the dark haired man did he feel calm once more. He took a deep breath, held it, then slowly let it go.

The next day... was going to be hell.

Chapter Text

Kurapica felt like he could probably live in this library. Their collection was astounding, and he wished they could stay here long enough for him to read all of it. But that would take years. Still, he found a quiet corner where he could peruse books and documents without being disturbed by anyone, and read the entire afternoon away, the pile of books he had gone through slowly reaching dizzying heights on the table next to him. Kuroro had disappeared shortly after their arrival, and Kurapica couldn't tell he missed the man. For one, it was a relief to have some time away from him, but also, this way he could focus solely on his reading. Around seven o'clock in the evening, the lights suddenly dimmed and a gentle voice broke the quietness of the library, announcing that the place was closing shortly. With a regretful sigh, Kurapica put aside the heavy volume he had been reading. Kuroro suddenly reappeared at his side. “Kurapica.” His voice had been quiet but the blond was still startled, as he hadn't heard him arrive at all. Again.

“Yeah,” he replied just as softly once he got his heart to stop hammering in his throat. “I know, we have to go.” He threw the book another regretful glance.

“We can always come back tomorrow, if you want.”

Kurapica looked up at the taller man, considering the offer. “I would like that,” he finally said.

“Great!” Kuroro was smiling, but for once, Kurapica didn't find it so annoying. The speakers once more asked all visitors to head towards the counters.

“I'm hungry,” the Spider head continued once the announcement was over. “Let's go.” Kurapica nodded and got up. Together, they walked through the large hall that was filled with tall shelves full of books and manuscripts, their steady steps echoing against the high ceiling. An attendant was at the doors and gracefully allowed them through, holding one of the heavy doors open for them. Kurapica nodded in thanks, but Kuroro walked out without so much as a glance at the employee. Outside, the sun was setting. Kurapica zipped up his jacket. “How about,” Kuroro began, then waited until a few people walked past them and down the stairs. “How about you take me out for dinner tonight?”

Kurapica blinked at him, totally taken aback by the suggestion. He frowned in confusion. “You want me to invite you out?”

Kuroro grinned. “That's what I said, yes.”

The blond's frown intensified. “Why should I?”

“It's National Crime Prevention Week – Take a Burglar to Dinner.”

Kurapica glowered at him. “Very clever.”

“Yeah, I thought so, too.” Kurapica shook his head slowly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. A moment passed in silence. “Well?” Kuroro prompted.

Kurapica tilted his head, looking up at the older man searchingly. “Fine,” he finally said. “But I choose the restaurant.”

Kuroro's grin widened slightly. “Fine by me.” He offered the blond his arm, but Kurapica brushed by him and made his way down the steps. After a moment, he could hear Kuroro follow him. Once he was on the sidewalk, he looked around, wondering where to go from there. He wasn't sure what Kuroro expected, and he wasn't even sure he wanted to meet his expectations. Normally, if he were to eat out, he would just choose whatever was close and not too expensive. But somehow, it didn't seem right to just pick a place at random. So far, Kuroro had paid for absolutely everything, even though the whole purpose of this crazy trip was for Kurapica to regain the Eyes of his people. He paid with stolen money, or profit made from stolen merchandise, but he had paid nonetheless. And the places he chose were quite a step above what Kurapica would have chosen for himself. So going cheap felt wrong, somehow. He didn't even know what kind of foods the older man enjoyed. He didn't really want to ask him, not wanting to look like he was putting that much thought into it, but he didn't want to seem too callous either. He hesitated, his mind torn between his sense of duty and his dislike of the Spider head.

In the end, he chose to be civil. “I'm not sure what kind of food you enjoy eating, so deciding where to go is a little difficult,” he finally said.

“You could ask me,” Kuroro said with a little smirk that made Kurapica want to slap him.

“I am asking you,” he replied, somewhat sulkily.

“Well,” the taller man said, tilting his head to the side in thought, “there isn't anything I won't eat, except perhaps mushrooms.”

Kurapica blinked, a little surprised by this, though he wasn't sure why he should be. Everyone had a thing or two they wouldn't eat, so why not the leader of the most feared organization in the world? It was still a little odd, though. “Mushrooms?”

“They're vile,” Kuroro said vehemently. “The taste, the texture, everything about them is absolutely disgusting.”

Kurapica chuckled, shaking his head. Something about the way the man had spoken amused him, but he'd be hard pressed to know what did, exactly. “All right, so no mushroom,” he said. “But that doesn't help me narrow the possible choices. What kind of foods do you enjoy?”

“I like spicy food, does that help?” Kurapica nodded, though it made him even more conflicted about where to take the older man. He wasn't good with spicy foods at all. But he knew of one kind of regional food that had both spicy and milder dishes. He hoped it would do. He saw a few family restaurants, but he didn't think those would work, since they tended to be cheap and noisy. He picked a direction at random and started walking. Kuroro fell in step next to him. They walked in silence for some time, Kurapica looking at the signs they passed, looking for something that seemed suitable. Finally, he found a place that looked to be neither too upscale nor too casual.

He walked to the door, looking at the menu that was displayed on the wall next to it. Kuroro waited on the sidewalk, looking at the building as if he were judging whether the establishment was up to his standards. Kurapica hoped it was because he thought it was a nice compromise between his conscience and his reluctance to do something that he deemed too nice for the likes of the Ryodan leader. “This place seems good,” he said hesitantly, trying to gauge the older man's reaction. Kuroro's eyes slid from the windows showing into the restaurant to Kurapica's face, and the blond felt suddenly very self-conscious. He couldn't tell what the Spider head was thinking at all. How did he keep his face so blank, anyway?

“It looks nice,” Kuroro finally answered, and Kurapica let go of the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. The taller man made his way to the door and the Kuruta opened it for him, before realizing he had been way more civil than he should have. But Kuroro had already brushed by him and entered the restaurant. There was nothing for it. Kurapica followed. The interior was nicely decorated and the lighting was soft and soothing. All in all, it seemed quite decent, and Kurapica hoped the food was up to par. They were assigned a small table by the large front windows and the server asked them if they wanted to order their drink first. Kurapica asked for water and Kuroro for red wine. Then, they were left alone to look through the menu.

~*~

All through dinner, Kuroro kept the conversation light and inconsequential, talking of some of his travels as well as earlier visits to Merenke. He quite enjoyed the meal, but he wasn't ready to tell the blond just yet, wanting to keep him insecure for just a little longer. It was clear that the boy had put quite some thought into the place he ended up choosing. It was a nice middle-ground between upscale and casual, and they had plenty of spicy dishes to choose from. Kurapica, the Spider head didn't fail to notice, had opted for a much milder one. The boy, looking somewhat uneasy, had been mostly quiet throughout the evening. To be honest, Kuroro was a little surprised that he had agreed to this dinner at all. He had been pretty certain that it would take a little more work and coaxing before the blond would have accepted to do something for him. But he was pleased. He knew the subconscious impact this would have on the boy.

Were he to be nice to Kurapica for years, he still would achieve much faster result if he were to make Kurapica do something for him. The boy's brain would rationalize the action by tricking itself into thinking that he had wanted to do something for Kuroro because he appreciated him, not because he felt obligated to. It was a powerful tool, using someone's treacherous thoughts against them. Kuroro never tired of it. He was very glad that the blond had agreed to take him out so early in the game. He was pretty certain that it was more out of a sense of duty than any real attachment that Kurapica might have formed for him, but that would come in time. “So, what were you reading so intently when the library closed?” Kuroro asked, once they had finished eating and were both sipping a cup of hot coffee.

Kurapica looked up from his cup. He looked slightly nervous, a look that Kuroro had been noticing more and more on him. It was a nice change from the earlier hostility. It showed that things were shifting, gears thrown in motion that the boy would not be able to stop anymore. It might not give Kuroro the results he wanted, but things would never go back to where they had been a half-year earlier. “Ah,” Kurapica finally answered, “I was reading on astronomy.”

“Before going to a planetarium?” Kuroro asked. “Wouldn't it be simpler to just learn whatever you want to at the presentations and exhibits tonight?”

“Well,” Kurapica paused just long enough to take a sip of his coffee, “I read there were a few researchers who would be there, and I was hoping to use this chance to ask some questions and learn more from their presentations than if I were to just show up unprepared.”

Kuroro blinked, then smiled, amused. “You're a bit of a brainiac, aren't you?” he asked teasingly.

A bit of colour rose to the blond's cheeks and he looked down, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly in what was nearly a smile. “So I am often told.”

“Well, seeing how I can talk with you about a wide variety of topics, I'm not about to complain.” When the Kuruta looked up again, Kuroro smiled. “All right, I know the planetarium is open until midnight this week due to the special events taking place there, but we should get going, if you want to be able to ask all of your questions.” Kurapica nodded and looked around to try and locate the server. Kuroro spotted her first and waved the girl over. When she was at their table, he asked for their check. As promised, the blond paid for their meal.

Once they were out on the street, Kuroro hailed a cab and gave the planetarium as their destination. It was nearing 9 o'clock when they paid the taxi driver his fare and made their way into the large, multi-story glass building. At the ticket counter, their eyed each other, both of them unsure of who would be paying what. In the end, Kuroro chuckled and took out his wallet. Immediately, Kurapica shook his head and put a hand on his arm to push him away gently, away from the counter. He paid for both tickets. Kuroro accepted his with a gracious smile. He offered his arm to the blond again, liking the way the younger man reacted every time he did so. Kurapica looked down at Kuroro's arm, then up at his face, then down again. In the end, he shook his head and started walking towards the entrance to the first exhibition. They went from panel to panel, reading all of the information given on the solar system and the planets orbiting their sun. The information was very generic and nothing they hadn't read about before. But as they went from hall to hall, the explanations and artistic representations became more and more specific and grandiose.

Just a little before ten-thirty, there was a speaker announcement that one of the special talks, followed by some real-time observation sessions would begin shortly. Kurapica looked around for some sign of where they were and where the talk would take place. He found a map of the premises on one of the walls and quickly found which way he had to go. “I really want to listen to this talk,” he told Kuroro. “It's on the other side of the building, however. We'll have to hurry if we want to make it.” He grabbed Kuroro's elbow and pulled him lightly to urge him to follow him, walking rapidly. Kuroro blinked at the back of the blond's head, then broke into this slow, wide grin. It was the second time that night that Kurapica had initiated of physical contact. The blond probably hadn't even noticed it. He was slowly getting used to being around the Spider head.

That, was a very good thing indeed.

Chapter Text

Kurapica didn't exactly know what to think. He had almost forgotten that Kuroro was a burglar, a thief, a man without morals. Almost. Their trip to the museum had been a real wake-up call. He had let himself be swayed by the man's charms and he knew he was being played like a violin. Seeing Kuroro break into the place so easily – move throughout the galleries, silent and as a cat, avoiding all of the security cameras, emptying the entire museum of all its displays – had been a real wake-up call. He had had a lot of trouble falling asleep that night, tossing and turning, playing over the events of the day in his mind. He had been so relaxed, so content for the first time in a long, long time. The trip to the library had been soothing, the dinner pleasant, the planetarium fascinating. But then, there had been the museum. The robbery at the museum. It left a bitter taste in his mouth and and uneasy feeling in his guts. He knew Kuroro had no intention of ever giving back all of the artefacts he had stolen that night. And he wasn't sure just how he would manage to make him give them back, no matter what he had said before.

The morning had come too soon and between his conscience, his nightmares and the ghosts of the two Spiders he had killed haunting the darkness of his room, he had had very little sleep. He had gotten up at the break of dawn, showered, dressed, opened the curtains in his room to let in as much light as possible, then he had made coffee. A lot of it. He had taken the pot to his room and sat in the armchair, sipping the dark, bitter liquid and stared at the sky, watching the sun climb over the city buildings. He wasn't sure what to think or do anymore. Everything was so confusing, so utterly maddening, he just didn't even know what he thought or felt about anything, anymore.

Around noon, the Spider head knocked on his door softly and opened it, poking his head in to look at the blond. “Good morning,” he said. Kurapica didn't answer him, but took a sip of his coffee. He wasn't sure how many cups he had had. “I saw the coffee pot wasn't on the machine, so I figured you might have it with you.” Kuroro opened the door a little wider and stepped in. “Kurapica?” The blond turned his head towards him a bit to show he had heard him, but he kept his eyes on the bright blue sky. “Is something wrong?”

Kurapica shook his head. “I'm just tired,” he said, finally flicking the taller man a quick look. “I didn't get much sleep.”

“I can see that,” Kuroro said, tilting his head. “Your eyes are all bruised. Are you hungry?”

“Not really,” he answered with a shrug, eyes returning to the sky.

“You probably should eat something regardless.” Kuroro took the few steps that still separated him from the Kuruta. He stopped when he was level with the blond, looking down on him before following his gaze to the blue sky he could just about see through the window. He squatted down to be more level with the boy, then turned back to look at him. Kurapica could feel his skin crawl and tingle under his gaze, though he knew it was just brought on by his confusion and lack of sleep. The insane amount of caffeine he had ingested might also have something to do with the weird sensation. “Kurapica? Are you all right?”

The older man reached to touch his face and the Kuruta flinched away. “I'm fine,” he said softly, lowering his gaze to the mug he was holding with both hands. “I'm just tired. Maybe eating will help.”

Kuroro regarded him in silence for a moment, then nodded and stood up. “We can go down to the cafe by the lobby, or we could try to find another place nearby. Maybe some fresh air will help as well. You look like hell.” Kurapica made a soft, amused sound in the back of his throat. Like hell, was it? Wasn't the man always calling him beautiful, usually? Ah, shit. He didn't mean to remember that. Kuroro had been turning away from him, but he paused at the sound. “What is it?

“Nothing,” Kurapica said, waving a hand. He pushed himself out of the chair and up on his feet, before leaning forward to grab the coffee pot from where he had left it on the floor by his seat. He took it and his cup to the kitchen, preceded by Kuroro.

“So, lobby or out?” the older man pressed him.

Kurapica considered for a moment. “I think I'd like to go out,” he finally said.

“Okay,” the older man said with a nod. “Are you ready, then? Because I am.”

Kurapica ran a hand over his eyes, then up his forehead and through his hair. He sighed, feeling tired and worn out. He wasn't sure why. It probably had to do with the spectrum of emotions that he had been going through since, well... since York Shin, really. Months of little or no sleep, of hopeless, helpless feelings, of confusion. “Sure,” he said, heading towards the door.

There was silence, then, just as he put his hand on the door handle, he heard Kuroro's footfalls behind him. Kurapica opened the door and the older man caught up with him, holding the door open with one hand somewhere above Kurapica's head, letting the blond step out into the hallway before following him. The blond didn't wait for him but started down the hallway towards the stairs. They were on the second floor, so they quickly got down to the ground level, then made their way outside. The day was sunny and cool, so they opted out of catching a cab in favour of walking. There was a short distance from the hotel lobby to the main street, and they walked in silence, both lost in their thoughts. Once on the sidewalk, Kurapica looked both way and turned left, seeing more restaurants and shops that way. The Spider head followed wordlessly.

A few minutes later, they came across a pedestrian street lined with smaller shops and cafes and Kurapica turned right, crossing rapidly at the intersection, since the light was green, and made his way uphill on the large, brick-paved way. Kuroro was at his side the entire time, clearly letting the Kuruta decide where he wanted to go. They had crossed two more large intersections and walked quite a distance before Kurapica started feeling a bit more like himself. He was just about to turn to the older man to ask him if any shop had caught his eyes, when he heard a familiar voice behind them call out, “Danchou?!” He and Kuroro both stopped and turned back. Shalnark was coming towards them at a casual jog. “It is you!” he exclaimed. “I just looked up and thought I saw you.”

Kuroro tilted his head, letting the younger Spider catch up with him. Kurapica frowned lightly and his lips pressed in a tight line. He didn't need another member of the Ryodan around him, he really didn't. But even with the latitude their leader had been giving him, he still felt like it was not his place to say anything. He really hoped Shalnark would leave though. He was the friendliest of the group, and for that, Kurapica was glad that it was him and not, say, Feitan, but he still put him on edge. Funny. When had he started thinking Kuroro better company than the tech geek who was probably more into researching information than in murder? There was definitely something to be said for habituation.

“Shal,” Kuroro said after flicking Kurapica a look, “what are you doing here?”

“Visiting an acquaintance of mine,” the young man replied with a grin. “Okay, he's a game partner. I'm supposed to be meeting him downtown tonight so I got here this morning, figured I'd see what was around before I meet with him.” His eyes strayed a few times to the blond standing silently by his leader's side throughout his explanation. Finally, seeing how the other wasn't acknowledging him, he gave him a small wave, which Kurapica accepted with a slight nod.

Kuroro regarded the both of them quietly for a moment, then started walking back towards a cafe they had just walked by. There was a coffee steaming on a table by the front of the shop, and Kurapica deduced that it was where the young man with them had been sitting when he spotted them. “Is the coffee here any good?” he heard the Spider head ask Shalnark.

“It's decent,” the boyish Spider said with a nod.

Kuroro tilted his head down in acknowledgement. “Have a seat,” he told Kurapica, motioning to the table. “I think you've had enough coffee for today, but I'll get you tea and some food. Is a sandwich all right with you?” The blond nodded and pulled a chair to sit across from Shalnark. The young man resettled himself at the table. The silence between was a little awkward, but Kurapica didn't want to break it. He really didn't feel like dealing with this at the moment. After a minute passed by with Kurapica ignoring him, Shalnark took his cellphone out and began tapping on the keys, obviously playing a game.

Kuroro finally came out with a small tray that he put down in front of Kurapica without a word. He grabbed a cup of coffee and a plate from it and placed it on the table about halfway between Kurapica and Shalnark before sitting down. He sipped at his coffee and sent the blond a look, before asking Shalnark a question. The young man put down his phone, but Kurapica tuned them out, focusing on his meal. Normally, he would be all ears, trying to learn as much as he could from them, but he found he couldn't bring himself to give a damn. He ate slowly and sipped at his tea. Once he had finished, he finally looked away from his tray to find the Spider head was done eating and was looking at him. “Shal,” Kuroro said, his eyes still on the blond, “I want you to come back to the hotel with us. I have something to discuss with you. It won't take too long, you should have hours to spare before meeting your friend.”

“Of course!” the other replied. They both got to their feet and a moment later, Kurapica did as well. They went back to the hotel in silence, none of them feeling the need to break it.

Once they got to the room, Kuroro held the door open for them to get in, but then he hung back. “I need to make a phone call,” he told them. “I'll be in shortly.”

“Okay,” Shalnark said, at the same time that Kurapica nodded. The blond went to retrieve his book, but he wasn't sure if he was dismissed so he took it to the living area of their suite to read it, instead of shutting himself in his room as he would normally have. Shalnark made himself comfortable in an armchair to his right. Kurapica focused on his book. Minutes trickled by. Still, Kuroro didn't return. Finally, Shalnark broke the silence. “Can I ask you something?” he asked. Kurapica blinked at his book, startled, and turned to the young Spider. After a moment spent regarding him thoughtfully, he nodded. “Danchou says you won't try to attack us or run away so long as we help you regain all of the eyes that were stolen from your people.” That was not a question. Kurapica waited to see where the young computer technician was getting at. “I don't really get why. I mean... bringing the eyes back won't bring them back to life. So why do you want them so badly that you're willing to even work with us?”

Kurapica was surprised the man wanted to know at all. He might have been the friendliest of the Ryodan, but he was still a Spider. The blond didn't think he would care. He wondered what to answer, or really, whether he should answer at all. Still, the other stared at him with his clear, green eyes. “What do you know of the Kuruta?” the blond finally asked in return.

“Hmmm...” Shalnark tilted his head up, a finger to his chin. “I know that their eyes turn red when they get emotional, and that if they are killed in battle when the Scarlet Eyes are triggered, then their eyes remain that colour. I also know that they were very strong fighters. But that's the extent of it, I'm afraid.”

He started lowering his eyes, then froze. Kurapica had triggered his eyes, letting him see just what they were discussing. “You needn't kill someone to steal their eyes,” he told the young Spider. “Why not restrain them and get their eyes and let them live?”

“Ah, that wouldn't work.” Shalnark was waving his right hand back and forth. “Then the eyes would go to a dull brown and wouldn't stay red at all.”

Kurapica took a shaky breath, fighting to constrain the anger he felt rising inside. “Ever wondered why?”

Shalnark tilted his head, eyebrows drawn together above the bridge of his nose. “I... never thought about that, no.”

Kurapica nodded. “You said the Kuruta were strong warriors. Our strength lay in the Scarlet Eyes that we can trigger to give us more strength than one would normally possess in battle. I didn't know at the time, but there is one thing that can help strengthen someone during a fight.”

“You mean Nen?”

The blond nodded again. “And Nen is comprised of...”

“Life energy!” Shalnark answered easily. Then he gaped. “Life energy! You mean the eyes that stay red after a Kuruta is killed in battle remain that colour because of the Nen? That means the Eyes are something like... haunted?”

Kurapica closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, they were blue once more. “My people believed that their souls resided in their eyes. I want to take them home so my comrades can rest in peace. Does that answer your question?”

Shalnark's eyes were wide. He nodded. He swallowed, then licked his lips. “For what it's worth,” he began, “I'm sor–”

“Don't.”

Kurapica turned away from him and returned to his book. A moment later, Shalnark got up and left. Kurapica heard him say something just after the door had closed behind him, and he heard the Spider head respond. He frowned at his book, but refused to give them anymore thought until one of them came back in. It was easy to push down the anger and his unsettled feelings once his mind was occupied with what he was reading.

It was the only thing that felt like peace, anymore.

Chapter Text

“I have to ask you again: what exactly are you doing here?” Kuroro's voice was flat, as unemotional as he could make it, but he still saw Shalnark jump and look away.

“I told you, I'm meeting a fri–” he started, but Kuroro had no patience for half-truths at the moment.

“Shal,” he warned softly, and the younger man quieted instantly.

There was a long pregnant pause, in which the Spider head waited patiently while his young underling shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, eyes dancing all over the place and not meeting his. Minutes trickled by. Finally, Shalnark's green eyes met his dark ones. “I'm sorry, Danchou,” he said softly. “I, I was worried. I mean, I know you can take out the Kuruta easily, and you'd be looking for any sign of his non-compliance, but... I was just worried. He killed Ubo and Paku and, and the Spiders might survive without you, but it just... wouldn't be the same. It wouldn't.”

Kuroro stared at Shalnark silently, studying his facial expression and his posture, and his eyes, and finally counted himself satisfied. This wasn't all of it, but it was close enough to the truth that Kuroro was willing to close his eyes and turn his back on what the younger man wasn't saying. “All right,” he finally said, “since you're here, I might as well use you while we're in town. But after that, you have so stop following us, am I clear?”

Shalnark swallowed and nodded rapidly, never looking away from his leader's dark eyes. “Crystal clear, sir,” he said.

Kuroro stared at him for a bit longer, then he, too, nodded softly. He stepped away, letting Shalnark breathe. The younger man sagged a bit against the hallway wall. “What time are you meeting this friend?” Kuroro asked after a moment.

“Tonight, after dinner.”

Kuroro nodded. “Are you both going to game all night?” he wanted to know.

Shalnark shook his head, “He has classes early in the morning, so we were planning to stop around midnight.”

His answer satisfied the Spider head, who nodded in response. “Good. Then, since you're here, I'm going to use your hands and cunning. This afternoon, I will have you keep an eye on the Kuruta while I head for the town of Escotir. I'm going to put all of the Scarlet Eyes we have so far in a bank vault. I think it's best if we split the Eyes so that, no matter what happens, Kurapica has no choice but to work for us. I'm not going to underestimate him again. I'll be back in time for dinner, at which point you can go meet your friend. You'll meet us by Blueridge manor at 1am, sharp. We'll use you on the raid, then we'll part right after and you will stop, I repeat, you will stop following us.”

Shalnark swallowed thickly and nodded again. “Understood.”

“Good,” Kuroro said, searching his eyes for a moment before he, too, nodded. “I'll return late this afternoon. Keep your eyes on him.” When the younger Spider opened the door, Kurapica was nowhere to be seen, but the door to his bedroom was partly open and Kuroro had to trust that the blond was in there and that Shalnark would make sure that he was. He turned around and headed for the front desk to require a taxi.

~*~

Kuroro returned to the hotel as afternoon bled into evening, just as he had promised. He came in the suite to find Shalnark sprawled on the couch, playing a game on his cellphone. The door to Kurapica's room was closed, and he could feel his presence beyond the door. He walked over to his young underling and looked as the younger man straightened up. “Shal,” he told him softly, eyes flicking briefly over to Kurapica's door, “I left them in a bank vault in Escotir.” He handed Shalnark a key. “It's the PNB, vault 26, account 9572892. I want you to wait here for a couple of weeks after we've left, then have some of the Ryodan members help you collect them. And if you find anything else of value in the vault, well,” he had a little smile, “you could always consider it payment for your troubles.”

Shalnark seemed to brighten up at the prospect of being paid, albeit in a roundabout way. He took the key and put it in his pockets. It wasn't like he really needed it, anyway. He just had to hang onto it until he had collected their bargaining chips, so to speak. “Sure thing, Danchou,” he said.

Kuroro nodded, then retreated to his own room to read, which was what he suspected Kurapica was doing at that very moment. They didn't go to the library; Kurapica was too withdrawn and Kuroro figured it was better to let the Kuruta have some quiet alone time. Truth was, Kuroro kind of needed it, too. Dinner was a quiet affair. They ordered room service and ate in silence. After that, Shalnark left. Kuroro and Kurapica both retreated to their own little corner and occupied themselves. Around midnight, they left for the mansion they were planning to hit that night. The city was crawling with policemen, due to the robbery at the museum the previous night. But they were looking for burglars trying to escape the city with stolen goods, not burglars on their way to break into another edifice. No one stopped them. They were expecting a gang of people carrying some sort of luggage, not two young men with empty hands walking slowly and calmly through the the city. They met Shalnark a block from their destination.

At the mansion too, private security guards patrolled the vast property. Kuroro led the two younger men around it until he found a spot where the wall surrounding the grounds was higher. Chances were that this section would be less protected, since people had the silly habit of trusting in high walls to protect them from, well, exactly what the trio had set out to do. But high walls would certainly not stop them. They cleared it easily, and then jumped to the roof of a structure that was close to it – the gardener's house, according to the blueprints Kuroro had studied – from which they made their way down to the ground. They ran through well-tended gardens, heading for a building that looked more like a castle than a house. Entering it caused little difficulty. Shalnark's little machine broke the security code easily, and then it was as simple as opening the door. Their first real hurdle was three floors down, in the deepest basement level, where the security measures were tighter.

Shalnark had to take out his trusty little laptop to run a program that would crack the code, which ws much more complicated. As he worked, they could hear people moving around, way more than they would normally have in the middle of the night. Kuroro wasn't sure if it was because they had been discovered or simply because of increased security. It took quite a long time for the program to crack the security code, but when it did, the doors to the vault silently slid open. Kuroro looked back towards where he could hear heavy, booted footsteps and motioned with his head for Kurapica to enter the vault. As soon as the blond put his foot on the other side of that door, however, there was a loud, screeching sound and all lights went out.

They sprung into action. Kurapica ran towards the display where he could see the pair of Scarlet Eyes floating in their container. Shalnark ran in the opposite direction and towards the intersection, intent on stopping whatever guards were coming their way. Kuroro glanced at him and figured he would hold his own. The heavy door was closing on the vault, and he made a split decision and slid under it just before it closed.

“Kurapica?” he called softly in the darkness. He blinked, trying to get used to the sudden pitch black darkness. “Where are you?”

“Over here,” he heard to his right. “I have the Eyes.”

“Good.” Kuroro walked in the general direction from which he had heard the younger man. His eyes slowly adjusted and he could sort of make up movement somewhere in front of him now. “We'll have to teleport, but without knowing what's on the other side of the door and with no clear view of the area I'll be teleporting us to, there's potential for unpleasantness.”

“Define unpleasantness,” Kurapica said, stopping in front of him.

Kuroro motioned for the blond to give him the Eyes, which he put into the Fun Fun Cloth. “Re-materializing right inside another human being,” he said. “Or anything that would be in the way. It's a pretty gruesome death for everyone involved. Misjudging a distance could have us re-appear through a wall, possible half inside it. Instant bisection.”

“Sounds ominous,” Kurapica remarked, “Let's do it before I change my mind.”

Kuroro couldn't help but grin at him. There were many reasons why he wanted Kurapica in his team now more than ever, and he had to admit that he liked this side of him. “All right, here goes,” he said, and wrapped his left arm around the boy and summoned his Nen book with his right hand. A lurch, and they were outside of the vault and thankfully in the very middle of the hall, with no one around. Shalnark was at the intersection, controlling six massive goons with his little cellphone, having them shoot everything that came their way. When he heard Kurapica's gasp, he half-turned towards them.

“Danchou!” There was relief in his voice. “Over here!” He saw Kuroro's arm around the blond and frowned a little in confusion, but he waved them closer anyway. One of the guards he was controlling died and he took a step back as a bullet went through the space vacated by the huge man, “Whoa!”

Kuroro took the few long steps that would take him to the younger Spider. He peered to the left and right, counting the number of enemies quickly. “Shal,” he said, “you go right and try to get as many as you can with you.” He didn't say that without Kurapica there to disapprove of the killing, the techno-geek would have an easier time. “Kurapica and I will go left. Once you made it back to safety, send me a text.” Shalnark nodded and Kuroro counted to thirteen slowly in his head. Then he patted Kurapica's arm and took off running down the hallway that went to the right. He could hear the blond behind him and Shal had his goons stop firing in their direction. There were only two men at the end of the corridor to deal with. Kurapica did a slide-kick that knocked one off his feet while Kuroro hit the other on the side of the neck, knocking him unconscious.

They fought their way out of the mansion, littering the floors with unconscious men as they went. Kuroro ran for the side of the mansion that was closest to the tall wall surrounding the property, expected dogs to be thrown into the mix once they were outside. And he wasn't wrong. He had to grab Kurapica and use his teleportation skill once more, which nearly ended tragically as they reappeared uncomfortably close to an electric pole. Sirens were loud and he knew local authorities would be there shortly. Kuroro didn't take the time to even sigh in relief but took off at a run once more.

It was like the entire city had come alive. They had to play cat-and-mouse with policemen and hired guns both. Soon, Kuroro had to stuff his coat inside of his Fun Fun Cloth; a small concession to the direness of their situation. Yet when Kurapica gave him an inquisitive look, Kuroro realized he was grinning. He hadn't had this much fun in a long, long time. They ran all the way to the shop-lined street where they had met with Shalnark. As if on cue, Kuroro's phone vibrated twice, signalling he had gotten a text message. Shal was safe. He slowed their progress to a leisure walk, which would draw less attention. The blond followed his lead and they returned to their hotel, strolling calmly into the lobby as if nothing was amiss. A short elevator ride later, and they were at their suite.

Kuroro shut the door quietly behind himself. His blood was still pumping, adrenalin still rushing through his veins, giving him feelings of elation and power. Kurapica had walked into the living room area, and Kuroro went after him, catching up with him just when the blond was walking behind the couch. He grabbed his hand, and Kurapica stopped and half-turned towards him questioningly. “We did it!” Kuroro crowed.

He picked the blond up easily, hitching him up onto the back of the sofa and kissed him, his hands around his lower back. He had about a second of contact where Kurapica just froze, and then the blond shoved at his shoulders. But Kuroro had both his feet firmly planted on the ground and it didn't move him an inch. Kurapica, on the other hand, was barely held in place by the taller man's arms around him. The shove sent him backwards, his buttocks sliding off the back of the couch. Kuroro had to lunge forward to catch his shoulder with one hand, his other arm around the back of Kurapica's waist.

They froze, Kurapica's hands now twisted in the fabric of Kuroro's shirt at the shoulders in a desperate attempt to keep himself from falling, his eyes wide in surprise. The position had the blond's head quite a bit lower than his waist, hovering a little above the floor, his shoulders halfway over the edge of the seat of the couch, Kuroro's arm and hand the only thing keeping him from falling painfully to the ground. His top started sliding up his chest, showing just a bit of skin above the hem of his jeans.

Maybe it was the excitement of the night's burglary, maybe it was all of the adrenalin coursing through his veins, but Kuroro suddenly felt a strong, fierce desire towards the boy. He let his eyes roam over the lithe, cat like body of the younger man, surprised by how strongly he wanted him, suddenly.

“Hey,” Kurapica began, “what are y–!!”

Kuroro licked him, just under his navel. Kurapica recoiled in shock and that had him fall out of Kuroro's grasp. He managed to twist to the side so his shoulder hit the ground first, rather than his head, then his legs followed, hit the seat of the sofa, then slid sideways and he lay crumpled on the floor, looking a bit like a deer caught in headlights.

Kuroro straightened up, looking down at him pensively. Too fast. He had moved too fast this time. He had never thought he could be so impulsive. He hadn't taken the time to weigh out the advantages or setbacks his action could have brought, he had just... done it. Kurapica opened his mouth to say something, but whatever it was, he never ended up saying. Flashes of blue and red danced over the walls, coming from the front windows.

The police had caught up with them.

Chapter Text

Kurapica went around their suite quickly, making sure they were leaving nothing behind. They had a few minutes until the authorities came up, at least, but they still had to leave as quickly as possible. He joined Kuroro at the patio door leading out onto the balcony. He peered out, but it was clear they wouldn't be able to leave that way. The parking lot below their porch was crawling with uniforms and cruisers. “We've got everything,” Kurapica said, handing Kuroro the books he had collected from both their rooms. The taller man nodded and put them away in the Fun Fun Cloth.

Kuroro turned and made his way to the door and peered out of the door scope. The hallway must have been cleared, because he opened the door and motioned Kurapica out. As soon as they let the door fall shut behind them, however, they heard booted feet coming their way. “Room 214,” a female voice said, right around the corner. Kuroro grabbed Kurapica and summoned his book. A moment later, they were in the room across the hall from theirs, thanks to his teleportation skill. The Kuruta would probably never get used to the queasy feeling the spell made him feel. He followed the older man to the patio door and peered out. There were cars here too, but there was also a flat rooftop across the street where Kuroro could teleport them. The blond poked the man's arm and pointed. Kuroro nodded. Kurapica felt the man's arm wrap around the back of his waist. A twist-pull in his stomach, and they were standing on the roof of the other building. “Come on,” Kuroro said, “We'll need a new car.” The blond nodded, knowing that meant they would be stealing one. He thought he should feel more upset at the thought than he did. They made their way to the stair well. From then on, they went down into the basement and Kuroro found a car to force his way into. A few minutes later, they were driving out of the basement parking lot. Kuroro put the radio onto a news station.

“ – ng man with blond hair and blue eyes, around one hundred and seventy centimetres tall. He is in his late teens and is considered violent and dangerous,” the reporter was saying. Kuroro and Kurapica eyed each other. How had they gotten this information? The reporter continued, “He is wanted in connection with two robberies, in Quedlin and here in Merenke. The president of Erestor himself is offering five million zennies for his capture.”

“They knew our room number too,” Kuroro said and Kurapica nodded, frowning lightly.

“Who could have know this informa –” He caught the look on Kuroro's face and fell silent. It didn't take him too long to figure out what had caused the older man to look so cold and angry. The fact that the anger wasn't directed at him didn't help much. The news cast went on describing Kurapica in details. They even knew his name. Kurapica rubbed at his forehead. Okay, this could get awkward. He half expected his phone to ring with one of his friends or coworkers demanding to know what this was about, but the only sound in the car came from the announcer on the radio repeating Kurapica's information. Kuroro drove carefully, no doubt to avoid getting the attention of police cruisers. They made it to the outskirts of the city before new information was released in connection to the car thought to have been stolen by the criminal the police and national guards were after. There was an APB on the car Kuroro was driving, down to the plate number. Kurapica frowned. Suddenly, lights flashed red and blue and the cruiser behind them started its siren. Things were just going from bad to worse.

Kuroro stepped on the accelerator and the car bounded forward. They led an increasing number of police cars in a mad chase out of the city and onto the highway. Kuroro slalomed between the cars on the road. A frown, and he swore softly under his breath. “Shit. We're not going to last much longer without some petrol, and I doubt the police would let us calmly fill up the gas tank before continuing the chase.” He eyed past Kurapica and out the passenger window. “We're so ill prepared for the mountains, but there's no other choice.” He kept driving until it was clear the car was on the last of its petrol. “Okay, Kurapica,” he said, “this is it. As soon as you feel ready, jump. Head for that hill.” He pointed. “I'll join up with you. Go!” He slowed down a fractions and Kurapica opened the door, jumped, went into a roll, then took off running as fast as he could, off of the road and into the woods to the right, and then he aimed for the hill Kuroro had pointed to.

It turned out to be much further than he thought. Maybe he should have waited longer before jumping. Suddenly, in the distance, he heard an explosion. He figured Kuroro had jumped as well, and the car had crashed somewhere. He kept running. Once he finally reached the rounded top of the hill, he found a tree that would hide him well and allow him a clear view of all sides. He climbed. He observed his surrounding, making no noise whatsoever. At some point, three uniforms walked by, then left. An hour passed in silence, broken only by the hooting of owls and the cries of wolves. Then, he spotted a bit of white fur. He waited until Kuroro was right under his tree, then he let himself fall to the ground next to the Spider head. Kuroro grinned at him. “Well,” he said, “this was an adventure.”

Kurapica frowned. “They said I was a criminal,” he said unhappily and sighed. “What now?”

“Now?” Kuroro said. “Now we head east over the Sakagi mountains. It'll get cold and food will be scarce I'm afraid.”

“I can manage,” Kurapica assured him. He started walking and Kuroro fell in step next to him. They walked in silence for the rest of the night, then paused for a nap around sunrise. They slept for about three hours, then they were off again. The way was steep and arduous so they didn't waste energy talking. They stopped once to eat, then again when the sun went down. They slept. The next morning they were off again, climbing steadily higher as the day went on. They stopped to eat in the early afternoon, then on again until the air started getting too cold. They paused for a moment. Kuroro summoned their luggage and handed Kurapica a warmer hoodie to wear under his jacket. He also put on a long-sleeved shirt under his coat. Then, they were off again. They climbed higher. A few hours later, they had to add more layers of clothing. From then on, the temperature dropped steadily the higher they went. Soon, their steps crushed layers of frozen snow. The wind started howling all around of them. The slope was very steep and the rocks cold and sharp against their hands when they had to pull themselves up.

Sometime around midday, Kuroro turned to face Kurapica. “I see a path,” he called out over the wind. “Over here!”

He leaned back and grabbed Kurapica's hand, pulling him up. The blond was too tired to protest at the touch. He pulled himself up with the hand that was in Kuroro's. Once he was up on the path, he looked left and right, trying to bring his breathing back down to normal. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. “Okay,” he said. “This is really narrow, but the way seems easier.”

They were standing on a path, about half a metre in width, relatively flat. As they headed eastwards again, there was a tall rock cliff face to their left while to their right, the incline got steeper and steeper. What started as a valley progressively turned to a deep ravine. The wind was strong and icy, threatening to push them off of the path and into the gorge at any instant. They walked on through the day and into the early night. But with the sun below the horizon, the temperature dropped even further.

“Hey,” Kurapica called out after they had been walking in the dark for some time. Kuroro didn't seem to have heard him so he grabbed his sleeve and tugged. The taller man turned around. “We just walked by a rock that could offer relative shelter,” he said. “Who knows when we'll find another one like this?”

He saw more than heard Kuroro ask, “What?” Rather than try and be heard over the howling wind, Kurapica pointed back to the rock. There was a narrow space between it and the cliff face, which would shelter them on two sides, at least. The Ryodan leader nodded and followed him back. Once they reached the area, he motioned for Kurapica to wait and he unzipped the boy's coat. Kurapica frowned confusedly at him. Kuroro took it off of him quickly, then put it back on him with the opening at the back. Then he stepped around him, pulled him back against his chest and pulled him gently down.

It was a tight fit, but they had relative shelter from the wind. Kuroro sat with Kurapica on his lap. He unfastened his coat and opened it wide enough to pull the Kuruta in. “I'm not sure about this,” Kurapica protested, loud enough to be heard over the wind, and he tried to wriggle away.

“I know it's not entirely comfortable,” Kuroro replied and slid his arms around Kurapica's waist, holding him close. His mouth was right next to Kurapica's ear, so he didn't need to raise his voice too much. The blond shivered lightly. “We just have to make the best of our situation. You cannot deny that we are ill equipped for this trek, and we should do our best to keep warm.”

“I just don't get why it had to involve your arms around my waist,” Kurapica protested. “And must I really sit on your lap like this? This position is more than just undignified, it is mortifying.”

“That's just because I want to,” Kuroro said and tightened his hold on the Kuruta, as if to illustrate his point. “Anyway, I have to put my hands somewhere, and between the cold rocks and your warm body, there's just no competition.” He let one hand wander up gently, caressing Kurapica's side through the many layers of clothes. “Am I making uncomfortable?”

Kurapica thought briefly about claiming indifference, but what he said was, “A little.”

He felt rather than saw Kuroro nodding against his shoulder. “Close your eyes,” the older man said softly, and Kurapica realized that the soft voice whispering by his ear was... soothing. Relaxing. Exciting. Everything it shouldn't have ever been. He closed his eyes. “Just rest, now,” Kuroro added. “Try to sleep if you can. We'll both need our strength tomorrow.”

Kurapica sighed and tried to relax, letting his head fall back against Kuroro's shoulder. This... was such a complicated situation. He just didn't know what to think anymore. He shouldn't be able to rest in this position. He had his enemy at his back, holding him and keeping him warm and he was somehow okay with this? He should have been fidgety, nervous, annoyed. Maybe he was just too tired anymore. He let sleep claim him.

When he awoke, he was still sitting on Kuroro's lap. His head was angled back and a little to the side, and the older man had his forehead leaning forward against the blond's shoulder. Of all the ridiculous things to happen to Kurapica in his short life so far, this definitely had to count as the most bizarre. He straightened slightly, and felt Kuroro tense and tighten his hold on him. He still had his arms wrapped around the blond's waist. Kurapica froze. He was fairly certain that the man had just woken up, but here he was, nuzzling the side of his neck gently, and Kurapica had to repress a shudder that wasn't entirely due to disgust.

He pulled at Kuroro's hands, trying to get him to release his hold on him. “We should go, if you're awake,” he said.

“I'm awake, Kuroro assured him. “Good morning. Sleep well?”

Kurapica hesitated, unsure of how to answer the question. “Better than I would have thought possible,” he finally said. He extirpated himself from the taller man's hold and stood, stretching his neck left and right. Kuroro got to his feet as well. They fixed their coats back on properly and started walking. The terrain was arduous and extremely hazardous. The higher they went, the colder the wind blew. They walked on through the day, and walked through a narrow gorge where the wind howled and battered them, picking up drifts of icy snow to blow in their faces. Kurapica wasn't sure he could still feel his ears. They stopped for lunch, then pressed on. They started climbing again, avoiding the tallest peaks and setting for lower terrain. Sometimes, there would be a noise like thunder and giant boulders tumbled down the slope towards them.

Finally, as night fell around them, Kuroro turned to him and studied his face silently for a moment. Then he stopped walking and looked around. “We should stop for the night,” he said. “I hope we can find relative shelter. This path is too narrow and the fall is steep.” He eyed the gorge to his right and shook his head. “I'm not sure even I could survive.” Kurapica glanced at the edge, but didn't dare get a closer look. The wind was threatening to bowl him over at any moment as it was. Kuroro turned back to him. “I'd feel safer finding a cave or something like that, but just an overhang would be nice, too.” Kurapica nodded. Kuroro nearly had to speak particularly loud to make himself heard, and Kurapica had nothing to say that warranted this kind of effort. He motioned for Kuroro to precede him. Kuroro searched his face for another quiet moment. Then, finally, he turned and started walking. Kurapica tightened his jacket around himself and followed. They walked for another hour, maybe, when suddenly there was a noise like guns firing or thunder. Kuroro turned his head up towards the top of the cliff face to their left. “Watch out!” he yelled, and pushed Kurapica back.

Just like that, he was gone. A giant boulder smashed on the path where he had stood and careened down into the gorge. Kurapica hugged the cliff face, trying to bring his breathing back to normal. He didn't realize when he had closed his eyes, but he waited a moment before he opened them again. Then his eyes went wide as he stared at the empty space where Kuroro had stood only a moment before. He opened his mouth to call out, found he couldn't and closed it again. He was alone. There was absolutely no sign of the older man. He took a step towards where he had last seen him.

He's gone! his mind was screaming at him and he found himself shaking his head against the idea. He's gone and now I'm free of him.

He shook his head more vehemently, right hand clutching at his coat over his chest. He couldn't be just... gone. He couldn't!

It took a moment before Kurapica realized that, although he should be feeling elated by the fact that his mortal enemy was no longer living, he could only feel numb. Numb and empty. And confused. So confused. His time spent with the Spider head had raised more questions than had provided answers. And now, he might never know. He stepped cautiously forward, peering over the edge, down towards the dark abyss of the gorge. There was a small ledge right below him and Kurapica found his eyes desperatly scouring the small platform, as if somehow, the Ryodan leader could have hidden from his sight in some small crevasse. But it was empty.

His heart sank.

Kuroro Lucifer, leader, criminal and enigma, was gone.

Chapter Text

Kuroro hung precariously, only the left side of his body fit onto the narrow ledge, and his right arm and leg were dangling over the edge. Below him, darkness. He allowed himself a sigh of relief before summoning and opening his Skill Hunter book. It was a good thing the volume didn't really answer to the laws of nature, or the pages would have flapped madly in the howling winds that surrounded him. Instead, they flitted in order until he saw the skill that he needed and made them stop. An instant later, he was on the narrow path above once more. He let the volume close and disappear. He could just about make out the frail form of the Kuruta though the wind and snow. The boy was clutching at his coat and taking a step forward, peering over the edge where he had fallen off. He was so close to it, Kuroro thought the wind would just send him over at any moment.

He walked closer, wondering what was going through the blond's head. Joy? Elation? Relief? Surely not sorrow or grief. When he stood right behind the blond, he leaned over his shoulder to peer down into the chasm. The ledge he had landed on just now looked ridiculously narrow and unsafe from this height. The boy suddenly shook his head as if he was trying to bring himself back to the moment. His back collided with Kuroro's front as he moved and he whirled on him.

“Were you looking at som– whoa!” Kuroro caught Kurapica's coat with both hands as the young Hunter nearly flung himself over the edge in his surprise. The taller man righted him up, then steadied him with his hands under the blond's elbows. Their eyes locked for a split moment. Kuroro saw shock, fear, but also – and he hoped he wasn't wrong about this – also relief. He pulled the blond away from the edge, taking a step back to leave more room, but for some reason, when he felt the hard rock of the cliff at his back, rather than let go, he pulled the Kuruta into an embrace. He just breathed in and out, watching his own respiration turn white above Kurapica's head. After a moment, the blond just leaned into him minutely. An inhale, an exhale, and the young Hunter moved away. The moment was broken. They stared at each other. Kuroro tilted his head and moved his hands away from the Kuruta, then gestured towards the road they were following before the fall. Kurapica pulled away entirely and looked up at him, then turned and started walking.

There was nothing said. What was there to tell anyway? The wind would have just swallowed their hesitant words and flung them up, down, left and right, into the valley and over the horizon.

They stopped for the night, but this time, Kurapica refused categorically to let Kuroro approach him at all. He couldn't even look at the taller man. He sat in a tiny crevasse in the cliff face and refused to meet Kuroro's eyes. The Spider head didn't like this sudden change of attitude. He didn't know what it meant. He didn't know what was going on through the Kuruta's mind. He'd have to break him out of this newest bout of sullen silence. He sat close-by and closed his eyes, trying to relax enough to sleep. He napped for a few hours but soon had to give up. He got up and Kurapica opened his eyes. He couldn't have slept much either. They started walking again. As they neared a rocky ridge, Kurapica pointed something to the south. Down in the valley, but halfway up another hill, there was a large house that could possibly be an inn of some kind. Kuroro nodded. They started heading that way.

They were out of food, so they didn't really stop at all that day. They made their way down into the valley, and were just starting to go back uphill when night fell. They kept walking. It was past midnight when they finally pushed the front door open and slipped inside, stomping their feet a little to dislodge the snow. There was a lady reading at the fireplace and she looked up at their entrance. “Good evening,” she said. “You guys are lucky. I wasn't expecting anyone at this time. I was about to head to bed.”

Kuroro nodded. “Got a room with two beds?” he wanted to know. She nodded and led them to the third floor, where she opened the only door at the top of the stairs. Kuroro peeked in. It was a large room, with two queen sized beds, two armchairs, a small table with two dining chairs and an open door showing a private bathroom. “Great, we'll take it,” he said. He took the key from her and beckoned Kurapica inside. “You can get first shower,” he told him. “I'll try to fix us something to eat.”

In the end, the innkeeper was ready to throw in a warm meal for a bit of money, and after she had it reheated, he took the food back up. Kurapica was out of the shower and had lit a fire in the hearth. He was holding his hands up to the flames, dressed in jeans and a warm hoodie. He was probably too cold to change into his sleepwear. Kuroro set the food down on the table. They ate in silence, Kurapica lost in thoughts, Kuroro observing him quietly. After he was done eating, he settled on an armchair with a book. The room was warmer now, and Kurapica unzipped his hoodie and took it off. He was wearing a cotton T-shirt underneath. It was a little tighter than the tops that Kuroro was used to seeing on him. He raised his eyebrows appreciatively and Kurapica paused.

His eyebrows lowered in a small frown. “What?” he asked uncertainly.

“Just appreciating the view,” Kuroro said. He let his eyes run down the length of the blond's body, then slowly back up. He wanted to make sure Kurapica knew exactly what he meant by the comment, and he wasn't disappointed when he saw the blond's cheeks colour.

“Again with this!” Kurapica made a slight movement of impatience, obviously trying to regain mastery of himself and of the situation. “I don't know what game you're playing, but I will not be made a fool of.”

Kuroro set his book down on the table next to him. “I'm not trying to make a fool out of you,” he said calmly. “I thought I had made my intentions clear.” Kurapica frowned slightly at him, obviously unsure of how to take the comment. Well, it wasn't like Kuroro was doing this out of love. Of course, he wouldn't have thought of doing this if the blond hadn't been intriguing and stunningly beautiful, but he knew his reasoning had little to do with the emotions that usually prompted people to show interest in another person.

The blond finally shook his head and shrugged. He left his hoodie on the armchair closest to him and walked by Kuroro's chair on his way to the door, obviously meaning to put some distance between them. He didn't make it far. The Spider head snagged him around the front of his waist and pulled him onto his lap, Kurapica's back against his chest. The boy made a soft sound of surprise and tensed up, but when he made to get up, Kuroro stopped him by wrapping his other arm around his waist and squeezing. “W-wait, what are you doing?!” Kurapica tried to get up again, but the older man pulled him back again. “L-let go!”

It was perverse, but Kuroro had to admit he liked making the blond feel flustered and confused. Every time he managed to corner the boy or steal a kiss, it left him with a sense of victory and elation. He had never attempted to really touch Kurapica before – not specifically sexual touches in any case. This time he did. He held him in place with his left arm around the younger man's waist and ran his right hand up his thigh gently, finally settling between his legs. Kurapica froze. If he were to resist now, Kuroro would let him go. He wasn't into rape and the only reason he had gone this far was because the Kuruta might make a show of resistance, but he didn't seem adverse to Kuroro's advances – not entirely, anyway.

He moved his hand tentatively over the rough denim of Kurapica's trousers and the blond gasped softly, arching minutely against him. The sound was... oddly thrilling. He moved his hand up and down slowly and felt him react. The burgeoning erection seemed to kick the Kuruta's pride and guilt into gear and he gasped and tried to extirpate himself from Kuroro's grasp. “Ah, w-wait!!” It was a choked, breathy whisper and it made Kuroro tighten his hand on him. “I-if you touch me there, I... I'll...”

Kuroro was starting to feel rather aroused himself. Kurapica's breathy voice was getting to him somehow. He flicked his thumb over the button of the younger man's jeans and it came undone. The blond's breathing hitched and he tried to curl on himself, no doubt to protect himself from these touches his body probably suddenly craved like nothing he had ever known. Kuroro smiled and undid the zipper next. Kurapica gasped audibly and tried to curl up on himself some more. Kuroro wouldn't let him, though. He restrained him with his left arm and slid his right hand into the younger man's jeans, touching him through the thin cotton of his briefs. Kurapica's breathing hitched again and he started panting softly. As Kuroro slid his hand up and down over his arousal, he arched his back, his head falling back onto his former enemy's left shoulder. It left his neck within reach and Kuroro nipped at it, then bit down on his shoulder, right where it arched up into his neck. He slipped his hand into the thin underwear at the same time, running his palm over hot flesh. It wasn't a hard bite, certainly not enough to leave a mark, but it made the blond react beyond Kuroro's expectancy.

He arched further, his panting becoming harsher as he pushed his pelvis up into Kuroro's touch. The older man let go of his shoulder and he looked up to Kurapica's face. The Kuruta had his eyes closed. He was breathing rapidly through his nose, his teeth clamped tightly on his lower lip. Sweat was beading on his temples. Kuroro wrapped his hand firmly around Kurapica's length and the blond's eyes flew open, teeth releasing his lower lip as he began to pant even harder. Then his eyelids lowered, but still his pupils showed – brilliant red. Like fire and want and desire. The Scarlet Eyes, triggered by passion rather than anger and hatred.

Kuroro found himself reacting at the sight. Suddenly his trousers were too tight. He found himself pressing up into Kurapica's backside. The younger man had to feel his erection pushing against his buttocks. There was a split second where Kuroro feared the blond would freak, but instead, Kurapica let out a soft, low moan that sent the older man's head spinning. He couldn't remember the last time someone had set his body aflame with passion like this. He had to keep in control, had to calm down somehow, but instead of slowing down, he moved his hand faster, up and down Kurapica's shaft, feeling the heat and heaviness of the blond's erection. The Kuruta's pants and soft gasps only served to ignite his passion further. The way the blond gasped every time he moved his hands, the way he arched and bucked against him made his own erection strain for release, pushing up into Kurapica's body, rubbing against him through their clothing.

He felt the boy's muscles contract and tighten, and he knew he was close. He sped up his movements, staring intently at Kurapica's face, wanting to see his expression as his orgasm washed over him.

He was not disappointed.

The Kuruta was beautiful. In the instant when he let go and came, his eyes looked like wildfire, burning with passion. His lower lip was red and swollen, from when he had bitten it to stifle his cries. Long strands of blond hair clung to his forehead and cheeks. His face was flushed, glowing in the throes of passion.

He wanted him. Kuroro knew he had to stop, or he would make the younger man bolt in panic. But gods, how he wanted him! Wanted to strip him naked, run his hands over smooth, pale skin, make him writhe and moan and bury his erection into hot, wet flesh as he ravaged the blond...

He fought to regain control of himself. He had to let go. He had to let go now. Oh, but how he wanted to continue. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to pick Kurapica up, carry him to bed and push him down...

No. Stop it. Stop it.

He let go. He loosened his hold on the blond and let go. He half expected Kurapica to bolt right there and then, but the younger man took a moment to regain his breathing. He was still sprawled somewhat over Kuroro, sitting on him with his legs open with the Spider head's left knee between them. His jeans were open and his shirt pulled up. Oh, he looked downright fuckable.

Suddenly, he made a soft, dismayed sound in the back of his throat and he curled up, trying to hide in shame. He rapidly got off of the older man and put his clothes in order, his back turned to Kuroro. Then he turned, but he couldn't look at the other man in the eyes. His face was still flushed and he was blushing profusely, staring down at the rug somewhere around Kuroro's feet. “Wh-why...?” he finally whispered, his voice harsh and raw.

Kuroro fought to compose himself. He sat straighter in his armchair. “Why? Why did I touch you? Because I wanted to. I do think I've made my interest quite clear now.”

Kurapica opened his mouth, found that he couldn't speak, swallowed and tried again. “I, I need to think,” he finally said. “I'm... going downstairs. I won't leave the inn. I just need to be alone and think.”

Kuroro nodded. “I understand. Be careful.”

Kurapica swallowed and nodded. Then he turned around, snagged the key from the dresser and walked out, shutting the door quietly behind himself. Kuroro sighed and flopped back onto his chair. He looked down on his hand, still coated with Kurapica's release. He snorted, shaking his head softly, then got up and made his way to the bathroom. He washed his hands at the sink and then leaned forward against the counter, eyeing himself in the mirror. This... was unexpected. He hadn't thought the blond could have given rise to so much desire. His erection was still pressing against the front of his trousers, demanding attention. He turned away from his reflection, leaning back against the counter this time as he undid his pants and wrapped his hands around his aching want. As he moved his hand up and down, images of Kurapica's face, flushed and panting, rose to mind. His hand moved faster and faster as he brought himself to completion.

He stood there panting for a bit, then he turned to the sink and washed his hands. He fussed at his clothes until they were in place and nothing showed of what had happened between him and the Kuruta earlier. Then he washed his hands again. By the time Kurapica returned, he was comfortably sitting in the same chair, reading his book, looking calm and composed.

Chapter Text

This was insane. This was complete madness. Kurapica was walking back and forth in the foyer on the first floor, clenching and unclenching his fists as he thought himself into a frenzy. That man, that man! First, he had hinted, touched a little, but it had been easy to write it off. Then came the kiss, and since then, since then, Kurapica's thoughts had been just whirling 'round and 'round in a constant cycle of frustration and confusion. When Kuroro had fallen off of the cliff, Kurapica should have felt elated, happy, relieved. But those feelings hadn't come until he'd seen the man alive and well. It was all backwards now. All completely backwards, and Kurapica was certain that this was what the Spider head had planned from the beginning. He'd been so distraught over the sudden turn his emotions had taken that he had refused to even look at the other man after that.

And then, Kuroro had touched him. Really touched him, in a way no one had ever done before. It should have felt gross, should have felt awful. But it had felt so good, so good and now? Now he felt humiliated. And ashamed. He didn't know how to face the older man, dvidn't know how to find the courage to go back up again. But he had to. Eventually, he would have to get back up there. He'd done many things that he felt ashamed of in his quest to reclaim the stolen Scarlet Eyes – stolen by this very man, he reminded himself sternly – many things he hoped no one else would ever know he had done. This was just one more. He could do this. He could go back up there, and treat this as something unimportant. A small price to pay to get the Eyes back. He could do this.

Like hell.

Kuroro looked up when Kurapica returned, but he thankfully didn't say anything. The blond couldn't even meet his eyes. He made his way to one of the bed quietly and slipped under the cover, fully dressed. There was no way he was going to remove his clothes or change to sleep. Not after what had just happened between Kuroro and him. No way. He turned his back on the older man and heard a page turn. The bastard didn't even look flustered. He was just sitting there, reading, as if he hadn't just – he didn't just – he wasn't –

Kurapica couldn't even think it.

The blond listened to the steady sound of pages turning every few minutes. He didn't think he would be able to sleep. Not when he was this aware of the man behind him, of the sounds coming from him, of his presence in the room. He felt so tense, his entire back and shoulders hurt. He didn't think he could ever fall asleep like this. But he did, eventually.

He came awake when the smell of coffee roused him. He had been dreaming, but he wasn't sure what the dream was about anymore. He raked his hand through his hair. Kuroro appeared beside his bed and wordlessly handed him a cup of coffee. Kurapica accepted it gratefully, but he didn't trust himself to look at the man just yet. He took a sip and ran a hand through his hair again. “Thank you,” he finally said. He knew he was blushing, but there was very little he could do to prevent it.

Kuroro paused next to him. Kurapica tried to focus on his coffee so he wouldn't have to look at him. The silence got heavier and heavier. Finally, Kuroro asked, “Are you angry?”

Kurapica thought about it for a moment. “I'm confused,” he finally said, honestly enough. “Can I... ask you for something?”

A rustle of clothes and Kuroro sat on the bed next to him. “Go ahead,” he prompted.

Kurapica took a moment to gather his thought. “I don't... really understand your reasoning,” he finally said. “It makes very little sense to me. When you, when you touched me, I, ah...” He cleared his throat. “I just couldn't think. And I need to think right now. I really, really need to put my thoughts in order.” He saw Kuroro nod from his peripheral vision. “Next week,” he began, then hesitated. “Next week, my friends are getting together in Zaban city. I'd really, I'd really like to go and see them.”

“You want to go alone?” Kuroro asked, studying Kurapica's face intently. “You're asking me to take quite a risk, here.”

Kurapica nodded. “I know.” He licked his lips, trying to find a way to convince the older man to let him go. “Letting me go wouldn't be the smartest thing to do, under the circumstances. But I really need this right now.” He hesitated. “Please,” he finally added, though it cost him a lot to say that one little word.

Kuroro regarded him in silence for some time. Kurapica's heart sank. He was pretty certain that the older man would never let him go. Finally, Kuroro said, “Look at me.” His voice was soft, not authoritative in the least, but Kurapica found himself turning to face him automatically. He didn't even hesitate. One moment, he was fixing his coffee mug, the next, he was looking into Kuroro's midnight eyes. The Spider head regarded him in silence for some time, searching his eyes, as if he was trying to read Kurapica's thoughts. Then, he said, “Kiss me.”

Kurapica blinked, his cheeks getting slightly warmer. “You want me to, to kiss you?” Kuroro nodded. The blond thought about it for a moment, then asked, “If I do, will you let me go?”

Kuroro regarded him in silence for another tense moment. “If I see no indication that you intend to break your promise to me,” he finally said.

“That's not very encouraging,” Kurapica said, looking away. “You could just arbitrarily decide that I look like I'm going to run and prevent me from going.”

“I could,” the Spider head replied. “But I won't. Not unless I have a very good reason to.”

Kurapica took a sip of coffee, trying to think of what to say or do. “I'm not sure I should believe you,” he finally replied.

“That's up to you,” Kuroro said easily. He reached out and placed two fingertips onto Kurapica's cheek, letting them slide down gently. “You don't have to believe me or trust me.”

Kurapica sighed and finished his coffee. Then he placed the empty cup on the end table. He rubbed the fingers of his right hand onto his palm lightly a few times. Then he breathed in, breathed out, and closed the distance between them. His lips brushed against Kuroro's for just a moment before he pulled away. Kuroro's hand buried into his golden hair and he angled Kurapica's head up, pressing their lips more firmly together. Kurapica made a soft, surprised little gasp and felt Kuroro's fingers tighten in his hair. Then the Spider head's tongue was licking at his lips gently and Kurapica's hands flew to the older man's shoulder to clutch at his shirt. The room started spinning. His heart was hammering in his chest. When Kuroro pushed his tongue in his mouth, Kurapica heard a soft whimper and was appalled to realize it came from him. Kuroro's arm snaked around the back of his waist and he pulled him closer. Kurapica wasn't sure he could even remember how to breathe.

Suddenly, his hands raked up to tangle into the soft black hair. He felt too hot, felt too cold, everything was spinning and his entire world seemed focused on the slide of Kuroro's tongue against his. Kuroro pulled at his waist again, and suddenly Kurapica found himself straddling the older man's lap. He groaned softly, and the sound brought him back to his senses. He suddenly pushed himself away, scrambling off Kuroro's lap, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. The look in Kuroro's eyes, the naked hunger and want that he saw there sent his hands shaking and his heart hammering. Kuroro got up and turned away from him.

There was a long, awkward moment. Then Kuroro said, “When we we're across the mountains, I'll buy you a plane ticket.” He went over to his luggage and pulled some clothes out. “I'm going to shower now. When I'm done, we'll leave.”

Kurapicanodded, though the older man wasn't looking at him. Once Kuroro had closed the bathroom door behind himself, he raked one, then both hands through his hair. He forced his breathing to return to normal. Then he served himself another cup of coffee and went around the room to get all of their things together. When Kuroro finally stepped out of the bathroom, hair dry in prevision of the cold temperature outside, Kurapica still couldn't look at his face. They bought some food off of the innkeeper to last them a few days. Kuroro estimated that coming out on the eastern side of the Sakagi mountain range would take them another two or three days at most. They walked in silence the entire day, stopping only for lunch and again for the night. Both of them were too preoccupied for conversation.

Kurapica knew why he was lost in thoughts, but he wasn't sure why Kuroro was equally silent. A few times, he caught the older man observing him thoughtfully. He wasn't sure what to make of it. He felt a bit like a cryptogram that Kuroro was trying to crack. That night, they slept sitting close to each other. It was cold, but there was no way Kurapica was going to sit on his lap again. Not when even just the warmth of the old man against his arm made him think of the previous night, of Kuroro's hand on him, around him, touching him so intimately. Just the thought made his cheeks grow warm. It took him a long time for him to fall asleep.

He woke up with his head on Kuroro's shoulder. He straightened up. Kuroro's eyes snapped open. Kurapica pushed himself to his feet and stretched. When he glanced down, Kuroro's dark eyes were on him, making his chest constrict. He cleared his throat and looked away. Kuroro got up wordlessly and retrieved some food from their luggage. They ate as they walked, impatient to get out of the mountains. They only stopped again that night. They had made good way and were steadily going down now. There no longer was snow on the ground. It was still cold, but Kurapica didn't think he needed to stick to the older man's side anymore. He slept a short distance away. They awoke at dawn and took the time to eat breakfast before leaving. The temperature got steadily warmer as they walked lower in altitude. Sometime in the afternoon, Kurapica paused to remove one of his warmer layers. Kuroro did the same. After that, they took layers off steadily as the temperature got warmer and warmer. When they stopped for the night in a forest of evergreens, they were down to just a regular shirt and a jacket each. They lit a fire, since there was plenty of wood around, and ate in silence.

Once they had eaten, they sat across from each other, still lost in though. The fire burned down to embers that glowed red and gold, one log dark now, save for speckles of orange. It looked like a dragon slumbering over his treasure, a bed of gold glittering in the warmth of the sleeping beast. Kuroro got up and threw another log in, shattering the illusion as flames raised up anew to lick at the brittle bark. Kurapica looked up as the Ryodan leader sat down again on an old tree trunk across the fire from him and leaned forward to put his elbows on his knees and his hands, clasped together, under his chin. He had been keeping his hair down for the most part when they were just the two of them, and that, coupled with his large, unreadable eyes, made him appear much younger.

“How old are you anyway?” the blond asked, his voice soft, so as to not shatter the tranquillity of the night. He knew Kuroro would hear him.

The man in question cocked his head and grinned a little. That did not help him look any older or more imposing. “Mm,” he began, eyeing the Kuruta over the fire. “I'm going to turn 27 shortly.”

Kurapica nodded, studying the older man by the orange glow of their campfire.“I thought you were older,” he commented. “Before I saw your fake corpse, I mean.”

The man had a small smile at that.“Too young to be a criminal?” he asked.

“And now you're a tad too old to be hitting on a teenager,” Kurapica sent back, amused in spite of himself..

The older man's smile never wavered. “You're legal,” he said with a shrug. “And not uninterested.” Kurapica shrugged with only his right shoulder and looked away. The man had a point, and he knew it anyway. “I have to say,” the Ryodan leader began, then he paused, waiting until Kurapica had turned his way once more. “I have to say I have never met a man of your calibre.”

“Are you trying to flatter me now?” Kurapica asked, a tad colder than he meant to.

Kuroro shrugged. “I am simply stating facts,” he answered easily. The glow of the fire reflected in his unblinking eyes, making him look eerie and somewhat otherworldly. A moment passed in silence, disturbed only by the soft crackling noise of their campfire.

“I have to admit,” Kurapica finally said, sending him a small, crooked and somewhat bitter smile, “I have never met anyone as lawless and free of human morals as you are.”

“Well, that's part of my charms, no?” The Spider head looked amused. “Freedom.” He paused for a moment, looking pensive. “True freedom only comes from lack of responsibility. I am already responsible for my team; their safety and their well-being. Why should I burden myself with the rest of the world? It's up to them to defend themselves and protect their loved ones. I simply wanted...” He stopped mid-sentence, making Kurapica lean unconsciously forward, intrigued. “It hardly matters,” Kuroro finally brushed whatever he was about to say aside. “I understand that you don't see it the way that I do. Because of the past, no matter what I say to explain myself, it will only anger you even more. I will not make excuses.” He looked up, meeting the blond's eyes head-on. “I kill because I don't care. I don't care because I don't know any of those people, and I don't want to know them. My loyalty extends only to the people I care about, and that would be my team.”

Kurapica felt his eyes switch to a violent shade of red. Kuroro didn't care?!He'd killed his entire tribe, his family, his friends, and he didn't care?!! The Kuruta never even realize he was moving but suddenly, he was in front of the Ryodan leader, glowering up at him furiously. He remembered Kuroro telling him his emotions tended to cloud his rationale, and he was now proving Kuroro right, but he couldn't stop himself. “I will –” His voice broke, and he had trouble containing his fury. “I will kill you, someday.” His promise was a soft whisper, delivered through gritted teeth. His chest felt so tight, so hot, he felt like he was going to burst.

“But you won't,” Kuroro answered, catching Kurapica's right fist, then his left as they flew towards his face. “You won't,” he repeated amiably. “You're tired of blood and destruction. As you are now, you can't possibly kill me.” Kurapica made a choking sound in the back of his throat and pushed against the older man. He didn't even have the strength to protest. He just glared and shook, full of rage and fury, knowing that he was totally powerless against this man, knowing Kuroro was right.

And that hurt so much.

Chapter Text

Kuroro gazed down into Kurapica's eyes. Red, so red. They seemed to glow with some sort of unholy light, made even hotter for the fire that burned beside them. They were both standing, facing each other, Kuroro's hands clasped firmly over the Kuruta's. He squeezed, and felt the bones shift in Kurapica's hands. So fragile. So strong. So beautiful and wild, yet learned and intelligent. A beautiful and impossible contradiction. His eyes burned brighter than their little campfire, hot, angry, full of pain and hurt. Oh, how Kuroro wanted them, wanted them with a passion that surprised him. His hands tightened around the Kuruta's and the bones ground together, but the boy didn't seem to even notice. Kuroro pushed against him and the blond tried to hold his ground, but the Ryodan leader was stronger and Kurapica had to step back slowly, step after step, until his back hit something. A tree.

Still, the boy glowered defiantly at him, and Kuroro studied him for a moment before leaning in suddenly. Their lips met, a hot, angry kiss that Kuroro pursued until Kurapica let him in. He was shocked with how strongly he wanted the boy, how hungry he felt, how wanting. Their tongues meshed, parted, met again, and Kurapica pulled his hands out of the taller man's grip only to fist into the front of his coat. He broke the kiss, only to start another, to Kuroro's surprise. Not that he had anything against it. He deepened the kiss right away, pushing his tongue into the younger man's mouth. He pressed forward, effectively trapping Kurapica between himself and the tree trunk. His hand gripped the blond's hips tightly, half-pulling him closer, even as he pushed against him. Kurapica gasped, effectively ending this kiss as well. Kuroro hitched him up, his lips on Kurapica's again. The blond buried his hands into the taller man's black locks, pulling at it as he kissed him back fiercely.

Kuroro was just about to end the kiss but the young Hunter actually pursued it, pulling at his hair to keep his head in place. When the blond pulled slightly away, there was just a hint of teeth on Kuroro's lower lip, not quite biting hard enough to hurt properly, but enough that the Ryodan head growled in annoyance. Only then did Kurapica let go entirely. They stared each other down, Kurapica's eyes still glowing eerily. The boy was panting softly, his lips wet and inviting and oh, how Kuroro wanted to delve right back in. But now would be the most horrible timing. Were he to take the boy here and now when he was angry, all of this would come to nothing. Whenever he would touch him in the future, Kurapica would remember his anger. And so, Kuroro did the one thing he knew was right but that his entire being protested against; he pulled away.

They regarded each other in silence for some time. “Why did you stop?” Kurapica finally asked. “Isn't this what you want? Isn't it what you've been after with your touches and kisses?”

“I do want you,” Kuroro said easily, and it was the truth. “I do want you, but not like this. Not angry and hurt.”

Kurapica seemed about to say something, but then he closed his mouth and his lips drew a tight, unhappy line. “Whatever,” he finally said. He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were blue once more. “I'm going to sleep.” He walked back to his original spot across the fire from him and lied down on his side, his back to the older man. He wouldn't even look at him.

Kuroro smiled and shrugged lightly. Well, the boy had a point. It was late and he could do with a bit of sleep himself. He went to lie down across from the blond and let himself drift off. When he opened his eyes again, it was dawn. He sat up and glanced at Kurapica. The blond was still sleeping, but he was facing him now, looking quite peaceful in spite of his rage the previous night. He also looked a little cold. Kuroro rekindled the fire. He summoned the Fun Fun Cloth to retrieve their luggage and used their little fire to fix them a bit of coffee. The smell awoke the young Hunter. After their coffee and breakfast, they were on their way again. They walked steadily towards lower grounds as they progressed. They stopped once for lunch. As the sun was coming down, they found themselves near a small village. Kuroro wandered in town alone, leaving Kurapica in the woods near the village in case the radio broadcast had made it out of the country of Erestor. He enquired about catching a ride down to a city. As luck would have it, they had missed the only train that came around that day, but they could catch it the next day at noon. There was no inn, so Kuroro returned where he had left Kurapica and they camped there for the night.

Around mid-morning, they were ready to go into town. Kuroro handed the blond two small objects. “What are these?” Kurapica asked.

“Lifts,” Kuroro answered. “They'll make you look taller. Here.” He tied Kurapica's hair at the nape of his neck and hid the longer hair in his shirt collar, careful not to let his fingers linger too much on the pale skin. “We can't do anything about the hair colour, but we can make it look shorter at least.”

With this disguise, they wandered in and made their way to the station. A few hours later, they were on their way to Otal, a medium size town where they would be able to rest for a bit. And, if he decided to let him go, Kurapica could fly from there to see his friends. The Kuruta had been silent the entire way. He looked troubled, lost in thoughts. Kuroro couldn't blame him. What had happened between them had obviously shaken the younger man. He let him be, let him sort out his thoughts. As the train travelled further east, he read while Kurapica looked out the window, a pensive frown on his beautiful face. They arrived in Otal just as night fell and secured a suite in a hotel a little off the main roads so they could have some peace.

Kuroro left Kurapica at the hotel and went off in search of food. He found a restaurant that looked nice and had the option to have mealsets as takeouts. He bought two meal sets and stopped at a bakery to buy something to eat for breakfast the next day. That done, he returned to the hotel and found one of the bedrooms' door closed. He knocked. “Kurapica?” There was no answer from within, but eventually, he heard quiet footsteps. The door opened. It was clear the blond had debated whether to answer or not, but Kuroro decided not to comment. “Your dinner,” he said instead, and handed him one of the bags. “And I'll get your luggage out so you can have a change of clothes and the book you're currently reading.” He went to the small table in one corner of the room and set down his own meal. Then he summoned his book and from it, the handy Fun Fun Cloth. Soon, he had the suitcase and duffel bag where he'd stuffed Kurapica's things (stolen as they were) and he handed them to the silent blond.

Kurapica opened his mouth to say something, then closed it and shook his head. Then he nodded a thank you, and disappeared inside his room once more. Kuroro let him be. He went to his room and settled on his bed and read for some time, before he turned in for some much needed sleep. It had been a few days since he'd had a real bed to sleep in. The one at the inn up in the mountains was so hard and lumpy, it hardly qualified. But thinking back on the inn, it brought back images of the Kuruta sprawled on him, eyes glowing, writhing, moaning helplessly... Every day since, he was fighting with himself, refusing to touch the boy anymore. It could spook the boy completely, and Kuroro wanted to avoid that, if he could. However much he had pushed so far had seemed to be just enough. Kurapica was shaken out of his stubborn refusal to see the seriousness of Kuroro's propositions, but he hadn't run away entirely. He'd even let Kuroro touch him intimately. If he was really against the Spider head's advances, none of those touches would have felt good. And felt good, the Kuruta had. Just the way he had lost control had proven without a doubt that subconsciously at least, Kurapica wasn't entirely against it. Kuroro fell asleep, his mind filled with images of Kurapica's fiery eyes glowing from under lowered eyelids, the red showing through the long, pale lashes.

He awoke sometime around mid-morning. He felt better rested than he had in a long time. When he came out of his bedroom, he saw no sign that Kurapica was up at all. He made some coffee for himself, but it tasted awful. He peeked into the Kuruta's room. Kurapica was lying on his bed, seemingly dead to the world. He weighed his options, and finally decided to go out. Surely, the boy wouldn't run now, not when he had all of these pairs of Eyes waiting for him in Ryuuseigai. He made his way down to the front desk where he requested a plane ticket for Zaban city for Kurapica to go visit his friends. He really hoped he wasn't making a terrible mistake in letting him go. It could go either way. Either Kurapica would return to him voluntarily, or he'd try to break the Nen block on his own. Either way, Kuroro intended to come out on top.

He then made his way outside and went to locate a coffee shop where he could have decent coffee and something for breakfast. When he returned to their suite, coffee, breakfast and plane tickets in hand, Kurapica was just coming out of his room. Kuroro handed him the coffee with milk, which the Kuruta accepted wordlessly. He took a seemingly much-needed sip and sighed softly. Then Kuroro took one of his hands, making the blond pause and look up at him questioningly. The Spider head placed the plane tickets in his hand and took a step back. He went to sit in an armchair by the window and opened his book, sipping his coffee as he read. Kurapica returned to his room. The rest of the morning went by in silence. It was just a little past noon when the Kuruta took a step out of his room again.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kuroro saw Kurapica moving closer, until finally, the boy was standing right by his seat on his right side. He tilted his head up and slightly to the side in silent acknowledgement and question. The blond didn't answer, but he looked at him thoughtfully for some time. They stared at each other, Kuroro's face carefully blank, Kurapica's wearing a slight frown. Minutes trickled by. Just as Kuroro decided that the Kuruta was simply going to stand there wordlessly and the Spider head thought he could return to his reading, the younger man moved. What he did took Kuroro completely by surprise.

He kissed him.

It was a quick peck, placed on the very corner of this lips, a mere touch, light as a butterfly wing, and then it was gone. Kuroro blinked and turned his head to look at the blond fully, but already Kurapica was moving away. Kuroro snagged his wrist to hold him back and the Kuruta stopped, his face still turned away from the older man. He didn't look back at him. Kuroro weighed his options. He would have to tread carefully if he wanted to see more of the blond with his defences down. He could pursue him now and push for more than kiss, or he could let him go. If the boy had kissed him as an invitation and he didn't take it, he might never try again. But if he had done it strictly on impulse and was now ashamed of his behaviour, pursuing him would only make it worse. Either way, he could undo a lot of the progress he had made with the boy so far. He needed to take the risk one way or another.

He let go.

As expected, Kurapica walked back to his room and shut the door. Kuroro sighed softly and started counting. One. Two. Three. Four. When he made it to one hundred and sixty-nine, he marked his page, closed the book on his lap got up. The two light knocks he did on Kurapica's door got him no reply. “Kurapica,” he called out softly. “Kurapica, I'm coming in.” When that received no more answer than the knocks, he opened the door. He quickly found Kurapica's silhouette in the dark bedroom. He was sitting on the side of his bed, his back to the door.

Kuroro walked in, shut the door behind himself and made his way to the foot of the bed. He sat so that his left shoulder brushed against Kurapica's back as he breathed. There was a moment of silence where neither moved nor spoke. Kuroro broke it first. “You kissed me,” he remarked.

Kurapica tensed up, but he nodded. “I did,” he replied, and Kuroro was amused that the current exchange was mirroring perfectly the one they had had after he had kissed the blond for the first time.

He wouldn't ask him why Kurapica had kissed him, though.“I wanted to let you know I appreciate it,” he said instead.

He moved to get up, but found Kurapica's hand around his wrist, holding him fast. Those large, green-blue eyes turned to him, studying him for a brief moment. Then, Kurapica surprised him. Again. “Can I,” the blond began, then licked his lips and frowned lightly, looking consternated. He swallowed, then tried again. “Can I do it one more time?” he asked, somewhat uncertainly.

Kuroro smiled, careful not to let the elation he felt with this small victory show on his face. “Of course,” he whispered softly. “As many times as you would like.”

“Just this once,” Kurapica said firmly with slight shake of his head.

Another beat of silence, and then the blond closed the distance between them and placed his lips gently on Kuroro's. The taller man waited a bit, but when Kurapica moved away, he followed him, locking their lips together firmly. He moved slowly, wrapping his right arm around the back of Kurapica's waist, half twisting his body so he could face him fully. He ran his tongue over the boy's lips and Kurapica gasped softly. It was so tempting to just delve in right then, but Kurapica had initiated this kiss, and he should let him believe he was in control of it, if he wanted the blond to do it again in the future. He pulled away.

Kurapica stared at him, his eyes wide and a light blush gracing his cheeks. He closed his mouth quickly, his teeth clicking together in his haste. He swallowed. “That's enough, he said when he found his voice again.

Kuroro nodded and got up. “Thank you,” he said as he left the room and closed the door behind himself once more.

Chapter Text

Kurapica awoke the next morning, his hand clenched around the plane ticket. He knew it was stupid to think Kuroro would just come and snatch it out of his hand during the night, but he sort of expected the master thief to do just that. But there it was, still clasped firmly in his hand. He sat up. The flight was scheduled to depart at three in the afternoon. He eyed the alarm clock on his bedside table. Barely nine-thirty. He raked his free hand through his hair and rubbed at the back of his head. With a sigh, he pushed himself up and made his way over to his luggage. He put his plane ticket away at the bottom of the bag and selected a change of clothes in which he would feel comfortable enough to travel. Then he went to the bathroom for a long, much needed shower. He tried to settle his nerves, trying not to expect to be let go of so easily, not knowing how he would deal with the deception if this was snatched from under his nose. But, since he kept listening intently, trying to hear if Kuroro so much as stepped into his room, he couldn't really relax.

He stepped out from under the water jet and dried himself quickly before changing into his clothes for the day. He stepped out and immediately walked to his luggage. His plane ticket was still there. He breathed. He went into the main area of their suite and went over to the coffee machine. Kuroro walked out of his room just as Kurapica was done making the first cup. Wordlessly, he left it on the counter and turned to the other man. He paused. Kuroro was only dressed in a pair of loose-fitting pants. Kurapica blushed and turned away, feeling embarrassed. He focused on getting himself a cup of much-needed caffeine. Kuroro walked up next to him and grabbed the cup that was on the counter. “Thank you,” he said.

“You're welcome,” Kurapica answered, because he couldn't just not reply. He licked his lips, and immediately regretted it, since he felt Kuroro's eyes focus on them. He cleared his throat, started the little coffee machine, then turned slightly towards the older man, though he couldn't quite look at him directly. “Will you,” his voice was a little tight and he had to try again, “will you drive me to the airport?”

Kuroro nodded. “If you send me a text, I'll pick you up when you come back, too.”

Kurapica blinked, taken aback. He wasn't even thinking about coming back just yet. “I ah, I don't have your number,” he said, to cover for his odd pause. He got his cellphone out of his pocket. “What is it?”

Kuroro had a strange little look for a moment, then he smiled. “zero-nine-zero,” he began, and Kurapica typed in the digits as he said them.

Once he had entered them in his phone, he pressed the call button. A moment, and then they heard Kuroro's phone vibrate against the wood of the nightstand in his room. Kurapica disconnected the call. “There,” he said, “now you have mine, too.”

“Thank you,” Kuroro said, his eyes on him. Kurapica turned back to put creamer in his coffee, just so he wouldn't have to see those large, unblinking eyes studying his face. “Can I ask you for a personal favour?”

Kurapica took a sip of coffee to steady his nerves first. Then he turned around and leaned back against the counter. “You can ask,” he said warily.

“Monday, twenty-third of May,” Kuroro said, then paused. Kurapica tried not to take the bait. He really did. But in the end, he couldn't do it. He turned to face the older man, looking up questioningly at him. “Would you call me?” Kuroro finally finished, once their eyes had met.

“Why?” Kurapica asked in confusion.

Kuroro shrugged. “It's just a favour I'm asking. You don't have to do it, if you don't want to.”

It was Kurapica's turn to study him. He considered not doing it, but then, maybe. He entered the date in his alerts just in case. “We'll see,” was his only answer. Then he went back to his coffee.

Kuroro nodded and retrieved the bag of pastries he'd bought the day before. “Hungry?” he asked the blond.

Kurapica thought about it for a moment. “Yeah,” he finally said, and he took his coffee to the table.

Kuroro peered into the box he had in his hands and asked, “Brioche or croissant?”

Kurapica smiled. “Both?”

Kuroro looked at him, paused and let this slow, slow smile light up his expression. “Both it is,” he said, sounding pleased. Kurapica wasn't sure what he had done to make the older man happy, but he decided not to dwell on it too much. He took the pastries from Kuroro and started on his croissant first, taking a sip of coffee in between each bite. The Spider head sat across the table from him and started eating, too. The meal went by in complete silence. Kurapica could feel Kuroro's searching eyes on him. He figured the man was just trying to determine whether the blond would run or not. Kurapica kept his face carefully blank. And he succeeded, too, until he looked up in time to see Kuroro lick a bit of icing off of his thumb. Then his eyes went wide and he felt his cheeks grow warm. The older man blinked at him and paused, and Kurapica hastily lowered his head. Across the table, complete silence. Kurapica wished he could understand the older man, but the truth was, he had no idea what Kuroro was thinking.

As soon as he was done eating and drinking his coffee, he retreated to his room as fast as he could politely do so. Around noon, Kuroro knocked at his door. When Kurapica opened it, he saw the Ryodan leader was now dressed in grey slacks and a black turtle neck. He had a jacket on, too and he looked quite sharp. Kurapica blinked at him. “Are you going somewhere?” he asked him looking him up and down slowly.

“Yes,” Kuroro said with a little smile. “Are you ready? I'm taking you out to eat before your flight.”

Kurapica looked down at himself, taking in his jeans, t-shirt and hoodie. “I'm... not exactly dressed to go out,” he said.

“Doesn't matter,” Kuroro said. “You look beautiful. Are you ready?”

Kurapica said, “One minute,” and he disappeared back into his bedroom to rapidly pack the rest of his toiletries in the duffel bag he had selected to take with him. Then he picked it up and was about to take it out to the car, but Kuroro leaned down a bit and took it from his hand. Kurapica blinked. Wordlessly, the Spider head walked out of their suite and together, they made their way down to the ground floor.

“I'll probably be here until you return,” Kuroro told the blond, “So I figured I might as well get a car.” As he had said, there was a sleek black car in front of the hotel. With the press of a button on Kuroro's key ring, the trunk popped open. He placed Kurapica's bag inside, then made his way to the driver side. Kurapica was already in the passenger seat when he slid behind the wheel. “What do you fancy for lunch?” the older man asked.

Kurapica thought about it for a moment. “Mild curry,” he finally decided.

Kuroro nodded and started the car. He drove through the streets effortlessly, and he seemed to know where he was going because he soon parked outside a restaurant that looked neither too upscale nor too casual. They were shown to a table by a large window. They sat across from each other and barely spoke for the duration of the meal, but it wasn't really uncomfortable. Kurapica felt actually... more at ease than he had the past few days. Maybe it was the thought of seeing his friends that calmed down his frayed nerves. Just the thought of seeing Gon again, and Killua, and Leorio.

Crap, Leorio.

He really didn't know what to make of it all. Kuroro was just paying the bill when he paused. He must have noticed something on Kurapica's face, because his tilted his head and asked, “Are you all right?”

“I'm fine,” Kurapica said. He didn't mean to lie, but he just didn't know how to begin to explain it. “Now what?” he asked instead. “Airport?” Kuroro nodded and motioned for him to precede him out of the door. He drove him to the airport and Kurapica checked in. He wouldn't feel certain that this was real until he was through security and was up and flying, but just before Kurapica was going to go through the gate, Kuroro stopped him with a hand on his arm. The blond turned to face him, instantly worried. Was Kuroro going to decide not to let him go? Now, now that he was just about to leave?

Instead, the Spider head asked, “Can you give me one more kiss before you leave?” His voice was soft, but his eyes were fixed on Kurapica's, searching his gaze.

The blond looked around, to all the people coming and going and he hesitated. “Here?” he wanted to know. “There are so many people around.”

“Are you ashamed of kissing me?” Kuroro asked. Truth was, Kurapica didn't want to kiss him, not here. But he was ready to do it, if it meant the Spider head would let him go. He could do this. He took a step closer and reached up to place his hands on either side of Kuroro's face, then pushed himself to the balls of his feet so he was more level with him. His lips pressed on the taller man's for a moment longer than was strictly necessary. He lowered himself, licked and bit his lower lip, blushing a little in embarrassment. Kuroro was smiling, though. “Thank you,” he said. “Have a safe trip.”

Kurapica didn't know what to say to that, so he nodded and turned away, hitching his duffel bag higher on his shoulder. He went through security, expecting trouble, but there were none. Soon, he was on a dirigible on his way to Zaban city. He had one of Kuroro's books with him and he read on the flight there, still too mentally rattled to know what to think of everything that had happened with Kuroro just yet. When he was about an hour away, he sent the other three a text reading “On my way now,” along with his flight information and projected time of arrival.

He didn't think any of them were going to be in town yet, but when he went through the gates in Zaban, there was Gon, waving wildly at him and calling up his name excitedly, and Killua, hands in his pockets, looking at him, too. Kurapica walked over to them and he waved, unable and unwilling to stop a smile from pulling at his lips. “Gon, Killua. It's good to see you.”

“I'm so glad you came!” Gon said excitedly. “Leorio's waiting in the car. We're in a no-parking zone 'cause you didn't let us know you were coming in advance, so we had to rush a bit.”

“Ah,” Kurapica said uncomfortably. “Leorio's here already?” A small frown pulled at his features. Gon didn't seem to notice, but when the younger boy turned away from him and started walking towards the doors, he felt a heavy gaze on him. He turned his head and found Killua staring at him intently. When their eyes met, though, the silver-haired boy shrugged, turned around and followed his friend. After a pause, Kurapica went after them. They had left the passenger seat to him so he slipped in and fastened his seat-belt.

Leorio gave him one of his wide, happy grin. “Hey, Kurapica,” he greeted. “Glad you could make it. A'right, are we all ready to go?”

“Ready!” Gon called out, sounding excited.

“Ready,” Killua said with a shrug.

Leorio turned to him and Kurapica's heart sank, for some reason. He found he couldn't speak, so he just nodded. Leorio put the car in drive and steered them out of the airport parking, which took the better part of fifteen minutes. The drive was tense, at least for Kurapica. He kept glancing at Leorio out of the corner of his eye, trying to see if his discomfort was apparent to the would-be doctor. Sometimes, their eyes met and Leorio would just grin. Kurapica found he couldn't even smile in return. At least, he had always been rather quiet, so it didn't seem to bother the others too much.

When they arrived to the hotel, Gon said, “We got a giant suite with four rooms cause we were hoping you'd come!”

Kurapica nodded and got out of the car to follow them. As luck would have it, Leorio fell in step next to him. He leaned over, his hand wrapping around the strap of Kurapica's duffel bag. The blond frowned lightly at him. “What are you doing?” he asked, somewhat confused with Leorio's behaviour.

“Carrying your bag?” Leorio said uncertainly, blinking in surprise.

“I've got it,” Kurapica assured him. Then added a lighter, “What floor are we on?”

Leorio shoved his hands in his pockets. “Seventh floor,” he said. Kurapica saw Killua glance back at them. Then Gon reached the elevators and called one. Soon, Kurapica was shown into a large living room type area. “First door on the right is yours,” Leorio informed him. “I have the room next to you and the kids have the rooms to the left.” He grinned, ignoring Killua semi-glare at the appellation of 'kid.'

Kurapica went to the room he was assigned. “I'm going to take a shower,” he called out. “Then maybe we can have dinner and catch up?” He got a thumb up from Leorio, a shrug from Killua and an excited nod from Gon. He couldn't help the happy smile that forced its way onto his face again. “Great,” he breathed out. “See you in a bit.”

Chapter Text

“So what's with the getup?” Leorio asked suddenly. They were sitting in a restaurant and had just placed their order. As soon as the waitress was gone, the oldest of the four had placed his question. They all turned to Kurapica.

He blinked. “I'm sorry?”

“Your clothes,” Leorio said, waving his drinking straw in Kurapica's general direction. Kurapica looked down at himself. Jeans and a sleeveless zip-up top. “I thought you always wore tribal stuff.”

“Ah, well,” Kurapica shifted uncomfortably. They were all looking at him now. “My outfit was ruined sometime last month. I haven't had the time to have another one made.”

“Ruined?” Killua asked, his eyes suddenly very sharp.

Kurapica nodded and clasped his hands together under the table. “In a fight.” He saw the startled glances they threw one another. “Against the Spiders,” he specified. There was a collective gasp around the table. “Six of them,” he added.

“And you're still alive?” Leorio sputtered in disbelief.

Kurapica had a wry smile. “Sort of,” he answered. They all blinked at him. With a sigh, he raised his right hand. “They sealed my Nen,” he explained. “I don't know how, yet. But I'm going to find out, and remove the bind. For now, however, our arrangement suits me.”

“Arrangement?” Leorio was beside himself. Kurapica knew it was only worry making him freak out, but it was a little irritating. “What arrangement?”

The blond looked from Leorio, to Gon, to Killua, then back to Leorio. “I'm... currently travelling with their leader.” There was another collective gasp at the table. “We're working on retrieving all of the Scarlet Eyes currently held in collections around the world.”

“So that newscast we saw from Erestor?” Gon turned to Killua.

The Silver-haired boy continued, “Really was about Kurapica, apparently.”

They all turned back to the blond. “Um,” he said uncomfortably, “I have to admit, since I'm working with the Ryodan, we don't, ah, get the Eyes in a, well, an honest manner.” Kurapica lowered his head. “It's a temporary truce and I...” He bit his lower lip hesitantly. “There's nothing I wouldn't do to get them back. Nothing.” When he finally had the courage to look up, Leorio and Gon were gaping at him, but Killua had a pensive look on his young features.

“How many pairs have you retrieved so far?” he wanted to know.

“Eight,” Kurapica answered. “There are still twenty eight pairs that we need to get to.”

“That's great!!” Gon suddenly exclaimed. Kurapica blinked at him. “You didn't know how you were going to find all of the Eyes of your people,” Gon explained. “And now, you've already found eight pairs! Working with Kuroro Lucifer is really helping with your goal, so I think it's great.” He hesitated. “Even if I don't like him, personally.”

Killua nodded his ascent. “When did you start working with that guy, last month?” Kurapica nodded again. “So it's been a month –”

“More like six weeks,” Kurapica interjected.

“– six weeks,” Killua corrected, “and you've already got eight pairs. In the previous five years, you only got one, right?”

“Not even,” Kurapica said darkly. “It was a fake created by a Materialization class Nen user.”

“I'd say it's working with the guy, then, right?” Killua leaned back in his chair. “Even if he's a creep.”

Kurapica hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah,” he said. “It's worth it.” Leorio was looking at his strangely, so the blond turned to him and tilted his head. “What?” he asked softly, suddenly worried over what Leorio would say in front of Gon and Killua. It's not that he was ashamed of what had happened between them, or that he regretted the kiss. He just... didn't feel comfortable discussing it in front of the younger members of their little group. He suddenly wondered, could Leorio see the change in him? Could he see that Kurapica had been kissed by someone else, had been... touched? Would he know that something happened between Kuroro and him?

But Leorio only shook his head. “Nothing.” He frowned for a moment. “It just... doesn't seem like you to work this way, that's all.”

Kurapica shrugged lightly with only one shoulder. “I allied myself with Hisoka in York Shin to get to the Gen'ei Ryodan. I can work with the Ryodan leader if it helps me accomplish one of my goals at least.”

Leorio tilted his head. “Well, okay.” He shrugged. But then their food arrived, and the conversation diverged towards lighter topic. Kurapica could still feel their eyes on him, though. Dinner was tense, for him. He was nearly glad when it was over. Back at their hotel, they all settled on the plush couch and armchairs. Kurapica made himself some tea. Maybe they could sense that he was uncomfortable talking about his time with the Spider head, so they didn't ask him anymore question that day. But Kurapica knew the questions would come soon enough. When Gon started yawning, they each returned to their room. Kurapica was nearly relieved that he wouldn't have to bear their scrutinizing looks anymore. And as soon as the thought popped into his mind, he felt guilty for it. There were his friends. He could trust them. They wouldn't judge him. They were already trying to take his new situation in stride.

He was supposed to be taking this time away from Kuroro to think about his current situation, but everything was still a mess in his head and in his heart. He closed his eyes and wished for quiet, wished his thoughts to stop whirling around, wished for his mind to stop desperately clutching at straws. When sleep came, it was haunted by dreams, dreams of dark, unblinking eyes staring through his very soul.

Morning came too soon. Kurapica wandered out of his room and zeroed in on the coffee machine. It served single cups and he made one. He added creamer and sipped at it slowly, leaning back against the counter. A door opened and Killua wandered out of his room. “Oh, hi,” he said when he spotted Kurapica.

“Good morning,” the blond replied. He nearly offered him coffee, but then he remembered that Killua didn't drink it. “I was thinking of going to buy some pastries or something for breakfast.” He took a sip and made a face. “And decent coffee.” He looked at Killua. “Is there anything you'd like to eat?”

Killua regarded him quietly for a moment, then he turned away and shrugged. “I'll come with,” he said. “Need to stretch my legs a bit anyway. Just give me a minute to get out of my Pjs.”

“Okay,” Kurapica said, though he had the feeling that the questions he was dreading were coming his way faster than he could prepare for them. He finished his coffee and went to change as well before meeting back with Killua by the door. “Ready?” he asked him.

“Ready,” Killua acknowledged.

They went out into the hallway and quietly made their way to the elevators. The silence was heavy and nearly driving Kurapica mad. It was probably the longest elevator ride he had ever been on. When they finally reached the ground floor, he nearly sighed in relief. A question to the clerk at the counter, and they were pointed to a small street to the side, lined with small shops and restaurants. They walked together, looking up at the shop names, trying to spot a bakery or something similar. They had gone perhaps two blocks, when Killua finally spoke up. “So, you done it with him yet?”

Kurapica had been dreading questions, but this one took him by surprise. He had no clue what Killua was asking, so he turned an inquisitive look onto his younger friend. “Have I done what with whom?” he finally asked, eyes turning back ahead to scan the street's shop signs for a cafe or bakery.

“You know, it. With that Danchou guy. Have you had se–”

Kurapica suddenly understood what Killua was referring to, and he interrupted with a sharp, “Don't!” His voice was harsher than he'd meant. He forced himself to calm down. “Don't say it. I understand the question; just don't say it.”

Killua looked cheeky and smug. He shrugged. “Sure, whatever.” They walked a few paces but he wouldn't leave it alone. “So, you done it?”

“No, I most certainly have not.”

“Aw, why not? He's not all that bad-looking, though a bit on the creepy side.” He tugged a sucker free of its plastic wrapper and popped it in his mouth.

“Because, Killua, he's evil.”

“What makes you say that?” The boy looked up at Kurapica, looking like he was challenging him to give him a good reason for this assessment. It bothered the blond, but he wasn't sure why it did exactly.

“He's killed so, so many people and it doesn't even occur to him that it could be wrong.”

“So've I,” Killua retorted. “Even killed that old-timer right in front of you at the end of the Hunter Exam.”

Kurapica closed him mouth, lips drawing a thin, unhappy line. “You had your reasons,” he finally said.

“Ever thought that maybe he does, too? I'm not saying some kind of sappy crap like it's to save someone's life or whatever. I mean, life, death, it's all bullshit to me. Cause that's what I've always done. Hell, if it wasn't for Gon, I'd probably be killing people for money still. So am I evil?”

Kurapica didn't know what to answer to that. He wanted to say no, but that would mean he would have to accept that though Kuroro had made some decisions that had proven disastrous for the Kuruta, he was not an evil person. But he couldn't – simply could not – see Killua as evil.

“See what I mean?” Killua grinned. “So yeah, he killed people. Tons of 'em. Doesn't make him evil.”

“He's killed my people,” Kurapica said with some heat. “My entire tribe – massacred!”

“But you're still falling for the guy.” Kurapica turned a startled look on his friend. “So what's that saying about you, Kurapica?”

“I'm no– I haven'– It's not like –”

“No use denying it. It's written all over ya.” Killua turned to look back at the blond who had just stopped walking from the shock.

“I'm no– How.... How do you know that?!”

“Told you.” Killua pulled the sucker out of his mouth and used it to point at Kurapica's face. “It's written all over your face. I mean, back in York Shin, you so had the hots for pops. The way you looked at Leorio was all 'gonna snog the life outta ya' kinda way. Which reminds me, did you?”

Kurapica needed to sit down. He felt a little faint. Just how easy to read was he? “Did I what?”

“Kiss Leorio.”

“Oh. Yeah... Well, he kissed me first, I suppose.”

“When? Was that in York Shin?” Kurapica nodded, his cheeks growing hot. He couldn't believe that he was telling all of this to Killua of all people. “French kiss?”

“Killua!!” Kurapica felt his face getting hotter and hotter. “He, he did. But it was... a little too intense for me. So I walked him back to his hotel and gave him a quick goodnight kiss and left. Now are we done with the embarrassing questions?”

“You walked him home and kissed him goodnight?! Jesus, Kurapica! What century are you from?!” A sudden thought occurred to the younger boy and he blinked. “Wait, you walked Leorio home... and... Ha! So he's the girlfriend?!” And he started laughing, laughing and laughing until he was doubled over, holding his stomach. “That is priceless! Oh man, I wish I'd seen that!”

“You know,” Kurapica started tentatively, “I think if I were to hold to gender role stereotypes, I wouldn't have kissed a man.” But still Killua laughed until Kurapica had to smile. Well, there was some humour in the situation, he had to admit. He started walking again and Killua followed, still laughing.

Once he managed to stop, he tilted his head and grinned up at the blond. “But you like that Spider guy now. Or at least, you don't look at Leorio like you want him in your bed anymore.”

“Killua!!”

“More like,” the boy continued without so much as a pause, “you look at pops like you feel bad about something. At first I thought it was maybe something like not liking him anymore cause you spent so much time apart, but then in York Shin, we hadn't seen you for six months, so this couldn't have been it. So, you like someone else. Who? Well, you said you were working on retrieving your pals' eyes with the Spider head. So there you have it.”

“I wasn't aware I was this easy to read,” Kurapica said, unable to even meet Killua's eyes.

“Don't worry,” the younger boy shrugged. “Gon's denser than a ton of bricks, and I don't think pops' figured it out yet.”

“I'm going insane.” Kurapica shook his head. “I must be going completely insane.”

“Ah! I see a bakery!” Killua suddenly pointed. “C'mon, Kurapica! I'm starving already. Let's buy tons of pastries and take 'em back to the hotel.” He went in.

Kurapica looked at his friend and couldn't help smiling a little. Then he tilted his head, shrugged, and went in after him. He felt like he had a lot to think about, but in a different direction than his thoughts were going before this strange conversation. He didn't know what it meant yet, but he had a few weeks to figure it out.

Chapter Text

Kuroro drove off from the airport and picked up his cellphone. He'd stayed long enough to see Kurapica's plane take off and, reassured that the boy was on his way to Zaban city, he'd decided on his next course of action. He didn't return to the hotel. He drove out of the small town and dialed the sixth number he had on speed-dial. He held his phone to his ear with his right hand, his left on the wheel as he drove. After three rings, the call was picked up. “Danchou?” His voice was a little shaky. He sounded uncertain. Good.

“Did you think there would be no consequences to your actions?” he asked calmly.

“No,” the other said. “I'm ready to accept whatever punishment you feel I deserve.” His voice was much calmer now. He had expected this. The Ryodan leader was pleased.

“Where are you?” he asked his underling.

“I'm in Merenke,” was the answer.

“I thought so,” Kuroro said. “Take a plane. Meet me in Xanthe. You have three hours.”

“Yes, Danchou. I'll be there.” The line went dead.

Kuroro sighed softly, then called speed-dial number five.

“Danchou,” Machi acknowledged after the fourth ring.

“Machi, I need you to do something. Are you free at the moment?”

“Yeah, sure,” she said. “What do you need?”

“I'm meeting number six in Xanthe. He's gone against my orders and I will need you to keep an eye on him after I'm done talking to him. Can you be there soon enough?”

“I could probably get there by midnight,” she replied, “but I can't promise. I'm leaving now.”

“Good,” Kuroro said and he hung up. He tossed his phone onto the passenger seat and tightened both his hands on the steering wheel. He had a lot to think about. He knew something like this was bound to happen, but this was not the person he had anticipated would make things difficult for him. He thought back on everything that had happened since he'd captured the Kuruta six weeks prior. There were too many near-misses for it all to have been just coincidence. Things had turned out all right in the end, and there was a chance that what has happened in Merenke had been the catalyst that had rendered what had happened between Kurapica and him possible, but he still didn't take to people going against his wishes very lightly. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about it, yet. But he wanted to hear the explanations from his underling, at least. He'd decide what the consequences would be after he had heard the man out.

Xanthe was a good two hours away on the highway. He made it in a little more than one. It was probably a good thing the Kuruta wasn't with him. He didn't care much about killing policemen if they came after him, but Kurapica would have objected and so Kuroro would have been forced to actually obey the speed limit. Without the blond to object to potential murder, he had no qualms about driving at the speed he wanted. Once in Xanthe, he found an old, dilapidated, empty apartment building and texted the address to the two members of the Spider who were going to meet him. Then, he went for a cup of coffee in town. A half hour before the time he had given his underling as the latest time he would be allowed to arrive, Kuroro returned to the building and waited. Ten minutes later, he heard footsteps in the courtyard, so he closed the book he had been reading and set it down next to him on top of the collapsed column he was sitting on. He didn't have long to wait.

“Danchou,” the young man greeted. He looked determined rather than scared, something that made Kuroro somewhat proud. If anything, it showed the youth to be courageous and ready to own up to his actions.

“Shal,” he greeted in return. “You know why I called you here.”

“I know,” Shalnark acquiesced.

“Well?” Kuroro asked patiently. Shalnark looked around, obviously looking for the Kuruta. “He's not here,” the Spider head said calmly. “You can speak freely.”

Shalnark's eyes went wide. He was obviously about to ask something, but then he seemed to remember the position he was in and he shrugged. “I hate him,” he stated quietly. “I don't want him around us, not anymore than he wants to be.”

“Because of Ubo-san?” Kuroro guessed.

Shalnark nodded. “I know death is an inevitable part of the job and that the Kuruta has earned the right to join us, but...” His voice broke and Kuroro was taken aback.

This... was so unlike Shalnark. The young man was always smiling, always friendly and happy, whatever happened. He clearly had to reassess a few things. “Were you and Ubo-san...?” He hesitated to ask the question, because the thought of two of his Spiders being romantically involved was something he had dismissed as entirely unlikely.

Shalnark shook his head. “We weren't. We weren't, but...” He hesitated. “I did like him.”

Kuroro nodded, accepting this answer. “I had not realized,” he said honestly. “I considered that Nobunaga would be a problem because of his close friendship with Ubo-san, but you had never seemed all that attached to any one of the group.”

Shalnark nodded. “That was the way it was for the longest time,” he agreed. “I mean, I like everyone well enough, but we're all going to die sooner or later. So not caring felt like the best solution.” He licked his lips slowly, obviously choosing his next words carefully. “I respect you, Danchou. But with him, it was just... different.” He paused. They looked at each other in silence for a long moment. Kuroro didn't want to say anything and risk making Shalnark close up. Eventually, the young Spider spoke again. “I didn't expect that this big, lumbering idiot would sneak under my skin like this. And I thought – it's silly, but I thought he'd never get killed. He was so strong.” He lowered his head. Silence fell once more. Minutes stretched between them. Kuroro knew his underling wasn't finished. Soon enough, Shalnark added, “He was always calling me, annoying me, inviting me out. Flirting without even really knowing he was doing it. The idiot.” He bit his lips here, obviously fighting with himself not to let his pain show. Kuroro had never seen him unsmiling, before. It was all rather surprising. Shalnark continued, “I don't know how he managed to get to me. At first, I found him kind of annoying, actually.” He shrugged sadly.

Kuroro regarded him in silence. But this time, the younger man didn't speak up again. The Spider head thought back on what he had just been told. Well, here was something that he had genuinely not anticipated. In view of this, Shalnark's actions made more sense. But still, the disobedience could not go unpunished. “This helps me understand a little better,” Kuroro said, not unkindly. “Your actions were so at odd with what I knew of you that I was genuinely surprised. Still,” his voice hardened, “you went against my will and this cannot be allowed to happen without consequences.”

“I know, Danchou.” Shalnark nodded. “I knew you would be able to survive, no matter what. I was just hoping the Kuruta would die and you would move on to find another member to replace Ubo.” He looked around again. “Can I ask –”

“No,” Kuroro said, cutting him short, “you may not. I'm trying to think on how to deal with you and until my decision is made, consider yourself my prisoner. If you attempt to leave, I will kill you. Am I clear?”

Shalnark lowered his head and nodded. “Very clear, sir.”

Kuroro tapped the tips of his fingers together a few times. Then he brought the side of his thumbs up to his mouth, partially hiding the thoughtful frown he could feel pulling at his lips. He had to consider everything carefully. On the one hand, Shalnark had betrayed him, in a way. Although he had not expressly ordered anyone not to put Kurapica in harm's way, he had implied that he expected his Spiders not to. On the other hand, Shalnark had acted according to his emotions for the very first time. He had never defied him before. And now that he had, he was ready to take whatever punishment was coming his way. Then there was his history with Ubogin to consider. “All right,” Kuroro said after considering all of the variables at length, and he clasped his hands together in front of him, “here is my decision. In view of this being your first offence, that you have always obeyed me in everything in the past, never defied me and that you had a close relationship with Ubo-san that I was not aware of, I am not going to kill you. But you are going to be under close supervision until further notice. Machi is on her way here. You are to be with her at all times until such time as I feel appropriate. Should you leave her side without another Spider to watch you, I will consider you a traitor and order your death. Do you accept this punishment?”

Shalnark didn't even hesitate. “Yes,” he said. “I would have accepted death, if you had thought I deserved it.”

“Which is also why I don't intend to punish you more than this,” Kuroro said. “Another question; you lost us in Erestor, am I correct?”

“Yes,” Shalnark answered. “Until I heard of a robbery in Quedlin, but by the time I got there, you had already left. I caught up with you in Merenke after the museum robbery over there.”

Kuroro nodded, pleased that his plan had at least somewhat worked, getting Shalnark off of their tail for a bit, at least. Even if he didn't know that it was Shal back then. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and said, “Now that we're done discussing this, I will require your help.”

Shalnark looked suddenly so happy that Kuroro had to his a smile by putting his hand over his mouth as if deep in thoughts. “Of course,” the young Spider said. “Anything.”

“There are five pairs of Scarlet Eyes in this region. I want them. We'll start with this town, you and me. Machi's arriving either late tonight or tomorrow. When she gets here, we will part. You will retrieve two pairs, while I'll go get the remaining ones. Then we'll meet here again.”

“We're still gathering the eyes?” Shalnark asked, and there was a light frown on his face.

Kuroro suddenly understood what he had been assuming, and he shook his head. “Kurapica isn't dead,” he said, “nor was he captured.”

Shalnark's lips drew a thin, unhappy line. “Where is he?” he asked.

“I sent him away,” Kuroro said. “I will not tell you where – I think I don't need to explain to you why.” Shalnark nodded here. The Spider head continued, “I also don't think I need to remind you that I'm serious about him joining the Spiders. Which means you will have to work with him. I do not want your emotions to get in the way. However, because I am now aware of them, I will keep him away from you until you are once again master of yourself.”

Shalnark swallowed and nodded. “Can I,” he began hesitantly, then paused. “You don't need to answer this if you don't want to, but I want to ask you something.”

“You may ask,” Kuroro told him.

“You know he'll probably turn on you at the first possible opportunity he gets.” Kuroro nodded and Shalnark continued, “How could you send him away, knowing he might use this as his chance to escape?”

“Because if he doesn't come back, I know I can find him and kill him,” Kuroro answered easily.

“Would you, though?” Shalnark asked him.

Kuroro frowned lightly, not quite sure what the young man meant by this question. “Would I what?”

“Kill him,” Shalnark answered. “Would you actually go and kill him if he didn't return?”

Kuroro paused. At first, he was tempted to just brush the question aside lightly. Would he kill Kurapica if he betrayed him? Of course he would. It was preposterous to even think he wouldn't. But then, he realized, he really hoped it wouldn't come to that. “I'd rather not,” he answered truthfully. “But I will if I must.”

Shalnark nodded slowly. “Okay,” he said. He seemed deep in thoughts, so Kuroro let him be for the moment. He had a lot to think about himself, and for the longest time, they remained silent, each lost in his own mind. Finally, Shalnark spoke up again. “Last question, and again, you don't need to answer it if you don't want to. I'm not asking to challenge your authority.”

“Ask away,” Kuroro said.

“Are you sleeping with him?”

Kuroro regarded him in silence for some time, wondering how to answer the question. “That's a strange thing to ask,” he finally said. “Before I answer you, I want to know what prompted the question.”

Shalnark thought for a moment. “I think it was in Merenke,” he said after a minute or two. “I can't quite explain it, but the way you acted around him was somewhat... Mm, something between protective and possessive. I'm not sure if that makes sense.”

Kuroro thought about it, analyzing his behaviour and how it was different to how he acted before he parted with Shalnark and Machi. “I'm not sleeping with him,” he finally said. “But it would be a way to bind him to me, a way that I am actually considering and that I've been considering for a while.”

“Okay,” Shalnark said, which actually surprised Kuroro. He expected him to be rather upset with the whole thing. But then, Shalnark was apparently very good at hiding his true feelings. “Sounds like a logical plan,” the young Spider said. Kuroro looked at him silently and Shal shifted uncomfortably. “Well, it is,” he said. “You said I had to control my emotions, Danchou. I will. I won't let you down again. I still hate him. I probably always will. But I won't let it control me.”

And once more, Kuroro felt an odd sort of pride in this young man. He was glad to have Shalnark working for him. He was glad he probably wouldn't need to kill him. He wasn't quite ready to trust him again just yet. But hopefully, in time, he would be able to.

Chapter Text

The first few days went by in a flash for Kurapica. Zaban wasn't a big town by any stretch of the imagination, and there wasn't all that much to do, certainly not like there had been in York Shin, but it was all right with the four of them. They hadn't seen one another since they had parted in York Shin eight months prior. There was a lot of catching up to do. At first, they had just hung around in their suite and in coffee shops, catching up on what had been going on in their lives. Kurapica spoke little, but he often caught both Killua and Leorio studying him quietly when they thought he couldn't see them.

Thursday afternoon, he was pretty desperate for some private time. He could have just locked himself in his room, but he had finished the book Kuroro had loaned him before he left and he didn't really want the others to come knocking on his door to get him to spend time with them. He loved them all, but he hadn't been able to just leave on his own and do his own thing in months, and he just had enough. He had been holed up in his room all morning, and when he came out, the other three looked up from a board game they had set up on the coffee table.

Leorio noticed he'd put a hoodie on and he asked, “Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah,” the blond replied. “Feeling a little cramped. I'm just going to try and find a library or something.”

“Geh,” Gon made a face and Kurapica chuckled softly.

“You should bring back a game that doesn't suck,” Killua said.

“Hey,” Gon pouted at him, “I like this game!”

“How can you like this game?!” Killua asked incredulously. “There's no soundtrack, no control, nothing. It uses dice and pieces for f–”

Leorio asked, “Do you want me to come with?”

Kurapica shook his head apologetically. “I haven't been able to just go somewhere on my own in months, Leorio.” He had a little smile. “I'll be back around dinner time, all right?”

The would-be doctor looked a little crestfallen, but he had the grace not to push him. “Okay,” he said and waved, “see ya tonight.”

“Later,” Kurapica said and made his way to the door.

“Kurapica,” Killua called out after him, “bring back a game. A game!”

The Kuruta chuckled and let the door fall shut, muffling the sounds coming from the other three. He breathed slowly in and out, then turned away and made his way to the elevators. The ever helpful clerk downstairs pointed him to the municipal library. He walked briskly, hands shoved in the pockets of his hoodie. The weather was sunny and spring was on the air. Kurapica took narrow streets that were only open to pedestrian traffic, enjoying the wind on his face and the sudden feeling of freedom he found himself with. He was nearly disappointed when he reached the library.

It was bigger than he had anticipated. He even managed to find a few books that seemed to focus on topics he'd heard of but not previously taken the time to read about. He selected a few that seemed particularly promising, and these he took back to a table so he could peruse them in peace. He opened the one on the top of his little pile and unzipped his hoodie, slipping his arms out of the sleeves as he started on the first paragraph. Two chapters in, he set the book aside. He'd had a long discussion on the subject with Kuroro after their visit to the planetarium and the volume wasn't teaching him anything new. The second book only had one chapter he was interested in and it only took him twenty minutes or so to go through it and skim the rest of the text in case something else caught his interest. He set it aside and picked up the third book in his stack.

He paused.

The Great Painters Of The Second Age was the title. Something he would never had previously read about. The painting used as an illustration on the cover was one he'd seen with Kuroro in Quedlin. He wasn't even sure why he'd decided to pick it up. Things were so, so messed up. He sat back in his chair and went through the book slowly. He wasn't reading. He just looked at each painting, one after the other, letting his thoughts wander back over the past seven weeks. At first, things had been so easy, so black and white. He hated Kuroro then, hated him with all of the rage he'd accumulated in the six years since his clan's massacre.

Things had shifted though. At first, there had been the slow realization that Kuroro wasn't the heartless monster he had always imagined. That thought, that one thought really bothered him. If Kuroro had been a monster, if he'd just been a heartless, unfeeling bastard, then Kurapica's grief made sense. Then it had an explanation, a reason for existing. Instead, the Kuruta had to wrap his head around the fact that Kuroro had taken the decision to have his entire family exterminated, knowing what he was doing and yet not caring about it in the slightest.

Hadn't the man said something about it in the beginning? That he would have had Kurapica killed, too, if he had known there would be a survivor, that he hadn't meant for Kurapica to go through this grief. At the time, he'd assumed the man was just trying to play him, but now... Now, he just didn't know anymore. He wasn't ready to believe Kuroro at face value. Everything the Ryodan leader did and said had layers upon layers of reasoning, lies and deceits. Yet, he seemed honest enough on some points. He realized he'd been staring at one painting intently for so long, he wasn't really seeing it anymore. He turned the page.

Then, there had been the touches, Kuroro's warm hands on him as he took care of his wounds. And then the kiss. He should have bitten him then. He'd been completely frozen in place at the time, but if he had bitten him or punched him, nothing else would have happened between them. That would have been the end of it all. Why hadn't he thought of it then? Why had he let it happen? Oh, right, he had frozen in place because the possibility that Kuroro might do something like that had never entered his thoughts. He turned another page.

The date, though. That had been such a weird day, in more ways than one. Something had shifted, then, but Kurapica wasn't sure what had exactly. He had been so much more aware of the older man after their visit to the museum. Everything about him was destabilizing. His looks, the way he carried himself, his voice, everything.

Huh, this painting was actually pretty nice.

Then, there had been that night, up in the Sakagi mountains. The way Kuroro had touched him... it should have felt horrible, should have felt disgusting. If it had happened at the beginning of their little arrangement, Kurapica would have stopped him, would have punched him, beat him into a bloody pulp or died trying. Instead... he'd let it happen. Worse still, it had felt good. Even thinking about it, he could feel his pulse racing a little. He bit his lower lip and shifted in his chair. There was no two way about this. He had received sexual pleasure from the hand of the man he had sworn to kill. And he was craving more.

He glared down at the book, slammed it shut and placed it down onto the table. He leaned his elbows on either side of it and pushed his fists into his eyes in frustration. That was the crux of the matter, right there. He'd felt good and he couldn't even look at the Spider head without thinking back on it anymore. Dreading, hoping, wishing, fearing that he would do it again. Knowing he would have let it happen again. And that was so wrong. So very wrong.

But Kuroro hadn't touched him again after that. Not once. Every kiss but one had actually been instigated by the Kuruta. Kuroro had requested some, but he'd never actually forced one on the blond. He definitely knew what he was doing. He was playing Kurapica like a violin, and the blond still wanted more.

“Excuse me,” the voice that broke through his thoughts was soft and apologetic, but Kurapica still jumped slightly. He turned his startled eyes on the library clerk standing next to him. “I'm very sorry, sir,” she said. “We're closing for the day. If you would like to borrow some books, you should make your way to the counter now.”

“Ah, no.” Kurapica managed a little smile. “I'm not from here, so I don't have membership. Could I perhaps get your opening hours, though?”

“Of course,” she said and moved back to her station. Kurapica picked up his hoodie from the back of his chair and followed after her, slipping it on. “Here.” She handed him a bookmark that had the library opening hours on the back.

Kurapica thanked her and made his way out of the building. He took the long way around to get back to the hotel. When he walked into their suite, the sun was coming down and the main area was deserted. He glanced at his phone. It was only a little after six. He heard a door open and turned towards the sound. Leorio was peeking out of his room. He waved and walked over to him.

“Hey,” he said.

“Hey,” Kurapica replied. “Where are Gon and Killua?”

“Sleeping,” Leorio said, pointing towards the rooms the youngest members of their little group had claimed. “They had a huge fight over the game they were playing and they yelled at each other until I went crazy. When it got quiet, I went to check on them and they were both clunked out.”

“Oh,” Kurapica said and he chuckled and shook his head. “They haven't changed much.”

“Mm,” Leorio eyed him quietly. Kurapica tried not to react, but the heavy gaze the other levelled at him made him increasingly nervous. Finally, the older man asked, “Fancy dinner?”

Kurapica faltered a bit. “Leorio...” He sighed softly and licked his lips, trying to figure out how to go about this.

“Not like that,” Leorio added hastily. “Just as friends, a'right?” Kurapica studied his face carefully. “Just the two of us hanging out,” Leorio insisted. “The kids are driving me nuts and I'd love a conversation that features more than video games and enough chocolate to rot all of your teeth.”

Kurapica laughed softly. “All right,” he said. “Friendly dinner.” Leorio frowned lightly and Kurapica felt guilty for insisting on the friends part.

The older boy asked, “Anything you feel like eating?” He tilted his head at the blond. “I'll drive, so we can go a little ways. You're still no good with spicy food, right?”

“Right,” Kurapica said, and he headed over to the coffee table so he could leave a note for Gon and Killua to let them know Leorio and he would eat out and they should order in. He wondered what Killua would think of that. He'd never disregard the younger boy's observational skills ever again. Well, there was little he could do anyway. “What was that country Hanzo was from?” he asked Leorio when he was done. “We had some of the food from there after the Hunter Exam. I liked it.”

“Okay,” the would-be doctor said. “Then I know just where to take you.”

Together, they made their way to the car and Kurapica slid into the passenger seat while Leorio sat behind the wheel. The silence was kind of awkward at first, but then Leorio started telling Kurapica about some of the pranks he and the other med students pulled on their professors, and their antics were so ridiculous that the blond couldn't help but laugh a little.

Finally, Leorio glanced at him and said, “It's so good to see you, Kurapica.”

The comment took the Kuruta by surprise, and he blinked. “Um,” he said uncomfortably, “okay.”

“It just is,” Leorio insisted. He parked behind a little restaurant that looked mostly empty. “Here we are.”

Kurapica got out of the car and slammed the door shut behind himself. Well, the place looked platonic enough. “Is the food good?” he wanted to know.

“Nah, brought you here cause I hate it,” Leorio said with a teasing grin.

Kurapica shook his head, amused in spite of himself. “All right,” he said and tilted his head at Leorio. “Lead the way.”

“Sure thing, Your Highness,” Leorio replied and Kurapica punched him lightly on the shoulder for that. They grinned at each other. Then Leorio wrapped his arm around Kurapica's shoulders and led him towards the door, not seeming to notice how the blond immediately tensed. It was casual, not romantic in the least, but it wasn't something Leorio would have done before. Kurapica had to talk to him, had to set more definite limits than had previously been established.

He just had no idea how he would go about that.

Chapter Text

Kuroro was awoken from his nap by the sound of his cellphone vibrating against the top of the nightstand. He rubbed his right hand over his face and picked up the phone blindly with his left. He blinked at the display. It was seven-thirty in the evening and the call was from Shalnark. He connected the call, “Shal.”

“Danchou,” he young Spider said, “I'm sorry to disturb you, but I think there's something that you have to know.”

Kuroro sat up with a sigh. “Tell me,” he said, raking his hand through his hair. So much for sleeping before burglarizing that museum.

“You remember when you asked me to look at the Kuruta's things after we captured him? I kind of have this bank information in my laptop.” Kuroro wasn't surprised. That explained how the young Spider had caught up with them so fast in Merenke. Kurapica had paid for dinner and planetarium. “He just paid debit on a dinner for two in Zaban.”

Kuroro frowned. “Why are you telling me this?” he wanted to know.

“I'm not trying to cause trouble,” Shalnark assured him. “I just thought I'd better tell you directly. I mean, I did betray your trust and if, if you learn later through someone else that I had this information and didn't tell you...” He chuckled. “I don't fancy dying just yet.”

Well, that makes sense. “Two people?” he asked. “Not four?”

“Uh,” he heard Shalnark type on his machine. “Two set meals,” he confirmed. “Ah, they have a camera that's streaming to the owner's house. Should I hack the feed?”

Kuroro didn't hesitate, “Go ahead.”

“Yeah,” he said after a moment, “I see him. With a tall guy with spiky hair and sunglasses. Ah, wait, wasn't he that med student?”

“Can you get the video feed for the entire time they were at the restaurant?” Kuroro asked, pushing himself to his feet and heading over to the coffee machine.

“Easily,” Shalnark replied. “Do you want me to send it to you?”

Kuroro kind of wanted to see what the blond was up to, but it could wait. “No,” he said, “I have things to do first and this isn't urgent. Just save it onto your computer and you can show me when I see you next.”

“Machi wants to talk to you,” Shalnark told him. “I'm giving her the phone.”

He heard the two say something, the sound muffled and impossible to make out. Then, “Danchou, just wanted to say we got the first pair and that Shal's behaving.”

“You didn't have to add that last part!” he heard Shalnark protest. “He knows I will. If I didn't, you'd have killed me.”

“He's right,” Kuroro told the girl. “You don't need to report everything. Just don't leave him out of your sight.”

“Okay,” Machi said, and Kuroro could nearly hear the shrug in her voice. “I'm hanging up now.”

“Text me when you get the last pair,” Kuroro said and disconnected the call. He set the phone down onto the dresser next to the coffee machine, waiting for his caffeine to percolate. He frowned thoughtfully. That Kurapica should go out with that man alone was his own business, but it did concern Kuroro a bit. He wasn't sure what it meant. He hadn't forgotten that the other man had kissed the blond and expressed a desire for more than friendship with him. Maybe letting Kurapica go hadn't been such a good idea after all.

But no, there had been no better solution. Forcing him to stay would only compound Kurapica's impression that he was a prisoner. There would be no way to force the boy to see Kuroro as anything other than a jailor. Letting him go was for the best, but there was a chance that seeing the med student would make Kurapica question the progress that Kuroro had made with the boy so far. This was highly problematic.

Well, he'd have to make do. He'd fix this situation like he had everything so far. He could do this.

In the end, it took a few more days before Shalnark recontacted him. They met up the next day, back in Xanthe, at the same building where they had gathered the previous week. As soon as Kuroro saw the two Spiders, he made his way over to them. “The Scarlet Eyes?” he asked.

“Got them,” Machi confirmed. “We'll bring them back to Ryuuseigai with the other pairs.”

“Good,” Kuroro nodded.

“I have the video feed,” Shalnark said.

Kuroro called out the Fun Fun Cloth to retrieve the Eyes he'd gathered. He would leave them with Machi and Shal. He set them down, then let book and cloth disapppear. He sat down. “Show me,” he demanded. Shalnark brought his laptop over and left it in front of him, then he went back to stand with Machi. Kuroro could tell they were watching him, but he didn't care much. If they had questions, they could always ask him directly.

He started the video. There was no sound, it was in black and white and somewhat grainy, but he could still make out two forms approach the storefront through the glass door and windows. The door opened, and there was that med student, his arm around Kurapica's shoulders with the air of casual familiarity that showed habituation. He saw the man look somewhere off-camera. Kurapica's lips moved, and the med student let his arm drop. A hand waved into frame in the lower corner – probably a server. The two young men turned to the windows and made their way to a table. They sat across from each other. Kuroro sped it up while they looked through the menus. When they set them down, he slowed the video back down to normal speed.

Kurapica pulled his cup of water closer and started slowly turning it around between his hands. The other man reached over and touched the blond's hand, but Kuroro couldn't see what he was doing, exactly. He did see him motion for Kurapica's hand, though. Kuroro wasn't too bothered, but then the Kuruta reached out his hand over the top of the table and the med student placed his own over it. Kuroro could feel himself frowning a little. He relaxed his face, all too aware that Shalnark and Machi were still watching him intently.

The two young men on the screen were talking, but it was too grainy to try and read their lips to even guess what they were saying. Kurapica nodded, paused, nodded again. Then he seemed to sigh deeply and looked up, as if he were trying to find the right thing to say. He looked really uncomfortable and that reassured Kuroro a bit. No matter what happened when the boy returned, the Kuruta would never be the same.

Kurapica lowered his head, gripping his glass tightly with his free hand. Then the med student brought the blond's hand to his mouth and it wasn't for the light twitch Kuroro managed to see on the grainy video, he would be certain that Kurapica was being wooed. As it was, however, the blond looked extremely uncomfortable. Maybe there was a chance that the boy was already falling, then. That would be excellent. The tall man set Kurapica's hand onto the table again. The blond shook his head, then sighed deeply. He the looked up at the student sitting across from him and shook his head slowly.

The med student leaned over the table, linking his fingers together, staring at the blond. He said something with a very serious, very intense look on his face. Kurapica shook his head. Then, the man was sitting back, one arm over the back of his booth. He shook his head, paused, shook his head again and said something. There meal was brought to them and Kuroro was amused to notice that is was a specific type of regional cuisine known for being not too spicy. The two young men talked through their meal, but they didn't touch again, and it seemed like the casual chat of friends reunited after a long time. Then, they got up and disappeared off camera to pay for their meals. A few minutes passed. They went through the frame and out of the door. Kuroro sat back, bringing a hand up to his chin. He had a lot of things to think about.

Shalnark asked, “Are you done with the computer, Danchou?”

Kuroro nodded. “Yes, and you are both free to go as well. Things are proceeding better than I had planned actually. There might not be a need to be with Kurapica for each robbery. Tell the others that I'm planning on gathering all of the Scarlet Eyes. They don't need to go out of their way to get them, but if they find some, or if they were to feel bored...” He let the sentence hang.

“Okay,” Machi said. “C'mon, Shal.” The young Spider looked from her to his boss, then he nodded and started walking. Machi fell in step next to him. Kuroro waited, needing to be alone with his thoughts for a moment. When he was certain that the other two had left for good, he got up and slowly made his way over to where he had left his car. He got behind the wheel and sighed softly.

He tapped his hands against the wheel lightly. On the one hand, Kurapica had seemed rather ill at ease throughout the first part of dinner with the med student. On the other hand, he had relaxed and looked totally at ease by the time he left. And he had paid for both meals. It looked a little intimate for a dinner between friends. Kuroro had made a claim on the blond, one that Kurapica had been quite aware of, but ultimately, it was up to the Kuruta whether they would go that way or not. So long as the Kuruta joined the Ryodan, that's all that mattered.

Or was it?

Kuroro frowned a little to himself. There was something pulling at him, something he didn't quite understand. It was a bit like he'd gone in to steal something, only to find it already gone. Yes, it was a bit like York Shin, when Ubogin had called to report the auction safe empty.

Well, he'd fixed that situation easily enough, though at a terrible cost for the Spiders. But they had stolen all of the items, and now, he'd manage to steal Kurapica for himself just as easily, and without the cost that he'd paid in York Shin. He'd make sure of that. He was a thief, after all. Thieves took what they wanted, others be damned. He'd make the Kuruta his.

His decision taken, he put the key in the ignition and started the car. Kurapica wasn't around to complain about the music, so he put it at a rock station. He drove off, making his way back to Otal. He was in no rush, this time, and though he drove above the speed limit, it still took him a solid hour and a half. He went back to his hotel room and ruffled his hair as soon as the door was closed, letting it fall down once more. He wanted a shower. He got out of his coat and flung it on the back of the armchair by the window, then he took his phone out of his pocket and looked at the display. Twenty-second of May. Kurapica still wouldn't be back for another week. Well, he could always visit a few places around town and try to find interesting things. Like books. He wanted new books.

He set his phone down onto the top of the dresser and unzipped the sleeveless leather top he was wearing and it ended up on top of his coat on the chair. Then his belts followed, first one, then the other. He put those next to his phone and went to sit on the bed to take off his boots. Then he peeled out of his leather trousers. With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the bathroom where he removed his underwear and got into the shower. He liked his showers extremely hot, near the verge of painful, and soon, the bathroom was filled with a thick fog of steam. He washed himself slowly, enjoying the heat of the water running over his skin. He paused just before he rinsed himself off, frowning a bit. He'd just wondered what Kurapica would look, standing there, naked under the stream of water, his blond hair sticking to his skin around his face. After a moment, he forced himself to move again, banishing the visual from his mind.

Odd, this.

When he stepped out of the shower, he patted himself dry and wrapped a towel around his waist, making his way back into the room so he could get a clean pair of underpants, which he put on. Then he towel his hair roughly and flung the towel over the television. He dressed into casual clothes, black jeans and a button-up shirt he left open over a sleeveless, silky black top. Then he picked his cellphone, car keys and wallets and went out. He was starting to get hungry, and maybe he would do a bit of exploration after.

It was very, very late by the time he got back, and he just slid between the covers and slept until morning. He spent the next day reading, having acquired new books on his night out. He kept his cellphone close. He bought a croissant and coffee from a cafe across the street for breakfast. Lunch was room service, and so was dinner. It just felt so nice to be alone, not planning, not plotting, just relaxing and learning. As night fell, he turned on the lamp next to him and checked his cellphone. It was still quite early and the book he was currently wasn't holding his interest. He set it down and picked up another.

Another couple of hours went by in complete silence. And then, finally, his phone vibrated on top of the dresser next to him. He picked it up and glanced at the screen. A slow smile pulled at his lips. He connected the call. “Kurapica,” he said softly. “How nice of you to call.”

Chapter Text

Leorio led Kurapica inside of the little restaurant and hailed the waiter. “Table for two,” he asked easily.

The waiter looked from one to the other slowly. “You prefer secluded or by a window?”

“The window's fine,” Kurapica said quickly.

Leorio sighed and let his arm drop. “Like he said. Window's fine.”

The waiter pointed them to the tables by the front. “You can pick one of those. Place isn't exactly booming tonight. I'll bring the menus. Water?”

“Please,” Kurapica said, walking over to one of the tables and sliding into the booth. Leorio sat across from him. The waiter returned with two cups of water, then he gave them each a menu. “Thank you.” Kurapica flicked it open. Anything to keep from looking at Leorio. He knew they had to have a serious talk, but he really didn't know how to go about that. Leorio put his menu down and Kurapica quickly scanned his for something that he thought he would like. Then he set it down as well, and the server hurried over to take their orders. Kurapica turned his glass between his hands slowly.

When the waiter had left for the kitchen, Leorio reached over the table and tugged on one of Kurapica's fingers. “Kurapica,” he said. The blond looked up and tried to pull away. Leorio sighed. “Don't do that. C'mon, gimme your hand.”

“I'd rather not,” Kurapica said uncomfortably.

“Don't you trust me anymore?” Leorio asked, and he looked so crestfallen that Kurapica sighed and put his hand out towards him. “Thanks,” Leorio said and place his own over it. “Do you remember York Shin?” he asked.

“Leorio,” Kurapica said slowly.

“No, hear me out, Kurapica,” the would-be doctor said. “Trust me and just humour me for a bit. Do you remember when I kissed you?” Kurapica nodded. “Do you remember what you told me then?”

The blond nodded again. “I said, Now isn't really a good time, Leorio.”

“I know,” Leorio quoted himself.

Kurapica paused, wondering where his friend was going with that. Leorio looked patiently at him, so he continued with their conversation from the previous fall. “There's just so much.”

“Is there?”

Kurapica sighed. “Leorio...”

“Humour me,” the taller man said again.

Kurapica lowered his head. “There is,” he continued. “I thought the Spiders were dead then so I said, The Gen'ei Ryodan is gone, but I still have to find the Eyes of my people and return them to Lukso.”

“Must you?”

Kurapica licked his lips slowly. “No one else will. No one else can.”

“I know,” Leorio said. “But do you really need to do this?”

“Yes,” the blond continued. “Then I saw your face and added, Leorio, I do like you. Don't think for even a second that I don't. I do like you, but there's just too much going on right now.”

Leorio nodded and said again, “I know.” He sighed. “I know you swore an oath and all, I just wish things were different.”

“Yeah,” Kurapica said sadly, just as sadly as he had said it then, “me too.”

“When all is said and done,” Leorio began.

Kurapica interrupted like he had done back in York Shin, “We'll see. Here, let me walk you back to your hotel.”

“I took your hand then,” Leorio said, and he picked up Kurapica's hand like he had done all those months ago, in front of his hotel lobby, “and kissed the back of your fingers.” He brought Kurapica's hand to his mouth.

The blond's fingers twitched. “Leorio...”

“And then you kissed me,” Leorio continued, and he set Kurapica's hand back onto the top of the table. “Did I miss anything?” Kurapica couldn't trust himself to speak, so he shook his head. “Notice anything missing?” Leorio asked.

Kurapica sighed. “You know that was all that was said.”

“That's not what I mean, Kurapica,” Leorio insisted. The blond looked up at him. “Did you notice anything missing?” Leorio asked again. Kurapica frowned and shook his head slowly. Leorio leaned over the table to look into his eyes. “We made no promise.”

“What?” Kurapica didn't really know what he expected, but this wasn't it.

“We made no promise whatsoever, Kurapica,” Leorio insisted. “So please, please, stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” the blond wanted to know.

“Like you think you've let me down.” Leorio sat back in his booth and slung one arm over the back of it. “Because you haven't.” He was quiet a moment, and then he repeated, “You haven't.”

Kurapica bit his lips together. So, Leorio knew. Of course he knew. He wasn't an idiot, despite the fact that he did a lot of idiotic things. “I'm sorry,” he said softly.

Leorio waved a hand airily. “Don't be.” He paused, looking at Kurapica for a moment in silence. Then, he said, “Just promise me one thing.”

Kurapica looked up. “What do you want me to promise?”

“If ever, and I mean, ever, you change your mind, you call me, you hear?”

“Only if you promise me something,” Kurapica said.

“Anything!” Leorio said quickly.

“Don't wait for me,” the blond said, looking straight at his friend. This was important.

“Wh-what?” The med student blinked. “Don't wait for you? But –”

“I'm serious, Leorio,” Kurapica said. “Don't wait for me. I might not ever be free to be with you. If you find someone you like, you should go for it.”

“But –” he started protesting.

“Promise me,” Kurapica insisted.

“What's this about?” Leorio frowned, studying Kurapica's face intently.

Kurapica looked down, praying that he wouldn't start blushing now, of all times. “I mean it, Leorio. Promise me this much, or I will have to turn you down right here, right now.”

“Okay, okay,” Leorio said quickly. “I promise.”

“Thank you,” Kurapica said, relaxing somewhat. Right then, the server returned with their meals. They both waited patiently until he was gone to resume their conversation. “Right now,” the blond said, “I need my friends. Just friends. Can you be that for me?”

“Of course,” Leorio said, though his pain was clear on his face. He took a moment to compose himself, and Kurapica looked away to leave him time to do so. “Of course,” his friend repeated, “I can do that.”

“Thank you,” Kurapica said softly, then he cleared his throat. “So,” he continued, his voice much lighter now, “tell me about med school.”

Leorio looked a little lost for a moment, but then he started one story about going out on the town with his friends and somehow the entire thing ended up in a police station sometime around three in the morning. From that story, there was another one, then another one, and Kurapica found himself laughing on more than one occasion. He felt horrible about having to keep Leorio at a distance, but it was for the best. Whatever was happening between Kuroro and him, it was better that the med student be kept out of it.

That thought stayed with him over the next few days. Not so much the part about his friend, but the one about Kuroro. The, whatever was happening between Kuroro and him part. Just what was happening between them, Kurapica had no idea. It was so confusing, so terrifying, so impossible. There was a definite physical attraction and chemistry there, but was this all this was? Lust? If it was that simple, Kurapica would have no problem dismissing it. No, it went beyond that. It was more like fascination. The thought that he was like a moth going to a fire that was eventually going to burn him came more than once during the time he spent with his friends.

The Friday, he went to the library again. On Saturday, the four of them went to see a carnival that had come to town. Sunday was spent around the town, the four friends strolling about, doing a little shopping here and there, but mostly just hanging out. Monday, Kurapica went to the library again. It just felt wonderful to be alone.

Tuesday dawned and Gon said he wanted to go fishing with everyone. Kurapica didn't care much for fishing, so he brought a book he had bought on their little outing the previous Sunday. As he was leaving, his phone beeped and he glanced at it. Twenty-third of May. He frowned lightly.

“Problem?” Leorio asked.

“No,” Kurapica answered with a shake of his head. They left the hotel and made their way to the waterfront, where they spent the day. Around noon, Leorio and Kurapica went to buy lunch for everyone and brought the food back with them. Every hour or so, Kurapica took out his phone, glanced at the screen, frowned and put it back in his pocket. He didn't really mean to call. It wasn't like he had promised. He was a little curious about the reason for Kuroro's request, but that didn't mean he would call. It didn't. They went out for dinner and Kurapica couldn't help but smile at his younger friends' antics. He caught Leorio watching him a few times, but he couldn't let himself feel guilty. He was determined to go through with his partnership with the Spiders. He would see the eyes returned to Lukso.

After dinner, they returned to the hotel and Killua popped a DVD in to show them a movie he liked. Kurapica didn't care much for movies, but he stayed to be with his friends. Gon and Killua's commentary throughout the film was more entertaining that what played on the screen. When the credits started rolling, he excused himself and retired for the night. He went to his room and closed the door. As soon as it latched, he took out his cellphone and glanced at the time. It was nearing ten at night.

He wasn't going to call, he wasn't.

He pocketed his phone, and walked to his bed. He sat, then let himself fall backwards with a sigh. He took out his cellphone again and glanced at the time. It was too late to call, wasn't it? He dropped the phone on the mattress next to his head. Ah, but Kuroro was usually up late at night, wasn't he? He picked up his phone again. Ah, hell.

The first ring, his hand was tight around the device, so tight his joints went white. Second ring, he was biting the side of his lower lip. Third ring and he started tapping his heel nervously on the floor. The call connected. He froze.

“Kurapica,” Kuroro's voice was low and calm. Kurapica found himself relaxing. “How nice of you to call.”

“Ah, yeah,” Kurapica wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to be saying. “You asked me to and well...” He pushed himself up and toed his shoes off so he could fold them and sit Indian style. Kuroro chuckled, and the low rumble of his voice did a funny thing inside Kurapica. He wasn't quite ready to analyze that, though. “Well,” he continued after a moment, “here I am. Calling you.”

“I'm glad you did,” Kuroro said. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Ah, yeah.” Kurapica cleared his throat. “It's nice to be with my friends.”

“All three of them?” the Spider head asked, and Kurapica frowned lightly, somewhat confused by the question.

“Yes,” he said after a moment, “all three of them.”

“Including the med student?”

The blond paused. “Yes, of course,” he finally answered, “Leorio's here too.” He marked another pause. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Kuroro said, and Kurapica wasn't a hundred percent sure that he believed him. “I'm glad you're enjoying your time there.”

Kurapica didn't know how to answer him, so he didn't. The silence stretched between them. It should really have been awkward, but it wasn't. It never really was, anymore. “What about you?” Kurapica finally asked.

“Oh,” Kuroro said lightly, “I was a little bored, so I went out. Visited around, that sort of things.”

The blond frowned lightly. “Did you, ah, acquire any possession that didn't belong to you?”

Kuroro chuckled again, and really, he shouldn't be able to make Kurapica's heart race like this with just his voice. “Yes, I did,” he said, and the Kuruta could still hear laughter in his voice. His frown intensified. Kuroro said, “Of course, I did. I couldn't just sit here, doing nothing. So I went around and got you five more pairs, bringing the count up to thirteen.”

“Oh,” suddenly, Kurapica felt silly for having assumed that Kuroro had just stolen things at random simply because he could. “I ah – ”

“Save it,” Kuroro said, but there was still amusement in his voice. “It was not a wrong assumption to make.” There was another moment of silence and Kurapica wondered if he should be saying something, but the Spider head spoke up again. “When are you coming back?”

Something did a funny little tug inside Kurapica's chest and he frowned, not answering right away. He was just being manipulated, that was all. Even knowing that clearly, though, it still messed with his head. “Next week,” he said. “I'll text you the flight number and time of arrival when I have my plane ticket.”

“All right,” Kuroro said.

“Why did you want me to call you today?” Kurapica asked.

“No reason,” the older man replied easily. “I just felt like it.”

“You're a liar,” Kurapica said, but there was no anger in his voice.

Kuroro chuckled. “I'm just glad you did.” There was a short pause, then, “Well, I hope you enjoy the coming week. I'll be waiting for your text. Have fun.”

“You too,” Kurapica answered automatically.

“Oh, I always do,” Kuroro replied, then the line went dead. He had hung up.

Kurapica dropped the phone on the bed next to him, then let himself fall backwards. It was all so messed up. So messed up. But he knew what to do now. He knew exactly what he was going to do about Kuroro, about the Scarlet Eyes, about the Spiders. There was only one question left.

Was he strong enough?

Chapter Text

The next week went by quickly, now that Kurapica had managed to both talk with Leorio and make up his mind on what to do about Kuroro. He hung out with Leorio, Killua and Gon, spent time at the library, went on solitary walks and on long strolls with his friends. It was much more enjoyable now that his mind finally felt at peace. He still didn't know if he'd taken the right decision or not, but his mind was set and he felt mentally and emotionally more stable than he had in months.

He laughed at Leorio's university stories, smiled at Gon and Killua's antics and generally just had a good time. It felt so good to let his worries go, to stop over-thinking absolutely everything, to just be himself, be an eighteen year old boy hanging out with friends. Not the last survivor of and extinct tribe, not the sole avenger for their deaths, not the Spider's prisoner or, god forbid, their newest member. No, he was simply Kurapica, the book-loving, knowledge-spouting teenager. It felt great to just let everything go for a week.

It all went by way too fast. Leorio was the first to go. He had to get back to school – he'd already taken an extra week off as a sort of extended spring break, but now he had to return to his pals and his studies. They all went to see him off at the airport. He returned the rented car he'd been driving, so after they said their goodbyes, the three teens took the shuttle back to their hotel. That night, Gon and Killua were talking about leaving the next day. Kurapica figured he would leave as well. That night, Killua and Gon were in Gon's room and Kurapica was reading in the living room area of their suite. Everything was quiet and silent. Kurapica heard a door open, and he looked up to see Killua come out of Gon's room. He expected his young friend to just go into his own room, but the silver-haired youth walked up to him.

“Hey Kurapica,” he said, stopping right in front of him.

The blond put a marker in and closed his book. “Good evening,” he greeted. “Is Gon asleep?”

“Yeah,” Killua said with a shrug. “Clunked out on me. I was winning, too.” The last part was said rather moodily.

Kurapica smiled. “Are you headed to bed, too?”

“Yeah, in a minute,” Killua said and he shrugged again. He eyed Kurapica in silence for a moment, then added, “You look better.”

The blond couldn't hide his surprise. “Better than what?” he wanted to know.

“When you came here, you looked, I dunno... lost. Or something.” The younger boy shrugged again. “But now you look better.” Kurapica didn't know what to answer to that, so he just nodded slowly. Killua was silent a moment, then he added, “You take care of yourself, okay? Gon'll be sad if anything happens to you. So you'd better make sure you don't make him sad or I'mma kick your ass, okay?”

Kurapica chuckled. “Yeah, I worry about you too, Killua.” The boy shrugged yet again, and his cheeks coloured slightly. He looked away. Kurapica smiled. “You keep yourselves safe too. You and Gon both.”

“Yeah,” Killua said and stood there silently for a moment. “Anyway,” he finally added, “I'm heading to bed now. Night, Kurapica.”

“Good night,” the blond called after him. He sighed, then got up and made his way to his own room. He undressed slowly and slid under the cover. The next day... The next day, he would see Kuroro again. He had taken his decision, but now that he was close to having to act on it, he was having second thoughts. Sheer stubbornness kept him from changing his mind then and there. He slept fitfully, and woke up feeling nearly more tired than when he'd gone to bed.

He met Gon and Killua in the common area of the suite. They'd bought breakfast and Killua had even grabbed a large cup of coffee from the cafe for Kurapica, probably remembering his reaction to the hotel coffee. That simple gesture nearly broke the blond's resolve. He nearly wanted to flee, flee from his responsibility as the last Kuruta, flee the man who confused him so thoroughly, who twisted truths and wrapped him in a web of lies and deceits. He would have given the world right then to be able to just go with Gon and Killua on whatever adventure they were heading for next.

They had breakfast together, then packed their belongings and took the shuttle back to the airport once more. They bought their tickets and went through security, but then Gon and Killua had to rush to catch their plane, so they said a hurried goodbye and parted. Kurapica stood there a long time, staring longingly after his friends. Then, he turned deliberately away and made his way to the gate his plane would depart from. He took out his cellphone and only hesitated a moment before he sent Kuroro his flight information.

And then, there was just no turning back.

The flight was entirely too short. When the blimp landed in Otal, Kurapica closed his book and made his way out with the few other passengers. He took a step out of the insect-like dirigible and eyed the small group of people who had gathered to welcome them. The man in front of him cried out a name and hurried down the stairs that connected the blimp's gondola to the ground. A woman broke from the small crowd and stepped forward to meet him. Kurapica ignored them both. His eyes were scanning the small gathering, looking for the familiar figure of a tall man dressed in black.

He was starting to doubt the decision he'd taken. This was ridiculous. He should have used this chance to escape, while the Spider head wasn't watching his every move. He should have escaped, found a way to unseal his Nen and come back only to exact vengeance over the Gein'ei Ryodan. Instead, here he was, coming back just as he had promised, looking for his enemy with something akin to hesitation in his heart.

His talk with Killua had shaken him more than he cared to admit. The young boy had made him realize that he no longer saw the man, Kuroro Lucifer, as a ruthless monster. He had seen different facets of his complex personality throughout the time they had spent together. He could be charming, suave and elegant. He devoured books and could converse about a wide variety of topics. And he was hinting – no, more than hinting; he had made himself very clear – that he was attracted to Kurapica. And Kurapica... was attracted to him. That was a very hard pill to swallow, but he was never a man that would hide the truth from himself.

No, he had to be honest. He found the Ryodan leader attractive.

He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

The raven haired man wasn't among the people and Kurapica was surprised to find that he was somewhat... disappointed. He wasn't sure what he expected, but somehow, Kuroro not being among the people on the tarmac made him uneasy. He took the final step down then made his way towards the small building that served as a train station, bus terminal and airport for the small town. He pushed the door with his left hand, hitching his bag onto his shoulder with his right hand. He crossed through the building, but as he neared the other set of doors leading onto the small plaza in front of the station, he spotted a familiar figure. For some reason, his chest felt kind of tight. He made his way over to the man, wondering what to say or do.

In the end, his stopped before him and attempted a little smile. “I've returned,” he finally said softly, for lack of a better line. Kuroro gave him a strange look. Kurapica wasn't sure what the man was thinking. He always kept his expressions and reactions muted, and the blond was never entirely sure what the man meant by what he said and did. Or the looks he was giving him, like now.

“Welcome back,” Kuroro replied and gave him a smile that looked somewhat... satisfied. Then he turned around and led him towards the car he had parked at the side of the building. “I hope your trip helped you some?”

Kurapica followed the taller man, wondering how to answer his question. “I think so,” he finally said. “Thank you. For allowing me to go. I know you don't trust me – with good reasons.” As he reached the passenger side of the car, he paused. “It was quite a gamble. Why did you let me go?”

Kuroro unlocked the car with a press of a button on the small controller that was attached to his keyring. He opened the door and sat behind the wheel, waiting until Kurapica had settled on the passenger seat before starting the car and backing out of his parking spot. Once they were on the street, he flicked his eyes over to Kurapica before looking back at the road. “You needed to go,” he finally said. “You needed to think things through. The thought you would run away did cross my mind, but I knew you were a man of honour. I was pretty certain you would come back.” He paused. “I'm glad you did.”

Kurapica didn't know what to answer to that. He felt his cheeks get warmer and mentally cringed at the fact he blushed so easily. He nearly wished he could hate the man still. It was easier when the thought of the Spiders filled him with rage and hatred. Now, Kuroro had shaken him out of this mindset and all that was left was some anger, a lot of confusion and some form of strange attraction to the man who had caused him so much pain.

It was so twisted.

He shrugged lightly with one shoulder and turned his head to look at the buildings they passed as they drove to the small hotel they'd been staying in before he left. Kuroro was still living in the suite he had rented when they'd first gotten there. He'd probably paid with a stolen credit card, but Kurapica knew there was no point harping about laws and justice to any of the Spiders, so he tried not to think about it too much. They got out of the car and up to their rooms in silence and Kurapica put his bag down by the sofa before stretching lightly, then rolling his shoulders to try to get the tension out of them. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Kuroro put his hands over his shoulders. The fact that the man had managed to get close enough to touch him without him noticing was proof that he was starting to let his guard down around the older man. This wasn't good at all.

Kuroro put some pressure on his shoulders with his hands, then moved his fingers and palms, working out the kinks in Kurapica's shoulders, slowly working towards his neck. “Relax,” the older man whispered softly and chuckled as Kurapica tensed even more. “You're so tense, your muscles are hard as rock. I'm not going to kill you now when I could have done it a thousand times over already. It's just a massage. Relax.” Kurapica found it extremely hard to follow the injunction. The soft whisper by his ear was... unsettling. He wasn't sure why, but it made him feel strange. He just couldn't relax. He was so very aware of the presence behind him. He could nearly feel the heat coming from Kuroro's body.

The Spider head chuckled again and let go, heading towards his room. Kurapica half-turned towards him, watching as Kuroro shed his coat and let it fall on the back of the sofa. Then the older man took his over-shirt off, and the black sleeveless top he had under was quite tight and moulded to his chest like a second skin. Kurapica couldn't help staring a little. Certainly, the man was very attractive. If it weren't for his complete disregard of human life, Kurapica could imagine they could have been good companions. They had a lot of interests in common and there was definite spark between them. The only thing that stood in the way was his hatred, his helpless rage, his loss. Kuroro leaned over the back of the sofa, stretching his arm to retrieve a book he had left on one of the cushions. Kurapica couldn't help letting his gaze admire the lean body, slightly muscular but not too much. Kuroro's every move was calculated and somehow... elegant. Once he had his book in hand, he turned his head towards the Kuruta and grinned a bit. “Enjoying the view?” he asked teasingly.

Kurapica blinked and blushed. Ah, he hated how bashful he was. He turned away, grabbed his bag and started towards his own room, ignoring Kuroro for now. But the man apparently didn't like being ignored. He went after the Kuruta and, catching him around his waist, he turned him around to face him. Kurapica tensed and let his bag drop to the floor. He looked up at the older man, a little defiant yet curious to see what the taller man meant to do.

Kuroro kissed him.

Kurapica tilted his head, pressing his lips against Kuroro's, and he could tell the man was surprised yet pleased. He kissed him nearly fiercely, moving his lips and nibbling at Kuroro's lower lip. He reached up, his arms wrapping tightly around the taller man and stood on his tip-toes to be more level with him. His hands raked Kuroro's silky black hair, fingers tangling into the soft strands, curling and gripping the tresses tightly.

He was the one to break the kiss. He pulled away and retrieved his bag. “I have just gotten off an airship and I've had a long trip. I'm tired and I need a shower. You could order some dinner while I unpack and shower.”

“You didn't resist this time,” Kuroro commented, with an indescribable look on his face.

Kurapica had a little smile. “I still hate you for the deaths of my family and friends. This may never change. But for some reason, it seems that I'm attracted to you. We're confined together in cars and hotel rooms day after day so I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that some bond would form. Add to that your constant hints and touches, one would get very confused emotionally. It was a good plan and I walked right into it. Well I'm going to see where it leads me. And I will find some weakness and defeat you in the end.”

Kuroro had a strange smile and he reached forward, running the back of his hand down Kurapica's cheek. “I can't wait to see how you'll do that.” Then he turned and headed to the small table where the telephone and room service menu. Kurapica turned away from him and headed to his room. He unpacked his toiletries and made his way to the bathroom where he took a long shower, letting the dust and sweat of the trip wash away.

Yes, he'd meant to see this through, and he would. No matter the cost, he would see it through.

Chapter Text

Things were good. As far as Kuroro was concerned, things were excellent. Kurapica had come back as per their agreement, and he had basically green-lighted things between them. So he'd said he intended to use it to find Kuroro's weakness. Good. The Spider head doubted the boy would find a chink in his armour. Kuroro had found a weakness in Kurapica, however, and he fully intended to exploit it. Room service arrived while the boy was still in the shower, and the table was set. Still, the blond didn't come out. He might have just been gathering his resolve. When finally he emerged from his room, smelling of soap and wearing a fresh set of clothes, Kuroro closed his book and motioned to the table. “Shall we?”

Kurapica shifted from one foot to the other, frowned a tiny bit, then nodded and finally walked to one of the chairs. Kuroro sat across from him. They started eating in silence, but eventually, Kurapica asked, “Are we leaving in the morning?”

“Yes,” Kuroro replied, “we've been idle for too long already.” It wasn't exactly true, since Kuroro had managed to steal quite a few pairs while Kurapica was on his little vacation, but he was itching to move anyway. “I think we should move on quickly now. We'll be travelling north where I know there are three more pairs of Scarlet Eyes, and then we'll be taking a plane across the ocean.” Kurapica nodded stiffly. Some more time went by in silence. Eventually, Kuroro asked, “Did you enjoy your trip?” He knew the Kuruta had; it was simply a subtle way of reminding him of the decision he had taken while he was away.

Kurapica looked up, blushed a tiny little bit when his eyes met Kuroro's, and he nodded, looking away quickly. “I ah, yeah. I did.” A pause. “I went fishing.”

Kuroro arched his eyebrows. “Fishing?” He couldn't imagine the blond doing that, of all things.

“Well,” Kurapica had an amused little smiled, “actually, my friends went fishing. I just sat with them and read.”

That did sound more likely. Kuroro nodded. “What else?” he prodded. After a slight hesitation, no doubt to decide what was safe to tell the Ryodan leader and what wasn't, Kurapica started telling him about Zaban. He wisely said as little about his friends as he could, though it wouldn't have mattered much if he had. Kuroro had researched all of Kurapica's friends before he went after the Kuruta.

When he was done eating, Kurapica pushed his plate away and hesitated. It was clear he was asking himself 'what now?' but Kuroro wouldn't help him. It was kind of fun, really, watching the blond, knowing he sort of expected kisses and touches, and that he half-wanted, half-dreaded both. He could pretty much do anything he wanted now, but it was more fun to see Kurapica twitchy and self-conscious. Done with his dinner as well, the Ryodan leader calmly walked over to the couch and retrieved his book. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kurapica stand up and shift hesitantly from one foot to the other before the blond returned to his room and closed the door. Kuroro let him. A hotel employee came to clean up the remnants of their dinner, then left. Kuroro read that evening away, then went to his own room to sleep.

He woke up early the next morning, and peeked into Kurapica's room. The blond seemed to be sleeping. One advantage to him having returned on his on was that he could now be trusted to stay put while Kuroro went on errands. When he returned a few minutes later, he set the bag down onto the table, and carried the coffee cups to Kurapica's room. The Kuruta was still deep in sleep. Kuroro set the cups down onto the nightstand and sat on the edge of his bed. He put his hand on the mattress by Kurapica's hip bone on his far side, and leaned forward, over the sleeping blond. “Kurapica,” he called out softly. He didn't really need to call out his name because the moment he set his hand down on the bed, Kurapica's blue eyes snapped open and the blond held his breath. He obviously hadn't expected this kind of wake-up call, and he didn't have time to compose himself. Oh, kissing him would be so, so easy. Too easy. Kuroro straightened up. “Brought you coffee,” he said, picking up one of the cups from the nightstand to show him. Kurapica blinked, frowned a tiny bit in confusion and sat up, raking a hand through his hair.

He accepted the cup, but instead of taking a sip, he hesitated a moment, then said, “You surprised me. Did you really need to lean over me like this? What if I had punched you? You know, out of pure instinct, of course.”

“Of course,” Kuroro laughed. “Well then. I'd have blocked.”

Kurapica shrugged and finally took his first sip of coffee. His eyebrows raised quite a bit. “This is not hotel coffee,” he said, eyeing the cup.

“Nope,” Kuroro agreed. “I went to get breakfast and thought you'd appreciate coffee that doesn't taste like diluted motor oil.” He picked up his own cup and took a sip.

Kurapica lowered his. “Ah, thank you,” he said. There was that blush again. The blond's hands tightened around the coffee cup, and he had a slight frown on his face, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. Kuroro leaned back onto his free hand and brought his cup to his mouth to hide the small smile playing over his lips. Yes, the blond had resolved to see where his attraction led him, but it was clear that Kuroro's actions confused him.

“You're welcome,” he finally said, once he'd swallowed his mouthful of caffeine. He pushed himself up. “Bought croissants for breakfast, if you want any.” He made his way back to the common area of their suite and sat at the little table. After a moment, Kurapica joined him, still dressed in loose sport pants and a tank top. Kuroro had to admit to himself that the view was kind of nice.

Kurapica saw him look and he blushed, protesting, “Can you stop that?”

“Stop what?” Kuroro asked, grinning innocently at the blond. His discomfort was kind of entertaining.

“Looking at me like that,” Kurapica said, sliding in the chair across from him.

“I thought I was allowed to look, now,” Kuroro said, handing him a croissant.

Kurapica took it from him. “It makes me uncomfortable.”

“So I can kiss you, touch you, caress you, but not look?” Kuroro asked teasingly, expecting the blond to blush but still feeling pretty happy when he saw it blossom on the boy's pale cheeks.

“That's not what I said!” Kurapica protested, making Kuroro chuckle.

“What did you mean, then?” he asked.

Kurapica shrugged. “Shut up and eat your breakfast,” he grumbled.

Kuroro grinned and proceeded to do just that. It was tempting to stare at the blond and make him fidget even more, but Kuroro focused on his food and coffee instead, letting the younger man to compose himself. After they were done eating, they showered and got dressed for the day, then they collected their belongings and left. As soon as they were in the car, Kurapica turned on the radio and jumped slightly when rock music suddenly blasted out of the speakers. He quickly lowered the volume and pressed the scan button, looking for a classical station. After six or seven pushes of the button, he finally found on and he settled back into his seat to read. The book wasn't one of Kuroro's. He had probably bought it on his trip. The drive was mostly silent, but Kuroro did manage to initiate conversations with his travel partners a few times. He kept the topics light and cheerful. Kurapica always answered him, but his responses were kind of minimal. Kuroro caught him staring ahead a few times, obviously lost in thought. Other times, he frowned to himself, biting his lower lip pensively.

They stopped briefly at a rest stop for lunch, then went on their way, driving north, the Sakagi mountains to their left. By nightfall, they had reached a small village where there was only one inn, which had exactly three rooms. Kuroro briefly, very briefly toyed with the idea of sharing, but decided it was too soon and it would be too awkward, so he paid for two rooms and they went to bed early. The next morning, the Spider head showered and dressed in the communal bathroom, then he went down to the kitchen for breakfast and coffee. Kurapica joined him soon enough. They ate in silence, then left. They drove on through that day, too. Kurapica started frowning more and more. Kuroro wasn't sure it was a good sign. He tried to get him to talk about the book he was reading, but that seemed to make the blond frown even more, so after a while, Kuroro focused on driving and left the boy alone with his thoughts. That night, they arrived to a large city. Two pairs of eyes were nearby, one to the west in a large estate by the foot of the mountains, the other in a museum downtown. Two intense days of driving made Kuroro loathe to work right away, so he took a suite in a large hotel where there was plenty of people coming and going constantly, making any movement they made inconspicuous.

They had dinner at a restaurant, and throughout their meal, Kuroro kept the conversation as inconsequential as the other talks they had exchanged since they'd left Otal. They discussed books, lectures, a tiny bit of art, which pleasantly surprised Kuroro, and even veered into theoretical physics. Towards the end of their meal, Kurapica started frowning to himself again. They returned to the hotel, the blond looking lost in thoughts for the entire drive back. In the elevator, the Kuruta started tapping his heel. He was about to snap, Kuroro could tell. He kept his face carefully blank. And Kurapica did finally give into the urge to confront the older man, as soon as the door of their suite closed behind them.

He veered on Kuroro, carelessly throwing his jacket over the back of the couch. “Okay, what's this all about?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” Kuroro asked, though he knew perfectly well what the younger man was referring to.

“This!” Kurapica said. Kuroro shrugged out of his coat and threw it over the blond's jacket. Kurapica repeated, “This! This small talk, keeping things polite and proper when you've already done pretty much everything you wanted since day one! And now that I've actually pretty much given you permission, you just stopped!”

Kuroro stifled an amused grin and arched an eyebrow instead. “Is it a problem?” he asked.

“Yes!” Kurapica had a movement of impatience. “I just don't get what you want from me!”

“I've pretty much told you what I want,” Kuroro said, taking a step closer. “I've told you that I'm interested in you.”

“And then you just backed off,” the blond huffed. “What, just what are you playing at?!” He threw his hands up.

“I'm not playing at anything,” the Spider head said with a shrug, and he took another step forward.

“Then why, after all of those times when you harassed me, why did you just stop, suddenly?”

“I wouldn't call it harassment,” Kuroro protested innocently. This was definitely proving to be entertaining.

“No?” Kurapica challenged. “What would you call it, then?”

“Overtures,” Kuroro said smartly.

“And why did you stop?” the younger man wanted to know.

“What, you wanted me to continue?” Kuroro knew he had him, but he couldn't help pushing a bit. Not after how much work it had taken him to get the blond to where he was now. He took another step forward, then another. “You want me to touch you, to kiss you?”

“Yes!” Kurapica hissed without thinking, then his eyes went wide as he realized what he'd just said. He opened his mouth, no doubt to retract himself, but Kuroro wouldn't let him, not now.

“You only needed to ask,” he cut in, and then he tilted the boy's head up with his finger and thumb at his chin and kissed him. There was a moment where Kurapica froze, then his hands came up and he grabbed at Kuroro's shirt collar, and he kissed him back. Kuroro pushed against him and Kurapica fell back a step, then held his ground. The kiss ended, but the older man initiated another one right away. A lick at Kurapica's lips and the blond gasped. His lips parted and Kuroro pushed against him again as he delved in. Kurapica fell back another step, then another. The taller man wrapped an arm around his waist, pressing against him and the blond made a soft sound in the back of his throat.

More.

Kuroro wanted more.

His other hand slid into the blond hair, carding through the tresses before his fingers tightened, and he angled the Kuruta's head. He kept pushing against the blond, but Kurapica had nowhere left to go, pressed as he was against the back of the sofa. He slid both his hands in Kuroro's black hair, giving back as good as he got, and if it wasn't the most skillful kiss that Kuroro had ever received, it certainly was one of the most addictive. He left the hand that had tangled in the blond hair slide down, fingertips trailing down the side of the boy's throat, and Kurapica let out a soft sound of pleasure that awakened something fierce and hungry inside of Kuroro. But the sound had startled the Kuruta back to his senses, it seemed, because he pushed Kuroro away and gasped out, “Enough! That's enough!”

They stood, staring at each other wordlessly for some time. And then, because he needed Kurapica to believe that he was in control of this, Kuroro stepped around him, retrieved his coat, walked to one of the bedrooms and closed the door behind him.

Chapter Text

Kurapica stood by the couch, staring at the door behind which Kuroro had disappeared. His heart was hammering in his chest so rapidly, he thought it was going to burst out. He placed a hand over it, rubbing at his chest there with the tip of his fingers. He'd taken his decision, he had. He wasn't going back on it. It was just, just... The way Kuroro had kissed him, the way he'd pressed him against the back of the couch... He had felt so out of control, suddenly. And it scared him. He didn't know how to deal with that, he just didn't.

He licked his lips, trying to forget the feel of Kuroro's kiss, and finally turned away. He slowly made his way to the other door and he closed it behind him. A deep breath in and he made his way over to the bed where he plopped down, uncharacteristically slumped over. He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and buried both hands in his hair, pulling at it lightly with a sigh. He felt like a coward. This wouldn't do. This wouldn't do at all. He pushed himself up and walked to the door, but then he just turned around and went back to the bed. A step in one direction, a step in the other, and he threw his hands up in frustration. He couldn't. He just couldn't. But he wanted – needed – couldn't want...

He just didn't bloody know, anymore.

He let himself fall forward onto the bed, his feet sticking out, his shoes sliding off and falling onto the carpeted floor with two muffled thumps. He heard footstep come up to his door and stop there for a moment. He tensed, holding his breath, all of his focus on the sounds coming from the main area of the suite. He heard movement but couldn't begin to guess what Kuroro was doing. Then, the footsteps retreated. He waited, breathing slowly, as quietly as he could, as it Kuroro could head him from the other side of the door. There was a good chance that he could, anyway. Minutes ticked by in silence. Then, finally, the blond pushed himself up, twisting so he could sit on the edge of the mattress. He waited, listening intently. Nothing. He heaved himself up to his feet and made his way to the door. Another pause there, and then he opened it warily. Kuroro wasn't anywhere in sight, but he had left Kurapica's luggage on the floor.

The blond peeked left and right, but the older man was nowhere in sight. He leaned down and collected the two bags off from the floor and retreated into his room, closing the door rather quickly. It slammed shut with a loud noise that nearly echoed in the deafening silence that had fallen over the suite. Kurapica tensed and listen intently for a moment, but since he heard no more from his travelling companion, he walked back to his bed and dropped the bags on the floor next to it. He rummaged through one and got a fresh set of sleepwear. He grabbed it and made his way to his private bathroom. A quick shower later, he felt a little better. He tried to read, but he simply couldn't focus at all. His thoughts kept going in circles, and always, they came back to Kuroro, to the kisses, the touches and how good they felt, how wrong, and he was torn, confused, he just didn't know anymore.

Eventually, he gave up on the book altogether and went to bed. He lied underneath the covers, eyes closed in an attempt to trick his body into falling asleep, but it took him a long, long time to drift off. He woke up way too early, judging by the pale light that barely made it into the room between the heavy curtains. He sat up and stretched, then rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, trying to work out the kink he could feel starting to form. Then he yawned and let his hand fall back onto the cover. Whatever time it was, he was ready to bet Kuroro wasn't up yet. Best time to go make some coffee real quick. Or he could get dressed and go out for some decent coffee. He'd proven he'd come back, so surely he was free to come and go now, right? He was tempted to just go and find somewhere alone to have coffee and breakfast.

A coward.

He was turning into a coward. He sighed and slid out from under the covers. He dressed himself slowly, going for comfortable and practical and trying not to think too much about what the clothes looked like. It wasn't like he wanted to impress Kuroro. It would be ridiculous to even consider it. No, a grey top with a blue hoodie was good enough, along with some dark blue jeans. Well, it did bring out his eyes, but that wasn't the point. He was wearing this because it was comfortable, no more, no less. He grabbed his wallet and cellphone and put them in his pockets, then he took a deep breath and opened his bedroom door. The living area was empty and silent. He made his way over the desk set up in one corner. On it sat a pad and pen and he wrote a quick note for Kuroro that he was going to buy decent coffee and breakfast for them both and that he'd be back shortly. He left the note on the coffee table, which would be easier for Kuroro to see as soon as he left his room.

He grabbed one of the keycards and slid it into his back pocket with his wallet, then he left the suite. He was tempted to drink a cup at the shop and then bring back the promised breakfast, but he was pretty certain that Kuroro had heard him leave and would find the note by the time he got to the lobby, so there was no point. They'd both know that he was running from the older man. His pride was probably the only thing he could grab onto, and he was not going to let Kuroro see him act like a coward. And so, a mere twenty minutes later, he walked back into the suite with two large cups of coffee and some things to nibble on for breakfast.

As expected, Kuroro was up and waiting for him, reading on the couch. Kurapica walked behind him and moved the hand holding the black coffee over the back of the couch. “Coffee,” he offered.

“Thank you,” Kuroro said, taking the time to close his book and set it down before he took the cup from the blond. Kurapica walked around to the front of the sofa and set their breakfast on the coffee table, then he sat beside the older man.

No more running.

He took a sip of his coffee and felt the weight of Kuroro's gaze on him as he swallowed. He glanced at him and asked, “What?”

Kuroro hummed softly, as if he was thinking about what he was going to say, though Kurapica was pretty certain he knew what comment the older man was going to make. “I thought you were avoiding me.”

The blond sighed softly. He knew it was coming, but he still didn't know how to answer. He shrugged lightly and took another sip of coffee, trying to gather his thoughts. Once he'd swallowed, he licked his lips slowly and said, “I'm done avoiding you.” He glanced at the older man, who was regarding him quietly with his impenetrable eyes. “There's no point,” he added after a moment. “I don't know how to react most of the time, but,” he hesitated, “but I'm done running away, at the very least.”

Kuroro was silent, which made Kurapica feel even more nervous. He hoped it didn't show. Then the older man reached for the blond's coffee, which he relinquished hesitantly. Kuroro leaned forward and set both his and Kurapica's cup onto the coffee table, then he turned towards the Kuruta and slid a hand over the side of his neck, just below his ear, then into the blond hair at the back of his skull. Kurapica expected the kiss and met him halfway. He didn't know where to put his hands, so he left them in his lap. Kuroro nibbled at his lips then slid his tongue forward. Kurapica gasped quietly and exhaled softly as he felt Kuroro's other hand slide down his arm. Kuroro lifted Kurapica's hand and brought it to his shoulder, then he moved closer, kissing the blond again, an open-mouthed kiss that threatened to wring a moan from Kurapica's throat, a sound that he clamped down on and refused to let out. Kuroro let go of his hand and pulled at the zipper at the front of his hoodie and Kurapica froze, breaking the kiss a moment later to glance down at his front.

Kuroro chuckled softly and learned forward. Kurapica looked up, but then the older man's lips grazed over the side of his throat and he forgot how to breathe. The zipper slid down and then Kuroro's hand was sliding down his chest, fingers splayed over the thin fabric of the T-shirt he was wearing underneath. He finally let go of the breath he had been holding, a soft, shaky sound, and then he was tilting his head back, eyelids lowering as his head started spinning. Kuroro wrapped his arm around the back of his waist, under the hoodie, and he pulled him closer. Kurapica's arm wrapped around his shoulders easily, naturally, and then Kuroro's kissed the side of his neck, and the blond couldn't hold in the thin whimper that escaped his throat.

He felt Kuroro's arm tighten around his waist and pull him closer still, but then the older man moved back a bit and pushed the hoodie off of the blond's shoulders. Kurapica frowned. He wasn't too sure about this. He knew eventually, he'd have to let Kuroro undress him, but there was no need for it right away, was there? He opened his mouth to protest, but then Kuroro kissed him again and firmly pushed the hoodie down his arms. It was an intense, hungry kiss that pushed all thought right out of Kurapica's mind and he found himself kissing back, even moving forward, wrapping his arms around Kuroro's shoulders again. He couldn't remember closing his eyes, but when the older man moved back slightly, he opened them to look at him quizzically, loosening his arms to let him pull away.

“Here,” Kuroro said, slipping his shirt off easily. He was definitely not shy about his body. Kurapica could feel himself blushing slightly, and that was embarrassing as hell. Kuroro put both hands on Kurapica's shoulders and let them slide the length of his arms again, fingers sliding through his. Then he squeezed lightly, effectively trapping Kurapica's hands, though in a light hold that would be easy to break if the blond wanted. “You can touch me,” the older man softly, and Kurapica held in his breath as Kuroro brought the blond's hands to his chest. He let go, allowing the blond the freedom to explore however he wanted.

In a way, this was even more embarrassing, but Kurapica appreciated that he was given a bit of control. 'I wanted this,' he reminded himself, splaying his hands on Kuroro's chest, letting this slide down over pale skin and toned muscles. He caressed the skin lightly, trailing fingertips as he went back up over Kuroro's shoulders, down his arms, trailing fingertips up again. He looked up when his hands reached Kuroro's shoulders, and he froze when they eyes met. The way the older man was looking at him made his chest constrict to a point that nearly made it hard to breathe. He felt like prey, a feeling he wasn't used to. He licked his lips slowly, but that only brought Kuroro's attention to his mouth.

“I'm going to kiss you,” Kuroro warned, and the shudder that ran through Kurapica had nothing to do with fear or disgust. Their lips met and Kuroro angled his head, deepening the kiss right away. He pushed against the Kuruta, and Kurapica found himself leaning backwards over the length of the sofa, with only Kuroro's arm around his waist to control his descent. He ended up on his back, one leg jammed rather uncomfortably against the backrest of the couch, his other leg dangling off of the seat, with Kuroro hovering over him, one hand by the blond's head supporting his weight while his other hand slid over Kurapica's waist, went down over his hip, then back up, under his T-shirt, skin against skin and Kurapica arched up, letting out a soft sound.

Kuroro's kiss grew insistent, hungry, and the entire room was spinning. Kurapica couldn't think, couldn't breathe, and then Kuroro's lips left his, but only to trail down his jawline, then down the length of his throat, making the blond moan softly again. A quiet distant part of his mind protested this indignity, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the warmth of Kuroro's palm against his skin and the feel of his lips at his throat. The taller man settled between his legs and Kurapica arched against him again, feeling Kuroro's hand slide lower, over his hip, down the side of his thigh, pulling lightly on the back of his leg, not that there was any room for the blond to put his foot up on the couch. But he did move his leg closer, felt the inside of his thigh slide against Kuroro's hip and things were heating up so fast, so fast.

The older man nipped at his throat and his hand slid back up under the blond's shirt, caressing up his side, over his ribs and Kurapica arched up again, felt himself harden, felt Kuroro pressed intimately against him and it was like he was drowning, suddenly. He made another soft sound that sounded half-desperate, half-panicked even to his own ears, and he froze. Kuroro straightened up, looking down at him, his eyes intense and hungry. Kurapica tried to catch his breath – when had he started panting anyway? – looking up at him, knowing he probably looked a little terrified, but he wouldn't run, he wouldn't! Silently, Kuroro leaned back down for another kiss, softer, more gentle, and then he pulled away completely.

Kurapica let his eyes close again, putting his hands over them, trying to get them to go back to blue – he hadn't noticed them changing to red either – and waiting until he was sure he was in control once more. “Why did you stop?” he asked softly. “I'm not going to run.”

“No,” Kuroro said softly, “but you're scared.” It felt even more humiliating when said out loud like this, no matter how true it was. “There's no rush,” the older man continued after a moment. Kurapica peeked at him from under one of his hands when he felt the cushion shift with Kuroro's movements. He'd put his top back on and was leaning forward to grab his cup of caffeine. He glanced at the blond. “Come on, let's have breakfast. I don't know about you, but I'm starving.”

Kurapica pushed himself up slowly. He managed to get his leg out from behind Kuroro without kicking the older man, accidentally or otherwise, and he sat stiffly for a moment. Then he remembered his hoodie and put it back on, zipping it all the way up. He bit at his lower lip, took a shuddering breath, nodded, raked a hand through his hair and nodded again. “Yeah,” he finally said, “I'm hungry too.”

Kuroro's grin as he handed him his cup of coffee shouldn't have made him feel as light-headed as it did.

Chapter Text

Kuroro quite enjoyed his morning, after the exciting moment they had before breakfast. He'd felt Kurapica harden for him, had felt it press up into him and it had taken him all of the self-control he possessed to back out after that. But it had been worth it. The entire morning, he caught the blond glancing at him from under his long eyelashes, trying to read his face, so shaken, so confused... it wouldn't take too long, now. Soon, very soon, the Kuruta would be his, body and soul. Well, maybe not his soul, but his mind, at the very least, would be filled with thoughts of Kuroro.

They had lunch at a small restaurant adjacent to the lobby, then went back up. Kuroro closed the door behind them and said, “We're going to hit the estate tonight. I'm going to take a nap, since we'll be up a good part of the night. You should, too.” He smiled at him, trying not to look like he was goading him. “We could share my bed, if you want.”

“No, that's fine,” the blond answered, very seriously. Kuroro had expected this answer, so it didn't faze him at all. Kurapica was standing behind the couch leaning over the back of it to try and retrieve his book, and really, he was making this entirely too easy. Kuroro wondered if the Kuruta was doing it on purpose, but then he dismissed the idea. Still, it'd be kind of rude not to take advantage. He stepped behind the blond, his arms sliding easily around the front of his waist. Kurapica tensed, then forced himself to relax, straightening up. He turned his head towards Kuroro who couldn't help grinning at him. “I thought you were going to sleep for a bit?” Kurapica asked.

“In a minute,” Kuroro assured him. “I just couldn't resist the view.”

“What view?” the blond asked, trying to turn to face him, but the Spider head held him in place.

He chuckled by the Kuruta's ear and was delighted to feel him shiver in response. “It doesn't matter,” he said softly. He nuzzled at the side of his neck, just below his ear-ring, that piece of jewelry that seemed to hold so much meaning now, and felt the boy tense up in response. Oh, this would never get old, how Kurapica tensed and shivered and gasped in his arms. He'd taught him the meaning of loss, taught him the meaning of hatred, of anger, of strength, and now he was teaching him the meaning of lust, of carnal pleasure and of desire. It was intoxicating.

He breathed in deeply and felt Kurapica's hand land softly on his arms, where they were still wrapped around the boy. “Hey,” the blond said softly, “what are you doing?”

“You won't come and nap with me, so I'm holding you now while I can,” Kuroro lied easily. He wasn't about to just tell him he'd wanted to feel him shudder again. He gave the blond a squeeze, then finally released him. He made a show of stretching and yawning as he walked back to his room, feeling the weight of the boy's eyes at his back. He didn't close the door. As he lied down to try and sleep, he heard the younger man pad a little closer (peeking into his room, maybe), then retreat to the couch where he sat. The occasional sound of pages turning lulled Kuroro to sleep. He half-awoke when Kurapica got up from the couch and peered in on him again, then his footsteps quietly made a path to his own room. Kuroro heard the door shut, and let himself drift off again.

He awoke as the sun was coming down. It was on the late side of dinner time, and he was starting to feel rather hungry. He sat up and mussed his hair a bit, then slid his legs off to one side and pushed himself up to his feet. The coffee here was atrocious, but he still set the coffee maker to make a cup. He added creamer, then set the little machine to make another one while he took this one to Kurapica's room. The blond was sleeping on top of the covers, one arm over his stomach, the other hand up on his pillow by his head. He'd taken off his hoodie, which was on the far side of the bed. Kuroro set the cup down on the nightstand and sat beside the blond, like he had done the morning after Kurapica had returned from Zaban city. The boy didn't stir, so Kuroro put a hand by his torso on the far side and leaned over him, observing him silently for a moment. Even with his eyes closed like this, the Kuruta looked beautiful. Kuroro counted himself lucky in that he'd both managed to coax this alluring young man into responding to his touch and had managed to secure such a beautiful potential lover.

“Kurapica,” he called out softly, not wanting to startle him awake. The blond stirred a little, made a soft, sleepy sound, then settled back down. Kuroro could feel a smile pulling at his lips. He leaned in closer and let his lips graze down the boy's jawline to his ear, saying again, “Kurapica,” then, “wake up.” The blond made another little sound and then came suddenly awake, judging by how he stiffened up. Kuroro shifted his weight to his other arm, leaning on his elbow so he could free up his hand to run down the boy's side from chest to hip, where he squeezed, earning himself a soft intake of air. “Wake up,” he whispered again, placing a kiss on the side of Kurapica's throat, then another, lower.

“I'm awake,” the blond whispered back, his hand landing on top of Kuroro's, holding it in place when the older man was about to move it back up the length of his torso. Well, there were worse places to leave one's hand. Kuroro squeezed again, and pulled at the blond's hip a bit, his head moving back up just enough so he could kiss Kurapica on the lips. He kept it slow – languid, nearly – and it didn't take too long at all for the blond to respond, to nibble at his lips, and Kuroro really should be pulling away, if he wanted to get dinner and then get ready to drive off to the estate that he was planning to burglarize that night. But how could he be expected to pull away when Kurapica was lying under him and parting his lips in invitation? Kuroro had worked too hard for this. His tongue pressed forward, met Kurapica's and slid over it. The blond's fingers slid between his and he arched up slightly, just enough for Kuroro to notice, and he could feel something inside him clamour for more of this, more of this kiss, more of this boy.

He ignored it and pushed himself a little higher. “Brought you coffee,” he whispered, still hovering over the blond.

“Mm,” Kurapica hummed, and wrapped his hand around the back of his skull to pull him down for another kiss.

Kuroro was fairly certain that meant the blond wasn't entirely awake yet, but it did make him wonder how sensual a lover he would make once his inhibitions stopped getting in the way. It did mean that he got to indulge for a little longer, at least. He delved back in, kissing the younger man slowly, thoroughly, his fingers digging into the boy's hip. He ended the kiss, trailed soft nips and kisses down the boy's jawline, the side of his neck, and when he reached his shoulder and felt him arch up again, he sat up. “Kurapica,” he said, trying not to sound like pulling away had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do, “coffee. Unless you want me to drink it.”

“You don't drink yours with cream,” the blond said with his eyes still closed and Kuroro blinked at him. He didn't think the boy had noticed, but then, he shouldn't be surprised that he had. The boy was very observant by nature.

“I could still be able to drink it,” Kuroro retorted. “Do you really want to risk it?”

Kurapica cracked one eye open, observing him quietly for a moment, before he stretched slightly. “No, I guess not,” he finally said, pushing himself up into a seated position.

Kuroro squeezed his hip one last time before he let go. He handed the boy his coffee and pushed off to his feet. “I'm going to order room service; is there anything specific you feel like eating?”

“Not really,” Kurapica said, then paused, “no wait. Some type of fish with rice, if they have any. If they don't, just get me whatever you'll be having.”

“Even if I order something really spicy?” the older man couldn't help teasing, even though this would mark the first time the boy had ever requested any specific kind of food.

“I'd like to think you wouldn't, if you knew I'd be eating the same,” the blond countered easily, without so much as a pause. Of course, if he'd noticed what Kuroro put in his coffee, the Kuruta would have figured out that the taller man knew he didn't like spicy food.

“Maybe I will, just to spite you,” Kuroro said with a grin.

“Maybe you won't, just to keep me,” Kurapica sent back. He took a sip of the coffee and nodded to himself before taking another. His eyes slid up to Kuroro's face and he paused before asking quietly, “What?”

“Nothing,” the taller man replied, grin still firmly in place. “So fish and rice for the lady. Anything else with that?”

“Now you're just pushing to make me react,” Kurapica grumbled. “Well it won't work.”

“Worked pretty well this morning, I'd say,” Kuroro said, staring at the blond's face just so he could catch the very moment when the boy understood exactly what he meant. At first, Kurapica frowned. A pause, a blink and then, then finally he blushed, eyes going wide. Still grinning, Kuroro took a step back, then another, and easily ducked when the pillow came flying towards his face. He chuckled and left the room, going to look at the menu for room service. There were a few different combination of fish and rice, and he picked one that he thought the blond would like, and ordered something really spicy for himself, just on principle.

He'd just set the phone down on the cradle when Kurapica finally emerged from the room, still blushing and seemingly unable to look at him in the eyes. They got themselves properly caffeinated and fed, and then they had an hour or so to relax before they had to go. Well, Kuroro knew how one could spend an hour. He pushed his plate aside and got up. Kurapica caught the look on his face and told him, “If you try to kiss me, I'm going to bite you.” Kuroro blinked and paused, not having anticipated this threat. The boy had more than given the okay on this sort of thing, so was he still mad about the teasing he got earlier? But then Kurapica said, “At least go and brush your teeth. You had spicy food and I don't want to cringe every single time you kiss me.”

Kuroro laughed. “Well then, I suppose I could pop into the washroom for just a moment.” He couldn't resist leaning over to place a chaste kiss on Kurapica's lips, though. Just a small peck and he straightened up. Kurapica punched him lightly for that, but without any heat – just a light punch on the side of Kuroro's hip. “Don't go away,” the Spider head said, to which the blond shrugged. Figuring it was as good an answer as he was going to get, Kuroro made his way back to his room and into his private bathroom. He brushed his teeth quickly but thoroughly, then went back out to the common area. Kurapica wasn't anywhere in sight, so he looked into his bedroom through the open door. The blond wasn't there either, but as he got closer, he heard the faucet running in the bathroom. Smiling to himself, he walked into the bedroom and closed the door and sat on the bed.

When Kurapica emerged from the bathroom, he blinked at Kuroro. “What,” he asked, somewhat sulkily, “you couldn't wait five minutes?”

Kuroro shrugged. “The bed's more comfortable than the sofa,” he said and loved the way the blond coloured. “Don't worry,” he added, “I'm not going to do anything you're not okay with.”

Kurapica snorted. “A bit late for that,” he informed the older man.

Well, he had a point. “I might push a bit,” Kuroro amended, “but all you have to do is to tell me to stop, and I'll stop.”

Kurapica hesitated, shifting from one foot to the other uncomfortably. Then he said, “Okay,” and made his way over to the older man. Kuroro reached out and took one of his hands, pulling him closer gently, his other hand wrapping around the back of Kurapica's thigh. The boy stood awkwardly between his knees, looking down at him with a thoughtful frown on his beautiful features. He licked his lips slowly and gods, but how could he be so unawares of how sensual this looked?! Kuroro let go and slid both hands up, under the blond's shirt, pushing it up so he could nip and nibble on the pale skin underneath, making Kurapica take a shuddering breath. The taller man pulled him forward, twisting to the side as he did, effectively making the blond fall onto the mattress next to him with a graceless squawk that made Kuroro chuckle softly. He pushed himself up onto his hands, crawling over the blond, watching his eyes grow wide and his cheeks red, and really, this was a perfect look for him, lying on his back with his golden hair fanning around his head, looking up at him with this vulnerable look in his blue-green eyes. Kuroro could get utterly addicted to this. He kissed him then, felt him tense, then relax under him as Kuroro's tongue took possession of his mouth. It tasted like peppermint. Kurapica hooked an arm around the back of his head, kissing back shyly at first, then more and more forcefully and Kuroro nearly wanted to postpone their little outing of the night to another day entirely. Who could say how much he could get away with right then, without that time constraint?

Kuroro shifted so his weight rested on one elbow, and he ran his other hand up the boy's side, pushing his T-shirt up as he went, and Kurapica made a soft sound and arched against him. Then Kuroro raked his fingers down and Kurapica broke the kiss, throwing his head back to let out a strangled moan that seriously threatened to make the tight grip that Kuroro kept on his hunger snap entirely. He mouthed a path down the blond's jawline, under his chin as Kurapica arched his neck back further, then down his throat where he latched, dragging pants and breathless little sounds from the blond. He moved his hand between them and undid the boy's trousers, pulling them open impatiently before unceremoniously shoving his hand in. Kurapica crossed his forearms over his eyes and his pants came out harsher as Kuroro easily brought him fully hard. Into his underwear then, hand moving steadily, his mouth sucking at the blond's throat hard enough to bruise the delicate skin.

It was getting somewhat difficult to ignore his own hunger, but he knew Kurapica needed a little more time before he was ready to reciprocate, and so he ignored his own need, focused on the blond, so as to bind him more tightly, more completely to his will. A harsh suck, a slide of his hand up and down Kurapica's shaft, a pause, repeat, and another time, no pause then, just constant movement, Kurapica quietly stifling as many of the sounds threatening to escape from his lips as he could, Kuroro's mouth getting more and more insistent, his hand moving faster. The blond's arms fell from his face, and Kuroro left his throat to look at him, loving that he looked so wanton, so helpless, his red eyes wide, unseeing, lips wet, mouth open, panting harshly. Kuroro stared, enraptured. Faster and faster his hand went, never pausing, never wavering, until the boy arched up with a strangled cry and he came. A breath, and Kuroro was kissing him, not caring that Kurapica's kiss was uncoordinated, or that his hand was coated in the boy's release. As he slid his hand out of Kurapica's jeans, a soft mewl falling from the boy's lips had his decision to wait jump right out of the window. He sat up, straddling the blond, quite intent on getting his shirt off.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Room service,” came a muffled voice, and it was enough for Kuroro to remember himself.

He chuckled softly. “Wait here,” he said, surprised how rough his voice sounded to his own ears. A quick kiss on Kurapica's lips and he pulled away. “I'll bring you something to wash up with.” Then, loud enough to be heard by the hotel hand he called out, “Just a minute! Give me just a minute!” He pushed himself up to his feet and went into Kurapica's bathroom where he grabbed a washcloth and wet it. Waiting for the water to get warm enough, he took a moment to compose himself. Then he went back into the room and dropped the cloth on Kurapica's stomach. “Make yourself presentable, I'll get that.”

“What about you?” Kurapica asked with a thoughtful frown, eyes not meeting his.

“I'm trying not to think about that,” Kuroro answered truthfully. “I'll be fine. We have work to do tonight anyway.” And he closed the door behind him before going to let the hotel help in to clear out their dinner, and if they noticed anything about his appearance, they had the grace not to comment. In a way, it worked to his advantage. If anyone spotted them at the mansion, stealing a pair of Scarlet Eyes, well, the staff here could provide an alibi, if they assumed that they were in their suite, having sex.

It still sucked that they weren't, though.

Chapter Text

“You ready?”

Kuroro's voice startled Kurapica, but he recovered quickly and shrugged, zipping up his hoodie. “Yeah,” he said and tried not to blush too much. He shoved his hands into the pockets, staring at Kuroro's feet, teeth worrying at his lower lip. Of course, when he'd decided on this course of action, he had known that physical intimacy would be part of it, but it was still awkward. He didn't quite know how to face the older man, right now. When the Spider head turned away from him, Kurapica looked up, and caught sight of his face for just a second. He looked fine, not flustered in the least. Well, he was probably used to intimacy, so maybe he didn't think much of what had transpired between them. It was hard for Kurapica, though. He wasn't changing his mind, he just didn't really know how to react to any of it. But there was just a moment, earlier, when he thought that Kuroro was going to decide to delay the burglary (oh, how he hated that word!) and to stay at the hotel for the night instead. And Kurapica hated to admit it, even to himself, but the thought hadn't felt as wrong as he thought it should have.

This put him in a predicament.

One the one hand, it wasn't like he wanted it to feel wrong when Kuroro touched him, but on the other hand, it didn't feel right that he enjoyed it. It was frustrating just how confused this all made him feel. And still, Kuroro's face looked the same, when the blond dared look at him. It was hard not to get angry at him for that.

He followed him out of their suite and down to the basement level where the car was parked, trying to keep his mind focused on what they were setting out to do, but it was really hard not to keep glancing at the older man out of the corner of his eye as they drove the 90 minutes that it took to reach the estate. Which was actually why he caught Kuroro doing the exact same thing on a few occasions.

Huh.

In spite of everything, infiltrating the large mansion turned out to be a piece of cake. There were many, many guards, but both Kuroro and Kurapica knew how to avoid being seen and heard. The ones on patrol seemed to be little better than grunts with guns, but he knew they had Nen users inside. Hopefully, they'd be sleeping. Kurapica guessed that the way he was prevented from using Nen, contrary to the Judgement Chain he had used on the older man, forced him into the state of Zetsu, so he'd be fine. Kuroro would probably use it himself, to remain undetected. It put both of them at risk, but the Spider head didn't look particularly worried. He did seem a tad pensive, though. And slower than usual. Not by much, but enough that Kurapica started wondering if perhaps he wasn't a little distracted. His face was still completely unreadable, however, so the young Hunter couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.

They made their way inside without problem, but as they were silently walking towards the stairs, they heard someone running in their direction. Kurapica grabbed Kuroro's hand and pulled him, opening the door next to him for them to hide inside. He quickly but silently shut the door behind them, but when he turned, he found Kuroro standing practically on top of him. He pushed against his chest lightly, trying to get him to leave him more space, but the taller man just shook his head and mouthed, closet. Kurapica closed his eyes for a moment to let them adjust to the near-complete darkness, then opened them and looked over the older man's shoulder. Sure enough, there were shelves at his back and there was just nowhere for him to go.

Of course.

As if their situation wasn't awkward enough to begin with. He looked up through his eyelashes, trying to read Kuroro's face without being noticed. The taller man wasn't looking at him, though. He had his head tilted to the side, his eyes closed, obviously focused on listening to the sounds coming from the hallway outside. He had his hands on Kurapica's shoulders, but it seemed to be more for a lack of better place to put them than because he wanted to touch him. There were muffled voices outside, and more footsteps, but eventually, they moved away and silence returned to the mansion. Still, they waited, making sure that no one else was coming their way. Then, finally, Kuroro pressed down on his shoulders lightly to indicate they could leave. Kurapica was about to turn, when he caught the taller man's eyes suddenly focusing on the side of his neck. There was an awkward pause, and Kuroro slid his hands up to cup his jaw, making Kurapica's heart constrict slightly. Another strange pause, and the taller man let his hands slide back down. Unsure how to interpret what had just happened, Kurapica turned away from him and silently opened the door, glancing left and right before stepping out into the hallway again. They made their way down to the deepest level and Kuroro threw the Fun Fun Cloth over the entire display where the Scarlet Eyes were kept. A moment later, he picked up the knotted cloth, now a mere few centimetres in size, and he slid it into his pocket. They made their way outside through a side door and kept to the shadows at they made their way to the wall surrounding the property. They were about halfway there when they heard dogs and yells and the clear signs of a pursuit. Kuroro's face positively came alive. He grinned at Kurapica, looking for all the world like a kid in the proverbial candy store. Their hands connected, held and they took off at a run.

Kuroro jumped onto the top of the wall first, then turned around, reached down for Kurapica's hand and pulled him up easily. They jumped to the other side and took off at a run once again. After a few minutes, they reached the car and the taller man laughed, spun around and planted a kiss on the corner of Kurapica's lips. Then he unlocked their vehicle and Kurapica had to shake himself from where he'd frozen in place. He slid into his seat just as Kuroro sat behind the wheel, and they were soon rushing back towards the highway. They were going much too fast, but Kurapica didn't even think of protesting. His head was whirling, his heart hammering in his chest, and the combination of adrenalin and excitement.

But when they reached their suite, Kuroro just stretched, threw his coat over the back of the couch and went to his room, calling out, “Good night,” before he closed the door behind himself. Kurapica blinked after him, so hopelessly confused that it was a long while before he went into his own room. He took off his clothes and showered, then he left himself fall into his bed with a soft, frustrated grunt. It took him a long, long time to fall asleep.

He awoke late the next morning. It had been nearly dawn by the time they had gotten back the previous night, and that, combined with his trouble falling asleep, meant that it was early afternoon when he finally woke up. He went into the common area of their suite and found Kuroro already up, dressed and making coffee. He had gelled his hair back, which instantly made Kurapica pause and frown. It had been so long since he'd seen him with his hair like that. He didn't know what it meant, but he wasn't sure that he liked it.

The Spider head turned to him. “Morning,” he said cheerfully. Kurapica licked his lips slowly, frowning a little in confusion.

“Good morning,” he finally said, making his way over. Kuroro handed him the cup of coffee he'd just brewed, then set around to making his own. Kurapica poured some cream into his cup. “Thank you.” He took a sip and glanced at the taller man. “Are we leaving soon?” he wanted to know. “You seem to be ready to go all ready.”

“I'm going alone,” Kuroro said and turned around to lean against the counter. “You can stay here and rest today.”

Kurapica frowned. “Why?” The older man shrugged offhandedly and didn't answer. When his coffee was ready, he put a pack of sugar in it and stirred, then he picked up his coat from the back of the couch and slid into it. Kurapica watched him pick up his cup and take a sip. “Can I borrow another book?” he asked, because he didn't know what else to say.

“Sure,” Kuroro said and he glanced at him. His eyes slid down to his lips, then to his neck, where he touched him lightly with the tip of two fingers. “I should be back in a couple of hours. I'll call you, if there is anything.”

Kurapica nodded and watched him go, turning away only when the door had shut behind the older man. Then, he slowly made his way to his bathroom. He set his cup down by the sink and looked at his neck in the mirror. There was a dark smudge where Kuroro had touched him and he rubbed at it with his fingers, frowning at his reflection. It was a little sore. When had this happened? He hadn't hit anything or been in contact with anyone but Kuroro. Realization struck and he clamped his hand over the hickey, quickly turning away from the mirror. He grabbed his cup and quickly walked to the older man's room to grab a book that he took back to the lounge area to read. But as the seconds slowly ticked away, he found he couldn't focus on the writings at all.

True to his word, Kuroro returned a little over two hours later and walked over to him. Kurapica frowned at the book open in front of him, pretending to read. He felt the older man's fingers ghost down the back of his neck and he shivered. He lowered his head a bit, taking in a shaky breath. He didn't know how to react or what to say. Maybe he should ask how it had gone at the museum. “You are truly beautiful,” he heard Kuroro's soft, deep voice whisper. He could feel the blush spreading over his cheeks, and he hoped the man wouldn't try to look at his face. He felt so self-conscious suddenly. This wasn't the first time he had heard such remark from the older man, but somehow things were different now. Kurapica wasn't sure what had changed, but something had.

Kuroro leaned forward, chuckling softly right by his left ear. The gentle breath of air accompanying the sound made his hair tickle against his skin. He resisted the urge to rub his ear against his shoulder. The book still lay open on this lap. It made him feel a little safer, for some reason. He stared intently at it, trying to remember where he had left off.

Kuroro's hand slid over his right shoulder and he leaned in closer. “Kurapica?”

The blond shivered again. “Mm?”

“You stopped reading a while ago,” Kuroro said and plucked the book from his lap, setting it down on the table next to Kurapica. The blond didn't bother denying it. They both knew it was true. He looked up and turned slightly towards Kuroro. He understood what had changed, then.

He had.

“What,” Kuroro asked with a smile, “no protest?”

“I think it's a little too late for that at this point,” Kurapica answered him levelly.

Kuroro chuckled. “I suppose that's true.”

He let his fingers run lightly over Kurapica's shoulder, back to his neck. The blond tilted his head, letting his eyes fall shut as he exhaled softly. When Kuroro stepped away from his, he blinked and turned towards him questioningly. The taller man was shrugging out of his coat, mussing up his hair as soon as he was free of it. Kurapica had to admit he liked him a lot better with his hair down.

Seeing the Kuruta looking at him, Kuroro grinned. “Now, if you stare openly, I could take it as an invitation, you know.” Kurapica shrugged and turned away. He got up and walked over to the coffee machine nut before he could set it to make himself a cup of tea, Kuroro's arms wrapped around his waist from behind. “You didn't deny this either,” he informed the blond, pulling him back against his chest.

Kurapica's hands settled on his forearms. “What are you doing?” he asked quietly, pulling at his wrists a little.

“Holding you,” came the easy response and Kuroro tightened his hold slightly, as if to illustrate his point. “Seeing how you didn't protest or deny anything so far, I'm curious to see just how much I can get away with, today.”

Kurapica stopped pulling at him, leaving his hands to just lay on the taller man's bare arms. “Probably more than you think,” he whispered softly, lowering his head to hide his face.

If he was hoping that speaking so low would prevent the older man from hearing him, he was very mistaken. “Oh?” He couldhearthe smile in Kuroro's voice. “Really, now. Saying things like this, I would be rude not to take advantage.” He let his right hand runs down Kurapica's left side, from his waist down to his hip. Kurapica tensed up, be he didn't protest of move away. Kuroro gently turned the blond around to face him. He looked down into his blues eyes and Kurapica knew he'd find uncertainty there – part of him wanted to bolt from the room entirely. But he had resolved to see this through and he meant to.

From here on, it was Kuroro's lead. Kurapica had no experience in the ways of the flesh and though he had some encyclopaedic knowledge of how things worked, he didn't even know where to begin. A part of him – the part that wanted to bolt – was protesting that this was going too far, but he shoved it down. He had left behind his strong sense of morals long ago. And it wasn't like he was doing this out of spite or to find Kuroro's weakness specifically anymore either. He was doing it because he found the man attractive, enough that if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was falling for him. Just like Killua had said.

Falling for his worst enemy.

Life really had a way to fuck with him in the worst possible ways.

Chapter Text

Kurapica's resolve must have shown on his face, because Kuroro tilted his head to the side and he had a small smile on his lips. He reached forward and put the tip of his fingers lightly over the blond's mouth. Kurapica parted his lips and scraped his teeth lightly on the pads of Kuroro's fingers, and the older man's eyebrows raised slightly. Seeing how this had obviously surprised the older man, Kurapica flicked his tongue over the tip of his fingers. Kuroro suddenly wrapped his free arm around the blond's waist and pulled him forward, holding him close. Leaving the Kuruta's lips, he tipped Kurapica's head up gently with his right hand. The blond anticipated the kiss, yet it was different from all of those he had received from the Spider head so far. This one seemed more exciting, somehow. It made his heart pound and his body felt hot all over. Kuroro had him pressed tightly against his front, and Kurapica parted his lips to let him in. Kuroro's tongue delved into his mouth and Kurapica had to repress a groan. He wasn't sure where to put his hands, so he settled for Kuroro's shoulders. He felt the man's other arm snake around his waist and then there was nothing left between their bodies to separate them.

Kuroro broke the kiss to breathe and Kurapica barely had the time to get a gulp of air that the older man was kissing him again. As the heat intensified, Kurapica's hands buried themselves in Kuroro's silky black hair and he tried to stand on the tip of his toes to be a little more level with the taller man. This meant he was less stable, so when Kuroro pushed against him, he stumbled backwards until his lower back connected with the desk quite painfully. He made a choked up sound of protest and Kuroro just hitched him up onto the flat surface, then stepped forward between his thighs. Before Kurapica could protest at his current location, Kuroro pulled him to the very edge of the desk with his hands on Kurapica's buttocks. He kissed him, pulling him so close, Kurapica could feel the man's excitement rubbing against his own burgeoning erection.

He gasped breathlessly, effectively breaking the kiss. He looked up and was surprised to find Kuroro staring intently into his eyes, the man's dark eyes heavy with want. Kurapica's chest tightened and he found it hard to breathe, suddenly. He knew his eyes had switched to red, triggered by the intensity of his desire. Kuroro's right hand came up to his cheek, touching the side of his face near his eye with the tip of his fingers. Kurapica had the sudden feeling the the master thief could easily kill him here and now and steal his own crimson eyes. Instead, the older man buried his hand into the Kuruta's golden locks and pulled him forward into another kiss. This one was a little gentler.

Kuroro's free hand moved from his behind and started fussing at the button of his jeans. Kurapica gasped, trying to control himself. It was a battle he was losing fast. “Wait,” he panted, hating how his voice came out. “Wait! Hold on a second.” Kuroro stepped back and looked at him questioningly. Kurapica licked his lips unconsciously, then swallowed. “At least let me get off the desk.” He slid off and stood for a moment, eyeing the door leading to his room. He wondered if he could do it, if he could actually go and sleep with him.

He could.

He brushed by Kuroro, heading into his room and to his bed. Once he reached it, he stood uncertainly beside it, wondering what to do now. Kuroro joined him and manoeuvred him so he had his back to the mattress, then pushed him gently down, until the blond was sitting on it. Kurapica let himself be pushed down, but he was getting increasingly nervous. He knew his inexperience meant he probably wouldn't be too good at this. He was a perfectionist by nature and that thought really bothered him, even as Kuroro reached down and pulled his shirt off. He had another, short-sleeved shirt underneath and he caught the taller man's amused gaze just before he had that one up and off too. The tank top he wore underneath got the same treatment. “Do you have to wear so many layers all of the time?” Kuroro asked. Kurapica shrugged, feeling embarrassed both at the question and at the fact he was now bare-chest. He wrapped his arms around himself self-consciously. “Don't do that,” Kuroro chided, pulling his arms away from his chest. His fingers slid down the blond's arms to the back of his hands. He pulled them down to the top of the mattress, a little behind the Kuruta. This brought him leaning into Kurapica's personal space, with the blond having to lean back.

The insecurity Kurapica felt had changed his eyes back to blue. Kuroro stared at them wordlessly for a minute, then he leaned in to kiss him again, gently. Maybe he could feel that the blond hesitated, but whatever the reason, Kurapica appreciated the sentiment. He kissed him back, parting his lips easily to let the older man in. Kuroro wasted no time pushing his tongue in and deepening the kiss. This position was a little awkward but it hardly seemed to matter. Kurapica made a soft humming sound in the back of his throat and felt Kuroro's hands tighten over his for a brief second. Kurapica paused, but Kuroro was kissing him insistently now and he didn't have much time to consider this detail more in-depth.

He tried to sit up, but Kuroro wouldn't let go of his hands. His arms were getting sore from holding him up like this for too long, so he leaned back instead. The taller man moved his hands off of Kurapica's once the blond was laying flat on his back. His movement had broken their kiss, and the older man pursued it, putting one knee on the mattress between Kurapica's thighs and leaning over the blond with his hands on either side of the boy's shoulders.

In this new position, he was half laying over Kurapica, and his thigh was pressing lightly down on the blond's crotch. Kurapica gasped and Kuroro used the opportunity to deepen the kiss right away. He leaned more heavily on his right hand, lifting the left one to run it down the side of Kurapica's chest. The blond gasped again, arching into the touch. When Kuroro's hand wandered back up, he put more pressure on it and Kurapica had to resist the urge to moan loudly. That would be so undignified! But Kuroro seemed towantto make Kurapica make more sounds.

Well, there was no way the blond would moan and whimper.

Still, Kuroro's touches felt better than he thought they should. The taller man's thigh pressed down a little more and he gasped again, breaking the kiss to throw his head back. Kuroro nipped at his jawline, then down on his throat. Kurapica had to suppress another moan that came out like a sharp exhale instead. The taller man got his pants undone and open, then he straightened up to unzip and shrug out of his own top. Kurapica pushed himself up and backed away so he was completely onto the mattress, his legs no longer dangling over the edge. Kuroro followed him, crawling over him in a way that Kurapica thought was oddly feral. He kissed the blond roughly, then straightened up again to pull the boy's pants and underwear completely off. The Kuruta made a little shocked sound in the back of his throat and tried to cover himself up but Kuroro batted his hands away.

“Let me see you,” he said softly, though in a tone that barred any argument. Kurapica steeled himself, just staring at Kuroro's face, trying to figure out what he was thinking from his expression, but it was unreadable. The older man looked him up and down slowly and Kurapica became more and more nervous. Finally, he had enough. He reached up, grabbed Kuroro’s face with his two hands and pulled at it gently. The older man went with it so Kurapica pulled him down into a kiss. It was slow, hesitant. Kuroro let him set the pace. His left hand slowly went up Kurapica’s thigh. It was a warm, delicious pressure, and the boy couldn’t keep back a quiet moan of pleasure. The taller man paused, then squeezed Kurapica’s hip gently. His kiss became more urgent, demanding. His tongue pushed against the blond’s and his thigh pressed harder against Kurapica’s erection. The fabric was uncomfortable.

Kurapica broke the kiss. “Your pants,” he began.

Kuroro didn’t leave him time to finish his sentence. He straightened up and undid his trousers. He slid them off his hips, then shifted to the side to lie down next to the Kuruta. He shoved his pants and underwear down his legs, then off the bed. Kurapica turned to him and the Spider head tilted his head with a little smile. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“No,” Kurapica answered, a little breathless. “I’m not sure.” He kept his eyes firmly on Kuroro’s face. He didn’t even dare look down. “But I can do it. I will.”

Kuroro’s only answer was to caress his body gently. He ran his hand up his side to his shoulder, then down his chest, applying a little more pressure. Kurapica exhaled softly. Kuroro slid the tip of his fingers lightly down to his neither region and the blond inhaled sharply then held his breath.

“Then you need to relax,” Kuroro whispered softly. He wrapped his hand around Kurapica’s erection and moved up and down twice. The Kuruta couldn’t repress his moan entirely, so it came out, soft and breathy. Kuroro kissed him. He ran the palm of his hand over Kurapica's member once, twice, then massaged his testicles gently. Kurapica moaned again, louder this time, and arched his back. He tried pushing the other man away, needing to regain control of himself, but the taller man didn’t leave him time to. He kissed him again, more insistently this time, and ran his hand up and down his shaft a few more times.

Kurapica was horrified to hear himself moan loudly, effectively breaking the kiss again to throw his head back as pleasure engulfed him, stopping all rational thoughts. Kuroro lifted his head to watch his eyes. They were red again. He kept his hand moving, staring at him intensely. Kurapica reached up, wrapping his arms around the back of his neck and pulled him down into a hot, hungry kiss. The Spider head replied in in kind, stroking him faster now, hand firmly wrapped around his shaft.

“Ah wait,” Kurapica panted, breaking the kiss again.

“It’s okay,” Kuroro whispered, leaning down so his mouth was right by the Kuruta’s ear. Kurapica shivered, the low, soft whisper exciting him more than it should have. There was just something in that voice, in the way he spoke so softly, that made Kurapica’s chest tighten and his breath to hitch up. “It’s okay,” the Spider head said again. “You can come. Let it go.” Kurapica shook his head lightly and buried his face in the crook of Kuroro’s shoulder. He tried to hold back, focused all of his energy into staving off the climax he felt coming. “Let it go,” Kuroro whispered softly, right into his ear, and Kurapica couldn’t hold it in anymore.

His orgasm washed over him and he cried out softly, panting and clinging to Kuroro as if his life depended on it. The taller man held him, still stroking him intimately, whispering soft encouragements that Kurapica could barely hear. That low voice was like the soundtrack to his climax. When it was over, he lay there, panting softly against the Kuroro’s shoulders, eyes closed. He felt so sluggish now, and boneless. Kuroro moved his hand and Kurapica tensed, eliciting a soft, throaty chuckle from the taller man. He shifted and pushed himself up onto one elbow, looking down at the blond. Kurapica looked up at him, trying to catch his breath. The Spider head’s face was still unreadable, save for a small, satisfied smile on his lip, but there was something glistening in his eye. They were intensely fixed on his and Kurapica thought he could discern something akin to want and hunger in the black, intense depths.

Kuroro’s smile widened a tiny fraction and he moved his hand again. Kurapica bit his lower lip to keep himself from moaning again. One of Kuroro’s eyebrows hitched up briefly. His hand moved up and he placed it flat, low on Kurapica’s belly. It was warm and heavy and somehow, that made him breathe a little faster. He looked up at the taller man, feeling his eyes switching between red and blue as he felt his passion raise again. Kuroro stared down into his eyes, then lowered his head and kissed him again. It was a slow, gentle kiss. The hand on his belly moved a little and Kurapica grimaced a bit. It was coated in his release and it was more than a little awkward. He needed to collect his thoughts. Kuroro wouldn’t let him, though. He slid his hand down, around his member, below his testicles and then just above his entrance, where he pressed lightly with the tip of his fingers. Kurapica arched up with a strangled gasp. Kuroro grinned and slid a little lower, running the tip of his fingers over and around his opening. It was all the blond could do not to moan and pant. He felt his desire rise again.

Then, suddenly, the pressure was gone and the Spider head was shifting on the bed. He lay over the Kuruta, their bodies flush against each other. Looking up to to the taller man, Kurapica tried to catch his breath. Kuroro leaned down and nibbled at his earlobe, making the younger man gasp softly and tense as it sent a wave of intense desire through his entire body. “Kurapica,” the Spider head whispered, and the blond shivered in response. “Kurapica. Touch me, too.” He nibbled at his ear again, then moved to the side, opposite to where he had lain before. Kurapica turned slightly to look at him.

“You –” Somehow, his voice was hoarse. It was hard to speak. “You want me to, to touch you?” He swallowed thickly and Kuroro nodded. Kurapica slowly lowered his eyes to where he hadn’t dared look before. He felt the heat rise up to his cheeks. His hand inched forward slowly. Just before he reached Kuroro’s erection, he hesitated, pausing for a moment. Then he breathed in, out, and wrapped his hand around the taller man’s shaft. It was warm and heavy in his hand. He peered up, and saw Kuroro’s eyes – intense, hungry, fixed on him. He moved his hand up tentatively and Kuroro’s lips quirked up. Down, and the taller man lowered his eyelids ever so slightly. After that, he didn’t want to look at the Spider head anymore. He closed his eyes, leaned in closer and buried his face in Kuroro’s neck to hide his blush. He moved his hand slowly up and down Kuroro’s shaft.

“Faster,” the Ryodan leader whispered in his ear, and Kurapica shivered and sped up his movement. When he felt Kuroro’s hand wrap around his own desire, he gave a soft, breathy little cry and lost the rhythm of his hand. The taller man paused and nudged him lightly. Kurapica started moving his hand again, and Kuroro followed his rhythm. He copied every movement the blond was doing with his hand and Kurapica was soon breathing harshly and having trouble focusing again. He moaned lightly against Kuroro’s neck and felt his hand tighten lightly on his shaft in response. That made him give a strangled gasp and he sped up his movement. Kuroro’s hand moved faster as well and the Kuruta couldn’t think anymore. All his attention was focused on his hand moving over Kuroro’s shaft and taller man doing the same to his own erection. The rest was just panting, feeling, feverish, urgent movements, desire and pleasure. The heat mounted up until Kurapica couldn’t hold it in anymore. He moaned harshly against Kuroro’s skin and felt him reach his climax, coating his hand with semen. The taller man kept moving, though, and Kurapica could only cling to him, making soft, breathy little cries with every movement of the hand over his shaft.

The second time he came was even more overwhelming than the first. They lay there panting for a moment, then Kuroro got up and went into the bathroom. Kurapica sat up, trying to gather his thoughts, but they all fluttered away like autumn leaves in the wind. The taller man returned with a warm, wet washcloth and put it on Kurapica’s lap. He moved as to wash him, but the blond pushed his hand away and did it himself.

“I’m going to shower,” the Spider head said, and Kurapica nodded in response, not looking at him. Kuroro stood for a moment, looking down at the young Hunter. Then, wordlessly, he picked up his clothes and walked out of the room. Kurapica folded the washcloth carefully once he was done, and set it down onto the nightstand. A short hesitation, and he picked it up again, taking it back to his private bathroom. He stepped into the shower and turned it on, the icy water hitting his chest for a moment before it warmed up. He welcomed it. He set to washing himself slowly, thoroughly. He had so much, so very much to think about, but his mind felt numb, empty. When he was clean, he sat at the bottom of the shower and let the water run over him for a long, long time.

Chapter Text

Kuroro felt pretty good about himself. It was pretty amazing that he'd managed to get this far with the Kuruta. Of course, the moment that he had decided on seducing the boy, he was pretty sure that he would succeed, but it was still something pretty amazing all the same. He woke up feeling refreshed and in good spirit. It was such a wonderful feeling, waking up and knowing that he had had such an effect on the boy the previous day. It was exciting, exhilarating, knowing that he'd gotten to a point with him that Kurapica would actually touch him, that he would bring him pleasure. It brought him such a feeling of power and control. Ah, he could get addicted to this.

After he’d left the boy's room the previous day, he'd taken a long shower, then stayed in his own room the rest of the evening. Kurapica needed to think and if Kuroro were to press him now, it would confuse him even more. At first, it had been what he was after, but now, he had to move it to the next level. Kurapica had to want him. Not just do things because Kuroro had made him feel excited, but because his head was completely taken by thoughts of him. He had to play a bit of a cat and mouse game now, touching just enough to keep Kurapica's thoughts on him, but not to the point that the boy simply allowed things to happen. No, Kurapica had to actively want things to happen between them. It would be a delicate operation. One that he had to play very carefully if he wanted to proceed with this plan.

How exciting.

He'd slept wonderfully well and woke up feeling like he could own the world if he so desired. He went into the lounge area and grinned when he saw the blond already at the coffee machine. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully.

Kurapica tensed, turned an intense shade of red and his eyes slid up to his face, then away. He bit his lower lip and took a step back. “Good morning,” he replied, apparently speaking to the floor.

Kuroro leaned back against the counter next to him. “Sleep well?” he asked, because it was fun to watch him squirm uncomfortably. He wanted to keep him right there and not let him escape back to his room. The younger man was too polite not to answer a question. Plus, he looked like he hadn't slept a wink, and it was amusing to pretend not to notice.

“Not really,” he said with a light shrug.

“Why not?” Kuroro pressed him, even though he knew perfectly well what had kept the blond up through most of the night.

The boy shrugged with only his right shoulder. “Had a lot to think about,” he said. He grabbed his cup from the coffee machine as soon as it was done and made to go back to his room, but then he hesitated. “Are we leaving today?” he wanted to know.

“Yeah, we still have one pair of eyes to retrieve up north. We should get to it as soon as possible before people start realizing only people who own a pair of Scarlet Eyes are being targeting by this new wave of robberies the newspapers are all talking about. They're already starting to catch on. It'll only get more and more difficult from now on.” He noticed the boy looking at his bare chest, though it was probably more because he couldn't make himself look at his face than because he was staring at him. “See something you like?” he asked anyway, because he just couldn't not tease him about it.

Kurapica jerked slightly, blushed a little more and hid behind his coffee. “No,” he muttered and he took a sip.

Kuroro smiled and moved closer. Kurapica finally looked up at him, and he had such a vulnerable look in his eyes, the older man just wanted to pull him closer and kiss him breathless. Instead, his smile widened and he said, “I'd like some coffee too, if you don't mind.” He tilted his head towards the coffee machine in front of which Kurapica was still standing.

“Oh,” the Kuruta took a step away and Kuroro started making his own coffee. He half-expected Kurapica to turn tail and run back to his room, but the blond asked, “What time are we leaving, then?”

“As soon as I finish my coffee and we're all packed up. You don't mind eating breakfast on the way out of town?” Kurapica shook his head. “Good, then that's what we'll do.” He paused, looking down at the blond, who was still standing near him. “I'd like a good morning kiss, if you don't mind,” he told him, because he was curious to see what Kurapica would do.

The blond looked up at him, then his eyes slid down again, and he licked his lips, shifting uncomfortably. He breathed in, did a half-nod, hesitated, then finally nodded. “Okay,” he said and he moved closer. He pushed himself onto his tiptoes and placed a kiss on Kuroro's lips.

It wasn't nearly enough, so the Spider head chuckled and said, “I'd like a proper good morning kiss.” He slid his hand down Kurapica's arm, going for the cup of coffee he was still holding. He took it from him and placed it back onto the counter top behind him. Kurapica had lowered himself back so his feet were firmly planted on the ground. Kuroro wrapped an arm around the back of his waist and pulled him closer, lowering his head so his lips were mere centimetres from the Kuruta's. There, he paused. Kurapica let out a soft, shaky breath and Kuroro's arm tightened around him, but he cotrolled himself. Slowly, carefully, he placed his lips on the boy's. He felt him respond, so he pulled back, smiled, then went back in for a deeper kiss, liking how Kurapica showed no hesitation in letting him, in kissing him back with all he had.

When the blond finally pulled away, he licked his lips and said, “I'm going to get ready, then.” Then he looked up and met Kuroro's eyes with a steady gaze in spite of the blush on his cheeks. He nodded to himself, as if he'd taken a decision, and then he picked up his coffee again and walked slowly back to his room, closing the door behind him. Kuroro was intrigued. He really wanted to know what conclusion the boy had reached. His coffee finished brewing, so he took his cup and went back to his own room, where he got dressed and gathered his things. Pretty soon, they were both in the car, driving north. Breakfast was mostly silent, the younger man lost in thoughts, the Spider head observing him, and they finished their meal quickly. Then, it was back on the road, out of the city and into the suburbs, then the country side. Kurapica was reading at first, but eventually, he fell asleep, his blond head leaning sideways against the window. Wordlessly, Kuroro took the book from his lap and placed it onto the back seat, keeping his eyes on the road and one hand on the steering wheel. He made a detour to a small rest stop to buy a couple of sandwiches for lunch but the blond didn't stir, so he left again and ate half of his sandwich, keeping the rest for later. It was mid-afternoon before Kurapica finally blinked blearily around. “Where are we?” he asked.

“Nearing Puruki,” Kuroro said, then he glanced at him. “Sleep all right?” he wanted to know.

“Yeah,” Kurapica said. “My neck's a little sore, but the nap helped.”

“Good,” Kuroro said with a smile. “I bought you a sandwich if you're hungry.” He pointed to the backseat with his thumb. “Actually, can you grab the bag, I want to finish my lunch, too.” Kurapica twisted in his seat, got the bag and his book, and put the items on his lap. He found Kuroro's half-eaten sandwich and gave it to him. “Thank you,” the taller man said and Kurapica nodded in response.

They ate in silence, the kilometres stretching behind them. When Kurapica finished his meal, Kuroro glanced at him. He'd finished a while ago and expected Kurapica to just go back to his book, so he commented, “You're very quiet, today.”

“I was sleeping,” Kurapica pointed out.

“You're awake now,” Kuroro said, and the blond shrugged. “So tell me, what is keeping you so pensive?”

Kurapica glanced at him. “I'm sure you know,” he answered. “So why are you asking? Do you genuinely want to know or are you just bored?”

Kuroro laughed, “Maybe a little of both,” he answered honestly. “I do want to know and sitting like this in absolute silence is kind of boring, yeah.”

Kurapica turned to look at him, and he studied his face silently for a moment. He turned away when he finally answered, “I've been thinking about how far I'm ready to follow you in this. How much I am willing to give, how far I'm ready to fall. I'm not walking into this,” he made a vague gesture with his hand, “whatever this is, with my eyes closed. I'm not willing to just follow you blindly. You have the upper hand in this because you have more experience than me. But I'm not going to be like a dog on a leash for you to play with.”

“That's not exactly a mental image I needed,” Kuroro commented with a grimace.

Kurapica glanced at him again, looking amused. “Anyway, I told you I was going to see where this leads us, but I'm not going to just let you play me.”

Kuroro nodded. “Does this mean you'll take the initiative next time?”

Kurapica licked his lips slowly, thinking it over. “Maybe, maybe not.”

“That's not an answer,” the older man pointed out.

The blond had a little smile. “Perhaps, but it's the only one you'll have.”

Kuroro chuckled. “Fair enough.”

Kurapica picked up his book and started reading after that, so the Spider head turned on the radio and scanned for a classical music station. Once he found one, he left it there and focused on driving. The rest of the afternoon went by in silence. They stopped as the sun was coming down. They found an inn that had a small restaurant attached and had dinner there before they went up to their rooms. Kurapica hesitated outside of Kuroro's door. The taller man tilted his head questioningly at him. “Yes?” he prompted when the blond just stood there without saying anything.

Kurapica frowned lightly, looking pensive for a moment. “Well,” he finally said, “I was wondering if I should,” he hesitated, pushing some hair behind his ear nervously. Then he said, “To hell with it.” He pushed himself on his tip-toes and planted a solid kiss on Kuroro's mouth, then pulled away. “Good night,” he said, already turning away from the older man and retreating back to his room. He didn't see the smile pulling at Kuroro's lips.

“Good night,” the Spider head called after him, then he went into his room and closed the door. He read for some time, but eventually he set his book down. He had to think about his next move carefully. It felt like the younger man was falling deeper and deeper and that was a very good thing. But now, Kuroro wanted to hold back, to see if Kurapica would eventually come to him and ask for his touch. He doubted he would. Not right away, anyway. How could Kuroro make him want him more without touching him?

This could be fun.

The next morning, they had breakfast and when they went back up to their rooms to collect their belongings, Kuroro paused in front of his door and tilted his head at the blond. Kurapica shook his head and went into his own room. Kuroro let him. He wasn't going to press him, just make it clear that he was welcome if he wanted more. Once they were showered, dressed and had their things packed into his Fun Fun Cloth, they were off again. They drove through the morning and stopped for lunch in a greasy diner where neither managed to eat the food. They paid anyway, something Kuroro found absolutely ridiculous, but Kurapica insisted. By mid-afternoon, they had arrived to a somewhat large resort town, where he knew a private collector had a pair of Scarlet Eyes. He took a luxury suite in a large hotel, feeling the need to indulge himself a bit. All this time on the road was starting to get tiring.

They had the rest of the afternoon and the evening to themselves, so Kuroro took a long shower, even though it was his second one that day. Then, dressed in a fresh set of clothes, he went to the lounge area of their suite and sat on the plush sofa with a book. Kurapica wandered out of his room, looking freshly showered and wearing different clothes than he had on the road, too. He went to the coffee machine and prepared a pot, then started it. He turned around to face Kuroro, tilting his head when he caught him looking at him.

“Did you make some for me too?” the Spider head asked.

Kurapica nodded. “I figured you'd want some.”

“Thank you,” Kuroro said, to which the blond shrugged. The taller man patted the sofa next to him invitingly, but the boy just turned away and busied himself with fixing their coffee. Once it was ready, he brought Kuroro a mug, which he handed wordlessly. The older man took it from him and Kurapica quickly turned away to fix his own beverage. Then he went into his room. A moment later, he came out, carrying his book in one hand, coffee in the other. He sat on the far end of the sofa, set his mug down on the table next to him, opened his book and started reading.

Kuroro lowered his head over his own book, trying to hide the victorious smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Chapter Text

“Well,” Kuroro said as he got to his feet, “I'm heading to bed.”

Kurapica looked up, blinked and frowned a bit. He hesitated, and Kuroro didn't need to think too hard to know what was confusing the younger man. Clearly, he had been expecting the Spider head to try and push the envelope a bit, not to just back off. “Ah,” the blond licked his lips, “I, ah, I see. Good night, then.”

“Good night,” Kuroro said and slowly turned away, taking his time to see if Kurapica would call him back for a kiss, but he didn't. Well, that was his loss. The taller man made his way to his room and closed the door behind him. It was very late into the night, but since he was planning on hitting the collector who owned the Eyes the next night, it worked to his advantage. Still, he wanted a bit of sleep now. Kurapica had slept all day, but he'd been up pretty early. He glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. Two-thirty in the morning. This would do. He undressed quickly and slid under the covers in just his underwear. It was just too much of a pain to change into cotton pants. This was nothing his travelling companion hadn't seen before, after all.

He didn't really expect the boy to come to his bedroom, so he wasn't disappointed when he woke up the next day after an uninterrupted rest. Kurapica hadn't so much as peeked in. That was all right. He got up and made his way to his bathroom. A long shower later, and he stepped out of the bathroom, holding a towel around his hips. He paused when the door opened and there was the blond, peeking in and opening his mouth to say something, but then he just sort of froze. “Morning,” Kuroro greeted easily, and then, because it was just too easy to tease him, “Come in.”

“That's, ah, that's all right,”Kurapica said, his eyes sliding away. “I ah, just wanted to know if you wanted coffee from here or from the coffee shop downstairs. I thought I'd go buy us breakfast.”

“Yeah, get me a cup from downstairs, then,” Kuroro answered. He paused. “Want me to come with you?”

Kurapica sent him an incredulous look. “I can manage a coffee run on my own,” he said smartly. “I'll use one of those cardboard trays.”

“Suit yourself,” Kuroro replied with a shrug. He went over to where he'd left his luggage the night before and started going through his clothes for something clean to wear. He could hear Kurapica hesitating at the door, but he had decided to let the boy come to him, this time. He selected a pair of dark jeans and a sleeveless, high-collared black top. When he let the towel go, he heard a gasp behind him and then his door was hastily shut. He grinned and got himself dressed. A moment later, he went into the lounge area of the suite and sat on the sofa with a book to wait for his coffee and breakfast. Kurapica returned soon enough, a paper bag dangling from one wrist and holding a cardboard tray with two very large paper cups on it. He struggled a bit with the door, but he'd refused Kuroro's help already so the Ryodan leader let him deal with it. If he needed a hand, the blond would have to ask. He didn't, however, and he made his way over to the couch on his own. He set the tray down on the coffee table, then slid the bag off of his wrist and set that down as well. Then he let himself fall heavily on the couch next to Kuroro. The older man glanced at him, placed a marker in his book and closed it. “You all right?” he asked, somewhat amused at how frazzled Kurapica looked.

The blond levelled him a look that spoke volumes. “Did you have to book a room in such a busy hotel? I swear there was a crowd in that coffee shop. I thought we were trying to keep a low profile.”

“Don't worry, we can sneak in and out easily.” Kuroro leaned forward and popped the lid off of one of the cups. It was Kurapica's, so he handed it to him, then grabbed the other one for himself.

“Thanks,” the blond said softly.

Kuroro glanced at him and sat back. “You're welcome,” he replied before taking a sip. There was just a hint of sugar in it.

“What's the plan for today?” Kurapica wanted to know.

“The usual,” Kuroro said with a shrug. “We'll infiltrate a mansion tonight. Rich collector here owns a pair that is rumoured to be quite beautiful. It's kept on the first floor, in a sort of show room where it's put on display for his guests. Should be an easy in and out.” He took another sip of coffee. “Main problems are the guards.” He sent Kurapica a flat look. “Don't leave the knife behind, this time.”

Kurapica grimaced. “I don't need it,” he assured him.

Kuroro pushed the blond's knee with his own. “I mean it,” he said. “It won't kill, not unless you stab through a major blood vessel. This place is heavily guarded. It could mean life or death for us. I didn't push it until now because the places we've been hitting had relatively low security, but this is different. This Greenwold person is extremely rich and he's smart enough to know a spike in burglaries is bad news for someone like him. We can't take any risk.”

“All right,” Kurapica said, sounding a bit like he was sulking, “I'll bring the damn knife. I don't intend to use it, but I'll bring it.”

“Good,” Kuroro said, “at least we'll have the option.” They fell silent after that, drinking their coffee, lost in thoughts. Eventually, Kuroro peeked into the bag and grabbed one of the bagels Kurapica had bought. After a moment's hesitation, the blond followed suit. They ate in silence, and then Kuroro went to wash his hands so he wouldn't smear butter onto his precious book. He heard Kurapica get up and walk to his room, then close the door behind him. Oh well. The Spider head sat back down and went back to his reading. Being alone felt nice, too, but he wanted to stick around so that Kurapica could have the option to come on to him, if he so wished. Kuroro doubted it would happen so soon, but it was worth a shot. Hours ticked by. When, finally, Kurapica emerged from his room, night had fallen hours prior and their breakfast, which they'd eaten a little past noon, was pretty far behind. Kuroro looked up when he heard the door creak open. “Hungry?” he asked, because he was starting to feel rather peckish himself.

Kurapica nodded. “Yeah. Are we eating out or ordering room service?”

“Up to you,” Kuroro said, setting his book aside. “Do you feel like going out?”

The blond shrugged. “Not really. I've had enough of car rides. I'd rather stay here.”

“Room service it is, then.”

“Plus,” Kurapica added after a moment, as he picked up the menu, “we'll have to go out later and that means yet another car ride.” He flicked it open and scanned it quickly for something to eat. “This is insane,” he said after a moment. “Five thousand zennies for a plate of pasta?”

Kuroro chuckled and shrugged. “Pretty typical for a place like this,” he noted. “You want pasta?”

Kurapica handed him the menu. “Sure,” he answered. “The one with the rosé sauce. I don't really want to look at this anymore.” He shook his head and repeated, “It's just insane.”

Kuroro read through the menu quickly. “Well, I'm paying anyway, so it shouldn't matter.” He picked what he wanted to eat and pushed himself to his feet so he could call for room service. A moment later, he hung up the hotel phone and returned to his seat. Kurapica was sitting at the opposite end of the couch, leafing through a pamphlet. “They said it will take them about twenty minutes for it to get here.” Kurapica's sole response was a humming sound as he turned a page. Well, this wouldn't do at all. Kuroro slid sideways to sit next to him. “What are you looking at?” he wanted to know.

“Just things to do in the area,” the blond answered him. “I know we probably won't have time for any of them, but I was curious.” He glanced at him. “Did you need to sit so close just to ask me that?”

Kuroro chuckled. “No, I just felt like sitting closer.”

Kurapica sighed and set the booklet down on the coffee table, then sat back and turned to look at Kuroro. “You like being the centre of attention, don't you?” he asked, somewhat teasingly. He had a small, amused smile playing on his lips.

“Perhaps a little,” Kuroro answered with another laugh. “What can I say, I like when you focus your attention on me.” Kurapica's expression turned pensive and he studied Kuroro's face in silence. The older man let him do it, though he did arch one eyebrow in question. The blond gave a small shake of his head, then went back to studying his face. When he leaned in closer, Kuroro did as well and their lips met in a soft, hesitant kiss that the taller man didn't try to control or deepen. He let the blond set the pace. Kurapica pulled away and licked his lips slowly. It looked really tempting, but the Spider head knew to control himself. It was important that the blond come to him, so he looked at him and waited. The Kuruta hesitated for a moment, then leaned back in. His hand slid behind Kuroro's head and tangled in the soft, black hair. Kuroro mimicked the movement, burying his hand in Kurapica's hair as he nibbled at the boy's lips.

It was Kurapica who deepened the kiss. Kuroro was only too happy to oblige. Their tongues meshed and danced around each other, and Kurapica's free hand grabbed Kuroro's top and curled in the fabric, pulling him closer. The taller man pushed against him and a moment later, he was hovering over the blond, pushing him into the plush cushions, Kurapica's head on the armrest, his body twisted slightly. Kuroro was about to pull away, mentally berating himself for making a move when he'd decided not to, but the younger man pulled him back down into an open-mouthed kiss and really, why resist? He pushed his tongue forward and Kurapica gave back in kind and really, there was a reason why he wasn't supposed to let himself enjoy this too much, but at the moment, it hardly seemed to matter. He put his weight on his right hand and raked the fingers of his left hand down the blond's side, eliciting a gasp from the younger man, and Kurapica arched against him. When he moved his hand back up, he pushed the blond's top as he went, so that he could touch the warm skin underneath. He slid his hand under Kurapica and pulled him closer, liking how he arched and gasped against him.

Kurapica broke the kiss. “Room –” He was interrupted when Kuroro kissed him again. Both his hands tangled in the black hair and he kissed him back. When Kuroro's fingers scratched at the waistband of his jeans, he made a soft protesting sound and pulled away slightly. “Room service will be here soon,” he said, his breathing hitching on the last word when the taller man slid his hand lower down his backside.

“We still have time,” Kuroro assured him.

Kurapica pushed against his chest with the flat of one hand. “I don't want to be out of breath and dishevelled when they come,” he protested. “Get off me.”

Kuroro sighed and pulled away. “You care too much about what others think.”

“And you don't care enough,” the blond sent back and he pushed himself to his feet. “I'll make some coffee.” He pulled his shirt back down as he made his way over to the machine. Kuroro watched him silently. Well, he'd promised himself he'd let the boy call the shots for a bit, so he didn't press him. When the coffee was ready, Kurapica poured them each a cup and walked over to the older man to give him one. He then returned to the counter to pour cream into his own cup and then he took it back with him to the couch. They drank in silence, and it was a little awkward, but Kuroro didn't want to break it. He was slightly irritated at the moment, and rather than say something that he would later come to regret, he stayed quiet. “Things,” Kurapica began, then he hesitated for a moment. Kuroro glanced at him. The blond shifted and tried again, “Things always seem to ignite –”

He was interrupted by a knock at the door and the call of, “Room service.”

Kuroro sighed. They always had the worst timing. “I'll get that,” he said, pushing himself to his feet. Kurapica nodded. The older man walked over to the door and opened it to let the staff in with the food cart. A moment later, the table was set and they were left to themselves. Dinner was even more awkward, even though Kuroro did his best to raise a conversation out of the boy, asking about what he spent the day reading and what he would like to see around town if they had the time. Kurapica's answers were short and to the point, and after a while, Kuroro stopped trying. He was dying to know what the younger man was thinking, but Kurapica was completely closed off.

After dinner, he sat on the couch to read again, but the blond didn't join him, but rather went back to his room and shut the door. Room service came again and cleared the table, then left. Hours ticked by. Finally, a little before midnight, Kuroro knocked on Kurapica's door. When the blond answered, he tilted his head. “Time to go,” he said. “Are you ready?” Kurapica nodded. Kuroro asked, “Knife?” With a sigh, the boy went back into his room to retrieve it. They met again outside the suite and made their way to a side elevator. There were people around in the lobby despite the late hour and they managed to slip by unnoticed while the clerks were busy. The car ride was also spent in silence. Kuroro parked a few blocks away from the large mansion. They went in easily. Sticking to the shadows, both wearing dark clothing, it was easy to avoid the numerous guards. Much trickier was the large hall where the most valuable parts of the owner's collection were on display. There were cameras at every corner, so trying to avoid being caught on tape took a bit of work and the use of Kuroro's teleportation ability. When, finally, they reached the central display, they both looked at it in absolute disbelief. An engraved metal plaque read “Kuruta Eyes, Living Rubies, also known as Scarlet Eyes.” Above it, nothing.

The display was empty.

Chapter Text

Kurapica stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at where the Eyes were supposed to be. Kuroro pulled at his elbow lightly, but he snatched his arm out of the taller man's grasp. He couldn't believe it. There should be a pair right here, there should be! Kuroro pulled at his elbow again and he pulled away once more, his eyes fixed on the empty display. “Where –” the blond began, but he was interrupted when he heard booted feet up on the catwalk that went around the large display hall. He quickly dropped into a crouch next to Kuroro. Thankfully, the footsteps were on the other side of the large display, so the podium-like structure hid them from whoever had just entered the room. Kuroro glanced at his pocket watch, then mimicked pulling down a hat with a visor, which told Kurapica it was most likely a guard patrol.

The footsteps went around the catwalk slowly, and the two young men moved around the display so that they were hidden from view. When the hall was silent once more, they waited for a moment longer, then Kuroro said, “We need to get out of here.”

“What? No!” Kurapica protested in an urgent whisper. “We need to find where the Eyes are hidden!”

“How?” Kuroro countered. “By running around at random and checking every drawer and cupboard? Stop being unreasonable. We need to go back to the hotel and regroup. I'll get Shal to look for information and we'll come back, but for now, we need to leave.”

“Don't tell me what to do,” Kurapica hissed. He knew he was being irrational, but he was tired, so tired of feeling confused and conflicted, and this was just the last straw. “I'm not one of your filthy Spiders.”

Kuroro's face closed into a blank mask. “Perhaps,” he said, “but you still have to follow my instructions. We are leaving.” He stood up, looking down on the blond.

“No,” Kurapica said, standing up as well, because he didn't like how the Spider head was looking down at him, as if he held power over him, somehow. “I'm staying.” They stared each other down in silence for a moment, then Kuroro shrugged. He summoned his book, cocked his head and then, suddenly, he was gone. Kurapica blinked, totally taken aback by the sudden turn of events. He waited in silence, listening intently for any sign of the older man returning. After an hour had slowly ticked by however, there was still no sign of Kuroro returning. He had to do something. Darkness wouldn't last forever and he had to get to safety somehow. He glanced at where he remembered the cameras were situated, and wondered how he would manage to slip by them without the teleportation skill they'd used on the way in. He observed their rotation, calculating when would be the best moment, then he sprinted across the hall on light feet that barely made a sound. He'd managed to dodge five of the cameras and had just about reached the large double doors leading out of the display room when the alarm sounded, loud and shrill.

Things turned a little chaotic after that. He pulled the doors open but had to jump to the side quickly to avoid being turned into a sieve. By the number of shots he heard, there must be at least ten gunmen out in the hallway. Second floor, then? He looked around quickly to make sure that the coast was clear, and then he used a display that was full of what looked like ancient jewelry (civilization of Muir, Kurapica's mind recognized right away) to use as a jumping platform to reach the second floor. His jump sent the podium crashing to the floor, shattering the glass case that protected the precious artefacts. Kurapica landed on the railing and winced at the mess he'd just made. He quickly jumped down onto the catwalk and took off at a run towards a door that he prayed wasn't locked. He pulled it open easily and ducked to the floor, barely missing the two bullets that went flying right above his head. A slide-kick felled one gunman, and Kurapica grabbed the other man's ankles and pulled, making him fall heavily on top of the first one. He then placed his hands down firmly onto the floor and pushed up with his feet, sending his legs over his head. A shove with his hands, and he flipped over the two guards then took off at a run down the hallway. He managed to slip into a room when more booted feet came running his way, and he took the opportunity to catch his breath and to walk to on of the windows, hoping to get a sense of where he had ended up. The windows didn't open and Kurapica played briefly with the idea of smashing through and jumping out onto the lawn below, but then he decided against it. He'd made enough of a mess already. And where was that bastard Ryodan leader?! He'd just left him there!

Resisting the urge to punch something – punching the smug bastard's face would be much more satisfying after the stunt he'd just pulled on Kurapica – the blond went back to the door and pulled it open a crack. The hallway was deserted, so he slipped out and ran to the end of it then took a right towards the place where he vaguely remembered there was a staircase. He'd nearly made it, when he heard a yell of, “Stop right there!” As if he would. He heard a curse and from the heavy footsteps, he estimated no less than a dozen guards. Great. Just great.

He jumped onto the bannister and let his feet slide down, taking him to the first floor much faster than if he were to use the steps. The moment the level below came into view he realized his mistake however, as there were more guards there, with about two dozen guns pointed at him. He jumped off of the railing and landed onto the floor, even as he heard the men on the floor above start down the stairs. The man in the centre raised a hand. Kurapica tensed, expecting him to lower it and send a volley of bullets at him, but the man said, “Give it up, kid. We have you surrounded. There's no need for violence. I don't want to kill you. Just give yourself up willingly.”

Kurapica slowly straightened up and stood. “What are you going to do with me?” he wanted to know. Where was Kuroro?!

“No harm will come to you,” the man said. He looked like a reasonable, sensible fellow. “We have to notify the police, you understand. Breaking and entering is a serious matter. Plus, you made a mess of the display hall with your stunt and we have to report the burglary because of the boss' insurance. You understand, don't you? I really don't want to have to kill you, so throw whatever weapon you have and give yourself up.”

Kurapica sighed. Well, there was nothing for it. He didn't have Nen to protect himself with and heal, so there was no way he could fight thirty – he glanced behind him – thirty-eight men armed with automatic weapons. “I have a knife,” he said. “It's in the back of my jeans. I'm going to reach back and take it out, all right? Don't shoot.” The man who seemed to be in charge nodded and Kurapica slowly took out Kuroro's knife, and he placed it carefully down onto the floor, then he took a few steps back. One of the guards holstered his gun and went to retrieve the knife. Then two walked to him and cuffed him then searched for more weapons. Kurapica let them. He was then marched down a hallway and into a small room where there were monitors showing footage from different cameras around the residence, a desk and three chairs. He was secured to one of them, and the man in charge sat at the desk. One guard remained with them, but the others left to patrol the estate.

All three men were silent for a long, long time. The leader started writing at the desk, and the scratch of pen on paper was the only sound in the room for the longest time. Then, finally, the man turned his chair to face him. He placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, his hands together in front of him. He tapped his fingertips together a few times, then asked, “What's your name?”

“I'd rather not say,” Kurapica answered politely.

“Seeing how you were breaking and entering,” the man replied, “I suppose that's probably the smart thing to do, but we'll find out who you are soon enough. You could save us the trouble and tell us. Your cooperation could mean leniency in a court of law.”

“All the same,” the blond replied, “I'd rather not give you my name at this time.”

The guard shifted and his boss glanced at him, then nodded at Kurapica. “All right. Why are you here?”

“To retrieve something that was stolen from me,” the Kuruta replied.

“My employer is no thief.”

“Perhaps, but he bought something from one.” Kurapica licked his lips. All that running had made him rather thirsty.

The man glanced at his subordinate again. “Can you fetch a glass of water for our guest?” he requested.

“Pardon?” the guard asked incredulously.

“Water,” the man repeated, “for this young man.”

The guard threw the blond a look, then stepped out of the room. Kurapica frowned at the man in charge. “Why are you doing this?” he wanted to know.

“Because you surrendered peacefully,” was his reply. “You were armed, but at no point did you use your weapon on any of my men.” He picked up the sheath from the desk next to him and pulled the knife out. “Is it poisoned?” he asked.

“Sort of,” Kurapica answered truthfully. “Numbing agent so it makes the person unable to move. It's not supposed to be fatal.”

The man nodded and pushed the knife back into its sheath. “Why didn't you use it?”

“I was surrounded,” Kurapica said. “I would have been dead long before I could have immobilized all of you.”

“I meant before,” the guard in charge specified. He pointed to a screen where Kurapica could see the hallway he'd ran down in on the second floor. “You hid rather than confront the guards who came your way.”

“I don't like harming people,” Kurapica said with a shrug.

“Then why bring the knife?”

The blond shifted. “I was asked to.”

“You had a partner.” It wasn't a question. Rather than deny it, he just stared silently at the man in front of him. The guard returned with a cup of water. It had a straw and the man held it near Kurapica's face, allowing the Kuruta to drink without the use of his hands. The blond hesitated a moment, but then he took a careful sip, figuring he probably wouldn't be offered more for a long time. It tasted just like regular water, so he drank it all, then tilted his head away from the cup to indicate he was done. The man set the glass down onto the desk and resumed his position. “Is your partner on the grounds?” the leader asked. Kurapica hesitated a split-second, then shook his head. He was pretty sure that Kuroro was long gone. There was a moment of silence where the man in charge tapped the tips of his fingers together again. Finally he said, “I have to notify the police, now.”

Kurapica nodded. “I understand,” he said, because he did. The man turned from him and picked up a phone that was set on his desk. Kurapica half-listened as the man explained to the officer what the situation was. He then went back to writing and they waited. It didn't take too long for a knock to sound at the door. The guard opened it and two uniformed policemen walked in. Kurapica was unchained from the chair and walked unceremoniously out of the mansion and pushed into the back of a police car. A short ride later and he was shown into an empty cell. They undid his cuffs then, but only so they could link his wrists together in front of him. Then, the policemen left, closed and locked the cell door before doing the same to the large, heavy doors that led to the station. There were no lights so Kurapica ended up plunged into absolute darkness.

He found a sort of bench with a thin mattress, but it smelled filthy, so he went to sit into the cleanest looking corner and closed his eyes in exhaustion. That damn bastard. That damn, bloody bastard. He'd left him. He'd just left Kurapica there to take the fall for the botched robbery. The blond was furious. He'd make him pay for this. The actual thief had just run away and left him to be arrested alone. This was so infuriatingly ironic, it made Kurapica want to punch something, preferably Kuroro's face.

He fell asleep, thinking of smashing his fist into that smug bastard's nose.

When he awoke, light was filtering in through the high, barred window of his cell. He didn't know what time it was, or how long he'd slept. He pushed himself upright, walking around to ease his tense muscles and get rid of the sensation of pins and needles in his legs. He paced back and forth and back and forth, clenching and unclenching his hands. Oh he'd make that bastard pay, he would. He didn't know how yet, but he would. His thoughts were a mess of anger and shame at having been caught breaking the law. He was ready to do anything to reclaim his clansmen's eyes, but he hadn't counted on getting a criminal record in the process. This was maddening, it was humiliating and it was all Kuroro's fault.

Kuroro with his pretty words and pretty face, his web of lies and of half-truths. It was because of him that Kurapica found himself in this predicament. It was all because of him. But wait. The blond paused, stopping short in the middle of his cell. He had wanted to stay. It was his choice, a choice the older man had protested against. So he'd let him deal with the consequences of his choice. So really, it wasn't Kuroro's fault at all. It was his. And now, it was up to him to get himself out of this insane situation. Somehow.

Chapter Text

At some point during the day, someone brought him a meal that tasted like salty gruel. Kurapica couldn't stomach it, so he left it there. When they came again, they asked him repeatedly who he was and who he worked for. His answer remained the same. “I would rather not tell you my name, and I work for myself.” Two hours, they grilled him, but he never budged. The question about his name confused him a bit, since they'd gotten everything out of his pockets, and he knew he had identification cards and his Hunter license in a wallet in his back pocket. But since they seemed not to know him, he wasn't going to make it easy for them. He'd gotten fingerprinted and photographed, and the humiliation of the whole process still burned.

He was left to his own device for hours, but it was hard to know exactly how long. He had nothing to mark the time with. When the light started diminishing in his cell, he was brought more food. This he choked down as best he could, but admitted defeat after eating half of it. After that, more questions. When they left, he slept. A second day passed much like the first, then a third. They were getting more and more irritated with his silence, and their questioning got louder and more menacing, but Kurapica was fairly certain they wouldn't use physical force – such actions would reflect poorly in court and they couldn't risk losing a legal battle because of that.

A fourth morning dawned and Kurapica awoke in spite of himself along with the rising sun. It wasn't like he had anything to be awake for, not until they came to question him again, after all. He got up, stretched his cramping muscles and walked around his cell, as he had every morning since his arrest. As he reached the window, he glanced up through the bars and turned around, but he caught something out of the corner of his eye that made him pause. Were there boots on the pavement in front of his window? When he looked again to ascertain what he'd seen, they were gone. He frowned to himself.

“You've landed yourself in quite a tricky situation,” a familiar voice commented behind him. Kurapica whirled around and found the Spider head standing in the middle of his cell, hands in the pockets of his coat, impassively looking at him. “Now, how are you going to get yourself out of it?”

Kurapica glared at him. “Are you here to gloat?” he asked. “Don't bother.”

The older man actually looked amused at that, and it seemed to the blond as if he were being laughed at. Damn him. “You know,” Kuroro finally replied, “I do have better things to do with my time than come here to mock you.”

“Yeah?” Kurapica challenged. “Where have you been for the past three days?”

“Doing what I told you we should do,” the Ryodan leader answered easily, “tracking down what happened to the pair of Eyes that should have been at the Greenwold mansion.”

“And now?” the blond asked.

“Now we get you out,” the older man said with a light shrug.

“I'm a criminal, now,” Kurapica grouched. The Spider head didn't answer. He didn't look particularly happy or concerned by this turn of events, he didn't even look like he was going to press the point that Kurapica had basically brought this on himself. He just stood there, looking at him, waiting. Waiting for what, the blond had no idea. “They have the knife and my Hunter license.” Wordlessly, the taller man took one hand out of his pockets and held up Kurapica's wallet. “How did you get that?” the blond gasped, already reaching for it.

“Pilfered it from your pocket before I teleported,” the Ryodan leader said easily, letting Kurapica take the wallet from him. That explained why the policemen had been at him to know his name.

“What about the fingerprints and picture, though?” he asked.

Kuroro shrugged. “I can arrange something,” he assured him. “Now, are we going to stand here, making chitchat, or are you ready to get out of here?”

“So very ready to leave,” Kurapica said quickly. The taller man nodded and went down on one knee in front of him, pulling at his hands and looking at the handcuffs curiously for a moment.

“I'll get these off of you in no time,” he said, and he slid a finger of each hand into one metal bracelet and pulled.

The metal snapped easily, and Kurapica grumbled, “I could have done this myself. It just seemed pointless to break the cuffs. They'd just put another pair on me anyway.”

The other cuff got the same treatment and the Spider head pushed himself back to his feet, not answering the observation. Kurapica rubbed at his wrists and looked up at him, feeling conflicted between anger and relief. Kuroro studied his face for a moment, then he motioned to the window. Kurapica walked to it and looked up, but he tensed when the taller man moved behind him and placed a hand at the small of his back. A twist-pull, and they were on the sidewalk. The blond resisted the urge to take off at a run, as this would get the attention of anyone who might be around. For now, at least, the street was deserted. Kuroro's hand was still a warm weight at his back. They walked slowly, the blond convinced that anyone they encountered would be able to know right away that he had escaped from the local police station, but no one paid them any mind.

They reached the car that Kuroro had parked far enough to be inconspicuous, but close enough for them to rapidly get to. The taller man walked Kurapica to the passenger door and held it for him as the blond quickly climbed in, then closed it behind him. Only then did he walk around to the driver side to slide behind the wheel. Kurapica thought it was odd that the older man showed such protectiveness when it was basically because he'd left the Kuruta that he'd gotten arrested in the first place, but he didn't comment. They drove through downtown and past the expensive hotel where they'd stayed. Then it was out into the outskirts, through the suburbs and finally into the countryside. The blond was intrigued, but he figured he'd find out soon enough where they were headed. They drove in silence for hours and only stopped once at a general store where Kuroro bought lunch to take on the road with them, and then they were off again. This, the Kuruta ate hungrily, as it was the first meal that he'd had in days that didn't make him want to gag. The sun was going down when they finally turned off of the highway and into a small town. They found a motel, stopped in front of the main office and the older man went in alone to get a room for them. He came out with a key in hand and got back behind the wheel to park in front of the door, and they both stepped out of the car, then made their way inside.

When the door had closed behind them, Kuroro sighed and rolled his shoulders slowly. “Okay,” he said, “we'll stop here for the night. I'm tired and sick of driving.”

Kurapica shifted uncomfortably. All of this driving had made the annoyance he felt with the older man build up again, no matter how much he'd argued with himself that he'd brought it onto his own head. “Where are we going?” he asked, trying very hard to contain his irritation.

Kuroro glanced at him. “I told you,” he answered, “I looked into the missing pair of Scarlet Eyes. I know where they are. That's where we're going.”

His matter-of-fact tone didn't help Kurapica feel any calmer. His resolve to keep his cool snapped entirely. “You left me,” he accused, turning on Kuroro suddenly. “You just left me there to take the fall while you went to investigate!”

Kuroro regarded him wordlessly for a moment. “Kurapica,” he calmly said, “you wanted to stay. I didn't.”

“You could have said something instead of just vanishing!”

“Would you have listened?” the older man challenged. “There was no time, and,” he turned towards him, his face unreadable, “you defied me and insulted my team in the same breath. There was no reason for me to stay.”

Kurapica turned from him, trying to get a grip on his anger. He rubbed at his face in frustration, then let out a sigh as he let his hands drop. “I know,” he said, “I know. I'm sorry. I'm just –” He threw his hands up, not knowing how to finish his sentence. He sighed again. Silence stretched between them for a long, awkward moment.

Then, “Kurapica,” Kuroro's voice was much softer, “come here.”

“Is that an order?” Kurapica asked bitterly, and immediately regretted his words.

“A request,” Kuroro amended. “Come here. I don't want to fight.” At length, Kurapica turned around to face the older man. Kuroro had an arm outstretched in invitation, and when the blond's eyes met his, he tilted his head. “Come here,” he repeated softly. Kurapica hesitated, but then he took the few steps that separated him from the Spider head and looked up at him. Kuroro lifted his hand and cupped the side of his face gently. They stood like this for a moment, both trying to read the other without letting themselves be read. Finally, Kuroro sighed. “Can we put this behind us?” he asked.

Kurapica thought about it for a moment. Could he? Could he just forget that this had happened, that Kuroro had left in the middle of a burglary because Kurapica had been too obstinate about something? He licked his lips slowly. “I don't know,” he answered truthfully. “I don't know, but I won't let it change anything between us.”

“Can I kiss you, then?” Kuroro asked.

It was such an incongruous question that Kurapica breathed out a soft chuckle. “Why are you asking this now?” he wanted to know, amused in spite of himself. “You should have done that before you kissed me the first time.”

Kuroro had a little smile. “I do believe you would have punched me if I'd asked back then,” he commented. “Actually, I'm not quite sure you won't do that very thing now.”

“You'd block it easily,” Kurapica sent back, “so maybe I should try it. You never know, I could manage to land a hit.”

“And damage this pretty face?” Kuroro asked, his smile widening.

Kurapica snorted. “That'd be the whole point.” He placed a hand over Kuroro's and studied his face for a moment longer. When the taller man arched his eyebrows at him, he shook his head. He wasn't sure himself what he was looking for. He did feel much less irritation now, but he wasn't sure about kissing just yet. It wasn't Kuroro who had put him in this intricate situation however, it was his own stubbornness. He sighed. “Okay,” he finally breathed out.

Kuroro let his hand slide to the back of his skull, pulling him slowly closer as he leaned down to place a soft kiss onto his lips. When he pulled away, the blond licked at his lips, keeping his eyes closed for a moment longer. When he opened them, Kuroro's eyes were fixed on his mouth, something dark and hungry in his gaze that made Kurapica's chest tighten nearly painfully. There it was again, that insane, maddening, dizzying spark igniting between them. Just moments before this, he'd been tempted to punch the man in the face (again, but when he had in York Shin it wasn't very satisfying at all), and now he wanted nothing more than to pull him down for another kiss. His hand clenched into a fist around the fabric of his coat near the collar and he pulled him down. There was nothing soft or hesitant about this kiss, it was hard and hungry and left Kurapica feeling like it wasn't enough, it just wasn't. Nothing would ever feel enough anymore.

Kuroro pushed against him, but Kurapica held his ground. He broke the kiss and pulled away. “I want a shower,” he said. “Can you get my luggage out?”

Kuroro looked taken aback for a moment, but he finally took a step back and summoned his Nen book. As soon as he had their bags out, Kurapica started going through his, pulling out sleepwear and underwear at random, not really caring what it was so long as he could just go and shower and wash out the grime of the cell, the sweat of the day and the fear that suddenly gripped him. It was like he was drowning, like he couldn't breathe, and he so wasn't okay with how natural, how right this all felt to him anymore. He forced himself to walk as normally as he could to the bathroom, and he closed the door behind him, then focused on keeping his breathing even. He set his clothes down onto the counter-top and brushed his teeth. He drank a cup of water, then brushed his teeth again.

When he was done with that, he undressed, feeling like he couldn't get out of his clothes fast enough. He set the shower extremely hot and scrubbed himself clean and washed his hair but he still felt grimy so he did it again. Since he was in no hurry to get out of the bathroom, he took the time to dry his hair as well, before getting dressed into his sleepwear. He felt a little better after all of this. When he finally stepped out of the bathroom, he found a cup of tea that smelled like chamomile on the dresser closest to the bathroom door. He paused. “Is this for me?” he asked.

Kuroro looked up from his book. “Figured you'd want something warm to drink but coffee might keep you up so I made tea.” He placed a marker in and closed the large volume. “It's my turn to shower.”

Kurapica nodded. “Thank you,” he said just as the taller man brushed by him on his way to the bathroom. Kuroro paused and studied his face in silence for some time, until the blond shifted uncomfortably and asked, “What?”

The Ryodan leader shook his head. “Nothing. Feel free to go to bed if you feel tired.” He was giving him an out and Kurapica knew it. Which was probably why he picked up his own book from his luggage to read while he waited for the older man to return from his shower. He had decided he wasn't going to run away, and he still stood by his decision, even after what had happened in the past few days, even when he realized that he was completely losing control.

Was this how mere lust was supposed to feel?

Chapter Text

When he came out of the shower, Kuroro was surprised to find the Kuruta sitting up in bed with a book, reading and apparently – unless Kuroro was really full of himself, but not really; he was really just that good – waiting for him to come out of the bathroom. He nearly regretted taking the time to dry his hair since the blond had had to wait even longer than if he hadn't bothered. He chucked the small towel he'd wrapped around the back of his neck into the bathroom and walked over the bed closest to him where the blond had settled. Kurapica looked up from his book and had a hesitant little smile that managed to be both endearing and a little irritating, somehow – though Kuroro wasn't sure why that was annoying.

“Hey,” the blond said softly, closing his book and setting it down onto the nightstand.

“Hey,” Kuroro replied, sitting next to him. “I thought you would go to sleep.”

“I could have,” Kurapica answered with a shrug, “but I didn't feel like it.”

“Oh?” the taller man said, leaning in. “And why is that?”

Kurapica had another little smile. “Maybe because you said I could? I'm contrary like that.”

“So I've gathered,” Kuroro said with a chuckle. He felt the urge to run his hand through blond hair, and so he did. He was never one to deny himself anything that he felt like doing or having. To his surprise, after a momentary hesitation, Kurapica leaned into his touch. That simple gesture somehow made the temperature go up suddenly. He wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not, but he didn't dwell on this thought for too long. Kurapica was sitting there, eyes closed, breathing through parted lips, leaning into his hand and really, it'd be rude at this point not to touch him. He kind of looked like he was inviting it, and Kuroro wasn't about to refuse. His hand slid to the back of Kurapica's skull and he pulled him into an open-mouthed kiss that the blond reciprocated right away. His hands gripped Kuroro's plain cotton shirt at the shoulders, and he pulled, though Kuroro was pretty much as close as he was going to be without pushing Kurapica down into the mattress. Now there was an idea, though.

He slid his hand down to Kurapica's shoulder and then down his back. The blond tilted his head back and let out a soft exhale of air. Kuroro didn't really want to resist running his lips down the younger man's throat and he nipped at the crook of his neck, making the boy gasp, or maybe it was Kuroro's hand that did it, as it travelled down the length of his back and then back up, pushing his shirt up as he went. He leaned more into him, forcing the blond backwards, ready to support his weight to control his descent, but Kurapica gasped out, “Wait, just,” he gasped again when Kuroro lapped at the skin of his neck, “just hold on a second.”

Kuroro pulled away, eyeing the boy. He didn't seem to be mad or reluctant, so what was the problem? Oh wait, he did look a little irritated, but he was clearly fighting it. Maybe Kuroro shouldn't have pushed his luck so soon, but really, the blond had kind of deserved the four days he had spent in jail. Kuroro wasn't in the wrong, he'd done nothing that had been unfair and so that irritation wasn't deserved at all. He knew better than to point it out to the blond though. That would instantly annihilate any chance he could have that night of maybe seeing the blond writhe underneath him, blushing and gasping, hurtling towards release at Kuroro's own hand. And so, he controlled himself, and waited for the boy to compose himself.

“The headboard,” Kurapica said haltingly. “If you push me down like this, the headboard will be in the way.” Kuroro let out a soft chuckle and Kurapica frowned at him. “What?” he asked hesitantly.

“Nothing,” Kuroro assured him and planted a kiss onto his lips. Then he pulled away and let the blond reposition himself so that if he were to lie down, he'd have plenty of space to do so. Kuroro still hadn't moved so the Kuruta pulled at his shirt lightly, giving it a couple of small tugs. The older man turned to face him and grinned. “Now where were we?” he asked teasingly.

“You were pushing me down and kissing down my throat,” Kurapica supplied helpfully, which only made Kuroro chuckle again. He had said it with such a straight face, like he was talking about something he'd read.

“Okay, then,” Kuroro said, and he crawled over to him and quickly pushed him down, grinning widely. The blond went down with a soft sound of surprise. Their position meant that he'd sprawled across the width of the mattress rather than the length of it. Kuroro leaned over him, putting all of his weight onto his left hand so he could use the right one to touch Kurapica. The blond looked up at him and frowned a little, but then his expression cleared and he wrapped both arms around the back of Kuroro's neck and pulled him down for a kiss. The older man was only too happy to oblige. He deepened the kiss right away, pushing his tongue into Kurapica's mouth, which earned him a strangled moan. His arm was at an awkward angle so he switched to his other elbow, slipping a knee between the blond's thighs at the same time. He ran his left hand down the length of Kurapica's body, and the boy arched against him before breaking the kiss to look up at Kuroro for a moment. The older man let him, figuring that the Kuruta still had some things to work through to let things happen between them. He would love to know what was going on in that blond head of his, but he knew better than to ask. Instead, he tilted his head and smiled at him.

Kurapica licked his lips slowly, drawing Kuroro's attention to his mouth, and gods he'd love to push into that sweet mouth, taking possession of it. He doubted Kurapica would let him, but he'd find a way at some point, somehow. He slid his eyes back up to meet Kurapica's gaze. Once the boy knew he had his attention (though unbeknownst to him he had actually had it the entire time), the blond slowly lifted his knee, pressing a thigh up against him, a becoming blush blooming all over his cheeks. But still the boy looked him straight in the eyes, gaze frank and searching, no doubt observing Kuroro's reactions to file away for later. The older man's eyelids lowered and he gave him a slow smile. There was that light frown again on the blond's face, but then he pulled Kuroro down for another kiss and he closed his eyes, masking his expression.

Kuroro nibbled at his lips, keeping it slow for now. He'd let the blond be in control, and let him take things at his own time. Plus, it was nice to know that the boy actually wanted to touch him. Kurapica made a soft, frustrated sound and suddenly, the kiss turned harsher. Kuroro had no idea what had prompted it, but he wasn't about to complain. He responded in kind, even adding a bit of teeth, tugging at Kurapica's lower lip when he pulled away, only to be pulled back down into a deeper kiss. Kurapica let him in, invitingly parting his lips, letting Kuroro push his tongue in and then he pushed his his own tongue against it, nearly challenging. Still his thigh pushed up against him, and it made it so hard not push down on it. Still it wasn't enough for the blond, it seemed. He broke the kiss and pulled at Kuroro's shirt. The older man pushed himself up onto his knees and removed his shirt, throwing it carelessly next to the bed. Kurapica sat up as well and tentatively slid his hands down Kuroro's chest, something that seemed to still embarrass him a little. Well, he'd just have to get used to it. The taller man tugged at the top Kurapica was wearing, but the blond shook his head and wrapped one hand around the back of his neck to pull him into another kiss.

“Hold on,” he whispered, his voice hushed and breathy, and it made Kuroro want to take him right then and there. “Hold on, I just... let me do this,” Kurapica went on. His hands slid lightly over Kuroro's skin, the feeling nearly ticklish so delicate it was. Kuroro stilled, looking at the younger man, letting him explore to his heart's content. Eventually, Kurapica's fingers travelled down to the waistband of the cotton pants he was wearing. There, he paused. “I ah,” he began, but then floundered a bit for something to say.

Kuroro took this as his cue to take over. “Let me,” he said, needing to give Kurapica the illusion that he was still in control of this. “You're thinking too much about this. Let me make you feel good for a bit, and it will get easier.” Kurapica licked his lips slowly again, and really, he was lucky that Kuroro had as much self-control as he did, because that looked downright indecent.

The blond hesitated a moment, then he nodded. “Okay,” he breathed out. It was all the permission Kuroro needed. He kissed him, rougher than all of the kisses they'd exchanged so far that night, making the younger man gasp and he pushed against him until Kurapica was on his back again. His hand pressed down the blond's chest and travelled lower, eliciting another gasp and the younger man arched up into the touch. Kuroro grinned and left those luscious lips to trail kisses down the boy's jawline, nipping at the skin here and there as his hand travelled even lower and he rubbed him over the fabric of his cotton pants. There was a hint of a whimper over the exhale of air that fell from Kurapica's lips and the taller man's hand flexed over the boy's burgeoning erection. He cupped it and pressed lightly, his mouth latching on the side of his throat, wanting to see another dark hickey on the pale skin and he made sure to place it high enough that, short of wearing a scarf, the blond wouldn't be able to hide it. There was a more definite whimper this time and Kurapica arched against him again. His hands slid down the sides of Kuroro's torso and he clutched at the sides of his hips and pulled, pushing his pelvis up at the same time, effectively rubbing against him, so tightly that Kuroro slid his hand higher.

He knew Kurapica's eyes would be that amazing fiery red colour again, and he wanted to see it, wanted to see the effect that he had on him. He lifted his head, admiring his handy work, even as he pushed against the blond's movement. Kurapica half-opened his eyes to look at him, and there it was, that look that Kuroro wanted to see a thousand times over. He looked so wanton, so hungry for Kuroro's touch, his blond hair fanned around his head, some strands sticking to his face, one blond lock even sticking to the side of his kiss-swollen lips. His eyelids were lowered over brilliant red irises and he had a new hickey just starting to show on the side of his throat. The thought that this young man wanted to kill him yet let him debauch him so thoroughly was such a power thrill. He rubbed down against him and Kurapica's eyelids lowered a little, and his lips parted wider and fuck, he wanted to do it again to see if he'd get the same reaction, and damn, he wanted more.

Patience. He needed to be patient. He could fuck the kid right here and right now, but the blond would most likely shut him out even more than after he'd gotten him to touch him. It was still too soon. The time would come when the blond would be ready for the picking, but now wasn't that time. He had to be patient.

It took tremendous amount of will to pull away slightly, even more so when Kurapica made a soft protesting sound at the sudden lack of contact. Kuroro willed himself to focus, hovering over the blond. It would be so easy to push things, so very easy. But he needed Kurapica deeper in still. Once he felt he had mastery of himself, he slipped one hand inside the boy's pants and underwear, wrapping his fingers firmly around him. Kurapica let out a soft exclamation that he clamped down on. Then he looked up at the older man (with those fiery, fiery eyes burning bright still) and licked his lips. Then one of his hands slid towards Kuroro's front and the Spider head shifted to one side to make this a little easier. Kurapica hesitated a moment, then he closed his eyes and blindly pushed Kuroro's pants down lower. Another awkward pause where Kuroro stopped all that he was doing to help the blond with his decision to really go through with this, and Kurapica wrapped his hand around him too. Kuroro leaned in to nip at the blond's throat, his hand moving again, twisting as he went up Kurapica's shaft, loving the way that the boy gasped and pushed his pelvis up into his hand.

He wanted to get Kurapica out of his pants so he suddenly pulled away. The blond blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Kuroro knelt up and quickly pulled down both his cotton pants and his underwear, hoping Kurapica wouldn't have the presence of mind to protest, but the Kuruta grabbed at his clothes before the older man had managed to pull them completely down his hips. Well, good enough. The Ryodan leader held onto the fabric of Kurapica's clothes to prevent him from pulling them back up and lied back down, half over him. He took a moment to look down at him, to appreciate how vulnerable he looked as he stared at him with wide eyes and a deep blush high on his delicate cheekbones. He kissed him then, wrapping his hand around him again and he gave it a few strokes before he felt confident that the blond wouldn't protest anymore so that he could push his own pants down just enough to free his own erection. It was a little awkward like this, but Kurapica was compliant and the older man didn't want to risk him pulling away so he made it work.

“Kurapica,” he whispered, and felt the boy shiver against him. “Kurapica, touch me again.” There was no hesitation this time, but the blond reached for him. Kuroro pulled the blond's hand to stroke at both their shafts at the same time, and he wrapped his own hand half over their members and half over Kurapica's hand, urging him into a faster rhythm than the boy had started at first. He nuzzled just below the blond's ear and heard his breath catch in his throat. He went faster and faster and Kurapica held his breath, letting it out in sharp, strangled gasps. He started curling up on himself a bit and Kuroro bit at the side of his neck, making him yelp suddenly, before he caught himself and bit down on the sound. His hand moved with Kuroro's, no longer needing the older man to urge him along.

When he came, he arched into the touch and clamped down on another cry that came out as more of a whimper because of it. Kuroro pulled away from his neck after one last lick against the newly formed hickey. He stared down at the boy, loving the feel of him arching into him, loving the helpless look in his eyes and how debauched he looked, all because of him, all because of his enemy. When he was done, Kurapica opened his eyes, still red, brilliant red, and stared up at him. Without a word, he moved his hand to wrap around Kuroro and started stroking him, a little too slow at first, but then he picked up speed and the older man's eyelids lowered. It felt good, it felt amazing, if only because it was Kurapica touching him, with no hesitation. The blond wrapped his other arm around the back of his neck and pulled him down for an open-mouthed kiss as his hand moved faster and faster. Kuroro deepened the kiss right away and Kurapica pushed his tongue forward to dance with his and gods, it was such a head-rush. A nip at the blond's lips, another bruising kiss, and he reached completion at the boy's hand.

When he was done, he kissed him again, gentler this time, and he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He found his discarded top and cleaned himself up then chucked it at the blond. He turned away, figuring Kurapica would appreciate the privacy, and pulled his pants back on properly. He wasn't really body-shy, but Kurapica was, and he was trying to make this as comfortable for him as he could so the blond would let him do this again. “Ugh,” he head the Kuruta complain behind him, “I need to change shirts.”

Kuroro chuckled. “That's what you get for not letting me take it off.” He made his way to Kurapica luggage, selected a t-shirt at random and chucked it at him. “Here.”

“Thanks,” the Kuruta said and Kuroro waited, listening to the sounds Kurapica made as he made himself more presentable. When the shuffling sounds quieted down, he turned around and made his way back to the blond who looked up at him and arched both eyebrows in question. Kuroro smiled and leaned down to kiss him one last time.

“Move over,” he said, curious to see if the Kuruta would accept to share a bed.

“What, why?” Kurapica asked, frowning up at him as Kuroro shrugged in response. “You have a bed right there,” the blond protested. “I don't see why we'd need to sacrifice space when there's a perfectly usable mattress within reach.”

Apparently not. Oh well, they would get to it in time, Kuroro would see to it. He'd make the Kuruta welcome him in his bed at some point. He'd make sure of it.

Chapter Text

Chapter 49

Kurapica woke up early the next morning and quietly got up to make coffee. He glanced back at the other bed where Kuroro was apparently still sleeping. No movement from him, so the blond had a few moments to sift through his conflicted thoughts about the older man. It was kind of humiliating, in a way, how easily he was falling for his charms. He had thought he had more self-control than this, but apparently his body just reacted to Kuroro's thouches despite his misgivings about the Spider Head. Oh gods, this was just all kind of wrong. He shouldn't be feeling this good when Kuroro touched him. He missed the anger and the hatred. Things were so much easier when all he knew of the man was that he was the one who was the cause for all of Kurapica's pain and anguish over the last few years. Yet, just a touch from Kuroro and the blond went along with everything that the taller man wanted of him. Was he really ready to let go of his pride and pay the price for his clansmen's eyes with his own body? Apparently, he was. And it was a small sacrifice, really. The only thing he wasn't entirely okay with was that he was so willing to pay that price, that he was actually looking forward to Kuroro touching him.

A soft rustle was his sole warning that his companion was awake, and two strong arms wrapped around his waist. He was pulled back again a solid chest and Kuroro leaned his chin forward onto the blond's shoulder. Kurapica flicked the switch that would start the coffee maker. “Good morning,” Kuroro said, right by his ear, and really, it wasn't fair how his voice set Kurapica's heart hammering in his chest. “Zenny for your thoughts.”

“I think we've already established that my thoughts are worth quite a bit more than just a zenny,” Kurapica answered, which earned him a chuckle. Decidedly unfair. “You're holding me too tightly,” he muttered, to cover the fact that he was troubled at how easy it was to let this man touch him, now. “Let go.”

“No way,” Kuroro said, and pulled him back towards one of the bed, ignoring Kurapica's sputtered protests. When he sat, he pulled the blond to sit between his legs, one of his hands splayed over this abdomen and inching lower.

Kurapica tried to find it in himself to pull away, to slap him or punch him or, or anything of the sort. Instead, he realized he was holding his breath, keeping himself very, very still. When Kuroro slipped the tip of his fingers just under the waistband of his cotton pants, he manage to grumble, “Again?” He tried to wriggle free, but it was a half-hearted effort at best. “Didn't we just do this last night?”

There was that chuckle again, then Kuroro said, “Sure, but I want more.” Kurapica froze. More? He wanted more? Oh gods, he wasn't ready yet, he wasn't! “We have a long way ahead,” the Spider head continued. “A few days without access to a shower, I just want to make the best of this room. Might as well, you know?”

“Don't tell me you can't last a few days without sexual release,” Kurapica scoffed.

“I can,” Kuroro assured him, “but I don't want to.” He slipped his fingers out and placed his hands over Kurapica's crotch, over the fabric of his pants. He rubbed lightly and the blond could feel himself reacting already and this was all terribly humiliating, yet exhilarating all the same. There must be something wrong with him. “Seems like you don't want to, either,” the older man commented.

“Shut up,” the blond replied.

“Can do,” Kuroro said with another chuckle. He nipped at the back of his neck, his teeth scraping lightly over his skin, and Kurapica completely forgot how to breathe. How did Kuroro get so good at this, anyway? There was that soft, exci– annoying laughter again and the older man commented, “You like that, hm?”

“Seriously,” Kurapica grouched, “shut up.” Another soft, amused sound from Kuroro, and he slid his hand upwards and slipped it into Kurapica's pants. His mouth latched on the crook of his neck and he started pumping his hand lazily, making the blond gasp softly. And he could feel him, could feel Kuroro getting harder against his backside and that was both exciting and terrifying all at once. Yes, he was willing to go that far, even with the man who was the cause for all of his heartache, but he needed some kind of mental preparation, first. It wasn't that easy! Kuroro sucked harder and Kurapica heard a soft, barely audible sound and was shocked to realize it came from him.

Lust.

He had understood the meaning of the word, and yet he had known nothing about it until the first time Kuroro had touched him. He could have given the definition, but previously had no experience of it. And now that he did understand what the feeling implied, he was still helpless to stop it. Unwilling to stop it. He knew now what it meant, truly knew.

He panted softly and closed his eyes, even as Kuroro pulled him closer with the arm he still had wrapped around his waist, and that shifted the way that the older man's erection pressed against him. He bit his lip on another sound, refusing to let it go. The older man's mouth got more insistent, and the blond was pretty sure it would bruise. Again. He shifted, trying very hard not move his pelvis into the touch. Kuroro nipped at the back of his neck again, then he suddenly rolled with him, pinning Kurapica's body under his own and ground his hips into him.

“Ah, wait!” Kurapica said in spite of himself, unable to quite push down the panic he suddenly felt. “Wait, hold on, I can't –” Kuroro suddenly pulled off of him, and the blond twisted his upper body to look at him. “I, ah,” he began, but then he realized he didn't really know what he meant to say, so he shook his head and said, “Sorry.” Kuroro had this blank, expressionless look on his face, and Kurapica wasn't sure what he could do to fix this suddenly awkward situation. “I just,” he began, hesitated, then, “I just don't feel comfortable in this, this position.”

Kuroro slowly ran a hand down his spine. “Why not?” he asked, and the blond pushed himself onto his hands and knees and crawled higher up on the bed, mind racing to answer the older man's question.

“I'm not sure,” he began, turning to sit with his legs crossed, facing the other man. He caught a strange look in his eyes, but he didn't know what it meant. “I think I just, I just feel too restrained. Like I can't do anything, you know?” He shifted uncomfortably. “I don't like it.”

“You want more control?” Kuroro asked him. Kurapica hesitated, then nodded. “All right,” the Spider heard said, and he made his way over to him, tilting the blond's head with his finger and thumb at his chin, and he leaned in for a kiss. Kurapica tried not to feel offended. Did he look that much like he needed reassurance? He let him do it, though. “Come,” Kuroro said when he pulled away. He sat on the bed, and slid a hand down Kurapica's arm, then pulled gently at his hand. “Come,” he repeated.

Kurapica let himself be guided so he was straddling the older man's lap. “I'm not too sure about this,” he said hesitantly. “This is kind of embarrassing.”

“Only because you're thinking too much,” Kuroro informed him. “Here, just like this.” He pushed Kurapica's pants a little lower so he could wrap his hand around him. The blond screwed his eyes shut. “Kiss me if you don't want to see it,” Kuroro said, “but I'd like you to touch me, too.”

Kurapica leaned in for a kiss and reached blindly for the older man's erection. He wrapped his hand around it and started moving and really, this shouldn't be this easy. He broke the kiss only to start another, angling his head so he could lick at Kuroro's mouth. The taller man buried his free hand in his hair and Kurapica shifted higher on his lap. They both sped up their movement and Kuroro's tongue slid against the Kuruta's, making him groan softly before he realized it and clamped down on the sound. He felt Kuroro's grip change a fraction, but didn't have the leisure of wondering why, as the older man went even faster, driving all thoughts from Kurapica's mind. The kiss turned somewhat sloppy as the blond started losing all focus. His hand went faster, too, and his other arm wrapped around Kuroro's shoulders, and he pulled himself even higher onto his lap. He broke the kiss and let his forehead drop onto Kuroro's shoulder, panting roughly now. He started shaking a little, trying to stave off what he knew was coming. He couldn't last long though, and soon, he gasped and panted as he came undone at Kuroro's hand.

He kept moving his own hand throughout his orgasm, somehow. He left his forehead against Kuroro's shoulder, as it made it easier not to look at him. He went a little faster, twisting his hand a little and felt Kuroro put a hand at the small of his back, pulling him closer still. He listened to his breathing, noticing every catch, every change in pattern. He used those to know what felt good to the older man, but that felt kind of odd, at the same time. He shouldn't really want to make him feel good, should he? Ah, everything was just so complicated anymore. Kuroro moved his head back and Kurapica lifted his to look at him questioningly. He didn't stop his movement, just looked at the taller man. He wasn't surprised when Kuroro leaned in for a kiss. He wasn't shocked that it felt so good and so wrong all at once. Then Kuroro bit at his lower lip and Kurapica felt him come at his hand. He kept moving until Kuroro let go of his lips and they regarded each other in silence for a moment. Suddenly, the Spider head kissed him again, pushing him sideways so his back hit the mattress and when Kurapica opened his eyes, the taller man was straddling him and went for a rough kiss. There was a look in his eyes that made Kurapica want to pull him closer, want to push him away. He groaned into the kiss, and the sound felt so wrong, so weird. He placed both hands against Kuroro's chest and pushed.

“Off,” he said. “Get off.” Wordlessly, the taller man pulled away. There was a strange expression on his face still, but then he turned away from Kurapica, pulling his pyjama bottom back into place. “I'm,” Kurapica began, pulling his cotton pants back up too, “I'm going to shower.” It felt like he was running away, but he still went into the bathroom and closed the door. While he was under the spray, he heard the door open and he went still. The door closed but still the blond didn't move, not until he was absolutely sure that Kuroro wasn't in there with him. He finally pushed the curtain aside a tiny bit. No Kuroro, but there was a pile of clothes on the counter near the door. He could see jeans and a T-shirt and really, this made him feel even worse. Well, there was nothing for it now. He finished his shower, dried himself and took the time to blow-dry his hair again. Then he got dressed in the clothes Kuroro had brought him.

When he finally came out of the bathroom, Kuroro closed his book and set it down on the nightstand. “My turn,” he said lightly, and he grabbed his own set of clean clothes then made his way into the bathroom and closed the door. Kurapica hesitated a moment, then he made himself a cup of coffee, since Kuroro had apparently drunk the one he'd made earlier. He had time to drink it, and then a second one, before the older man reappeared from the bathroom, dressed for the day. “All right,” he said, “make sure you've got all your stuff. We have a few days of driving ahead of us so we should get going.” Kurapica didn't know what to answer, so he nodded and went around the room, collecting their things.

Once they were put away into the Fun Fun Cloth, they climbed into the car and drove off. They made a quick stop at a coffee house drive-through before they got onto the highway. The day was quiet, nearly unbearably so for the Kuruta, so after he'd had his breakfast, he buried himself into a book. Lunch was mostly snacks on the go, and so was dinner. They stopped for the night on some deserted road just off of the highway, then they went on their way again, stopping at the first rest stop they found to get properly caffeinated for the day, after which they were on the road again. They stopped at a diner as the sun was setting and had a sort of awkward meal there. Kuroro didn't try to raise a conversation from his companion, not once. They slept in the car again that night. There was nowhere to get coffee in the morning so they set off again without the sweet kick of a caffeine hit to wake them up properly. They were far up into the countryside now, and they barely ever saw houses or even rest stops. They finally found a small wayside restaurant where they had lunch, then it was back into the car and the silence was nearly stifling.

At some point in the afternoon, Kuroro got off of the highway, which was more country road than proper pavement at this point, and made his way into a small hamlet. People stopped and gawked at the shiny black car, though Kurapica suspected it was probably covered in mud now and more dirty brown than sleek black. At the centre of the village. Kuroro parked and got out of his seat. With a sigh, Kurapica placed a bookmark into the volume he'd been reading and followed suit. Kuroro approached a few old men sitting on a bench in front of the bakery. “Good afternoon,” he hailed.

The one closest to him tapped his cane onto the gravel path a few times and grumbled, “What's so good about it, I wonder.”

The man sitting next to him elbowed him. “Don't mind him,” he told Kuroro. “Guy's a total grump. Always complains about everything. Just ignore him. Good afternoon.”

“Is the coffee here any good?” the Spider Head enquired just as Kurapica drew level with him. “We've been on the roads for days and we're sorely in need of good caffeine.”

“Best in town,” a third man answered.

“Idiot, that's cause it's the only one in town,” the grumpy one said. He tapped his cane down again and spit to the side. “Tastes like shit, but does the job.”

The man next to him sighed. “Seriously, just ignore the idiot, okay? It's pretty decent, I'd say. I've travelled some in my younger days –”

“A long, very long time ago,” the grump interrupted.

“– and I still like this place's coffee best,” the man continued, clearly taking his own counsel and ignoring the grouchy one.

“Sounds good,” Kuroro said with a charming smile. “Say, do you know where I could find a certain,” he made a show of looking down on a paper on which he'd scribbled something just before driving into town, “Jormy Kerstian?”

“Lil' Jor?” the man sitting at the furthest end of the bench asked them. “What do you want for him?”

“Just checking on him. Usually Mr. Greenwold does it himself, but he's been fairly busy.”

“Bullshit,” the grumpy one said. “You just want to gawk at his weird new eyes like every one else. Tell you what, wish they'd never put those in him. Now the kid's a menace, I tell you, a menace!” He hit the butt of his cane harder against the ground. “He'll end up killing someone. They should have left him blind.”

“Shut up, Mar,” the man sitting next to him said. “He's not that bad. Jus' makin' up for all those years he couldn't see. Kid, you all right?”

Kurapica wasn't all right. As a matter of fact, he felt rather sick. “Ah, I just, uh,” he stammered, feeling so cold suddenly.

Kuroro's arm wrapped around the back of his waist. “He just needs a bit of coffee and something to eat that isn't made up of empty calories. We'll just go in, if you don't mind.”

“Pah,” the one named Mar grouched, “food here's shit. Good luck not getting sick.” Kuroro was already guiding Kurapica inside. He pushed him into a booth and ordered two cups of coffee and some food. It took a while for the blond to feel like the world was finally holding in place around him.

He took a deep breath. “What they said,” he began, and Kuroro looked up from his coffee to meet his gaze, “is it, is it what I think?”

Kuroro regarded him silently. “Maybe I shouldn't have brought you here,” he said.

“Don't say that,” Kurapica said darkly. “I want to, I need to meet this child.”

Kuroro nodded. “Finish your meal. We'll go see him.” Kurapica nodded and forced himself to eat the food that was in front of him, although he tasted none of it.

Chapter Text

Jormy Kerstian's house was towards the north, just outside of the village, surrounded on three sides by terraced gardens, with a couple of trees in the front forming a canopy over the small dirt path. The door was in two panels; the bottom one was latched, but the upper one was open, showing a darkened kitchen. Kurapica stood silent, still reeling a bit, fighting to keep the tight grip he had on his emotions lest they betray him. He saw Kuroro send him assessing glances out of the corner of his eye during the trek through the village and up to the little house, but he ignored him. The taller man knocked on the doorjamb, calling out, “Hello? Anybody home?”

Soon enough, a tall woman with coarse features appeared, wiping her hands onto her apron. “Yes?” she asked politely. “Can I help you with something?”

Kuroro glanced at him again, but Kurapica kept his eyes on the door latch, so the Spider Head had to answer her. “Yes, we're looking for Jormy Kerstian. We were referred to your house. Are you perhaps his mother? We're here to check on his progress for Mr. Greenwold.”

Her face immediately cleared up. “Yes, yes of course!” She took the two steps down into the kitchen, slipping her feet into wooden clogs and turning on an old oil lamp that barely brightened the room and made her way over to the front door. “I wasn't expecting you until this afternoon. I have to admit I was rather hoping that kind Mr. Greenwold would come himself. I still don't know how that weird person managed to operate on my son without really touching him, but whatever he did, Jor could see from the moment he had the new eyes.” She laughed; a happy, motherly sound. “He's always running around now. I think he's with lil' Rosa right now, so you'll probably find them fishing for tadpoles by the creek.” She paused. “Is your companion all right?”

“You must excuse him, ma'am,” Kuroro said and put a hand at the small of Kurapica's back. “He's simply here to observe and was instructed not to speak but simply listen and remember everything that is said today. I hope it doesn't make you too uncomfortable; not looking directly at us helps him remember the words we say much easier. You said young Jormy is by the creek? Would you kindly point us in the right direction?”

The woman laughed. “Of course,” she replied, motioning as she instructed, “go back to the main path and keep going the same way you did to get here. You'll go down between two hills and there's a low stone wall at the bottom, next to an apple tree. Take a right right after the wall. There's a footpath. You can't miss it.”

“Thank you very much,” Kuroro said politely and guided the blond back onto the main path. “I don't know what is the matter with you,” he whispered once they were out of earshot, “but you should try to snap out of it.” His tone wasn't disapproving in any way. He seemed to be trying to encourage the blond to come back to his senses, if anything.

Kurapica licked his lips slowly, then bit the lower one, still fighting the emotions down. “I,” he started but his voice broke, so he had to try again, “I can't. I'm barely holding on as it is. My eyes,” he had to pause to swallow, “my eyes will trigger if I let them. It's all I can do to keep them blue.”

“Kurapica,” the Spider Head's voice was softer now. “You can do this, come now.”

The blond lowered his head and took a deep breath in, paused, then nodded resolutely. “Okay,” he breathed out. “I'm ready. Whatever I find, I'm ready.” When he looked up, Kuroro was quietly observing his face, his eyes, the determined set of his mouth. Then he gave him a small nod and turned from him. They started walking. The sun was shining ridiculously bright, as if laughing at Kurapica's emotional turmoil. His mood was better suited to storm or torrential rain. On one hand, if the Scarlet Eyes held some remnants of the Kuruta's Nen, it seemed possible that the organs were actually haunted, kind of tied to the person's aura, in a way. If that were the case, whoever the eyes had belonged to might not be able to free themselves from the mortal plane. In any case, Kurapica's oath called for him to return the stolen pair back to Lukso province. On the other hand, a blind child was given sight because a rich philanthropist and collector had donated the Scarlet Eyes. And the only way for Kurapica to fulfil his oath would be to take that away from the boy.

They trekked into the valley and saw the old apple tree and the stone wall in its shadow. There was a tiny footpath right after the wall, just as the woman had indicated. They followed it down to the small creek where two young children were playing, under the supervision of an older girl. Kuroro glanced at his companion and asked, “Are you good?”

“I'm good,” Kurapica assured him.

The older man nodded and took a few steps forward. “Jormy?” he called the boy. “Would you come here for a moment? It's all right,” he added for the girl who was watching the younger children, “I spoke to his mother. She told me where to find him. I'm here on behalf of mister Greenwold. I need to make sure that the boy is faring well.”

“Oh,” she said and put her feet back in the cool water. “I was told you were to come today, but we were hoping mister Greenwold would come himself. To thank him, you know? We wanted to tell him how grateful we are for his gift. Go, Jormy.” She moved her head toward the Ryodan Leader and the boy went shyly to him.

Kurapica looked down at them from where he was standing higher up on the path. He suddenly feared for the boy. Surely Kuroro wouldn't kill him here, in front of children? Doubt suddenly gripped him and he cried out, “Wait!” The children started and looked at him, surprise obvious in their eyes. The Ryodan leader looked pensively at him for a moment. Kurapica saw how the man was trying to assess his mental state, trying to read his eyes like one would read a book. “Let me see him,” he demanded. “I need to see his eyes.” He paused, thinking fast. “I need to make sure everything is healing well,” he added, for the benefit of the older girl.

Kuroro eyed him a moment longer, then moved a step to the side, close enough to touch, but Kurapica was careful not to come in contact with him. He went down on one knee in front of the boy and looked into the wide, blue eyes looking up at him. He resisted the urge to put his hand on the side of Jormy's face. Time seemed to still around them. He searched the clear blue irises, trying to recognize the colour, trying to remember a face to go around the cerulean of those eyes. Who had gold flecks in the blue like this? Was it a child, someone he had played with? A hundred and twenty-eight people dead, thirty-six pairs of eyes. Who was this? Who was it that had this frank, open gaze with little flecks of gold in a field of blue? Who was it?

There was a sudden gasp, just as he heard footsteps on the path behind him. He heard Kuroro shift to his left. Still Kurapica looked into the child's eyes, unable to pry his gaze from them, not even when he heard a gravelly voice speak behind him. “I had been told that two of my men had arrived early,” it commented. He didn't sound angry, mostly just intrigued. “It just so happened that I managed to free myself. I would like to see the boy now, if you don't mind.”

A step that snapped a twig, and Kurapica felt Kuroro stand over him, but still his red gaze was fixed on the child. “Kurapica,” the taller man urged. “Whatever you decide to do, decide now.”

“What would you have me do?” the Kuruta asked. He moved, standing suddenly, facing the Spider Head. “What would you have me do? Kill a child to fulfil my oath? Is that what a man like you would go for?”

Kuroro's calm demeanour never wavered. “I would decide which I value more, this life or my oath,” he said simply.

“That kid!” This was another voice, one Kurapica recognized right away as the leader of the bodyguards from the mansion. “That's the one we caught inside of the estate,” he informed his employer, but Kurapica wasn't looking at him. He was still glaring at Kuroro, all of his pain and confusion and heartache coming back like a sudden blow to the chest. He heard the men approach to his left, but they suddenly stopped, both gasping audibly. “He did say he was there to recover something taken from him,” the bodyguard commented, “but I would have never...”

Kuroro suddenly pulled him closer, hiding his face against his shoulder. “We're done here,” he informed the two men. “He just needed to see it for himself. We will not bother you anymore.” Kurapica grabbed at his coat and twisted his fists into the fabric, biting his lower lip harshly, fighting to keep himself from lashing out. He had already let his eyes switch, but attacking Kuroro here would only make a difficult situation worse. He had to calm himself, he had to keep a tighter grasp onto his emotions, but all he could think was, 'Who?' and, 'I'll kill him, someday, I will kill him.' The anger wrapped like a hand around his throat, choking him, killing him. His hands twisted harder. “We're going now,” Kuroro affirmed, for Kurapica, the children or the two other men, the blond had no idea. He pulled Kurapica up the path and then he was walking. One foot in front of the other, his grief and rage raising with every step he took. Back by the apple tree, he shoved Kuroro away from him.

They stood, silently regarding each other, each searching the other man's face. Kurapica's chest felt so tight, his breath came in short pants and he clutched at his chest with his right hand, as if to exorcise the pain that he felt there. Kuroro's eyes lowered to his hand, then returned to his eyes, his dark gaze an unreadable mask. Kurapica turned from him and started walking, up the hill, past the Kerstians' house, through the small village, his gaze fixed on his feet. One foot, then the other, walk, just keep walking. He got to the car and strode right past it. A short time after he'd started down the road, he heard the Spider Head get into the vehicle behind him, heard him follow him slowly, but the blond couldn't quiet his thoughts enough to acknowledge the older man's presence. He plodded on, hoping that the anger that had his throat in its vice-like grip would abate, but it didn't for a long, long time. Finally, the grief took over, and he slowed down.

The car slowly moved next to him. “Kurapica,” the Spider Head said through the open passenger side window. “Kurapica, get in. You can't walk all the way to the nearest town. I called ahead of time for a room at a motel. Get in. We'll get some rest, and you can think about what you want to do with a clearer head after you've had some proper sleep.” Kurapica stopped for a moment, looking around him, desperately trying to think, trying to find a solution that didn't involve him getting into that car. He could trek the miles on foot, but what good would that do? Kuroro had all of the Eyes that they had collected so far. Was he to abandon now, to let the man keep all that they'd worked so hard to get, reap the benefits from all of the sacrifices that the last of the Kuruta had made? He swallowed thickly. “Kurapica,” the older man called again, his voice so gentle, so very gentle. The voice of a liar.

Kurapica took a deep breath, then opened the door and climbed into the passenger seat. Once the door had latched, the Spider Head started driving once more. They went some way in silence. Just as they got back onto the paved road, Kurapica asked, “Why did you bring me here?” His voice was hoarse, like he'd been screaming for hours.

“You needed to see,” Kuroro answered.

“You could have just told me,” the blond objected.

Kuroro glanced at him and marked a pause, then asked, “Would you have believed me?”

The Kuruta had no answer to give him. He noticed they got onto a different highway than on their way to the village, no doubt marking a detour so that they could sleep on real beds instead of the car like they had on the way to the small hamlet, where a boy now lived with the eyes of one of Kurapica's clansmen as his own.

They arrived at the motel and Kuroro stepped out for a moment to get their key from the office, then they went to park in front of their room. Door number four. Fitting. It was as if the number of death followed him everywhere he went. The Spider Head killed the engine, then turned towards him. Kurapica lowered his head and liked his lips slowly. “You,” he said, and his voice broke on the word. “You're enjoying this, I bet. Watching me consider, even just for a moment, the possibility of killing a mere boy to fulfil my oath?”

“Why would I be enjoying this?” Kuroro asked him calmly, and really, that unaffected air was worse than any gloating the man could have indulged in. Kurapica unfastened the seat-belt and quickly got out of the car, slamming the door behind him. He heard the older man close the other door and walk towards him, and he lashed out with his arm, which the Spider Head caught easily, spinning around to face him. “Why,” he repeated, “would I be enjoying this?”

“Because you're perverse,” Kurapica spat at him. “You love it that I can't keep my name completely clean, that I would commit robbery, that I would associate with world-renown criminals, that I would lay with one, all to fulfil this promise that I swore to my brethren I would do for them.” Kuroro moved, so quickly that Kurapica couldn't quite prepare for it. The taller man pushed him against the wall, his fingers tight around Kurapica's wrists and the blond gasped when his back collided with the unforgiving concrete surface. “Let go,” the Kuruta demanded. “Gods, I hate you. Let go.”

“No,” Kuroro's voice was oddly calm in spite of the tight grip he had on the blond's wrists. The bastard didn't even look annoyed, but Kurapica? Kurapica was furious. Or maybe it was grief that was gripping him, tighter than Kuroro's hands on him. He glared up at the older man and tried to free his hands, but Kuroro's hold on him was tight and he couldn't get him to let go. He wriggled his hands and twisted his arms, but still the Spider Head held him fast. Seeing how his hands were trapped, he kicked at his shin, but the taller man had anticipated the move and easily moved aside. The blond twisted his hands again, but the older man had recovered easily and pushed him into the wall once more. So Kurapica hooked his leg around Kuroro's and tried to make him lose balance. But all it did was make Kuroro fall forward, against him, their bodies colliding rather violently.

Kuroro lifted his head and looked at the blond. Their eyes met and held. Kurapica was still panting, his vision red, all of the overwhelming emotions raging into him tinting his eyes a violent shade of red. His chest heaved with each breath he took. Kuroro's dark, unreadable eyes travelled down to his lips, then slowly back up to meet his gaze. One breath, a second one and a third, then they were suddenly both moving, meeting, Kurapica angling his head up, Kuroro pressing into him. Their lips met hungrily, violently. The blond's hand found the other man's collar, where he fisted his hand and twisted, pulling him closer at the same time. Kuroro growled, low in his throat and the Kuruta's heart went into this weird little irregular, faster rhythm for just a moment. It felt good, it felt wrong, felt like he could forget, if only for a moment. He wanted to forget.

He bit at the taller man's lower lip and Kuroro's hands clutched at his bony hips, pulling him forward. The taller man broke the kiss with another soft growl, and he suddenly hooked his hands around the back of Kurapica's thighs, pulling him up just as he pushed him into the wall. Kurapica gasped and his arms wrapped around the back to the older man's neck, his ankles hooking together behind Kuroro's back. The Ryodan leader bit at his jawline and the blond groaned, tilting his head back. Kuroro proceeded to nip a path down the side of his throat that soon had the Kuruta panting and gasping. All that mattered now was the pain at his throat that felt so good, so hot, the erection forming in his pants and the answering hardness he could feel pressing against him.

Kuroro's mouth latched onto his throat and he sucked until it hurt, and Kurapica couldn't contain a sound that was anything but protesting. He tilted his head further back, panting harshly. His hips started moving of their own volition. A particularly hard suck against his throat had him moan breathlessly and Kuroro suddenly pulled him away from the wall. The older man's hands was under his ass – such a crass word, that – and suddenly, he was being carried a few steps to the left and slammed into the motel door. Kuroro's mouth found his and their tongues met and fought for dominance. He heard the sound of the key poking around the lock a few times before it finally found its mark. There was an edge, teeth over his lips when Kuroro broke the kiss. The key twisted in the lock and was pulled out. Then he was being carried once more, he caught Kuroro's lips again, and the door slammed shut behind them.

Kuroro suddenly pushed him onto the top of the dresser and attacked his mouth again. He unzipped Kurapica's hoodie and shoved it off of the blond's shoulders. The Kuruta pulled impatiently at the fastenings on Kuroro's coat and nearly ripped them right off the garment. He reached behind himself to get his arms out of the sleeves of his hoodie. Kuroro got out of his coat too, and let it fall heavily to the floor. Then he grabbed Kurapica's behind again and pulled him back against himself. Kurapica's hands tangled in the black hair and he pulled, effectively breaking their kiss. Kuroro cursed softly under his breath, and Kurapica didn't know why that soft whisper turned him on, he just knew that it did and he mouthed at Kuroro's throat. The taller man's fingers grabbed the hem of his t-shirt and he let go just so Kuroro could take a step back and pull the top right off him. The tank-top he had under got the same treatment. The Spider Head was about to step back between his legs, but Kurapica pushed him away, unzipped his top and pushed it off of his shoulders.

Then Kuroro was sliding his hands under his ass and picking him up again, carrying him over to one of the beds. He dropped him onto the mattress and crawled after him. Kurapica was already reaching out for him and just as Kuroro's mouth crashed on his, his fingernails raked over the taller man's shoulders. The Spider Head broke the kiss and pushed against his wrists, pinning them to the bed. He pushed a thigh between Kurapica's legs and bit down on the blond's shoulder. The Kuruta arched his back sharply, panting helplessly now. He made a soft sound in the back of his throat and felt Kuroro's hands tighten on his arms. Then, they were kissing again and Kuroro pulled at the button of his jeans and tugged at the fly impatiently before sitting up to remove his pants and underwear in one go, making his shoes fall off at the same time.

Kurapica tried sitting up too, but Kuroro pushed him back down. The blond was about to protest when the taller man shut him up with a kiss that he wasted no time in deepening. Kurapica's fingers dug into the taller man's shoulders. Kuroro was pushing against him, and the fabric of his pants was uncomfortable against Kurapica's naked skin. He tried to push him off to protest, but then Kuroro's arm slid underneath his back and he pulled, forcing Kurapica to arch against him. He broke the kiss and nipped at the blond's jawline again, dragging an involuntary moan from him. The Kuruta vaguely remembered that there had been something he'd meant to say, but he just couldn't remember what it was, anymore. The taller man's chest felt so hot against his.

“Oh gods,” he gasped out breathlessly and felt Kuroro shift against him.

“I'm so done waiting,” the older man suddenly growled and it took Kurapica a moment to realize what he meant. It all hit him at once, apprehension, fear, want and a kind of hunger he had never quite felt before. And then Kuroro's finger was pushing inside of him, slicked with something that tingled warmly around his opening.

Kurapica froze, not daring to even breathe. He didn't get why people always talked about sex, because right then, there was nothing nice about this. It felt intrusive and strange and gods, he didn't think he could do this. Kuroro paused, and Kurapica realized the older man must had some idea of what the blond was thinking, because he stilled his hand and caught his lips in a softer, much softer kiss. But Kurapica didn't want soft. He didn't want to feel this scared and insecure and aware of what was happening. He wanted the raw desire, the hunger he'd felt earlier. He couldn't think then, and things were nowhere near as scary. “Move,” he groaned against Kuroro's mouth. “Gods, just, just move.”

Kuroro nuzzled at his throat. “It'll get better,” he said gently, and Kurapica nearly wanted to curse him out for this. He felt the finger slide out slowly, too slowly and his breathing hitched. Then it was pushing back inside again. “It'll get better,” Kuroro said again.

“Shut up,” Kurapica said through gritted teeth, because it was easier to be angry than to be scared. Kuroro chuckled and his breath fluttered over Kurapica's skin. He bit at his lower lip as Kuroro moved his hand, his finger sliding in and out of him. A pause. The taller man was doing something, but Kurapica refused to look, focusing on keeping himself from panicking completely. Then, there was that awkward sensation of being entered again and he forced himself to let go of the breath he'd been holding. A pause, then the fingers were pulled out. Slicker when they came back in. Kurapica nearly wanted to sob. In and out, in and out, then a twist and it brushed against something inside of him that sent his back arching and his thighs tightened around Kuroro. “Oh, gods!”

His eyes went wide and he caught the smug grin on Kuroro's face before the older man had time to hide it. Kurapica buried his head into the taller man's shoulder after that, refusing to look at him anymore. Again and again, Kuroro's fingertips brushed against his – there was a name for this, Kurapica had read about it once, but he just couldn't think of the name right now and – Gods! There it was again, and he couldn't breathe; could only pant harshly and – wait, why was it gone? The pressure was just – ah, but here it was again, stretching him, in and out and he let out a choking sound. Then Kuroro pulled out again and Kurapica could feel him moving and then something else was pushing against him.

“Oh, gods,” he said again.

“Kurapica,” Kuroro called out softly. “Kurapica, look at me.”

The blond shook his head. “I don't want to,” he groaned.

“It's okay,” Kuroro said. “Just look at me.” He pushed himself up a little higher, and Kurapica could feel his gaze weighing down heavily on him. “Look at me,” he repeated one last time, and Kurapica found himself looking up at his former enemy. The want in his eyes made him forget how to breathe. Then Kuroro was pushing inside of him, holding his gaze until he was firmly inside of him. He kissed him and Kurapica closed his eyes again. Damn him. Damn him for doing it this way. He could feel himself drowning and he just didn't know how to stop it anymore.

He couldn't quite stifle the moan that escaped his throat when Kuroro started moving again. This was beyond humiliating. He swallowed thickly, feeling thirsty, so thirsty. His fingernails dug into Kuroro's skin as he held onto his shoulders. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he could barely breathe. Each push of Kuroro's hips against his tore soft exhales from him, each nibble down his throat made him shiver more violently. The older man was moving slowly at first, and Kurapica exhaled on each thrust of the Spider Head's hips.

He couldn't last very long. Kuroro moved faster, nipping at his jawline. Kurapica choked on a gasp and started shaking helplessly, his muscles contracting as he came, hands clutching at the taller man's shoulders. Kuroro paused above him. Silence stretched between them, broken only by Kurapica's harsh pants. Then the blond opened his eyes and caught Kuroro's gaze. It burned. He wasn't sure how else to describe the intensity in them. It felt like it set him on fire, sucked the air out of his lungs, tightened around his throat, leaving him choking for air.

The taller man caught his mouth in a hard kiss that seemed intent on leaving his lips bruised and swollen. And then, then he was moving again, each thrusts in and out of Kurapica's oversensitive body sending a wave of incommensurable pleasure up and down his spine. The hand Kuroro wasn't leaning on grabbed his hip, pulling him into each and every thrust. Once Kurapica managed to follow the rhythm on his own, he raked it up the side of the blond's chest, and his thumbnail grazed over a nipple, throwing Kurapica off for a moment as it sent a jolt of pleasure straight down to his crotch. He could feel himself nearing climax again and – hadn't he just had one?! He couldn't think, couldn't remember.

Faster and faster Kuroro went, each movement of his hips building up into a crescendo of pleasure. His hand went back down Kurapica's chest and then wrapped around him, stroking him intimately. Kurapica curled in on himself, feeling the pleasure coil tightly inside again. He could feel him inside, brushing with every thrust against that bundle of nerves he couldn't remember the name of right then, could feel his hand around him, tight and hot. He felt torn between the two, wanting the pleasure from both, pushing against one, then the other. His lips were taken again in a brutal kiss, and he felt Kuroro's seed inside him, hot and deep and he lost it again, coming for the second time.

When Kuroro moved away, Kurapica let himself fall back onto the mattress, boneless. He couldn't even spare the energy to cover himself. Breathing was hard enough as it was. Kuroro sat up next to him for a moment and when their eyes met, the blond said, “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Stop looking so tempting,” Kuroro countered. “Because right now, all I want is to push you down and make you come again, and again until you can't walk or sit for a week straight.” Kurapica opened his mouth, but found he didn't know what to say. Finally, he pulled the cover he was lying on and folded it over himself, hiding under it. Kuroro chuckled. “I'm going to shower. I don't think you can move yet, anyway. Unless you'd like to join me?” He arched his eyebrows and Kurapica had the distinct impression that he was being both challenged and laughed at.

“You go,” he said, pursing his lips. “I'll go when you're done.” Kuroro looked at him one last time, then he turned away, got their luggage out and selected a set of sleepwear, then made his way to the bathroom. Kurapica put his clothes back on to wait for his turn, his thoughts still and quiet for the first time that day.

Chapter Text

Kurapica needed to think. He desperately needed to think, and yet his thoughts were completely blank. He got up a bit too quickly and winced a little, needing to lean against the wall for a minute. This brought another wave of heat to his cheeks. The sensation was just so, so strange. He could almost feel Kuroro as though he were still inside of him. He bit his lower lip fiercely, wishing the troubling thoughts away. He didn't want the older man to come out of his shower and find him blushing and trembling. No, that wouldn't do at all. He took a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. He managed it, too. When Kuroro stepped out of the bathroom, Kurapica's face was fixed in a distant, controlled mask of indifference. Or so he hoped, anyway.

Clutching his change of clothes to his chest, he brushed by the older man, managed not to shudder, and made his way into the bathroom. As soon as the door closed behind him, he let his stiff shoulders sag in relief. He'd managed so far. Setting his clothes onto the counter, he carefully stepped into the shower. With the water as hot as he could make it, he forced himself through the motions, washing his hair and his body slowly. He might have looked outwardly calm, but inside, his mind was in turmoil. It kept wanting to go back to what Kuroro had done, to how he'd touched him, how his hands had felt on his skin. Kurapica could feel himself blushing again, but with no one to see it, he let it happen. He put his head in his hands and pulled at his hair lightly.

It had felt good. It had felt really, really good, and Kurapica didn't know how to deal with that. Of course, it wasn't like he wanted it to hurt or to feel vile, but it kind of felt wrong that he'd enjoyed it quite this much. He could nearly feel it still, Kuroro's hands caressing his body, touching him, setting his body aflame with passion. Feelings welled up inside of him, a potent mix of shame, guilt and desire that choked him until he forcefully shoved them all down. He didn't know how long he'd been in the shower, but he didn't want to let Kuroro know the effect that he'd had on him, so he forced himself to turn off the water. His movements forceful and rough, he dried himself quickly and got dressed in loose-fitting cotton shirt and pants.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Kuroro was sitting at the desk, reading a book. He looked up as Kurapica approached. “Have a nice shower?” he asked. The blond didn't trust himself to speak, so he nodded and put his old clothes away in his luggage before making his way over to one of the beds. Not the one where they had – where he'd been – where... He couldn't even bring himself the think it. He'd have to face it sooner or later, but at the moment, he just wanted to sleep. He slipped between the sheets and nodded again when Kuroro wished him good night. He didn't think he'd be able to sleep, but emotional exhaustion dragged him under before he was even aware of it.

He awoke the next morning when he felt his mattress dip next to his hip. He cracked one eye open and there was Kuroro, leaning over him and just staring, an unreadable expression on his face. When he saw that Kurapica was awake, he tilted his head. “Good morning,” he greeted.

There really wasn't a way to avoid answering without seeming extremely rude, so Kurapica closed his eye again and breathed out a soft, “Good morning.” He felt the mattress shift and expected the kiss, so he didn't flinch, although it set his heart hammering wildly in his chest. Kuroro pulled away and Kurapica opened his eyes again, only to find the Spider Head searching his face carefully. Kurapica frowned thoughtfully at him. “What is it?” he finally asked.

Kuroro tilted his head for a moment, then shook it. “I don't know where else we can buy breakfast along the way so we should go into town. I saw an advertisement for a general store inside of the motel lobby.” He paused, observing the blond's face silently for a moment, before he finally opened his mouth. The blond just knew the older man would talk about the previous night. He wasn't ready for this, he hadn't digested all of the touches and kisses, all of the breaths and words spoken, all of the physical contacts and the emotions they made him feel. “Kurapica,” the Spider Head began, but he was suddenly interrupted by the sound of a helicopter flying above. They both stopped, eyeing each other, all thoughts of the previous night pushed right out of their heads by the need to remain free.

Quietly, they rapidly went around, picking up what little possessions they had that weren't already in their bags. The helicopter was hovering above the little motel, and the sound of its rotors was getting louder and louder. With their things safely packed away, they glanced out of the window. “I see no other car in the parking lot,” Kurapica remarked. “So if they are looking for someone in here, it's either us or the owners.”

“Or it could be unrelated,” Kuroro pointed out. “They could be after someone who didn't stop here at all and selected to sleep out in the woods.”

Kurapica glanced at him. “You don't really believe that, do you?” he wanted to know.

“You think I would have made it this far if I always counted on this kind of insane luck?” Kuroro countered with a small chuckle. “Doesn't mean I can't be hopeful.”

“Door and window are our only exit,” Kurapica sighed. “And with both facing the parking lot, well...” He let the sentence hang.

Kuroro finished it for him, “We won't be able to get out without being seen.” He sighed. The helicopter hovered near the ground behind their car and Kuroro straightened up and sighed. “Well, it seems like it's landing. Might as well go out and see what they want.” He turned to the blond. “I want you to stay close behind me, all right?”

“I can defend myself,” Kurapica protested.

“I know,” the taller man replied, “but you don't have Nen to count on, so you might be more at risk if there is a Nen user amongst them.”

“I fought with Hisoka,” the blond pointed out. “I didn't know anything about Nen and I still managed to inflict a wound on him. I'm certain that he had mastery of Nen back then.”

Kuroro paused, eyeing him. “That's true,” he finally agreed, “but he also wounded you back.” He placed his fingers against Kurapica's side, where there was a pale wound from his Hunter Exam, currently hidden under his loose-fitting clothes.

Kurapica slapped his fingers away. “Fine,” he acquiesced irritably, “I'll stand behind you.”

“Thank you,” Kuroro said very seriously, causing the blond to pause. Man, he didn't know how to respond to that. Why was Kuroro so serious suddenly? He shrugged lightly and made his way to the door, then patiently waited for the taller man to put his coat on, and really, he looked kind of ridiculous in his sleepwear with the coat on top. The blond snorted softly and Kuroro arched his eyebrows questioningly at him, but there was no way Kurapica would say his observation out loud, so he just shook his head and shrugged. He put his hand on the door handle and the taller man took position across the wooden door from him. The blond inched the door open just as the helicopter finally landed. Kuroro peeked out. Two men climbed out of the cabin and the Spider Head frowned. He glanced at Kurapica. “Greenwold,” he told him, then he stepped out into the open. Kurapica stepped out behind him and they waited while the two men approached.

The pilot had turned off the engine, and when the rotors finally stopped turning, the entire area was deadly silent. “Good day,” Greenwold greeted them. “I'm glad we found you. We wanted to have a little chat with you. Yesterday took us all by surprise, I believe. This being the only motel within driving distance of the boy's village, we decided to have a look, see if we couldn't find you here. I'm glad we did. May we come in?”

“It's going to be very cramped inside,” Kuroro warned. “But you're welcome to come and sit anywhere, so long as you come unarmed and with no wish to harm either me or my companion.”

Greenwold looked at him directly. “I know who you are,” he informed the Ryodan leader. “It would be foolish of me to attempt to attack either of you. But if it will reassure you,” he turned towards the other man who was walking with him, and made a little head movement, “Kern here will hand you his gun and sword.” Kern, the same person who'd caught Kurapica a few days prior, walked a few paces forward and took out his gun, then handed it to Kuroro, placing it in the Spider Head's outstretched hand.

Kuroro took it, then he took the sword as well. Kern paused, his eyes flicking over to the side where Kurapica stood, then he reached behind him and got hold of something that he handed over as well. Great. That blasted knife. Kurapica had really thought he'd seen the last of it. “Since you're being so kind and polite,” Kuroro began, grabbing the blond's attention once more, “would you mind waiting outside a short time? I know there's nowhere to sit out here, but I would very much like to be somewhat presentable.” He pulled at his cotton shirt lightly. “Wearing pyjamas isn't exactly what I would call formal wear, and I don't think I can seriously discuss anything with someone of your social status while wearing sleepwear under my coat.” He made a face. “Well, I could, I'd just rather not.”

Kurapica couldn't help a small, amused little snort at that and Kuroro glanced at him, arching an eyebrow. The blond shook his head and turned around, making his way back inside. The taller man followed and they quickly changed into proper clothes. Kuroro opted for the same top and pants that he'd worn in York Shin and Kurapica frowned at him. When the taller man tilted his head the blond shook this head again and zipped up his blue hoodie. Now that they were presentable, Kuroro nodded and approached the Kuruta. Kurapica frowned at him, while Kuroro grinned. “What?” the blond asked defensively.

“Good morning kiss?” Kuroro asked in turn.

Kurapica snorted. “Not on my life,” he replied, hoping his blush wasn't too apparent. He wasn't ready for this yet. “Open the door so we can find out what they came here for.”

Kuroro frowned pensively at him for a moment, then he turned away and opened the door, letting the two gentlemen in. “Sit wherever you can,” he told them. He himself sat on the end of the far bed, and Kurapica opted for the chair by the desk. Greenwold took off his hat and sat on the other bed, but Kern remained standing. “Well,” Kuroro broke the silence, “you said you wanted to talk. We're listening.”

Greenwold nodded gravely. “You,” he turned to Kurapica, “you're one of them, right?” He paused. “The Kuruta, I mean,” he added after a moment. Kurapica hesitated a moment, but there was no reason to hide his heritage. He was proud of his ancestry, and how much he'd struggled and worked to make it to where he was now. As he hesitated, the old gentleman chuckled and motioned to his eyes. “I saw your eyes, boy. I just need confirmation.”

“Yes,” Kurapica finally answered. He saw Kuroro shift out of the corner of his eye, but this didn't concern the Spider Head. Not directly, anyway. “I am Kuruta,” he murmured, looking down at his hands, clasped together on his lap. “The last one, in fact.”

The old gentleman nodded. “I surmised as much,” he told the blond, his voice surprisingly gentle. “I wish I had known earlier.”

Kurapica looked up. “Why is that?” he wanted to know.

“You should know,” Greenwold began, then he paused. “I wonder if I should – but no, you deserve to know.” He breathed in deeply, then looked at the Kuruta, his eyes gentle. “The word has started spreading amongst the collectors, that someone is stealing all of the Kuruta eyes. Some people hypothesized that they were being destroyed to increase the selling value on the black market. I heard of a doctor who used Nen to reattach body parts in trauma patients and so I contacted him. I preferred that those beautiful eyes be used to help someone rather than have them meaninglessly destroyed. Had I known that there is a Kuruta survivor... I would have given you the pair that I owned. And so,” he hesitated again, then he lowered his head slightly, “I ask that you forgive me for giving away something that should have never belonged to me in the first place.”

Kurapica was speechless. He didn't know how to react. Greenwold seemed like a nice gentleman, the kind that hardly existed in the world anymore. “I,” the boy began, and found himself choking on the words, on his emotions, “I thank you, sir.” He licked his lips slowly. “I cannot return this pair to Lukso to bury it where it should have belonged, yet I'm not sad about that.” He paused. “I should be sad, I should be upset.” He glanced at Kuroro, but the older man's face was blank and Kurapica couldn't read him. So different from how he looked the previous night, hovering over him, his gaze burning right through Kurapica, making his heart hammer in his chest. He felt himself blush and forced himself to return to the present. “It's a little like you've given one of my clansmen the chance to live again, through that young boy,” he told Greenwold. He frowned thoughtfully for a moment, then tentatively asked, “May I ask something of you?

“You may ask,” the gentleman replied carefully.

“I'd ask of you to protect that boy, to never let what happened to my people happen to him. Keep him hidden, protect him.” Realizing that he was repeating himself, Kurapica stopped suddenly and lowered his head.

Greenwold studied him silently for a moment, then he reached to the blond and patted him on the shoulder. “I swear on my life,” he said.

Kurapica looked up. “May I ask something else?”

The elderly man chuckled softly. “Yet another demand?” He shook his head, clearly amused. “You are a complicated man to please,” he informed him. “Ask away.”

“May I go visit him sometime?” Kurapica wanted to know.

Greenwold laughed again. “As often as you would like.” He paused then, his face turning serious. He turned to Kuroro again, and leaned closer. “Young man,” he whispered, “do you know just who it is that you are travelling with?”

Kurapica nodded. “I know,” he assured him. “I know exactly who he is.”

“You must be half mad then, if you trust this man,” Greenwold wondered. “He is just as likely to kill you as to protect you.” He shook his head slowly. “Don't trust him,” he added, “and don't ever turn your back on him.”

“I don't trust him,” Kurapica answered. “We are travelling together for now, but we certainly do not trust each other. I need his help.” This part was said through gritted teeth. “But I do not trust him.”

“Good,” Greenwold said, putting his hat back on as he stood. “We're done here. Next time you come to visit,” he smiled to the blond, “ring the doorbell and come in the day. I'll ask for your name, then. And maybe reparation for the broken display case.” Seeing Kurapica's guilt-ridden expression, he laughed. “Don't worry,” he assured him, “the jewelry inside was unharmed. It was just a lot of work to clean up.” He nodded a polite but reserved farewell at Kuroro as the Spider Head stood and gave Kern his weapons back. Greenwold regarded Kurapica thoughtfully for another long moment, then he nodded. “You be careful, now,” he told him. “You take care of yourself and come back to visit, sometime.”

When the two left, Kuroro closed the door behind them and turned to Kurapica. “What were you whispering about?” he asked the blond.

“I'm sure you've listened and heard the entire thing,” Kurapica countered.

“I have,” the taller man confirmed.

Kurapica shrugged. “Then you know,” he told him. He paused. Yes, he didn't trust Kuroro. He didn't trust him at all. But he'd still slept with him. He just didn't know what to think or what to feel about that. But then Kuroro turned his large, dark eyes on him and Kurapica felt his heart rate increase, his mind going back to the previous night. Oh it was so wrong, so very wrong. And so very good.

Chapter Text

As soon as Greenwold's helicopter had taken off, Kuroro made his way to the car and slid behind the wheel, leaving Kurapica to run after him. He wanted out. He wanted out of this blasted motel, out of this insane little trip and out of this tricky situation. If he thought about it rationally however, he knew that his annoyance was misdirected. Of course, he was a little annoyed with how the boy kept seeing him as the enemy, kept keeping him at a distance, but that wasn't all of it. He still loved the challenge of it, and that was the perverse thing about their situation. Too easy, and he would have lost interest a long, long time ago. Too difficult and he would decide to turn back before he wasted his time. This was just the right amount of challenging and exciting, and yet progress was just so, so slow, he sort of wondered why he bothered. The blond plopped down on the passenger seat and buckled his seat-belt. Kuroro started the car and ignored the confused look that Kurapica sent him. He peeled out of the parking lot and drove into the small town, the silence heavy between them. A bit of shopping later, and they left the settlement with enough food to last them until they got back to the city.

Kurapica took out the book he was currently reading, and Kuroro put some music on so the silence wasn't quite so loud. They didn't stop for lunch but ate on the go. Kuroro managed to find his cheer again and started tapping the steering wheel along with the music with the tip of his fingers. When he was done eating, the blond didn't pick up his book again. Instead, he looked at Kuroro pensively for a moment. When the older man arched an eyebrow questioningly at him, Kurapica commented, “You're quiet.”

“So are you,” Kuroro countered.

“I usually am,” Kurapica sent back and the taller man frowned at the road ahead. “But you actually look like you're in a bad mood.”

He wasn't entirely wrong, but Kuroro had been pushing his irritation out of his mind before the blond had spoken up. “I'm not,” he assured him. “I just had a lot to think about, that's all.” He was pretty certain Kurapica would see through the lie, but he didn't really mind either way.

“Like what?” the blond asked, his tone clearly dubious.

Kuroro glanced at him, careful not to let himself be goaded into an argument. “Greenwold,” he answered after a moment. “I'm not sure what to make of him.”

“He's a nice man,” the Kuruta stated. “You could try it, sometime.”

It felt a lot like Kurapica was actively looking for a fight, and Kuroro had some suspicion on the reason why. Clearly, the blond would do anything at this point to stop thinking, stop remembering. Kuroro didn't get why he was raising such an issue of it, though. He'd been patient, he'd been gentle; what more did the boy want? “Try what?” he asked, though he knew the answer. Let the Kuruta throw a fit. He'd have to do it without his help.

“Being nice,” Kurapica bit out, unnecessarily nasty.

“I am being nice,” Kuroro assured him, still quite determined not to be dragged into the argument.

“Only because you want something from me,” the blond sent back. “And I'm not even sure what that is anymore! We're a far cry from out original arrangement. So do you want me in your Spiders, or are you just after slaking your lust?”

Kuroro arched both eyebrows at him. “Can't I want both?” he wanted to know. “You're free to refuse on either count. I've made an offer to help you in your quest in return for you to join my team and that was the original arrangement. If our current one doesn't satisfy you, we can go back to that. And if you are still not satisfied, then you can leave at any time.”

“And then what,” Kurapica wanted to know, “you'll kill me?!”

“Did you leave me any other option?” the Spider Head countered. “You've made it clear you won't stop being a hindrance until you or I are dead. Now we can find a way to work out our differences, or I will have to kill you. I do believe I have mentioned more than once that I would rather not.”

“And this is you being nice?” Kurapica challenged. His fingers curled in the loose denim of his pants, his hands shaking from the effort of keeping himself as calm as he could.

“This is me being nice,” Kuroro acquiesced. “I'm trying to find a way to keep us both alive, I'm telling you that the choice is entirely yours, and I will respect your wishes, whatever they are. If you decide to end our partnership, I will kill you. If you intend to keep looking for the eyes of your people with me, but would rather not I touch you ever again, you can say the word and I'll respect that.”

“Somehow I doubt it,” the blond cut in and Kuroro checked a sigh. “You'd never touch me again if I said the word?”

“I'd never touch you again,” the taller man assured him. “You could go back to that med student you're so fond of and I would respect your wish.”

Kurapica's eyes flashed an angry red. “Leave him out of this,” he warned. “Leorio's got nothing to do with any of it.”

“Doesn't he?” Kuroro was starting to get irritated again, which was a bad. He had to choose his words carefully, and to do this, he would have to keep his head.

“He doesn't!” Kurapica insisted, nearly yelling now. “There is nothing between us, and probably never will be now, thanks to you!”

“Is that what that was?” Kuroro asked curiously. “You turned him down?”

The blond paused, taken aback for a moment, then he frowned at him. “Is that what what was?” His tone was apprehensive, suspicious.

“The dinner,” Kuroro said, knowing he'd just made the situation potentially more explosive with his curiosity.

“How,” Kurapica's voice went deathly quiet, “do you know about that?”

The taller man shrugged lightly. “Someone told me and sent me the footage,” he said, then specified, “One of my Spiders did. Should I not have seen it?”

Kurapica faced the front of the car and whispered, “Stop the car.”

“Why?” Kuroro wanted to know. “You want to – Kurapica!” The blond had pulled on the hand brake and sent the car into a crazy spin, and the Spider Head slammed his foot onto the brake pedal, trying to keep control of the vehicle. It screeched to a halt and the blond unsnapped his seat-belt, the buckle hitting the window hard in his haste to get off. He pulled the handle and slammed the door shut as soon as he was out.

Kuroro cursed softly, undid his belt, and stepped out of the car as well. “Kurapica,” he called, but the blond ignored him. Well, there was nothing for it. “Fine,” he said and the Skill Hunter book appeared. Immediately, the blond spun around and it only made a bad situation worse. Ah, right, he didn't trust Kuroro, did he. But the Spider Head only made their luggage appear and the small duffle bag Kurapica used for his clothes. He stuffed some of the food they'd bought inside, along with the horrible instant coffee that Kuroro wouldn't be caught dead drinking. He dropped it on the side of the road, put his own things back in the Fun Fun Cloth, then he eyed the Kuruta. He pointed forward. “There's another motel some distance away,” he informed him. “You need to cool your head. The walk should take you about three days. I suggest you think about what you want. I will wait for you in room thirteen. I will wait a week, not a day longer. If you decide you still want to come with me, you'll find me there.” He leaned onto his open car door. “If you don't show within a week, then I will find you, and I will kill you.”

He slid back behind the wheel and closed the door, then drove by Kurapica at normal speeds. Once he'd passed the blond, he glanced into the rear-view mirror to see him look at the car, then go back to the bag Kuroro had left on the side of the road. Kuroro looked back to the road after that. He really hoped that he hadn't been too harsh on the kid, but things were getting kind of ridiculous. He wasn't going to play the blond's personal big, bad wolf forever, and it was about time that Kurapica made up his mind. For good. Oh, certainly, the boy had said more than once that he was going to go through with things between them, but it seemed like his resolve hadn't been as strong as he'd intended it to be if he'd gone looking for a fight the moment things had gotten real.

Kuroro frowned to himself. He was fairly certain no one had even touched the boy before, so it was no wonder the kid was overwhelmed. But there was a limit to how much crap Kuroro was ready to take from people and so long as the kid kept spinning between yes and no, nothing would ever be accomplished by travelling around like this. In a way, this was a lot like the first time that the Spider Head had put his hands on him. He was letting him go to watch him return to him yet again. As with the time that he'd let the Kuruta go to Zhaban to be with his friends, he was fairly certain that Kurapica would return to him. And maybe when he did, they could finally be done with all of the stops. There was a chance that the blond would return only as travelling companion and nothing more, but even so, not all would have been in vain. They'd progressed much faster in recent weeks than he would have hoped. So, their partnership had taken half a step back. If it could make Kurapica fall harder than before, it was well worth the risk of it going back to platonic.

It would suck though. Kuroro had to admit, if only to himself, that he'd started looking forward to touching the boy, to seeing him unravel at his hand. For all his inexperience, Kurapica still made a decent lover. And there was something so thrilling about being able to touch him again and again in spite of the hatred that the Kuruta had harboured for him in the beginning. They were a long, long way from where they had stood regarding each other at the beginning of April. As for what would happen from now, well, that was Kurapica's call. Again. Not that Kuroro intended to let the boy play him, no matter what decision he settled on.

When he reached the motel, he secured two rooms for himself. He did get room thirteen, as he'd told the boy, but when he went in, it was only so he could scribble something for Kurapica onto a blank piece of paper. Then he placed it on the desk, well in sight. He'd left a description of Kurapica at the main office with instructions to let him have the spare key. But Kuroro wasn't going to stick around and wait to have his own poisoned knife stuck in his back while he slept. Instead, he took the room across the small parking lot from door number thirteen. And then, the waiting game began.

He didn't think that the Kuruta would hitch a ride, even on the off chance that a car were to pass by him, chance that Kuroro considered exceedingly unlikely to happen, but he still never really looked away for long. He sat by the window his his room, sitting on top of the desk so that he could see room thirteen easily whenever he lifted his gaze from his books. He napped for short periods at a time to save his strength, but he sat by the window more often than not. One night went by, another, and yet another. If Kurapica were to walk a steady but unhurried pace, he was probably nearing the motel. Yet two more days passed without any sign from the blond. It was getting dangerously close to the day where Kuroro very much intended to leave, with or without the Kuruta. It was a little disappointing, but the Spider Head wasn't going to admit defeat just yet.

Evening had fallen on the last day before he was to leave, when he finally spied the blond looking at number thirteen. Kuroro lowered his latest book and observed him as he hesitated only a moment before he walked up to the door and knocked. The sound was steady, nearly loud in the quiet evening. Kurapica waited in front of the door for some time, then he looked around and stared at Kuroro's car for a moment, where he'd left it right before the door to room thirteen. Another moment and the boy started searching the parking lot once more. He saw the sign for the main office and headed in that direction. The Spider Head gathered his things quickly, glad he'd taken the time to shower a few hours prior. It wouldn't have been right to either smell like he'd spent days waiting or just stepped out of the shower. He waited until the Kuruta reappeared with a copy of the key and watched him walk into the room. The light turned on. Kuroro waited for a little longer, then he finally came out of the door and made his way unhurriedly across the parking lot.

He knocked lightly and went in, making the blond look up from his note. “Saw the light,” he said by way of hello. “Thought you might have come in while I was out.” He closed the door behind himself and walked a step closer, but then he stopped and tilted his head at the Kuruta. “Have you reached a decision?”

Kurapica set the paper back down carefully onto the top of the desk. “I have,” he confirmed.

“And?” Kuroro pressed him.

“I'm here, aren't I?”

Chapter Text

Kurapica stayed where he was for only a moment, staring after the car as Kuroro drove away. A minute later he made his way back to the bag that the older man had left by the side of the road. He paused, glaring down at the object, trying to resist the urge to kick it. It would serve no purpose whatsoever. Actually, if the food he'd seen Kuroro stuff in there spilled, it could do more harm than anything. He grabbed the strap and slung it across his chest, then he started walking at a brisk pace, carried forward by his anger. He followed the paved road so that he could stomp ahead, ignoring his surroundings in spite of just how disastrous this could become if someone were lying in wait for him. He was simply too furious to care. That asshole. That impossible, insufferable asshole! How dare he spy on him, watch him when Kurapica had been having a quiet, private moment with his friend?! Just who did he think he was?! Kurapica didn't belong to him, he wasn't some damn toy for Kuroro to claim and amuse himself with. Who Kurapica decided to have dinner with was none of his business.

He ploughed on through the day, stopping for neither rest nor food until the anger finally abated. The sun was coming down and the night fell abruptly around him, due to the thickness of the foliage. He veered off of the road and set up a camp of sorts just out of view. He ate a little, still fighting with his irritation, then found a tree to climb into and settled there for the night. He slept fitfully, plagued by both nightmares and the sort of dreams he'd only rarely had before, dreams that left a burning sensation in his cheeks when he awoke. Dreams of the man he'd vowed to kill, someday.

He wasn't ready to join up with him, he just wasn't. He needed more time. After a light breakfast and some instant coffee heated on a small campfire, he was off again. He walked much slower, keeping the road to his left. It was a long, arduous journey as vines and low branches kept trying to snag at his clothes and his hair. He wasn't in any hurry to reach the motel that Kuroro had mentioned, so he didn't mind. The third day passed just like the second and halfway through the fourth, since he'd taken his time, he finally caught sight of the motel. He camped just out of view, determined not to walk into that room until he absolutely had to. His thoughts had been a jumbled mess for days and he wasn't any closer to finding a solution to his problem.

As he was now, Kuroro would easily be able to find and kill him. Without his Nen, Kurapica felt as impotent as a newborn, and he had only his speed, agility and natural strength to count on. The older man, already slightly stronger than him, had all of his abilities to count on, most of which Kurapica had no information on. If Kurapica were to die now, all that he'd done, all that he'd sacrificed already would have been in vain. So, he had to go back. He had to go back, but in what manner?

When he finally knocked on door number thirteen, the night before the week were to have passed, he wasn't any closer to an answer. When he realized that the room was silent and empty, he glanced around and spotted the car, black under the dirt and mud. Definitely Kuroro's. After another pause, he made his way to the office, where the clerk informed him that a key had been left for him. Once in the room, he found no sign of the man at first glance. It kind of looked like no one had actually used the room in days. When he turned on the light, he did see a bag in the corner, but he didn't think Kuroro used the room. The bed was made and nothing, save for that luggage, seemed out of place.

There was something written on the notepad left on top of the desk, and Kurapica ripped the paper off, bringing it up to read it. Lies, all lies. Kuroro hadn't just stepped out; he hadn't used the room at all. There were two sharp knocks at the door, and the knob turned. There was the man, walking in, spouting more lies. He'd probably been observing the room from somewhere, which was the only smart thing he could do, in this situation. In the end, Kurapica decided it didn't matter. He'd returned. He wasn't done thinking, but he was here. “I'm dying for a shower,” he informed the older man. “I'd like my luggage so I can get a fresh set of clothes.” The taller man observed him quietly for a moment, but then he summoned his Skill Hunter book and got their luggage out. Without so much as another word, the blond picked out clean underwear, cotton pants and a T-shirt. He got his toothbrush out of the duffel bag he'd been carrying and took all of these things with him into the bathroom. He took his time, washing the grime of the journey away, trying to sort out his thoughts still, though he'd hardly succeeded at this last point by the time that he came out of the bathroom, wearing his sleepwear, a towel slung around the back of his neck to try and keep his wet hair from dripping cold water down his neck. The older man sat up from where he'd sprawled on his back on top of the mattress and cocked his head. “Feeling better?” he wanted to know.

Kurapica nodded. “The shower helped,” he confirmed. He paused, eyeing the piece of furniture that the older man was currently sitting on. His chest tightened nearly painfully. It was hard to breathe. “There's only one bed,” he pointed out.

“I can take another room,” Kuroro gallantly offered. “I only chose this one because this is where I told you I'd wait.”

“You,” Kurapica began, but then he hesitated. After a short hesitation, he managed to ask, “You'd do that?”

Kuroro tilted his head. “I would,” he assured him. “Twice now, I've let you go for some days and you've returned. I'd like to think that I could take another room in the same hotel without fearing that you would run off.” He paused. “I've said so a few times already, but you're not my prisoner.”

The blond made a face. “You threatened to kill me if I were to run off.”

“Warned,” Kuroro corrected him, “not threatened.”

“I fail to see the difference,” Kurapica remarked.

Kuroro sighed softly, leaning back onto his left hand. “Well,” he began, “the difference is that I informed you that I intend to kill you if you leave my side, but I wouldn't mean it as retaliation for leaving. I do believe I've pointed out that you don't really leave me much of a choice.” He chose his next words carefully. “We've already established that you have two goals. One is revenge on me and my team, the other is the return of the Scarlet Eyes to Lukso. Now, I hold all of the pairs that we've gathered so far and that means that if you were to leave, you'd either have to let go of both your goals, or you'd have to attack me.” He leaned forward and tapped his fingertips together a few times. “The only way that I could prevent you from causing me problems in the future, were our current arrangement to fall through, would be to kill you. Now,” he straightened up, “we've been travelling together for some months now, and I've grown quite fond of you. I don't believe I owed you a warning, but I gave it to you anyway because, as I've also said before, I'd really rather not harm you in any way.” Kurapica opened his mouth to answer, but then he shut it and frowned thoughtfully. “Do you understand my reasoning?” Kuroro asked him.

The Kuruta lowered his head, thinking over what he'd just been told. Minutes trickled by in silence, broken only by the soft, shuffling sound of Kurapica's movements as he slowly, pensively started rubbing at his hair with his towel. He noticed Kuroro's fingers twitching slightly, but he ignored it. He didn't get the man and wasn't sure he wanted to anyway. “It does make sense,” he finally conceded. “It's twisted, but it makes sense.”

“I'm glad that you see it,” Kuroro told him, pushing himself up to his feet. He walked over to the blond and regarded him in silence for some time.

Kurapica glanced up at him and sharply turned away. “I need more time,” he told Kuroro. He began, “Could we..?” but then he hesitated, suddenly changing gears. “I'd like to stay here for a few days; give me time to think.” He wasn't sure how well it would go over, but if he wasn't a prisoner, he wasn't going to ask for permission, anymore.

Kuroro's eyebrows lowered a fraction, but then his expression cleared and he answered, “I understand.” He didn't look like he understood; not really. “I'll be in the room across the parking lot.” He pointed in the general direction of the door. So that was where he'd been hiding out. Kurapica wasn't surprised. “I'll leave you to your thoughts,” The Spider Head continued. “When you're ready to leave, come to me. I will not bother you.” The blond acquiesced with a slow movement of his head. The taller man searched his face carefully for a moment longer before he, too, nodded. He grabbed what little possession he had in the room and, with a careless wave, he left. The door latched behind him and Kurapica held his breath, listening to the silence outside. A few minutes went on in silence before the older man finally stepped away from the door.

Kurapica let go of the breath he'd been holding but stayed where he was, staring at the floor long after the older man had left. He had a lot to think about. Once upon a time, the choice would have been easy. He'd have told the Spider Head never to touch him ever again. And it still felt like it was what he should do. And yet, yet he didn't know if he could go back to how it was, anymore. He'd only been gone a week; only a few days and already, seeing Kuroro sitting there on the one bed, staring at him with his dark, unfathomable eyes had sent the blond's heart trip-hammering in his chest.

He desired him, and that was so wrong.

Kuroro always pushed and tested his limits, and Kurapica was quite intent on doing the same. So, the older man had said he would give him space and wouldn't push so long as Kurapica didn't make the first move. The blond was going to see this for himself. He wouldn't step out of his room until he'd made his decision. He still had food, he had coffee and a few books. He'd take his time and make sure that Kuroro would stay true to his word.

He did.

Day after day, Kurapica hid out in his room, not coming out even once. He knew the older man was probably observing from across the parking lot, but he didn't look out the window to confirm it. Three days passed, and there were still no sign from the Spider Head. Kurapica was starting to go stir-crazy from inaction and tension. Worse still, he had dreams. His mind had recorded so many sensations, so many sounds, and it played those for him whenever he slept or zoned out. It was simply ridiculous. Sure, he was a healthy young man, and such things were probably to be expected, but it was still an extremely hard pill to swallow. It would have felt strange to have these thoughts about anyone, really, but the fact that it was the Ryodan leader touching and teasing him made it stranger still. He'd known for some time now that he wasn't as detached from it all as he'd hoped, but this didn't mean that things were any easier.

It was a dream that broke him. He shot up in bed, his fourth night at the motel, and though the visual disappeared from his mind immediately, he was left with the physical sensations, with the memory of warm hands mapping his body, with Kuroro's voice whispering in his head. He angrily threw his blankets aside and got to his feet, taking a few steps towards the door before he even realized what he was doing. He stopped, just a few inches away, and turned on his heels. Back to the bed, he couldn't even sit down on it, but already, he was heading towards the door. He paused again, fighting with himself. Had he so little self-control?! Was he really this weak, this – this physical?!

Surely, he could at least wait until he'd thought things through. But then what? Were he to deny the older man, if his mind kept plaguing him with memories, with images, sounds and sensations, how long would it take before he betrayed himself, how long before Kuroro noticed? No, he had to take control, somehow. From the beginning, he'd never intended to let the older man play him, never intended to let him have the upper hand. He had the advantage because of Kurapica's inexperience, but this didn't mean that he had to wait for Kuroro's smug, knowing look, to wait for him to catch Kurapica in a moment of weakness. No, Kurapica had to regain control of the situation. And just as Kuroro played with his perceptions to tie their fate even more closely together, the Kuruta would be on the look out for weakness, for a chink in Kuroro's armour.

It kept coming back to this one truth; there was nothing that Kurapica would back down from in order to fulfil his oaths.

It was twisted, insane and more than a little perverse, but it was his reality now. Kuroro and he were both using each other, and they had developed a physical relationship. Until he accepted this, accepted that no matter what happened after this, the Spider Head had been the first to touch him, the first to, to take him, he would always come back to his doubts, to his fears and weakness. The Ryodan leader would keep the upper hand. In any case, there was nothing he hadn't already given the man and no matter his decision, he couldn't take it all back.

This time, when he walked over to the door, he threw it open and crossed the parking lot on bare feet. He wasn't sure which door it was, but he opted for number twenty-six as it was probably more likely to be the one that the older man had selected as being the closest to being directly across Kurapica's room. He knocked sharply and heard a shuffling sound from inside. When the door knob turned, he held his breath and only let it go when his eyes landed on the face of the Ryodan leader. “It's three in the morning,” the Spider Head informed him.

“I know,” Kurapica replied, pushing inside of the room, “and I don't care.” He closed the door behind himself. Kuroro took a step back, looking at him curiously. He was dressed in cotton pants and a long-sleeved shirt, having clearly been sleeping. “I made my decision,” the Kuruta went on, which got him a nod.

“What have you decided?” the older man wanted to know.

Kurapica's answer was to walk over to him and pull him into a harsh kiss that set the blond's head spinning and his heart hammering in his chest. He was done letting things happen. Now, he was going all in.

Chapter Text

The kiss took Kuroro by surprise, but he certainly wasn't about to complain. His arm wrapped around the back of Kurapica's waist and pulled him closer. He turned them around so that he could lean back against the wall next to the door. It made it easier to let Kurapica believe that he was in control than if Kuroro were to push the blond into the wall. Plus, he was sort of curious to see what the Kuruta would do. It didn't mean that he wouldn't try to push his luck anyway. He figured he deserved a little something nice after all of the time that he had spent waiting for Kurapica to make up his goddamn mind. The blond ended the kiss, only to initiate another. He let out a soft little noise and Kuroro felt his fingertips dig into the blond's hip. With his other arm, he pulled him flush against his body. A soft gasp from Kurapica broke their lips apart, but then the Kuruta was pressing his lips against Kuroro's again. The Spider Head let his tongue flick over Kurapica's mouth, making the blond gasp again, parting his lips. Their tongues met and slid over each other. They parted, eyeing each other wordlessly. Then they were kissing again, Kuroro's hands under the blond's shirt, the blond's breath ghosting over his mouth whenever their lips parted only to collide again. Kuroro's fingernail dug into the pale skin and Kurapica let out of a soft exhale.

The taller man let go of his waist and put his hands gently over Kurapica's shoulders, curious to see just how far he could push him. When the blond looked at him, there was confusion in his clear blue eyes, and it was all good. The older man pressed down on his shoulders and Kurapica frowned. Kuroro tilted his head, gave him a little smile and pushed down lightly again. Slowly, he could see the gears start turning into Kurapica's mind. Clearly, the boy was much more innocent than Kuroro had previously thought. He assumed the boy wouldn't have ever done something like give head before, but surely he'd at least have an inkling of what the older man wanted. He pressed again and witnessed the very second when things clicked in Kurapica's mind. The blond blushed furiously and looked a bit like he wanted to bolt, or maybe punch him, or both.

Kuroro put his hands on either side of Kurapica's face and pulled him closer for another deep kiss. The blond made another one of those soft little noises and Kuroro felt his fingers tighten their hold on the boy again. Then, regretfully, he let him go, letting his hands slide down to his shoulders once more. He pressed down again. This time, Kurapica sent him an uncertain look but slowly lowered himself. Kuroro held his breath. Had he really managed to get so much influence over the younger man that this would even become possible? But here was Kurapica, lowering himself to his knees in front of him. A short hesitation, and the blond was tugging at the waistband of his cotton pants.

A soft breath in, a soft breath out, and Kurapica was lowering his trousers and underwear. He could see the boy's blush clear as day in spite of the ambient darkness. But still, Kurapica ploughed on with a sort of quiet determination that Kuroro couldn't help but admire. The blond did hesitate before he slid his fingers inside, but at Kuroro's soft exhale, he looked up. Their eyes met. Another hesitation, and Kurapica licked his lips before moving his hand over Kuroro's member slowly. The Spider Head lowered his eyelids a bit, regarding the blond Kuruta before him silently. Kurapica licked his lips again and looked at what his hand was doing. He faltered a bit.

But then, he bit his lower lip decisively, a soft, obstinate frown on his beautiful face. When he looked up again, his eyes were glowing eerily and Kuroro could feel himself harden even more at the sight. There was just something about seeing Kurapica lose control that sent his pulse racing. His fingers carded through Kurapica's blond hair gently. The Kuruta looked up at him, his blood-red eyes intensely focused on him. Kuroro wrapped his hand around the back of his head and gently guided him towards his erection.

As his lips slid over Kuroro, the blond let out a soft moan and steadied himself with his hands holding the taller man's hips. He tentatively took in as much as he could, then slowly pulled away. The second time, he took a little more in and Kuroro had to repress a groan. It was so wet, so hot inside of Kurapica's mouth. The blond wrapped a hand around the base of his erection and started moving his head, slowly at first, seemingly trying to figure things out. Eventually, he picked up the pace and soon, he was moaning around Kuroro's length, making the older man groan softly. He tilted his head back against the wall, watching him from under heavy eyelids, fingers still softly petting the blond locks gently. Kurapica looked up and their eyes met again. The blond pulled away, but before Kuroro could protest, the younger man ran his tongue over the underside of his manhood, from base to tip, and then he was pursing his lips around him and pushing him inside his hot, wet mouth once more. Kuroro gasped and caught a strange self-satisfied look on Kurapica's face. But the younger man in question was focusing on his erection again and it became hard, really hard to think. Kurapica alternated speed and pressure with his mouth, and he was getting way, way too good at this. Kuroro groaned.

Kurapica slowed a little, then he pulled his mouth away, though his hand was still moving over him. “Do you, ah,” his voice was rough and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Should I swallow?” he finally asked uncertainly. “I'm not sure what the proper etiquette is for these things.”

Kuroro couldn't help but chuckle softly at this. How so very much like the Kuruta to think of proper etiquette in this situation. “Only if you want to,” he said.

Kurapica blushed profusely, but managed to say, “I don't think I can.”

Kuroro nodded. “That's fine.” He paused. “Don't stop.” Kurapica nodded and slipped Kuroro into his mouth once more. His fingers tightened into the blond hair again. Kurapica sped up his movement on him and soon, much too soon, Kuroro was nearing his climax. He groaned. “Just about to –” he managed to gasped out, and just in time, too. Kurapica pulled away just as Kuroro reached his peak and toppled over the edge. He panted harshly, hands still in Kurapica's hair, eyes closed, head tilted back against the wall. When he finally looked down, he caught Kurapica wiping some of his release off of his cheek with the back of his hand. Kuroro didn't think. He pulled the boy up. By his hair.

“Ow! Wait that hu–” Kuroro shut him up with a rough, hungry kiss. The blond made a soft sound when the taller man bit at his lips and started pushing him towards the bed, then a louder yelp when the back of his knees connected with the mattress and he went down. His eyes were still red, open wide in surprise from his fall. His golden hair fanned around his head and when Kuroro put a knee on the bed between his thighs, Kurapica bit his lower lip and it was all Kuroro could do not to attack him right there and then. Instead, he leaned forward and brushed his lips lightly over the blond's, not quite touching, their breaths mingling. Kurapica tilted his head, his lips seeking to connect, but Kuroro moved just out of reach and the blond made a soft, frustrated sound and let his chin fall again.

The Spider Head chuckled softly and leaned forward, letting his lips ghost down the blond's jawline, all the way to his ear, turning his head so he could nip at the lobe. “I think you're a natural at this,” he whispered and Kurapica sucked in a breath when the tip of the older man's fingers slid up into his shirt, skittering lightly over the pale skin underneath. “I want to show you so, so many ways to feel good.” He caught the earlobe between his teeth again and bit lightly, drawing a small, strangled sound from the boy.

“So shut up and do it,” Kurapica grouched, gasping at the end when Kuroro's hand moved to his wrist, his fingertips ghosting over the pulse point. “You never had a pro –” He sucked in a breath when Kuroro's teeth clamped more firmly onto his earlobe, “– problem with doing whatever you wanted so far.”

Kuroro released his ear and knelt up so he could slip out of his long sleeve T-shirt. He let it fall behind him onto the floor. “Perhaps, but just the other day, you weren't even sure if you wanted to do this anymore.” He tilted his head. “Surely I can't be faulted for thinking you'll back off again.”

Kurapica groaned and let his eyelids fall shut. “I know,” he admitted. “It's just not easy for me to do this, understand.”

“I know,” Kuroro assured him, “which is why I've been patient.” He leaned forward once more, putting all of his weight onto his left hand while his right slipped under Kurapica's shirt once more. “Do you know just how patient I've been?”

Kurapica let out a shaky breath and arched minutely into the touch. “Why,” he began, but he choked and had to try again, “why do you keep doing this?” He looked up at Kuroro, his eyes so red, so vulnerable. “From the beginning, I never understood your intentions.”

Kuroro chuckled, his lips a mere centimetre for the boy's lips. “Because I want to, because it feels good.” His fingers pulled at the string of Kurapica's pants, making the knot loosen and slide free. “Because you're beautiful and unique and because you feel amazing when you writhe underneath me.” Kurapica's eyes opened even wider and a deep blush stained his cheeks. “Your reactions are wonderful, too,” Kuroro continued with another chuckle.

“Shut up,” the blond whispered, hiding his face into his hands.

“Can do,” the taller man answered, and he lowered Kurapica's pants so he could slide his hand inside. The blond let out a soft, little sound that he clamped down onto. He bit onto his lower lip and Kuroro let his mouth slide down the skin of his pale throat. He rubbed him slowly over the fabric of his underwear, quite intent on leaving the blond so frustrated and hungry for more that he would know just how he'd left Kuroro feeling every single time that he'd backed down. He scraped his teeth over the boy's shoulder, liking the way the Kuruta's breath caught in his throat.

Kurapica shifted, lowered his hands and the taller man pulled away slightly so that he could look at him. Eyelids flickered a moment, then lifted slightly to reveal brilliant red irises. It wouldn't take much longer for Kuroro to recover from his orgasm, and he very much intended to drive the blond completely crazy until he was ready to push inside of him. He pulled the boy's pants lower and was inordinately pleased that the blond raised his hips slightly to help. He leaned forward again and caught his lips in a harsh kiss before he pulled away entirely. Kurapica looked confusedly up at him. “What?” he asked.

“Move up,” the taller man commanded, pushing his own trousers and underwear down. Kurapica twisted away and crawled higher onto the mattress. The visual was amazing, but Kuroro doubted that the blond even realized just how tempting the view he presented was. He grabbed the lubricant from his bag and went after him, leaving him no time to turn around, but he nipped at his shoulder over the fabric of his T-shirt from behind. He ran his fingers down his spine and Kurapica gasped and stilled, though he let his forehead fall forward onto the mattress. The last time that Kuroro had come up behind him like this, he had freaked, but he seemed too far gone to think about things this time. He panted softly and Kuroro pulled his pants and underwear completely off. The blond made a soft sound, but it didn't sound like he was protesting, so Kuroro let his lips brush against the back of his neck and poured some lubricant onto his fingers. He took his time preparing him, slowly, so slowly, listening to every sound falling from Kurapica's lips, muffled as they were against the mattress, noticing every time that Kurapica's breath caught in his throat. Even when his fingers moved easily inside of him, he kept touching, kept teasing him, until he heard a muffled, choked little cry and then he moved away and looked at the blond, waiting to see what he would do.

At first, Kurapica held in place, but then he turned his head to the side and looked back at the taller man, looking so lost, so amazingly needy that Kuroro's resolve wavered. “Wha,” the blond began, but it came out as more of a croak than a question.

“Turn over,” Kuroro whispered, patting his hip, “unless you want me to take you just like this.” He cocked his head and let the tip of his fingers trail over the pale skin. “You didn't like this last time.”

“Since when do you listen?” the blond asked, but without any heat. He shifted to his side, but stopped when Kuroro shifted so that he was lying down next to him.

The older man's hand settled at the small of his back and he pulled him closer. “Since someone asked me to be nicer,” he answered with a chuckle.

Kurapica made a soft, frustrated little sound in the back of his throat. Kuroro expected a sharp reply, but instead, the blond buried one hand in his hair and pulled him into a demanding kiss that took the older man by surprise. Again. Not that he was complaining. He licked at the boy's mouth and Kurapica parted his lips and let him deepen the kiss, groaning softly. He let go of his hair and reached down, wrapping his hand around Kuroro once more. He stroked him slowly at first, then faster. “You can stop being nice now,” he informed him.

Kuroro sucked in a breath before he let it out in a soft chuckle. “So demanding,” he teased. “Make up your mind.”

“You like the uncertainty,” the blond countered and kissed him again. Well, he wasn't entirely wrong. Kurapica pushed himself up onto one elbow and twisted them so he was hovering over the taller man, looking down at him with his fiery, crimson eyes, his hair falling around his head. He needed a haircut. They probably both did. “Admit it,” the Kuruta went on, “if I were predictable, you would have grown bored long ago.”

“I'll admit nothing,” Kuroro answered with grin, which made the blond snort. Then, they were kissing again, and Kurapica's lips got more demanding and insistent, which was a refreshing change. Well, he'd probably teased him enough, Kuroro decided. He suddenly pushed against him until Kurapica was on his back, and he pushed his tongue forward, deepening the kiss, loving the way that it tore a deep moan from the blond. Kuroro settled between his thighs and pulled at the back of one leg, urging the Kuruta to lift his knee. He broke the kiss, bit lightly at his lower lip and initiated another one. Kurapica's arms crossed behind his neck and he arched deliciously into him.

“Stop teasing,” the blond groaned against his mouth and really, he was getting ridiculously good at pushing Kuroro's buttons. He made a soft humming sound against Kurapica's lips and slowly pushed into him. The Kuruta started panting through his nose. He broke the kiss to arch his neck back, mouth parting open. Kuroro bit at his throat lightly and heard him gasp in response. He pulled out slightly before pushing back in. One of Kurapica's hands slipped from his shoulders and hit the mattress next to them. When the taller man rocked into him again, he rolled his hips into the movement and Kuroro bit down on a soft curse. He nipped at his Adam's apple and rocked into him again, loving the soft exhale that came out of the blond in response. The fifth time he pushed inside, Kurapica let out a soft moan.

Kuroro started moving a little faster, though not by much, and each thrust of his hips made the blond arch into him, his arm pulling Kuroro down, his head tilted back so that the taller man could nip and suck at his throat. Kuroro took his time, building up the pace slowly, until Kurapica groaned again, and then the Spider Head pushed himself higher with one arm, to get better leverage as he thrust inside sharply, tearing a sharp exclamation of surprise from the younger man. Another thrust and Kurapica let go of him entirely, putting his arm over his eyes, but the next thrust knocked it down and he tugged at his hair instead, panting harshly now. He seemed close, but Kuroro wasn't ready to come just yet, so he didn't touch him, kept thrusting into him instead, watching the blond writhe and pant helplessly underneath him, loving the sight of him losing control.

He picked up the pace, faster and harder still, and he ran one of his hands down the blond's chest, over the thin cotton of the T-shirt that he was still wearing. His fingers raked down the Kuruta's side and Kurapica let out a sharp cry and arched into him again. Kuroro sat back on his haunches, both hands pulling at the Kuruta's hips as he thrust into him with abandon. The younger man pulled at his blond hair with both hands, panting harshly, and it looked like he was about to find his release so Kuroro helped him along, letting go of his hip to wrap one hand around his member. He stroked him rapidly, desperate to come again now, knowing the feeling of the boy tightening around him would help him over the edge. Soon, Kurapica made a strangled sound in the back of his throat and his muscles tensed as he reached completion. Kuroro could focus on his own need then, and he grabbed both of the boy's hips again, ramming into him hard until he reached his climax. His hips slowed to a stop and he leaned forward again, to catch Kurapica's mouth into hard kiss that left them both panting breathlessly.

Kuroro pulled away and padded into the bathroom to find a washcloth. He heard a shuffling sound coming from the bed and then heard Kurapica walk closer. “I'm going back to my room,” the blond informed him. He had put his cotton pants back on. “I'll come back tomorrow after my shower so that we can leave.” Kuroro nodded silently and the blond stared at him for a moment longer. “Well,” he finally said, “good night.”

“Good night,” Kuroro answered and stood in place, listening as Kurapica made his way back out. The door latched behind the Kuruta with a quiet click.

Chapter Text

Kuroro woke up feeling languid and lazy, but pleasantly worn out. It didn't take long for him to remember how one feisty blond Kuruta had come to him in the middle of the night, so eager to please and hungry for something specific. The Spider Head hoped it was proof that he'd gotten through that hard shell and touched the boy hiding behind. It was amazing, it was addictive, and it was oh so very good.

Kurapica had said that he would come to him, and so Kuroro remained in his room, reading for most of the morning. When it got closer to lunch time rather than breakfast, Kuroro had had enough of waiting. Actually, he'd had enough of waiting a few days ago, but he understood then that Kurapica needed this time to think and regroup. It had been a dicey move. The younger man might have just come back and told him to keep his paws to himself. That he'd come to him for sex after all of this was an amazing, powerful feeling. Now, however, he was itching to get going again. They had dallied long enough.

His decision taken, he gathered all of the things that he had left scattered about and put them away in his bags. He went through the room and bathroom one last time, then put his bags into the Fun Fun Cloth. It didn't take him much time to cross the parking lot, stopping in front of Kurapica's room. He tried the window, checking to see if it was locked. It wasn't. If he were a lawful man, he would knock, wait for the blond to open the door and inform him of the potential danger. He was certainly not a lawful man, however, and that unlocked window proved to be a practical entry point for him. It was a little like the Kuruta was inviting him in a way. He tried to see if he could sneak up on him, but the moment that he slipped into the room, Kurapica's sleepy voice broke the silence. “You have a key,” he grumbled, “so why didn't you just come in through the door?”

“This is more fun,” Kuroro answered, walking to the bed. He peered at the blond head that he could just about see peek out from under the blankets.

Kurapica cracked an eye open and looked at him, then turned onto his back and stretched, hiding a yawn behind one hand. “What time is it?” he wanted to know.

“Eleven-fifty,” the Spider Head answered, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Kurapica made a frustrated sound and turned onto his front on the side of the bed furthest from where Kuroro sat. Both of Kuroro's eyebrows arched high on his forehead and an amused smile curled his lips. He put one hand on the bed by the blond and slowly ran his hand from the back of his neck, ignoring the way Kurapica tensed up, all the way to the small of his back. He could see a blush travelling up the sides of the young Hunter's neck, cheeks and all the way to the tip of his ear. Oh it was so temping to take advantage of this. Maybe he could try and see just how willing the Kuruta was now that is was light outside. The last time, he'd had thrown a fit the day that followed. Maybe pushing for things again would help avoid another useless argument.

After a moment, he decided against it. They had stayed put for far, far too long. Kuroro wanted to get a move on. He had been bored out of his mind for days now, and he was itching to go. “Come on,” he said, patting the blond on his behind twice. “Kurapica, I want to get going, so get up and get out of bed.”

The Kuruta turned a horrified expression on him, shoving his hand away. “If you ever do that again,” he warned the older man, “I'm going to punch you in the face until you lose more than just a tooth.”

“Hm,” Kuroro commented laughingly, agreeably moving his hand away, “I daresay you'd try.” He stood. “Come on, grab whatever you need and get into the shower. I'll pick up your things so we can go as soon as you're dressed.” Kurapica turned and pushed himself up to a seated position, looking adoringly rumpled. Kuroro chuckled. “I'll even fix you some coffee,” he added.

At the mention of coffee, Kurapica finally looked willing to move. Kuroro should have thought of using this tactic from the beginning. The boy swung his feet over the edge of the bed and hid a yawn behind his hand, stretched, and finally pushed himself up. “You better not be lying about the coffee,” he told him, going to his bags and retrieving some clothes to wear.

“I'm not,” Kuroro replied pleasantly before making his way to the bathroom to get some water from the faucet to use in making the foul-tasting brew they called coffee in this crappy little motel. He passed by the blond on his way back to the coffee machine, and Kurapica paused, looking up at him. Kuroro stopped as well, tilting his head, a cup of water in each hand. The blond put a hand on his shoulder for leverage, pushed himself onto the balls of his feet and planted a quick kiss onto his lips, before crossing the distance to the bathroom and closing the door firmly behind him. Kuroro stared at it for a moment, wondering what that had been about, but then he shrugged and walked over to dresser. He fixed two cups of coffee, though both were for Kurapica. The paper cups provided were small and Kuroro was ready to bet one wouldn't be enough. He looked around the room and, other than a few books on the nightstand, noticed nothing out of place. He brought the books to the desk, but left Kurapica's bags where they were, since the blond would probably have thing to put away in them. He heard the shower turn off. A moment of quiet rustling, and then the hairdryer turned on. Kuroro sat down on the bed and, from the neat pile, picked one of the books he'd let Kurapica borrow. He'd read it already, but it was something to do besides staring at the wall and listening to the sounds coming from the bathroom.

Kurapica finally walked back into the room, wearing what was now his trademark hoodie with jeans (a definite improvement from what had been his previous attires, as far as Kuroro was concerned), his hair dry and brushed. Kuroro closed the book and set it back atop the pile. “Ready to go?” he asked and Kurapica nodded, putting his things away in his bag.

“Coffee?” the blond wasted no time in demanding.

Kuroro pointed to the top of the dresser. “Both cups are yours,” he told the boy. “You should decide which book you want to take with you so I can put the other ones away.”

“I'm done reading those,” Kurapica informed him and he walked over to the coffee, taking a long sip that seemed to make half of the liquid disappear in one go. Then he set it down and went to the bag that Kuroro had left in his room. He opened it quickly and looked at the books inside for some time before finally selecting one. He set it down onto the bed and brought the bag to the older man before going back for his coffee.

Kuroro was amused to realize Kurapica meant for him to put away the books, like he was some sort of servant. He would be a little offended if it weren't so damn funny that he, fearful leader of the Gen'ei Ryodan, was putting books away at the demand of one little Kuruta orphan. He summoned his Skill Hunter book so that he could put all of the luggage safely away into the Fun Fun Bag. That done, he looked at the blond who lifted a finger to have him wait and quickly downed the rest of his coffee. He chucked the empty cup at the trashcan and got it right in. “All right,” he said, grabbing his second cup and going to retrieve the book he had selected, “I'm ready now.”

Kuroro motioned towards the door. “After you, miss,” he teased. Kurapica sent him a pinched little look, but didn't comment. He swept by the older man and left the room, quickly walking to the car. The Spider Head followed behind, chucking the room keys at a tired-looking maid who was passing by. Just before he got into the car, Kuroro marked a pause. Something... felt off. He looked at the sky, which was rapidly turning from a clear blue to a murky grey as more and more storm clouds congregated over the landscape. They were leaving just in time, it seemed. But there was something else, too. Strong nen somewhere, far in the distance. Kuroro didn't like rushing into a potentially dangerous situation without at least some plan made on how to deal with it, but the nen was still far off and more to the west that where they'd come from. They would be driving away from it, a fact that made him feel confident that it would not bring them any trouble.

Kurapica leaned onto the driver seat to peer up at Kuroro through the open door. “Is something the matter?” he wanted to know.

“No,” Kuroro assured him, because he wasn't sure what to make of it just yet. He moved to get in so the blond sat back up on his own seat and buckled his seat-belt. Kuroro slid behind the wheel and shut the door. He'd keep an eye on it, he decided. If it came to light that they were indeed being tailed, then he'd inform the younger man. “All right,” he breathed out and twisted the key into the ignition, “let's go.”

He peeled out of the parking lot with all of the impatience that he'd been sitting on for the two weeks that it took for Kurapica to figure himself out. Once on the wide, open road, he felt much better. He drove fast, not caring if Kurapica were to berate him about it. But the blond wasn't paying the road any mind. He had his nose in a book, though Kuroro didn't think he was reading, or at least not all of the time. Sometimes, his gaze paused over the text and his cheeks took on a pink tinge. Kuroro was ready to bet that the boy was thinking back on the previous night and the older man wasn't about to make him stop remembering, so he let him be.

After a moment, he turned the radio on, though not too loud. Mozart's Symphony No.24 started playing, both light and heavy, like most of Mozart's work. It started raining, lightly at first, then harder and harder and Kuroro was forced to use his windshield wipers at the highest setting. When the first crash of thunder resounded above the car, Kurapica looked up from his book and seemed to notice the rain for the first time. The storm raged hard and fast all around them, but they managed to drive out of it quickly enough. The strange nen readings he'd gotten when they had left were long gone, too. There was perhaps an hour of quiet drizzle, when they rolled into another storm. The afternoon went on like this, driving in and out of one storm after the other, with periods of calm in between. They ate in the car, as there was no restaurant, inn or shop for miles in front of them. They didn't stop either, but ate on the go since Kuroro didn't want to be stuck in storms all day and he was hoping to reach the end of it if he kept driving.

Not having a book to hide behind, Kuroro caught the younger man stealing glances in his direction every once in a while, but he didn't call him out on it, wanting to let Kurapica come to whatever decision he was going to about their activities of the previous night. Kuroro certainly had no problem with how it had all played out. If Kurapica did, well it was up to him to reach his own conclusion and then decide what to do afterwards.

Visibility got steadily worse as the sun went lower in the sky. Soon, Kuroro would have to stop, vision and reflexes enhanced by nen or not. They would have to sleep in the car. There was nowhere to stop at for miles, as far as he knew. As the last visible rays of light fell away, Kuroro glanced at Kurapica, though he didn't want to take his eyes off of the road for too long. “We should probably stop for the night,” he told him. “You don't mind sleeping in the car? I thought we'd camp out but with this weather, that option's out.”

“You know I don't mind,” the blond answered him, putting his book away. He probably couldn't read anymore. He rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his palms and stretched. Kuroro glanced at him just as the Kuruta peered outside. “Can you actually see?” Kurapica asked him. “It's pitch black.”

Kuroro looked ahead and cursed softly. Everything was deathly quiet. No rain, no thunder, nothing. He slowed to a stop and started looking rapidly around for any sign of where they were. On either side of the road, the woods vanished into absolute darkness. Behind them and up ahead, the lights from the car faded away too quickly to tell them much. Kuroro undid his seat-belt. “Stay in the car,” he told his companion, already pulling the handle and opening the door. He stood just outside, listening intently. He heard faint rustling coming from Kurapica's seat. Around the car, nothing. Not the kind of nothing one gets on an afternoon stroll out in the countryside, but actually nothing. No owl or bat, no howls, no wind, not even rain. It was as if they were in a bubble of absolute emptiness, with only just a few trees and the asphalt road for company.

Kurapica's car door opened, and Kuroro had to admit he wasn't even surprised that the boy had ignored his order. Not really happy about it, but certainly not surprised. The boy tried his patience like no other, and Kuroro didn't even have much of a temper, so this was saying something. The door closed and Kurapica joined him on the driver side of the car.

“I asked you to stay in the car,” Kuroro commented.

“And I chose not to,” the blond replied.

The taller man didn't respond right away, recognizing a challenge when he heard one, but he had to pick his battles for now, at least. “If this is a nen ability,” he told the boy after a moment, “which it most likely is, you cannot defend yourself. You're a liability right now, and I don't want to divert some attention to make sure you're all right when I really need to figure out what is happening.”

Kurapica thought it over for some time, and Kuroro had most of his attention on their surroundings, but a good part of it was on his companion, too. The blond finally opened his mouth to say something, when they both froze. Whatever he had been about to say, he changed instead to, “That wasn't an animal. That definitely wasn't an animal.”

“No,” Kuroro agreed, “it wasn't.”

“It didn't sound human either,” Kurapica added.

“It was,” Kuroro replied. “It's the sound some humans make when hunting other humans.” He turned quickly. He would be fine on his own, but he had no idea what the ability used on them was, or how to counter it, and he had someone to look out for. He preferred retreating for now. “Get in the car,” he repeated, more strongly this time. Kurapica didn't argue. He crawled right in through the driver door and moved back to his seat. As soon as he had the room, Kuroro got in, slammed the door shut and gunned the engine.

Chapter Text

Kurapica was tense. Something about the way that Kuroro had reacted unnerved him. He could certainly tell that the older man wasn't scared, and yet he had preferred to run rather than confront whatever person was after them. A person. How could one feel so much glee, so much animalistic hunger at the thought of tracking a human being? It was beyond him. And perhaps this was part of what was bothering him right now. Kuroro knew the sound, he had heard it and, maybe, he had made the same. Kurapica glanced at him. It was hard to imagine him doing anything of the sort, but he was certain that a lot of what Kuroro was in front of him was an act. The fact that he had done, had done those unmentionable things with him didn't mean that he believed the Spider Head was trustworthy.

He turned away from him, staring at the scenery outside. Trees, milestones and absolute darkness a mere yard from the road. He suddenly sat up straighter in his seat. “Hey,” he began slowly, “have you noticed –?”

Kuroro cut in, “I have.” He stepped onto the break pedal, cursing under his breath. “We're going nowhere. We've been turned around, which means that we're driving towards whoever was chasing us, now.” He huffed out a short sigh, then stepped on the gas again, swerving wide before making a complete U-turn. “Keep an eye on those milestones,” he told Kurapica. “I want to know the minute we start going backwards again.”

The blond nodded. “All right,” he added, on the off chance that Kuroro was too intent on the road to have seen his slight head movement. He kept his eyes on the side of the road where the small markers zipped by. Not too fast for him, however. Even without nen, he'd always had quick eyes. They had passed just about seven of them when he told Kuroro, “Slow down. We went back to three hundred thirty-six.” The car slowed down, and the next one confirmed it. “Yes,” Kurapica sighed, “we're going backwards again.” Kuroro stopped the car. The Kuruta glanced out of the window again. “What kind of ability is this?” he asked. “Have you ever seen anything like this?”

“No,” Kuroro answered, “but there is a few different ways that it could work. Either it's a very strong emission or it's manipulation.” He frowned thoughtfully. “There's the off chance that it could be a specialization, but those are pretty rare, as you know.” He undid his belt buckle. “All right, I'm going to try climbing this tree.” He pointed. Kurapica glanced back through his window. There was a very old-looking pine tree growing a short distance from the road. Kuroro continued, “This time, stay in the car.”

“I can climb higher than you,” Kurapica said. “I'm lighter.”

“I can jump higher than you can climb,” Kuroro countered. “I have nen.”

“I would have mine,” the blond argued with a scowl, “if you would only unseal it.”

“No,” was the answer that he got, “I will not.”

“Well, I might be just as much in danger down here on the ground while you're up there investigating,” Kurapica insisted. “What if whoever is chasing us gets here just as you reach the top?”

It was the Spider Head's turn to scowl. “I'm fast.”

“They could be faster,” the Kuruta objected.

“You're insufferable sometimes,” Kuroro sighed. “I'll still not unseal your nen.” He glanced at his companion. “Not yet.”

“Then at least let me come with you,” the young Hunter insisted.

Kuroro regarded him in silence for a long moment. The blond saw the instant that the man changed his mind. “All right,” the Spider relented. “You can come with me.” Kurapica tried not to feel ecstatic over the fact that he had just won a point against his former enemy. He undid his seat-belt and opened his door at the same time as the older man. He waited patiently for Kuroro to walk around the car to his side. Together, they went to the tree and looked up. The Spider Head looked up and shoved both hands into his pockets. Kurapica couldn't see what the taller man's nen enhanced vision could see, so he waited patiently. Finally, Kuroro turned to him and grinned. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“I am,” the blond confirmed, and suddenly, nearly faster than his eyes could catch, Kuroro put one arm around the back of his waist, took his closest hand and jumped. He'd been expecting it, but Kurapica still felt like his heart dropped to his feet when the Spider Head enhanced his legs with nen and propelled them up. They hit something, violently, and the taller man changed their course to the side. They landed against the tree trunk, and then down onto a thick branch.

“That's what I thought,” Kuroro commented.

“What did we hit?” Kurapica wanted to know. “A nen,” he hesitated, trying to find the proper word to describe it and settled for, “ceiling of some kind?”

“Yeah,” the taller man answered, looking up, “seems like I'll have to use zetsu or I won't be able to go through. We've given our position away so we'll have to hurry.”

“Good thing I'm not on the ground still,” the blond commented and Kuroro levelled an eloquent look on him.

“Stay close to me,” the Spider Head said, “and stop when I tell you to.” He looked searchingly into his eyes. “I mean it, Kurapica.”

The blond tried not to get irritated, but he figured he'd been pretty argumentative all evening, so he shoved the annoyance down and nodded. “All right.”

They started climbing up slowly, and stopped after a few feet. Kurapica saw the Spider Head reach up and push against something that he couldn't see. “Okay,” Kuroro said, “here we go. I'm going to use zetsu for just a moment and then switch to ren. Stay here.”

“I know,” Kurapica answered. “Just go.”

Kuroro eyed him carefully for a precious moment that he really shouldn't have wasted like this, then he turned, quickly pushed himself higher so that he was fully above the invisible nen barrier and looked around for only a second before he called out, “Get down!”

Kurapica let himself drop to a lower branch, landing into a crouch and he looked up just in time to avoid the top of the tree by jumping lower, then to the side onto the branch of an oak. The crown of the pine crashed down, hitting branches, hitting trunks all the way to the floor of the forest, making noise like thunder. Kuroro suddenly appeared at the blond's side.

“Are you all right?” he asked Kurapica, who could only nod in response. The both looked down at the fallen tree-top.

“What happened?” the Kuruta asked his companion, heart rate somewhat elevated.

“The moment that I switched to ren,” the older man explained, “someone attacked me with a nen blade-like attack. Transmutation, I believe.”

“Did you manage to see them?” Kurapica wanted to know.

The taller man gave a quick shake of his head. “No time to,” he explained. “But now I know how to get out of here. Come on.” He patted Kurapica on the hip and let himself drop to the ground. Kurapica, not having the use of nen to absorb the shock were he to jump from his position, followed more slowly, breaking his fall by jumping from branch to branch. Just as he was about to let himself fall to the ground, he heard the same gleeful cry that had gotten his attention earlier. Only this time, it was much, much closer. He stayed his movements and observed the Spider Head. He wouldn't come down unless it was safe.

He saw him catch something, almost too quick for Kurapica to see. It looked like a knife that he just sent back and the blond held his breath, expecting a cry of pain, but the same disturbing voice that they had heard gave a long, loud laugh. It was high-pitched and grating and nearly gave Kurapica goosebumps.

“Good,” the voice said, “very good.” Kurapica followed the Spider Head's line of sight and tried to see their assailant. “You're as wonderful as they said, fearsome leader of the Gen'ei Ryodan,” the man continued. “Let's see if you can make me break a sweat, mm?”

Kurapica frowned, thinking that he should warn the idiot off before he got himself killed, but a shot rang out, loud and clear, and Kurapica threw himself sideways. The bullet barely missed him. The sound reverberated off of the far hills, the echoes amplifying the sound until it resembled the rumbling of thunder. He heard Kuroro call his name, and he didn't want him to worry so he assured him, “I'm fine.”

He heard a quiet little chuckle to his right and it was nearly more creepy than the hyena-like laughter of the one attacking Kuroro now. He thought of taking out Kuroro's knife, but he changed his mind. Who knew what kind of damage it would do. Instead, he broke one branch off of the tree and shortened it to make a sort of staff, trying the weight in his hand. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. He made another staff that gave his makeshifts weapons the look and feel of the bokken swords he'd used during the Hunter examination. He felt better armed than not, and these wouldn't harm his opponent as much as the knife he'd slipped in the back of his belt.

He looked for the man who had shot at him but then he heard a woman's voice comment, “He's too easy to kill. Get out of my way. I'll play with him a little. If you shoot him, I'll kill you.” Kurapica hoped the shooter would obey the injunction. He couldn't trust it, as it could be a trap, but it would be better for him to get a close-range attacker rather than a long-distance shooter, considering that his only weapons were the two short staves and Kuroro's knife. There was movement at his left and he turned towards the sound, but then the attack came from his right, lightning-fast. He blocked one hit, then another and a third, and whoever it was shunted back into the shadows.

This was bad. He couldn't see anything. His opponent seemed to know exactly where he was, but he couldn't see her at all. He glanced down quickly, and raised his eyes again just in time to stop three more hits. An enhancer perhaps? It felt like fists against his staves, but he couldn't see and he wasn't entirely certain. There was one certain way to draw the woman out. The road. He would be much more visible were the other assailant to attack, but there was nothing for it. He let himself drop to the ground and jumped back so he was on the pavement. It was now or never. He turned, dashed to the other side of the road and went into a roll, then onto one knee, facing the way that he had come. He could see Kuroro, somewhere to his left, facing up a man with a ridiculously colourful appearance that would put Hisoka's to shame.

He had little time to think about his travelling companion, however. Already, the woman that he hadn't been able to see previously was walking onto the road and he could finally observe his opponent. She was tall and lanky, with bright red hair and equally red biker gloves, but otherwise unremarkable. She clapped, slowly, letting the sound fall in-between them. “Bravo,” she complimented him, “really, bravo! You couldn't see and had to draw me out, but you're ready to slink back into the woods behind you at any moment. Smart move.” She turned to the other figure who was following behind her. “Right, sister?” The other woman resembled her in every way, save she had dark-blue hair and a pistol at either hip.

“I'm bored,” she complained. “If you don't give me someone to kill, I might just kill you, sister.”

“Really,” the redhead replied, “I'd love to see you try.”

Kurapica resisted the urge to snort. He wanted to draw Kuroro's attention, to ask him, Why don't you rope them into becoming Spiders? The older man had other fish to fry however, and besides, Kurapica himself didn't really have time to spare. The woman with the red hair took one step in his direction, another, then she sprinted and disappeared entirely from his sight. He darted quick looks all about him, trying to find her again – and with the colour of her hair, it shouldn't have been that hard – but he only managed to see her in time to block another attack. She laughed, jumped back and then to the side before disappearing again.

He blocked three more attacks like this and realized that she always alternated where she was coming from. She'd attack from the left and her fists would punch, right, left, right. Then she would come at him from the right and her hands would attempt to hit him, left, right, left. He couldn't disarm her, since she used her fists. He only had one thing on his side, the fact that they didn't know about the knife.

He hoped Kuroro hadn't lied about the poison not being fatal. If he had, then Kurapica knew who he would use it on next.

His decision made, he let the redhead attack him again, even let her land a punch from her weaker hand. It hurt like hell, but compared to Ubogin's punch, it was nothing. He let go of his staff held to his right, caught her hand, turned on himself and when she was nearly at his back, he drew the knife with his left hand, slashed at her and slid it back into its sheath before she'd even hit the ground. Remained the sister.

The pistol-waving woman watched her sister go down and narrowed her eyes at him. She would be a tougher adversary. She was on her guard now, and although she likely hadn't seen the knife, she wasn't as confident in an easy win as her sister had been. And with long distance range, she had the upper hand. Kurapica jumped back into the woods, dropping his other stick. Her turn to wonder where he was. He made it look as if he were heading deeper into the woods, but then jumped behind a tree just out of view and quickly climbed up. He knew how to be quiet, and he waited for her, until she was just below him. Then he jumped, knife in hand. He just barely grazed her skin, but she went down. He sheathed his knife, looking down at her, wondering if he should feel pleased or guilty that he'd taken both her and her sister down without the use of nen, only trusting Kuroro's word that his knife wouldn't kill them. Just to make sure, he took her pulse. It was slow and steady and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He walked back onto the road and quickly spotted Kuroro and the man Kurapica mentally called the Clown, because of his ridiculous outfit. The Spider Head moved with rapid, graceful movements, looking totally relaxed. The idiot was playing with his opponent. Well, that gave Kurapica time to check the redhead's pulse. She, too, was alive. Good. Now, for the Clown. He watched him and Kuroro fight for a moment, then he dashed towards them and caught Kuroro's look a moment before he slashed at the Clown.

“I wasn't done with him,” the Spider Head informed him, something looking suspiciously like the beginning of a pout on his usually impassive features.

“You were playing,” Kurapica countered. “There might be more of them.”

“But they're weak, and we haven't seen proper action in a while,” Kuroro countered. “A swarm of them would barely make it a challenge.”

“I thought you were the one who was eager to get going?” the blond reminded him. With a good-natured shrug, Kuroro kicked the fallen Clown, something that Kurapica felt was entirely unnecessary, seeing how the man was already down. But that seemed to satisfy the taller man, who made his way back to the car, the Kuruta following close behind. “Besides,” Kurapica pressed on, “there were two of them on me, you could have helped.”

Kuroro glanced at him. “You said you were fine; I trusted you had things under control.” Kurapica scowled but there was nothing he could add to that. They got back into their vehicle and the Spider Head motioned to his window. “Keep an eye on those milestones again. I'll have to go into zetsu to get out of the barrier, I think. Just let me know when we reach the last one.” He turned the car around yet again and drove slowly to the sign marked three hundred thirty-six. There, he stopped, grinned at Kurapica and asked, “Ready?”

At the blond's nod, he stepped onto the gas pedal and rushed forward. The Kuruta barely had the time to wonder if suppressing nen would indeed let them through, when he was suddenly staring at an army.

Chapter Text

“So,” Kurapica commented blankly, “on a scale of zero to ten to the power of twenty-seven, just how screwed are we?”

“So they've amassed an army while they sent people to play with us in the little ball pit they made,” Kuroro scoffed, “the number of idiots they add in the equation will not make a difference.”

“Is that Ryuuseigai-speech for one octillion?” the blond wanted to know.

Kuroro levelled a look at him that spoke volumes. “Have some faith,” he told him, which Kurapica found both funny and not at the same time. The older man looked in front of them where hundreds, maybe thousands of people were amassed. “Is that all the spirit the scrawny teen who decided to take on the Spiders in York Shin last year can muster?” he asked the Kuruta.

“I had the use of my nen then.”

“You went against Hisoka without,” the Spider Head pointed out.

“I didn't know about nen when that took place,” Kurapica countered, “so I didn't know I might fare better with it.”

Kuroro stared at him. “Are you trying to be difficult on purpose?” he asked him.

“No,” the blond replied, “I'm just genuinely doubting your ability to get us out of this situation without harming a single one of these people.”

Kuroro looked genuinely puzzled. “You want me not to harm anyone.” It wasn't a question, but there was definite disbelief in his intonation.

“You're surprised.” It was Kurapica's turn to be baffled. He made a face, somewhat bothered with his companion's total lack of empathy for others. “No,” he said slowly, somehow managing to rein in the sardonic tone that he felt like employing, “I do not want you to harm anyone.”

“They're about to try to kill us,” the taller man pointed out like it made a difference at all.

“So,” Kurapica challenged him, wondering if he was going too far this time, “you feel confident that you could get us out by mowing down those poor idiots, but not if you are careful not to harm them?” He hoped Kuroro didn't decide that he'd had enough of the Kuruta. This had to work. Kurapica didn't want more deaths on his hands, and he was determined to stop the Spider Head from killing as much as he could. He didn't want to end up dead himself if the Ryodan leader decided that he had had enough, however. He had to tread carefully.

“I can,” Kuroro said, sending him a look and not taking the bait, “but it'll be a pain. And Your Worship had better make it worth my time.”

“Is it money you want?” the blond hissed. “It's always about money, isn't it?”

“No,” Kuroro answered. “It isn't about money. It never was.”

Kurapica frowned. “Are we going to argue until they start bringing the cannons?” he asked, changing tactics.

The Spider Head flicked his hand at the many, many people slowly coming towards them. “I could kill all of them in less time than it would take you to blink,” he said dismissively. “I don't want what little money you painstakingly managed to save with your little job at Nostrade's estate,” he continued.

“I didn't make just a little money,” the blond protested, “I was very –”

“I don't care how much you made,” Kuroro interrupted. “I have a few times what Nostrade has made and spent in his entire life. It is not about money. This,” he stabbed his finger down against the small divide between their seat, “has never been about getting at your money.”

“Then what do you want?” Kurapica asked darkly.

“You,” the Spider Head answered immediately.

“But I've already given you ev–”

“Not everything,” Kuroro interrupted again, and he was seriously starting to piss Kurapica off. “You haven't given me absolutely everything yet.”

“What, pray tell,” the blond asked, his jaw clenched, “haven't I given you yet?”

Kuroro jabbed at his chest twice and the Kuruta had a moment of horror where he thought the older man would say something horrendously cliché and ludicrous like your heart, as if they were in some sort of silly romance novel of the past century, but what the Spider Head said was, “Your loyalty.”

“My loyalty?” The blond wasn't even sure what to make of his request. He pushed Kuroro's hand away from his chest. “What does that even mean?”

“First,” the taller man said seriously, “that you will stop butting heads with me over every single little detail. Second, that you will not challenge my authority.”

“So you want a yes-man.” Kurapica's tone was dismissive. He hadn't even let Nostrade order him around like that, and he'd started with more potential liking for the wretch than he had for Kuroro.

“No,” the taller man said, not even raising his voice, “I want someone who will not bring each and every little point to the table by starting a confrontation. I want someone who will not actually argue for the sake of arguing.”

“I'm not –” Kurapica suddenly stopped himself, though he wasn't sure what had stopped him. Maybe it was the hard glint in the Spider Head's eyes, maybe it was the urgency of the situation or the fact that he was proving Kuroro's point. In any case, he sighed, feeling a bit fed up with the entire discussion already. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I hate agreeing to terms that are so vague, but for the sake of getting out of here in this lifetime, I'll agree to it for now. I insist that we discuss these new terms in detail later.”

“Deal,” Kuroro said and planted a kiss on Kurapica's lips, taking the blond by surprise. Then the older man stepped onto the accelerator and the car bounded forward. Kurapica frowned, resisting the urge to rub his fingers over his lips as that would be telling him just how much that kiss had affected him. Perhaps because he hadn't expected it, his heart was hammering in his chest, worst than the first time that Kuroro had done this. The older man drove worse than a bat out of hell. It was a good thing that his control over nen was as good as it was because a simple, normal human being would have gotten them killed in thirty seconds at most. Kuroro avoided running into anyone, though Kurapica was sure that it was only because of the bargain that they had struck and not because he cared for their lives at all. The car weaved left and right around their opponents and the would-be attackers soon started throwing themselves to the side, clearing the way, not wanting to end up run over.

When the first shots started ringing out, Kuroro muttered, “This is no tank, I hope the car holds. Kurapica, get down.”

The blond considered arguing, but he remembered his promise and loosened his seat-belt just enough that he could slide lower in his seat. He put his feet on the edge of the seat and his arms over his head, protecting his vital organs as best he could under the circumstances. It was a little disorienting like this, with Kuroro swerving left and right. He was jolted along with every turn, and he tightened his seat-belt again, certain that he'd end up flying out of the car shortly. Their vehicle spun for a moment and Kurapica didn't know where was north or south anymore. A jerky turn of the steering wheel and Kuroro managed to stop the car from spinning. It seemed to slip on something, but the Spider Head controlled this latest spin, then stepped on the accelerator and the car jolted forward again. Two windows, riddled with holes, finally went down and the one to his right fell over Kurapica in a rain of broken glass. The older man cursed softly and swerved again. “Are you okay?” he asked the Kuruta.

Kurapica had a few cuts here and there, but nothing deep or serious. He wouldn't risk raising his head and exposing it to shots, so he only made a, “Hm-m” sound to let the Ryodan leader know that he wasn't hurt. He bit down on the snark that he would be able to enhance his protection if he had use of his nen, remembering their earlier argument again. The car made a few more swerves and Kuroro swore softly. Kurapica wanted to see, to know what was happening. He was itching to raise his head, but he resisted the urge.

Two more windows came down, then finally the windshield exploded with a loud crash, the glass falling all over them. Kurapica winced as one particularly large sharp sliced at the side of his shoulder. It wasn't deep enough to cause real damage, but it still hurt. He didn't make a sound however, as it wasn't worth distracting the older man over. There was another muttered curse from Kuroro and he suddenly swerved. “Gonna crash,” he warned Kurapica who braced himself for the impact. The car bounded and leaped, swerved then slid in a patch of mud, which sent it sideways. They ended up in another horrible spin that soon had Kurapica completely and hopelessly disoriented. Surely, they would slam into something; they couldn't be whirling like this forever. He felt like he was on some sort of strange, extremely fast merry-go-round. A glance up towards the older man, and he could see Kuroro fight with the steering wheel, attempting to get their vehicle back under control. Outside, green, grey and brown zipped by at dizzying speed. How come they hadn't crashed into something yet?

When it came, it felt like they'd rammed into a solid concrete wall and the blond was slammed sideways into the passenger door, then back as the front of the car hit something else. The backrest of his seat broke and Kurapica fell backwards, landing quite painfully. One last jarring jolt forward and it was over. Kurapica opened his eyes, slightly stunned by the impact. There were bullet holes in the ceiling. How did those even get there? He took a deep breath, attempting to get his heart to slow down. Kuroro suddenly appeared in his field of vision to his left.

“Are you all right?” the older man asked, and the blond heard and felt his seat-belt unlatch. He tried to nod and winced at the tension in his neck. Kuroro helped him sit up. “We need to go. Can you get up?”

“Yeah,” Kurapica answered, blinking quickly to try and push the dizziness away. His head stopped swimming and he repeated, “Yeah, I'm good.”

The older man studied his face for a moment that he really shouldn't have wasted on this, then he nodded and turned to his door. It was bent, twisted and half wrapped around the trunk of a tree. They couldn't leave from that side. “Move out of the way,” the Spider Head told him, and Kurapica obediently turned around and crawled towards the back of the car. He couldn't see the aura surrounding Kuroro's leg and foot increase, but he saw the effects as the older man kicked the passenger door clear off and in the face of one of their pursuers. “Come on,” he told Kurapica and he got out of the car.

The blond followed, moving back to the passenger seat before climbing out of the vehicle. Already, some of their faster opponents were starting to form a semi-circle around them. They were still relatively far, but they were closing in. A shot rang out and the bullet ricocheted off of the back door. Another and Kurapica ducked to avoid it. “We're going to have to run for it,” he told Kuroro. “Remember, you cannot kill any of them.”

“Ah,” the Spider Head commented, “the things that I do for you. Fine.” He tilted his head to avoid a third shot and eyed the blond for a moment. “I'm going to have to carry you. You're fast, but you won't be fast enough if they have nen users.”

“Fine,” Kurapica grumbled, moving to the side to avoid another shot, “but I refuse to be carried like a sack of potatoes. It's humiliating.” He repressed a gasp as he felt pain explode in his shoulder. He hadn't been fast enough to avoid this one. The bullet had likely only grazed and tore a bit of muscle tissue, but it was the same shoulder he'd injured earlier and the injury was excruciating, even for him. He froze his face into a mask of indifference. He wasn't sure how the older man would react to him being wounded, but he didn't want to take the chance that the Spider Head would attack the shooter in retaliation. Not that he thought that the Ryodan leader would really care whether he was actually hurt or not, but it had been hard enough convincing him to leave these people unharmed, Kurapica wouldn't risk it.

Kuroro made a soft, amused sound and the corners of his lips curled up. “All right.” He moved closer. “Now, if Your Highness is ready...” He didn't wait for an answer, but he leaned down, wrapped one arm around Kurapica's back, the other at the back of his knees and he lifted him up. A grin at the blond's offended look and he took off at a run, much faster than any human being should have been able to. His legs enhanced by nen, he flew like the wind, jumping to and from branches occasionally. Kurapica closed his eyes for a moment, but between the laceration at his shoulder and the rapid pace at which his companion was running, it only made him feel dizzy. He opened them again. Kuroro suddenly changed directions and ran for some time. The pain at Kurapica's shoulder started irradiating up his shoulder and down his arm. He valiantly ignored it, gritting his teeth. He'd felt worse. This was nothing. So long as it didn't get infected, he'd be fine. Hopefully, the bullet hadn't been coated into a poisonous substance.

Kuroro changed directions again, and it was clear to the younger man that he was trying to make sure no one could actually tail them. Another sharp turn and they went that way for some time before the Spider Head dashed towards their right. They ran like this for an hour, maybe two and finally the older man slowed down to a trot. Kurapica was still fighting to keep the pain for showing, but two hours of this and it was starting to take a toll. He had his head against Kuroro's chest, his eyes partly open. The Ryodan leader glanced at him and the blond tilted his head up, slightly arching his eyebrows in question. Kuroro started walking. “I think I've lost them,” he told the Kuruta. “Think you can walk?”

Kurapica frowned. “Of course I can,” he told him, then paused. If he looked as tired as he sounded, no wonder the taller man had asked. He cleared his throat. “Yeah,” he tried again, “I can walk. Can you put me down?”

Wordlessly, Kuroro went over to a large boulder and set him down on it, surprisingly gentle. The blond got to his feet and looked around. “Where are we?” he wanted to know.

“Greenvale Woods,” was his answer, which didn't actually tell him much. He wondered if the older man even knew what part of the forest they were in. Kuroro looked at him for a moment, and finally seemed to notice the injury. “You're hurt,” he observed, eyebrows furrowed.

“It's nothing,” Kurapica assured him. “Just a bit of glass and then a bullet grazed me. It won't prevent me from walking.”

“We'll have to clean it,” the taller man objected. “Come, I know a house where we could rest.” Well, that answered Kurapica's earlier line of inner questions. “The owner is an acquaintance of mine. They'll let us stay for a night.”

The blond nodded and indicated to Kuroro that he could lead on, heaving himself up at the same time. They started walking eastward, occasionally stopping to listen for signs of pursuit. Kurapica heard none, but he wasn't sure what Kuroro could hear. He didn't ask. It took them a few hours of trekking through the thick underbrush for them to finally reach a simple wooden house.

Kuroro knocked, loud enough to be heard, even if the occupants were sleeping. “Hello?” he called out. He knocked again, but when it was clear he would receive no answer, he turned the knob. The door silently opened. The two young men glanced at each other and Kuroro slowly went in, whispering, “Stay here.”

Kurapica nodded, though the taller man couldn't see him, and he strained his ears for any sounds from both inside and outside of the little house. He heard Kuroro walk around on the wooden floor and get up the creaky staircase. In the woods around it, crickets and owls. No strange, unexpected sounds. Creaks down the stairs and Kuroro reappeared at his side.

“The house is empty,” he told him. “We'll still stay here for the night. Go up the stairs and take a shower. I'll put traps around the house so that no one can come in. The thick layer of dust tells me no one lives here anymore. I'll join you shortly.”

The blond was about to ask if he was sure, but he thought better of it and nodded instead. He went inside and pensively climbed the stairs. The shower still functioned but there was no hot water so by the time he came out, he was shivering a little. Kuroro took his turn. Then they changed the linens on the beds to have somewhere clean to sleep, before turning their attention to Kurapica's wound. Outside, the owls hooted, the bats chirped and the crickets trilled.

Chapter Text

The silence was neither awkward nor entirely comfortable. Kurapica was sitting on the bed in the room he'd chosen, sitting very straight and frowning lightly at his hands in his lap. Where he'd raised a fuss earlier, he felt somewhat embarrassed now. Kuroro could have murdered their assailants without breaking a sweat. He'd held off. For him. Kurapica didn't know what to make of that. “I could have stopped those bullets if I had my chains,” he whispered quietly, just as Kuroro finished wrapping the bandage. It had none of the heat of their earlier argument.

“Could you?” the older man asked, patting the blond's back to indicate he was done.

“Easily,” Kurapica answered simply.

He twisted around to look at the Spider head. “Thank you,” he said, though it seemed a bit odd to thank the man for bandaging a wound that could have been avoided entirely if he had just let Kurapica use his nen. He knew that Kuroro had no choice but to keep it sealed though. No matter the odd relationship they had together, Kurapica with the use of his abilities was still too dangerous. If the roles were reversed, there would be no way the Kuruta would remove the bind.

“You're welcome,” Kuroro said, looking down at the blond. “I'm glad it's not too serious.”

Kurapica studied his face quietly for a moment, trying to read his expression. As usual, he couldn't tell what the older man was thinking at all. Hesitantly, he reached to him, placing the tip of his fingers delicately against his cheek, trying to read his gaze, to understand the mind behind those large, dark eyes. He kissed him. He wasn't sure why he did, didn't even really realize what he was doing until he felt Kuroro's lips against his. The older man responded right away, kissing him back gently. Once Kurapica pulled away, Kuroro smiled.

“What brought this on?” he asked.

“Nothing really,” the blond replied, “I just felt like it.” He moved away from the older man, lying down on his side, facing away from him.

“I wasn't complaining,” Kuroro said, poking his arm lightly.

“I know.”

There was a moment of silence where Kurapica wondered if the Spider head would get up and leave, but he didn't. Finally, the blond rolled to his back, looking up at the man who had caused him so much pain and grief. He felt so torn, sometimes. Wanting to touch this man, and be touched by him, after all that had happened because of him. Was it betrayal? He thought it was, yet somehow he couldn't stop himself anymore.

He reached up, tugged at the man's sleeve, and Kuroro leaned down. As soon as he was within reach, Kurapica wrapped his hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down for another kiss. He parted his lips and Kuroro wasted no time in pushing his tongue in. When the older man pulled away, it was only to move his arm so that he was leaning on his elbow rather than his hand. He leaned back down for another kiss. His free hand ran down the side of Kurapica's chest, eliciting a soft gasp from the younger man. His lips became more insistent. Kurapica let go of his neck, hands slipping into the Ryodan leader's shirt, letting it bunch up a bit as he move his hands slightly higher.

Kuroro let his hand slide down to the outside of his thigh, over the fabric of his jeans and let it sit there as he broke the kiss only to initiate another one. Kurapica didn't want to move away from his lips to get the older man to take off his shirt, so he slid his hands down to his belt and tugged the end free of the belt loop. Kuroro made a little surprised sound, obviously not expecting the blond to be this forward. Kurapica had to resist the urge to grin. For some reason, he felt really pleased with the reaction. He undid the buckle slowly and slid his foot higher so he could lift his knee, liking the pressure of Kuroro's hand on his thigh, and even more so when the older man slid his fingers around the back of his leg and pulled lightly.

Their lips parted and they regarded each other in silence for a moment. It wasn't quite hesitation, more to assess what their touches brought out in the other. Seizing the opportunity, the blond let go of the belt to tug at the top Kuroro was wearing. The older man took the hint and straightened up, but before he could take off his shirt himself, Kurapica sat up and pulled it up and off for him. He threw it beside the bed, liking the low chuckle he got for his move.

They kissed again, and Kurapica wrapped his arms tightly around the back of Kuroro's neck. He let himself fall backwards slowly, taking the older man down with him. Kuroro helped by leaning heavily on one hand to control their descent. Once his head touched the pillow again, Kurapica loosened his hold on the Spider head and broke the kiss. Kuroro moved to his throat and the blond had to remind himself to breathe. His fingers tangled in the dark, silky hair.

Kuroro shifted his weight back unto his elbow and used his free hand to tug at Kurapica's jeans lightly before undoing the button. The Kuruta's breath caught in his throat again and he tilted his head back. He felt and heard the zipper come down slowly and he tensed up, hands raking down. By the time they reached Kuroro's shoulders, his nails were digging into the skin lightly. The older man made another small, surprised sound, so Kurapica pressed harder. Kuroro scraped his teeth lightly over his skin, then sucked at his throat until it hurt and the blond couldn't help the small sound that welled up, deep in his throat.

He felt his eyes switch to red, back to blue, then red again as he fought to regain control of himself. Kuroro wouldn't let him, though. He slid his hand inside of Kurapica's trousers, rubbing against him slowly. The blond struggled to keep his voice in, refusing to give Kuroro the satisfaction of bringing sounds out of him. He just wouldn't; it was far too humiliating. Yet, it seemed to him that the more he fought to keep the sounds in, the more Kuroro tried to make him lose control.

Kurapica buried his face in Kuroro's shoulder, feeling his breathing hitch up as the older man rubbed him through the thin fabric of his underwear. The older man nibbled up the side of his neck to his ear, catching his earlobe lightly between his teeth before he chuckled, low and deep in his throat. Right in Kurapica's ear. The blond gasped softly.

Damn. His eyes were definitely red now.

It was simply amazing how Kuroro found all of the right buttons to push to get Kurapica to lose it. He was chuckling again. Damn him. Kurapica had to regain control, somehow. He let go of Kuroro's shoulders entirely, letting his head fall back onto the pillow. He raked his fingers down the man's chest, all the way down to his jeans. He undid the button and lowered the zipper, quite intent on paying Kuroro back in kind. He paused for a bit, gathering his resolve before he slid one hand into the leather pants. As his hand wrapped around Kuroro's shaft, skin against skin, the older man tensed up and his head dropped a bit so that his forehead touched the pillow next to the blond's head.

Kurapica closed his eyes, breathed in, then started moving his hand slowly up and down, feeling Kuroro harden in his hand. He felt a slow trickle of emotion trickling down to his navel, hot and cold all at once, anticipation and apprehension. It felt so right, so very wrong; so exciting and terrifying. It seemed like he was falling deeper in every time.

Kuroro's lips were on his now, moving, demanding, then his tongue pushed forward, demanding entrance. Kurapica parted his lips and the older man deepened the kiss right away. The blond wrapped his left arm around the back of Kuroro's neck again, responding to the kiss with equal fervour. As the taller man moved away, Kurapica's teeth pulled lightly at his lower lip before letting go.

“Damn.” Kuroro's voice was a harsh, breathy whisper. It made Kurapica's heart beat faster, knowing the effect that he had on the older man. It wasn't just him who lost his cool. As Kuroro pressed against him a little harder, he let out a gasp with just a hint of a whimper. “Damn,” Kuroro said again, and he kissed him.

There was nothing soft or gentle about this kiss. It was hot, demanding, nearly desperate in its intensity. Kurapica let go of the older man, hands going to his hips, pulling at the slick fabric of his pants. Kuroro took the hint and broke the kiss, straightening back. Kurapica sat up, helping him pull the trousers down. Once he got them down to the man's knees, Kuroro sat down so he could get the garment completely off. It fell to the floor next to the bed, the belt buckle hitting the carpet with a loud thud. They barely noticed, to occupied with each other to pay attention to anything else. Kurapica crawled up onto Kuroro's lap for yet another kiss, wrapping both his arms around the taller man's shoulders, fingers burying into the thick, black hair. It felt so easy, so natural.

Kuroro's hands ran up and down the blond's thighs on either side of his hips. The Kuruta was up on his knees, and this position was a little awkward, but it didn't matter much to either of them. Kuroro let his hands wander up to Kurapica's waist, then down again, pushing the fabric of his jeans and underwear down. The blond gasped, throwing his head back and effectively breaking the kiss. Kuroro's mouth wandered over his chest, his fingers raking up to his hips and waist, nails digging into the skin.

Kurapica let out a soft sound, low in his throat, ending in a strangled gasp. He raked his fingernails across Kuroro's shoulders, letting his weight fall forward into the older man. The Spider head pushed against him, but sideways, so that they fell back onto the mattress. A quick kiss, and he sat up again to pull the blond's jeans completely clear of his legs. As he lay back down, he ran his hand up the length of Kurapica's body before tangling it in the golden hair, pulling him into another hungry kiss. The Kuruta moulded his body against the taller man's, his right hand pulling at his hip. He gasped, breaking the kiss once more and Kuroro went to his throat again, forcing another quiet moan from the boy.

Suddenly, Kurapica pushed against him, following the movement until Kuroro was on his back, the blond straddling his waist. The boy grinned down at him. Kuroro lifted an eyebrow, grinning right back at him.

Kurapica liked his smirk after all.

He tilted his head, lowering his eyelids slightly, regarding the older man with his hungry, fiery gaze as he slowly pushed himself backwards. He felt Kuroro's erection against his backside and he rolled his hips slowly, proud of himself for not showing hesitation, although his resolve did falter for a split-second. The Ryodan leader was staring unblinkingly, straight at him. His hands settled on Kurapica's hips, fingers digging into the pale skin.

They moved against each other, slowly, so slowly. Kurapica bit his lower lip, trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, trying to keep himself under control. He closed his eyes, let go of his tight clamp on his lip and slowly breathed in and out. It turned out to be a mistake.

Kuroro suddenly pushed him to the side and rolled on top of him, stifling his protest with a harsh kiss. Kurapica felt him stretch one arm, and he guessed the older man was reaching for the lubricant inside one of his bags. He was right. What it was doing in his things, Kurapica had no idea. When Kuroro straightened up, he had the small bottle in one hand. He poured some onto his other hand and leaned forward, pressing his lips against the Kuruta's. Kurapica lifted his right knee, knowing what was coming next.

He tensed when he felt the older man's fingers press against him lightly. Then he forced himself to relax, knowing the discomfort would soon give way to immense pleasure. He pulled at Kuroro's hair lightly for him to let him respire. The older man focused on his throat, which didn't help Kurapica breathe any. He still managed a few calming intake of air. He felt the tension ebb away and felt Kuroro's fingers enter him, slowly stretching him. He sucked in a breath, and Kuroro's mouth latched on his throat. It was slightly painful and Kurapica was sure he would have a mark on his skin the next day, but the pain only took his mind off of the discomfort. He moaned softly, then clamped his mouth shut, stifling the sound. Kuroro chose this moment to rub against his prostate, making the blond gasp again, fingers tightening their hold on the black strands.

Kuroro pulled out and there was a pause, during which he added more lubricant to his fingers. Then he pushed three in and Kurapica hissed softly. The older man held his movements, letting Kurapica adjust to the intrusion. They breathed, slowly, quietly. When the blond relaxed once more, he pushed a little deeper in, then pulled slightly, before pushing in again. It took some time before it stopped being uncomfortable, but when he was confident that he was ready, Kurapica let go of the Spider head's hair.

“Okay,” he said in a soft whisper.

Kuroro pulled his fingers out and Kurapica closed his eyes, concentrating on his respiration. Then, the taller man took hold of his hand and pulled slightly. Kurapica opened his eyes and frowned questioningly at him.

“Sit up,” the Spider head said softly, pulling lightly on his hand again.

Kurapica was a little wary, but he complied anyway. Kuroro sat on his haunches and guided the blond so that he was sitting on him, his back to the older man's chest. Kurapica frowned a little, not sure he liked this. His former enemy at his back, with himself completely naked and vulnerable. “I don't know about this,” he started, uncertainly. “I don't thi–”

“Shh,” the older man murmured, running one hand soothingly up his side, fingers ghosting over the bandage.

He lifted him up slightly, and the blond pushed himself up with his thighs. When he was guided back down, he felt Kuroro's member enter him slowly. He gasped, his head falling backwards onto the older man's shoulder. The Ryodan leader wasted no time to nibble at the side of his neck again. It took some time before Kurapica was seated firmly on the taller man's lap. They took a moment to just breathe again. Then one of Kuroro's arm snaked around his chest while his other hand ran up and down his side twice. And then, he moved his hips and Kurapica pushed himself up. His hands clutched at Kuroro's arm. He pushed down slowly, before pulling up once more. Their rhythm was slow at first, but as the blond got used to Kuroro's girth, he started moving gradually faster.

He was so aware of the man at his back, his warmth behind him, around him, inside him. He arched his body backwards. Kuroro's hands slid down to just under his navel, warm, so warm. He couldn't quite keep in the low moan that escaped his throat. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he reached back, nails digging into the taller man's hips. So open and vulnerable, so desperate and hungry, hungry for something he couldn't name, a want, a need that was building, hotter and hotter inside of him.

Suddenly, Kuroro pushed against him and shifted. Kurapica barely had time to throw his hands forward before he his chest connected with the mattress. His injured shoulder burned, but he barely noticed. His fingers clutched desperately at the covers, twisting them above his head. His thighs hurt slightly from this new position, his knees rather wide apart, his hips hovering slightly higher. Were he able to form a coherent thought, he would protest at this humiliating posture, but Kuroro was moving again, deeper in, brushing against his pleasure point, and Kurapica could only pant harshly and twist his hands tighter into the blankets.

There was the warmth and weight of one hand at the small of his back, holding him in place as the older man moved faster and faster. He felt Kuroro's other hand reach around him and wrap around his own erection, moving, rubbing, he didn't know, he couldn't think. Each thrust rocked him forward, rubbed deep inside, made all of his nerve endings tingle and sent waves of pleasure through him. Kuroro's chest was against his back now, and he was nipping and kissing at his back, each little touch adding to this feverish madness. He could feel him, thrusting deep inside, every movement making Kuroro's erection brush against that bundle of nerves inside, sending waves of pleasure rippling through Kurapica's body. Kuroro shifted again, straightened up and put his hand on his back again, increasing the pace even more.

Kurapica was so close, so close. He bit at the covers, trying to stifle his voice, feeling his muscles contract as he neared the edge. The pace got even faster and rougher, but Kurapica barely noticed. It was enough, it was too much.

He let go, letting his orgasm wash over him, wave after wave, until he collapsed onto the mattress, limbs shaking and barely able to hold him. But Kuroro kept moving. After a moment, the blond forced himself slightly higher, trying to make it easier for the older man. Each thrust now sent a kind of pleasure tingle through his oversensitive nerves and he bit his lower lip again, letting his forehead fall against the mattress. Then, Kuroro's hands grasped his hips roughly and he rammed into him hard once, and again, and again, and a fourth time, and then held him in place as he came, deep inside him.

There was a moment of silence, broken only by the sound of their harsh panting, then Kuroro moved away and Kurapica let himself fall onto the bed, boneless. He felt the mattress dip and shift as Kuroro moved away, but he didn't even have the strength to look up. When the older man returned, he pulled at Kurapica's hip until the blond rolled onto his back. He still had his eyes closed, so he jumped slightly when the cold, wet washcloth made contact with his skin. Kuroro cleaned him off and Kurapica let him. Then, he felt two arms slide underneath him, and he was suddenly lifted up and off the bed.

His eyes snapped open. “Hey, wait!!”

Kuroro chuckled softly.

“Can't use this bed anymore,” he said. “I don't think either of us could sleep in that.”

Kurapica couldn't find anything to fault him with, and he was too tired to argue anyway. So, he let the taller man take him back to his own room and tuck him into bed. He felt him get in as well, and though some distant part of his mind was trying to tell him something, he was too tired to pay it any heed. Soon, he was asleep.

Chapter Text

Kurapica was jostled in his sleep by something warm sliding over his side. He was kind of tired and too sleepy to wake up, plus it was warm and comfortable and he decided that if he hadn't jumped in alarm already, then it couldn't be all that dangerous, and he let himself go back to sleep.

His next conscious thought, some time later, was that he felt warm; warm and content. It was a such a strange, foreign feeling that he had to take a few minutes to analyze where that sensation came from. First, there was a thrilling, contented thrumming in his blood, the kind that he had come to associate with the satisfaction of rigorous training and meditation. Then, there was the sensation of being safe; truly safe. Like the world could fall all around him and he would remain untouched, protected by the arms wrapped around him.

... Arms?

He could feel the warmth radiating from them, and also all along his front. He cracked one eye open, but all he could see was pale skin in the semi-darkness. The sun wasn't quite up yet, and the room was full of shadows, but he knew who the man before him was. It started coming back to him, his situation, his goals, the person he had slept with. Again. His eyes went large, and he held his breath. This was insane! He hadn't meant to feel warm and comfortable. He was aupposed to be on his guard, suspicious, on the lookout for potential weaknesses. That was why he had let things progress so far; a sacrifice to the greater cause, a way to defeat the Spiders for good.

He hadn't meant for this to make him feel so content and satiated. He had expected it to unsettle him, to make him feel angry, dirty maybe. Something. But not this. It wasn't meant to feel good.

He wasn't supposed to feel safe.

Muscles painfully rigid, he slowly started trying to extirpate himself from the circle of the taller man's arms. Surely Kuroro was awake, now. There would be no way he could sleep through this. But he didn't make any movement that would let Kurapica know for sure that he had roused him, so the blond held his breath and prayed and hoped, slowly, very slowly moving away from him. That meant that eventually, Kurapica ended up with Kuroro's hand right over his ribs on his side, and it sent this strange, very strange feeling through him. Somewhat exciting. He carefully slid his own fingers underneath it and lifted it to move away to freedom. He sat up, twisting around to look at Kuroro's face.

The large, dark eyes were closed in slumber, making him appear less menacing, at least to Kurapica's eyes. This wasn't the first time that he saw the older man sleep, but it was the first time from this close. Kuroro's hand was still by his hip, and the warmth felt odd, now that the blond knew it was him. That brought his thoughts to his current state of undress. Other than the bandage, he was completely nude, and all of his clothes were in the other room. And he fully expected Kuroro's eyes to snap open any second, now. He started looking around the room for something to wrap around his waist, at least, but he couldn't find anything that he could reach from the bed.

Well, perhaps it would be all right if he went like this. Kuroro was still sleeping, after all. He turned back towards the Spider Head and his breathing caught in his throat. The older man's eyes were open and looking straight at him. Horribly startled and not knowing what to say, Kurapica went with the obvious. “You're awake.” It was a silly observation and the blond cringed. Well, of course, he was awake.

Kuroro didn't even dignify it with answer. He tilted his head. “Are you looking for something?” he asked instead.

The Kuruta was silent for a long moment as he debated on what to say. It might be something simple, but it was still sort of embarrassing. In a way, it made it so that what they had done the previous night felt that much more real. He didn't think that he wanted to deal with this, but he didn't have much of a choice. It was either tell the older man what the problem was, or walk around naked while he watched. It was no contest. “My clothes are in the other room,” he finally muttered through clenched teeth.

Kuroro had a toothy sort of grin. “So?” he asked him. “Go get them.”

Kurapica pursed his lip and glared at him for a moment. A breath in, a breath out, and he ground out, “So, I don't know if you've noticed, but I dislike being completely undressed. Could you stop being difficult on purpose?”

“I don't know why you feel the urge to act like such a prude,” the Spider Head commented. “You have certainly nothing to be ashamed of, and I've already seen all of you.”

Kurapica's response was to send a pillow at his face, cheeks going intensely red immediately. Kuroro could have easily moved out of the way, but he let it hit, for reasons Kurapica couldn't even begin to fathom. When the pillow fell away, the older man was grinning at him. He looked like he was having fun. Well, Kurapica wasn't. He huffed and turned away from the annoying prick, eyes looking around once more for something to wrap around himself. Suddenly, he froze. He could feel the tip of two of Kuroro's fingers at the top of his back. He sat up straighter when he felt them slide slowly down his spine. To his utter embarrassment, he couldn't stop a soft sound as the touch slid down to lower back, and suddenly, he felt the mattress dip as Kuroro sat up. It barely took a moment, and he was staring, wide-eyed, at the Spider Head. He thought he was going to be kissed, but Kuroro stopped a few centimetres away and held there for a minute. Their eyes met and locked, and it became increasingly difficult to breathe. There was something in Kuroro's eyes that made Kurapica's chest tighten nearly painfully. He wanted him to do it. He wanted that kiss, and that shook him more certainly than sleeping with the Spider Head had. Then, just as abruptly, Kuroro was gone. He'd turned around and swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and sat there a moment.

Kurapica didn't know what to think. The gears were switching too swiftly for him to really understand what was happening. Kuroro got up and the blond caught sight of his backside and quickly averted his eyes, simultaneously putting his hands in front of his face to hide the blush that was decidedly getting worse and worse. He heard a chuckle and carefully peeked up, over the top of his fingers. Kuroro was looking at him, a vaguely amused expression on his handsome face. Damn him.

“You know,” the Spider Head said, “if you keep acting like that, it might be taken as an invitation.”

“I'm acting the same as usual,” Kurapica protested.

“So you're always inviting me to touch you?” Kuroro wanted to know.

Kurapica made a face. “Would you just get dressed and go downstairs or something, so that I can get up and get ready?”

The Spider Head hummed softly. “I don't know,” he answered, tone teasing, “I think I quite like seeing you naked and flustered.”

Kurapica sent another pillow at his head, but this time, the Spider Head deflected it with his forearm. His expression was less closed-off than usual. He looked like he was having quite a lot of fun. The blond pursed his lips against a smile that was attempting to form on his own face. Kuroro finally got some clothes out of his bag and he slipped on underwear and a pair of pants on, leaving the rest for later. “Want me to loan you something?” he offered.

“I'd rather you just go downstairs and make coffee,” Kurapica answered crossly, “that way I could just go back to the other room and put on my own clothes.”

Kuroro shrugged. “Suit yourself,” he replied airily, before finally leaving the room.

Kurapica listened intently as the Spider Head started down the stairs. He barely made a sound, but a few of the steps were creaky, and the Kuruta had excellent ears, even without his nen. He waited until he was absolutely certain that the taller man was not coming back, then he quickly got up and made his way across the hall to where he had been supposed to sleep. He rapidly got dressed, then went to join Kuroro downstairs. The Spider Head had started a small fire in the hearth to cook breakfast and make coffee, though the kettle was still on the side of the fireplace. Kuroro was probably just being contrary because the blond had asked him to make it. Kurapica picked it up and hung it on a hook over the fire then accepted a piece of toast from the older man. He slid into a chair, hiding a yawn behind one hand. He nibbled at the bland food kind of half-heartedly and glanced at the two mugs that the Spider Head had apparently put on the table. He tilted one and spied instant coffee at the bottom.

Kuroro sat in a chair across from him and the Kuruta pushed the mug upright once more. “We've slept a little longer than I had hoped,” the Spider Head commented.

“You should have set an alarm on your phone,” the blond told him. “I didn't even know you had a schedule in mind.”

“Well,” the older man said with a smile, “I was otherwise occupied at the time.”

Kurapica felt his cheeks heat up. He cleared his throat and wet his lips, feeling a tad uncomfortable, suddenly. “So what's the plan for the day?” he wanted to know.

“We head south,” was his answer. “I want to return to Gorei as quickly as possible, from where I want to catch a flight out. We might have to disguise ourselves for that, if our pursuers are still after us.” He made a face here, and Kurapica assumed it meant he thought that it was kind of insane not to have killed them all.

Well, they had different ways of dealing with things. Kurapica would pick disguise over murder any day. He suddenly realized something. “What are we going to do about passports if we're wearing costumes?” he wanted to know.

“Don't worry about the passports,” Kuroro said with confidence.

Kurapica regarded him in silence for a moment. Fake passports were a lesser crime than murder in his mind, so he let the matter drop. “Okay,” he agreed. He got up to fetch the kettle and poured some into their mugs. There were a few packets of sugar and creamer beside the cups, and he fixed his coffee with both, before taking a much needed sip. He didn't usually like sugar in his coffee, but this instant thing was atrocious and he wanted to mask the taste as much as possible. At least that was something that Kuroro and he agreed on; they would never buy this brand again. He paused. How... domestic. He winced visibly and it drew the attention of his companion, who looked at him and arched an eyebrow.

“It's nothing,” Kurapica assured him. “It's just, well, this coffee tastes horrible.”

“You wanted to buy it,” Kuroro commented.

“I know,” the blond huffed out. “It was worth a try. Can you spare me the I-told-you-so's and drink your coffee so we can go?”

“So bossy,” the taller man remarked, looking amused. “I do agree with you. We should go in case we are still being pursued. I'm pretty sure we've lost them, but the quicker we get to Gorei, the less time they have to prepare an ambush.”

Kurapica nodded and focused on his breakfast, although he didn't really enjoy it. His thoughts were on Kuroro, as they tended to be these days. Or wait, not these days. In a way, all of his thoughts were on the Spider Head from the moment news reached him that the village in Lukso had been ransacked and all of the inhabitants brutally murdered. Reminded of his clansmen, it was a miracle that he didn't leap at the man responsible there and then.

Kuroro had played him, and played him well. Once upon a time, he would have hurled himself at the man and punched him repeatedly in the face. Hell, a year ago, he had done exactly that. But not anymore. Nowadays, he was more likely to kiss him than punch him. And that was so, so fucked up.

“Something on your mind?” Kuroro's voice startled him out of his reverie. His eyes focused on the older man, and he realized that he had been sort of staring at him without seeing, all of his thoughts turned inwards.

“I was just thinking,” Kurapica replied and popped the last bite of toast into his mouth.

Kuroro nodded and got up. “I'll check your wound now, if you're done eating.”

“I'm done,” the blond assured him. “And I'm fine.”

“I'll make sure all the same,” the taller man replied and Kurapica watched him go up the stairs to fetch their luggage. How many times had he reflected on the impossibility of their little arrangement? The blond was just thinking himself into circles. He emptied the rest of his coffee and grimaced. Kuroro soon returned, now fully dressed, and he dropped the bags by Kurapica's chair. “Take off your top,” he demanded, although his voice wasn't what one could consider authoritative. It sounded more like a suggestion, and yet it also felt like he expected obedience.

Kurapica made a face, feeling rather annoyed, but he complied and slipped out of his T-shirt, then moved his chair so that he could sit sideways with the wounded shoulder away from the back of his seat, giving Kuroro complete access. They were both silent as the taller man unwrapped the bandage and looked at the newest scars that had been carved on top of those the smaller Spider – Feitan, if Kurapica remembered correctly – had given him. Kuroro's soft, gentle fingers sent shivers up Kurapica's spine. Even when the touch was innocent and devoid of any sexual overture, the contact was electric, powerful. It sent the blond's heart trip-hammering. He bit his lower lip and held in place, muscles painfully tight. It seemed to take an eternity, as Kuroro prodded and touched and trailed his fingers over his skin. He thought he could detect a faint warmth and tingle, and he wondered if the taller man was perhaps using nen to speed up his recovery. Whatever it was, it felt absolutely amazing, much better than it had any business feeling. When the Spider Head was satisfied that there were no sign of infection, he put some salve on it and re-bandaged it. Kurapica put his top back on and grabbed a hoodie from his pack. He noticed Kuroro's amused look, but he didn't know what it meant. The older man didn't explain himself either. Instead, he put their luggage safely away into the Fun Fun Cloth, and then they left.

Chapter Text

Kuroro paused just outside of the house they had spent the night in. He took a moment to focus on en and try to get a feel of their pursuers and how far (or close) they were. They had a whole forest to search, after all, and there was little chance that they would stumble upon them without Kuroro sensing their approach in the first place. Beside him, Kurapica stood, eyes scanning the woods in a circle before returning to him. He'd noticed the boy's stares had changed, recently, though he wasn't sure what it all meant just yet.

The area around them seemed to be clear, but he could sense faint traces of nen in a few places. These were still far enough that he felt confident they could shake the little army of goons. Perfect. He motioned for Kurapica to precede him, and the blond sent him a questioning look before turning around and starting off due south. Kuroro followed behind, ruminating over all that had happened so far since he'd captured the last of the Kuruta.

On the one hand, he'd manage to break through the antagonistic attitude and defensive bravado, to a point where things were nearly comfortable now. Kurapica certainly seemed more subdued. He thought he could discern a certain attraction in his gaze as well as in his actions. The blond had initiated things twice now, and that was certainly a good sign. He doubted the younger man was ready to actually sign up (so to speak) as one of the Spiders, but things were definitely progressing well.

He allowed himself a small, victorious smile as he watched Kurapica walk in front of him. The boy chose the easiest path where there would be significantly fewer traces of their passage. He walked steadily, his steps confident where so many would have hesitated. He was definitely very much at ease in the woods. It made sense, considering where the Kuruta village had been. Kuroro mentally added this to the tally of Kurapica's talents versus the difficulties in converting him into a proper Spider. Yes, he was rather pleased with himself at the moment, but he had very good reasons to feel this way.

They trekked that morning through, keeping a rather quick pace while making sure to leave as few traces of their passage as possible. They paused by a small brook in early afternoon, taking the time to refill their bottles. They might have a long road ahead, and though Kuroro had been in the general area, he wanted to cut through to the road, and he'd never actually gone that way before, having usually preferred to head straight to Gorei. Still, as loathe as he was to admit, while respecting Kurapica's ridiculous wish to keep the men who were after them alive, they were as a disadvantage. It wouldn't take long for them to realize that they hadn't been using the road, whereas their search would spread to the woods. If they fanned out, they might actually, eventually sniff them out. So, although they were sticking to the woods for now, they would better be using the road the next day, when their pursuers' attention would turn to the forest. Of course, the road would still be watched. Kuroro needed a plan. Maybe he could carjack a family wagon or something. Preferably with a family inside.

He glanced at Kurapica, sitting across from him, finishing up his meal. The boy would object, no doubt. In any case, Kuroro preferred persuasion over violence. It was far less messy to get people to give you things voluntarily than to use force to take it from them. Not that he was above such things. But he had the charms and charisma to get away with a lot of things, and he had no qualms about using it to his advantage.

The blond sat with his back ramrod straight, something that made Kuroro pause and observe his body language a little better. He didn't look upset or offended, but rather seemed to be feeling pretty relaxed. Still, he sat as if there had been a severe headmistress standing right next to him with a whipping stick. Hadn't he grown up in the forests of Lukso? Kurapica glanced up at him and tilted his head. He was obviously curious about the stare, but Kuroro didn't feel like explaining himself, so he finished his meal and got up. He stretched his limbs, then walked over to the edge of the water to rinse out his hands. Waiting for the blond to finish as well, he looked over to the woods on the other side, wondering how much more of a push Kurapica would need to fall right into his hands. Granted, the boy was opening up to him, but he still insisted on non-violent actions and borderline honest transactions throughout their trip so far. Kuroro thought it was kind of ridiculous. After all, they didn't know those people, so why was the Kuruta taking this so personally? There was no point to any of it.

He heard Kurapica start to pack the rest of their food back into their bag and he turned towards him. He watched him work quietly until the boy was done, then put the bag away. They started off again and walked throughout the afternoon. Kuroro had a rough idea of how long it would take them to rejoin the road, but he wasn't entirely sure how long that it would take. He kept scanning the woods, listening intently, projecting en as he went, aware that at any moment, their pursuers might reappear.

They paused again for a light dinner that was both cold and cheerless, then they went on their way. It was nearly night time when they finally saw a grey band of asphalt, somewhere to their front and left, just barely visible in between the tree trunks. The undergrowth was a little less dense here, and soon enough, they saw the headlights of a car driving by slowly. Too slowly. Kuroro didn't like that. He paused, and the blond took another step before he noticed him and turned around to wait for him. The Spider Head ignored him for now and cast en, pushing it as far as he could keep it, trying to get a sense of the people who were after them. It was soon apparent that things wouldn't go as well as he had hoped. He could feel the auras of people – some nen-users, some not – walking all along the road at intervals. Just how many people were in that group? It was definitely like a small army, most likely mercenaries brought together for this and loyal only to the promise of bounty.

Had Greenswold sold them out? It didn't seem likely. He might be a collector of a sort, but Kuroro didn't think that he had sold them out. He couldn't tell what gave him that impression, exactly. Perhaps it was that perfectly honest vibe that he got from the man. The Spider Head wouldn't even attempt to bribe him for any reason. Some people were simply too stupidly honest.

His eyes strayed to the blond by his side. Kurapica... was sort of an interesting case. Honest, yes, but not stupidly so, or he would never have succeeded in the Nostrade family. He wouldn't even have been working for them in the first place. He had bent, in more ways than one. But he wasn't loyal to him, not yet. It would come, though. Kuroro would make sure of it.

In any case, it was preferable to retreat for the time being. He would have liked to be able to travel faster, but to secure the boy's loyalty, he couldn't confront the army by the road. He'd take the long way around and return to the highway sometime the next day. He tugged Kurapica's sleeve lightly, since the blond was looking towards the road, obviously trying to determine the presence of possible enemies as well. It was unlikely that he could, without the use of nen, but since Kuroro wasn't ready to get into another argument over it, he didn't say anything. Instead, he waited until he had Kurapica's attention, and he tilted his head away from the road to indicate that they should return to the deep of the woods. The blond nodded and they left, silently slipping back into the thick of the undergrowth, away from the highway.

They hiked for some hours on near-silent feet. They didn't speak. There wasn't anything to say anyway, and the silence wasn't tense or uncomfortable. If anything, it actually was quite peaceful. They walked on late into the night, feeling the need to put as much distance between themselves and the road behind them. When the morning light came up over the treetops to the east, they finally took a few hours to rest. They took turns sleeping, which was probably the most obvious sign that things had definitely changed between them. Once upon a time, they would have needed to be on the look out for a possible attack from one or the other, not an outside source.

After a quick, cheerless breakfast, they were on their way again. They moved as quickly as and silently as they could. The rest of the morning passed on as equally calm as the previous day. They trekked on, heading south and east, moving somewhat parallel to the road now, only at a safe distance from it. Another pause for lunch, and on they went.

As the sun started coming down again, they found a small clearing, with a little brook running along one side of the it, possibly the same one that they had encountered the previous day. It seemed a nice enough place to camp for the night. They couldn't make a fire, of course, but they could try to get comfortable on a thick carpet of grass instead of the knobbly tree roots that had been their bed previously. Here, Kuroro felt confident enough to rest and sleep for some decent amount of time, for a change.

He got first watch, and he spent more time studying Kurapica's face than he did staring out into the woods. He would be able to sense anyone coming long before they were visible to him anyway. The blond looked quite peaceful in sleep, nearly ethereal, so pale and beautiful he was. The moon came out and its light gave the whole glade a sort of magical look.

Kuroro got up and slowly walked back and forth, on the far end of the clearing from Kurapica. He wasn't sure why, but he was feeling kind of restless. The air got a little chilly. He summoned his book so that he could retrieve his jacket from his bag. He nearly got an extra blanket for Kurapica but he decided against it. If the boy was cold, he would wake up and demand one. Feeling much better now, he went back to sit by the water. He kept part of his focus on the woods surrounding them, but he turned his thoughts inwards. He had a lot to think about; had a lot to plan for. Caught as he was in his musing, the rest of his watch went by much faster. He woke Kurapica up when it was his turn and he rolled himself up into the blanket. He pulled his jacket, which he had removed, over it and went to sleep. He kept alert still, ready to jump up at the slightest sound of alarm, but the rest of the night went on quietly. Sunlight woke him up and when he sat up, he found Kurapica standing at one end of the clearing, looking into the forest.

He got to his feet, instantly on alert, but he could feel no enemy aura. Kurapica half-turned towards him and made a slight movement to tell him to keep it down. Intrigued more than angry, Kuroro slowly made his way to the blond and stood next to him, peering into the forest. There was a strident cry, and Kuroro soon found its source. There was a colourful bird on the lowest branch of a large tree, a rare species that he knew for a fact any respectful zoo would be ready to pay an arm and a leg for.

He glanced at Kurapica. This was too good an occasion to let slip by, in more ways than one. “This species is worth about five billion zennies on the official market,” he commented.

The blond turned to him, an incredulous look on his face. “You wouldn't.”

Kuroro shrugged. “It isn't illegal, so I don't see what the problem is.” Not that he would have a problem with it even if it were illegal. “Plus, we could make a fair sum.”

“I don't care how much that specimen is worth,” the blond replied crossly. “There is no need to put it in a cage and sell it. Just leave it.”

Kuroro had an amused little smile and shook his head. Kurapica was taking the bait. Good. “But it's not worth anything to anyone out in this wilderness,” he said, mostly to get the blond even more riled up and not because he really cared either way. “While, if you sell it to a zoo, it'll get a comfortable home, food in its belly everyday and it will help educate people.”

“Not to mention, you'll have a few extra billion zennies in your bank account,” Kurapica sent back. “You always want things depending on their monetary worth. Well, I'm worth a fair sum. Are you going to bind and cage me, as well?”

“Ah,” Kuroro said, catching a blond strand between the tips of his fingers and giving it a light tug, “but I already have.” He let go and took a step back, already summoning his book. “I've quite made up my mind about this bird.” He watched the blond carefully, trying to read his thoughts on his expressive features.

“I'll not see you cage an animal that is perfectly happy in the wild,” the Kuruta went on.

“Loyalty,” Kuroro reminded him, “comes in many forms.” Kurapica, caught at his own manipulation game, could only clench his jaw and look away. Good. The boy might revert to earlier hostility for a while, but the lesson was worth it. Kuroro was not going to coddle him forever; eventually, the blond had to learn who was in charge. As he closed his book and let it disappear, bird safely in the Fun Fun Cloth, he allowed his lips to pull into a smile. “Well then,” he said, “shall we go?”

With a haughty glare, Kurapica turned away from him and started walking. Nonplussed, Kuroro followed behind him.

Chapter Text

Sometimes, Kuroro angered him to a point Kurapica could barely stop himself from throttling him. This would once have been a very welcome feeling, but it only brought up how much things had changed in the past few months. Before, Kuroro would have pissed him off by virtue of being himself, of being the Spider Head, the reason for all of Kurapica's suffering, and that would have been fine. But things were different, now. These days, when the Spider Head upset him, Kurapica was always faced with the realization that he was disappointed. That he'd expected something better, something more noble than what was.

It was yet another way to see just how much things had changed, how utterly different his perspective on his travelling companion was.

Point in case, the bird. The stupid bird that could have been living the rest of its days happily in the woods, that would have been doing exactly that if Kuroro hadn't felt the need to prove one of his stupid points home. Fine. He'd sell the bird, put it away to live in a cage forever, all of that because of Kurapica, because the blond was defying him still, because the Spider Head wanted to prove that he'd held him metaphorically caged.

Fine.

He might not have been a prisoner anymore, and he did enjoy freedom that he hadn't in his first days running with the Spider Head, but he was like a tiger on a leash. He had no illusion about his current situation. At night, he might be tangled in the older man, but one day, he would break free. One day he would turn around and tear out Kuroro's throat.

His thoughts had turned so dark and stormy, he nearly did so the moment that Kuroro put his hand on his shoulder. He managed to fight down the initial response to the touch and stopped walking instead, holding himself stiffly.

“There's a car coming,” the taller man warned, and Kurapica pretended that it didn't concern him. But the truth was that it did indeed concern the both of them. No matter what sort of a weird relationship that they had fallen into, they were still on the run from an impressive number of faceless people who kept coming against them again and again.

They'd just gone back to the road again, Kuroro ever hoping to move faster towards the city so that they could take a flight out before their enemies even realized that they'd left the woods. A car coming their way was both good and bad news, depending on who was inside said vehicle. If it were one of their enemies, they would have to disappear into the forest once more. Anyone else, and they could perhaps get a lift into town.

They were in luck, it seemed. What was coming towards them was as inoffensive as it got. It was an old Kombi panel van, orange in colour, with a flat front like it was in fashion fifty or so years ago. There was a middle-aged woman at the wheel, and she stopped for them when Kuroro hailed them. She'd driven past them by the time the car stopped, and Kuroro took the blond's hand and pulled him towards the vehicle, as if he were worried that Kurapica would ditch him then and there. Well, it was tempting.

“Hey, honey,” the woman said, leaning over a little girl who sat on the passenger seat, “are you lost?”

“We've been waylaid by bandits.” Kuroro lied as easily as he breathed. “They crashed our car. We're trying to get back into town.”

“We saw the car,” the little girl said softly.

“Hop in,” the woman invited with a wave. “Safety in numbers and all that.”

“Thank you, ma'am,” Kuroro politely said, and he slid the back door open, waving Kurapica in first. The blond climbed aboard. There were no other seat inside, but there was a sort of chest, rectangular and flat at the top, pushed against the far wall. The blond went to sit on top of it, trying not to flinch when Kuroro sat right next to him.

“Sorry,” their driver apologized. “I never expected to take in other passengers. It's not safe to sit like that, but you'll be safer there than in the woods. I can drive slower, if you're worried, though.”

“We'll be fine,” Kuroro assured her. “I'd rather get out of here as quickly as possible.”

“Understandable,” the woman agreed. She drove off and glanced at them in her rear-view mirror. Kurapica happened to notice her look, and he was about to dismiss it as unimportant, when he felt Kuroro's arm slide around his back. He tensed, ready to push away, but the Spider Head pulled him closer, effectively making the blond snuggle (unwillingly, and very much so) against his side rather intimately. Kurapica felt his cheeks heat up and when he glanced up, he caught the woman smiling at them in the mirror. He was ready to bet the bastard was doing it on purpose, too. Just to rile him up.

“Let go,” he whispered, low enough that their benefactors sitting at the front wouldn't hear him. “I don't want you to touch me.”

Kuroro turned his head so that his lips were at the Kuruta's ear, brushing against the shell as he whispered, “You usually like when I touch you.”

Kurapica had to bite his lower lip hard not to moan as the light touch sent his heart trip-hammering. He wouldn't have thought that the older man could have this effect on him when he was actually furious with him. He had obviously thought wrong. Once he felt he'd mastered himself, he hissed, “I don't.”

“Oh?” He could hear the laughter in Kuroro's voice. His hand slid down to the blond's hip and tightened there for a moment before he moved it to rest low on Kurapica's back. “We'll see about that,” he added. “Tonight, when it's just the two of us, I'll show you just how much you like my touch.”

Great, now the Spider Head had another stupid point to prove, and Kurapica had the distinct feeling that he was going to regret having spoken up. He caught the lady glancing at them in the mirror again. “Your girlfriend is really pretty,” she commented politely.

Not again. Kurapica knew that he had a pretty androgynous look, so he didn't mind her mistaking him for a girl, not really. She'd probably just seen Kuroro hanging all over him and assumed that the blond was female. What bothered him was how people seemed to mistake them for a couple when they clearly were not.

“I know,” Kuroro drawled, looking at the blond with a sort of amused half-smile that was a little unnerving. He didn't bother correcting the woman, and even Kurapica could tell that it was probably for the best, since she'd be less likely to think of them as the two males that were currently wanted by both authorities and apparently an army of (possibly) bounty hunters. It still pissed him off, though. He could at least deny that they were together in that sense. The thought made him pause. There was no denying that they were certainly physically closer than what one would expect of acquaintances and friends – not to mention enemies. Not only that, but they'd developed a sort of physical relationship that had no business existing between foes. Something that still confused the blond. Physical attraction, lust, whatever it was, he still was in no way Kuroro's lover – a term that had the word love as its root had no right to exist between them – his girlfriend, or anything of the sort.

He shifted uncomfortably and felt Kuroro's hand tighten over his hipbone, sending his heart trip-hammering, his blood pumping so loudly, he felt like the entire car echoed with the sound. He pinched his lips unhappily, trying to bring himself under control, something that Kuroro hampered by leaning in again to murmur against his ear, “Relax your features. You look angry. I know you probably are, but our driver doesn't need to know.”

Kurapica fought with himself, trying to return his face to neutral. Kuroro's hand returned to the small of his back and he gave the blond two little pats. Kurapica didn't know what to make of it. Was Kuroro somehow saying that he was proud of his efforts? Well he should save himself the trouble. Kurapica didn't care what he thought, not really. He just wanted to get to the city and then hopefully fly out that night.

He didn't want to care about what Kuroro was doing, what he was thinking and he didn't want to know what their driver thought of her two hitch-hikers or their relationship. He closed his eyes against it all, relaxed against the side of the vehicle and pretended to fall asleep. His thoughts were a mess, his feelings were a mess and nothing made sense anymore. He just had to remember his promise, remember that he would soon find Kuroro's weakness and used it to defeat him. So long as he kept this firmly in mind, the rest didn't matter. When Kuroro was dead and gone, his thoughts and feelings would sort themselves out. The pang he felt in his chest was most likely because he'd had to sacrifice so much already and yet he had to be patient and sacrifice even more so that one day, his people would finally be avenged.

He woke up suddenly from a nap that he hadn't actually intended to take. It was dark outside, but there were street lights now, flashing by quickly. He straightened up and blinked, then used a hand to wipe sleep from his eyes. He glanced out the windshield to his left and he could see the lights of the city surprisingly close.

“Good morning!” said a cheerful voice and he blinked and looked to the passenger side. The young girl was twisted around in her seat and looking at him. “We're nearly there!”

“It's going to take another ten minutes or so,” the mother told him. “You should wake your boyfriend.”

Kurapica opened his mouth, about to correct her assumptions on the nature of their relationship, but then he realized again that it was best she keep thinking them an item, not matter how erroneously. He closed his mouth, and when he felt the corner pull down into a frown, he forced them up in a wan smile. He turned around to look at the Spider Head.

Kuroro was sitting back, his long legs stretched before him, crossed at the ankles. He hand his hands on his torso and was leaning back into the side of the Kombi, seemingly asleep. But when Kurapica looked at his face, he found the dark eyes boring into his. They regarded each other in silence for some time, the minutes stretching out slowly between them. Then, suddenly, Kuroro sucked in a breath and moved, as if he'd just woken up from a nap.

“Are we there?” he asked, clearly from the benefit of their two temporary travel companions. Kurapica glanced towards the front of the car and nodded. Kuroro sat up straighter. “Can you drop us at a hotel or something?” he asked of their driver.

“Sure thing,” the woman agreed. “What kind? High end? Cheap motel? Somewhere in between?”

“Actually, I have a specific one in mind, if you don't mind,” Kuroro told her. “It just inside of the city limits, so it shouldn't be much of a detour for you.”

“I don't mind,” their driver said. “Do you mean the Alein hotel?”

“Yes,” Kuroro confirmed. “Do you know where it is?”

“I know where it is,” she assured them. “It won't take long.”

“Thank you,” the Spider Head said politely before sitting back. Kurapica looked at him, studying his face thoughtfully. Eventually, Kuroro arched his eyebrows at him in question and the blond turned away without saying anything. He wouldn't have known what to say anyway.

As their driver had indicated, they were only a short drive away, and the Kombi soon pulled up in front of a hotel. It was of decent size, looking neither too lavish or too shabby. A nice, middle-of-the-line sort of place. Kuroro thanked the woman with a charming smile, took Kurapica's hand – the blond nearly pulled it out of his grasp, but then he realized that it was for the benefit of their driver – and started walking towards the entrance. The car drove off and turned a corner.

Kuroro stopped walking. “Wait for me here,” he told Kurapica.

“Where are you going?” the blond asked, frowning in confusion.

The taller man paused. Kurapica wondered if he was going to be chastised for questioning him, but the Spider Head answered his question. “When the woman who picked us up mistook you for a young woman,” he said, “it reminded me of York Shin. I'd thought the same, and you were sitting right next to me. Now, this could be a good way to slip away from our pursuers, and to make it more believable, we should take caution that you're not seen in full light for any length of time until I can secure a flight. Which is why I want you to wait here while I get us a room, after which I will come get you and we can walk to the room together, thus limiting the number of people who see you before I can get you some disguise to help with the illusion.”

Kurapica nodded. It was a decent plan, as it went. “Okay,” he agreed. “I'll wait here.” Kuroro marked another pause where he studied the blond's face carefully. Whatever he'd been looking for, he seemed satisfied after a moment and he nodded. He turned around and made his way into the doors. Kurapica hissed after him, “Get a room with two bed!”

He didn't know if the older man heard him, as there was no indication that he had. The blond hoped that he had. He receded into the shadows, waiting for him to come back out. He could guess what had surprised the taller man. It was probably due to him agreeing to something without arguing about it. Well, he had decided to act in his own best interest, and for now, Kuroro's plan was the best they had. Hell, Kurapica himself had used it before, as the Spider Head had pointed out. It was true that he tended to butt head with Kuroro constantly anymore. But no matter how much he hated their arrangement, he still meant to go through with it. Which meant he had to try and get along with the Spider Head – for now anyway.

This wasn't the first time he'd had to remind himself of his decision, and likely wouldn't be the last, but he felt like he'd reached another milestone, though he wasn't sure why he felt this way. He looked up to the sky. Stars were shining faintly, nearly invisible due to the light pollution from the city. Kurapica was kind of tired of all the questioning, his thoughts and feelings going back and forth constantly, fighting the attraction he felt towards the older man, then remembering the choice he'd made. It seemed to just never end.

Kuroro walked out of the bright lobby and Kurapica walked slowly over to him. Silently, they made their way to the elevators, the blond careful not to look up or around, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. They made it to the elevators all right, and then up to the third floor where they had their room. Kuroro slid a keycard into the lock and opened the door. Kurapica walked in, followed by the taller man. The door shut behind them.

Chapter Text

Kurapica looked up from his book when Kuroro walked into the room, carrying some papers in a large manila envelope and a plastic bag showing the logo of a fashionable shop popular with young women. He placed a marker in it and closed it, before putting it on the end table. The room was much simpler than what they had grown accustomed to in the latter part of this little voyage. Rather than a suite, it was just the one bedroom with two queen sized beds. Kuroro didn't really mind either way. It had felt sort of nice, if a little strange, waking up next to the blond, but it wasn't exactly necessary either. Kurapica had insisted on two beds, and since Kuroro had been about to ask the front desk clerk exactly that anyway, he'd gone along with it. The demand had tempted him to ask for a king instead, but he didn't really want an argument when Kurapica had been moody all day.

The blond looked like he was fighting with himself for a moment. He was obviously curious about what Kuroro had been up to for the past two hours, but he didn't seem to want to show it. The Spider Head let him stew for a little longer, walking over to the desk that was pushed against the wall in a corner of the room. He sat on the chair and set the envelope he'd been carrying down on it. He'd had to bribe his way through this, but it was totally worth it, in his opinion. Lucky for him, officials were more than happy to receive a few million zennies to speed up the bureaucratic process. Kuroro had paid easily as stolen money was very easy to come across. He started going through the documents, not that he needed to since he'd read them at the passport office, and waited to see how long it would take for the Kuruta to ask him where he'd been.

In the end, it took quite a long time. Kuroro had had the time to go through nearly all of the papers by the time the blond spoke up. “I know you're waiting for me to feel impatient enough to ask you,” he commented. “So, now that I'm satisfied I've thoroughly bored you for long enough, I'm going to ask. Where have you been and what have you been up to?”

Kuroro nearly laughed – nearly – as Kurapica had surprised him yet again. Life was simply never boring with him around. “Passport office,” he answered, picking up Kurapica's brand new passport and lifting it up.

“I sort of gathered you were going to head there when you had me take that picture in the automatic machine in the lobby with that wig on,” Kurapica commented. “But how did you manage to get the passport done in two hours?”

“Names from gravestones with the same year of birth as we do, or nearly so. For you, I had to pick one that was a year before yours. From those, it was easy to get birth certificates, and then I just sort of sped up the process with a lot of money.”

Kurapica frowned slightly. It was an odd sort of look, with just this tiny line appearing by his eyebrow on the right side, above the bridge of his nose. “How much money?” he wanted to know, although Kuroro wasn't sure why he was asking.

“Oh, about twenty-five million zennies in total,” he answered, though the actual money was perhaps half of that. He just wanted to know how Kurapica would react to the astronomical sum.

“Stolen money, no doubt,” the blond commented with a haughty toss of his head that really rubbed Kuroro the wrong way. But he knew how to be rubbed the right way, so to speak, and he had promised to show Kurapica just how good he could make him feel. Only not just yet.

“Of course,” he told him evenly. “I need you to look at the passport, birth certificate as well as the documentation.” He pushed his chair back but didn't get up. The wheels didn't really roll all that well on the carpet, but he managed. He motioned to the papers still on top of the desk and Kurapica threw him a doubtful look, but he did walk up to the desk, standing between it and Kuroro. He started leaning forward slightly, but seemed to realize what this position would look like from behind, and he he stilled, picking up the passport and holding it up instead. When he was satisfied that it looked proper – Kuroro had even picked a name that was close to his real name – he set it down, identically examining the birth certificate. He started on the documentation Kuroro had been handed at both offices and the Spider Head let his eyes wander down the slim back.

Kuroro had never been one to deny himself something that looked appetizing, and the younger man leaning slightly over the desk in front of him proved to be very tempting indeed. Time to prove his earlier point. He slid a hand up and saw Kurapica tense slightly. The blond stopped moving halfway in turning a page, but he didn't turn around. “I thought I was supposed to be reading this?” he objected, but without any ill humour.

“There will be plenty of time for you to do that later,” Kuroro assured him, letting his fingers creep up under his shirt, caressing the skin at the small of his back, just above the waistband of his jeans. He heard him suck in a breath, and didn't see why he should resist the urge to push the T-shirt a little higher and run his lips lightly over pale, smooth skin. Kurapica's hands suddenly gripped the edge of the desk, the papers falling onto the surface with a soft sound. “Unless you'd rather keep working?” Kuroro asked, because he could afford to tease him. The blond wouldn't refuse him. He never did.

Kurapica sighed, sounding partly annoyed. “Maybe I should say I would,” he grouched, “since you've given me the option.”

“But you don't want me to stop,” Kuroro murmured, his lips still against the boy's skin, “not really.”

The Kuruta made a soft humming noise, though the older man couldn't tell if it was in assent or because of the way his mouth moved over his back. Since there was no further protest, he let his hands climb up the back of Kurapica's thighs, moving to the sides just short of grabbing his buttocks. Hands on his hips, he tried to turn him around. A mere little tug and the blond went with it, pivoting on himself. Kuroro pushed his shirt up and placed a kiss just above his belt-buckle. The blond sucked in another sharp breath, and when the Spider Head looked up, he could see Kurapica's eyes darken with desire.

“You don't need to try and prove your stupid point,” the boy informed him, the words contradictory to the look in his eyes.

“I'm not doing this to prove a point,” Kuroro said, though he sort of was. Among other things. “I just want to touch you because it feels good when I do. I thought it felt good to you too, or I don't think you'd suffer me to do it at all.”

Kurapica opened his mouth, took a breath as if he were about to launch into a rant, but then he stopped short. He let it go with a soft whoosh of air. “It does... feel good,” he admitted with obvious difficulty. “It shouldn't, but it does. You're right. There is no way I would have let you do this from the beginning if it didn't create a physiological response within my body. I'm still wondering why I didn't just punch you the first time that you kissed me.”

“Because you don't want to damage this pretty face?” Kuroro offered, covering his surprise that Kurapica had answered him honestly with a quip.

The blond snorted. “I'd like to remind you that I did damage that pretty face in York Shin.”

Kuroro laughed quietly. “That you did.”

“And yet you come to me and kiss me, touch me and do unspeakable things to me.” Kurapica levelled a sort of half amused, but still trying to look grumpy look on him. “Are you sure you're not secretly a masochist?”

The Spider Head gave him a bemused smile. “Well, you did have me chained up and were quite violent with me,” he agreed, mostly because he was secretly laughing at the thought. “I wonder if perhaps I might not be.”

“Idiot,” Kurapica muttered, and Kuroro was surprised to hear a strange note in his voice. It wasn't quite affection, but he was hoping it might become just that, in time. He didn't know whether he should wish for the blond's affection at first, but then he reminded himself that it would be better in the long run, that he'd be able to tie the blond to him and turn him into a proper Spider much faster like this.

“Yes.” Kuroro started going up the pale stomach slowly, leaving a kiss there, a gentle bite there, eventually reaching a point where he had to push himself up to his feet. “I suppose I can be a bit of an idiot at times.” He wasn't even sure what prompted the comment. He only knew that he wanted to feel Kurapica's lips against his. He let go of the blond's top and slowly got up from the chair, his hands gripping the blond's hips, pulling him closer even as he pushed against him. He pinned him against the desk, leaning in. Kurapica anticipated the kiss, and angled his head, meeting it halfway. When the older man deepened it, he made the quietest sound and his hands suddenly slid up the back of Kuroro's neck to go tangle in his hair. When the taller man pulled away, the younger man's teeth pulled at his lower lip, surprising him. When had the blond become so forward? He was learning fast. Not to be outdone, Kuroro let one hand wander lower, pulling at Kurapica's thigh, urging him to raise his leg even as he leaned into him, forcing him backwards, aiming to lay him down on top of the desk, but the younger man only leaned back a little before holding in place.

Kuroro went for his neck, biting lightly right over a previous mark that had started to fade a bit. He heard Kurapica's breath catch in his throat and grinned against his skin. He nosed up to the boy's jawline, and nipped at it just as he reached in between them to undo his belt. Kurapica made a soft, breathy sound that made Kuroro's other hand tighten over his hip bone. He growled softly, biting at the boy's jawline, just below his ear. That actually brought a quiet whimper to the blond's lips, a sound that made him want to take him there and then, a sort of raw, near violent hunger.

He tugged at the boy's jeans, making the button pop out of the socket. Another soft bite and he was going for his lips. He pressed his palm low on Kurapica's stomach, fingers pointing down, and the younger man parted his lips, his tongue flicking lightly over Kuroro's lips. The Spider Head deepened the kiss, starting to slide his hand lower.

He was surprised again when the blond pushed against him, as if to force him back into his chair. Well, Kuroro had no problem going along with this if this was what the boy wanted. He sat back down, and pulled him closer. His hands climbed up the back of Kurapica's thighs again, and the blond held his breath for a moment.

“This is insane.” It was a soft, breathy whisper, and it made Kuroro look up and meet his eyes. There was red bleeding into the cerulean blue now, a sight that he found both fascinating and exciting. He pulled at the younger man's legs gently, but it took a bit of insistence for Kurapica to slowly, hesitantly slide forward, onto his lap, the blond's knees jammed between Kuroro's hips and the armrests of the chair on either side of him. There, he looked rather embarrassed for a moment, but the Spider Head distracted him with slow kiss. When he pulled away, Kurapica once more whispered, “This is insane.”

“It is,” the taller man agreed, though he wasn't sure why. “But I dislike sanity anyway. It is horribly boring.”

Kurapica huffed out a soft laughter, his breath ghosting over Kuroro's moist lips. “You would say that,” he commented.

“I would,” the older man said in response, a teasing tone in his voice, “especially if it would get you to stop talking and start touching.”

“So demanding.” Kurapica's eyebrows arched up in amusement and he pulled back to look at his face.

This wouldn't do, so Kuroro leaned forward and grazed his teeth over the skin of his throat. He heard the boy's breath catch in his throat and it was good, so very good. He slid his hands just under Kurapica's shirt, fingertips just barely brushing against the skin underneath. When the blond let go of his breath, there was a barely audible sound in it that would be close to a whimper if it wasn't just at the very edge of Kuroro's nen-enhanced hearing. He couldn't help wondering if, with a little less pride, the younger man would be a little more vocal when feeling pleasure at his hands.

His fingers slid up the sides of Kurapica's chest, the T-shirt the blond was wearing bunching up as he went. Kurapica let out a shaky breath and placed his hands on Kuroro's forearms. He didn't push him away or anything of the sort, so the Spider Head kept going, until the Kuruta wrapped his fingers around his wrists. When Kuroro pulled away to look at his face, trying to figure out what was going on in the younger man's mind, Kurapica leaned in and stopped short, lips a hairbreadth from his. He hovered there for a minute before finally completing the movement. The kiss was soft, hesitant. None of that earlier confidence.

Kurapica's mouth was soft and pliant against his and Kuroro definitely wanted more. Yet when he tried to pursue it, Kurapica pulled at his wrists lightly. He nibbled at the older man's lips for a moment longer before he ended the kiss. “Let's stop,” he whispered, still so close that his breath mingled with Kuroro's.

The Spider Head wasn't sure why the blond wanted to stop. He didn't seem upset anymore, he didn't seem sad or anything of the sort. “Stop?” he asked, more for confirmation than anything.

“Yes,” Kurapica murmured and pressed another soft, pliant kiss to his mouth. When he pulled back, he added, “Please.”

It was that quiet, breathy please that nearly did it for him. He was very, very close to losing control, picking up the blond and carrying him to bed to ravish him thoroughly. He fought with himself for control, and managed to lower his hands, though they rested on Kurapica's hips, just over the edge of his hipbone. His tongue darted out to wet his lower lip, more because he needed to gather his thoughts than because his lips were dry. He pulled back somewhat to look at the blond's face.

There was a soft blush on Kurapica's cheeks. His eyes were a sort of muddy reddish colour that hadn't shifted all the way to the brilliant red orbs Kuroro so admired. Usually not one to look away, the blond lowered his eyes and bit his lower lip. Nothing of his thoughts showed up on his face, so Kuroro was confused. Still, if the boy wanted to stop, truly wanted to stop, he was all right with it. Mostly.

“Okay,” he acquiesced. “Do you want to shower now or in the morning?”

Kurapica blinked up at him. It was clear he'd expected some protest or maybe for Kuroro to push things. “I'll shower in the morning,” he answered at length. “Right now, I just want to sleep.”

Kuroro nodded and placed one last kiss onto the younger man's compliant lips and regretfully pulled away. “All right,” he said. He waited patiently as the blond unfolded one leg after the other and stood. He got to his feet and retrieved a clean change of sleeping clothes from his bag. He straightened up and turned to Kurapica. “I'm going to shower now. I expect you will be sleeping when I come out so good night.”

“Good night,” Kurapica murmured back and wouldn't meet his eyes when Kuroro searched his face for a moment longer. Finally, the Spider Head turned away and made his way to the bathroom. As he cleaned himself, he analyzed how the night had played out, but he couldn't find the reason for Kurapica backing out. In the end, he had no more answers when he got out of the bathroom as he had when he'd gone in. Kurapica was in his sleepwear, lying on his side in his bed, facing away from him. The rigidity in his shoulders told Kuroro he was not yet sleeping, but he didn't speak to him. Instead, he made his way to his own bed, slid under the cover and settled down to try and sleep. It was a long time before he could.

Chapter Text

When Kuroro woke up, the very first thing that he did was turn his head towards the blond, making sure he was still there. He was surprised to find the bright blue eyes looking at him. There was a pensive frown on Kurapica's face. When he seemed to realize that Kuroro was awake and he'd been caught spying on him, he turned away and pushed himself up into a seated position. He raked a hand through his hair, his strong fingers sliding easily through the silky strands even though he had just been sleeping on them. Kuroro followed the hand with his eyes before he returned his gaze to what he could see of Kurapica's face.

“I'm going to shower,” the Kuruta announced. He shuffled out from under the blankets and stood up.

“Good morning to you too,” Kuroro told him.

Kurapica turned towards him and studied his face in silence for quite some time. Kuroro tilted his head questioningly. The blond shrugged and turned away. “Good morning,” he muttered.

Kuroro smiled. “I'm going to start getting ready while you're in the shower. Are you hungry?”

“A little,” Kurapica admitted.

“Do you think it can wait until we've checked out? We should find a coffee shop somewhere to have breakfast, then get on our way to the airport.”

Kurapica shrugged lightly with only one shoulder. “Sure,” he said. “I'm sure it'll be fine. Anyway, I think decent coffee will do us more good than the dirty water they serve in hotels like this.”

Kuroro laughed softly. He couldn't help it. He had to admit that the coffee that was complimentary in hotels tended to taste horrible and was not likely to be much better than dirty water, as Kurapica had put it. “Alright, go shower then,” he told the blond.

As soon as the door closed behind the Kuruta, Kuroro started sorting through the things he'd bought. There was the wig, a loose top that was simple but definitely meant for women, and a rather tight pair of jeans for Kurapica. He'd be more comfortable flying in jeans than if he were to wear a skirt. In any case, although he had worn one when he had capture the Spider Head, Kuroro was pretty certain that Kurapica would much rather wear pants. The loose cut of the top would hide the fact that he didn't have womanly curves. He was sure it'd be good enough.

For himself, he'd gone for some trendy clothes from a fashionable shop. His denim pants were looser than Kurapica's, and his T-shirt was snug on his torso. He had a button-up shirt to wear over it that he would leave unfastened. A fashionable pendant on a leather cord would complete his ensemble. There wouldn't be as much of a need to wear a disguise once they were on the other continent and they had either rented a car or bought one.

When the blond emerged from the bathroom, he was wearing a towel around his waist, having not brought his clothes in with him when he went to shower. Kuroro got up from where he'd been making online reservations on his cellphone. “Your clothes are on your bed,” he told him as he gathered his own.

“Thank you,” Kurapica answered and made his way over to where his garments were laid out. He looked at them quietly for a moment. Kuroro observed his face carefully, wondering what was going though the Kuruta's mind. If the boy was loathe to dress in feminine clothing, he showed no sign.

Kuroro walked towards the bathroom but paused next to the blond on his way there. He studied his face silently. The blond looked up, arching his eyebrows at him. Kuroro let his eyes wander down over his chest and then back up, curious to see if he could make him react. Their eyes met and held for a moment. Kurapica was the first to look away.

Eventually, Kuroro turned away and walked to the bathroom before closing the door behind himself. He wasn't sure what was going on, but things were shifting between them and he hoped it was a good thing, proof that things were starting to go his way.

He had showered before bed and didn't need much time to wash up. He got out quickly and put on his clothes before leaving the bathroom. He wasn't particularly body shy, but Kurapica tended to be pretty awkward about these things and the Spider Head wanted to put all possible chances on the blond being more agreeable today. Rather than wear a bandage around his head as he'd done in York Shin, he opted to put on concealer to hide the mark on his forehead, which would attract less attention, especially from security at the airport. He had to use a lot of it to make sure that nothing showed, but eventually, he counted himself satisfied. When he opened the door, his eyes immediately sought the boy. He was curious to see the transformation, and he was not disappointed. Even without the wig, Kurapica could definitely pass as female, especially with how long his hair had grown. Maybe after the airport, they would do away with the wig altogether.

When Kuroro had stepped out of the bathroom, he'd seen Kurapica tense up somewhat. Since he did not speak, the blond turned towards him and tilted his head in a silent question. Kuroro walked closer but paused when the boy took a step back. They regarded each other in silence for a moment, neither turning away from the other. Minutes trickled by.

Finally, Kurapica turned away. “What time is our flight?” he wanted to know.

Kuroro studied his face carefully, the way he averted his eyes, the light blush dusting his cheeks, and thoughts started to click into place.

Well, now. This could prove interesting.

He turned away from the boy and finished gathering all of the things that they had scattered around the room during their stay. The blond stalled for another minute, then finally started helping with the last of their luggage. Kuroro called the lobby to request a taxi to drive them to the airport. When he set the phone down on the cradle, he turned towards the younger man.

“You should put your wig on,” he told him.

Kurapica looked about to say something, but he closed his mouth and went to retrieve the rest of his costume. He placed it on his head and Kuroro couldn't help the small, amused smile pulling at his lips. He took the few steps separating him from the boy and tried to place the wig properly, as well as tuck errant blond strands back under the cap.

Kurapica started to bat his hands away, but that only made more and more of his hair slip out from under the wig and Kuroro didn't back down, so he finally stopped fighting it and let the Spider Head finish. Kuroro fussed and fussed until he was satisfied and then some, just because he could. Finally, certain the wig looked perfectly natural and couldn't be detected, he let the Kuruta have his space, though he did hand him some lip gloss and mascara to complete the illusion.

Kurapica pursed his lips, but he took the items from him and disappeared into the bathroom. The phone rang and Kuroro answered it. Their taxi had arrived. The Spider Head assured the front desk that they were on their way and went to get the blond. The Kuruta was coming out of the bathroom as Kuroro reached it and he questioningly looked up at the taller man. Kuroro marked a pause. Like this, Kurapica did look like a young woman from head to toe. Had he not seen the proof for himself, Kuroro would doubt his gender at this point.

“The taxi is here,” he told him when he remembered the reason for fetching the blond. “They're waiting for us.”

Kurapica nodded and the two young men made their way out of the room and into the hallway. The elevator came quickly enough, and Kuroro gave the front desk their key cards before placing a hand at the small of Kurapica's back to lead him out of the building. He let him climb into the taxi first, then slid in and closed the door.

“Airport,” he told the driver, in case the hotel clerk hadn't told them what the destination would be. The man made a grunting sound in assent and they were off.

Observing the blond from the corner of his eye, Kuroro made polite chit-chat with their driver on the thirty minute drive to the airport. Kurapica stayed silent. He was staring out of the window, ignoring the two in the car with him. His odd sullenness was getting old fast, but Kuroro was in a good mood, and anyway, he thought he knew what was going through the younger man's head. If it was what he thought, well, things were really playing out to his advantage.

The airport wasn't very big, but it was clean, as they discovered when they walked into the building after the driver had been paid. Kuroro took a moment to get his bearings. Then he pointed to a counter and Kurapica nodded. Together, they made their way there to buy their ticket. It took some time, as they had no reservation and Kuroro wanted to have a cabin on a blimp rather than sit in the coach section, but eventually they managed to find a cabin where the reservation had been cancelled the previous night, and although its destination was much more to the south than Kuroro had hoped to go, he snatched up the tickets readily. This would be the best way to get off of a continent that was now dangerous to them, and with which they were done in any case.

That done, Kuroro turned towards the blond and caught some movement to his left, by the large entrance door. He placed his hand on Kurapica's shoulder and turned his head a fraction to spy on the people who had just walked in without being seen watching them. They seemed of an unsavoury sort, and Kuroro had the distinct impression that they were there to look for Kurapica and him.

The blond carefully followed his gaze. The Spider Head looked down at him. He knew the boy was likely going to be careful not to look like he was suspicious of the new arrivals, and so he didn't try to stop him. Still facing him, Kurapica stared at the men for a moment, then looked up at him. He wet his lips, took a breath and got onto his tiptoes to place a soft, chaste kiss on Kuroro's lips. If he'd meant for it to establish their identity as that of a vacationing couple, he wouldn't manage it haphazardly like this. Kuroro grinned against his lips and pulled him close, slipping him a bit of tongue. When he pulled away, Kurapica's cheeks were red and he quickly lowered his eyes, looking embarrassed. A quick look revealed that the suspicious group was now heading away from them. He returned his gaze to the boy who couldn't meet his gaze.

This was simply too much fun. He showed Kurapica the tickets. “Well, then,” he said, grinning at him, “we have our boarding passes, and boarding starts in,” he checked his cellphone, “a little over an hour. We should go through security.”

Kurapica nodded, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. When he caught Kuroro staring at his mouth, he cleared his throat. He seemed about to say something, then he gave a helpless shrug. “Let's go,” he said, and turned away. Kuroro expected him to stalk off, but the blond kept their cover up and actually slipped his arm around the Spider Head's. He wouldn't look up at him, but stared straight ahead.

This was becoming more and more fun. There was never a boring moment with the blond around. Kuroro let himself be escorted to the security checkpoint and they stood in line. There weren't that many people in line, and they went through in less than half an hour. After that, they only needed to find their gate and get on the dirigible. They would make it safely, Kuroro had no doubt. He wasn't sure about the possibility of them making it across the ocean without harming any of those goons sent after them, however. If it were up to him, he'd kill the whole lot of them and it would be over with, but Kurapica was still insisting on this no-kill business, so Kuroro went along with this ridiculous charade.

They easily found their gate number on their boarding passes and were soon looking up at signs to try and locate the wait area close to where they'd be boarding. It took a bit of time before they found where they were supposed to be, and there they sat on some uncomfortable chairs until their dirigible was in place. Having a cabin meant that they were the first to come aboard. Kurapica presented his papers first and was told where to find their cabin. After him, Kuroro handed the flight attendant his ticket and fake passport and was waved in.

Their cabin consisted of two booths and a table in between them. The far wall was mostly taken up by a large window. There were heavy drapes in case they wanted to block out sunlight. All in all, it looked cozy enough. They settled across the table from each other, and Kuroro got some books out for them. Just before the dirigible took off, when the captain was mumbling something unintelligible through the speakers, the door to their cabin slammed open.

It was a coarse-looking man with a cane held against his shoulder, as if he were more prepared to hit someone with it than lean on it. When he saw he had intruded on a man and what he believed to be a woman, he said something to the effect of, “Wrong cabin,” and wandered off, leaving the door open. Kuroro got up and closed it. Just as he sat back down, he felt the blimp rise in the air.

They'd made it.

Chapter Text

The first hour went by in blessed silence, broken only by the sound of pages turning as the two young men read. It was hard for Kurapica to really focus on his book, however. Things were really getting out of control, and he wasn't sure what to think about any of it anymore. If he ever was. It wasn't the disguise – that was something that didn't bother him at all. He'd worn a skirt before for the sole purpose of capturing the man across the table from him, after all. A pair of tight-ish jeans with a loose, flowery top wasn't going to annoy him, at this point.

No, what was heavy on his mind was this strong, awkward feeling he'd had when Kuroro had tried touching him the previous night. Since, he'd spent all the time analyzing that strange something that had hit him then, but he wasn't sure what to make of it all. He only knew that he was petrified. And he didn't scare easily.

For the umpteenth time that day, he found his eyes straying up, above the edge of his book, to study the Spider Head. He had no illusions that his gaze had avoided Kuroro's attention, but the older man hadn't commented so far, something that Kurapica was rather grateful for, really. The older man's face was expressionless, and he would have seemed more a wax statue than a human being, if not for the movement of his eyes sliding over the pages of his book. It was a heavy, leather-bound volume with gold lettering reading The Conquest of Brusto by the Cartharians. It was a book that Kurapica had read in the past, some years ago now. It was very informative and he'd quite enjoyed it. It was odd, really.

Kuroro's eyes slid up, and he finally acknowledged him. “I'm nearly done with this book, if you're interested in reading it,” he informed him.

The blond shook his head. “I've already read that one before.”

The older man cocked his head. “Then why are you staring at the cover like you're trying to understand what it can tell you from the title alone?”

Kurapica shrugged lightly with one shoulder and raised his own book in front of him. In his mind, this was as good an answer as any. He didn't know why he was staring at the volume in Kuroro's hand, specifically. He figured there was probably a better answer, but he didn't care to delve too deeply into his own thoughts at the moment. He tried to pick up his reading, but Kuroro was still just staring, obviously waiting for him to extrapolate his thoughts out loud.

Kurapica sighed and closed his book, though not before glancing at the page number so he could pick it up later. Only, it seemed like he wasn't going to be able to read for a while. He placed it down on top of the table that separated them. “I liked that book,” he explained, a thoughtful frown on his face as he tried to put words to the impressions and emotions he'd been feeling lately. “I really liked it a lot. I thought that it was fascinating.”

“It is,” Kuroro agreed. “I vaguely knew about the way that the Cartharians built their forts all along the Eritan Wall, but I didn't know the specific process they used to fortify their position.”

Kurapica nodded. “Yes, I really liked reading that part, too.” He realized that he was smiling and he turned his thoughts inward once more. “That's sort of what, what I was thinking about,” he continued after a moment. “Not the Cartharian forts, but the fact that,” he paused, trying to find the proper words, “that we have so much in common.” He scratched distractingly at his forehead with his thumb. “I was thinking that under better circumstances, we could have been,” he paused again, but this time, he couldn't come up with a satisfactory way to express himself, so he only shrugged.

“Friends?” Kuroro suggested.

The blond made a face. He didn't even like the sound of it. “Even just talking about it sounds wrong,” he grumbled.

If he had expected Kuroro to be offended, he was in for disappointment because the older man laughed softly. “And yet,” he said when his mirth had subsided, “we're more than friends, now.”

Kurapica's eyes went wide and he felt heat rise to his cheeks. “Don't you dare continue that line of thought,” he warned, as threateningly as he could under the circumstances.

“Why not?” Kuroro asked, and he looked rather amused. He, too, shut his book and placed it on the table before leaning over it, his large, dark eyes boring straight into Kurapica's blue ones. The blond felt his heart do a strange little rhythm that seemed to be happening more and more these days. He refused to think of what it meant. The Spider Head reached up and Kurapica nearly flinched as the older man pushed a blond strand back behind his ear. The touch was so delicate, so intimate, it was wrong. So very wrong. Kurapica found his eyes fixed on the book cover in front of him. He couldn't make himself look up. His heart thudded heavily in his chest. “Why not?” Kuroro asked him again. “It is what it is.”

Kurapica didn't want to ask what the older man thought was happening between them. He didn't think he could take the answer, whatever it would prove to be. “It's not anything,” he obstinately declared instead.

“Isn't it?” Kuroro asked with a bemused smile, his eyebrows arching higher on his forehead. “Do you mean to say that you will have sexual intercourse with anyone that shows some interest, then?”

For a moment, Kurapica was simply too scandalized by what he had heard to react. He gaped at the Spider Head, his mouth working wordlessly a couple of times before he managed to gasp out, “I wouldn't – I've never – How dare you?!”

Kuroro seemed unfazed. “Well, if nothing is happening between us yet we are having this sort of relationship, I believe that it is a valid question.”

“Don't try and make this a normal situation in any shape or form,” Kurapica growled. “I believe that I've told you many times now that this,” he waved vaguely between them, “is highly unusual and that my feelings are not going to come into play. You should be happy. I'm not trying to murder you anymore, am I?”

“You never really tried,” the Spider Head pointed out.

“To kill you?” Kurapica haughtily tossed his head and fixed a cold glare on the older man. “I was very determined to kill you, had your group not captured my friends.”

“No,” Kuroro insisted, “you did not try to kill me. Not once. I'm alive, aren't I?”

“Like I said,” Kurapica began, but the Spider Head interrupted him.

“You wanted to kill me but my people had your friends – a fine excuse. No,” He reached over the table again and trailed the back of his fingers gently down Kurapica's cheek, “had you really intended for me to die, there is no way that I could be alive right now. You would have struck before you'd even realized that your friends were still in our hands.”

Kurapica was about to angrily retort something, but then he paused. As much as he hated to admit it, the older man had a point. Had he killed Kuroro in that hotel lobby, everything would have finished much, much sooner. There was even a slight chance that the confusion the Spiders would have suffered at finding their powerful leader dead would have been enough to attempt a rescue. Of course, there was also the chance that Gon and Killua might have been killed in retaliation. Still, the point remained; he hadn't wanted to kill the Spider Head, not if he could find another way to defeat him. He was sick of blood and death.

“Whatever,” he murmured, turning his head to the side, to gaze out of the large window. Kuroro's hand followed him and slid from his face, down to his neck. He found himself sucking in a breath, suddenly. His heart went even faster, and he was starting to get a little dizzy. Two finger tips slid over his collarbone and he bit at his lower lip.

Kuroro unexpectedly retreated. He sat back firmly in his seat and picked up his book. He didn't open it, however, but simply held it on his lap as his dark, dark eyes studied the young man sitting across the table from him. Kurapica could feel the weight of his gaze and it didn't help him feel any less self-conscious. Some time went by in silence.

Finally, Kurapica had had enough. “Why are you staring at me?” he wanted to know. He didn't turn to look at the Spider Head, but pretended to be interested in seeing the clouds fly around them in tight, cottony formations.

“Because you're beautiful,” the older man told him, “and I like looking at you.”

Kurapica frowned at the blue and white scenery outside. “You always say that,” he accused, but without any heat.

“Because it is the truth,” Kuroro answered.

Kurapica felt the heat in his cheeks intensify, but he didn't speak up again. It took a good, long while before Kuroro stopped staring at him. The Spider Head finally opened his book and started reading again. Kurapica was left even more troubled and confused than he'd already been feeling since the previous day.

It took the better part of a day to cross the ocean, and because of the time difference, it was early the next morning when they landed, although they'd only been flying for about ten hours. Being quite early, their blimp was one of the first to land in the large airport that day, so there was minimal wait to go through immigration. Kurapica was worried that the officers manning the stations would be sort of bored and might look a little more carefully at their passport than was perhaps safe, but Kuroro looked supremely confident as he handed his papers to the employee. A light nudge of his elbow, and the blond presented his passport. The man behind the counter looked briefly at the passport, glanced at each of them in turn and scanned the barcode into his computer before waving them through. To help with their cover, they had each checked in a suitcase, and they had to wait by the conveyer belt until the luggage from their flight came through.

They grabbed their bags and finally made their way out into the airport's parking lot. The sky was pale, with soft colours towards the east where the sun was about to peek above the horizon. The air was chilly, compared to what it had been before. No warm ocean currents to warm the air here. It was still summer, but the nights were likely to be cool while, in daytime, the temperature would soar. Kurapica rubbed at his bare arms lightly, looking around them to get his bearings. “Do we rent a car here, or do we get a taxi?”

“Let's take a taxi,” the Spider Head suggested. “We can buy a car when in the city proper and it would probably be cheaper.”

Kurapica wasn't sure why Kuroro wasn't just ordering him around. According to him, the blond was now – to his horror – one of his underlings. But more and more, he seemed to be using suggestions rather than commands. Kurapica wasn't sure what it meant. Yet another thing he didn't want to think about too much.

“Sure,” he said with a shrug and he raised an arm to hail a taxi. The cab pulled up right in front of them, though there was a stop a little further on where they were supposed to pick up passengers.

The driver stepped out of the car. “Here, miss,” he said with surprising pep, “let me help you with your bag.” He went around the car and deftly took the suitcase from Kurapica's hand before making his way to the boot of the car.

Kurapica caught the amused look Kuroro sent his way before he went to join their driver and get his luggage put away. The blond pursed his lips, though he was more amused than offended. Apparently, his disguise was working amazingly well. Good. He slid onto the backseat and waited until the (other) two men got in as well. Then they were off.

Kuroro kept a seemingly asinine conversation with their driver, starting with hotel recommendations, followed by fashionable shopping districts around town. Kurapica half-listened, wishing he'd kept his book out of his suitcase. The Spider Head decided on a hotel downtown, which was close to all of the 'good stuff,' according to their driver. Kurapica hid a yawn behind one hand, which brought about comments about the jet lag they were likely to experience. The blond nodded at polite intervals in the blabber coming from their cabbie, but he was too tired to bother with more than that.

Thankfully, the hotel was a half hour drive from the airport, and their driver got their luggage taken care of by a porter so “the little lady doesn't tire herself.” If Kuroro was amused before, his eyes now shone with unmistakable mirth. Kurapica simply arched an eyebrow at him, to remind him that it was his idea to begin with. The blond was probably able to beat these men, the driver and porter both, at a game of strong arm. Easily. Using his weaker hand. Kurapica still wasn't going to complain if they wanted to carry his luggage for him, though.

They went in, got a nice suite with two bedrooms, and were soon left to their own device. At last. Kurapica was exhausted. He caught Kuroro casting another glance at him. “I'm going to nap for a few hours,” he informed him. “Is there anything we need to do today?”

“Just a bit of shopping,” the older man told him. “You can sleep as long as you need. So long as we leave sometime in the early evening, we should find shops that are still open.”

“Good,” Kurapica sighed. He walked to one of the doors and peeked into the room. There was a double bed, a nightstand, an armchair and a dresser. This would be fine. He glanced back towards the older man. “Well, then, good night,” he said, because it felt rude to just walk out of the room without a farewell.

“Good night,” was the answer he got, just before he closed the door.

He quickly changed into his sleepwear, slid under the covers and let sleep claim him.

Chapter Text

Kurapica opened his eyes and blinked a few times, trying to wake up properly. Immediately, his gaze sought out what had awoken him. Sitting on his bed, staring at him and completely immobile to a point that was sort of creepy, was the man responsible for all of his recent doubts and heartache. The blond groaned and turned to his other side so he wouldn't have to look at him. It always made his chest ache oddly when he looked at him, lately, like something was squeezing his ribs in. It wasn't a comfortable feeling, physically or emotionally.

“Good morning,” the older man greeted.

Kurapica didn't bother returning the sentiment. “What time is it?” he mumbled instead.

He felt the mattress shift as the Spider Head no doubt pulled his cellphone out of his pocket. “Three-thirty pm, or just about.”

Kurapica let out another frustrated groan. “I thought I was allowed to sleep as long as I needed?” he reminded the older man.

Kuroro chuckled. “Perhaps, but I've been awake for hours and I was rather bored.”

“So read a book,” the blond sent back.

“I've done that,” Kuroro told him. Kurapica could hear the amusement in his voice. The mattress dipped a little, so Kurapica expected the touch when it came. The older man's hand was warm as it slowly slid down his back, starting at the back of his neck and going low, only stopping just above his buttocks. A pause, and it slowly went all the way up again. Kurapica held his breath. “Come on,” the Spider Head said, and his hand withdrew. “We have a lot to do tonight. It would be advantageous to start early.”

“A lot to do?” Kurapica echoed. “You mentioned shopping.” He twisted his upper torso to look back at the older man.

Kuroro nodded. “Yes,” he acquiesced. “We have to get you a uniform, then forge some school records. You're going to be a high school student applying to MIU. One of the professors at that university is rumoured to own a pair of Scarlet Eyes.”

“All right,” Kurapica said with a sigh and sat up. “I'm up, I'm up.”

Kuroro's lips twitched into something that wasn't quite a smile. Suddenly, he closed the distance between them and kissed him. It only lasted a split-second and he was gone, leaving Kurapica stunned, his heart hammering in his chest. Then the Spider Head got to his feet. “He's also rumoured to be quite the pervert.”

“Oh,” the blond spoke before he realized what he was doing, “you two should get along pretty well, then.”

A soft exhale that wasn't quite a snort was all that showed of Kuroro's amusement. “He has a propensity for bringing young female students back to his house. He seems to be especially fond of high school uniforms.”

“I'm going as a female student?” Kurapica suddenly realized. “I thought – anyway.”

“Problem?” Kuroro wanted to know.

“How about you dress up like a high school girl and see if there's a problem,” the blond hissed.

Kuroro chuckled. “I might not look my age,” he pointed out, “but I look much too old to pass for a high school student.”

Kurapica turned away from him with a disgusted grunt. “How do I know you haven't planned all of this because you want to see me dressed in a short skirt?”

“You don't,” Kuroro answered airily. “Come on,” he repeated, “I made coffee. We can eat breakfast when we're at the shopping strip.”

The older man pushed himself to his feet and walked out of the room, obviously expecting Kurapica to follow. The blond made a face at his back and refused to budge from his spot in the very centre of the bed until Kuroro was out of view. He hid a yawn behind his hand, then raked his finger through his hair before scratching at the back of his head, blinking blearily. Time to get up. He shuffled to the edge of the mattress and placed his feet on the carpeted floor.

He sat there a moment, still trying to get his bearing. He usually awoke much easier than this, but he felt extremely groggy and sluggish. It was probably due to jet lag. He yawned again and tried to decide whether he wanted a shower first, or coffee.

Kuroro's head appeared in the doorway. “I thought you had gone back to sleep,” he told the blond. “I poured you a cup of coffee. It's waiting for you.”

Well, that decided it for him. He grunted a wordless, acquiescent answer and pushed himself to his feet. He shuffled towards the door and Kuroro retreated. When the blond stepped out of the room, he found the older man sitting on the couch, a steaming cup of coffee in one hand. Another one was sitting on the low table in front of him, obviously for him. Kurapica made his way over and picked it up. He took a sip to see if he needed to add anything for it to be to his taste. He didn't.

He went around the table and sat on the couch next to the Spider Head. He saw the man turn towards him and squared his shoulders, not knowing what to anticipate from him. Watching him carefully from the corner of his eye, he took another sip of his coffee.

When he had Kurapica's attention, the older man smiled. “Good morning,” he greeted again.

Kurapica marked a pause. “Good morning,” he finally answered.

Kuroro's smile widened and if anything, he looked genuinely happy that Kurapica had greeted him. The blond filed this information away, unsure of what to do with it at the moment. He sipped his coffee slowly. He kept catching the older man looking at him, but Kuroro didn't break the silence and neither did he. Eventually, he managed to get to the bottom of his mug and he got up for a refill.

“Get me some too?” Kuroro said behind him and when the blond turned to look at him, he saw that the older man was holding his own mug up for him to take it from him. Wordlessly, Kurapica obtemperated, grabbing the cup before making his way to the counter where the coffeemaker sat. He filled both mugs and fixed his coffee before returning to the couch with the two mugs. Kuroro took his from him and took a sip as Kurapica sat down.

The blond sighed softly. The coffee felt wonderfully warm as it slid down his throat and sat in his stomach. He felt better with every sip. The silence used to be so tense between them, but it felt more and more natural – a fact that Kurapica wasn't sure what to feel about.

“So,” he began, because his thoughts were starting to confuse him and he didn't want to keep thinking himself in circles, “you mentioned shopping and forging papers?”

“Yes,” Kuroro emptied his mug and set it down on the coffee table. “How quickly do you think you can be ready?”

“I want to take a shower,” the blond informed him as he finished his own coffee. “Give me a half hour?”

Kuroro nodded. “I'm ready to go whenever. A half hour is fine.”

Kurapica got up and picked up Kuroro's mug. He went to the sink and put the cups in, after filling them with a bit of water so they wouldn't stain. Then he went to his room to retrieve some of his new, female clothing. He only had the one pair of jeans, but he had a couple of tops. No doubt Kuroro would insist that they buy more. Kurapica wasn't sure how long he'd have to keep the charade. Well, he didn't really mind. If he had to choose between male or female clothes, he'd opt for male, but he wasn't the kind of guy who would freak out at the thought of dressing as a woman.

He went into the bathroom and showered quickly, then used the hotel hair dryer before getting himself dressed. When he came out, Kuroro was still on the couch, a book in his hand. He looked up as the door opened.

“Hey,” he greeted. He looked him up and down slowly. “Dark colours look good on you,” he commented with a smile.

Kurapica shifted uncomfortably. “Um, thank you, I guess.”

Kuroro arched an eyebrow and his smile widened. Rather than comment, he asked, “Are you going to add makeup?”

The blond nodded. “Just a bit. Do you think I should wear the wig?”

Kuroro closed his book, set it down and got to his feet. He walked closer and Kurapica had to resist the urge to take a step back. The taller man raised his hand, making the blond tense up. Fingers slid through his hair and cupped the back of his skull. He was pulled forward, gently but insistently, and after a moment, he went with it. He expected the kiss but it still took his breath away.

When Kuroro pulled away, he murmured, “You can put your makeup on, now. I didn't want lip gloss to stain my mouth.”

Kurapica snorted. “Idiot,” he said, but somehow his tone wasn't angry or disgusted. He refused to delve too deeply into the fact.

Kuroro arched his eyebrows. “Now that's an accusation no one else has ever made,” he commented. He tiled his head to look at Kurapica's hair. With his hand, he pulled it to the side, like a tiny ponytail. Most of the hair slid out from between his fingers, but he still managed to have a decent little bunch remain in place. “Do you own any hairbands?”

“No,” the blond answered right away. “Anyway, the hair keeps falling out.”

“With some clips or pins, we could just tie it like this, then add a fake ponytail of the same colour and you could do without the wig. We're changing identities anyway, so we might as well.”

Kurapica thought about it for a moment, but it wasn't much of an inner debate. “The wig is hot,” he said. “I'd rather do it this way.”

“All right, we can leave your hair down for now,” Kuroro let go and took a step back.

The Kuruta found he could breathe again. His tongue darted out to wet his lips. “I'm going to put my makeup on,” he told, somewhat needlessly. “Are you going to hide the mark on your forehead again?”

Kuroro smiled. “Yeah, I'm going to do it now. Meet here in five?”

“Sure,” Kurapica said with a shrug. He made his way back to his room and got the small pouch of makeup that Kuroro had bought for him. A bit of powder, eyeliner then lip gloss. It was light, barely showing, but it was just enough to fool anyone into thinking he was female. When he met with Kuroro again, the older man had indeed used some concealer to cover his tattoo. The older man offered him his arm, and Kurapica looked down at it, then up at his face, before turning away and making his way out of the suite. If Kuroro was offended, he did not comment. Anyway, Kurapica was pretty certain he was doing it just to ruffle his feathers.

They took a taxi to the shopping district. Their first stop was at a coffee shop, where they filled up on more caffeine and had a breakfast of sorts. After that, it was on to the shops. The first stop they made was at an accessory store where they found different hair adornment and fake ponytails for Kurapica to use. Then, after a quick detour into an alley to add the fake hair and a few decorations, they went to a professional photo studio where they had their photo taken, passport size, quite a few of them each. Kuroro wanted new passports, a new driver's license for himself and a student card for Kurapica. They made all of these in an office supply store. The Kuruta was pretty amazed at how easy it actually was. They also got fake birth certificates, Kuroro identifying himself as Kurapica's brother and legal guardian. A few items of clothing for the both of them, but the Spider Head assured Kurapica that he wouldn't need to keep up the female persona for too long, so they didn't buy many.

They bought the uniform from a school. With the fake student ID, it was easy. The Spider Head concocted a story to explain how Kurapica's uniform had been ruined, and the clerk at the little school supply shop gobbled it all up. It was clear that Kuroro had prepared for this. When the blond asked about it, he confirmed that he'd looked some things up online while Kurapica slept.

With all of their errands done for the day, they took a taxi back to the hotel. The minute they were inside of their suite, Kurapica headed for his bedroom, when the Spider Head called out after him, “Try the uniform on.”

Kurapica paused. Half-turning towards the older man, he asked, “You want me to try it on?” It was a silly question, of course, but the blond was dumbfounded by the request. Why would Kuroro want to see him in this?

“Just to see what it looks like on you,” the taller man answered.

Kurapica stared at him for a moment. “Pervert,” he accused with a huff, turning away and strode into his room. He shut the door with his foot and dropped his bag on top of the mattress. He made quick work of it, changing into the uniform and tying his hair as best he could without a mirror. He attached a curly ponytail that draped over his left shoulder. He was pretty certain that the look would be satisfactory.

He made his way out of the room to see what Kuroro thought of it, his eyes immediately seeking out the older man. Kuroro's eyebrows arched high on his forehead, making the blond feel even more self-conscious and embarrassed. But oddly enough, it didn't bother him too much.

Kuroro's eyes looked him up and down slowly. “This pervert approves,” he said with a nod.

“Idiot,” Kurapica muttered, and he found that his eyes were somehow drawn to the floor. It was hard to look at the older man at the moment. He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. “So, can I change now?”

There was a long pause, where Kurapica couldn't look at the Spider Head, not wanting to see whatever expression was on his face. Finally, Kuroro answered, “Yes, you can change now. I think the plan will work without any problem at all.”

Kurapica nodded, hesitated, swallowed, and finally turned to retreat to his room. The door couldn't close fast enough between them.

Chapter Text

Kurapica awoke to the smell of coffee. Having slept a good portion of the previous day, he'd read until very late and had only gone to sleep when he'd noticed the sky getting brighter with the predawn. He cracked one eye open, and there was Kuroro, sitting on the edge of his bed, sipping from a mug and watching him. Seeing the blond was awake, he smiled. “Good morning,” he greeted cheerfully. “I made coffee.”

He pointed to the nightstand, where there was another steaming cup. Kurapica turned onto his back with a groan before stretching from head to toe. His sleeveless top hitched higher and he quickly lowered it before Kuroro could do something horribly embarrassing again. Pushing himself into a seated position, he hid a yawn behind one hand before raking his fingers through his hair. He tried blinking the sleep from his eyes and was only partially successful at best. He reached for the mug. “Are we leaving today?” he questioned, curious.

“Yes,” Kuroro confirmed. “It will take us a few days to reach Mir-Idlin. We might as well get started now.”

Kurapica nodded and took a sip of coffee. He glanced at Kuroro as he swallowed. “Must you always stare at me like this?” he asked.

“Like what?” Kuroro wanted to know. He brought his own mug to his lips, eyes still on Kurapica above the rim of the cup.

The blond shrugged. “Just – stop waking me up by staring at me, it's creepy.”

Kuroro swallowed his mouthful of caffeine, his eyebrows raising high on his forehead. “Creepy?”

“Yes,” Kurapica insisted. “Creepy.”

“How would you like to be awoken, then?” Kuroro prodded.

“I don't know,” the blond replied. “Anything but you just staring at me. Poke or nudge or at least blink once in a while.”

“I blink,” the older man pointed out, an amused smile on his lips. “You're just not awake to see it.”

“Whatever.” Kurapica decided to focus on his coffee. This conversation was going nowhere anyway.

Kuroro patted him twice on the side of his hip. “Finish your coffee and get ready. I'd like to sleep at an inn or something tonight, which means we'll have to make good time if we want to reach a town where we'll have a better chance of finding a bed to sleep on.”

The Spider Head got up and took the few steps that separated him from the door. He turned around, so Kurapica set his coffee down and shuffled to the edge of the bed and put his feet on the floor. “I'm up, I'm up,” he assured him. He stood and picked up his coffee mug again. He drained it in one go and walked to Kuroro. He handed him the empty cup.

Kuroro's eyebrows arched up again. An amused smile tugged at his lips, but he didn't comment. He took the mug from him and left the room. Kurapica went to take a shower. He wore his regular jeans and a tank top, then slipped a loose blouse on top, meaning to take it off in the car. Rather than wear makeup, he opted for a pair of large sunglasses. As soon as their things were all packed up, they left. Kuroro had acquired a car somehow. Kurapica didn't want to know where he'd gotten the sleek blue thing. He doubted it had been paid for, in any case. A quick stop to buy food for the trip, then another quick detour towards a drive-through for some decent coffee and breakfast, then they were on their way.

Kurapica turned on the radio and found a classical music station. When he was done eating, he took a book out and pretended to read. In truth, his mind was roiling, his thoughts furiously whirling around, and none of the words on the pages of his novel really registered. He caught Kuroro glancing at him a few times, but he was resolute to ignore him. He pretended not to notice him, although he certainly did.

As soon as they left the suburbs behind, Kurapica took off the blouse and slipped on a T-shirt as best he could, considering that he had a seat-belt on. It took a bit of manoeuvring, but he managed. It was easier to read without sunglasses on, but it was harder to pretend to, when his eyes weren't hidden. After a while, he chucked the book onto the back seat and turned slightly towards the car door. He pretended to sleep instead.

Things were bad. Things were extremely bad, and he wasn't sure what to do about any of it anymore. This... thing that he had with the Ryodan leader was not supposed to shake him as thoroughly as it had. He'd had a goal, had something he meant to do with this, but his little game had played him. There was simply no way that he could keep the man at a distance anymore.

He'd pull through, in the end. He couldn't see how he would manage at the moment, but he'd find the strength to keep some part of himself, at least. The Spider Head was cunning, and it seemed like everything that he did or said had multiple layers, composed of various degrees of honesty or deceit. Kurapica didn't know how to distinguish lies from truths, so he tried to assume that every word out of his mouth was a lie, yet the fact that the things Kuroro said were getting to him somehow proved that he was failing horribly.

This had been the question from the very beginning, hadn't it? Could he keep his head? From the very first time that he'd considered taking the older man on his proposition – and that he'd even considered it to begin with was a miracle in and of itself – he'd wondered where the line was. He'd had no experience before him, and it was really hard figuring out what the emotions raging inside of him amounted to. Passion, lust, desire, or actual, actual affection?

It had been easier to think of it in terms of lust. Physical attraction. Desire. It was all so much easier to brush it off as just his body finally demanding he act his age. Teenage years were supposed to be a time where one was more likely to indulge in these things, according to what he'd read back when, well, back when he started developing feelings for one of his new friends. The Hunter exam seemed so far, a whole lifetime ago. Damn, he hoped he hadn't made a horrible mistake there. It was hard to think of Leorio and not feel like this was all wrong.

“What are you thinking about?” Kuroro asked him.

Kurapica smoothed his features. “Nothing,” he said. “I'm sleeping.” Well, obviously not. “Trying to,” he amended.

“You were frowning,” the older man remarked. “Whatever your thoughts were, they can't be helping you sleep.”

“I was thinking I had too much coffee to manage a nap,” the blond lied.

Kuroro chuckled, a soft, deep sound that did something funny inside his chest. Kuroro. When had Kurapica started thinking of him as Kuroro? Not the Spider Head, not the Ryodan leader or bastard or even jerk, but Kuroro. His name. His first name. If it was indeed his name and not another lie.

Man, it was all messed up.

“You're frowning again,” the older man pointed out.

“I know,” he grumbled. “Leave me alone.”

A few kilometres went on in silence, something that Kurapica was grateful for. Not that it helped him put his thoughts in order. His ears were still listening intently for any sound from Ku– from the Spider Head. His chest still felt tight; his feelings and his head were a complete mess. Eventually, the sound of the wheels on the asphalt and the gentle vibration of the car lulled him to sleep.

He awoke with a start and sat up. Kuroro glanced at him. The blond blinked a few times, then tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. A few more blinks and he hid a yawn behind one hand before glancing at the clock on the dashboard. It was nearing one in the afternoon.

As if he'd followed his train of thoughts, the older man asked, “Hungry?”

“A little,” Kurapica had to admit. He looked around, trying to get his bearings. They were on a quiet road, driving through a woodland with little underbrush and very tall trees. “Where are we?”

“Nowhere, really.” Kurapica sent his companion – were they companions now?! – a look. “I'm serious,” Kuroro insisted. “We drove through Haewos half an hour ago, and won't see another town until nightfall. We're in the middle of nowhere.”

He slowed down and pulled over, carefully driving off of the road and under the trees. He put the car in park, undid his seat-belt and reached back for the bags of food that were on the bottom of the car, behind Kurapica's seat. He pulled one onto his lap, dug around for a sandwich and handed it to Kurapica. The blond looked at him for a moment. Why wasn't he just helping himself? He didn't need to give him this. Realizing that he was staring, Kurapica took the small triangular box. “Thank you,” he acknowledged politely before he unfastened his own seat-belt.

Kuroro hummed in response, dug through the bag and retrieved another sandwich before setting it back behind the passenger seat. He peeled the plastic front off and got half of his meal out, then met Kurapica's eyes. The blond realized that he'd been staring. He opened his own container. They ate in silence for some time, until the older man chucked the empty package on the back seat.

“So what's got you so pensive?” he asked Kurapica.

The younger man glanced back at the small container and made a face, then glanced down at his own. He took out the second half of his sandwich and took a bite, trying to gain himself some time to figure out how to answer the question.

“The past,” he finally said, truthfully enough.

Kuroro stretched his arm back behind his seat and fished out a bottle of water from another bag. “Yeah?” he prodded, uncapping it. He took a sip. “Anything specific?”

“The Hunter exam,” the Kuruta told him, because it was the safest answer.

“You kept making faces,” Kuroro pointed out. “I know the test is supposed to be gruelling, but is it really that bad?”

Kurapica glanced at him. “I doubt you'd find it difficult.” He wasn't hungry anymore, so he put the rest of his sandwich back in the little container. A shadow fell across him and he looked up just in time for Kuroro to catch his lips in a kiss. It was chaste, certainly nowhere near as provocative as other things they had done, yet it left him breathless, his heart beating so fast and loud, he thought it would come out of his chest.

When he pulled away, Kuroro was holding the rest of his lunch. “Thank you,” he drawled and took the rest of his sandwich back out of the plastic box before taking a bite.

Kurapica was frozen in place. He realized that he was gaping, but he couldn't will himself to move for the longest time. When his brain finally rebooted, he protested, “That's my lunch!” As if this was what had shocked him.

“So?” Kuroro asked, finishing the food. “You weren't eating it.” The box joined the first one on the back seat.

“That's no reason to steal it,” Kurapica grumbled. “What if I wanted to eat the rest later?”

“We've got plenty more food,” Kuroro pointed out. He glanced at him and had a sly sort of grin. Kurapica was instantly on his guards. “I don't think the sandwich is the problem,” the Spider Head said. He leaned into his space again and Kurapica had to resist the urge to back away. “I think, rather,” he began, holding the blond's chin gently between his thumb and fingers, “that this unsettles you now.” He closed the distance between them once more.

This kiss was more insistent, Kuroro's lips nibbling at his own. He kept it slow, firm but gentle. He didn't push it too far, kept it mostly close-mouthed and pulled away after a moment. Before Kurapica could move away, the older man slid his fingers into his hair, fingers tangling in the blond strands and pulled him into another one. He hummed against the younger man's mouth and Kurapica took in a shaky breath. Parting his lips turned out to be a bad idea. The kiss turned deeper, hotter and Kuroro's fingers were digging nearly painfully into the back of his skull. His teeth scraped over Kurapica's lower lip and it was suddenly the blond's turn to get more forceful. Before he even realized what he was doing, he grabbed Kuroro's shirt collar and pulled him in. There was nothing gentle about this kiss. Kuroro's hand fell to his far hip and he pulled him in. The gear stick jammed into Kurapica's thigh and he pulled away.

“Enough!” he growled. “That's enough.” He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, sitting back against the passenger door. When he looked up, the look on Kuroro's face took his breath away. “We have, have to be in town by nightfall, don't we?” he managed when the tightness that had suddenly gripped his throat relented. “We should go.” He wet his lips. “Stop looking at me like that!”

Kuroro's face closed up. “Like what?”

“Just, just drive,” Kurapica urged him. He turned away, ostensibly so that he could fetch his seat-belt, but really, just so he didn't have to see the naked desire in the older man's eyes. Desire and something else, something he didn't understand, something that scared him. It wasn't the cold, calculating look that he'd had at the beginning of this mad little adventure. It was softer, more open, honest.

It terrified him.

There was a long moment of silence, then Kuroro twisted the key in the ignition and drove back onto the road. He stepped on the accelerator, going way above the speed limit now, but Kurapica couldn't find it in himself to protest. He just didn't want to talk or look at him anymore. He refused to feel guilty, but it still gnawed at him, the rest of the day. Fast as they were going, they reached a small hamlet just before sunset. There was a small inn, but it was full. They drove on.

An hour later, they reached a more sizable town where they found an inn that had a room available. As luck would have it, there was only the one bed, but Kurapica refused to let it get to him. He got out of the blouse he'd slipped back on, took off his jeans and got into a pair of cotton pants. He slipped under the blankets, his back to Kuroro, and listened to the sounds coming from the older man as he, too, changed into his sleepwear.

Then Kuroro got into bed as well and the blond tensed up somewhat, expecting him to perhaps touch him, or something. Minutes passed, or maybe it was hours. He couldn't tell. It was if the world was holding its breath and waiting. Or maybe he was.

It took him a long, long time to fall asleep.

Chapter Text

Kuroro awoke to the definite sensation that he was being watched. He took a moment to take stock of his surroundings, keeping his eyes closed and focusing all of his attention on what he could hear and feel instead. He'd crawled into bed after a long, awkward day driving through the countryside with Kurapica, with whom he was currently sharing a bed, actually. This was probably the source of the stare he could feel.

He smiled, keeping his eyes closed still. “Are you blinking?” he asked the blond.

He heard a light snort. “Idiot,” the younger man accused, though there was no anger in his tone.

The mattress dipped and shifted. Kuroro finally opened his eyes. The blond was on his back now, looking up at the ceiling, a thoughtful frown pulling his eyebrows closer together above the bridge of his nose. Kuroro took this opportunity to study the boy's face. It would have been easy to pull him in, making the blond blush, making him look flustered and embarrassed. He had half a mind to do it, but refrained. There was a shift happening in the boy's disposition, he was certain of it. It would be so easy to push him further, but Kuroro had done that the previous day and it had made things awkward. In any case, he kind of wanted Kurapica to move closer on his own now. He'd already bound him tightly, metaphorically speaking. Now, it was time to slowly let go once more, to see if the boy would stay, to see if he would remain by his side of his own accord.

Kurapica glanced at him from the corner of his eye. “You're definitely not blinking now,” he remarked.

“What can I say,” Kuroro answered, a smile pulling at his lips, “I like observing beautiful things.” He lifted a hand and slid the back of his fingers down the Kuruta's cheek. Kurapica coloured slightly and closed his eyes. This was too easy.

It was so tempting to do more, but he controlled himself. Anyway, they had another long drive ahead, and he wanted to leave early so that they could get to Mir-Idlin before sundown. Technically, registration for the university officially started three days from then, but he wanted to spend the day just before it began actually investigating the professor, who definitely should not be earning enough to afford a pair of the precious living rubies. He wanted to be on site, to get the general layout of his house. One could never be too well prepared, after all.

He sat up, raking his fingers through his hair before letting his hand fall onto the mattress. He glanced at the blond. Their eyes met. After only a moment, Kurapica's gaze slid away. He looked embarrassed and Kuroro hoped that it was a good sign, that perhaps the boy was wishing that he would do something.

“We should get ready to leave,” the Spider Head told him instead. “I'll be driving all day again and I'd rather start early.”

Kurapica's shoulders slumped, but whether it was from relief or disappointment, Kuroro couldn't say. “Okay,” the blond said, pushing himself up and sliding his legs off the bed. He sat on the edge a moment and repeated, “Okay.”

Kuroro got to his feet and glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand next to the younger man. It was just a little before seven in the morning. Not too late. “You should take your shower first while I go downstairs to see if the owner is up and we can have some coffee. She probably won't expect you to have make up on, so you don't need to bother with that today either.”

The blond nodded and went to his bag to retrieve a change of clothing while Kuroro checked the hallway to make sure that the coast was clear so that Kurapica could slip into the bathroom unobserved. On a nod from the older man, he quickly walked across the narrow space between the two doors. Satisfied now that he'd heard the lock slide into place behind the boy, Kuroro made his way down the staircase and into the kitchen, still dressed in loose cotton pants and T-shirt.

He found their hostess in the kitchen, already busy with the makings of breakfast. When he enquired about coffee, he was invited to sit down and have some food as well, free of charge. He thanked her and accepted the offer, making sure to mention that neither he nor his travelling companion were morning people, so that she wouldn't try to pull them into some idle chatter. She accepted the excuse gracefully and without question, probably being well used to it. He was starting on the second half of his bagel when Kurapica walked into the room, wearing fitting jeans, an oversized blue sweater, the type that was in fashion with teenage girls, and the hair piece, attached to a low ponytail.

They ate quietly, both apparently focused on their breakfast, but Kuroro's attention was fully on the blond, and he was certain that it was reciprocal. When he was done eating, Kuroro left the younger man to his food and went to shower and get dressed. Kurapica was waiting for him in their room when Kuroro finished getting ready. He'd packed their bags and was reading, sitting on the bed, propped against the headboard. When the older man walked in, he looked up and strange expression flitted over his beautiful face. It was gone as quickly as it arrived, and he closed his book with a muffled thump.

Kuroro paused, watching him swing his legs off the bed. It was really shame not to take advantage of their room situation, but they really should start early if they wanted to arrive early enough not to be too conspicuous. Nothing made a hotel clerk remember you more than arriving in the very dead of the night.

He forced himself to walk to his bag and put his sleepwear, toothbrush and other toiletries away. He stood. “Ready to go?” he asked.

Kurapica cocked his head to the side, wet his lips and hesitated a moment. “Yeah,” he finally said with a light nod.

Kuroro put their bags away. When the Skill Hunter had disappeared, he motioned for Kurapica to precede him. They paid for their stay on their way out, something that Kuroro was getting ridiculously accustomed to. Then they got in their car and drove off. The day crawled by slowly as the kilometres sped away under their wheels. Kuroro found Kurapica's eyes strayed to him constantly, but he would never say what was on his mind. Once, the older man caught him touching his lips thoughtfully, a light blush on his cheeks. His eyes started sliding in his direction once more, so Kuroro turned his attention back to the road, not wanting to be caught observing the younger man.

They didn't stop for lunch, but ate as they drove. Kuroro was starting to reconsider his earlier decision to let the blond make the first move. Sure, it had helped in the past, and perhaps he'd rushed things with the previous kiss, but it had shaken the younger man, and now might actually be a good time to push a little more. He'd have to be slow and careful, however. He didn't want Kurapica to have yet another freak out over their current situation. The boy was positively erinaceous and bristled at the slightest touch.

They reached the city as the sun reached the treeline to the west. Kuroro found a decent hotel, neither too run-down nor too upscale and instructed Kurapica to secure them with a room – let him pay for it, for once; he was the one who insisted on being honest – while he went to find decent food. He was just parking in front of a take-out place when he got a text from the blond with their room number. He returned to their hotel about twenty minutes later and knocked at the door of their room. There was a shuffling sound inside, and the door opened. Kurapica took a step back to let him in.

Kuroro set the food down on top of the desk and looked around. A simple living room area with a tiny kitchen corner, and only one other door.

Kurapica followed his line of sight. “I was told this was the only thing available,” he explained. “Registration starts soon, and people come from far to get to this school. It seems to be a prestigious university.”

“It is,” Kuroro confirmed. “Perhaps I should have called in advance to make reservations.” He glanced at him. “Only one bed?”

“Only room for one,” Kurapica said, lowering his eyes in a terribly embarrassed sort of way. “We can barely walk around it.”

“Are you okay with that?” the older man asked him, keeping his tone neutral.

“What is one more time sharing a bed at this point?” Kurapica's tone was slightly dejected. “I wanted to argue, but I didn't want to bring attention to myself.”

“You could sleep on the couch, if it really bothers you,” Kuroro

The blond's eyes slid to the very uncomfortable-looking loveseat pushed against the far wall, then back to the bedroom door. He seemed to debate it with himself for a moment,before looking up at him. “I'll sleep in the bed,” he told him, his tone firm. “It is very uncomfortable for me to share, that is true, but I'm not going to run away forever.”

Kuroro studied his face carefully, searching for any sign that this was just bravado on the boy's part. “If you're sure,” he finally said. “Shall we?” He cocked his head towards the bags of food.

There was no table to eat at, so they sat on the couch, balancing their dinner on top of their laps as best they could. The Spider Head observed Kurapica quietly as the ate. If the blond noticed his stares, he didn't comment. He kept his eyes downcast, staring at his food as if it could give him the very meaning of life.

They ate quietly for some time, Kurapica seemingly lost in thoughts, the Spider Head observing him openly. The blond seemed to be mentally debating something. He frowned occasionally, often paused, hand hovering for a moment in mid-air, only to lower it, food untouched, before remembering his dinner and finally bringing the small, plastic fork to his mouth.

Eventually, he set it down on the styrofoam container. “I needed to think,” he said, although Kuroro hadn't asked him about this latest struggle with their situation relative to each other.

“I know,” he assured him. The blond turned his head to look at him and studied his face in silence for some time. Kuroro took another bite of his food. When he had swallowed, he asked him, “Do you wish you could hate me still?”

He half-expected Kurapica to profess that he still did, but the blond looked down at his dinner and scoffed lightly, seemingly more at himself than at what Kuroro had said. “It was easier to hate you,” he answered at length. “Things were clearer, simpler when I did.”

“The world isn't a simple place,” the Spider Head commented.

“I know,” Kurapica murmured, somewhat dejectedly. There was another long moment of silence. “Can I hate what you did – what you still do – and still let you touch me?” he wanted to know.

The question was obviously not directed at him, so Kuroro observed him quietly for a moment. “What do I 'still do'?” he challenged, knowing perfectly well what Kurapica was referring to.

“Kill,” the young Hunter answered, “harm people; that sort of thing.”

“I haven't done that in a long time,” the Kuroro pointed out.

“Because I won't let you,” Kurapica objected. “Because you want my loyalty, because you want me to join your group and you want me to actually like you.”

“I won't lie and say that has no bearing on my actions,” the older man said slowly. “I have told you already that each person is responsible for their own safety or that of their circle, if they had a family or have taken leadership of a group like I have.” He paused, looking for any indication that Kurapica was going to flip out again. The fact that he remained calm this time proved to Kuroro that they had made significant progress. “Look at the natural world,” the Spider Head continued.

Kurapica glanced at him. “What about it?”

“In the wild, animals often prey on one another. Some preys will defend themselves or their pack, others will choose to flee instead; all of them do their best to remain alive. The ones who live will not hold a grudge for their attacker, though some will definitely retain some fear. As far as I can tell, only humans seek out vengeance.”

“Crows do as well,” Kurapica defended.

Kuroro chuckled in spite of himself. “I'll give you that, but they don't seem to try and avenge the slight done to other crows, as far as we know. It could be that they have memorized certain individuals as potential threat to their security and attack only to defend themselves – a pre-emptive strike, if you will.”

“You don't know that,” the blond argued, looking rather defensive.

“Not for sure,” Kuroro agreed, “though I am fairly certain. In any case, things die. Plants and animals perish so that others may eat. Some things meet their end through heat or cold, thirst or poisonous substances. Am I to feel guilt for eating; or for stepping on grass or insects?”

“People are not insects or plants!” Kurapica protested.

“Humans are animals,” the older man pointed out. “I can see you getting upset. I don't think you and I will ever see things the same way on this matter. We come from different places – far too different. I just hope someday you will come to accept that this is the way that I am. Come, let's not fight tonight. Finish your meal.”

He turned back to his food. After a moment, Kurapica turned away and did the same.

Chapter Text

They finished their dinner silently, Kuroro observing the younger man, who seemed to be thinking over their earlier conversation. He obviously needed his space, so Kuroro, feeling rather magnanimous, let him be. For now.

When they were done eating, they put the empty containers in the trash. Kuroro settled on the bed with a book while the blond took his shower. Kurapica took a long, long time in the bathroom. Kuroro had just finished the book he'd started reading on the dirigible when Kurapica finally reappeared. The blond stood uncertainly in the doorway. He looked at Kuroro, who waited to see what the younger man would do. After a long moment, it was clear to him that the boy simply did not know where to go. Intent on speeding things up a little for him, Kuroro patted the bed next to him and cocked his head in silent invitation.

Rather than help him along, his action seemed to make Kurapica's internal debate even worse. He wavered in place, obviously torn between going to him or fleeing the room entirely.

Kuroro extended his hand. “Come,” he murmured. “We don't have to do anything. Just sit next to me.”

The young Hunter swayed in place for another seemingly interminable minute, then finally made his way to the bed. There, he hesitated again. This time, Kuroro didn't push him either way, but simply looked at him, waiting to see what the blond would decide. It turned out to be the proper decision because Kurapica finally sat at the edge of the mattress. Slowly, plainly unsure about what he was doing, he moved so that his back was against the headboard next to the Spider Head. He looked irresolute.

Kuroro observed him quietly for a short time, watched him start to get nervous. “Are you scared?” he asked him.

He expected Kurapica to huff and angrily deny it, but the blond said, “A little.”

“Why?” he wanted to know. “If I were to touch you now, it wouldn't be anything that we haven't done already.”

“I know,” the blond answered. “I know and I can't help it.”

“So what's got you so nervous?” the Spider Head asked him, surprisingly gentle even to his own ears. “What are you afraid of?”

Kurapica was silent for some time, brows furrowed in concentration. “That I might get used to it,” he finally admitted.

It was Kuroro's turn to think about what Kurapica had just told him. “Would it be such a bad thing if you did?”

The blond started with, “Yes,” then, “No,” and finally, “I don't know. Maybe.”

Kuroro nodded. “It's confusing and difficult for you. I can accept that. Do you need more time?”

“No,” Kurapica started saying, then he hesitated a moment, frowning thoughtfully. He tilted his head to the side, obviously hesitant. “No,” he repeated, firmer now. “No matter how long I think about it, it won't change what's happening.”

Kuroro was tempted to ask him what Kurapica thought was happening, but he refrained, not wanting the blond to skitter away yet again. “If I kiss you,” he asked instead, “will you stop me this time as well?”

Kurapica glanced sideways at him, then his gaze slid down to his hands, which were folded on his lap. “I don't know,” he answered.

“Can I try?” Kuroro asked.

Kurapica glanced at him again, then hesitated before saying, “Yeah, okay.”

The Spider Head set down his book on top of the nightstand. Slowly, he reached out. He had the feeling that Kurapica needed a soft touch this time. He slid the back of his fingers down the blond's cheek before his hand slid into the golden hair. Kurapica turned his head to face him and met him halfway.

The kiss was light, hesitant on Kurapica's part. Kuroro didn't let it bother him. He couldn't understand what the boy was going through. He had never experienced the kind of hatred that the Kuruta had lived with for years, never felt the grief that Kurapica obviously felt. Of course, he had grieved over Ubogin and Pakunoda's deaths, but it hadn't filled him with rage. He did know that Kurapica needed time to come to terms with their current situation. He could bear it. He was a patient man.

Kurapica was immobile at first, but he slowly started responding. His lips nibbled at Kuroro's and he angled his head to make it easier. The older man could tell that Kurapica was hesitant still, and he let him set the pace for now. It turned out to be the right decision.

The blond got slightly bolder. His lips got a little greedier. He pulled away from him the time it took to take a breath, then delved back in. He moved his body so that he was facing the older man more fully. Kuroro imitated the movement and turned towards him. His hand slid from the blond hair, down the side of the boy's neck, all the way down his torso to finally settle on his hip. Kurapica hummed softly against his lips and something dark and hungry twisted inside of Kuroro, something that he hadn't thought he was able to feel. His hand tightened over Kurapica's hipbone and he resisted the urge to take control of the kiss, knowing that it might potentially scare the blond even more. Just when he was finally falling, too.

But Kurapica was kissing him again and moving closer, and the hunger he felt for this boy started worrying Kuroro a little. It hit him in the chest like a punch and pulled and twisted at something around the middle, at the end of his breastbone. He pulled away, surprising the blond who blinked at him in shock. That wouldn't do. He leaned closer, claiming Kurapica's lips again to cover for his sudden hesitation to continue with this. This kiss was somewhat rougher, a little more intense.

Kurapica made a soft, vulnerable sound in the back of his throat. A sound that hit Kuroro like a sledgehammer. He wrapped his arm around the back of Kurapica's waist and pulled him closer. Another soft sound and the younger man slid both hands in his hair. Things were heating up so fast, and Kuroro wasn't about to relinquish the mastery he had over himself. He needed Kurapica to lose control, not the other way around.

Eventually, he felt like he'd managed to master himself. He pulled away just far enough to look into Kurapica's eyes, to see the effect that his actions had on the young Hunter. His eyes were darker than usual. Perhaps brighter. It was hard to tell. Not the usual blue-green that he was used to, nor the smouldering red that he craved to see, but somewhere in between.

“I want to touch you,” he murmured, because Kurapica was skittish yet again, and he wanted him to finally stop pulling on the brakes. Kurapica sucked in a sharp breath and froze for a moment. Kuroro could see his mind stumble all over itself. It seemed like he only needed a little push again, so he gave him a soft look, one that he knew had the best chance of getting him what he wanted, and asked, “Can't I?”

He knew that it would work, yet he couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved to see Kurapica's tense shoulders relax. A short hesitation, and the blond nodded. “Okay,” he whispered, then cleared his throat before repeating, “okay.”

That was more like it. Kuroro felt better about this, now that Kurapica was cooperating. He was still in control.

He kissed him again, keeping it light for now. His hand slowly slid down the side of his neck, then backwards into his hair to cup the base of his skull. Kurapica melted into him and Kuroro pulled him closer. He angled his head and flicked his tongue over the boy's lips and a silent request to be let in. With a gasp, Kurapica allowed him to deepen the kiss.

Kuroro started pushing against him, to lay him across the bed. He tried to get the pillows out of the way, but Kurapica pulled away. At the older man's questioning look, he placed another soft kiss onto his lips and started shuffling lower. When he was laid out, flat on his back, head on a pillow, he looked up at him and reached up. His hand slid into Kuroro's hair and he pulled him into another kiss. Kuroro went along with it, nibbled at his lips and his hand landed on the blond's belly. He slid the fingers up under his shirt and Kurapica let out a shaky breath that washed over Kuroro's mouth.

Gods, but Kurapica knew how to arouse him. The next kiss stole his breath away. His hand slid higher, pulling the many layers of shirts and tank tops up along with it. He pulled higher and looked down at the beautiful blond laid out before him. Those eyes! They had triggered sometime during this last kiss, and those amazing, breathtaking eyes, shining eerily in the gloominess of the room, were probably the most magnificent things that the Spider Head had ever stolen. Because he had. They were his and his alone. They were alive, where the pairs he'd taken from Lukso were dull, unappealing now. Those were red, yes. Certainly peculiar. Nothing compared to Kurapica's however – and these belonged to him.

“You're staring at me again,” the blond told him. A light blush rose to his cheeks.

“You're beautiful,” Kuroro reminded him, because to him, that was the best reason in the world to gaze at something.

Kurapica's eyes – those mesmerizing, brilliant eyes – momentarily slid to the side, his blush intensifying. A soft, thoughtful frown made its way onto his features. A moment later, it had disappeared, leaving Kuroro wondering whether he'd seen it at all.

He lay down next to the blond, leaning on one elbow, his other hand still flat against Kurapica's stomach. He stroked him slowly, like one would pet a cat, looking down at him to watch him get more and more flustered. Because of him. Kuroro could never get enough of this.

Eventually, Kurapica apparently couldn't deal with the silent stares and pulled him down for yet another kiss. Kuroro slid his hand lower, into the blond's cotton pants. He touched him languidly over the fabric of his underwear, kissing him slowly, thoroughly. Kurapica's hand buried into his hair once more and his fingers tightened in the dark, silky strands.

When they pulled apart, both of them were breathing heavily. Their eyes met and held, and there was that strange twist-pull in his chest again. A mere instant later, he was pushing the boy down into the mattress, kissing him roughly, his hand petting him heavily. When he raised his head to look down at his handiwork, he caught a quick glimpse of surprise and fear in to younger man's eyes.

Kuroro paused. He'd lost control for a moment there, and he didn't like it, didn't like it at all. But Kurapica's gaze turned quizzical then, and that wouldn't do. He couldn't let the blond see that he was affected in any way. Because he wasn't, not really.

The next kiss was softer, more gentle. His hand left the front of Kurapica's pants and settled on the blond's hip again. He pulled at it until the blond was on his side, facing him. Kuroro's arm wrapped around the back of his waist. He pressed against him, glad to feel the effect that he had on the boy. He licked at his lips and delved in when Kurapica's mouth fell open. The younger man melted into him and wrapped his arm around Kuroro's torso. One of his legs slipped between Kuroro's two and the older man's control started to slip again. That wouldn't do.

He pushed against him again, laying him flat on his back. He devoured his mouth and rocked slowly against him, the movement rather gentle, compared to their kiss. They were both fully clothed, but Kuroro was in no hurry. This was pleasant, too; somewhat erotic. Kurapica broke away and let out a shaky breath. Kuroro nipped at his jawline, then slid his lips down his throat. He focused his attention just above the shoulder, on the right side of his neck, and bit there, before sucking at the spot.

He'd hoped that Kurapica would make some sort of sound, but the blond only sucked in a breath and then panted softly. Kuroro slid a thigh between Kurapica's legs and he rocked against him again. There was just an edge of whimper on the blond's exhale. The Spider Head pulled away, looked down at the boy laid out before him. Amazing. Absolutely breathtaking. From blood-red eyes, to kiss swollen lips and golden hair fanned all around his head, all of it was simply magnificent. He couldn't get enough.

He leaned forward and caught the blond's lips in a searing kiss. His fingers hooked over the hem of his cotton pants and he pulled them down, along with his underwear. He fixed his gaze on the younger man's, kept him prisoner with his eyes. He had to move out of the way to remove his sleepwear, but his gaze never wavered. Kurapica didn't look away, though colour rose to his cheeks. Kuroro slipped in between his legs again, and since the blond seemed to get a little too nervous, he leaned down and kissed him again.

He wanted to see him completely naked. He pulled on Kurapica's arm a little, to indicate to him that he wanted him to sit up. After a short hesitation, the younger man sat up and Kuroro quickly divested him of his tops. Kurapica mad a soft sound of dismay, and he tried to cover his torso with his arms, but the Spider Head wouldn't let him. He caught his hands and pulled them aside and leaned in for a kiss, aiming to pacify the blond.

“Shh,” he murmured against his lips. “It's all right. I want to see you.”

“It's embarrassing,” Kurapica protested and tried to cover himself again.

“It isn't,” Kuroro assured him. “You are beautiful.”

“Why are you still dressed, then?” Kurapica challenged.

Kuroro chuckled. He couldn't help it. The Kuruta was always so straightforward. “Why indeed,” he laughed. He slipped out of his top, making sure that Kurapica's eyes were fixed on him. He looked good and he knew it. Contrary to Kurapica, he had no problem showing a bit of skin. He threw his shirt to the floor and smirked down at the blond. “Better?”

Kurapica pursed his lips. “You still have your pants on,” he pointed out.

With another chuckle, Kuroro promised, “Not for long.”

He leaned forward onto his hands and caught his lips again in a deep, breathtaking kiss. Putting all of his weight onto one of his hands, he ran the other down Kurapica's torso. The blond arched his back.

Delicious.

Kuroro sat back again, feeling feverish in his urge to get completely undressed. He pushed his pants down and kicked them completely off, already going for Kurapica's lips again. He moulded his body onto the younger man's. The contact of their naked skin sliding together was electric. One of his hands slid down the length of the blond's torso once more, all the way to the outside of his thigh. His finders wrapped around the back of it and he pulled, rocking his hips forward into him at the same time. That earned him a soft groan.

Enough playing around. He sat up and reached to his bag to get the small bottle of lubricant that he kept in there. He took his time preparing the younger man, listening intently to every breath, every gasp falling from his lips.

Finally, it was time. He caught Kurapica's eyes before leaning in. This kiss was soft, as he wanted the blond to feel less tense. He felt him relax minutely and Kuroro decided that this was good enough. He lined himself up and slowly, slowly pushed in. Kurapica's breath hissed between his teeth. Kuroro paused, let him get used to the intrusion. When the blond's face smoothed over, he pulled nearly completely out, before pushing in again. He looked down at the younger man, drinking in the sight.

Kurapica's eyes, which he'd closed when Kuroro had first pushed in, parted open, a thin sliver of red showing from underneath heavy eyelids. Fixing his gaze on those fiery irises, Kuroro rocked into him again. Kurapica's lips parted and he let out a soft whimper. The next thrust was a little rougher. Surprising him, the blond suddenly wrapped his arms around the back of his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He indulged him, deepening it right away. His hand slid to the blond's hipbone and he thrust in again. Kurapica gasped against his mouth. The sounds the boy made were intoxicating. He started rocking into him repeatedly, pulling at his hip with every thrust. Kurapica let go of the kiss and started breathing hard. Kuroro nipped at his jawline again just as he thrust in. He heard Kurapica's breath catch in his throat and it was amazing, simply amazing. He started a faster rhythm and sucked at his throat as the blond clung to him and panted.

He wanted to hear him moan, wanted to hear him cry out in ecstasy, but still Kurapica held back, gasping and panting but still keeping his voice in. Kuroro kissed him again, pumping his hips faster. When he pulled away, he was rewarded for his effort with a soft, breathy moan. He rolled his hips and Kurapica moved against him, picking up the rhythm. Their lips a mere inch apart, breaths mingling. Kuroro's hand raked up the boy's torso, his thumb twirled over a nipple, then down the hand went, back to Kurapica's hip, urging him to cant them a little differently. When he rocked into him, Kurapica let out a muffled exclamation.

Kuroro thrust in harder, faster, but kept close to the blond. Sitting up would give it more power, but it would be less intimate and this felt better, hotter. He didn't analyze it, just went along with his desires. Kurapica's fingers dug into his shoulders and he moved against him still. Everything was hot, so very hot. Kuroro kissed him again and he wrapped his hand around him, trying to bring him so much pleasure that Kurapica would be completely addicted to him. Kisses succeeded to kisses and they both panted and gasped in between. Finally, Kuroro felt the blond tense up and he knew Kurapica was close. He thrust in faster, his hand moving in synch, until he felt Kurapica suddenly let go and shake with the strength of his orgasm. Kuroro wasn't far behind. He went over the edge, pumping into Kurapica still, and he didn't stop moving until both of them were spent.

When he finally slowed to a stop, he leaned his forehead against the pillow next the blond head and tried to catch his breath. He expected Kurapica to ask him to move off of him, but instead, he felt two delicate hands landing on his shoulder blades and just rest there. Kuroro stayed there until they had both caught their breath. He then rolled off of him and lay on his back. He felt the mattress shift and glanced back at the the younger man. Kurapica was on his side, watching him with large eyes that had gone back to blue.

He found his hand cupping Kurapica's cheek. He didn't know how it had ended up there, but the blond nuzzled at it and Kuroro felt his eyebrows arch up. Then, just like that, it was over. Kurapica pulled away and sat up.

“Let me wash up before you take your shower,” he said. He picked up his clothes, slipped his pants back on. He carried the rest of his clothes in his hands and disappeared in the bathroom. When he stepped into the bedroom again, he was fully dressed. Kuroro caught his hand when the blond walked past him on his way to his bag. Their eyes caught and held. Kurapica wavered a moment, then he leaned in and placed a quick kiss at the corner of Kuroro's lips. When he pulled away, he was blushing.

“I'm going to sleep,” he told the older man, his voice soft. “I really need it.”

Kuroro nodded and let go of his hand. He got up and went to his bag to get his own sleepwear. A short shower later, he climbed into bed. Kurapica was tense and very much awake, but was pretending to sleep, so Kuroro let him believe his deception worked. Flat on his back, he waited for sleep.

Chapter Text

Morning came too early for Kurapica. He'd spent so long thinking himself in circles that he'd only had a short few hours of sleep by the time Kuroro awoke. He felt the mattress dip and shift as the older man moved, waking him instantly. He waited, tense and silent, wondering what the Spider Head would do.

Nothing, apparently.

Minutes ticked by, second by second. The silence was oppressive, overwhelming. He knew Kuroro was awake. He was sure of it! He'd felt him awaken and move. Had he just shifted in his slumber? Perhaps he'd gone back to sleep? Kurapica strained his ears, trying to listen to Kuroro's breathing, hoping to discern from the pattern of inhales and exhales whether the older man was asleep or only pretending to be. He couldn't tell.

Finally, he couldn't take the silence anymore. Slowly, carefully so as to not awaken his bed-mate on the off chance that he was still slumbering, Kurapica turned his head to look behind him. Nearly immediately, he felt a strong arm slide around his waist and he was pulled back against a solid chest.

“Finally,” Kuroro murmured, right by his ear, making the blond shiver. “I thought you'd never move. I was getting pretty bored.”

“Why didn't you say something?” Kurapica asked him. “I was worried I'd wake you up if I moved. I wasn't sure if you were still sleeping or not.”

“You knew I was awake,” the older man contradicted him.

“I knew you'd woken up,” Kurapica defended, “but not if you'd gotten back to sleep or not.”

“Well I didn't,” Kuroro answered him – rather unnecessarily, the blond thought.

“Obviously,” he said, putting his hand over Kuroro's arm. He meant to push it away, but when he felt the warmth emanating from him, he found that he didn't mind it being there after all.

“So,” the older man murmured after a moment, “an entire day to ourselves. What ever shall we do with it?”

“Didn't you want to get an idea of the man we'll be up against and the layout of his house?” Kuroro chuckled softly, his breath making the bond's hair flutter a bit and tickle his ear. He resisted the urge to rub it against his shoulder. “What's so funny?” he wanted to know.

“You're so literal, sometimes,” Kuroro informed him. He squeezed him a little tighter and nuzzled the back of his neck.

Kurapica held his breath, his heart pounding. The way that the older man was nosing and trailing his lips over his skin had the blond soon trembling in spite of himself. “What are you doing?” he whispered.

“Nothing,” Kuroro whispered right back.

“It tickles,” the blond complained.

“Is that why you're trembling?” Kuroro wanted to know.

“I'm not trembling,” Kurapica denied. “I'm trying to resist the urge to punch you because you – are – tickling – me.

The older man chuckled and suddenly pulled away. Kurapica turned onto his back to look at him. Kuroro sat on the edge of the bed, then got to his feet. Half-turning, he glanced at the blond and slowly arched his eyebrow. Kurapica shrugged and averted his eyes.

Kuroro stretched. “I'm going to go get us some food and coffee,” he told the blond, already walking to his bags. He dug through them and selected a fresh change of clothes to wear for the day. Black, black and more black.

“Do you ever wear colours?” Kurapica asked him before he remembered that he wasn't supposed to be staring.

Kuroro looked at him, a small, amused smile on his lips. “Occasionally,” he answered. “What about you?” He grinned. “I bet black would look great on you.”

“I wear black, sometimes,” Kurapica defended.

Kuroro hummed, looking him up and down. The blond pulled the blankets closer to his chest, feeling rather unnerved with the look in the older man's eyes. That only made Kuroro chuckle. “I'll be back soon,” he told Kurapica. “If you're not dressed when I return, I'll take it as an invitation.”

He easily avoided the pillow Kurapica sent at his head and laughed as he left the bedroom. A moment later, the door into the suite opened and closed. Kurapica sighed and racked his fingers through his hair. Another sigh and the blond shuffled over to the edge of the mattress, then pushed himself to his feet. He made his way to his luggage and he started going through them. He got a pair of dark jeans, then a black T-shirt. He got dressed; underwear, pants, then socks. He was about to put his top on, when he paused. He looked at the garment, frowning softly to himself.

Well, he should wear something underneath, in case they had to go somewhere that day and he had to change his top. He crouched by his bags and riffled through them. He found a black tank top that he quickly slid into. He as about to do the same with the T-shirt, when he again paused. He looked at it and hesitated. No, this wouldn't do. He buried it at the very bottom of one suitcase and took out a light grey, sleeveless turtleneck top instead, which he put on.

He brushed his hair, then eyed the hotel coffee machine. He could wait for Kuroro and decent coffee, but his body was calling for caffeine and he didn't know when the older man would be back. It wasn't much of a debate. He fixed himself a cup, then sat down on the loveseat, cup in one hand, book in the other.

That's how Kuroro found him when he returned, carrying a few bags and a cardboard tray with two large cups on it. Kurapica had long since finished the horrible brew from the hotel and he gratefully accepted a cup from the older man. The Spider Head set the bags down on top of the coffee table and sat next to him before taking a few sips from his coffee.

“So,” he said at length, “wearing anything black?”

“No,” Kurapica lied, unable to look at him. He drank some coffee in silence. Finally, he glanced at the older man. “So what's the plan for today?” he wanted to know.

“First, I need a blueprint of the professor's house, and I need to know more about the security on the premises.” Kurapica nodded. So far, it sounded reasonable. Kuroro continued, “I'd like to have a look at his finances as well.” He looked at the blond. “That will be your job.”

“Okay,” Kurapica slowly enunciated, unsure of the legality of looking into someone's bank account.

“Oh,” the Spider Head said with a knowing smile, “don't worry your pretty little head; it is very much illegal. It is neither theft nor murder, at least. I'm just curious to see how a man who works at a university can afford something worth billions of zennies.”

Well, that didn't seem so bad. “Okay,” Kurapica repeated, more firmly this time. “How do I go about doing that?”

“Do you still have that wig you wore for the passport photo?” Kuroro asked him.

Kurapica nodded. “The brown one? Yeah, it's still in my luggage.”

“All right,” the older man set down his cup on top of the low table and retrieved a laptop from a bag. Kurapica didn't want to know how he'd gotten the thing. Kuroro turned it on, picked up his coffee and took a few sips while it booted up. Once the device was on, he typed on it for a minute, used the touchpad a bit, clicked on something, then turned the laptop towards him, saying, “Here.”

Kurapica glanced at the screen and saw the photograph of a young woman with heavy makeup and brown hair, cut at the shoulders. His wig was a little longer, but not enough to be really noticeable. After all, hair grew fast. “I see,” he told Kuroro. “I'm going to pretend to be this woman?”

The older man nodded. “Shera Porok. She's his personal secretary and, more importantly, his accountant. She usually deals with this guy.” He turned the laptop back towards himself, typed a name in and clicked on a link before turning the device back towards Kurapica. It was a fat, balding man in a three-piece suit. “Vice-president of the Mir-Idlin Bank, Korak Megil. He's supposed to be off today, as is his secretary. If you see him, you walk out and abort. He knows our target and his secretary far too well. Here's who you need to deal with.” He scrolled the page down to another picture. “Marin Toloque. She's seen Miss Porok enough to be vaguely familiar with her, but not to the point that she would recognize her from up-close. You'll have the paperwork you need to request a print-out of Professor Forkey's accounts as well as this month's transactions.”

“Why do you need this?” Kurapica asked him, somewhat apprehensive of his motives.

Kuroro glanced at him and smiled, obviously aware of the blond's suspicions. “I want to know why he can afford the life that he leads,” he reminded the blond, “and also if I can use this information to get the Eyes in an amicable manner.”

Kurapica made a face. “For some reason, I doubt this second point is actually part of your goal.”

Kuroro smiled. “Wouldn't it be easier to either convince Mister Forkey to part with his pair of Scarlet Eyes, or for you to steal them without suffering a massive guilt trip later, if you were to know that the good professor has gained them through disreputable means?”

The blond thought about it for some time. Kuroro observed him carefully, making it a little awkward for the younger man to focus his attention on the question at hand. “All right,” Kurapica finally said. “I'll do it.”

“Good.” Kuroro looked very pleased. “What will work to our advantage here is that Miss Porok wears a lot of makeup, which means it'll be easier for you to fool Miss Touloque into believing you are indeed Professor Forkey's assistant.”

“Are your plans always this convoluted?” Kurapica wanted to know.

“Hey, if I had my way, we'd need none of this,” Kuroro protested.

Kurapica sighed, knowing full well that the only reason Kuroro didn't walk in, kill everyone, empty the entire mansion was that he'd lose some of the hard-earned, less unflattering opinion Kurapica had of him now. “Okay,” he finally agreed. “I guess I should go get ready.”

“Wear the skirt and blouse we got on the shopping trip,” Kuroro told him.

“I know,” the blond replied. “I'm not an idiot.” He realized he was being unnecessary aggressive and he winced. “I'm sorry.”

Kuroro didn't seem fazed. “I trust you'll do your job well. Start getting ready. I have a couple of errands to make.” He checked the time on his phone. “I'll be back in about an hour.”

“Okay,” Kurapica said, before emptying his coffee. He set his cup on the table and got to his feet. He glanced at the older man. “So, if I had to change anyway, why had you me wear my own clothes instead of the skirt?”

“Aren't your clothes more comfortable?” was the answer he got.

“Whatever,” Kurapica shrugged and made his way to the bedroom. He heard Kuroro leave the suite. He dressed quickly, then returned to the main room with a mirror and a bag of makeup. He sat in front of the laptop and pulled the picture of the girl that he was to impersonate.

He needed a lot of makeup and it was more than he'd ever had to wear. He didn't know how to do it quite like the young lady did, so he had to look up some tutorials. It took a lot of trials and errors, and when Kuroro walked into the door, he was nearly done and rather proud of himself with the result. Kuroro's eyebrows raised high on his forehead. Kurapica shifted uncomfortably.

“I'll be ready soon,” he assured the older man. “I only need to apply mascara, then glue on the fake eyelashes.”

“You've done amazingly well,” Kuroro told him. “I nearly didn't recognize you.”

Kurapica tried not to feel praised. He turned back to his mirror and curled his lashes carefully. As he applied his mascara, he could feel the older man staring at him. It was unnerving, in a way. He wasn't sure why it did, but the more Kuroro stared, the more nervous Kurapica felt.

He had to look at another tutorial to figure out how to put on the fake eyelashes and had to try a few times to get it right. He then had to fix what he'd messed up by gluing the lashes on then taking them off, and still Kuroro stared.

Finally, the blond put his things away. “Done,” he said. “I'm ready to go now.”

Kuroro pulled gently at the pencil skirts. “I told you that you'd look great in black,” he commented.

“Did you make that comment on purpose, knowing that I would have to wear this outfit today?” Kurapica wanted to know.

The older man laughed. “Hey,” he pointed out, “you started it.” And so he had. Unable to deny it, the blond shrugged uncomfortably. “You look great,” Kuroro told him with a smile. Kurapica wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or offended. “Come on,” the Spider Head added, getting back to his feet. “I'm going to drive you to the bank.”

Kurapica followed him downstairs and to the hotel parking lot. Wearing stilettos made walking ridiculously hard and it was a very good thing that he was naturally agile. Kuroro gallantly offered him his arm, which the blond refused, and led him to a sleek, black car with tinted windows. All was good, until Kurapica went to sit on the back seat. The car looked trashed inside.

“Whose car is this?” he asked suspiciously.

“Why,” Kuroro said with a grin, sliding into the driver's seat, “it's the real thing, of course. I needed the cover to be absolutely flawless.”

“Where's the girl?” Kurapica wanted to know.

Kuroro slid a pair of sunglasses on and grinned at him through the rear-view mirror. The blond sighed and closed the back door, figuring that he wouldn't get an answer. The car drove out of the parking lot. They were a few blocks away when Kuroro finally answered. “She's fine. Just on a little vacation. She'll be back in a few days, ready to go back to work.”

Kurapica didn't know what to answer. He wasn't sure whether to believe him or not. In any case, he was determined to do his job, and do it well.

The drive to the bank took longer than it should have. Kuroro was taking detours here and there and everywhere, for reasons that the blond couldn't fathom. He caught him stealing glances at him again and again in the rear-view mirror. Eventually, he'd had enough. “I have work to do, and I can't do it if you just drive in circles again and again,” he told him.

Kuroro grinned again – he looked in excellent mood, today – and the blond caught sight of a flash of white teeth. “Are you ready to do it?” he wanted to know.

“Yes,” Kurapica assured him, “I can do it. Are you doubting me?”

“No,” Kuroro lied. “I know you can do it. I'm not sure how willing you are to go through with it.”

Hm. Maybe he wasn't lying, then.

“I'll do it,” Kurapica told him. “I'm not saying I like it, but if it's necessary, then I'll do it.”

Whatever the Spider Head had wanted to hear, Kurapica seemed to have said the right thing, because Kuroro's grin widened a bit. After that, he stopped dallying and drove straight to the bank. As he stopped the car in front of the imposing building, he glanced at him. “Ready?” he asked.

Kurapica met his gaze head on. “You know I am,” he told him firmly.

Kuroro, half-turned in the driver's seat, smiled widely. He reached for Kurapica and pulled him into a hard, closed-mouth kiss. When he let go, Kurapica looked at him, stunned for a moment. He then snorted, amused in spite of himself. “You've got lipstick on your mouth,” he told him. There was a pause where they gazed at each other. Kurapica suddenly realized that he'd been wiping Kuroro's lower lip with his thumb. He withdrew. “I, I'll be back soon,” he stammered.

He blindly reached for the door handle and pulled desperately at it. He managed to get onto the sidewalk without tripping on his tall heels. He grabbed the small suitcase in which he was to put all paperwork and he slammed the car door. He couldn't see Kuroro through the dark-tinted glass and he turned away. He took a deep breath in, squared his shoulders and walked into the bank.

Chapter Text

Kuroro finally saw Kurapica come out of the bank, so he started up the car and drove it over. He stopped in front of the entrance and the blond – although he sort of was a brunette now because of the wig – climbed into the back of the car. The moment the door closed, he drove away.

“Got what we need?” he asked Kurapica.

“Of course, I do,” the younger man assured him. “You knew I would, or you would not have sent me in.” He brought a hand to his head. “I can't wait to get out of this wig.”

Kuroro laughed softly. Well, the boy wasn't wrong. He knew he could do it. More importantly, the young Hunter had followed his instructions and had technically broken a few laws in the process. Things were definitely progressing well. He glanced at Kurapica in the rear view mirror. The younger man was opening the briefcase. He took out a sheaf of papers and started looking through Professor Forkey's finances. Kuroro waited patiently for the reaction that he knew was coming.

“There's something wrong, here,” Kurapica said after a moment. “There's money coming in constantly. Hundreds of thousands of zennies every single day. It certainly is suspicious.”

“Is it through bank transfers?” Kuroro wanted to know. “Is there a name on it?”

Kurapica looked quickly through a few pages. “No,” he said. “It's all money deposits from an ATM. And there's nothing on here that can tell us which machine was used.”

“Sounds lie organized crime,” the older man commented. “That would explain a lot. That might complicate things a bit.”

“How so?” Kurapica asked him.

“Well, you worked for someone associated with the mafia; what is their household like?”

The younger man thought for a moment. “Full or armed, trigger-happy people.”

“Exactly.” He glanced at the Hunter again. “Someone's asked me not to get rid of anyone, so we'll have to lie our way through.”

“I thought that was the point of the disguise from the beginning?” Kurapica commented, tone questioning.

“Well, yes,” Kuroro admitted, “sort of. I didn't expect there to be more than a few people at his house, however. We'll have to find a way to get to the Scarlet Eyes and get out without arousing suspicion. Only distracting the old man might not be enough to pull this off.”

“I could find a way to get him to show me the Eyes,” the younger man suggested, “the distract him while you grab them. If he'd such a pervert as you said, I'm sure he can be convinced to be in the room alone with me.”

Kuroro glanced at him. “I don't like it,” he commented. “That means you'd have to go in alone. It's too dangerous.”

“I can defend myself,” the younger man assured him.

“What if they have nen users?” Kuroro objected.

“You could free my abilities,” Kurapica sent back.

“No,” the Spider Head told him. “I'll not do that just yet.”

They'd reached the hotel and parked by then. Kuroro took off the sunglasses he'd nicked from the car owner and threw them onto the passenger's seat. Kurapica got out of the car and slammed the door harder than he really needed to. He started toward the hotel as Kuroro quickly got out of the stolen vehicle and went after him. Neither of them talked. This discussion wasn't something they were willing to have in public. The elevator ride up was tense.

As soon as their door closed behind them, Kurapica turned on him. “Why?” he demanded to know.

“I don't think that I have your loyalty yet,” the older man answered.

“So, you're saying that I need to prove myself first.”

“Would you expect anything less, were our roles reversed?” Kuroro asked patiently.

“No,” Kurapica had to admit. He sighed and pulled the wig off, then looked thoughtful for a moment. He walked to the couch and sat down. Kuroro followed. He sat beside him, waiting to hear the result of his inner debate. Finally, Kurapica tossed the brown wig onto the coffee table. He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed. “What do I have to do for you to remove the bind?” he asked the Spider Head.

“As you've said,” Kuroro told him, “you need to prove your loyalty to me and to the Gen'ei Ryodan.”

Kurapica's frown intensified. “How do I do that?” he asked.

The Spider Head resisted the urge to grin victoriously. Instead, he kept his expression serious. He turned to Kurapica and waited until the blond met his gaze to continue. “I'll free your nen,” he said slowly, “when you have a twelve legged spider tattooed on your skin.”

Kurapica paled. His eyes widened and an expression of horror came over his face. He was immobile for a moment, then suddenly got up. “I, I'm going to change,” he stammered before walking to the bedroom. The door closed behind him. Kuroro stared after him, wondering if he'd gone too far. Perhaps he shouldn't have mentioned the tattoo. Just as the thought entered his mind, he brushed it aside. No, it wasn't too early. The timing was just right. No matter when Kuroro would have decided to mention the tattoo, the proud Kuruta would have reacted the same.

He wondered at first whether Kurapica would stay holed up in the bedroom. After a moment, he heard the shower turn on. He figured that Kurapica wanted to get rid of all of the makeup and girly perfume that he was wearing. He picked his phone and made a call, checking up on his Spiders through Machi. As he spoke, he got to his feet and started pacing slowly in the cramped room. The news were excellent, and he found himself smiling victoriously as he pressed the button that would disconnect the call. He heard the bedroom door open, and he turned towards it.

Kurapica paused in the doorway. “You look very pleased with yourself,” he commented.

“Well, I am,” the Spider Head answered. “I've just received excellent news.”

“Care to share?” the blond wanted to know. He walked over to the couch and slumped, rather uncharacteristically, onto the thin cushion.

“Not just yet,” Kuroro told him. “I'll need the confirmation first.”

Kurapica shrugged. “As you wish.”

Kuroro glanced at him. An amused smile pulled at his lips. “You've still got black around your eyes,” he commented.

“I know.” The blond made a face. “I couldn't get it to come off.”

“At least you got the most of it,” Kuroro pointed out. “It's only the waterlines.” He walked back to the couch and sat next to him. “It's not that bad,” he added, still looking at him. “It really brings out your eyes.”

Kurapica looked shocked, or perhaps scandalized. “Are you being serious right now?”

“Well,” the older man said with a smile, “not entirely. It's true that the blue does pop out more, but I admit I like you better without makeup.”

Kurapica blinked, shifted uncomfortably. He opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but then he closed it without speaking. He leaned back, the back of his head atop the back of the couch, and sighed. Kuroro observed him quietly, wondering what was going on in that blond head, wondering where his thoughts were going.

He was fascinated, he realized. There was something about that boy, about his sharp mind, his beauty, his strength that was mesmerizing.

Kurapica glanced at him. “You're staring again,” he commented.

Kuroro turned back to face the room, as bland and boring as it looked. “We have a lot of work to do tomorrow,” he began after a moment, ignoring Kurapica's comment. He didn't know what to tell him anyway. He leaned forward and got the laptop from the coffee table. Once it was on his knees, he pulled up the university website and browsed through it until he got to the profile that he wanted. “Here,” he said, turning the computer slightly towards the blond so that he could see the screen. “This is Professor Forkey. This is our mark. We have to get him alone, somehow, then get him to invite us into his home.”

“You mean me,” Kurapica said. “He'd going to invite me. I have to get him alone with the Eyes, right?”

“I really don't like that plan,” Kuroro commented.

“It's the best option and you know it,” the blond insisted.

“I'm going to be shadowing your every step,” Kuroro informed him. “And you are taking the knife.

“I don't like that knife,” Kurapica told him.

“I know,” the Spider Head informed him, “and I don't care. Either you take the knife with you, or we abort and wait for him to voluntarily part with this pair.”

Kurapica sighed heavily. “Fine,” he finally relented.

Seriously, for all of his qualities, Kurapica could be tiring to deal with. Kuroro wasn't sure if the blond realized just how much he let things slide with him that he wouldn't from any of his other Spiders. That thought made him pause. It was true that he was still more or less in the process of buying Kurapica's loyalty. He'd never really had to convince anyone to join the Ryodan before. There were always people interested in being part of their adventures, most of whom weren't even worth looking at, but a few of whom could potentially prove useful. None, not one of them, showed the promise that Kurapica did.

This was why he let the boy haggle with him at all. He was not one to use authority to make people do things anyway, preferring to make them see things his way instead. But he wasn't sure he could do that with Kurapica. Still, he thought he could still make him work as one of the Spiders, regardless of the dislike that the young Hunter had for their methods. He might never make a thief or convince him to abandon his rigid no-kill rule, but the Kuruta could make an amazing strategist, an excellent undercover intel gatherer and, well, so long as no one needed to be permanently dealt with, he could potentially be used in combat as well. At the very least, Kuroro knew that he could send him into a dangerous situation and know that he would come out unscathed. Like now.

That didn't mean he liked it, though.

This was really strange, actually. He'd never really had a problem sending one of his Spiders into dangerous situations. Well, then again, he'd never sent one of his Spiders into a dangerous situation without the use of nen, either. For a moment, he nearly reconsidered. In the end, he decided that this was still the best solution. There was simply no way that Kurapica would allow the Spider tattooed onto his skin unless Kuroro had something to give in exchange. This was the only way.

His decision taken, he placed the laptop on top of the coffee table, the screen still showing Forkey's ugly face. He sat back, bringing a hand to his chin in thought. He could feel Kurapica watching him silently, and he glanced at him. He didn't really know what to tell him. His thoughts were starting to fall into place, but he wasn't ready to share them just yet. Instead, he decided to make peace with the blond. Perhaps a compromise of sorts would help. Already, Kurapica was being more and more agreeable. Surely, he would soon start to see things with kinder eyes.

“I think your objection to using my knife is the fact that it is poisoned, am I wrong?”

Kurapica looked at him for a moment, then looked away. “Yeah,” he finally answered. “It just feels like a simple mishap could get someone killed.”

“That's something that puzzles me about you,” Kuroro informed him. “You don't know any of those people, and being associated with organized crime, they're not exactly choir boys. Why does it bother you so much that you might accidentally kill one of them?”

Kurapica was silent a moment, clearly trying to find the proper words to express himself. “Do you remember the beginning of this mad little adventure?” he finally asked the Spider Head. “When I was still your prisoner; when we stayed in that dilapidated hotel?” Kuroro nodded, so the blond continued, “Do you remember what you told me then? You said that when someone dies, it isn't the dead that suffers, but those left behind.” He was silent a moment, apparently gathering his thoughts. “I've spent a lot of time thinking about what you said since. It took me a long time, but I've come to the conclusion that you are right. You are absolutely right. It is the people left to bury the dead and pick up the pieces who suffer in the end.”

Kuroro was actually surprised. He had not thought that he had made much of an impression on the younger man. He had thought that Kurapica simply disregarded everything he said on principle, back then. He had obviously thought wrong. The realization that the blond had taken him seriously from the start cheered him up some.

“That is why,” Kurapica continued, “no matter how many sins those men might have committed, I will not kill them. They still have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, friends... I will not cause them pain.”

Kuroro was silent a moment, digesting that knew information. “What about us?” he finally asked. “What about the Spiders? Are you intending to kill us all, still?”

The young hunter shifted uncomfortably. “It's not like I can, right now,” he said. “We are temporary allies at the moment.”

“That is not what I asked,” Kuroro pointed out, disregarding Kurapica's choice of words for now. “I don't want to know whether you are able to harm us, but whether you still aspire to.”

That seemed to make Kurapica even more uncomfortable. “In York Shin,” he began after a moment, “a friend of mine told me something that really bothered me at the time.” He glanced at the older man. “He said that after I'd killed one of your men, another one of yours cried. I didn't know what to make of it.” There was another pause, where Kurapica let out a soft sigh. “Then there was the young woman, Pakunoda. I've long wondered why she had agreed to the exchange. At the time, I had thought that you were all loveless, selfish, evil people. I hadn't thought...”

He was silent for a long time. It was clear that he was shaken by his own admission and that he wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation. Perhaps, Kuroro hoped, he was finally starting to see the Ryodan members as actual people rather than as heartless monsters.

“I don't know,” the blond finally said, turning his frank gaze on Kuroro. “A part of me still wants retribution for all that I've lost at the hands of you and your group. I need it. But I don't know that I would be able to exact my revenge, anymore.”

That was fantastic news. It was clear that Kuroro's plan was working. Were he not so dignified, he would have gotten up and danced. It was obvious that Kurapica was regretting admitting this, however. The blond opened his mouth to recant, but Kuroro wouldn't let him. He shut him up the best way that he could think of.

He kissed him.

Kurapica made a soft sound of surprise in the back of his throat and Kuroro found himself pushing him back against the armrest of the couch. His blood was already thrumming pleasantly in his veins and he deepened the kiss. The younger man started responding. His hand tightened in Kuroro's hair. When that kiss ended, another began, then another. Things were heating up fast. There was this fierce hunger growing inside of Kuroro. They had things to do; this had to stop. The Spider Head pulled away. He sat back a moment, but he found that the temptation was still much too strong. He got to his feet.

He stared down at Kurapica. The younger man was looking up at him, eyes large, vulnerable. He was breathing heavily, lips moist and swollen. Kuroro turned away.

“Come,” he said. “Let's go buy you a weapon. Once that you feel comfortable with.”

Chapter Text

The shop was dark and sort of sketchy, unlike any other shop Kurapica had ever seen. It wasn't his first time in a weapon store, but it was his first time in a black market, undergound one. As soon as the door closed behind them, the shop keeper locked it and tested it to make sure it wouldn't open.

“Sorry 'bout that,” he muttered. “One can never be too careful, especially with all these weapons around. What can I get you?”

Kuroro motioned towards Kurapica with his head. The blond looked around the place, slowly tacking stocks of the dark interior. It was cramped full of shelves, the aisles in-between barely large enough to squeeze through. Everywhere, weapons of every kind, every era. Swords were laid next to guns, knives hidden behind bows and quivers; there were even slings with round pebbles set nearby.

“I'm not sure what kind of weapon I need just yet,” the blond told the owner. “Can I just look around for a bit?”

“Sure,” the shop keeper said with a shrug. “So long as you don't try anything funny. None of the guns are loaded except for mine.” He patted the holster at his hip, giving him a slow once-over that made Kurapica's skin crawl.

“We're not here to rob you,” he assured him. He started walking down one aisle. There didn't seem to be any sort of order in how the weapons were set on the shelves. There weren't any sign or price list anywhere either. He moved slowly, looking at each weapon in turn. Kuroro shadowed him closely, to the point that it was a little unnerving, really. It was like he was getting ready for an attack; from whom, Kurapica had no idea. The shop keeper, maybe.

Kuroro picked up a knife from a shelf and slid it halfway out of its scabbard. Kurapica glanced at him. The older man showed him the weapon and Kurapica shook his head. Just from the looks of it, he could tell it was probably poisoned. Kurapica would not change one poisoned knife for another, especially since he didn't know what substance was on it and where it had come from.

“Do you know what kind of weapon that you want?” Kuroro asked him.

“Something blunt that I can use to hit someone with, so that there is no risk that I might accidentally kill them.”

“That is not nearly enough,” the Spider Head told him. “I can't let you walk into a dangerous situation with only a blunt.”

“What if there's a blade hidden inside?” Kurapica suggested. “If the situation gets too serious, I could protect myself with the hidden blade.”

“That's oddly specific,” Kuroro commented. “You've had one of those before?”

“Two, actually,” the blond said, feeling rather amused. “During the Hunter Exam.”

Kuroro looked at him for a moment. There was an odd look on his face, something that Kurapica couldn't quite read. He turned away and cleared his throat, feeling suddenly nervous for reasons he couldn't quite understand. The older man slid the knife back in and returned it to its place on the shelf.

They finished that aisle and went through two more, picking up staves, clubs, other blunts that could perhaps do the job. At the end of a line of shelves, there was a sort of bucket with longer weapons. Kuroro took out a few, one by one, to examine them critically. None of them met his approval, and he placed them back where he'd grabbed them from. The sixth one that he picked up was an ornate wooden cane. He hefted it a few times and tried pulling at the pommel. It slid upwards and a thin, stiletto blade appeared, shining dully in the glab light coming from the ceiling neons.

“How about this one?” he asked the blond. “It's delicate enough to be considered feminine.”

“I don't think I could get the – ” He glanced at the shop owner. “– the man's interest if I had to fake a limp to be able to carry my weapon without arousing suspicion.” He started down the next alley. “I need something smaller, something I can hide under my clothes; and the skirt that I'm going to wear is ridiculously short.”

His eyes suddenly fell on an innocuous looking piece of wood. It looked like a short baton, about thirty centimetres in length. It was made of light, polished wood, completely straight but with the outside slightly rounded. When he piked it up, the weight of it told him all that he needed. He grabbed both ends and pulled, revealing a sturdy dagger blade inside.

Kuroro suddenly appeared at his side. He always moved silently. Kurapica had extraordinary hearing, but even he could not detect the older man's approach.

“This one,” the blond decided. “This is the one that I need.”

Kuroro gazed at the blade for a moment. “It's too small,” he informed him.

“I'm not going there to kill anyone,” Kurapica reminded him. “I'm only going there to chat and distract. The knife is only in case someone attacks me. I don't intend to use it unless absolutely necessary. I might not even need it.”

“It's a dangerous situation,” the older man told him, his tone dark. “That knife wouldn't skewer a rat.”

“You underestimate my fighting abilities,” Kurapica said, snapping the dagger back into its wooden scabbard. “This is the one I intend to take with me.”

Kuroro looked like he was going to push the issue, but then his face closed up and he sighed. “Fine,” he relented. “If you're sure.”

“I'm sure,” Kurapica answered. He turned towards the back of the shop where he expected the counter to be. There wasn't one, however; there was only a grimy lawn chair where the owned sat, drinking beer and watching him approach. He'd noticed that as soon as he'd started wearing female clothes, the way men looked at him had changed, and it still made him uncomfortable even now. Especially when they kept staring and didn't even pretend not have been ogling him. Like now. It was disgusting.

“How much?” Kuroro was suddenly behind him. He plucked the knife from Kurapica's grasp and showed it to the shop keeper. “How much for this?” There was a dark and dangerous tone in his voice.

The shop owner made a face. “For ya, it'll be five hundred thousand zennies.” He turned his attention back on Kurapica. “Ten thousand for the pretty lady.”

“Kuroro took a step forward, roughly pushing the blond behind him. “It is for the lady,” he told the man. The air grew charged and stifling. “I'm going to give you ten thousand,” he began. The man opened his mouth, looking like he was going to protest. “And,” the Ryodan leader continued, his tone ominous, “I'm going to let you keep your eyeballs attached to your head.”

There was a soft sound, and a thin blade appeared, protruding from the wall, a mere two centimetres from the man's ear. Kurapica hadn't even seen the Spider Head move.

“Cut it out,” he hissed. “The guy's a creep but he'd harmless. I don't want to see him die simply for having bad tastes in pick up lines.” He turned to the shop owner. “Just take the money he offers,” he told him. “If he decides to kill you –”

He didn't get to finish his warning. The man reached for his gun, so Kurapica snagged his new dagger from Kuroro's hands and hit him on the left temple, knocking him out.

“See?” he told Kuroro. “Works fine.” He reached for his wallet.

“You're not going to pay for the knife.” There was heavy disbelief in the older man's tone. “He's out cold; he won't pursue us.”

“I'm not stealing the dagger,” Kurapica replied, counting out some money.

Kuroro stopped him. “I said I'd buy it,” he reminded him. He dropped a ten thousand bill on the shop keeper's prone form and snagged his keys. Door unlocked, they let themselves out just as a groan came from the back of the store. Kuroro chucked the keys back in and let the door close.

Their evening was slightly awkward, both of them trying to read in the main room of their tiny suite, but Kurapica couldn't focus and he noticed that his companion seemed to be brooding. They turned in early, having barely said a word to each other. They headed to the university early the next afternoon. Registration over, they wandered around campus, trying to find Professor Forkey. It took them hours just to locate him, but from what they knew of him, they were certain that he would be there. He wouldn't miss the chance to see young girls in high school uniform. Eventually, they found him walking the hallways, looking at the female students, especially those in the uniform from the school they'd just graduated from.

Kurapica was about to go on with the plan, when he felt a pull at his arm and paused. A glance down, then back up to Kuroro's face and he frowned in confusion. There was a dangerous look in the older man's eyes, something that made Kurapica's breathing hitch. He wet his lips slowly, opened his mouth as if to say something, but he didn't know what so he closed it again. He lowered his eyes and gently pulled Kuroro's hand from his arm.

“Trust me,” he murmured, glancing up quickly, then turning away. He squared his shoulders and started walking down the hallway towards Forkey. Once close to him, he pretended to trip and fell against the ugly man.

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” he said, widening his eyes on purpose, trying his best to look dainty and demure. “I am so very sorry!”

The professor turned towards him, brows furrowed. When he caught sight of the blond in his schoolgirl uniform, light makeup and long curly side tail (thanks to a fake hair piece), his expression changed from irritation to keen interest. “Oh, it's quite all right!” he exclaimed, looking him up and down. Subtle, he was not. It was really quite rude, but Kurapica made sure not to let his annoyance show.

Wait; he was starting to get much too good at lying and pretending. This was definitely Kuroro's influence. Kurapica wasn't sure he liked this. At all.

“Ah, I've told you to be careful,” Kuroro chided, perfect in his role as older brother. “I'm sorry, sir,” he told the professor, “my sister is very clumsy.”

“It's no trouble,” the old pervert said in a cold, but polite way. When he turned to Kurapica, his expression turned downright lecherous. The blond resisted the urge to reach for his knife. “Are you here for registration?” the professor wanted to know.

“Yes,” Kurapica answered, quickly getting back into the mindset that he needed to be in to play his role. “We're done, though.” He paused, glancing at his 'brother'. “We were about to look at different dormitories. I'd rather have an apartment, but money's a bit... you know...”

Forkey looked him up and down again. “You know,” he said slowly, “I'm sure we could arrange something.” He sent Kuroro a quick look. “With the university, I mean.”

He was disgustingly obvious, Kurapica thought. It was a miracle that the man hadn't been fired already. The blond made a show of looking at Kuroro, then at the professor before letting his gaze slide back to the Spider Head.

“Brother,” he said, with the sweetest fake smile that he could muster, “I'm really thirsty. I think we passed a vending machine earlier; could you get me something?”

He was kind of playing it by ear at this point and he really, really hoped that Kuroro would not take offence. Thankfully, the Ryodan leader had easily caught on to what he was trying to do and he gave the blond a warning glance and turned away.

Once he'd started down the hallway they had come from, Kurapica turned his attention back to the professor. “I'm sorry,” he told him, “my brother is kind of overprotective.”

“With such a beautiful sister,” the old lecher answered, “I don't blame him.”

Kurapica lowered his eyelids in what he hoped was a flirty sort of look. “You mentioned a possible arrangement?”

Forkey's smile grew nearly feral. “Yes,” he said. “I happen to own some property. We should meet outside somewhere and... discuss this more in-depth.”

“Without my overprotective brother?” Kurapica gave him a knowing look. “That could be arranged. I could find an excuse for a little visit,” he marked a pause for emphasis, “but he'll insist on picking me up, I'm afraid.”

“I could have someone open the door for him and show him into a sitting room to wait until you're good and ready to go.”

Kurapica smiled genuinely, this time. Their plan was really coming together splendidly. This was perfect. So long as he managed to get the old creep alone in whatever room he kept the Scarlet Eyes, it would be easy for the Spider Head to find them and grab what they wanted while Kurapica distracted Forkey. There was absolutely no way that the blond would ever let the old lecher touch him, though.

He made sure not to let his disgust show on his face. He lowered his eyelids and tilted his head. “That would be brilliant,” he said. He noticed that Kuroro was coming back with a bottle of juice. Their eyes met and the blond paused. There was something odd with the older man, today. He kept looking... troubled, angry, maybe. There was something dark in his gaze again.

Before Kuroro could say anything, the blond pasted a smile on his face. “Oh, you're back,” he exclaimed. “Listen, the good professor here is the head of the anthropology department and he's agreed to help me choose my courses so that I get the best professors and all of the credits I need to get ahead from the very first semester. He's invited me to have dinner with him and his wife.” It was a lie of course, and all three men knew it, albeit for different reasons. “Can I go? It would be so good for my education and my future.” There, that should convince any overprotective brother under the sun. Should do it.

Kuroro sighed, purely theatrical. “I'm going to pick up after,” he told the blond. “And, I'm sorry, Professor,” he glanced at Forkey before returning his gaze to the blond, “I don't want you to be alone with him for any length of time.”

It was ridiculous just how well they worked together to con this man. In spite of Forkey's sketchiness, this realization was a bit of a shock to Kurapica. He froze for a split second, before catching himself. He managed to look innocent enough, he thought. “You know I'll be careful. I'm not a child anymore.”

“One is never too careful,” Kuroro told him. “There are bad men, out there.” He turned his attention to Forkey once more. “No offence, Professor.”

“None taken,” Forkey assured him. “It shows that you love your sister dearly. Tell you what, why don't you follow us in your car? You could see the house and if you think I've misbehaved, you'll know what address to give the police.”

There was a strange look on Kuroro's face for a moment, but he caught himself. “I don't think that will be necessary,” he said. “Just give me your address and tell me what time I can pick her up.”

“That's fine.” Forkey dug into his vest pocket and retrieved a card for Kuroro. “Let's say, eight-thirty?”

“I'll be there,” the Spider Head promised. He turned to Kurapica. “Behave,” he warned, very seriously. He meant it, the blond knew. This wasn't about the possible indiscretions of a barely-legal young woman in a new city; it was about staying safe, in a house full of armed criminals. Kurapica watched him leave, hoping he'd get to the house early. The professor gave him the creeps.

“Well, then,” Forkey said, placing a hand at the small of his back, “shall we go?

Kurapica resisted the urge to shudder and pull away. He let the professor guide him outside, the ugly man calling his chauffeur as they went. The ride to Forkey's mansion felt like it was taking forever. He managed to get the man to keep his hands to himself without blowing his cover by shaking his head and motioning towards the driver. He considered it proof of his extreme patience that he did not punch the creep.

If driving to the house felt like a million years, dinner with Forkey and his insipid wife (he was indeed married, it turned out) was even worse. Kurapica made sure to talk at length about his interest in anthropology and his passion for hidden and obscure tribes that lived outside of the modern world and so, just as he had suspected, as soon as dinner was over and the wife had departed for a ballet representation, Forkey announced that he wanted to show him something special.

He was led through the house, past so many men and women in dark suits, it was ridiculous, down into the basement, then down another flight of stairs. Kurapica was starting to feel nervous. A sub-basement would be tricky to escape from, if things got ugly. He took out his cellphone to look at the time. It was only a little past seven.

He really hoped that Kuroro would show up early.

Forkey turned towards him. “Problem?” he asked.

“Oh, no, no,” Kurapica assured him. “I was simply looking at the time. I was worried it was getting late.” As he spoke, he sent Kuroro a text that simply read, “2B,” then he slid it back in the one side pocket his skirt had.

Forkey led the way to a large metal door that clearly led to a safe. He glanced at the blond and gave him a wide, excited grin that didn't really help him look any less repulsive. He typed in a code and one of the men positioned in the open area at the foot of the staircase came over. He grabbed a wheel that clearly controlled the heavy lock. With much heaving and puffing, he turned it counter-clock wise. It took a few, long minuted for the door to finally turn outwards slightly.

“Come,” Forkey said, “in here.” Kurapica stayed back, apprehension growing steadily. The professor seemed to notice his misgivings. “Don't worry,” he said, “it's quite safe.” He motioned to the man who had unlocked the door, and on a sharp pull from him, it swung wide open.

Inside, it looked like a showroom rather than a safe. Kurapica made sure to look suitably impressed and took a step forward, then stalled. He shot a purposely worried look at the five men sitting or standing by the door, then an uncertain look towards Forkey. The old creep motioned a dismissal and the men obediently started up the stairs. Only then did Kurapica walk into the safe-showroom. Forkey grinned widely and led him towards the very back of the room.

Not one; two pairs! The old bastard had two pairs of Scarlet Eyes!

Not for long.

Kurapica resisted the urge to ram his fist repeatedly in the man's face – to think that this vile person had had these treasures in his hands! – and walked closer. As he drew near the display case, he gasped, forcing his eyes to widen in awe. He went to touch the glass, having noticed another keypad on the side of the stand.

As expected, Forkey stopped him. “There's an alarm,” he explained.

“They're so –” gruesome, abominably soul-less, macabre, not yours to own, “– beautiful!” He turned wide dazzled eyes on the professor. “Can I see them? I've never seen anything so amazing.”

“You can look,” Forkey told him. “Just don't touch the glass.”

“I meant from up close,” Kurapica specified and, though it cost him dearly to say it, he added, “please,” for good measure.

Again, Forkey fell for the big eyes and pleading look. Kurapica felt a little sick, personally. He hoped he never had to compromise his integrity by playing a stupid role like this ever again. Damn Kuroro and his stupid plan.

Well, the stupid plan was working. Forkey gobbled it up, hook, line and sinker. He tapped his code up and opened the display case. “Here you go, beautiful.” His smile was positively grotesque.

Kurapica opened his mouth to thank him, but the lights suddenly went off and he blinked a few times, trying to see what was happening – although he had a fairly good idea – while Forkey bellowed for someone to fix this. A moment where Kurapica tried to find Kuroro by ear, then someone grabbed his hand and pulled him back towards the stairs. There was a weird sensation that made his stomach fall to his heels and he was soon running again. His eyes were just starting to adjust to the darkness when there was another twist-pull – ah, he remember, now; this was what the teleportation ability felt like – and he was suddenly in a bright hallway on the ground floor. Kuroro – of course, it was him – opened the first door on their left, having to let go of the blond a moment to get it since his nen book was open in his other hand. He grabbed Kurapica's hand again and pulled him through the room at a run.

There were four people sitting around a table, playing cards, someone by the large bay-window, smoking a cigarette, and another man was sitting on a couch, hunched over a coffee table, cleaning a gun. They didn't even have time to react.

“Just passing through,” Kuroro announced cheerfully.

He pulled Kurapica towards the far wall and they teleported through to find themselves on the front lawn. Kuroro must have planned this through, because the car was parked at the closest point of the arching driveway from where they were. He let go of Kurapica's hand just as they reached it and half-jumped, half-slid over the hood of the car. The moment the second door closed, he turned the key in the ignition and floored it.

Kurapica was a bit exasperated by Kuroro's exuberance. And, well, pretty amused as well, now. The older man's gaiety was infectious.

“Well,” Kuroro said, grinning and sending Kurapica a glance, “that was exciting.”

Kurapica could only snort and shake his head.

Chapter Text

Kuroro knew that they had to leave soon, if they wanted to make it out of the city without killing any of the brutes employed by Forkey. He was still going along with the blond's wish on that. Still, they couldn't leave too quickly, or that would get them unwanted attention. He followed the younger man into their suite.

“I can't believe you talked me into this, and I can't believe I actually went along with it!” Kurapica announced as the Spider Head closed the door behind them. He wasn't as angry as he was making himself to be, however, Kuroro was sure. He'd seen him chuckle in the car. The blond sighed. “Next time, you do it. It was a stupid plan.”

“But it worked,” Kuroro countered easily. “We got in, we got the Eyes and we got out.”

“You haven't had to put up with all the lecherous looks and thinly veiled invitations. Speaking of which, would you kindly stop staring at me like that? You're making my skin crawl.”

Kuroro shrugged. “Well, you look quite delectable like this. I can understand the poor man. Any fool would see you are strikingly beautiful, not to mention sexy.” He walked over to the boy and tugged at the hem of the skirt lightly. The mere fact that he barely had to lean down to do so spoke volume about how little the garment covered. Kurapica slapped his hand away.

“Is this what you find attractive? A teenage boy in a skirt?”

“No,” Kuroro answered easily. “What I find attractive is you, showing more skin than usual.”

Kurapica's mouth moved soundlessly a couple of times, as if he were too shocked to find an adequate reply. In the end, he turned away. “You're a pervert,” he informed the older man, his face lowered and turned away, so Kuroro couldn't see it. He could still see the blush creeping up the blond's neck, however.

“When it comes to you, I can be many things,” the older man replied.

Kurapica turned back towards him. Kuroro could now see the blush colouring his cheeks. It was quite becoming. The blond sent him and inquisitive look that made the Spider head grin, but he did not explain himself. In the end, Kurapica shrugged and sighed, starting to unbutton his blouse.

Kuroro was behind him in an instant. “Wait,” he said. “Don't take it off just yet.” He wrapped his arm around Kurapica's thin waist, pulling him back against his chest.

The blond half turned his head, trying to catch a glimpse of the Ryodan leader's face, but the taller man was holding him fast. The boy pulled at Kuroro's arm, attempting to extirpate himself from his grasp. “What are you doing?” he asked, somewhat embarrassed. “I want to get out of this ridiculous outfit.”

“Not just yet,” Kuroro said, tightening his hold on Kurapica. “Don't take it off just yet.”

Kurapica sighed, stilling his movements. “Why not? This is ridiculously embarrassing.”

“Maybe, but it's also quite exciting, isn't it?”

The blond shook his head with another sigh. “Do you mean to say that you want to... to touch me while I'm in women's clothing?”

“I mean to say that I want to caress you, touch you, kiss you and slowly, slowly undress you while you are wearing this, yes.”

He heard the blond swallow thickly and he grinned, as he knew Kurapica would object, but he would still let the older man do it. Do him. This was heady and thrilling, this constant challenge that he always found a way to overcome.

Ah, he could get used to this.

He slipped a hand under the soft, white fabric of Kurapica's blouse. His other hand caressed up and down the blond's bare arm. Unsurprisingly, the blond was wearing a tank top underneath the shirt. Kuroro chuckled.

“You're a pervert,” Kurapica repeated, but he was leaning into the taller man now.

Kuroro laughed softly again and placed a kiss on the side of Kurapica's neck. The blond tilted his head, and Kuroro wasted no time in nuzzling the boy's pale white skin, knowing fully well that the younger man felt that gesture both comforting and exciting. The blond exhaled softly, his body relaxing back into the older man's. The Spider head smiled against his neck, then nibbled gently as he slipped his hand into the boy's undershirt. He splayed his fingers, liking how warmth radiated between their skin. After a moment, he moved it gently, ever so slowly, lower over the thick fabric of the plaited skirt, then higher again, skin against skin.

He bit down gently on Kurapica's neck, and the blond made a soft sound that was not quite a whimper. Kuroro nearly lost control then and there. Kurapica rarely ever was vocal, and the few times that he had been, it had set Kuroro's body on fire.

He tightened his hold on the younger man, pressing against him, liking the way the blond abandoned himself to his control. He raised his hand again, this time over the undershirt, unbuttoning the blouse slowly. At the third button, Kurapica let out a shaky breath. When the shirt was open fully, Kuroro guided Kurapica so he would turn and to face him. He took a step back, taking in the sight of the blond with his blouse open on a white tank top and a short plaid skirt.

There were already numerous reasons why Kuroro might be condemned to spend his afterlife in hell if it existed, but the fact he found this sight incredibly exciting suggested he might just have to add another item to the list.

Embarrassed by the older man's stare, Kurapica frowned and crossed the front of his shirt closed. “Stop it,” he whispered. “Stop staring.”

Kuroro didn't want to stop staring. But it wouldn't do to upset Kurapica now, when it could ruin the chance of him putting his hands on the boy while he was in costume. He stepped closer, pulling Kurapica's arms away from his chest and slipping his hands inside the open shirt to hold the younger man's waist. Kurapica expected the kiss and was already tilting his head up. Their lips met, parted, met again. Kuroro pulled the blond closer, their bodies moulding together, pressed tightly against each other. Kuroro pushed his tongue forward and Kurapica parted his lips easily, letting him in. One of his hands reached down and splayed against the backside of Kurapica's bare thigh. He slid it up slowly, the skirt bunching up, then lifting. Kurapica gasped lightly and tilted his head back, effectively breaking the kiss.

Kuroro could feel him start to react, pressed against him as he was. Gods, but the boy was sexy. Who would have thought just how erotic he could be without even being aware it. He nipped at the blond's jawline, hand sliding up until it pressed against Kurapica's buttock, squeezing it slightly. The younger man was wearing short boxer pants underneath the skirt. The fabric was in the way, but he didn't feel like moving just yet, so he simply squeezed again and nipped at Kurapica's earlobe.

“Let's move to the bedroom,” he whispered softly.

He felt Kurapica tense up and respond to his whisper. So the boy liked when he whispered in his ear like this? Kuroro could make use of that.

Kurapica nodded and started pulling away from him, but Kuroro stopped him. The young hunter looked up inquisitively. Kuroro grinned down at him, pulled him tight against his chest once more, and then kissed him. It wasn't a light kiss. It was hungry and impatient, Kuroro's tongue delving deeply into Kurapica's mouth to rub against and around the boy's own tongue. He squeezed with his hand again, pulling the boy closer at the same time to press his thigh against his erection. Kurapica made a soft, nearly inaudible sound in the back of his throat and Kuroro finally released him and stepped back.

They stood for a moment, looking at each other, their breathing ragged, and Kuroro could see the hunger in Kurapica's blood red eyes. He caught his hand and turned away, pulling him towards the bedroom. Kurapica trailed after him, and there was no pretence of not wanting this from either men. He threw the door open, pulled Kurapica in the room and slammed the door shut, immediately pushing the blond against the wall next to it. This kiss too was hungry and nearly desperate in its intensity. He felt Kurapica's arms come around the back of his head and the boy pulled himself higher, nearly standing on the tip of his toes now. Kuroro pushed a thigh between the blond's legs and Kurapica broke the kiss to take a ragged breath. Kuroro's hands tightened against Kurapica's thin hips, his fingers digging in. It was surely painful, but the blond didn't seem to mind at all.

After a few feverish kisses, Kuroro shoved himself away. He eyed the blond hungrily, loving how dishevelled he looked, and how his eyes glowed red in the semi-darkness.

'I did this to him,' he thought; and he loved it.

Grasping his hand again, he pulled him towards the bed. Kurapica followed easily. Kuroro kissed him again when they reached the bed. His hands went to the boy's waist and slid under the blouse and undershirt so he could rake his fingers up and down Kurapica's sides in the way he knew would drive him wild. The blond gasped and broke the kiss, panting roughly.

“Gods...” His voice was hoarse.

The older man tightened his fingers, nails digging into Kurapica's skin lightly. He kissed him again, then released him, pushing him onto the bed. The blond sat, then leaned back, arms wrapping around the back of his neck again to pull him down with him. Kuroro put a hand on the mattress next to the Kuruta's head, leaning heavily onto it as he kissed the boy again. He ran his other hand over Kurapica's chest, from his shoulder to his waist. The blond arched into the kiss. Kuroro nudged a knee between his thighs, pressing down against him. Kurapica arched even more, gasping lightly.

Kuroro's arm was tiring, but he didn't want to move just yet. He switched hands, putting his weight on his left arm and using his right hand to slip under the tank top to caress the pale skin underneath. Kurapica let out a soft, soft exhale. Another hungry, hungry kiss, and Kuroro straightened up.

“Move onto the bed,” he whispered.

He went to retrieve the bottle of lubricant as Kurapica moved so that he was sitting in the middle of the bed, legs crossed. He was pulling down on the skirt to cover as much of his thighs as he could, but it helped very little. Kuroro returned and crawled over to him, dropping the bottle by the blond's hip. He smiled down at him before kissing him gently. As always, Kurapica looked flustered at first, and uncertain about what they were about to do. Kuroro kept the kiss gentle, reassuring. Pulling away slightly, he pushed Kurapica so the boy was lying down, then he took a minute to admire him.

Kurapica looked away, blushing. “Would you stop staring?” he asked in a rough whisper.

Kuroro ran his hand up and down his chest a couple of times. “I like staring at you,” he said, then leaned down to kiss him again.

He let his hand slide down, over the skirt and on the side of Kurapica's thigh, then ran it up and under the skirt. He pulled at the shorts. Kurapica tensed up.

Kuroro kissed him.“Raise your hips,” he said softly.

After a slight hesitation, Kurapica obeyed. Kuroro pulled the shorts down and the blond lowered his hips again. The taller man nipped at his lips, then straightened up, wasting no time in removing the shorts entirely. He threw them to the side, off the bed. Kurapica pulled at his skirt desperately, and Kuroro had to repress a soft chuckle. He batted the blond's hands away and slid his hand under the short skirt. As he wrapped his hand around Kurapica's shaft, he leaned down for another kiss. Kurapica wrapped his arms around the back of his neck again, arching his back.

Kuroro moved his hand up and down slowly once, twice, and again, trying to see if he could make Kurapica moan, but the boy only let his head fall back onto the mattress, panting softly.

Ah, well.

He pulled his hand away, retrieving the bottle. He popped the top open with his thumb and up-ended the bottle so some of it would fall onto his palm, then he popped it closed again. He rubbed his fingers into the thick liquid, coating them as best he could. When he pressed his fingertips against Kurapica's opening, the boy tensed, every muscle in his body tightening in apprehension.

“Kurapica,” Kuroro whispered softly. “You're too tense. Relax.”

“I know,” the boy said, his voice soft and ragged.

Kuroro felt the blond try to loosen up. It took a little while, but eventually, he was ready. Kuroro prepared him slowly, carefully, loving how the blond arched and panted and writhed under him.

It was like a drug, and Kuroro was hooked.

When he deemed Kurapica ready, he pulled his fingers out and laid down on the bed next to him, on his side. He pulled Kurapica's hips until he turned to face him. They kissed, the blond's left hand going to his upper arm, light as a butterfly. His finger tips were cold. He ran his hand up and down the boy's side, then pulled away from the kiss.

“Come on,” he said, turning to lie on his back.

He undid his belt and pulled it, freeing it from the belt-loops. He let it fall to the side of the bed. Kurapica sat up and reached over, undoing his pants. A slight hesitation, then the blond slid his hand in, under the fabric of his underpants. It wrapped around his erection. Kuroro looked up at the blond's face. It was focused, determined. His eyes still glowed red like fire. Kurapica moved his hand up and down a few times and Kuroro could feel himself harden even more.

“Enough,” he said, surprised that his own voice was hoarse. “Enough, Kurapica. Come.”

He pulled at him gently, until the blond straddled his hips. He reached for the bottle and pushed it into Kurapica's hands. The boy sat over his waist and looked at the small bottle, then at him. He coloured slightly and took it from him. Another hesitation, and he poured some lubricant onto his palm. He then reached back and wrapped his hand around Kuroro's erection again, coating it fully. He tossed the bottle aside and looked down at the older man. Kuroro looked up at him, waiting patiently. Finally, Kurapica raised his hips, then lowered them again, guiding the taller man's erection into his body.

It was amazing. Kuroro could hardly believe they had gotten to a point where Kurapica would be so impatient to have him inside of him. But here they were, Kurapica lowering his hips and impaling himself onto Kuroro's erection slowly. Once he was completely in, the blond paused, leaning forward onto both of his hands, trying to catch his breath. Kuroro slid his hands up the boy's bare thighs and Kurapica held his breath, biting down on his lower lip. Then he half-opened his eyes to gaze down at the man beneath him, and Kuroro could read plainly the boy's hunger and desire in the ruby-coloured orbs. He moved his hips up and Kurapica let go of the breath he was holding. He straightened up, the movement pushing his hips down and burying Kuroro's shaft even deeper in.

A pause, and he started moving his hips slowly back and forth. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Kuroro slid his hands up under his skirt. Kurapica drew a ragged breath and stilled. He pulled Kuroro's hands away and out of the skirt, then placed them on either side of his hips, over the short garment. Leaving his hands over Kuroro's, he lifted his hips, the muscles of his thighs tightening on either side of the taller man. Then he let himself back down. A breath, then up, down and another pause. It was maddening, like slow, delicious torture. So hot and moist inside of Kurapica, so tight around him. Slow. Too slow.

“Kurapica,” he groaned softly, “move faster.”

“Shh,” Kurapica whispered back. “Let me feel you.”

Gods!

He felt Kurapica's thighs tighten around him and the boy pushed himself up again, then down. Another pause. Up and down. A breath. It was driving Kuroro mad. Kurapica lifted his hips again and when he started lowering them, Kuroro pushed up into him, his hands on the boy's hips pulling him down at the same time. Kurapica gasped and his fingers tightened over Kuroro's hands. Up again, then down and Kuroro pushed harder into him. After that, Kurapica picked up the pace, a little faster. Up, down, and faster still. Soon, they were moving in unison, their pace hurried and desperate.

Kuroro tightened his grasp on the blond's hips and stilled his movements, pushing himself up into a seated position. He crossed his legs and lowered Kurapica into the cradle of his thighs. The blond wrapped his arms around his shoulders and his legs around his waist, crossing them behind his back. Kuroro slid his hands up and behind the blond's back, holding him so he wouldn't fall backwards. They started moving again. Soon, all Kuroro could hear was their harsh breathing and the creaks of the bed as they moved. He picked up the pace again, one of his hands sliding between them. He rubbed Kurapica over the thick fabric of his skirt, then slipped his hand under it to wrap around his hot flesh.

He moved his hand as close to the rhythm of their bodies as he could, though it was hard to focus on it properly. Kurapica had his head lowered and it was hard to see his face. He moved his hand a little faster and the boy gasped, tilting his head back. Kuroro nipped at his jaw line. Kurapica lowered his head slightly so he could kiss him. He tilted his head to the side and pushed his tongue into Kuroro's mouth, hungry and demanding. Kuroro was only too glad to deliver. Their movements were feverish now, Kurapica's hips moving and rolling, driving Kuroro mad.

He felt him tense up, muscle tightening around him. Kurapica stilled and shook as his orgasm washed over him, his release coating Kuroro's hand and the inside of the skirt. Kuroro kept moving his hand over his erection until Kurapica flopped against him, head buried in the crook of his neck. Then Kuroro wrapped both arms around him again, pulling him forward and down, pushing in as deep as he could. Kurapica gasped right by his ear, throwing his head back.

Jesus.

He let himself fall backward until he was lying down again and Kurapica was leaning above him, hands planted firmly on either side of his head. Kuroro grabbed his hips again and started pulling him up and down rapidly on his shaft, desperate now to reach his own climax. Kurapica started moving again, his muscles still tight around him. It was so hot, so tight, so maddeningly addictive. Soon, Kuroro pushed into him, pulling him down on him at the same time and held him there as he came. Then he moved again and Kurapica raised him hips slightly, then Kuroro pulled him down as he pushed into him as hard as he could. A pause, then again, once, twice, and he was finished.

They stared at each other in the semi-darkness, panting roughly, satiated. Then Kurapica raised his hips and moved off of him. He made a face at the older man.

“I am never going to wear this skirt again,” he said, then he got up and left the room.

Soon, Kuroro could hear the shower going.

Chapter Text

When he awoke the next morning, Kuroro opened his eyes to find the sun shining on golden hair. It was strange, this; waking up with someone in bed with him, that he'd fall asleep next to someone, that he didn't mind sharing his bed for an entire night. It was downright unheard of. Then again, Kurapica as no ordinary person, not by any stretch of the imagination.

He couldn't quite help raising his hand to touch that golden hair; he could never deny himself the touch of something he desired. A sharp intake of air, and Kurapica pulled away, eyes already wide, glancing briefly at Kuroro's raised hand before going back to his face. The blue eyes narrowed and Kurapica sat up on the edge of the bed, turning his back to the older man. The sun was still shining onto the boy's hair and pale skin. Kuroro wanted to touch that skin, to splay his fingers under however many layers of sleeveless tops that the blond had pulled on after his shower; he itched to slide his hand up that tense back, all the way to the base of his neck, to caress the pale skin, to lean against Kurapica's back, to whisper softly in his ear until the Kuruta sank back against him, until he drew a ragged breath, until his eyes turned red and his voice called Kuroro's name.

Ah, he was addicted to this boy, and it was probably an unhealthy habit to pursue.

Well, he sort of liked this courtship with death. He was pretty certain that he would be able to dance just out of harm's way, were this beautiful and very dangerous boy to turn on him. He was particularly good at avoiding death, after all.

He sat up as well, and saw Kurapica''s back tense up even more, if it were at all possible. The blond didn't get up or turn away so Kuroro finally gave into the urge to run the flat of his hand up the blond's back, although he did so over the fabric of his shirt, not under. Small concession, that he felt necessary under the circumstances.

Before he ended up changing his mind on what he needed to do, he pulled away and sat on his own side of the bed. A light stretch and got up to his feet. He moved to his bags to find clothes to change into.

“We're going to be leaving as soon as we're dressed and packed,” he told the blond. “I wouldn't check out before morning, or I would risk someone taking undue notice of us and it could reach Forkey's ears, but since we had reserved the room until today, well I don't intend to stick around. The air in this town is going to start getting pretty bad for us.”

Kurapica yawned and got to his feet. “Do I have time for some coffee?” he wanted to know.

Kuroro turned a playfully horrified look on him. “You can't tell me you actually like the coffee here.”

“Hate it,” the blond confirmed. “I just need the caffeine.”

“It can wait ten minutes until we've made it out of town,” Kuroro told him, knowing that they wouldn't be far enough to stop for coffee in hours. “You don't even drive,” he continued. “It's not like you need to be awake. Go get dressed.”

Kurapica made a face that was suspiciously close to looking like a pout. He imagined the expression would much better suit someone like Neon Nostrade than the young Kuruta. Kurapica made his way to his bag and the older man turned away from him and got himself dressed. He heard the bathroom door open and close. A glance back confirmed that the younger man had gone in to change. Kuroro finished getting ready and went to the sort of living room that was attached to their bedroom, so that he could start a cup of coffee for the blond. He then began looking around to make sure that they wouldn't be leaving anything behind. Aside from a pair of Kurapica's underwear, that he found under the bed, the bedroom seemed to be free of personal items, outside of their bags.

Of course, Kurapica had to walk out of the bathroom just as he stood, underwear in hand. “Found something of yours,” Kuroro told the blond, holding it aloft.

Kurapica marked a pause where his eyes slid to Kuroro's hand and his eyebrows lowered in a look of curious confusion that had no business coming out as adorable as it did. “What is..?” he began saying, when realization suddenly hit him. His eyes went wide and a dark blush rose to his fair cheeks.

“It was under the bed,” Kuroro cheerfully explained. He tossed it next to the blond's bags. “Finish packing your things; I'm going to check the other room.”

He didn't wait for an answer, but went to make sure they had left nothing in the living room. A moment later, he returned to Kurapica. The blond was nearly done packing his bags, his head lowered over a backpack, and all Kuroro could see of his skin was the tip of one ear. It was still very, very red.

He couldn't help the amused smile that curled his lips upwards. He walked over to his own luggage and made sure that all of the different bags and pockets were zipped up, buttons snapped, everything secure. He heard Kurapica come towards him and he stood. The blond dropped his things next to Kuroro's and watched as the older man summoned the Skill Hunter, and from there the Fun Fun Cloth. Everything was put away except a couple of books for the road, that the boy kept in his arms. Kuroro gestured gallantly and Kurapica inclined his head and preceded him out of the room. As they passed by the counter, the smell of coffee got his attention and he found the mug (with cream) that Kuroro had prepared for him. He took it, threw Kuroro an uncertain look that the older man couldn't read, and brought the cup to his mouth as he exited the suite. The elevator ride down was quiet. Kuroro kept glancing at the boy, secretly glad to see him in masculine clothes again. Kurapica was facing the doors, a thoughtful frown drawing his eyebrows lower over the bridge of his nose. It was a look that suited him, Kuroro decided.

The elevator dinged and they made their way to the front desk, where Kuroro deposited their key-cards. “Room 381,” he told the clerk, who nodded.

Just as he turned, he spied a couple of rather large men and one woman conspicuously dressed in black suits, sporting large sunglasses and grim expressions on their hard features. They screamed mafia for all to see.

Kuroro quickly turned away, slipping an arm around the back of the younger man's waist. He started leading him away, towards a side door, when the woman in black stopped them. “Hey,” she called out, “you two, over there. Come here for a minute.”

They glanced at each other, Kuroro wishing he hadn't played into Kurapica's ridiculous pleas to see that even unlawful brutes like there were not harmed. On the one hand, this fact had saved Kuroro's life back in York Shin – it wasn't as if he was afraid to die, but he didn't necessarily resent being alive, either – yet, on the other hand, now they were starting to get trouble from some unsavoury sort.

“Look at 'em,” one of the men said. “They're two guys. You blind? It's supposed to be a creepy guy with a delicate, demure female with long hair and shapely, long legs.”

“But,” the woman started protesting, just as Kuroro and Kurapica reached the door. They slipped out, as if they had never felt concerned or, really, that the call from the mafia grunts had been meant for them at all.

As the door closed behind them, Kurapica sighed in relief. Kuroro glanced at him.

“See what you get from insisting on leaving lowlives unharmed?” he asked the blond.

“Yes, and I still deem it necessary,” Kurapica sent back. He walked towards the blue car that they had driven into town.

“Not that one,” Kuroro told him. “We might have been seen driving it. Follow me.”

He led the younger man through the parking lot, glancing this way and that.Whenever he caught sight of the younger man, of his fair features, they looked darker and darker. It was clear that Kurapica was upset about something, and Kuroro would have felt confident placing his bet on the fact that it became clear to the younger man that they were going to steal a car. Well, it was nothing that they hadn't done before and besides, Kurapica would have to get used to it. They were Spiders, after all. And Kurapica would be one, too. Kuroro would see to it.

Finally, he set his sight on a dark green SUV. It was just at an angle from the security cameras, meaning it would not be visible. He quickly got the doors open and he slid behind the wheel. Kurapica sat on the passenger seat, closed his door and put their books in the back. Kuroro waited. Long minutes passed in silence. The blond looked straight ahead at first, but as time stretched slowly, he started fidgeting and finally turned towards the older man.

“What are you doing?” he hissed in a hushed sort of whisper, as if he were afraid of being overheard. “We should go quickly, before we're discovered.”

Kuroro sent him and amused sort of look. “No one's going to come to this specific car,” he told the nervous blond. “And if they do? Then they're my problem, not yours.” He paused, studying the younger man quietly. Time to start teaching the ropes, proper. “Not all burglary and theft depends on speed,” he informed him. “Sometimes, going slow can be to your advantage.”

This was a very sensitive topic, and it could either devolve into yet another argument, or this could be a step forward for them. He nearly held his breath, watching the younger man's face carefully.

Kurapica had a soft, thoughtful frown on his face again. “I see,” he began slowly. “You're waiting for more people to come and go so that the theft will not be immediately liked to us. You specifically chose a car that was hidden from the cameras and now you're waiting until a few more people go past us so as to confuse people. You want our pursuers and policemen who might come after us to get so bogged down by verifying, one by one, the whereabouts of every single person who went by these cameras.”

Ah, choosing Kurapica to be one of the replacements for the two felled Spiders had been an excellent decision. His agility and strength in battle, even without nen, were already quite amazing on their own but his incredible acumen and sharp mind made him a true diamond in the rough. And now, it fell to Kuroro to polish him. He'd already chipped at the hard rock exterior in the few months since he'd captured the young Kuruta. Soon, Kurapica would become the best Spider there ever was, and Kuroro couldn't wait to see it happen.

A few people walked by the car, and the Spider Head used the excuse of hiding their faces (in case someone peered in and caught sight of them through the dark, tinted windows) to give in to the urge to lean over the divide between their seats and press his lips over the younger man's. Kurapica tensed at first – surprised, no doubt – but he soon relaxed and angled his head to make it easier. Kuroro nibbled at his lips. The kiss was surprisingly heady. The people outside were long gone by the time he pulled away.

Kuroro sat back in his seat and cleared his throat. “Get our books from the back?” he asked the blond, who quickly obtemperated.

Time moved at a snail's pace after this. Both young men were pretending to read, but it was clear that neither of them were focused on their respective book. Pages turned sporadically, whenever one of them remembered to keep the farce up. Finally, Kurapica gave up on it and twisted around in his seat to place the book that he wasn't actually reading back where he'd gotten it from. When Kuroro handed him his, the blond took it and placed it on top of his own without comment.

“So,” he began, turning to face the front once more, “where are we headed now?”

“Merro,” Kuroro answered him. “There are rumours about this rich socialite there. She seems to own – quote – a wondrous and gruesome treasure – end quote.

“That does seem like something we should check out,” the blond remarked. “Am I still going there dressed as a woman?”

“Not for the next couple of days,” Kuroro assured him. “On the contrary, I want to put as much distance between this town and ourselves as we can, and the further we go as two males, the better for us.” He couldn't help a smile at Kurapica's obvious relief. “In Merro, we'll go as brother and sister again. Until we reach the prefecture however, it's jeans, t-shirts and those gigantic hooded sweatshirts that you seem to like so much.

“They're comfortable,” Kurapica defended.

“Perhaps,” Kuroro replied, a teasing smile pulling at his lips, “but they hide your beautiful, lithe physique from my eyes.”

Kurapica's face showed confusion, then shock, then finally settled on absolute embarrassment. “I'm not here to decorate your environment,” he informed the older man.

“That may be,” Kuroro answered without missing a beat, “but you still do so wonderfully well.”

Kurapica's cheeks coloured – oh how Kuroro loved being the cause for the blond to blush – and he turned away. “Self-centred bastard,” he muttered under his breath, just as the Spider Head connected the two wires under the dashboard, starting up the car.

They wouldn't go far with the stolen vehicle, but he was hoping to get as far as he could with this one. Things were steadily becoming more dangerous, and he wanted to further confuse the trails they left behind.

“Tell me,” he said, just as they got on the four-lane road that led to the highway, “how well do you know Victorian etiquette?”

“Well enough,” the blond answered, throwing a glance in his direction. “Why?”

“You might want to brush up on it,” Kuroro answered cryptically. “I'll loan you a book, the next time we stop somewhere.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 74

Kurapica hated when Kuroro was being cryptic. For all of his his show of deceitful honesty, he sure liked to keep an air of infuriating enigma. He glanced at him and after a moment, the older man flicked him a look too.

“Something the matter?” he asked, for the umpteenth time in their two-day journey since they'd left the university town.

“No,” Kurapica lied again, not because he wanted to deceive his companion – he knew better – but because he wouldn't know how to answer further questioning. Silence returned to the car – a new one; black, this one. They'd gotten rid of the green one as soon as they could. It was far too easily linked to them, after all.

“Have we gone back to staring at each other in silence?” Kuroro asked him.

The blond shrugged. “It depends. Do you have anything to talk about?”

“Not exactly,” Kuroro answered.

Kurapica huffed a half sigh. “Then I guess we have.”

Kuroro sighed too. “Well,” he said after a moment,” tonight, we'll stop at a small hotel I know.”

“Okay,” the younger man replied, closing his book and twisting around to place it down onto the backseat.

“When we leave tomorrow, we'll drive for a couple of hours before we reach Merro. You'll have to dress as a woman again, I'm afraid.”

“Okay,” Kurapica said again. After a minute or so, he asked, “Why Victorian etiquette?”

“Our next mark is Lady Florenzia. She has a thing for extravagant Victorian parties.”

“So we're going to infiltrate one?”

“Yep!” Kuroro answered cheerfully. “I've thought of something to get men to stop giving you grief, too.”

Kurapica glanced at him again. “What men?” he asked, although the image of the ugly professor immediately came to mind.

Kuroro sent him a look. “Playing dumb doesn't suit you,” he commented. “Men like Forkey. Unless you like that sort of attention.”

Kurapica's temper immediately flared. “Don't be ridiculous!” he exclaimed. “Of course I don't like when old men try to touch me inappropriately or watch me in such a way that I know they are mentally undressing me! Why –”

“Who tried to touch you?” Kuroro interrupted. “Forkey?”

There was a dark, dangerous look in his eyes, which gave Kurapica pause.

“He would have,” he said, treading carefully now, “but you got there early, thankfully.”

Kuroro's shoulders lowered a fraction. His reaction to all of this intrigued the blond, but he knew better than to ask him. “So,” he asked after a long, tense moment, “what was that special plan you mentioned?”

Kuroro glanced at him. He was silent for a moment. Kurapica would have given anything to know what was going through that sharp but dark mind.

Well, almost anything.

“Have you heard of the Wholfir people?” Kuroro finally asked him.

“Is this another way to get me to agree to a tattoo?” he couldn't help asking. He was mostly joking, but he was also intrigued; the Wholfir were pretty much living works of art. With every milestone in life, no matter the path they chose, more and more intricate tattoos were added to their bodies to commemorate the event.

Kuroro's eyebrows rose for a moment and his lips curved into a near-smile. “We'll use professional special effects makeup,” he explained. “The only tattoo you need is the twelve-legged Spider.”

Kurapica flinched. He felt pretty impressed with himself when, rather than lash out, he focused on the plan that Kuroro had obviously concocted. “Am I going to go as a married woman, then?”

“You look a tad young to be married,” Kuroro replied. “Engaged would be more believable. I'll go as your brother, since after a betrothal the Wholfir, male or female, must be with a family member at all times.”

“I know,” the blond replied. He looked at the older man again, detailing his features; the large, dark eyes, the black hair, the tall nose. “I don't understand how people would believe that we could be siblings,” he commented. “We look nothing alike.”

“Not all siblings look similar,” Kuroro replied.

“Usually, there's a bit of resemblance, no?”

Kuroro shrugged. “So long as people don't question it, I don't think it's a bad plan.”

“And if someone does question it?” Kurapica wanted to know.

“I'll find something to explain it,” Kuroro replied with another shrug. “I'm a pretty good liar.”

Silence descended onto the car. Kurapica observed the older man's face for a moment longer. Finally, he too shrugged and then turned away. After another few minuted, he turned towards the back and picked up his book again. The rest of the day went by quietly.

They arrived at the hotel late that night. It was dark out, but not so late that the front desk was unoccupied. They shared a bed, something that was getting uncomfortably normal. Once upon a time, Kurapica would have shuddered in disgusted anger at the thought. Now, he shuddered still, but for a completely different reason. He tensed and heard Kuroro chuckle at his back. Neither said anything, however. It took some time before he could fall asleep.

The morning sun woke him up. The curtains were open a crack, and the light was falling straight across his eyes. He turned onto his back and stretched, the held still as Kuroro put an arm across his waist.

“Good morning,” the older man said, his mouth dangerously close to his ear.

“Morning,” Kurapica said in return, resisting the urge to rub his ear against his shoulder. It tickled.

“How do you feel about wearing the black wig, today?”

“Are you hoping that we might look more like siblings?” the blond asked, amused.

“Mm,” Kuroro hummed, “maybe.”

“Which one should I go for?”

“The more elaborate one will be for the party,” Kuroro answered. “Shal is supposed to send me the invitation we need. I expect it'll be waiting for us at the suite I've secured for us in Merro.”

“So I'm going to wear the simple black wig when we drive into town,” Kurapica ackowledged. “All right, I should –” He made to get up, but Kuroro's arm stopped him, pulling him back against the strong chest behind him. “What are you doing?”

“Holding you,” Kuroro said, laughter in his voice.

“Obviously,” the blond replied. “Are we going to do this again?”

“Ask obvious questions and you'll get obvious answers,” Kuroro replied.

Kurapica sighed. The older man always tried his patience. It was as if he enjoyed having any kind of effect on the blond, be it passion or anger. “All right,” he sighed, deciding to play along. “Why are you preventing me from getting up?”

“There's no hurry,” Kuroro explained, “and I happen to like having you in my arms.”

Kurapica didn't know what to answer to that, so he stayed silent, let Kuroro hold him. He expected the movement, when the older man's hand started sliding up his chest, then down to the waistband of his cotton pants, where he paused. The blond held his breath in anticipation. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, but he could still hear Kuroro's show breaths, the warm air ghosting over the back of his neck. After a moment, the older man's hand travelled up his torso once more.

Kurapica had to let go of the breath that he'd been holding. He bit his lower lip, intensely attuned to every move from Kuroro. The blond felt like he shouldn't be feeling good about the touch. Even now, after all that had happened between them, his conscience was pulling at him, demanding that he stop this mad little game, but he wouldn't, couldn't listen. He'd long grown accustomed to the survival guilt that had plagued him from the moment that he had learned of the fate that had befallen his clansmen. This guilt he now experienced was nothing in comparison.

Kuroro's hand travelled up and down his chest twice more, before coming to rest on the side of the younger man's hip. He paused there, then finally pulled away. When Kurapica turned towards him, Kuroro was sitting up at the edge of the bed, facing away from him.

The sudden change of pace took Kurapica by surprise. He pushed himself up with one hand on the mattress. He looked at Kuroro as the Spider Head got to his feet. Kurapica didn't know what had happened to make Kuroro pull away, but he did know that he found himself feeling disappointed, a fact that didn't sit too well with him. He turned away.

Sitting on his own side of the mattress, he reached for his bag, digging for a change of clothes that could quickly be converted to a feminine one as they reached the city. When he'd selected everything that he needed, he got to his feet and made his way to the bathroom and shut the door behind himself. He shoved the guilt, the self-doubt and all of his misgivings away. It was far too late to turn back anyway; and not just because he'd already gone this far.

Yes, it was far, far too late to turn back now.

He took his time to shower, patted himself dry, then used the hairdryer. Another minute to compose himself, and he stepped out of the washroom. Kuroro was sitting at the desk, laptop open in front of him, and he glanced up, then went back to his screen for a moment. Whatever he was doing, it looked important, so the blond went to his bad to put his things away. He took out a girly top to slip over his tank top in the car, a bit of makeup in case, then packed up everything else and closed his bags.

He heard a door close and he turned to find Kuroro gone and the bathroom door closed. A moment later, the shower turned on. Something about this didn't feel right, but the blond couldn't put his finger on it. Still, they had to get going eventually, so he started going around the bedroom to make sure that they had everything. They'd been on the road for months now and as much as he liked travelling, he was starting to look forward to a few days of rest, something that he could not see happening, could not agree to – not until all of this was over, until the Scarlet Eyes were returned to Lukso, until his connection to one Kuroro Lucifer was severed for good.

He wasn't sure that last one would ever be completely, entirely successful. Even in the event that he managed to get as far from the older man as he could and never, ever saw him again, Kuroro was always going to be his first.

The thought brought heat to his cheeks and a frown to his brows. Of course, this was the moment Kuroro chose to come out of the bathroom. As he caught sight of the blond, he paused in the doorway, hand still on the doorknob. Kurapica didn't look at his face, certain that he'd see amusement in the dark eyes. Instead, he fussed at his bag, unwilling to look at the older man. Kuroro didn't say anything, thankfully, but went to his own luggage instead. Finally, after a long moment, the Spider Head spoke up.

“I don't know about you,” he said, amusement clear in his voice. He marked a pause, where Kurapica braced himself for whatever embarrassing thing that the older man would say. To his relief, what came out next had nothing to do with the blond's flushed cheeks, “but I'm desperate for a decent cup of coffee.”

Kurapica's shoulders relaxed quite a bit. “Yeah,” he agreed, feeling relieved, “me too. I'm also hungry.”

Kuroro made a grand gesture with his arm. “Shall we go, then?”

It was the blond's turn to feel amused. The corners of his lips pulled upwards despite his best effort, and he preceded Kuroro out of the room. The older man put their luggage away and they made their way down. They paused by the front desk to pay for their room, then left. If actually took nearly an hour's drive to find a decent coffee and doughnut shop. They went to the drive-through window and ordered breakfast, then they hit the road again.

It started raining. Kuroro tuned into a classical station. Soon, the most famous track from the opera Carmen drifted into the car, the soprano's clear floating over and around them. The theme of the song bothered Kurapica more than he wanted to let on, so he picked up a book and started reading. It took a couple of hours to even see the lights from the city.

Kuroro got the blond's attention and let him know they were close to Merro city, so Kurapica got out of his hoodie and slipped on the pale top that he'd selected. He lowered the mirror and applied a bit of makeup, put the wig on and brushed it, then pushed the panel up again.

They stopped at a curry restaurant for lunch, then made their way to a grand hotel. They had reservations, and the clerk told them they had mail waiting for them. In the envelope, they had the invitation for two to the party that Kuroro had mentioned. Now, they had well over twenty-four hours to get everything just right.

Chapter Text

Chapter 75

“Stop moving,” Kuroro admonished. “I can't work if you keep shifting position.”

“I can't breathe,” Kurapica griped in response, which was actually only part of the problem.

The corset he was wearing under the dress did feel very constrictive, so tight it was laced to give the illusion of a girly waist, but it wasn't what was making him feel so restless. It wasn't even the ticklish sensation of the brush against his skin. It was Kuroro's gaze, so intent and focused as he painted the intricate tattoo over both of his shoulders. He didn't have breasts to speak of, of course, so they had opted for a sleeveless white blouse that was held at the back of his neck with a bow. There was lace peeking out of the top of the corset, which came up to just underneath where the breasts would be if Kurapica were a girl, the blouse puffing outwards camouflaging the flatness of his chest. He also wore a front bustle skirt, made from a heavy, dark, pinstripe material, a large double bow at the back of Kurapica's waist. He even had fancy Victorian type shoes and a lace shawl to complement the ensemble. It looked horribly, horribly feminine and, although Kurapica wasn't above cross-dressing if it would help him accomplish his goals, this all seemed to be a little over the top. So much lace and frills and ribbons had to be considered superfluous by anyone with a healthy amount of self-respect. And if it got to blows, how was he supposed to run or fight in this ridiculous outfit?!

“Stop moving,” Kuroro said again, and used the corner of a handkerchief dipped in water to erase the line that Kurapica had made him mess up on his left shoulder.

The design was very intricate and had a strong significance amongst the upper class of the Wholfir people, that of a promised woman – “So that no one will harass you,” Kuroro had said – who was not to be touched or approached by any man other than her immediate family. Kurapica glanced down at the Spider Head. He had such an intense look of concentration on his face as he painted, pictures all around him. Some showed the engagement tattoo, and some the marriage one, the top part completing the design of the tattoo that was first drawn onto the skin when the girl was promised to a suitor. For over an hour, Kurapica had had to sit there, completely straight backed, since the corset prevented him from slouching. Not that he ever slouched, but even he could get tired of holding in place.

“Kurapica,” the older man said warningly and the blond stilled again. Kuroro's warm fingertips, the feel of the brush sliding gently over his skin, it all felt a bit odd. He kept wanting to shiver, but he wasn't sure why. “There, finished,” Kuroro finally said. Kurapica let out a relieved sigh. “Next,” the Spider head continued, “make up.”

“Oh, I can do that myself,” Kurapica assured him.

“It'll be faster if I do it,” Kuroro said categorically.

“Can I at least take a few minutes and walk around?” the blond wanted to know. “I think my legs are falling asleep.”

Kuroro arched an eyebrow at him, a small smile playing on his lips. “Is that a devious ploy to get away from me?”

“It's a devious ploy to get up and walk for a minute or two,” Kurapica retorted. “I'll put away the pictures, or something. I just need to move.”

“Sure,” Kuroro said. “Clean up the mess. I'll make some coffee. Be careful not to stain the dress.”

“I know,” Kurapica assured him. He got up and put all of the prints and photos into a neat pile, then started putting away the temporary tattoo art kit. Just moving a bit made him feel a little better. He heard the click of the coffee machine turning on and Kuroro returned with the small make up bag. “I can do the make up,” Kurapica insisted. “Don't you have anything else you could be doing?

“Nope,” Kuroro answered cheerfully. “Sit down.”

Kurapica sighed again, but he complied. He went back to the small, uncomfortable stool, needing to hold it in place as he sat as the skirt kept pushing it back. Suddenly, the reason why men were expected to hold chairs as a lady sat made a whole lot of sense. Kuroro sat across from him, his knees on either side of the blond's legs and the voluminous skirt. His eyes intense and focused, the Spider Head started working. Kurapica didn't know where to look. He was used to this look on Kuroro's face, but usually his eyes were deep and full of hunger when fixed on the Kuruta like this. And it certainly wasn't when there were sitting like they were now. The memories flitted around his head and he shifted, trying not to look too bothered, although he could definitely feel the heat raising to his cheeks.

“Stop moving,” Kuroro said yet again. Kurapica bit his lower lip and stilled. Primer, foundation, eyelid primer. It was ridiculous how many steps there were to the whole process.

“Do we need to really be that thorough?” he wanted to know. “We'll only be there for a few hours.”

“A girl going to such an elegant party would go through all of this to make sure her makeup doesn't smear. We'll do the same so our cover is perfect.” He noticed the look Kurapica was giving him and he scoffed and shrugged. “I once overheard Machi talking about it and how stupid the whole girly thing is. I don't know why I remember this, but I do, so you'll have to bear with it, now.” He set the small container down and reached for a palette of eyeshadow.

“You overheard her talk about how to apply eyeshadow as well?” Kurapica's tone was halfway between teasing and sardonic.

Kuroro arched an eyebrow at him. “I know how to mix colours at the very least,” he said. “Close your eyes.”

Kurapica hesitated for a moment, then let his eyelids fall shut. He held still, though he had a little shudder when the brush first ghosted over his skin. It took entirely too long for his taste, but eventually, Kuroro moved back a little to admire his handiwork.

“Okay, open your eyes,” he said softly, and really, why was he whispering? Kurapica slowly licked his lower lip and opened his eyes. Kuroro observed his face quietly for quite a while, then he moved back in, corrected a few things. “Okay,” he said at length, “keep your eyes half closed like this. I'll put some eyeliner on, then mascara.”

Kurapica complied, but he found the injunction not to move even harder to follow than he had at first. The way Kuroro seemed to stare right into him, his black eyes so intense, so deep and impenetrable, it just, it just did this funny little thing inside of Kurapica. He held his breath and let Kuroro finish with painting his eyelids and darkening his eyelashes. Next, the fake eyelashes were glued to his eyelids. Finally, the older man put most things away and turned his black eyes back onto him. Kurapica held his breath.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Kuroro leaned in. The blond swallowed, wet his lower lip again, then let out a shaky breath. He felt the Spider head slide a hand into his hair and pull him closer, and he leaned forward automatically. The kiss was soft, at first, not hesitant per se, but slow and gentle. A slight tightening of Kuroro's hand and it pulled at his hair just a bit, in no way enough to hurt, but Kurapica tilted his head and the kiss grew more intense and hungry. When the taller man bit at his lower lip, Kurapica made a soft sound of surprise and felt the hair in his hair pull a little harder, and then, suddenly, Kuroro let go entirely.

“You want coffee before I start applying the lipstick?” he asked the blond, getting to his feet.

It took Kurapica a moment to find his voice.” Y-yeah. Coffee would be great.”

His tongue darted out to wet his lips again, his eyes fixed on Kuroro's back as the Spider Head made his way back to the counter where the coffee machine sat. Kurapica watched him take out two mugs, spoons, then get the cream from the small fridge. There was something... odd with Kuroro these days. He wasn't sure what it was, but something was definitely wrong.

“Are you trying to burn holes through my back?” the older man playfully asked him, glancing back at the blond.

“I'm sorry?”

“I can feel you staring,” Kuroro explained.

“I'm just waiting for my coffee,” Kurapica lied.

“You and your coffee,” the Spider Head teased.

“Said the pot to the kettle,” Kurapica sent right back.

When Kuroro turned back towards him, mugs in hand, he had a small, amused smile playing on his lips. It was a ridiculously charming expression, something Kurapica was certain the older man knew how to best use to his advantage. He could probably get anyone to go to crazy lengths for him, just by using this very smile. Kuroro's eyebrows arched higher. He seemed confused with the look the blond was giving him.

Kurapica's eyes slid away and he shifted uncomfortably. Kuroro reached his side and handed him his coffee, which the younger man accepted after a moment of hesitation.

His companion sat down in front of him again.

“Something on your mind?”

Did he really need to sit so close? He wasn't painting on his skin or putting makeup on him, surely he could push his stool back a bit?

“No,” Kurapica answered, bringing his mug to his lips.

“Has anyone ever told you, you're a horrible liar?” Kuroro asked.

The blond glanced at his face, but his eyes soon slid away again. He took a sip of his coffee to steady his nerves.

“No,” he finally replied. “I can't say I'd like being told the opposite, however.” He took another peek at his face.

Kuroro's smile, already beguiling to begin with, brightened up a notch. “I hope you learn how to be a better liar before tonight,” he commented.

The young Hunter couldn't help letting out a soft snort that wasn't quite a laugh. “I think I didn't do too shabbily on Forkey,” he pointed out, his eyes sliding up again to meet Kuroro's gaze.

The older man's face darkened, giving him pause. He must have looked surprised, because Kuroro's features smoothed over and he raised his mug to his lips.

“Yeah,” he finally drawled once he's swallowed his sip of coffee,” I thought you did exceptionally well.”

“See?” Kurapica couldn't help pushing him a bit, though he certainly was intrigued about the look. “I'll do fine. You only think I'm bad at lying because you're abnormally good at it. Most people seem to believe my stories just fine. Besides, do you really want me to get so proficient in lies that I can fool you?”

“No,” Kuroro said slowly and far too seriously for the easy banter that they had going, “I wouldn't want that.”

Kurapica fixed his gaze on him, silently studying his face for some time. Kuroro was definitely off, today.

“There you go,” he finally sent back, “I think we're good, then.”

Kuroro's eyebrows went up again, then his lips pulled in a slow, gradual smile that looked more than a little devious.

“Yes,” he replied, “we're good.”

Kurapica wasn't sure what was going on. He did know that this smile that the older man was showing him made his chest constrict nearly painfully, but that wasn't helping him figure out what was happening in the older man's head.

“Good,” he said at length, then brought his mug to his lips. He took a sip automatically, though his thoughts were definitely not on the coffee anymore.

“Good,” Kuroro parroted, his smile widening a smidgen.

Seriously, there was something wrong with Kurapica's chest. He couldn't breath. Oh wait, he was wearing a ridiculously tight corset. This had to be the reason. He took another sip.

Kuroro idly bounced his feet, and the blond nearly hissed out a soft curse. Each movement made the inside of the taller man's knees brush against his own, just enough that he could feel it through the many layers of his costume. He sucked in a breath and froze. Kuroro paused and arched his eyebrows. Kurapica forced himself to move, bringing his cup to his lips yet again. Large, unblinking eyes fixed on him, the dark haired man mimicked his movement.

Gods, Kurapica didn't know what to do. He felt... He wanted... needed.... He didn't even know. No wait, he did know. He knew what he wanted right then, but he didn't want to admit it, not even to himself. Kurapica hadn't made it this far by closing his eyes to reality, however. He had to face the truth.

He wanted Kuroro.

He craved Kuroro's lips on his own. He desired the touch of his fingers, the slide of his hands over his skin. He hungered for what came next, and that both appalled and excited him.

He had to get out of this, had to leave and run as far from this man as he could. He had to flee, before he was trapped in the spiderweb that the Ryodan leader had spun around him. His hands started shaking. Kuroro's eyes slid down for a moment, then back up to meet his gaze. Focus never wavering, he set his cup down onto the table next to them, then pried Kurapica's fingers off his mug so that he could place it next to his own.

“What are you doing?” Kurapica breathed out the question, his voice far softer and more vulnerable than he had ever wanted it to be.

“Your hands are trembling,” Kuroro explained.

“They're not,” the blond protested.

“They are,” Kuroro insisted, his voice low, his eyes boring into the younger man's, “and you're still a horrible liar.”

“Only with you.”

Kuroro's lips twitched upwards. “That's good,” he whispered, leaning in.

“What are you doing?” Kurapica asked again.

“You're trembling,” Kuroro pointed out once more.

“I'm –” Kurapica began, but he couldn't finish the lie this time. He couldn't breathe.

“Am I the one making you shiver?” Kuroro wanted to know.

“Shut up,” Kurapica begged, unable to admit the truth.

“That's what I thought,” the older man commented, his lips brushing against Kurapica's as he spoke.

Kurapica closed his eyes, feeling another shudder run up his spine. Right then, their lips met properly. Kuroro nibbled at him lightly for a moment, then pulled away a tiny bit. A breath in, a breath out, and he pushed forwards again. His tongue slid over the younger man's lower lip, before delving into his mouth.

Kurapica wanted more. So, so much more.

The kiss grew hotter, more demanding and Kurapica was leaning forward. He would have straddled Kuroro, had he not stepped on the hem of the long skirt that he was wearing. He crashed back to reality and shoved Kuroro away from him.

“Make up,” he gasped. “I have to finish putting on my make up and put my wig on.”

Kuroro got to his feet, picked up his mug and turned away, bringing it to his lips. He took a sip of coffee and pulled his cellphone out.

“Dinner is in an hour,” he told the blond. “It's a fifteen minute drive and we had better get there early.”

“I'll do the lipstick myself,” Kurapica affirmed.

Kuroro nodded and wordlessly made his way to the counter for a refill. Kurapica emptied the rest of his own coffee. His hands were still shaking when he set his mug back down. He took a steadying breath, closed his eyes and turned all of his thoughts to the task at hand. They had a long night ahead of them.

When he opened his eyes, he was ready to work. He went through all of the steps for his lips to be perfect for his role as a fashionable young lady. He then put his wig on and arranged it carefully.

He was ready to leave then, and they silently made their way down to the car. Kurapica firmly put all thoughts of fleeing out of his mind. He wasn't going to leave, not before he'd completed the mission he had set for himself. If the cost was for him to fall victim to the Spider Head's charms, so be it. He wasn't going to run.

Anyway, it was far too late for that.

Chapter Text

Chapter 76

“We'll be there shortly,” Kuroro warned the blond, recognizing a shop he'd made mental note of on his reconnaissance outing the previous night.

Kurapica looked up from his book and took a moment to look around, although he hadn't been with the Spider Head the previous evening. Seemingly remembering this fact, he gave up on it and twisted around to deposit his book on the back seat and pick up his gloves, lacy fan and purse instead.

“I can't breathe,” he grouched as he faced the front again.

“Is it really that bad?” Kuroro asked him, although he had a fairly good idea of just how tight the corset was.

He had tightened it himself, after all, making sure to pull the back lace tight enough to make it look like Kurapica had a small waist, similar to what a girl of his size would have, and also a bit more where he didn't; where the corset left off, the blouse puffed up.

“It is,” Kurapica insisted. “If I faint for lack of oxygen, how is it supposed to help me?”

“You won't,” Kuroro assured him. “But if you do, worry not! I'll carry you home.”

“You're not helping,” Kurapica sighed. “I'll punch you when I regain consciousness.”

“See?” Kuroro pointed out at the sigh, “you can breathe.”

The look that Kurapica turned on him was eloquent.

“You'll owe me another dinner after this,” the blond informed him. “There is no way I can eat anything, at the very least.”

“I'll take you out properly once you've changed out of the dress,” Kuroro promised.

“Not go out,” Kurapica immediately turned it down, “room service.”

“Oh?” Kuroro grinned at him. “Do I look that good in this suit?”

He wanted to catch Kurapica's horrified expression when the boy finally realized what Kuroro was implying, but he had to settle for a confused stare, as he had to look forwards and focus on his driving. A moment later, he was thwacked on the head with the fan. If he'd been a lesser man, the strength of the hit would have been quite painful.

“Idiot,” Kurapica exclaimed.

When the Spider Head glanced at him, the blond quickly turned his head away, but not before Kuroro saw the blush, high on the younger man's cheeks. Ah, he loved this; it was do goddamn addictive.

The rest of the drive went by in silence. Kurapica was likely too flustered to make conversation and the older man was far too pleased with himself to go and ruin it be potentially incurring the blond's ire if he pushed things. They were going to a party and should both appear in good spirit and if Kuroro was sure of his skill in deception, he wasn't as certain of the blond's. They didn't have far to go.

Eventually, they reached the outskirts of the expansive property. They followed the tall garden wall that surrounded the it, all the way to the massive gates. They were open already, with a man close-by to look at the invitations and wave them in. One look at him and Kuroro knew why he'd been left there alone; the man was a powerful nen user. He would know the Spider Head to be the same, but Kurapica would read as a regular person and their invitations were genuine – he'd made sure of that – so the lone guard let them in.

He always did all of his homework – the fact that he'd taken his Spiders as far as he had was largely due to the fact that he dotted his Is and crossed his Ts – but knowing just how well guarded this place was made him glad that he made a point of being as thorough and well-prepared as he could be. He wouldn't risk the man overhearing, in case there was any listening device or ability involved, so he surreptitiously touched Kurapica's knee to get his attention, moved his head a fraction towards the guardsman and mouthed nen user . He got the fraction of a nod in response, then he focused on the large manor looming ahead. Miss Florenzia's affection for all things victorian obviously carried to the majestic home that her parents had bought for her. As they drove closer and closer, Kuroro could tell whoever had designed the castle (mansion was too shabby a word for the grandeur of the place) obviously well knew the architectural style of the era. Although it was a fairly recent construction, every detail of it was faithful to Victorian buildings.

They would have to follow the plan to the letter, if they were to come out of this place victorious. Far from thinking it was a hassle, he found these to be the most fascinating missions.

Kuroro put the car in park by the grand entrance and patted Kurapica's knee.

“Wait for someone to get the door,” he reminded him while he opened his own himself.

He saw, and ignored, the unhappy turn of the blond's lips, but there was nothing for it. No Victorian lady would suffer opening their own car door. Technically, no Victorian lady would ever step out of a new model convertible BMW either, but Kuroro didn't want to bother with a car from over a century ago or a horse carriage. Some of the guests had obviously gone against common sense and chosen the latter. He avoided the malodorous proof without stepping in and waved the valet away from Kurapica's door.

“I'll get that,” he assured him. “Are you allowed to park the car?”

At the young man's nod, he gave him his assumed name and opened the door for his companion. He gallantly offered Kurapica his hand and after an embarrassed look, the younger man accepted it. Kuroro helped him out of the vehicle. He took a step back, still holding Kurapica's fingers, then slipped his other arm around the back of the boy's waist. When he looked back at the car, the valet smiled and pressed the button in the central console that would close the door automatically. Satisfied that the vehicle was taken care of, he led the blond up the stairs and inside the lavish home.

They had to show their invitation again just inside the doors, but after that, they had the place at their disposal, sort of. There were people everywhere, ans cameras filming the entire place, from what he was told in his research. He even had Shalnark hacking into the feed now, just to cover all of his bases. He had not told Kurapica this, however, fearing that a mortified Kuruta would refuse to go on with the plan if he knew someone else would see him in this disguise. Someone who knew who he was, anyway.

He led Kurapica to the ballroom, where most people had congregated, to make formal introductions with the hostess. Creeping around without this step would only seem suspicious, once the Eyes were stolen and security looked through the tapes.

Miss Florenzia was a lovely young lady, dressed to the nines and bejeweled like an empress. Kuroro bowed and kissed her hand, as it seemed like the best way to charm her. Following his lead, Kurapica made a formal curtsey.

“Ah, aren't you just delicious!” Florenzia gushed at Kurapica. “Wholfir? You're engaged, right? Ah, it's my first time meeting people from your region. I have an absolute fascination with distant tribes and their cultures. If you're engaged, this would mean that you,” she turned to Kuroro, “must be a relative. Brother?”

“That's right,” Kuroro answered with his most charming smile. “I'm glad to see you know our customs. What a pleasant surprise!”

It wasn't one. He'd planned this get up counting on it.

“I like to read,” their hostess explained. “Ah, would you excuse me?”

“But of course,” the Spider Head assured her.

They watched her walk away and grab a gentleman by the arm. They started chatting enthusiastically.

“Somehow,” Kurapica commented, low enough that only Kuroro heard him, “she's different from what I'd imagined.”

“Having second thoughts?” the older man teased.

“No,” Kurapica's answer was flat.

Kuroro's grin widened. “Well then,” he offered him his arm. Kurapica had no choice but to slip his hand around the inside of his elbow.

They walked around slowly, stopped here and then for Kuroro to exchange pleasantries with other guests so as to make sure that no one would realize that they were looking for cameras and trying to orient themselves, having both memorized the blueprints of the house.

Soon enough, the soft, silvery ring of a bell sounded to announce that dinner was about to be served. The guests started converging towards the grand dining room. Each person had their seat preassigned, and Kuroro found himself placed between Kurapica and an elegant young woman with an impressive decollete, one that could rival Paku's. He felt a jab in his side and turned his curious eyes on Kurapica, but the younger man wasn't looking at him.

Well, if Kurapica meant to be grumpy, Kuroro wouldn't let him damper his spirit. He conversed cheerfully with the lady sat to his left, but when he tried to include Kurapica, the younger man was polite, but seemed oddly pensive. Perhaps he was just uncomfortable because of the corset. Well, Kuroro knew that when it got down to it, Kurapica would do his part.

There was wine with dinner, and though he'd assured Kurapica that not drinking it would seem strange at such a gathering, he didn't have to drink much. Actually, it was best not to. They had agreed that tiny sips so as to make it seem like they were drinking more than they actually were was the best solution. Staff went around the room, refilling wineglasses left and right, so their having a near-full cup wouldn't be strange. Hopefully, a little alcohol would relax Kurapica a bit.

After dinner, the guests were invited to the ballroom, where they gathered in small groups of acquaintances. Kuroro's friendliness paid off, as he was invited to join one such group, along with his shy little sister , as the young woman put it. They chatted amicably for a while, but when the hostess of the party waved him over, he had to leave Kurapica behind. He made his way to lady Florenzia and kissed her hand again, then half-turned so that he could keep the younger man in his field of vision. He knew that Florenzia would not take offence, since she knew about the customs of the Wholfir tribe.

“Your sister is very beautiful,” the young lady commented.

“She is, isn't she,” Kuroro agreed, his eyes still on the blond.

Florenzia turned her head in the same direction. They watched him in silence for a moment as some young ladies gathered around. They started chatting with enthusiasm. Compliments flew, about Kurapica, about Kuroro (dark and mysterious, really?), about the (fake) tattoos covering the Kuruta's skin and what they meant. At the shy (embarrassed) response of an engagement, delighted cheers erupted, at which Kurapica became even more flustered.

It shouldn't have been so adorable.

Chit-chat went on and soon, young men started gravitating around the small group and Kuroro eyed them distrustfully. If his plan worked, they should know to keep their distance as soon as they were shooed away from Kurapica by the circle of girls surrounding him. He watched the group in silence, hoping that things would go smoothly and secretly enjoying the younger man's discomfiture. A few of the lads kept trying to get closer and really, they should get a clue. At least Kurapica seemed to be ignoring them. According to Wholfir traditions, any young man wanting to talk with the young 'lady' had to go through the relative currently with her, namely Kuroro himself, and get a formal introduction. The Kuruta was staying in character, yet another proof that he was an excellent candidate to take over Pakunoda or Ubogin's place.

“Tell me,” Florenzia said at length, “can you waltz?”

“I can,” Kuroro assured her, “but I can't leave her side.”

“Dance with her, then,” was the young lady's answer.

“I wouldn't have a problem with it,” he assured her, “but I'm not she will want to dance with me. Her waltz is rusty.”

He wasn't sure if Kurapica knew how to dance at all, but it would probably be strange if one sibling knew how to and not the other.

“She doesn't like to lose face, especially with so many people present.”

“Who does?” Florenzia laughed behind her fan. “But you know, the waltz is as good as the lead.” She smiled. “And that would be you, typically.”

Kuroro liked her, he decided. He still had no qualms about robbing her, but he was pleasantly surprised with her.

“True,” he acknowledged. “Very true.”

“Well, then.” She snapped her fan shut. “I want to see you dance, and since I cannot have you to myself, I'll have to satisfy myself with watching you with your sister. I'll get the musicians to start, you go get her. Where is my – Oh! Papa!”

Kuroro turned his head and saw a middle-aged gentleman walk into the room. Florenzia hurried to him, so the Spider Head made his way to Kurapica. He got his attention and tried to take him away from the gaggle of young women who had surrounded him but now found they were much more interested in the taller man than his young companion. He smiled, excused himself, tried to get Kurapica alone, but the young ladies wouldn't let them go. There was nothing for it. He leaned in and Kurapica, with the practised ease of a true born noblewoman, opened his fan and leaned closer to hear what Kuroro had to say.

“How's your waltz?”

Kurapica frowned slightly.

“I know the basic steps,” he murmured quietly, “but I've never tried dancing them.”

“Do you trust me?”

Hidden behind the lacy fan, Kurapica levelled a flat look at him.

“That is a ridiculous question,” he informed the Spider Head.

“Do you trust me to lead the dance and not make us look like fools?” Kuroro amended.

The blond eyed him quietly for a moment, silently studying his face.

“I suppose I can trust you that far,” he finally answered.

Just then, musicians started filing into the room and quietly making their way to the corner stage and setting up their instruments and partitions. Kuroro glanced at them, then his eyes slid back to his companion. Well, it had been a ridiculous question, considering who Kuroro was, but the older man was sort of annoyed with the underlying distaste in the young Kuruta's voice.

He had to hide his misgivings about Kurapica's reaction, however, because lady Florenzia was returning, her arm linked through her father's.

“There you are,” she said with a smile. “I've found the most wonderful gentleman to dance with me, but you still owe me a dance by interim.”

“I was just asking my sister,” Kuroro informed her.

“And her answer?” Florenzia asked, her gaze turning to the younger man.

“Ah,” Kurapica stalled for a moment, his eyes sliding automatically to Kuroro's face before returning to their hostess. “I don't know that I won't embarrass myself horribly,” he finally answered, “but I believe it would be a bit of a waste to come to a ball and not dance once.”

“Wonderful!” Florenzia clapped lightly in delight. “Well, then! Let's get some music.”

She motioned to the musicians and offered Kuroro her left hand and her father the right one. Kuroro took what was offered, but also took his companion's hand in his on the other side. They walked like this to the centre of the room. Kuroro let go of the young woman's hand and took position. One hand at Kurapica's waist, the other clasping his fingers. Half a step closer. Kurapica lowered his face, but Kuroro had caught a glimpse of displeasure on his face, although he wasn't sure why. Probably at having to dance at all.

The music started, light and slow. Kuroro recognized the tune right away. A Viennese waltz, then. He was glad it was one of the pieces that started quietly, so as to give Kurapica time to get used to the steps.

Step, step, long step; step, step, long step.

The third time, Kuroro asked, “Good?”

“Good,” Kurapica answered.

So Kuroro gave Florenzia a subtle nod to indicate they were ready to waltz proper. And then he started turning on the long step. His hand at Kurapica's waist slid to his back. He led easily, effortlessly, and Kurapica followed where he pulled, his cheeks visibly darker. His eyes were a bit wider than usual and pupils dilated. Other couples started dancing around them, mostly composed of men and women, but there were a few same-sex couples as well. If it had not been for the fact that the two burglars reported to have stolen so many pairs of Scarlet Eyes were known to be two young men travelling together, Kuroro wouldn't have bothered with the trouble of putting Kurapica in that dress. It made everything a little more complicated, where the actual theft was concerned.

This, however, dancing like this, the way that Kurapica looked up at him as they moved, 'round and 'round, all around the large ballroom; it was worth all of the trouble of coming up with this ruse. He pulled him a little closer, moving in circles, the dance fluid and easy, and for all of his worries, Kurapica moved with surprising grace. He quickly found his feet, and soon, he didn't need Kuroro's help at all, but went where Kuroro was about to direct him without the slightest pull.

The music got louder, stronger, all of the instruments in on the melody now and the younger man's lips pulled into a slight smile. He looked like he was actually starting to enjoy this. The corners of Kuroro's mouth pulled up as well, and he felt his companion's rigid stance mellow some. That made the dance even more natural. When the music quieted again, Kurapica lowered his eyes, looking a little embarrassed. A glance up, and his eyes slid away again.

“You're staring,” he murmured.

“I was simply concentrating on the dance,” Kuroro lied. “I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

When Kurapica raised his eyes again, he made a point to look away. He caught a glance of Florenzia and her father. On the next turn, she smiled at him, but her father frowned. Hopefully, he wasn't of the overprotective sort. Kurapica's fingers tightened on his for a brief second and the older man returned his gaze to him. The Kuruta seemed about to say something, but then the music swelled up again, drowning his voice.

A slight falter – Kurapica's shoes looked pretty painful; Kuroro couldn't blame him – and then they were moving again. The black wig really made the pale young man's eyes stand out, bright blue – sapphires to the rubies they turned into when he lost his composure.

Kuroro was having fun, too.

Maybe he would replace that earring, someday. Give him something prettier, better suited to the young man's beauty. With a real gem on a white gold chain. Ah, but he kind of liked this one, too.

Realizing that he now had his eyes fixed on where the earring was hidden with dark, thick curls, he met the younger man's eyes again. The music quieted again. He leaned in, cheek against cheek.

“Ready for the finale?” he asked, mouth by Kurapica's ear.

He felt him nod and he pulled back. Giving him his most charming grin, he clasped his hand tighter. The music picked up again, and he led him around the room once more. Faster, then faster still, and with a crescendo, the last few barres played, before the volume decreased just a bit. And then, like this, it was over.

As people started moving, some leaving the dance floor, some changing partners, others getting ready for the next waltz, Kuroro and Kurapica were left staring at each other in the middle of the large, opulent room.

Chapter Text

Chapter 77

“That was absolutely delightful!”

Kuroro glanced to his left.

“Miss Florenzia.”

“And you were actually worried,” she laughed. “Oh, you must dance another one!”

Kurapica tugged delicately at his sleeve in warning, not that Kuroro needed it.

“Ah, maybe in a moment,” he offered. “It's been a long time since I've danced like this and I don't know for my sister, but I could use ten or fifteen minutes.”

“Then we should get away from the dancers,” the young lady reminded them.

She walked closer, but to Kuroro's surprise, she went to Kurapica and slipped her arm through his.

“Ah, I'm so jealous of you right now,” she informed the Kuruta, walking him towards the large French doors that opened onto a terrace. “Your brother is amazing! Tell me, tell me; is he married?”

Kurapica coughed to cover something; whether it was shock or laughter, Kuroro didn't know. He wanted to hear what Kurapica answered, but the older gentleman got his attention.

“I'm sorry,” he told Kuroro. “For someone who so loves a time when the ladies were more quiet and subdued, Florenzia can be quite a bit to handle.”

“Not at all,” Kuroro answered politely. “I think her enthusiasm is quite charming.”

“You only think that because you didn't raise her,” the proud father answered with a chuckle, though his chest puffed up a bit.

“She must have been quite a spirited child,” the Spider Head agreed.

He kept his eyes on the two 'ladies' in front of them, and saw Kurapica indicate the doors. Florenzia dutifully guided her guest outside. Kuroro and the old gentleman followed. They stood just outside, a little to the side so as not to block the doors, while Florenzia led Kurapica to a small group of elegant, beautiful young women. They gathered around the young man, talking excitedly.

“I'm Florenzo,” the hostess' father introduced himself, before adding an amused, “I know, I know; my wife didn't have the most dizzying imagination.”

Kuroro chuckled and glanced at him.

“Isn't it rather that she loves you very much?”

Florenzo looked surprised for a moment, then cleared his throat.

“Well, hum!” He eyed the Spider Head. “What are you, an elite businessman? You sure know how to compliment people.”

“Nothing so glamorous, I'm afraid,” Kuroro assured him. “I usually deal in art and antiques, but not so much on the people front. I'm on vacation now, sort of.” He indicated Kurapica with his head. “She wanted to see the world before settling down.”

“Wholfir, huh,” Florenzo commented. “Let me tell you this now: the only thing I know about your people is what my daughter just told me, about your sister being engaged and how you must stick to her like glue. She was really disappointed that she could not dance with you.”

“I could always return once my duties are done,” Kuroro pointed out. “I'll dance with her then, if she hosts another such party.”

“You won't, though,” the old gentleman commented.

Kuroro smiled. “Maybe not. How did you know?”

“I happen to be an elite businessman in my own right. I can spot an empty promise when I hear one.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” Kuroro laughed.

A few eager gentlemen joined the young lady and her charge again and Kuroro frowned, keeping his eyes on the group. Really, those guys should get a clue. At least two of them had been turned away by the girls a little earlier. There was this foppish young man with curly brown hair who was trying yet again to get to Kuroro's young accomplice.

“Should you intervene?” Florenzo asked him.

“Not yet,” Kuroro answered. “For now, I'll just keep an eye out. There's nothing improper with him trying to get close to her. If my sister can't deal with him, she'll let me know.”

“Sounds tough,” the old gentleman commented.

The young dandy was desperately trying to get Kurapica's attention. When he put his hand on Kurapica's arm, Kuroro took a step forward, but the younger man deftly and easily slid out from under his grasp. It was followed by a solid thwack of the dainty fan, right across the knuckles. Kuroro winced, but at the same time, he felt an odd sense of pride with Kurapica's reaction. He held his peace.

“Ouch,” Florenzo commented. “She's deadly with that fan.”

“Serves him right for not taking a hint,” Kuroro answered right away.

Florenzo glanced at him, an amused twinkle in his grey eyes. Kuroro met his gaze, but both returned to Kurapica when another resounding thwack was heard.

“He's persistent,” the older gentleman commented.

Kuroro frowned. “She'll fend him off,” he assured Florenzo. “She's not nearly as fragile as she looks.”

“Mm,” the man hummed. “That must make your job easier.”

“Not nearly easy enough,” Kuroro answered with a sigh.

They watched Kurapica for a moment. The young lord had finally learned not to touch the young 'woman' and was now trying to convince him to tell him his name. Kurapica kept right on ignoring him. He was insanely patient. Kuroro felt sure that his companion had loved the chance to snap that fan on the idiot's hand. More girls gathered around them and were now trying to form a wall between the young impertinent lord and his target.

“I've been meaning to ask,” Florenzo suddenly said, “You're not really her brother, are you.”

Kuroro inwardly swore.

“Pardon me?”

“I said,” Florenzo repeated, amusement clear on his face, “you're not really her brother.”

“What gave you that impression?” the Spider Head asked carefully, needing to know what had given that information away.

“Mm,” his interlocutor hummed softly, as if analyzing things he'd observed but not consciously processed. “Just a hunch,” he finally answered.

He observed the young man quietly for a moment, studying his face, which Kuroro was careful to keep blank, save for a look of friendly curiosity. Florenzo's gaze was heavy, searching.

“Well,” he finally said, the word slow and drawn-out, “I think your demeanour is not quite something I'd expect if you were really siblings.” He glanced towards the Kuruta before returning to his eyes. “It's the looks you give her, especially since those young men started flocking around her.”

“You know I have to protect her honour,” Kuroro enunciated carefully.

“You can't fool me,” the old man said with a shake of his head. “No brother would look at his sister like you look at her.”

Kuroro had to think, and think fast, but to his horror, he realized that he wasn't sure of the looks he was sending Kurapica. Was he looking at him like he would and underling? Surely not like an enemy, as he had not viewed him as such since York Shin. Maybe he looked on as a mentor, since he was using this excuse, searching for the Scarlet Eyes, to teach Kurapica the basics of what being a Spider entailed.

Florenzo's lips curled into a smile. “Ah,” he said with a knowing look, “forbidden love! How wonderful. Must be nice to be so young.”

Kuroro tried not to look as dumbfounded as he felt. “I'm sorry?”

“Oh, you don't need to pretend; not with me, anyway. I won't out you, no worries. Just confirm this for me; you've eloped, haven't you?”

“We haven't,” he started saying, but Florenzo cut him short.

“I told you, there's no need to pretend. So, an arranged engagement with another man forced you to take matters into your own hands and elope, right? Or have I gotten everything wrong?”

Thinking fast, Kuroro took on a pleading look. “Don't tell anyone, please. Our lives are in your hands. And don't let her know you've found us out. She'll become extremely anxious and I cannot bear to see her unhappy.”

“Oh,” Florenzo nodded, “you can count on me. I'll take your secret to my grave.”

The old fool had gotten everything wrong, but Kuroro had built up a rapport with both Florenzo and his daughter, which would help in the end. As he stood there, watching his young protégé lie and act the part of a noble born Wholfir lady, the sun dipped behind the horizon. It would soon be time to initiate the plan.

Kurapica caught his eyes, but Kuroro looked away, grabbed a glass of whiskey from a passing staff holding a tray and he pretended to sip at it. It was a clear not yet sent at the younger man. He started milking Florenzo on his business, on the off chance that he find a use for the information in the future. He kept an eye on Kurapica and the endless stream of suitors that kept trying to approach him.

When he deemed the hour sufficiently late and the night dark enough, Kuroro silently set his glass down. A moment later, Kurapica noticed and excused himself from the group. Just before he left, he leaned closer to Miss Florenzia and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and smiled, then Kurapica made his way to Kuroro.

“I'm going to freshen up my make up,” the young Kuruta told him, perfectly in character. “Would you accompany me?”

“But of course, my lady,” Kuroro replied, an edge of teasing in his voice.

Kurapica sighed in a definite little-sister-annoyed-with-the-teasing sort of way, and his lips twitched in a tiny little smile. Kuroro offered him his arm.

“If you'll excuse me,” he told Florenzo, “duty calls.”

“Of course, of course,” the gentleman replied.

Kuroro led his 'sister' away, smiling pleasantly at other guests, but deftly avoiding any real conversation. All in all, he was trying to portray that they were perfectly average party-goers. When they reached one of the large washrooms, in a quiet hallway on the second floor, Kuroro went in with his companion.

“Ten minutes,” he reminded the younger man. “Ten minutes and you have to be back.”

“I know,” the blond replied, already taking off his wig.

He turned around so that Kuroro could help him out of the dress. The older man quickly loosened the corset and undid all fastenings on the skirt. He took a step back and called up the Skill Hunter. The Fun Fun Cloth appeared and with it, a duffle bag.

Kurapica, now down to his underwear, quickly dug out a T-shirt and a pair of loose-fitted jeans. He put them on and changed shoes after putting lifts in the ones he was to wear for the mission. He pulled a baseball cap over his hair, the bill neatly shadowing his face. He picked up the empty bag.

“Be careful,” Kuroro told him.

“I will,” Kurapica assured him. “Help me up?”

Kuroro heaved him up and the blond pushed one of the ceiling tiles up, then pulled himself through the hole and disappeared from view. Kuroro hated to let him go alone, but they had both decided that this was the best way to get the Scarlet Eyes without harming any of the guests, something that the blond was ridiculously insistent about.

Once Kurapica was gone, the Spider Head put all of Kurapica's costume away in the Fun Fun Cloth before dismissing the Skill Hunter book. He then stepped out of the room and took position in front of the door, mentally counting seconds and minutes, waiting for Kurapica to return.

A few people came by and one tried to raise a conversation, but Kuroro skillfully deflected questions and sent them on their way.

To pass the time, he tried picturing Kurapica's actions. First, the younger man would crawl in the ceiling/floor space for a few metres, then go through the floor of the third story where no guest was allowed to go. From there, he would find his way into Florenzia's private library. That's where the entry to her safe would be, as best the could tell from the floor plan they'd found in the public records at the public library. He'd schooled the younger man in the ways to crack open a safe, and he was fairly confident in Kurapica's skills.

The minutes ticked by, creeping by, agonizingly slow. He started fiddling at his phone, partly so any camera pointed at him would show a bored brother waiting on his little sister, partly so he could keep an eye on the time. All of his senses were turned outwards, wanting to know well in advance whether someone dangerous was coming his way or worse, near Kurapica on the floor above. Every creak of wood, every voice rising from somewhere in the house, every movement of shadows on the walls caught his attention and annoyed him. The creaking was old wood settling. The voices came from the party-goers downstairs. The shadows were just wind making the drapes move.

Finally, finally, he heard (just barely) Kurapica jumping down from the ceiling in the bathroom behind him. A moment later, there were two light knocks on the door. Kuroro opened it and quickly slipped into the washroom. Once they were locked in, he called his book and from there, the nen cloth and Kurapica's costume.

“Got them?” he asked the blond.

“Yeah,” Kurapica assured him, placing the bag onto the counter with so much reverence that the Spider Head knew the statement to be true.

“All right,” he said, taking the hat off of the blond head, “let's get you dolled up again.”

Kurapica sighed, but he stepped into the skirt, pulled it up and fastened it. Only then did he get rid of the pants. He took off his T-shirt and Kuroro stopped him for a moment so that he could make sure that the tattoo had not smudged. He had used professional body paint, and it had held. Kurapica slipped on the blouse and the corset, then turned away so that Kuroro could tighten the lace.

“Ugh, so tight,” he groaned. Once it was tied, he said, “The wig.”

Kuroro handed it to him and together, they put it back on him and hid all of his golden hair under the cap. The Spider Head took a moment to make sure that the transformation was complete, then they picked up the clothes, the hat and the bag with the Eyes, and Kuroro put them away in the Fun Fun Cloth once more.

As they came down the stairs on the way back to the main floor, an alarm rang twice. Kuroro inwardly swore. He didn't think the theft would be discovered so quickly.

They obviously had a long night ahead of them.

Chapter Text

Chapter 78

Though the alarm had gone silent, small, red lights set into the walls near the ceiling kept flashing. Dangerous-looking men, likely guardsmen, started herding the guests back into the grand ballroom again, where they congregated in small clumps of four or five people, whispering nervously to one another.

Kuroro led his younger companion to a settee by the large French doors where the blond sat, his back stiff, hoping he looked calmer than he felt. Well, perhaps looking anxious would work better, under the circumstances. He was starting to feel a little light-headed for lack of oxygen. He was fairly sure the corset had been tied even tighter this time, probably due to how quickly they'd gotten him back into the dress after the theft.

He glanced at Kuroro, who was standing to his right, looking oddly protective, which was utterly ridiculous. The older man was acting weird these days. Or maybe he always had been. Kurapica couldn’t say that he'd felt all that concerned with how the Spider Head acted around him right from the beginning. Perhaps he should have been. Had he studied the way the older man acted around him right from the start, maybe things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand.

Guards were standing all around the room, exhorting that people stay calm, informing them that they were now reviewing security tapes and that soon, people would be free to go.

“There you are!” Florenzia exclaimed when she saw them. She ran to Kuroro and took both of his hands in hers. This is terrible,” she cried, “simply terrible!”

Kuroro gave her fingers a squeeze. Kurapica looked away, disgusted with the lies, already. Well, he was a liar too, now.

“What happened?” Kuroro asked the young woman, as if he didn't know precisely what was going on.

“I've been robbed!” she explained. “Robbed! I just saw the footage. A young man snuck into the house somehow and got into my safe.”

“A guest?” Kuroro asked.

“No,” she said with a light shake of her head, “he was dressed in casual clothes. We couldn't get a good look at his face on the tape, so they're running calculations to get his height and approximate weight. I'm sorry. As soon as they clear you, I'll let you leave, but for now, can you just stay with me?”

“Of course,” Kuroro assured her, smooth as silk. “We can stay until the house is secure, too.”

What what he doing? Shouldn't get as far enough as possible?

“No, no,” the young woman said. “They said that all of the guests should leave as soon as possible, so that the thief won't be able to hide among them. They have the grounds surrounded and they assure me that no one will be able to leave without their approval. They mentioned something about auras that I didn't quite get.”

So they intended to flush the perpetrator using en, then. That definitely worked for them. Movement near the doors got Kurapica's attention. One by one, guests were getting measured and given something to mark that they had been cleared to leave the premises.

“Are you sure you don't want us to stay with you?” Kuroro asked.

Kurapica glanced at them. The idiot still had Miss Florenzia's hands in his and he gave her an encouraging squeeze. Resisting the urge to glower, Kurapica looked away again. His eyes suddenly met those of the middle-aged gentleman that their hostess had danced with and caught an amused half-smile on his face, a sort of knowing look that unnerved him. Was he onto them?

He discreetly poked Kuroro's leg to get his attention. When the Spider Head met his his gaze, Kurapica slid his eyes towards the older gentleman. Kuroro followed his gaze, then slowly lowered his eyelids in an oddly soothing look that said, it's okay, I've got this. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Spider Head's control of the situation, but Kurapica couldn't quite help keeping tabs on the old man after that. The man ignored him however, having turned away from them when Kurapica's attention was on his companion. The entire thing was starting to seriously get to him.

“I'm sure,” Florenzia answered Kuroro's earlier question. “You and your sister should get some proper rest tonight. I'm probably going to go with Papa to his house and stay there until the criminal is caught.”

“We could drive you,” Kuroro offered. “Leave him to keep things under control here and we'll drive you to his house, where you can be safe.”

What was he playing at? The entire thing was seriously grating against Kurapica's nerves.

“No,” the young woman said, her voice firm. “My place is here. I'm not going to run away and let someone else deal with my problems.”

Kurapica had the distinct feeling that he should like the young woman. He should, yet for some reason he could not fathom, he did not.

“You are very courageous,” Kuroro praised.

“Or just overly proud and wilful,” she said with a pale smile.

They were silent after that, though Kuroro thankfully released Miss Florenzia's hands. They looked on as people who were the most distraught were sent away first. Slowly, the room started clearing away.

“All right,” Florenzia said when about half of the people were gone, “you should go. Go get measured, then on to get some rest and if you can find it in your heart to call me once in a while as you travel, here's my number.”

She handed the Spider Head a card, pushed herself to the tip of her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek. She smiled at Kurapica, albeit rather distractedly, then turned away and made her way to the old gentleman whom she had danced with.

“Ready to go?” Kuroro asked, getting the blond's attention.

He offered the younger man his hand, which Kurapica felt like slapping irritably away. Not wanting to cause a scene, he took it instead and let the Spider Head pull him to his feet.

Together, they made their way to the closest door out of the ballroom. They had their height and shoulder width measured, then given a small plastic token that they were to hold onto until they left the grounds entirely. Once they were out on the front porch, the valet went to get their car and they were sent on their way. At the front gate, a guard inspected the car, asked for their tokens, then waved them on. Once they were driving towards their hotel, Kurapica let out a sigh of relief. He caught Kuroro's warning look and didn't comment on their evening.

They drove back to their hotel, the silence heavy with unspoken words. The events of the evening were running in loop in Kurapica's head. The look in Kuroro's eyes as he painted the blond's skin, as they danced together. The warmth of his hand at Kurapica's back, the beating of his own heart, so loud, so fast. It had shaken him, down to his very core. He didn't like it, didn't like it at all, but what could he do, anymore?

They parked the car and walked silently into the hotel lobby. The luxury automobile had been a rental they'd made through the hotel for the night, so while Kurapica went to call the elevator, the older man went to give the key to the clerk so that he could have it returned. He met back with the blond just as the elevator door opened. They stepped on and went up to their floor, still quiet. When the door into their suite closed behind them, Kurapica leaned over right in the entrance and undid the small metallic buttons that held his shoes so he could slip out of them. Kuroro waited patiently behind the blond and chuckled softly when Kurapica stepped down from the heeled shoes and promptly stepped onto the hem of his skirt.

“It's not funny,” Kurapica informed the older man. “I want to get out of these ridiculous clothes.”

“I've seen you wear worse things,” the Ryodan leader replied with another chuckle. “The mauve ensemble, for one. And that blue and orange skirt you wore in York Shin.”

Kurapica lifted the front of the skirt and threw a look back at the older man.

“Do you want me to talk about your coat?” he huffed, walking into their suite with the skirt held as high as he could keep it.

Kuroro chuckled and Kurapica cracked a smile, since the older man couldn't see it. At least Kuroro didn't refute it. Well, it was a pretty horrid piece of clothing. It was far too flashy for someone who made a living by staying in the shadows.

The blond made his way to the washroom, intent on washing his face and hopefully hopping into the shower. The makeup remover was already on the counter, and Kurapica made quick work of it. He washed his face quickly to get the residue of makeup and remover off, then attempted to sigh, but he still couldn't breathe very well. The door opened behind him and Kurapica looked up, his hand reaching blindly for a towel to pat his face dry with. Kuroro's head appeared from behind the door.

“Need help?” he offered.

“Get this lacy smothering device off me?” Kurapica pleaded.

Kuroro chuckled softly again and stepped into the washroom. The blond looked up into the mirror. The older man had gotten rid of his jacket and loosened his tie, the vest hanging from his shoulders, unbuttoned. It looked casual and ridiculously attractive. He stepped behind the blond and pulled on the drawstring at his waist, undoing the knot easily and loosening the corset. Kurapica sighed. Oh, it felt good to breathe. The older man wrapped his arms around him and pulled him back against his chest.

“Better?” he wanted to know.

Kurapica sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. “Much,” he acquiesced.

“Good,” Kuroro whispered by his ear and the blond took another shuddering breath.

Something changed, with that one word. A sort of latent energy, as if time suddenly held its breath, waiting for something to happen. The older man shifted. Kurapica opened his eyes again and was about to turn to him, intending on asking him what he was doing but something caught his eyes and it stopped him short. He could see Kuroro looking at him, his dark gaze fixed on Kurapica's through the mirror. His eyes burned through him. Kurapica's tongue slid forward to wet his lips. His throat was suddenly dry.

Keeping one arm around the front of his waist, the taller man tugged the bow at his back and it came undone. Kurapica turned his head, not wanting to see, and he felt Kuroro's arm tighten at the front of his waist. He slowly let go of the breath that he'd been holding. Moments stretched between them. Why wasn't he moving? Kurapica waited, slowly feeling his muscles tense as he realized what was happening. He had no choice but to open his eyes and look at their reflection. Their gaze met and held, even as Kuroro took half a step back and undid the last bow at the back of his neck. There was no mistaking that look in the older man's eyes, and Kurapica swallowed thickly, feeling heat gather high on his cheeks and low in his belly. The skirt pooled at his feet, promptly followed by the corset and the blouse. When Kuroro made to lower his underwear, the blond made a soft little sound and caught his wrists in his hands, but the older man pulled free and pushed the garment off, leaving Kurapica completely naked.

The blond lowered his head, not wanting to see his shame in the mirror. Kuroro's hands ran gently over naked skin; touching, caressing, soft as a whisper. He felt the older man's lips at the back of his neck and took a shuddering breath. Another kiss, lower this time. Kurapica gripped the edge of the counter. Kuroro went lower, laying kiss after kiss, down his neck, to his upper back, then sideways, over his right shoulder. Kurapica's breath came faster, heavier. He could feel himself harden and he squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment. The deep chuckle that ghosted over his ear didn't help his predicament any. Kuroro wrapped both arms around him once more and held him loosely. Eventually, the blond glanced at the reflection, only to see himself, entirely naked, Kuroro's reflection staring intently at him. His lips trailed back from Kurapica's shoulder, up his neck, to his ear. He nibbled lightly there and Kurapica's grip tightened on the edge of the counter.

“Would you stop staring?” Kurapica asked, though without any heat.

The Spider Head chuckled again, letting his hands map out the blond's body slowly, so slowly. Kurapica leaned back against his chest with a small sigh. He tried not to watch the reflection, but it was difficult not to. It was as humiliating as it was exhilarating. His heart thudded nearly painfully in his chest and when the Spider head grazed a nipple with his fingernails, he had to bite his lower lip to keep any sound in. Lower, his hand went, an wrapped around him, stroking him slowly. As much as Kurapica wanted to look away, he couldn't. He knew his face was flushed, but he couldn't turn from his reflection. There was something so primal, so visceral in watching Kuroro's hand move over him, dip lower, and the pleasure that engulfed him was so sudden, he nearly lost it. He caught the Spider Head's slow smile and finally let his eyelids fall shut, leaning back further against the taller man, Kuroro's shirt sticking a little to his back. The Ryodan leader took a step back and Kurapica half turned towards him, questioningly looking up at him. He tilted the Kuruta's chin up with a finger, staring intently into Kurapica's rapidly darkening eyes.

“Kurapica,” the older man called softly, and the sound of his name on his lips made the blond suck in a breath and shiver softly. “Kurapica,” the Spider Head repeated before asking him, “What is it that you want?”

The Kuruta's right eyebrow lowered a fraction. What was it he wanted? He didn't understand. The question felt loaded, didn't feel right. It was definitely not about his life goals or what he intended to possess. It felt more specific than this. Kurapica searched his eyes for a sign, a clue about what the older man was thinking, what he was actually asking.

“What,” Kuroro murmured, placing a fingertip onto the young Hunter's lower lip. He pressed lightly on it, making it dip a fraction, before he finally finished his question, “is it that you want?”

“I don't,” the blond began, but something in Kuroro's eyes stopped him short. He frowned, unsure of what was happening, suddenly. No, this was definitely not about the everyday things. The older man let his finger slide down to his chin, slowly, gently. It held there for a moment, then he splayed his hand and let it slide down Kurapica's throat. “I,” the Kuruta tried again, but he faltered again.

“Tell me,” Kuroro urged, his voice soft, so soft. His dark eyes were enthralling, and Kurapica found that he couldn't look away. The older man's gaze slid down to his lips, then met with Kurapica's again. “What,” he murmured, “is it that you need? Right now.”

“You can't,” Kurapica gasped, realization finally hitting. “I can't!” He shook his head, though his eyes didn't stray from the taller man's. “You can't ask this of me,” he finally managed

He thought he should get mad, should get upset, but the truth was that he'd lost his grip on his anger long ago, and now all that remained when he was with the Spider Head was the longing, the desire, his trembling heart and trembling body.

“Oh, but I can,” the Spider Head whispered, and there was something rather unsettling in his tone. And exciting. Very exciting indeed. Kuroro's hands started wandering over Kurapica's skin once more, strong fingers mapping his chest, ignoring his aching need for now.

Kurapica closed his eyes and lowered his head, turning away from him once more. He didn't want to see Kuroro, didn't want to see the dark depths of his gaze. He also refused to look at the mirror, as it was much too shameful.

Kuroro had won, and they both knew it.

Chapter Text

Chapter 79

Kurapica stood, naked and flushed, his mind whirling madly for something to say, a way to get out of what the older man was asking him to admit to. One of Kuroro's hands left his torso. A moment later, he felt a slight tug at his hair. Kuroro took out the pins that had held his hair up under the wig while they were at the party, one by one. He gripped Kurapica's hip bone with his free hand, holding him tight. Soon, the tightness at his scalp that the blond had suffered all evening was gone and he breathed a sigh of relief. He relaxed a little, his shoulders slumping forward.

He heard a soft chuckle behind him. “Was it that painful?” The taller man wanted to know.

“Not painful,” the blond answered with a slight toss of his head. “Simply tight and rather annoying.”

The next chuckle was a warm breath of air against the back of his neck, and it blew the newly freed hair, making it brush against Kurapica's skin. He shivered.

Another soft laughter, and the taller man asked, “Sensitive?”

“Shut up,” Kurapica murmured in response.

There was a moment of silence, then he suddenly felt Kuroro's mouth at the base of his neck. Lips first, simply trailing over the skin. Up it went and the blond sucked in a sharp intake of air. When he felt teeth, just brushing against the back of his neck, he lowered his head further and let out a shaky breath. It seemed to him as if the sound echoed through the room. He felt Kuroro's hand tighten over his hip bone.

“You have yet to answer me,” the taller man reminded him. “What is it that you want?”

The young Hunter turned his head, trying to look at him, but Kuroro's face was too close and he couldn't see him.

“I saw it,” the older man said. “I saw it in your eyes.”

“Then why do you want me to say it?” Kurapica asked, turning back to the mirror again, where he could actually see Kuroro's face, at least. “If you know the answer, why do you need me to say it?”

“I want to hear it,” Kuroro murmured into his ear.

He moved his hand over Kurapica again, and the blond could see the movement in the mirror, even if the touch was hidden from view by the counter. He bit his lower lip, clamping down so hard that it hurt. Kuroro's free hand slowly slid up his chest to his throat, where it lay for a moment, making the blond's heart trip all over itself, then on it went to his mouth. The fingers gently freed his lower lip and slid just inside of his mouth.

“Tell me,” he insisted softly, “what is it that you want, right now?”

Watching himself in the mirror, Kurapica saw his eyes flash red a few times before the colour settled for good. His tongue moved under Kuroro's finger-pads and he let out a soft whimper despite his best effort. The older man's knuckles flexed lightly and Kurapica could see his eyes darken, making his own heart thud faster in his chest.

“Say what you want,” Kuroro whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of his ear, “and I will give it to you.”

He took a half-step back, releasing the blond, still close enough to touch, but not making contact. He watched Kurapica in the mirror, watched him battle with himself to stay in control. It was all in vain. Kurapica had effectively lost control a long time ago.

“I want,” he began, but he had to clear his throat before he could continue. “I want you...”

His voice was soft, his throat tight.

“Good,” Kuroro murmured, sounding genuinely pleased.

Kurapica lowered his head, feeling ashamed now that the words had been said out loud. It was hard enough to accept this in his own heart, but now that the words had been said, he couldn't bear to look at Kuroro or at himself in the reflection from the mirror.

“I'm glad you feel that way,” the older man continued. “As promised, I'm going to take you to bed now and give you exactly what you want.”

He spun Kurapica around and quickly picked him up, making the blond let out a soft cry of surprise. He wrapped an arm around the back of Kuroro's neck, though he knew that the Spider Head would not drop him. He needed to feel like he had some amount of control. Kuroro carried him out to the bedroom and gently set him down onto the bed. He went down on one knee in front of him and the blond held his breath, his blood-red eyes widening in wonder. Slowly, Kuroro took off on sheer stocking, then the other, the tip of his fingers sliding over the skin of his thighs and legs. The younger man shivered and his breathing got heavier.

Kuroro got back to his feet. His eyes fixed on the Kuruta's, he slipped out of his vest and fully undid his necktie. He let both fall to the floor. Kurapica's tongue darted out to wet his lower lip. For some reason, the entire situation was both scarier and more exciting than anything he'd ever experienced with him so far. Kuroro undid the buttons of his dress shirt, one by one, his gaze still focused on the blond, who squirmed a bit, trying to hide his arousal. It was a futile attempt. Wholly naked, there was nothing to cover himself with.

The silk shirt slid off of Kuroro's shoulders, down his arms and joined the other items of clothing on the floor. Kurapica's throat felt tight, so tight. A silly mental image came to mind, one that nearly made him choke with embarrassment and horror (or was it excitement?), the distinct impression that he now knew how a young maiden would feel like on her wedding night. He swallowed thickly. The thought was only due to this whole engagement lie, surely. That had to be it. He would never have thought it under normal circumstances.

Kuroro undid his belt and the fastening on his trousers and pushed everything, including his underwear, down to the floor. He toed his shoes off and advanced on the blond who stopped breathing, his eyes going wide.

“I'll give you what you want,” the Spider Head said again. “Everything that you want.”

Something about the way Kuroro had said it pulled at Kurapica's mind, but he couldn't think properly, especially when Kuroro climbed onto the bed and got rid of his socks. Kurapica shuffled backwards and the older man crawled over him, reminding the blond of a stalking panther. When Kurapica stopped moving, Kuroro hovered over him, the weight of his gaze stealing his breath away.

“Say it again,” Kuroro whispered, his lips close, so close.

Kurapica's tongue darted out and he pushed up, closing the distance between them, drawing Kuroro into a kiss. His arm slid around the back of the older man's neck once more. When they parted, he panted softly.

“I want you,” he murmured. “I want you, so stop this nonsense and touch me.”

Kuroro's eyes, fixed on his, darkened further, and he suddenly leaned in to kiss him again. It was hot and passionate, and the older man wasted no time deepening it. Their tongues met and Kurapica had to repress a groan. Gods, Kuroro always set his body alight with desire.

“Good,” Kuroro said when they parted, “because I want you too.”

Again, the young Hunter found that it was difficult to breathe. The older man's hands slid down his torso. When his thumbs twirled over the blond's nipples, Kurapica bit his lower lip, closed his eyes and arched his back. His hand gripped Kuroro's far shoulder, his fingers digging into the muscles there.

Kuroro nipped at his earlobe, then mouthed a path down his throat. The Kuruta tilted his head back and he clamped on a whimper, refusing to let it out. He slid his foot up, the inside of his thigh brushing against the side of Kuroro's leg. His thoughts were getting hazy. The only thing he knew with any sort of certainty was that he wanted more of this, more of the delicious touches, more of the dizzying kisses.

Although he did not voice these desires, Kuroro seemed to have heard him, for he returned to his lips while his hands travelled up and down his chest once more. Kurapica kissed him again and again, with a sort of frenetic desperation that made Kuroro chuckle. The older man pulled away somewhat so that he could look at him. One of his hands came up to touch the blond's cheek. His fingertips dug into the skin just enough that Kurapica suddenly feared that the man was going to dig his eyes out then and there. He held his breath.

“Your eyes,” Kuroro murmured, but rather than finish whatever was on his mind, he leaned down again and seized Kurapica's lips in a searing kiss again.

His hands slid down and he raked his fingers down the younger man's ribs. Lower they went, until Kuroro grabbed his hips and pulled them off of the mattress just as there was an edge of teeth over Kurapica's lower lip.

The blond let out a shaky breath and his free hand slid down Kuroro's back. His knee leaned inwards and he canted his head back. Kuroro wasted no time in nibbling down his throat again. Kurapica felt him stretch one arm up, and some distant part of his mind informed him that it was likely the older man was going for the bottle of lubricant. It was amazing how such things simply didn't bother him anymore.

He expected Kuroro's fingers and although is was a awkward and a little embarrassing, he now knew that it would get better. He breathed deeply and forced himself to relax as best he could. Kuroro prepared him slowly, carefully, leaving him ample time to adjust. They had been doing this for some time now, yet it was still somewhat difficult for the blond, even though he had read somewhere that it should get easier in time.

Finally, Kuroro pulled his fingers out. He took his lips in another toe-curling kiss and slowly started pushing in. It was slow and a little uncomfortable at first, but the sensations soon turned to pleasure, and Kurapica threw his head back again, his breathing coming out faster now. Kuroro partly pulled out, then pushed back in and the blond let out a shaky breath. The older man started sucking at his shoulder and Kurapica's hands flew to his head, the fingers digging into the dark tresses. On the next thrust, he pushed with his hips against the movement and barely managed to keep from crying out.

It felt good, felt so good, and Kurapica's mind was spinning, his thoughts flying away from him like a flock of startled birds. Kuroro leaned his weight forward onto one hand and he gripped the blond's hip with the other as he thrust in again. Kurapica was falling, sinking and oh! How unfair that something so wrong could feel so good! As Kuroro rocked into him again, he opened his eyes and looked up at him. The dark eyes were fixed on him, a deep hunger shining through, the same intense look he had when he was focused, or when he looked at ancient artifacts secured away behind protective glass. It made Kurapica feel like a priceless work of art, or, contrarily, like a prey being stalked by a powerful predator.

Not wanting to see the look in his eyes anymore, he pulled Kuroro into another kiss. He nibbled at his lips and only broke it when the taller man pushed in again and the blond had to let go of another breath. Another kiss followed, then another. Kuroro kept the movement slow and steady, and the blond could feel pleasure building, deep inside. Kuroro's hand was warm, so warm. Soon, the slow pace was not enough, and he began wishing for more.

He soon got just that. Kuroro placed one last kiss on his lips, a nearly harsh press his mouth on Kurapica's, then he straightened up his back and seized the blond's hips with both hands as he rocked into him, giving more strength to his thrusts. He picked up speed as well, and Kurapica clamped hard on his lower lip to keep himself from voicing the pleasure that suddenly rose inside of him. He'd had to let go of Kuroro's hair and his fingers scrambled over the bed covers for something to hold onto. The next thrust was even more powerful and he hissed, still fighting for control over himself.

Each movement in and out of him heightened his passion and he couldn't keep his eyes closed anymore. He looked up again, met Kuroro's black midnight eyes once more. Oh, how his gaze burned! The older man rocked into him again, again and one more time, before he leaned in, putting his weight forward onto his left hand once more. His right one slipped to the back of Kurapica's pelvis and he pulled it slightly higher just as he stole a rough kiss from the blond. The change in position, his hips canted differently, made Kurapica let out a soft sound despite his best effort, as heat started gathering inside of him, a pool of molten magma, just below his navel.

His legs tightened on either side of Kuroro's hips as he started panting in earnest between kisses. It was a desperate, feverish dance of bodies, graceless perhaps, but exhilarating, a wordless show of desire and possessiveness as old as time itself and Kurapica lost himself in its rhythm. He was drowning, carried offshore by a surging wave of thrilling gratification, and if he went under, let him drown! He wanted it, welcomed it, and if the souls of his murdered loved ones cursed him for it from their graves, then accursed he would live.

Kuroro pulled him higher and the blond again let slip out a soft sound. His fingers tangled in the dark hair again, pulling at it as he tried to keep under control. His hands started trembling. He nipped at Kuroro's mouth, his teeth scraping over his lower lip and he let out a soft cry again, closer to a breathy whimper, and suddenly, it was enough, it was too much. He came undone entirely, not even needing to be touched, but reached completion like this, his lips on Kuroro's, fingers in his hair, their lower limbs tangled on the sheets.

Kuroro followed soon after and the heat of his release inside of the Kuruta felt nearly too much, something like shame and wonder, a sense of belonging and of horror, a complex feeling that made no sense, that made his head spin.

There was a moment of quiet, then Kuroro took his lips in a rough kiss again, something that confused him further, but it soon pushed all thoughts from his mind. He revelled in the touch, letting it dizzy him completely, and when the older man pulled away, he was sad to let him go. He felt him get up, but kept his eyes closed, focusing on catching his breath. Kuroro's footsteps padded softly towards the bathroom. Kurapica heard the faucet turn on, then off. Kuroro returned. There was a warm, wet washcloth sliding over his skin, then Kuroro went back into the bathroom, only to return soon after. The mattress dipped and shifted as he got into bed. Kurapica's last thoughts as he drifted into sleep was that Kuroro's arms were warm and comfortable.

Chapter Text

Chapter 80

Morning light awoke Kuroro, sun rays slipping through a slight gap between the curtains to fall across his eyes. There was a warm presence against his chest and an arm wrapped loosely across his side. It suddenly occurred to him that with two other bedrooms as part of their suite, he could have chosen another bed to sleep in. How odd that the thought had never even crossed his mind.

Kurapica stirred in his arms, snuggling closer. He nuzzled Kuroro's throat and made a soft sound, reminding the older man of a cat. As the blond settled again, the corners of Kuroro's lips pulled up slightly in an amused smile that he didn't even try to contain. His hand slowly grazed the blond's skin and came to rest at the small of his back. Kuroro pulled him a little closer. Once more, Kurapica uttered a quiet sound and he buried his face against the Ryodan leader's shoulder.

Well, now... Kuroro would love starting something up, but he was also itching to get away from the town – and the theft – now that it wouldn't be too suspicious for them to leave the scene of the crime. He started to move away, but Kurapica let out of a soft groan of protest and closed the distance between them once more. Kuroro's eyebrows arched high on his forehead. Were he to tell the proud Kuruta that he'd snuggled his former enemy in his sleep, no doubt that Kurapica would vehemently deny the possibility that he could ever actually seek out Kuroro's touch.

Kuroro could always just keep it secret for now. He could certainly use it later, as there would be no point in telling Kurapica right away. All it would do would be to embarrass the younger man. Better to keep it as possible ammunition for the future.

Before trying once more to get out of bed, he leaned forward and caught himself before he could complete the uncharacteristic action. He hovered over the blond and tried to gather his wits and analyze what had just happened. His lips were a mere centimetre from Kurapica's forehead. He frowned thoughtfully. Things were definitely getting a little strange between his new recruit and himself.

He purposefully moved away and this time, he didn't stop until he was sitting up in bed. Kurapica groaned again and shifted in his sleep. The older man slid his legs over the edge of the mattress and put his feet down on the floor, his toes sinking into the thick rug.

“...'Time is it?”

Kuroro glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand closest to him.

“Six-thirty,” he answered, turning his head to look at the blond.

Kurapica still had his eyes closed, but he nodded to indicate he'd heard.

“Are you hungry?” Kuroro wanted to know. “I'm going to make some coffee and I could order room service, or we can buy something to eat on the road.”

Kurapica frowned, obviously thinking about which to choose. The Spider Head observed the play of light on his fair skin as a gentle breeze pushed the curtains in slow, lazy ripples of fabric.

“Food later,” Kurapica finally mumbled. “Coffee now.”

Kuroro chuckled. That the young man would have the gall to order the leader of the most feared organization in the world around should perhaps have annoyed him. Instead, he felt mightily entertained.

“At once, your Highness,” he replied teasingly.

Kurapica lifted a hand and half-heartedly slapped in the direction of his voice, but since Kuroro had just gotten to his feet, he missed him by a metre or so.

Kuroro snorted in amusement and made his way to the main room of their suite. He started the coffee machine, then made his way to the bathroom. Kurapica's dress was still crumpled on the floor in front of the sink. Kuroro glanced at it and shrugged, ignoring it in favour of getting into the shower. So what if the dress was ruined? He doubted Kurapica would ever want to wear it again. He'd seemed pretty eager to take it off after the party, and not just because Kuroro was seducing him. Thoughts of the previous night made the Spider Head smile agian.

When he went through the bedroom, Kurapica was gone. After Kuroro got dressed, he went to the common room and the blond already sitting at the table, nursing a mug with both hands.

“Morning,” Kuroro greeted.

Kurapica let go of his mug with one hand so that he could wave vaguely in response. His eyes were barely open. Kuroro shook his head, a small grin working its way onto his lips once more. He made his way to the coffee machine and was pleasantly surprised to find that Kurapica had already set the machine to prepare a cup for him. When it was ready, he picked it up and blew lightly over the top before taking a careful sip.

“So what's the plan, today?” Kurapica asked him. His words were still a bit mumbled, but he was slowly coming awake. “Are we leaving town?”

“Yep,” Kuroro confirmed cheerfully, turning towards the blond and leaning back against the counter. He took another sip of coffee. “How soon can you be ready?”

“As soon as I finish my coffee, shower and get dressed,” Kurapica answered, seeming now appropriately caffeinated.

He had this tiny smile that showed he knew perfectly well that he hadn't really answered the question.

“Cute,” Kuroro deadpanned, hiding a smile behind his coffee mug. “Then I suggest you get to it. I can't wait to have this town in my rear-view mirror. We can get more coffee and breakfast on the way. Go shower.”

An odd look flitted over Kurapica's face. He seemed about to fire back something that was probably unflattering to Kuroro, but the blond seemed to think better of it and went back to his coffee. There was a stubborn look frozen on his features now, something that clued in to what the boy was doing. Obviously, he didn't like to be ordered around, now that he didn't consider himself obligated to by virtue of being a prisoner or having an ever growing pile of Scarlet Eyes held in ransom for his obedience. Kuroro wasn't surprised. What did surprise him was the fact that he actually didn't mind Kurapica challenging his authority. And really, it wasn't the end of the world if the blond took the time to finish his coffee before getting ready.

For all his silent protest, Kurapica actually did speed up his movements and soon finished his beverage. Wordlessly, he got up and placed his cup in the sink, then disappeared in the bedroom.

It didn't take long for him to get ready. Kuroro was taking the last sip of his second cup of precious caffeine when Kurapica came out of the bedroom, bags in hand, packed and ready to go. Pleased that the boy had at least made it quick, Kuroro grinned. He set his mug down, got to his feet and summoned the Skill Hunter book to put their things away.

Once the book and cloth had disappeared again and there was nothing left to keep them at the hotel, he turned to the door and walked out, followed by the younger man. They checked out, got into their car and made their way to a coffee shop drive-through so they could get more of the glorious beverage as well as something to eat for breakfast.

As they drove out of the city, Kuroro pulled out his cellphone and dialed Florenzia's number. He hoped to keep their cover and buy them a little more time to get away on the off chance that anyone might start to be suspicious of them. The young woman sounded rather dispirited when she answered, but as soon as Kuroro identified himself, her voice became much more cheerful and lively. He laid it thick, pretending to be a concerned friend as he asked about her health and emotional state following the theft of something she valued greatly. He let her know he and his 'sister' were leaving as scheduled, but he'd try to call back soon. As he disconnected, he glanced at his companion.

Kurapica was silent, staring out of the window, a dark look on his fair features. His latest reading material lay open on his lap, forgotten for the moment. Kuroro couldn't tell if he was sulking or just pensive.

He gave him a moment to say whatever was on his mind, but the blond didn't speak and at length, Kuroro decided he'd had enough. He turned on the radio and pressed the scan button until he found a rock station. He hummed along and pushed another button, which lowered his window. The wind started whipping his dark hair wildly around his head. He glanced at Kurapica again. The blond was scowling at the radio now, but the older man didn't let the boy's mood get to him.

“You're not reading,” he pointed out.

“I know,” Kurapica replied and turned away from him.

Kuroro was purposefully testing the blond's new limits, curious to see how much he could get away with now. He turned the volume up and grinned as the song got louder. He kept an eye on his companion as much as he could while still concentrating on driving.

Kurapica was simply gazing out of the side window, a dour expression on his beautiful face. The suburb gave way to fields, with narrow strips of trees separating the different properties. The music had a good rhythm and the Spider Head found himself tapping the tempo on the steering wheel with his fingers.

As the song ended and a new one began, they entered another town. Kuroro stole yet another glance at the younger man and his smile widened, though he tried to stop himself from being too obvious. Kurapica's fingers drummed against his thigh along with the rapid beat of the music. Finally noticing the attention he had garnered from the older man, the blond looked at him out from the corner of his eye and his hand stilled. Ah, well. Figuring he'd more or less proven his point – whatever point that happened to be – Kuroro lowered the volume again.

“Things are becoming more and more complicated,” he commented.

Kurapica glanced over at him.

“Is this where you tell me we should start –” He paused, clearly thinking of a way not to use a word related to theft.“– procuring more than just the Eyes again?”

Kuroro beamed at him and laughed.

“That's a good idea,” he cheerfully proclaimed. “Let's do that!”

The look that Kurapica sent him next spoke volumes.

“What?” Kuroro defended, having a grand time teasing the younger man. “You suggested it!”

The blond didn't even bother getting upset. He huffed out a much put-upon sigh and turned back towards the side window. Kuroro glanced at him, trying to read Kurapica's mood. Was he truly fed up, or was he putting on a show of annoyance simply on principle? Oddly enough, he couldn't read him. Kurapica seemed distant, somewhat pensive. Kuroro hoped that their most recent late night... distraction hadn't pushed the younger man back into his shell. Even he had to admit that he'd been doing some very unorthodox things to the blond, things that were a bit much, even for him. He decided to leave this particular line of enquiry alone and refocus on their previous conversation.

“I was thinking we could use some extra hands, actually,” he said.

Kurapica seemed to freeze for a split-second, then he caught himself and made a noncommittal noise of mild interest. He wasn't fooling the Spider Head, however. Somehow, Kurapica's reaction cheered him tremendously. To think that the blond felt so comfortable with him now, that considering bringing in other Spiders made the Kuruta nervous enough to tense up visibly like this! Kuroro couldn't help mentally patting himself on the back.

“Who,” Kurapica began and then he hesitated, looking away for a moment. There was an awkward pause. Suddenly, the blond leaned forward and turned the volume down until the radio clicked off. “Who were you thinking of calling in?”

Kuroro frowned as he slowly considered all of his options, closing the window again so he didn't have to raise his voice over the sound of the wind. There were a few ways that he could go about this, each of them – save for one – needing quite a bit of trust on Kuroro's part. This was something that was definitely lacking in their relationship, for obvious reasons. On the other hand, he knew that he was perfectly capable of taking on Kurapica, were the Kuruta to turn on him. Although things had progressed to a point beyond the most insane plans that he'd entertained when he'd captured the ornery blond, Kuroro was fairly certain that he still did not have Kurapica's loyalty. Even he was not that good a manipulator to achieve this so rapidly. It would come, though. Eventually. He'd make sure of that.

If not, he could easily kill him anyway.

After long and careful consideration, he finally said, “I will give you information on my Spiders, including the skills each of them have that could prove useful to us, and I will let you plan some of our future jobs.”

The look of utter amazement that crossed Kurapica's face made him think that this had been a wise decision, where the blond's opinion was concerned, if not for his future safety and that of his team. The last altercation they had had, back in York Shin, Kurapica had won a temporary victory over the Spider Head, but he'd had the benefit of surprise then. This time, the Ryodan leader knew what to expect. He'd keep both eyes on the boy and give out information drop by parsimonious drop.

Kuroro could only hope that he wouldn't have cause to regret it in the future.

Chapter Text

Chapter 81

Kurapica's mind was racing, putting together theories on the reasons for Kuroro's ludicrous suggestion, while trying to grasp the implications of the offer at the same time. Surely, it had to be a trap. There was simply no possible way that the Spider Head would trust him with such sensitive information, was there? Kurapica's eyes strayed towards the older man and he frowned, searching his face for hints as to what he was thinking. Kuroro's expression was neutral, nearly blank. It was almost creepy how he could just freeze his features like this. It looked nearly inhuman.

But why was he doing it now, when just earlier, he'd been so expressive? Clearly, he didn't want Kurapica to guess at what he was thinking, but why? Where was the trap? The Kuruta's mind turned to how things had occurred in York Shin. He couldn't count on seeing the Spider Head's expression back then and he had to rely strictly on his own powers of deduction and adaptability. This was just the same. He couldn't count on Kuroro's face to help him figure out what he should do. For now, he could only depend and trust in his own skills. He turned back towards the window, thoughts turning inwards.

So, what did he know about this situation? One, Kuroro had offered to give him information that he knew Kurapica would use to his own ends. Two, there was a trap. Three, Kuroro knew that he would be aware of the trap. Four, Kuroro would give Kurapica only information that he felt secure in giving, either because the intelligence was false, or because he knew he could counter any attempt Kurapica made to use it against the Spiders. So what should he do?

Kurapica frowned, analyzing each point one by one until he was fed up and irritated with himself. He wasn't usually so indecisive.

No, he knew what to do. It was simple, really. He'd only need to repeat what he'd done when he had dealt with Hisoka in York Shin: get all of the information that he could and trust none of it. His mind finally made up, he relaxed. Now, he needed to obtain as much knowledge as he could without Kuroro even realizing that he was giving it to him. The man wouldn't be easy to fool, but it was worth a try.

“You're an idiot, you know that?” he finally commented.

“I certainly am not,” Kuroro assured him.

“Insane, then,” the blond insisted. “It must be temporary insanity.”

“My mind is perfectly sound.”

There was laughter in Kuroro's voice and the blond turned his head to look at him straight on.

“Do you realize what you are suggesting?” he enunciated slowly, as if every word cost him tremendous will. Calculated hesitation.

“Yes,” Kuroro answered calmly.

“You would give information on the Spiders,” the young Hunter said. “To me, who has vowed to kill them? What are you playing at?”

“Playing?” Kuroro arched an eyebrow, his eyes flicking towards Kurapica before returning to the road ahead. “I'm hurt. I am not trying to trick you.”

“Then what?”

Kuroro took a moment to gather his thoughts and Kurapica mentally held his breath, waiting to see what the older man would say, careful to show no outward sign as to how much import he put on what would next come out of Kuroro's mouth.

“Consider things from my perspective,” the Spider Head finally said. “You know about our rules. You recognize that since you've defeated both Ubo-san and Paku, you have earned a place amongst us. You're aware that I need to replace three members of my team. You also should appreciate that you're the only person alive today who has managed to obtain a victory over me. You know all of this.”

Kurapica nodded in confirmation and the Spider Head continued.

“There is no one who better deserves a place in my team than you. Now, I know that you have no reason to join and quite a few not to. I gave you an incentive to be a Spider, although only in name for the moment.”

Kurapica opened his mouth to protest being called one of the Ryodan, but Kuroro didn't let him speak.

“Let me finish. So, I know you're against joining, and I see no one better than you for this position. We're at an impasse here. I did manage to get you to come with me, but you're only tagging along so long as I am helping you gather the Scarlet Eyes. After that, I'm not sure if you're going to stick around or be a bit of a loose cannon like Hisoka was. Still, as far as I am concerned, we have a contract. The Eyes for your loyalty. I could spend the rest of your life hiding the abilities of all of my Spiders, which would make you very unpredictable, or I could give you enough information so that you're a part of us, but not so much that you could defeat us. Does that make sense?”

Kurapica nodded, begrudgingly impressed with Kuroro's decision to take this risk. “Yeah,” he finally added, rather unnecessarily.

“I'm pretty confident that I can pull the next job alone,” Kuroro added after a moment. “But after that, things are going to get very hectic.”

“Iono,” Kurapica guessed, “right?”

“Iono,” the older man confirmed. “The fact that we're gathering all of the Scarlet Eyes has been observed, as Greenswold so graciously warned us. They must know that we are heading east, which would mean...”

“... That we're headed towards Iono.” Kurapica finished for him. “With the desert all around it and nowhere to camp close-by, it's the perfect place for an ambush.”

“Exactly,” the Spider Head said with a grin.

Kurapica mulled this over, slowly analyzing the situation. Well, if Kuroro was ready to wait until they reached Iono before he demanded that the blond make a decision, that would give the Kuruta ample time to come up with a plan. Kuroro could do the next burglary and Kurapica could....

Wait, Kuroro meant to go alone?

“So what is your plan for the next place that we're going to?” he asked.

“Meaning, 'Why do you intend to go on your own,' I suspect,” Kuroro said with a laugh. “I'll need you to provide references for me. How good are you at disguising your voice?”

“I've never really tried,” Kurapica admitted.

“You could pass for a woman when you were wearing a skirt,” Kuroro pointed out. His grin was teasing, and Kurapica refused to bite. Eventually, the older man continued, “I'll have you pretend to be three or four different people on the phone. The man who will call you will most certainly call each reference in a short period of time, so you'll have to fool him into thinking that he's talking to four people.”

“Won't the number be the same?”

“Worry not!” Kuroro's grin intensified. “We can make it so different numbers all connect to your phone. I've got it all figured out. I even have different area codes to make it more believable. It's not likely they will accept to do business with me just on my own good word, so you have the most important role. Think you can do it?”

“I'm perfectly able to sound absolutely respectable,” Kurapica sent back, turning away to hide how the corners of his lips tried to lift treacherously up, “since I am. Respectable.”

“Oh, you wound me,” Kuroro intoned. He even put a hand on his heart for a moment before returning it to the steering wheel.

“You mean you have a heart?” Kurapica teased, before he realized that his voice was just as treacherous as his lips. He cleared his throat and tried to look unconcerned with this latest mishap.

He wasn't supposed to enjoy his time with the Spider Head.

“Ooh,” Kuroro intoned. “Ouch. How you send those arrows at me! Have you no pity? No human consideration?”

“Show me a human and I might have,” Kurapica answered without missing a beat.

Damn it, he was not supposed to be enjoying his time with the Spider Head.

Just to make sure that he was not going to have anymore slip ups, he leaned forward and turned the radio back on. Rock station or no rock station, anything was better than... than this weird atmosphere they'd been having lately. Kuroro glanced at him as the blond resettled into his seat. He didn't comment, but turned the volume up, opened his window again and left him to his thoughts.

They travelled in relative silence for the rest of the day, stopping once for lunch and a second time for dinner. Having taken the time to eat a decent meal, they drove late into the night and finally stopped at an inn, in a small town somewhere on the mudflats that preceded the desert. Kuroro explained the plan while he was changing into his bed clothes, Kurapica lying on the bed with his back to the Spider Head, occasionally making soft confirmatory sounds to indicate that he was listening. They were to circle north, avoiding the sands for as long as possible. There was a greener country there, where one of their marks – the one they were aiming for next – had a summer residence. Once they'd gotten the pairs of eyes that the man owned, they would drive due south to a city on the very edge of the desert, where they would switch vehicles. The city car they were driving now would be absolutely useless in the desert. They needed something a little more durable.

They left early the next day and bought provisions to last a week. They travelled the entire day, stopping only to stretch their legs, and had to camp out as there wasn't any hotels in the area and Kuroro didn't want to make a detour. Kurapica didn't mind. Camping out in the wild had never bothered him.

Another day passed much like the first, with the exception that Kuroro parked the car a couple of hours after a cold and rather cheerless dinner. He left the engine running and took out his cellphone, to look something up. He made humming sounds as he read. Kurapica's gaze shifted from his book to the device, though he couldn't really see what was on the screen, and waited for the older man to explain what he was doing. Finally, Kuroro set the phone back down in the console between their seats.

“First time I come this way,” he explained. “I think I've found a motel that will be decent enough for our purposes.”

“What are those, exactly?” Kurapica wanted to know. He lowered the volume on the car radio – back to classical music, thankfully – and closed his book.

“I have to look somewhat respectable,” Kuroro said, then sent him a grin when Kurapica scoffed. “Respectable,” he repeated, “but not overly rich. Upper middle class, that sort of thing. You, on the other hand, have to be invisible.”

“Invisible? I don't have such ability.”

“You're so damn literal sometimes, you know that?” Kuroro was chuckling as he said this, and the blond wasn't sure how to take it. “I just mean that people shouldn't see you. We can do this in two different ways. You could sneak in at night, but –”

“There might be cameras,” Kurapica interrupted.

“Precisely what I was about to say. It's unlikely anyone would check the tapes if nothing happens, however.”

“What is the other way?”

“Fun Fun Cloth,” Kuroro answered.

“No way,” the blond categorically refused.

“You'd rather risk the cameras?”

“I'd rather risk the cameras.”

“Suit yourself,” Kuroro said with a shrug.

He put the car back in drive and navigated through the winding streets until they reached a motel that, oddly enough, looked nearly posh. It was a modern building that had a central lobby flanked by two wings, with glass elevators at each corners. The ten or fifteen floors had exterior porches with maybe twenty doors on the lower levels, ten on the middle ones and five on the upper stories, attesting to the size of the suites at the top.

“Hide,” Kuroro told the blond, parking near the central lobby.

The command was totally unnecessary, to Kurapica's mind, but he didn't comment. He lowered the back of his seat and hunkered down against the seat. It wasn't the safest position he'd ever been in, but with the tinted windows, someone would have to be standing by his door and looking directly at him to see him. The older man got out of the car and went into the lobby. Minutes trickled by. Kurapica yawned and fiddled with his book. The sun had gone down and there was no light to read by. He glanced at the upper floors, wondering who would come to stay here and if some of his former mafia associates ever had. Clearly, the owner had spared no expense on the larger suites. Kuroro would probably take one of the single rooms on the ground floor, as he was supposed to be alone and living well, not travelling with someone and filthy rich.

Kurapica started tapping his fingers on the cover of his book, closing his eyes, trying to remember the melody of a piece of music that he'd heard for the first time a few hours prior. After a moment, he took out his cellphone, turned towards the car door and clicked the screen on, keeping it low so the light wouldn't be seen from outside. He quickly typed in the name of the composer, intent on looking up what other pieces he'd composed. Eventually, he put the phone back to dormant and closed his eyes. Where was Kuroro? This was taking forever.

When the car door on the driver's side opened, he nearly jumped out of his skin. He waited until Kuroro had sat and closed the door.

“That took forever,” he commented softly.

“Yeah,” Kuroro agreed. “Chatty clerk. I figured I might as well get some information on the town from her.”

He drove to the end of the left wing and parked in front of the very last door. Smart.

“Okay,” he murmured, grabbing his phone, “wait until I tap on the window twice.”

“All right,” Kurapica agreed.

The older man got out of the car and walked to the door of their room, judging by where he was looking before he got out of view. He was probably going to unlock the door so Kurapica could sneak in quickly. After a moment, the Spider Head reappeared on his side of the car. He tapped his window twice, then went to open the back door to grab the bag of food that was on the seat. Kurapica quickly got out and walked into the room, making sure not to run as that would look suspicious on the off chance that someone was paying attention to the cameras at the very moment where he was trying to sneak in. There he waited for Kuroro to return, which the older man soon did.

He took his shower first, and when he came out, Kurapica quickly followed suit. Washing away the grime and fatigue of the trip felt heavenly. He dried his hair and walked into the bedroom, where he was met with an oddly domestic scene; Kuroro was ironing a dress shirt, humming softly. The absurdity of what he was seeing stopped Kurapica cold in his tracks. The older man glanced at him.

“What?” he asked, half laughing, half defensive. “I need to dress like a business man. That means suits for a few days. I can't really just take them out of my luggage and wear them as is!”

“Yeah, I know,” Kurapica answered with a shrug.

Feeling rather awkward, he walked to his bags to put away a few things, then he grabbed his book and settled on the bed. As he read, he was half aware that Kuroro was humming the very tune he'd been wanting to remember. Without noticing when it happened, his eyes fell closed and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Chapter 82

Kuroro heard a shuffling noise and immediately came awake. All senses on alert, he remained immobile on his bed, feigning sleep. After a second or two, he relaxed. It was simply Kurapica going to the bathroom. A few minutes later, the blond came back into the room and fiddled with something – most likely the coffee machine – then padded over to his bed. He stood there for a few minutes, and Kuroro would have given his right hand just to know what was going on in the younger man's head. The smell of coffee started filling the room and Kurapica turned his back on his former enemy and made his way for the machine.

“Oh, is that cup for me?” Kuroro asked, eyes closed and lips pulling into a teasing smile. “How kind of you! Thank you!”

He heard the young Hunter pause, then take the two steps that still separated him from the dresser.

“If you were awake, you should have said something,” he grumbled.

He didn't sound angry but rather embarrassed, no doubt because he'd been caught staring.

“I was waiting to see if you would wake me up with a good morning kiss,” Kuroro lied.

“Right,” Kurapica deadpanned, “so if I want the first cup of coffee, I have to kiss you first, is that it? That's rather inconvenient.”

“Well, I guess since I claimed it, I should be the one kissing you.”

“That will be unnecessary,” the blond fired back.

Kuroro chuckled. “What if I insist?”

“Then I'll have to insist that you get your first cup of coffee poured on your head,” Kurapica replied, and the Spider Head could have sworn that there was a teasing undertone in his voice.

“All right,” he said as his companion returned to the bedside, small cup in hand, “I guess I can let it slide for today.”

“And tomorrow and the day after,” Kurapica insisted. He set down Kuroro's coffee on the nightstand and was about to leave when the older man snagged his hand and pulled at it to get him to stay. Kurapica hesitated, but eventually sat down on the edge of the bed.

They looked at each other for some time, Kurapica's gaze heavy with unspoken questions, Kuroro's showing nothing. Finally, the blond couldn't take it the silence.

“What?” he asked, slightly hesitant.

“We should take the day off, today,” Kuroro said. “We've been on the road for months and hardly took time to rest. We should stay in. I'll still have to show my face around town so that I don't look too suspicious, but I intend to spend most of the day right here.”

“In bed?” Kurapica asked, looking far too innocent for what that question might have implied, coming from anyone else.

Kuroro laughed softly. The blond looked confusedly at him for a moment before a deep blush climbed up the sides of his neck, all the way up to his cheeks.

“Ah,” he said, looking more and more flustered, “I didn't mean – I wasn't implying – this wasn't –”

“In bed,” Kuroro replied, “with a good book or three. What do you think?”

Kurapica made a soft, dismayed noise and hid his face behind his hand. “Sounds good,” he mumbled from behind his shield.

“Good,” Kuroro said, “then it's decided.” He finally sat up. “Thank you for the coffee. I think yours is waiting for you in the machine.”

Kurapica parted his fingers a bit to look at him. “Sometimes, I really, really hate you.”

Ah, this felt wonderful. This wasn't the hatred he'd been used to from the younger man. Not the rage sort of hatred, but the annoyance that someone would feel when teased by a close friend or relative. His plans were all coming together much better than he'd expected. He wasn't about to point this out to his companion, however. Kurapica would be quick to recant if he realized just what he was implying. Better not to point it out to him.

“I'm sure you do,” Kuroro replied smoothly.

He reached out for the small cup of coffee and brought it to his lips, still looking at the younger man. Finally, Kurapica heaved a much put upon sigh and went to retrieve his own mug. They didn't really speak much after this. Kuroro took his shower while the blond had a second cup of coffee – there wasn't enough provided with the room, but they'd bought some instant grounds and could use the machine to heat up the water – then the blond went in after him. Kuroro took a few books out of his luggage, some for him, some for the blond. When Kurapica came out of the shower, he picked up the book that he had been reading and settled on his bed.

The morning passed slowly, quietly, the only sound in the room was the noise of paper shuffling as they turned pages. When Kurapica finished his book, he went to investigate the ones that the Spider Head had left on the desk. After he'd selected one, he returned to his bed. Kuroro got up around noon and excused himself. Since Kurapica couldn't leave the room, They'd eaten some of the food they had brought with them for breakfast. Now Kuroro needed the exposure, so he went to one of the hotel restaurants to have lunch. He chatted a bit with the server, asking about collectors in the area and presenting himself as an art dealer. He got a lot of information on their mark from the young woman, who happened to be related to the matron of the man's household.

The afternoon went by much like the morning had, both young men reading quietly, and Kuroro for one was glad to have decided to take the day off. Months of being cooped up in hotel rooms and various cars had started driving him a little stir-crazy. He didn't doubt that it was the same for Kurapica. Technically, they were still stuck in a room, but at least it wasn't in the car. It felt good to just kick back and enjoy the day.

He ate dinner at the same restaurant, hoping to get the same waiter, but he couldn't see her anywhere and assumed her shift was over. He ordered a decent meal, neither the cheapest nor the most expensive. Perfection was in the details, and everything about this theft had to be perfect. After he was done eating, he went to an upscale bar, hoping for another in with their mark. He met a few people that would round up his plans perfectly. He stayed there until about ten o'clock, building up his alias, fleshing out the part he was to play for the old mafioso he meant to steal from in the coming week.

He returned to the hotel room later than he'd meant to and opened the door quietly. The light was off and he didn't want to wake up the blond if it turned out that Kurapica was sleeping. His eyes quickly adjusted to the deeper gloom inside the small space, and he found that the beds were empty and the covers were missing on one of them. Frowning softly, he scanned the room for anything amiss, but everything was pretty much just as he had left it, save for the absent young man. He surrounded himself with en, but since the bind he'd had put on Kurapica had forced him into zetsu, he couldn't find him this way. It did ascertain that no one else was in the room either, so he walked in and quietly closed the door before turning the lights on.

He heard a shuffling sound from the bathroom, and he turned towards the door, eyes quickly catching something moving from underneath the door and a thin ray of light peered out as whatever had been set on the other side was moved away. Then the knob turned and Kurapica peeked out. Seeing Kuroro, he relaxed visibly and set something down on the counter before opening the door wider.

“You're late,” he commented rather than accused. “I didn't want people to see the light so I was reading in here.”

Kuroro peered into the small bathroom and found a small nest of blankets and pillows that the blond had clearly pilfered from his bed. Set beside it was a small pile of books.

“That looks cozy,” he remarked. “Maybe I should join you.”

“We'd need more blankets,” Kurapica said, retreating back into the bathroom. “The floor was hard and cold, even with the pillows and bed-covers.”

Kuroro took a step in and glanced at the counter-top to see what Kurapica had set down there. He wasn't surprised to see the knife he'd bought the blond, but he was at realizing that he felt glad to see it there. Not sure what to make of it, he ignored it, filing it away to analyze later.

“Someone I met after dinner offered to introduce me to Rizzoli,” he told the blond. “Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to his summer mansion. I can still count on you to answer the calls?”

“Of course,” Kurapica replied automatically, picking up his pillows and shaking them even though they had been on a blanket and not the floor itself. “I just have to try and disguise my voice, right?”

“Yep,” Kuroro answered cheerfully. He walked over and picked up the blankets, giving them a good shake, too. “And, you know, just tell them how amazing a person I am and how I know my art and could really help sell or buy some pieces for Rizzoli's collection.”

“That should be easy,” the blond said. “You do know art and ancient artifacts, so I wouldn't be lying.”

“And I'm amazing,” Kuroro piped up. “Don't forget amazing.”

Kurapica snorted. “Well, get your amazing self out of the way. You're blocking the door.”

Kuroro grinned, slung the blankets over his shoulder and put both hands on his hips, making sure that the blond couldn't get through the door at all. Kurapica huffed, pursed his lips and canted his head to the side, a clear 'Are you done being an idiot?' expression on his face.

“You didn't say please,” the Spider Head teased.

“Please get out of the way before I punch you in your smug, annoying, amazing face.”

“So you admit my face is amazing?” Kuroro couldn't help asking. He was having so much fun.

“I'll admit nothing, just get out of the way. Or do you want us to stand around like idiots all night?”

“Oh, I can think of other things I'd rather be doing all night,” Kuroro commented. A tad crude, maybe, but the intense shade of red that suffused Kurapica's face was totally worth it.

“Idiot,” the blond grumbled.

Thoroughly entertained, Kuroro finally backed out of the small room and walked over to Kurapica's bed, where he unceremoniously dumped the blankets. Then he went to his bags for a change of clothes and got into his nightwear before sitting on his bed, a book in his hands. Despite his earlier teasing, he actually just wanted to read and relax. He'd done more social networking than he'd planned, and he missed the solitude that he had enjoyed before capturing the alluring Kuruta. Kurapica wasn't bad company, but sometimes, the older man just wanted to be alone and he didn't doubt that the blond felt the same. They settled in for the night, sharing the room maybe, but each in their own, personal little bubble. Kuroro was the first to turn off his light and go to bed.

He awoke the next morning to the smell of coffee, and found a cup waiting on the bedside next to him. Kurapica was at the machine, no doubt making one for himself. That was a nice surprise. Another thing that he could absolutely get used to. He sat up and reached for the small disposable cup.

“Thank you,” he said.

Kurapica glanced at him. “Don't mention it,” he replied. He pressed the button that would start the coffeemaker. “Good morning.”

“Morning.”

Kuroro took another sip and reached for his book again. He quickly found where he'd left off. Kurapica grabbed his own coffee as soon as the machine clicked off and returned to his bed where he too got immersed in his reading.

Sometime mid-morning, the Spider Head finally got up, showered and grabbed a small melon bun to serve as his breakfast. More coffee followed. Kurapica showered and ate as well. It felt nice not to be rushing somewhere else, for once. Around noon, Kuroro went out to eat lunch, then met with the businessman that had offered to introduce him to their mark. Everything was good. Everything was under control.

Rizzoli was an old, grizzled man with a face that looked like a small, shrivelled up, sour apple. He walked with a cane and had four helpers, who no doubt doubled as his bodyguards. His small stature didn't fool Kuroro, however. This man was powerful, not so much in terms of nen, but in his political and criminal connections. He'd lived a long, hard life, and Kuroro had no doubt that he'd be hard to fool. Still, if Kurapica played his part right, they should be able to make it.

They talked through the entire afternoon, discussing pieces that had been sold and bought at recent auctions throughout the entire world. York Shin wasn't the only event that his type gathered for. Kuroro was well prepared and discussed the value and price paid for various artifacts, until he could see that he'd set Rizzoli at ease. Now came the tricky part.

“I've heard that you've quite the collection yourself, Mister Rizzoli,” he said, just after dinner, which his host had invited him to join him for. “I'm very curious about the Rimbault painting and the Thundro vase, particularly. You've acquired both around twelve years ago and no one's seen them since. Do you still own them?”

“They're not for sale,” Rizzoli told him.

“Oh, I know,” Kuroro assured the old man. “I just want to see them. I'm not rich enough to collect such grand pieces myself, but I'm a lover of the arts at heart, and I would be absolutely ecstatic if you were willing to show them to me. I just want a glance. I'm sure you understand the feeling.”

“Ah,” the mafioso leaned back in his seat and lit up a thick, aromatic cigar. The sweet smell of quality tobacco filled the room. “Yes, I do know how it feels to want to be near a masterpiece, even if I cannot own it myself. I sometimes travel vast distances just to sit in a museum and admire a painting or sculpture.”

He took another drag of his cigar, his hooded, careful eyes searching Kuroro's face. Someone walked into the room, apologized before leaning in close to Rizzoli and murmured something in his ear. Kuroro mentally crossed his fingers. If Kurapica had done his part, he'd be taken to Rizzoli's most secure room, where the old man kept his more valuable treasures. The mafioso nodded three times slowly, listened for a moment longer, then waved the young man away. A nod to his closest attendant-bodyguard, and he turned back towards the Spider Head.

“Very well,” he said. “I'll take you to my vault. Understand that I cannot leave you alone in the room, however.”

“Of course,” Kuroro said with a nod. “I'm extremely grateful.”

Another nod and the attendant helped Rizzoli to his feet. They guided Kuroro through a lavish hallway and into a large elevator worthy of the most expensive hotels. They went down a few floors, then through another large hall before finally reaching a sort of show room where the proud collector had amassed his most precious possessions.

And this was where the bodyguards were joined a small battalion of tough looking men who encircled Kuroro. He stood in the middle of this little posse and looked at the men, their hard expressions, their mean-looking weapons, and mentally sighed. Ah well. It would have been nice if the plan had worked, but no one here seemed to be strong enough to pose any danger to him.

Rizzoli started chuckling, his back turned to Kuroro. It was a soft, dry sound that didn't bode well. He turned around and looked up at the Spider Head.

“You're younger than I thought you would be,” he commented.

Kuroro flicked his eyes to him briefly but kept his attention on his goons. They might have him surrounded, but the only reason they weren't cold and dead already was the fact that Kurapica would be able to smell the blood on him and he didn't want to upset him when he was just starting to let Kuroro have all of him. Some looked tough, but there were only two minor nen users in their midst. Easy.

“I don't understand what you mean, Mister Rizzoli,” he began, staying in character.

The old man hit his cane onto the wooden floor, clearly disapproving Kuroro playing dumb. “Young or not, though, you're trespassing. I'll have to teach you a lesson for trying to steal from me.”

He was cut short in the middle of his tirade when his phone rang. He grunted in annoyance and took it out of his pocked and glanced at the screen. A swipe of his thumb and he placed it against his ear. “What is it?” He listened for a moment.

Kuroro scanned the room again. The Scarlet Eyes were there, against the far wall. Around him, fourteen grunts, some of whom were packing heat. They could all be dead in the blink of an eye, if only he didn't have to cater to Kurapica's silly wishes to keep their hands as clean as possible. He did have some defensive skills that he could use until he managed to knock every single man out. Then it was just a matter of throwing the fun fun cloth over the pair of Eyes and seeing himself out.

“Huh,” Rizzoli finally said, focusing his gaze on Kuroro once more. “Hey, that blond kid,” he asked, “is he important to you?”

Kuroro's blood ran cold, then burning hot. His dark, midnight eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze firmly onto the mafioso.

Rizzoli's lips pulled in a not-smile that was positively toothy. “He is, huh.” He spoke into his phone next. “Do it,” and he hung up.

He never had a chance to put his phone away.

Chapter Text

Chapter 83

Kurapica stood in the empty hotel room, holding his breath, all of his senses on alert. He couldn't hear Kuroro as he exited the room, the man walked far too quietly for him to pinpoint his location. He could only wait in silence in hopes that Kuroro wouldn't linger by the door. The minutes slowly trickled by. He nervously fingered the phone he'd shoved into his jeans pocket, his other hand clasping the list of names and transactions that Kuroro had left for him to research before he was to answer the calls. Preferably while Kuroro was eating his lunch, as he would then have all of the information that he needed by the time the first call came in. Kurapica glanced back at the small, ugly desk set in the corner of the room. The Spider Head had a the small laptop on it for Kurapica to use while talking on the phone.

The blond kept his eyes on the door and slowly took out his cell. His hand tightened around it and he took a few steps back. He glanced at the laptop again, before turning his gaze towards the door once more. His heart was beating loudly in his ears.

He didn't really like the task he had set for himself, but it was the only solution that he could see to his problem. His situation was dangerous. The closer he and Kuroro got, the more confused he became about his priorities. And this wouldn't do. At. All.

More than the dizziness and trepidations that overtook him whenever Kuroro touched him, the fact that he was starting to actually enjoy their talk, their banter, just spending time together, that was a big, big problem. It shouldn't have happened, but it had. Now the only thing that he could do was damage control. He was slowly losing parts of himself, something that he was all too aware of and definitely did not like. He wasn't about to lose himself to Kuroro's seduction, no matter how enticing the prospect was when, when in the heat of the moment. He had to regain some amount of control. He had to.

Slowly, he walked over to the laptop and set his phone and the paper he'd been given down next to it. He glanced at the door again. Kuroro wasn't coming back in, not until much later. It was all right. He could do this. He pulled the electric cord out from the back of the laptop, then turned it upside down. He unsnapped the battery pack and slid it away, then set everything back down on top of the desk. If there was a camera, he didn't want to take the chance that Kuroro was recording him. His eyes strayed towards the door again. A deep breath in, a deep breath out and he picked up his phone again.

His fingers clenched tightly around it. He used his thumb to access his contact list and scrolled through it until he got to the person that he needed. The only one he thought could get him out of this mess. Well, part of it anyway. He looked up to the door again, and his features tightened into a resolute frown. He pressed the dial button and brought the phone up to his ear.

He heard it ring once. Twice. Three times. His palms were getting sweaty. Four times. Five. He took in a breath and held it when he heard a click.

“My, my,” the man on the other end of the line drawled out. “How rare of you to call.”

“I would rather not have to do this,” the Kuruta assured him, his tone hard. “You just happen to have a skill I want to use.”

“How cold,” there was a chuckle on the other end of the line. “And after all that we've been through together. It took me a lot of work to allow this little reunion between you and the one we both... desire.”

“I hope you don't expect me to thank you for that,” Kurapica scoffed, his tone getting harder still. “In any case, I'll get straight to the point: I could use your skills. Are you willing to help me or not?”

“Hmm,” the tone was cheerful, an obvious sign that the man was just toying with Kurapica, mocking him. It seemed to be a widespread past time amongst perverts. “I don't know... there is something so enticing about having you beg for my help –”

“I am certainly not begging!” Kurapica exclaimed, louder than he meant to. He glanced at the door again. Gods, he missed the use of his nen. He had to get it back somehow. “I am asking you,” he corrected, “whether you're willing to help me. If you aren't, stop wasting my time and tell me.”

“So enticing,” the creep reiterated. “It was such a good thing that I agreed to postpone the fight that I was looking forward to so much, if it means that you're growing more powerful and delicious.”

Kurapica resisted the urge to snap that having his nen sealed for months and having to rely on his enemy for protection was a very strange way to get him to grow stronger. He felt the words try to get out and clamped down on them, letting out a sigh instead.

“If you don't have any intention of helping, I'm hanging up.”

“I'll help,” the other assured him. “It sounds interesting and I'm bored, waiting for you both to be done with your little project.”

Kurapica hesitated a moment. There was something odd going on. “Why did you help him?” he wanted to know, more out of genuine curiosity than because he was angry about it. “You could have fought him then and kept me out of your little schemes.”

“He told me he had a debt to settle first,” came the explanation, which didn't really clarify anything. “He said he would make you stronger.” There was an unsettling sort of cackle. “Ah, I can't wait to see how you've grown. You've always been very... tempting. But not yet... not yet....”

Kurapica heaved another sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Patience. He had to keep calm to deal with this treacherous man. “Hisoka,” he finally said, “we're heading south towards Iono. After that, I don't know. I'll keep you updated.”

“I'm a little busy at the moment,” the jester sang-song. “Call me again soon!”

The line went dead. Kurapica lowered his phone and scowled at it, as if he could somehow glare through it to the unpredictable, dangerous semi-ally he had to rely on for his plan to succeed. Gods, he hated depending on others, but that it had to be this man made it even worse. With a sigh, he set his cellphone down on top of the desk, then put the battery back into the small laptop and plugged it in. He raked his hand through his hair and sat down. He had some research to do.

He scanned through each item on the list that Kuroro had given him. He wrote down plenty of notes on the hotel stationary, making sure that he could answer just about any question thrown at him during the phone calls that he expected would come too soon for his comfort. He glanced at the time on his phone. Surely, Kuroro was at Rizzoli's place now. He set it back down and went through the intel he'd gathered one more time. At some point, he ate, but the stress was making it hard to stomach food so he soon gave up. And waited some more.

In the end, it was nearing dinner time before the first call came in. To Kurapica's relief, Kuroro had set it up so that he could see which person on the Spider Head's list they were calling. He did take a moment to wonder just when Kuroro had fiddled with his phone, but he shoved the thought away. He had a job to do.

All in all, four calls were made. He was careful not to answer them too quickly, so that they wouldn't know that he was waiting right by the phone. To his immense relief, they asked no question that he didn't know the answer to and, although he felt bad about all the lies, he was aware that his getting the Scarlet Eyes that Rizzoli possessed was entirely dependent on how well he could fib this. He gave Kuroro credit for many sales and acquisitions and was sure to tell them he was satisfied with the older man's services. One word that did not make it in his exchanges with Rizzoli's attendants was the word 'amazing.'

Finally, it was clear that no more calls would be coming in. He had a quick dinner then settled on a chair with a book. He checked the alarm clock regularly, wondering when Kuroro was going to return. Time went by slowly. His hands were still a bit sweaty from the anxiety of attempting to defy Kuroro when he had no way of winning a fight against him. But as much as he was afraid, he was also resolute. He was going to see this through.

The light was dimming slowly and Kurapica glanced towards the window, wondering how much longer he had before he had to retreat to the bathroom like the previous night. He paused. He thought he'd seen a shadow move from the left to the right, right at the bottom of the window. He was about to turn away when he stopped short again and tilted his head. He was pretty certain he'd heard running footsteps run up to the door, but it couldn't be Kuroro. The man was silent, even with those clunky boots of his, so it had to be someone else. Quietly, the blond placed his bookmark in and closed the volume that he'd been reading, setting it down on the dresser next to him. As silently as he could, he got up and moved deeper into the room. He didn't have time to move very far when the door was violently shoved open. There was the sound of many guns and Kurapica dove down, went into a roll, righted himself up right by his bags, and he grabbed the straps and flung them towards his attackers before throwing himself behind his bed.

He heard a curse and a ripping sound, and he knew he didn't have much longer before his assailants reacted. He needed his chains, or a stick or, or anything. His knife! He reached to his back, where he usually stuck it inside of the waistband of his jeans, but it wasn't there. Where was it?! Damn, on the counter-top in the bathroom. He remembered setting it down there the previous night when Kuroro came in.

He didn't dare push himself up from the floor, not without a plan anyway. His eyes started searching desperately for a weapon and landed on Kuroro's knife. It had probably been thrown from his bag when he'd flung it at his attackers. Why it had been in his bag and not the older man's, Kurapica had no idea, but it was fortunate, so long as he could trust the Spider Head's assurances that it was only coated with a numbing agent and wouldn't be fatal. As insane as the thought was, he'd have to trust his word for it.

His hand closed around the hilt and he pulled it close, sliding it out of its sheath, then shoved at the mattress and box-spring, pushing both up for more coverage. His makeshift shield wouldn't stop bullets, but it'd block his attackers' view and hopefully, they'd miss him. More shots rang out and he jumped, placed both hands on the side of the mattress that was now up in the air and jumped over it towards his assailants. He grazed the first one on the way down, then fell into a crouch and threw his arm in a semi-circle getting a few more people on their calves. They fell down, and Kurapica could only hope that they weren't dead. He didn't have time to think about them too much, though.

He straightened up, switching the knife to his other hand to slash upwards at another man who fell as well.

“Bastard!” he heard to his right and his shirt was roughly grabbed before he was pulled.

He barely had turned to that man, when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and he pushed himself backwards. The man – no, woman – who was attacking him couldn't stop her momentum and her knife slashed through the top that the man who'd grabbed him was still holding on to. The woman's knife was a problem. If she was any good with it, she'd be able to block him so he didn't leave her time to right herself up and slashed at her arm before switching the knife back to his right hand to get at the man. He went down, and Kurapica was left standing, surrounded by a bunch of men and women in black suits lying on the floor right where they'd fallen.

He crouched down and pressed his fingers against the neck of the man closest to him. There was a steady pulse and he breathed in relief. He still took the time to check each and every single one of them, to make absolutely sure that they were still alive at least. He was just straightening up, still only wearing a loose-fitting pair of jeans, the remnants of his shirt on the floor at his feet, when Kuroro's car screeched to a halt in front of their room, parked at an angle. The door opened and the Ryodan leader got quickly out, walking over to him briskly.

“You all right?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Kurapica assured him.

He walked back to where he'd let the sheath drop and slid the knife safely in. It wouldn't do to accidentally paralyse himself or Kuroro. It had just slid in place when Kuroro grabbed his hand, pulling him outside. He grabbed his bags on the way out and Kurapica stumbled after him.

“Wait, what are you –” He suddenly noticed the strong smell of blood coming from the older man. “Did you just kill someone?!”

“Didn't leave me a choice,” Kuroro said and opened the door for Kurapica to get in the passenger seat, before opening the door just behind it and throwing his bags on the back seat.

“My clothes,” Kurapica said when Kuroro slid behind the wheel. “Is it okay leaving them all?”

“No time,” Kuroro said and put the car in reverse before peeling out of the parking lot.

“You could have let me put a shirt on, at least,” Kurapica protested. He was glad his phone and cards were in his pant pockets, at least. He slid the phone out.

“Just get one of mine,” Kuroro said, sticking his thumb back to where he'd thrown the bags on the back seat.

Kurapica twisted around and pulled one of the bags closer, sliding the zipper even as his thumb pressed the emergency number on his phone. He put it against his head and reached into the bag blindly.

“What are you doing?” Kuroro asked, throwing him a glance.

“Calling an ambulance,” Kurapica said.

Kuroro threw him another look. “For your assailants?” He looked at him like he'd lost his head.

“They're still alive,” the blond replied, pulling a shirt from the bag. Black. Of course. The call connected and he gave them the name of the motel and hung up. “Some of them were small and if the numbing agent is potent enough, they could get into respiratory failure.”

He pushed the seat-belt over his head so he could pull the shirt on. He was positively floating in it, and that was sort of annoying. Plus, the large V collar slid off of his left shoulder and when he pulled it up, it slid off of his right.

“This is ridiculous,” he grumbled, pulling the seat-belt back over his head. He caught the look Kuroro gave him and paused.

Kuroro turned his head back to the front and tightened his hands on the steering wheel, his mouth tightening into an unreadable expression.

Kurapica bit his lower lip and tried to calm down. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins and his heart was thudding loudly in his chest.

“Did you get the Eyes?” he asked.

“They're in the Fun Fun Cloth,” Kuroro assured him.

“Okay,” the blond began, but Kuroro still had a sort of dark look on his face and he fell silent. They drove on through the night, then the entire day, only stopping once for gas. Kuroro wouldn't even go in to buy anything, but used a card to pay right at the pump, and then they were off again.

The silence in the car was deafening.

Chapter Text

Chapter 84

As night was falling again, Kuroro finally turned into the parking lot of a motel and stopped the car in a dark spot, hidden by the shadows of the building. Kurapica watched him get out of the car and go into the office, no doubt to secure a room for them. The Spider Head soon returned, slid back behind the wheel and drove to their door, parking right in front. He handed Kurapica the key.

“Go in, I'll grab the bags.”

The blond took it and stepped out of the car, then walked up to the door and unlocked it. He was just pushing it open when Kuroro walked up behind him. They went in and Kuroro let the bags drop to the floor, kicking the door closed. Kurapica turned to him.

“Shouldn't we –”

He was interrupted when Kuroro's lips roughly covered his. The taller man pushed against him and Kurapica stumbled back, so Kuroro caught him and picked him up easily, pushing his tongue into his mouth when the blond gasped in surprise. There seemed to be no reason for the older man's sudden interes and Kurapica was taken aback by the strength of the man's grip on him. How had they gone from a silent car ride to this? Sure, he'd caught Kuroro's eyes on him again and again, but he couldn't figure out what had triggered the older man.

The kiss was rough and more than a little impatient. Kuroro deposited him on top of the dresser and really, the man should learn something about the proper use of each piece of furniture. Dressers weren't made to have people sitting on them. But then, Kuroro pulled him closer with his hands on his buttocks and Kurapica forgot all about his mental protest.

There was something raw and primal in Kuroro's kiss, a sort of desperation that made Kurapica loose all sense of the here and now, even if only for a moment. He tightened his legs around the taller man, and Kuroro growled – growled! – against his mouth. His fingers slid over his waist and around it to the front where he undid Kurapica's belt easily. He didn't even take time to pull it out of the belt-loops but just pulled at the denim, making the button pop out.

Kurapica broke the kiss. “Wait wh–”

Kuroro mouth moved to his throat and Kurapica forgot what he'd meant to ask, sucking in a breath instead. His fingers dug into the older man's shoulders and he arched his neck back, letting his eyes fall shut. Kuroro latched at his throat and sucked hard, wringing an involuntary moan from him. He bit his lower lip, trying to focus enough to remember why this was a bad idea, but he couldn't quite manage.

His zipper came down and Kuroro shoved a hand in, rubbing him to hardness and it was all so fast, so nearly violent. Kurapica started panting harshly. The room was spinning around him and he couldn't remember why he'd ever meant to stop Kuroro from touching him. In this moment, it was all that he wanted, all that he needed. When the older man ran his tongue up the side of his throat and bit his earlobe, he let out a sort of lusty whimper and tilted his head, giving Kuroro better access.

Suddenly, the taller man stepped away and Kurapica blinked dumbly at him, trying to gather his wits about him. Kuroro made his way to the bags and opened a side pocket, retrieving a bottle of lubricant before he straightened up and walked back to him. The short pause helped the Kuruta remember one thing at least. Kuroro didn't mean to take him right on top of the dresser, did he?!

As soon as he was close enough, Kurapica wrapped both arms and legs around him, catching his mouth in a kiss, before he pushed his weight off of the dresser, effectively making it so Kuroro had to carry him. The Spider head bit at his lower lip lightly and chuckled, a dark, hungry sound. Sliding his free hand to the back of Kurapica's thigh, he brought another throaty gasp from the blond, who tightened his legs around him. Gods, but Kurapica's heart was hammering in his chest. He'd never felt so out of control in his life, and instead of disliking the feeling, he loved it, relished it, was nearly high on it. Kuroro carried him to the bed closest to them and then they were going down. Kuroro stopped his fall by putting his hand forward so they hit the mattress first, but then Kurapica pulled him down on top of him.

They kissed again, and Kuroro's fingers hooked over the top of his waistband. He straightened up and pulled the jeans and underwear down and completely off. He put a knee on the mattress and shrugged out of his coat. Kurapica pushed himself back so his legs weren't dangling off of the bed. Kuroro's shirt, far too large for him, fell off his shoulder yet again, but at least it was long enough to cover him. Kuroro unzipped his top and shrugged that off too before crawling after him.

He kissed him roughly again and slid both hands up under the shirt so he could rake his fingers down his sides. Kurapica broke the kiss to throw his head back, breathing faster now. Kuroro knelt up and unzipped his boots before returning to the blond. His mouth latched onto his neck again and Kurapica's arms wrapped around Kuroro's shoulders.. The blond tilted his head back, opening up his throat for more of that delicious pain that came when the older man bit or sucked at the pale skin. He felt Kuroro take off one boot, then the other, and he heard them hit the floor when the older man pushed them off the bed.

He kissed the blond again and Kurapica could hear the bottle cap pop open on the lubricant. He expected the hand that slid between his thighs and barely winced when Kuroro slid one, then two fingers in, and it didn't feel all that odd when the taller man started scissoring his fingers, stretching him further. He broke the kiss, his fingers tangled in Kuroro's hair and he pulled him to his throat again, where the older man bit harder, wringing another breathless moan from the blond.

“Gods, K–” Kurapica gasped, arching his back, and was interrupted when Kuroro pressed another feverish kiss on his mouth.

Suddenly, the fingers were gone and the older man grazed his teeth down his throat as he reached for the bottle again. Kurapica expected his fingers again, but Kuroro was already pushing into him, and the blond sucked in a breath when the older man bit down on his shoulder at the same time. It hurt. It felt so good. How could something painful turn him on this much?! There was a slight pause where Kurapica noticed the feel of the taller man's pants against his skin, and when the Spider Head started pushing in again, he went slower, infuriatingly slow. Kurapica pushed against him with another soft sound. Whatever thoughtful sentiment had slowed the older man, it went right out the window as he thrust in harder and didn't stop again until he was in as deeply as he could go. Another pause, and he pulled out slightly, then pushed back in.

He grabbed Kurapica's bony hips, fingers digging into the skin. He pulled out some, and pushed in again, rougher this time. He sucked at his shoulder, right where he'd bitten, and it hurt, yet the pain made Kurapica breathe faster and arch into him. When he pushed into him again, it was even more forceful and wrung a soft cry from the blond. He rocked into him again and Kurapica started panting helplessly, caught between pleasure and the pain at his shoulder. He clung to Kuroro's shoulders trying to stop the cries that kept threatening escape his throat with each subsequent thrust of the taller man's hips.

Kuroro's mouth left his shoulder, laying kisses down the centre of his chest, over the thin fabric or his shirt, and Kurapica arched backwards, moaning softly. The older man couldn't get too far down, but he moved to the side and sucked one of Kurapica's nipples hard, so hard that even when he moved away, the blond could feel it still. Kuroro mouthed a path to the other side and give his other nipple the same treatment and this time, Kurapica couldn't keep in the strangled moan that welled out from his throat.

Kuroro let go of his hip with his right hand so he could lean on it, starting a fast, hard rhythm that rocked him with every thrust. It felt like he was as deep as he would ever go, shaking the blond to his very core, threatening his sanity, or what little of it he had left at this point. Kurapica swallowed thickly, mouth dry from panting and Kuroro rocked into him even harder. The taller man suddenly pushed himself up, straightening his upper body to get more leverage. It changed the angle and Kurapica arched upwards letting out another sharp yelp. His fingers scrambled over the coverlet for purchase and he managed to grab at the fabric, twisting it.

Kuroro started moving again, harder than he ever had. Kurapica let go with one hand, but only so he could bury it into his own hair, pulling at it even as he hid behind his arm, attempting to will himself not to start crying out with every thrust inside him. A few gasps escaped his throat despite his best effort and he let go of the covers with his other hand so he could bite at the side of his wrist in another attempt to keep himself silent. Kuroro's fingers were digging painfully into his hips but rather than upset him, it somehow managed to making him feel even more like he was completely unravelling. His blood-red eyes were tightly shut but not seeing the taller man only made him that much more aware of the feeling of him thrusting deep inside, of the way his blunt nails dug into his skin, of the sound of their breathing.

When Kuroro stopped moving, the blond nearly let out a disappointed sound, but somehow managed to contain it. His eyes opened but everything was swimming and he could barely think of anything except the pleasure that he was suddenly denied. He caught Kuroro's dark, hungry eyes devouring him, an odd look lighting his gaze as he stared at the younger man. When Kurapica's gaze finally focused on him, Kuroro leaned in for another harsh kiss, then he pulled out entirely.

“What –” Kurapica began, but Kuroro was already pulling at his arms.

He got him to sit up and stopped another question with a kiss.

“Not enough,” he growled against Kurapica's mouth.

He raked his hands down over Kurapica's ribs, underneath the shirt, and the blond gasped. He was far beyond rational thought now, and would give anything just to have Kuroro push into him again, touch him, take him to heaven with his heat and his desire. Suddenly, Kuroro spun him around and pushed him down on the mattress again, so that Kurapica was lying on his front. He straddled the younger man and grasped his buttocks with both hands, massaging them as he lay kiss upon kiss down the back of his neck, following the spine, over the shirt, between his shoulder blades, then back up. It wasn't enough, it wasn't what Kurapica wanted and he groaned softly.

Kuroro chuckled darkly, his breath warm on Kurapica's skin, just above the collar of the shirt he was still wearing.

“Oh, I'll give it to you,” he murmured, answering Kurapica's thoughts. “I'll take you higher than you ever have. You're –” He cut off whatever he was going to say and scraped his teeth over the back of his neck, making Kurapica gasp again.

He suddenly pulled the blond's buttocks to the sides and entered him again. A slight pause when he was deep inside, then he started a hard, fast rhythm, pounding into him as if he meant to make him feel it for days. Kurapica pulled at the bed-covers and bit down on them to stifle his cries. Kuroro only moved faster, harder, driving him completely insane. The Spider Head could have demanded anything of him at that moment, and he would have given it to him without a second thought, if only it meant that he would continue this mad, feverish dance.

Kuroro wrapped his arms around his torso and suddenly pulled him up. He kissed the back of his neck again, something that made Kurapica's chest tighten nearly painfully. He pulled the blond up to his knees and started thrusting into him, maddeningly slow. The sudden change of pace was leaving Kurapica's body craving for more. Kuroro stroked up over his ribs, the shirt bunching up just above his hands, then raked his fingers down just as he thrust in a little harder. Kurapica let out a strangled yelp and that seemed to stoke Kuroro's passion. He suddenly pushed the blond's chest back down, hips higher and started thrusting in earnest again. The angle meant that every single time that Kuroro pushed into him, he hit against a spot that drove Kurapica insane with pleasure.

Kuroro's fingers raked down all of the way to his hips and he started pulling him closer with each of his thrust, and Kurapica couldn't stifle the first few cries that escaped him. Then he clamped down on the sounds and could barely breathe as Kuroro went into a fast rhythm, his hands gripping him tight. It was mad, it was insane and it pulled his mind in every direction until he couldn't cope and he climaxed with a harsh sob that he couldn't stop from welling up and out of his throat. He came harder than he ever had and Kuroro didn't even leave him time to breathe but kept thrusting into him for a short time before he, too came, spilling his seed deep, so deep inside, and then he let himself fall forward. His seed felt so hot inside and Kurapica nearly felt like he had come again just from that. When Kuroro's weight hit him, Kurapica grunted. He tried catching his breath. His mouth felt so dry.

“You're heavy,” he protested after a moment, “get off me.” Kuroro pulled out and pushed himself on his side, but kept one arm over Kurapica's waist, holding him in a manner that seemed nearly possessive to the blond. He waited a moment, but the taller man made no move to let go. “I'm thirsty,” Kurapica said, trying to move away. “Would you let go so I can go grab a glass of water?”

“In a moment,” Kuroro assured him and pulled him so that Kurapica's back was pressed against his chest.

Kurapica swallowed thickly. He waited patiently, but still the older man made no move to let go of him. Eventually, he did move his arm, but only so that he could run his fingers up and down Kurapica's side, just under the shirt. It was nearly ticklish and Kurapica shifted, then tightened his muscles.

He didn't know what to make of what had happened. The sudden way that the older man had attacked him, so to speak, was now confusing him. Not that Kuroro didn't tend to be somewhat... passionate when it came to sex, but it had never been quite this raw and intense. His own reaction to the touch shamed him. But still, Kuroro's actions were confusing. Why drive in silence for one and a half day, only to initiate intercourse so suddenly?

“I should have known,” Kuroro murmured, lips grazing against the back of his neck, “I should have known that you wouldn't be taken so easily. Even without nen, you are a very strong fighter.” His hand tightened against his side. “I'm glad I chose you as one of my Spiders.”

There were so many things wrong with how Kurapica's chest tightened at those words.

Chapter Text

Chapter 85

Kuroro awoke that morning feeling sated and content. There was something warm against his front, something that shifted and moved against him to the sound of deep breaths taken in slumber. He recognized Kurapica's scent right away. How odd that he would even feel this comfortable sleeping next to someone as he has just done, especially considering just how dangerous the younger man was. It wasn't something that he would have thought even possible, until recently.

Kurapica sucked in a breath and stirred in his arms, and Kuroro found himself automatically tightening his hold on the Kuruta. He could feel the fabric of his own shirt on the younger man; it was such a heady feeling. He wasn't sure what it was about Kurapica wearing something that belonged to him that made him react this way, but it made Kuroro want to just take him again and again, until they were both exhausted and spent. Ah, if only they didn't have so much to do.

They had to get Kurapica some new clothes, now that all of what he had travelled with had been left after the attack. He would have to pay for them if he wanted to keep the younger man happy and compliant. Sometimes, pleasing him was a drag, yet it wasn't all that bad. If Kuroro was perfectly honest with himself, he was having quite a lot of fun. Anyway, he could easily steal whatever money he used on the Kuruta, so he didn't dwell on it too much.

Kurapica stirred again and made a soft sound in his throat, slowing coming awake. Kuroro's arms tightened around him of their own accord once again.

“What time is it?” the blond asked, his words slurred and heavy with sleep.

Kuroro glanced at the alarm clock.

“Seven-thirty,” he answered.

Kurapica groaned softly and tried to extirpate himself from Kuroro's embrace. The Spider Head held him a moment longer, then finally let him go. What was even stranger than feeling at peace with a person sleeping next to him was the fact that he had released his hold on Kurapica regretfully.

This was getting dangerous.

Kurapica sat up, made an annoyed little sound and pulled at the shirt, which had fallen off from his left shoulder.

It shouldn't have been so sexy.

The blond sighed, glanced at Kuroro, then, just as he was turning his head to look away, stopped and his eyes slid over to meet the Spider Head's once more.

“What is it?” he asked, somewhat hesitantly.

“Nothing,” Kuroro lied, sitting up so that the younger man couldn't study his face too closely.

He pushed himself to his feet and went straight for his bags. He took out two sets of clothes – one for him and one for Kurapica. He could feel the weight of the blond's gaze on his back, but he ignored it.

“I'm going to take a shower,” he said without turning around. “Can you make some coffee?”

“Sure,” Kurapica answered, the word slightly drawn out.

There was a curious tone in his voice, one that Kuroro couldn't decipher. He paused, finally turning to look at the younger man. Kurapica's gaze was puzzled and confused. Kuroro knew that he was acting strange, quite at odds with his usual self, but he needed to think; he needed to be alone and think.

He made his way into the bathroom and quickly got out of the previous day's clothes. To think that he'd fallen asleep just like this! It was completely uncharacteristic of him. He really needed to get a grip of himself.

He stepped into the shower and set the water to run as hot as he could bear it. He washed his hair slowly, trying to put his thoughts in order.

Contrary to what the blond might be inclined to believe, he wasn't completely immune to sentiment, and he did get attached to a few select, extraordinary people. He had created his own family, in a way, and the deaths of two of its members had affected him. The difference with the wilful Kuruta was that he did not let his emotions control him; he controlled them.

The previous days had been intense. When he had heard Rizzoli give the order to kill the blond, Kuroro had moved entirely without thinking. The idea that someone might harm his travelling companion had made him angry, as angry as if someone had taken a knife and slashed a painting that he'd taken great pains to steal. It was a peculiar mix of possessiveness and a need to protect – only it turned out that this particular work of art did not need to be protected. Kurapica had been more than able to take out all of his attackers. Kuroro should have believed in the younger man's abilities. The fact that he had been able to defend himself against so many people instilled in Kuroro a very odd sort of pride.

He was proud of all of his Spiders, of course, but this was a little different. Not for the first time, the thought came to mind that Kurapica had become like this because of him, that he was the reason why the Kuruta had become this strong.

Leaving this particular line of thinking aside, he focused instead on his reaction to Kurapica wearing his shirt. He rinsed out the suds in his hair, pondering over the surge of desire that had risen inside of him at the sight of the blond wearing something of his. Stronger than the desire, he'd been overtaken by a strong wave of possessiveness. It had been overwhelming, nearly violent, and he'd barely managed to control himself long enough to be at a safe distance from the Rizzoli's men. The man was dead, but people would be looking for his murderer, and they would remember the visit from the so-called art dealer.

The minute that Kuroro had felt far enough from the reach of their potential pursuers, he'd just snapped, so to speak. Days of keeping himself under control had just ended in a feverish fit of passion. Perhaps he ought to put an end to this, to his strange relationship with the Kuruta. Focus on making him a Spider, on leading him, moulding him, forming him. Stop desiring him like he had been. Put some distance between them.

Kuroro washed himself quickly, mulling over his options. When he finally stepped out of the shower, he still hadn't decided on a course of action, but perhaps he could think a little clearer with some caffeine in his veins. He towel-dried his hair, patted himself dry and quickly got dressed in dark denim pants and a black V-neck top.

When he walked out of the bathroom, Kurapica looked up from his book. There was a searching look in his eyes, but this time, Kuroro felt back on his game and he met his gaze with casual ease.

“All yours now,” he told the blond, and was careful not to stare too openly.

Damn, Kurapica was still wearing his shirt.

Well, he had none of his own to wear now, so it was only to be expected. Worse, however, was was the fact that he hadn't bothered to put his jeans back on. The shirt was long enough to cover him properly, but the sight made Kuroro want to reach for him and have a repeat of the previous night. He somehow managed to control himself.

“We're going to buy you some clothes as soon as we find a shop,” he added. “Just enough to get us to Iono. We can buy more once we're there.”

“Buy?” Kurapica asked, placing a bookmark to keep his page.

“Yes,” Kuroro confirmed, spotting the cup of coffee on the dresser, clearly set out for him. When the silence dragged on and Kurapica didn't move, he looked up from his beverage to find the blond staring at him. “I've told you, if I have to lead an honest life to –” He suddenly stopped himself. “In any case, yes, I will indeed buy you some clothes.” He stuck his thumb towards the bathroom that he'd just vacated. “Go shower so we can get going.”

Kurapica didn't respond, and for the longest time he simply sat as he was, his eyes studying the Spider Head in silence. There was a pensive look on his features, something that Kuroro found rather uncomfortable. He didn't want the younger man to make outlandish and probably false assumptions about Kuroro's current dispositions, but there was little he could do about any of it. Finally, Kurapica wordlessly got to his feet, picked up the pile of clothes left for him and disappeared into the bathroom. Kuroro stared after him for a moment, then returned to his morning coffee.

He took a few sips and slowly made his way to the nightstand where he had left his phone. Picking it up, he glanced at the screen, clicking it on to check that he hadn't missed any message. It was unlikely; he would wake up at the faintest sound, but he could have missed one while showering. There was a small icon on the task bar. Intrigued, he went into the application, tapped a few things and brought the phone to his ear.

When Kurapica came out of the bathroom, he suddenly stopped short.

“What is it?” he asked for the second time.

Kuroro lowered his phone and locked the screen again.

“Nothing,” he lied again, careful to brush the dark look off from his face. “Just some bad news that I will have to deal with. It shouldn't affect our journey too much. Are you ready?”

Kurapica studied his face quietly, obviously aware that he was being misled by the older man. Eventually, he turned away.

“Yeah, let me just pick up my phone.”

The blond walked around the bed to pick up the pair of jeans he'd worn previously. He took his phone out of the front pocket, then folded the pants and looked around, somewhat hopelessly.

Kuroro extended his hand. Kurapica – looking decisively tempting in a shirt that seemed a little too large on him and pants that only just barely managed to stay above his hips with the pathetic help of an ill-fitting belt – handed the Spider Head all of his dirty clothes, which Kuroro shoved into his bag. The blond slipped his phone into the front right pocket of his jeans.

They were soon on the road again, driving through a desolate country, with gnarled little shrubs that seemed to be perpetually dry and lifeless. The land was completely flat, with nothing to break the monotony of the landscape. They drove on for a few hours, Kuroro mulling over what he had just learned from his phone application, Kurapica reading quietly.

Finally, Kuroro saw a large sign announcing the name of a town and he took the exit indicated. It took another hour before a few buildings came into view. Surprisingly, the place was rather populated, although not enough to call itself a city. They were a few restaurants, two or three grocery stores and, Kuroro was glad to see, even a used car dealership.

They changed cars first. The Spider Head chose a sturdy, four-wheel drive SUV with working air conditioning and tinted windows. The car they were leaving behind was worth quite a bit more and the dealer had no objection to the exchange. He directed them to a strip mall where they could find places to eat and, more importantly, shops where they could replace Kurapica's clothes – which, Kuroro explained, had been stolen at the airport, a story he was ready to tell anyone who got a little too curious. It was perfectly mundane and wouldn't draw too much attention.

Kuroro barely spoke to the blond, and he could feel the weight of Kurapica's gaze on his back as they did all necessary shopping. Once they had food enough to last and Kurapica had clothes to wear – Kuroro was quite thankful to see that the blond had taken a liking to casual clothes and had not insisted on buying those terrible tribal clothes he'd worn before – they allowed themselves an hour to eat lunch at a small family-type restaurant.

As they sat, waiting for the waiter to come take their order, Kurapica finally broke the silence.

“That must have been some exceptionally bad news,” he commented. “You rarely stay silent unless you have a book in hand and now you haven't said a word since we left the hotel.”

“I had a lot to think about,” Kuroro explained. “You seemed engrossed in your book anyway, so I didn't think that it was a problem.”

“It wasn't a problem,” Kurapica assured him, “but it was uncharacteristic and I was concerned that you might need to pull out of this trip we're on.”

“No, no,” Kuroro quickly reassured him, “nothing of the sort.”

The waiter returned with their water and their order. Kuroro waited until the man was out of earshot before continuing the conversation.

“So, we're heading to Iono now,” he said, brushing the topic of his thoughts under the metaphorical rug. “Have you decided whose help you want to request?”

“Actually,” Kurapica began, then wavered a moment before nodding resolutely and continuing, “I would rather call on the help of someone who isn't one of your,” he cut himself short, glanced around and amended, “one of yours.”

Kuroro tilted his head to the side.

“Who would you want instead?” he asked. “One of your friends?”

“No,” Kurapica answered hastily, “I wouldn't call him a friend. Not at all.” He seemed to shudder. “I want to ask for Hisoka's help.”

The tension that had built in Kuroro's shoulders eased a little.

“Why him?” he wanted to know. “I'd think, with his bloodlust, that he would be the very last person you would want to have travel with us.”

Kurapica's expression turned pensive and he was silent for a few moments.

“Have you ever heard the expression, better the evil you know?”

Kuroro nodded.

“That is why I want him rather than one of your men,” Kurapica explained.

Well, that did make sense. It was entirely possible that this was indeed Kurapica's reasoning, but there was something bothering Kuroro about this entire thing.

He was going to watch the Kuruta very, very carefully.

Chapter Text

Chapter 86

The powerful sand twister was an amazing sight to behold, even after having seen it a hundred times. Kuroro didn't know if Kurapica had ever been here before, but had he not, it should be especially jaw-dropping for him.

“There,” Kuroro said, breaking the silence and getting the blond's attention, “the Iono twisters. Well, the outer one. The tunnel's to the west though, so we'll have to drive around it.

Kurapica placed a bookmark in and closed the small novel that he'd bought along with the few articles of clothing he now owned. He looked up and his eyes grew wide.

“How close can we actually get to it?” he wanted to know. “The books I've read on the topic said we could safely drive only to about ten kilometres away, but it's so....”

He floundered, obviously unsure how to finish.

“Huge?” Kuroro offered. “Immense? Vast? Brobdingnagian?”

Kurapica gave him a light slap on the shoulder.

“Stop it,” he demanded, although he sounded more amused than angry.

Kuroro chuckled, eyes flicking briefly to the small clock set in the middle of the dashboard. He clicked his tongue. They would probably be stuck in traffic. Kurapica glanced at him, then at the clock.

“Will we have time to get through the tunnel before they close the gate?” he asked.

“Probably,” Kuroro answered. “We'll be stuck in traffic for a couple of hours, though. Do you want to camp out? Else I'll have to step on it.”

Kurapica thought about it for a moment.

“Let's camp out,” he decided. “It would be stupid to have an accident trying to get there before traffic really picks up.”

“As you wish,” the Spider Head answered with an easy shrug. “The wind's bound to be intense, though, so we'll have to sleep in the car.”

“Nothing we haven't done before,” Kurapica pointed out.

“True enough,” Kuroro acknowledged.

Silence descended upon the car once more. Kurapica stared at the column of whirling sands that soon filled the entire windshield. It was a good thing that they had working air conditioning in the car because it would be impossible to have the windows open with strong winds lifting up clouds of burning hot sands. Cars driving through this part of the desert were soon stripped completely of paint. Unprotected humans who lacked nen could hardly last, and thus the permanent sand tornado had long protected the town from invasion. As such, the settlement had a prolonged history of nen training.

They drove around the giant twister, slowly now, for Kuroro had veered off the road and was going between dunes, carefully picking his way so as to make sure the wheels of their car wouldn't end up in so much sand that they remained stuck.

It was nearly dusk when they saw a line of cars in the distance, the metal frames glistening under the dimming sun, the glint shining between dunes as they went. Kuroro stopped the car between two rather tall sand hills that hid them from view.

“Here,” he sighed, killing the engine. “There are going to be far too many people around to sleep comfortably if we get any closer to the tunnel.” He glanced at his companion. “Let's camp here.”

“Sounds good,” Kurapica said with a shrug. He closed his novel and stretched slowly. He glanced outside, taking in the gigantic twister yet again. “I imagine that even stepping out of the vehicle to stretch my legs would be risky in these parts.”

“You can try,” Kuroro said with a chuckle, “but I can guaranty you'll lose a few layers of skin unless you use ken to protect against the sandblast.”

“A simple yes would have sufficed.”

Kurapica stretched a little more, and nearly pushed his hand in Kuroro's face. Whether it was on purpose or not was anyone's guess.

“I could have left it at that,” Kuroro agreed, “but I didn't feel like it.”

“That pretty much sums up your personality in a single sentence,” Kurapica replied, something like amusement tinged with annoyance in his voice.

Kuroro couldn't help another little chuckle. “You've finally figured me out!”

“Please,” Kurapica scoffed, “as if anyone ever could.”

Kuroro laughed softly and shook his head. He undid his seat-belt and stretched as best he could with the wheel in the way. He felt the blond's gaze, heavy on him. Curious about why he was being stared at, he turned towards Kurapica and arched his eyebrows in question. The younger man did not answer. His eyes slid over Kuroro's features, slowly studying his face as if he were a complex equation that Kurapica needed to solve. Then, quite suddenly, the Kuruta closed the distance between them and placed a kiss on his lips.

When he pulled away, Kuroro could see a bit of colour, high on his cheeks.

“I'm glad you seem to be feeling better,” Kurapica murmured, looking somewhat embarrassed.

He then lowered the back of his seat and curled on his side, facing away from Kuroro.

Well, hm. This was interesting. It wasn't the first time the younger man had initiated a kiss, but it was still an extremely rare occurrence. The Spider Head stared at Kurapica's back, his eyes straying up from the centre of his back to the back of his neck, where it lingered a moment. He then lowered his own seat and settled in to try and sleep. It took some time, but he finally drifted off, despite the howling of the wind and the grating sound of sand hurled against the metal frame of the car.

The definite feeling that someone was watching him awoke him earlier than he perhaps would have liked, and he opened his eyes, tilting his head to look at the blond. Their eyes met and held.

“Morning,” he greeted.

“Good morning.”

Kurapica sat up and pulled the lever on the side of his seat, bringing himself into a sitting position. After a moment spent watching the younger man try to smooth invisible wrinkles in his clothes, Kuroro followed suit.

The traffic was pretty heavy in the morning too, only it went the other way; people leaving town to work or train in the desert, tourists leaving early to try and make it out of the desert before nightfall. They drove through the long tunnel that had been dug underneath the two twisting giants and got through the gates fairly quickly. Finally, they were in Iono proper, in the very eye of the perpetual cyclone, under the gigantic dome that protected the town and its inhabitants.

They found a decent hotel, neither too cheap nor too expensive, and were soon back out on the streets, trying to locate a place where they could eat breakfast and hopefully some shops where they could get a few more clothes for Kurapica. The mood was much lighter now, and Kuroro could honestly say that he was enjoying himself again. They found a crêperie from which they could smell wonderful aromas of coffee and pastry. They sat down by the windows and watched the passersby while enjoying their food, lost in their own thoughts. It was a comfortable sort of silence, and neither seemed to feel the need to break it.

As they left the shop, Kuroro slipped his hands inside of the pockets of Kurapica's jeans, fingers flexing over the blond's own as he pulled him back against his chest. It made walking more than a little awkward, but he made it work somehow.

“What are you doing?” Kurapica asked, trying to glance back at him, but Kuroro switched sides at that moment and pulled him back against his front once more.

“What does it feel like I'm doing?” the Spider Head asked with a little smirk.

“Making it ridiculously hard to walk,” Kurapica answered with a small huff, but he didn't pull away.

Kuroro grinned to himself, still amazed with just how much progress he'd made with the Kuruta in so short a period. How long had it been? Four months? Yes, a mere four months. Kurapica griped and complained, but essentially let him do whatever he wanted. And he didn't seem to hate it. If anything, he seemed to like Kuroro's attention, no matter how obnoxious the older man happened to be feeling that day.

Something suddenly caught Kuroro's attention, and caught it fast. Somewhere to their left, he saw two small figures that seemed more than vaguely familiar. He tilted his head, trying to get a better look. Ah, yes. There was that green jacket and the unmistakable silver hair of the other. He'd met them in York Shin, but now that he had the information that Pakunoda had paid for with her life and that he had investigated the Kuruta, he knew that they were Kurapica's friends. His grin widened.

Oh, he very much wanted to gloat right now.

The two young teenagers seemed to be arguing about something, the one in green – Gon Freecs, he remembered – was visibly pouting and the other – Killua Zaoldyck, Illumi's younger brother – had the distinct look of an enabler about to give in. Well, it would be interesting to see their reaction to Kurapica and he walking along like this.

Kuroro pulled the blond back once again, and buried his face in Kurapica's neck, in a very intimate gesture that he hoped the younger man wouldn't pull away from.

He saw the Zaoldyck kid catch sight of them and pause. Certain now that they had an audience, he placed a kiss on the side of the blond's neck and Kurapica slipped a hand out of his pocket so he could reach back and bury his fingers in the black hair at the back of Kuroro's skull.

“What are you doing,” he asked again, sounding more put upon than truly annoyed. It came out as more flirty than protesting, and Kuroro hoped the two kids were close enough to hear. Hopefully, they wouldn't draw Kurapica's attention, though. Else, the blond would –

“Ah!”

Too late.

The dark haired youth was pointing to them, his eyes wide open, a look of absolute shock on his young features. “Kurapica!”

The blond tensed, and Kuroro noticed the Zaoldyck kid shrugging moodily, like one who is far too accustomed to their friend's antics. He wasn't surprised when Kurapica pulled away, but it was still rather disappointing. Gon jogged up to them, waving widely, his friend following behind at a more sedate pace.

“Gon,” Kurapica said, sounding just as shocked as the younger boy looked, “Killua.”

“Yo, Kurapica,” the Zaoldyck kid acknowledged. Then, “And that Danchou guy, too.”

Kuroro was surprised the boy had added him, but then, it sort of made sense. His hands weren't completely clean either.

“What are you guys do–” Kurapica began but Gon cut him short, pointing straight at Kuroro's face.

“Is he your girlfriend?” he asked, very earnestly.

Kuroro choked on a disbelieving laugh while Kurapica froze with a completely dumbstruck look on his face.

“Oi, Gon,” Killua hissed at him. “No matter how you look at him, that's a guy. It should be boyfriend, right?”

“Eh?” Gon looked hopelessly lost and confused for a moment. “But Mito-san said that when guys are being all lovey-dovey like Kurapica was, then the person they're flirting with is their girlfriend.” Gon looked from Kurapica to Kuroro and back. “So is he your girlfriend?”

“No, he's n– It's not l– You're mistaken!” Kurapica protested, turning an interesting shade of red.

Killua groaned. “Gon,” he began.

“I don't like him,” the youngest continued. “But I won't say anything.”

“You already have,” Kuroro pointed out, definitely entertained.

Kurapica glanced at him and looked a bit at a loss what to do. Finally, he tilted his head towards the direction that he and Kuroro had been going.

“I'll listen to whatever protests you feel are necessary,” he promised Gon, flicking an uneasy look to the older man, “so long as we walk a little ahead.”

He should have known it was useless. Kuroro would hear them anyway. Still, Kurapica picked up his pace and all but forced Gon to run after him. The Spider Head was about to follow behind the blond and his younger friend, when he noticed Killua staring up at him. He tilted his head a fraction and arched his eyebrows in silent question.

“So,” the former assassin began, finally following his friends, albeit a few steps behind, “you and Kurapica, huh.”

Kuroro was partly surprised and partly impressed that the young teen seemed to be taking this in without so much as a protest for his friend. He didn't expect this quiet sort of acceptance.

“You don't seem surprised,” he replied at length.

“I meant only to test out a theory I had about the two of you,” Killua said with a shrug. “I didn't think he'd actually go through with it.”

Well, that explained part of it. It was clear that Killua had told the blond something that had precipitated this conclusion. It was on his return from meeting with his friends that Kurapica had let things progress further, after all. Well, willingly, anyway.

“A challenge?” he wanted to know.

“Nah.” Killua shook his head and shrugged. “Kurapica's too smart for those to work. Let's say I gave him a little push. I'll accept thanks in form of Gachamapon figures and Kiddle chocos.”

“Isn't your family rich?” the Spider Head pointed out. “I'm sure they could get you whatever you want.”

“We're not really talking,” Killua said with a dismissive wave, “and anyway, aren't you rich too?”

“Less so since I started travelling with a certain blond who keeps insisting that everything must be paid for.”

Killua blinked at him, seeming surprised for a moment.

“Huh,” he finally said, “didn't think you would cater to his strong moral code. Even I think it's a pain to deal with sometimes, and he's my friend or something.”

“Or something?” Kuroro asked.

Killua shrugged.

“Anyway, how'd you convince him not to pummel you into a wall?”

“I sealed his nen,” Kuroro said with a shrug of his own. He hadn't been the one to actually do it, but it was at his request and this boy didn't need to know the details anyway. “Same as he did with me when he punched me in the face.”

“He punched you in the face?”

“Yes,” Kuroro replied, not feeling the need to dwell on this particular moment in their history, and even less so when Killua let out an impressed sort of whistle. The Spider Head frowned thoughtfully. “Aren't you going to stop me?” he asked at length, although he already knew the answer. “You could try to kill me, to free your friend – or something – from my terrible influence.”

“I'm not stupid,” Killua scoffed. “Somehow, I don't think that having two of his friends torn to shreds in front of him is very high on the list of things that could make Kurapica happy.” There were a few minutes of silence. “And between you and me, neither would be killing you.”

Surprised in spite of himself, the Spider Head turned his large, unblinking eyes onto the boy. Killua's eyes seemed older than his age and surprisingly shrewd in someone so young. Ah, this young man would probably make a good Spider as well. He filed this information for later. He was about to ask what the former assassin meant, when there was a call from further ahead.

“Killua!” Gon was yelling. “Kurapica wants to know if we want to have lunch with them later!”

“Yes!” Killua answered, loud enough to be heard by the entire neighbourhood.

He raced ahead, hands in his pockets, to catch up with his two friends. Left to his thoughts, Kuroro followed behind at a slower pace, mulling over what the young teenager had just said.

Chapter Text

Chapter 87

There was a large festival the next day – the anniversary of the founding of the town actually – so that when they returned to the hotel where Kurapica was staying with Kuroro, it was full. They found them an overpriced room one and a half blocks away. The room was simple, clean and comfortable. There was no space for four young men to stand or sit however, so they soon all found themselves in Kurapica's room, the three younger ones chatting softly, the older one reading quietly in a corner.

There eventually came a lull in the conversation and silence fell. Suddenly, there was a loud gurgling sound and Gon's smile turned sheepish.

Killua snickered.

“Are you hungry?” Kurapica asked the boy for confirmation, although none was actually necessary.

“Yeah,” Gon answered, rubbing the back of his head. “Starving, actually.”

Kurapica got to his feet.

“I'm starting to feel pretty hungry myself,” he assured his friend. “Shall we go grab lunch?”

He paused, suddenly realizing that he hadn't specified whether Kuroro was welcome to join or not. By now, he by now was pretty used to doing everything with the Spider Head, but no matter his personal feelings about his former enemy, he still didn't feel entirely comfortable seeing his two young friends near someone so dangerous, especially given their past history.

His eyes strayed towards the older man and he was surprised to find Kuroro's gaze on him. They stared at each other for a moment, then Kuroro's gaze returned to his book.

“I'm quite comfortable sitting here,” he told the blond, eyes on the pages of his book. “You go have fun; I'll simply order room service. Rest and books sound like a perfectly wonderful afternoon. I'm sure you have a lot more to talk about and would be able to do so far more freely without me around.”

Kurapica felt a sudden rush of relief and gratitude, yet also a twinge uneasy It wasn't that he wanted expressly to reject the older man's company and seeing him give him an out and feeling so glad for it kind of made him feel rather guilty. Still, he nodded.

“All right,” he said, as if there were nothing to be tense about. “If there's anything, just send me a text. I'm not sure what time I'll return.”

He followed Gon and Killua outside of the room and down the hallway to the small elevator. Lost in thoughts, it was only when they had reached the ground floor that he realized that his two friends were staring at him.

He blinked.

“Yes?” he asked, right as the elevator dinged and the door opened. “What is it?”

Killua shrugged, turned around and walked out of the elevator, but Gon stayed behind a moment longer.

“You look better,” he commented to the blond, “even better than when we last saw you. You look less... angry. Happier.”

He turned around and stepped off the elevator, leaving the Kuruta to gape after him. The door started closing, jolting him to action. He stepped into the lobby and followed after his friends, yet it felt like only his body was moving; that his thoughts and mind were still frozen, back in the elevator.

He looked happier?

... Happier?!

He had more or less slowly come to grips with his evolving sentiments about the Spider Head, but this latest revelation was still a shock.

They found a restaurant and sat around a small, round table. The youngest chatted easily back and forth about Iono, the festival starting the next day, about this game that they had taken part in and about Killua's new Hunter license. All the while, Killua's eyes kept sliding over to the blond. Gon had said his piece and apparently had no more thought on the matter. Kurapica kept buying time, pretending to go through the menu, although he wasn't actually reading any of it. It was clear that he was pretty transparent to the other youth, however.

In the end, he gave up on the menu. He picked the first thing that seemed half-good and closed the booklet.

“Do I really?” he asked at length. “Look happier?”

Gon didn't even hesitate.

“You do!” he answered right away.

Killua looked at him in silence a little longer. Finally, he sighed and looked away.

“I guess,” he muttered, obviously ill at ease.

Kurapica relaxed somewhat, though he wasn't sure why that was. Somehow, he felt like confirmation shouldn't make him feel relief.

And suddenly, it clicked.

Gon and Killua had just validated the very same emotions that he had been tormenting himself with these past couple of months.

Kuroro was possibly the worst mate for him to choose, but now he was caught. He'd been drawn, like a moth to a flame – no; he was caught like a moth in a spiderweb.

Now that he was in this situation, however, he found he didn't mind being caught. And somehow, his two friends' confirmation made him feel better about this. And this moth wasn't as helpless as the spider might like to think.

The waiter came to take their orders and that managed to draw Kurapica out of his own thoughts. When they had everything all sorted out, there was a moment of quiet.

“So what's the plan?” Killua asked, breaking the silence.

“Pardon me?” Kurapica asked blankly.

“The plan,” Killua persisted, “the plan to get back at this guy. You've got one, right?”

Kurapica looked from one to the other slowly, slowly going through all of his pros and cons, considering all of his options very carefully .

“I do have a plan,” he finally admitted. “I'm not entirely sure of all of the specifics just yet, so I'd rather keep most of it silent, but some of it could use some help.”

“We'll help!” Gon promised him right away. “Right, Killua?”

“Uh, yeah,” Killua answered, fiddling with his cup of water, obviously self-conscious. “We're friends, right? What'cha need us to do?”

The waiter returned with some coffee for Kurapica and juice for the younger boys, which paused their conversation and gave the Kuruta time to think about how his friends could possibly help without putting themselves in harm's way.

Once their server had gone again, Kurapica started slowly explaining the plan that he had for the next few weeks. He laid out what he felt he could divulge without jeopardizing his end game, were this to get to the ears of the Spider Head.

By the time the waiter returned with their meal, Killua sat back with a low whistle.

“You?” he said, looking at the blond. “Are completely off your rockers.”

“It could work!” Gon contradicted. “It could totally work! We can do this.”

Killua opened his mouth and Kurapica knew enough of their dynamic now to know that the silver-haired boy was about to protest, but then Gon turned to his best friend.

“Right?”

Killua deflated instantaneously.

“It's a crazy plan,” he grumbled, “but I guess it could work.”

“We can't let you become a Spider.” Gon said, deadly serious. “We really can't.”

“I won't become one,” Kurapica promised.

“But you still kinda like the guy, right?” Killua asked, and that really was the crux of his current predicament.

Gon turned his large eyes on him and Kurapica couldn't muster the energy to lie.

“He is... fairly decent company,” he finally admitted. “I still do not approve of how he lives his life, however, and I will be no part of it.”

“What if he tries to kill you?” Killua asked, eyes watching him carefully.

“Then I will defend myself,” Kurapica answered.

Killua and Gon both stared at him with sharp eyes for so long that Kurapica started feeling rather uncomfortable.

“I will,” he insisted.

“All right,” Killua said and caught Gon's eyes for a moment before nodding. “We can definitely help you.”

Kurapica nodded in turn and started eating. The conversations after that turned to less serious matters. After lunch, they stayed at the restaurant and ordered more coffee and juice so that they wouldn't be asked to leave. They caught up on one another's life, chatted about different things and people that they had met through their adventures. When the time got closer to dinner rather than lunch, Kurapica's phone vibrated. Surprised, he took it out of his pocket to glance at the screen. There was a single sentence on the screen, the text coming from Kuroro's phone.

I'm ordering dinner too, so take your time.

It felt so nice to just be eighteen once again; not the last of the Kuruta, not playing mind games – or other sort of games – with Kuroro; just Kurapica, an eighteen year old teenager hanging out with his friends.

All-in-all, it was getting dark by the time they parted ways and Kurapica headed back to his hotel, he realized that he was actually looking forward to being with the older man. He actually smiled when he walked into the room and Kuroro looked up from his book to meet his gaze.

It was so easy to lose oneself in the fantasy.

He spent the next day at the festival with his friends. He didn't really think that Kuroro would spend the entire day cooped up in the hotel room, so he wasn't really surprised when he returned to find the Spider Head gone. Their roles were reversed when Kuroro walked in to find him reading in the same armchair that he had been sitting in the day before.

It wasn't until the third day that they did anything remotely related to work, such as it was. Gon and Killua weren't very interested in visiting the museum where they were told that a pair of Scarlet Eyes were displayed, but they did go with Kurapica and the Spider Head in support of their friend.

The four young men walked quietly through the well-lit halls, looking at the various reconstructed skeletons, the fossilized skulls of long extinct beasts of gargantuan size, the fossilized impressions of strange creatures in slabs of rocks. They had gone through the entire museum and were walking through the final hall when Kurapica finally laid eyes on the two canisters holding the Scarlet Eyes.

It was still hard, after all of this time. His right hand clutched at his shirt, right over his heart. It felt like the hand of death had a cruel grip on his heart and it hurt, it hurt so much.

He felt a warm fingers slip around his and squeeze lightly. His eyes slid to the left and there was Kuroro, right by his side, holding his hand. The situation was so ridiculous, so ironic that if Kurapica hadn't been in so much pain, he would have laughed.

It was strange, such an odd situation that he found himself in, and the thought of his two younger friends witnessing this intimate gesture made him pull away. When he glanced at the older man, he caught his dark eyes watching him thoughtfully Kurapica gave him a little smile to make sure that Kuroro understood that the blond wasn't pulling away in anger. As he looked away, he caught both of his young friends staring at them, which made Kurapica feel even more self-conscious.

Killua was the one to look away first, and turn his attention to the canisters on the display stand. He then nudged Gon with his elbow and walked through the hall to leave the exhibition. The other youth followed, then the blond and the Spider Head. No one said anything until they were back in the larger hotel room.

“We're going to help you,” Gon said without any prelude.

“What?” Kurapica turned to face his friend. “No!”

“We'll follow your instructions to the letter,” the younger boy promised. “We won't put ourselves in danger, I promise.”

“There is no way I will have you two be any part of it,” Kurapica declared.

It was the Spider Head who gave the boy the answer that he obviously wanted to hear.

“They could help,” he told the blond. “I can think of a few things they could do that would not put them in any danger.”

“I don't want them to get in trouble with the law either,” Kurapica insisted.

“Oh, well....”

Kuroro stalled for a minute, obviously revising any plan he might have come up with.

He eyed the two young boys pensively.

“Define trouble,” he asked of the blond.

“I don't want either of them to even risk getting arrested by the authorities,” Kurapica demanded, placing himself in front of Kuroro.

“What about getting a warning only?” the Spider Head asked.

“I don't care about the law,” Killua commented. He then sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “You want us to be a distraction, right?” He looked past Kurapica to the man behind. “Act like truants or something, so that the attention isn't on the museum.”

“Yes,” Kuroro confirmed. “If you act as lookout, it would be far too easy to connect you to the burglary we're going to commit.”

Gon looked surprised for a second, then his face morphed into a determined frown. Killua didn't even blink. He sighed again, then shrugged.

“Okay, so you want us to act like a couple of kids messing about and get the attention of policemen or guards?”

“Actually, I want you to trip the alarm at the museum and get yourself caught,” Kuroro explained. “While they disable the alarm, Kurapica and I will go into the museum and get the pair of Scarlet Eyes.”

“How?” Gon asked, looking curious.

“It's better if you don't know,” Kuroro said. “The less you two know, the more genuine you will look to the people who will surely interrogate you.”

Gon looked about to protest, but Killua spoke first.

“Got it,” he said. “Just make sure to get those eyes and don't get Kurapica killed or arrested.

“Oh, that I can promise,” the older man said, solemn. “We'll get the eyes and get out without a problem.”

“Good,” the silver-haired youth replied. “We'll make sure we do our part, too. What time do you want to do this?”

“Sometime past midnight,” Kuroro answered. “Make it to the museum and trip the alarm at zero-forty-two sharp. We'll be counting on you both.”

And with these words, it was set.

Chapter Text

Chapter 88

Kurapica took out his cellphone for the umpteenth time in the past three minutes. He felt Kuroro's eyes on him and hastily put it away.

There was a moment of silence.

Kuroro opened his mouth, but the blond cut him off.

“Shut up.”

“I didn't say anything,” Kuroro pointed out.

“You were going to.”

They fell silent, creating a few minutes where they were both lost in their own thoughts, until the blond took his phone out of his pocket again. He heard Kuroro stifle a snicker and he elbowed him lightly.

“Shut up,” he whispered again.

“Do you not believe in your friends?” the Spider Head asked him. “Do you not believe that they will pull through?”

“I believe in them,” Kurapica whispered back, his tone angry. “I'm just worried, that's all.”

“Doesn't that mean the same thing?”

Kurapica had to think about that for a few minutes.

“I believe in them,” he finally answered. “I know they'll hold their part of the plan, I'm just worried they'll get in trouble for it.”

“Like I said,” Kuroro whispered back, “doesn't that show that you don't believe in them? If they're good, they'll pull through and get out of the situation unharmed. Believing anything else is proof that you have no trust in their abilities.”

The blond opened his mouth to speak up, but Kuroro suddenly tensed up and placed a finger on Kurapica's lips to silence him. The blond tried not to get upset, tried not to get nervous, tried not to blush, but failed spectacularly on all counts.

“Time?” Kuroro asked, his whisper barely audible.

Kurapica slid his phone out yet again, wondering what was different for Kuroro to be allowed to know the time, and not him.

“Zero-thirty-eight,” he whispered back.

The Spider Head nodded, head cocked to the side, obviously listening intently for something. Kurapica strained his ears, trying to hear whatever it was that Kuroro was listening for, but he could barely make out the sound of booted feet, deep inside of the building.

“That isn't good,” Kuroro commented, but the easy grin on his lips contradicted his words.

“There is more security than when we visited?” Kurapica asked for confirmation.

Kuroro nodded, then listened intently for some time, his fingers still hovering over Kurapica's lips. The blond kept his phone out and glanced at it every few seconds. The footsteps receded deeper into the building and all was quiet for a minute or so.

“Zero-forty,” Kurapica murmured.

Kuroro nodded a fraction of a degree. Quieter footsteps could be heard now on the street down below.

“He is really good,” Kuroro commented, “but then he also is a former assassin.”

He flashed Kurapica a slight, happy-looking grin.

“I can barely hear him at all!”

Kurapica had to agree. Both of his young friends were quiet, but one set of footsteps was markedly less audible than the other.

“You're not thinking of recruiting him, are you?” he asked hesitantly, worried to the very core of his being.

Kuroro didn't answer, but then, he didn't really need to. The young Hunter opened his mouth, looked at his phone, remembered the time and wisely closed it.

“Door,” Kuroro whispered, and they took positions on either side of the rooftop emergency exit.

Kurapica kept his eyes on the clock display counting down the time. As the minutes before taking action turned into seconds, the blond lifted a hand, displaying the seconds they had left with his fingers. He was certainly strong, but in a town famous for nen training and with just one chance to get this right, it was better that Kuroro be the one to force the door open.

Five fingers, four, three – Kurapica sucked in a breath and held it – two, one.

Muffled by the thick wall, the alarm started screeching, shrill and loud, and Kuroro kicked the door in, the bolt locks snapping easily under the strength of the blow. They slipped inside and Kuroro jammed some strange blocks in the doorjamb before pushing it shut. They silently went down the metal stairs. Kuroro hid behind some crates, Kurapica behind a locker. He quickly shoved his cellphone into his pocket.

At first, all was quiet, deafeningly so when the alarm was cut, but the blond soon heard the sound of footsteps coming their way. Noiseless as a cat, he slipped inside an empty locker and pulled the door mostly shut. He soon saw human silhouettes running about the room, and he held his breath. Zetsu. Like an animal on a hunt, disappearing to the senses of even the most paranoid living creature. He may be forced into it by the bind on his nen, but he still willed himself to disappear to the sense of the men and women in the room. He didn't exist, was part of the decor, wasn't breathing, hell, he intended to stop his very heart from beating for as long as he could.

There were a few muttered words, a lot of moving and shuffling, some grunting and a stack of boxes fell over. This prompted a few nasty words from people a short distance from the locker, then more noise from all around the room. Finally, the footsteps receded and quiet descended upon the room.

Kurapica waited quietly, expecting some sound from outside his locker, either to indicate that someone was coming back in, or that Kuroro was coming out of hiding.

Silence stretched, on and on. Kurapica carefully slid his phone out of his pocket and tried to look at the time without making any sound in the cramped space.

Where was Kuroro?!

He was starting to feel rather claustrophobic. He needed to get out. The blond strained his ears, listening for any noise that would indicate that there was anyone – friend or foe – out in the room.

Minutes trickled away in absolute silence and finally, Kurapica couldn't take it anymore. He silently pushed the door open and peered out. The room was empty, as far as he could tell. He took a deep breath in and ran across the floor to duck behind the crates where he'd last seen the older man. There was nobody there at all. Kurapica wasn't entirely surprised; he sort of figured that the boxes he'd heard fall had come from this stack, so it was likely that Kuroro had slipped away.

Kurapica took a deep breath in, held it, then slowly let it out.

This was all right. This was fine. Kuroro had probably just slipped outside of the room. There was no point in sending him a text; they both had their phones on silent without vibration.

Slowly, quietly, Kurapica searched the entire room. Kuroro was nowhere to be seen. Creeping along on silent feet, he went to the door and opened it. Kurapica held his breath and popped his head out for a quick glance around. He found himself in a dark stairwell, with absolutely no one in sight. Carefully, he made his way down two floors, mentally going through the floor plans that he had studied with Kuroro.

The building was eerily silent, and Kurapica nearly felt like he could hear his own heart beating, slow and steady. His feet barely made sound on the metal steps, then the white tiles as he crossed another backroom filled with artifacts to be sorted, studied and filed. He finally found himself by a door, which according to the plans, led into the main exhibition.

He stood by silently, his ears straining to hear any sound in the building, quiet as it was. He didn't have access to his nen, but his hearing was thankfully excellent to begin with. He didn't know where Kuroro was, and that unnerved him quite a bit, but he knew that whatever may happen, the Spider Head could take care of himself. Kurapica, with or without access to his nen, was strong enough to get through this on his own.

If he remembered correctly, he had to cross one hall, turn left, cross another room and he would find himself in front of the precious eyes. He took a moment to steady his nerves then stepped inside of the exhibition hall.

That's when his luck really changed.

Immediately, his sense went on high alert, although he wasn't quite sure what had changed, at first. His instincts screamed at him to run as far as he could. Something was definitely wrong.

He glanced behind him at the stairwell, but it was still dark and empty. Someone could access it at any time from the floors above and below. Kurapica's exit was definitely compromised. It would be safer to retreat, but who knew when he would be able to sneak in again? He probably wouldn't get another chance like this.

“Hey!” he heard, coming from a floor above him.

He froze, not even daring to breathe. Where could he hide? His eyes desperately searched the darkness around him.

“Darylo!” the voice continued. “Darylo, you there? Your radio's broken, I think.”

“Yeah!” This one was coming from so close, Kurapica had to resist the urge to run, the sound of which would definitely give him away. “I'm right here; what's up?”

“Jörg just called – apparently there's a display on your floor that just vanished. Like, the entire thing, case included. Can you check?”

“From which room?”

Kurapica slowly, silently crouched behind the door, just inside of the exhibition hall.

“The last one,” came the answer from upstairs. “It's those creepy eyeballs, man. Just gone, apparently. Keep your eyes peeled.”

Kurapica let go of the breath he'd been holding in. If the eyes were gone, that meant that Kuroro had gone ahead with their plan. All Kurapica had to do was return to the top floor and wait for the Spider Head to arrive, then they could leave through the roof exit and they would be in the clear. Their hotel was just a short distance from there, if they ran on top of the buildings again, like they had done on their way to the museum.

“All right,” the man named Darylo answered, then Kurapica heard his footsteps on the stairs, coming towards him.

The blond froze momentarily before looking for a better hiding place. In the end, he ducked behind a large display case and crouched low. The door leading to the stairwell opened fully, then closed.

“What the...?” he heard the guard mutter out loud. Then, “You're still in here, aren't you, thief?”

Kurapica held very, very still, holding his breath, listening to his own heartbeats echoing in his ears. He heard the man move around the large room, obviously looking for the intruder, looking for him. Kurapica needed to hide somewhere safer again. The darkness was the only thing helping him, and the guard could have an ability that helped him see.

There was nothing, no niche to slip into, no cupboard or closets, or anything, really, aside from display cases and that one door leading into the stairwell.

Kurapica glanced around the wooden stand he was hiding behind, peered around the dark room and spotted the security guard by the light of his electric torch. He waited until the man was far from the door, his back turned to the blond. Silently, Kurapica slipped out from behind the display, and after a quick glance back to the guard, he escaped back into the stairwell. He held the door before it had time to shut and slowly, minutely guided it so that it would close noiselessly.

Gods, that had been far too close for comfort.

The young Hunter crept slowly up the stairs, hyper-aware of his surroundings. He could still feel his heart thrumming in his fingertips from the adrenaline rush. He was as quiet as he could be, but it didn't feel like he was quiet enough.

He slowly made his way up the first flight of stairs, then the other. He'd nearly reached the top floor, when a door opened on the landing he'd just left behind.

“Hey!” he heard behind him, and froze. “You, there! What are you doing here?!”

Muttering a few choice words under his breath, Kurapica flung himself up the last few steps and into the large room. He'd only taken two steps into the room, when he realized his mistake. The lights were on, blindingly bright. Momentarily blinded, he barely caught sight of a few armed guards and immediately took a step back, only to collide with an unflinching, hard surface. Arms wrapped around him from behind and he let himself drop to the floor, slipping through the choke-hold as if he were made of water. Crouched low and leaning onto his hands, he kicked in a circle, hitting both of the man's ankles. The huge guard fell with a curse; then the lights went dead.

He heard feet rushing at him from three directions and threw himself towards one of his attackers. He was fairly sure that man or woman was alone, and he'd have a better chance of getting out of this if he had only one person to contend with. He was very much aware that this town was known for its strong nen users and without his own abilities, he knew his chance of winning this altercation was very, very slim.

He was going at it blind, but his eyes would adjust fairly soon. He slammed into the person's – definitely a woman – midsection with his shoulder and made to jump over her when she doubled over, but she grabbed his ankle and pulled hard. He connected with the floor and it knocked the wind out of him, but he kicked at where he estimated her head to be. He didn't manage more than a glancing blow and she caught his other foot. He twisted on himself and her nails left gouges in his right ankle, but his show caught the abuse on the other side. He was barely starting to see her form – a deeper shadow within the darkness – but that meant she could see him, too.

She made a grab for him and he scrambled to his feet. He felt more than heard something whistle above his head, which meant that at least one of the thugs had brought a weapon into the fray.

“Now!” he heard behind him, and he whirled on himself just in time to have an intense spotlight turned on and aimed straight at his eyes.

Blinded again, he vacillated, eyes screwed shut against the intense glare. Someone grabbed his ankle, right where the woman had scraped some of the skin off, and he hissed in pain. Someone caught the hood of his sweater and pulled, nearly strangling him. He heard the jiggling of chains and felt cold iron fasten around his leg. He kicked blindly with his other foot and got that one fettered as well for his trouble.

Someone grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and slammed him down onto the floor. His vision blurred, but he still managed to land a punch in someone's face. A man, as the grunt he heard was definitely male.

Kurapica put his weight onto his hands and tried using his bound feet to lash out at his attackers, but someone anticipated the attack and grabbed the chain. Kurapica was lifted off of the floor, then thrown back down again. He saw little flashes of light explode behind his eyelids. Disorientated and in pain, he managed to find his mental footing just in time to feel and hear his wrists get bound by more of the heavy chain.

He immediately tested his restraints, knowing that a real, regular chain wouldn't stand a chance, even if he didn't have access to his aura to strengthen his arms and legs. There was no give at all. The metal was obviously imbued with nen.

He was caught.

Chapter Text

Chapter 89

Kuroro heard the fight taking place just under the roof that he was standing on and quelled his first impulse to fly to the blond's defence. He was fairly certain that they wouldn't kill him, especially if they realized that his hands were empty. They would want to question him for sure. It would be far easier for Kuroro to slip in and then out again with the blond if the guards dispersed a bit to look for the second intruder.

Within minutes, all was over. Kuroro listened to the quiet, shuffling sounds that the guards made as they moved around the room. He crept silently towards the door he'd left partly open and slipped back inside. Crouching just inside of the storage hall, he observed the situation. Most of the guards were heading to the lower floors, as they believed the roof secure, since the alarm hadn't started up again, leaving them to believe that the door had never opened.

Kuroro waited until guards filed out of the room, leaving only two people to stand over Kurapica. He let a few minutes go by, but he couldn't delay too long, or the museum employees would start returning. Silent as a ghost, he slipped behind one guard, knocked her unconscious, then kicked the man standing on the other side of the blond, right in the face. The guard cursed and turned, but Kuroro already was moving, and he hit him on the temple, knocking him out.

He grabbed his knife from Kurapica's waistband, where he knew the blond kept it since he'd lost his own knife in Rizzoli's attack. A shallow cut to each of the guards insured that they wouldn't move for a while, and Kuroro sheathed the knife and walked around to stand in front of Kurapica.

“Well, that's a sight,” Kuroro commented, looking at the chains. “Looks good on you.”

“Shut up,” Kurapica grouched. “Just get these off of me, would you? They're enhanced with nen.”

He struggled a bit and made a show of trying to break out of the chains wrapped around his chest, restricting his arms. There were more chains around his wrists, where his efforts to free himself had left marks on the pale skin. His ankles had been tied as well, but he'd somehow manage to work the chains loose.

“Mm,” Kuroro hummed pleasantly, crouching by the blond. “I don't know. I kind of like how this looks.”

He leaned forward and heaved Kurapica easily, before throwing him over his shoulders and taking off at a run. Deaf to the protests of the Kuruta, he ignored the kicks the boy delivered to his legs with deadly accuracy. The fact that their hotel room was a short distance from the museum definitely played to his advantage. He didn't worry about Kurapica becoming too heavy or his kicks hurting him too much, but he did worry that the blond would become much too irate for what Kuroro had in mind, inspired by the blond's state.

Payback was such a bitch, wasn't it?

Kuroro intended to enjoy this in more ways than one. He quickly made it up to the roof, across the narrow backstreet in one jump and soon slipped in their room through the window they had left open. He dropped Kurapica onto the bed, then straightened up and got out of his coat. He sat on the edge of the bed and took off his boots one by one. Kurapica struggled to free his hands at least. Kuroro glanced at him over his shoulder.

“Stop that,” he chided. “You'll only tear and bruise the skin of your wrists.”

“Well, I wouldn't have to struggle if you'd just free me,” Kurapica countered angrily.

Kuroro let his second boot drop to the floor and turned towards the blond, taking Kurapica's hands between his and turning them this way and that.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” he asked gently.

The Kuruta paused, blinking at him a little before lowering his head.

“No,” he said quietly, “they didn't hurt me.”

He pulled at his hands a little and Kuroro tilted his head, trying to look at his face. It was hard to tell due to the ambient darkness, but he thought he could detect a blush on the boy's face.

He felt a small, victorious smile pull at his lips. Oh, he would enjoy this, all right. But he'd have to be careful not to let Kurapica get too irate, or he'd never be able to take advantage of his current predicament. He let his smile turn more concerned than victorious and slid his fingers over the boy's cheek lightly.

“I'm glad,” he whispered, leaning in.

Kurapica looked up, a slightly surprised expression on his beautiful face. He held his breath and Kuroro leaned closer in and brushed his lips over the Kuruta's, not kissing him just yet.

“I'm glad you're unhurt,” he whispered, letting his fingers slide down that fair cheek and the side of his throat.

Kurapica let out a shaky exhale and only then did Kuroro actually kiss him.

It didn't take long for Kurapica to kiss him back, proving to Kuroro that he had a chance of making this happen. He kept it light, pressing his palm over the blond's chest and letting it slide down to waist level, though the chain that was wrapped around the boy's torso and bound his arms to his sides made it a little awkward. Once at his waist, he slid his hand around Kurapica and flattened it at the small of his back, pulling him closer.

The blond hampered this by lifting his hands, both together since the chain was still wrapped tightly around his wrists, and his fingers gripped Kuroro's shirt and twisted it. He parted his lips, and Kuroro claimed his mouth in a deep kiss that wrought a soft sound from the boy's throat. It was all the invitation that Kuroro needed. He pushed against him, controlling his descent with the hand at Kurapica's back, and he soon had the Kuruta fully lying on the bed.

He slid a knee in between the boy's thighs and bit lightly at his lower lip, eliciting a gasp from the younger man. He pulled away to look at the blond, never tiring of the way Kurapica looked like on his back, his hair fanned around his head, a light blush dusting his cheeks. That he had a length of chain around his slender body only added to the visual. The pause made Kurapica slowly open his eyes and Kuroro was amazed to see them switching between blue and red. He ran his other hand over the outside of the blond's thigh and pulled at the back of it, making Kurapica let out another soft exhale, his eyes finally settling for red and staying there.

“Bastard,” Kurapica whispered without heat, letting his eyes fall shut. “You're really getting off on this, aren't you?”

Kuroro chuckled quietly.

“Not yet,” he answered. “But I hope to in the near future.”

“Kinky bastard,” the blond breathed out.

“This kinky bastard's going to make you feel good,” the taller man countered.

Kurapica cracked one ruby-coloured eye open.

“You always do,” he admitted, which made his blush intensify.

Kuroro paused. He never would have expected the blond to admit this out loud. When he kissed him, the Kuruta was expecting it and answered in kind right away. It was hot and hungry, a little rough but oh so good.

“You,” Kurapica began and was interrupted by another harsh kiss, “you better,” another kiss, “better take,” and another, “responsibility.”

He groaned when Kuroro kissed him again, and arched into him.

“You're turning me,” he gasped out as the taller man started nipping at his jawline, “into a pervert.”

Kuroro chuckled by the blond's ear, knowing the boy found that sound exciting, and he was rewarded by a delicious shiver from the younger man.

“I'll gladly take responsibility for that,” he assured him.

He pushed himself a little higher, slipping his other hand between them to pull at the denim of Kurapica's pants, making the button pop free. He nipped at the blond's throat, pulling the zipper of his jeans down before sliding his hand in to rub him intimately over the fabric of his underwear. Kurapica groaned softly.

Kuroro pulled away suddenly, kneeling up above the blond just so he could get out of his shirt. Kurapica opened his blood-red eyes and stared up at him, his want clear in his gaze, in a way his words would never let him acknowledge. The older man chucked his shirt to the side and let himself drop forward onto his hands so he could kiss the blond again. He nipped at his lips, then pulled away once more. This time, it was so he could take the boy's jeans and underwear off. The Kuruta had already toed off his shoes somehow. Kuroro took a moment to just look at him, admiring the lithe, pale body before him, loving the way Kurapica's chest heaved as he panted, the way he looked so desperate for his touch.

“Stop it,” the blond grumbled after a moment, attempting to catch his top with his fingers to pull down over himself. “Stop staring.”

“You know I love staring at you,” Kuroro replied with a soft chuckle.

Kurapica made a soft, frustrated sound and curled on his side, facing away from him as best he could. Well, it did give the Spider Head another nice view. He slid his fingers slowly down the boy's back, clinking his nails against the chains as he went. He leaned forward and nipped at the back of Kurapica's neck, and got a soft little sound from the blond in return. The small, victorious smile was pulling at his lips again, and he let it, since Kurapica couldn't see it anyway. He let his hand run back up the length of the Kuruta's torso and used it to pull his shirt enough that he could bite gently at his shoulder, getting another soft little sound from Kurapica.

He straightened up and moved away but only for a moment. He found his bag and retrieved the lubricant from a side pocket, then quickly returned to the bound Kuruta on his bed. He left the small bottle within easy reach and ran his hand down the blond's side. Kurapica turned his head towards him and Kuroro gave him a little smile.

He lied down behind him and let his hand run back up, all the way to Kurapica's ear, giving his earring a little tug. Then he slid his hand down his arm again, all the way to his elbow, and then at his waist. It went lower still, over his hip, to the outside of his thigh, then a little forward to slide it back up the front of his leg. When he reached Kurapica's hip again, the boy took in a shuddering breath and Kuroro's hand tightened on the hipbone. He slid his hand forward and pulled Kurapica against his front. The chains were cold and not at all comfortable against his chest, but he didn't mind. How could he bother with them when he had a young Kuruta half-naked and willing?

His erection pressed against the blond's backside, and Kurapica let out a soft little sound again. Kuroro nipped at his neck and pressed forward, holding still for a moment. Then, a slight movement from the blond, nearly imperceptible. Kurapica just barely pushing back and Kuroro knew he had him. Wanting to test something, he nipped at his neck again and heard the blond's breath catch in his throat. Then he bit him gently, just enough for it to hurt just a little, and the boy let out a soft little moan. Interesting. He bit him again, and wrapped his hand around Kurapica's member, stroking him slowly.

“Ah,” the blond suddenly protested, “wait! Just – hold on, wait!”

Kuroro paused his movement and licked at the spot he'd just bitten, then waited. Kurapica panted harshly for a moment.

“It's ah,” he hesitated a little then admitted, “it's a little too much. I ah, I don't want to, to finish this ah, this quickly.”

Kuroro blinked and moved his hand away, holding still. He couldn't stop the slow grin that worked it way onto his lips, and he didn't even try to. That he could make Kurapica come this easily, what an amazing thought. He waited patiently as the blond calmed himself down, and when he felt him lean back into him, he placed his hand on his belly and pulled him closer. He chuckled by his ear again, and Kurapica gasped and tensed. The Spider Head slid his hand up towards the blond's waist, then lower, over his hipbone again. It stroked down the side of his thigh, then forward to pull his leg up. Kurapica made a shocked little sound and quickly lowered it, making Kuroro chuckle again.

“Kurapica,” he chided softly, “I can't reach. You have to let me prepare you, at least.”

He moved the blond's leg again, and this time, Kurapica left it where Kuroro had moved it, though he turned his face to the side to bury it into the mattress. The taller man chuckled again, because Kurapica liked the sound of his voice and he intended to use that to his advantage.

He got the lubricant and coated his fingers, then reached down to Kurapica's opening.

Feeling generous, he warned, “I'm going to start preparing you now, all right?”

Kurapica nodded wordlessly and Kuroro slowly worked some of the lubricant just inside. He prepared him slowly, gently, giving him plenty of time to protest or ask that they stop. He knew that Kurapica would later grumble about Kuroro taking advantage of the fact that he was tied up to have his way with him, but they would both know that Kurapica had been completely compliant. He slipped two fingers just barely in, teasing, and the blond made a soft, breathless sound that went straight to Kuroro's crotch. So Kurapica wasn't the only one who got turned on by his partner's voice, huh.

He teased him mercilessly, but when Kuruta started shaking and pushing back against him, Kuroro had had enough of waiting. He pushed his pants down, managing to get them completely off with some difficulty, since he didn't want to move away from the blond. He quickly coated his erection with lubricant, then slid his hand forward to pull the boy's leg higher up.

Pushing inside of the Kuruta felt wonderful. He was so hot, so tight around him. He worked in slowly, so slowly, loving how Kurapica pushed impatiently against him, how he melted under his hands, how he panted softly and trembled against him. They started moving slowly, so slowly, the only sounds in the room their panting breaths and the clinking and rattling of the chains.

Kuroro breathed in deeply by Kurapica's ear and felt him tense around him. The blond let out a shaky breath and tilted his head backwards. The Spider Head slid his hand up the length of the Kuruta's torso again, and placed it against his throat, leaving it there without squeezing or pressing down. He thought Kurapica would protest, but the blond either didn't mind, which seemed unlikely, or he was too far-gone to notice. Kuroro mouthed at the back of his neck, rolling his hips nearly lazily.

When Kurapica pushed a little harder against him, the taller man caressed down the length of his body again, all the way down to his hip, and he wrapped his hand around the edge of Kurapica's hipbone, angling his torso away to get leverage and so the chains wouldn't rub against his bare chest. He started moving his hips faster, pulling at Kurapica's hip with each and every single thrust.

The blond started panting harshly and arched his body backwards. It was a little awkward to manoeuvre like this, but it was also hot and exciting. Kuroro could never get enough of the fact the Kuruta actually yearned for his touch now, that he let his enemy defile him time and time again. And with every thrust he made into the lithe body, he was making the Kuruta his and his alone.

“The chains,” Kurapica panted, “take them off. Pl–” he choked on the word and had to try again, “please.”

Kuroro wanted to hear him beg, he wanted to hear him plead for his touch at some point. He paused just long enough to grab the chains with both hands and pull them apart, effectively breaking them without much of a thought, ko flowing nen into his hands. Then he pulled, sliding them out from under Kurapica's side, and he threw them off of the bed.

He raked his hands down the blond's chest and was rewarded by a strangled moan. Kurapica arched backwards, arms reaching up, hands back behind his head, still tied at the wrists. Kuroro grabbed his hips again and started thrusting into him once more but it wasn't quite enough just yet.

More, he wanted more.

He pulled out suddenly and the whimper he got from the blond was such a power thrill. He pushed against Kurapica, pushed until the Kuruta was on his front, ignoring the spluttered protests he got in response. He knelt behind him, pulling at his waist so that Kurapica's hips were higher than his upper torso. The blond made another soft, plaintive whimper and hid his head beneath his arms, hands still bound together at the back of his neck. He was too far-gone to protest more than this, and Kuroro intended to milk it for all it was worth.

He held the blond's hips and pushed in again, and Kurapica choked out a breathy curse. The word felt foreign on the boy's lips and yet Kuroro loved it all the more for having made the Kuruta whisper a word he would normally never use. He rammed into him hard and fast and Kurapica could only pant and gasp.

He felt Kurapica tense up, heard him hold his breath, and knew he was close. Kuroro himself felt like he wouldn't be able to last much longer, so he leaned forward, putting his weight on his left hand while his right slid down Kurapica's front and wrapped around his erection. As Kuroro pumped his hand and bit at the back of his neck, Kurapica let out a harsh sob and started shaking as he came. Kuroro kept moving, kept thrusting into him as the blond climaxed under him, and when Kurapica was done, he let go and straightened up.

He grabbed his hips and sped up his thrusts, ramming into him harder still, feeling his own release approaching. Kurapica made a soft sound and Kuroro's fingers twitched. It didn't take much longer and he was hurtling over the edge, his orgasm rushing over him, wave after wave, until finally, he held Kurapica's hips and thrust one last time into him.

He pulled out and the younger man gasped softly. Kuroro let himself fall next to him and pushed his hip so that Kurapica would face him, but the boy kept his face hidden against the bed cover. With a small chuckle, Kuroro pulled his chin gently so he could see the blond's eyes. He kissed him roughly then pulled away to grin at him and met a somewhat irate, somewhat embarrassed glare.

“If you don't get these chains off my wrists,” Kurapica warned, “I'm going to punch you with both hands.”

Chapter Text

Chapter 90

As Kurapica slowly took the stairs leading down to the hotel lobby the next morning, his cheeks still burned with embarrassment and shame. Still, breakfast had to happen sooner or later, and they had arranged to meet with his friends at the restaurant situated on the ground floor of the hotel. Kuroro was at his heels, which might have explained why Kurapica found himself hyper-aware and self-conscious. The older man tended to keep him on his toes and in a perpetual state of arousal. It was maddening.

There was very little he could do about any of it anyway, but rather than simply reacting to everything that the Spider Head said or did, he hoped to regain control someday, and perhaps even make Kuroro lose his cool, for once. He had no idea how to go about it though. He was running through his limited options as he walked, when something caught his attention. He stopped dead in his tracks.

He recognized the shade of red from their last meeting, but the face looked completely foreign without the makeup.

“Oh,” Kuroro said, passing by when the blond stalled, two steps up from the ground floor. “Help has arrived, I see.”

He turned to peer at Kurapica's expression.

“Do you still need him, now that your friends are here?”

“Yo,” Hisoka greeted cheerfully, looking disturbingly handsome in regular clothes and with his hair down.

Kurapica opened his mouth to reply, but found that he did not know what to say. True, with his friends here, Hisoka wouldn't be very helpful, save for one particular thing – and this, he wanted to keep to himself.

“I– ” he began, but wasn't sure how to continue.

“You sure chose a town that was out of the way for this little meeting,” Hisoka said, his leer still as unnerving, even after over a year of knowing the man. “I would hate to have come all the way here for nothing, hmm?”

His eyes slid to the Spider Head and his gaze grew more intense.

“I can go, if you'd rather be left to fend for yourself,” he continued, staring at Kuroro. “With Danchou at your side, you are hardly in need of my help; or is this precisely why you have requested my presence here?”

He put a finger to his cheek, long fingernail digging into the skin, and tilted his head in a mockery of thoughtful concern. His gaze was infuriatingly knowing. Kurapica couldn't answer him, not with Kuroro standing right beside him. He gnashed his teeth and tried to look as unconcerned as he could.

“It won't work, you know,” Hisoka said with an expansive shrug. “But feel free to try.”

He finally returned his yellow eyes to Kurapica. His gaze slid slowly down, detailing his appearance from head to toe, then back up until his eyes met the blond's. His smile widened.

Kuroro shifted closer.

“Kurapica,” he said, dragging the blond's attention back to him, “we're going to be late for breakfast. Your friends are waiting.”

Kurapica swallowed his protests and distrust and nodded.

“Hisoka,” Kuroro continued, shifting his attention to the man, “won't you join us for breakfast?”

His tone was far too pleasant for Kurapica's tastes. He didn't trust Kuroro's intentions, but this was nothing new. He looked between the two a few times, trying to decide where the proverbial knife would come from and who it would be destined for. He couldn't read either of them, but he'd allied himself with snakes in the past to achieve his dreams of revenge and retribution, and it was far too late to change his mind now.

He pushed past them both and proceeded on to the restaurant. His skin was crawling where he felt their calculating gazes on his back. He didn't know what to make of the fact that Kuroro's stare felt less disconcerting than Hisoka's, though it was perhaps understandable since the jester had always been unnervingly creepy. It had better not have to do with what activities Kurapica had taken to do with the Spider Head. It had better not.

It probably had.

The restaurant was fairly full despite the early hours, but spotting a green jacket and a shock of silver hair was easy. Kurapica made his way to the large table, which the younger boys had covered with numerous plates and cups. The restaurant operated like a buffet for breakfast and lunch, and it was clear that the boys had already started on their meal.

“Ah, Kurapica!” Gon exclaimed. “You're late! We started without you.”

Killua twisted around in his chair.

“Yo,” he greeted, then his eyes slid to the two men behind the blond. “Hisoka's here?”

“Hello,” Hisoka intoned, the word sounding like a taunt.

“I requested his help,” Kurapica said, “but I didn't know when he was going to arrive. Can we have a bit of room on the table?”

“Ah, sure!” Gon hastily piled up a few empty plates while Killua stared at the jester over Kurapica's shoulder, tapping his fork on his lower lips a few times.

The blond sat at the table and took a moment to compose himself. There was something odd about the way that Gon and Killua reacted to Hisoka's presence. He'd expected a bit more shock and disgust – something he had been hoping to avoid, but it was strange that they should react with so little emotion all the same. Kuroro took the seat next to him, which left Hisoka to take seat across from him, leaving one chair between himself and Gon. The boy didn't seem to mind his presence at all. Kurapica had thought that his friends would have requested he stay some distance away.

Watching them interact over breakfast was somewhat intriguing. Whatever animosity which had built up during the Exam – with very good reasons – had somehow made way to grudging respect and acceptance. He didn't know what had changed so drastically that his friends would take someone like Hisoka in stride. As he watched Gon reach over and ask Hisoka to pass the salt, he couldn't help but wonder what had happened. Then again...

He glanced at the Spider Head.

Kuroro, catching the slight movement, slid his gaze towards him and arched his eyebrows in question. Kurapica shrugged and turned away.

There were a few waitresses sliding between the tables with practiced ease, and one came to them to pour coffee, thankfully dragging Kuroro's attention away from the blond.

Breakfast was an animated affair, what with Gon being so spirited and curious about everything. One by one, they pushed their plates away. When they were all more or less finished, some nursing a cup of tea or coffee, Killua turned to Kurapica.

“So what do we do about transport?” he asked. “You come here by car, right?”

Kurapica nodded.

“It can suffice to get us out of town, but it might be a little cramped with five people,” he said.

The blond turned to Kuroro who regarded him pensively for a moment.

“We could take the train out of Sarbenia,” the Spider Head offered after a moment. “If we get sleeper cars, we could ride it all the way to Kyratin. I would advise your friends to leave us there, however.”

“Eh?” Gon looked surprised. “Why?”

“Have you ever been to Ryuuseigai?” Kuroro asked in return.

“No,” Gon had to admit.

“Ryuuseigai is no place for children,” the Spider Head commented.

His expression was blank and his tone light, but there was this subtle shift in his posture that intrigued Kurapica. He studied his face thoughtfully until Kuroro turned to him and tilted his head. One eyebrow was raised slightly higher as he silently asked why Kurapica was staring. The blond turned away and shrugged. Kuroro was still looking at him, so Kurapica picked up his mug and went to take a sip, only to realize that the cup was empty. Self-conscious, he set it back down.

“Are we done here?” Kurapica asked. “I believe we have quite a bit of road to cover before sundown.”

“And I still want to pick up sweets at the shop for the road,” Killua pointed out.

Gon hopped to his feet.

“I'm done,” he announced cheerfully.

Kuroro flagged a waiter, took out his wallet, then paused and looked up. Kurapica followed his gaze up to see all three of their companions stare at the Spider Head.

“Paying?” Hisoka asked, sounding amused and condescending at the same time.

Neither Gon nor Killua said anything, but both were openly staring.

“If you won't pay, I will,” Kurapica said, hoping to cut the awkward moment short.

“I don't mind paying,” Kuroro said, and left a sizeable stack of bills on the tray the waitress put beside him on the table. He got to his feet. “Let's go.”

They followed him out into the street. The sun was dreadfully hot despite the early hour, and they hastily made their way around the building to the parking lot in the back. They paused briefly by the car, eyeing one another, trying to figure out who was to sit where.

“I'll sit at the back,” Kurapica offered after a moment. “I'm smaller than Hisoka, and three people will barely fit on the backseat. Hisoka can ride passenger.”

“I could drive,” the jester suggested.

“No,” Kuroro said at the same time Killua exclaimed, “No way!”

Hisoka's grin widened, but he went around the car to the passenger side. They climbed into the Jeep, Gon in the middle of the backseat, sandwiched between Kurapica and Killua. Kuroro started the car and drove in silence. They first stopped at a sort of general store where Killua bought a ridiculous amount of candy, then drove to the tunnel leading out of town. There was no sound but the low rumble of a few tonnes of sand rushing over their head above ground. The low frequency soon had the two younger boys rubbing at their ears. Kurapica could understand. He felt the urge to do the same, but resisted the temptation by observing Kuroro. He was still bothered, and trying desperately to read the older man, but Kuroro simply glanced at him.

When they emerged on the other side, the sound dramatically increased, and then gradually quieted as they drove away from the source. Soon, the silence felt so overwhelming, it felt to Kurapica like it was choking the very breath from his lungs. Silence with Kuroro was comfortable – and, oh, how uncomfortable this realization really was! – but here, with Hisoka in the car, it felt like a slithering, dangerous thing. It was as if no one wanted to break it.

He hadn't realized how tense he was until Kuroro turned on the radio, startling Kurapica into a full-body flinch. Kuroro tuned into a rock station, something angry and discordant; something Kurapica would definitely not have chosen. When he looked up, he caught the older man watching him from the rear-view mirror. The blond pursed his lips as he realized that Kuroro was deliberately testing him. He frowned at him, then turned to look out of the side window.

The day was long and boring, despite the younger ones trying to invent games to pass the time. Kurapica tried to read, but the music was distracting and the questions niggling at his thoughts even more so. They stopped briefly for lunch, but otherwise drove on through the day, as the sun beat down mercilessly on the roof of the car. The air conditioning was just about enough to make the temperature inside of the car bearable. They only stopped for the night when the sun started going down in the west, hovering just about the dunes.

Kuroro stopped the car and killed the engine. He glanced back at Kurapica, then stepped out and took a few steps. Kurapica hesitated a moment, then he opened the door and unbuckled his seat-belt, stepping out into the hot evening air. The Spider Head had stopped a short distance from the car. He shifted in place, stretched a bit, then turned around when he heard Kurapica approach, then looked back to the car. Kurapica followed his gaze, twisting around to see the others. The youngest members of this little expedition were also getting out before they started racing each other up a steep dune. Hisoka also got out and flexed in all sort of weird positions that were kind of painful to watch. Kurapica returned his attention to the older man, but couldn't hold his gaze for long. His eyes shifted away, and he looked west, towards the sun, where it was disappearing behind the tall waves of golden sand.

“You were born in Ryuuseigai, weren't you?” he asked at length without looking at the Spider Head.

“I was,” Kuroro confirmed.

Kurapica nodded, though he wasn't sure why this information was important just yet; he simply knew that it was. He heaved a long sigh, then glanced at the car again. Gon and Killua were now wrestling atop the dune they'd been running on. It was good that they were so enthusiastic; the car had been pretty cramped for all of them, but the two younger boys had always been bursting with energy. Kurapica turned back towards the setting sun. He could feel Kuroro's gaze on him, thoughtful and heavy.

“Kurapica, what do you think you are accomplishing here?” the Spider Head asked after a long moment of silence.

The blond turned to study his expression, but Kuroro's face was a careful, blank mask. Completely unreadable.

“I'm not sure I know what you are referring to,” he said.

“You must have a very poor opinion of my intelligence,” Kuroro commented.

His dark eyes slid upwards and to the side, watching something over Kurapica's shoulder. The blond turned to follow his line of sight and his blood turned to slush as he realized that the older man was staring straight at Hisoka. The jester suddenly seemed to realize they were staring at him because his psychotic grin grew wider still. Kurapica faced the west again, trying to get the icy grip of fear to release its hold on his heart. His tongue darted forward to wet his lips as he tried desperately to understand how much Kuroro knew and how he could get out of this corner.

“Whatever it is you are planning,” Kuroro enunciated slowly, “I suggest you stop it. The same trick will not work on me twice.”

Not waiting for Kurapica's reaction, he turned away and made his way back to the Jeep. Kurapica let out a slow, shaky breath and closed his eyes. He counted up to three, then opened them again.

This had to work, somehow. He had no other solution.

Chapter Text

Chapter 91

They didn't get to Sarbenia until noon the next day. They were all glad to finally be out of the car, but Kurapica's young friends seemed particularly eager. They exploded out of the car the very second Kuroro killed the engine. Kurapica followed at a more sedated pace, and Kuroro was soon standing next to him and watching their youngest companions with a bemused look. Hisoka was last out of the car. Kurapica looked at him, then caught Kuroro's gaze, before sliding his eyes to the redhead again. Kuroro followed the silent request and studied the jester. Hisoka was staring at the two young boys, a threatening leer on his face. The Spider Head turned his attention on Kurapica again.

“Tickets,” Kurapica reminded them, obviously hoping to divert Hisoka's attention from his friends. “We should buy them early, to make sure we have enough beds for all of us.”

“Are we sharing?” Hisoka asked, his disconcerting smile now towards Kurapica.

The blond frowned at him.

“You'll get a compartment to yourself,” Kuroro answered in his stead. “The children can share together.”

He didn't specify he would share his with Kurapica, but Hisoka heard it anyway.

“Oh,” he said, drawing out the sound until it was a mocking, taunting sound.

Kurapica clenched his teeth. The Spider Head could see the way that Kurapica's jaw tightened and his expression darkened. In the end, the Kuruta decided to use his annoyance for something actually productive and stalked towards the train station. He didn't look back to see if the others followed. Kuroro glanced at the youngest members of their group and saw them glance at Kurapica and then go after him, still shoving playfully at each other. Hisoka slid a taunting look his way, then followed after the others. Kuroro was the last to turn towards the building, feeling the need to keep Hisoka in his line of sight. He didn't know if his arrangement with the jester would hold, now that they were actually in the same environment. Hisoka wanted his fight, but he'd accepted to wait. He was fickle, though. Kuroro didn't trust him. He half expected the redhead to turn and attack him at any moment. Funny that he should feel more threatened by one he'd considered part of his team than by the blond who'd sworn to avenge his clan and rid the world of the Spiders.

Kurapica climbed the few steps leading into the building and immediately went for the counter where there was human service, rather than deal with a ticket vending machine. The Spider Head was at his side in seconds, though he leaned sideways against the counter so that he could keep an eye on Hisoka.

“We need sleepers for Kyratin,” Kuroro told the teller. “Five people. Is your first class car available?”

“My apologies,” the man said, “we're sold out on all of our first and business class sleeper compartments. We only have coach, and I'm afraid the cabins are not close together.”

He typed away at his computer for a few minutes and hummed quietly to himself.

“All right,” he said at length, “I can give you two cabins on one car, but they're at opposite ends. The other closest cabin I have is two cars down.”

“Why is it so crowded?” Kurapica wanted to know.

“Next week's a national holiday,” the man explained. “There's a parade and concerts in Kyratin, and then there's a week-long vacation for most workers. Those not headed for the festival are probably going to go sight-seeing and enjoy the weekend. I'm sorry, this is the best I can give you right now.”

“Are trains headed out tomorrow?” the Spider Head asked.

“Yes,” the teller said, “but I'm all sold out.”

“We'll take the cabins,” Kurapica said.

“We're going to be cramped,” Kuroro warned. “Have you ever been on a sleeper train in the coach section?”

“I'm sure I've seen worse,” the blond replied. “I don't want to waste two days here doing nothing.”

Kuroro stared at him for a few seconds, waiting for him to change his mind. When the Kuruta only returned the look and didn't respond, Kuroro turned back to the teller.

“All right,” he said, “we'll take them.”

They soon had their tickets in hand. The train wouldn't be leaving until four o'clock, so they had a bit of time on their hands. They ended up out on the sidewalk, sort of looking at each other in awkward silence.

“So,” Hisoka drawled out in a singsong manner, “we have a few hours.”

Kurapica's eyes flew to the jester's face. He studied his expression, a suspicious look on his fair features. Hisoka looked unbothered and only smiled wider. Kuroro fixed his gaze on the dangerous, unpredictable man, too. He narrowed his eyes slightly and took a step closer to the Kuruta. It nearly felt like a tense standoff, Kuroro and Kurapica against Hisoka. Gon and Killua looked between them. The silver haired youth opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Gon beat him to the punch.

“I'm hungry,” he declared, suddenly breaking the tension.

The next few minutes were spent trying to figure out where and what to eat, which was much less stressful than the earlier deadlock. They ended up going for pizza, voted by the youngest members of their little group. They quickly found a place that was boisterous and noisy, but so was every other restaurant they had passed. Hisoka claimed the seat directly across the table from Kuroro. He kept his disconcerting yellow eyes fixed on Kuroro, who ignored him. The jester seemed intent on making him uncomfortable, but Kuroro refused to give him the satisfaction of looking bothered.

The younger boys made lunch somehow less awkward. They chatted happily about all kinds of things, forcing the others into joining the conversation then and again. Kuroro was content to let them talk and although he listened to every word said, he also analyzed what he knew of Hisoka and kept an eye on him. After lunch, they let the Spider Head pay – and really, he'd spent more in these few months with Kurapica than the past three years combined. He would need to pull off a major heist to recoup his money, but Kurapica would be worth it. Hopefully.

They found a park to spend the rest of the afternoon, and Kurapica's two young friend immediately started running around and chasing each other. Hisoka wandered away on his own, and the Spider Head watched him go, apprehension growing in the back of his mind. He was pretty sure what Kurapica's plan was, but there was the slightest chance that the blond would come up with a new one, now that Kuroro had shown that he was aware of what was to happen. Returning from his friends, the blond sat next to him and pulled a small book out of the large front pocket of his hoodie. He noticed Kuroro staring and glanced at him in question, but Kuroro had no answer for him. He turned away.

Hisoka had disappeared into a copse of tall trees. The park was far greener than anything around, and Kuroro could see a gigantic water tower behind the trees, hinting at the city watering the place to keep it lush. This close to one of the largest deserts of the explored world, no doubt that the park provided a welcome respite from the harsh winds that still whistled between the low building of the town every so often.

Kurapica read for some time in silence, but then the Zyaoldyck kid called his name and he set his book down between the Spider Head and himself and got up to walk over to his younger friends. Kuroro watched them talk animatedly for some time, but when he focused his hearing on them, they weren't talking about anything particularly interesting, just some places and people they knew. He half listened for some time, making note of names, but then his attention fell on the book the blond had abandoned and he picked it up, curiosity piqued.

It was a thin book, with large characters inside – a bit like a children's book. It was in a language that Kuroro didn't understand, but there were also notes in the margins, with Kurapica's neat and careful hand translating parts here and there that he had probably not understood at first. It was fascinating to read what he'd struggled with, the words underlined, small arrows pointing to their translations, sometimes in a language Kuroro understood, sometimes in one he didn't. He wanted to know what the book was, what language it was, and why the Kuruta wanted to learn it.

As if on cue, his sharp, nen-enhanced hearing picked up Kurapica's voice saying a desperate plea.

“I have no choice!” he said, his tone dragging Kuroro's attention immediately, and the Spider Head lifted his gaze from the pages of the book to watch the three friends.

“No,” Killua categorically denied. “No way. That isn't happening.”

“Killua,” Gon whined softly, obviously trying to appease the disagreement between his friends.

“No!” the young Zyaoldyck kid turned on his friend. “Don't you dare take his side on this! Don't you know how insane it is? Even you can see it, I bet.”

“Please,” this was the blond, his voice so soft as to be nearly inaudible. “Killua, don't you see? This is why you have to go. You have to leave once we reach Kyratin.”

“And leave you alone with them?” Killua asked the blond. “No. No way. Gon, talk some sense into him.”

Gon turned to the blond.

“I believe in you. But I want to come with you. Who's going to help you when it's all over?”

“You can't help me,” the blond said, and something in his tone was both hard and fragile. “You can't help me where I'm going – No,” he interrupted a protest before it had time to be said, “you can't follow me this time.”

“That's what you said in York Shin,” Gon kept protesting in spite of Kurapica's best effort, “but we ended up helping you in the end, didn't we?”

“You also ended up captured by the Gen'ei Ryodan,” the blond pointed out. “You both nearly ended up killed over something that was my fault and my own, personal problem.”

“Because that's what friends do!” Gon pressed on.

“Gon,” Kurapica said, so quiet that Kuroro had to strain to hear, “you don't understand... If either of you end up killed because of the path I've chosen for myself and because of the man who is helping me fulfill one of my promises to my fallen comrades, how do you think that would make me feel? Help me if you must, but please, please,” his tone was growing desperate, “do it from a distance, and don't put yourself in harm's way.”

Killua has a movement of impatience, crossed with resignation. He seemed well used to it.

“Bad enough you get this crazy plan, but you're going to let Gon have his way again?” he cried, loud enough that Kurapica cast a glance towards Kuroro.

Kuroro pretended to be trying to understand the book he was still holding. The damage was done already. When Kurapica spoke again, his voice was far too low for him to hear, even with nen enhanced ears. They talked for a few more seconds, before Kurapica shook his head minutely and turned back towards the Spider Head. He slowly made his way over and Kuroro looked up at his approach. He watched him sit down and handed him the book.

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

“Yes,” the blond lied.

There was a moment, just long enough that Kurapica must be sure that the older man didn't believe him, then Kuroro let it slide.

“What is this book?” he asked. “I don't think I've seen the language before. Are you learning it?”

The Kuruta eyed him for a few seconds, obviously uncertain with this sudden change of topic and Kuroro's obvious pause. His eyes then slid away and he went along with it. Kuroro let him ramble and listened carefully, but his mind was also playing with this new little bit of information. Kurapica was obviously plotting something and the Spider Head had expected it. He wouldn't have been good Spider material, if he'd just given up the moment Kuroro had captured him.

The remaining of the afternoon was relatively uneventful, and they were soon getting onto the train. Hisoka went to the far cabin, two cars down, with a suspicious looking grin but not a protest. This was also worrying for Kuroro. Hisoka was dangerous. Very dangerous. He'd have to keep an eye on him. He nearly changed his mind and demanded he change cabins with the young teenagers, but then he changed his mind. They thought they'd blown smoke in his eyes; let them believe it still. They would slip eventually. Kuroro was a patient man. He could wait.

They passed one cabin and the number matched two of their tickets so Gon and Killua jumped in. They “oooh”ed and “aaah”ed looking at everything with the excitement and wonder of children. Amazing that they could have gone against the Spiders with such innocence. Then again, these children weren't so innocent themselves. Killua himself had killed enough people in his short life so far, at least. Gon was more of a puzzle.

The Kuruta started again down the claustrophobic hallway and Kuroro glanced another time at the blond's young friends before going after him. Their cabin were just a few doors down and Kurapica checked the number against their ticket and opened the door. It looked just as the ones Gon and Killua were in, and though they had expected it, it was still a little disconcerting to have to spend a few days in this.

There were two seats facing each other, meant for only one person, and not a very big one at that. Between them, there was a small table that Kurapica wasted no time lowering so it was against the wall and out of the way. The blond sat without comment. Kuroro followed him in and closed the door behind him. When he sat, his knees were brushing against Kurapica's.

They looked at each other for a moment, then Kurapica averted his eyes. Kuroro observed his beautiful features, trying to read him, to read the tension in his shoulders and the determined frown pulling at his lips. Finally, he let his gaze slide away. The spell broken, Kurapica sucked in a breath and got to his feet.

“I'm going to see that Gon and Killua are settled in,” he said, when Kuroro knew that he was probably going to continue their conversation he'd eave dropped on earlier. “I'll be back soon.”

“All right,” Kuroro agreed, and watched him leave the tight compartment and close the door.

He stared at the door for a long, long time, thinking, planning and trying to piece together what Kurapica intended to do, now that he knew that the Spider Head had seen through his original plan. Finally, Kuroro shrugged and turned his head to look out of the window. The train started pulling out of the station and Kuroro smiled at his vague reflection in the glass.

Things were getting very interesting.

Chapter Text

Chapter 92

Kurapica stood outside of his friends’ cabin and took a deep breath, then slowly let it out. He was playing a dangerous game, one he wasn't entirely confident that he could win. Clearly, Kuroro was already aware that Kurapica was plotting something, but the blond wasn't about to just give up, sit around and let the older man control him.

His nerves slightly settled, he knocked on the door. He heard some scrambling inside, then the door opened.

“Ah, Kurapica!” Gon greeted him cheerfully. “Come in, come in!”

The young Hunter stepped back to let Kurapica enter the tiny cabin. There was no room for him to get comfortable, so he remained upright and leaned against the door.

“Here, you can sit on my seat,” Gon offered helpfully.

“Hey, what --”

Killua didn't have time to finish his protest, because Gon had already crossed the tiny space between their seats and plopped himself down, half on Killua’s lap.

“Gon!”

Killua tried to push Gon off and shuffle out from underneath him.

“Just how old do you think you are?” he grouched, looking flustered and annoyed at the same time. “If you're going to offer your seat to Kurapica, you should just stand up, not smother me half to death!”

“It's fine, isn't it?” Gon asked in return. “I'm not that heavy.”

“That's not the problem!”

“I'll stand,” Kurapica offered hastily before the situation worsened between his two friends. “You can keep your seat, Gon. I won't stay long. I don't want that man to suspect more than he already does.”

The two teens quickly sobered and Gon returned to his seat.

“I still think it's a crazy plan,” Killua complained. “And to involve him, of all people! You're completely off your rockers, man!”

“Do you have a better solution?” Kurapica asked softly.

The cabin fell into silence as all three young men thought their situation through yet again.

“I don't,” Killua finally admitted, then let out a defeated sigh. “I wish I had a better idea, but I don't.”

Gon looked from one friend to the other. He looked sad for a moment, then shook himself out of whatever somber thought he'd had.

“It'll be OK,” he said with hopeful cheer. “Somehow, we'll find a way, and things will be OK, right?”

“I refuse to bear the mark of the Spider on my body!” Kurapica declared. “He says he'll only release my nen once I have the Gen'ei Ryodan's vile symbol tattooed on my skin. I won't let this happen.”

“Speaking of the Spiders--” Gon began, but then he hesitated and made a soft humming sound.

Kurapica waited for a moment, then glanced at Killua, who also turned to him and shrugged.

“What is it?” the blond prompted his friend to continue.

Gon hummed softly again.

“There's something different about their leader.”

“Yeah,” Killua agreed, and his eyes slid towards the blond for a moment, before returning to Gon. “He does seem a bit different than in York Shin.”

Gon nodded emphatically.

“Very different,” he declared.

“What's different?” Kurapica wanted to know.

“His smell.”

“Oi!” Killua exclaimed, hitting Gon on the head. “Are you a dog or what?”

“Why'd you hit me?” Gon complained.

“Just felt like it.”

Killua turned his attention back to Kurapica.

“He does have a point, though,” Killua pointed out. “There is something different about that guy. He's…” He made a vague motion with his hand. “... I don't know. Different. Like, the atmosphere around him is less… I don't know…” He struggled, trying to find the right words. “Before, when I stood next to him, I felt cold all over. I'm no coward, but I was terrified. Now it feels like I'm with a dangerous guy, sure, and I wouldn't like to piss him off, but he doesn't fill me with dread like before.”

“It's because of you, Kurapica,” Gon said seriously. “Because you're with him.”

“I think Gon’s right,” Killua added. “Somehow, you're making him more human, like.”

“That is ridiculous,” Kurapica protested. “He's the same--”

His voice died suddenly as he felt like he was on the cusp of grasping something big, but the last piece of the puzzle refused to fall into place. Whatever it was, it was escaping him at the moment. He needed to think on it further.

“Anyway,” he began again, “my mind is quite made up. But I insist that you must leave as soon as possible.”

“Hold on a minute,” Killua cut in. “There might be a way that we could get you your nen back without resorting to such drastic measures.”

“Eh?” Gon perked up. “What is it?”

“Well,” Killua said while eyeing the blond, “what if you got hurt? I doubt a guy like Kuroro has a healing ability. Get hurt enough and you might convince him to let you get your nen back so you can heal yourself.”

“I thought you said something about not needing drastic measures,” Kurapica pointed out. “Getting myself hurt enough to need nen-enhanced healing sounds pretty drastic to me.”

“I still like it better than your plan,” Killua said obstinately. “This way, we could stay with you for a little bit longer.”

“He'll still have something to hold over me,” Kurapica pointed out. “He is in possession of all of the Scarlet Eyes that we’ve managed to recover so far. He won't give them to me until I give him some sort of proof of commitment to the Spiders.”

“You can use that guy's help when that happens,” Killua said.

“Maybe it won't come to that,” Gon offered hopefully. “It's worth a chance, isn't it?”

Kurapica looked from Gon to Killua and back to Gon.

“I don't know,” he finally said, “I'll think about it. In the meantime, don't do anything drastic.”

“We should be saying that,” Killua grumbked.

“I should return to my cabin,” Kurapica finally said, straightening away from the door. “He's suspicious enough as it is.”

“All right,” Gon said with a grin. “See you later!”

“Yeah,” Killua agreed.

“I should return tomorrow at the latest,” the blond said as he opened the door. “Don't come to my cabin if you can help it. I'd rather you stay away from the Ryodan leader as much as possible.”

“Right,” Killua agreed. “We'll text you if we need to see you.”

His farewells made, Kurapica went out into the claustrophobic hallway and walked back to his cabin. Kuroro looked up from a book when he opened the door.

“I trust that your friends are comfortable?” he asked. “Well, as comfortable one can be in these conditions.”

“They've seen worse,” Kurapica pointed out. “They're fine.”

He took out his book and his pencil, then sat across from Kuroro. He was worried that the older man was going to initiate further conversation, as he was in no mood to talk, but Kuroro only nodded and returned to his reading. The blond was grateful for this. He needed to think. Something about his talk with Gon and Killua was bothering him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what exactly that was.

A few silent hours into their trip, there was a polite knock at the door, and an attendant opened the door. He lifted the small table into place between them and quickly served their dinner, then excused himself. Once the door had shut behind him, they tucked into their dinner. The quiet wasn't entirely uncomfortable, but it seemed to Kurapica that it was perhaps a little tenser than usual. It was only after the attendant had come to clear out the table that Kurapica broke the silence.

“It does feel pretty cramped in here,” he admitted. “Staying too long in Sarbenia would have made me feel too restless, however. We'll have to make the best of it.”

“It's not much more cramped than a car,” Kuroro replied. “And it is only for a few days.”

Kurapica was very glad that the Spider Head hadn't stooped to an I told you so.

“I love travelling,” the blond offered after a moment, “but I am not going to want to travel for some time after I'm done with this.”

“We can take some time off,” Kuroro assured him. “I have nothing planned for this fall.”

Kurapica didn't intend to stay around for the fall, but he wisely kept silent. He would gain nothing by antagonizing the older man with an unhealthy dose of honesty. Instead, he picked up his book again and resumed his reading.

Kuroro followed suit, and the evening slowly passed to the rhythm of turning pages and the gentle movement of the train. Kurapica only noticed how late it was getting when he had to turn on a light in order to be able to read. He finished his chapter, then finally closed his book. It was still a bit early, but the swaying of the train was making him sleepy.

“Where do we sleep in here?” he asked, curious.

Before he got his Hunter license, he'd always travelled coach, but never taken a sleeper car. During this crazy voyage he was on with the Spider Head, Kuroro had only ever chosen first class sleeper cars, so they had never been quite so cramped.

“I'll show you,” the older man offered, closing his book and setting it aside.

“It's fine,” the blond assured him. “I'm sure the attendant will come soon.”

“I need to move a bit,” the older man said with a sigh. “I swear I can feel my legs take root already. Get up.”

He motioned with his hand as he made his request, and Kurapica set the book down on the floor by the door and got to his feet. He had to flatten himself against the door to allow Kuroro to work. The older man pulled on two small levers at the top of each seat back, then guided the chairs forward. The seat cushions met in the middle and the backs flattened so that the four parts made one, long mattress of sorts.

Kurapica eyed it warily.

“This is far too narrow for two people,” he pointed out.

The Spider Head looked amused.

“This is where I'm going to sleep,” he explained. “You'll be up there.”

He pointed up and Kurapica looked at the ceiling above them. There was an odd sort of latch, and he was curious to see where the bed was and how it would fit in the cramped space.

“Can you set it up so I can lie down?” he asked.

“You can lie down here for now,” Kuroro offered.

“And where will you be?” the blond asked, instantly suspicious.

“Here with you,” Kuroro answered predictably.

“Thought so,” Kurapica sighed. “It's way too cramped.”

“I don't mind being close to you,” the older man pointed out.

“Well, I do,” Kurapica said obstinately.

Kuroro let out a soft chuckle and caught the blond’s hand. He pulled him closer.

“Isn't it fine?” he asked, tone flirty. “We have a cabin to ourselves. No one will see us.”

Kurapica heaved a sigh, but the Spider Head somehow managed to pull him closer. They sat on thé edge of the bed together, and Kurapica glanced uncertainly at the door.

“No one will come in,” Kuroro assured him, leaning in for a kiss.

Kurapica allowed it, even responding to the kiss with what was quickly shown to be practiced ease. This in itself was of course worrying; there was no way that being used to kissing the Spider Head was a good thing for the last surviving member of the Kuruta tribe. And yet, used to it he was, and he liked it, even. It made him feel oddly out of breath and dizzy, and made his heart beat too fast, and yet it wasn't a bad feeling at all. It probably should have been.

Kurapica was soon feeling numb and dizzy, and although he knew he should try to find a way for Kuroro to become dependant on these kisses, he would have to admit that is was going the other way around.

His hand moved up automatically to card his fingers through Kuroro's hair, but there was a sudden, loud knock at the door. The blond jumped.

“I'm here to arrange your beds for the night,” he heard the attendant say.

“Come in,” Kuroro invited as Kurapica hastily got to his feet.

The door opened and the attendant paused in the hallway, looking at Kurapica with some amount of surprise. The blond realised that he must look guilty, all flushed and nervous. At least the man didn't comment.

“You prepared one bed,” he remarked instead. “Would you like me to lower the other one as well? This mattress is rather narrow for two people.”

“Yes, please,” Kurapica agreed, mortified at the realisation that the attendant was obviously we'll aware of what he had interrupted when he knocked on their door.

He got out into the hallway to get out of the attendant's way. The man nodded and reached up. There was a handle he turned and the latch came undone with a soft noise, then he pulled and the second bed lowered into place, where it fixed itself with the sound of another latch clicking into place.

“Here you go,” the attendant said. “You can come back inside and I'll give you pillows and blankets.”

He retreated into the hallway and let the blond go in before handing him the items in questions.

“I hope you have a good night,” he said as he left.

Kurapica closed the door and sighed a little in relief. He forced himself to relax; his muscles had been so tense, only because someone had very nearly walked in on them.

“Well,” Kuroro began, “now that he's gone…”

“No,” Kurapica cut in hastily. “I'm going to bed. Good night.”

He all but threw a pillow and a couple of blankets at Kuroro, then climbed up onto his bed and settled in as best he could. It was a long time before he fell asleep.

Chapter Text

Chapter 93

The road to Kyratin was a long one for Kuroro. A very long one. During the day, he was sitting across from Kurapica, knees brushing as they shifted in their cramped seats, eyes occasionally meeting above the edge of their books. It was unerringly a quiet, tense day, followed by an equally unnerving night, as he lay under Kurapica’s cot, starting at the underside of his bed. As he lay awake, he wondered what Kurapica was thinking, if he even cared that his attitude about this might mean an entire week without touching each other. Kuroro didn't really mind, but it would bother him if the blond thought nothing of it. And it concerned him that it would.

The week crawled by so slowly that it felt more like an entire year, reading all day, staring at the underside of Kurapica's bed at night, wondering what was going on through the Kuruta’s mind as they lay in absolute silence, save for the sound of the train on the rails as they sped towards their destination. By the time they finally reached Kyratin, Kuroro was feeling uncharacteristically on edge and irritated. He wasn't sure who he was more annoyed with, Kurapica for denying him for so long, or himself for being grumpy about it. Normally, he would simply ignore something so irrelevant, but it bothered him now. And that was unacceptable.

They met up on the train platform, Gon and Killua already waiting for them when Kuroro and Kurapica stepped out of the train, Hisoka joining them a few minutes later. The sun was already going down over the horizon, and Kuroro wanted to find them a place to stay. He walked over to a stand and looked at a couple of pamphlets before choosing one.

“We'll stop here for the night,” he said, waiving it around.

He opened it up and looked for the map showing the way from the train to the hotel. It was only a few blocks away. Kurapica came closer and peered at the paper.

“Just so you know,” the Spider Head said, turning to Kurapica's friends, “I'm only renting one room for two. You're on your own, here.”

He glanced at Hisoka to include him in that warning. The jester only shrugged lightly and made a soft sound of scorn or amusement. One could never tell with him. Kuroro was already quite fed up with the stragglers and wanted nothing more than to lose them for at least another night. He hadn't seen them in days, but this was more about monopolizing Kurapica than who actually was with them.

How odd that he should think this way. Very unusual.

Kuroro was a man who used logic to plan heists and get the things that he desired, but he also listened to his whims more than was probably healthy. This was how he chose what to steal and what to destroy, what to keep and what to sell.

He studied Kurapica's face quietly for a moment. The blond tilted his head to the side and looked questioningly at him. Kuroro didn't respond and simply folded the pamphlet again.

“Let's go,” he said, then turned on his heels, dropped the pamphlet back on the rack, then headed out of the terminal.

It took only a few minutes to walk to the hotel from the station. Kuroro let the others get their rooms first so he could choose one as far from them as possible. They rode the elevator together, Hisoka getting off on the third floor and Kuroro and Kurapica on the fifth. He didn't know what floor the kids were on and didn't care. He all but pulled Kurapica along as he strode down the hallway until he found the appropriate door and quickly stepped inside. Kurapica shook his hand loose.

“I need clothes,” the blond said, his tone annoyingly imperious for someone speaking to one of the most feared men in the world. “I'm going to take a shower.”

“Your shower can wait,” Kuroro said but Kurapica shook his head.

“Look, I haven't been able to do more than wash up quickly by a bathroom sink for a week. Whatever it is you want, it can wait ten minutes, can't it?”

Kuroro frown and thought about pressing the issue, then decided it wasn't worth it. It was only ten minutes, after all. He walked deeper into the room and called up his Skill Hunter book to retrieve their luggage. The Kuruta soon disappeared into the bathroom and left him to pace up and down the width of the room.

He didn't last very long.

He suddenly took off his belt and went into his bag to retrieve a small bottle, which he slipped into his back pocket. He then veered towards the bathroom. The lock was easy to pick. He strode in and pushed the shower curtain to the side.

“ Hey,” Kurapica turned on him, quickly pulling one side of the curtain to hide behind, “what are you doing?!”

The blush on his pale cheeks was quite fetching, and his golden hair was dripping small rivulets of water down the side of his throat that called for Kuroro's tongue. The Spider Head stepped into the shower, jeans and cotton undershirt be damned.

“What are you doing?” Kurapica repeated. “Get out!”

“ I don't want to,” Kuroro replied easily, and he tried to pull at the shower curtain, but the boy held onto it with an obstinate grip. “There's no point in being self-conscious at this point, Kurapica,” he tried to reason. “I've already seen all of you.”

“ Get. Out,” Kurapica repeated. “I want to be able to take my shower without getting molested in the process, thank you.”

“ I don't want to go,” Kuroro said. “I'd very much like to combine touching you and taking a shower at the same time. Plus, it kind of cuts the time it takes to get cleaned up after, don't you think?” Kurapica pursed his lips at him, and Kuroro knew he had him. “ I'm just trying to be practical, here.”

“Right,” Kurapica sent back. “I'm sure.” Kuroro grinned at him and the blond looked away. “Next time, just ask before I get into the shower instead of giving me a fright.”

“ My apologies,” Kuroro said, taking a step closer. Kurapica still clung to the shower curtain. Kuroro pulled at it gently. “ I doubt you would have let me, even if I had asked beforehand. And, like I've said, this is nothing I haven't seen before.”

“ I'd still like to be left to decide whether I'm willing to be undressed in front of you or not.” Kurapica protested, still pulling the curtain closer. “Would you stop that?!”

“ You can decide now,” Kuroro said and he tugged at the shower curtain one last time, then let his hand drop. He lowered his head, looking down on the blond and letting the water drip over his head at the same time. “ Should I leave?”

He tilted his head and repressed a wolfish grin when he saw Kurapica's eyes follow the path that a small rivulet of water was taking down his throat. The blond licked his lips and swallowed before lifting his head up to meet Kuroro's eyes.

“ You don't want me to leave, do you, Kurapica?” Kuroro whispered and watched as the blond licked his lips again. He felt about ready to snap, frustrated by his week-long dry spell, but it was important that the blond give him permission. “ Do you?” he repeated, and Kurapica finally let go of the curtain.

Kuroro pushed it aside just as the blond took a step closer and fisted a hand into his T-shirt, pulling him down. Their lips met in an open-mouthed kiss that tasted like water and crappy train coffee and each other, their taste melded into one from all of their kisses. Kuroro pushed his tongue forward into Kurapica's mouth and was rewarded by the small humming sound that escaped the blond's throat. He let his hand tangle into the blond, wet locks, and the boy hissed, effectively breaking the kiss.

“That pulls,” he said breathlessly.

Kuroro had to admit the water made it harder for his fingers to slide through the golden tresses.

“ You don't like it?” he asked, even as he tugged on the blond hair – on purpose, this time.

“ Shut up,” Kurapica breathed out, leaning into the taller man.

He lapped at the water dripping over his Adam's apple, making Kuroro curse softly under his breath. He didn't know how the boy could do this, could know exactly which button to push to get him good and hungry for him. He could have sworn that the blond had been too virginal to have had any experience when they had started this... whatever this was. He wouldn't call it courtship because he wasn't actually courting the Kuruta. Using him, binding him, making him his, surely. That was all.

But when Kurapica pressed against him, the length of his pale, naked body pushing against Kuroro's clothed one, he felt himself react and he couldn't tell who was using who anymore.

“Kurapica,” he growled out warningly, making the blond pause.

“ I thought this was what you had come in for?” the Kuruta asked, pulling away to look at him, confusion clear in his blue eyes. “I thought this was what you wanted?”

“ It was,” he answered quickly, then amended, “It is.”

He kissed him to hide his thoughtful frown, to cover his sudden doubts.

“It is,” he repeated when he pulled away. “Just, not so fast. I want to make this last.”

He watched the blush bloom over Kurapica's fair cheeks and grinned in answer.

“ You're one kinky bastard, you know that?” Kurapica asked him.

“ So you like to say,” Kuroro sent back, “but I've yet to see you complain.”

“ All I've done is complain,” Kurapica replied right away.

“ Well,” Kuroro said, wrapping a hand around the boy's shaft, “it doesn't count if you're half-hard.”

“ Shut up,” Kurapica hissed again, having clearly lost this argument.

“ Make me,” Kuroro challenged, and was not surprised when Kurapica kissed him again, roughly, messily, all teeth and lips and a tiny little bit of tongue; and really, he was getting way too good at this.

Kuroro chuckled breathlessly, his free hand going around the boy's waist to pull him closer – not that there was a way he could be any closer, not with Kuroro's right hand in between them, working up and down Kurapica's shaft.

The blond broke the kiss.

“What?” he asked, sounding half-breathless and half-annoyed, “why are you laughing?”

“ You,” Kuroro said, kissing his frowning lips, “you're amazing.”

This was clearly not what Kurapica had expected, judging by the surprised blink he got.

“Amazing,” Kuroro repeated, nibbling down his jawline to catch his earlobe and pull on it lightly with his teeth.

He heard a breath catch in the blond's throat, heard the beginning of a whimper that the Kuruta clamped down on before it could be acknowledged.

Kuroro chuckled again, then whispered, “I love it when you lose it,” before tugging on his earlobe again with his teeth. He licked at it, then repeated, “I love it when you lose it because of me.”

“ I don't,” Kurapica gasped, effectively pausing his own protest.

He fought to master himself, something that Kuroro made sure to make harder by wrapping his hand more firmly around him and stroking him harder, in just the right way. Kuroro heard his breathing hitch up and he knew the blond's eyes would be brilliant red now.

Kurapica let out another gasp, and tried again, “I'm not losing it.”

“ No?” Kuroro nipped at his throat. “I could swear you were.”

He tongued down the side of his neck and bit down where it met his shoulder, then he sucked at that spot sharply until Kurapica let out a soft mewl of pleasure and pain that went straight down to Kuroro's cock. He nipped at the spot, then straightened up to pull Kurapica into a hungry, possessive kiss that the boy reciprocated. He let go of the blond, only to rake his fingers down his back from shoulders to his buttocks, making Kurapica arch into him with a breathless moan. He didn't leave the boy time to realize what was happening, but wrapped both hands around the back of his thighs, hitching him up and pushing him into the tiled wall.

Kurapica gasped again, but this time it wasn't from pleasure but from, “Cold!”

Kuroro shut him up with a kiss and dug into his back pocket (he really should try to at least get out of his jeans) to retrieve the small bottle of oil-based lubricant that wouldn't dissolve in the water. His control quickly slipping, he popped the top and upended it into his hand, before somehow slipping it back into his pocket in case he needed more later.

Kurapica hesitantly wrapped his legs around Kuroro's hips, locking his ankles behind the taller man. He gasped again and held his breath as Kuroro smeared the gel over his entrance then pushed a finger in.

“ Relax,” Kuroro said, nuzzling just under his ear, ostensibly so he could be heard over the running shower.

“ I know,” Kurapica growled. “Just get on with it.”

Kuroro pushed another finger in and chuckled, pretending not to notice when Kurapica shuddered against him. He worked his fingers in a out slowly, then reached back to get the bottle again. He nearly growled when he felt Kurapica pulling impatiently at the button of his jeans.

“Hold on,” he groaned, glad he had taken the time to take off his belt.

Kurapica turned his head to look towards him and Kuroro turned his to glance at him.

“Hurry,” Kurapica breathed out, eyelids lowered over ruby-coloured irises, just before his lips met Kuroro's.

Kuroro didn't need to be told twice, and he got some of the gel on his fingers again before pushing the bottle against Kurapica's hand. The blond moved his hand away, but it was only so he could close it around the small plastic container. As soon as his hand was free, Kuroro reached under, sliding the tips of his fingers lower and lower down his back, into the cleft of his ass, then into him, working three fingers in and out as Kurapica made a soft, strangled little sound. The blond's fingers where pulling helplessly at the hem of his jeans, fingernails catching onto the rough denim, scratching for purchase. Kuroro held his fingers in place, deep inside of the Kuruta and Kurapica gasped sharply. Then, the blond finally managed to pull the denim free of the button, albeit with shaky fingers, and he pulled the zipper tab down as best he could. Kuroro pulled his fingers out so he could hold him in place with both hands while Kurapica got his pants open and pushed them lower.

Kuroro took half a step back to make it easier, effectively breaking the kiss. The boy's hands shook as he poured some of the gel onto his palm and he only hesitated a moment before he pushed that hand into Kuroro's underwear and pulled him out, smearing the lubricant over him.

“ All right, all right,” Kuroro growled softly, “enough.”

He stepped closer again, pinning the blond to the shower wall, kissing him deeply until the boy's lips became greedy and desperate, and then he entered him slowly. Kurapica tilted his head back against the tiled wall and Kuroro licked at his throat before giving it a harsh suck that made the blond groan and arch against him. It was such a thrill to hear him. For so long, Kurapica had fought so hard not to make a sound, even as he trembled under Kuroro's hands.

Kuroro wrapped both arms firmly around the Kuruta and pulled him up, then pulled him down, Kurapica's fingernails digging into his shoulders. It would probably leave marks, but Kuroro didn't mind. He welcomed it. He pulled Kurapica up again and pulled him down, harder this time. The blond made a choked little sound in the back of his throat. Kuroro lapped at the dip at the centre of his collarbone, then up his throat, latching at his jawline, before letting go, and grazing his teeth over the skin.

Kurapica shuddered again. He used his thighs to push himself up, seemingly so lost in the feeling that he stopped caring about how wanton he was acting. Kuroro pulled him back down, let him push himself higher before pushing into him again. His mouth found Kurapica's pale shoulder and latched there, sucking hard, intent on leaving a bruise, on marking him, inside and out, that he was his, that the Kuruta belonged to him, that Kurapica was Kuroro's alone.

They continued moving against each other, into and over each other until a particularly hard suck from Kuroro tore a wordless cry from Kurapica, a sound that wasn't only due to pain, a sound that Kuroro felt he could get addicted to. His next thrusts slammed into the blond so hard, it wrung more cries from his throat, until Kurapica's voice was hoarse, and still Kuroro wanted more. He marked his throat next, just below his ear-ring, then towards the front, near his Adam's apple. Still he rocked into him, thrusting into him as hard as he could.

He felt Kurapica's muscles tighten and he knew the blond was close, so he mouthed down his neck, then bit at the base of his throat on the left side and sucked at the skin there as he increased the speed of his thrusts.

Kurapica stopped crying out, seeming to focus all of his energy into staving off his orgasm. Kuroro growled softly and increased the force of his thrusts. Kurapica's voice came out like a choked sob and he came, tightening around Kuroro.

So tight, so hot.

Kuroro was so close. He let go of the blond's throat and rammed into him harder, pounding into him, his fingers digging into the pale skin. When he came, deep inside of the blond, he felt Kurapica arch against him again. He looked up in time to see the blond bite down on his lower lip sharply, as if to keep in a moan and fuck, one day he'd make the boy moan just by coming deep inside of him, he would! He held them in place for a moment after he was finished, panting quietly until he had mastered himself, and then he sought Kurapica's lips with his own. A harsh kiss and he pulled out of him, lowering him back onto his own feet.

“Was this really necessary?” Kurapica asked, his voice rough from crying out in ecstasy for so long. “The wall was cold and my back hurts.”

“Maybe someday you will be honest and tell me how good I make you feel,” Kuroro deadpanned.

Kurapica opened his mouth as if to reply, but the he stopped himself. “Get out and let me finish my shower.”

“As you wish,” Kuroro said.

He wasn't quite content with doing this only once, but he'd had a huge victory in making Kurapica react so much and voice his pleasure during the deed. He could step back for now. Once he made it back into the room, a towel wrapped snuggly around his waist, he was feeling much better.

Chapter Text

Chapter 94

The first thoughts that trickled into Kurapica's consciousness were that it was awfully warm, that he felt content and that he had slept very deeply. He shifted, stretched lightly, and felt an arm wrap around the front of his waist before pulling him back against something warm and solid. Kuroro.

There was a soft chuckle at the nape of his neck, the breath of air making Kurapica's hair shift against his sensitive skin, tickling the shell of his ear.

“Good morning,” the Spider Head purred, voice rumbling like that of a satisfied cat.

“Good morning,” Kurapica replied, his speech somewhat slurred and heavy with sleep.

He nuzzled his pillow and was about to go back to sleep, when Kuroro pulled him back against his front again. It was warm and comfortable and the blond found that, somehow, he didn't mind this so much anymore. He relaxed into the embrace, burying himself deeper in the warmth.

Suddenly, he froze. There was something unmistakable pressed against his backside.

“We just did it last night,” he grumbled without heat.

“Are you complaining?” Kuroro asked softly.

“Maybe,” Kurapica said noncommittally.

Kuroro's hand slid low on Kurapica's stomach but stopped short of actually touching him.

“Are you half hard?”

“Not yet,” Kurapica answered truthfully. “Won't take long if you keep doing that.”

“What?” The older man's voice was teasing. “This?”

He pulled Kurapica closer with the hand at the front of his waist and pressed his hips forward against the blond’s backside. Kurapica sucked in a sharp breath.

“You're in a good mood,” Kurapica commented, his voice somewhat breathy and approving.

“Why shouldn't I be?” Kuroro asked in response. “We're alone and have actual privacy for the first time in over a week and I've got you in my arms, with all the time in the world.”

“We were alone in the train,” Kurapica pointed out.

“And you wouldn't let me touch you,” the older man countered. “But now I get to take my time with you.”

As if on cue to contradict him, Kurapica's phone vibrated. The blond reached for it, but Kuroro's arms tightened around him.

“It can wait,” the Spider Head said.

“It's probably Gon,” Kurapica replied, ignoring him.

He read the text message and fired off a quick reply, before putting his phone back on top of the nightstand.

“What does he want?” Kuroro inquired, tone mildly curious.

“To know when we're going to meet them for breakfast,” Kurapica answered, settling back into the embrace.

Kuroro marked a pause.

“And what did you tell him?” he asked at length.

“That I want to sleep in and we'll meet them for lunch,” the blond said.

His hand settled on top of Kuroro's and he pressed down on it. Then, closing his eyes with a contented sigh, he buried himself deeper into the embrace. It was a long time before the older man finally started moving his hands again. The hesitation was uncharacteristic of the man Kurapica had let into his bed again and again. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Hadn't he stalled like this in the shower as well the previous day? A strange heat was curling in Kurapica's chest, born of a feeling of empowerment rather than desire.

Could it really be as simple as this?

He pushed back against Kuroro again, deliberately now. Kuroro hissed softly.

“What are you doing?”

“Continuing,” Kurapica replied, trying to sound puzzled. “I've just bought us a few hours. I thought you'd want to make use of them.”

There was a long moment of silence, where neither of them moved. Kurapica was content to wait him out. The heat in his chest intensified. It wasn't only the blond who felt a certain loss of control when Kuroro's hands were on him. The Spider Head may have looked indifferent to what they were doing, but behind that imperturbable exterior, he was starting to unravel.

The heat twisted and writhed, low in his belly now. He pushed back against Kuroro again, needing more of the delicious friction between their bodies.

“What are you waiting for?” he asked, getting impatient. “You started this; you had better continue it.”

Kuroro's hand stroked up and down his abdomen twice.

“So impatient,” he said with a low chuckle. “I haven't changed my mind. Just re-planning my day.”

Kurapica heard the lie and was glad he was facing away from the older man, for he could feel a smile curve his lips. For months, Kuroro had jerked him around, driving Kurapica mad with kisses and touches. The Kuruta had been too clumsy in these matters to truly retaliate, but it seemed like the tide was shifting. Good or bad, this was his reality now, and he would face it and make use of it.

“Re-plan later,” he told the older man. “Aren't you supposed to focus on me, during these matters?”

“Oh, believe me,” Kuroro said, voice deeper as he murmured by Kurapica’s ear, “my attention is completely on you.”

“You could have fooled me,” Kurapica sent back.

He twisted around so that he could face Kuroro. He slid both of his arms around the back of the older man's neck and pressed against him. If Kuroro was starting to lose control because of Kurapica, then the blond would make the best of the situation. He ignored the pang of guilt that these thoughts provoked in him, and tilted his head so he could leave a little bite to Kuroro's jawline. The Spider Head sucked in a breath.

“You seem to be in a fairly good mood as well,” he commented, leaning back to look at the blond.

Kurapica didn't mind his earlier comment being turned back on him. He made sure none of the elation he felt showed on his face. He slid one hand up Kuroro's chest and tilted his head slightly to the side.

“Why shouldn't I be?” he asked the older man, using the same words Kuroro had answered his comment with.

He leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against Kuroro's mouth, pulled back slightly, then pushed the tip of his tongue between the taller man's lips. Kuroro opened his mouth to him and deepened the kiss. His arms encircled Kurapica and pulled him in, though the blond was already pressed tightly against him. In that moment, Kurapica knew that it was worth it. All of these months spent wondering, hesitating, pondering over his decision, unsure of what he was doing, flipping between yes, let's do this and no, this was a mistake, all of it was paying off.

In that moment, he knew he had won.

He pressed closer, if at all possible, and leaned in so his mouth was right next to Kuroro's ear. He breathed in and out a few times, noticing the way the Spider Head's hands tightened on him. He allowed himself a smile, his face hidden from Kuroro's view, then nuzzled the shell of Kuroro's ear, just above his strange earring.

“I want to feel you inside of me,” he murmured, hoping to see just how much effect he had on the older man.

He was not disappointed. There was a pause, then Kuroro suddenly pushed against him. Kurapica found himself on his back, the Spider Head hovering above him. The blond made sure to wipe all trace of the victorious grin he felt pulling at his lips before Kuroro could see it. He looked up at the older man and lowered his eyelids, his eyes switching to red.

“Won't you make me feel good?” he asked, and tried not to be uncomfortable with himself for doing this.

It wasn't entirely dishonest, as Kurapica felt the heat pooling deep in his lower abdomen. He wanted it as much as he knew he shouldn't, but the fact that he wasn't the only one helped ease some of this reluctance. Kuroro wanted him as much as Kurapica did, and it would all come down to who would prove to be the most ruthless in the end. He couldn't let the distaste he felt at the half-lies stand between him and complete victory.

“What are you doing, Kurapica?” the older man asked, his dark gaze searching as he studied the blond's expression. “This is unlike you.”

“Seducing you, I hope,” Kurapica answered, laughing despite himself. “Is it working?”

Kuroro's expression cleared and he chuckled.

“Yes,” he assured the young Hunter, “it's working well.”

“Good,” Kurapica said and pulled him into a kiss.

Kuroro indulged him, parting his lips easily, his tongue sliding over Kurapica's, sending tendrils of heat down to the blond's belly. The older man put all of his weight on one elbow and used his other hand to slide down Kurapica's side, over the tank top and T-shirt that he was wearing. The blond sighed through his nose, liking the touch more than he liked to admit. This wasn't just about seduction and control, and this was bad, very bad indeed. Kurapica had confidence that he could set this attraction aside completely when necessary, but for now, he could enjoy the touch without too much guilt.

Or so he wished he could believe.

He lifted one knee, brushing the inside of his thigh against the outside of Kuroro's leg and hooked his knee around the taller man's hip. Kuroro's head rose and he lifted an eyebrow at the blond. Kurapica felt his lips curl up in a tiny smile he couldn't repress, and didn't even want to.

“Just yesterday you were grumpy about me touching you,” Kuroro commented, “and today you're seducing me. You should make up your mind.”

“Yesterday you interrupted my shower,” Kurapica pointed out. “I happen to think this is the one moment of any day where a man should be awarded his privacy.”

“Not in the shower,” Kuroro said. “Understood.”

“Unless I invite you,” the young Hunter specified.

He saw one of Kuroro's eyebrows arch up again and felt rather satisfied with the reaction. He knew his lips were still curled in that little teasing smile that he didn't seem to be able to stop. It was amazing how much confidence he'd gain, simply by knowing that he could control this, could make the Spider Head lose his cool. Kuroro wasn't in control anymore. He might not know it yet, but Kurapica had the reins now, and he was never letting go.