Baby Spider

Chapter 11

Knock, knock.

Sitting up, I glanced over at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Kurapika stepped inside.

"How do you feel?"

With my legs pulled up to my chest, Kurapika and I sat by the window together.

"Confused," I admitted. "I mean, look at me. I find out I'm a surviving member of the Kurta clan like you."

"Yes, I would assume so," said Kurapika. "But now you know who committed the massacre, don't you?"

Sighing, I nodded.

"...yes."

"Then are you willing to help me get my revenge on them?"

_________

"Are we going after her, boss?" Shalnark asked. "We have to, right? What if the chain-user-"

"The chain-user won't harm her, I assure you that. She's far too valuable for him to do anything."

"Because she's your sister?"

"No. No. Not just that. Like him, she too has scarlet eyes."

Shoulders shaking, Chrollo tilted his head back.

"I knew I should've had her eyes removed. Omokage would've been pleased if I had let him. I thought I could control her, keep her eyes from turning red, but they did."

The vivid image of her eyes shifting from e/c to crimson red flashed under his eyelids.

"Yes. I thought I could control her, indeed."

"But, boss," said Franklin. "She doesn't know, does she?"

Opening his eyes again, Chrollo looked over his shoulder.

"Now she does."

__________

Revenge.

My shoulders started to shake, hot tears sliding down my cheeks.

"Revenge," I repeated. "Revenge on him for killing our clan."

"Y/n-"

"He raised me, he loved me, and he took care of me. I-"

"Y/n, you can't let that get into your head."

"Get into my head?! Kurapika, you are asking me if I want to end the life of a man that has given me everything! A home, food, water, clothes, love, and care!"

"But he's killed our clan, Y/n! Our families!"

"I don't even remember my parents! It's always been him! Him! He was my knight in shining armor! He's all I have left! The Troupe is all I have left! I can't just give them up to you to kill all because of your want for revenge!"

Choking, I found myself pinned against the wall.

"I am not asking, Y/n," Kurapika said. "I am demanding."

"Then kill me," I said, glaring at him. "Kill me and get it over with, dammit."

He released the front of my shirt with a heavy sigh.

"Why can't you understand?" He asked. "Your brother and the Troupe killed our people. They killed them without mercy. And you still want to protect them?"

"As I said," I whispered. "They're all I have left. So please....don't kill them. Please don't."

"...I can't promise you that."

"....."

"Go back. Go back to them before I go after them. Say your final goodbyes and I might just spare you before the head is chopped off."

"Kura-"

"Go. This is your last chance."

"But-"

"Y/n."

Scrambling to my feet, I left the hotel. Glancing back at it, I made a mental note.

The next time I see him, he is no longer my love interest. He is an enemy.

And I ran.

_______

"Y/n!"

A towel was flung over my head, warm arms wrapping around me.

"Come on, punk. Let's get you inside before you freeze to death," said Phinks, guiding me inside. "Gave us a scare when we didn't find you in that rubble."

I didn't answer him and allowed Phinks to guide me inside.

"Y/n."

A familiar pair of arms gently grasped my biceps and pulled me forward.

A moment of weakness.

Nii-chan isn't one to show affection often, he only does it when he wants to remind others how important I am to him.

"You're freezing," Nii-chan murmured. "Cold as if you've been out in the snow all day."

I didn't answer as he pulled me away from the Troupe.

"I didn't think you'd come back."

All the way in the far back, I sat between Nii-chan's legs with a cup of tea in my hands.

"I didn't know where else to go," I croaked. "I was scared."

Nii-chan kissed the back of my head.

"You're back and that's all that matters," said Nii-chan, resting his chin on my head. "....I assume the chain-user has told you everything."

And I nodded.

"I thought so."

Silence overcame us both.

"Yet you came back."

"I told you. I didn't know where else to go. I didn't want you to die."

Nii-chan grasped my legs and turned me over. Trapping him between my legs, Nii-chan tucked my head between his neck and shoulder and I started to cry.

"Nii-chaaaaan."

"Sh. It's okay. It's okay. Let it all out. Nii-chan is here."

"Waaaaaah!"

"I wanna go hoooome!"

"We'll be home soon, baby spider. We'll be home soon, safe and happy like always."

Nii-chan pulled me away, cupping my cheeks to wipe my tears away.

"That's my baby spider. Can you take a deep breath for Nii-chan? Take a deep breath. In and out, that's it. In and out. Slow and steady. That's it, there's my baby spider."

Tucking my head under his chin again, Nii-chan continued murmuring soothing words to me.

"That's it. Nice and easy. Close your eyes and go to sleep. Nii-chan will be here when you wake up again."

"How is she, boss?"

Finally calmed down, Chrollo had managed to put her down for a little nap.

"She's finally calmed down," said Chrollo. "Upset but calmed. It's best she doesn't leave and if absolutely necessary, she cannot leave on her own. I don't trust her well-being enough to be left alone right now."

"Understandable," said Franklin. "Spent forty minutes crying her eyes out."

"She knows yet she came back anyways. Says a lot about her, doesn't it?" Feitan muttered.

Yes, yes it does.

Despite it all, she came crawling right back into the arms of her caretaker. The man who had orchestrated the massacre of her clan. Yet, she still loved him. She cared for him as much as he cared for her.

"The chain-user...where is he?"