Ill-Fated (Phantom Troupe x Reader) [Soulmate AU]

12.

After bringing you back to the party and handing you some fast food that Kortopi and Bonolenov brought, Chrollo left you to your own devices. So, there you were, forcing a few fries into your stomach while observing the phantom troupe from afar. You should have been more hungry, but given all of the anxiety of the last couple of days, you found it hard to eat: your brain was still stuck on what Chrollo said to you.

'How could I ever see this as a "mutually beneficial arrangement" when I am losing my freedom so they can gain more power?'  You thought, slowly chewing on the stale fries. 

When you came back, a new person was in the group. You were certain this was the man on the phone from earlier: Feitan. Feitan was short and pale, with black hair and hooded grey eyes. Most of his body and face were obscured by the baggy black clothes that he was wearing. Despite his smaller stature, you only needed to take one look at him to know that this guy: you don't want to get mad. Something about him put you on edge - and not in a good way. As soon as you walked in, his eyes followed you like a hunter watching a doe wander through the woods while aiming his rifle from the bushes. He wasn't glaring at you, but an undeniable coldness and cruelty in his eyes made you uneasy. Feitan didn't try to approach you, which made you even more apprehensive.  Where Uvogin and Phinks were like an open book, and you could even somewhat understand what Shalnark or Machi's deals were, Feitan was much more like Chrollo in the sense that you had no clue what he was thinking. 

Your eyes focused dully on the scene before you: the girl with thick glasses and Nobunaga were arm wrestling. Uvogin stood behind Nobunaga, hyping up the dark-haired man with a hand on his shoulder. Shalnark was trying to get Phinks to bet money on the match. Feitan and Machi sat on some of the crates while drinking their wine, watching the scene much like you were at that moment. The other spiders were nearby, drinking and laughing as well. Chrollo also observed, with a small, content smile, from atop the highest crate. He looked like a regal king with his long black coat, looking over his loyal subjects. They seemed human at that moment: like a very messed up dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. 

You kicked yourself mentally: you can't start thinking about them like this now. You couldn't forget that these were the people who had stripped you of your entire life. They were the reason you couldn't pursue your dreams, they were the reason you had to leave home, and they were the reason your poor grandmother probably thought you were dead in a ditch by now. Yes, your moment of sympathy was probably just the wine and exhaustion talking.

You were exhausted: the overload of emotions, wine, and no sleep last night were all working together to catch up with you, it seemed. Your eyes felt heavy, and your head felt fuzzy as you struggled to keep your attention in front of you. Your brain was slipping in and out of that weird in-between state where you're not quite awake or asleep. The unmistakable whooping and hollering of Uvogin brought you back to reality. Nobunaga had won, and Phinks was sullenly paying up to Shalnark. Your eyes met with Machi, who was making her way over to where you sat.

"I'll take you back to your room now." She said, once in front of you. She probably noticed you nodding off from across the room, and for once, you were grateful she was staring because your tired body wanted nothing more than to collapse on that tiny cot and sleep for the next millennia.

You got up and followed beside her. As you grew further and further away from the hall, the loud talking got quieter. As you walked, a silence settled in between you two, and you were thankful that she wasn't looking for conversation because, in your exhausted state, you probably couldn't provide that. It didn't last, however, because, at the halfway point to your room, Machi suddenly stopped, turning around to meet you face to face. In the darkness of the hallway, you could just about make out her choppy hair and her eyes, which stared at you with even more sharpness than usual. She took a step toward you, and naturally, you took a step back. 

"If you do anything tomorrow that causes trouble for any of us, I will personally hunt you and make sure you get as close to death as possible without killing you," Machi said in a cold and flat tone that sent shivers up your spine.

Machi walked towards you as she talked, and you backed away until your back hit a cold wall. Her face was close to you now, and you could feel the fanning of her warm breath on your face. Without thinking, you brought one of your arms to your chest to create a barrier between you; quickly, Machi grabbed it to bring it back down again. 

You both stopped in your tracks almost immediately as heat rushed through your body like a damn breaking. The spider numbered three on your shoulder burned with the heat of a thousand suns, and your already exhausted mind couldn't even begin to interpret your situation. Machi, for her part, tightened her grip on your arm. She had to admit that finally giving into the call of the soul mark, which had haunted her since she first saw it that morning, felt like finally scratching an itch. As the scorch ran through her body, she finally understood why Uvogin had been getting so close to you. Machi understood why Phinks was so concerned with you getting away. She understood why Shalnark was so curious about you, and she understood why Chrollo wanted to meet with you one-on-one. There was a kind of invisible strong that now tied her to you, and she would be damned if that connection became severed.

 After what felt like forever, she let go of you, silently continuing down the hall, and you followed behind her.  Your brain continued reeling from the sensation as you were brought to the stifling room and as the metal sheet scraped across the cold floor. Tonight was far too much for you, and you decided to try and think it over the next day as you tried to get comfortable on that cot and, for the first time since you were taken, fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.