Kurapika/Reader: Twelve Steps

Chapter 14: The Silken Strand

"You pull anything like you did today, next time you'll find your little partner in even more pieces..."

...

"You know what they say about those who live by the sword..."

...

Was that Kurapika's voice? He sounded angry.

"Our next rendezvous will be tomorrow night. You will receive word of where to make the drop."

"...Understood."

...

Your consciousness was drifting, floating idly to and fro like tepid bath water, or a gentle breeze through a field of sunflowers; it was neither here nor there. Was that a girl's voice you heard this time? Your arm felt tingly and numb. Ah! Your arm!

Awareness struck you hard and fast and you gasped loudly, instantly clutching your severed nub close to your chest, recoiling in anticipation for the sharp pain that would surely return with your clarity, only to realize a moment later that it was not coming. Your fingertips drifted upward, past the termination point and you flinched in surprise at what you found. Your arm was, in fact, not in shambles. It was there, fully functioning, and you stared at it. Could you have dreamed it? Was that all an elaborate illusion? A frightening Nen ability? There was no way. You still had seams, soreness and a noticeable mark where the cut had been made. What's more is you still felt dizzy from all the blood you lost, pulsing in dull waves at the back of your head and temples, and splatters still lingered on your clothing, left brown dried clumps of evidence on your skin. You examined the attached limb in sheer awe and disbelief, rotating your forearm and wiggling your fingers.

"Don't move it around so much, dumbass." A girl in your peripheral vision caught your attention for the first time, as you had been too distracted to acknowledge her presence before. Her vibrant pink hair was her most prominent feature, secured in a messy ponytail high atop her head. She wore thigh-high lavender socks and a matching crop top, what's base rested just above her belly button. From your angle on the ground you could see tiny lines of black peeking out from under the hem of her shirt. You also observed the orange hue of the room at this time, which meant the sun was setting, and that you must've been out for a couple of hours.

"Did you do this?" You asked in a daze, but she seemed too preoccupied nagging Camille and one of his associates to hear you. For the time being you didn't see the man who cut your arm.

"I just get back into town and you call me for a mess like this? I ought to charge you double!"

"Don't be like that." Camille coaxed gently. "I promised I'd take you wherever you want to go, remember? Now won't that be better than taking a smelly cab?"

"At least my clients at Heaven's Arena had nice accommodations. Look at this dump." She gestured palm-up to the drafty grey room. Speaking of concrete, half of your body felt cold from laying on it. It also took you until now to make the connection that seeing the sunset meant you were no longer contained in the basement. Apparently you were back on the third floor again.

"You're absolutely right. I've been a dreadful host." He replied with false contrition. "Allow me to introduce you to our guest now that she's awake." She let out a tiny hmph of disinterest. "F/N, this is Machi. She's part of our clean up operation. She stitched you right back up, good as new."

"That's quite a Nen ability you got there." You said to her, still eying Camille with a mix of wariness and distaste.

"Yeah, it pays the bills at least." She shrugged, brushing off your words and pulling out her phone. "Anyway. Are we done here? I have some place I need to be."