Runaway | Kurapika x Reader

Chapter 17 - And... Action

The ride to Blue Ice was quiet, yet tension plagued the atmosphere. There were no words exchanged between Kurapika and me except for when I occasionally told him which way to turn. No song played on the radio, rather, the melody of my heartbeat roared in my ears.

The plan was that we'd enter through the basement door since no one aside from Chrollo seemed to be down there earlier. This probably meant that the members spent most of their time upstairs. However, if Feitan just so happened to be resting downstairs, we could take him out in an instant. We'd then scope out the entirety of the downstairs area, making sure no one else is down there before I check on my satellite to be sure Kurapika could go upstairs at the best time possible. He would then find Chrollo, pierce him with his Judgement Chain, and take him to a different location to end him. I would fend off Machi and Shalnark in the process.

Our plan was not guaranteed to work, of course, but I didn't dare tell Kurapika that. I could sense his resolve, and it was stronger than ever. He definitely wouldn't back down no matter what I said.

It was kind of sad, really. He is willing to take endless amounts of risks just to achieve his revenge. But, once his goal is complete, what will he do then? Does he have any other goals in life? Has he dedicated every single thing he's done up until now just to taking the lives of the people responsible for all he has lost? Reaching his objective isn't going to bring back the happiness that he lost at such a young age. He probably feels like he owes it to his lamented brethren, to avenge them. I don't think they would want that for him, though. He deserves to live a normal life. He's only going to feel an overwhelming amount of emptiness once his mission is complete. I don't want to witness that at all.

How can I help, if it all?

Yes, it was evident that Kurapika felt some sense of delight when he was around me. The same goes for Leorio, Gon, and Killua. We were his friends, and perhaps all he had. But we weren't ever going to replace his parents, siblings if he had any, or friends from his clan. Nothing would ever complete the void that the Phantom Troupe had left in his life. His revenge was all he had left to hold onto. Even if he felt temporary joy around me, it wouldn't change the sorrow forever stored in his heart. And it hurt to see.

I wish there was something I could do. But there isn't.

I pondered over the idea of asking why he continues to chase the troupe around instead of attempting to live a normal life, but I could already predict the response I would get. He would say that he is indebted to seek revenge for his clan, and there is nothing I could do to stop him.

He was trapped behind a barrier of guilt, rage, and misery. Although I'd only known him for about a month, I knew he didn't deserve it. I desired nothing more than the ability to pull him out of it.

Eventually, I was jerked out of my trance when the vehicle came to a meteoric halt. I peered through my dark sunglasses, recognizing an eyesore of a building. It was run-down and seemed as if it were slowly falling apart. A sign that read "Blue Ice" was now hanging by a single wire; it probably lit up before the damage it had taken. We were parked from a distance so that no one would know we were there.

I closed my eyes, tuning into the satellite on Chrollo that he had not yet noticed. He had not moved an inch since I last checked. He was still sitting at the bottom of the staircase with the same book in his hands, his eyes shifting slightly across the pages. I returned to my current state and opened my eyes, taking a sudden gulp. "Chrollo is downstairs."

Kurapika side-eyed me. "Is there any way you can create another satellite for one of the members that are upstairs?"

"Yes, I can. Chrollo's will be removed, though," I explained with a nod. "I'll place one on Machi since I've already seen her face in person." Fluttering my eyes shut once again, I released a new satellite into the air. It floated out of the vehicle and passed through the wall of the brick building. Then, as it soared through a bar and into a lounge room, it circled the pink-haired woman. She was seated on a beige sofa when she tossed a playing card onto the table.