Baby Spider, Volume 2

Chapter 14

The door swung open and closed. I heard footsteps get closer to where I sat in the corner. The footsteps stopped behind me and my En slowly picked up the Nen radiating behind me.

Kura...pika?

I slowly lifted my head up and looked up at Kurapika with a tear-stained gaze.

"I can feel your Nen from all across the estate. So can everyone else," Kurapika explained. "What exactly caused your Nen to go wild?"

I slowly gazed around the room and blinked.

"I-"

Books, clothes, bedsheets, pillows, cushions. Everything in the room was flung in every direction. Not even the windows were safe from my Nen whirlwind.

"I don't know what to do," I admitted in a whisper. "I can't keep going back and forth between you and him, Kurapika. I can't keep doing it. I know he's going to manipulate me, I know he's going to gaslight me, I know he's going to do whatever he can to bring me back to his side, I know he's going to use me."

The floor started to quiver again as I sobbed.

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! I DON'T WANT TO CHOOSE ANYMORE! I DON'T WANT TO FOCUS ANYMORE!"

The books started to fling and fly again. But then.

An arm went around my shoulders and the books dropped to the floor with a "thump". I felt another arm going around my middle, my back pressed against a firm chest, hot air gently brushing against my neck.

Kura...pika...is hugging me?

I slowly tilted my head back to look at him and saw that his eyes were crimson red too.

"You don't have to be so stressed about it."

"Easier said than done," I muttered, readjusting myself.

I pressed my cheek against Kurapika's chest, finding some comfort in his heartbeat. His Nen was overwhelming yet calming at the same time. So I sunk deeper and deeper into his grasp.

I guess I still do love him, huh? The question is, does he?

__________

"We're going somewhere?"

"That's right. I figured taking you to the remains of the Kurta village would help you somehow."

Kurapika packed the last bag in the trunk and got in the driver's seat. I got in the seat next to him and he started to drive to the airship port. The drive there was quiet and almost scary. It makes me wonder what Kurapika is thinking whilst driving.

The car came to a stop and we got out. Grabbing the bags, we entered the port. We went through security and boarded a private airship. Then, the airship took off into the air.

"How long will it take there?"

"A day and a half at least. As long as there aren't any disturbances."

I looked out the window and rested my chin on my palm.

"Why are you even doing this?" I asked, pulling away from the window to look at Kurapika. "One minute you acted as if you hated me and now you act as if you don't. Which is it?"

Kurapika sighed and leaned back into his seat.

"To be frank with you, Y/n, I don't know how to feel about you."

I blinked at him.

"Huh?"

"You heard what I said."

"Yeah, but-" I stopped.

Love is a complicated emotion.

"Guess he was right about one thing," I mumbled. "Love is a complicated emotion."

"Did he say that to you?"

"He did. Years ago when we were still in Meteor City."

I tucked my legs into my chest and rested my chin on top of it.

"Kurapika...do you think it's possible for someone with a Nen ability to wipe or manipulate a person's memory?"

Kurapika remained quiet for a moment.

"Yes, I do believe it is possible. With Nen, anything is possible as long as you remain in your own category."

"Unlike you," I muttered.

"I am a a special case, Y/n," Kurapika said to me. "As are you."

Right. Scarlet eyes.

"Why do you ask? Have you thought of something?"

"Um..."

I guess this will give Kurapika another reason to hate him.

"I can't confirm or deny this but I think he stole a Nen ability. An ability to either manipulate or wipe out memories. I say this because I don't remember anything before him, anything at all."

"Could it be possible you've merely forgotten them?"

I shook my head.

"I was seven when I first met him, Kurapika. Seven years of memories surely couldn't just disappear with a snap of your fingers."

I sighed and shook my head.

Love is a complicated emotion. Yeah, it fucking sure is and I hate it. I hate feeling like this. I hate feeling like I'm stuck in between.

"Hey."

I looked up at Kurapika.

"Your eyes have gone scarlet again."

Oh.

He held his hand out to me.

"Come on. I'll show you how I keep mine covered."

I frowned but took his hand. Kurapika pulled me up to my feet and guided me to the restroom. He pulled out a pair of eye contact cases from the cabinet and handed me one.

"Eye contacts?" I asked, popping them open.

"Right, because it helps hide my Scarlet Eyes out in public."

Oh, I see.

"That's smart," I commented. "But does it really help?"

"It's better than being outed right off the bat, isn't it?"

I nodded.

"Yeah."

So, I tried them on too. I stared at the mirror, blinking away from the haze. It's odd, seeing myself with darker eyes. Would the lenses really help?

I shook my head.

As Kurapika had said, it's certainly better than being outed right off the bat.