Baby Spider, Volume 2

Chapter 15

"This is it. This is what's left of the clan."

I stared at what's left of the area. Broken down buildings, kicked up dirt, and a firepit. And...

"A-are those bones?"

I kneeled down in front of a pile of white, long sticks.

"Yes," Kurapika softly said. "They are."

Hot tears slid down my cheeks as I looked around the area.

He had the nerve, the greed, to do this. To innocent people.

I furiously wiped my tears away with the palms of my hands.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong?" I shook my head.

"I'm still apologizing," I told him. "I could've done something, I could've stopped this from happening."

Kurapika approached me, gently resting his hand on top of my head.

"You can't do anything about it now," Kurapika said. "It's in the past."

"Yet you can't leave it behind either," I stated, standing up. "You still want to hunt them down, you still want to kill them."

"Well, of course. It's obvious, Y/n," Kurapika frowned. "Surely you want them punished as well?"

"Punished by death?" I asked. "E-even if I did want them dead, I don't think I would be able to kill them, least of all fight them."

And they know me too well. Especially the founding members, more so, him.

If anything, he'd do anything to bring me back to his side, with sweet words and promises. And it's so tempting. Oh, so tempting. To leap at him, arms and legs tightly entangled around him, face buried into his chest and blocking out the world. Just like I did as a little girl. It could be like old times again, ignorant and clueless of how the world worked.

"I don't want to kill anyone," I whispered. "I-I know I killed someone back in Yorknew, back at the auction. Looking back at it now, I wished I hadn't. I was just a dumb little girl, wasn't I?"

And he wants that dumb little girl back.

I can tell he wants me back. He enjoyed knowing he can easily manipulate me, how easy it is to wrangle me the way he wants, to control my actions like a puppet master.

Not only that...if he can take away memories or at least alter them, that would make things easier for him to bring me back to him.

"I wanna run away," I sniffled. "I wanna run away, I wanna turn around and never come back, I wanna leave them behind and forget. But I can't. I can't run away. They'll always keep looking for me, they won't stop until I'm found and brought back to him! I don't want to go back! I can't go back! I can't be trapped again!"

Warm arms went around me, pressure resting on top of my head. I slowly tilted my head up then nuzzled my face against the junction between Kurapika's shoulder and neck.

"Help me. Help me get away from them."

Kurapika tightened his grip on me.

"Can't you see, Y/n?" Kurapika softly murmured. "Killing them is the only way they'll stop hunting you."

_________

The trip back to Nostrade's Estate was quiet yet comforting. I suppose laying against Kurapika is helping.

It's...it's odd. Resting on top of someone else. Sure, I've rested on top of Shalnark a few times but unlike him, Kurapika is more of a storm. A storm raging and moving forward. Shalnark was playful, teasing, fun.

Kill them.

Kill them. Kurapika is right though, they won't stop hunting me until I'm found and dragged back to their side. More specifically, his side.

I pressed my cheek even closer against Kurapika's chest and closed my eyes. I can't go back to him. To the Troupe.

But...

They raised me. They took care of me. They loved me. What Kurapika and I had was a short, fleeting moment, a fling. Nothing more. Yet, here I am, basking in his comfort and embrace.

"I can feel your Nen going wild, Y/n," Kurapika mumbled. "Are you alright?"

I didn't answer him. Then.

"Kurapika?"

"Yes?"

"D-do you love me?"

I hear a small click and I looked up at him with curious eyes.

"Yes and no."

My heart dropped.

"Yes, I do love you. At the same time, I do not because of your upbringing. However..."

I held my breath as Kurapika brought my head back down to his chest.

"I am slowly starting to love you more, ignoring your upbringing. You were manipulated by him into believing what he did was right. That is something I cannot blame you for."

I rested my chin on his chest, looking up at him again. I softly gasped as Kurapika hoisted me up, my legs caging him in. His hands rested on the curve of my waist, steadying me in his lap.

"K-Kurapika?"

"Don't tell Neon about this," Kurapika mumbled, sealing his lips over mine.

Don't tell Neon, huh?

My arms went around his neck, pulling me closer to him.

Yeah, that should be easy enough. Real easy. Well, not easy hiding it from Melody, but oh well. Can't do much about her crazy hearing range, ya know?