DISCOVERY ➴ Chrollo x Reader

XV. Thirst

"I won't lie to you, kinky priest..." I pushed myself off the ground, winced as the grit sunk into my hands, "I do feel like I may have cracked."

I rubbed my palms down my sides to shake away the debris, the fabric of these pants didn't help soothe my pain. "It's downhill from here." I was somehow off balance as I took my first step away from the car.

"That so?" He sat slowly on his seat, keys clacking as he spun them on his pointer finger. Only a crazy bastard would manage to sound absolutely bored as I stated my madness, yet here he was. How lucky.

"Yep." Would he leave me? Being driven around by a person with my unstable mental state wasn't really a good idea. My shaky hands pulled my loose shirt down, there was nothing bare to cover, I just felt too fragile under his grey gaze. Was it a good thing? If he left me here... I'd no longer be a victim to this dangerous murderer and thief... but if I was left here alone... with no money, no documentation... I wouldn't be able to start a new life. Not sure if I could, even if I had everything I needed...

"Well? Good for you? Get in the car, we're continuing our trip."

My feet moved on their own to the driver's side. That answered it for now. He would probably kill me instead of letting me go so... I shouldn't have to worry about that... Even if my insecurity kept bringing it up. When the time came, I'd have to deal with my situation... If it did arrive. "Aye Captain."

I sunk into my seat, the car shook and the loose sun visor grew will and earned its freedom to slap my forehead. I rolled my eyes and tucked it back into place. Nothing could go my way for once. No, that would be too much for a haunted soul. I must've murdered a bunch of good people during my last life. Yeah. That had to be it.

My leg strained as I floored the pedal to pull the car out of the lot, the traffic was awful, I hadn't gotten anything to drink. I should have been smarter with my thievish endeavours. Water was necessary for survival, but that beautiful sandwich had charmed my heart away. Was it worth? Yes. I only chastised myself for not having looked for a source of water.

The start and stop of the car and the violent gear stomping ended as the car left the centre of the city for a calmer larger road.

"Do you have money for tolls? We could take the highway." I longingly gazed at the differently coloured signs. If we stopped by aa service station... I could ask for a glass of water... or steal a bottle on the worst-case scenario.

"We're not using the highway with this car."

"Oh..." My fresh water... evaporated in front of my eyes as I steered away, following his instructions to a smaller rundown path that entered the woods. The road was curvy and I swallowed the little saliva I had managed to gather. It did nothing to quench my thirst. I stole a look at Chrollo, he was deep in thought, grey eyes following the trees that trickled away. Would he give me water if I asked for it?

What would I lose if I asked? There was nothing to lose. My lips parted, searching for words as my eyes returned to the road, narrowly avoiding a small pothole abruptly. Chrollo's body lurched, he grabbed the door to steady himself as I cursed inwards and slowed down.

"What's distracting you?" There was no annoyance. How could he not be annoyed?

"I'm thirsty." I croaked, taking a softer take to avoid the potholes.

"Is that the reason you're going mad?" How could that be the first thing to come up to his mind? I- What a weird man.

"No. I mean. Yes but also no." The street was in a better state ahead, I sped up, my leg trembled with the pressure I applied to slide the next gear in.

He hummed for a second and then the only thing to be heard was the rev of the engine, the wheels crunching gravel and grit and the weird metallic creak of my sun visor threatening to bonk me once more. Silence was as good as a no. Sadly.

"Can you drink as you drive?" My head snapped to look at the man. Was he actually giving me water? No way. What kind of god decided to shine their grace upon me? After all this time...

I nodded fervently, and he reached for his bag. I faced the road ahead, stepping lightly on the brakes to make a soft transition into a lower gear. Not only was I going to be drinking water but the road was also snaky and I could spot some potholes here and there.

The engine didn't seem to enjoy my change of gear, complaining loudly and hiccupping thrice. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the water bottle handed to me. I took a tentative sip, there was no need to be careful with this, my days were counted but I still wanted to be as responsible as I could.

The fresh water made my lips feel drier than the desert, and the following gulps were more desperate. I eyed the road and moved the wheel with my free hand, avoiding a pothole before another gulp of water.

"Why didn't you steal yourself some water with your sandwich?"

The water clogged my throat, entering the wrong canal as I coughed wildly, I ran through two potholes and the sun visor unclasped to hit my forehead again.

I hit the brakes and ended up bouncing over a deep hole, the engine made the scariest noise possible as it died on me. I kept coughing, eyes watering as I held the bottle as level as I could. Wouldn't want to waste my precious water. There were no cars on the road, it was such a rundown unused route east that no one usually took it. That was a relief since the car was stopped in the middle of the road.

My throat managed to recover, it was still itching when I took my final gulps and glared furiously at the Spider. "Why would you ask that while I was mid gulp!?"

"I obviously didn't think you'd nearly choke to death."

Art by Nine (Nine_819 on Twitter / https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/3875056) 

> Author's Note: Hello~~ (I swear to you that I'm not procrastinating, I've had some new ideas for fics and I've been writing a bit of thoseeeeeeeeee) Hope you enjoy this update my loves <3