DISCOVERY ➴ Chrollo x Reader

XXIV. Poem

"I do. It might make me feel better about my woes to know someone is also suffering." That was an eloquent sentence that I totally didn't butcher because Chrollo had just stopped the jeep.

His eyes took my figure for the first time, his left hand hanging loose over the wheel and his body relaxing into the brown cushiony seat. He didn't say anything. I took a deep breath and held his gaze, no matter what happened... I'd see through it. I'd see it coming at least.

The more time it passed the more the silence bothered me, I found myself squirming and admonishing my bad stress habits. "What?"

He shrugged, opening his door and stepping out, his back clad in a white shirt was a sight in the dusk. His pale fingers ruffled his dark hair, his head turning just enough for him to see me from the corner of his eye. "Switch with me. It's your turn to drive."

"Oh." Was that relief? Disappointment? Surprise? All at once and a few sprinkles of other emotions? My eyes followed his figure as he walked around the jeep to my side. The door clicked open and there he was, grey eyes on mine, one eyebrow up in question and, if I wasn't imagining it, a soft curve at the end of his thin lips.

"Oh right, yeah." I swung my legs off the jeep and pushed myself out, stumbling as my hands flew to grasp something for support. That support came in form of Chrollo's chest, an inhumane shriek that left me as I stepped back and felt my back hit the hard metal of the vehicle. "Well, excuse me."

I dashed my way to the driver's side and jumped into the jeep, cursing my jerkiness. How much of a fool could I make myself to be? I heard the door click and tilted my head, eyes running over thick legs under the tight fabric of his pants. I didn't dare lift my gaze, busying myself with adjusting the seat and mirrors.

"Let's then, driver."

I nodded, starting the car and driving it back to the road. Ahead a sign indicated the several connections. "Can... we use the highway now?"

"Sure."

I turned the blinkers to enter the highway and thought of the sudden silence. I could turn on the radio... Maybe. Had he stopped the car because he didn't want to talk about his mess of a life? I mean... I didn't have it in me to press for it... Did I? I was curious but...

"Where to start?" His voice was an octave lower and much softer than before, as if he was simply talking to himself.

Did I have to answer?

"Any particular question from the great F/A?"

"Ahm..." Did I have any- "How is your life a mess at the moment? Like... what is it that is messed up?"

"Well, there's a person going around and killing my group. That person has... badly injured me... I'm just heading east and leaving them to sort some things out for me in the meantime."

"Your group... Related to the Phantom Troupe? Why are you heading east? How did that all happen?" I tried to puzzle together the man, the mystery.

"My group is the Phantom Troupe, the Spider." He explained plainly, as if it was something I should've known by now. It was. I was very dumb. I didn't want to think about anything worse than the fact that this man was dangerous enough just by himself without any association.

"Oh." Oh my fucking god. I had been traveling with a member of the fucking Phantom troupe. I wasn't dead yet, but I was going to be. WELL, BLESSED WITH CERTAINTIES NOW.

"Oh?" Chrollo's voice turned into a low chuckle.

"Oh." I shrugged, trying to calm my shaking hands and my trainwreck of a brain. My heart was going off, and I wondered if this would have any consequences long term for my health. Dying of heart attack. Hilarious. Hilarious considering I was seating next to one of them. ONE OF THE SPIDERS. Oh how dumb.

"Anyway, I'm heading east because a poem told me so." He continued, his voice cheerier.

"What?" I spluttered and found myself giggling. "A poem?" He didn't reply. Ah- "Oh you're serious. A poem told you? Like... you found a random poem and it said... Thou shall head east! And that resonated so much with you that you just decided to follow it?" This was beginning to become unbelievable. I held back a nervous laughter and gripped the nice leather of the jeep tighter.

"It wasn't a random poem."

"Bless you, one of us needs to be a bit sane. So?"

"It was written for me by someone who can predict the future." He was speaking so seriously. This was bordering ridiculous.

"So... you, a member of a criminal group, a criminal, a killer and a thief, believe in fortune tellers and seers?" I finally managed to look him in the eyes, for long enough that I heard the rumble strips. I adjusted the steering and looked ahead.

"You don't?" His tone was still conversational, and I needed to remind myself that this was a very dangerous man and that I shouldn't mock him for his beliefs. Not if I wanted to keep living.

"Not really. I don't think anyone could have any divine power to see such things and not be in terrible peril." It did sound like such a bothersome power to have. What if people didn't like the truth? Fortunes only worked if there was something that pleased the client. "Won't it... won't it change now that you know your future?"

"I don't think it will. It matters not because while it is a mess all will be well in the end. Even if there are losses along the way."

"Yeah? What did it say?"

"The calendar loses a precious component
the remaining months gather to mourn.
The mourners play a melody
while the eleventh moon quietly rises.

One of the members was killed and the troupe was all in Yorknew city, he was number 11." He explained before continuing his enunciation of the poem.

"The chrysanthemum withers and falls,
to lie on the ground beside bloody scarlet eyes.
But you will remain supreme
even after losing half your limbs.

Enjoy the interlude. 
Search out new allies. 
East is the direction to go. 
You will find one who awaits you."

"So... the supreme spider is enjoying the interlude?"

> Author's Note: Whoop~ I brought back canon.