Hunting for a way home - Shalnark x Reader

Chapter 45 - We are, Escaping the deep.

Shalnark had been waiting where they first entered the ship for a while now. What the hell was taking her so long? Had she found something? Gotten hurt? The last thought had him moving in the direction she'd gone in last.

Crossing the threshold of a cabin he paused, a stillness he was very uncomfortable with came over him. One he hadn't felt since a forest outside meteor city.

Because her body was lying unmoving and stiff on the cabin floor. The scene made all the more eerie because of the flashlight shoved into a strap on her thigh.

It hadn't even struck him; bubbles were slowly rising from the surface until he got beside her and pulled at her stiff arm.

Flipping her over he saw her beautiful e/c eyes staring back laced in fear before relaxing suddenly as she focused on his face. That look had his hand coming up to brush against parts of her face not covered by the mask they both wore.

Her eyes closing had him instinctively pressing his forehead into her own, his other hand coming up to rub soothing circles against her hip.

With the panic simmered down he pulled back confused and almost angry. Why the fuck couldn't she move he wanted to ask her, demand what the fuck she was playing at when he forced himself to relax. She wouldn't have done something like this to scare him.

There was no need to panic. She's not dead, just from what he could tell just unmoving.

He could work with that. He could deal with that.

Calming himself he pulled back to start examining her body. He'd go head to toe. Her eyes were now open looking at him, they flicked downwards as if towards something.

Swinging the flashlight in that direction he noticed blood rising up from a surprisingly deep cut on her finger.

Was this why she couldn't move?

Most likely, he reasoned. But what could she have found that would do such a thing? There wasn't much here. Looking back up to her face her eyes flicked downwards towards the flashlight.

Bringing his attention to the flashlight and flashing his own down to her leg he saw a very impressive blade there, a handle wedged between her skin and the strap.

Meeting her eyes again she blinked as if to say. "Yeah, that's what did it."

Carefully bringing his attention back down to her thigh he removed the blade from her skin. He couldn't help but feel relieved she hadn't cut herself again with it as she strapped it to herself.

Examining the blade carefully it struck him exactly what this was, a ben's knife. One of only 288 ever made by a notorious serial killer and blacksmith named Benny Delon. Chrollo had long been in search of one of these. If he remembered correctly each had a purpose.

This one apparently was meant to paralyze a victim. Most likely so the creator of the blade could play with them while they were unable to move.

That's when he noticed a pulled up floorboard beside them with a dark space.

Quickly he flashed an incredulous look at her and the guilty look in her eyes said it all. As he looked at her he could have sworn they began having a silent conversation.

"Really Y/N?"

"But Shalnark, I just had to have it."

"So you decided to carelessly shove your hand in a dark hole?"

"Who are you to say I was careless?"

If he could sigh he would have for now he'd have to settle on internally.