Ill-Fated (Phantom Troupe x Reader) [Soulmate AU]

15.

Authors Note: Some Uvogin content in this one because I have realized I've been sleeping on one of my faves.

It was dusk when the airship finally landed in Kotoritana Republic, and even later, by the time the group of you made it from the airport into the city. Kotoritana Republic was a tiny nation, so even though you were currently walking the streets of their capital, it seemed rural in comparison to the splendor and bright lights of York New. You heard distant laughter and conversation from underneath the parasols on the outdoor patios of cafes that lined the sides of the cobblestoned street you were traveling. It was a Friday evening, so as expected, people poured into bars and restaurants to celebrate the end of a long week. The stuffy and warm evening air felt pleasant on your skin, especially after being blasted with AC for the past twelve hours. You wished you had visited the Kotoritana Republic before being kidnapped from the troupe, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. You knew you had to keep looking forward. 

Nobody let you in on the plan, which you assumed Chrollo outlined for the rest of the troupe members sometime during the travel. Phinks walked to your right side along with Uvogin and Nobunaga, who walked to your left. You looked at the grey-haired man at your side, who looked down to meet your eyes. Your chest tightened slightly, and you were sure the physical reaction was a direct side effect of your soul bond. Mentally kicking yourself, you pushed down the feeling. 'I can't start trusting them now; I need to remember who they are.'

"Like what you see?" Uvogin's deep voice came from above you. 

You seemed to have stared at him for too long, lost in thought. Now Uvogin was cockily smirking at you with Nobunaga snickering at his side. Instead of answering his question, you countered with your own.

"Where are we going?" 

"Hotel," Chrollo replied simply from in front of you, sparing you with only one fleeting glance.

You were surprised; based on your previous experience, you assumed they would be hanging around in some dilapidated ruin somewhere. You weren't going to complain about a hotel, though; that much was a major upgrade from the dirty cot in York New. 

It wasn't long after that you walked into a hotel lobby. It seemed to be a smallish hotel tucked into a narrow street away from the city's main foot traffic. The hotel was much nicer than the run-down motels you've grown used to over the years, but you doubted that it got many customers: certainly no high-end clientele. A tired-looking hotel clerk looked up at your group from the front desk as he rolled his eyes ever so slightly, clearly unhappy about the large group of customers complicating his Friday night shift. Phinks ushered you to the seating area with Uvogin and a few other troupe members as Chrollo and Shalnark continued to the reception without missing a beat. Uvogin plopped down at your side as you observed the rest of the troupe take their spots throughout the hotel's small lobby. Machi leaned against the wall with her arms folded before her chest. She glared at you when she saw you staring, ticked off that she couldn't catch you doing anything that would support her theory about you planning to escape. Out of anyone here, Machi was the most suspicious of you. You felt the urge to stick out your tongue at her but decided against it.

'I mean, she is right that I am planning to escape, but she doesn't know that.'

A familiar warm tingle rushed through your body as Uvogin plopped on the couch beside you, throwing a heavy muscular arm around you. You immediately tried to move away but found no room on the other side of the sofa. 

"Don't be like that, tiny; I'm watching you tonight, so you may as well get cozy." Said Uvogin, reaching forward to grab a couple of complimentary candies from the coffee table in front of you.

Your eyes shot up quickly to his face questioningly, and his brown eyes met yours. 

"What do you mean?" You ask, your voice tense.

"Did you think we'd leave you on your own so you could run off?" Answered Phinks, with that same hint of superiority in her voice you have gotten used to over the last few days.

You stayed quiet in response. You didn't think the members of the phantom troupe would be leaving you alone, but you didn't consider the prospect of spending the night with them. You especially didn't think it would be Uvogin with whom you would have to spend the night. Your eyes met Chrollo's as he and Shalnark returned to the group, holding a handful of room keys. They first approached Bonolenov, Franklin, Kortopi, and Shizuku, handing them their keys before approaching you. You could see the four getting into the rinky-dink elevator behind the two approaching members. 

"Machi, Nobunaga, and Phinks, you will stay on the second floor. Everything's been taken care of, so wait for further directions." Chrollo explained, outstretching three keys toward them. Machi grabbed her first, tossing one last glare in your direction, before walking away.

"As you gathered, we will be on the third floor." He held out a singular key card to Uvogin, who took it into his large hands.

"Y/n, I hope Uvogin has filled you in on your sleeping arrangement for tonight," Chrollo stated, looking down in your direction. You only nodded in response, nervously picking at the fingernails in your lap. 

"Good, let's go then." Chrollo turned on his heel and began walking away, followed closely by Shalnark. 

Uvogin, too, had pushed slightly to stand up, and without further conversation, you followed the three into the elevator. Squeezed inside the small elevator like a pack of sardines, you notice the distinct heat in your skin, which is undoubtedly a side effect of being closely surrounded by so many of your soulmates. If the rest of your companions felt it, they stayed quiet and didn't let it show. The elevator dinged, and the metal doors opened slowly to reveal floor three. You walked the red-carpeted hallway to room number 12. Uvogin opened the door for you, and you entered inside. Uvogin exchanged quiet words with Chrollo before he and Shalnark walked away, presumably to find their own rooms. You watched as Uvogin entered the room, having to duck slightly so as not to hit his head: it still astounded you how large this man was. The door locked with a click, and Uvogin locked it behind him, trapping you inside.