❛ Look After You. Chrollo Lucilfer

xix. deceased? not!

The morning light filtered through the tall windows of Keiko's mansion, — where they managed to return last night— casting a soft glow over the grand room where Keiko stood, lost in thought. The echoes of multiple previous events played through her mind, never ending and seemed as if it wasn't willing to stop.

Chrollo was already awake, seated at a Victorian-era looking couch, black coffee in hand. His usual calm demeanor was intact, but there was a sharp focus in his eyes while he also seemed lost in thought. Keiko could sense the shift in him— he was determined to break free of the chain that bound his heart, whatever the cost.

"Kei," he called softly, drawing her attention away from the window. She turned to face him, her expression neutral, though her mind raced with the weight of what lay ahead. "Come here."

She moved to join him at couch, her footsteps silent on the polished floor, as if she were a ghost. As she approached, Chrollo patted the space beside him, signalling for her to sit, while placing his coffee down on the table that laid ahead.

The moment she gracefully settled beside him, Chrollo's arms instinctively encircled her waist, drawing her close. He exhaled a deep, contented sigh as he buried his face in the curve of her neck, letting her familiar scent calm the unease that had lingered in him while he softly dragged their bodies back to lean on the couch.

Keiko, caught off guard by the unexpected intimacy, stiffened and fought to steady the erratic beating of her heart.

Keyword: fought.

Chrollo, ever perceptive, noticed the subtle shift in her composure. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he pressed a soft, lingering kiss against the pulse point in her neck. The quickened rhythm of her heartbeat beneath his lips made him chuckle, savoring the way he could unravel her with such ease.

"You seem to be clingy this morning," Keiko spoke up, clearing her throat as she tried to avert Chrollo's attention from the erratic beating of her heart.

"You could say that," he murmured against her skin, sending shivers down her spine. "But as a poet would say; I find myself craving your company more than I crave my own solitude."

Keiko's breath hitched at his words, the warmth of his voice resonating deep within her. She tried to muster a retort, something sharp or witty to regain control of the situation, but the tenderness in his tone left her speechless.

Chrollo, sensing her struggle, tightened his hold around her waist, a quiet satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He relished the rare moments when Keiko, always so composed and guarded, let her vulnerability peek through, even if just for a second.

"You somehow always know how to render me speechless," she finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

He pulled back slightly, just enough to meet her gaze, his expression softening. "I find that honesty suits you," he said, his smirk fading into something more sincere, a rare glimpse of the man beneath the layers of mystery and control.

Keiko looked away, feeling the intensity of his stare, but she couldn't deny the truth in his words— or the comfort she found in his embrace. "Don't let it go to your head," she replied, her tone lightening as she attempted to regain some semblance of composure.

Chrollo chuckled, the sound low and rich, vibrating through her. "Too late," he teased, leaning in to brush his lips against her temple. "But I promise not to overuse my power.. much."