Itsy Bitsy Spider

32. Finally

A small mention of suicide, just a trigger warning... uh.... am I doing this right?

Really, the nerve of some people—

Storming up to him, Feitan dumped a bucket of water on Lucky, who rapidly sputtered awake in drowning panic, spitting out the water in his mouth and sending the droplets flying. He pounded his chest a few times before immediately laying down in an attempt to fall asleep once more.

Sleeping? Again? Feitan grabbed his upper arm and pulled him upright, glaring. "Ten. Now." Groaning, Lucky rolled over into push-up position before Feitan pulled him back up roughly. "No. Ten with aura."

Lucky rubbed his eyes. "With aura," he repeated slowly, trying to figure things out. He rubbed his eyes some more to buy himself some time.

Feitan became miffed, seeing right through his scheme. "Sun won't stay in the sky forever."

"I completely understand," Lucky nodded, not understanding at all, "but ten what with aura?"

"Not ten. Ten."

A silence.

"Emo Loser, you're killing me here." With the withering look he was sent, Lucky wished he hadn't brought up the topic at all, much less the bitter nickname. He'd witnessed some of Feitan's physical ability, and he'd been handed draining mind-and-body exercises like it was nothing. If that was the norm for him, Feitan could kill him all too easily, that was a given.

Luckily, Feitan only bristled the slightest bit before casting off his annoyance. Most of the Spiders did that often, sliding away their feelings and hoping they would disappear. It was just a need in their line of work. Feitan draped himself to the ground and sat with legs crossed and arms resting poised on his knees, not minding that this now put his eye level severely below Lucky's.

Refusing to tilt his head up to meet his eyes, he now had to deal with furiously being on the same level as his god forsaken shoulder...

Perhaps he minded the height difference a little bit, but he wasn't going to show it. Especially now, as a teacher. As, technically, Lucky's superior.

Yes, Feitan was superior, was a teacher. And if there was one thing about Feitan, it was that he never settled for less than the top. Ever since he'd busted out of the cage labeled Meteor City, Feitan strived, strived to do his best, strived to out do his best by trillions of miles. Teaching was no exception.

"Ten is a technique," he started, eyes closed. Feitan felt his own Nen flow around him, within him, below, above, inside and out, melting around his fingers and sending waves up his spine and sweeping to the tips of raven hair. Around him, enveloping him with phantom arms, never leaking away. "Every person holds aura, but it leaks away. Control it. Have it surround you." Every breath he took held meaning as he remembered all the lessons from long ago. His own aura, brisk and cool, its deliberate movement likening it to chill winter. "Don't let it leave. Have it complete. In your skin, out your soul."

He cracked open an eye to his bewildered pupil, who was observing him with an interested eye.

"Master it."

*     *     *

"Machi?"

She glanced up from her sewing, questioning.