Seeing through the Flames (Killua x OC) (Kurapika x OC)

Chapter 20

Killua stood silently and looked at Arla who was currently spacing out. He sighed a little, feeling a bit worried. 'I don't know if I'm fully okay with leaving her behind with Leorio.' He messed his hair up with his hand out of frustration. 'It's not that I don't trust him, but...'

He was about to walk over to her when she suddenly smiled at him in an encouraging manner. His heart shook with his agony, his unease, and his strong affection for her. His lips widened almost automatically into a warm smile of his own.

"Killua." She grabbed onto his arm sleeve as she looked up at him. "I trust that you will look over Gon and will ensure that he will make it back in one piece."

"Do you really think that idiot needs me to look after him?" He jokingly asked, despite understanding what she meant. He placed his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "I will make sure that he doesn't do anything too stupid, but... was it necessary to ask me to make sure that he comes back in one piece? Seems a bit dismal of you, considering that most would tell the other person to make it out alive instead."

She smiled sadly at him. "I will not hold too high of an expectation. Because even I understand that there might be a chance of you two getting killed during this mission. Since that is the case, I will not ask you to make it out alive, even if that is what I really wish."

Understanding that to be the case, he pulled her into a comforting hug. "We will make it back. I'll make sure of it. So don't... Don't lose hope, Arla." His embrace tightened. "...Arlania..."

Shock riddled her expression as her eyes widened. 'Did he just use my...?'

Her hand grasped onto the back of his shirt. "Killu-"

Before she could continue, he interrupted. "Recover well, Arla." And then he turned around, walking away from her - not even giving her a chance to say anything else back to him.

She could only stare at him in silence, her thoughts revolving around him as if her mind was a broken record.

'Stay safe... Killua...'

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"They left." Arla murmured to Leorio.

He glanced over at her briefly and then looked at where the group of hunters stood before again. "Aa..."

The former aristocrat grabbed onto the hem of his blazer. "Do you think they will be alright..?" She sighed a little. "...I am still a little worried about Gon and Killua's mental condition."

"To be honest? I don't know. I really don't know, but I have a bad feeling about this." Leorio answered her honestly. He closed his eyes, remembering how Gon and Killua looked before they left. "But I want to believe that they will be fine." He sighed and then looked at her with a helpless expression. "We can only believe in them and wait until they get back."

"...I suppose that is true... We can only wait, huh..." Arla sighed. "I am glad that you are here with me though, Leorio. Waiting alone would have been utter hell. But I, too, agree that I have a bad feeling about this. Let us hope that we are both wrong though."

"That would be for the best." Leorio then clapped, ending the tension. "Time for you, missy, to go back to bed and recover from your injuries!"

"Ehhhhhhh?!" Arla groaned in frustration, but she still obeyed Leorio's order nevertheless.

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"...So Laipo, I'll be leaving you here," Light concluded, stopping behind his table as he looked at all of his guards. "The rest of you will come with me to Yorkshin for business discussions."