Some Wings Must Bleed

Chapter 87 - For You, My Hunter

Chrollo took a fold up chair that was leaning against one of the walls and placed it in front of me, sitting around four feet away from my chair. "We have nothing to 'chat' about." I said, narrowing my eyes at the dark haired man.

Chrollo leaned forward. "I'm not going to hurt you, you seem pretty beat up already." He informed me.

"Who's fault is that?"

Chrollo hummed to my response and leaned back in the chair, tipping his head comfortably to the side before speaking. "Would you mind telling me about the chain user? Nothing that would help us find him, of course, but you seem extremely loyal. What has he done to deserve such a woman, I wonder?"

What do you want from me?

I sat there silent for a moment, hatred burning through my eyes and onto the man who sat so innocently in front of me. "You say that as if he's a bad man. What has Kurapika done to deserve me? What has anyone done to deserve anything?... What did I do to deserve this..."

If talking to Chrollo about something like this is keeping me from being tortured...

"... He's gentle." I said after a moment.

"..."

"... I was raised surrounded by aggressive alpha males who never listened to a word I had to say. I was shoved into studying plants and animals, called weak, physically and emotionally abused my entire life. When Kurapika came, I was completely closed off. Hell, I must have yelled at him everyday."

"... Yelled? You said he was gentle?"

"It burned. When people touched me. Kurapika wasn't one of those people, but he was strong and hard to read and- I don't know... I wasn't used to being treated the way he treated me, so I pushed him away for a while."

"..."

"... But, it was okay because he was different. Respectful. He truly believed I wasn't a failure, or- or an object to be given to someone as compensation for weakness. And we fell in love... Slowly— and then all at once."

"So, you haven't been with him long? And you're like this? You two must have shared something with one another. Something that others may not understand."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, almost forgetting Chrollo was the reason I was speaking about such a topic.

"The chain user. You said he's closed off. He seems like it. Hard to get to— emotionally. But you two, having not been together for very long, you've- you've done things with him. Haven't you?"

"..."

So people do talk about their sex lives! Leorio must have been pulling my leg...

"... Am I wrong?" Chrollo asked after a moment. "And now that you're here, wouldn't you wish to— take it back?"

I sighed. "Looking back, there were probably other things that could've been done. But at the end of the day, we needed each other. In those moments, we needed to prove that we belonged to one another. All of us, without insecurity or uncertainty or... In retrospect, I don't think I regret it. If I have to be tortured to protect my lover, I'll do it."

"... I just- don't understand. Why?"

Kurapika's words rang in my head. What he said to Leorio the night before he left.

'If I'm hurt by anyone, I want it to be her.'

"If I'm hurt for anyone, I want it to be for him." I uttered, tears welling in my eyes.

I hadn't cried. Not the whole time I was with the troupe or being tortured. Yet there I was, starting to sob because, well, I'm not sure why. But once I started, it felt like I couldn't stop. Chrollo stayed silent for a moment as I broke down before standing up and walking towards the door. "... Love, is a dangerous thing. Isn't it?" He said.

I couldn't help but smile. "Love is the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Chrollo took a deep breath and I rotated my head to the side, groaning a bit when my neck began aching. I saw Chrollo reach up into the corner of the cement room and take something down from the ceiling, a metal block that I couldn't quite make out through my blurry vision. I sniffed and weakly wiped some of my face with my good hand. "W-What is that?" I questioned.

"... A camera. I hope you aren't too bothered by that gorgeous monologue being our property. I'm sure the chain user will find it quite heartfelt." Chrollo answered, avoiding my eyes and fiddling with the camera.

"You piece of shit." I muttered. "Why do you want to kill him so bad? Can't you see that he's a good man?"

"It unfortunately doesn't matter that he's a good man, nor does the fact that he matters so much to you. He'll never stop hunting the Phantom Troupe. Not until we're dead. Or he's dead. Ive simply chosen the best option for the things that matter most to me." Chrollo explained.

"..."

"Any more sentiments for the camera?" He asked, pointing the lens right at me.

I suddenly became rather self conscious, knowing my bloodied and broken body would be seen by my hunter. I stared desperately into the camera, tears still streaming down my battered cheeks, wanting to say millions of things, but not really knowing how to word them. All I could push out was. "It's a trap. Please don't come here."

. . .

I waited. And waited. Feitan didn't return to the room, nor did Chrollo or Phinks. I was left alone in the musty prison, my weak body refusing to rest, yet extremely exhausted. Some of me was thankful that Kurapika would see the video Chrollo took. Part of it was because Kurapika would know that I was kidnapped, but to be quite honest, I was just relieved that he would hear how much I cared about him.

No matter what happens now, I'll die in peace knowing Kurapika is aware of how much I love him.

The door sounded like it was opening again, but no one came in for around five minutes, as if they were standing at the door but distracted by something else. I kept my eyes on the door, my soul dropping when I saw Feitan come into the room again.

He just stared at me for a moment, his eyes dragging over my disheveled state before he spoke. "It's time."

Authors note: It sure is.