Some Wings Must Bleed

Chapter 96 - Bad At Rest

"I swear, if I ever get my hands on them I'll-"

"You'll what?"

I felt my heart freeze and I jerked around, staring at Chrollo, who stood by the window, watching the rain. I gasped and fell back, stumbling into a dresser and catching myself on the wall. I snapped my head back up to the window, my wide eyes searching for the man who was standing there only a moment ago.

The room was empty.

"(Y/n)?"

I flinched and turned around to see Kurapika, his eyes nervously tracing my body. I tried to straighten my posture, pushing myself from the wall and taking a deep breath. "I almost fell." I stated.

Kurapika sighed and walked over to me, cupping my face before scooping me up. "Aye!" I protested, wiggling in his firm grip.

"I don't buy it." Kurapika said simply, walking me to the kitchen.

"There she is! How ya feeling plant girl? Still alive?" Leorio greeted, raising the spatula in his hand.

I smiled. "I'd say about 50 percent of me is functional."

He laughed at my reply while Kurapika set me on the couch, feeing my forehead before joining Leorio in the kitchen. I watched as they busied about, putting things on plates before joining me on the couch. "So, what's your plan for the day?" Leorio asked, taking a spoonful of eggs and shoving it into his mouth.

I shrugged and Kurapika cleared his throat. "We'll rest today. It's been too long since we've been able to just. Rest."

Leorio looked to Kurapika as he spoke. "You mean, you aren't going after them?" Leorio asked.

"No. I'm not leaving again." He replied.

I looked up to Kurapika after he said that, wanting to say something, but not really knowing what I would say. Leorio nodded and leaned back. "Good riddance." He said finally, his eyes lazily trailing his plate.

Kurapika let out a breath of amusement and set his plate down on the coffee table. "Well, don't get too comfortable. (Y/n) needs it quiet so she can rest, and you are unfortunately not going to help that."

Leorio huffed. "Kicking me out? Typical." He teased, standing up and taking his briefcase from the table. "I'll be gone then, I have some errands I need to run anyways."

"Take care!" I called to him, waving a bit before looking back to Kurapika.

"You've barely touched your food." Kurapika commented, nodding to my plate.

I shrugged. "Not very hungry."

He stood up and took all of the plates back to the kitchen. "I'll put it in the fridge, in case you're hungry later." He said.

I looked back down to the table.

Chrollo... Phinks and Nobunaga are dead. Chrollo can't be happy about that.

He seems like the type to want to avenge his comrades. Is Kurapika sure it's safe here? Should we be running?

"(Y/n)?" Kurapika said, slowly coming back to me. "Are you absolutely certain there's nothing you want to talk about? Nothing to get off of your chest? Rant? Cry?"

I sighed. "Yes, I'm sure. If this is about how I didn't eat much-"

"I just want you to be alright-"

"I never eat much in the mornings! You know me, toast with butter. If anything, I'm doing well right now."

Kurapika's gaze trailed lower for a moment as he took his place next to me again. "I know you don't want me doting on you, but this— I feel like you getting hurt was my fault."

"Kurapika-"

"Because it is. I left. I left you alone and vulnerable and you suffered because of it. (Y/n) if you're acting like this because you're mad at me-"

I grabbed Kurapika's face and squeezed it, laughing a bit when he looked to me, his squished cheeks making him look even cuter. I pecked his lips and looked into his eyes. "It's not your fault. And I'm not angry. I'm sorry if I've acted hostile, but I'm just— tired."

He stayed silent, his eyes averting mine before his face broke into a smile. "Can you let go, dopey? I'd like to breathe."

I laughed and pushed his face away, looking back to the doorway or our room where I thought I had seen Chrollo. "You want to go back to our room?" Kurapika asked.

I smirked. "Well it does have the only functioning television in this place."

Kurapika half laughed. "Well played. Come on."

Authors note: I have to wait it out and either; not write a smut, or write a realistic smut. Author-chan isn't sure what she's going to do yet.