Dis Aliter Visum - Chapter 105 - 2,370 words
Note: can you believe i wrote this all out of order? anyway, here it is. the last chapter of dav. only the epilogue left to write!
Beta-reader: unbeta'ed, unedited.
Chapter summary: Est et no.
Chapter 105
Morning turned into afternoon, and still they were fighting, despite Kuroro's words. Soon after the sun started it's slow decline, a light drizzle began to fall, soon turning into a downpour. It made the ground extremely slippery and reduced the visibility to near-nothing. Both the Kuruta and the Spider Head were extremely adaptable, however, and they fought on despite the setback. If he was honest with himself, and Kuroro always tried to be, he would admit he was impressed with how Kurapica adjusted to the difficult conditions. He even managed to get close into Kuroro's personal space and grabbed his coat. He looked about to punch him, but paused. Kuroro grabbed both his wrists and held them tightly, trying not to think of the nights when he touched him for entirely different reasons.
He eyed the blond in front of him and felt his mouth pull into a light, pensive frown, but he smoothed out his expression. Wariness and something softer warred for an instant over Kurapica's expression, but it was gone too fast for Kuroro to identify the second look. He couldn't understand why the boy had not used his chain, and opted to go for hitting him - or not, as the case appeared to be - with his bare hands. There was a short stare down as the Spider Head tried to see which angle from which to attack the blond, then they both started moving, as if of a common accord.
Kurapica jumped back and Kuroro let go of him, just as the blond sent his chain arching towards him. He threw himself behind a tree, then reappeared from the same side as soon as the chain was past him and he grabbed it, giving it a sharp pull. He threw himself at the Kuruta at the same time, hands rearing up for a punch.
~*~
Kuroro's fist connected, sending the blond sprawling back, immediately jumping after him, but Kurapica rolled to the right and quickly twisted to get his knees underneath him. He leaned some of his weight on his right hand and got his feet on the ground and jumped back just as Kuroro attacked him with the benz knife. It was close - so close that the Kuruta heard the blade whistle as it missed him by an inch.
It didn't make sense, why didn't the older man attack him with anything lethal? Kuroro should want to finish this as fast as possible. From what Kurapica had learned of the man, he didn't enjoy the fights like his large underling had. Logically, he should be trying to end things quickly and move on to other things. He should want to get rid of the blond once and for all and write this entire trip as failure, but he only used non-lethal skills and seemed more concerned with immobilizing Kurapica than killing him.
Kurapica was not going to be captured again.
But as he ducked under Kuroro's arm, dodging another knife thrust, he had to let the older man step in close. The scent of his clothes made Kurapica's chest feel too tight. He remembered the scent of Kuroro's skin, the feel of his silky hair between his fingers and, overcome by grief, he jumped away, ran to the side and tried to get himself to breathe through it. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and was surprised to find that the punch had split the skin. He had expected the taste of black coffee and Kuroro on his lips, but found blood instead. It grounded him and he jumped forward again.
~*~
Kuroro leaned back, barely avoiding Kurapica's chain. He immediately rushed towards him, fell into a crouch to avoid another attack, and swung his leg out, trying to trip the blond, but Kurapica jumped to the side and Kuroro missed. Amazing. Kurapica was amazing. His speed, agility and reflexes were simply unmatched by anyone Kuroro had ever fought with before. Of course, this seemed to be linked to Kurapica's Scarlet Eyes, but it was still incridible.
Such a pity that Kuroro had to kill the younger man, now.
Still, he wasn't one for regrets, and he knew what he ought to do. He was quickly running out of the thin stiletto knives he used for throwing - they were a tad more handy than looking for pens, especially in the woods - but he spared one more just to force Kurapica to jump to the right. He went to run that way, but Kurapica surprised him by jumping up, onto the lowest branch of a tree, then to the left.
Again, the blond had surprised him.
Kuroro had to stop being impressed if he wanted to win this fight. Already, Kurapica was jumping at him and the Spider Head lost a tenth of a second because Kurapica's red eyes were a reminder of things that Kuroro needed to put out of his head. He managed to avoid the chain sent at him, but only barely. He had to get a grip.
~*~
Kurapica nearly snarled in frustration. Kuroro wasn't taking this fight seriously. This was the fight that Kurapica had been training for, enduring for, what he'd sworn he would do, at the risk of losing his life in, and the Spider Head seemed to be simply playing with him. He had to have many abilities stored in that book of his, but he wasn't even using it. Instead, he was fighting the blond with a simple poisoned knife. As if Kurapica were a mere thug!
It was a slight to his honour and it infuriated him. Yet, when Kuroro got into his personal space again, thrusting his knife forward and Kurapica tilted his head to the side to avoid it, all the Kuruta could think of was of Kuroro's hand sliding into his hair, his strong body warm under Kurapica's hands.
~*~
Kuroro missed, but he had expected it. Already, his other hand was moving, the edge of his hand going for the blond's throat. He should have enforced it with nen, should have made it hard as steel. It would have crushed Kurapica's windpipes, would have killed him instantly. But he didn't. He should have, and yet -
Kurapica moved backwards, and though the Spider Head managed a glancing hit to his throat, it still left the blond very much alive, and Kuroro frowned to himself, not liking this potential weakness that he had for his opponent. It wasn't and likely wouldn't be the last time that he would spare someone, but he knew that this fight could not end without one of them dead.
Kuroro wasn't ready to die yet.
~*~
Kurapica choked and coughed, jumping away and bringing his left hand to his neck, as if it would help him breathe. He paused a split-second, confused for a moment. The blow should have killed him. Why hadn't it killed him? He'd been just a little too slow, all Kuroro had to do was reinforce his hand and Kurapica would have been history. And yet -
Kuroro was lunging at him again and Kurapica jumped back, reflexively throwing his chain out in a vain hope to at least distract the Spider Head.
~*~
Kuroro ducked under the chain, but kept his eyes on the captivating blond. He meant to throw himself at him again, but the chain snaked in mid-air and whistled past his ear as he jumped to the side instead. Kurapica's eyes followed him - those beautiful, mesmerizing eyes which, to Kuroro's mind, shone more beautifully than any other pair of Scarlet Eyes he'd stared into.
He was tiring, which wasn't good. This fight could not drag on for much further. Kurapica wiped at his forehead with his sleeve and the Spider Head realized that he was tiring too. Taking advantage of the few seconds the blond had his arm up, he threw his last three knives at his feet.
~*~
Kurapica heard the blades cutting through the air as they flew at him, and he lowered his arm, cursing his moment of inattention. He threw himself back as each knife planted itself into the earth where his feet had been, one after the other. His left foot went through the soil near the trunk of a large, mossy tree, and he felt the roots scratch at his ankle like talons. He heard Kuroro move and looked up just in time to see the Spider Head lunge at him again.
~*~
Now was the time to end it. Now was when Kuroro was going to kill the blond once and for all. Things would go back to normal. He would cut his losses and return to his usual heists, directing his Spiders and stealing what caught his fancy. Seizing his chance, the Spider Head ran at Kurapica, his knife now aimed to kill.
~*~
Kurapica tried getting his foot free, and managed to almost get it out, but one gnarly root with multiple smaller twigs hampered his efforts. He heard Kuroro move and jumped back, but his foot was not completely free of the hole and, already tiring from the long fight, he tripped a little, his leg muscles aching and breath short.
~*~
Kuroro jumped at the chance and slammed the palm of his right hand right on Kurapica's chest, enforced with nen, and the Kuruta went down. He went with the push to sit on Kurapica's stomach and backed his hand for a clean strike to the throat, but looking down at the blond -
~*~
- looking up at Kuroro like this brought to mind too many night, too many breathless moans stuck in his throat as he refused to make a sound. He remembered the feeling of fingers running through his hair, a hand stroking up his chest -
~*~
- Kurapica's eyes red for a different reason, golden hair spilling on the pillow, lips wet and kiss-red, parted slightly as he panted, as Kuroro pushed into him -
~*~
- Kuroro pushing into him, reaching to the core of his being with something intangible, through the very physical touches of his skin and -
~*~
- wanting more, so much more than this, more than conveyed through words or touches, but -
~*~
“Kill me,” Kurapica whispered, his voice rough from the glancing hit he'd taken to his throat.
~*~
He should. He should kill him now, while he had the blond at his mercy, finish this once and for all. He raised his arms again, but found he couldn't - he just couldn't.
This... was not right, not good, not anything he had ever wanted.
“Kill me,” Kurapica insisted, “and finish this.”
Kuroro's chest rose and fell with panted breath that fell into step with the Kuruta's own. He let his book close and disappear, freeing his left hand so he could fist it into Kurapica's shirt, but instead of striking him like he meant to, he pulled him higher even as he leaned in. Kurapica's lips were as soft as ever, despite the wound. The blond froze a moment, then his hands came up and gripped Kuroro's sleeves as he responded to the kiss with raw desperation. A moment, then the blond's left hand rose to Kuroro's dark locks, and he buried his fingers in his hair.
~*~
The kiss tasted like rain and like blood and like everything that they were, hunger and pain and want and anger. Their fingers tangled in wet locks, slid over shivering skin, caught in soggy clothing.
“This is,” Kurapica started in a hushed, passionate whisper and was interrupted by another kiss, “insane.” He pulled at Kuroro's hair, kissing him again. “Completely - ” and again “- irrational.”
“Irrationality is the root cause of our problems,” Kuroro replied, before delving in.
Kurapica huffed at that, because - wasn't that true. But his mouth was just as hungry as Kuroro's, and he grazed his teeth over Kuroro's lower lip and felt satisfaction at hearing his breath catch. Kurapica's right hand left the older man's sleeve to wrap around the back of his neck and pull him in. And as their lips parted, met, parted again and came together in a desperate dance of longing, he realized that Kuroro couldn't kill him either. They had too much history together - and he would take the good with the bad, because he couldn't imagine going without anymore. Kuroro left his mouth to bite lightly at his jawline.
“So what now?” Kurapica asked, closing his eyes and tilting his head back in invitation.
"Quod vitae sectabor iter?" Kuroro, mused, returning the question.
Kurapica couldn't help letting out a soft, amused breath.
"Est et non," he replied unhelpfully, keeping with the quote.
Kuroro pulled back enough to look down at him and Kurapica opened his eyes to return his gaze. Moments ticked by with the sound of raindrops on rock and tree leaves. A breeze picked up, cooling their wet skin, and they were both panting softly in tandem, chests heaving from the fight and something indefinite that they were both just on the verge of truly grasping. Kurapica's tongue darted out to ease the sting of his split lip. He opened his mouth and took in a breath, but Kuroro beat him to it.
“Yes,” he said.
Kurapica felt suddenly dizzy, and if he weren't already lying down, he might have had to.
“Yes?” he asked, somewhat hesitant in his surprise.
Kuroro gazed down at him and waiting, refusing to repeat himself. Kurapica felt a sudden urge to flee. This was too big, too overwhelming, and it terrified him. And yet, he couldn't, not for anything in the world.
“Okay,” he breathed out.
Kuroro's lips in a muted smile that felt more real than his usual grins, and Kurapica sucked in a breath. Before he knew what he was doing, he was pulling Kuroro into a kiss that was messy and happy and scared, lips and tongue and teeth and it made him dizzy, dizzier than he had ever felt.
This didn't fix them, this quiet acceptance, the knowledge that they were going somewhere, and going together. It didn't fix them, but it was a start.
Beta-reader: unbeta'ed, unedited.
Chapter summary: Est et no.
Chapter 105
Morning turned into afternoon, and still they were fighting, despite Kuroro's words. Soon after the sun started it's slow decline, a light drizzle began to fall, soon turning into a downpour. It made the ground extremely slippery and reduced the visibility to near-nothing. Both the Kuruta and the Spider Head were extremely adaptable, however, and they fought on despite the setback. If he was honest with himself, and Kuroro always tried to be, he would admit he was impressed with how Kurapica adjusted to the difficult conditions. He even managed to get close into Kuroro's personal space and grabbed his coat. He looked about to punch him, but paused. Kuroro grabbed both his wrists and held them tightly, trying not to think of the nights when he touched him for entirely different reasons.
He eyed the blond in front of him and felt his mouth pull into a light, pensive frown, but he smoothed out his expression. Wariness and something softer warred for an instant over Kurapica's expression, but it was gone too fast for Kuroro to identify the second look. He couldn't understand why the boy had not used his chain, and opted to go for hitting him - or not, as the case appeared to be - with his bare hands. There was a short stare down as the Spider Head tried to see which angle from which to attack the blond, then they both started moving, as if of a common accord.
Kurapica jumped back and Kuroro let go of him, just as the blond sent his chain arching towards him. He threw himself behind a tree, then reappeared from the same side as soon as the chain was past him and he grabbed it, giving it a sharp pull. He threw himself at the Kuruta at the same time, hands rearing up for a punch.
~*~
Kuroro's fist connected, sending the blond sprawling back, immediately jumping after him, but Kurapica rolled to the right and quickly twisted to get his knees underneath him. He leaned some of his weight on his right hand and got his feet on the ground and jumped back just as Kuroro attacked him with the benz knife. It was close - so close that the Kuruta heard the blade whistle as it missed him by an inch.
It didn't make sense, why didn't the older man attack him with anything lethal? Kuroro should want to finish this as fast as possible. From what Kurapica had learned of the man, he didn't enjoy the fights like his large underling had. Logically, he should be trying to end things quickly and move on to other things. He should want to get rid of the blond once and for all and write this entire trip as failure, but he only used non-lethal skills and seemed more concerned with immobilizing Kurapica than killing him.
Kurapica was not going to be captured again.
But as he ducked under Kuroro's arm, dodging another knife thrust, he had to let the older man step in close. The scent of his clothes made Kurapica's chest feel too tight. He remembered the scent of Kuroro's skin, the feel of his silky hair between his fingers and, overcome by grief, he jumped away, ran to the side and tried to get himself to breathe through it. His tongue darted out to wet his lips, and was surprised to find that the punch had split the skin. He had expected the taste of black coffee and Kuroro on his lips, but found blood instead. It grounded him and he jumped forward again.
~*~
Kuroro leaned back, barely avoiding Kurapica's chain. He immediately rushed towards him, fell into a crouch to avoid another attack, and swung his leg out, trying to trip the blond, but Kurapica jumped to the side and Kuroro missed. Amazing. Kurapica was amazing. His speed, agility and reflexes were simply unmatched by anyone Kuroro had ever fought with before. Of course, this seemed to be linked to Kurapica's Scarlet Eyes, but it was still incridible.
Such a pity that Kuroro had to kill the younger man, now.
Still, he wasn't one for regrets, and he knew what he ought to do. He was quickly running out of the thin stiletto knives he used for throwing - they were a tad more handy than looking for pens, especially in the woods - but he spared one more just to force Kurapica to jump to the right. He went to run that way, but Kurapica surprised him by jumping up, onto the lowest branch of a tree, then to the left.
Again, the blond had surprised him.
Kuroro had to stop being impressed if he wanted to win this fight. Already, Kurapica was jumping at him and the Spider Head lost a tenth of a second because Kurapica's red eyes were a reminder of things that Kuroro needed to put out of his head. He managed to avoid the chain sent at him, but only barely. He had to get a grip.
~*~
Kurapica nearly snarled in frustration. Kuroro wasn't taking this fight seriously. This was the fight that Kurapica had been training for, enduring for, what he'd sworn he would do, at the risk of losing his life in, and the Spider Head seemed to be simply playing with him. He had to have many abilities stored in that book of his, but he wasn't even using it. Instead, he was fighting the blond with a simple poisoned knife. As if Kurapica were a mere thug!
It was a slight to his honour and it infuriated him. Yet, when Kuroro got into his personal space again, thrusting his knife forward and Kurapica tilted his head to the side to avoid it, all the Kuruta could think of was of Kuroro's hand sliding into his hair, his strong body warm under Kurapica's hands.
~*~
Kuroro missed, but he had expected it. Already, his other hand was moving, the edge of his hand going for the blond's throat. He should have enforced it with nen, should have made it hard as steel. It would have crushed Kurapica's windpipes, would have killed him instantly. But he didn't. He should have, and yet -
Kurapica moved backwards, and though the Spider Head managed a glancing hit to his throat, it still left the blond very much alive, and Kuroro frowned to himself, not liking this potential weakness that he had for his opponent. It wasn't and likely wouldn't be the last time that he would spare someone, but he knew that this fight could not end without one of them dead.
Kuroro wasn't ready to die yet.
~*~
Kurapica choked and coughed, jumping away and bringing his left hand to his neck, as if it would help him breathe. He paused a split-second, confused for a moment. The blow should have killed him. Why hadn't it killed him? He'd been just a little too slow, all Kuroro had to do was reinforce his hand and Kurapica would have been history. And yet -
Kuroro was lunging at him again and Kurapica jumped back, reflexively throwing his chain out in a vain hope to at least distract the Spider Head.
~*~
Kuroro ducked under the chain, but kept his eyes on the captivating blond. He meant to throw himself at him again, but the chain snaked in mid-air and whistled past his ear as he jumped to the side instead. Kurapica's eyes followed him - those beautiful, mesmerizing eyes which, to Kuroro's mind, shone more beautifully than any other pair of Scarlet Eyes he'd stared into.
He was tiring, which wasn't good. This fight could not drag on for much further. Kurapica wiped at his forehead with his sleeve and the Spider Head realized that he was tiring too. Taking advantage of the few seconds the blond had his arm up, he threw his last three knives at his feet.
~*~
Kurapica heard the blades cutting through the air as they flew at him, and he lowered his arm, cursing his moment of inattention. He threw himself back as each knife planted itself into the earth where his feet had been, one after the other. His left foot went through the soil near the trunk of a large, mossy tree, and he felt the roots scratch at his ankle like talons. He heard Kuroro move and looked up just in time to see the Spider Head lunge at him again.
~*~
Now was the time to end it. Now was when Kuroro was going to kill the blond once and for all. Things would go back to normal. He would cut his losses and return to his usual heists, directing his Spiders and stealing what caught his fancy. Seizing his chance, the Spider Head ran at Kurapica, his knife now aimed to kill.
~*~
Kurapica tried getting his foot free, and managed to almost get it out, but one gnarly root with multiple smaller twigs hampered his efforts. He heard Kuroro move and jumped back, but his foot was not completely free of the hole and, already tiring from the long fight, he tripped a little, his leg muscles aching and breath short.
~*~
Kuroro jumped at the chance and slammed the palm of his right hand right on Kurapica's chest, enforced with nen, and the Kuruta went down. He went with the push to sit on Kurapica's stomach and backed his hand for a clean strike to the throat, but looking down at the blond -
~*~
- looking up at Kuroro like this brought to mind too many night, too many breathless moans stuck in his throat as he refused to make a sound. He remembered the feeling of fingers running through his hair, a hand stroking up his chest -
~*~
- Kurapica's eyes red for a different reason, golden hair spilling on the pillow, lips wet and kiss-red, parted slightly as he panted, as Kuroro pushed into him -
~*~
- Kuroro pushing into him, reaching to the core of his being with something intangible, through the very physical touches of his skin and -
~*~
- wanting more, so much more than this, more than conveyed through words or touches, but -
~*~
“Kill me,” Kurapica whispered, his voice rough from the glancing hit he'd taken to his throat.
~*~
He should. He should kill him now, while he had the blond at his mercy, finish this once and for all. He raised his arms again, but found he couldn't - he just couldn't.
This... was not right, not good, not anything he had ever wanted.
“Kill me,” Kurapica insisted, “and finish this.”
Kuroro's chest rose and fell with panted breath that fell into step with the Kuruta's own. He let his book close and disappear, freeing his left hand so he could fist it into Kurapica's shirt, but instead of striking him like he meant to, he pulled him higher even as he leaned in. Kurapica's lips were as soft as ever, despite the wound. The blond froze a moment, then his hands came up and gripped Kuroro's sleeves as he responded to the kiss with raw desperation. A moment, then the blond's left hand rose to Kuroro's dark locks, and he buried his fingers in his hair.
~*~
The kiss tasted like rain and like blood and like everything that they were, hunger and pain and want and anger. Their fingers tangled in wet locks, slid over shivering skin, caught in soggy clothing.
“This is,” Kurapica started in a hushed, passionate whisper and was interrupted by another kiss, “insane.” He pulled at Kuroro's hair, kissing him again. “Completely - ” and again “- irrational.”
“Irrationality is the root cause of our problems,” Kuroro replied, before delving in.
Kurapica huffed at that, because - wasn't that true. But his mouth was just as hungry as Kuroro's, and he grazed his teeth over Kuroro's lower lip and felt satisfaction at hearing his breath catch. Kurapica's right hand left the older man's sleeve to wrap around the back of his neck and pull him in. And as their lips parted, met, parted again and came together in a desperate dance of longing, he realized that Kuroro couldn't kill him either. They had too much history together - and he would take the good with the bad, because he couldn't imagine going without anymore. Kuroro left his mouth to bite lightly at his jawline.
“So what now?” Kurapica asked, closing his eyes and tilting his head back in invitation.
"Quod vitae sectabor iter?" Kuroro, mused, returning the question.
Kurapica couldn't help letting out a soft, amused breath.
"Est et non," he replied unhelpfully, keeping with the quote.
Kuroro pulled back enough to look down at him and Kurapica opened his eyes to return his gaze. Moments ticked by with the sound of raindrops on rock and tree leaves. A breeze picked up, cooling their wet skin, and they were both panting softly in tandem, chests heaving from the fight and something indefinite that they were both just on the verge of truly grasping. Kurapica's tongue darted out to ease the sting of his split lip. He opened his mouth and took in a breath, but Kuroro beat him to it.
“Yes,” he said.
Kurapica felt suddenly dizzy, and if he weren't already lying down, he might have had to.
“Yes?” he asked, somewhat hesitant in his surprise.
Kuroro gazed down at him and waiting, refusing to repeat himself. Kurapica felt a sudden urge to flee. This was too big, too overwhelming, and it terrified him. And yet, he couldn't, not for anything in the world.
“Okay,” he breathed out.
Kuroro's lips in a muted smile that felt more real than his usual grins, and Kurapica sucked in a breath. Before he knew what he was doing, he was pulling Kuroro into a kiss that was messy and happy and scared, lips and tongue and teeth and it made him dizzy, dizzier than he had ever felt.
This didn't fix them, this quiet acceptance, the knowledge that they were going somewhere, and going together. It didn't fix them, but it was a start.