Lucilfer (ChrolloxReader)

Chapter 82

There was ease in my thoughts upon awakening the morning of the seventeenth. The atmosphere felt free of a large part of the burden which had been lingering ever since Chrollo left, and things weren't quite so gray anymore. The hardest trek of these two months was over; there was only one week remaining until I was safe in the arms of my lover, until I could remove this betrayal from my shoulders. I wanted his forgiveness so badly, and I wanted to move away from this time in my life. I wanted to move forward from it, and never look back at the tragedy which would become of Kurapika.

But in light of the fact that I was still stuck with Kurapika, I would need to tell him that I planned on leaving soon. I didn't have the heart to tell him it would be one of the last times he'd see me, though, but I was sure he would guess, purely based on the fact that he knew I was in love with someone else. I simply didn't know how I would tell him, how I would break the news to him. He seemed to be under the impression that my stay was indefinite—that, or he didn't wish to entertain the idea that I would be leaving. Either way, I was timid towards the task.

I rolled over to a more comfortable position on the couch to reach my phone and check for a message from Chrollo—the time was just reaching a quarter until eleven, but I hadn't been texted anything in response to what I'd sent him the previous evening. It was to be expected, but I was still anxious to hear from him again since he'd told me he would reply in the morning. My eyes grazed over the last one he'd sent, rereading it and filling my soul with the security that Hisoka was no longer a threat, that I wouldn't need to foster that subconscious worry about Chrollo's death.

Even though I knew he probably wouldn't see it yet, I still found myself typing out a small message, all the while haphazardly feeling a shuddering excitement at the realization that I would soon be awakening in our bed once again, that only his scent would greet me as I arose from sleeping against his chest.

"Good morning :) I just woke up. I slept very well last night, actually. Did you sleep? Did you have any late interviews? Text me when you can, no rush. I love you <3"

I stared at the screen for a few moments, waiting for it to send, but the little "delivered" icon never showed up beneath the message. My brows furrowed absently, and I flicked my thumb in an upward motion across the smooth surface, hoping it might refresh and send again, but it never did.

Maybe he's just getting bad service. Or maybe Kurapika's wifi is terrible.

Still, it didn't exactly fail to deliver. I shook it off casually and resigned myself to waiting—it would send as soon the service was cleared up.

Extending in a deep stretch, I released a heavy sigh and stumbled unsteadily from the couch. When I turned to face the kitchen, however, I saw Kurapika sitting at one of the barstools, his back to me as he hunched over something he seemed to be very focused on. A lazy smile taunted my lips, and I crossed my arms over my chest, pulling the crew neck I wore tighter over my body and ambling slowly towards him.

He must've heard my approach—he inhaled suddenly and shifted slightly in his seat, looking over his shoulder and offering me a gentle, entranced grin. So many emotions glittered in his peacefully gray irises; so many other emotions were willingly pushed aside at the sight of me. I stifled the rising bile of sorrow at the visible swirl of adoration flitting across his expression and moved closer, noticing that he'd been bent over his phone.

"Hey," I murmured through a short yawn, blinking a few times to clear my gaze. "What are you doing?"

With a tentative shrug, he peered back down to the screen and shut it off, tucking his hands together in a subdued way.

"Well, I was going to ask you if..." He pursed his lips, averting my eyes by maintaining a staring contest with his twining fingers. "...if you wanted to get coffee this morning. I was looking for locations nearby—do you remember the coffee shop we went to when we explored the art district?"