Sanctuary (Chrollo x OC)

1.Meeting

Azuma was out to cut bamboo. She needed a new table, her last one had gotten old, and she gave it to the villagers.

Azuma was a woman of order. If the floor needs sweeping, she sweeps if the food is running low, she cooks, and if the table is gone, she makes a new one. So, cleaver in hand, she went out for bamboo, to make a new table.

She was not expecting to find a young man, somewhere in his twenties, passed out with large injuries. The wounds weren't fatal, however at this rate he might die of an infection or blood loss.

Well, I guess that means no table... She thought humorously. Asuga quickly picked the man up, easily shifting him onto her back, and made her way home. Through the seemingly endless bamboo stocks, and to her little clearing.

Carefully placing the man down, she went to get medical supplies. After few minutes she returned, with bandages, salves, cloths, a pot of hot water, and other such things. Carefully taking the man' shirt off, she flushed. God he was handsome. Creamy pale skin, chiseled features, and he was...well built to say the least. He reminded her of a greek god.

The picture would've been perfect, if not for the red stains of blood. Azuma slapped her cheeks, she couldn't get distracted by the fact that this man was ridiculously handsome!

Shaking herself out of it she quickly started treating him. First she dipped a cloth in the hot water, and went about washing off the blood. However. As she cleaned his side, she saw something. A spider tattoo...that is...

Azuma frowned, she knew this symbol, no blacklist hunter didn't. She paused, no, it didn't matter who he was. He was in her house, and she'd already started treating him. She shook her head, she wouldn't let someone die under her care, she'd find out the truth later.

She continued the work, until finally he wasn't covered in dirt and blood, now she needed to treat the wounds themselves. Azuma took a cloth and dipped in in alcohol. Hopefully he doesn't wake up from this...

She dabbed the alcohol soaked cloth on his wounds. Luckily he didn't wake, does he even feel pain? She wondered. Where did he even get wounds like these... after cleaning the wounds, Azuma smeared salve on the bandages, and bandaged his injuries.

Azuma stretched. Her schedule was all messed up now. But, it was worth it, she'd saved a person. Now she needed to make food and heat the room. The table could wait for tomorrow.

Azuma decided to first make herself a cup of tea, she deserved it. Hmm.... yeah. She also deserves some of her limited supply of sweet bean curd. No! She isn't just making excuses to eat sweets! She really deserved it! After all, she did just save a man.

With those thoughts she poured some tea, and spooned herself some sweet bean curd. "Ahhh...~" Azumaa let out a sigh of content, and relaxed. This was the life. No threat of death, no hunting criminals, no burning rage, no chaotic screaming, and certainly no comrades dieing because of her rash decisions.

Azuma was dismayed when she realized she had already finished her tea, and even more dismayed when she looked over to see she had finished her bean curd as well. She glanced in her cup in a futile attempt to materialize tea. But alas, it was to no avail, all she saw were tea leaves.

Tea Leaves that spelled fate. Azuma was a bit taken aback, it's hardly every day that her tea leaves said she'd meet someone important. Although 'important' could really mean anything.

Azuma wasn't the superstitious type. She didn't believe common superstitions, such as red eyes meaning evil, or black cats meaning bad luck. Neither did she believe that tea leaves tell fortune. So she didn't think of those tea leaves, or their declaration.

However, it did make her think of the man who she had just spent the entire morning helping. The injuries, the tattoo, he might be dangerous. Although she didn't want to distrust the stranger... She glanced at the spider. Just in case he did turn out to be dangerous, Azuma strapped a cleaver to her hip.

~

Chrollo woke to the hiss of a kettle, and the crackling of fire. But it was the gentle thump of feet the really snapped him awake. Where was he? Why is he in a bed? Did he lose them? Why don't his wounds hurt as much as they should?

Chrollo sat up, throwing the blanket off his upper body. He looked down, his wounds had been cleaned and bandaged. He looked around. He was in a small traditional japonese room. Beside him were medical supplies, and in the corner of the room a small wood stove burned. Who would...

"Your finally awake." He looked up, by the entrance was a beautiful woman. She had long flowing raven hair, pink lips, pale skin, a sizable bust, and gentle green eyes. She wore traditional red trousers that ended just above the ankle, and a traditional long sleeved black shirt. Elegant but practical.

But that isn't what Chrollo payed attention to. She held herself as someone who knew combat, and had much experience in it. Rested on her hip was a heavy cleaver, although it wasn't the razor sharp kind for combat...it could certainly hurt...a lot.

Chrollo tensed. "Where am I?" He questioned, hardly acknowledging her earlier statement.

"The Taki region, Kisuo forest." She answered. He nodded.

"Who are you?" He asked.

She frowned. "That's what I'd like to ask you, not everyone has that spider tattoo." The woman observed.

And they were off. Chrollo moved first, grabbing a nearby carving knife and swiftly leaving the ground. The woman wasn't slow to react, within seconds her cleaver was in hand.

The two weapons met, the dull cleaver aiming to break the raven haired man's wrist, and the knife deflecting it, sending the woman off to the side, but she was quick to recover, near instantly regaining her footing and going in for another swing. This time the knife couldn't hold up, it was crushed.

Chrollo sighed, dropping what remained of the knife to the ground, recognizing that he wouldn't be able to win this fight. "Chrollo." He stated his name.

"I see, nice to meet you Chrollo. So, why do you have that tattoo?" She inquired, although it was more like an order.

Chrollo paused. He thought back to a certain Kurta. "...The Phantom Troupe killed my family, I keep a spider tattoo as a reminder of them, to make sure my rage doesn't fade."

The woman sighed, she didn't look convinced. "Well, I suppose you'll tell me eventually..." She muttered. Chrollo was surprised. She knew he was lying, but she didn't seem to mind.

Chrollo decided to change the subject. "Your quite stunning, it'd be a shame for such beauty to go unnamed." He flattered.

The woman let out a small chuckle. "You certainly have a way with words, as for the answer, my name is Azuma."

"Well then, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Azuma."

Azuma nodded. "Now then! Get up, we've got work to do!" She declared, gesturing for Chrollo to get dressed, and ready to do things.

"...We?" Chrollo questioned, a bit confused.

"Indeed! You didn't think I'd just let you freeload here did you?" Azuma challenged. Her tone was that of a mother scolding her young. It had strict edge, her eyes dared Chrollo to decline.

"...I would, but as you see, I'm injured." Chrollo attempted to escape, gesturing to his bandages.

But Azuma would have none of it. "I can indeed see that. However, those certainly didn't stop you from fighting a mere minute ago. So I image they won't stop you from chopping firewood, or carrying buckets of water." Azuma cut off all discussion.

Chrollo slumped in defeat, he wouldn't be able to wriggle out if this.

And so, Chrollo braced himself for a long day of hard work.