Kurapika/Reader: Twelve Steps

Chapter 1: Trust

"So do your eyes only turn red when you're angry? Or is it tied to any kind of strong emotion?" You honestly didn't expect an answer from the stoic blond, but surprisingly enough his tenor voice rang quietly through the dusk air, interrupting the continuous whirr of cicadas.

"It's hard for me to be certain, since I can't exactly see when it happens from my own perspective." Grey irises peered up at you from behind a curtain of gold, catching the moonbeams and reflecting the blue from the night sky. Their aura emanated an energy not unlike storm clouds looming over the sea, hanging low and waiting to strike. By some inexplicable phenomenon his personality provoked the exact same mental comparison. Despite his gentle and polite veneer, something about him lay dormant beneath the surface, a tempest rising in the east concealed behind a deceivingly innocuous round face and reticent smile. "Someone would probably have to observe and tell me." He continued with a pragmatic detachment. "Otherwise I don't really have a conclusive answer."

"True... It's not like you can ask other members of your clan." His eyes narrowed at your assessment and his back pressed firmer into the tree he was sitting against, a clear assertion of his distrust. You couldn't exactly blame him; you were nearly a stranger, having only met him mere days ago. Not to mention the fact that you seemed to possess an unusual amount of knowledge surrounding his heritage.

"I've been meaning to ask how you know that..."

"I thought it was common knowledge." You noted Kurapika's dissatisfaction with your answer and decided to elaborate. "The Spider is really active where I come from. They practically rule over the city now..." His posture stiffened with attentiveness and his eyes blazed with... curiosity? No, it was passion. He seemed to be hanging on your next words, irises smoldering a halfway hue between periwinkle grey and vermillion red, drops of blood in a cup of water. You should have known. Why wouldn't the last Kurta have a vendetta against the organization that killed his family and friends? You felt stupid for not connecting the dots sooner. "They seem to thrive in big metropolitan areas where crime is commonplace, and there's enough of them to cover a lot of territory."

"Where are you from, F/N?" He tried to make the question sound friendly- he even used your name and everything- but his motives for asking were abundantly clear and they had nothing to do with you. You smiled at him.

"If we live through this exam I'll tell you, okay? Promise."

"...Fair enough." He lowered his knees that were previously curled to his chest and reached into his satchel. "You thirsty?" He must've noticed you enviously eyeing his canteen. "Here." He tossed it across the small distance between you. "Consider this an apology for my earlier rudeness."

"Rudeness?" You cocked an eyebrow and took a swig of water.

"I never properly thanked you for saving me back then."

"Oh, no worries!" You waved your free hand. "I'm sure you would've gotten out of that on your own. You carry knives on you, right?" Your astute level of observation once more took Kurapika aback.

"Yes. But... it would've taken a considerable amount of time to free myself that way. So you see there's no guarantee I would have caught up with the group in time, not at the pace they were moving."

"It's possible... But we were pretty close to the Preserve already, so I doubt it made a difference."

"Even so. When you mentioned my clan I let my capriciousness get the better of me, and I treated you with hostility. That was unwarranted. I shouldn't have assumed you were my enemy."

"After seeing you walk out of the tower with Tonpa I honestly don't blame you at all for being suspicious." You shook your head in exasperation at the mere thought of him. "What an asshat." Kurapika couldn't help but chuckle under his breath.

"Well... if you agree to let bygones be bygones, I'd be more than happy to answer any more questions you have about my eyes."

"Deal." The enthusiastic look on your face made the blond fear that he'd soon be up all night quelling your curiosity. "So theoretically... your eyes could change when you're really sad?"

"I don't think that's likely. It seems more tied to the adrenaline-side of emotion. Like rage or malice. ...Maybe fear?" He twirled a piece of his hair as he chewed on the idea, and you were pleased to see the nonverbal sign of his reservations abating. You hummed in acknowledgment and nodded.

'So it seems to be related to intensity. Could it be a release of catecholamines? Maybe a spike in heart rate? No, that cant be it. Otherwise it would happen when he exercises too... ' You glanced up to see the adjacent male deep in thought as well. Perhaps he'd never contemplated the finer details of his unique trait either. 'Maybe it's hormonal.' Your brain postulated an idea and your mouth fired the burning interest before you thought it through.

"Is lust a possibility?" Kurapika's mouth fell open slightly at the overt question. You saw a blush and a slight tint of rose in his eyes to match, but it was only for an instant.

'Okay, so embarrassment is a definite yes.'

"You... could have phrased that more tactfully..." He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to regain his composure. You weren't sure what came over you in this moment, but something about seeing that obstinate standoffish boy get flustered elicited an outpour of uncontrollable giggles. "I don't see what's so funny." He sassed flatly, only to find himself unable to hold back a chuckle a moment later when he caught sight of you trying to suppress your laugh with your hand. Though your noises were muffled to near silence, your grin reached your eyes, and when he saw that he couldn't help but join in; your levity was simply too contagious. Things fell silent for a short while after that, only the gentle hum of forest bugs impeding the peace. You gazed up at the canopy where the moonlight cast shadows through the tree line.

"You know... I bet if your entire clan started arguing at once they could light the whole night sky." All Kurapika could do was balk in the face of your wild imagination. It kind of reminded him of Gon, and maybe... someone else he used to know.

"Not many people know this, but not all of my clan members had the scarlet eyes. It was maybe only about a third of us. Probably less now that I think about it." Now he was surrendering information without you asking? That was highly out of character for him, and to a stranger no less...

"Really?! That's surprising! I assumed that every single one of you had it, considering-" '...considering they were all killed, not a single one spared.' You managed to cut yourself off, but the mood had already fallen. The boy must've known what you were going to say, for his gaze turned downward. "...In all seriousness I think that what those monsters did to your people was unforgivable. To destroy something so naturally beautiful... It's disgusting! If you think a flower is beautiful you don't just pluck it and let it die... You should nourish it and help it grow, right?!" He blinked at the sudden gravity in your voice. "Any good Beast Hunter is aware of this. Unfortunately, there are those that choose to disregard that balance... poachers that suck lands dry and leave nothing but death in their wake, the types that hunt villages and animals to extinction for nothing more than personal gain. They're honestly no better than the beasts they kill..." You met his eyes. "Someone needs to be strong enough to stop them. And that's why I'm going to pass this exam." Your convictions must have struck a chord in him- if the ruby shimmer in his stare was any indication.

"I believe we may be... kindred spirits."

"I think so too." You smiled at one another and the warm heated red was put to bed once more. 'The scarlet eyes...' Though this boy your age clearly possessed a keen awareness behind those stormy orbs, his emotions were very easy to read- or at the very least his hostility was. It was almost like having a courtesy warning sign, one you rarely find in an occupation such as this. Perhaps that's why you harbored such an unusual trust of him. Maybe he was right about your emotional consanguinity, you pondered as he folded up his tabard and offered it to you as a pillow. He seemed to be opening up to you as well.

It really was such a shame...

that he was your target.