Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Aaaah, what a day,” Melody sighed as she closed the breakroom door behind her. It had felt like her shift would never end! But now she had the rest of the evening to do as she pleased, no mollycoddling of the Boss involved. Eventually she’d head back to her room, but for right now she wanted to take advantage of some of the breakroom’s amenities.

Fetching herself a drink from the fridge, Melody then picked up the book she’d been reading during her lunch break yesterday. Maybe she could finish it tonight? She made herself comfortable on the sofa, and flipped the pages to where she’d left off.

Peaceful solitude was a rare thing in the Nostrade household, so Melody basked in it whenever she was able to. And she got nearly fifteen minutes of it before she was interrupted.

“Hey there,” Baise purred as she poked her head in through the doorway. “I’ve been looking for you!”

“Oh?” Melody noted the page she was on before placing it to the side and politely facing Baise. “Is there something I can help you with?”

Baise shook her head. “No, more like, there’s something I can help you with.”

“I…see,” said Melody hesitantly. If this involved another makeover attempt…

“It’s your birthday soon, isn’t it?” Baise blithely continued, barely waiting for Melody’s responding nod. “So I got you a present.”

“How kind of you,” Melody noted. “Thank you very much.”

The grin that she received in response was rather unsettling. “Wait to thank me until later, hmmm?” Baise turned to someone out in the corridor. “Hey, don’t just stand there! Go on in.”

To Melody’s surprise, Kurapika stiffly walked inside the room. She began to greet him, but gasped in shock once he came fully into view. Those glowing eyes…those parted, slack lips… “You used your Nen on him?” Melody gasped in horror. “Baise, how could you?”

“Puhleeease,” Baise rolled her eyes. “It was the only way to force a resolution to all of this. Otherwise, we’d all be stuck watching the two of you dance around each other for the rest of eternity. Just cough it up, the both of you, and we can all finally live in peace,” she sighed dramatically.

Melody clenched her fists and was about to demand an explanation when Baise turned to leave. “Well, my shift’s starting soon, so I’ll leave the two of you to it. Remember, Kurapika, you have to answer all of Melody’s questions. And be honest.”

“Yes, Mistress,” Kurapika muttered blankly.

With that, Baise slinked away, shutting the door behind her. Melody stared at Kurapika in mute horror. “Kurapika, are you…all right?” she whispered.

“I am physically well, although emotionally turbulent at the moment, Mistress Melody.”

Melody bit her lip. “Oh dear. Well, that’s something, I suppose. Please, take a seat. And you don’t need to call me ‘Mistress,’ Kurapika, just Melody is fine.”

Kurapika sat down on the armchair across from her. “As you wish, Melody.”

She struggled to organize her thoughts coherently, forcing herself to keep calm. The anger bubbling below the surface at Baise’s actions would do neither of them any good right now. She had to get to the bottom of this, and that would involve interrogating Kurapika. Instant Lover would force him to obey Baise’s commands, and Melody had now been included in this hierarchy. As much as it pained her to take advantage of the state he was in, she didn’t want to risk Kurapika forgetting anything once Instant Lover wore off. She had an hour-–maybe less-–to figure the situation out.

And if need be, she’d report Baise to Light Nostrade himself.

“I can’t believe her,” she said, sighing aloud. “Ever since Baise woke up from the coma, she’s been so childish and reckless with her powers.”

“Near-death experiences do frequently change personalities,” Kurapika offered. “Almost dying at the hands of the Phantom Troupe would have left a significant impact on her. This behavior is likely the result.”

“Yes, I suppose, but that doesn’t fully excuse what she’s done.” Melody paused. “What did she do, Kurapika? Why did Baise use her Nen ability on you?”

Kurapika slowly blinked at her. “Mistress discovered my secret,” he said blithely, as though he were discussing the weather. “She told me that if I would not reveal it, then she would force my hand.”

Melody felt her blood run cold. “No,” she whispered, “no.” She could feel her heartbeat stutter with panic. “She’s discovered your Scarlet Eyes?” If Baise knew that Kurapika was a Kurta, the last living Kurta, then she had placed him in mortal danger. Any slip of the tongue to Light Nostrade or Neon, and…Melody shuddered at the implications.

“No.” Kurapika blinked slowly at her again. “She learned of my romantic feelings for you.”

Melody’s brain went completely blank. The words rang in her ears, over and over. Feelings. Romantic feelings. For her, Melody, of all people. For a dizzy moment, she wondered if it could be a hoax, but no. The rules of Instant Lover aside, Kurapika’s heartbeat was honest and pure to a fault. It wasn’t a lie. This wasn’t exactly what she’d anticipated in response, though it was certainly better than the alternative. At least one of Kurapika’s secrets was still safe. 

Though out of all the secrets that she knew that Kurapika was keeping, Melody wouldn’t have thought that a secret love could be one of them. But it would certainly explain the increasing warmth of his heartbeat over the last several months. With each passing day, it gained strength, like the earth thawing into spring after the winter freeze. At the time, she’d simply passed it off as increasing mental and emotional stability after the nightmare of Yorknew; so his revelation was…somewhat unexpected, to say the least.

Unexpected, but not unwelcome. 

She had her own secrets, too. But upon reflection of Baise’s words–-“watching the two of you dance around each other” --it now seemed that Melody’s secrets weren’t quite as well-kept as she thought. Somewhere, sometime, one of her coworkers must have noticed a gaze that was warmer than normal, a touch that lingered too long, a word spoken with more tenderness than it warranted… Were the workings of her heart so transparent? Clearly so. Melody was a little embarrassed, to be caught so easily. She’d thought herself to have a greater rein over her emotions than she apparently did. Although she would have said the same for Kurapika, too.

Kurapika…

With a jolt, Melody shook herself out of her reverie. How long had she been staring at Kurapika in shocked silence? She had to respond (somehow), she couldn’t just leave him stewing in uncertainty.

“You’re interested in someone like me?” How else could she phrase this? Melody had never been the type to rehearse potential scenarios; it wasn’t like she’d ever anticipated having this discussion. “That is…I’m not the type of person to engage in self-loathing. But I know what I look like. And you’ve seen my body.” She clutched at her arm, wincing at the feeling of the scaly, warped skin hidden under her sleeve.

“True, you’re not considered conventionally attractive by society's terms,” Kurapika agreed. “But you’re so beautiful to me, the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.” Though they were shrouded by a haze of sickly-sweet pink Nen, his gaze was so soft, so tender. Whether it was the Nen ability’s programmed desire for Baise, or his true feelings for Melody, or somehow for them both, it still touched Melody’s heart.

She swallowed, her throat suddenly tight. When was the last time she’d heard someone say that, she wondered. How many years had it been since somebody looked at her with a gaze that wasn’t pitying, or disgusted, or wholly dispassionate? How long had it been since somebody saw her, cursed or not?

“I feel the same as you do,” she found herself saying. “You’re the only one that I have eyes for. Although I had planned on never telling you, to tell the truth. I…” And here she trailed off, unsure of exactly how to explain herself. “It didn’t feel right to do so, not when my life is caught up in this curse. Was it much the same for you?”

There were no outward changes on Kurapika’s face, and Melody could have cried at that. Clearly it was one of the side effects of Instant Lover, but she felt so horribly cheated to not see Kurapika’s true, untainted reaction to her confession. But perhaps this was the only way it could ever be.

“I never wanted to fall in love,” Kurapika stated. “But my motivations are similar to yours, yes. I suppose you could call my desire for revenge analogous to a curse. I couldn’t allow myself to bring another person into my life, since that meant placing them in harm’s way. It would be far better for everyone to keep myself separate and alone. But the heart has its own ways.”

“Oh, Kurapika,” Melody murmured. At the very least, she had loved before, even if none of her relationships had lasted as long as she’d hoped. But Kurapika? How long had he spent holding himself apart, yearning for something that he couldn’t bring himself to have? “You couldn’t see a future beyond your goal, could you?”

“No, I couldn’t. Not at first. But after I finally admitted to myself what I felt, I struggled with the thought. I would be happy denying myself a life with you if it meant you wouldn’t get dragged into my plans for revenge. But selfishly, I would be even happier having my dream fulfilled and a future with you by my side.” He fell silent, gaze dropping to his clasped hands. “This isn’t how I wanted to confess.” Kurapika said, a tiny frown creasing his brow. “Honestly I never wanted to confess these feelings to you at all. I wanted to keep you from getting hurt.”

“I understand. I truly do, Kurapika. But we’re Hunters. Danger is always a part of the equation, no matter how carefully you plan,” Melody told him gently. “I may not be quite as strong as you, but I can still hold my own.” She patted his hands, offering him a reassuring smile. “So please, let me be at your side.”

Kurapika blinked at her sluggishly, his lips twitching and trying to pull upwards into a smile. One of his hands slowly moved to gently cover Melody’s own. “Alright. I accept.” His heartbeat, previously steady and slow, began to flutter in excitement like a butterfly’s wings.

Melody’s own heart skipped a beat in utter elation, swelling to near bursting with emotion. Warmth spread through her body, but tempered by the knowledge of the prompting circumstances. “Kurapika, I’m…” Melody struggled to find the words. “I’m so glad that you told me, but I’m…I’m so sorry that it had to be like this.”

He tilted his head slightly, gaze almost quizzical. “But I would have never told you, not of my own volition.”

“But you still should have had the choice of telling me on your own terms. If, when, or never,” Melody argued.

“Melody, it’s okay,” said Kurapika with a more emotive tone than he’d been using just now. He scooped her hands into his, squeezing them gently. With a jolt, she realized that the eerie pink aura had faded from his eyes, leaving behind the usual obsidian of his contact lenses. Though if she squinted, she could see the faintest of crimson ringing the very edge.

“The hour is over,” Kurapika offered her a tiny, mischievous grin. “The evil witch’s curse has been broken, and I’ve returned to being a pumpkin.” He reverently kissed Melody’s hand as if she were a storybook princess.

Melody couldn’t help but laugh at Kurapika’s ridiculous comparison, although the laughter died as something occurred to her. “About that evil witch…if she places a curse on you again, I don’t know what I’ll do. That was stupid and reckless of her.”

“I suppose she’s a firm believer in the ends justifying the means.” Kurapika pursed his lips. “I don’t disagree with you. I am upset with her, make no mistake about that. And I–” He cut himself off, and sat back on the armchair. He sat in silence for a long moment, and Melody could have sworn that his eyes grew darker, even through the obscuring contact lenses. “It appears I’ve said too much,” he said with some reluctance.

Melody shook her head. “You’re wrong.” She drew in a steadying breath. “Perhaps we both haven’t been saying enough, Kurapika.”

He dropped his gaze to their hands and nodded, almost imperceptibly. He closed his eyes for a long moment before looking Melody straight in the eye. Tinged with exhaustion, but serious and sure. “Forget Baise. I mean it, Melody. If she interferes again, I’ll handle it,” he assured her. His voice was even and cool, but his heartbeat rang with icy, steely chords. 

 It wasn’t directed at her, she knew, but she couldn’t help but wince. If Baise tried something like this again, Kurapika wouldn’t hesitate to make her deeply regret her actions. Hopefully, this would be the last such incident…for all of their sakes.

“What matters is–-I can’t divert myself from the path I’ve chosen. I’m too deeply entrenched at this point.” His gaze was boring a hole in her, to the depths of her soul.

Melody smiled, trying to keep the aching in her heart from showing openly. “I know that, Kurapika. I’ve come to terms with it already. But you don’t have to go this alone,” she urged. “If you need my help, even for the most trivial matter, I will be right by your side. Please, Kurapika. Don’t shut me out.”

He clearly struggled with the notion of opening himself to be known, to be loved, to be helped. Kurapika closed his eyes again, and Melody entwined their fingers. She squeezed them gently, and was delighted to receive a squeeze back. “Very well,” Kurapika said at length. “I…trust you. It’s not that I never did, I just…couldn’t violate that trust by placing you in harm’s way.” He withdrew his hands from hers, and the lack of his warmth almost made her reach back out again. But he was withdrawing a cell phone from an inner pocket, and tapped at several screens until a QR code popped up on the screen. “Here,” he said, almost shyly. “This is my private phone. The only people with this number are Leorio and the boys.”

“The people you love?” she asked softly, and Melody felt his heart beat such a sweet sound in return that it lulled her. Maybe Baise isn’t the only one with the power to control people, Melody thought to herself as she scanned the QR code.

While Melody set up his new profile on her phone, Kurapika surreptitiously felt his heart, beating steady beneath his Kurta tabard. I wonder…if Baise had never chosen to do this, would Melody still have discovered my feelings? A heartbeat is always honest, after all. How can I lie to her when my very organs have given away my affections?

“Done,” Melody announced, and set her phone aside to entwine her hands once more with Kurapika’s. “I promise that I will be there for you. Always.”

And this time, he squeezed her fingers first.