Grief
You were ushered into the kitchen, the familal place leaving a weird feeling to settle into your stomach as you looked around at the Troupe. It was not so long ago that you had been living here, eating here, sleeping here. To return felt strange, and an unnerving feeling settled across the room as they all shifted uncomfortably. You scanned your eyes across each of them, not once did any of them meet your own, in fact, they avoided your gaze, turning their heads away or casting their eyes to the floor.
Your face scrunched up in annoyance as your folded your arms across your chest, wedding band catching in the light. The only one that wasn't here was your husband, Uvogin.
"Seriously, what's going on?" Your question fell upon deaf ears, or rather, it was ignored. You felt a warm hand on your shoulder, squeezing gently. You brushed Chrollo's hand off of you, stepping away from him slightly.
"You'd be wise to let my hand stay there, Bunny." He spoke, breaking the silence as he pulled you back to him.
"You're going to need the support." He added and you just looked around in confusion, eyebrows scrunched.
"Where's Uvogin? The mission is over, I want us to go back home." You missed the way they all stiffened at the mention of his name.
"Please sit." Hisoka pulled out a chair but you rejected the offer.
"Tell me what's going on." You were growing more frustrated.
"My love-" Hisoka started, but you swiftly cut him off.
"Don't-" You hissed and Hisoka sighed, holding the back of the chair delicately, looking away from you.
"Where is Uvo? Where is my husband?! Why are you all acting weird, tell me what's going on!" You were silenced by the sound of metal hitting the table.
Nobunaga retracted his hand after placing Uvo's wedding band on the surface of the table and you stated blankly at it before looking up at him. His cheeks had become more sunken in, eyes red raw as if he'd been crying. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.
You felt the tears cascade down your face before your mind had time to catch up and register the implication of what was happening.
"Why... Why is his ring on the table... He's going to be looking for that." You looked around, watching as Hisoka's jaw clenched.
"Why do you have it? He's never taken it off before, not once... So why do you have it?" You questioned, but in your heart you knew. You knew why only the ring was on the table before you.
"I think you know why, sweetheart." Hisoka called softly and you heard a choked sob fall from your mouth.
"No... No this isn't how it was supposed to go. He was going to do this job and then we were going to go home." You were shaking violently as the anxiety threatened to swallow you. You felt yourself be pulled into someone's chest, arms wrapping securely around you. The familiar scent of Chrollo's cologne alerted you that it was him who was hugging you. But still, your eyes remained fixated on the blurred image of Uvo's ring on the table.
"There was an altercation, he went off on his own. I'm sorry." Chrollo's words lingered heavily in the air as your blood ran cold.
This wasn't Uvo's fault. He wouldn't have been in this situation if it weren't for Chrollo. They could have been at home, snuggled on the couch together as you planned out your future together. You'd both wanted a family - You'd both agreed that after this mission you would try to bring a little one into your home, to have a small child with your hair and Uvo's eyes running around, playing and laughing as you sat curled by the fire together.
Had you told him you loved him before he'd left? Did he know how much he meant to you? Had you made sure to tell him?
Your sadness ebbed, replaced instead by rage as you leaned back in Chrollo's grip.
This was his fault.
One more mission. That's what he had said. And he'd made sure it really was the last.
Why hadn't he done anything? Where was he when Uvo died? Did he go surrounded by other members? What were his last words? Did he die alone?
Your knuckles turned almost white as you clenched your fists at the thought.
Had he been buried? Or had he just been left there? And where was there?
"You bastard..." Your voice was quiet and Chrollo leaned down slightly.
"What was that, Bunny?" He asked.
Bunny. Bunny, Bunny, Bunny, Bunny.
The pet name left a sour taste in your mouth. You cast your gaze toward him. He didn't even seem remorseful, he didn't look like he'd shed a single tear, in fact, he didn't really look sad at all. You saw red.
"You bastard!" You screamed, striking him across the face before he pulled back in shock, his cheek swelling as blood trickled from his split lip.
But you didn't stop there.
You drew your fist back one more, striking the same location, only this time his skin split from connecting with your ring. You continued your assault, pounding your fists with no particular location in mind, striking his chest, arms, face, anywhere you could before you felt yourself be pulled away from him.
You struggled as Nobunaga held your arms down, wrapping his arms tightly around your waist so you couldn't move. You continued to shout and scream insults at Chrollo, fat tears falling from your eyes and onto your shirt, saturating the fabric. You crumpled, screaming in anguish as you let your emotions flood your entire being. Nobunaga sunk to the floor, his own emotions taking hold of him as you heard him crying.
Your knuckles were split and bleeding, and you caught sight of Chrollo wiping blood from his lip before you looked around you, pulling the chair from Hisoka and shoving it into Chrollo's knees. It wasn't much, but the way he winced, wobbled in an attempt to remain upright, felt like a victory to you. He moved to crouch in front of you and you attempted to headbutt him, but Nobunaga held you back.
"I know you're angry, upset... confused, but we're here to support you. Please calm down." As soon as the words left his mouth you tried to lunge at him again.
"Fuck you! This is your fault, we were happy, we were in love and happy and you just couldn't let that happen! You just had to ruin it!" You screamed at him and he closed his eyes from a brief moment before standing up.
"I'll come back when you've calmed down, we can talk then." He sighed.
"Don't bother. If you come near me again I'll split the other side of your lip." You were heaving from struggling, piercing gaze burning daggers into Chrollo as he stepped away from you and left the room. Most followed him, the only ones remaining by your side were Hisoka, Phinks, Feitan and Nobunaga.
"Get out." You hissed, glaring at them, they complied, the only one now with you was Nobunaga. When the room was clear, and he was sure you wouldn't chase after Chrollo, he let you go, allowing you to fall forward on the floor.
He got up silently and fetched the first aid kit before sitting next to you once more and daintily taking your hand, beginning to clean your wounds.
"You gave Boss a pretty nasty punch back there." He mumbled, filling the silence as he wrapped your hands.
"He deserved it." You shot back sharply before softening your tone. If anyone knew what you were going through, it was Nobunaga. After all, he was like a brother to Uvogin.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." You said after a while.
"It's okay." You both sat in silence for a moment before he stood up and threw the used packaging away, gently getting Uvo's rung from the table and placing it in your hands. The mere sight had you tearing up again.
"He'd be proud of you for the way you beat up Chrollo, you know that right?" Nobunaga offered a small smile and you laughed sadly.
"Yeah, he would wouldn't he." You clutched the ring to your chest, wiping your tears before fresh ones could shed.
"Who was it?" You asked, and Nobunaga took a moment to reply.
"We're not sure on a name yet. But he's a chain user with powerful nen." He sighed heavily as you took in the information.
"I know what you're thinking. You'll only get yourself killed. He wouldn't want that." Nobunaga said and you shook your head.
"I know. I'm not an idiot, I can't even use nen, I wouldn't stand a chance." You leant back against the wall, rubbing your hands over your face. You eyes were puffy and sore and your body felt like lead.
"We will find him and avenge Uvo, I can promise you that." You looked at him, exchanging another bout of sad, teary smiles.
"I know you will. Thank you, for everything." You embraced, sharing another round of tears as you reminisced your fondest memories of Uvo before Nobunaga gifted you with Uvo's old room key.
The door creeked open and you step inside. It hadn't been touched since you'd both run away together. You crawled into the large bed, his faint scent engulfing you as you clutched one of his large pillows, desperately wishing it was his chest that you were laying on.
You didn't know when you managed to drift off, but your dreams were filled with thoughts of Uvo, sitting on the couch by the fire, you tucked into his chest with a blanket over the two of you.