Chapter Text
Leorio stood at the foot of his bed, staring at the brown sheets in front of him. The day had gone by so slowly but he couldn’t remember every detail of it. It was his first day off of works in weeks and it was a good one at that. He got to see Killua, Alluka, and Kurapika today, which made this day even better than it would’ve been if it had just been Gon by his side.
He smiled to himself as he pulled the cardigan he was wearing off, placing it on his dresser. He then unbuttoned his blouse, slipping it off and putting it on a hanger. He hung the shirt up, brushing it gently as he gazed at the fabric. His lucky blouse really was lucky after all.
Leorio went to unbutton his pants when he heard a soft knocking on the door. He raised an eyebrow, letting out a soft hum. “Come in,” He said quietly.
When the door opened, Leorio turned and saw Kurapika standing in the doorway.
“Hey, sunshine, couldn’t sleep?” He joked. When Kurapika didn’t even grin back, he pursed his lips. “I’m just joking with you,” He said gently. “I know the streets are loud around here. The best place to get a job is a bustling city atmosphere— At least that’s what my landlord said.”
When Kurapika didn’t say anything, Leorio waved his hand. “Uh…You can come in,” He said, chuckling to himself. He paused. “I do have to wake up early tomorrow, so I wouldn’t recommend crashing on the floor. I’m noisy in the mornings.”
Kurapika walked in, arms crossed. “That I know,” He said, a playful grin splayed on his face. He sat down on the bed warily, watching Leorio close the door.
“Leorio,” He began.
“Are you going to reprimand me?” Leorio sighed, opening his drawers to pull a sleep shirt out.
“No, listen.” Kurapika huffed. “I just wanted to let you know that trip was hard for me. It was hard for my performance within my industry, for my mental stability.” He looked up at Leorio, brushing a strand of hair behind his ear after it got stuck in his eyelashes. “But,” He paused for a long moment, “I missed you. That was enough to get me to come here.”
Leorio opened his mouth to speak, but Kurapika silenced him with his hand.
“And,” He continued on, “I don’t want to feel that way again. I would like to ask a favor of you… If you’re up for it.”
“What?”
“I’d like to work together from now on,” Kurapika said, interlacing his fingers. “I want to form an alliance with somebody like you. I would want what we once had.”
“Kurapika…” Leorio slipped his shirt on, feeling the nerves building up in his stomach.
“I don’t want to let you down, but I’m engaged.” He sat down on the bed next to his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder. “We were talking about starting a life together. Getting a house after we get married… having some kids of our own.”
Kurapika relaxed under Leorio’s gentle touch. He sighed, his eyes falling to the ground.
Leorio continued: “I want a normal life. As normal as life can get, you know?” He moved his hand, placing it in his lap. “And I don’t think working with you is going to help me achieve that goal.”
“You’ve matured,” Said Kurapika, who had begun to stand up. “I’m pleased for you. Not happy, but I’m pleased.”
Kurapika turned around, now standing in front of Leorio. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at the man sitting.
“Why aren’t you happy?”
“I don’t think I ever will be perfectly content with how my life has turned out thus far.” Kurapika’s eyes looked dead as he gazed down at Leorio. “Though I do feel better knowing that you’re happy, Leorio. I really do.”
Leorio gulped, standing up abruptly. He yanked Kurapika toward his body, wrapping his arms around him and pulled him close.
“I’m sorry,” He said gently, staring at the wall behind them. “I want to…” He licked his lips, not knowing how to finish his sentence. “I want to be with...” He stopped. “But I have my life figured out now and it’s a damn good plan- the best plan I’ll probably ever have.”
Kurapika let his head fall into Leorio’s chest, inhaling deeply. “I understand.” He told him in a soft voice, “Knowing that you’re okay brings me immense peace, Leorio.”
He lifted his arms, letting them hold Leorio.
And they stood there for about five minutes just holding each other.
Meanwhile, Gon, Killua, and Alluka were in the living room watching a scary movie. Alluka was sitting on the rocking chair as Gon sprawled himself across the couch, his legs draped over Killua’s.
The woman on the screen bent backwards, screaming a blood-curdling scream. Blood dripped from her eyes and mouth as he laughed hysterically.
Killua chuckled, playing with the hem of Gon’s socks mindlessly. He glanced at Alluka, who had fallen asleep about twenty minutes ago. She wasn’t easily scared but this stuff anyway.
When he looked to his side, he noticed that Gon had also fallen asleep. He was drooling, his arm covering his eyes as he snored. Killua watched Gon for a moment with a grin before turning the TV off, leaning his head back. The two people he loved most were safe. And with that thought in mind, he drifted off to sleep as well.
It was the next morning when Kurapika and Leorio wound up in a screaming match. Gon was the first to wake up, hearing Kurapika shouting about how immature and stupid Leorio was… or something like that.
Gon sat up, moving his legs from off of Killua. “Kurapika?” He called, trudging out of the living room. He found the two bickering in the kitchen, one pointing a fork at the other. And of course the one with the fork in hand was none other than Kurapika.
“You are a bastard!” Kurapika shouted, swinging the little fork around as if it were a samurai sword.
“You know, you look really dumb trying to use a freakin’ fork as a weapon,” Leorio laughed.
Gon looked to Kurapika, expecting him to blow up out of anger. But when he looked, Kurapika had a small grin on his face. He was having fun? So they weren’t actually fighting?
He rubbed his eyes, making his way into the kitchen. “Good morning,” He said, smiling.
“Morning. You want eggs?” Leorio asked, giving a sly glance to Kurapika.
“Um…No thanks. Can I have cereal instead?”
“What’d I tell you, Kurapika?” Leorio laughed heartily. “No one likes eggs. They’re disgusting.”
“They are full of protein and nutrients. Clearly you haven’t gotten enough in your lifetime considering how slender you are.”
“Ah- Hey! That’s not fair. I grew up in poverty, okay?” Leorio smiled a bit. At least he could joke about it.
“And?” Kurapika asked, opening the cabinet to pull a box of cereal out. “You’re no longer in poverty. Therefore you should be eating more.”
Killua awoke no more than two minutes after Gon did. In merely an instant, he was by Gon’s side, holding a hand out for the cereal box.
“Morning, Killua! How’d you sleep?” Gon smiled, tilting his head towards his best friend.
Killua stared at him for a moment, the tips of his ears heating up. He shrugged, making a face to indicate that he was weirded out. He hated when people were nice to him. It made him so uncomfortable.
Gon didn’t care though. He simply smiled wider and took the box from Kurapika. “I’ll make you a bowl, okay?” He pat Killua’s shoulder, gently pushing him to the dining table.
Killua yawned as he plopped down at the table, accepting his fate as being waited on by Gon.
“Do I not eat enough for you?” Leorio asked, putting a hand on his hip.
“I suppose you already know the answer to that, hm?”
Leorio opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted when he heard a knock on the door, followed by the sound of keys jingling. He smiled wide, running over to the door as his face became visibly pink.
Kurapika raised an eyebrow, watching Leorio scurry across the kitchen to get to the front door. He gave a glance to Killua, who just shrugged.
“Guys!” Leorio came back into the kitchen, a short woman with black hair under his arm. “This is my fiancé. Her name is Anita. Anita, this is Kurapika, Gon, and…”
Her eyes drifted towards the white-haired boy who was lazily sitting, legs sprawled out in front of him. “Killua.” Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Nobody seemed to notice except for Kurapika, who felt uneasy as soon as he heard a knock on the door.
The woman offered the group a grin. It was clearly forced, as her eyes didn’t meet her smile.
“Hello,” She said, her grin disappearing just as fast as it came.
“Hi!” Gon walked up to her, holding out his hand for Anita to shake. “It’s really nice to meet you, Anita.”
“I appreciate that,” Said she. Her face was serious as she walked towards the table where Killua was sitting. She sat down on the other side of it, avoiding his gaze. “You didn’t tell me we would have guests, Leorio.” She licked her lips and folding one of the napkins in front of her meticulously. “And you also failed to mention that one of them is an assassin.”
Killua stared at the woman, trying to figure out who she was. Honestly, most people in his life were pretty irrelevant to him. He’d probably never know who she is. He crossed his arms. “Do I know you, hag?”
“I suppose you don’t.” She stared back at him, her green eyes unmoving. “…I suppose your family doesn’t keep a record of the people you’ve murdered.”
“What’s going on?” Leorio asked, turning to see that Kurapika had disappeared. “Do you guys know eachother or somethin’?”
“No, darling.” Anita crossed one leg over the other. “I don’t know any of these strange people that you’ve brought into my house.”
Killua snickered.
Gon sunk down into a seat next to Killua, avoiding eye contact with everyone.
“Then why are you acting so weird? These are my friends,” Leorio motioned over to them. “I’m always…” He side-eyed Gon and Killua, pulling his fiancé’s sleeve gently. “Can we talk? In private?”
The woman nodded and followed Leorio out the room and into the hallway. They closed the door behind them.
“She’s ugly,” Said Killua, picking at his nails. “There’s a big mole on her chin with hairs sticking out of it.”
“I didn’t see a mole…” Gon pondered, trying to remember. “Plus, I thought she was really pretty!”
“Shut up, Gon, I can’t hear.” Killua leaned back, trying to listen to the conversation in the hallway.
“But I didn’t—..” Gon began.
Killua clasped a hand over Gon’s chatty mouth.
Muffled speaking could be heard from the other side of the door:
“I always am so polite to your friends. Why can’t you be civil to mine?”
“I will not tolerate a Zoldyck in my home, Leorio. They are killers.”
“Why do you care? He doesn’t go out killing willy nilly. His family- they only kill bad guys.” Silence. “And it’s not like he’d kill you anyway.”
“He is a part of the lineage of my father’s murderers.”
It went quiet.
Gon’s eyes widened and he felt his mouth twitch up into a grin. “Killua,” He whispered. “You’re so dead to that lady.” He placed his hand on Killua’s upper arm. “We should hide, okay?”
“I’m not scared of her. What is she gonna do?”
“What if she tries to kill you?”
“Gon,” Killua deadpanned.
Gon smiled, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. I know she couldn’t even if she tried.”
“Yeah, I don’t know who’d kill her first- me or you.”