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“You know, there really is some truth to doctors being the worst patients.” Kurapika grunted as he helped Gon shoulder Leorio’s weight.
They were, at the moment, trudging through the dense wilderness of Zevil island.
Since they arrived one week ago, the climate has been mainly damp and muggy, like how most islands in the middle of nowhere tend to be. But it was the kind of humidity that made your sweat stick to your skin and weigh you down more.
Leorio sent a half-hearted scowl his way as a response and mumbled,
“I could’ve walked.”
Kurapika stifled a scoff with an odd sounding cough.
While he respected the man’s determination, he needed to accept their help. At least for a bit longer. Gon made a pensive sound at Leorio’s statement, opening his mouth but then choosing not to form the words he wanted to say. Kurapika thought this was wise, judging from Leorio’s past behavior in arguments.
He was entertaining to argue with, Kurapika could give him that. His bluster and passion were traits he now thought about fondly, rather than his first impression when he had met the man.
Despite Leorio’s claims that he could, in fact, walk, he knew better, both he and Gon did. Those snake bites could’ve been deadly. Had it not been for Gon’s courage in retrieving the anti-venom, or Gon’s heroic actions (which Kurapika was still stunned by) that had ultimately led them all to safety, he very well could have died.
Kurapika sighed and readjusted his friend’s arm over his shoulder.
“I’m sure you can walk, but had any of us accumulated the amount of bites you did, you’d be just as concerned.” Kurapika said definitively, “besides, we’re close to the boat now.”
Leorio nodded his head in acknowledgment but said nothing more.
Kurapika knew they were getting close to the finish, but that fact alone didn’t help when they were cutting it this close to the deadline. And being this far off, even if it was fairly close, was nerve wracking to say the least. Especially when two of his friends had accumulated injuries.
When he peaked over to Gon, nothing seemed to be wrong, despite having also been on the receiving end of venomous snakes not too long ago.
The fact that the boy dove headfirst into nearly everything made Kurapika both fearful for the boy’s safety but also shocked by his bravery.
The kid had carried three adults on his back while he held his breath and ran out of a snake infested cave. If anyone deserved to pass the exam, it was Gon.
As Kurapika wandered through his thoughts, the silence was broken when Gon suddenly gasped sharply and stopped in place.
“Leorio?” Gon slipped from under his arm and moved to face the man and put a hand on his shoulder.
Leorio’s legs shook from the absence of support and it was then Kurapika noticed just how fast his heartbeat was. “Leorio, are you alright?”
They only had about an hour until they needed to reach the departure site of Zevil island, only an hour before phase 4 officially met its conclusion, but here they were, the majority of them riddled with snake bites, in the middle of the woods.
The swarm of red butterflies that now gathered around Leorio were as much of a warning as Gon’s apprehension.
Kurapika wasted no time in assessing the situation and slowly lowering his friend to the ground against a nearby tree.
“We have to keep going,” Leorio shuffled to stand, “like, right now.”
Gon squatted down to where Leorio was seated,
“I don’t think a little break would hurt!” The boy responded with a bright smile.
Leorio squinted up at Gon, as if his smile actually blinded him.
If Gon, who had more ambition to pass the exam than anyone, wanted to slow down for Leorio, then Kurapika was sure that they should trust the boy’s judgment.
“Gon’s right,” Leorio then spun to glare at him again, but looked as though he instantly regretted it, “we should rest for a moment.”
Leorio, to his credit, seemed to be trying not to appear as miserable as Kurapika was sure he was. But upon actually seeing the man in front of him, he could see just how terrible he must have felt.
Leorio’s face was flushed with fever and sweat, not to mention some areas of the bandages were gradually becoming a brighter red.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Leorio gripped his stomach, a certain sign of nausea.
Kurapika sighed again as he also lowered himself closer to Leorio’s eye level, and then turned to face Gon.
“Gon, I can hear a stream around here, would you mind if you filled this up for Leorio?” Kurapika pulled out a small canteen from his satchel and placed it in front of the boy’s hands.
Gon eagerly reached for the container and smiled again,
“Sure thing! I’ll be right back!” And in a flash of green the boy darted off, but not before he shouted, “Leorio! Don’t go anywhere!”
Kurapika smiled softly, and once he was sure Gon was out of earshot he spoke.
“Alright, you can stop pretending now.”
Almost immediately Leorio groaned loudly, turned over to his side, and promptly threw up.
The noise was disgusting and he almost wished it was him who left to go to the stream. Not that he didn’t care for his friend, he just really didn’t want to be the doctor right now. He was still somewhat dizzy from the sleeping gas in the cave about an hour ago now.
“Holy fuck .” Leorio exclaimed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “Thanks for distracting Gon, I didn't want the kid to see or hear that.” Leorio looked up at him with his feverishly bright eyes and a pained smile.
Maybe it’s a good thing he stayed with him.
Feeling exposed somehow, Kurapika broke eye contact and reached into his satchel as Leorio spoke again, “This antivenom has me feeling all the after effects. Worse than any hangover I’ll tell ya.”
The blond hummed a reply as he retrieved a cloth, and then wet it down with a second canteen. Kurapika then wrung out the water and gently placed it on Leorio’s forehead.
“I figured as much. I’m sure you’re knowledgeable about the side effects of antivenom, after all.” Kurapika dabbed the cool cloth over his temples. Though it wasn’t much, it must have offered some relief. Since Leorio was leaning into his hand.
He brushed his hand over Kurapika’s as he reached to grab the cloth to hold it on his own. The blond let go after a beat.
He knew he shouldn’t have been startled by the contact, especially how he could clearly see the man reach up to hold the rag, but something about the way their fingers brushed had Kurapika feeling embarrassed.
“I hate this island.” Leorio glanced down at the growing number of blood-attracted butterflies on him.
“We should re-do your dressings.” He observed, in an attempt to regain some control over his jumbled emotions.
“It can wait until we’re onboard the ship.”
“But can you wait?”
“I’ll be fine.” Leorio said, despite how he groaned again and leaned back further against the tree. His muscles still seemed incredibly tense and he could almost hear his friend’s heart rate rattle on. Leorio held the cloth to his forehead with a now shaky hand.
Seeing this, Kurapika sat down next to him and wordlessly took back the cloth and held it for him. He was ready to shoot down any arguments his friend might come up with, but he apparently didn’t have to.
Leorio’s big brown eyes peered up at him in equal parts surprised and thankful. Even though he had taken it from Kurapika minutes before. He quickly averted his eyes as his already flushed face just slightly deepened in color. Kurapika blamed it on the fever.
His already fast paced heartbeat seemed to pick up its speed as seconds went by. Kurapika tried to intentionally slow his breath so maybe Leorio could match his, but found it more difficult than it should be for some reason.
“Shut your eyes for a moment, Gon should be back soon and we’ll be on our way.” He said as gently as he could.
“As nice as that sounds, I should stay awake until we pass the finish ‘pika.”
Kurapika hummed at the new nickname, but didn’t mention it.
“It’d be foolish to not regain some energy when you have the opportunity.”
“Says you!” Leorio whisper-shouted.
Kurapika gave him a stern glare and flicked his arm. “OW! What was that for?”
“Just testing to see if the antivenom caused nerve damage of course.” Kurapika replied smoothly.
Leorio fumed and attempted to reach out and flick him back but before he could Gon’s loud approach could be heard.
Kurapika let go of the rag at the sudden noise, which landed in a wet plop on Leorio’s lap.
Leorio, tired of it all, glanced down at the cloth and simply gave a bone-deep sigh before tossing it back at Kurapika and, perhaps accidentally, hitting him square in the face.
“I’m back!!!” Gon shouted at entirely the wrong moment, upon seeing the scene he came back to.
With his remaining dignity, Kurapika peeled the wet cloth off his face and heard Leorio’s choked giggles turn into a loud wheeze.
Gon silently handed the canteen back to Kurapika who thanked him and neatly folded the rag back into its compartment.
“Sorry,” Leorio hummed, “just testing for nerve damage.”
Gon looked very confused as he glanced back and forth at them like he was watching a tennis match. But he shrugged it off and moved again to sit next to the two of them. Kurapika handed the now full canteen over to the feverish man, which he took cautiously.
“Small sips!” Gon shouted.
“I know, Gon.” Leorio sighed as he took a drink.
Once he gave the canteen back to Kurapika, both he and Gon took it as a sign to help Leorio to his feet. Gon, with all the strength that should definitely not be found in a twelve year old, lifted him off the ground a bit too fast before Kurapika had even stood.
Kurapika was instantly at his side and steadied him by gripping his elbow before he fell.
“Sorry Leorio! Are you ok?” Gon adjusted his support and waited for the wave of dizziness, Leorio was no doubt feeling, to pass.
Kurapika made a sympathetic noise and slowly placed the taller man’s arm over his shoulder.
“I’ll be fine Gon, let’s just get off this stupid island.”
-
Once the exam official had finally taken the count of remaining participants, they were back on deck of the boat and at last headed to the fifth and final phase.
Gon and Kurapika slowly helped their friend sit down before his legs went out.
Though Leorio wouldn’t admit it, he was absolutely spent. But Kurapika didn’t need him to say it for him to know.
“I’m going to go find Killua, get well soon Leorio!” Gon gave a smile and wave as he ran off on the boat. But he left too fast for either of them to respond.
Kurapika, seeing as there wasn’t much else to do, took a seat next to his friend. Leorio pulled his legs up to his chest and leaned his head back against the guard wall.
The boat rocked against the waves of the ocean, occasionally raining down on them with salty mist. The remaining participants of the exam seemed to welcome the cool water compared to the oppressive humidity and heat of Zevil island. But as for Leorio, his bandages just absorbed the water.
As if the man wasn’t already miserable enough, he was shortly soaked.
The soon to be Doctor just looked absently at his now drenched dress shirt and made a noise of absolute exhaustion.
“It’s in my briefcase,” Leorio’s eyes were squeezed shut and he simply pointed to the case next to him, “there’s some more bandages in there.”
Kurapika was surprised how Leorio wasn’t trying to just do it himself, but he realized this statement to be a testament to just how awful he felt.
“We’re going to have to move then, so that way you don’t keep getting wet from the ocean spray.” Kurapika pointed to the wheel house of the boat. There was enough of an overhang from the roof where it could at least keep them somewhat dry.
“Ok but I’m not getting up again, I’m just scooting over.”
So Leorio slowly maneuvered himself a few feet away from where they were while Kurapika picked up the briefcase and sat down in their new spot. “You’d think they’d have an on-site doctor at this point.” He grunted once he was situated again. Now in a much drier spot than before.
“I think that’d take away from the point of the exam, Leorio.” He said, dismissively waving his hand as he searched the case.
It was very neatly organized, he noted, all the medicines had compartments, there were little pockets for bandaids, boxes and built in drawers for other instruments too, even a stethoscope.
He also shortly realized it was alphabetically ordered when it didn’t take him long to find multiple bandage rolls.
He had used his own supply of first aid back in the cave, so he was glad to see the man was well stocked in rolls since he no longer was. Leorio had ridiculously broad shoulders, so the bandages he had possessed had quickly dissipated.
“I have a few water bottles left so we can clean the areas around the deeper snake bites before rewrapping if you feel that’s best,” Kurapika began, “but you are the, sort of, Doctor, afterall.” He added jokingly.
“Might as well, I’m already soaked.” He brushed some droplets off his face, “But once we get back to the airship, I want to shower and redo it when I am actually clean. Considering we’ve been in the wilderness hunting people for a week.”
“Fair enough, but let’s do a good enough job now so you don’t get an infection later.” Kurapika scooted to sit in front of the man, but his hands hovered just over the buttons of his shirt.
They had cleaned him up in the cave, of course, but now actually having his eyes on him as he worked made him feel anxious. It felt almost intimate, which was stupid because a friend of his simply needed some assistance. Still, it left him feeling unsure of how to proceed.
Kurapika mentally kicked himself and told himself to think professionally as he moved to the first button of Leorio’s absolutely soaked shirt.
“I, um,” Leorio began, “I appreciate your help.” He choked out, almost as if it pained him to accept his aid.
Kurapika offered a small smile at his words,
“I appreciate you letting me help, I know it is difficult for you to accept aid from others, so it makes me happy to see you not acting like more of an idiot.”
“Hey!” He shouted back with no real anger, Kurapika just laughed.
Leorio helped as best he could with getting his wet shirt off, which mostly consisted of a shrug.
The blond knew body aches were common after a snake bite and an antivenom dosage, but with more than one bite it had to be annoying, to say the least. So with this in mind he moved as carefully as could while he redid the dressings, but not before adding a small dab of petroleum jelly over a few incisions.
“You’d make a good nurse ‘pika. Should consider it.” He mumbled.
“I don’t know about that… but thank you.” The blond replied as he taped down the last bit of cloth with a tug.
Instead of buttoning the wet shirt on him again, they settled for draping his coat over his shoulders, not bothering to actually put it on so it wouldn’t disturb the wrappings so much.
“I know this test is important, and the job is dangerous,” the taller man started, “but I still can’t believe some people we met just straight up died these past few days.” Kurapika winced at the pain in his voice, “Even if we didn’t really know them well, or were a pain in the ass.”
Kurapika though for a moment before responding,
“But if they couldn’t handle it, they shouldn’t have come.”
“Yeah I know that,” Leorio adjusted his little glasses on his nose, “but they shouldn’t have had to die because of a trial or phase or whatever. Like, Ponzu! She didn’t die but we still left her stranded on an island, even if she was generally a pain and my target. Or Bourbon, there weren’t any doctors on the test site, so he died from Ponzu’s bees. Or the guys Hisoka killed. Or that guy who dove into the spider-eagle ravine and fell to his death, or the rock climber who got eaten!”
He sucked in a breath, “there were so many times that we could’ve died, and so many people that did . It just makes me wish I could’ve somehow been of more help.”
“Leorio-” he tried to interject when he saw the turn the conversation was about to take.
“Or at least have been able to help you guys more.”
Kurapika placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into his brown eyes with an intensity that made Leorio want to look away.
“You are our ally, we chose to help you because we have come to care about you. Even when you tried to tell us not to.” He was surprised at how easily it came to him to voice those words, “we started off together and we’ll get through it together. You deserve to pass this and if you need us, we’ll help you get there.”
Leorio’s eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock at what he had heard him say. But after a moment he wiped whatever water had ‘somehow’ gathered in his eyes and sniffed.
“I’m glad we met, Kurapika.” He smiled a real smile in response, happy he was able to reassure the man next to him. The smile didn’t leave his face even as he moved to sit next to Leorio again. “I’d like to say something equally meaningful, but unfortunately, I am so damn exhausted I can’t think straight.” Leorio grumbled.
“It’s alright, you’ll think of something eventually, I’m sure.”
They were now both content to sit in silence and listen to the waves. A relatively peaceful moment after a stressful week of running and hunting. Leorio’s heart rate finally seemed to be slowing down and it looked like he had begun to doze off a bit. By the third time he had watched the man wake himself up again Kurapika had enough.
“Judging by the tide and current of the waves, I’d judge about two and a half hours of travel before we reach the port to the airship.”
“Fantastic.” Leorio yawned, clearly getting the message Kurapika was trying to get across, “If it’s ok with you, I’m going to borrow your shoulder for a bit.” And with that warning, the man settled his head on his shoulder and shut his eyes.
Kurapika was stunned by this display of trust, and couldn’t help but to feel happy he had been chosen to be trusted on this level.
It had been many years since he felt what it was like.
It wasn’t long before he could hear light snores from the man against him. Satisfied he was finally able to get some rest after the day they had.
“Rest well Leorio, I’ll wake you once we dock.”
Kurapika tilted his head against his friend’s, and before he thought the better of it, decided it might not hurt to shut his eyes for a bit as well.