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"Darling, you filled my empty world with vivid colours. The shadows of my past are gone and I can see more clearly, the stars shine more brightly in the endless night sky. With you here by my side, I can smile. Stay with me forevermore."
Leorio was immortal.
That being said, he doesn't remember how he became immortal. He vaguely remembered a time when he was a kid, playing around with his friends. And he remembered his parents and little brother, but he doesn't remember anything after that. He doesn't know what happened to them, but they're most definitely dead by now.
Leorio remembered when he stopped ageing though. It was when he was 22, 23 maybe? He remembered looking at himself one day and noticing that nothing about him ever changed, despite everyone around him growing old. At first, he thought it was amusing, and he joked about never greying, but it stopped being funny when everyone around him was dying and he was accused of being a witch in disguise.
It was 1692, and he fled his village before they could do anything to him.
That was the start of his habit of always picking the flight option. Leorio decided that with this newly found ability (or a curse?), he would travel the world and watch the centuries go by. He had considered being a superhero since he would never die, but that seemed like an absurd idea since he wasn't the strongest bullet in the gun.
And it wasn't like Leorio didn't want to die, he did. He had tried so many dangerous stunts, like jumping off the highest building he could find, or juggle knives, but nothing ever happened. Yes, he did get seriously hurt but it never got to the extent of death. He was so frustrated, confused, and sad all at the same time.
But that feeling didn't last, unfortunately, as he ran out of ideas on ways to kill himself and the will to die. In the end, Leorio decided to just watch the years go by and maybe try to find out a cure for this ability of his. He went around travelling the whole wide world, dated so many people (thank God he was bisexual) but always left after a few years. He didn't want people to notice his never-ageing power, in fear of being hunted down by the government.
It wasn't like he was infatuated with any of them anyways, to him they were just insignificant humans to waste his time on and maybe have a little fun with. Leorio couldn't find the heart to love someone, knowing that he was going to leave them later. He didn't care if he broke their hearts, but he couldn't afford his own heartbroken.
That is, until the spring of 1999.
Leorio was sitting in a bar in Zaban City, liking the atmosphere. It was a bit loud but somehow peaceful. There were drunk teenagers, alongside some old fellows drinking like no tomorrow. He sat at a corner of the bar when a blonde sits a seat away from him. He was surprised and watches the blonde. The boy looked at him then, raising a perfect eyebrow at him.
"Yes? Can I help you?" The blonde said, their voice sounding silvery and sweet.
"Oh, uh, nothing." Leorio turned away, feeling a beat start-up in his chest. The blonde turned away, their hair swaying prettily. They looked so ethereal, Leorio couldn't help but take repeated glances their way. The bartender came, and in a booming voice, asks what the two of them want.
"Just a beer," Leorio said, unintentionally making his voice fruitier than usual. Whoa, what the hell, Leo?
"And for you?" The man turned to the blonde beside him.
"A cosmopolitan, please."
The bartender wrote down their orders, watching the blonde for a while longer than comfortable (to Leorio, at least). The man finally asked, "May I ask how old you are, sir?"
The blonde was caught off guard, letting out a perfect and bubbly laugh. "Oh, I'm 21." They say through chuckles, and the man made a satisfies face.
"Okay, sorry about that. You kind of look like a high schooler." The bartender laughed, going back to make their drinks. After he was gone, Leorio leaned a little closer to the blonde.
"Now that he's gone, are you really 21?" He whispered so that only the blonde could hear, and they give another perfect, genuine, and contagious laugh.
"I am, do you want to see my ID, officer? I'm sure it'll tell you that I was born in 1978," The blonde smirked teasingly, tilting their head slightly to the side. Leorio couldn't help but stare, marveling at the boy's beauty.
"If you could kindly show it to me, mister."
The blonde rolled their eyes cutely, taking an ID from their back pocket. They hand it over to Leorio, who takes it with a fake skeptical look. There, as the blonde said, was their birth date. April 4th, 1978. A date that Leorio would always remember for the centuries that would come.
On top of that, lay the name that would be imprinted on his heart for all of Leorio's never-ending life.
Kurapika Kurta.
Leorio handed the blonde's, Kurapika's, ID back, shrugging. Kurapika took it gingerly, and the bartender came at that exact moment with their drinks. The two talk all night long, and Leorio was grateful that he had decided to go to this bar on this exact night. It turns out that Kurapika wasn't that much of a drinker, but decided impulsively to get a drink tonight.
"I'm probably not going to drink tomorrow, or for the rest of my life after this," Kurapika said, shrugging his shoulders.
They exchanged contact info and somehow arranged to meet each other tomorrow. And they did. And the day after that, they met again. And again. Until hanging out with Kurapika became a regular in Leorio's schedule. He doesn't know how it happened, but every day he would look forward to seeing Kurapika. There was enchanting about him, and it makes his heart skip a lot of beats. Whenever the blonde smiles at him, or laughed, hell, even when he was annoyed he was pretty!
Leorio had gone into this friendship considering it as just another temporary friend he wanted to make, but now he knew that Kurapika's spirit was as vast, brilliant, and complex as the stars above. Something so infinite that Leorio knew he may never know all its wonders but he wanted to keep learning more every day, for the rest of his life.
Kurapika was shy and small, but also fierce and loyal (and absolutely terrifying sometimes). He learned that his favorite gem is rubies and that he used to live with his family in the suburban area before he decided to move to the city for his career. He was extremely perceptive and never ceased to amaze Leorio, whether it be with his apparent talent for sewing or his beautiful singing. After that night in the bar, it wasn’t long before they found solace in each other and their new friendship.
Something was changing in Leorio's life, but he doesn't know it yet.
Leorio had always wondered about something, but he never found the right time to ask. He had researched about it, seen photos about it, but there was always this lingering feeling to, just, ask Kurapika about it. And one day, when the two of them were in Leorio's house writing and bantering about flowers (for a study Leorio said he was doing, which was a lie he made up to invite Kurapika to his house), Leorio finally gathered up the courage to ask.
"Say, Pika," He started. "You know how your last name is Kurta?" He said, and Kurapika hummed in response.
"Is Kurta as in, like, the famous Kurta clan?" Leorio asked, and he saw Kurapika visibly still. They stay quiet for a while.
"Yeah. Yeah, it is."
"Oh cool! So that means your eyes can turn red, right?" Leorio scooted closer, not even bothering to hide the surprise and excitement off his face. He watched Kurapika shift in his place uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact.
"Yes, that's true-"
"So, if I say that your eyes are one of the 7 wonders of the world, it's a fact?" Leorio teased, watching Kurapika's surprised face slowly melt into a soft smile.
"You're so weird," Kurapika mumbled, making Leorio laugh and they continue scribbling in silence.
"Don't you want to see them?" Kurapika asked suddenly.
"Huh? See what?"
"You know, my eyes. Don't you want to see them turn red?" Kurapika gazed at him then, and Leorio saw uncertainty in those pretty eyes.
"No."
"What?"
"I don't want to. I mean, I am curious as to how they turn red, but I figured you would show me when you're comfortable enough." Leorio said nonchalantly, continuing to scribble information about random flowers in his notebook. He felt Kurapika's eyes stare at him, but he doesn't stare back.
"What makes you think I'm not comfortable in showing you now?" Kurapika said, his voice a little wobbly.
"I mean, maybe it's because of those black contact lenses you always wear. If I remember correctly, isn't the Kurta clan's natural eye color a light shade of brown? So, I get the feeling that you're not comfortable enough with showing just anyone your eyes. And I'm okay with that. You can show if you want to, and not show me if you don't want to."
They both sit in silence again, the only noise being the fan twirling above them and the sound of Leorio's constant writing. He heard Kurapika let out a slow sigh, and the blonde continued writing too.
A long silence. Finally, Kurapika said, "Thanks, Leo."
"No problem," Leorio said softly. "It's not a big deal."
They write in comfortable silence again.
"One day, I'll show you," Kurapika whispered to himself.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing." Kurapika gave him a sweet smile, and they carry on writing. Little did Kurapika know, Leorio had heard what the blonde had said, and was sporting the biggest grin the man had ever worn in centuries.
Ever since that day, the atmosphere around them was softer, more pleasant somehow. He knows that Kurapika was more at ease around him, considering that the blonde had started taking off his contact lenses more when they were together in one or the other's homes, showing off his gorgeous brown eyes.
He found himself caring for Kurapika more and more every day, and he doesn't know why. Surely normal friends don't worry whether their friends have eaten that day or not, or constantly feel the urge to be with their friends every single hour of every single day? Leorio found himself missing Kurapika's smile, his face, his lips, and everything about the boy whenever they were apart.
They’d go to the theatre to make fun of the cheesy horror movies, and Kurapika would laugh every time he jumped. Nothing made his heart stutter the way it did whenever Kurapika looked at him with his soft smile, and nothing made him happier than the little snorts and giggles he heard whenever Leorio made a particularly bad joke or made a complete fool of himself. He wanted to make Kurapika smile every day if he could help it. And not the fake smile he was constantly using as a defense mechanism. The one that felt like home. Blinding and brilliant like a star… he thought.
Leorio had known Kurapika for a little over two months, and he was completely smitten.
Leorio was falling deeper and deeper, and he didn't even realize it.
But one day, he did.
It was a week after Kurapika's birthday (which they celebrated together, with lots of cupcakes) when the blonde asked a question that he'd never given a second thought about. They were sitting in a cat café, both of them acting as cat magnets. Two kittens had already tried to climb him like a tree, each landing on a shoulder, and another calico had claimed his lap for the foreseeable future. Kurapika wasn’t doing much better, totally covered in cat hair. The three tiny kittens that had taken up residence in Leorio's lap kept batting at the hand holding his tea, almost knocking the cup out of his hand several times.
"Hey, Leo," Kurapika started hesitantly. The boy paused, biting his lower lip. Not that Leorio noticed these things...
"Yeah?"
"Random question, but how many girlfriends have you had?" Kurapika asked, sipping his tea. Leorio was caught off guard by the question, pursing his lips. How many partners has he had? He closed his eyes, trying to remember the amount. It was hard to, bearing in mind the fact that he had lived so long.
"I don't know... 12 girlfriends and 13 boyfriends maybe?" He lied shamelessly, saying it as though it was a fact. He knew that he had dated much more people than the number of people that he had just said, but seeing Kurapika's wide eyes and shocked face, he was relieved that he hadn't said a higher number.
"What?! 12, 13... that's 25 partners in total! What are you, a flirt?" Kurapika gasped dramatically, making Leorio chuckle.
"Was it that obvious?" He leaned back in his seat, watching Kurapika roll his brown eyes at him.
"No, definitely not," Kurapika said sarcastically. "Why do you date so many people though? Did they dump you or something?" He raised a perfect eyebrow, making a face. Leorio almost laughed, because of the absurdity of the question.
"No one ever leaves me. It's just... I'm a busy man, Pika. I can't afford to get tangled in a relationship anytime soon." Leorio sighed, both because it was true and because of how shitty that made him look and feel. He was always travelling, and he had set a rule to never fall in love with anyone because he didn't want to watch someone he loved die while he gets to live without them. That would be the worst feeling ever.
"So... you're saying that you have commitment issues?"
Leorio's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by Kurapika's set of words. Commitments issues... he pondered, finding that, yes, maybe he does have commitment issues. But it wasn't for no good reason, he just didn't want to get hurt.
"Would you believe me if I said I didn't really love them?" Leorio said smoothly, playing with the kitten on his lap.
"You didn't? That's kind of mean, Leo..." Kurapika's voice was quiet, his eyes twinkling in curiosity.
"In my defense, I tried to. But there was never anything there..." He cut himself off, letting out a soft sigh. He glanced up at Kurapika, who seemed to be deep in thought. They stay silent, playing with their respective kittens.
"Do you believe in love, Leorio?" Kurapika started slowly, making eye contact. Leorio remained silent, breath catching at the back of his throat. He was breathless. Kurapika was beautiful. His eyes were shining a bright red like two rubies in the dark, making him ethereal like he was glowing, and it was much later that he realized that it was at that moment, in a pastel-coloured cat café in Zaban City, Leorio fell in love with his best friend.
Kurapika smiled and the world lit up before Leorio's eyes. It was dazzling. His heart skipped a beat when he glanced down for half a second at the other’s lips and of course, Kurapika noticed. He felt his heart beat faster, and Leorio was infatuated. When had Kurapika started having such an effect on him?
"Love as in romantic love?"
"Not necessarily..." Kurapika's voice was tender, soft. "Love as in platonic love, self-love, routine love... love between friends, parents, or significant others... Do you believe that you can care for someone so deeply that it goes beyond common sense? That you yourself can't comprehend how big this feeling is in your chest? Do you believe that you can meet someone and think 'they’re it?'
"You might have huge fights and make up only to fight again, but at the end of it all, you realize that there is no one quite on earth like this person. You’d give everything to them. They’re so perfect that you almost hate them for it because you didn’t think there would be a person in the world that could make you feel this way, do you think that you can find someone like that?"
Kurapika was staring at the baby kitten in his hands, playing with it fondly in a way that reminds Leorio of a mother's soft love. He was tickling the kitten, letting out a soft chuckle that made heat rush to Leorio's cheeks. He felt his lungs fill with air, and he noticed the pattern that his heart is beating in. It was comforting, and he took a moment to digest what Kurapika had said. He has lived for so long, but he has never experienced something close to what the boy in front of him had described.
Until he met Kurapika.
He realized with a jolt that the time he'd spent with Kurapika had been more fulfilling than anything he had ever done in his whole life. It was only at that moment Leorio realized that perhaps he’d been in love with Kurapika this whole time, and didn’t even notice it. Or perhaps he wouldn’t let himself notice, because he knew he would panic. But he didn't feel alarmed. He felt comforted, mushy almost. He was happy that he had fallen in love with Kurapika, and not anyone else.
Leorio was willing to spend his entire life with Kurapika, even if that meant getting hunted down for experiments by the government. He wanted to spend every single waking hour with Kurapika and love him until he couldn't anymore. And he would still love him. Because it was Kurapika, why would anyone not love him?
Being with Kurapika felt right. Like Leorio was exactly where he was meant to be.
"What if I said that I love you?" Leorio muttered, sure that Kurapika didn't hear him. But he was proven wrong when he saw the blonde's eyes widen, taking his eyes off of the cat in his hands to stare at him. His cheeks were a similar color to his eyes, which were glowing a bright scarlet before he turned his head to the side quickly.
He was truly the finest person Leorio had ever seen in his long, never-ending life.
"What do you mean?" Kurapika said, turning back to look at him. His eyes were back to their usual shade of brown.
"I said..." Leorio said louder, looking at Kurapika and he could physically hear the schink and feel the impact as Cupid’s arrow pierced his heart as he stared at the blonde with the bright jewel-like eyes. God, what is wrong with him today? "...nothing. Forget it." He sighed, clearing his throat.
They continue their conversation with a new topic, and sometimes Leorio wondered whether that moment had really happened or not. The only indication that it did was the fact that Kurapika knew (partly) how many partners he had had.
It was late one evening, with Leorio lounging in Kurapika's loft. He looked down at the letters on the paper, the words smudged, glancing at the blonde laying down on a couch beside him. Soon a planned second glance became a one-sided staring contest. Leorio smiled, watching Kurapika's small pout and knitted eyebrows as he tried to concentrate on whatever he's reading. Kurapika turned to catch him smiling at him and stared back like a deer in lights.
Leorio coughed abruptly and shook his head as he stood, "I'm gonna head to the kitchen, you need anything?"
"Get me a chocolate robot." Kurapika sighed, melting on his couch tiredly.
Leorio nodded once more before heading off. In the kitchen, he had a moment to breathe, to let the blood that rushed to his face settle. He reached into the fridge to grab a red bull and turned to meet the same brown eyes he couldn't help staring into a moment ago.
"Scoot over."
He turned to see Kurapika with a small grin, pushing him gently to take a cup from the mug rack.
"Whatever shorty," Leorio playfully pushed him and Kurapika decided to not grab a mug and playfully push back, turning it into an all pit wrestle match. Just as Kurapika went push him away, Leorio grabbed his hand, pulling him forward and suddenly Kurapika was much, much closer. Leorio and Kurapika stayed there speechless, with Leorio still holding the blonde's wrist comfortably.
Staring into Kurapika's eyes, Leorio could feel his face heating, his heart pounding, and his slightly parted and panting lips go dry. He was slowly falling more in love with him and it killed him because he knows this wouldn't last forever. "I'm sorry, that was weird." Leorio finally spoke.
"No, it's okay. You're always weird." Kurapika giggled, his laughter sounding like music to Leorio's ears.
Leorio scowled at him. Standing up, he ruffled Kurapika’s hair into a mess, fingers tangling in the fine strands. “Brat.”
“Weirdo,” Kurapika replied.
They walk together back to the living room, where Kurapika fell onto the couch, groaning. Leorio glanced at him.
"What's wrong with you?" Leorio teased.
"Nothing. It's just that mum asked me to come back home this month because a cousin is getting married or something." Kurapika sipped his tea, before taking a big bite of the chocolate robot in his hand. Leorio hummed, turning on the television. Kurapika didn't talk about his family that much, except on some rare occasions. From what Leorio's been told, Kurapika has an older brother and a younger sister.
"When are you leaving?"
"That's the thing, I don't know. I mean, it's not like I want to miss Tamsin's wedding but..." Kurapika trailed off, taking a bite of his chocolate. "It's just that every time I go back home, everyone, and I mean everyone, will be asking stuff like 'Sunshine, do you have a partner yet?' or 'Have you met anyone you're interested in yet, sunshine?' and I don't know how to answer them because I did not come to the city to find a husband!" Kurapika screeched, throwing his arms up like a toddler in a fit.
Leorio stared, watching him take deep breaths. "Are you done complaining yet?"
Kurapika gasped dramatically, throwing a pillow in Leorio's way. He caught it, laughing at how red the blonde's face was. "Kidding, kidding! I've never seen you so worked up like this, sunshine."
Kurapika rolled his eyes cutely, setting his mug down on the table. "That's what everyone back home calls me. It's a nickname my mom gave me when I was born because I was blonde, and everyone started calling me that. Now it's stuck."
"I think it's cute."
"Whatever. It's just that, it's not that I don't want to go home, it's just that I'm sick of all the questions!"
Without thinking, he scoffed out a laugh. “How about I come with you?” His brain finally caught up to his mouth, and Leorio froze. Kurapika stopped whining and stared at him with wide eyes, making Leorio second guess himself. Was that a weird thing to ask?
"Really? You want to come with me?" Kurapika asked, blinking.
"...Sure. I'd love to meet your family." Leorio said, and he realized that he meant it. He'd love to meet the people who raised this lovely being called Kurapika, who nurtured him into being someone who effortlessly stole his heart, locked it and threw away the key.
"Oh, okay. Sure! I still don't know when to go home though."
"When's the wedding?"
"Next month. Though specifically speaking, it's in five weeks..." Kurapika noted, pursing his lips. He hummed, taking another bite of his chocolate robot while staring into the distance.
"I'm okay whenever." Leorio pointed out, since he knew that he has nothing else to do this whole year. His only activities are sleeping, eating, hanging out with Kurapika, bathe and repeat. It was boring, sure, but Kurapika had become the highlight of his days so he wasn't complaining that much.
And a few days later, Leorio found himself packing clothes into his bag to accompany Kurapika to him hometown. He felt giddy, and more excited than he had felt in a while. Family was something he didn't have for a long long time, so he knew he'd have to step up his game in terms of being a gentleman (not that he's acted like a gentleman before, his days of being one were long over).
One day he was packing his bags, and the next he was in a quaint little town in a place he's never heard of before. The trees were tall, and the town smelt like grass right after it's mowed, dandelions, and that particular smell of fresh baked bread. Leorio watched the houses move fastly outside, and after a while they finally arrived at a pretty white house with white picket fence and a whole forest behind it.
The front of the house was decorated with flowers, and Leorio could see a little garden behind the house. How cute, he thought, smiling.
"Come on, we're here." Kurapika nudged him, opening the car door and walking out. Leorio followed suit, going to the back of the car, opening the back trunk to take out their bags. Kurapika was about to help, when the front door swung open to reveal a pretty blonde girl looking at them with excited eyes.
"Kurapikaa!!!" The girl shrieked, sprinting towards them.
"Shit," Kurapika said, holding his hands out and closing his eyes in fear. Leorio watched, amused, as the girl tackled Kurapika to the ground in a bear hug, making the boy yell out a bloodcurdling scream. The girl looked down at him, kissing his cheeks and forehead all over.
"Hello! Welcome back! You weirdo!" The girl giggled, making Kurapika (who was lying on the ground) groan.
"Do you have to tackle me every time I come home, Cara? God, I think I broke my bones."
Cara laughed, startling Leorio with how similar the laugh was to Kurapika's. Her eyes travelled to his car, stopping and widening in surprise when she spotted him. "...YOU HAVE A BOYFRIEND????"
Leorio choked when he heard that, coughing into his hands. Kurapika's face went beet red, knocking the girl to the side.
"What the hell! Shut up! He's a friend, Cara!"
"Sweetheart!!" Another female voice called out from the front of the house, and all three of them whipped their head at the voice. A much older woman sat at the patio, waving at them with a bright smile on her face. She stared at Leorio, but continued to walk towards them.
"Cara don't bother your brother. Kurapika, come here." The old woman held out his hand towards him, and Kurapika got on his feet, dusting his knees before wrapping his arms around her.
"I'm home, ma." Kurapika whispered, hugging her tight.
"Yes, you are."
"Mom, Pika has a boyfriend!" Cara said, pointing to Leorio. He coughed again, rubbing his neck. The older woman, Kurapika's mother he assumed, looked at him with a sweet smile.
"Hello, dear." She said, patting his shoulder. "What's your name?"
"Leorio, ma'am. And I'm not actually, you know, Kurapika's-"
"I know, it's just Cara. Welcome to our home." She smiled, before clapping her hands. "Alright, come on everyone! Cara, help your brother and his friend take their bags inside. Come on, the food's getting cold."
They all enter the house, with Cara staring at Leorio every step of the way.
♕♕♕
"Sweetheart, could you be a darling and go buy some breadsticks for me later?" Mrs Sabina said without turning around. Kurapika leaned back in his chair, looking at one particular cupboard.
"Why? I thought we had an infinite supply of breadsticks." Kurapika said, taking another bite of his sandwich. Mrs Sabina shook her head, glancing back at them.
"We did, but that supply ran out when Cara got home. Honey, could you pass me the carrots?" Mrs Sabina said, pointing at the heap of carrots on the table beside Leorio's plate.
"Where is that girl? I haven't seen her since I got home." Kurapika grumbled, passing the carrots to his mother. She took it with a smile, shrugging her shoulders.
"Out. With Aston, I presume. Or Keith."
"She still hasn't told them?" Kurapika turned around, his face looking shocked. Leorio was watching the conversation silently, smiling at how comfortable the two of them were with each other. He wondered what Kurapika was referring to when he said that, but his answer was quickly answered when Mrs Sabina turned and leaned against the counter with a tired look.
"Nope. And those boys are still hopelessly in love with her. I wonder how they haven't found out that she's a lesbian yet." Mrs Sabina said, and both of them sigh dramatically. Leorio chuckled, making them both at him.
"Oh, I forgot to ask you, Leo dear. Are you enjoying your stay here?" Mrs Sabina gave him a warm smile, similar to Kurapika's.
"I sure am, ma'am. It's lovely getting to know you all." Leorio said, and he knew that he meant it. It was nice getting to see and experience the atmosphere that made Kurapika grow into the person that he is today, to be acquainted with the people that grew up with him and therefore know him better than anyone else. They all treated Leorio like family, and he felt right at home.
"Kurapika is such a hassle to deal with, I wonder how you put up with him." Pairo chirped in, entering the kitchen abruptly. Kurapika roll his eyes, sticking his tongue out at the brunette.
"Probably the same way I put up with you," Kurapika said, and Pairo laughed. Leorio noticed that his laugh was high-pitched and bubbly, much like Kurapika's. Now he knew where all of the blonde's traits had come from.
"You mean the way I put up with you. You, firefly, are my biggest headache my whole life." Pairo leaned down and booped the blonde's nose, making his eyes light up a bright red.
"Firefly?" Leorio asked, curious about the nickname. He had never heard the nickname before and wondered why Kurapika had reacted the way he did in response to being called it. Kurapika's cheeks turned red, while Pairo stared at him with amusement. Sitting down in the chair beside Kurapika, he smirked at Leorio.
"Are you saying that Kurapika never told you about the story of him and his obsession?" Pairo said, eyes filled with mischief. Mrs Sabina laughed beside them, and Kurapika groaned.
"Past obsession, Pairo. Past." Kurapika hissed, pointing a graceful finger at the brunette, who stared at him with a rapidly expanding grin. They stare at each other, silently daring the other to back down first. Instead, Pairo turned to Leorio and started to talk about his brother's embarrassing childhood story.
"So, when Pika and I were, like, how little? Like twelve?"
"Eleven, sweetie." Mrs Sabina corrects.
"Yes, eleven. So, when we were eleven, Mrs Elena had this big backyard, right? And there was a forest just behind that backyard. And me, Pika, and Cara would always play in that forest. We'd climb trees, act like pirates, Pika even broke his wrist once trying to swing himself on the branches like a monkey!" Pairo laughed loudly, and Mrs Sabina joined him shortly after. Kurapika was growing beet red, all the way down to his neck.
Leorio watched fondly, resting his face in his hands. Pairo continued about the story where young Kurapika had been so fascinated by fireflies that he'd snuck a whole jar of them into his room. They escaped and filled his whole room at night. He kept them for a week before he got busted by his parents. They decided to let them keep the fireflies and he cried so hard when they began to die, one by one.
"It was traumatizing, Pairo!" Kurapika whined, sulking at how everyone was laughing at him. Pairo patted the blonde's head, saying, "That was the moment I knew I had to take care of this big baby because God knows what'll happen if he takes care of himself."
"I'm not a baby." Kurapika sniffed.
"Ah, but that's the thing, you are." Pairo teased. He knocked his shoulder against his brother's. "So that's the story. I'm so sorry that you have to deal with Pika from now on. He's so troublesome but I promise that he has a good heart."
"I know," Leorio agreed, gazing softly at Kurapika as he rested his head on Pairo's shoulders, closing his eyes. Leorio didn't notice the look in Pairo and Mrs Sabina's eyes as they stare at him staring at Kurapika, nor did he see the look they exchanged while nodding their heads. Pairo let out a chuckle, combing the blonde's hair back tenderly.
"Look at how big of a baby he is..." Pairo said, getting a pinch from Kurapika, who still had his eyes closed. But there was a soft smile on his face now, one that everyone around them appreciated.
♕♕♕
"Why didn't you say anything? I couldn't stepped in or-"
"I don't think it's any of your business, Leo. I don't want to burden you, anyways." Kurapika ran a hand through his hair. "It's a silly thing."
Leorio promptly grabs his hands, intertwining his cool fingers with the blonde's warm fingers as he gazes into his eyes. That was the reason. Kurapika seemed very surprised, a light blush covering his cheeks as their hands touch, worsening with every passing second.
"It's not! You are not burdening others by telling them about your problems, Pika. Please tell them, tell me about what you think and feel." Leorio said gently, giving him a small smile. Kurapika's mouth fell open for a moment when he hears the word 'feel' but closes after quickly. He is speechless. If only Leorio could read his mind, as well as Pairo, could.
"I'm sorry." Kurapika almost begged with a desperate voice, wanting to be forgiven.
"No," Leorio answered. Kurapika's eyes widen.
"What?! Bu-" Before he can finish his phrase, Leorio cut him off. His voice is lenient when he talks to him.
"Promise me that you'll tell me and your family about your troubles." The blonde hesitated, his grasp loosening from Leorio's hands.
"...I promise." The boy muttered, closing his eyes.
"And promise me you won't hold any emotion or heartache in."
"I promise."
"And promise me that you'll come to the movies with me later this Sunday." A teasing smile started to form on his face.
"I promi- Wait, what? Bu-" Having the same confusion as earlier, his eyes widen once again, pulling away from his hands. Kurapika was extremely embarrassed, averting his gaze to the ground.
"Is that a yes or a no?" Leorio teased.
Exhaling as if he's defeated, the blonde answered. "Yes."
"Hm? Did you say something?" It's like Leorio has taken over his friends' teasing nature. He won't lie about how adorable Kurapika is when he blushed.
"..Yes, I will go to the movies with you." Grumbling it, he hid his beet-red face in his hands while Leorio chuckled.
He was looking forward to it already.
♕♕♕
Kurapika wanted to stay a little bit more at his house. Leorio had gone home first, when he realized it. That simple truth.
Instantly, he got up and dashed outside. He almost fell down the stairs in his haste, but he couldn't wait another second. He needed to tell Kurapika, he had to. The feelings in his chest were bubbling, threatening to overflow.
Leorio got in his car, revving up the engine. Not stopping until he reached that rural village once more. Kurapika was in the garden, tending to the flowers.
"Kurapika!" Leorio called out.
It was him. It was only him, the sole thing left in the universe, eyes shining like two worlds only for him, visible only to him, and his red color that always drew Leorio's attention. It was his bubbly laugh, his straight blonde hair, his trademark smile, the way he whispered his name. It was him, it always was, and it always will be.
"Leorio..." Kurapika repeated; soft and quiet, like the sound of a song bird's wings.
“It’s hard to say though easy to show, from the moment I laid eyes on you… everything, every instance has been about you—you don’t just matter, you are… everything.” Leorio paused, “I love you.”
"Would you stay here? With me?" Kurapika cupped his face, the brightest smile on his face. His eyes were twinkling, and Leorio couldn't have felt luckier to have him by his side. He rested his forehead on Kurapika's, laughing happily.
"For you, a thousand times over."
♕♕♕
The thieves had run away. They left behind the things they had wanted to rob them off, all this money strewn all over the place, but they did take something irreplaceable. Something precious.
"Leo.." Kurapika said in a low whisper, making Leorio shake his head. The blood continued to soak the blonde's shirt and Leorio's hand. They were on the ground, Leorio kneeling and the shot Kurapika in his arms.
"Shh, don't talk. Save your energy, don't talk please..."
"Leo, listen... to me..." Kurapika gripped his hand, managing a small smile. The light in his eyes was disappearing, and he looked worse than Leorio had ever seen him before.
"I... thank you. For... being here with me..." A cough interrupted Kurapika, and he let out a pained whine.
"No. No, you're not dying. Not now. Not when I finally have you! You can't do this to me, you can't! You're mean! Cruel! You can't leave me now!" Leorio said, frustrated. Kurapika let out a feeble laugh, shaking his head slowly.
"I'm sorry... I love you..." Kurapika smiled as wide as he could, making Leorio even more panicked. Suddenly the warmth finally slipped out of his eyes, his grip loosening until there wasn't any trace of strength in the blonde's body. Leorio still, his mind trying to process what had just happened. It finally clicked, and his heart shattered.
Once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Leorio bent forward over Kurapika's body where he sat on the floor and pressed his palms to the blonde's now cold face, he began to cry. His lungs rummaged for oxygen, and his sobbing had the same force as someone drowning. The flesh under his ribcage throbbed, his cheeks burned, and his mind created memories and scenarios that made the tears continue.
"Please..." Leorio's lips trembled as he cried, holding Kurapika close to his chest. "Say something, firefly, please?”
No answer came from the blonde.
Please God, if you're listening to me, please don't take him. Don't take him away from me. Leorio pleaded, begging any god who was listening to bring Kurapika back to him.
Not one divine being heard his cries that day.
♕♕♕
The funeral was the saddest and worst day of Leorio's life.
Everything reminded him of Kurapika, and he cried all day. He thought that after a week of crying before that his eyes and heart could take to seeing Mrs Sabina, Mr Herold, Pairo, and Caramella again but he was wrong. So very wrong. From the minute he saw the family, he collapsed on his knees at the front step, crying harder than he had ever had. Pairo and Caramella comforted him, though it was after they all cried together.
Despite himself, he had spent two whole days crying in the arms of Mrs Sabina, who comforted him as if he was her own. She soothed his hair, made him tea, cried alongside him as he vented about Kurapika and how much he missed him. It was a dark time in their lives, and the only one that could have had this much impact on any of them was Kurapika.
The service began at eleven o'clock the following week. Pairo and Caramella had chosen the music the day before, and the casket stood a few feet away from them, under a large bouquet of baby's breath. Mrs Sabrina and Mr Herold had used their florist for the flowers. The service was a simple but elegant one, according to the Kurta tradition.
The sermon had been long and teary, starting with Kurapika's closest family and friends, and ending with Leorio. They all exchanged so many words, bringing up so many memories that Leorio hadn't been a witness to. But he could tell how much they cared for Kurapika, their eyes and voices held a certain fondness that could only be attained from years of growing up together.
The funeral went on smoothly, with the whole Kurta clan there weeping and mourning. Leorio could sense how close they all were as if they are just one big family, which they were, in a sense. A greying relative of Kurapika had told Leorio how heartbroken the blonde had been during the time of his biological family's death, which only made him cry again.
For some reason, he had just had a vision of Kurapika while they were out one day. Kurapika had had big bright eyes, and he had looked lovingly at Leorio, and all he could see in his mind's eye was Kurapika standing over a bed of flowers, showing him a variety of dandelions and lavenders, grinning from ear to ear. It made Leorio miss the blonde more than ever, as he closed his eyes and he could feel his heart hurt thinking back to that time.
He couldn't stop the tears as they continued to fall down his face again, and a sob caught in his throat as they rolled the casket away. Burying Kurapika had hurt even more. Caramella was sobbing uncontrollably, leaning into Pairo for support. The brunette was equally as distraught, as he held his sister's hand and tried to remain strong. Mr Herold was holding a whimpering Mrs Sabina, and Leorio stood beside all of them, trying to turn his thoughts away from the painful memories. There were far too many of them.
Kurapika was gone now, part of a lifetime of memories.
♕♕♕
"Excuse me but can you tell me more about this painting?"
"Oh, this one? It's the work of a mysterious man named Leorio Palmer. The painter continues to depict a beautiful boy called Kurapika. It's been highly praised worldwide and has begun to draw the attention of several famous art critics."
"He's beautiful, isn't he?"
"Of course. If you want, Mr Leorio's other paintings are just around the corner.."
Leorio returned to his loft at the end of the workday, alone for the first time in weeks, again citing a headache. He sat at his painting station, turned his music on to a classical station, and let his fingers fly. Soft, pastel-coloured strokes became flowers and swirls and birds and ivy, adored with rubies of the finest shade of red he could mix.
Leorio painted and he did not let himself think of meetings or colleagues or dates. He allowed himself to feel the sick, churning knots in his belly, the cold flash of dread that sat in his chest, and he carefully and gently ushered it out the door. It was one in the morning when he finally let himself get away from his work therapy, setting his brush softly beside the now-filled canvas.
Leorio gets up, about to slip into bed when his eyes catch a hint of red in the corner of his eye. He stills, feeling the overwhelming feeling of grief. He takes long strides towards it, picking up the ruby earring gently in his hands. He held it carefully, not wanting to drop it.
"I miss you, Kurapika," Leorio whispered. His face was damp with tears, and a shaking hand stroked the earring, trying to reach someone who was no longer there to receive the gentle touch. The whispered words reached for someone long out of earshot.
He crouches down on the floor, resting his head on the wall. The tears fall uncontrollably, and Leorio sobbed as he grips the glittering ruby earring.
"Kurapika..."
Curling into himself, he cried. He cried harder than he's ever cried since Kurapika's death and funeral 26 years ago. And as he cried, he just suddenly... felt nothing. It was chaos inside his head but he couldn't feel anything at all. He was no longer alive, he was only just existing while dead inside. Nothing was worth it anymore, and he wishes that by some miracle, some divine being up in the clouds would take sympathy on him and cut off his life there and then.
But it was a hopeless dream. He couldn't die, not now, not ever.
It was his curse.
Leorio woke up on the floor the next day, still clutching the earring in his hand. His back hurts like hell, but he got up and continued with his day. He had an art exhibition at nine that morning, but it was already twenty after seven.
♕♕♕
Leorio found himself getting antsy in this crowd of people. He excused himself, wanting to go stare at one of his paintings when he froze.
There, in front of his favorite painting, was Kurapika.
His breath caught in the back of his throat, heart beating faster than ever. Kurapika? He wanted to call out, but his tongue was stuck in it's place. The blonde boy noticed him, looking over and smiling a small smile. Oh God, it was Kurapika in the flesh.
"Oh, were you looking to look at this as well? I'm sorry, go on ahead." Kurapika waved a perfectly pedicured hand, moving past him. Leorio wanted to stop him, to look at him again when the boy turned back to him. "Don't you think he's beautiful? I mean, the painter must have had such an infatuation to be able to draw the man in the painting with such detail, and I can feel such... sad emotions coming from the painting. Almost as if he's... not here anymore somehow." Kurapika laughed tearily, wiping him wet eyes.
"...Do you like the paintings?" Leorio asks, heart about to burst. He wanted to hug Kurapika, but that would be weird since this boy in front of him was obviously not the Kurapika he knew, but a reborn one.
"Of course! I just... get more emotional than usual when I see beautiful things." Kurapika giggled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear.
"Father!!" A small voice breaks both of them out of their conversation, and Leorio sees Kurapika's eyes soften as he catches the little girl running to them into his arms.
"What is it, Anais darling? Where's your father?" Kurapika smiled sweetly, making Leorio feel like crying. God, how much did he miss Kurapika's smile.
"Somewhere! Father, can we go get ice cream now? Pretty please?" The little girl, Anais apparently, asked. Kurapika's smile grew wider, fonder.
"I don't think the appearance of the plead is going to change my mind, but sure. Come on now." Kurapika slides his hand into Anais' small ones, looking back up at Leorio. "Sorry, mister, but my daughter is quite the lousy one."
"Dear, I'm sorry I couldn't keep entertaining her." A tall, black haired main comes up to them, slightly panting. Kurapika nods, sliding his other hand into the man's.
"It was a pleasure talking to you, mister. I see we have a common taste in beautiful things." Kurapika grinned before turning, walking away with his family. Leorio watched him go, a tear slipping from his eyes.
"You're wrong, sunshine..." Leorio whispered. "You're still the most beautiful of them all." Leorio wipes the tears quickly, not wanting anyone to see him like that. But his heart felt lighter, softer. He was thankful that the had met Kurapika today, and he made a promise to himself to find Kurapika quickly in the blonde's next life.
Wherever Kurapika would be reborn in his next life, Leorio swore he'd be there. He'd find him, and make him happy until his last day.
For evermore.