Chapter Text
Leorio was finally a doctor, a rich one at that. He was fortunate enough to make lots of money early on, so he could forget any worries about money and focus on his true goals, helping those around him.
As soon as he made the money Leorio opened his own small practice just outside of YorkNew city, and offered free healthcare and assistance to anyone who walked through his door. It didn’t matter to Leorio who the patients were, though more often than not they were kids, he just wanted to make sure they all got the help they needed.
The place was nice, originally a small townhouse that had been redesigned more than once. It had three stories, allowing Leorio to live just upstairs while still reserving two whole floors for the clinic.
Some people asked Leorio why he didn’t just work at a larger hospital or an already established doctor’s office after he got his degree but he never wanted any of that. The townhouse turned clinic gave a cozy feel that made patients feel less afraid. It also allowed him to be open and available twenty-four hours a day, never needing to go home or step away from his office for too long.
Shockingly, Leorio’s business was slow to grow. As it turns out people are suspicious of a doctor who charges nothing and takes in mostly children. As the years went on though his reputation continued to grow and his clientele grew.
This was likely also helped by the fact that after the first year Gon and Killua decided to make Leorio’s clinic their permanent home. (More like semi-permanent, those boys could never stay in one place for long.) And of course Gon being, he told anyone he came across in his travels of the great doctor Leorio.
A few months after Gon and Killua moved in Alluka was moved in. It seemed the most natural progression of things, after all Killua was her main caretaker and the boys were always off on dangerous journeys. Leorio had her room set up a whole month before they even officially asked to move.
Now, in year three Leorio thought his life couldn’t get any better. Gon, Killua, and Alluka all lived with him, his business was finally starting to gain traction, and the kids were old enough to start helping around the clinic.
There was just one small thing that ate away at him. Most of the time he didn’t think about it. He was simply too busy to even remember it, let alone dwell on it. But, late at night when he was lying awake in his bed he would remember.
Kurapika Kurta.
Kurapika was quite possibly the most beautiful creature Leorio had ever seen. They weren't beautiful in the traditional sense, like one might describe flowers or diamonds. Their beauty was subtle, the kind you had to watch to appreciate. In Leorio’s opinion that made them all the more beautiful, it was as if the world wasn’t able to see their beauty, just Leorio.
He could and had waxed poetic about Kurapika’s beauty. Something about the way their eyes lit up with passion or the way their lips curled in worry whenever Gon and Killua suggested something crazy. Watching Kurapika’s beauty was infinite it seemed, and Leorio wanted to follow it to the end of the world.
Leorio had told them all of this once. Back when they were both in YorkNew city and Kurapika was on their endless pursuit of the phantom troupe. Right before Kurpaika departed the group Leorio pulled them aside and expressed his emotions.
Kurapika didn’t share his feelings though, making it clear that they were in no place emotionally to be attached to somebody like that.
Leorio wasn’t mad. Despite popular belief Leorio was intelligent. He knew Kurapika meant no harm by their words. Instead he just took the rejection with a smile, hoping Kurpaika the best in whatever their future journeys would bring.
Since then the two had never seen each other, at least not in person. They talked on the phone occasionally but nothing more than that. Kurapika also had a nasty habit of cutting contact with everyone for multiple months at a time when on a new mission.
It was nothing personal, Leorio knew that. It was simply their way. They’d done it even before Leorio had expressed his feelings. He suspected Killua was the same way, but he had Gon by his side who made sure he was never alone.
Leorio sighed heavily as he rolled over in his bed. It seemed tonight would be another night that the thoughts inside his head would win, not allowing him a moment of rest.
Thankfully Leorio had no patients so he could afford to stay in bed a little later than normal. If anything were to occur Alluka could come and wake him up. Though he doubted anything would happen, the auction season was over for the year and many were heading out of YorkNew to visit family and loved ones for the holidays.
Leorio laid awake and thought about Kurapika, as he usually did on his sleepless nights. It had been almost eight months since Kurapika had initiated any sort of contact, a long time even for him. Leorio knew he shouldn’t be worried. Kurapika was a strong warrior and could defeat anything in their way.
Still though something was bothering him. Usually Leorio knew Kurapika was out when he would stop answering calls from multiple different people. Leorio thought it was cute that Gon would still ask him if Kurapika was ignoring him despite knowing their habits.
But this time Kurapika told him they were heading out on a mission. It scared Leorio, even if he tried not to show it because something about it sounded dangerous. Like Kurapika was worried they would never be able to talk to Leorio again. It worried Gon so much that he refused to go out on any adventures for three months. Until Killua basically dragged the two out promising Gon he would feel better after exploring.
Killua was of course right and the two came back a month later without a hint of anxiety. Although Leorio would catch Killua up late, sometimes pacing around their house whispering under his breath about Kurapika.
Leorio tried to rationalize that Kurapika wasn’t in any danger. That perhaps they were just visiting their old clan’s resting place and wanted to make sure the people he cared about knew he’d be gone a while. After all, the last time they visited their deceased clan members it had taken over a year.
Leorio’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of his front door’s alarm going off. He shot up in his bed and looked around anxiously. Of course it could just be a patient looking for help, his clinic was open twenty four hours for a reason, but people needing medical assistance at this hour were normally much louder.
Leorio took his time getting out of bed, putting shoes on to at least appear somewhat presentable to whoever came in at the middle of the night. Leorio knew that he and Alluka were safe upstairs in the apartment part of the townhouse. (Gon and Killua had been out on another adventure for the past month and a half).
He added many locks and security measures that only the four people living there would be able to enter through. One of the many advantages getting his hunter license provided was the ability to use nen in practical everyday ways.
Leorio walked out the door and locked it before heading down the flights of stairs. Whatever Leorio was expecting when he got down there was lost the moment he saw it. Standing right in front of him, clothes tattered, covered in dirt, blood, and bruises. He imagined this scene in his head a million times, but never did it happen like this in his fantasies.
“Leorio I-” Kurapika’s voice was strained. It was clear that they were weak and fragile, even saying Leorio’s name seemed like it would take them out.
Leorio was frozen in place. He wanted to do something, anything, but he couldn’t. After years of being a doctor and seeing hundreds of people injured and on the verge of death he thought he could handle this.
But seeing Kurapika, his friend, his companion, his soulmate on the brink of life and death crushed him. There was so much Leorio wanted to do that it felt as if he couldn’t do anything at all.
Kurapika was still majorly injured though, and their wounds finally seemed to get the better of them. They swayed in place about to fall before being caught in midair. Leorio didn’t even realize he’d caught Kurapika until he felt them grip Leorio’s arm with the little strength they had left.
Kurapika had always been significantly shorter than Leorio, mostly thanks to Leorio’s own height. Kurapika had never felt tiny compared to Leorio, they were always strong, stronger than Leorio could ever dream of. But now with Leorio cradling them in his arms carrying their full body weight, it hit Leorio how fragile Kurapika was.
Their entire body was shaking; Leorio now realized Kurapika was both freezing cold and soaking wet. Despite not seeing Kurapika in a long time he knew how desperately they were trying to hold on. Trying desperately to stay strong. To be strong for both of them.
Leorio rubbed the back of Kurapika’s head slowly. Smoothing down their messy and tangled hair with his hands while moving to make Kurapika easier to hold. He started whispering sweet nothings into Kurapika’s ear.
Kurapika seemed to gain a little strength from Leorio’s comfort and lifts their head enough to look at Leorio. Their eyes are teary and big, slowly fading to their intense scarlet color that indicates their intense emotion.
“I’m sorry I’m sorry I was wrong I always have I-”
Kurapika’s body finally gave out on them. They passed out and their body fully slumped into Leorio’s arms. Leorio picked Kurapika up so he could carry their body to one of the hospital beds in his clinic. He carefully placed Kurapika in his finest bed and wiped some dirt off their face.
It was frustrating, how even like this Kurapika could look so beautiful. Now that they were passed out Leorio could take a minute and calm himself down. In all their years of knowing each other not once had Kurapika done something that hadn’t irrationally stressed their own body. They always pushed themself to their limits and then went beyond them.
“You’re lucky I’m a doctor.”