He was tougher than the average person in both body and mind; the Hunter Exam proved that. And he figured it made sense; he'd have to be to get through all the crap life threw at him from the death of his childhood friend to the Hunter Exam. He was tough, but he still sometimes felt like nothing next to them. While he carved out a place in the world for himself, they spread their wings and soared.

Gon, Killua, and Kurapika were people of boundless strength and potential.

Gon was a freak of nature, accepting of all and bound to become one of the world's greatest hunters in just a few years; it wasn't just in his blood but in his nature. He didn't see the world in black and white, right and wrong. He just saw a world that he wanted to explore and enjoy. Leorio worried about him like he would a reckless younger brother, but he knew that at the end of the day, Gon would make it through. He always did.

The kid had tons of run-ins with stronger fighters before, but he somehow survived. There was no way anything was going to get that kid down!

Killua was born into a different life than him, a darker life than any child should live, and it sometimes reflected in his eyes. For someone who acted so mischievous and carefree, he sometimes looked strangely distant, like he was seeing something different than everyone else. What did he see when he looked at happy families, Leorio wondered, his heart aching for the young boy. Did he see what his family could've been, had they not been assassins?

They didn't always get along, but Leorio cared for the kid anyway and hoped he'd be able to free himself from the pain and trauma his family no doubt caused him over the years. His other family, anyway. The four of them and Alluka were a family of their own in their own way now.

And Kurapika? It killed him to see the sarcastic and intelligent blond dye his hands red with blood, even if it was the blood of his most hated enemies. He could see the toll it had on him to kill by just looking in his eyes; Kurapika had a heart underneath it all, a fragile, cracked heart. He was spurred on by hatred when they first met as well...but it got worse. Kurapika's hate didn't motivate him, it consumed him, making him feel more and more hollow with each act of revenge. And though it was killing him, though Leorio hated to see the person he considered his best friend, he couldn't tell the blond to stop. Kurapika's soul would never find rest of he did, nor would the souls of those the monsters of the Phantom Troupe killed.

Leorio wanted to save him, but he couldn't. It was the worst fear of any doctor, especially when they cared deeply for the patient. All he could do was patch his wounds, should him, and send him back out to fight again and again until he just stopped coming back.

Leorio didn't have their potential, their painfully gained strength, or their conviction. He wasn't destined to spread his wings and soar alongside them; sometimes he even felt like a dead weight. But it was because of that Leorio could rest easy at night, knowing they were going to be alright. What seemed like a mountain to him was a molehill to them, especially with Gon and Killua as a team. It was because he had faith in their strength that he could continue with his life, treating patients at his tiny clinic as they adventured around the world.

He could live his life out here, as the doctor he always hoped to be, because he knew his family would be alright. Because he knew that someday soon, one of them was going to walk through those doors like nothing ever happened and he'd get to welcome them back ho—

"Hey, old man! Do you have any cold sodas?" Killua interrupted his thoughts, having slipped quietly through the window instead of the door like normal sane person because of course he did.

"Bottom shelf!" He snapped, getting up to close the window. "It's freezing! At least close the window if you're not going to go through the door. Where's Gon and Alluka?"

"Playing with a bear." He replied like it was totally normal. "Gon's with her so I'm not worried." The fact that you think that's normal is reason to worry!

"Leorio!" Gon bust through the door, face flushed with excitement. "We're home!" Leorio sighed in relief when he saw he really was alright. Alluka followed him in, also giddy. Now only one of their family was missing but this was still great. Besides, Kurapika would come home soon. He always did

"Yeah." He grinned back. "Welcome home."

I

love Leorio and wanted to write about them all being a little family. Let me know how I did.