A/N: It's a short chap this time. Also I forgot to mention: this fic doesn't follow the show very closely. Most of it is random fluffy drabbles taking part in the same AU. Just so we're all on the same page. Enjoy!
Flatmates
Having friends was an interesting experience for Kurapika, mainly because he had been out of practice for several years. Still, he didn't mind it… had to admit he rather liked it, actually. Leorio might've been a bit of an idiot but he knew his stuff in biochem— and studying together really did help the information sink in. And besides that, sometimes it was nice to not always sit alone.
The more time he spent with Leorio, the more he realized that he was actually a nice guy, and the motivations he had shared with Professor Hitchens were more than likely just a bluff. Kurapika wished he could say the same for his own.
Because Leorio may have been easily irritable, impatient, a tad idiotic on more than one occasion— but all these vices stemmed from the indisputable fact that he cared.
It was also pretty obvious from the way he worried about Gon (almost as much as Kurapika did).
"When he's not hanging around with us, what is he doing?" Leorio asked. They were at the library together, researching for an organic chem paper, even though it was already nearly ten o'clock at night.
"I don't know."
"He obviously isn't going to school… what grade do you think he'd be in, five? Maybe six? There's no way he's allowed to… to just skip like this. What about his parents, why aren't they doing anything?"
"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't have parents."
Leorio looked across at him, surprised. Then he paused, a frown settling over his features. "It's definitely possible," he allowed. "But even so, there's got to be someone looking out for him."
"I hope so," Kurapika said. But from the look Leorio shot him, he knew he'd sounded more dubious than hopeful.
—
The next time Leorio brought it up, they were walking out of a midterm exam. Kurapika was confident in his results, but could tell his friend was less so— and was expecting some sort of a rant or attempt to commiserate on Leorio's part. The man's expression was drawn as though he were thinking hard about something.
"I think we're the ones who should look out for him."
Kurapika blinked, unsure that he'd heard correctly. "You think we should what…?"
"Look out for Gon, I mean! He doesn't seem to have anyone else. We could at least offer him a place to stay the night, or…"
"You think he's homeless?"
"Do you think he's got a home?" Leorio shot back.
Kurapika didn't have a concrete answer to that.
"Well, I'd like to— I mean, I wish I could offer him a— it's just, my place is a little… cramped."
Kurapika's eyebrows raised despite himself. "You practically live in the red-light district! Not to mention your room is more like a dingy closet. There's no way I'd let Gon stay there, not even for five minutes!"
Leorio eyed him dryly. "Glad it's still okay for me to live in such wretched conditions."
Well. "About that…" Kurapika hesitated. He'd already given it lots of consideration, but… there was no going back once he put the offer out there. Was this really a wise decision after all?
"Anyway, Kurapika," Leorio continued, oblivious to his inner turmoil, "I don't want to pressure you or anything, but I mean, if you're willing— and I get the feeling you worry about Gon an awful lot too, so…"
"Ah, yes, of course," Kurapika said distractedly. "I'll invite Gon to stay with me."
"Oh, you will? Great! You were looking so conflicted there I thought maybe it wasn't gonna work out, but hey—"
"Leorio." This was the opportune moment. He had to say it. He had to— "There's quite a lot of room in my apartment, actually. And I've been thinking about finding a flatmate— for the purposes of splitting the rent, of course. So I've been thinking— and then, with Gon staying there too, I'm sure you'd prefer being able to keep a closer eye on him."
He kept his gaze on the city skyline as they continued down the sidewalk. Leorio had yet to make a sound.
"It's not exactly the fanciest place, but it'd definitely be an improvement from where you're staying now. And it's only a twenty-minute walk to campus…" Unease was building in the pit of his stomach. Maybe this had been a mistake; it was unlike Leorio to keep his mouth shut for so long. "It's only a suggestion, you don't have to feel any sort of pressure. I just—"
"Wait, Kurapika." Leorio bumped him on the shoulder. His voice was tinged with incredulity. "Are you asking me to share an apartment with you?"
Finally Kurapika turned his head to look at him. "Well, yes. Isn't it fairly obvious?"
"Man, you sure have a round-about way of saying things. Jeez. Well, it sounds good to me. When do I move in?"
Kurapika stopped and stared. "That was a quick decision."
"Well, yeah. Not everyone deliberates as much as you do over everything."
"Thanks," Kurapika said drily.
"Don't mention it." Leorio grinned. "Wow, I can't wait to move out of that dump— what'd you call it again? a 'dingy closet' or something?" He chuckled loudly. "Man, this is gonna be great. I'm glad you asked, Kurapika."
But as Leorio pounded him on the back, Kurapika was beginning to wonder…
What exactly have I gotten myself into?
TBC
