A/N: …I have no excuse for how late this update is. But I swear I'm not gonna abandon this story. Feel free to pelt me with tomatoes if I don't post the remaining couple chapters before the month is up. I'll do my best.

Sleepover

Eventually they fell into a sort of rhythm, with Killua showing up more often than not for meals at the apartment.

It was always at Gon's invitation— not that Kurapika or Leorio would ever discourage it, but Kurapika found it hard to start up a conversation with the silver-haired boy whose eyes were far sharper than any other twelve-year-old he'd met— and sharper in a different way than Gon's. Less bright.

But Killua was a good boy as far as Kurapika could tell, and he managed to be polite despite his gruff nature. He was always watching Gon, always by his side, and for the first few times Kurapika had worried slightly— this dangerous child of unknown origins who had latched on to the joyously clueless Gon like a clamp with unknown intentions. But the more he watched (and watch he did, like a mother hawk, as Leorio liked to jab) the more he noticed how Killua smiled when Gon smiled, how Killua only looked relaxed when Gon was nearby, how Killua had clearly never had a best friend before but dearly wanted and needed one and had found one in Gon.

And then one day Killua had stayed the night. Dinner had been devoured and then cleared away, Kurapika and Leorio each chipped away at their chemistry papers, and Gon halfheartedly attempted some math homework after Kurapika had sent him enough stern glares across the table. Killua helped a bit— he could do the math but wasn't so clear at explaining things in terms that wouldn't cause metaphorical smoke to pour from Gon's ears. Eventually his somewhat bossy and condescending "tutoring" led to a short tussle at the table, which led to a full on wrestling match on the floor in a matter of minutes.

"Enough," Kurapika declared, closing his laptop with a decisive click. "Gon, it's getting late. Shouldn't you be heading to bed soon?" Suggestions from Kurapika were simply commands in disguise.

"Oh… Yeah." Gon broke free of Killua's chokehold and scratched at the back of his head.

"Then, I guess I'll…" Killua began, slowly pushing himself up off the floor. Gon jumped to his feet— and then whipped around to grab a surprised Killua's hand.

"Hey, Killua, I wanna show you something!" He dragged his friend off to Kurapika's room, where Gon was currently storing his few personal belongings.

Kurapika sighed, but with no real discontent behind it, and left his chemistry assignments to set up the couch for Gon. Gon said he could do it himself, but when he did the sheets were crooked and untucked and usually half-off by morning (Gon was a restless sleeper) so Kurapika liked to do it himself. He had just smoothed out the pillow when the relative silence was broken by pounding bare feet down the short apartment corridor and Gon burst into the main room, alone.

"Hey, Kurapika," he said, voice hushed. "Could you— I mean, um— could Killua sleep over?"

Kurapika paused.

"Please?" Gon continued. "He probably doesn't want us to know, but I don't think he has anywhere to stay at night," he whispered. "He—"

"Gon!" Killua's voice rang out from the corridor. "What are you doing?"

Gon looked up at Kurapika with wide, brown doe eyes. "I think it would really make him happy," he said earnestly. "He—"

"Okay," Kurapika said. Gon was very hard to turn down, especially when he employed that doe-eyes tactic… but besides that, Kurapika had no trouble believing that Killua didn't have a place to call home. He'd been wondering himself where Killua stayed when he wasn't with Gon, and had come to the conclusion that it couldn't have been a very nice place— or a place that Killua was eager to get back to.

Of course, the addition of a new, non-rent-paying flatmate wasn't ideal. This apartment was designed for two people, and they'd been managing three. To add a fourth…

But they'd work it out.

Sometimes, Kurapika found, it was better to look at things through Gon's perspective. Rather than thinking of rationale, pros, cons, and worries, simply know: that person needs help— and give it to them.

Gon was bouncing up and down in eager anticipation when Killua entered the room.

"What's up with you?" Killua asked, but Gon was already grabbing him by the arm again, grinning ear to ear as he dragged an exasperated Killua towards the corridor once more.

"Kurapika says you can stay over, isn't that great?" Gon didn't wait for an answer. "We'll have to sleep on the couch, but that's okay, it's actually really comfy. Oh— you can borrow some of my pajamas, too, and I'll grab you a pillow, and—"

"What makes you think I even want to stay over?" Killua asked. His voice was muffled now, through the wall— and Kurapika noticed even Leorio had turned away from his work for a moment to listen in.

There was a brief pause. Kurapika momentarily imagined Gon's happy expression collapsing, excitement drying up. Killua was a good boy, Kurapika had decided, but he wasn't the best at… using tact. And occasionally he was downright cold.

"Killua! Don't be silly, you know sleepovers are really fun, right? Well, I've never had one before but I know they're supposed to be and I really wanna try it out, don't you?"

"Well… I guess. Since you really want to."

Kurapika's mouth twitched into a smile. Of course. This was Gon they were talking about after all. It was impossible to bring him down.

A few minutes later, Gon and Killua returned, pajama-clad and ready for bed, Gon with bright eyes and light steps, and Killua with a lowered gaze and hands awkwardly held at his sides, like he was wishing for his familiar shorts' pockets to bury them in.

Leorio packed up his stuff and retreated to his own room, giving Gon and Killua both a goodnight ruffle of the hair and Kurapika a wry smile.

He knew this wasn't going to be a one-time occurrence, too.

Kurapika cleared away his own schoolwork and came back to the living room to find Gon and Killua arguing over which half of the couch was better.

He gave them a stern look and both climbed in immediately. They laid with heads together at the middle of the couch and feet sticking out at the ends. It was probably better than feet together (kicking had a nasty habit of waking one up)... but then again…

He'd have to consider other options for sleeping arrangements for the future.

"Don't stay up too late talking," he warned them. Gon nodded eagerly, bumping Killua's head and earning a groan of annoyance.

"Sorry, Killua," he whispered.

As was custom, Kurapika came over and tucked Gon's blankets up to his chin. Gon nestled into the blankets, letting out a soft sigh of contentment. Kurapika thought about doing the same to Killua— but decided to take it slow based on the please-get-me-out-of-here look on Killua's face as the boy observed the situation.

"Goodnight, Gon. Goodnight, Killua," Kurapika said, flipping off the light switch and retreating to his room.

And if, as he lay in bed that night, he heard the faint mumblings of conversation echoing from the living room, he didn't find it bothersome. Well, he would have to make sure the two were getting a proper night's rest in future, but just for the moment… the gentle murmur of their voices acted as a balm to his nerves, lulling him into a deep and contented sleep.