It has officially been a month since Kurapika started working for the hospitable doctor, and so far he was enjoying it far more than he had ever expected to. They don't see each other a whole lot, what with their busy schedules and all, but that was perfectly fine. The penthouse is being taken care of by both himself and Melody, who never fails in making the most delicious meals! And that wasn't all! Her bakery goods were out of this world as well. Plus she makes for some lovely company too. Never has he met someone so sweet before. In a way she acted kind of motherly towards him. That is something he has been yearning for, ever since he lost his own as a child. When he hired a personal chef, he never expected to actually form a bond with said person; yet here he was. This however, did not bother him in the slightest. There was just something about her that was trusting, and loyal. At this point if anything were to happen to her, he would feel the effects of it greatly.
Every single day at the same time he leaves to eat lunch with Leorio, bringing the bento boxes that were put together with such care and thoughtfulness by her. Most of the staff know him by now, and even greet him with a smile. It was a little awkward at first, but he eventually got used to it. Well, not like he had a choice in the matter anyways. This was to make sure that his boss eats three meals a day, because before he appeared in his life, he wasn't taking very good care of himself. Now he seemed to have a lot more energy, and looked less exhausted. Not only that, but now he doesn't have to wait as long when arriving at the hospital. It is like he has fixed his schedule to work around their time spent together.
There is no way he was going to miss a single day of spending time with his favorite person.
Yes, by now Leorio has grown very fond of the blonde-headed cutie. How can you not lose yourself in those marble-like orbs? Or feel your heart melting at his lyrical voice? Just his very presence is enough to keep him going. His words of encouragement are also very helpful to him. What would he have done without him lately? No matter how rough he has had it at work, he can always get him to smile and laugh. That is something he truly appreciates, more than anything. This was one of the many things that he was missing from his life, and because of that, the emptiness in his heart was starting to fade away. It is a real shame that they can't talk more, but there was nothing he could do about that. His work comes first. At least, for the time being it does.
As for Kurapika? Ever since that day he saw him with no clothes on, his feelings have been a jumbled mess. That man appears in his mind all the time now, and he honestly didn't know what to make of it. This has never happened to him before. What does one exactly do in this situation? There was no one to turn to, so he had to bottle it all up. Even if there was someone he completely trusted, this was just too embarrassing to say out loud. So, he has remained silent about the issue. Instead he greets his boss on a daily basis, and does his butler duties as expected. Now that he has memorized where everything is here in this giant penthouse, his job has gotten a lot easier. And every Friday he gets paid in cash, which is even better! Already he has been putting money away into a small safe box, that he bought specifically for this very reason.
Eventually he will have enough to take down the people who slaughtered his family.
"Stupid rain!" The front door swung open, and in came a soaking-wet Leorio. You could hear the booms of thunder, and see the flashing of lightening bolts shooting across the sky. Apparently it is supposed to storm very badly all night, and end sometime in the morning. If only he had known this before leaving for work, because then he would have brought an umbrella. And even though he caved in and took a taxi home, he still managed to get this bad. There were goosebumps all over his arms, and his teeth chattered as he shivered from the cold. He slipped out of his jacket, hung it on the hook, and kicked his shoes off. Those can be taken care of tomorrow. For now he just wanted to change, and relax in his warm, comfortable bed.
A drink sure did sound good right about now. That would warm him up fast!
The lenses on his glasses had rain drops splattered all over them, making it difficult for him to see out of. He pulled them off of his face with a frustrated sigh, and set them down onto the small table beside him. Above that hung a white, oval mirror. As he stood there and stared at his reflection, he brought a hand up to run through his wet hair. Boy did he look like a hot mess right now! It sure is a good thing that he will be heading to bed here shortly. All he wanted right now, was to rest his head on top of those squishy pillows, and to be all wrapped up in his marshmallow blanket. His room wasn't that far away, but he still hated the fact that he had to walk all the way up those stairs, and then make his way down the hallway. The coffee he drank all day long had worn off by now, and he found himself just trudging along.
"Still handsome!" Leorio declared, giving his reflection a thumbs-up. Remaining in a bad mood like this might affect his sleep, and he definitely didn't want that to happen! It just wasn't worth stressing himself over. So what if he got stuck in the rain? It really wasn't the end of the world. A little bit of water won't kill him, or anyone for that matter. He should know, he's a doctor. No one has ever came into the hospital for such a thing. It's a different story if someone drowned, but that isn't the case here. After fixing his shoes to sit more neatly on the rug, because god forbid he leaves something out of place for his butler to fix, he shuffled his feet on over to the staircase. At first he just stood there, staring blankly at it. Did he really have it in him to make it all the way up there?
Well sleeping on the couch in these wet clothes was out of the question. Either way, he needed to muster up the energy to lift his legs up and over each step. 'I should have installed an elevator,' he thought. Whether or not that was possible in this penthouse, he had absolutely no idea. It would be handy in situations like this one, though. Sometimes he is just too exhausted to put in the effort. It may sound silly, but people would definitely use it if it was there. On the other hand, that just seemed like a waste of money. Everyone living under this roof is young and healthy, so they didn't need to worry about something like that right now.
If someone were to become injured, making it impossible to go up and down those stairs, then yes, he would try and install one as soon as possible. The cost of everything wouldn't matter in the slightest, if it meant keeping his workers comfortable. Hopefully neither one of them will go through something as terrible as that. As much as he brags about being a good doctor, he doesn't ever want to see Kurapika or Melody being wheeled in on a stretcher. If for whatever reason that becomes reality, he wouldn't let anyone else touch them. Even if he is in the middle of a surgery, he will hand it off to someone else who is fully capable of replacing him. They would receive nothing but the best treatment from him, and nothing less.
Sadly, there are some doctors out there who are quick to give up on their patients.
"So tired," he yawned out. His eyes were becoming heavy, and he had to grip onto the railing tightly just to make sure that he wouldn't slip, and fall backwards. No need to bust his head open, or to break his back. Why did every imaginable thing sound like too much for him? Never has he felt so lazy. Perhaps it was due to the type of day he had today. Not only did he take in a couple of new patients, but he was also tied up in more surgeries than normal. How could he ever turn someone in need of his medical services away? Clearly they couldn't afford to go to someone else, where they would be trapped into having to pay thousands of dollars just for a simple surgery, or for medicine that they need in order to survive. No, he couldn't allow for that to happen. Not under his watch! He was meant to help others, and that is what he will do until the day he dies.
Just as he was approaching the end, he saw a silhouette of someone smaller than him. This caused him to freeze in place, his eyes squinting to make out who it was. There were not enough lights on to properly see anything. One thing he couldn't help but notice, was that this person was wearing something long—like a dress. Was that some sort of women's sleepwear? Also, he took in their height as he looked them up and down. And then very quietly, almost hesitantly, he spoke out. "Melody?" That was the only person that came to mind, that fit the description he was currently imagining.
Melody immediately walked down a few steps. Her hair was kept up in one thick braid, and she wore a dark brown-colored night gown. This time when she greeted him, there wasn't a smile on her face. Instead she looked worried, and you could hear it in her voice when she responded. "Welcome home, Dr. Paladiknight."
Leorio examined the expression on her face, really taking everything in. Something wasn't right here. Why was she up at this time of the night? Normally when he gets off this late, everyone is in bed and already fast asleep. "Is.. everything alright?" He quietly asked. Give it to her to still greet him like that, even though something was clearly wrong.
She lowered her head a bit, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. "It.. it sounds like Kurapika is in pain. His door is locked, so I couldn't go in there and check up on him. I don't know if he is actually hurt, or if something else is going on.. But I have no way of knowing…" Having such sensitive hearing wasn't always great. How can she sleep, knowing that he was in there suffering?
His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach. "I-In pain?!" Leorio dug through his pants pocket, and pulled out a set of keys. If the blonde was hurt, then he needed to tend to his wounds. Either that, or get him to a hospital. It depends on how severe the situation is. Hopefully that won't be necessary, and he can just patch him up here.
Melody silently nodded. "I think he's crying." No, she knew for a fact that he was! It's just that she hasn't told either of them about her ability yet. And this certainly wasn't the time to blurt that out. She gets this feeling that he has been through a lot of hardships in his life. There was just this look he gets in his eyes that says it all. Even if she could get in there, how would she help him? No, she wasn't the right person for this job.
His eyes widened. Kurapika? Crying? It was such a hard thing to imagine. Everyone does it. It would actually be concerning if someone never shed a single tear in their entire life. However, he has been so good at hiding his emotions. "Excuse me—" He brushed past her to run up the stairs. Well this made him feel more awake. Where he got this boost of energy, he had absolutely no idea. It must purely be adrenaline. That was the only explanation he could think of. It no longer mattered that he was cold and wet from the rain, or beyond tired from work. There was no possible way he could simply ignore this.
Leorio came to an abrupt stop right in front of the door, and started banging on it loudly with his fist. "Kurapika?! You okay in there?!" He shouted. When all he received was silence, that sinking feeling only got worse. Why wasn't he answering? He panicked, and brought the keys up to his face. 'Which one was it? Damn it!' He wasn't used to going in this room anymore. Even before he hired him as a butler, it's not like he was in there very much. There was just no point, since it was a guest room. The first key he tried failed. It wouldn't even go in the keyhole at all. The second one went in about halfway, but that was it. It honestly felt like this was taking him forever, and his anxiety was starting to act up.
After the fourth try, he was finally able to unlock the door. At first he didn't say anything, and instead focused on listening to what was going on. There was a lot of heavy breathing, and groaning going on from the general direction of where the bed was. He wasn't sure if it was alright to turn the light on, in case that might spook him. Luckily he has been in here enough times to find his way around the dark. As he slowly made his way forward, he heard a new noise—one that made him automatically freeze. 'Wait, is that-….' There was no mistaking it.
Kurapika was in fact, crying.
When you work with people like Leorio does, you witness a lot of things. Not a whole lot surprises him nowadays, for he has been through it all for the most part. And since he works with children a lot, he is able to tell whenever they are having a bad dream, or in this case, a nightmare. He could see the blankets on the bed shifting, which meant that the blonde was tossing and turning in his sleep. There was enough light coming in from the windows to see that much. If he had this view, he wouldn't close the curtains either. There was a beautiful view of not only the city, but the beautiful moon that shone brightly in the starry sky.
"N-no, st—op! Ahh.. haaa… Nrrghh!" Kurapika flailed his arms, the blankets now being kicked onto the floor. There was sweat rolling off of his body, and his hair was sticking to his face. Even though this is his room, in which he keeps locked at all times, he still refused to sleep in the nude. What if there is an emergency, and he is stuck having to run around with nothing on? No thank you. That sounded horrible. He did, however, wear a pair of white shorts, and a black t-shirt. It was very uncomfortable, and even painful for him to sleep in a binder. That is why he only wears dark-colored shirts to bed, in case he needs to get up and do something. He fears that someone will be able to notice his chest, and he just wasn't ready for anyone to know that part of him yet.
Leorio had never bolted so fast in his entire life. "Kurapika! Hey, wake up!" He grabbed a hold of his shoulders, and shook him gently. Well he didn't want to risk hurting the guy! Sometimes he misjudges his own strength. And not to be mean, but his butler is pretty tiny. It actually suits him, if anything. When he saw the tears running down his pale cheeks, he bit his lip. Never did he expect to see him like this. It was so gut-wrenching.
He shook him a little harder second time around, and got down right next to his ear. "KURAPIKA!" As hard as it was to see him like this, at least he wasn't physically hurt. What Melody heard, was him suffering from a terrible nightmare. This is something everyone experiences in their life, so it wasn't anything to really worry about. After a few seconds passed by, he could see his eyes move a little underneath his eyelids. And then suddenly out of nowhere, a gasping noise escaped him. This caused the doctor to jump a little. But what he saw next really caught him off guard.
Kurapika's eyes fluttered open, and all he could see was red—a glowing red that looked identical to the jar of eyes that sat on the dresser behind him. In that very moment it was like his heart had stopped beating, and he forgot to breathe. They looked even more gorgeous on him for some reason. Is it because they were actually attached to a human being, unlike the other ones? Or does it help that the blonde is an overall beautiful person? It was hard to tell. And then his very own words from before flooded his mind. 'I would date anyone with these eyes.' If only he had known before saying such a thing! As true as it was, he never thought that his own butler held the exact same ones he admired so much. What did this mean? So they can turn from silver to red? What causes them to do that?
Man did he have so many questions to ask.
Very hesitantly, Leorio reached out to brush his blonde bangs back so that they were no longer sticking to his forehead. "It's okay. Whatever you were dreamin' about, it's all over now." He made sure to say this in a quiet, soothing voice. There was no tearing his gaze away from him. It was almost as if those eyes were putting him under a trance. How can someone so perfect like this exist? Even with him being all sweaty and disheveled, he still looked so.. so alluring. Not only that, but damn did he have some nice legs! Wait, does he shave them? They were shining from being so smooth! Not that it was a bad thing. If any guy can pull this off, it was definitely him.
"…." Those sparkling-red globes trailed from the ceiling, all the way down to the doctor's face. For once those weird glasses weren't obstructing his face, making it possible to actually see features he normally doesn't. They distract you from noticing just how soft of a brown they really are. A blush crept up on his cheeks, and he shot up from his laying position to put some distance between them. They were too close to his comfort. 'What is he doing here?!' As much as he wanted to yell at him to get the hell out, he knew better. This was still his boss, regardless if it was in the middle of the night. The fact that he unlocked the door to get in here was a tad bit weird.
Kurapika turned his head to stare out the window, and as he did this, he couldn't help but notice the red glow bouncing off of the glass. It took his brain a good few seconds for him to fully process what was going on, and as soon as it hit him, he quickly slapped his hands over his eyes. Sleeping with contact lenses in is very bad, and can either worsen your vision, or cause you to become blind in more severe cases. It's not like he expected for anyone to come into his bedroom this late at night, and stare right into his soul! 'Why am I even bothering? He already saw them.' If only he didn't have to find out this way! Or at all for that matter!
How did he feel about this?
Leorio didn't say anything. For the moment he just silently sat there, watching the blonde's every movement. He still hasn't uttered a single word, and he wondered if it was due to the nightmare that he just had, or something else. His mouth turned into a frown as soon as he saw what happened next. What was he trying to hide from? Was he ashamed of his eyes? If so, then that was just absurd. Why cover up something so lovely? Something needed to be done. They both couldn't just sit here and say nothing. So, he drew in a deep breath of air, and slapped his knee. Now wasn't the time to be all sad. He needed to be the strong one here.
"They really do glow in the dark! That is so fascinating! Just when I thought you couldn't get any cooler," he said in an excited tone of voice. There was now a wide smile on his face, which showed most of his pearly-white teeth. He was willing to do anything to put the blonde in a better mood. Seeing him like this was so heartbreaking, and he refused to leave until he was all better.
Fascinating? Cool? If only he knew the history behind them. Kurapika didn't move from his position—didn't bother to detach his hands from his face, so that he could look at the other as he spoke. It was almost as if he felt too ashamed to. "I'm.. fine. You can go to bed now, Dr. Paladiknight…" Judging from his attire, it was clear that he just got off of work. Surely he was sore and tired, right? Besides, he didn't feel like talking right now. He just wanted to be left alone.
The doctor sighed, but still kept that smile on his face. "Kurapika, listen—" He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. It trembled a little due to him still being cold, but he tried to ignore it. Once he gets out of these wet clothes, then he will be fine. It just didn't take priority over his butler right now, who was in a way, his friend. Was it safe to say that? They have gotten closer during this past month, so maybe it was. Either way, they hand a bond stronger than just being boss and worker.
"You're most certainly not fine! Anyone with a brain can see that. Secondly, the nightmare you had was bad enough to keep Melody up and worried. And lastly, you were crying. Whatever was going on in that head of yours, must have been awful enough to cause all of that. Kurapika, you don't need to feel so embarrassed. Who doesn't go through this exact same thing? I go through them myself every so often, especially when I am stressed out to the max. I have dreamt of the same little girl dying over and over again. I have dreamt of delivering a healthy baby, and then having it slip right out of my grasp, and land onto the ground. I have.. dreamt of doing the wrong surgery on a patient, and permanently disfiguring them for life…" Just thinking about all of these made him cringe. It was honestly too much at times, and he hopes that these very dreams never becomes reality.
"There were nights when I simply could not sleep at all, because I was haunted by nightmares like that. I didn't want to close my eyes and see the images of a child dying, or ending a life that never got the chance to really live in the first place. So you see, I understand what you're going through right now." He removed his hand from his shoulder then, since he didn't want him to feel suffocated.
Kurapika has always been terrible at controlling his Scarlet eyes, so it didn't surprise him that he couldn't switch them back to his usual silver color. He used his hands to wipe away the wetness from his face, and sniffled. That wasn't the only reason why he felt embarrassed. To cry in front of someone else like this was even worse. It made him feel weak. His gaze remained fixated on the sheets below him. They were damp from his sweat, which means he will need to throw them into the wash. Those nightmares sounded very sad, to be honest. He had no idea that someone as bright and happy as Leorio went through something like that. Guess this was just yet another thing that the had in common with each other. The list just keeps on growing, the longer he works for him.
"Please don't tell anyone about this," he murmured, while pointing directly at his eyes. It will be dangerous if the wrong people find out about his secret. Not only that, but they won't just target him anymore. If Leorio or Melody get hurt because of him, then that will be very upsetting. He would never be able to forgive himself if that were to happen.
Leorio glanced over at the floating eyes that were on the dresser, and then back at the blonde. "It's not my place to tell people. Besides, I hate gossip. It only causes unnecessary drama, and with drama follows a lot of stress. If you ask me, it's just not worth it. Your secret is safe with me! Although, I can't help but wonder…" He leaned in closer, placing his hands flat against the bed in front of him.
"Are you from some sorta special clan, who's eyes can turn red like that? I have never seen anything like this before. Makes me wonder if I have met anyone else like you, but they were just hiding it too…" He scratched his chin while saying this. Why hide them in the first place?
As he leaned back against the headboard, Kurapika stared him down with such intensity in his glowing red eyes. "That isn't possible, because I am the only one of my kind left." His heart ached when he said this. Oh how he missed his parents, and the only friend he has ever had. What he would give just to be with them again.
"….!" Leorio gripped his pant leg so tightly, that his knuckles began to turn white. What the heck did that mean? Were all the others killed? And if so, how? When?! This must be why personal questions make him feel uncomfortable, and why he never wants to talk about his family or childhood. Now it all made sense as to why he barely knew anything about him. It must be so painful for him to talk about. 'Does this mean he has no one? Not even a single friend?' He gulped. It made his own loneliness seem like nothing in comparison.
"K-Kurapika, I-…" What should he even say to that? All he could do was stare deeply into them once more. It was a color he had never seen before meeting him. Did he even want to know why those other ones were being kept in a jar? And why he possesses them in the first place? His mind was spinning.
Kurapika raised a hand, and shook his head. "Don't. That is a part of my life I wish to not speak about. Just know that if anyone finds out, then both yours and Melody's lives will be at risk. That is all I'm saying on the matter." And that was final. He may be his boss, but he didn't owe him his life's story, and he wanted to make that very clear.
That was understandable. Still, this made Leorio feel uneasy. "What, are you being hunted down or somethin'? If anyone lays a finger on you, they're gonna have to deal with me! I'll show them who's the tough one here!" He huffed out defiantly. Fighting isn't something he necessarily liked to partake in, but will do so if need be.
Was he even listening just now? "Dr. Paladiknight. I was being serious when saying I didn't want to talk about it. And I certainly will not allow you to get hurt for my sake. This is my journey to walk alone," he explained calmly.
Leorio gave him a blank stare in response to that. "And emI'm/em being serious when saying I won't let anyone hurt ya! I have no doubt that you're strong, but you're important to me Kurapika! If anything were to happen to you, and I could have done something to avoid it.. It would crush me…" He couldn't afford to hold back on his feelings during a time like this. They have known each other long enough anyways, so this shouldn't make things weird between them.
Kurapika's heart fluttered uncomfortably in his chest. This is exactly what he was trying to avoid—getting close to someone all over again. 'I'm important to him? What the hell?! No, I didn't want this.' He closed his eyes, and focused on his breathing. This was to prevent himself from panicking. It felt like everything was happening so fast. Maybe taking this job was a bad decision after all. But how can he give up his pay, when he desperately needed the money? Was that really his only reason for wanting to stay, though? To be honest, it really was nice coming home to someone greeting him with a smile. And it felt even better, sharing his meals with other people. For the first time in so long, he didn't feel so lonely.
When he opened his eyes, he stared right into Leorio's. By now his own had faded back to their normal silver color. "You should worry about yourself." It came out in a whisper. Didn't he have enough going on in his life, especially at work with all of the patients he has to take care of?
Now that Kurapika's eyes have changed back to how they normally are, he was able to see just how bloodshot they really were. It was from both crying, and losing out on sleep. He playfully rolled his eyes then. "Sorry, but that is something I can't control. You're just gonna have to learn to deal with it," he said with a shrug. And before giving him the chance to respond, he held up his index finger.
"Also, stay right here. I need to go and grab something real quick," he instructed, while sliding off of the bed. The way his wet clothes stuck to his body was very annoying, but he tried not to think about it. There will probably be a spot on there where he sat, but it was just water. It should dry in no time. Besides, he is pretty sure that his butler cleans his bedding quite often. After leaving the bedroom, he went into his office. In there he keeps extra medical supplies, in case any of it is needed. Before the other two started living here, he didn't have as much of this stuff on hand. However, if something happens while he is at work, at least they will have a lot to choose from. And if they are seriously hurt, then they will just have to go to the hospital. They should do that anyways.
Kurapika took this opportunity to smooth out his messy hair. Not only that, but he yanked the blankets up to cover the lower part of his body. The amount of skin that was showing right now made him feel uncomfortable. Was he going to have to start wearing longer pants to bed, in case something like this happens again? Suppose that wasn't the end of the world. He sighed heavily, and looked around the room. 'I'm important to him,' he repeated in his mind. It was going to take a lot for him to get used to that. He hasn't mattered to anyone in so long. Before coming here, if he had died, then no one would have cared. That was no longer the case. Without even trying, he has made a big impact on not one life, but two.
His head was throbbing.
He hugged his knees to his chest, and buried his face in his arms. This wasn't an easy thing to accept. 'It seems as though you have become important to me too, Leorio. Since when did I start bringing my walls down around you?' Never has he felt so conflicted before. Even if he wanted to quit this job to work under someone else, he still wouldn't be able to get him out of his mind. It is too late to go back now. What's done is done. Somehow this man had wormed his way into his heart, and took permanent residency there. Whenever he feels his presence, it is like his entire body relaxes—like all of his troubles have melted away. There is no one out there who is as warm and inviting as him, and that will probably never change.
"I have returned! Did ya miss me?" Leorio announced, as he stepped into the room. As much as he wanted to turn the light on, he also didn't want to blind the poor blonde. His eyes must be sensitive. At least, that is what he believes. When he was at his bedside, he lowered himself down onto the same spot he was sitting in before. This was to prevent himself from getting more of the sheets wet. He already felt guilty as it is for the spot he created before. He held up a small bottle that was in his hand, and unscrewed the cap, setting it on the table in front of him.
"Your eyes are back to normal, but they're still bloodshot. This should take care of that!" Going to bed like that will only bring him discomfort. And he will for sure feel it when waking up in the morning. That is, if he even manages to fall back asleep. It might be hard after having a nightmare like that. With his free hand, he reached out toward him and smiled.
"May I?" Well he didn't want to do it forcefully. He wants him to feel comfortable around him—to trust him completely! The key was to be as patient and gentle as possible. No matter how you look at it, he is a doctor who only wants to help him feel better. It is what he does for a living.
Kurapika stared at the eyedrops, and then shifted his gaze to the awaiting hand. The thought of him getting that close to put those in his eyes made him feel anxious. He swallowed thickly. "Y-your assistance is not necessary, Dr. Paladiknight. I can put those in myself," he said quietly.
Leorio snorted, and shook the bottle in front of his face. "Kurapika, I'm a doctor. I do this all the time. There are situations where I have to pin people down, just to get these in their eyes. You'd be amazed at how many adults can't handle this sorta thing. At least with kids you can bribe them with candy! I know that sounds wrong, but every doctor does it. It helps quicken the process of things, ya know?" A lot of them are absolutely terrified of doctors, and will throw a tantrum right then and there. For the most part, if they have something sweet to eat, it keeps them distracted.
To be honest, his eyes really did feel irritated, and he had this urge to rub them. Even he knew that was a bad idea. Doing that would only worsen their condition. They were so dry and itchy, and those eye drops were the key in making them feel all better. "So, I'm essentially your patient right now?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at him. That is what he got out of the whole thing.
This made the older male chuckle. That was one way to put it. "Hmm, yes. I am here to treat your.. exotic eyes—the most rarest of rubies. Now, can I have you lie back down for me?" It will make this process easier for the both of them. Not only that, but he also just wanted him to relax and take it easy before falling asleep.
Kurapika blushed a little at the way his eyes were just described. Is that how he truly felt about them? The last time someone outside of his clan saw them glowing Scarlet, they called him a "monster". The only people who have ever been interested, were the same ones who wanted to sell them in the black market. So to have this man before him treat him the complete opposite was amazing. He viewed him as a human being just like himself, and he appreciated that so much. Without saying anything else, he leaned back against the bed. As soon as his head hit the pillows, he let out a content sigh. That was more comfortable. He brought the blankets further up to cover his chest. "…."
Leorio shifted so that he was sitting much closer to the blonde, and took it upon himself to gently hold his chin with his thumb and index finger. This was to help hold his head in place in case he accidentally squirms. "Just don't knee me in the gut like this one lady did. And uh.. don't claw at my face either…" For the longest time he had this nasty scratch mark running along his cheek because of this, and he would rather avoid that from happening again.
The blonde gave him a strange look. Why would he do either of those things? That just sounded like a horrible thing to do to someone. His eyes widened a bit then. 'He's so close. I can't move.' Being touched by him of all people made him feel this way. There was a warmth spreading throughout his body as he laid there, and he had to resort to focusing on his breathing. His heart was pounding roughly against his ribcage. "Don't worry, I won't." He said this very quietly.
A soft smile spread on the doctor's lips as he brought the bottle down, and squeezed a single drop into his left eye. "Ah—they're red again," he murmured. How exactly do they change? Was it something Kurapika could control? Or did it just happen at random? If only he knew more of their history—of his past. They have known each other for a month, and he was still a big mystery.
The blonde wanted to look away when he heard that. It was still weird having someone looking directly into his Scarlet eyes like this. "Sorry…" That was all he could say. It was difficult for him to control them, and right now he was feeling all sorts of emotions, which didn't make it any better. He automatically blinked a few times as soon as the liquid entered one of his eyes.
Leorio chuckled again. "What are you apologizing for? I want to see your rubies. They are more beautiful than any other gemstone I have ever seen. There is literally no one else like you out there in this entire world, and I think that is the coolest thing!" He moved onto the right eye next, slowly bringing the bottle just close enough to where he could squeeze some into it.
Why must he say things like that? Kurapika turned his head to the side, and blinked away the access liquid that was lingering at the corner of his eye. "I hate to break it to you, Dr. Paladiknight, but these are not real rubies." There was nothing special about them. Sometimes he wonders just how easier life would be, if he weren't a Kurta. Had he been born into a normal family, maybe he would still have his parents—never would have had such a traumatic childhood. Instead he has to hide in the shadows, and keep secrets from everyone to protect himself. 'But they are probably worth as much, if not more,' he finished in his mind.
After putting the lid back on, he set it on the bedside table. Now that it was open, he could no longer use it on anyone else. And he will happily provide him with as many bottles of eye drops as he needs. They were prescription only, so you really couldn't find anything better. "Yeah.. Yours are prettier than actual rubies." The words sort of just, spilled out of his mouth without any thought whatsoever.
Again, why did he have to be so damn cheesy?!
How much more can Kurapika's heart take? He wasn't used to being complimented like this. It was just one after the other with him. "Your clothes look wet. Should change out of them before you get sick," he mumbled. Wouldn't that be something? And then someone else will have to take care of him for once. He would try his best to tend to his needs, but it would be up to Melody to cook him all the right foods in order to help him feel better. This was also a great subject changer. He would rather not talk about his body parts right now. It was just so bizarre to him.
Leorio looked down and tugged at his shirt. Guess there was no hiding it, even in the dark. "Ya got me. And I never get sick, thank you very much! I'm as healthy as a horse!" He huffed out with great confidence.
This made Kurapika roll his eyes. "It doesn't matter if you're as healthy as a horse.. Even though you're as tall as one." He said that last part more quietly. Well he's a fricken giant compared to him! It would probably be a piece of cake for someone of his height to get on one of those beasts.
That got a loud laugh out of Leorio. "Did you seriously just compare me to a horse? I mean, I guess they're kinda majestic in their own way…" He trailed off. Plus they are strongly built, just like he himself. Why would he want to leave and change, when he was having so much fun talking to the blonde like this? It didn't even matter that he felt tired, or sore. He just wanted to talk to him all night long. Although deep down, he knew that would also be a very selfish thing of him to do. Just because he didn't want to go to bed, doesn't mean he should keep others awake.
Kurapika bit the inside of his cheeks to prevent himself from laughing as well. 'You too, Leorio. There is no one else out there like you on this earth. I guess this does make you majestic,' he thought with a small smile of his own. It was hard to not feel happy around this man. His aura is just so blindingly bright! "Have you ever ridden one before?"
Leorio blinked. "Nope! I grew up in a poor neighborhood. There were stray dogs and cats to play with, but that was basically it. They weren't always treated the best, so I tried to patch up whatever wounds people inflicted on them as much as I could. When I turned eighteen and left for school, I just.. never found the time to visit a farm, or go to a zoo. I only focused on my studies. And then of course, after I graduated from college, things only got busier for me. I still don't have much free time, but you already know that."
Hearing this shocked the blonde. He stared up at Leorio with wide eyes. Going to the zoo was something he loved to do as a child. His parents would take him and Pairo there all the time. Farms were alright if you can get past all of the smells. "There is a zoo on the other side of the city. They have all sorts of animals to look at. The might not have horses, but there are zebras!" To him those were more fascinating anyways.
The doctor's chocolate-brown eyes light up with pure joy when hearing this. "Kurapika! Will you take me to the zoo?! I wanna see the zebras!" This sort of thing has never interested him until now, and boy did he want to go more than anything all of a sudden. He has all of this money, and never gets to do anything with it. His life consists of going to work, or chilling at home. When was the last time he was able to go out and enjoy himself, and especially with a friend?
Seeing him get so excited over this was honestly heartwarming- so much so, that Kurapika could no longer hold back from chuckling a bit himself. "If that is what you want, Dr. Paladiknight. I am here to serve you," he pointed out.
Leorio scratched the side of his head. "Eheh. Well if we go, it's to chill as friends! It'll be a day off for the both of us to do whatever we want." Thankfully when it comes to zoos, you don't need to make a reservation. That and, you can just go whenever you like. They are open every single day for the most part, which makes it easier on him and his busy work schedule.
Those words rang in his head. He just didn't feel comfortable calling him his friend yet. They weren't supposed to have that kind of relationship with each other, right? Kurapika rolled over onto his left side, and covered up the lower half of his face with the blankets. "There is a free spot on your calendar this upcoming Thursday."
It is a good thing that calendar exists, because he occasionally forgets what days he has off. Leorio snapped his fingers, and winked right at the blonde. "Thursday it is then! Oh and, don't wear your suit." He actually wanted to see him dress in something completely different—something more casual. Who goes to a zoo in fancy clothes like that anyways? It is supposed to be a place where you can relax, and have fun!
What was he going to wear then? 'I have never worn my clan's attire around him. I wonder how he would feel about it…' It is not like he owned much of anything else. All of his earnings were being stashed away for something much more important. "…." Kurapika gazed long and hard at the doctor's face, memorizing all of the features he doesn't get to see on a normal basis. Has his attraction increased since that first day they met? Or was he just not paying enough attention before? Wait, there was something missing.
"Where are your glasses?" He blurted out. That must be what was throwing him off so much. Those things really were glued to his face at all times, except for now. It is amazing how much they change his appearance.
Leorio snorted out another laugh, only this one being more quiet. "They got wet in the rain, so I took them off to dry. It's shocking to see me without them on, huh?" So that is why he was staring at him in such a way. Not that he minded. If anything, he took it as a compliment.
Kurapika blinked tiredly. "Mm. Very shocking. But.. you know what?" He yawned, and curled himself up into a ball. This was to prevent any of his body heat from escaping. It shouldn't come off as a surprise to anyone that he gets cold fairly easy. He is just so small, so it can't be helped.
"Looks nice. Your face is.. nice, Dr… Paladiknight…" He whispered, as he began to drift in and out. Part of him didn't even realize what he had just said, and the meaning behind it. It felt like everything was slowly fading, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
"…." This left him feeling absolutely speechless. To receive such a lovely compliment from his favorite person meant the world to him. Leorio subconsciously touched the side of his face, and could feel his cheek growing warm underneath it. Watching him slip into slumber like this was precious, and he would hate to disturb him by opening his big mouth. Whatever he has to say can wait until tomorrow. Who knows when he will get to witness something like this again? And besides, he wasn't being creepy about it. There was nothing wrong in appreciating his butler's beauty like this. 'I'm not sure what kind of life you have had, Kurapika.. But just know that I am here for you now, okay? You will never be alone again with me around, and Melody can say the exact same thing!' His eyes softened the longer he stared at his sleeping form.
His hand traveled down to the mess of blonde hair, and it trembled slightly. Was it alright for him to touch it? It's not like he was going to ever know, so why not? He gulped, and very carefully ran his fingers through the silky-smooth strands. 'What did your nightmare consist of? And do you get them frequently? I wish I could have done a better job of comforting you. It makes me not want to leave your side, in case it happens again.' And knowing that he is the only one left of his kind, made Leorio want to protect him that much more. He really is a treasure worth more than he could ever imagine.
And he won't allow anyone else to have him.
Leorio ducked his head, making it so that their faces were merely inches apart from each other. His eyes scanned over the blonde's full lips, and then over to his small nose. Everything about him was tiny, wasn't it? "Your face is nice too, Kurapika," he whispered. It was actually incredibly perfect, but whatever. That wasn't the point here. Everything about him was so doll-like, that he almost couldn't handle it. He trailed his fingertips along his jawline, taking in the texture of his porcelain skin. In that very moment his smile became sad as a realization hit him. Perhaps when it came down to it, he wasn't looking for a butler after all. Rather, he just wanted a friend—maybe even something more. For most of his life he has felt so unbelievably lonely, and now that was no longer the case. He just enjoyed being with him so much.
He tucked a strand of Kurapika's hair behind his ear, and made his way out of the bed. As he stood back up on his feet, he peered down at his sleeping form for a long minute. It was so quiet in here, that you could hear a pin drop. And that is how he wanted it to stay for the rest of the night, too. "Sweet dreams, Kurapika. Nothing will happen to you as long as I'm around." And that was a promise he never plans on breaking!
That night Kurapika dreamt of riding on an all-black horse, while galloping through a field of sunflowers.