Leorio took a big sip of his coffee, and let out an exhausted sigh afterward. It has been a long morning for him—what with getting up at three in the morning, and having to rush in order to get ready on time. All he managed to eat before leaving was a granola bar. By now the hunger was starting to get to him, but he was trying his hardest to push that feeling aside. As if he can step away in order to grab a quick snack. His schedule is far too busy for such a thing. It has been three days since he fell ill with that terrible migraine, but thankfully it was gone by the time he woke up. Guess all he needed was a good night's rest alongside his beautiful boyfriend. Some may roll their eyes at this, but he was a firm believer that it helped to have a loved one sleep in your arms throughout the night. This way he doesn't feel so alone anymore.
He combed his fingers through soft dark locks, and glanced down at the nurse sitting across from him. Her jade-green eyes were glued onto the computer screen, as she continued to type away at a fast pace. There was a stack of documents piled high in front of her, and he could only assume that she was entering it all into the system. They used to talk all the time, but not anymore—not since finding out about his relationship with another man. Apparently she was one of the many women here who had a crush on him, and so when word got around that he was suddenly taken, it was devastating. Because of this, the atmosphere has been a bit awkward and tense. Some have even gone out of their way to avoid him. So far he hasn't heard any nasty comments, but he knows they are talking behind his back.
These were the same people who once adored Kurapika.
Well he wasn't about to stop having lunch dates here, all because it makes these women feel uncomfortable. As harsh as it may sound, they need to get over it. You can't just treat someone like an object, and try to claim them as your own. How was that fair to Leorio himself? Didn't his happiness matter at all? Still, he wanted to keep things civil if he is to work with them for a long period of time. "It sure is nice to rest my feet for a minute," he breathed out. Running up and down these hallways for so many hours really is taxing. His body was slouched over the countertop, as he spun the paper cup in his hands.
Emi paused in her speed typing. Not a word had been said between them all day, and he chooses now to start a conversation? Can't he see how busy she is? To her it wasn't just some silly crush. Since they have worked together for so long, she ended up developing real feelings for the guy. Of course it stung when hearing the news. She brushed back her long burgundy hair, and reached over to grab a piece of paper from the stack. "Then go sit in the break room if your feet hurt," she mumbled.
No, she can't just "get over it". This will take some time, and he needs to respect that.
If only it were that simple. Leorio let out a chuckle, and pointed a finger right at her. "Good one! As soon as my butt touches that couch, I'm gonna get paged for something." His next surgery is in twenty minutes, and so that didn't leave him a whole lot of time to do anything. Perhaps he could check in on one of his patients, but again, neither of them needed medical treatment for the time being.
For being such a highly successful doctor, he sure doesn't know how to take care of himself. "You're not the only one here who can take in patients." Her tone was rather snippy, but she felt annoyed at being interrupted by his rambling. That and, she was already in a sour mood from everything that has been going on. There is a lot that needs to get done, and she can't concentrate when he's just standing there lingering. Curse him for being so attractive!
All he did was shrug his shoulders. Her attitude didn't bother him in the slightest. At this point he has gotten used to being snapped at by people on a daily basis. If you can't brush something like that off and move on, then what are you even doing in this field? Growing a thick skin was very necessary for this profession. "Well yeah, I know I'm not. But my pager is always goin' off." He was just stating a fact here. Not only is he so good at his job, but a lot of the workers here respect him greatly. And in no way was he complaining about this, because he is more than happy to help those in need. That is what he has done for all of his life— do everything in his power to help everyone else.
Even when he is struggling with his own problems.
The nurse just sat there, watching as he took another sip of his coffee- then proceed to close his eyes, and pinch the bridge of his nose. Her heart danced a little at the soft sigh that slipped through his lips. Oh why did she have to fall for someone who loves another? What did that guy have that she didn't anyways? "That is because you are a very reliable person, Dr. Paladiknight," she commented more gently.
That compliment threw Leorio off guard, but he still smiled nonetheless. "Eheh. Thanks! I really do try." Even though he feels like a complete failure at times. Had his wonderful boyfriend not greeted him with that warm hug a couple of nights ago, he would have continued to stand there and sulk for a good while. No matter how strong of a person you may be, everyone has their breaking point—and that was his. 'It is rare of me to say no. Turning someone away would just make me feel guilty,' he thought.
It would make matters worse if said rejected patient were to end up dying—knowing he could have probably saved their life.
Yeah, he wasn't about to chance that.
Her eyes flickered down to the keyboard. It was so unbelievably hard to stay mad, especially when he is being such a sweetheart. This is exactly why she didn't want him in her presence—yet he didn't know how to take a hint. He never did. "Yuko is on break. If you want.. I'm sure she won't mind you sitting in her chair. J-just don't mess with the settings! I know you're taller than her, but she hates it when people mess with her things." Since her friend has been in a relationship with another woman for the past two years, she has never gushed over Leorio. Sure she isn't blind to how handsome he truly is, but that didn't mean she wanted to actually date him.
Leorio blinked, and turned his attention to the empty chair that was situated two spots over from her. The area surrounding it was clean and well-organized, which came to no surprise. If you so much as touch something, then she would probably notice immediately. "Emi, I'm taller than most of the people at this hospital," he snorted. This is another trait that the women seem to swoon over. That and his charming personality, of course. It is rare for them to come across a guy like him. No wonder why they were so heartbroken over his newly-formed relationship with the blonde.
No one could have him now.
Not wanting to decline such a glorious offer, the doctor glided over onto the other side of the desk, and plopped down onto the dark-red chair. It bounced a little under his weight. And sure enough it was way too low for his liking, but he knew better than to mess with it. Instead he swung one leg over the other, and leaned back to relax. 'I could use one of Kurapika's foot massages. Would it be weird to ask for one when I get home?' His thoughts began to drift off to a much better place—imagining what their next date was going to be like, and how he literally couldn't wait for that day to come. God it felt so far away. Seeing him in short spurts when returning from work was not enough. Was he the only one who felt this way? Or was it mutal on his part?
The silence between them lasted for a couple of minutes, until Emi finally gained the courage to speak up. Her hands rested lightly over the keyboard, as she stared blankly at it. "Was there ever a time where you were interested in one of us?" She asked this very quietly, as if feeling afraid of what response he will give— or what his reaction will be like. This was a harmless question, right? The look on her face was being hidden behind a wall of thick hair, and she felt so grateful for it. This wasn't an easy subject to talk about, after all.
"You have been here long enough to develop feelings for someone, and yet you never showed any interest- even when someone was blatantly flirting with you! And then out of nowhere you bring in this guy, and that's that. Where did he come from? And how long have you known each other? It couldn't have been for very long…" She trailed off.
Wow, Leorio wasn't prepared to be attacked by all of these questions. And here he thought they could just sit here and take it easy- oh how wrong he was. But in a way he can see where she is coming from. Everything did sort of happen quickly, didn't it? He ran another hand through his hair, and smiled softly to himself. "It hasn't been a full two months yet, but.. I knew when we met. It was love at first sight," he murmured. His thumb trailed over the designs of the coffee cup, thinking very carefully about what he was going to say next. He didn't want to hurt, or possibly offend her in any way. However, he also needed to be truthful here.
"Emi, I was never focused on hooking up with anyone before. Always thought that being in a relationship just wouldn't work out with my busy schedule. When I opened my door to see Kurapika standing on the other side, that was it. I knew he was the one. After he left I couldn't get him out of my head. I never told anyone here this, but.. I had originally hired him to be my butler. I interviewed a bunch of candidates after he left, knowing fully well that I already made my decision. No one else piqued my curiosity like he did. There was just something about him that really drew me in…" Well there goes his secret. By tomorrow everyone in this hospital will know of this.
"I'm sorry that I ignored your guys' feelings. And I am also sorry to say that no, I was never interested. I hope you all understand that there is nothing wrong with either of you! It's just something I can't help, ya know? It's not like you get to choose who you fall in love with. Someday you will find your special someone too, Emi!" He beamed brightly at her. Everyone has a soulmate somewhere out there. It is just a matter of when you will meet them.
Her eyes widened in shock upon hearing all of that, and she spun around in her chair to face him. "Wait a minute! Kurapika was your butler?! Since when did you need one of those? I knew you made a lot of money, but geez…" This explains why he showed up wearing a suit all of those times. There was also the way he acted that seemed a bit off. Everyone just thought he came from money, and left it at that. A pout formed on Emi's lips then, and she folded her arms across her chest.
"Yeah, if I'm lucky I will! I'm already reaching my late twenties…" Her dreams of finding someone, and settling down young felt so out of reach now. There was simply no one else that interested her. And does she dare trust one of those dreaded dating websites? There were way too many horror stories linked to those. As if she wanted to become another victim, all in the name of finding love.
Leorio chuckled nervously, and brought his hand up to rub the back of his head. "And I have a personal chef. Well, technically I wasn't the one who hired her. He went and found her himself, since uh.. he doesn't really cook…" There was nothing wrong with that, by the way. It is just something he felt was necessary to add, since why else would he need one? It kind of felt good to get it all out in the open like this. Hiding all of this from the people he works with was draining.
"And Emi, please do not rush into a relationship. Find a guy who you'll trust having kids with. Any child deserves to have both a loving mother and father in their life…" What he would have given to have that growing up. During his darkest time, he even questioned why his birth parents had him in the first place. Why continue with the pregnancy if they were going to just up and toss him away? Of course he no longer feels this way, but it still messed with his mind being only a small child.
The nurse's gaze fell once more, and she silently nodded her head. As much as she wanted to start her own family, it really wouldn't be fair to have children with the first guy she sees. That was a disaster waiting to happen right there. "Hm. You always give out the best advise, Dr. Paldiknight," she said quietly. Also, now she sees where he has been getting the delicious food from—a professional chef has been making his lunches. She was partly jealous, and wanted to know what it tasted like. Is there anything else he was keeping from them?
Before anything else could be said between the two, Cheadle came rushing up to the desk. She was in the process of throwing her long, green hair up into a bun. "What are you doing sitting around?! We have an ambulance on the way with a severely-wounded patient!" Her tone of voice was cold, as she straight up snapped at the other doctor.
This caught Leorio's attention, and he quickly stood up from his seat. "My apologizes Dr. Yorkshire! I didn't hear my pager go off—" He pulled the small device from his coat pocket, and flipped it around in his hand. It was dead. Did he seriously forget to charge it?! A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face, and he cleared his throat.
"I-it appears my pager needs to be plugged in," he mumbled.
A vein throbbed in Cheadle's forehead. "It could have been charging while you were slacking off. I am so disappointed in you right now, Dr. Paladiknight! You are usually not like this!" This answers her question as to why he wasn't responding—it was because he didn't even know that she was trying to contact him. He never ignores people, no matter how busy he is. But after having found out why, this only irritated her that much more.
Emi frowned deeply at her tirade. Since when does Leorio ever slack off? All he did was sit down for a few minutes. That is it. Even someone as busy as him deserved to take a little break. Talk about working someone until they collapse. It actually amazed her that he hasn't fallen ill yet, or even passed out from sheer exhaustion. "Give it to me. I will plug it in for you," she offered while extending her hand out. All doctors need a pager. The sooner they get his charged, the better.
"Aahh—thank you so much, Emi! I owe ya!" After tossing it over to the nurse, he made his way on over to the front doors. Cheadle was struggling to catch up with her short legs, so hers was more of a sprint. This made him want to laugh, but he held it in for fear that it will piss her off further. To be fair, no one wanted to get on her bad side. They all walk on eggshells when she is around, which says a lot about her as a person. Hate is a strong word, and he wasn't even sure if he disliked her. Yes she gets on his nerves. And yes, she gets an attitude with him. However, was that worth feeling resentment towards someone for? It just wasn't worth it. He would rather shove all of that aside in order to work together, and actually accomplish things.
Once outside, he awkwardly stuffed his hands into the pockets of his coat. Then, as discreetly as possible, snuck a glance down at her. Leorio had no idea how far away the ambulance was, but it shouldn't be too much longer. "I really am sorry. You have every right to be disappointed in me. Can't believe I messed up that bad either…"
Cheadle scoffed, keeping her gaze ahead. It doesn't matter if people hate her. She didn't become a doctor in order to make friends. Sure it was nice if you can find your own little group in the workplace, but it isn't something she was focused on. There are certain people around here who are not very quiet with their rumors about her, but again, they never bothered her. "Just don't do it again. We cannot afford to lose a skilled doctor such as yourself." Complimenting people certainly was not her cup of tea, but she can't help but give credit where it is due.
Hearing that come out of her mouth surprised Leorio, but he still appreciated it nonetheless. Where else would he go anyways? This was the only career choice for him. A smirk played on his lips then. "I didn't realize you liked me, Dr. Yorkshire. What an honor," he mused.
This caused her eye to twitch. Now really wasn't the time to be goofing off. "Focus, Dr. Paladiknight!" She scolded. Seriously though, what was she going to do with him? There are times where he really gets on her nerves, but to say that she dislikes him would be a lie. If only he could step it up a bit, then that would be great! Both her and his boss have such high expectations when it comes to him. To come across such a talented and devoted doctor like himself was like finding a needle in a haystack—and so they wanted to keep him around for as long as possible.
"I'm as focused as I can be! These glasses aren't prescription, just so you know. My vision is actually crystal-clear! Kurapika bought me two new pairs when my old ones broke. Wasn't that nice of him?" He used his index finger to push them up the bridge of his nose, and flashed her a grin. They were the blue ones, which went well with his dark brown eyes.
Another twitch.
"Yes. Very nice of him…" She mumbled uninterestingly. They don't see each other as often as one would think, so she didn't notice the difference in them until now—after he had to point it out to her, nevertheless. But despite butting heads a lot of the time, they still work very well together.
Leorio chuckled quietly at her response, and brought his hand up to shield his eyes. The sun was shining brightly in their faces as they stood there. "I see the ambulance!" Well even if he couldn't, you could definitely hear it entering the parking lot. A couple of vehicles had to swerve out of the way, but other than that it made a rather fast entrance. And when it pulled up to them, they both immediately went over to open the back doors. There was the standard paramedic inside, who's hands were bloodied from the patient he was hovering over, as well as an incredibly muscular guy crouched down beside them. His shirt was in tatters—soaked in crimson, which happened to be all up in his grey ponytail.
A chill ran down the doctor's spine when their gazes met.
Why was he staring at him like that?
The paramedic hopped on out of the ambulance, and began pulling the patient out. "I can't get the bleeding to stop! There's a gash on his abdomen, and a similar one on his back. My guess is that he was stabbed with a long object. And he also reacted badly when putting pressure onto his chest. There might be some fractures—maybe even broken ribs in his case," he explained in the midst of everything.
Once the stretcher hit the ground, Leorio was at his side in a matter of seconds. There was blood everywhere—pooled underneath the man's body, and continuing to seep through the mattress. This was all happening at an alarming rate, which meant they had to act fast. "We need to get him into the ER right away! Once we get the bleeding under control, then the rest can be taken care of. He appears to be breathing just fine, so it is safe to assume there isn't a punctured lung. But we should still be careful to prevent that from happening." He looked over his shoulder at the other guy then.
"What is his name? Is he on any medications that we should be aware of? Any other injuries, or illnesses?" He pressed. His eyes widened a bit when noticing that this guy was, in fact, taller than him. That sure was impressive.
The burly man didn't move an inch—just blinked while staring right back at the doctor. "No," was all he responded with. Giving away his leader's name was not necessary when it came to healing his injuries, that much he understood.
Cheadle sweat-dropped. So that was all the information they were going to get out of him? How frustrating. However, it wasn't their place to pressure him into saying anything else. It was only their duty to work on the patient, and that's that. "I am going to assume that 'no' was for all three of those questions," she said flatly. There really was something weird about him, that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Despite this, she didn't feel afraid—even when it came to his size.
No response. Just some more intense staring on his part.
This made her let out a heavy sigh. At this point her patience was wearing very thin. "Let's get going, Dr. Paladiknight! I already have an ER prepared for him!" She ordered in that loud tone of voice—one that seems to get on everyone else's nerves.
Nodding, Leorio took over in pushing the stretcher through the sliding glass doors. The guy bleeding out before him had dark black hair, that was half slicked back—the other being disheveled as it clung to the side of his face. It was enough to reveal an odd-looking tattoo on his forehead. The earrings he wore were something he had also never seen before, but they needed to come off before bringing him into surgery. As far as he could tell, he wasn't wearing any other jewelry. Unless he was one of those freaky people who get piercings in places that you can't see. Not that he was one to judge, but still. It is something he has never been able to understand.
Once they made it inside, and passed the front desk, he looked back at the taller male who was following them. You could hear as each foot connected with the tiled flooring. If he had sustained any injuries himself, then the paramedic would have said so himself. "I'm sorry, but you're not allowed into the ER with us. You'll need to sit in the waiting room!" He pointed in the direction of where to go, all the while continuing to push the stretcher down the long hallway. Both patients and doctors were moving aside to let him through, which he felt thankful for. The last thing he needed right now, was to accidentally run someone over.
Especially with another patient in tow.
"He's not listening," Cheadle spoke quietly. Their focus may have been ahead of them, but they could still hear his heavy footsteps trailing close by. This happens all the time. It is difficult for certain people to sit back, and wait on news for their loved one. That must be the case for this one as well. In a way she can understand it, but on the other hand, having them in the ER was not only dangerous, but also un-hygienic. And don't forget about there already being limited space to work with! Tripping over an extra body will only complicate things.
'Of course he's not. Why would he?' Leorio thought, as the irritation inside of him began to rise. His hands gripped tighter onto the stretcher then, as he took a sharp turn to the right. If things escalate, then security will have to be called. For now he was going to try and handle the situation on his own. After glancing back one last time, he entered the ER that was already set up for surgery. His assistant was in the middle of getting the necessary tools together. "I'm going to scrub in real quick—" He told them, before disappearing into the back room. Cheadle was having someone else help transfer the patient onto the operating table, so he wasn't needed for the time being.
Once his glasses had been taken off and set aside, he walked over to the sink. There was a window from where he stood, so he could see everything that was going on. Sure enough, that big guy was in there watching as staff scrambled to get his friend ready for surgery. The look in his eyes made him feel uneasy. It was like a wild animal hunting down its prey—and that was something he simply could not ignore. 'Why did I think today was going to be an easy one? What a joke!' He shook his head, washing his hands as quickly as possible—making sure to get all the way up his arms.
Scrub cap? Check.
Face mask? Check.
Disposable scrub apron and jacket? Check.
Gloves? Check.
Now that he had on all of his medical gear, Leorio approached the patient. Being as careful as he could be, he turned him over just enough to check out the damage from underneath. His shirt was already cut off and thrown away, which made things a lot easier. There was an IV pumping blood transfusions into his arm, in hopes that will help him last throughout the surgery. What he was met with made his heart sink to the bottom of his stomach, and he was pretty sure that he had even stopped breathing temporarily. A doctor can never truly say that they have seen everything, no matter how long they have been in the field.
There was a giant, black-colored spider tattooed all across this man's back, with a number printed in the middle of it. It looked exactly like the image he saw on that website—where it talked about the murders of each member of the Kurta clan. None of the faces from the Phantom Troupe have been revealed yet, and that is why none of them have been caught. They continue to walk around freely amongst the public, and ruin more families in their path. Just how many people have they killed throughout the years? And why did they do it? What was their purpose?
His thoughts shifted to Kurapika then. It was his job to save this man's life, regardless of him being a highly-ranked criminal. You don't just get to pick and choose. And keeping this from him was not an option either! Doing so would result in losing him forever, and that would absolutely crush him. But he also has to keep in mind that, telling him about this will cause him to snap. Up until recently, it has been his goal to hunt these murderers down and kill them. For twelve long years he has focused on that, and that alone. As soon as he finds out about this—that his own boyfriend had to do life-saving surgery on one of those guys, he is going to react in ways he can't even imagine.
Just imagining it frightened him.
Should he just hand this over for Cheadle to worry about?
That is when he felt something cold press against the middle of his back, and froze. There was a clicking sound, and he gulped. "…-" The room was dead silent, and everyone around him had a look of horror on their face. It was obvious as to what was going on, and honestly? It didn't surprise him. Although now he was kicking himself for not taking more precautions when he had the chance to.
"How lucky of my boss to land in the hands of Leorio Paladiknight, one of the best doctors around! Yeah, I've seen your mug all over the place. Now, I want everyone else to clear the room!" He ordered, digging the gun deeper into his back. This was to show that he was not messing around. His green eyes scanned the room, looking at each and every one of them, before continuing.
"And if I see a single cop try to enter this room, I'm shootin' him on the spot! Got that?! So if you value his life, then do as I say!" This guy, who's name is Uvogin, shot them all a more serious stare after saying that. He only wanted the best of the best to work on someone who was so important to him. 'I don't even need a gun to end his pathetic life, but this just makes things all the more thrilling,' he thought with a devious smirk.
Cheadle had her hands up in the air, as she slowly made her way over to the door. In all of her years of being a doctor here, she has never seen anyone being held at gunpoint. "Come on, you heard the man!" She shouted back at the others. None of them hesitated to head for the door. Actually, one of them even ran at full speed to get out of there. And when the last person finally left the room, she made sure to close the door just to be extra safe. Things went from zero to a hundred in an instant, and she was still trying to wrap her head around it.
This was seriously happening, and now Leorio was trapped in there all by himself.
"W-we need to call Code silver, Dr. Yorkshire!" One of the nurses said, as she grabbed a hold of her arm. Her hands were trembling, and her face has gone terribly pale. It was only her first year of working at this hospital, so she wasn't sure how often something like this happens.
Being grabbed so suddenly caught her off guard, and that is why she gasped as loudly as she did. But, she was able to quickly compose herself. "No! If the wrong people find out about this, then they will definitely call the police! We can't afford to risk it!" Besides, they needed to try and keep the peace. If word gets out that there is someone being held at gun point, then all hell will break loose. She took a step back to pull away from her, and yanked the scrub cap off of her head.
"We just need to trust that Dr. Paladiknight will be okay," she mumbled, while angrily tossing it into the nearest trash bin. There was nothing else they could do, but keep their word and say nothing to anyone.
This wasn't good enough for the nurse, and she reacted by stomping her foot on the ground- curling her hands into tight fists. "How on earth will he be able to perform surgery with a gun pressed into his back?! I get that he's a phenomenal doctor, but aren't we expecting too much out of him? If.. if we can just find a way.. A way to work around this, then—"
"If you can't handle being here, then go home! We don't need you going behind our backs, and doing something stupid that will result in him getting killed!" Cheadle cut in sharply. It may have come out a tad bit too harsh, but she couldn't help it. There is absolutely no way around this, and that is something she needs to understand.
Well that did it.
Her lip quivered, and she immediately looked away. "Maybe I will go home. And maybe I just won't even come back at all!" She pulled the lanyard from around her neck off, and brushed past Cheadle to make her exit. No job is worth losing your life over, and she still had most of hers left to live. 'Go ahead and sacrifice yourselves!'
With everything that is going on right now, Cheadle wasn't going to hold any of this against her. So if she decides to return tomorrow for her shift, then she will allow it. Otherwise they will need to work on finding someone else to replace her. She glanced over at the rest of the staff that had been in that room, and gave them a serious stare. "Do not utter a word about this to anyone. If you feel unsafe being here, then go home too. Now if you will excuse me, I need to take care of something—" And with that she whirled around, and quickly made her way down the hall.
If plan A fails, then go to plan B.
Meanwhile in the other room, Leorio has just finished putting his patient under anesthesia. Normally there is someone more qualified to do this for him, but she had to leave the room with all the others. Thankfully he knew just enough to continue. Working with a gun pointed at you sure did make things more difficult, though. He has been thrown into all sorts of situations, but never any this severe. One wrong move and he is dead. He reached for the scalpel then, trying to hide just how nervous he really was. Beads of sweat rolled down the sides of his face, and he swallowed thickly. 'Just do as he says, and maybe he'll spare you,' he thought.
But then again, these are members of the Phantom Troupe. They kill people all the time for no reason.
Were these machines always this loud? His ears are ringing. Leorio trailed his scalpel along the man's abdomen, being careful where to cut as he began to open him up. More blood gushed out as he did this, but he was quick to suck it up. The blood transfusion currently hooked up to his arm will only go so far, which means he will be needing another one here very soon. Upon first inspection, he could tell that there was a lot of damage. The blade had ripped through some vital organs, in which now needed to be sewn shut.
"Got any valuables on you?" Nothing grosses Uvogin out anymore, so watching his boss being cut open like this was a piece of cake. When you have seen blood and innards as much as they have, it just doesn't effect you like it used to.
The sound of his loud, deep voice made Leorio flinch ever so slightly. Doing that to a doctor, who was about to shove their hands into a person's body, wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. It could cause further injury to someone who was already on the verge of dying. For once he felt relieved for not having his cellphone on him. He left it in his locker earlier, when changing into a fresh pair of scrubs. His previous ones got soiled by another patient. Accidents happen all the time here, and that is why they always have extras for the staff to grab. "Just my wallet. It's in my left back pocket," he replied.
Well that was a rather disappointing response. Uvogin shoved his hand into the doctor's pocket, and pulled out the thick leather wallet. The amount of cash spilling out from the top made his eyes grow wide. Looks like he just hit the jackpot! "You really don't have anything else? No wedding ring, or perhaps a watch?" He pressed.
It took everything in Leorio to not roll his eyes at this man's stupidity. Did it look like he had any of those items on him? He grabbed the thread and needle that had been resting on the tray beside him, and leaned forward slightly. "I am not married, so there is definitely no wedding ring.. And I don't wear watches to work, because then I would have to keep taking it off."
This just wasn't good enough to satisfy him. He wanted more. "Maybe I'll stop by your place later on for a visit. Then you can show me your collection," the Spider said with a wicked smirk on his face. It was an easy task to find out where a person lives. This is one of the things that his group specializes in, after all. Now that he has put a target on the doctor, there was no escaping him.
These were the people who slaughtered his boyfriend's clan. They went around from one family to another, and brutally murdered them—all to sell some eyes that were worth way too much money. And shame on anyone who has bought them! They were never meant to become someone else's decoration. There is a reason why they shine so brightly till this very day, and just thinking about it made him feel sick to his stomach. No one deserves to die in such a horrific way. 'If he finds out where I live, then that will put both Melody and Kurapika in danger. I can't allow him to follow me.'
Even if it costs him his life.
Leorio's hands were surprisingly steady for how nervous he felt. 'I can't believe I'm fixin' up their leader of all people,' he thought in disbelief. How would his own boyfriend feel about this? God he can't even imagine. He pulled the thread up to make sure it was tight enough, and then dipped back down to add another stitch. "Your friend needs another blood transfusion, or else he won't make it through the surgery. You're gonna have to swap them out…" He can't do both at the same time. This is what happens when there is no one else in the room to help out.
"Also, I practically live here. Don't really have much back at my place for you to bank off of." That was a total lie. There were two sets of Scarlet Eyes that would make him and the other Spiders pretty rich. That is another reason why he can't allow for this man to find out where he lives.
A lot was at stake.
Green eyes darted over to the empty blood bag, and then down to the full one sitting on the table. So all he needed to do was switch the two out? That didn't sound like a hard thing to do. "If you try to run away, I'll put a bullet in your brain," Uvogin warned.
This time he didn't flinch. Instead his movements remained as fluid as ever. "It is my job to save people, regardless of what they are. Leaving now will only result in his death." And that was certainly not a lie. Despite this being the head of the Phantom Troupe, it was still his duty to finish this surgery.
The Spider eyed him suspiciously, while walking around the operating table. As he did this, he made sure to examine the work that was being done—noticing just how clean and perfect the stitching was. Not once did this man pause, or appear afraid in any way. His gaze was glued at the task before him, as if he hasn't been thrown into such a dangerous, life-threatening position. This made him grin, and he swiped the blood bag off of the table. "And if I say he has killed more people than me? Then what?" He asked, feeling amused by the situation.
This is something Leorio already suspected. He snuck a quick glance at the bigger male, and blinked. "Again, I only save lives. His body count doesn't change that…" Killing him won't change the fact that him and the rest of the Phantom Troupe destroyed an entire clan—it won't bring either of them back. Hopefully this is something his own boyfriend will come to understand someday. Continuing to walk down this path of revenge will ultimately destroy him. He has to realize that there is more to life than that!
Snickering, Uvogin yanked the empty bag off and tossed it onto the ground. "How noble of you," he responded with an eyeroll. This doctor was truly something else.
He bit his tongue hard. A big part of him wanted to go off, and say that not everyone is a heartless murderer like they are! However, he suppressed that urge before opening his big mouth. It is for the best that he cooperates, and remain calm. "What are you gonna do once I close him up?" It just sort of came out, but he felt very curious to hear what the answer was.
The silence was very uncomfortable—to the point where Leorio wanted to squirm.
What he heard next made his eyes widen, and he nearly slipped up.
A dark chuckle escaped Uvogin once he processed this, and he leaned over the table to get closer in the doctor's face. "Leave here with a bang!" His boss is coming with him, end of story. And until he is safe to go, he isn't letting him out of his sight. Who knows what will happen as soon as he steps away? This is why he ordered everyone else to leave the room—because he didn't trust them to handle the one person holding their group together.
That person being Chrollo Lucilfer.
At first Kurapika wasn't going to answer it. The number that popped up on his cellphone was unfamiliar, and so he just assumed it was someone trying to scam him—which he never had the patience for anyways. However right before the last ring ended, he swiped his thumb over the green button to answer it. There was this gut feeling he simply could not ignore, that told him this was very important. And sure enough, as soon as he pressed it against his ear, and heard what the woman on the other line began to say, his blood turned cold. He physically pinched his arm to make sure that this was seriously happening, because what he heard was so crazy! There is just no way that this was happening. This had to be some sort of messed up dream, right?
But if it was, then he wouldn't be able to feel any pain.
Who would have thought that a quick trip to the supermarket would result in this? His hair was done up in a messy ponytail, and he wore one of Leorio's navy-blue sweaters. It was baggy on him, but oh was it comfortable and smelled nice! The sleeves hung passed his hands, but that was perfectly fine. Underneath that were a pair of black shorts, which overlapped some dark-grey leggings—all coming together with dark brown combat boots. Obviously he didn't plan on going anywhere else when leaving the penthouse dressed like this. He just wanted to make a quick run to grab some necessary groceries, but even that was too much. Why did everything always have to turn to shit in his life?
Can't he ever catch a break?
It was like he couldn't get to the hospital fast enough. As he ran down the busy streets, pushing through those that got in his way, his heart was thudding painfully in his chest. What if he doesn't make it in time, and once again loses another precious person? This is exactly what he feared the most—why he didn't want to let anyone else in. God he was such a fool for thinking that things had changed. His happiness was about to be ripped away from him for a second time, and he honestly didn't know how to deal with it.
By the time he made it there, he was so out of breath from pushing himself past his limits. His short legs can only move so fast, and yet that didn't stop him from quite literally flying through the city. Before this incident, he had only spoken to Cheadle once—during their meeting, which only lasted for a brief moment. He could tell that she was a very busy woman, and couldn't be bothered to stop and converse for a little bit. Apparently to his boyfriend, that is how she is with everyone else, and to not take it personally. Not like he did anyways. Meeting new people stresses him out, so this was perfectly fine.
Upon stepping inside the hospital, Kurapika noticed how the staff acted like their normal selves—tending to patients, and having a good old time as they talked amongst each other. So it was true that only a handful of people know of the situation. It actually amazed him how they all kept quiet on the matter. It takes just one person to ruin it by running their mouth to the wrong person. When someone genuinely loves to gossip, and stir stuff up, nothing will stand in their way. Why cause unnecessary drama like that, he will never understand. He would rather not partake in any of that childish behavior.
These are supposed to be fully-grown adults, that needed to act their age.
After sprinting over to the front desk, he threw his hands on top of some paperwork to get the woman's attention. It was loud enough to make her flinch. "Where… where is he…?!" The blonde panted. If not for the contact lenses masking his true identity, then his eyes would be shining a bright Scarlet color right about now. There was no controlling his emotions, even if he tried.
Emi's immediate reaction was to glare daggers at the guy, but as soon as she saw who it was, the expression on her face changed to that of shock. What was he of all people doing here at this time of day? It wasn't noon yet. And oh did he look rough. His usual silky-smooth hair was sticking up all over the place, despite it being pulled back. "K-Kurapika? Is something wrong?" She stammered out. 'How can someone look like such a hot mess, and be gorgeous all in one?' His eyes were wide, revealing their beauty that much more. It sure was easy to lose yourself in them…
No wonder why she lost to him.
How the heck could you possibly compete against someone like that?
Kurapika ignored her question, and leaned in closer. "Tell me... where Leorio is!" He demanded in a louder tone of voice. If people refuse to help him out, then all hell will break loose. He won't hesitate to tear this place apart in order to find his boyfriend.
Okay something wasn't right here. Why is he acting like that? She rolled her chair back to put some more distance between them, and cleared her throat. "Dr. Paladiknight is in surgery right now. You're going to have to wait in the—"
"Which room is he in?!" He cut in. Now really wasn't the time to be playing these games.
Her eyes narrowed then. "I get you guys are dating, but that doesn't give you the right to do whatever you please. You can't just come in here and boss the staff around! I won't have any of it!" She snapped angrily at him. It didn't help that she was already having a bad day, either. This was the last person she wanted to see today.
What did his relationship with Leorio have to do with this? How ridiculous! "Look, he has been thrown into a very dangerous situation in there. If you can just tell me where he is, then I will explain everything once I am done. Deal?"
Emi Frowned when he said that. What kind of danger was the doctor in? And why wasn't she informed of it? 'So he didn't come here expecting some sort of special treatment?' She thought, biting her bottom lip. Since when did she think so lowly of him? Her jealousy was starting to slip out. Finally she let out a heavy sigh, and reached over to grab the pager that was still charging. It was only a third of the way done. "I can't contact him right now; but maybe if I try getting a hold of Dr. Yorkshire—" She was cut off yet again, but this time by someone else.
The timing couldn't have been better.
"There you are!" Cheadle grabbed the blonde by his arm, and pulled him over to the side so that they could talk privately. After digging up Leorio's emergency contact list, she was able to find his number. Well he made sure to tell everyone that his information had just been updated—and good thing too! Because of this, she was able to act quickly. Since contacting the police wasn't an option, this was the next best thing in her opinion. There was something about him, that made her believe he could do something about the situation at hand here. Besides, he had the right to know that his boyfriend could very well lose his life if not careful enough.
"What the is going on?!" Kurapika hissed, as he yanked his arm out of her hold. Not much was said over the phone earlier—just that his boyfriend was being held at gunpoint, whilst doing surgery on a critical patient. How did he wind up in that position? And who was the maniac behind all of this?
She looked around them then, making sure that there was no one listening in on their conversation. Once that was cleared up, she took a step forward. "I know that Dr. Paladiknight is a hunter, but what about you?" Everyone at the hospital knows this about him. That is how he was able to afford schooling, after all. Without it he wouldn't have become the great doctor he is today.
Before responding right away with words, the blonde held his right hand up. From there chains began to appear—dangling from each finger, as they all held a different charm. He had to push his sleeves up so that they wouldn't get in the way, what with them being so long. This was all the proof he needed to show her. "Where is he?"
Cheadle's eyes widened, as she took in the way those chains clinked together. They sparkled against the artificial lighting—absolutely stunning! What she would give, to reach out and touch them. What were they capable of doing? There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but knew that now really wasn't the time for any of that. She blinked, and shook her head. "We need to think of a plan first! With there only being one way into the ER, that guy will spot you immediately," she explained.
He clenched his fist tightly, causing the chains to rattle louder. "That is not necessary. Just answer my question, and I will take care of the matter myself." All of that training he put himself through wasn't for nothing. Fighting is what he does best! Whoever was putting the love of his life through this mess, was definitely going to pay the price! They will regret this deeply, that he can guarantee.
All that could be heard next, was a gun being shot somewhere nearby—Kurapika's heart coming to a screeching halt.
Was he already too late?
The surgery was a success! Leorio was able to get all of the bleeding under control, and patch up whatever damage was done when being stabbed—the holes in his vital organs all sewed shut, and no longer needing anymore blood transfusions. It didn't take long due to his skills, and experience when it came to working with a thread and needle. At this point he can probably do it with his eyes shut! Well, not that he would actually do such an insane thing on another human being. It would be too risky. Perhaps he could try on one of those bodies donated to science. They're already dead, so what would be the harm in it? It's not like you can kill them again.
At this very moment he was in the process of closing up his patient. That dreaded gun was now being pointed right at him, as Uvogin stood across the operating table—eyes fixated on the work being done on his boss. Being watched like this didn't bother him in the slightest. As a matter of fact, he was actually quite used to it. There is a room just above them, specifically made for other doctors to watch procedures like this being done. It is a great way to learn, especially for the interns who are just starting out. However in this case, no one was allowed to be in there for obvious reasons.
Leorio pushed the needle into his stomach one last time- making sure to be extra slow in weaving the thread through his skin, and pulling it tight. 'You can do this. Backing out isn't an option!' That thought ran through his mind repeatedly, all the while finishing up with the last of his stitching. The nerves that were starting to kick in, made his stomach ache. It was a twisting, churning feeling—one that made him grunt quietly behind his mask. Not only that, but his scrubs were soaked in sweat. It wouldn't surprise him if he were to suddenly vomit out of nowhere, either.
The anger in him rose then.
His chocolate-brown eyes flickered between the two men, as he hesitantly snapped the tread off. That was it. The operation is officially done. He inhaled sharply, and removed his mask. "These will dissolve over time. It'll itch throughout the healing process, but he's gotta try and not touch it. If he picks at it, or rips the wound back open, then that will heighten his chances of getting an infection. Those can be very deadly," he explained calmly. Would he seriously bring him back here to get them re-done? That would take a lot of balls on his part. Yes there are other hospitals to go to, but they weren't as great as this one.
Taking one more good look at the Spider, he noticed the wicked grin spreading across his face, and gulped. The fact that his finger twitched as it rested against the trigger, only made him feel that much more anxious. It was essentially now or never. "And one more thing to keep in mind—" He brought a closed fist down onto the table as hard as he could, sending his aura through both that and the floor below them. In just a matter of seconds, a wormhole-like circle appeared right at the other's feet.
Uvogin was confused as to why he hit the table like that—until realizing what was really going on. Who would have thought that this doctor knew how to fight? This must mean that he is a licensed hunter. Just as he was about to take a step back, he felt something connect to the bottom of his jaw, and hard. This threw him off guard, and caused his huge body to fall into the equipment. He ended up landing on his ass with a loud thud, the gun slipping out of his grasp. It now sat quite a few feet away, which was completely out of his reach.
"…!" It actually worked. Leorio was worried no punch from him would be enough, what with his opponent being twice his size and all. Guess there was just enough power behind it to knock him down. Now that he finally had the upper hand here, he jumped over the table in a flash. And the second his feet touched the ground, he bent over to swipe the gun. He has never fired one of these before, but he wasn't against trying if necessary. Again, his purpose in life was to save people's lives, not take them away. Why would he go out of his way to hurt them?
His luck ran out at the worst possible time.
From the corner of his eye, he could see the Spider grabbing one of the medical stands that wasn't hooked up to anything. "Please do continue doctor!" He heard him bark out. The only response he could give was a loud gasp, as he felt the end of the pole swing and hit his legs. The force made him fall forward, and land flat on his face—instantly hearing a crunching sound, which was then followed by a sharp pain in his nose, and the feeling of something warm and wet running over his lips.
Yup. That was broken, no doubt about it.
Uvogin kicked the doctor in his stomach, forcing him to roll onto his back. It brought him great pleasure, to see his face all bloodied from the fall just now. Serves him right for trying to fight back. "What was it you were trying to say? Come on now, spit it out!" He dug his foot into his side with another hard kick, and laughed when seeing him cough up some more of the dark red liquid. The lower half of his face was almost completely stained in it.
Oh what a delicious sight this was.
"Nnrghh!" Something else broke, but Leorio wasn't focused on the new injury. Instead he immediately rose his hand to aim the gun right at him. It trembled, as he put his finger to the trigger. Nothing ever prepares you to be put in this position. Sure he's a hunter, but this isn't why he went through hell to get his license. It is the opposite of what he has always strived for. But now that he has someone to protect, he was willing to sacrifice his life for him—no matter what it took.
However he still has patients to tend to, so he wasn't ready to give up yet. They needed him too.
"S-screw you, and the... rest of you freakin' murderers!" He snapped. Not only was he mad at this bastard for putting him through this, but knowing that he was responsible for the massacre of Kurapika's clan made things a hundred times worse. He was literally facing someone who sold off the Scarlet Eyes for money, and didn't give a crap how he went about doing it. Just thinking about how each member was tortured beforehand made him want to rage. That is what drove him to press the trigger, which was aimed directly at his abdomen. In that very moment, the man disappeared from his sight. Where the heck did he go?
What he did notice, was the bullet hole that had been made in the door because of this. This made him panic, because what if there were people in the room across the hall? What if it hit someone, and he was now responsible for injuring, or possibly killing an innocent person? He swallowed thickly, hoping by some miracle it missed completely. "…-"
Taking back the gun was way too easy. As Uvogin loomed over the doctor, all he had to do was snatch it out of his hand. His strength was no match compared to his own, especially being as wounded as he is. "The rest of us 'murderers', eh? From what it sounds like, you already know who we are. Now why is that? What reason did you have for snooping so deep?" He taunted.
Click
"Should I even care what a dead man has to say?" He lowered the gun toward his head, and smirked.
Leorio's eyes widened in horror. No, he wasn't ready to die—not now when he had such amazing people in his life. There were new things he wanted to accomplish in life, and neither of those can be done if he leaves this world. He quickly rolled away to get out of his line of shot, and jumped back up onto his feet. Then without wasting a single second, ran and hopped onto the Spider from behind. From there he mustered up as much strength as he could, and put him in a choke hold. It was going to be hard shaking him off, especially since his long, muscular legs were wrapped tightly around his body. "I ain't dead yet!" He spat out.
Well damn, his speed was pretty impressive—but not enough to outmatch his own. Uvogin stumbled when he was tackled so suddenly, and made a strangled sound when the doctor's arms wound themselves around his neck—cutting off his oxygen entirely. "Y-you're.. stronger than I.. expected..!" He struggled to say through clenched teeth.
"But.. not strong enough!" He roared, and flung himself back against one of the concrete walls at full force.
"GAH!" The pressure of being squished between this man's body, and the wall was suffocating. Not only that, but Leorio could now feel the pain radiating throughout his whole body. Despite all of this, he still clung to him for dear life. It was going to take more than that to get him to give up. There was too much at stake here- even though it hurt to so much as take in a breath of air. 'If I can just hang on until he passes out,' he thought. His hold on him tightened a little bit more. Where he found the strength necessary to do that, he had no idea. One thing was certain though: He most certainly wasn't complaining.
Just then he felt himself being peeled away from the wall, only to be slammed against it once more- it being harder than the last time. Everything around him started to spin, and he blinked rapidly to try and get his vision to focus. 'Just.. hang on…' He kept telling himself in his mind. His arms felt numb, and he was no longer sure if the choke hold on the guy was still doing much of anything. Still, he tried his very hardest regardless of this.
All he needed to do was hang on, no matter how hard it gets.
If he can do that, then maybe he will get to see everyone again.
Uvogin tried to pry his arms off from around his neck, but failed. For someone who was much smaller than himself, he sure was a strong enough opponent to have lasted this long. Anyone else would have been defeated right about now. It is a real shame that they couldn't have had a more serious fight. He wanted to know what this doctor was fully capable of. 'I hear footsteps approaching.' If he wanted to get his boss out of here safely, then he needed to grab him and go. It was easy to plow through everyone on his own, but while carrying such precious cargo? There might be another hunter hidden within the staff here.
Curling his hand back with the gun in it, he blindly pushed down on the trigger, not caring where he shot it. Either way it was going to hit him. "Sorry, but I don't have time to play with you anymore!" As he said this, he could feel the doctor's body sliding off of him, and inhaled deeply now that he was finally able to breathe again. A chuckle escaped through his lips at the sound of his body hitting the floor.
"What was that about not being a dead man?" He mused, tucking the gun back into his pocket. And then in one long stride, made his way over to the operating table. While he proceeded to unhook his boss from all of the machines and wires, he did glance over his shoulder to see where his bullet struck him. Well it was only natural to be curious.
The crimson spot on his scrubs continued to grow at a rapid pace, as he sat there bleeding out—and oh did this bring him great joy.
Kurapika took off in the direction from where he heard the gunshot, making sure to look in every single room as he passed by them. There were a few doctors and nurses trailing behind him, one being Cheadle herself. They just couldn't match up to his speed, as he ran as fast as his legs would allow. Even he was shocked at how fast he was zooming down the hallways of the hospital. If Melody were here, then she could have detected which one his boyfriend was in—saving him time in his frantic search. Her supersonic hearing ability is very useful, despite having his privacy unintentionally invaded most of the time. By now the both of them were actually used to it. If they needed to discuss something in private, then they just wait for their lunch dates the next day.
'Please be okay! What will I do if he's hurt?!' He thought, as tears began to pool in his eyes. If something bad happened, then surely another highly-skilled doctor can fix him up, right? That just has to be the case! He would never give up on a patient, and so he would expect the same treatment to be given to him of all people. What would this place do after suffering such a great loss anyways? What would become of his patients? No one else offers up free surgeries, and medical treatments like he does. Their hearts are not nearly as big, either. His soul is so pure, and warm, and he just can't imagine a world without him being in it.
He wanted to be with this guy forever.
When another gunshot went off nearby, his anxiety kicked tenfold. It was already bad enough, seeing his face all bruised up and battered from his previous fight with those men. How will he handle anything worse than that? His mind flashed back to when he was a child, and wound up finding the bodies of his parents and best friend strewn about all over the house—blood splattered everywhere, as he stumbled over various parts here and there. That day he lost everything, and had been alone for a whole twelve years. Now that he has a new family, he didn't want to go through that all over again.
As he took that last right onto a different hallway, he noticed a guy walking toward him on the other side. The person in his arms was unconscious, and were both bloodied from who knows what. As they passed each other, he got this eerie feeling deep in his gut. There was something telling him to follow after them—and he would have, if he wasn't already busy. Nothing was more important than finding his soulmate. Everything else can be dealt with afterward. When he saw that there was an open door to the left of him, he crossed over to peer inside.
What he saw left him feeling so unbelievably horrified. It was worse than he had imagined it would be. He grunted when his heart trashed about roughly in his chest, and he reached up to grip tightly at the sweater he wore. "L-Leorio?" His voice came out barely above a whisper. Just up ahead there he sat—slumped over in a pool of what he assumes is his own blood. His scrub shirt was soaked in it, but from this angle he couldn't tell if he was awake or not. This uncertainty made him feel nauseous.
"LEORIO!" He yelled, while rushing on over to him. As the blonde fell to his knees at his side, he grabbed a hold of the doctor's head, lifting it up to get a better look. His beautiful brown eyes were opened only a little, and his breathing was ragged. 'What happened to his face?!' When he got no response from him, he clenched his jaw.
The wet, sticky sensation on his hands made his head whirl.
"K-Kur… apika? Is-… is that you..?" Everything around him kept fading in and out. Even so, he still recognized the voice before him shouting out his name. There was none other like it. And when those small hands cupped his face, he felt his body relax. At least he was no longer alone. But what was he doing here? It wasn't time for them to meet up. Unless someone called him, which seemed very likely the case here.
As much as he wanted to break down crying, Kurapika understood that it was for the best if he remained strong for him. He blinked away the tears that threatened to spill over, and nodded, forcing a small smile on his lips. "I'm right here. You're going to be just fine, okay?" He spoke softly. It was concerning how he got shot in the stomach, but people survive all the time from those, right? This wasn't always an automatic death sentence. It depends on the person, and just how bad the wound itself is. But he has faith that he can pull through something like this.
Leorio blinked slowly, and let his hand flop down onto the blonde's leg. "Mm. Wanna.. spend more t-time with.. you…" Of course it wasn't just him that he wanted to be with, but no one else was more important. It's as simple as that. But this didn't mean he doesn't love Gon, Killua, and Melody. He wanted to be with all of them, and hopefully that is understood between those four.
Kurapika removed his hand, but only to hold it in both of his own, as he pressed it against the side of his face. "We have a whole life time to be together, Leorio. I want to grow old by your side, as we-…" He paused, and closed his eyes. Why was this so hard? Their futures haven't been discussed yet, but he definitely thinks about it more than he probably should. There is also the fact that he was horrible at seeing that far into his life—one he never expected to last long to begin with. However that has changed now, and it was all thanks to this man. He was willing to give him anything.
"As we watch our children grow up, and start families of their own," he continued more quietly.
The faintest smile appeared on Leorio's face when hearing that. "Always thought that… K-Kurapika.. Paladiknight.. sounded nice…" It was a bit too soon to propose though. This was just something he thought of. And technically this still wasn't a proposal—but was him just stating how he felt about the matter. Besides, his boyfriend doesn't have a last name anyways.
"I-I would love to.. to help restore your clan…" He felt something wet drip onto his hand then. But with his mind being so foggy, he couldn't figure out what it was. It was taking everything in him to so much as speak.
"Kurapika, you need to move. We have to get him into surgery right away," Cheadle said in a surprisingly gentle tone of voice. Her hand was on his shoulder, and the look on her face was very sympathetic.
Big, fat tears were streaming down the blonde's warm cheeks. His happiness was literally dying right before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do to help him. Instead he has to rely on others to try and save his life. There is a chance that he won't make it through this, and that hurt tremendously. Why did he want this future so badly, when before it made him feel so uncomfortable? Knowing that it might not ever happen terrified him, and for the first time in their relationship, wanted it more than anything. He gave his hand one more squeeze, and slowly let go.
"It can only be you, remember? So keep fighting, and the next time you wake up, I will be here to greet you with a kiss. Leorio, I love you—and don't you dare forget that." He scooted over to the side, giving just enough room for the doctors to pick his limp body up and put it onto a bed. All he could do was sit there, and watch as they wheeled him away.
Cheadle was halfway out the door, when she paused to look back at the blonde. The expression on his face alone told her how he was truly feeling—and oh was it sad. "I won't let him die. You can count on me to save your guys' future!" Whatever that was about restoring his clan, she had no idea. It was none of her business though, and she was going to keep it that way. If they want to tell her, then fine. If not, then so be it. This was between them. After that she took her leave.
One of the nurse's who was still in the room, leaned down to get more level with him. "W-would you like to wait in our break room? It's quiet in there, a-and you won't be bothered by the other staff," she offered timidly. This whole situation was so messed up, and she felt bad for the two. There wasn't anything she could do either, but to at least offer him some privacy during this difficult time.
Kurapika shifted his body so that it was facing away from her, and shook his head. "Please, just.. leave me alone…" As if he wanted to be interrupted by other doctors and nurses, as they sit down to try and chit-chat with him. A lot of them already know who he is, and will want to strike up a conversation, not knowing what was really going on around here. He didn't care how cold that came out just now either. As one can tell, he most certainly was not in the mood.
Someone needed to come in here, and clean up all of the blood that was smeared onto the floor and walls. And as much as she wanted to say that, she knew better. Perhaps she can stall the others to give him some more time. She can't even begin to imagine what he is going through right now. "I-I'm sorry! You can stay as long as you need. B-but don't hesitate to find someone if you want something. We're here for you." When she stepped out of the room, she made sure to close the door behind her. Hopefully that will keep everyone away.
As soon as the door clicked, Kurapika angrily punched the floor as hard as he could. He actually did this a good amount of times, until his knuckles began to pay the price for it. "Why him?!" What was their motive for shooting such an innocent man? Didn't he give that person what they wanted? It just wasn't fair. Yet again life continues to screw him over in the most awful way possible. His hands were covered in his lover's blood, and he wasn't even sure if he will get to see him smile again, or to be held in his warm embrace.
'Kurapika Paladiknight…' The name kept popping up in his mind- each time hitting him harder than the last. Who knew he wanted such a silly thing so badly? It had a nice ring to it. Growing up he was perfectly fine with not having a last name, but that has changed. And that may not have been a marriage proposal, but he was still going to hold it dear to his heart. There is no set time on how long you should date first anyways. Everyone is different! It's not like they had parents to be disappointed in them—or any other relatives for that matter.
He placed both of his hands flat against the floor, and bowed. "Please don't take him away from me. I'm begging you." There was no one in particular that he was praying too. All he hoped, was that there was someone out there listening to him. His life will become meaningless once more without Leorio. And like before, he will walk down that dark path which will lead to his demise. The others won't be able to bring him back from that, no matter how hard they try.
"Please…"