A/N: Hi there! I want to thank all of you, who took the time to review. I'm sorry, I wasn't able to answer all of you yet, but I'll try to get back to you, soon! Also thanks to anyone who faved or followed us, we're happy you're out there. Still, we would really like to hear your thoughts and opinions ;D
Okay, so this is chapter six and it marks the end of the amusement park day. Yet, there is going to happen a lot between our two pairs. While sadly Gon and Killua will have a few more misunderstandings, Leorio starts to acknowledge his own feelings. As always, we hope you will enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 6
Still pretty flustered by the sight of the wet, hot, muscular body of Leorio, Kurapika followed the enthusiastic Beast-hunter to the exit of the water rollercoaster at a quick pace. It was a good idea for his sanity's sake to keep some distance to the doctor at the moment. As soon, as they passed the crowd trying to get onto the rollercoaster, they arrived at the bench where Killua was sitting. He finally seemed to be through most of his sweets; only a little bag with hard candies remained. Gon raced past them then and up to the silver-haired hunter.
"Killua! Killua! That's the best ride ever! We're going again! You need to come. You absolutely neeeeeeeeeeeed to come! It's fast and woooooosh and the water feels so nice!"
Gon was super excited and almost jumping around his friend like a young puppy dog. Kurapika held up his hand, trying to calm the boy down.
"Yes, we will go again, but not now; later. But Gon is right, you should come along then. I bet you will like it."
When Gon had asked him to come on the next ride right after 'lunch', Killua had been quick to refuse. He hadn't felt like going on a ride because he was still thinking things over in his head. Gon had issued the puppy-dog eyes on him, though, so he couldn't refuse to at least watch from the sidelines. That is how he found himself sitting on a bench in the scorching sun while eating the rest of his sweets. He followed the rollercoaster's movements from his sitting position, a little jealous that he wasn't up there with his friends, enjoying the ride, but, at the same time, he was thankful, because sitting that close to Gon would have been torture. It was going to be bad enough when his beast hunter friend was done with the ride and ran up to him soaking wet.
Killua just sighed sadly to himself as he finished off another box of sweets and went onto a bag filled with hard candies of variable flavors. Just as he did this, though, his friends got off their ride and started to approach him. The former assassin's keen eyes fell upon his two oldest friends, and immediately saw the tension between them. Hell, he could even tell that they were refusing to look at each other! That wasn't how things were supposed to go! Leorio and Kurapika were wearing white clothes for hell's sake, so the two of them should have been ogling each other like horny teenagers and pushing each other into the nearest bush!
As Killua was thinking this, Gon finally approached him and started rambling about the ride a mile a minute. The young transmuter tried not to think about how Gon's skin was practically glistening from the water drenching his skin, or how his clothes were sticking to him so snuggly.
Gon started insisting that he come along for the ride when they did it again while jumping around like an excited puppy dog. Kurapika even insisted that he come, but Killua just glowered and dug his hands into the bag of hard candies and scooped a handful into his mouth.
"I don't feel like it," the former assassin grumbled out in depression through a mouth full of food as he looked away from his friends. Killua didn't need to look at Gon then to know that he had effectively killed the other's mood, and he felt like a complete and utter jerk about it. Gon really deserved so much better than him, but Killua couldn't help how he felt. Being next to Gon on that ride and seeing the other get drenched with water was the purest torture he could think of right then, and it was one of the very few forms of torture he knew that he couldn't handle. He could barely even look at the other now!
"Well then you should come on the next ride with us at least!" Leorio proclaimed suddenly, effectively knocking Killua out of his thoughts. "We're all thinking of going to the carousel. I actually heard from a few people passing by that the animal figurines on the ride are actually ones that are endangered! They did that in order to get awareness out to the public. That's pretty cool, right?"
Killua did think that was pretty cool, and he was certain that Gon would love the carousel more than anyone, but he just wasn't sure if he could stand being around the others then when Leorio and Kurapika were obviously avoiding each other, and Gon was still…well, wet and looking utterly sexy.
When he heard Gon's voice then, the other's tone filled with sadness and yearning for him to come, the silver-haired teen couldn't put it off anymore. It was killing him just as much to stay away from Gon and hurt him as it was to be beside him.
"Fine, I'll go…" Killua mumbled out slowly as he stood up. He refused to look at Gon, but he knew that his friend was relieved when he walked beside him towards the carousel. Killua felt like his beast hunting friend was a little too close for comfort, but he didn't have the heart to push the other away as he continued to munch on his candies. It was obvious that he still craved Gon's attention, that he craved everything about his taller friend. Killua wasn't sure if he'd ever stop feeling that way.
A little bit of Gon's excitement subsided when Kurapika insisted they would only do the water ride again at a later point in time. Still, it had been so much fun, and he wanted to share that with Killua. But although Kurapika agreed that Killua should come, his friend told them he didn't feel like it.
Gon's mouth dropped open then in utter disbelief. His excited jumping around stopped, and all his happiness suddenly evaporated, leaving him with a sad expression. Just what was wrong with Killua? Gon had done what the other one had asked of him. He had made it so that the other two had to sit next to each other, and in a way that they never expected he did it on purpose! It had worked out pretty nicely, he thought. From the backseat, it had been obvious that they had fun together. So why was Killua like that again?
Leorio told the other teen about the carousel then. Looking at his best friend, Gon was almost sure Killua would decline again. But then Leorio told them what he had heard about the carousel. This was news to him, too. Exciting news!
"Wooooaaah! That's so cool! Do you know what they've got?" The easily excited teen shouted out. Of course, Leorio had no idea about that.
Thinking of the carousel and the endangered animals made Gon want to see it with his best friend all the more. Although he was the actual beast hunter, Killua always went along, and he loved most animals as much as he did. He bet the other would love that carousel, too.
"Killua, you have to come, too. This is going to be so cool. Just imagine, they might have camp tigers." Gon really wanted to go, but he didn't want to go without Killua there to share it with. He hated this rift between them. He wanted his best friend to just be normal again. "Please, Killua. I bet it's gonna be awesome."
His eyes were trying to plead with the other one, but the blacklist hunter never looked up at him. Still, the other one finally agreed to come along. It was a major relief to Gon. When Leorio, who had made the suggestion, led the way, the enhancer fell in step next to his best friend. Killua was still eating candies. Thinking of the sheer amount he had bought and stuffed his face with, and knowing it wasn't healthy to eat too much of that stuff, especially if it was a replacement of real food, Gon couldn't help but frown then.
"You really need to take care of that sweet tooth of yours, Killua. If you keep up like this, you're gonna look like Milluki soon," he uttered in concern.
When Killua heard the words, he almost didn't believe that he had heard correctly. Had…Gon just really said that?
"WHAT?!" Killua screamed at the top of his lungs as he whipped his head around so fast to face his taller friend that he almost snapped his neck in half. That had to be one of the most insulting things Gon had ever said to him! Did he look fat?! Was he even more unappealing now?!
When Gon just repeated what he said, like Killua hadn't heard correctly in the first place, the former assassin felt one of his eyes twitch before he unconsciously brought the hand that was holding his bag of hard candies back. Before anyone could tell what he was doing, Killua threw his bag of hard candies directly into Gon's face. The only reason why the beast hunter's head hadn't exploded upon impact was because Killua hadn't been using his Nen at all, and he could never bring himself to practically kill the other teen no matter how pissed off he sometimes made him.
"Screw this, I'm going back to the hotel…" Killua growled out then in a shaking voice as he abruptly turned away, stuffed his now free hands into the pockets of his shorts, and stomped away in a pissy fashion. He tried to ignore how his voice had sounded so broken before, like he was about to cry, or how his eyes were actually starting to water from this horrible day he was having (and it had started out so well, too!). Not only did he know that Gon would never like him the way he wanted him to, but now the other was calling him fat! As soon as he reached the hotel he was going to claim the bed for himself and make Gon sleep out on the balcony like the stupid puppy-dog he was. Freaking bastard…
Gon was a little surprised when Killua suddenly screamed at him, but, since some of the rides around them were a little noisy, maybe his friend just hadn't understood him? Gon repeated his words loud and clear then, making sure his companion understood him this time.
Oh yeah, Killua definitely understood him this time. There was only a millisecond's notice. The twitching of his best friend's eye wasn't a good sign. The whole bag of candies flew right at him, hitting his right cheek full force (he had barely managed to turn his face, otherwise his nose might have been broken), some of the hard pieces flying upward only to rain down again on his head. Gon couldn't keep the surprised yelp from escaping him. Instantly, he felt a searing pain and heat, and he knew his cheek would swell; maybe he would even get a black eye.
The physical pain was nothing, though, compared to what he felt when Killua announced he would return to the hotel. Wide-eyed, the spiky-haired teen stared at his friend, who already turned his back on him and left. Gon had said what he had said out of concern for the other one. That was all. With the reaction he had gotten, though, he knew he had chosen his words pretty badly.
"What the heck are you doing?!" Leorio screamed at him, while Kurapika shouted the same, minus the "heck".
"Go after him and apologize!" The blond hunter advised firmly and waved his hand, ushering Gon in the direction Killua was stomping.
With a start, the beast hunter looked at his older friends, then at the receding form of his best friend, and then he was off, taking after Killua's retreating form. Using his full speed he easily caught up to his friend.
"Aaaah, I'm sorry, Killua! I...I didn't mean it like that! I just don't want you to get sick from only eating sweet things! I'm just concerned about your health!"
Killua ignored him, of course, marching on without even shrugging his shoulder. Gon uttered an agitated sound and overtook the blacklist hunter with a burst of speed. This time, he stopped before his friend, halting him in his tracks as he put both of his hands on the other's shoulders. Very distraught, he looked at Killua then. Half of the beast hunter's face was red and swollen, giving his pained expression even more impact.
"Killua, please, listen to me. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said that, but...but I wanted your attention. I don't want you to get sick because of bad eating habits. I want you to be healthy. I need you around. Don't you remember? Together forever? We promised each other that one time on Whale Island and...and I want forever to be...like...forever! I shouldn't have mentioned your brother. That was stupid, and mean, and wrong. But please...please, Killua, don't leave! I didn't mean to...make you angry. I was just...concerned...I...I am concerned. I don't know why everything I do today is wrong, but if it would help make you feel better, I'll buy you a new bag of candy you can eat or throw at me too, which ever you want." Gon's loud, agitated voice had turned quiet and insistent. "Tell me what to do to make it up to you. I'll do anything to make you forgive me, but please, please, Killua don't be mad...don't leave."
Unconsciously, his hands had gripped his companion's shoulders tighter, holding him in place, keeping him from leaving. Gon hated the fact that he had hurt his friend with some stupid words. He could and should have said that differently. For Killua to hit him hard like he had done, he had to be very, very angry and hurt, and Gon knew was responsible for that. Gon despised himself for his stupidity.
If Killua heard the shouts of his oldest friends for Gon to chase after him, he didn't show it, nor did he speed up. He just continued to walk, his mind whirling with what felt like thousands of unwanted thoughts. Everything was just horrible at that moment, not only because of his personal problems with Gon, and his frustration towards his oldest friends and their inability to see that they wanted to sex the other up like rabbitsquirrels in heat, but because he was beginning to wonder if his father and Illumi had been right. Maybe, if he had just stuck to his family's values, he wouldn't be feeling the hurt that he was in now?
Just as the former assassin was beginning to question everything he had done since he had ever met Gon, the said beast hunter had rushed over to him and was shouting out apologies left and right. Killua flinched at the other's words. It wasn't the sweets that were a detriment to his health, it was Gon himself!
Ignoring his idiotic friend, Killua just kept on walking with every intention to not talk to Gon for a few days by secluding himself, so that he could think his turbulent thoughts through, but he was stopped yet again when he felt strong hands grab his shoulders, effectively preventing him from moving. Sapphire eyes widened in shock as he looked up to see Gon's pain-filled face. It seemed that he had hit the other harder than he had intended, because half of his friend's face was swollen. Even though he felt that it was the least that Gon deserved, the fact remained that he still felt guilty about it.
Before Killua could let the guilt get to him too much, Gon was pleading with him and begging for forgiveness. His spiky-haired friend's voice started out loud and insistent, but as he continued to beg, desperately asking Killua not to leave, his voice grew quieter to the point that Killua felt like his heart was being ripped out. Gon made it sound like he was going to leave forever…
Although he was beginning to wonder if that was the best option for the two of them, Gon's tightened grip upon his shoulders, along with the reminder towards their promise to be together forever, made the silver-haired teen sigh out in defeat. Unable to stop himself, Killua leaned forward and laid his head down onto Gon's shoulder. Apparently, his movement had surprised Gon, and that's why Killua had been able to move in the first place, but the silver-haired teen didn't bother thinking about that. There were other things that were more important to think about.
"Damn it, Gon," Killua hissed out in defeat, his voice containing a slightly humorous chuckle, "I can never stay mad at you for long…"
Taking a deep breath, and secretly inhaling the comforting smell of the other's scent, Killua leaned back again to face Gon, his sapphire eyes shining seriously.
"Fine, I'll stay, and I'll go on some more rides with you, but don't think for an instant that I'm still not mad at you!" Killua huffed out, although his eyes were shining with slight mirth. "I might take you up on your offer for another bag of sweets, though."
"Have you two made up yet!" Leorio shouted out in the distance, effectively breaking Killua and Gon out of their conversation. "We can only ride a few more rides before it gets dark enough for the fireworks show!"
Killua just rolled his eyes.
"Keep your pants on, Old Man, for all of our sakes!" He shouted back, ignoring Leorio's surprised exclamation of "What the heck is that supposed to mean?!" as he looked at Gon again with a teasing smile. "So, you still feel like checking out the endangered species carousel while trying to get our dense friends over there together?"
Gon's body was tense with the fear that Killua hated him for what he had said before. He hoped his words could somehow make up for that. He needed Killua in his life. There was no way to even consider life without his best friend!
When Killua leaned forward, closer to him, Gon was so astonished, his tight grip loosened. His friend's head leaned against his shoulder, making his body feel all warm with the relief that swept through him. At least Killua didn't hate him. He would never touch him like this if he really hated him. Then his friend even told him that he was forgiven. Kind of, at least. Anyway, Gon was sure then that everything would be okay between them.
Killua stood up straight again, and they looked at each other. For all the exasperation his friend tried to display, there was still mirth in his eyes, and that gave Gon real hope that he actually was forgiven. He didn't care if Killua was mad enough to hit him some more, as long as he stayed and still talked to him.
"Yeah! … Ehm, I mean, no. I don't think that. You have every right. Just tell me what you want and I'll get it for you," he offered, happy to do whatever made Killua feel better.
Leorio broke into their makeup moment then, reminding them that their time at the park was limited. It wasn't the nicest way to do so now, but he had a point. Killua shot him an answer then that expertly riled the doctor up. With his worst fears appeased, the tension in Gon's body used Leorio's comical reaction as a relief valve. He laughed heartily at the little squabble.
His eyes lit up soon afterwards as Killua's attention returned to him, and the other asked him about the carousel.
"Oh yeah! I so want to see it and ride it with you! And we'll take care of that other thing, too," he answered, trying to make sure the other two would have no idea what they were talking about.
Kurapika and Leorio approached them then, and they traveled to the carousel. Gon finally wore a real smile again when they reached their destination, and was soon an excited kid all over again, almost like he had already forgotten what had happened just moments ago.
"Woah! Look, Killua! They actually have camp tigers and panda frogs, too! And look! There's a golden striped rabbitsquirrel, too!" Even though rabbitquirrels spawned about as rapid and fast as rabbits, the golden striped variety was popular in certain circles for their pelts.
As Gon watched the carousel a little closer, he found out that some of the animals were mounted steady, while some moved up and down, and others back and forth while the carousel turned round.
"Which one do you want to ride, Killua?" Gon looked at the other teen wide-eyed. He himself would love the camp tiger but if his friend wanted that, too, he'd gladly give it up to make Killua happy.
Gon's enthusiastic smile was everything Killua expected, and it warmed a bit of his desolate-feeling heart. Even if he could never be with Gon the way he wanted to, there was no way Killua could live without seeing the other's smile again. His beast hunting friend was the ray of light in his life, and, without it, he'd only have darkness and loneliness waiting for him. That was the type of life he had wanted to leave behind the moment he ran away from home all those years ago.
As the silver-haired teen followed his crush to the carousel, Leorio and Kurapika following behind them, they soon came upon the marvelous structure. It was bright, colorful, and filled with amazing looking creatures that had been decimated over time. The carousel was a shining tribute in a sense with the beautiful craftsmanship of both the animals and the carousel itself, but, at the same time, it was a booming reminder of what could be lost. The animals displayed were a reminder of the magnificence of life and nature, but the only reason they were there was because of human greed through poaching for horns and pelts, over harvesting for nourishment, and the destruction of wild habitat for the sake of human expansion. To Killua, the carousel before him was a fascinating and tragically poetic piece of work.
The former assassin was whisked away from his serious thoughts as Gon started asking him what he wanted to ride. The young enhancer was so enthused, Killua couldn't stop himself from smiling at the other with affection, despite the fact that he knew he should still be mad with the other.
"I'll ride the pandafrog," the young transmuter declared with ease, knowing how badly Gon wanted to ride the camp tiger. "It looks cool, and it's purple and white besides. It's like it was made just for me."
Killua chuckled at that last thought, and as Gon showered him with an overly ecstatic look. How could someone who was supposed to be sixteen still be acting like a twelve year old?
A cat-like grin then spread across Killua's face as he overheard Leorio and Kurapika talking about which figurine they wanted to ride. Seeing as the camp tiger and the panda frog were right next to each other, it would be best if Leorio and Kurapika were sitting in front of them. Coincidentally, the animals in front of his and Gon's were…
"I think you guys should ride the pair of golden striped rabbitsquirrels," Killua teased with great amusement. "I think they fit you guys very well."
"W-What the heck is that supposed to mean?!" Leorio stuttered out in shock as he tried to comprehend what the former assassin was getting at.
Killua just smiled even more cat-like, enjoying the shocked and embarrassed expressions on his older friends' faces. It was common knowledge to anyone what the meaning of being compared to a rabbitsquirrel was. They were a very cute species, who actually symbolized fruitful partnerships. Rabbitsquirrels were known for their high reproductive output, and also for their monogamy. Even though rabbitsquirrels produced several litters of bunnysquirrels every year for several years, throughout that whole time, the species would only choose one mate and stay faithful to them for the sake of their children's survival. The golden striped rabbitsquirrels were especially symbolic for fruitful partnerships because, not only did their white and gold pelts look pure like that of the angels of certain religious lore (which was symbolic of pure love and faithfulness in marriages/partnerships), but the tiger striped pattern fit their personalities. Golden striped rabbitsquirrels were ferociously loyal to their mates and children and would attack anything that threatened them, even if it didn't stand a chance. Not only that, but, unlike their other rabbitsquirrel brethren, who would choose a different mate if theirs died, the golden striped rabbitsquirrel had one mate throughout its whole life, and wouldn't take another if something happened to their mate. That was the other half of the reason for their endangered status. Not only were their pelts highly sought after, but if they lost their mates, they wouldn't take another, which meant they wouldn't reproduce anymore. It was the perfect symbolism for people who believed in soul mates.
The silver-haired teen enjoyed Leorio and Kurapika's awkward embarrassment before he just rolled his eyes.
"Come on guys, I just meant it suits you because Leorio won that rabbitsquirrel doll for you, Kurapika," Killua stated as he started walking towards the carousel line with Gon in tow. He was only a meter or so away before he turned around with another teasing smirk on his face, Gon obliviously going on ahead of him. "Also, the rabbitsquirrel's libido reminds me of a certain casanova doctor I know of…"
Leorio had felt bad for interrupting Gon and Killua's makeup session, but it had looked like everything was fine between the two younger kids, and they really were losing time. They had a bunch of rides they wanted to go on, and the sun would be setting in a few hours.
As the four of them met up again and started heading towards the carousel, the young doctor couldn't be happier seeing Gon in higher spirits again. It was just so wrong to see the other upset. Now that Leorio thought about it, Gon really was the person that held their group together. If he hadn't been there, he, Kurapika, and Killua would have probably not even become friends, or kept in touch for that matter.
When they finally arrived at the amazing looking carousel, Leorio watched as Gon and Killua picked out what they wanted to ride, so he decided to talk with Kurapika about that, too…albeit without looking at the other for fear of questioning his own personal issues. His Kurta friend sounded a little stiff and uncomfortable just as much as the doctor did, but at least he still tried to talk with him, which was a good thing. But seriously, why did everything between them have to feel so awkward?!
Before Leorio and Kurapika could talk too much about what they wanted to ride, though, Killua had to make a very suggestive comment. How was it that Kurapika and him were suited for the golden striped rabbitsquirrels?! Th-Those were animals for couples!
The young doctor tried to come up with something to say back to the little brat after his first startled exclamation, but, for some reason, he was completely tongue tied from the very thought of Kurapika and him fitting the pair of rabbitsquirrels on the ride, and he felt his face heating up, and—Okay, seriously, why was he reacting this way?!
The rookie hunter couldn't help but sigh in relief the next moment when Killua commented on how he had been joking, and only suggested it because of the plushy the young doctor had won his friend. Well, I guess if that was all, then it wasn't too bad…except that Killua took his words back the next second and had to remind Leorio of his sexual tendencies
"W-What?!" Leorio in turn shouted out in embarrassment and, for some reason, horror. He didn't know why, but he really didn't want to bring up his sexual ability and his promiscuous tendencies in front of Kurapika (it probably had to do with the fact the Kurta was so proper in his mannerisms…right?). "Come on," the young doctor shouted at Killua in indignation. "I haven't even looked at a single girl since I started this vacation!"
There was an awkward pause then between the three friends as Killua stared at Leorio in a disbelieving fashion.
"Oh? I seriously doubt that," the former assassin deadpanned.
"No, I'm serious! I haven't, really!" Leorio insisted before a look of complete astonishment came over him. "I…really haven't…" He mumbled out then in disbelief as he finally realized that his words were actually true; he hadn't even looked at a single girl since setting foot on the island.
"Oh? Maybe your libido is slowing down then, Old Man. Forget I said anything," Killua commented offhandedly as he turned around, placed his hands behind his head and walked after Gon who had claimed a spot in line and was waving at the three of them to come over.
"What the heck, you little brat?! Just what are you insinuating?!" Leorio shouted out in rage, his ears practically fuming for his younger friend's words. The young doctor focused on that anger in favor of actually thinking about his previous thought. He didn't know what it meant for him to have not checked out a single woman since he had arrived on Kinawa-O, and he frankly didn't want to know.
After calming himself down with a few deep breaths, Leorio gathered his strength and glanced at Kurapika…
…Well, his friend looked just as wet and dazzling before, so yeah, never mind, he wasn't going to look at the other.
Quickly glancing away from the other and the look he was giving him with a light blush dusting his cheeks, Leorio just scratched offhandedly at one of his said cheeks before he mumbled out, "So…what were you thinking of riding again? I wouldn't mind riding that awesome looking elephantshark, but…if you want to ride the rabbitsquirrels…yeah…I don't care…"
Leorio officially had no idea what he was saying. He knew what riding the golden striped rabbitsquirrels would look like to the public (okay, maybe it wouldn't be so bad since Kurapika sort of looked like a girl, but since he was soaked and his clothes were sticking to him, it was pretty obvious if people looked closely that he was a boy), but, yet…if Kurapika really wanted to ride them for the sake of riding them, he wouldn't say no. They were really pretty looking after all. They even had diamond-like gems engraved into the golden saddles on their backs. And heck, the rabbitsquirrels even had red eyes, which were an important issue with Kurapika and probably made the Kurta familiarize with the species all the more. So yeah, if Kurapika wanted to ride them, he was totally all for it to show the other that, since he was his friend, he'd even stick through very uncomfortable situations for him.
Until the moment Killua mentioned the rabbitsquirrels, Kurapika had been talking with Leorio almost amicably. They had been on their way to feeling comfortable around each other again. At least, Kurapika hoped so. Actually, he was interested in riding the cutest critters on this earth, the golden striped rabbitsquirrels, because they had been decorated beautifully for the attraction. When Killua told them they should ride them together in a very suggestive manner, though, he wasn't quite as keen on it anymore.
Kurapika hadn't thought about the implications if he were to ask Leorio to ride the rabbitsquirrels together. It was one thing to show a feminine side by admitting to liking cute things (which only had kind of slipped because of the emotional impact of seeing his childhood plushy again), but asking the other man to ride the critters together was practically a confession! He felt his cheeks flush softly, and looked down to hide his face somewhat. Why did Killua have to make that childish comment? Well, the boy most likely only wanted to tease his older friends and thought it was a lot of fun. At least that comment, as embarrassing as it was at the moment, had kept him from actually coming out and asking Leorio to ride the rabbitsquirrels together.
Killua admitted then to only teasing them, and Leorio was pretty relieved it seemed. Of course he was, Kurapika thought with a pang. To the lady's man, it would have been more than embarrassing to ride the critters together with a guy with all of their romantic suggestiveness. What might on-looking women think of him?! A heat, that had nothing to do with romantic feelings at all, was building in his stomach.
This was when Killua said the rabbitsquirrel fitted Leorio because of his sexual prowess. Kurapika actually felt appalled at that comment. How badly had the doctor's womanizing ways turned for Killua to mention them like that?! Did he have two girls in each arm every time they met? Was he bragging about his amorous adventures when they talked on the phone?! Any embarrassment the Kurta had felt was replaced by fury. Jealous fury. Of course, Kurapika didn't want to realize it for what it was, so he thought of it as righteous indignation at the way Leorio was corrupting the boys.
Said man tried to defend himself by calling out that he hadn't looked at girls at all since coming to this island. How was that any defense at all? They were here for little over a day!
"Let's just hope you won't explode," he mumbled under his breath in despise.
A moment later, the doctor turned to him. He was asking what he wanted to ride all innocent like. Kurapika was fuming.
"You go ride that elephantshark of yours. I wouldn't want the women in the waiting line to think we might have something going on if we rode the rabbitsquirrels together," Kurapika hissed out, his eyes flashing with the fury he still felt.
Knowing about the doctor's amorous nature in an abstract kind of way was one thing, having it shoved in his face like this was a whole different matter. Kurapika turned on his heel and marched off after Gon and Killua, leaving the doctor in the dust, and not caring a single second about it.
Although Gon had an inkling Killua wanted to ride the camp tiger, too, his friend said he'd want the pandafrog that was incidentally right next to the tiger. It made the beast hunter incredibly happy. For his friend to relinquish the camp tiger to him meant that he had definitely forgiven him, and that everything was okay between them. Also, he really, really wanted to ride the horn-wielding tiger. Gratefully, he flashed Killua his most ecstatic smile ever.
Since they had settled on their intended rides, his friend suggested the rabbitsquirrels for Leorio and Kurapika, since they were right in front of their own animals. For some odd reason, their tallest friend seemed to take offense with that. Were they just too cutesy for Leorio? Or was it that the doctor wanted to choose for himself? Wasn't he...too old for that? But when Gon thought about it, he was sixteen now and couldn't keep his excitement contained, either.
"The camp tiger and panda frog are already taken," he announced loudly, so the other two wouldn't get any ideas.
Since Gon was happy and overexcited, he kept walking up to the waiting queue when Killua stopped to tease their friends some more. Fascinated, Gon watched the carousel while he was waiting. The camp tiger sculpture was designed in a powerful looking, stretched out jump, and moved back and forth like it was pouncing. The panda frog on the other hand went up and down in boosts, just like he was jumping around a pond.
"This is such a cool idea. I bet the ride is a lot of fun, and it makes people aware of all the different and cool and beautiful animals that could be lost. There should be much, much more projects like this. Maybe we could save more animals from going extinct that way," Gon said contemplatively when Killua joined him a moment later.
For some reason, a shiver ran down Gon's back the next moment as Kurapika joined the line. There was a very ominous air surrounding their Kurta friend.
As soon as he joined the line, Killua was bombarded with Gon's enthusiastic words. The former assassin just smiled and nodded his head.
"Yes, maybe we should gather some of your beast hunter comrades and try to come up with some programs to spread awareness. I bet with a bunch of people involved, we'd be able to come up with some good ideas," Killua suggested then, but before he could add anything else, he felt a very ominous presence behind him. The silver-haired teen turned around just in time to see a very angry Kurapika come up into the line behind him. For a second, Killua thought that Kurapika's anger was directed at him (it would make sense, after all) but when the young Kurta kept his eyes down, his brown orbs practically staring daggers into the ground, and when the young transmuter looked behind his blond friend to see a very confused and affronted Leorio, he was able to put two and two together. Shit! His plan had been to try and make Leorio realize he had been focusing on Kurapika more than women in hopes that would get the doctor to admit his feelings for Kurapika faster, but it had ended up causing another fight between him and Kurapika!
"Hey, Kurapika!" The very same doctor shouted out the next minute as he soon entered the line right behind the said blond. Killua wasn't surprised to see that Kurapika didn't respond.
Naturally, the lack of response made Leorio even more indignant than he was before, so he opted to shout again.
"Dang it, Kurapika, I thought we said we weren't going to do this anymore?!" Leorio declared before he grabbed onto one of Kurapika's arms in a vice-like grip and made the other turn around to face him. Kurapika naturally struggled and shouted at the young doctor to let him go, but Killua could see in Leorio's fiery expression that he wasn't going to until he was done saying what he was about to say.
"Look, I don't completely understand why you're so pissed off at me because of Killua's woman comment," the rookie hunter started out as he stared determinedly into Kurapika's stubborn brown eyes, "but deal with it. Yes, I like women, so what? That has nothing to do with here and now! Why are you so upset about it?!"
Killua watched on in mild fascination, not expecting things to turn out this way when he had initially made a jab at Leorio's sex-aholic life style. Kurapika was probably thinking that too, but the look on the young Kurta's face remained the same, and his lips remained closed. Killua could see that Kurapika wasn't going to relinquish the secret he so stubbornly kept inside of him. Man, he was in for an even harder time than he had previously thought. To think that both of his oldest friends would be this stubborn about their more-than-obvious feelings…
"What the hell did we agree to back on the Ferris Wheel, Kurapika?!" Leorio shouted out angrily then, looking a little more than upset by that point in time. "I thought we said that we were going to try and be more truthful around each other and talk things out from now on!"
Killua watched on as Kurapika turned his head away. Either the conjurer wasn't willing to listen to Leorio, or he was ashamed for going back on the supposed promise the two of them had made. Well, at least something meaningful had happened on the Ferris Wheel, unlike he had previously thought; Killua had been hoping for more of a romantic development, though.
"Fine…" Leorio hissed out then as he let go of Kurapika's arm. "…If you're not going to talk, then I sure as hell am! I don't care what women will think of me when I ride the damn carousel, Kurapika! Just the very fact that I'm going on a carousel at my age should be embarrassing enough; I mean, look at the people in this line! I know I'm in my twenties, but I look like I'm brinking on thirty here. I thank medical school and my friends' crazy-dangerous hunter lifestyles for making me age faster!"
Killua rolled his eyes at that last line, wondering what Leorio was actually trying to get at.
"So, because of that, I really look like I'm too old for this ride, but do you see me caring?!" Leorio continued in a huff, his chocolate-brown eyes glaring heatedly at Kurapika. "I don't care what anybody thinks of me for going on this ride, including women. Do you know why, Kurapika? Because I'm not here on Kinawa-O for freaking women! I'm here to spend time with my best friends, who I haven't seen in a very long time! I'm here with you, Kurapika! I'd rather spend my entire vacation having a good time with you instead of hitting it up somewhere with some random chick I won't ever see again anyway. I can't have that good time, though, if we keep getting into fights like this…"
The young doctor's voice trailed off sadly then as he hung his head and averted his eyes from the other.
"If I'm going to have a fun time riding this carousel, then I'm going to need you riding with me…" Leorio muttered out softly, a light blush coming onto his cheeks. "If you're nowhere near me and all pissed off, then how am I, and you, for that matter, supposed to enjoy ourselves? I personally don't care what animal I ride on, because the animal doesn't matter. What matters is if you want to enjoy this ride, this vacation, with me and our other friends."
With that, Killua watched on in slight awe as Leorio brought his head up and stared directly into Kurapika's eyes again, his own brown shining with determination once more, although Killua could see a slight hint of worry.
"So what do you say, Kurapika? Are you going to be my riding partner or not?"
Killua smiled knowingly then as he glanced Gon's way, confident that things would be better between their friends again. Sure, Leorio's last line could have been toned down on the cheesiness, but the meaning behind it was still crystal clear. Leorio wanted nothing more than for things to be right between him and Kurapika, and he was willing to do anything to prove that. There was no way that Kurapika could still be mad after all that Leorio had said.
When Leorio shouted out his name, Kurapika ignored him with a vengeance. There was nothing the other man could say that would change what was making the Kurta mad at the moment. In his heart of hearts, he knew his reaction was wrong. It was the normal thing for Leorio to be into women. It wasn't his fault that he didn't feel the same things for him as Kurapika did. But knowing all this didn't change the fact that he was mad like hell.
Of course, the stupid doctor couldn't let things be, though. He shouted at him, making a scene, and drawing attention. It wasn't something Kurapika preferred, especially not for conversations that were meant to be private.
Leorio grabbed his arm then, tight, and forced him to turn around. This was too much.
"Let go of me!" His eyes flashed dangerously as he shouted at the other man and tried to pull his arm away.
When Leorio questioned him why he was upset in the first place, Kurapika suddenly clamped up. How was he to answer to that? The truth was out of the question! I like women, so what? So what, indeed. Kurapika had known that for as long as he had an eye on the other. Still, it hurt. It hurt like hell to be reminded of it in such a way. Couldn't Leorio see? Why did he have to ask? Why was the man he had fallen in love with so stupid, and blind, and stupid? And above all else, why did he only have eyes for women? His lips pressed into a hard, thin line, Kurapika glaring defiantly into the fiery and determined eyes of his counterpart.
It was then that Leorio reminded him of their promise. Yes, he had agreed to talk to Leorio, but not about this. The promise was meant to keep him as a friend. If he told the other man his secret then... then that was that. Leorio obviously couldn't reciprocate his feelings, and he would always feel awkward around him. At the least, that is! At the worst, he would feel disgusted with him and would never want to see him again. Kurapika knew then that he should have kept his mouth shut. He should have kept his fury in check somehow. The young blond had started something he could not stop, and that was bad. Defeated, he looked away from Leorio, unable to answer.
His arm was set free, and that seemed to be the end of it, or so Kurapika thought. He was wrong. Leorio was as stubborn as a mule. The doctor had something to say, and he did. What the other man had to say was more than Kurapika could have expected at this point in time. It would have been understandable if he was fed up by now and didn't want to be around him anymore, but, instead, Leorio told him how much he wanted to spend time with him. The taller man was even willing to forget about chasing after women for the duration of this vacation. It was almost everything Kurapika could wish for. Almost. It was wonderful and painful at the same time. They could never have what he wanted the most, but for this vacation, he could have the next best thing if he swallowed his pride.
Kurapika turned back to the doctor, who had hung his head by that point and almost looked more defeated than he felt himself. Had he really hurt the other so much? Leorio looked up then with a mixture of determination and worry. When their eyes met, and he asked his most important question, warmth filled the Kurta. How could he say no to the other when he was looking at him like that? When he had poured out his heart for everyone to hear?
"You're right," Kurapika answered with a soft sigh. "I could never enjoy my vacation if I was mad at you. I want to enjoy it. I want to enjoy it with you...all of you. I would be honored to be your riding partner," he answered the main question with a warm smile. "I don't care what we ride either. We can go to that elephantshark, if you like."
Kurapika could never have what he wanted with Leorio, and that was nobody's fault. He would have to learn to live with that. Kurapika knew that he could not let useless jealousy get the better of him or he would lose the one thing he could have, and which was the most precious to him. If he kept his head, he could be friends with the man he loved. He wanted that. He wanted that very much.
When he was graced with Kurapika's smile the next moment, his blond friend's words warm and accepting, Leorio couldn't stop the relieved smile that spread across his face. Just knowing that Kurapika didn't want to extend their fight was enough to make the young doctor happy. Sure, he didn't know why Kurapika had gotten upset in the first place, but he'd save that for a later time or conveniently forget about it; it no longer mattered.
"Well…if you really don't mind…" Leorio blushed a little once again as he rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner. He wasn't going to start another argument by insisting that the two of them go on the rabbitsquirrels, even though he knew that's what Kurapika would have preferred, because his younger friend would have just insisted that he should ride the elephantshark again out of courtesy. The fight that would ensue due to them being extra courteous to each other really wasn't worth it.
With that said, Kurapika and him came to an agreement to ride the elephantshark and whatever was next to it, while Gon and Killua would ride the camp tiger and the pandafrog. For some reason, Killua looked a little grumpy at the notion, and Leorio could only assume that it had to do with the fact that his and Kurapika's animal figurines were on the opposite side of the carousel from him and Gon. Even though it was a little disappointing that all of them wouldn't be riding together, Leorio knew that he still had Kurapika to keep him company, and that made everything alright for the young doctor in the end.
As soon as they were allowed to enter the carousel, the four boys split up into their two teams. When Leorio and Kurapika made their way to the elephantshark, the young emission user saw what the partner animal to his animal figurine was; a blue rhinowhale. To his knowledge, they were the biggest mammal in the world, and were hunted for their meat and the horns on their snout. Not only that, but its skin was a beautiful cerulean color, and made up of armor plates that were highly sought after for their aesthetic/protective value.
"Wow, that looks pretty cool, Kurapika!" Leorio commented as he got on his awesome looking elephant shark. "And look at mine!" There were long tusks coming out of the side of the large fish's mouth, the said mouth was wide open and baring sharp teeth, and the elephant's shark's snout was actually a long trunk that was bent halfway back towards the whaleshark's head in a proud, trumpeting motion. The young doctor whistled at the craftsmanship of the beast he was riding. The artisan of the figurine had even added minute details like the serrated-looking fins, and the teeth-like suction pads around the tip of the snout that the elephantshark would use to latch onto fleeing prey before they'd gouge it with their tusks. This thing looked like a killing machine!
As he saw Kurapika get situated on his animal beside him, Leorio noticed the weird pole his and Kurapika's animals were connected to. If he didn't know better, he'd say it looked like their animals could move sideways…
If the taller man was uncertain of his last thought before, he certainly wasn't the next second when the ride actually started. As soon as the light and happy music for the ride started playing overhead, and the whole ride began to move, Leorio felt his animal move slowly from side to side like an actual elephantshark would move through the water. Not only that, but since Kurapika's animal was also a swimmer, his moved from side to side as well, the blue rhinowhale mirroring his elephantshark to the point that their animals would actually move towards each other and then away. When Leorio's and Kurapika's animals moved closer together, it would be close enough that the young doctor's leg would gently brush up against the blond conjurer's. Slight warmth spread through Leorio at the light touches, and another blush of embarrassment spread across his cheeks. This…was so weird…why was he feeling this way over something that shouldn't have bothered him to begin with?
To Killua's fortune, Leorio and Kurapika ended up making up before the ride started. To the former assassin's misfortune, though, instead of choosing the symbolic golden striped rabbitsquirrels, Leorio and Kurapika decided to choose a ferocious elephantshark and whatever the hell was next to it, which was on the complete opposite side of the ride from him and Gon. He wouldn't be able to see what transpired!
Knowing that Gon would be crestfallen if he suggested taking different animals, and knowing that it would just look weird to his oldest friends if they suddenly changed animals anyway, Killua just accepted that things wouldn't go completely his way for the ride, and decided that he should just enjoy it anyway.
When their turn finally came for the ride a few minutes later, Gon was quick to procure the camp tiger like the overexcited puppy-dog he was. The taller teen was practically bouncing in joy by the time Killua caught up to him to climb onto his giant white frog with purple panda-like markings on its legs and eyes. The said pandafrog was actually in a leaping motion just like Gon's camp tiger.
Just when Killua climbed onto his frog, the music for the ride started up, and the carousel began to move around in its typical circle. The former assassin was confused, though, when his animal didn't move like the rest of the animals seemed to be doing at that moment. Wondering if his pandafrog was actually broken, Killua glanced towards Gon to see his camp tiger was moving slowly up and forward, and then down and back, like it was actually running. If his animal was supposed to be the same as Gon's then shouldn't his animal be making the same motion?
As soon as Killua thought this, his pandafrog made a sudden lurch forward, surprising the crap out of the young transmuter.
"What the hell?!" The silver-haired teen exclaimed as he stared down at his pandafrog wide-eyed. His pandafrong just made another sudden lurch forward, the movement quick, yet powerful and unsettling, just like an actual frog's movements. Oh this wasn't going to be good…
Sure enough, Killua's choice in ride seemed to have the most random movement pattern. He couldn't predict when the dang thing would move, but when it did, it always caught him by surprise, and sometimes, instead of just moving once like a lazy frog with no motive, it would move in rapid succession like it was hopping away from a predator. Needless to say, due to the power and the suddenness behind the pandafrogs movements, and coupled with the fact that it's movements weren't timed very well with the other animals surrounding him or the carousel itself, Killua was starting to become dizzy, and his stomach…oh man his stomach…the silver-haired teen suddenly realized that gorging himself on sweets without drinking that much and sitting out in the hot sun, weren't such good ideas considering his current predicament. In fact, the former assassin swore that if his pandafrog moved one more time…
Too bad for Killua, his pandafrog made multiple sudden lurches before the carousel came to a stop. It was because of the poor teen's fast reflexes that he was able to stumble off of the ride and make it to the nearest garbage can before he upended his lunch of sweets into it. So much for his amazing assassin training! Wasn't he supposed to not get that easily sick? Damn…
Kurapika was glad when Leorio accepted his apology. There was a very soft blush to the other man's face as he accepted his offer to ride the elephantshark. The Kurta tried to suppress the soft fluttering in his stomach at the cute behavior of his taller friend. He couldn't help himself, but he just loved it when that little boy shone through in Leorio's demeanor. Even though the doctor was the oldest of their group, he often acted in similar ways to Gon, who, in turn, rarely behaved according to his age.
Since their rides were at opposite sides of the carousel, the four of them split up into two groups then and went straight for their intended targets so that no one would get in the way. Although Kurapika loved the cutesy looks of the rabbitsquirrels, he was amazed at the animal he ended up with. It was a beautiful and fearsome blue rhinowhale. In the underground auctions, he had seen body armor made of its hide. Though the finished product looked beautiful, it was disgusting at the same time to know that such majestic and even intelligent animals had to die a gruesome death because of the protective values of their skin, or the supposed effects of an aphrodisiac made from their horns. Kurapika felt a certain deep connection between himself and this animal's misfortunes.
In the face of Leorio's enthusiasm for their rides, the Kurta couldn't help but smile, contrary to the dark thoughts the animal had aroused.
"Yes, you're right. They are both very cool."
The both of them climbed their mounts just in time before the ride started. The slow, kind of graceful motions of their rides were in stark contrast to the lively carousel music, Kurapika thought, and he closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate more on the feeling. That was when his animal moved to the other side and he felt his leg brush Leorio's. Since his eyes were closed, and his other senses were more sharpened, he not only felt the actual touch, but felt the strong aura of his companion, the slight surprise that caused a ripple in its emission. It was a funny feeling, and kind of nice.
Kurapika opened his eyes then and looked to the side. He couldn't keep a soft smile from lighting up his features in that moment. The ride was fun, and it was especially nice to share it with Leorio. He knew they could never be more than friends, but this here, right now, was nice enough. After a very long, very difficult time, Kurapika was finally able to share experiences with his friends again. To be in the company of others, to not be alone and isolated, was something very precious to him. In his usual life, he played a role he hated, and there was almost no one he could trust and confide in, in that world. Right now he could just have some harmless fun and feel the joy of sharing it with people he liked and trusted.
He enjoyed the ride to the last moment and got off his rhinowhale with a very content smile on his face. As he headed towards the exit for the ride, though, he saw Killua rushing out and bending over a trash bin the next second.
"Uh oh, that doesn't look too good," he said ominously, and pointed towards the silver-haired boy for Leorio's benefit.
When he mounted his camp tiger, Gon couldn't have been any happier. Close up, the animal looked even more awesome than from afar. There was so much detail to the sculptural work! He could even discern scratches in its horn, like it was actually in use. He had just sent a dazzling smile Killua's way, who had just mounted his panda frog, when the carousel started to move.
Gon laughed out happily when the camp tiger started to move like he was running. This was so awesome! He was more convinced than ever that this carousel was a great idea to raise awareness for endangered species. Killua had been right. He should get together with Kite, Knuckle, and a few others to brainstorm some ideas like this in order to spread the word and save more of these beautiful and unique creatures.
As he thought this, Killua shouted out beside him. As Gon looked to the side, he had no idea what had made his friend shout out like that until a second later, when the panda frog lurched forward, imitating a hopping motion. Gon laughed out. That looked like so much fun! Maybe Killua would ride the carousel with him again and they could trade places? Next to him, the panda frog hopped a few times in a row, and Gon was even more certain that he really, really wanted to ride it.
When he looked at Killua, though, something didn't seem quite right. For some reason, his best friend didn't look like he was having much fun. And was he imagining things, or was he paler than usual? As concern for his best friend consumed his thoughts, the ride ended, and, before Gon could react, Killua was off the frog with lightning speed.
The next thing he knew, his fellow hunter was outside and bent over a trash bin. Following his friend, he saw him heaving and heard retching sounds. Oh my! Gon was next to his friend in seconds, holding back the other's ponytail and gently rubbing his back until a slightly green faced Killua looked up from the trash bin again.
"Can you get some water?" Gon asked Kurapika and Leorio, who had followed them off the carousel by then.
"I'll get it," Kurapika offered and jogged off, returning a few moments later with a bottle of cool water from the closest vendor.
In the meantime, Killua had used the trash bin once more. Gon took the bottle and wet a cloth from one of his pockets, and used that to cool his best friend's neck as he held out the rest of the water for him to clean his mouth. Concerned, he watched his friend, while the doctor took over for him.
Leorio administered a pill that would help settle Killua's upset stomach. After a few moments, Killua looked a little better than before, and Gon couldn't hold back any longer.
"This is what I was trying to tell you. You just eat too many sweets. It's not good for you."
Leorio felt as flushed as ever by the time the ride ended. He had lost count of how many times his leg had brushed against Kurapika's, and the very fact that he had been trying to keep count at all only frazzled the doctor more. Just what was wrong with him? Was it the heat?
Feeling that everything would probably become clearer after he got a drink of water, Leorio climbed off his elephantshark just in time to overhear Kurapika's ominous declaration. Following where his friend was pointing (all the while still trying to ignore how Kurapika's clothes were still wet and…yeah…), the emission user took in the sight of Killua throwing his head over a trash can and vomiting up his lunch into it.
"Shit, I should have thought this might happen," Leorio chastised himself as he hurriedly made his way over to his silver-haired friend, Kurapika following beside him. It wasn't too surprising how Gon was already at Killua's side when they arrived. The young beast hunter already seemed to know what to do, as he was holding Killua's hair up and rubbing the other's back in a soothing fashion. When Killua finally showed his face again, it looked like his throwing-up fit was far from over.
Before Leorio could jump in and start to help, Gon asked them if they could get water. Kurapika immediately claimed he would handle it and headed off towards the nearest booth. As soon as the Kurta left, Killua threw his head back into the trashcan again and started another bout of vomiting. Unable to take the sounds, Leorio walked over to a nurse's stand, which was thankfully nearby. He quickly asked for some pills for upset stomach and made his way back to the group. Kurapika had already returned by that time, and Gon was wetting a cloth and dabbing at Killua's neck with it while the other continued to heave into the trashcan. Leorio was thankful that Gon knew what to do in this situation, but, at the same time…he felt so useless…He knew what to do, but if somebody who wasn't even a doctor knew what to do in this situation, then what real good was he? Was he even needed?
Shaking his head to clear himself of such selfish and illogical thoughts, Leorio approached the group with the medicine in hand. He couldn't afford to have doubts about his abilities or he really would be useless to his friends, and he had sworn to never be useless to them again.
After waiting for Killua to finish rinsing his mouth with the water Kurapika had gotten for him, Leorio then handed the pill over to Killua and demanded that he take it. The former assassin didn't hesitate to swallow the pill and down it with the rest of his water. The transmuter then took a deep breath after his drink and rubbed at his head, looking a little better, but still very pale (which was an accomplishment, since he was already fair-skinned). The doctor was about to suggest that they find a shaded place to sit and rest while Killua recuperated, but, before he could, Gon had to speak. Leorio stiffened at his younger friend's words, knowing that the 'I-told-you-so' tone Gon was using wouldn't take well with Killua at all.
"What?!" The former assassin exclaimed as he turned his head towards Gon and glared daggers at him. "The sweets have nothing to do with this. It was that stupid frog on that stupid ride that got me sick!"
"That ride wasn't stupid!" Gon defended the carousel he seemed to feel very strongly about with a look of defiance. "You wouldn't have gotten sick if you hadn't eaten so many sweets!"
"You were half the reason why I ate so many in the first place, idiot!" Killua shouted back angrily, the transmuter literally looking like he was seconds away from exploding. Leorio knew then that he had been right to assume that Gon had done something to make Killua upset during the Ferris Wheel ride.
"How is it my fault when you're the one who bought all of that stuff and stuffed your face with it?!" Gon shouted back, looking absolutely offended and a little hurt by Killua's accusations. If Gon was really that dense to how his words affected his silver-haired friend, there was no doubt in Leorio's mind that Gon had to be more than confused by then.
Not wanting to see his two friends fight anymore, Leorio walked in between the bickering teens before both of them could open their mouths again and say something that they'd regret.
"Alright, that's enough!" He shouted out in admonishment as he looked between the two boys. "Fighting is something that we shouldn't be focusing on right now. It's obvious that Killua is still feeling a little ill, so his words and the anger he's showing us are just an aftereffect of it. He probably doesn't mean the things he said, right Killua?"
When Leorio pointedly glared at the silver-haired teen in question, Killua just glared back before he huffed and turned away, not wanting to look at either him or Gon anymore. Oh well, he didn't deny it, so Leorio decided to just take that as a yes.
"Alright, now that that's taken care of, and there's no hard feelings between you two…" The young doctor continued as he eyed his two youngest friends, knowing that there probably were hard feelings between them at the moment but that they were probably ignoring them. "…I think we all should go and take a rest. Killua still needs to rest up and rehydrate himself in order for his dizziness to pass, so we should all buy some more water and find a shaded area to rest. You should also lie down, too, Killua, just to be safe."
"Yeah, whatever," the silver-haired teen mumbled out uncaringly as he turned away from their group, stuffed his hands in the pockets of his shorts, and started walking away. Great, not only was Killua not feeling good, but he had an attitude problem again…
Despite Killua's attitude, though, their group did find a couple of benches in a shaded area nearby, and Killua did lie down as was requested of him after he drank some more water. Leorio just sighed out in relief then as he took a seat on the bench next to Killua's and took a swig of his water. Even though his clothes were still wet, his throat was starting to get dry, so he couldn't afford to ignore it anymore.
After Gon and Kurapika took a seat on another bench beside him, the three of them started to talk about various things while Killua rested up on the bench next to them. Leorio asked Kurapika if he had heard from Melody as of late, and Gon talked about the latest adventures he'd gone on with Killua. Leorio could tell that his spiky-haired friend was still a little upset about his friend, though, because he wasn't as enthusiastic as he usually was.
When an hour had gone by, Leorio deemed that it was time to go. The sun was getting closer to the horizon, but it wasn't setting yet, which meant that they still had some more time to enjoy some rides if Killua was feeling up to it.
Glancing over to the said teen, Leorio noticed that Killua was fast asleep. Hmm…maybe he should let Gon wake him up? Maybe that would help the two boys get back onto better terms with each other?
"Well, we only have about an hour or so left before the sun begins to set here," Leorio brought up then as he glanced Gon's way. "Hey, Gon, maybe you should go and wake Killua and see if he's still up for riding that water rollercoaster? Usually I wouldn't want to get the other soaking wet after he was nauseous, but it's definitely warm enough that he won't catch a cold even after the sun sets. That should go for all of us, too."
If they were going to ride that rollercoaster one more time, they'd definitely have to do it now. The park staff wouldn't let people on the rollercoaster and some of the other rides after it got dark due to safety issues.
Gon just couldn't believe that Killua blamed the carousel for his upset stomach, and, not only that, but himself to boot. What the heck did he have to do with anything? What was he supposed to have done to make Killua pig out like there was no tomorrow? Gon had no idea how Killua could blame him like that. He felt confused and hurt. How could he be to blame for the other eating too many sweets when he had tried to tell him not to do it?! He was concerned about his friend's health, and had tried to tell Killua that, but that was somehow turned around to him being at fault for everything that had happened. How did that make any sense?
Leorio interrupted their shouting match, and explained how the other's upset stomach and the bad feelings involved made Killua irritable and say things he didn't mean. That, at least, made a little more sense. Gon really hoped that was all it was. His friend didn't dispute the reasoning, at least.
When the doctor said Killua still needed to drink some more and rest, they all got bottled water and sat down on some benches in a shaded area. Gon couldn't help but glance at his friend, who, once again, was very moody and seemed to prefer to be alone. Something was seriously wrong, Gon felt it, but he had no idea what it was. This kind of behavior was very unlike Killua. They were almost always together. The other never distanced himself from him like this, at least not longer then maybe five minutes to cool off after an argument.
After he drank some more water, Killua laid down on his bench. Leorio managed to strike up a conversation for them to pass the time. Kurapika told them how he met up with Melody occasionally from time to time, as the other hunter was still searching for the second set of sheet music for the Sonata of Darkness, since she had already found and destroyed the first set. Melody was still posing as a bodyguard for one of the mafia families, just like himself, in order to get access to underground auctions and collectors of the illegal kind. Sadly, although she had been able to find and destroy the sheet music for the flute that had caused her condition, it had not reversed, like she always had hoped. Still, there was a tiny chance things might change if she got her hands on the last remaining set. At least she felt relieved in the knowledge that the sheet music that had killed her friend and mutated her body so badly would never hurt another person.
Although Gon was listening to Kurapika's news, he couldn't concentrate too much on it. Part of him still wondered what he had done to make Killua annoyed and depressed enough to pig out. He kept glancing at his companion, who had fallen asleep. The former killer and current blacklist hunter always looked so innocent and cute in his sleep. No one could guess what kind of a fierce power his sinewy frame held.
He was shaken a moment from his thoughts when Leorio asked him about their recent adventures. Gon tried to humor him, and told the other two about their visit to the diamond caves of Con-go in search of the last surviving exemplars of glow bats. The national zoo of Con-go wanted to start a breeding program to boost the fast diminishing population of the animal that was an integral part of the countries folklore. It had been a big adventure involving a fight with a gang of poachers. Also, seeing the diamond caves glow and twinkle in all the colors of the rainbow when the glow bats lit them up had been incredible at the time, but Gon's usual enthusiasm was missing from his storytelling, and diminished the grandeur of the adventure in turn.
Finally, Leorio told him to wake up Killua so that they could go on some rides before sundown. Gon was a little torn. He kind of wanted his friend to keep sleeping, since he seemed to need it, but if he let him sleep, wouldn't Killua be mad in the end if he missed out on his chance to still enjoy some of the rides of the park? In the end, Gon agreed to Leorio's suggestion.
He approached the transmuter and softly shook his shoulder.
"Killua? Wake up..."
His friend was grumbling defiantly at first, but opened his eyes a moment later after Gon repeated his name. He waited for the other to sit up and rub his eyes.
"Sorry to wake you up already, Killua, but we wanted to ride the water rollercoaster once more before sundown. How's your stomach feeling? Do you think you're up to it? It's really an awesome ride." Gon absolutely wanted to do this ride with Killua, but he toned down on the whining because he didn't want to pressure his friend if he still felt queasy. Yet, he couldn't stop himself from putting on the puppy-dog-eyes as he looked at the other expectantly.
In the end, his looks won out. With his stomach settled, his friend's bad mood seemed to have disappeared, too. Maybe Leorio had been right about that. Anyway, they went on the water rollercoaster, and this time they all enjoyed it together. Afterwards, they managed to get on two more rides before sunset. It wouldn't be too long until the fireworks display started. But as most of the attractions closed due to the setting darkness, the main street filled with more and more people, who had hung around to watch the fireworks.
"It's getting pretty crowded. I can't say I like that too much," Kurapika said, doubtfully looking around at the encroaching crowd.
Gon kind of had to agree. A more open space to enjoy the display would be much nicer.
Killua couldn't even remember falling asleep until he was woken up by Gon and asked if he was up to going on a few more rides before sunset. The groggy teen just sat up and rubbed his eyes, taking in his physical condition in the meantime. Finding that he wasn't nauseous anymore, Killua agreed to go on the rides, much to Gon's happiness.
It was soon after this that the silver-haired teen experienced the water rollercoaster (it was just as amazing as Gon said it was) and a few other rides. With the sun now beginning to set, and most of the rides being shut off because of it, the four of them made their way to the main drag where a large crowd was beginning to gather. Small game booths and food stands lined the area, still open for business to tide people's interest over until the fireworks show started. Killua noted that he, along with his friends, weren't interested in any more, possibly rigged, games, and he was actually a little hesitant to eat food at the moment, so they all just stood around with the crowd. It wasn't long until Kurapika announced that he wasn't exactly comfortable with their enclosed space, and Killua couldn't help but agree.
"Yeah, it would definitely be better to find another area to watch the fireworks from," the former assassin stated as he started coming up with several ideas in his head.
"Hey, I saw a large exotic garden on the way here," Leorio piped up then, his brown eyes wide with excitement at his own idea. "How about we all go in there and see if we can find a more secluded area to relax for the show?"
Killua's eyes widened at the possibilities now set before him. That garden sounded perfect!
After Kurapika, Gon, and him quickly and happily agreed to the doctor's proposal, Leorio led the way back to the exotic garden. When Killua could just see the garden off in the distance, he enacted his plan.
"Hey, guys, I'm getting kind of tired," the young transmuter lied as he groaned lightly and tried his best to look exhausted. "I think I need to go lay down again."
"Are you sure that's just it, Killua?" Leorio asked in worry as he rushed over to him and immediately put his hand against the former assassin's forehead. "Hmm, you don't seem to have a fever…"
"It's alright, Old man, I'm just tired," Killua chastised with a roll of his eyes, which Leorio only huffed at in slight indignation. "You guys can just go on ahead to the garden and I'll go find a place to relax for a bit. I'll meet up with you guys as soon as I feel a little better."
Leorio seemed uncertain about letting him out of his sight, it seemed, but, thankfully, Gon insisted that he'd stay with him to make sure he was alright.
"Well…if you want to do that Gon…" Leorio started out, his expression one of deep thought as he looked between the beast and blacklist hunters. "Alright, I guess I can understand why you're so tired, Killua. Those last few rides must have taken a lot out of you. Go and drink some more water and rest a little bit, and then come and find Kurapika and me in the garden when you guys are ready. Hopefully you'll feel better before the fireworks start."
"Yeah, hopefully," Killua agreed with a soft smile in order to reassure his two oldest friends. Leorio and Kurapika seemed to believe him, because they walked off the next second towards the gardens, the air between them suddenly becoming a little awkward again. Seriously, those two were beyond oblivious. Hopefully the little bit of alone time he had just set up for them would help them realize their feelings for each other.
As soon as Leorio and Kurapika were out of earshot, Killua turned towards Gon with a mischievous smile, "Don't worry, I'm actually feeling fine. I just wanted to separate from those two for a little bit and give them some alone time in the garden. Being surrounded by flowers while the sun is setting will hopefully help those guys understand their feelings for each other. We'll just wait for a few minutes and then sneak into the garden to watch them."
Another thought came to the former assassin's mind then as Gon agreed with his plan. Since he was alone with Gon now, why not take a chance? He had just remembered that he had brought along the hairpins that Gon had given him, so it would be a waste not to use them, right? Plus, they had some time before the sun completely set, and giving Leorio and Kurapika some more time alone really couldn't hurt…
"Hey, Gon?" Killua asked a little hesitantly as he nodded his head towards a bench behind them. "How about we sit over there while we wait this situation out a little?"
Gon quickly agreed with him and followed him shortly after towards the bench. As soon as they sat down, Killua shoved his hands into one of his short's pockets and wrapped his hands around the hairpins. Naturally, they were a little damp from the water rollercoaster, but it wasn't like the water would damage them.
"Um…Gon? I was wondering about something," Killua mumbled out then, feeling a bit nervous as he brought out his hairpins. Now that he thought about it, Gon had been drunk when he had given him the gift, and also when he had done up his hair the night before. Did he even remember anything from last night? He hadn't mentioned anything this morning….
Just deciding to go along with his plan since he was already halfway there, Killua continued, "Um…I know you might not remember last night, since you were a bit drunk, but you gave me these as a gift and put up my hair….I liked the hairstyle you gave me, even though it was a bit girly…but…um…I was actually wondering if you'd like to put my hair up like that again, because it feels uncomfortably hot right now." Killua hid his eyes behind his bangs then as embarrassment took hold of him. "My hair is still wet, too, and I don't have a brush with me, but if you could still find a way to put up my hair, that would be cool. I…I don't mind what it will look like either as long as it will help me cool off…"
Gon had liked the idea of the flower garden a lot. Hopefully, not too many others had thought of it. They had almost reached it when Killua suddenly announced that he was tired out and wanted to lie down. A concerned look came onto the beast hunter's face. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed his friend to go along for all of the last rides. He felt a wave of guilt come over him. Gon had been excited about the fireworks, and had looked forward to watching them with his friends, but he knew he could never enjoy them if he worried about Killua.
Leorio, of course, made sure Killua wasn't running a fever, but said teen insisted he was only tired. Seeing the uncertainty in the doctor's eyes, Gon assuaged his conscience by declaring he would stay with Killua.
"I'll make sure he drinks enough and relaxes some," the spiky-haired hunter assured Leorio.
Moments later, their two older friends were heading into the garden, and Gon tried to stir his friend to a vendor to get some water. This was when Killua told him he was actually alright and only played at being tired. Gon took his friends words in, mulled them over for a second, and then nodded with a smile.
"Oh yeah, a colorful sunset and exotic flowers are considered to be very romantic!"
He understood that Killua hoped that the thing between Kurapika and Leorio that didn't seem to have happened on the Ferris Wheel would happen now in this garden. Gon wasn't too sure, though, if Kurapika really wanted to get kissed by Leorio, but he still hoped their two friends would get closer to each other. His mind got caught in the memory of his own kiss with Killua at this thought, and he wondered again at the strange feeling. Before he could get too caught up in something he couldn't explain to himself and that would only end up overheating his poor brain, Killua asked him to go and sit down.
"Okay," he agreed as the other picked out a bench for them to wait on while they gave their friends a head start. It was here that Killua mentioned that he was wondering about something.
"Yeah? What about?" Gon looked at his friend, wondering about his roundabout way of talking at the moment.
Killua slowly explained about the events of last night, and what he actually wanted to ask him. Hearing that his friend had liked the hairstyle, even though it was kind of girly, made Gon a little bit happy. What made him even happier, though, was the request to do Killua's hair once more. After what had happened last night, Gon had been sure the other would never let him near his hair again.
"Of course I remember all about last night. I'm glad you like your gift! I wasn't so sure last night," Gon answered with a tiny smile. It grew even wider then as he declared, "I can try. I think it should work without a brush, too."
Gon knelt on the bench next to Killua then, and turned him around slightly so that his back was to him, along with his hair. He had a little trouble getting the other's hairband out, but, when it came loose, Gon bent the fingers of his right hand into a splayed claw and used them as a makeshift brush. It worked well enough with the other's wet hair, since it wasn't too badly tangled because it had been bound near the neck.
It felt really nice to do this again for Killua. Gon twirled the main part of the other's hair, and asked his friend for pin after pin, securing the hair firmly and nicely against the back of his head while he made the rest cascade down again. He stood up and walked around to stand in front of Killua and slipped a few hairpins in at the sides. Only the bangs were left then, but when he touched them, he felt a wave of discomfort emit from his friend and saw a soft blush. This was something that hadn't registered yesterday, and Gon put the blame for that on the wine. As much as he wanted the bangs out of the way to see Killua's eyes, Killua wanted them to be exactly where they were to do exactly what they did; hide his eyes. They were a protective shield that his friend seemed to need. Gon just smoothed over the other's bangs instead, leaving them in their place as he smiled happily at his best friend then.
"All done. And I think, this way, it looks even better than yesterday."
Killua wasn't sure if he was glad for the fact that Gon remembered everything from last night, but he was happy all the same that his friend seemed enthused by the idea of styling his hair again.
After Gon slightly turned him around on the bench so that he could get better access to his hair, the young beast hunter set to work slipping off his hairband and combing his fingers through his wet locks. Feeling Gon touch him in such a way was the main reason as to why the young transmuter had brought his hairpins to begin with, but even though he had wanted to feel the other touch him, those very touches were practically sending liquid fire throughout his veins. Why did it have to feel so good? Why did he have to want this so badly?
Thankfully, Killua was able to keep his lower regions under control as he helped Gon by handing him pins when asked for. His enhancer friend was finished shortly after, but not before he reached for his silver-haired friend's bangs. Killua stiffened at the outstretched hand, knowing that Gon probably wanted to pin those back as well and leave his face without any form of protection. He just…he just couldn't handle the idea of being so exposed like that…last night was frightening enough…
To his good fortune, Gon just brushed his bangs a little bit, declared himself completely finished, and even commented Killua on how his hair looked even better than the version he did last night.
"Well, that's probably because your hands were shaky from the alcohol," Killua mumbled out in embarrassment, not knowing how to handle the compliment as he turned himself away from his friend and hid his eyes from view with his silvery bangs. "But…thank you for doing this, Gon…It feels so much better…and I'll take your word for it in concerns to how it looks."
Gaining control of his blush by that point in time, Killua turned his attention back towards his friend and sent the other a small, grateful smile.
"Well, let's check up on Leorio and Kurapika now," the former assassin suggested as he nodded his head towards the garden entrance in the distance. "Let's apply our Zetsu and try to sneak up on them, so that we can see what they're up to."
A cat-like smirk overtook Killua's features at his last comment, which caused Gon to giggle at him. After Gon agreed to his idea a few seconds later, the two boys initiated their Zetsu and started sneaking their way into the garden to find their two oldest friends.
Leorio hummed to himself in slight worry as he and Kurapika walked away from their youngest friends. It felt weird walking away from Killua when he wasn't feeling the greatest, but, at the same time, if the other was just tired, he didn't want to crowd around him for no reason, especially if he just wanted his space (he had been a bit anti-social today, after all).
"I really hope Killua will be alright…" The young doctor shared his worries with his only companion at the time as they entered the garden. He didn't bother looking at Kurapika, though, since the other was still soaked to the bone from their second ride on the water rollercoaster. The very sight of the other made him feel…weird…in a good way…which absolutely terrified him.
Kurapika tried to reassure him then as they glanced around the garden they had just entered. Tropical flowers of various shapes and colors dotted along the many pathways as they walked; and there were so many couples sitting upon benches as they passed as well. For some reason, the very sight of those couples made Leorio feel self-conscious. This was definitely the perfect spot for a romantic date, so he wondered what it looked like for him to be walking amongst so many couples with a guy right next to him.
As the atmosphere between him and Kurapika became even more awkward (was Kurapika feeling self-conscious, too?), the two of them rounded another corner to see an area devoid of people. Tropical flowers and various plants grew tall around them, which gave the area an air of seclusion. It also helped that Leorio couldn't hear anybody nearby. Maybe they were really deep into the garden by that point?
"This looks like a really nice place," he commented then as he went and sat down on the nearest bench before a small plot of multiple colored, well grown, hibiscus flowers. "Hopefully we'll be able to see the fireworks from here. Most of the plants in this area only come up to our heads, after all, so it should be okay, don't you think?"
"I'm pretty sure he will be, Leorio. Gon is with him, and no matter what little squabbles they had in the past, that means the most to Killua. You've assured yourself he's not sick, so I guess he'll doze off on one of the benches again, and Gon will just keep him company and watch over him," Kurapika told the worried doctor as they walked into the flower garden.
The garden smelled wonderful, and the setting sun made the colorful flowers glow even brighter. It was absolutely beautiful. As they walked along the small pathways, they met many couples either strolling in the romantic setting or huddled intimately on benches.
Kurapika couldn't keep the soft blush from dusting his cheeks at the sight. Hopefully, the blood red sunset that drenched the whole park in crimson by then, would hide his facial coloring. He could easily picture himself together with Leorio on one of those benches, their arms around each other, sharing sweet kisses... but Kurapika knew that he shouldn't think like that. It was useless and painful in face of the stark and plain reality, but still, his fantasies never stopped.
When they suddenly came upon a secluded area that was kind of like an island in a sea of flowers, Kurapika was thankful. There were no other couples there that might spur on his fantasies again. Leorio commented that they had come to a nice spot then, and Kurapika agreed.
"Yes, this is really nice. I'm sure we'll be able to see enough. I like how this feels like the fireworks will be shown only for us," the Kurta said with a little smile as he looked at Leorio next to him on the bench.
The warm evening air was filled with sweet, exotic smells that kind of made him giddy.
"Look, they're hibiscus flowers, just like on your shirt," he said then as he realized the nature of the flowers right before them.
Although he knew it was wrong, Kurapika let his gaze be drawn to Leorio's wet shirt again, and the hibiscus pistil that pointed so nicely to his nipple, which could easily be discerned by the dark spot on his friend's almost-see-through shirt. His heart suddenly beat faster as warmth flooded his system. No, it wasn't good how he was torturing himself then, but he just couldn't help himself at the moment. Forcefully, he had to tear his gaze away. He looked at the ground then, hiding his eyes behind a curtain of blond bangs.
When Kurapika affirmed that their location was good enough, Leorio let out a sigh of relief. He was a bit tired himself, so sitting down and relaxing sounded amazing then.
As he thought about that, Kurapika came and sat beside him the next second, and commented about the flowers they were sitting in front of. Now that he looked at them, Leorio realized that they really did match the flowers on his shirt.
"Haha, yeah, they really do look like the ones on my shirt," the young doctor commented as he stared at a particularly large hibiscus flower with a pretty orange coloration.
It was then that Leorio glanced towards his friend out of the corner of his eye and saw that Kurapika was staring towards the ground, his brown orbs hidden by a veil of wet bangs. Leorio couldn't help but think that his Kurta friend looked…sad in some way.
"Are you okay, Kurapika?" The worried emission user asked. Kurapika responded that he was fine, but he didn't sound fine at all to the young doctor. He still sounded sad and…a little wistful? Leorio was just confused now, and he felt helpless then.
Not knowing what to do, but wanting to cheer up his friend, the young doctor did the first thing that came to his mind; he plucked the large, orange hibiscus flower from the plot behind them and tucked it behind Kurapika's ear.
"T-There…" Leorio stuttered out in a nervous and almost unbelieving state. He was certain that he had just done something very bad for two reasons; one was that he had just damaged amusement park property by plucking the flower, and the other was that he just made Kurapika look a little more feminine with said flower, thus suggesting he was in a feminine position or that he thought of him as feminine. Yeah, this probably wasn't good, but maybe it would work out for him somehow?
"The color works very well with you…" Leorio started up again in hopes of explaining what he had done to his now really surprised looking friend. "…And I thought…I don't know…you looked really sad, so I hoped it would cheer you up? It looks really nice on you…"
Leorio didn't even know what he was saying by that point. All he hoped for was that the amusement park staff wouldn't notice he had basically vandalized one of their hibiscus flowers, and that Kurapika wouldn't kill him for what he had done (both for the vandalization and for basically treating him like a woman then). The flower did look very nice on his friend, though. Even though Kurapika's hair was wet, and had dulled in color because of that, the orange of the flower brought out his smaller friend's natural blond hair and made it more distinctive. Leorio was even willing to say that his friend, if he was not soaking wet at the moment and in his traditional Kurta garb, would have looked very pretty with the flower in…
…He looked pretty as a friend of course! Just as a friend because, otherwise, that would be very weird, right?! Right?!
When Leorio asked him if he was okay, Kurapika was compelled to look up again. He nodded slightly.
"Yes, I'm fine," he tried to assuage the worried doctor.
They were in the perfect spot for a little romantic alone time but there was nothing romantic about their relationship. Leorio never would reciprocate his feelings, no matter how hard Kurapika hoped it might be different. He couldn't help but feel sad at this knowledge.
Just when the frustration was sweeping over him and making him feel depressed, Leorio suddenly plucked one of the flowers and tucked it behind his ear. Stumped, the blacklist hunter looked at the other man wide-eyed. He couldn't believe what Leorio had just done, and he had no idea what it was supposed to mean. It would have been a sweet gesture, and very romantic if they were dating, but they certainly were not! So why then had Leorio done it?
The doctor explained his thoughts then, but, for some reason, they didn't quite add up to Kurapika. It was a sweet gesture and common knowledge that flowers were a legitimate gift to cheer up a sad friend, but to put it into the friend's hair? This was usually done for a female friend. Kurapika certainly couldn't picture Leorio putting a flower into Gon's wild mop of hair! So...did Leorio think of him as...girlish?
If the other one thought of him as being very feminine, then maybe...maybe there was a slim chance for them. If he could catch the doctor's sexual interest, would he then be able to hold it? He was a guy in the end, and he had never felt the desire to be anything else. Kurapika would not change himself to be more desirable to Leorio. He could never betray himself like that. But maybe...just maybe the doctor would like to be with him once he tried it? But what would happen if he allowed himself to believe, and would go for it, and Leorio realized he could never be with a guy in the long run and dropped him like a hot potato? That would crush him.
His silence made the doctor nervous. Kurapika was still confused and unsure of his own feelings and what to do about them, but he knew for sure that he wasn't a woman. He touched the flower in his hair and pulled it out. Kurapika smelled its fragrance and twirled it between his fingers. He smiled up at Leorio.
"Thanks. I guess it helped. It's a beautiful flower and it smells very nice, but I don't think it fits me."
He wasn't mad at the other man. Knowing Leorio, he had done something without thinking again. Most likely, he himself had over-interpreted the whole situation. Still, going around with a flower tucked behind his ear would just look weird. Not to mention that it was most likely forbidden to pluck any flowers in this garden.
Their presence erased with Zetsu, Gon and Killua had entered the little flower garden. It was really beautiful, and Gon was kind of sad they hadn't checked it out during the day. Now there was no time to admire the exotic flora.
Unable to use Nen in order to feel out their friends, the two of them took a moment longer to find where Leorio and Kurapika had hidden away. That was the only way to describe the place they had chosen to supposedly watch the fireworks. It was in the heart of the garden and a secluded area, sheltered by high bushes and tall growing flowers. They were alone in there, even though most of the garden was populated with couples.
Under the shelter of one of the bushes, the two boys crept inside the secluded area and, hiding behind a screen of leaves, secretly watched their friends. When they watched Leorio adorn Kurapika with the beautiful flower, the two of them grinned at each other, and Killua even winked at him. Maybe they really had hid away to share that kiss Killua had shown him on the Ferris Wheel?
Gon had to bite back a sigh, though, once Kurapika pulled the flower from his hair. He had no idea why their blond friend said it didn't fit him. Gon thought the Kurta looked really nice with that hibiscus flower in his hair, and it fit so perfectly with Leorio's shirt, too!
When Kurapika took his time in answering, Leorio feared the worst. It looked like his friend was probably mad at him. To the young doctor's surprise, though, Kurapika took the flower out of his hair and gave the beautiful plant a sniff as he twirled it around in his fingers. The Kurta thanked him for the sentiment, and commented on the flower's beauty, but he then stated that the flower didn't suit him. Leorio crinkled his brows in confusion as he watched his friend continue to twirl the hibiscus in his fingers.
Before the emission user could even think about what he was doing, his hand came out and grasped Kurapika's (the one that was twirling the hibiscus flower). Leorio's eyes met his blond friend's then as Kurapika stopped his fingers' movements. The young doctor had no idea what his aim was but he just decided to speak from his heart then. That's what he said he'd do around Kurapika more often now, right?
"I think it suits you…" Leorio spoke softly then before he realized what he had just said. A light blush suddenly dusted the young doctor's cheeks as he averted his gaze and gently took the flower from Kurapika's fingers. "But I don't think the park staff would be happy if they saw you leaving this garden with one of their flowers in your hair."
Leorio laughed weakly at his last words as he placed the flower back into the garden plot and tried to make it look like it hadn't been plucked. He had no idea what had come over him during the last few minutes. Was he getting dehydrated or something?
Before Leorio could think of what to do or say to his younger friend then, he heard a light boom go off above his head. As he looked up, he noticed that the sun had completely set by that point and the first string of fireworks were going off.
"Wow," the emission user gasped in awe as he saw various colors of sparks light up the sky in different formations. "Oh, look, Kurapika, there's a hibiscus flower firework….and oh, I think that's a rabbitsquirrel!"
By the time Gon and him had found Leorio and Kurapika, the two of them were in a completely secluded area, and Leorio had just placed a pretty orange hibiscus behind Kurapika's ear. Killua was more than happy to see such an action, and he shared a knowing smile with Gon a few minutes later. He also winked at his beast hunter friend before they returned their attention back towards their other two friends. By then, though, Kurapika took out his flower and said it didn't suit him, which made the former assassin frown. Leave it to Kurapika to be a downer.
Before Killua could get too frustrated, though, Leorio took Kurapika's hand in his and assured him that the flower did fit him…until he took said flower away and placed it back into the bushes behind him, saying it wouldn't be practical to keep it anyway. Killua was about ready to strangle his two older friends for being stupid and difficult, but, before he could, the fireworks started, going by the distant booming he heard. Sure enough, Leorio and Kurapika's attention went towards the sky then in excitement, the two of them pointing at various displays and stating what they were. Killua could feel Gon fidget uncomfortably beside him. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to see the fireworks, since their view was disrupted by the bushes around them.
It was then that he heard Leorio shout out that there was a foxbear display that Gon finally lost his patience and tried to sneak out of the bush to see it.
"Gon!" Killua hissed under his breath as he grabbed onto his friend and tried to keep him there, but Gon was too persistent and whined about how he wanted to see the fireworks. It was because his stronger friend began to struggle that Killua felt himself being pushed backwards and out of the bushes.
With a light call of surprise, Killua felt his back hit the pavement of the walkway where his and Gon's hiding place was next to, and the said beast hunter fell on top of him. Killua stared up in surprise then as Leorio and Kurapika's eyes met his. Well crap…so much for that!
Leorio's bigger hand wrapped around his own out of the blue. Kurapika stopped the twirling movement of his fingers and looked up at him questioningly. The doctor's gaze was very intense then. In a low, almost husky voice, he told him that he thought the flower did suit him. Kurapika felt heat flood him and his heart pick up speed. If he didn't know any better...
As the Kurta tried to understand what it all meant, Leorio's cheeks flushed pink, and he looked away. His secret love took the flower from him then and put it back in the garden plot behind them, trying to make it look like it was still attached. Kurapika watched him with confused and contradicting feelings. He felt the loss of having that flower taken away, although he knew it was for the best. He wondered again whether Leorio thought of him as a woman. Kurapika hated that thought, yet at the same time, he asked himself if Leorio was attracted to him in that way.
An awkward silence was spreading between them again. Before it could get too bad, though, there was a boom overhead, and the soft lights that illuminated the garden turned off for an undisturbed view of the fireworks.
Leorio shouted out in awe, and Kurapika followed him a second later. It really was a beautiful and artistic display of pyrotechnics.
"Yes! You're right! It is!"
While the fiery hibiscus flower was incredible enough, Kurapika almost couldn't believe there actually was a rabbitsquirrel exploding in the sky. They had to have real firework artists in their employment at this park.
"Wow! This is incredible," the Kurta breathed as he enjoyed the view of the beautiful fireworks display in the company of the man he secretly loved in one of the most romantic spots he had ever been to. If just...
Leorio pointed upwards to a foxbear that was surrounded by colorful exploding flowers. This was when Kurapika heard something going on close to them, and, the next thing he knew, Killua fell out of a bush with Gon right on top of him.
"What the...?!" He shouted out, surprised.
Gon struggled to get up from Killua as fast as he could.
"Where's the foxbear? Where?" Almost desperately he looked up at the sky.
"It's already gone! What where you guys doing in that bush?" Kurapika asked of the two boys, kind of feeling like he had been caught, although he couldn't really say why.
Gon looked at him and blushed profusely the moment their eyes met. He opened his mouth to say something when Killua suddenly clapped his hand over it, his pale cheeks kind of pink, too.
"Gon dropped his cell and it landed in that bush."
It was such an obvious and blatant lie that it made Kurapika stop and think. Thinking about the boys' behavior after the Ferris Wheel and at the throwing stand, the Kurta was sure he knew what exactly the boys were doing in that bush, especially if he considered the blush the two of them were sporting.
Smirking, Kurapika looked at Killua, who was still keeping Gon quiet. "Ah, I trust you found it, then?"
"Yeah." Killua nodded.
The smirk still firmly in place, Kurapika looked at Leorio and winked. At least the boys seemed to have made progress with each other. Although he wished the same could be said for himself, he wasn't jealous. It was just the opposite; he was happy for his two friends.
When he heard the slight commotion behind him, Leorio was surprised when he turned around to find his two youngest friends fall out from the bushes into a very compromising position. Gon tried to pass everything off by asking about the fireworks, and Killua even acted suspicious when Kurapika asked what the boys had been doing in the bushes behind them. With the two youngest hunters sporting blushes, and Killua's half-assed attempt at a lie, it was more than obvious to Leorio what the boys had been doing.
The young doctor smirked knowingly as he saw Kurapika turn towards him and wink. It really did seem like the kids had finally made some progress, which was really good! Leorio couldn't be more proud for them.
"Well, I'm glad your soul—I mean your cell searching worked out for you two," Leorio stated then with a wink in the two youngest boys' directions. Gon looked absolutely confused, but Killua was sporting a very vibrant blush at the obvious insinuation.
"You creepy old man!" The former assassin shouted out in flustered embarrassment before another firework detonated in the sky and distracted everyone's attention again. Soon after this, Killua and Gon just joined their friends and watched the fireworks (Gon being the most excited out of the whole group as he pointed to the sky with glee). When the fireworks show was over within an hour or so later, Leorio could tell how exhausted his companions were, along with himself. It didn't take much convincing for the four of them to leave the park and take a bus back to their hotel. Leorio was super thankful for the fun and eventful day he had just experienced, although he was more than willing to relax tomorrow instead of going out and running around. A vacation was all about relaxing after all!
Another thing Leorio was thankful for was Kurapika willing to share the bed with him once they reached their hotel room. The older man's back was still sore from last night, and it hurt even worse with all the strain he had put on it during the day, so Leorio was more than grateful for the suggestion…although it took him a little longer than he expected to fall asleep, because Kurapika's presence nearby made him feel…well, awkward and self-conscious again. He really wondered if things between him and Kurapika would ever go back to normal.