*Shades of Red*

by: WhiteGloves

Chapter 3

"You would never want to see your love one in pain!"

*LeoPika Pairing/BL*

Kurapika blinked as he pondered how his peaceful lunch had suddenly ended in a quarrel. Leorio stood his ground with angry veins pounding on the side of his head. The man before him was looking as furious as Leorio and for a split second, Kurapika thought there was going to be a lot of fists flying.

"Yeah, that's right!" shouted the man angrily with fist directed at Leorio, "you good-for-nothing doctor who can't save a squat! Try and fight me this time—I'll knock you out cold!"

Kurapika saw Leorio's eyes flicker as if he suddenly snapped in attention. Then slowly, the blonde boy watched as Leorio lowered his fists and stood up straight.

"Leorio?" Kurapika muttered in surprise.

"Kai," the doctor whispered with a meaningful look that Kurapika couldn't mistake for sympathy. He then wondered what happened between the two.

"Kai," said the other guy standing behind Leorio's attacker with a worried frown to his friend, "let's go."

The man called Kai, who was notable for his short spiky hair, pulled his arm away from his friend roughly and then cursed loudly before kicking the dirt as he walked away.

The people around who had seen the event murmured to themselves but Kurapika's eyes were transfixed to his friend who was still looking after the walking men.

Moments later, the two companions is seen walking back to their apartment. Kurapika had quietly followed Leorio along the narrow street of the town but they were not walking beside each other. Kurapika had decided to fall back a step from him.

Silence was only there as they walked. And then as Kurapika had anticipated, Leorio stopped. The man had his hands deep on the pockets of his pants with his shoulder down. Kurapika could only stare.

"Sorry about that," the man said after a moment with a brief glance at his visitor, "that was rude just when we we're eating."

"I don't mind," Kurapika shook his head, "but I hoped you'd tell me what happened back there?"

Leorio didn't answer for a moment but gave his friend a weighing look. Then after a moment he turned to him and said quietly.

"That was just… a close relationship of a patient of mine… who died…"

Kurapika's eyes slightly widened. Leorio looked away.

"It was a year ago when she came to be my patient… by then her case was already critical… I couldn't do anything about it."

Kurapika pressed his lips closed as he remembered the hatred etched on Kai's face.

"That guy… what's his relationship with her?"

Leorio lowered his eyes even more.

"His girlfriend."

Silence fell between them. Kurapika couldn't help but wonder how Leorio's year was like by then… did he break down? Did he feel so much sadness? Did he blame himself…? And who was there to comfort him?

Kurapika's eyes flickered in understanding. Of course… there'd be only one person with him…

With calmness, Kurapika closed his eyes and spoke again.

"I see… but that was a natural cause… the way I see it… that man was blaming you."

"Yeah," Leorio said after awhile with eyes lost in the horizon and Kurapika was disturbed by his low self esteem. But then Leorio suddenly turned to him with a smile that came out of nowhere. "Forget about it. It's all part of a doctor's job... no matter how much knowledgeable you are there are things that are still far from your reach—moreover if it's about lives of people. When I became a doctor I already prepared myself for the consequences."

"But doesn't justify that he blame you," Kurapika injected with a serious look on his serene eyes that got Leorio staring at him, "You did your best… but it couldn't be helped. That's why you should not blame yourself too, Leorio."

The two stared at each other.

Then Kurapika was surprised as Leorio suddenly leaned down to him till they were face to face. He didn't move an inch but merely blinked his eyes. Leorio grinned as he said with a sneaky smirk,

"Oho? Kurapika, you're being particularly supportive… have you fallen in love with me?"

Kurapika was caught off guard as Leorio stood straight and ruffled the blonde's hair like a small child.

"I'm kidding, kidding hahaha!" the man turned with hands back on his pockets and with springs on his footsteps, "don't go kicking me out of the room now, ok? Hahaha!"

He walked away, leaving Kurapika speechless and staring at the man with a flushed face.

Kurapika didn't move an inch.

Kurapika took his time to explore the city on his own. For some reason he didn't feel like going back to the apartment so tracing his steps back, he directed himself to the market and befriended some people that Leorio had pointed out to be trustworthy.

It was not that difficult to acquaint himself with people, Kurapika thought. For some reason, the people around town were already familiar with him and were all particularly nice. Wherever he walked, he found people smiling at him and greeting him. He decided Leorio's reputation must've been affecting his own popularity among the townsfolk.

"Isn't he a very pretty boy?" said one old lady vendor to her customer as Kurapika walked by and there were murmurs of agreement around town. Kurapika was oblivious to that though.

He had also discovered the wonders of the small town's bookstore and though he may have read half of its content, he welcomed old books of history and ancient people. There were never enough books for those categories, he thought a little happily.

When Kurapika finally returned by sunset carrying a bag of books, he found the boy taking over the counter while the manager was away. He stopped by the counter where the boy, whom recalled was called Ethan, reading a book quietly. He was a small boy wearing a bandana on his head. His hair was black but apart from that, Kurapika couldn't see more because he has his face buried on his book.

Then Ethan looked up and the two stared at each other.

"Uwah!" the boy blurted and pushed himself away from the counter in surprise. Kurapika watched with startled eyes as the boy fell down his chair to the ground.

"A-are you alright?" he asked as he leaned down to where the boy was lying.

"O-oow!" The boy scratched his head, but when he saw Kurapika blinking at him, he immediately stood up to his full height. "Uwahh!"

Kurapika blinked.

"Are you ok?" he repeated sincerely. The boy gulped and nodded in embarrassment. Kurapika smiled and when he did, the boy blinked even more. Oblivious to it, Kurapika saw the fallen book on the floor and picked it up. He then gave it to the boy after one glance at it.

"That's a pretty good book," he said with a look at the boy, "your name's Ethan right?"

"Yes," the boy mumbled as he took the book back, all the while glancing at Kurapika uncertainly. Kurapika blinked at him again and then smiled, before turning toward the stairs.

That was when the boy blurted out—

"Y-you're the doc's guest, right?"

Kurapika halted and looked at the boy, and then nodded.

"Yes. I'm his friend."

Ethan gave Kurapika an awestruck look and then managed a shy smile.

"IIs it true you're a hunter too?"

Kurapika considered for a moment, before nodding. The boy's face was filled with delight.

"Wow, so cool!"

"Do you want to be a hunter too?"

"Yeah! But the doc said I'm too young for it. I don't understand him… after he told me there were three other kids who took the exam with him years ago he wouldn't let me. Really, the doc's just being grumpy as usual."

Kurapika blinked an eye, and then chuckled. The boy's eyes rounded.

"H-hey! Don't tell him I said that! He'd run after me for that!" he pleaded sounding uptight. Kurapika raised his head and nodded, his mind still on Leorio's usual grumpy self.

"Don't worry. You have my word… but it's true that he can be bit of a grump." Kurapika offered his hand to the kid, "I'm Kurapika by the way."

The boy looked at his hand, and then shook it with his own looking pleased.

"I'm Ethan!"

After that, Kurapika excused himself, but not after Ethan has discovered his interest in books. With a promise that he would lend some of his to him later, Kurapika went up to the fifth floor. He was just ascending to the last step of the floor when his attention was caught by voices coming in from the clinic.

He stood near enough by the door to hear what was going on.

"Please doctor," said a voice that belonged to an old man, "please accept this little money—"

"Come now, I told you I don't need any payment!" Leorio exclaimed.

Kurapika's eyes widened.

Wasn't that just now…?

There was a little fuss inside the room, but Kurapika was alerted to the descending steps from the top stairs. Looking around, Kurapika found himself face to face with Leorio's nurse, Mayu.

Kurapika could only stare at her. He still doesn't know how to feel about her so he stood there without even moving, not even his lips as the woman walked near him.

To Kurapika's surprise, she stood next to him and peered inside the room.

"Another refusal, huh?" she said with a knowing smile that Kurapika couldn't help but notice. Then Mayu turned to him in her full height and said, "Leorio's always like that. He takes pride in being a doctor and never takes single money from his patients. Then he'd be smug about it later to me, isn't he something?"

Kurapika had listened to her all the way and was forced to be quiet.

Of course he knew that about Leorio! Of course he did!

And all Kurapika did was to bit his lip and glared unintentionally at the nurse. Mayu looked taken aback. Kurapika's eyes flickered and he blinked several times before clearing his throat.

"Uh… yeah… he's that kind alright…"

He avoided her gaze and shifted the bag of books on his other arm. He wondered then if the tightening in the pit of his stomach had something to do with the abrupt leave he had to make during lunch. Mayu was gazing down at Kurapika with wonder in her own eyes when the clinic door opened wide.

A couple came out of the room, bowing to Leorio with kind smiles on their faces. Leorio raised a hand at them. Kurapika watched as they descended the stairs quietly.

"You're back," Leorio told Kurapika as they entered the room, "I thought you got lost somewhere."

Kurapika found the doctor grinning at him and had to raise an eyebrow.

"To get lost right after you toured me around is a bit stupid, don't you think?"

"Eh? What's with the sudden attitude? You still upset about not getting proper lunch?"

Kurapika couldn't help another raised of eyebrow and the two exchanged looks testily.

"Leorio, don't pick on him," Mayu said all of a sudden as she stood behind Kurapika and touched his shoulders, "don't you know he's the talk of town?"

Both Kurapika and Leorio glanced up at Mayu. She smiled at them both.

"You didn't know? Everybody's curious about this newcomer with a very attractive face! That's why you should introduce him to more people! They'll be delighted to see him!"

"You serious?" Leorio muttered incredulously and then looked down at the blonde boy who looked up at him nonplussed. "Tse—you look smug!"

"It's in the face?" Kurapika muttered to himself that made Mayu smile. She gave his shoulder a light squeeze before she walked toward Leorio to speak to him. As Kurapika watched her, another troubled thought crossed his mind.

There was a sudden knock from the doorway of the clinic. The three looked up to find a tall man with a good natured face and ash colored hair wave at them. Kurapika stared at the stranger.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked coolly with his grey eyes sparkling at them.

"Tristan?" Mayu said as she gazed at him from where she was standing. Kurapika looked from her and then back at the stranger. Tristan, if he wasn't mistaken, was the musician that was living on the fifth floor of the building. Kurapika blinked. Talk about a cool and good looking guy…

"So you finally came out of hiding huh?" Leorio told the guy as he entered the room, "I thought you had died up there after not coming out for five days."

"Oh that?" Tristan laughed airily with hands at the back of his head, "I'm not worried at all! I have a doctor just below my room that doesn't charge poor patients after all ahahaha!"

"…why you little…" Leorio murmured with an eyebrow twitching, "have you at least taken a shower?"

The man just grinned at them. Leorio and Mayu sighed while Kurapika noticed the man's unshaven chin. He couldn't imagine a person to lock himself up in his own room for five days and not shave his chin… possibly even take a shower. He was just staring at him when the man's grey eyes fell on him instead.

There was a moment where he blinked, and then strode toward Kurapika. And then to Kurapika's surprise, Tristan leaned to his face to get a closer look.

"O-oi!" Leorio muttered.

Kurapika found it uncomfortable to be standing face to face with a man who has not shaved his chin but Tristan didn't seem to care for at that moment his face split into a smile.

"Leorio!" he then said with a glance at the doctor, "isn't he one of the guys on the picture in your room? The one you said you became friends with during your exam?"

"Yeah, he's my visitor," Leorio said with a slight crease on his eyebrows.

Tristan looked back at Kurapika with his eyes sparkling that made the blond boy blink uncertainly.

"Haaaa…" Tristan said smiling, "my name's Tristan!"

"I'm Kurapika," the blonde boy answered and shifted his books on one hand. Tristan smiled again and reached for his free hand.

"You're much cuter in person," he said bluntly, "would you be my lover?"

Once upon a time there was what we call courtship and getting to know each other. And then there was Tristan smiling at Kurapika with his carefree attitude.

Kurapika felt a tinge on his spine and the next thing he knew there was a flying bottle and shoe on the musician's face.

"That's my friend, you idiot!" Leorio shouted fiercely.

"Really! Hitting on a kid—you're shameless!" Mayu added looking heated.

"Ow!" Tristan massaged his head, "that hurt…"

Kurapika found himself sighing as Mayu lectured the poor musician and Leorio eyeing him with a look of disgruntle. So these were the people that were living in this building, huh?

"Kurapika," Tristan called after a few moments again as Leorio took back the bottle he threw and gave Mayu her shoes, "it's good to have a fresh face around so welcome."

Kurapika found the man's sincerity and was only glad to answer.

"Thanks. I hope we get along well."

"Oh, we will get long well!" Tristan assured with a meaningful look in the blonde boy's direction. Whatever he meant by that, Kurapika decided to nod.

"Sure,"

"Hey, stop acting too close," Leorio muttered suddenly as he stood behind Kurapika and placed a firm hand on the blonde boy's shoulder, "Kurapika, don't get too close to this guy, alright? He's a molester! You got that?"

Kurapika looked at Leorio's grip on his shoulder, and then up to the man himself.

"I wonder about that," he said with a suspicious look on his eyes that made Leorio blink.

"Hey—what's that about!? You don't believe you're old friend!"

"I know already, but you don't have to imply anything like that!"

"Well—just listen to me!"

Their bickering would have gone on longer if not for the sound of a window breaking. The four resident of the building looked just in time to see a large rock fall on the floor of the clinic together with some shattered glasses.

"Oh my!" Mayu gasped, stepping a little backward.

Kurapika's eyes widened at this as Leorio and Tristan quickly ran toward the broken window. He joined them seconds later and saw with his own eye the man who threw the stone.

It was the same young man with the short brown hair that afternoon. He was standing on the ground with that angry look still on his eyes, and by how Kurapika could see him, he didn't think the guy was ready to apologize any time at all.

"Kai…" Tristan whispered, lost for words. And then suddenly the musician dashed out the room.

"Tristan!" Mayu called and she followed him downstairs.

"That guy," Kurapika whispered as the guy continued to intently look through the broken window, "Leorio… don't you think he is a bit too much?"

He looked around for his friend, only to find Leorio kneeling down the floor and was gathering all the broken shards with his barehands. Kurapika's eyes widened.

"Don't do that!" he gasped, dropping his bag on the process and jumping beside his friend, "you idiot, you'll get hurt!"

He jerked Leorio's hand away from the floor but it was already too late. Leorio's hand had gotten cut from the broken glasses and it made Kurapika bit his lip.

"Why are you so careless?" he demanded all of a sudden as he looked at the doctor.

But Leorio was not paying attention as he looked furiously into a space. Kurapika's eyes softened.

"Leorio…?"

Moments later, Leorio with his right hand firmly wrapped in bandaged, stood to face his three companions that evening. They were still inside the clinic with the broken shards carefully thrown on the trash bin care of Kurapika. Tristan has returned with Mayu and was just telling them that Kai run off upon seeing them come.

"You should be careful around him, Leorio," Tristan was saying and there was a first sign of seriousness on his eyes since Kurapika had met him, "Kai's dangerous in this state… I know you can look after yourself but just stay cautious."

"I know," Leorio frowned.

"We can call the authorities if you like," Mayu offered with a concerned look on his face.

"No, it's fine," Leorio said, turning away and making Kurapika look at him, "I'm a hunter… and besides, I don't think it has to end in that… Kai's just upset… that's how I see it…"

"Upset or not, this is clearly an attack," Kurapika said firmly that made everyone look at him, "It is written in the law that any act of harassment such as this can be reported immediately… and as for hunters you can take him in and deal with him with what is appropriate."

Leorio suddenly shook his head and eyed the blond boy gently that Kurapika found rather surprising.

"You know I can't do that," the doctor said after awhile, "he's just a kid."

Kurapika gave Leorio a look and then sighed himself.

"I suppose we can all take dinner in my apartment," Mayu said after awhile, "I know our plan was to eat outside…but with this going on, it kinda spoils the atmosphere…"

"Yeah..." Tristan agreed.

"You were never included in the plan." Leorio's eyes narrowed.

"But my Kurapika's eating with you too, right?"

"What's with my Kurapika crap?" Leorio was back to his old self.

As they talk about dinner arrangements, Kurapika took his time to look outside the broken window once more. There he still saw a shadow lurking around the opposite building and frowned. He didn't think Kai was any threat to them at all… but if things get out of hand someday someone will surely get hurt.

He looked over at Leorio and to the man's injured hand. It didn't seem that serious, but somehow Kurapika didn't like the face Leorio made just then... it was a face full of guilt and if Kurapika didn't know better—if Kai threw a knife at him it was likely Leorio would not budge… to atone for it…

Something like that should never happen.

Kurapika eyed the shadow on the ground intently and silently made up his mind.

What is Kurapika getting himself at for Leorio's sake!?

*To Be Continued*

Thanks for Reading!