*Shades of Red*

by: WhiteGloves

Chapter 7

FINALLY had the CLAY to continue the BRICKS!

Sorry and thank you for waiting! This is

*LeoPika Pairing/BL*

so expect it all! Fluff and All!

Kurapika hesitated. Leorio's grip was firm. There was a sudden seriousness and attentiveness in the man's eyes and the blonde boy suddenly felt that his feelings were reaching him somehow…

Was it possible for this thick headed doctor to be sensitive to him after all?

"I…I…" his nerves were failing him.

Leorio's face was too close. Kurapika was losing it.

"What is it?" Leorio wanted to know as he drew nearer and nearer.

Making it difficult for Kurapika to think clearly.

Damn…

"I…" he gulped, seeing as Leorio's eyes were directly looking at him. There was no doubt that he has fallen in love with his friend… but to tell him that in this manner was dangerous… very dangerous. Kurapika bit his lip and said—

"I—I think you're an idiot!"

"Huh?" atleast, that wasn't what the doctor was expecting to hear.

Kurapika then pulled himself together, slammed his palm on Leorio's face and pushed him away—

"And you're getting so damn close—it's creepy!"

Leorio, who had spaced out at that time, wasn't able to balance himself as Kurapika pushed him away—causing for him to fall over and tumble on the floor with a thud.

"Ack!"

Kurapika breathed hard and then blinked as he found Leorio sprawled on the ground.

"OI! What's that for!?" the doctor cried out indignantly as he sat up and gave his companion a look.

"W-why are you asking me!?" Kurapike raged on too, his face all red, "you were the one acting weird!"

"Weird!?" Leorio retorted, "you're the one acting weird! Saying odd things out of the blue with that weird expression! If you have something to say then say it!"

"E-enough! Why should I be the one to speak?"

"Why you—!"

"Grrr..."

Kurapika and Leorio exchanged glares that invited thunder for a background. Neither was holding back for their emotions were both exploding to come out yet none wanted to explain why they were agitated by each other.

Then the blonde boy couldn't bare it and marched toward the bathroom where he locked himself in.

"Tse," Leorio muttered when Kurapika was gone and he sat on the chair with contorted eyebrows, "such a stubborn guy…"

But then after a moment, he smiled a little.

"You're not gonna escape me next time." He remarked.

Inside the bathroom, Kurapika had his back on the door and breathing unevenly with his whole face red.

His situation was definitely… dangerous.

The moon was shining clearly above them through the window glass but the occupant of the room both lay still. Kurapika was on Leorio's bed with the blanket over his shoulder. He was still awake.

He shifted on the bed quietly, knowing that no matter how many shifts he does, it won't change the nervous beating of his heart. He looked at the clock that indicated past one o'clock in the morning…still he couldn't sleep.

How could he when the person he most cared about was in the room with him?

And how could he knowing that person was also not asleep?

It was all too clear to Kurapika now that from the moment he arrived on that room, Leorio had never slept a wink—at least not that he knows of. The absence of Leorio's loud snore which he thought a problem on his first night there never came. The usual uneven breathing of a person who lay awake in the dark would always greet him whenever he wakes up in the middle of the night… and that uncomfortable feeling that someone was always in the dark… waiting.

Was Leorio unable to sleep… because of him?

Kurapika clutched his pillow.

"Maybe he wants his bed back after all…" he muttered one morning when Leorio was out of the clinic and only Mayu in. He was so troubled by the thought of not having Leorio sleep that he opened his dilemma to the only person whom he knows that cares for the doctor too.

"I don't think that's the case," Mayu said quietly as she checked on a box that contains pre-ordered medicines. She had placed a plate of cookies on the table for Kurapika while she rummaged on the counter, "A gentleman like him won't mind sleeping on the floor, right? Geez, why have all these antidotes come only now? Leorio's gonna throw a fit."

Gentleman? Kurapika's eyebrows twitched but didn't say anything. Mayu looked over to him and then a gentle look clouded her eyes.

"Kurapika,"

Kurapika looked up at her to see her smiling.

"If ever you'd be the reason he can't sleep then that's a good thing, isn't?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, that means he's thinking about you a lot, if you ask me."

Mayu winked as she said this, making Kurapika blush suddenly.

Does she know?

"But if what you're saying is true, then Leorio's not getting any rest at all… but as a doctor, he should know that it's not advisable. Leorio's not that foolish."

"I wouldn't put it pass him," Kurapika muttered to himself.

"Huh?" Mayu blinked, "I hope not… since he's a doctor he's always exerting himself for others."

"Has he ever been sick since he came here?"

"Hmm… a mild cold but it wasn't so serious. He accidentally cut himself one night. It was a deep cut with blood all over the floor—I saw it the next morning though, neatly bandaged. I just heard from him he was playing with a knife—some sort of carnival play when he lost his focus and came rushing to the clinic… but he just knows how to treat it. But then again, Leorio would never allow anyone to worry about him so I don't know if his clean record is true or not."

Kurapika frowned to himself. That doesn't sound good to him at all.

"'Doctors' wives die young and shoemakers' wives go barefoot'" chanted another voice from the doorway they recognized that belongs to Tristan. "though the doctor doesn't have a wife, maybe it should be about him too."

They watched him enter with hands on the pocket of his jacket.

"Ohayou," he greeted them and sat opposite Kurapika, "talking about someone whose not here, are you? Oh, cookies!"

"Hey, no one invited you to take any!" Mayu shot back but with a smile on her lips.

Kurapika stared at the two and couldn't deny the sudden good atmosphere between them.

"Anyways, I can't tell you if Leorio has started not sleeping when you arrived or not," Mayu shrugged, standing up and putting the box up the cabinet, "I've never slept with him."

There was a crunching sound and Kurapika was surprised to find Tristan looking reproachfully at the nurse with the crunched cookie in between his teeth.

"Saying that so freely…" Tristan muttered quite darkly. Kurapika blinked at the two.

"Why? You want to sleep with me, Mayu?"

Everybody looked at the doctor when he entered. Kurapika saw him in his white, untucked polo with its sleeves rolled up to his elbow. He was carrying two boxes of medicines with that frank expression on his face. Kurapika noticed a line of scar just beneath the man's elbow and wondered if that was the cut Mayu was talking about.

"That's sweet doc, but no thanks…" Mayu answered casually as if it was a question always asked, making Tristan suddenly uncomfortable and sulk with chin on his hand.

"Hey, you guys," Leorio continued as he stared at Kurapika and Tristan evilly, "I told you this place is no playground. Go out!"

Both Tristan and Kurapika were chased out of the room but before he could ran further—Kurapika heard Leorio call out his name.

"Kurapika!"

Kurapika looked back and saw Leorio with his head on the door.

"We'll take lunch later downtown. Is that okay with you?"

"Yeah, sure," was all Kurapika could say.

"And don't mingle too much with that mole behind you."

"Hey! That's evil!" Tristan shouted back, looking disgruntled until Leorio shut the door. "Heh… that's weird."

Kurapika looked at the person standing beside him.

"What is?" he asked, blinking.

"Leaving you with me, that is… the doc's gotten confident, huh?"

Kurapika looked up in puzzlement, "Huh?"

Tristan winked at him, "Never mind. Seems like they're busy with all those medicines. If you don't have anything to do, wanna come with me for awhile?"

He took Kurapika's hand and marched on.

"W-where to?"

His question was answered moments later as they stood outside a building with a sign board of a g-cleff hanging by the entrance. Kurapika didn't have to inquire what was inside as they entered.

"Ohayou, Gi-san!"

"Eh? Tristan, is it?" said an old man with a kind face by the counter.

As the musician went on, Kurapika was stopped as he saw the instrument displayed on the window. It was a lyre. Staring at the lyre, memories came rushing back to his mind. Kurapika was speechless.

And his eyes burned red.

"Kurapika?"

Kurapika turned to Tristan and was glad he was wearing his contact lens. The musician joined him and stared at the lyre too.

"You play it?" he asked, "I like the way how you were looking at it."

Kurapika smiled.

"Ah… it reminded me of my people… back then my best friend loved playing that…"

Tristan stood silently beside him.

"That reminds me, Kurapika," he said after awhile and the two looked at one another, "I don't know anything about you."

Kurapika looked at his companion and gave him a quiet smile. He was sure Tristan wouldn't understand and he wasn't planning to tell these peaceful people about everything he has went through. He was there for redemption… beside the person he could trust with his heart…with the person who could help him the most.

"That's alright… it's something of the past."

Tristan surveyed him, and then gave a smile too.

"I see. Anyway, you were inquiring about the doc's sleepless night, weren't you? I wasn't able to hear the whole conversation."

"Yeah, I had a feeling Leorio's not sleeping."

"Hmm… that's weird. No wonder he's always grumpy... and no appetite for eating... but I could swear the doc's a sound sleeper before."

Kurapika turned to the musician who shrugged and said—"Don't get the wrong idea, but I've slept in his room once though he had tried to chuck me out twice. It was because my room got packed with my things and all that until Mayu helped with the lot. But I assure you, the doc loved sleeping."

"When was that?"

"A year ago."

Kurapika frowned to himself.

So maybe Leorio wasn't sleeping because of him after all.

"If you think about why he can't sleep since you arrive, then I have an answer," Tristan suddenly offered with a cheeky grin on his face as he bent down Kurapika who blinked suspiciously.

"Yes?"

"Maybe he wants his bed badly!"

Kurapika dismissed the thought and left Tristan with a sigh.

"Hey—Kurapika!"

Kurapika felt a tingle on his skin and had to open his eyes in alarm.

What the—?

He sat up from his bed with hands clutching his covers, his eyes wide. Everything was still dark as the night went on but he couldn't shrug off the feeling of danger that clutched on his instincts just a moment ago.

Then he felt it. Even though it was not strong, he felt it—nen.

Kurapika shot Leorio's bedsheet a look and it was to his horror to find it empty. He was about to bolt out of bed in panic when he noticed a shadow by the window. He shot it a look and saw the familiar tall figure of Leorio's back.

"Leorio!" he hissed, feeling his heart do a summersault a he slipped his leg down the floor.

Leorio looked back at him with a sweatdrop at the side of his face. Kurapika found this a hint of apprehension.

"Kurapika…"

"What's going on?" he quietly approached his friend who looked back at the window. "Leorio!"

Leorio took one look at the grounds, before turning to his comrade with a convincing smile.

"Did I wake you?"

"What's going on? What are you looking outside the window?"

"That?" Leorio was obviously trying to hide something, "Nothing I just thought I saw some burglars, that's all."

Kurapika gave Leorio a look before crossing his arms and giving the doctor a weighing look.

"Leorio, you know well enough I'm never one of the most outwitted people in the world… and you also know you can never outwit me."

A bead of sweat fell down the doctor's side of face as this apparent reasoning held its truth.

"I-idiot! What are you babbling about?" Leorio scratched his head, "there's nothing wrong…let's go to sleep."

He went toward his bedsheet and laid there as if nothing happened.

Furious, Kurapika stared at the doctors sleeping form, his lips as thin as a line.

"Liar. You never go to sleep."

"!?" Leorio refrained from answering at this, refusing to give any sign that it was true.

And then he felt Kurapika walk near his bedsheet and— "O-OI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

For Kurapika had slipped himself beside Leorio and was now lying on his bed. Leorio was beside himself as he sat and stared at the blonde boy with his covers pulled up to him in defence.

"You idiot—go to your bed!" he cried self-consciously.

"I won't get up from here until you tell me what you're hiding." Was the determined reply.

"What I'm hiding?" Leorio blurted out, turning red— "D-do what you like!"

The doctor slumped himself back on the bed with his back at the blonde boy, muttering curses.

"We both look like idiots here, sleeping on the floor when the bed's empty! Really ridiculous, what's with you anyways?"

And he grumbled on as the night continued. Until silence passed…

But Kurapika knew that Leorio was not asleep… just like him.

Kurapika felt saddened as he stared at the back of the man. Leorio had stopped grumbling half an hour ago, but had stopped paying attention to him as well. Was lying together not making Leorio nervous at all?

"I know you're awake," Kurapika suddenly spoke out of the blue, "I can feel your presence… I know all about you like you know all about me. And I know you're hiding something. What is it you don't want me to know, Leorio? Don't you trust me?"

He felt Leorio move a little muscle.

"It's a little uncomfortable when you're like that." The blonde boy went on, his eyes illuminating the moonlight from the window, "you're never the shady guy… you're never good at it is what I want to say."

He heard Leorio chuckle.

"Am I very transparent then?" the man whispered suddenly, making Kurapika turn at his head at the man's back.

Kurapika smiled.

"An honest person." He answered.

Leorio muttered something incoherent and then sighed. It was when he spoke seriously that caught Kurapika off guard.

"Something that happened in the past… kept coming back… and it haunts me every night."

Kurapika was never near the word prepared when Leorio turned his back and faced him in that close proximity with their faces almost levelled. Their position almost made the blonde boy bolt up at once but he didn't—that was because the serenity reflected on his friend's eyes were so deep, he couldn't afford to lose it.

"Leorio?" Kurapika managed to say, wanting nothing but to touch his face, "what happened?"

Leorio's eyes flickered as he spoke.

"A night like this… I met a killer."

The blonde boy's eyes widened as the man continued quietly.

"I was on my bed… asleep… sound asleep… I just finished an operation to a kid… I was so exhausted… I never let my guard up in this peaceful place… how can I? And then he came…"

Kurapika could almost see the scenario clearly as if it was his memory as he stared at Leorio's clear eyes.

"He crept up to me to the last minute… I didn't notice. I was dreaming of beautiful ladies then… but I had a nagging feeling while I slept. When I opened my eyes, someone was above me with a knife at hand… ah… imagine chicks in bikinis suddenly appearing as a man with a knife down at your neck. I was almost had."

Kurapika frowned and stopped himself from scolding the man for being too guard-less.

"He was asking for my license." Leorio continued, "He was after my license and I realized how valuable it was again to eyes of people like him. So we struggled. I got a deep cut on me before I sent him flying out of the window. I was sure the whole building heard it. When I looked out he was gone… and I treated my wound."

Mayu's story… Kurapika remembered the nurse's story that fitted Leorio's story. It appears the doctor didn't tell a soul about the attack. Who in this small village would attack the doctor anyway? After they all treated him with all his knowledge—this was how they will repay him?

"I don't think it's any of the villagers." came Leorio's firm voice and Kurapika's attention was turned to him again. "I figured it was one of those bandits lurking at the borders of the village… they are an unpredictable sort."

"Are they dangerous?" it was barely a whisper. Leorio's ears were close anyways.

"I have a hunch… they are wild… and I being here might threaten the villagers…"

And how close they were with their foreheads almost touching each.

"Since then, you couldn't sleep…" Kurapika finished for him, aware that he entwined his hands on Leorio's.

"I couldn't sleep…" he repeated, drawing closer. "they might attack every occupants…"

"That nen you gave out…? I felt it."

"I used it for the whole building… to know if they were coming in…"

"Couldn't you do that on your sleep?"

"I haven't had any practice."

Kurapika's eyes flickered. Now he saw Leorio's trouble. Now he saw another side of his man. His man because the moment he accepted his feelings for him, was also the moment that he took responsibility of his choice.

He held Leorio closer by wrapping his hands around him. Leorio didn't seem to mind. Maybe lying with him on the bed was another dangerous business.

"It's alright now, I'm here," the blonde boy whispered, his eyes turning red in the dark. "You're not alone."

Leorio chuckled as he held Kurapika's gaze.

"To be comforted by you…" he leaned down the blonde boy's face.

"You don't trust me?" came a whisper.

"I'll be damned." He answered and caught the blonde boy's lips to his. They kissed.

Kurapika felt Leorio move above him as they kissed, the progress of his hands were astounding as it reached every part of him. Still, he liked Leorio's kiss. It was passionate and serene and it was taking out all the breath in him.

How could he ever think it dangerous?

Just as they were driven by the passion of the moment, Kurapika felt Leorio sagged down. He was particularly heavy.

"Uh…hey—!" Kurapika blinked his eyes as he pushed the man's body upward but failed, "L-Leorio?"

But the man didn't respond in words. Instead—he responded with a snore.

And Kurapika was rendered speechless for a moment as he realized Leorio was fast asleep on top of him.

"Sleeping?" he muttered as he gently pushed the man on his side of the bed and looked at his sleeping form. Leorio was indeed, fast asleep and snoring on top of that, making Kurapika blink in disbelief. "Really?"

He stared at the guy who looked so peaceful. Kurapika turned to face him and watched as Leorio slept with his eyelashes unmoving. It was the first time he saw Leorio fall asleep and Kurapika liked that. After weeks and weeks of sleepless night, here he was sound asleep. Leorio trusted him.

Kurapika reached for the man's head and tapped him gently.

"That's right… there's nothing to worry about anymore… I'm here."

And kissing the top of Leorio's head, Kurapika embraced him close and sighed in satisfaction.

Even the man's noisy snore was welcome to Kurapika's ears.

~sweet, ain't it?~

Now what should happen in the morning?

*To Be Continued*

Thanks for Reading!