*Shades of Red*
by: WhiteGloves
Epilogue pt. 1
*LeoPika Pairing/BL*
The revival of the story BEYOND imagination!
Kurapika and Leorio on the move!
HUNTERxHUNTER LAST MISSION!
Little steps to the End! Kurapika won't stop for Leorio!
The sunlight barely made it to the ground for the town's market was full of different people that day—merchants, travelers, wanderers, vendors, authorities even hunters and the like. It was pretty easy to mingle with the crowd that particular hot day for everyone was so busy.
A tall man wearing a white polo shirt, with broad shoulders and long legs was walking briskly along with everyone else. His hair was dark and spiky, his chin pointed and with a tiny clef in the middle; he also wore shades that glinted in the morning sunlight.
The market was crowded so he would mind his way here and there, colliding with shoulder to shoulder but never forgetting to apologize. Just as he turned his shoulder to avoid someone else's, something collided with him around the middle—causing him to step backwards a little and to press a foot on the ground so he wouldn't fall out of balance.
"Oow..." said a boy's voice.
"What the... are you alright?" the tall man asked once he regained his posture.
The boy looked up and immediately straightened himself.
"Ahh—I'm sorry, ojisan! I was in a hurry back there!"
The tall man frowned a little and put a hand on his waist.
"I don't mind at all but hey kid, you should be looking where you're going. What if you collided with a granny here? Or what if you hit a pregnant woman? You should be careful with everyone around."
"H-haaii..." the boy bowed his head and then noticed something on the ground.
The man, who noticed nothing, waved a hand in the air.
"Well, whatever. Go on. And you better be careful next time."
"Wait, ojisan," the boy called again, and then picking up something on the floor, he presented it to the tall guy, "is this yours?"
The man's shades reflected the object on the boy's hand.
"Hm? What's that?" he asked sounding uncertain.
"Eh...well..." the boy blinked to himself and then stared at the object he picked up from the floor, "I think it's a red card with double X mark, ojisan."
The man's eyes visibly widened.
"Wha—? Gimme that!" the tall man yelped and then grabbed the card from the boy's hand with a sigh of relief.
The boy blinked at the man and watched him put it inside his pocket.
"Man, that was close..." he was saying to himself.
"Ojisan?"
Leorio stared at the boy and then looked away pointedly.
"W-well... it was mine. I couldn't... recognize it for a moment—anyways! What are you still doing here? Didn't your mother tell you never talk to strangers?!"
The boy seemed to remember something and then looked up at the man.
"Yes—thank you and sorry again, ojisan!" and the boy went off more carefully on his way.
"It's not 'ojisan'," the man muttered to himself as he continued walking, "it's Leorio."
As he walked on his own once more, we saw another man wearing a turban on his head follow him with his eyes, and then disappear with the others.
A three story building's shadow was covering half the people from the heat of the sun. On the narrow alley beside it, we see men linger by. Then out of nowhere, the man with turban paused at the entrance of the alley with a cautious look here and there before entering.
"That's him," he told at least a dozen of people in the dark alley, "the only guy with glasses. We've been following him for an hour and I confirmed it with my own eyes—he has a license card."
"That man?" murmured one of his comrades as their eyes fell on the man who walked pass them, "so he's really a hunter."
"Looks pretty weak, doesn't he?"
"Walks pretty damn slow too."
"That's better. That way we can just pounce on him like a nice prey."
"Don't be an idiot. That guy's still a hunter," said another voice, "he's probably got something under his sleeve to get the freaking license. Let's not underestimate him."
"It's better if we kill him on the spot. He'll be on his guard once he's alone but in the middle of this people he won't be expecting an attack."
"Hunters always expect attacks." said another voice.
"Not him." said the man with turban, "he looks like a fool to me."
"Mmm," the deep voice said again and we see a golden earring glinting on his right ear, "keep an eye on him. Let's surround him and wait at the end of the street. Tell the others we found a big target."
"Yeah." There were evil smile of impure intent among the bandits.
"Let's move out!" the leader with the earring said. There were sounds of feet moving— and then stopping all at once.
"Hey, what's wrong with you guys?" said a man from the back who was surprised at the sudden halt. Then raising his head a little to look ahead— he saw that his comrades were all looking at a lone shadow blocking their way out of the alley. He seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
"Who are you?" growled one of the bandits.
This lone shadow stood firmly on his ground and watched them closely without moving.
Then in his calm voice he spoke.
"Are you going after that man?" he asked in a quiet voice.
"What's with this kid?" murmured the others as they noticed he was carrying a pack of goods on his arms. It would seem like he had just stopped on his way there from the grocery. "Hey—get out of the way!"
The boy didn't move.
"You little—!"
"Hey," said another voice that made the other bandits stop talking. They all looked as the man with the golden earring move out of the line and walked near the boy, "you've got guts to be asking us that. Fellows like you should mind your business otherwise you'll die. Don't interfere with our work."
And he took out his hand knife from his waist.
"I asked you," the golden haired young man said again as the leader drew near toward him with his knife, "if you're going after that man?"
"This bastard?" said one of the men on the group, "who does he think he is?"
"Let's do him in!" there were more angry response as the others drew closer after their leader but the young man still looked unfazed even after the leader of the group stopped in front of him and pointed the knife on his face.
"Hey, pretty boy," the deep voice of the leader said, "we don't have time playing games with you...unless," he smirked and looked at the intruder from head to foot, "you'd like to play another game later."
There were snickers behind him for this silent joke but it was not shared by the young man who continued staring without flinching at the group of hood looms in front of him.
There was a pause in which the two exchanged glares.
The young man's green eyes flickered determination.
The man with the golden earring gritted his teeth and clutched the knife on his hand.
"What is it to you if he's our target?" he spat with his face turning serious. "It's none of your business, boy."
The green eyed boy's face darkened all of a sudden. Then without speaking, he put his grocery bags down the ground.
"I can't let you do that." He said as he faced his considered enemies once again.
The men all blinked to themselves, and then roared in laughter.
"You? Stop us?"
"What a joke this guy is!"
"Let's just kill him!"
As they laughed, the leader of the group shook his head and lowered the knife on his hand.
"Oi, oi, we don't have to kill this fellow. He looks useful. Look kid—"
He didn't have time to finish his words because just then—the boy has disappeared in front of him. The next thing—the leader heard shouts behind him. Looking back—he saw his men fall one by one.
"W-what the hell?"
A few minutes later, we see a nearby cafe packed of people from inside and out. The tables were all occupied and the cafe's waiters could barely keep up with the number of customers.
One particular waiter was upon a tall gentleman in his white polo shirt who was sitting in the open air lounge of the cafe.
"Okyaku-san, would you like to order anything else?" the waiter asked in a polite voice.
"Ahh... no, I'm fine." The man pushed his shades back up at the bridge of his nose, "A cup of coffee's fine."
"Okay."
"It's pretty crowded here, I noticed."
"Uhuh... its market's day and not to mention the ship bound here has just arrive awhile ago so there's more than just the locals but travelers as well."
"It must be really good for your business then."
"Hai. Especially there are beautiful ladies around."
"Really?" the doctor sounded excited all of a sudden- but then cleared his throat. "Yeah... well..."
"Look over there," the waiter enthusiastically pointed, "those ladies over there are pretty to booth."
Leorio didn't answer.
"And look there too- the ladies are all like angels."
Leorio cleared his throat.
"Oi- stop doing that to the ladies! It's impolite!"
"Hm? But they are the ones who kept looking here. I think they're interested in you, okyaku-san!"
"Really?" Leorio's voice got all excited, but then he cleared his throat once more, "t-tell them to look away... I'm with my lover you know."
"Ah... so okyaku-san's already have someone special."
"A-anyways- so there are really lots of people in Whale Island after all? Gon always made me feel like his hometown is secluded from the world."
"Oh? So you know Gon-kun?"
"Yeah. I'm meeting him with my lover, I told you! Why do you think I was lying about that?"
"Ah, no."
"So you know Gon?"
"Sure. He's a good boy. Always with that white haired boy nowadays. If you're looking for his house it's not far from here but it's a climb up the hill."
"That's no problem. He knows we're coming so he's probably around town too."
"I see. Then enjoy your stay here, okyaku-san. I'll go get your order then."
And the man with spiky black hair was left alone on himself. Leorio found himself sitting there after wandering around the crowded place in that hot day. It made him sigh.
Then after awhile...
"Here's your coffee, okyaku-san."
A cup was placed on the table. Leorio didn't move an inch to take it but merely looked up at the waiter.
"What time is it?"
"I think it's around noon. You have a watch on you, okyaku-san."
"Ah...this? I can't... I mean it's broken. Anyways, thanks."
"Alright." And the man went away.
Leorio sighed after the man has left and put his chin on his right hand, all the while mumbling to himself.
"Geez... what's taking him so long?"
There was a groan of pain in a dark alley. Then a body of an unknown man with a turban fell on the ground, unconscious. He wasn't the only one—there were at least nine more bodies beside him including the still half conscious leader who was wearing a golden earring—
"M-monster!" he shouted from the ground as he clutched his injured shoulder, "you're a monster!"
Red eyes flashed in the middle of the dark. And then emerging from the shadow of darkness, the owner of the scarlet eyes showed himself to his enemy. A young man from the Kuruta clan. The only one— Kurapika.
He stood towering above the bodies of men he just subdued.
"Do you still have others following him?" he asked quietly.
The man gulped with his eyes following the blonde boy's red eyes—and then shook his head in defeat.
Kurapika raised his head a little, and then turned around without another word.
The leader of the bandits gritted his teeth in anger.
"Why?" he wailed in a frustrated voice as he realized that his band of men he had gathered for a long time lay defeated on the ground in the hands of some kid, "You... with that red eyes! I heard about your clan from a long time ago... to think that you still exist—and what? Are you living to protect that guy? Why did you do this to my men!?"
Kurapika leaned down to pick his grocery items but didn't answer.
There was no need for the man to know his answer. The fact that they raised their arms against Leorio was enough for them to receive his wrath. And Leorio didn't need to know about that.
He left the darkness of the alley behind and welcomed the hot sunlight on his face.
His eyes were back to normal green. He would have worn his contact lenses after coming down the ship if not for the fact that Leorio—the man he was with—accidentally inflated his pair after stepping on it. Of course—Leorio didn't know about that since he didn't see it happen.
He didn't tell the doctor about that too.
Kurapika's eyes sombered as he remembered.
Leorio was blind.
"Leorio," he called as he found the doctor sitting in a cafe minutes later.
The man followed his voice and looked his way. Kurapika saw him look with his shades on and his unseeing eyes.
A jolt of pain struck his heart deep.
It wasn't guilt nor was it pity. He had long realized these were not what he was feeling every time he looked at the man. No... he would never pity Leorio.
No... if anything- the pain he was feeling in his chest was more... much more...
Because he loved that man so much.
"Hey, where have you been?" the tall man demanded as he stood up while Kurapika walked toward him in the maze of table, "I've been waiting for you for half an hour!"
"I had to pick up some things on the way here," the blonde boy reasoned as he put the grocery bags on the table, "and I had to stop by a hotel to reserve a room. You said you didn't want to share a room with Gon and Killua."
"Of course," Leorio he crossed his arms, "who'd want to sleep with kids?"
"Oh?" Kurapika raised his eyebrows, "is that really what's there to it?"
The doctor turned red and then cleared his throat.
"A-anyways, I've asked the waiter here. He knows Gon and he said his place is not far from here so we can just go there and meet him."
"Gon's last letter said he'll pick us up around the port." The golden haired boy's eyes narrowed, "we could have waited there. You're the one who insisted on walking around town."
"We shouldn't worry about it," the man shrugged his shoulders with a grin, "remember that boy's like a dog. He'll just follow our scent and he'll see us." He winked.
Kurapika stared at him in disbelief.
"What do you really think of Gon?"
"Don't tell me you aren't thinking the same?"
The two paused with Kurapika looking at the man who was easily smiling at him. He felt another jolt of pain in his chest as he saw Leorio's smiling face.
Thank goodness... he didn't change.
"O-okyaku-san?"
Kurapika and Leorio both turned at the direction of the waiter who was looking at them with eyes blinking in surprise.
"I-is he your lover then?" the waiter finished with a note of disbelief in his voice.
Both Kurapika and Leorio blinked, and then turned to each other.
"Why, you've got a problem with that?" Leorio asked with a disgruntled look.
"Ah, no," the waiter said with an embarrass look at Kurapika, "No wonder other ladies wouldn't interest you."
Kurapika blinked while Leorio reacted.
"Oi, stop saying nonsense!"
"Hmm?" Kurapika looked pointedly at his partner, "other ladies, huh?"
"Don't joke with me, hey!" the doctor said looking incredulously at him.
Kurapika smiled a little, and then turned to the waiter again who kept looking at him intently.
"Yes?" the blonde boy asked quietly. The waiter blinked and then scratched the back of his head looking embarrassed.
"Ahhh...I just thought you looked somewhat familiar."
"Hm?" Leorio's sharp senses, which was made sharper because of his current state, heard it all, "Familiar? To you?"
Kurapika blinked.
"I don't think I've met you," he said with a slight glance at the doctor who kept grumbling to himself.
"Really?" the waiter smiled uncertainly, "well... I just thought I did... I mean, it's impossible not to notice your appearance, okyaku-san!"
Kurapika blinked at the attention but then-
"Okyaku-san my butt," Leorio glared to where the voice was coming from, "didn't I tell you he's mine? What's with that flirting attitude- is that what your boss is teaching you!?"
"Leorio..." Kurapika started but the tall man was already trying to reach a hand to him.
"We're going," Leorio said as he succeeded in grabbing Kurapika's hand while his other hand accidentally hit one grocery bag that nearly fell down if not for the blonde boy catching it.
"Okyaku-san..." the waiter started again but Leorio was adamant on leaving that he dragged Kurapika away without another word. The waiter stared after them and then to the untouched cup of coffee on the table.
He remembered the tall man's action just now and blinked.
"That okyaku-san..." the waiter muttered to himself, "is he by chance... blind?"
"What did you tell the waiter?" Kurapika wanted to know as the two of them walked along the landscape near sunset with Leorio carrying the grocery bags.
"What? I just told him I'm with my lover."
"Is that something to say to a stranger?"
"He ain't a stranger! He did say he knows Gon and even mentioned Killua. Who the heck cares if I tell the truth?"
"Heh? And what about other ladies then?"
"I don't know anything about that, idiot."
"Really? May be the ladies found you really attractive."
Leorio blushed a little, and then looked away.
"What ladies?" he muttered, "I don't need those."
Kurapika looked at Leorio and couldn't help smiling.
"Leorio... don't shout around that we're together more than friends."
This statement had always receive vulgar curses from the doctor's lips. And that moment- it did.
"You really don't let it drop, do you?" Leorio said sounding annoyed, "what—don't you want me telling the world we're together?"
"I didn't say that!" the blonde boy sounded embarrass, "I just thought Gon and Killua would find it difficult to understand so it's better if we keep it to ourselves."
Leorio opened his mouth to argue but then decided against it.
"So you're embarrass." he muttered.
"I'm not," Kurapika looked at the tall man, "but we don't want to make it confusing for those kids. Especially now that we're here in Whale Island. We can't have those two think of what it'd be like to be adults.
"Why?" Leorio's grin suddenly made the blonde boy look away, "what is it like to be an adult for you?"
He stepped closer to the blonde boy and nudge him with his shoulder. It had always been a wonder to the Kuruta boy how Leorio would manage to do that despite his state of not being able to see but then again he kept telling himself that the doctor was adapting to his situation.
And Leorio had never once asked him to lead the way somewhere. He was always that independent.
Somehow this fact made Kurapika sad. But at the same time he understood.
Leorio would never make him worry. Leorio had always been like that yet...
"And stop speaking so vulgar like that in front of those two." Kurapika added with closed eyes, "I don't want to make them imagine unnecessary things. You know you have to agree with me."
Leorio snickered for a few moments and then cleared his throat. That's when the blonde boy knew he had won the argument—which was rare when he was with the doctor.
"But we can still have physical contact, yeah?"
"No."
"What? A kiss?"
"Who kisses in front of kids?" the flustered blonde boy said.
"Holding hands?"
"We don't need to do that in their presence."
"Damn... that's why I don't want to hang out with kids." Leorio mumbled looking away.
Kurapika looked ahead and sighed. In their long journey and long relationship he had known that Leorio had always half meant what he said when it was something embarrassing or about himself.
He would never make him worry.
It was a fact that he was always worried about too. It was a fact he always wanted to point out.
"Leorio," he started all of a sudden, making the man look his way.
"What?"
Kurapika was about to open his mouth when at a far distance he heard a familiar voice—
"Kurapika! Leorio!"
Looking behind, the blonde boy saw a young boy with spiky black hair waving at them from below where they came from. He was running toward them with a bright smile on his face. Behind him and seemingly happy too was a white haired boy.
A feeling of relief suddenly over came Kurapika.
He couldn't help smiling.
"Why did I tell you?" Leorio's voice said beside him, "I told you Gon can smell us."
Kurapika blinked, and then let out a short, merry laugh.
"Yeah," he said after awhile as the two boys drew near, "I guess you're right."
We find the two inside Gon's house after half an hour with the visitors sitting comfortable on the dinner table with the two boys whom they haven't seen for a long time.
Kurapika was eyeing the two boys with great interest. He was so eager to see them that he had imagined the changes on the two. He wasn't wrong—both Gon and Killua had grown in height—
"It's nice to see both of you again," he told them as they all settled on the table while Mito-san placed a cup of tea in front of him, "Thank you, Mito-san."
"It's alright," Mito-san said with a sweet smile, "I didn't think Gon had such a handsome friend like you. It's nice."
Kurapika smiled, making Mito-san blink and smile back.
Killua stared at her with narrowed eyes and then whispered to Gon, "Why is she acting weird?"
"Huh?" Gon blinked at his friend.
"You know," Killua continued, "she's all that shouting and commanding like an angry hen—so why's she so nice to Kurapika?"
"Well..."
"I heard that." Mito-san gave Killua a look which made the Zoldyck boy sat straight.
Kurapika saw it and then smiled. It was a rare thing to see the former assassin expert flinch at the sound of a firm female's voice. But then again—it was also probably rare to have raised a boy like Gon and be around a guy like Ging in the first place too which made Mito-san special.
"I heard a lot about you from Gon, Mito-san," he said after a short pause where in Killua hid behind Gon, "It's nice to finally meet you."
"I'm also glad to meet another friend of Gon's," Mito-san said warmly, "I've also heard about you from Gon and Leorio-san when he visited here last time..." she looked over at Leorio who looked up at the mention of his name.
"Please call me Leorio, Mito-san" Leorio said, smiling, "I'm sure you are as beautiful as before... it's a pity I can't see you anymore but I'm sure of that Mito-san."
Mito-san blinked and then smiled at him while Gon and Killua both looked at the man. Then their eyes fell to Kurapika who didn't meet their gaze.
"And probably Gon and Killua are all hairy like all adults do," the doctor said with a large grin.
"Oi! We're not that old!" Killua said, sounding offended.
"Now, now," Gon muttered to his best friend.
"Now then—I'm sure you all have lots to catch up so why don't you two stay for dinner?" Mito-san said as she put on an apron. "No, why don't you two stay for the night too since it's dusk?"
"N-no, we don't want to impose that much," Leorio started at once, making the trio look at him, "I mean, it's nice for you to ask—"
"You won't be imposing at all," Mito-san said with a smile, "Gon's friends are always welcome here."
Killua smiled at that.
"N-no... don't let us bother you... haha..." Leorio nudged Kurapika's foot under the table as a sign of asking for help. Kurapika looked at the man and then sighed.
"Come on, Leorio!" Gon said, speaking finally as he stood up, "it'll be nice to stay for the night! We can all talk the whole night and exchange information! It's been a long time!"
"N-no, we don't want to bother you at all..." Leorio pressed Kurapika's foot but the blonde boy just sighed again.
"That's right, Leorio." Killua agreed with crossed arms, "just stay for the night already, right Kurapika?"
They all turned to Kurapika who looked sideways to Leorio first.
"Well... it wouldn't hurt to stay..." he started, sensing Leorio's inner outburst at this.
"Yeah!" Gon raised his fists up the air.
Leorio suddenly took Kurapika's shoulder and whispered close to him—
"Hey—I said we stay back in the hotel!"
"And it would be too rude to turn down the offer, idiot!" the blonde boy whispered back seeing the color rising up the doctor's face.
"Why you..."
"Leorio! I'll take you to my room!" Gon said as he grabbed the man by the hand.
"H-hey—don't pull me too—argh!"
"Gon, don't be too tough with him," Killua called with a hand on his lips, "he's old already so he'll tend to be slow."
"What did you say—?" they could hear Leorio shout from the second floor while Mito-san smiled and headed toward the kitchen, leaving Killua and Kurapika on the dinner table.
Silence filled the two. It was silence only friends could share
"I'm sorry Gon had to drag him away," Killua started after a few moments with eyes on the blonde boy, "Gon, he... he probably wanted to cheer Leorio up... although as I can see it—the old man is doing well on his own. Probably because it's thanks to you, Kurapika."
Kurapika glanced up at the Zoldyck boy. He had to take note that he—between the two kids—had always been the mature one yet... he couldn't help thinking that Gon has his own ways of acting mature too.
"No... it's not me," Kurapika whispered back after a few minutes as he looked down his tea, "Leorio is strong on his own. He's always been like that. I'm merely a company to him... rather... I'm the one relying on him."
Killua looked sideways at his friend. Kurapika closed his eyes and admitted it to himself once more.
Leorio may be blind... but the real one relying on the other was not him.
It was Kurapika himself. It felt that way to him.
If it was about being broken... if it was about finding himself a new... and finding his way back to the light... all those answers didn't start with himself only. It was because of Leorio too.
"Well, whatever." Killua stood up from the chair, making Kurapika look at him again, "whoever's relying on who... I'm just glad both of you are alive. I'm glad you're also okay after all these years, Kurapika."
The two friends stared at each other.
And then the white haired boy smiled—a smile so refreshing Kurapika had always thought it would always remain in his dream to see him smile like that—as smile like Gon's.
"Killua..." he whispered not knowing what to say.
Killua shrugged and scratched the side of his face looking embarrass.
"I mean... Leorio's alive... and you're alive... think of it as my thanks for remaining with us... See, I gotta thank you for being okay...For Gon's sake... and mine too."
Kurapika had no words to say.
But to think a life where in he could hear Killua say that. Gone were the days of darkness in both their lives.
Because of two important people in their lives.
It made Kurapika smile.
"Yeah. Me too."
The two paused for awhile, until Killua scratched his nose and looked away.
"I- I just wanted to say that..."
Kurapika chuckled to himself.
But then Killua's whole demeanor changed as he said this-
"By the way, Kurapika... we need to talk about the process of Leorio's cure."
Kurapika immediately looked up. Killua turned to him.
"I have something to offer."
A/N: What's Killua's offer?
*Thanks for Reading and supporting!*
Three steps of Epilogue will do it!
Hope and Happiness is still around HunterxHunter!
Especially for the characters!
And now let us await-
The Epilogue pt.2!
Thank You!