XP: More Illumi/Kurapika flirting. Also, my exams are next week omg ;_; Thanks for all your reviews! I love reading them and I love writing after reading them knowing you guys love the content :) All suggestions will be taken into consideration and could be used in future chapters.

***Start***

Kurapika had been living the morning mostly in a daze, too sleep deprived and romantically occupied to function normally. Senritsu sighed for the umpteenth time when her blond friend put the spoon in his mouth and froze in thought again. They had to be meeting their employer in five minutes but Kurapika was taking ten times as long to eat as usual with all his zoning out.

"Kurapika, I know Illumi has you smitten, but can you please eat so we can go to work?" Senritsu grumbled.

Kurapika flinched and blushed at the very mention of that name, so Senritsu knew the date went very well indeed. Perhaps a little too well, from how fidgety Kurapika got. More like hot and bothered. She rolled her eyes as he tried to stammer an explanation, but then gave up and conceded. He tried a slight, guilty smile, the one he knew always pulled at her heartstrings. "I'm sorry Senritsu, I'll try to be more professional."

She sighed, and he put on his best 'forgive me please?' expression, bringing forth all her maternal instincts as she fussed about him. "Geez, you can't even dress yourself right today."

Kurapika chuckled as she acted like a mother hen, combing her fingers through his bed head and smoothing down the creases on his suit.

"Why do you guys always take so long and make me come down to the employee's area?" Neon's voice cut through the quiet atmosphere of the dining area, but her face disagreed with her annoyed tone. She smiled brightly as she sat down next to Kurapika, stealing his cup of hot coffee. Kurapika knew she would be doing that so he actually made it the way she liked it.

"Perfectly sweet," She murmured happily, breathing in the scent of the coffee.

"I blame Kurapika," Senritsu pointed fingers at Kurapika instantly. He gaped at her audacity. He could never imagine her doing something like this when they were first acquainted. Senritsu had become completely comfortable around the two of them. Neon stared at him for a while, then slumped and sulked.

"I bet you went and got a girlfriend," she whined, refusing to look him in the eyes. His glowing aura of happiness and romance was so obvious.

Startled by her intuition, he had to remind himself that the girl used to be an oracle of sorts. However, he saw no reason why Neon would be so upset. "Neon, I'll make sure to stay professional-" He shot down the look Senritsu gave him with a look of his own, "whenever I'm on the job."

"That's not it," she mumbled softly, biting her lip. Senritsu shook her head sympathetically, and Kurapika waited patiently for her to continue. "...Why can't it be me?"

Oh.

"Neon, thank you, I appreciate your feelings but you're like a," Kurapika was surprised by this himself, "little sister to me." He didn't realize that was what she had slowly came to be after their weeks of being together. She used to be a bratty boss, but now she had wormed his way into his heart to be something of greater significance.

"I know," she sulked again.

"If it makes you feel better, it's a guy," Senritsu enlightened.

Neon gaped, turned to stare at Kurapika, then pouted. "Yeah, I would see why."

"What!" Kurapika took offense at that. "Are you implying that I-" he brought his voice down to a low whisper, "look gay?"

"No, you look beautiful."

"No, you look like a girl."

They replied at the same time, and Kurapika rolled his eyes and gave a sarcastic thanks. They wondered why he didn't see it himself, the way he perched his chin on the palm of his head, head tilted, blond bangs falling on his face, with that dangling earring. He was the very picture of femininity when he was right next to the two girls, and he had received way too many invitations from males to count. He picked up his vibrating phone and grimaced at the text message.

"I'll have to take another day of leave again. Will you two be alright here?"

"What's wrong?" Neon chirped curiously.

"Kurapika has to play peacemaker for his friends," Senritsu explained as Kurapika got up with his last piece of toast in his mouth. The wind from a nearby fan blew his bangs into his eyes again, and he made an irritated grunt.

"Oh, come here," Neon made an exasperated expression as she removed her own hair tie to help Kurapika tie up his hair.

"What no, what man wears a pink hair tie with strawberries?" Kurapika protested, but let her do it anyway, even if she also put pink bobby pins to hold his fringe back. "I'll be back soon, thanks," he said briefly, patting her on the head as he walked away. Neon flushed and held her head, sulking again. That jerk, always treating her like a little kid...

Kurapika fiddled with his phone to type a reply to both Gon and Leorio, and he entered the elevator without even looking at who was inside. Not that it mattered to him anyway.

"Hey, I'm talking to you. Hey!"

A sharp yank on his ponytail, and Kurapika instantly twisted to free himself, shoving his arm against the neck of that blond young master he had met before. The smartass choked as he slammed painfully against the elevator wall, and Kurapika was glad he didn't pull out his chains. That would really freak out normal people, or kill them before they could even be freaked out. Kurapika sighed and released his hold, brushing himself off. The teen collapsed onto the floor, heaving.

"Y-you're not even going to apologize?"

Kurapika gave him a dull look, then looked away.

"Hey, you're a girl?"

Kurapika rolled his eyes.

"I said I'm talking to you!"

Kurapika sighed, "Look. I don't know how else to make it clearer that I have no fucking interest in you."

"How much is that girl paying you? Isn't her family bankrupt now anyway since her voodoo power got exposed as a fake? I even heard her father ran off without her and left her here. Hah, what are they even paying you with?" the teen replied arrogantly, "Just come work under me. I'll pay you double- no, ten times as much."

It irked Kurapika that the news of the Nostrade family had spread so far. The number of her attendants have greatly decreased, and many were slowly leaving because of the cut pay and uncertain future. Kurapika felt like it would soon be just him and Senritsu left. Although they originally stayed due to a feeling of responsibility that they did not protect Neon properly, now they were staying for the ties they had made. Her father had ran off to hide somewhere after arranging their final payments, since their families have gone bankrupt and the hounds of the other families had come to prey like vultures on the remains.

Neon had sensed the change, their hotel was barely the cut for high class, and all her cards had been rejected. This didn't mean she stopped going to shop though, she still did take loads of clothes to try on, then leave after a staged tantrum that the style sucks. She still held her tattered pride together, and seeing her so brave made Kurapika attend to her as if nothing had changed.

"I'm very selective about the type of person I work with," Kurapika jibed sharply with choice words, eyeing the teen with contempt.

"Why you-" The teen raised his fist again, and Kurapika sighed and prepared to retaliate when the elevator doors opened.

A pale hand flashed out all of a sudden to grab that fist, holding down with such an intensity that Kurapika started to hear the cracks of knuckles. Alarmed, he reached out to that pale arm he had come to know so well, hugging it and attempting to pull it away.

"Let go, Illumi, I'm fine," Kurapika pleaded. He negated the flood of strong black nen with his own, before the normal teen died from shock. "Really."

Illumi let go reluctantly, scanning Kurapika up and down to make sure he was unharmed.

"W-What, you have a boyfriend?" the blond grunted, holding his fist to his chest. There was most likely a fractured finger of two, Kurapika grimaced. Not that he wanted to use his healing chain in public for such a person who didn't even know about nen.

"Yes," Kurapika tugged Illumi away from the elevator, not leaving a second glance behind.

"I'm going to tell my dad about this!"

"Go ahead, tell him my boyfriend is from the Zoldycks," Kurapika said lightheartedly, not noticing how Illumi had a rare smile on from being acknowledged by Kurapika. Once they were out of the hotel, Kurapika released his grip and turned around to face Illumi, biting his lip. "Um, I didn't know you were coming today. I have something on..."

"I see I'll need to keep an eye out for you," Illumi growled unhappily as he pulled on Kurapika's wrist with more force than necessary. Kurapika knew what to do to diffuse the walking bomb though.

"What, like being my bodyguard?" Kurapika teased, wincing at the bruising tightness.

Illumi paused in his quick steps and turned to face Kurapika, who raised a questioning brow. "Do you really want me to?"

"No," laughter bubbled from Kurapika's lips, and the sight made Illumi loosen his grip slightly. "That would be ridiculous. I'm a bodyguard myself remember? Pfft, a bodyguard for a bodyguard, that must be new."

Disgruntled, Illumi turned away. He had genuinely wanted to be a bodyguard for Kurapika. Kurapika smiled at the sulking sight. He bit his lip so he wouldn't break out unto laughter. Illumi could be pretty cute in how single minded he was.

"You know," Kurapika pushed down his embarrassment and mustered his couage to say this corny line, "I dont need a bodyguard since I have my boyfriend to protect me."

Kurapika's heart beat rapidly in his chest. He could feel his face turning red again as Illumi stilled. He waited for Illumi to turn around, anticipating his reaction, but when Illumi didn't, Kurapika peeked over to see Illumi's hanging face.

Illumi covered his face with his free hand quickly, but it was too late.

"You're blushing!" Kurapika exclaimed with incredulous delight. Grinning, he watched Illumi be the flustered one for once.

"It's because you caught me off guard," Illumi replied stubbornly, but that little embarrassed smile said everything unspoken. Kurapika's heart swooned at the thought that he really had someone to love and protect him now.

"Where are you going?" Illumi changed the topic, cheeks now a fading pink. He was looking at anywhere but Kurapika, but still held onto Kuapika's hand.

Smiling fondly, Kurapika replied, " I'm meeting Leorio-"

In an instant, Kurapika found himself against the wall, Illumi hunched over him with the dark intensity of jealousy. If possible, Kurapika's heart beat even faster, finding something undeniably attactive about Illumi being so possessive. Blushing and resisting the urge to kiss Illumi, Kurapika stared into the deep depths of Illumi's eyes and bit his lip.

"-and Gon," Kurapika continued.

Illumi's face twisted with confusion, then relaxed into a face of comprehension. "You should have told me," Illumi said blankly, leaning back giving Kurapika the space to breathe now.

"You didn't let me," Kurapika pouted. Without thinking he added, "And I quite like you trapping me against the wall like that."

"Like this?" Illumi teased, putting both arms against the walll beside Kurapika's face, effectively trapping him. Illumi gave a sly smirk.

"Yes," Kurapika whispered softly, eyes fluttering. He bit his lip again, and Illumi's eyes trailed the movement. The air of sexual tension was so intense. It was at once exciting and terrifying. Kurapika had never experienced anything like this before. He had never physically ached for something. His whole body tingled, and he wanted Illumi to touch him so much he was surprised by how needy he was. He watched Illumi part his lips and lean in, and suddenly-

I'm late, his rational mind chirped, and all of a sudden he was pushing a disappointed Illumi away.

"I won't let you leave," Illumi growled, and Kurapika felt an instant crashing of guilt and that pull of his tender heart strings- Aw, Illumi was sulking and that's so cute- but honestly he was sure once they started they wouldn't stop. And they were in public for goodness sake. And his responsibilities as a friend...

"Illumi, you can have all the time you want tonight," Kurapika bargained, and his rational mind was at once screeching at the sheer audacity and shamelessness in those words, and his heart skipped a beat from all the anticipation and fear that one felt when one was completely unexposed to anything sexual before.

"You promise," Illumi said more as a statement than a question, and his intense gaze left Kurapika with no escape.

"I promise," Kurapika replied, leaning in to give Illumi a chaste kiss as dodging Illumi's attempt to continue it. Illumi frowned, and Kurapika couldn't help but smile fondly at the sight. His boyfriend used to be a coldblooded assassin, but he was just so straightforward and simple and loving. "I'll see you tonight," Kurapika reiterated, and watched Illumi's face change to a more neutral, blank expression as he stared at Kurapika in contemplation.

Illumi nodded, and ruffled Kurapika's blond hair quietly before he turned to leave.

"Hey, Kurapika! Over here!" Kurapika noticed Leorio sitting in the corner of the cafe with Gon, and hurried over since he was already late.

"Sorry, I was held up by something," Kurapika apologised sincerely with a gentle smile. Leorio smiled back at him to show it was alright, and they both turned their attentions to the glum boy with them.

Leorio, unsure of how to start, coughed and said awkwardly, "Uh, so the weather is great today huh..."

Kurapika rolled his eyes, and folded his arms on the table. He calmed himself and leaned in, putting on his most gentle expression. "How have you been, Gon?" He asked tenderly, but added firmly, "Have you thought things through?"

"Miserable," Gon mumbled, looking up with bloodshot eyes, evident of overnight crying. "I thought a lot. I realized what I was doing now, Kurapika. How could I have been so blind?"

"Sometimes we all overlook things," Kurapika soothed. "It's alright as long we rectify our mistakes and make sure to not do it again. Remember that when you are travelling with Killua, his opinions and feelings matter just as much as yours."

"Mm," Gon nodded, tears brimming up in his eyes again. "But Kurapika, how do I make it up to Killua?"

Leorio watched impressed as Kurapika handled the situation perfectly and guided the boy through. Sometimes Leorio had to remind himself that Kurapika was just a teen as well, alone in the world without any relatives.

"Well, we can start from an apology."

"But would Killua even want to see me anymore?" Gon asked with a shaking voice, tears now falling from his eyes. It was obvious that this had been troubling him a lot.

"Of course! You were best friends and had great memories together," Kurapika said persuasively, reaching over to wipe Gon's tears. He had been very disappointed when he first heard what happened, but Gon was barely a teen after all, and he was bound to make mistakes. At least he had the decency to try and change himself. "But remember to give Killua some time and distance to think it through alright? Maybe it is better for the two of you to spend some time apart, but apologies should not be delayed."

"O-okay," Gon nodded, determination shining through his eyes, finally having some semblance of his past self. "Thanks a lot Kurapika, I wouldn't have known what to do without you."

"Anytime," Kurapika assured, gripping Gon's hand. "Okay, I'll arrange a meeting with Killua and get into contact with you soon. Don't think too much alright?"

"Mm," Gon nodded.

They spent the remainder of the time chatting, mainly about Leorio's studies and Kurapika's job until lunch time came and they ate together.

***End of chapter***

XP: Will there be drama next chapter? Or will it go peacefully? Please share your views :D