Author's Notes:
RELATIONSHIP: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
RATING: Teen and Up Audiences
Chapter 2: Bloody Laundry
Scarlet. Scarlet everywhere.
Ever since they started living together, Kurapika has always insisted on hand-washing his villain costume. At ungodly hours of the night, Leorio would find his husband sitting on the bathtub's edge and painstakingly scrubbing the silver chain-link embroidery on his scarlet smock. Leorio would always assume — wrongly, he now knows — that this was yet another example of his spouse being too much of a stickler who needed to loosen up.
This afternoon, alone in the laundry room of their apartment, Leorio is glowering down at a scene of absolute carnage. The deep red dye from Kurapika's smock has stained an entire load, spit out just now from the washing machine.
The whites among Leorio's clothes have received the brunt of the damage. His hero costume, ivory from head to toe. His hospital scrubs. His doctor's coat. Bloody streaks have blemished all these snowy fabrics.
On the other hand, the domestic disaster has barely impacted Kurapika's wardrobe, owing primarily to the goth phase he entered during their college days. Kurapika never truly grew out of his preference for plain black turtleneck sweaters, plain black trousers, and plain black newsboy caps.
Groaning, Leorio haphazardly stuffs his dappled-red clothes into the mouth of the machine for a second spin. He pours twice more detergent than usual and hopes for the best.
Once the appliance is humming once more, he slides against the wall opposite in nothing except his boxers, which are cotton candy pink and printed with magenta hearts. He props up his chin on his fist as he glares at the swirling contents in the machine's watery depths.
One thing's for sure. Last night was the last time he'll ever try doing the laundry whilst sleep-deprived and discombobulated after a double shift at the hospital.
He jerks awake about a half-hour later. A blanket has been draped over his near-naked body. From the kitchen, the potent fragrance of ground spices and buttery sauce is wafting into the laundry room.
Kurapika must be preparing Kurtan curry, Leorio's favorite home-cooked dish. What a welcome treat!
Leorio springs to his full height, the blanket sliding from his shoulders to the floor and his washing machine woes forgotten for one blessed moment.