Leorio had earned his title as the enigma of the household.
Despite his, "domestication" from the butlers, he proved to retain a distinct personality. His abrasive but gentle means to encourage healing was unlike the steadfast and loyal hands of the butlers.
Perhaps it was because of the means he was brought in. Perhaps it was because Illumi had been integral in his training, both required by the butlers and the strange life lessons and meditation.
He also, for whatever reason, seemed to hold great amusement in teaching Leorio how to do many things with only the most essential of traveling supplies. Leorio didn't waste his breath complianing. He could at least understand the medical reasons. If he wanted to help as many people as possible, he would need to be able to work with whatever he could until he could get the ideal supplies.
He was also the only "employee" that could get away with telling any of the masters what to do. Granted it was minimal, but it was not ignorable.
"Aw what!" Milluki complained seeing a bowl of vegetable curry placed in front of him while the rest of the family got to enjoy having thick cuts of steak and baked potatoes with plenty of butter. A minor punishment for Milluki pushing his vegetables off on quiet Kalluto. Not that the curry was a bad meal by any means, but steak and potatoes was Milluki's favorite. And it looked nothing like the curry he would be required to eat.
"Someone needs more vegetables in his diet," Leorio commented with a small smirk. Silva watched the interaction with minor amusement. He sent a slight glare to Kikyo to keep her from arguing over Leorio actually keeping Milluki healthy.
With a now, common place bow to the Zoldyck family, he left the dining room and began his trek to the butler's quarters. It was sad to say he had gotten used to life as an assasin's doctor hopeful. But perhaps it was better this way.
He closed his eyes and rubbed them a bit. Despite how used to it he was, the days with the family made him feel exhausted. Emotionally drained and feeling a deep need in his very bones for something he couldn't figure out. For now, he would settle for his own dinner, a shower and his bed. All reasonable requests.
With those three things in mind, he slightly sped up.
Little time passed before he made it back to the butler's quarters.
"There you are Leorio. Would you please give Canary a physical before your supper?" Gotoh demanded. Leorio resisted the urge to sigh and the added chore.
"My side office?" Leorio asked. Gotoh gave the slightest of nods to the affirmative. He didn't know who Canary was, but he would treat them as well as he did anyone else he saw.
He knew he wasn't expecting to see a little dark skinned girl with tired eyes sitting in the only available chair in the room. Her eyes immediately locked onto his form once he entered the room. He gave a small smile he hoped was reassuring and welcoming. Canary didn't seem the slightest bit phased.
"Canary I assume?" he asked gently.
"I am," she said in a bland tone.
"Nice to meet you Canary. My name is Leorio. I've been asked to give you a physical. If you have any questions about any thing I'm doing, feel free to ask alright?"
"Very well."
"Okay. Give me a moment to get my pen and some paper..."
"So Canary is a butler's apprentice?"
"That is correct," Gotoh confirmed.
"I feel like I should point out the fact that she is a child but I highly doubt that would mean anything."
"You're correct."
"Sometimes I wonder if all the hired help was grabbed when they were children and raised into whatever job they work now."
Gotoh merely sipped his tea with the faintest smirk on his lips. Leorio waited for some kind of dismissive comment, each second making him more and more uncomfortable.
"You... you weren't brought here as a child were you?"
The silence was terrifying.
"Mr. Gotoh please tell me I'm wrong,"Leorio pleaded.
"Oh look at the time, I must see to Lady Kikyo."
"Wha-Answer my question dammit!"
"Watch your tone Leorio. The masters won't like the tone," Gotoh dismissed. Leorio gaped at the butler in rare disbelief. Gotoh left the room and Leorio with a small amount of amusement visible on his face.
"Illumi, sit."
Illumi followed his father's order without hesitiation.
"Your little project is going well."
"It is father. The young doctor is learning at an acceptable rate."
"Medically? Or with his nen?" Silva commented. To Illumi's credit, he did not flinch at the inquiry.
"Both. Though he is still going through his ten. He has not been told of nen."
Silva didn't seem bothered.
"His worth and place here will be tested soon."
Illumi kept his face expressionless.
"Who will he be tested on?"
"His test as a doctor will be to replace your mother's eyes."
This got a curious expression from Illumi. His mother would never agree to such a procedure. Her paranoia truly knew no bounds.
"Is he to attempt to track and trap her? He will surely fail."
"If it were that kind of test, I'd save time and kill him myself," Silva responded, "Your mother will be knocked out ahead of time. He will perform the procedure. If he is successful, he will have earned her trust and have a working place for the family. If she is in equal or worse shape, he will die."
"And if mother dies?" Illumi asked. Death was niether better nor worse in thier line of work. One could not get any better, nor could get any worse.
"We will see if he has what it takes to be a medical assassin."
A small chill went down Illumi's spine. Medical assassins were a special breed of killer. Those whose gentle hands could either pull someone from the icy grips of death, or ensnare them to the point of no return. He had to wonder if Leorio would use the surgery to end his mother. No love would be lost between either of them as she still was a threat to his life. Was his desire to be a doctor stronger than his own desire to remove the person who had harmed him the most since arriving?
"I don't believe he will kill mother. He is far too gentle."
"Oh? Is that a wager?"
"It depends on the conditions," Illumi answered.
"The surgery will take place in a month. I will procure the eyes for the surgery and you will continue to work with him as you have. No more. I will not have anyone alter thier interaction with him. It will be from his skill alone."
"What is the prize of being correct?"
A small grin came to Silva's face, "No interference from me when you use your nen on Killua."
"And if I am wrong?"
Silva's grin grew more sinister.
"A killing of my choice, when and where I decide."
Simple enough, but Illumi knew his father could be rather twisted. It was practically a promise that he would have to kill someone close to him if he had failed.
"Very well. I accept."
*Throws chapter in and runs away*
Illumi: Sorry about her. She's trying to get her other updates out.
Leorio: Say it with a bit more emotion won't you?
Illumi: Why would I do that?
Leorio: Because she's writing a story with you in it?
Illumi: Hm... No, that won't happen.
Leorio: Ugh... Fine! Hey you all lovely readers! Thank you for reading this latest chapter! let us kniw what you think of it!
Illumi: Wait, is this supposed to be a parody of Gon and Killua's Hunterpedia?
Leorio: I sincerely hope not.