(Leopika)

Starting X Over

Kurapika was surrounded in darkness. He could hear muffled sounds, but couldn't tell who or what they were coming from. All he knew was that he had to get closer.

He started walking forward. The further he went, the weaker he felt. He turned around. This way was the opposite. The further he went the stronger he felt. The problem with this way was, he was getting further from the noises. He walked the first way, getting weaker by the second.

After what felt like hours of walking, for Kurapika could not tell time here, he sat down. He was so weak but was so close to the noise. He could now tell those sounds were sobs. He couldn't tell who they belonged to yet. His right hand had felt warm in the beginning, but the closer he got to the noise, the hotter his hand got. By now it was burning. His left wrist hurt, though he had a slight idea why.

Standing up, Kurapika began forward again. As he went, his right hand stiffened. He couldn't move it. He tried so hard to move his fingers, his thumb, anything on his right hand. With no results he kept on walking.

The noise was now so loud he felt like it surrounded him. He tried again to move his finger. He got his thumb to move. Just a little, but that meant so much to him. What he wanted to know, more than where he was or why his hand went stiff, is why he felt something under his thumb. He remembered this feeling, but couldn't place when he had experienced it before, just that it was a long time ago.

Leorio jerked his head up. He had fallen asleep sitting next to Kurapika's hospital bed. Abby was in the hallway, talking to a doctor. He woke up because he thought he felt something, just a little movement from Kurapika. It felt like his thumb had brushed his hand. Leorio, thinking he got all worked up for nothing, laid his head back down, falling asleep again.

Kurapika was almost to the end. He could smell strong chemicals. He was nearly crawling now, he was so weak. He pushed on just a little further, reaching his hand out. He felt something. The only thing he could feel before was the pain, but now he could feel what felt like a wall. He used the object in front of him to stand up, feeling a nob. He smiled as he realized it was a door. He threw it open as fast as he could, seeing Leorio laying by his side. He felt his heart swell knowing the tall man still cared about him. He tried to speak for the first time.

"L-Leo-Leorio." Kurapika managed in a quiet whisper.

Leorio shot his head up again. He stared at the Kurta, his eyes slightly open.

"Kurapika! You're awake!" Leorio yelled, wiping the tears from his eyes. Kurapika flinched at the loud noise and Leorio immediately quieted down.

"I'll go get the doctor." Leorio sighed.

"Wait!" Kurapika yelled, even though it just sounded like his normal voice.

Leorio stopped to turn around. He walked over to Kurapika in just a few short strides. He sat back down and looked at him.

"Yeah?" He asked. He looked into the Kurta's eyes, seeing that he was still in a lot of pain. He wanted more than anything to reach over and touch him, make him feel better in any way he could.

Kurapika hesitated, overthinking what had come naturally so many years ago. He reached over and brought Leorio into a hug, whispering a thanks into his ear. Leorio hugged back, careful not to hurt the fragile man. The two let tears fall down their faces.

"Leorio, what is-" Abby stopped talking, looking up from the clipboard a nurse had given her to fill out. She dropped the clipboard and ran towards Kurapika and Leorio, giving them both a hug, wetting their shirts with her tears. Leorio let go to give the two a second together, leaving to go get a doctor.

"How are you feeling?" Abby asked as soon as they pulled apart. "Are you warm enough?" She continued, putting her hand on his forehead.

"You're not my mother!" He laughed, but immediately stopped. His mother was dead. He would never see her again. He had known this for years, but the full force of it hit him then and there.

Abby, noticing something was wrong, fell silent. She put her hand on his, telling his it was okay, and he didn't have to talk if he didn't want to.

Kurapika took a deep breath and shook his head. "No, you should know. I'm part a Kurta. The only survivor." His voice cracked at the end. Abby stared at him for a minute then brought him in to a bone crushing hug.

"It's ok. I'm so sorry. I had no idea." She apologized as Leorio walked in with the doctor.

Leorio stared at the scene in front of him. His best friend and girlfriend were getting along. It made his heart swell.

Abby stood up and walked over to Leorio, hugging him tightly as the doctor checked over Kurapika.

"Anybody hungry?" Abby asked after the doctor left. The boys both nodded their heads eagerly. "Ok! I'll run home and make something. I bet you guys don't want hospital food." She laughed. The boys shook their heads in unison, making Abby laugh harder. By the time she got to the car she was laughing so hard she couldn't breathe. The boys were just so cute!

"Leorio?" Kurapika asked, a little while after Abby left. "Can we start over?" He pleaded, pain in his eyes.

Leorio scooter closer to his bed, surprised by the question. "What do you mean, 'start over'?" He asked, completely willing to start from the beginning.

"I mean, after... everything, we grew distant. I don't want that to happen again. I know I messed up, and I'm sorry. But it would mean so much to me if we could just start from the beginning. Go back to simpler times. Back when we tried to kill each other on a boat." Leorio laughed.

"Of course we can." Leorio smiled, leaning in to hug the Kurta.

"Thank you, Leorio." Kurapika began. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"That's Mr.Leorio to you, Kurapika."

A/N
Sorry we didn't post on Wednesday! With school starting up again it's hard to stay on top of things. Vote and comment!