This Won't End Well

9: How To Lose Your Appetite

"Gon, breakfast," Someone called out, jolting Gon awake from his sleep. He mumbled something incoherent as a response and sat up, stretching his arms behind his head. He swung his feet over the side of the bed, coming into contact with the cold floor and sending chills through his body. He threw on a pair of jeans and a green hoodie and sauntered into the kitchen with heavy footsteps.

"Morning, kid," Leorio smiled as he flipped pancakes on the stove. Gon hummed a good morning and sat at the kitchen counter. He held his head in his hands. God, he was tired. It felt as if his head was a bowling ball, weighing more than the rest of his body combined. A door in the apartment opened, but Gon didn't have the energy to look up.

"Gon, morning," Kurapika said in a groggy voice. Gon still didn't look up, not out of exhaustion from lack of sleep, but from exhaustion from dealing with Kurapika.

"Breakfast is almost ready, you two," Leorio said in a cheery tone. Every time Leorio and Kurapika had a day off, Leorio would make breakfast for the three. Or, he would try to. Leorio wasn't the... best cook. But neither Gon nor Kurapika had the heart to tell him. It was a sweet gesture, so they would sit quietly in revulsion, munching on half-burnt breakfast foods with plastered smiles.

Kurapika sat across from him silently. Being the insufferable insomniac he was, he was probably more tired than Gon.

Leorio came up behind Kurapika, setting a mug of black coffee in front of him and kissing him on the forehead. Kurapika gave him a soft smile, full of love. Leorio walked off to finish making breakfast, leaving Gon and Kurapika alone at the table.

"So, Gon," Kurapika started, taking a deep sip of his coffee. Gon could smell its earthy richness from where he sat. "How are you feeling today?" He asked.

Gon picked his head up, looking at Kurapika. "Fine," He mumbled.

"Are you sure? If you want to talk, I'm here," Kurapika offered, earning a hidden scowl from Gon. Last night they were arguing and today, Kurapika is offering him a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. God, how can anyone be this capricious? It was exhausting keeping track of where they stood with each other.

"No. Thanks," He grumbled through gritted teeth.

Kurapika sighed, sensing the hostility from Gon. "About last night," He started. Gon looked up at Kurapika with a hopeful expression. "I'm sorry you got so upset when I asked what happened."

What. The. Fuck. What kind of apology was that?! Gon wanted to jump across the table and wrap his hands around Kurapika's scrawny little neck, choking a proper apology out of him.

Gon scoffed, looking at Kurapika incredulously. "Did you mean you're sorry for what you did... that made me upset?" Gon asked, using a pause to emphasize his point. Annoyance was heavy in his tone.

Kurapika took another dramatically drawn-out sip of coffee before continuing. "I'm sorry you took my concern the wrong way," Kurapika refuted, maintaining the idea he did nothing wrong. That was bullshit. Gon furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head in disgust.

"That's a shit apology," Gon growled, standing up from his chair and walking to the door. It was too early to be dealing with him right now.

"Gon! Where are you going? We haven't eaten breakfast yet!" Leorio called after him, holding a plate of half-burnt pancakes in his hand.

Gon looked Kurapika dead in the eyes with a dulled expression. "I've lost my appetite," He hissed, seething with frustration. He left the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

He leaned against the closed door, tilting his head back. He sighed, exhaling all his anger. Of course, he wouldn't apologize properly. When was Kurapika ever genuinely sorry about anything? Goddamn, Kurapika is an asshole. And Gon was tired of it. His blood felt hot, as if it were genuinely boiling. It felt as if something was trapped in his throat, probably all the shit he wanted to scream at Kurapika but couldn't. He hated this feeling. He hated feeling anything negative. He wanted it to just go away.