LeoPika short stories and one shots!

Wrong stop

CW: self starvation

Kurapika staggered out of the library. He'd fallen asleep again while searching. He was desperately trying to stay awake long enough to find his way home. Damn these short legs.

He tried to take a few deep breaths to wake himself up, but it wasn't working. He only succeeded in making himself light headed. He sat down at a bus station and waited. The bus came. He got on. It drove. He got off. He couldn't tell if he was awake or not.

He'd gotten off at the wrong stop, but that was the last bus of the night. Looking at the map at the station revealed to him something he wish was untrue: he'd automatically disembarked at the stop that was closest to Leorio's apartment.

It had been months since they'd spoken, but Kurapika often stopped by to make sure Leorio's car was in good shape, or if he was at work he'd check on the balcony plants. It's not stalker behavior, okay? Kurpaika was just keeping a close eye on his friend's well-being.

He managed to drag himself into the elevator and take it to the third floor. He worked his way through the halls to the right door. The door he had stood in front of countless times, too cowardly to knock.

But he was knocking now. At 2 am on a Tuesday. He needed help and he knew Leorio would be there for him.

Then his eyes widened. What if Leorio says no? What if he shuts the door and leaves me out here in the hall? What if he tells me to fuck off and go bother someone else? Oh god, what am I doing? Bothering a hard working student like him on a school night? He's probably well asleep now, and wants nothing to do with someone who dares disturb his much needed beauty rest.

Kurapika was about to leave when the door opened. Leorio was standing in the doorway, a little worse for wear, and his eyes widened when he saw his visitor.

"Kurapika?" Leorio's voice sounded like it was a mile away.

Kurapika blinked and suddenly he was falling, headed straight for the floor. Leorio didn't catch him in time, and he fell in an ungraceful heap in the doorway.

When he opened his eyes, he was being half-carried to the kitchen. He sat down in a chair and tried to thank Leorio. But he was just so tired. Leorio was asking him questions, but he couldn't hear him properly. He was so sleepy.

He laid his head down on the table and it was lights out.

-

When he rolled around again, he was laid out on the floor of Leorio's room, head on a makeshift pillow and covered in a fluffy blanket. There was a note stuck to the desk right next to him.

FOOD ON DESK. EAT. I will be home at 3. L

Kurapika sat up and waited for his vision to clear. Then he looked up and grabbed the plate off the desk. Scrambled eggs with a scoop of salsa for dipping sauce. It looked delicious, it really did. But smelling it made Kurapika heave with nausea. He put the plate back and tried not to cry. It made him scared. He knew he should eat but he just couldn't.

He checked his phone. It was already 1 in the afternoon. It had taken 11 hours for him to sleep up enough energy to wake up. Shit.

He laid there for a moment and thought about everything that was happening. The phantom troupe. His dysphoria. His poor eating habits. His dysphoria.

Even the word made his lungs constrict like they were being squeezed. His lower lip trembled and fresh tears began to well up in his eyes. He felt sick when he thought about his body. Sick.

Leorio came back eventually. He was a bit displeased to find Kurapika hadn't touched his breakfast, to which the latter lied about having just woken up.

"Kurapika," Leorio was serious; his usual smile lines were relaxed and his brows fell to a concerned expression. "We really need to talk. But I don't think you're going to like what I have to say."

Kurpaika rubbed his arm. "You don't have to say anything. I just needed somewhere to crash for the night, I accidentally got off at the wrong bus stop-"

"It's not that." Leorio said sternly. "You slept for 11 hours today. Possibly more. Do you know why that is?"

"I've been pulling all nighters?" Kurapika brought his knees to his chest.

"You are starving." Leorio stated, making Kurapika's heart tremble. "I will not encourage this behavior, nor will I turn a blind eye."

Kurapika shifted uncomfortably. "I'm fine. It's always been this way."

"That's even worse." He sighed. "I want to help you, I really do. But I can't be here all the time because I have school and an internship. The best thing I can do is to ease you into it, so we will start by eating dinner together every day."

"That's really not necessary."

"I don't know what else to do. I know that being subtle won't work with you, and trusting you to your own devices won't either. I'm really sorry for being so blunt, and maybe a bit harsh, but I don't know how else to get to you."

"I bothered you on a school night, so obviously you're gonna be angry. What I did was inconsiderate and I deserve to be thrown out."

"You're not listening." Leorio rubbed his face. "I don't care, okay? I'm delighted you decided to pop in for a visit, but you are not well."

Kurapika fidgeted. "I should go, get out of your hair. You seem like a busy-"

Leorio grabbed him by the face. "Look at me and listen. You're in serious trouble. Not with me, but with your body. It is dying, you are dying. I've made up my mind and we are going to get professional help."

"They'll put me in a mental hospital." Kurapika worried.

"A mental institute might just be beneficial."

"How am I supposed to have my revenge when I'm on a grippy-sock vacation?"

Leorio did not let go. "Your revenge will wait until you are healthy again."

"I'd sooner die."

"Well congraduFUCKINGlations," Leorio threw his hands out in a wide gesture. "You got your wish. You're dying. Now you'll never get your revenge."

"Why do you care so much?" Kurapika huffed, a bit light headed.

"Why do I- why do I care?" Leorio sputtered. "Who showed up at my door last night and passed out the moment I saw him? Who's been stalking me everyday for the past week and maybe even longer? Who's been watering my balcony plants, Kurapika? Who?"

Kurapika lowered his head. "Me."

"You! You." Leorio lowered his voice. "I am trying to save your life, Kurapika. Please, can you please make this easy for me?"

Kurapika hid his face. "Fine."

Leorio sighed. "We start right now. With those eggs. They're on the softer side so your stomach can handle it. I'm gonna be making you a lot of protein smoothies so you'd better pick your favorite flavor so I can buy it in bulk." He got up to leave. "When I get back, that plate better... have less on it than it does now."

The door shut and Kurapika was alone again. He had a lot to think about.

—-
Once again it is one am and I have to wake up in five hours to get ready for my 8 hour shift at work and then immediately go to ASL class and spend the entire time fighting to stay awake and doing my best not to cry. YAY