Hunter x Hunter Shorts

No harm done | The Meeting

York New was a rotten place.
With one of the highest crime rates and entire parts of the city controlled by gangs and the mafia it was one of the worst places to live in.
At the same time it was also one of the places where you could get the best education. Especially in the medical field. Due to all the gang wars there was a big interest in doctors.
Leorio had no intention of ever working for any of these criminals. He wanted to become a doctor though and for someone with as little money as he had York New sadly was the best and maybe only opportunity.
He had quickly learnt how to defend himself and how to avoid streets where something was about to go down.
He didn't always do so though.
Sometimes the urge to help was stronger than the common sense.
Kurapika always told him that he needed to cut it out but he never managed to. He wasn't the type of person who could block out a distressed person or a cry for help.

He knew that something was happening in the alleyway before he even passed it.
Carefully he peaked around the corner and immediately knew that Kurapika would yell at him later.
Three tall men with knives had surrounded a small child maybe around Gon's age. Backed the child into a corner.
Leorio closed his hand around the knife hidden in his waistband.
Not on his goddamn watch.

"Hey, assholes!" he yelled when one of the men moved to strike the kid.

They turned around surprised. Then pissed.

"Keep walking if you know what's good for you!" one of the men yelled at him.

Leorio most certainly did not know what was good for him. He pulled out his knife and charged for the nearest of the thugs.
The man was surprised and Leorio took the opportunity to stab him in the shoulder and take the man's weapon.

"Hey!" one of the other two yelled and punched Leorio in the face before he could react.

His glasses flew through the air and clattered against the ground somewhere behind him.
He felt one of his knives meet flesh.
Police sirens cut through the air.

"Damnit!," the man Leorio had stabbed cursed. "Let's get out of here! Not worth it!"

Leorio let them run.
Blood was leaking from his own nose and it hurt. Not broken at least.
He pocketed his and the man's knives and turned towards the kid.

He had pale skin, white hair and intense blue eyes that stared at Leorio in surprise.
No visible injury on first glance.

"Are you hurt?" Leorio asked anyway.

The boy stared for a few moments. Geez, didn't this kid need to blink?

"A bit," he finally responded. "Not badly."

"I'm a doctor," Leorio claimed. The kid didn't need to know that he wasn't done with medical school yet. "I can help you."

Children in this city had to learn early on to watch their backs. Leorio knew that the boy wouldn't trust him just because he had fended off the thugs.
The boy narrowed his eyes at him, still not blinking.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Leorio. Leorio Paladiknight."

"Do you have any medical supplies on you?" the boy asked.

Leorio shook his head.

"Not right now but I live just down the street," he pointed in the vague direction.

The boy nodded.

"Alright, lead the way."

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Leorio briefly wondered if the child might rob him as he unlocked the apartment door.
He pushed the thought away.