Hunter x Hunter Shorts

No harm done | The Playground

Killua didn't go back home.

He didn't that day, he didn't the next, nor the entire next week.

He and Gon shared a bed and a room and from time to time Leorio overheard Gon say things he wasn't sure if they were meant as flirting or if Gon was just completely oblivious to what he was saying.
Killua clearly wasn't.

Their shitty apartment was a bit small for four people but somehow it worked out.

Killua didn't go to school - apparently never had, not that it really surprised Leorio considering what family he was from - and since Kurapika and Leorio could hardly pretend to be his parents to get him into one he took over a lot of household chores, making it easier for Kurapika since he could work longer hours and earn more money, and also for Leorio since he could focus more on school and studying.

It wasn't easy to figure out at first but they made it work.

On Gon's birthday, a bright day that had no business being as hot as it was, they went to a simple restaurant in the outskirts of York New, since the one where Leorio had proposed to Kurapika was temporarily closed because of a death in the family of the owners.

Everytime he went out here Leorio was surprised all over by how much cleaner everything seemed compared to the centre of town where they lived and he went to school.

The alleyways weren't as dark, with less drug deals, muggings and assaults, there wasn't as much litter on the streets, the street lamps actually worked and some of the houses were painted in nice colours with pretty flowerpots on the porches. Sure, a few had been knocked over, likely by delinquents, those were the minority.

There even was a nice playground next to the restaurant, without shady teenagers or graffiti, and Gon excitedly asked if he and Killua could go play there after dinner.
Neither Leorio nor Kurapika could find a reason why they shouldn't. Kurapika just told them to stay in sight.

The boys ate quickly before Gon excitedly grabbed Killua's hand and pulled him towards the swings.

Leorio smiled fondly as he watched them go and took a sip of his beer.

"You know, I think Gon might have a crush on Killua," he told Kurapika.

"You think? He definitely has a crush. So does Killua," Kurapika said matter-of-factly and stole a french fry off Leorio's plate, dipping it in the ketchup until it was nearly completely covered.

"You think so? How can you be so sure?"

"When Gon called him 'cool' just after they met he acted cocky. When he told him he was 'smart' yesterday Killua blushed and told him that he should stop because he was being embarrassing," Kurapika explained and glanced outside again only to freeze. His face fell.

Leorio followed his gaze.

Gon and Killua were by the slides. Next to them stood a tall man in what looked like a weird white clown costume. The man was smiling as he towered over the boys.
Killua looked ready to bolt at any moment. Gon was still smiling but Leorio could see how forced it was and the tension in his stance.

Kurapika was on his feet and out of the door in seconds.
Leorio followed him quickly.

The man chuckled creepily at something Gon had said as they got closer.

"I bet you'll just be delicious once you're ripe, boy ♠️," he said, licking his lips. His voice made shivers run down Leorio's spine. Every instinct in his body told him that this man was dangerous. Very dangerous.

"Hey!" Kurapika called. "Get away from them!"

The man looked up, his smile barely falling.

"And who are you? ♦️" he asked.

"We're their friends," Leorio heard himself say. "Who the hell are you?"

The man chuckled.

"I'm Hisoka, the magician. ♣️"

He looked back down at the boys.

"Now, it was lovely talking to you, but I'm afraid I've got to go~ I'm sure we'll meet again. ♥️"

Then he turned around and disappeared into the shadows.

For a moment Leorio remained frozen, staring at where Hisoka had been, before he managed to snap himself out of it.

"Gon, Killua, are you okay?" he asked. "Did he do anything to you?"

Gon looked mostly confused.

He slowly shook his head.

"No, he was... just kinda weird," Gon shrugged.

"Killua?" Kurapika asked. "Are you alright?"

"I think I know that guy," Killua said hesitantly. "He uhm... He's my brother's fiance. I haven't met him before but I know his name... and that bloodlust."

"Bloodlust?" Gon asked.

"He's moments away from killing someone."

"What makes you think that?" Leorio frowned. He didn't doubt it, Hisoka had made the hairs on the back of his neck stand, but Killua sounded completely certain.

"I know his type. I'm the same."

Right.

Assassin child.

He had almost forgotten again.

"No, you're not," Kurapika spoke up. "You're nothing like that guy. Let's go back to the restaurant, boys. I think they have some nice desserts."

"Okay," Gon smiled. Still, Leorio could tell that the encounter had creeped him out.

On the way home Leorio noticed the same shivers run down his spine as earlier.

He looked around but couldn't see Hisoka anywhere.

No, he realised. It wasn't his bloodlust. It was Killua's.

Not a single street rat crossed their path on the way back and Leorio wondered if they could feel it.

Was this what alerted him when something was going down in an alleyway?
Bloodlust?

In that case, whose bloodlust had he felt on that day months ago when he had first met Killua?

The mans' who had cornered him?

Or the boy's?

He wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer.

When he was finally lying in bed, Kurapika nuzzled in his side, he got the unpleasant feeling that it wouldn't be the last time they had encountered Hisoka.