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It was nice to reunite. Genuinely. Even if Kurapika was unable to make it (as expected…) Leorio was still plenty happy to see Gon and Killua again.
Especially Gon. Not because he loved Gon more, or anything, he just…
It had been a while since the whole… Ant Issue.
Leorio wiped Gon's bicep down, pressing the cotton pad down before more blood could pebble on his skin. "All your shots are up to date," he said happily. Whale Island wasn't so backwoods that it lacked medical care. Still, Leorio had been appalled to realize just how little proper check-ups Gon had received over the years. Especially in regard to his immunization vaccines. If he had known the kid had taken the Hunter Exam before he had even gotten a damn tetanus shot—!
He shook himself. It was in the past. If not even rapidly evolving insect monsters from another continent could take him out, then whooping cough probably wouldn't have either. Gon was now protected from every common illness Leorio could possibly think of. That was what was important.
Speaking of ant monsters... "other arm, please," Leorio asked.
"Mhm." Gon shifted in his seat, presenting his other arm without hesitation. His bad arm. The one that had been blown clean off. His whole body destroyed, bones and tendons severed, mutilated beyond recognition... Leorio's fingers trembled as he reached out. Gon barely seemed to notice when Leorio gently took his arm in hand. He didn't react as Leorio ran his fingers lightly down the length of his bicep, his forearm, even lifting and lowering to test the socket. Skin supple and unbroken. Joints all working smoothly. Leorio pressed the pad of his thumb down and felt Gon's heartbeat, steady and strong. He breathed out quietly. Gon swung his legs idly, attention more focused on Killua switching channels on the hotel TV than on Leorio's check up. "All good?" He asked, tone unworried.
Leorio smiled. He let go. "All good," he confirmed softly.
It was no longer a surprise. But it had taken so long, so many check-ups for Leorio to believe it. It was beyond a miracle that Gon was okay, after everything. That even months and years later, he was alive and healthy. His arms still attached, his skin full and cheeks flushed with life. Such a miracle. If not for Killua's little sister…
Leorio paused. "Wait." His tone made both boys sit up. Killua's head slightly turned towards them. Gon's brow furrowed. "Killua, when was the last time you got your shots?"
Gon relaxed in an instant. Killua, on the other hand— "What?" he scoffed, "I don't need those. You know I'm immune to everything."
Leorio frowned. That was a concerning answer. The Zoldycks were thorough in their methods to keep Killua "safe". But those methods were… fucked. Extremely so. "Immune to poisons, yeah. Not tuberculosis." Killua's family members were educated, but they were also psychotic. It was, despite it all, entirely possible they just told him that being sick was "weak", or something. Had him power through them instead of actually providing proper preventative measures.
He didn't like the way Killua's shoulders were set. "Do you ever get any?" Leorio questioned carefully.
Killua finally turned, glaring at him. Gon slowly stopped swinging his legs. "Does it matter?" He snapped.
Leorio didn't put his tools away, but he also didn't immediately set up new ones. If Killua chose to leave, he would not be able to stop him. He was glad he always carried extra shots on hand when he visited— things got crazy, you never knew when an accident meant a couple broken vials. It never hurt to be overprepared when it came to his friends or his profession. He was extra grateful for it now. How could he had overlooked this for so long? He was just so used to Killua being untouchable.
But that had been true for Gon, too, once. He knew better now.
"It does matter," he stated simply. "These kinds of things are really important." He glanced down at his breifcase. At their age, Killua and Gon should have been getting their second dose of several vaccines: their second HPV, MenB, MenACWY shots, their first MenABCWY and Tdap shot, and their annual flu shot. Leorio had just given gone his MenB and MenACWY, and he had already gotten his flu shot at home. But that was with the understanding that he had already also been vaccinated against chickenpox, hepatitis, measles, polio, Hib, PCV—
Did Killua not get any of those?
Shit. Leorio raced through his calendar in his head. When was he next free? Next week? No, he had clincals the week after that he had to study for. Next month? Fuck, he'd be away for his internship with Cheadle. Finals overlapped with that, and he had to study for those. Where was Killua going to be during all that? He and Gon were traveling together again, while Bisky trained Alluka, but that meant they could be anywhere. Leorio doubted Killua would readily go to another doctor for his shots. He had to fight tooth and nail just to have Killua agree to let Leorio give him a check-up.
He stared at his briefcase. He hadn't brought every vaccine, but he did have a lot of important onces. If he could at least administer those—!
"If you're thinking about sticking all those needles in me, the answer is fuck no, old man."
Leorio didn't get angry. Didn't grit his teeth or clench his fists or glare. it wouldn't help. Killua was his patient, and he was a child. Even more than that, Killua was his friend. He wouldn't react well to being pushed. "Killua, these are seriously important. I'm not asking to give you every damn shot in the world, just the couple that I have with me."
"Well I don't want them!" Killua stood up.
Gon was on his feet before even Leorio was. "Killua, wait." He grabbed Killua's hand and Leorio himself startled at the way Killua outright flinched. Gon jerked back like he'd been burnt. "Killua…?"
Killua stuffed his hands into his pockets. His bangs hid most of his eyes, but Leorio would be blind to miss the flinty stare darting between them. Killua's shoulders were squared as if he were ready to fight. "Look, I get that you're a doctor, and even a good one, or whatever, but i don't want or need any of your dumb shots, okay?"
"Killua—"
"Leave it, Gon," Killua snapped.
Gon crossed his arms, stance wide and steady. Not having nen never would change the way Gon stood now, as if raw determination alone could budge the world. "No. Leorio studied really, really hard to know how to help people. If Leorio says it's important for you to get your shots, then I trust him." His expression softened a little. "Don't you?"
Killua grit his teeth. His eyes darted, just once, to the door.
"Killua, c'mon," Gon said, tone pleading. Killua's head sank into his shoulders. He looked anywhere but at Gon. His eyes, inadvertently, landed on Leorio instead.
Leorio didn't stand. He was weaker than Killua, and they both knew it. But that didn't change that he was a tall man. Children, regardless of capability, did not like having someone loom over them. Leorio had dealt with many, many children by now. His clinical trials weren't just for adults— Pediatrics was, by and large, a field that always needed someone. If he could find hours nowhere else, the children's hospitals in any area always had room for him on board.
it helped, honestly, that he kept seeing Gon in every rambunctious little boy and Killua in every pair of blue eyes. He certainly preferred it to seeing Pietro in every hospital bed.
…And, the last thing he wanted to do was accidentally set Killua off further. They were teetering on a knife's edge. One wrong move, and not even Gon would be able to sway him back.
Leorio didn't want to hurt him, and he was sure that Killua knew that. So what was the real issue, here?
"Killua," Leorio kept his tone even and calm, almost casual, "I know your history might make you wary about medical attention, but I promise nothing here is meant to hurt you. These are preventative measures that have existed for decades to keep people from getting ill. It doesn't," he cut Killua off, knowing the moment he let him speak he wasn't getting another chance, "just keep you safe, but everyone else around you. You may be immune to measles, or smallpox, or yellowfever, but what about everyone who isn't?"
He gestured to Gon. "Whale Island doesn't have the most advanced health care. Before I gave them to Gon, he wasn't vaccinated against a lot of different and dangerous diseases. It's frankly a miracle he didn't get even chickenpox when he first left Whale Island." Gon proudly showed off his new bandaid on his upper arm, a round little thing with little purple stars on it. Leorio carried "adult" bandaids, sure, but who didn't like a cool bandaid? Some people were so damn boring. "Not having your shots doesn't just mean you might get sick. It can mean you don't feel sick, but you still carry that sickness— and eventually, you'll give it to someone who isn't able to just shake off something like whooping cough. These things can and do kill people."
Killua glanced between him and Gon, brows scrunching with worry. "How often…?"
Leorio debated telling him. It wasn't as direct as physical murder. Killua wasn't trying to hurt anybody by being unvaccinated, and Leorio kind of doubted he did. Missions and training or not, Killua was about as isolated as Gon was, growing up. And, though he didn't act like it, Killua was a sensitive kid. There was a non-zero chance he took their conversation to later mean that he had killed people because he hadn't been vaccinated.
He shook himself. Killua wasn't a tiny twelve year old, anymore. He was a budding young adult. He deserved Leorio's transparency as much as any patient of his.
"Around a million and a half of children die from preventable diseases every year."
Killua went sickly pale. "That's… a lot," he managed. "Just kids?"
"If we include everyone, it's several million."
"S-Several…" Killua looked jerkily at Gon. "Alluka… Alluka doesn't have her shots," he nearly squeaked out. "Will she be okay!? I could— I'll call Bisky! We can work something out, right!?"
Interesting. So he wasn't opposed to vaccinations themselves, then? Nor did he seem bothered that it was Leorio giving them, if he so readily wanted to have him give them to his precious little sister. That was a very good sign. Leorio was certain Alluka definitely didn't have her shots, if not even Killua did. But that still didn't answer for Killua.
Leorio's mind raced. He pawed through his breifcase, glancing idly through his unused syringes. He stared at the labels on the glass and the liquid inside as if they could answer his questions.
it wasn't the medicine, it wasn't Leorio, it wasn't doctors in general, it wasn't carelessness. What else—?
The metal glinted.
Leorio straightened. He took on a purely clinical tone.
"Killua, I want you to be honest with me, please. I'm going to ask you a personal question. We can ask Gon to leave the room, if you'd prefer." He wouldn't But it was important to ask. Especially when it came to mental health... and trauma. Gon knew firsthand the horror Killua had been through at the hands of his family. He was no stranger to bad people, or child abuse, or trauma. But right then, Killua came first, and Leorio was going to respect his patient and friend no matter what.
Killua blinked, taken aback by the sudden turn. "What? No, Gon can stay. What are you—"
Leorio held up a syringe. It was a standard flu vaccine. As dangerous as a mild bee sting. The long needle flashed silver in the overhead lights.
Killua flinched back with his entire body. His arms twitched up before freezing, hands only halfway out of his pockets.
A stone sank into Leorio's gut. Bingo.
He didn't have to say it. Gon's mouth opened in realization. Killua's expression went chilly. He turned to the door.
"Ohh," Gon said, "Why didn't you just say so?"
He reached out, snagging Killua's hand. Killua whipped around, sputtering, but Gon barely blinked— using both of their momentum to wrangle Killua away from the door and plopping him down onto the bed beside them. Leorio's breifcase rattled as the contents were disturbed and Killua leapt away like a cat from a cucumber, practically hissing in upset.
He went wide-eyed and quiet as Gon tucked himself against his side. "Auntie used to do this for me all the time when I got my flu shots," Gon said. He picked up Killua's hand, prying it from where it had twisted into the bedsheets, and placed it in his. "I'll hold you hand while you get yours, okay?"
Killua just sputtered, wordless. He stared at Gon's face, bright and cheery. Leorio snickered as the tips of his ears flushed bright pink.
It snapped him out of it. "Fuck off, old man!" he yelled. Still, he didn't pull away. His fingers awkwardly curled around Gon's hand. Gon positively beamed. "I'm not fucking scared. I haven't even seen that fucker in ages."
He was. They all knew. Illumi loomed in Leorio's memory. Even now, the visual of those needles were as fresh as yesterday. The way people had contorted and suffered under those sharp points, long, thin and cruel…
But it didn't have to be said. Leorio wouldn't tease him, this once. "You'll let me get through them all? If you were a normal person, I could only give you a couple in case they react, but since you're not I'm just gonna go down the list," he warned.
Killua squeezed his eyes shut. Opened them. He glanced at Leorio's briefcase, running his gaze down all the assorted labels. "Alluka could get one of these," he said seriously. "She wasn't trained the way the rest of us were. If she got polio, or whatever, she could die, right?"
Leorio wouldn't sugarcoat it. He nodded. "Slowly and painfully."
Killua grit his teeth. His hand not in Gon's clenched so tight it trembled, knuckles white as snow. "Okay," he forced out. "Do it then."
Thank you, Killua, Leorio didn't say. He had to move quickly. Anything could make Killua lose his nerve. He swabbed Killua's arm down with alcohol, glad the boys had both been in tank tops for the warm weather. He could see the beginnings of sweat glistening in the fine silver hairs behind Killua's ears. "You don't have to look," Leorio said gently.
Killua nodded tightly. He didn't look at Gon, or even the TV— just stared straight ahead at nothing as Leorio administered the first shot. The needle slid in smooth, emptied, and pulled out smooth. Killua didn't get any more relaxed. No "wow, that was easier than I thought", or "oh, is it already over?" Just stony silence and cold sweat and goosebumps breaking out all over his shoulders like hives, raising the hair on his arms. His already pale face was a sickly sort of pallid, almost corpse-like. Leorio wondered, briefly, if he should have grabbed the trash bin out of the bathroom in case he threw up.
No time for it now. He'd just have to clean him up later if he did. Leorio needed to work as quickly as possible. He didn't bother asking what bandaid Killua wanted. he didn't crack jokes. He didn't explain every vaccine, or every illness. It wouldn't help Killua feel better, and so it wasn't useful. He just moved, swift and firm. Needle after needle in a neat and compact line. Clean the skin. Prep the needle. Pinch the arm. Killua had stopped flinching. But it didn't mean anything. His eyes were unseeing, staring past them into the floor as if he could stare right through the rug. Gon didn't complain even as his hand creaked with Killua's force.
"Almost done," he said, almost whispering.
Killua was shaking. The tiniest little tremors, barely smothered by Gon's touch. But Leorio could still feel them rumbling through the bed under them. Killua's jaw was so tight he nearly worried the other would break a tooth. Leorio wasn't sure he was even breathing. He could only feel his heartbeat thudding wildly under his hand, rabbiting like it was trying to squeeze out of his veins in a paste.
"One more," Leorio promised. He didn't even wait to finish saying it before he stabbed it in. By the next breath it was over. The needle slid out of Killua's arm. Leorio set it down into the little sharps bucket he had prepared for Gon's shots, as quietly as possible. He moved it out of Killua's sight with his foot. If he could, he would have thrown the damn things across the room. He didn't say good job. Killua would probably just feel insulted by it. "Do you… want to choose your last bandaid?"
Killua turned, so stiff Leorio was waiting for his neck to creak. He glanced at the assortment of colorful little bandaids in Leorio's open hand.
His eyes caught the row of round bandaids dotting his arm and he nearly went green. He turned back around. "I'm good," he croaked.
"I'll choose." Gon pressed heavily into him, reaching for the bandaids. Neither he nor Leorio brought up the way Killua finally exhaled, short and whistling, and subtly leaned back into him. That was the whole point of holding hands, after all. Gon made for a very good grounder. he picked the best bandaid, too, in Leorio's opinion— a lovely blue, as clean and clear as open summer skies.
Gon presented it and smiled with satisfaction as Killua slowly took it from him, pressing it to the tiny pinprick of blood that had welled up. "It's the same blue as your eyes," he said. He pressed closer, practically nose-to-nose. "Isn't it pretty, Killua?"
The sickly pallor was washed off Killua's cheeks, replaced with a fierce blush.
"It's not— you— What the fuck!" he sputtered, flustered, needles swiftly forgotten.
He continued to fumble as Leorio discreetly disposed of his sharps bin. Leorio glanced over at Gon over Killua's head, raising a brow. He could only laugh at the smug expression on that satisfied little face.
Leorio patted Killua's shoulder. "Make sure to call Bisky, too," he said, "get it all out of the way fast, and then you won't have to deal with another needle for a good long time." Until next year's flu season, that was. But, hopefully, the exposure now would make next time far easier. Killua would never have to deal with so many needles at once again, if he was lucky. It was a real bonus how well Gon did his job. Even as sobering as the reminder of Alluka's shots were, the pink hue didn't leave Killua's pale cheeks.
"I will! Fuck, man, you just don't let up." Killua grumbled, rubbing his arms. His fingers skipped awkwardly over the new bandaids. His expression only stuttered a second. Leorio watched carefully. There were still cards recommending some good therapists in his briefcase. Maybe this time, they would accept them? "…Thanks, I guess."
"No problem, idiot. Better late than never, huh?" Leorio couldn't resist himself, scrubbing his fingers through that wispy white hair. When Killua roared, throwing himself at him, he could only laugh. It was good to reunite.
Now, if only he could check up on Kurapika, next...