Work Text:
Back in third grade, Leorio remembers seeing someone from the other class, a transferee. He had thought the student had the prettiest get-ups every other day.
Long skirts adorned with big embroidered patterns, or intricate ones, paired with cardigans of the same design. Sometimes there's a simple shirt and pants, but the pants would have a touch of artistry, with patterns around the side of the leg and the ends of the shirt.
Sometimes, the blond hair was adorned in a ribbon or two, usually in gold, tied around the upper strands to keep the bangs from the face. It was cute.
And with the bright grey eyes, energetic smile, and tendency to get into trouble at times, it all just piqued Leorio's curiosity.
Whoever that was, Leorio wanted to bring up a conversation and talk. But he couldn't, for a variety of reasons, such as other kids interpreting he has a crush and teasing him for it. Especially Pietro. It's a good thing his friend hadn't said anything about it. Until now.
"You're staring. Didn't your mama say it's rude to stare the other day?" Pietro asked Leorio, interrupting his thoughts.
"I just stared off into space, that's it!" Leorio reasoned, and walked faster to the classroom.
"Uhuuuuh," Pietro teases, but he didn't say anything else. There's more time for teasing later.
During lunchtime, Leorio sat under the tree in the school garden, waiting for Pietro to get whatever he needed from the classroom. They both finished lunch, which were a few snacks they were able to bring, and agreed to pass the time in the garden.
Leorio sat in the quiet. Most students were still either in the cafeteria in this time, or in their classroom eating lunch.
"Ow-"
Except for the one behind him, maybe.
Leorio turns around to see who it is, and sees blond hair. He bites his lip to avoid saying anything embarrassing.
"This tree is very hard to climb," the student with the pretty clothes and ribbons told Leorio, pointing at the tree.
"Why were you even climbing it?" Leorio asked, it being the first thing on his mind. It wasn't the best reply, but what was he supposed to say?
"Because it's fun, I guess...Anyways, my name's Kurapika, what's yours?" The student- Kurapika asked, offering a hand.
Leorio looked at the hand, noticing a hint of red on one of the fingers.
"You have a wound," Leorio said, holding Kurapika's wrist and gestured back to the building, "I'll take you to the nurse. The name's Leorio."
"If you insist, but I think it's okay even without a bandage," Kurapika reasoned, but followed along anyway.
"It's not, what if it speaks?"
"Wounds don't speak!" Kurapika exclaimed, before laughing. It was kind of funny to think a wound
"I'm just saying-" Leorio replied and looked away, a bit flustered. He had a dream once that a wound had talked to him, and insisted every wound he saw- the ones his siblings or friend had get treated.
"Alright, alright, Leolio."
Leorio huffed, before replying, "It's Le-o-ri-o."
"Leo- Le-o-li-ack," Kurapika shook his head, "Can I call you Leo?"
"If it stops you from butchering my name. We're here."
Leorio opened the door to the school clinic and lead Kurapika inside. The nurse looked at them and asked what they needed.
"Kurapika over here has a small wound," Leorio explained and showed Kurapika's hand.
"I told him it'll be alright but he says they might speak-"
"Hey!"
The nurse chuckled and started to clean the wound, "Well, there's still the thread of it getting infected."
Leorio crossed his arms and huffed, "Right."
A few moments later, after Kurapika's finger had been patched up, the two walked back to their respective classrooms.
Before Kurapika went in, he took hold of Leorio's hand before saying, "Leo, wait. Thank you."
Leorio blinked. He felt his face heating up, but decided not to think too much about it.
"It-its nothing," He replied, looking away.
"Hope we can talk again tomorrow," Kurapika said before entering the classroom.
Leorio nodded. He wanted to talk to Kurapika again.
But the next day, Kurapika didn't show up. Or the day after that. And the days after that.
It was as if some sort of invisible string got cut.
--
Years later, in the middle of his dreary life, Leorio goes back on that particular memory of meeting Kurapika. Having lost Pietro, he usually avoided going back to that part of his life for he usually ends up crying whenever he does.
He might have lost contact with Kurapika, he hoped that the world hasn't. But sometimes wondered if Kurapika was even real at all. He didn't have any concrete evidence that Kurapika had existed. No pictures, gifts, nothing.
That was until he bumps into a big roll of blue velvet fabric one sunny afternoon on the sidewalk.
"...Sorry-" A person peeked from behind the fabric, "I'm was in a bit of a hurry."
"It's- Just be careful next time," Leorio fixed his sunglasses.
"Yes, and please don't be lost in your thoughts too."
"You-" Leorio started, annoyed, but stopped when he saw the person with the street far away from him already, walking in the opposite direction as him.
He caught a glimpse of blonde hair, and a blue vest, decorated with...familiar shapes and swirls.
Leorio shrugged. He might just be dreaming.
He continued walking. He still had to pick up his cousin, Gon.
---
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Gon asked, looking up at Leorio.
"I'm pretty sure," Leorio stopped, and looked around. Just where did this designer set up shop?
"Over there!" Gon pointed to a small shop with clear walls decorated with designs and ran.
"Slow down, will you-" Leorio said, following after him.
"I think we came a little early, my classmates aren't here yet," Gon observed after opening the door and peeking inside.
"I see that."
"Hello, welcome to Scarlet threads, how can I help you?" The designer greeted gesturing for them to come in. Leorio and Gon looked around the shop, in awe of the creations displayed.
There were a few designs that looked different, to which Leorio was sure he saw before a few times, when he was a kid. He then noticed the big roll of blue fabric that he remembered bumping into earlier.
Leorio turns his head to get a good look at the designer. He was right. The designer looked like the prick from the street.
"You're the-"
"Hello! I'm Gon, from Class 5-A, who'll be one of the performers. We're here for the measurements!" Gon greeted.
"I'm Kurapika. I'm looking forward to be working with you and your class," Kurapika answered and gave Gon a smile, then looked back up to Leorio, "What about you? What's yours?"
Hearing this, it was as if Leorio was taken back to that time, in the school garden, as he was asked the same question.
"Leorio," He replied, not knowing what to say next, even if he had a lot of to say.
Kurapika looked at him silently, and met his eyes.
"Leo?"
"Yeah, it's me," Leorio nodded, smiling, "It's nice to see you again."
Little do they know, the threads were at work again, building up something unknown to them.