This Won't End Well

15: How To Overthink Everything

Gon sat at the breakfast table next to Leorio, who made yet another round of semi-edible pancakes. He smothered them in syrup to drown out the burnt taste before stuffing them in his mouth, syrup lining the rims of his lips.

"Gon, can you please eat normally and not stuff the entire pancake into your mouth. That's disgusting," Kurapika grumbled from across the table. He sat there sipping his black coffee, eyeing Gon with nothing but disgust written on his face.

"Kin ou clumb ouf uv ma ase," Gon mumbled through a full mouth. Leorio knew what he was trying to say and kicked him swiftly in the shin. "OW!" He groaned. Leorio gave him a look that said it all: 'If Kurapika had understood you, you would've gotten a lot worse.'

"So, Gon, what's on the docket for today?" Leorio asked with a smile as if he hadn't just dealt Gon a painful blow to the shin.

"Uh, I'm going to the planetarium with Killua," He answered, a small smile growing on his face.

"You sure have been spending a lot of time with him, haven't you?" Kurapika quipped, looking up from his coffee mug.

Gon eyed Kurapika with a scowl. "Is that okay with you?" He snapped.

"What do you guys do all day, anyway?" Kurapika asked. Gon rolled his eyes and just ignored Kurapika. He was tired of fighting every time he interacted with him.

"Yeah, Gon, what have you two been up to?" Leorio asked in a kinder tone, one that Gon was more than happy to answer.

"Okay, well, we've been furniture shopping together, grocery shopping, went to lunch at Sam's yesterday, and night swimming yesterday too. Otherwise, we've just been hanging out around his apartment, and I've been helping him unpack and stuff," Gon recalled fondly.

Kurapika hummed inquisitively. "Interesting," He muttered under his breath. Gon shot him a curious look before being caught off guard by Leorio shaking his shoulder.

"So- you know I've gotta ask this- do you like him?" Leorio asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"Wha- Leorio!" He shrieked, shoving Leorio off of him and sending the man into a fit of laughter.

"You didn't answer my question!" He taunted, sticking a tongue out at his young friend.

"No, I don't!" Gon proclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"You say that, but the shade of your face says something else. Red's a good color on you, kid," He joked, pinching Gon's rosy cheeks. Gon slapped his hand away and glared at him.

"My face is red because I'm yelling at you, not because I like Killua," Gon insisted, his eyebrows scrunching as well as his nose.

"C'mon, kiddo, you know I'm only teasing you," Leorio beamed, ruffling Gon's hair with his hand. Gon pouted to himself and sank in his chair, earning a small laugh from Leorio. "You done with breakfast?" Leorio asked, reaching to clear their plates. Gon nodded, and Leorio took his plate to the kitchen, as well as Kurapika's. As he did the dishes, Gon pulled out his phone.

Killua

Gon:
About today- I
was thinking that
we could head over
to the planetarium
at like 6?

If that works with u

"What time are you going to be home?" Kurapika asked.

"Or should we not wait up?" Leorio added with an implicative tone. Gon rolled his eyes and just decided to ignore them both. Is this what kids feel when their parents tease them?