dumbshow | answer your god damn phone

[But it is a secret affair. Face the facts!!]

If we compare her to the earlier cases, she's certainly holding out longer than expected. I counted out the days and she should have passed yesterday, on average. Instead, isn't she doing a little better?

[He's holding onto hope-- or dragging hope out by its teeth, but details.] I've been thinking on it. Her expertise in nen is much higher than the ones who didn't fair so well, but when I've observed her with gyo, there's no sign of any changes in her aura. It could just be coincidence, but in comparison, my own symptoms seem easier to deal with than the others, as well...

['Easier to deal with' is apparently coughing up blood and falling over himself in the hallway, but sure.] And somehow, despite direct exposure, you haven't caught it at all.

[It will be in 410 comments!!

Leorio falters at this explanation- nen isn't his forte at all, so if the illness really has something to do with nen then he'll need Kurapika not falling over in hallways more than ever. But it's true that Melody's condition has improved even if only slightly, and Kurapika is somehow still not bedridden (although he should be, little punk).]

What, now I'm better at nen than you? [should he... punch the illness....

But really, if nen has something to do with it and he isn't sick, then- He feels like a moron having to ask this, but whatever!!]

Can you poison... nen?

I didn't say that.

[Let's not get out of hand here. He's still thinking, and it's all aloud, even as they step through the door to Melody's room again. Thankfully there's no one else to get in the way of his loud thought process right now.]

Poison... Hypothetically, it could be possible, if that were someone's specific ability... But just knowing it's a type of 'poison' wouldn't be much help either. Unless...

[Give his big nerd brain a minute here, he's trying to piece all the different parts together to triangulate more exact reasoning.]

For something to fit the bill, it would have had to have hit all of those who were affected and no one else, so there'd have to be a time when we were all together with none of the others present. The timing of showing symptoms and facing them seems to relate directly to nen usage-- [And... alright, he's skipping some of his thinking in the out loud parts. He's on such a roll here it might look like he's overheating. So close, but he doesn't quite have it yet, come on!]

By either increasing the parts of our own nen to toxic levels, or introducing a foreign, toxic element that's too small to detect... Which is more likely? Which is less noticeable?

[Wow, ice cold. Grumble grumble don't say things like that so quickly. Leorio crosses the room to check on Melody again while Kurapika thinks aloud. It's really, really fortunate that Kurapika isn't too sick to think all of this through, because he'd never be able to... and he's missed all the important context.

Like,] You said her aura hasn't changed. And wouldn't it be trickier to interfere with different auras at once?

[So... option 2?? Is he right?? Come on, special nen genius, solve the puzzle.]

[He half wants to know if Leorio knows anything about nen aside from how to punch assholes, but he decides against it. There are more important things than throwing shade right now.]

Right. At first, I wondered if may our own auras could have been manipulated, but that's far more likely to have noticeable effects. A change in senses, in appearance, even alerting the user... [He's pacing, by the way.]

But if it were something microscopic, unable to be seen by even the human eye that can view nen, then... It can make its way into the body like the rest of it and slowly tear the body apart from the inside out!

[His feet stop in place, and after a coughing fit that's a little harder to cover up, he faces Leorio.] If that were possible, the only thing I could imagine to mesh so well with nen as a disguise is other nen itself. In small enough doses, it could be mistaken as their own nen by the body... and make its way inside. The larger the source or the keener one's senses, the more it has to adjust and disperse to eventually get in.

[Something's bothering him, though, if his expression is anything to go by. He covers his mouth with a hand in focus.]

But when could that have happened...? There are plenty of times when we all work together, but for only our specific members...

[Is there anything about nen worth knowing besides how to punch assholes?? Ask yourself this, Kurapika.

Leorio makes his way over to the chair to have a seat and just... watch, really, watch Kurapika go back and forth. He opens his mouth to say something about that coughing fit but, okay, fine, he'll save it for later. As usual.

He sits back, folding his arms and frowning. It feels less and less like he's actually participating here, which is annoying—]

Hell if I know. If that's right, then it means the first person to get sick had the least- nen- resistance. [shut up he's a doctor nOT A NEN WIZARD] When was that?

Two weeks ago... roughly.

[The days are blending together, but he thinks that's about right. It might help Leorio's worry as Kurapika finishes with his pacing to walk over and actually sit in the chair beside him.

He holds one of his hands out, focusing more of his nen there as he tries to detect anything off or different. No go. But he doesn't have any techniques for this... It's no good. He's hit a dead end.

Or he thinks that for a good few more seconds before something strikes him.]

There was one time. Roughly a month ago. All of us and Nostrade were handling some things at a local casino. I hadn't thought that someone would target all of us except for the head, but if their goal wasn't to kill him, but to isolate him...

[Then it makes sense, right??]

["help"]

[Leorio can only shrug. This makes more sense than anything else they've managed so far - it looks like a flu but behaves nothing like an actual infection, so nen at least seems more feasible. He thinks. Hopefully he's not just getting his hopes up now that an answer with a decent chance of being the right one has cropped up, because - how do they do something about it?

They're definitely not out of the woods yet.]

Who else was there? [Waiters, dealers, bouncers, other patrons- it's not hard to plant someone in a casino.]

Too many people to narrow it down. There were some rival families, regular civilians, crooks... The casino was having a special event, so it was advertised.

[It doesn't exactly make it easy. Another harsh bit of coughing-- talking doesn't help much, and he's worse off than he had been before-- and he sits back with a heavy sigh once he's caught his breath.]

I can request the video footage and work with it later. [His technique might come in use there... But here?] But none of that helps us right now.

...I'm not familiar with any of your abilities other than that punch. Do you have any? [He's so rude.]

[What kind of paranoid mafia gang goes to a special event... Nostrade is an idiot, pass it on.

And Kurapika is rude; Leorio grumbles something irritably again, then runs a hand through his hair with a frustrated sigh.]

Don't make it sound like I'm that bad... [Although, compared to some people who smell chains. Hmm.] There's something else, but I don't know if it, uh, works.

[Which is why he hasn't been going around tapping on people!! Surely, and not because he's on a way lower nen level.]

[While Leorio mumbles and complains about the rudeness here, Kurapika ignores it as per usual. But that comment gets him curious. He leans a little closer, as if that would pry the information from his friend here.

He actually does know another?]

Can you describe it to me? [He's shared his own abilities, and he knows they're friends, but he has enough respect to ask if Leorio would be okay with sharing it, first of all.]

[Don't look so surprised. He can sense it, that's his ability - sensing when Kurapika is being a little punk.

Rather, he's not sure it makes enough sense other than the vague idea to be described well. So, because Kurapika will definitely go for this,]

Let me see your hand.

[Ah, you know him so well. If it had sounded even remotely useful in all of this, he would have volunteered himself. So this is skipping a step, and he's not sure what to expect, but he does trust Leorio.

So without even a pause, he offers Leorio his chain-free hand.]

[It's not a skill he's had much practice at, simply because it's a little eccentric to bring up aura or nen in a room full of perfectly ordinary med students and so who would even listen to him if he tried - but it's an idea he's kicked around that might work and might be a total wash. He's not sure.

It takes him a minute or so of just staring at the back of Kurapika's hand sitting on his palm to actually figure out how to get his aura to do what he wants with it. He concentrates, then with his other hand just- taps on Kurapika's hand, putting a small amount of aura behind it. Well, he already knows Kurapika is sick, so it's not incredibly useful in gathering any new information... and it's a work in progress.

Then he looks back up at Kurapika, waiting for... something. An acknowledgement that he didn't just tap stupidly on him, at least.]

[He'll get that much for certain. Kurapika blinks in clear surprise, the tension that had been eating at him just seconds before wiping away. This was... Similar to en? A searching he could only notice while specifically paying attention for it, and even then it was probably only possible because it was a little clumsy.

A new technique, he's sure.]

Was that-- a scanning technique? [He sounds honestly amazed. He hadn't thought of something like that, but it makes sense for Leorio's line of work...] That's amazing! You came up with this on your own?

[For once, words like that don't come out degrading. Rather, he's impressed. To the point where he hasn't pulled his hand back.] The amount of situations a technique like this could be useful in... Leorio, if you could locate any of the microscopic differences in our nen, if it turns out to be that after all, this could be the solution!

[Oh—oh, he has to look away now, suddenly embarrassed. Now it's amazing, jeez, don't say it so openly... His ears are definitely not turning pink, no, shut up. Shut up.]

It's— not done yet!!

[Obviously, given the fumbles. He could use a crash course in nen still, but it's workable. Truthfully, he's not sure how useful it will really be on such short notice- to find a difference in nen someone like Kurapika hasn't noticed by now, he'll really need to refine it, and quickly...

And that still leaves how to deal with the nen aberrations, assuming they're right, but he'll think about that one later. It's doable, messing with this skill, if Kurapika helps-]

I'll give it a try. [He points at Kurapika, excitable again.] Thanks for volunteering to be my guinea pig.

[There's a small, fond smile at all of that, but he still raises one of his fingers.]

I'll gladly help out, but you'll have to be willing to work overtime. [That finger moves over to his lips. Right, since he's not 'sick', remember?] We can start tonight, upstairs. After you've taken care of what you can with Melody, we should search for a way to stop it this way. Or at least a way to confirm if that's what this really is.

[Yeah, because sneaking into his room at night is going to stop those secret affair suspicions. Good work.

But rather than thinking about that, Leorio looks over at Melody, his expression dropping slightly. She's showing more symptoms than Kurapika, so trying it on her would probably prove more useful- but since it's not nearly refined enough, he doesn't want to accidentally make her condition worse.

He'll totally poke Kurapika in the dark, though. No big.]

You say "overtime" like I'm not down here most of the day anyway. [a shrug!] Later's the best I'm gonna get out of you, anyway.

[What's that supposed to mean?? It's sounding more and more suggestive, but neither of them seem to notice, so it's fine. Kurapika drops that hand from his face, looking over to Melody as well. He's sure he knows what Leorio is thinking from that gaze, and he's been thinking the same.]

If you can perfect your technique or at least get the risk level down through me, you'll be able to help everyone. This will likely be the real battle.

['Battle' he says, what a fucking nerd. But while Leorio has been holding back further symptoms rather well, discovering and destroying the cause is what they're aiming for here.] It's no guarantee, but... I feel a little better just at the opportunity.

["Battle"... don't be a loser. Leorio gives him a look for that one - nerrrd - then sits back in his chair. He's restless again almost immediately, and seconds after sitting back he's getting up, tapping his foot, striding over to Melody's bed to check that she hasn't gone catatonic again or something, he needs - something to do.]

Don't make any plans with Nostrade for tomorrow morning! [ok] It's going to be a long night, and I sure as hell won't let you cut out for that old man!

[It's also going to be a long rest of the day, with him like this.]

[Leorio really dislikes this guy. Kurapika would comment on it if he didn't understand his feelings completely. So instead, he crosses his legs and considers it, thumbing through his phone.]

Fine. I'll block it as something else entirely, so you won't have to worry about any interruptions. I'll be all yours.

[So calm down, actual old man. Ah, but that makes Kurapika shift and stand, phone sliding back into a pocket.]

But that means I should take care of a few things right now. Call me if anything happens with Melody. We can meet upstairs once you're ready.

[He'll never be calm... He can fake it for a couple seconds right now, while he waves a hand to tell Kurapika to go do his thing if he must.]

Go ahead. Don't overdo it!

[Is Kurapika used to hearing that five times a day yet, because he should be. That aside, miraculously nothing earth-shattering happens before a suitably late time of night perfect for sneaking across the hall like a kid trying to sneak out of the house. Leorio knocks once, then rethinks his strategy and knocks again, but actually tries to make it a little quiet this time.

This plan is perfect. He doesn't say anything, figuring he's the only one skulking around the hall in his dweeby flannel pajamas right now anyway. Let him in before this changes, the shame...]

[He expects it, and yet he's still not used to it. But it's fine. This time, he checks his phone obsessively as he goes about his day. Runs some errands for Nostrade, takes care of certain arrangements, finds a good excuse for being busy tomorrow morning and tonight...

It actually gives him a few hours back in his room where he can rest his eyes. He can't quite sleep, a mixture of hope, excitement and worry eating at his chest, but none of that matters when he hears that loud-soft knock combo.

Shaking his head to himself, he pushes himself up from his bed and takes a few slow steps to the door, cracking it open to check the obvious before he opens it the rest of the way to let him in. Look! Now they're both in dweeb pajamas. Kurapika's has the sleeves rolled up and his top unbuttoned just a few from the heat his fever is causing, but aside from that, it's nearly his usual non-suit outfit.

He closes the door behind Leorio once he enters.]

How should we start? [Hi.]

[Let's get this slumber party started. Leorio decides to make it quick, ignoring Kurapika's shitty greeting and how he got out of bed when he shouldn't have!! Because he's sick!!

Instead he nudges Kurapika's shoulder, very deliberately.]

You get back in bed. All you have to do is sit there.

[Well, someone knocked at the door! And it's a good thing that he did, or Kurapika might have been offended and surprised at the sudden entrance.

The nudge gets a look, and he raises a hand almost like he's going to bat the nudging arm away, but he stops short.]

Very well. [He'll sit. And look, he does, stepping back over to the bed and turning around so that he can sit on the edge. How else?] But if you're expecting me to rest through this, I can't do that.

[Just, you know, for the record. He's going to be focusing and watching in interest and curiosity.]

sighs look at all this dumb bullshitting that says nothing

ah now it's nen flu, how shonen

GOD IT'S NEN POISON SHONEN FLU KILL ME STOP THIS TRAIN

i'm in awe it's like a real hxh arc

LMFAO ah but really, stares into the distance

i'm naming this psl "nodes"

i accept this name

nodezone

nodegate

node country for old men

nodetel california

node simulator

the node to el dorado

fear and nodeing in las vegas

node...body knows the trouble i've seen????

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