dumbshow | answer your god damn phone

[HE DOESN'T KNOW... HE REALLY DOESN'T KNOW. This is an unrealistic expectation, and he knows it. It's all because he's so jumpy now. One minute he's filled with all these soft feelings, and the next, he's trying to block it all off and step back. Now he's being called out on it. What's he supposed to do?]

Nevermind, don't worry about it. [This seems the 'easiest' way out, and god, it's so see-through. He's just going to focus on stretching out Leorio's hand and matching his own up with it.] But you're going to end up on the floor like that.

[Okay... sure. Leorio looks at him with the same expression for a moment more, then shrugs. This isn't the strangest thing Kurapika has done, to be honest. He'll forget about it soon, but not before he throws in a facetious warning:]

Well, incoming. [and scooting closer so he can stay on the tiny bed. He'd throw his arm around Kurapika if his hand weren't occupied; there's no point to this he can pick out either, but he watches anyway.

Yet another proof that there's too much of him, ah...]

[The whole reason was that Leorio's hands are huge and his own are small and it's weird to think that they could fit together so well. He looks exasperated at that warning (god damn it, why did he say anything), but he keeps quiet and scoots to his own edge of the bed without falling off.

It does leave them pressed very close, but he doesn't end up minding that. It's comfortable, warm, and he doesn't have to make up an excuse to rest his hand between them on Leorio's chest, over his pajamas.

He is pretty exhausted, after everything today. A rollercoaster all around. Sighing lightly, his eyes flutter closed for a minute.]

If only time could stretch this moment for a little while longer...

[That's beyond sappy. Leorio slides his arm around Kurapika now that they're positioned better for it, and just considers that sap for a moment.

He doesn't disagree, quite the opposite, but he probably wouldn't have said it like that.]

When you get back, [pointedly ignoring the pang of fresh worry that creeps up on him as he says that, no, he'll worry later,] we'll do this again.

Deal?

[Kurapika's a really sappy guy when you pay enough attention. Even in his revenge, he sure does wax poetic. His head seems like it can fit right under Leorio's chin here, nestled in against his chest, and so he takes advantage of that, taking in a slow breath.

Do this again?

His heart skips a beat, as cheesy as that is. Maybe they had something they could work out here. Maybe he had someone who could stop him from closing in on himself in the worst moments. Maybe they'd finally reached a point where he couldn't get away.

His thought process now is so different from his thought processes when he's in that sort of revenge-filled state.]

Deal. [He smiles against him there, fingers curling slightly. One of his legs curls a bit too and brings itself the slightest bit over Leorio's, and that motion kicks his cell phone off the bed.

That doesn't matter so much now, though. Tiredly, he laughs a little out of nowhere, as heavy as it comes out. He hit Leorio with a pillow in his embarrassment, and he's already ready to embrace him again. And promise more. And put school on hold... Why?

Why does he get all this?]

[Leorio hums, pretty openly pleased with Kurapika closer to him and mercifully not embarrassed by it. This is what he came back for, after all, so it's good. It's great. It might even work out without too many complications!

If they're lucky, anyway. He tightens his hold around Kurapika briefly when he laughs like that, a definite squeeze of comfort. This time he won't ask what's wrong - he assumes it's more of what they were just talking about.

So, instead,] You should get some sleep.

Mm, you too, Leorio.

[The squeeze is hardly registered, but it's still nice. Here he'd been trying to close his eyes for just a moment, and they hadn't opened again since. It was fine like this, probably. He needed to wake early, and he needed to let Leorio sleep, as well. Especially when his early alarm clock would be waking them together.

It's hard not to think about tomorrow, but at least there's the comfort of Leorio here. It wasn't going to keep him awake, this time.]

You must be exhausted...

[By the time he says that, there's been an unnatural gap created, and he sounds half asleep himself. So it's probably no surprise when just a few seconds afterwards, his breathing slips into smooth repetition, his chest rising and falling so peacefully that it can only be he's fallen asleep.]

[He is exhausted, but the next day looming over their heads is doing a fine job of keeping him from falling asleep right after Kurapika does. He cycles through the same trains of thought; about tomorrow, about Nostrade's impossible proposal, about being with Kurapika like this. It takes more time than is ideal, but he still manages to drop off to into a comfortable sleep when he does.

Broken, of course, by Kurapika's hellish alarm. He doesn't jump this time, waking more slowly and cracking an eye open to glare toward the clock. Rude of it... He makes an irritated, half-asleep noise and turns his face into the pillow. Ugh, it's tomorrow.

No, he doesn't want to get up. The day is canceled.]

[Overall, Kurapika had slept well enough. There'd been a nightmare at some time in the middle of the night, just enough to get him rolling over a few times, but now as he woke up one of his arms was wrapped around Leorio's waist.

The alarm was enough to wake him, but Leorio's shifting to hide a face in a pillow was even more of a reminder of the day about to start. He sits up slowly, rubbing Leorio's back gently as he does so. He has to sort of crawl over him to get off the bed where he wants to, but he manages with as little trouble as he can manage, shutting the alarm off on his phone.

Hmm, some missed calls, too. He'll have to listen to those on his own. Silently, in case Leorio wants to drift back to sleep somehow, he moves across the room to find what he's going to wear, getting everything together.

If only the day really was canceled. He doesn't want to go anywhere at all. But duty calls, and if there really is a collector talking about finding more eyes...

It's only when he has all his things together that he looks back at Leorio. And then back to the clothes folded in his arms. Ah, he really shouldn't feel shy about changing after yesterday, and yet...]

[Rubbing his back is sweet, but it isn't going to make him want to get up any more. In fact, it has the exact opposite effect; just let him stay here and pretend it's not today. He sighs, still very much face-down into the pillow, and then says something also into the pillow that's probably "Morning."

But grumpily. Getting up this early is a chore to begin with, and doing it today so that Kurapika can go off without him makes it even worse.

At some point he rolls over to lie on his back and pointedly not get up, still with his eyes closed. The look on his face betrays the fact that he's woken up, but he's refusing. All his clothes are across the hall, anyway.

So Kurapika can get as naked as he wants, and Leorio might just miss it.]

Gimme another minute.

[He stares at Leorio for a good few seconds before deciding that now's as good a time as any. Telling him to leave would be... Well, he doesn't want to. He sets his clothing on the desk nearby and undresses to change with his back to him.]

...If you want to sleep in a little longer, I don't think it would be a problem right now. Melody would understand.

[Like he actually would, anyway... He'll fuse to this mattress before he leaves for such a silly reason.

Is he sleeping in or sulking, though? The big question. He doesn't answer immediately, thinking...]

Nah, just a minute's fine. [Hm.] When are you heading out?

[As he slips his arms through the sleeves of his shirt and starts buttoning it up, he thinks back to the missed calls. When? Well, he should have left last night, really. He'd made some excuses selfishly, and now it was eating at the back of his mind. Hopefully things were under control.]

As soon as possible. [He says that pretty grimly, realizing it afterwards. He glances over his shoulder without saying more than that, frowning a little. Well... hopefully he wouldn't worry too much. He'll leave out whatever details he needs to, right now, to assure that as best as he can.]

Figures. [So he's definitely sulking... He tells himself he'll have to get over it before too long, though, or Melody will know and she'll give him looks. More than she'll definitely know anyway, but whatever.

It's going to be a long day for a whole slew of reasons. He finally sits up, scrubbing a hand over his face to knock the last bit of sleep out of him.]

So... [So. Now when he finally could use his inability to keep his thoughts to himself, it suddenly fails him.]

[He's still tucking in his shirt when he turns to face Leorio. At first, his expression is a little too harsh. Businesslike and ready to go out and do things-- but when he sets his eyes on Leorio, it slowly breaks from that.]

So?

[He prods, almost teasing as he rolls up the cuffs on his sleeves, walking over.] What are you thinking?

[He's got something to say, so he may as well ask directly. Just like that, he sits on the edge of the bed beside him again.]

[So.

It's not that Leorio has too many thoughts and nowhere to begin, this time. Rather, he's drawing a blank; thoughts start and peter off before he can form them into coherent statements instead of just feelings.

They show through plenty when he looks at Kurapika, though, worry undercut with too much affection to sift through in a couple minutes. He settles for sliding an arm around Kurapika's shoulders and leaning in to press his face against his hair for a moment. Hmm.]

You better come back safe, Kurapika.

[The emotion behind that look surprises him, somehow. Despite knowing Leorio and expecting him to be emotional and attached, he finds himself wondering now if he didn't really understand the weight. He feels it now, wrapped around him and pressed close like that face in his hair.

Again, sadness weighs down on him. His arms stay limp in his lap as he stares down at his hands.

When he stops to think about all of this, when he realizes that none of this misery would be troubling others, when he remembers that the Spider is what did all of this-- rage begins to seep in. It's why he has to go now, and it's why he'll continue to do so. To make them pay for all of this.]

I'm sorry, Leorio. [Emotion makes its way into his tone there, too, and his eyes close for a moment as he stabilizes his feelings. Have to keep his eyes unchanging, for now.]

I wish things didn't have to be this way. [Even if it's just a little at a time, he feels like he can vent with Leorio.] I'm sorry they are.

[A pause, and he finally raises a hand to touch lightly at the back of Leorio's head.]

I'll come back alive.

[Leorio stays where he is; he'll squeeze the last seconds out of the time before Kurapika really has to leave like this. It's good but bittersweet to hear him vent— a wall has come down somewhere, or at least opened enough for him to listen through, and Kurapika is more here with him now than when he first arrived.

It makes him believe they can do this, even if "this" is little more than surviving to see it through to the end. He'll do whatever it takes.

Kurapika's last statement gets a small noise out of him, between a scoff and a grumble. No, listen, those aren't the terms he offered!!]

And safe, idiot. Don't come back coughing up blood again, or else-!!

[Or else, like. He'll fret. But also yell a lot.]

Or else?

[Sadly, they have to part now. Kurapika knows if he sits here and soaks in this strange, soft feeling, he'll grow softer himself-- and that's not good before what he intends to do. ('Not good', he thinks, earnestly.) On top of that, Leorio is worrying, and he needs a way to put him at ease...

So he falls back onto the usual. Bickering, instigating, poking fun where he can in small, calm ways. His hand smooths away from Leorio's face as he stands, not bothering to face him as he finishes up with his routine. The tie, and then moving over to his shoes.]

Or else what? If you're going to threaten someone, you should have the means to back it up.

[Or- eh? Leorio blinks, crossing his arms over his chest as Kurapika gets up. He has to justify himself now? Is that it??

Imagine the day he realizes Kurapika giving him shit calms him down from genuine worry. He'll never tell.]

I'll hang you up somewhere high and leave you there! [sHORTY]

[He knows this method works so well, and yet Leorio always ends up saying something that genuinely ticks him off. ...But well, it's the same both ways, isn't it? Clicking his tongue at that (he is a completely average height, excuse you mr. giant), he stands up from putting on his shoes and looks at his right hand. Slowly, his chains appear.]

You're assuming you'd be able to catch me in the first place. [Burn. Yeah. He tosses a glance back, indifference shining through more than any annoyance-- but that's the annoying part, isn't it.]

Don't get into trouble while I'm gone.

[He sure did just turn this around. But!! Before this arguing gets too far, it's best to leave it on a note that Leorio can fume over for a while after he's gone.] I'll see you later, Leorio.

[Being average height doesn't eliminate the fact that Leorio could feasibly hang him up on something!! Like maybe a bedpost.

He's already started building up to a good petty tantrum here, but Kurapika actually leaving will set him back to a petty sulk instead. That's fine- he'll be distracted. Distractions will help, probably, which is why he'll also definitely complain to Melody. Might as well just get that out of the way, since she'll know.

Ah, but arguing before Kurapika leaves will leave a bad taste in his mouth, so while he returns with an annoyed,] Remember what I said!!

[It's kind of a faux-grumpiness. After a few seconds' pause he scoffs and flops back down on the bed, like maybe he will stay here for a while and sleep orrr glare at the furniture. So to the ceiling,] See you later!

[The silence from Kurapika and his team ends after a little over five hours.

Five hours of no contact, no knowing what Kurapika was up to, and no good information from the ones left behind. Melody seems to know the location of their target, at least, but aside from that, there was just waiting. Five hours and some-odd minutes of waiting, ended finally by Leorio's phone ringing with Kurapika's name.

At least when he answers it's his voice, as well, albeit tired and out of breath.]

Listen carefully. [It's the first thing he says in a careful whisper. He doesn't really have the choice of trying to make this sound any better than it is, or he'll risk blowing things for himself before help can arrive. And so--]

I need backup. Send--

[Well that sure is a loud noise. Hard to say what it is exactly, over a cell phone like this. Maybe someone got thrown over, or maybe literal walls are crumbling down. Whatever it is cuts off Kurapika, and there's a very distant voice preaching something about eyes.

Of course, just as Kurapika scrambles to snatch the phone back up, it dies. Should have charged it last night, probably. Woops.]

[When Leorio had said he didn't want Kurapika to call if it only meant bad news, he meant it. He's on edge for the whole five hours, though the level rises and falls. Melody does her best, but distracting him when he's like this is a fool's errand.

So when the phone rings he's picking it up in an instant, with barely any time to formulate a question before Kurapika speaks. Leorio's nerves last only until the line goes dead—for just barely a few seconds he's frozen, with Melody trying to get his attention back to the moment.

The rest as he'll recall it later is a blur. He shouts at however many people he can find in the halls and nearby rooms about needing backup, ask Melody where, don't get in his way— At one point he's upstairs trying to put his fist through Nostrade's door, but the other bodyguards hold him back and tell him in no uncertain terms what they'll do to leave him useless in a puddle on the floor if he doesn't back down. He shouts at them about backup, too, until someone delivers him back to Melody and assures him they'll handle it.

Whether or not he got an official nod to go along with the backup effort is a part he remembers quite clearly: he sure as hell didn't, but he definitely did muscle his way into the backseat of a car heading out and technically no one tried to throw him out. He tries calling Kurapika back a few times to no avail while the backup team discusses how to proceed; a few times, they glance back at Leorio as if trying to determine how much of a liability he'll be.

He ignores them. They might not know exactly what they're up against, but he has— uh, he has a knife, and he's definitely thought this through and oh, shit, no he hasn't. The closer they get to their destination the more the stupidity of what he's just done - thrown himself into a mafia hit car armed with a switchblade - hits him. Hits him like a brick to the face. The other men tell him to keep his mouth shut and do what they say and he nods more than a little grimly. They're almost there. All he cares about doing is finding Kurapika and getting them both the hell out of there - that's it.

Adrenaline mixed with terror have settled firmly in his bones by the time they arrive, but he does as he's told and follows the others inside, heart pounding. Well, he thinks as he tries to look a little more capable, this is probably only the second most dangerous thing he's ever done.

He did take a run at Hisoka that one time, after all.]

[It's a very elaborate mansion that they've entered. Clearly some big shot in another mafia family's organization. It's quiet all along the huge driveway, but when they arrive at the front, it's clear something has gone down. One of Nostrade's cars is angled sloppily, the front end crushed against one of the main pillars of the entranceway.

Well, so much for stealth. It seemed this had passed that point long ago.

The car pulls up and parks sloppily alongside the other, and as the 'backup' piles out, a figure bursts out from the front door. There doesn't seem to be any chaos following him, but the stillness only makes it eerie. Linssen stops when he reaches Melody and the others, barely sparing Leorio a glance as he explains. (Sorry, bud.)]

They were expecting us. [It's apparent at this close distance now that he's somehow sporting burned splotches over his clothing and skin alike, along with some slice marks-- so there had been fighting.] There's no time to explain everything. Kurapika made an exchange with Don Paolo for my life. I couldn't follow, so I don't know where in the mansion they headed, but I did learn that those crimson eyes he was speaking about wanting to collect weren't one of the pairs already circling around.

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this icon is creepy and yet, so is he

wow quite true

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"leorio accidentally becomes substitute mafia" the epic, the saga

lEORIO PLEASE... NOT THE KNIFE... put that down right now also this is all, 1/1 no pikachu yet