answer your god damn phone

[dialtones]

[How many calls had he missed from Leorio alone?

Honestly, he preferred not to look at the number. It was wrong, but this wasn't something he could pull any of them into. He'd been wrapped up in his own little world, paying attention to the news enough when it related to his work and his end goal, and while he could have gone to the elections or even to visit Gon (his comrades had, after all), he decided against it. Visiting would have just opened up a whole can of other problems.

Maybe it went against what he'd been thinking before, but he had matured a bit since then. With the Spider desperately working to repair itself, and plenty of its members still on the move, Kurapika had to consider how to handle them-- but he was also sitting right on top of the location of the eyes of his brethren. He had to work up to it, and well... That's what he'd done.

There were a large amount of them recovered (he had to deal with a lot of people to get this collection) and given funerals, but it wasn't enough until he had every last set. There were still leads to follow, and so he continued to climb and gain Nostrade's trust.

Trust, though, is what leads him to pulling his cell phone out now. A strange illness was breaking out in the Nostrade organization, and it was worrying Nostrade himself. A few of his workers had already died, and panic was growing. He demanded that Kurapika find him someone to find out what was going on, but to be sure it was someone they could 'trust', because this could very well be an attack on them.

A doctor that he could trust? His first thought was that there was none. But after just a moment's more hesitation, he gives in and speaks his understanding clearly to Nostrade, hitting the call button on his phone and stepping away. His opposite hand curls at his elbow as he waits. This is pulling him in, but if it's just Leorio... It'll be easier to keep him in the dark about a lot of what he's been doing.

He'll use that to justify this selfish decision.]

Leorio?

Comments

twerk it out kurapika

[speeddial]

Hey— [He needs those (to look cool). But rather than make an effort to get them back, he grumbles about the pillow and how that's Kurapika's fault in the first place anyway, before he grabs a corner of it to pull it down a couple inches. Enough to see, even if it's still smushed between them.]

That's real generous, Kurapika.

angrily twerks

[dialtones]

You asked for my help.

[So he intends to help! Hopefully without distracting him each and every night, goodness, he doesn't know how to think of that properly. He doesn't know how to think about any of this, really.

He peers through Leorio's shades at him just briefly before closing the arms, and then he reaches past him as much as he can to try and get them on the table...

He can't reach. Come on. He's blaming this pillow.]

I'm not going to sleep all day. [He warns, during the middle of this struggle.] Maybe an hour longer.

anaconda video.mov

[speeddial]

[Shit, he did ask for help... Fine, he walked into this. He'll let it drop with a vague grumble, maybe partly because Kurapika playing with his glasses is surprisingly cute?? and he's already distracted by that.

And by Kurapika getting up in his face again.]

What's more important than sleeping in some more? [He finishes that with a frustrated huff, just taking the pillow and tossing it back up where it's supposed to be already. Mostly- it's lopsided, but whatever.]

I'M STILL GONNA PUNCH YOU

[dialtones]

[He's not cute he's manly as fuck. The pillow is gone, and so he scoots closer to try and reach the table now. No luck. But it's just by a few inches, and so he'll lightly toss the glasses on and let his arm stay flopped over Leorio as he settles back down more comfortably.

What's more important? Well, it's not like he thinks he'd be able to sleep much longer, anyway. Not when the fever is the only issue, and it's not so bad that he's completely bedridden this time.]

Figuring out the details of you staying.

no, that's mean

[speeddial]

[Be careful with those. There's another noise of protest from Leorio, and he tries to look back over his shoulder to see what's become of his precious glasses for a moment before settling back down. Defeated...

Then, once Kurapika's answer sinks in and he remembers getting other people to agree he can stay here is probably a good idea,] Oh yeah.

[...]

Am I gonna have to sign something, or-?

punches

[dialtones]

Not for Nostrade.

[He lets his eyes drift closed, trying to pretend he doesn't find his closeness to Leorio right now a little nerve-wracking. Or very nerve-wracking. He'll act like it's natural. Like he hasn't thought to move his hand away.]

We'll have to see about your schooling. There might be a paper or two, but in the end, your Hunter's License should help plenty. This is experience, too.

[They just have to word their business here very carefully. He's good at that.]

And no more anatomy tests, for now.

bring me to life begins to play

[speeddial]

[Leorio relaxes obviously at that; as long as he can keep putting off interacting with Nostrade, he's good. He really, really doesn't want to do that, even if the chances of avoiding it forever seem slim. Maybe he'll practice speaking at a normal volume sometime.]

Alright, alright. You can handle making it sound proper.

[He shifts a little, to lock his fingers behind Kurapika's back and generally get more comfortable without the pillow in the way.

And of course he's going to say it:] For now?

[Is it innuendo or threatening him with exams?? Help him Kurapika.]

it should be mmm whatcha say

[dialtones]

[At all of that, his lips twitch into a smile. The anatomy test thing was a joke actually, but he'll leave it lingering just to freak Leorio out. On top of that, he hasn't mentioned just how badly Nostrade had fallen. Bankruptcy...

He wasn't the real boss here. Kurapika was letting things shift naturally. But he'll keep that to himself for now, so not to shock Leorio. Maybe he'll notice when he realizes how things are handled. Or how easy it is to avoid Nostrade after all.]

untitled by simple plan

[speeddial]

[That comment is going to bother him all day, rest assured. After a last-ditch effort to get Kurapika to explain - which is just Leorio whining Kurapikaaa at him, really - he lets it go... for now.

He shuts his eyes too, then, only just now remembering he needs more sleep as well. It's not an effort that's going anywhere, as he's just thinking about red tape and clever excuses and how they're going to pull enough strings for this to work-

Then he's hit by a crucially important thought! and his eyes pop open again.] What if Gon and Killua call?!

[Gon and Killua never call, no one ever calls Leorio first, but what IF.]

god damn it

[dialtones]

[Kurapika, meanwhile, had actually just started to fall asleep when Leorio speaks again. Or yells again. He jolts slightly, and he might be more unimpressed if he wasn't completely tired.

Instead, he just blinks, trying to parse the meaning there.]

What if-- what do you mean? [Call for what, where, when, what's the problem??]

nice html, me

[speeddial]

[Listen!! He had a thought and it was concerning!!]

I can't lie to Gon!

[Except for that one time Morel made him... that doesn't count. Ah, and Killua is part of that package deal, but Gon would Know.]

i imagine he squeaked out his worries

[dialtones]

[Oh god. That thought wakes him up a bit more, and he's a little flustered himself. Wait, wait-- Are they-- they haven't even figured this out themselves, what is he thinking? Did he put a label to this already?

Help.]

What would you tell him? [He looks his way as best as he can.]

leorio inhales helium

[speeddial]

[He was thinking more about how he's sort of joined the mafia now, but if Kurapika wants to panic about that other thing, he can. Leorio sputters a little, trying to think of something that isn't- bullshit, or too detailed, or both.]

I'm technically visiting you, right? Is that- no, that's stupid! [DISTRESSING]

why is that so hilarious to me

[dialtones]

[Leorio, one of them is an assassin and the other was abandoned as a child do you really think they care about the mafia. I mean, would they even be surprised at this point.

Kurapika's still on a completely different track, half asleep and wondering how he got so lost, what's going on... Visiting???]

That wouldn't work at all. [First of all, it makes no sense. He's thinking pretty hard over here, not wanting to say anything, but--] Do they usually call you?

because it IS

[speeddial]

[Don't talk that way about his sons, they are good kids who only occasionally fuck up real bad!!

Leorio is still fretting through what he could possibly make up that isn't really stupid, and so doesn't catch the implication there enough to... drop this absurdity.]

No, but now that Gon's been out of the hospital, they might-!! [right, like

surely

someone will call him first one day]

Point

[dialtones]

[Oh, so they're not going to call. Kurapika actually relaxes a little, even if tension hasn't left completely because now he's thinking about strange things.]

You're over-thinking it. They're probably busy with their own things. Just-- [He hesitates.]

Worry about it when the time comes.

[speeddial]

[But they might. He's set on this and he can't see why Kurapika apparently isn't bothered by it! Come on!]

That doesn't help...

[Whining yet again.]

[dialtones]

[A noise escapes Kurapika, and it's not really clear if it's frustration, or embarrassment (?), or something else entirely, but he's rolling to turn his back to Leorio. Don't look at him for this.

He hasn't even realized they're not on the same page.]

I thought you wanted me to sleep...

[speeddial]

[Leorio blinks, now wondering if he somehow got himself in trouble again. Come back here...]

Your hour starts whenever you actually go to sleep. I'm keeping track.

[He's actually not, but it sounds ridiculous enough that he could be. For now he slides a hand across the space between them and up to pause against Kurapika's side. What did he do??]

[dialtones]

Then why don't we both sleep?

[And stop worrying aloud and spreading strange panic?? Keeping his face to the wall, he moves one of his hands that's already curled close to himself to pluck softly at one of Leorio's fingers at his side.

Maybe that would be enough of a reassurance for him. Kurapika's thinking he appreciates the warmth, even if he actually does have a fever. He feels cold.]

We can worry about that... later. [They're not going to call.]

[speeddial]

[But what if.]

You first.

[Sleep, that is. But at the touch he scoots closer to fit his arm snugly around Kurapika, not a big deal at all. Honestly, Kurapika should get back under the covers, but Leorio's huge self can act as a good enough heater in a pinch.

Now this time when he shuts his eyes, he won't suddenly yell again. Probably. There's always that chance. But, hm, he's definitely going to fall asleep soon enough, so-]

You have to sleep for the whole hour. Don't fake it.

[dialtones]

I was, almost, and then you started yelling.

[Just for the record. He's falling asleep right now, actually, eyes closing as he listens to Leorio breathing behind him. It's a little weird, but it's comforting.]

Why would I fake it? Honestly...

[speeddial]

To sneak out early and do something else, you workaholic!

[Hmph!! As if to really drive home the point, that he won't stand for that kind of nonsense, he squeezes Kurapika briefly. Then he's very much settled in to take a nap and not going anywhere.

Sleeeeep.]

[dialtones]

[Surprisingly, just a short hour does a lot to help. Or maybe it's the company? He manages to relax instead of stressing the whole time, and the constant warmth of a friend by his side chases away any panicked thoughts or nightmares that could very easily worsen his state. For once, recovery goes smoothly and fast, and in an hour and fifteen minutes or so, he wakes up naturally with Leorio's arms still around him.

Maybe it's that he's still a little groggy, but he thinks for a moment that this isn't so bad. That it's very nice, in fact... And he rests one of his hands on Leorio's testingly.

When there's no reaction and it sounds like Leorio is still sleeping behind him, he shifts very carefully until they're facing each other, blinking at his knocked out face. It's probably less than elegant, but somehow, he's still endeared.

Mostly, he's wondering if he should wake him up, or leave him be. He doesn't want to lay in bed all day himself, but he doesn't want to sneak out to work and have him get angry with him later, either.

Nervously, he gets a strange idea and reaches to touch Leorio's cheek next, fingers lingering there. Would he wake up at that...?]

[speeddial]

[A short hour isn't enough for Leorio, it seems. He's still out cold when the hour-ish is up, maybe because he isn't as used to this strenuous daily action as Kurapika is... In any case, he sure is asleep.

He might stir briefly from the bed shifting as Kurapika moves, but! Still asleep!! Aggressively asleep, like he refuses to wake up until he's well-rested and less sore than he was the first time he woke up today.]