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

[dialtones]

[He doesn't know how not to be tense. Leorio kisses just the corner of his mouth and it feels like something tingly shoots up his spine. He's holding his breath again, looking incredibly tense and incredibly uncertain about so many things right now.

Like--]

Why are you looking at me like that? [stOP... HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING, HE'S INNOCENT.]

[speeddial]

[One of these days, Kurapika will learn to relax for more than a few seconds at a time. Leorio seems to have decided he doesn't care to tell him to relax right now, and is perfectly content to lie here and look at him fondly.

Yeah, that's right, object some more. There's nothing but dopey affection here right now.]

Like what?

[dialtones]

Like that!

[He should feel real accomplished here in just a second. Because Kurapika's heart is through the roof, that pull hasn't stopped at all, and Leorio won't stop looking at him like that and he has no idea how to react!

He'll learn to relax one day, but today is not that day. Today is the day where he gets so flustered, his eyes shift over to red, now. Coupled with a worked up face, so many people would pay to see the ~chain bastard~ reduced to this. How embarrassing.

He reaches up and covers Leorio's eyes with his hands after a moment of thought.]

Like you're... [Like he's what, he's not really sure. But he's looking at him like something, that's for sure.] Like you're doing.

[speeddial]

[On this day, Leorio has won... the upper hand is his, even when Kurapika seriously covers his eyes to make him stop doing whatever he's doing. Looking. Normally!]

I'm still looking at you.

[Yes, that helps. He'll just wait out Kurapika's weird mood, he thinks, unless he gets pushed off the bed or- something.]

What, I can't look at you? Give me my glasses back, then. [those make a difference.]

[dialtones]

["Normally?!" Kurapika pulls his hands back just so Leorio can see his unimpressed staring as he huffs out an irritated sigh. He can't... He can't just ignore this and hope to feel better. It's driving him crazy already.]

No. [So he says that, equally childish, and it's unclear if he means to the looking or to the glasses. (He means the latter.) Either way, he'll lean in again, kissing Leorio.

Maybe then he'll stop making that goofy face. The one he can't stop thinking about, even as he closes his eyes right now. Agh... This is mildly frustrating.]

uses this icon while you're asleep and can't scream at me!! ha HA

[speeddial]

[What's his deal?? Leorio just decided not to do anything and just wait, but already it's becoming difficult with how moody Kurapika is for- apparently!- no reason.

And give him back his glasses!]

You- [Cut off with a kiss, he both shuts up and stops making that face. The latter is only a brief reprieve, though, as he's a huge sap and keeps thinking about how this is a pretty nice morning, all things considered, and they're going to- stay together and it's going to work. It's definitely going to work.

So, there's really no denying that he's making a silly face as he kisses him back. This, like the pillow, is Kurapika's destiny.]

YELLS AT THROUGH THIS PHONE TAG NOOOOO his dumb face

[dialtones]

[ it stopped for a second, at least, and in that second kurapika almost convinced himself he could calm down. But he didn't, he couldn't, because this was so unbelievable and he could barely deal with it on his own without leorio looking at him so happily...!!

It feels like too much, being responsible for his feelings like that. How could he?

He kisses back at first, but after ten seconds of trying to calm down, his face twists into something even more flustered. Well-- it just looks like he's angry and doesn't know where to put it. Pulling back with an emotional huff, he shifts to slip away from leorio and stand up. Check his phone or put on a shirt maybe, anything!! ]

You're so--! [ he sounds angry, but not angry angry. ] We need to get out of bed already.

relishes

[speeddial]

[Leorio sits up after Kurapika slides away from him. He'll try to stop making that face, maybe- he'll lean back on his hands and make that face up at the ceiling instead, how's that? They'll be at an impasse if Kurapika can't get over the fact that this face is his face, this is one of his natural states of being: big sappy doofus.

Go on, tell him he's a doofus. Still, he manages his best yeah, whatever tone:]

You're the one who's still in his pajamas this late. It's probably already past noon! [To wit, he gestures pointedly at himself- he got dressed! He's already out of bed, technically, he's just sitting here!! Although this does remind him to look down at himself and straighten his tie, since he did take a nap in a full suit... and it's probably not past noon, but shh.]

Are you- [He hesitates, not sure how to phrase this. He wants to ask "are you busy?" but he has no idea what they do in the mafia when not in immediate crisis. He has no experience other than crises to draw from, really.] What are you doing today?

[dialtones]

You wouldn't let me out of bed!

[Stop making him argue like he's speaking with a child!! Well, he thinks that now, but in just a few seconds, even, he's thinking on this fondly. It's like old times.

It's the question that throws him off as he picks out some clothes to wear, glancing behind himself at Leorio. How can he change-- but also, what is he doing today? Well.]

I still need to think about that. There's always something to do, but it's hard to say what until I've looked at things in all areas... [He pauses. Well, he can't just... leave Leorio here in the room all the time like a puppy.] It makes the most sense to sort out everything with you, right now. Otherwise you wouldn't have much to do, right?

[speeddial]

[Wow, he would find something else to do besides sit here like a puppy! Maybe he'd sit across the hall.

Leorio gives him a look - finally, not that look, this one is the look of a man who doesn't really want to sort out tedious details but knows he has to. A kid who doesn't want to do his homework, essentially.]

I hate it when you do that. [Use logic and reason at him; this is why he yells so much. Then he slouches back again, waving a hand and sighing.] Sure, whatever, let's do it.

[Ah, he still thinks Nostrade is somehow personally involved... Also, wait, he has a dumb question.]

What the hell did you guys do before I showed up? Pass around a box of bandages and tell each other good luck?

[dialtones]

[He pauses at the mirror, brushing aside his hair just enough to view his earring before letting it fall back in place. His hair's gotten pretty long, hasn't it? He's only just noticed the recent growth again.

Leorio's question comes next, and he blinks over to him.]

We'd drive to the hospital. [It just wasn't going to work in this case... And well, there was convenience to having a doctor on sight, but it was hard to consider paying someone just in case.

Now he's moving to duck behind a desk in the corner, don't ask.]

I could generally heal myself. You saw my ability, right? It can heal something like a crushed arm in just seconds.

[speeddial]

[Leorio just says "oh" to that, because oh. That was a dumb question, huh... Well, how is he supposed to know what normal crises the mafia gets up to when not catching nen flu or exploding!! So-!

Why is Kurapika behind the desk?? He almost didn't catch that, but why...]

You're not a doctor, Kurapika. That ability's convenient, but it takes too much out of you! [It's not cost effective, is what he's saying. And probably not wholly medically sound, but he barely understands nen, so he won't try to argue that point.

Still, he felt really strange after his abrupt healing - that speedy healing has to stress the body in ways it shouldn't.]

[dialtones]

Having my eyes change at all is taxing for too long, but that's something I've been timing and working on. Right now, I can keep it up for three minutes without any serious repercussions.

[After that, it does get worse the longer he holds out, but... He's training! He's working at fixing that. And he's changing behind this desk, by the way. Changing.]

It was important in my fight with Uvogin. [He never really spoke much about that, and that's because honestly the whole thing disgusts him-- but he'll share that much.] It could be important against the rest of the Spiders, as well, but I have to be prepared. So I should use it when possible. Doesn't that make sense?

[speeddial]

[Last night was well above three minutes, he wants to say, but he'll pick that fight another time. What Kurapika's saying isn't technically objectionable, it's just - his actions are so much more reckless than his words.]

I'm not saying you shouldn't use it, I'm saying... [Hmmm, how can he say "don't overdo it" without being repetitive?] Only use it when there's no other option. Let me handle the rest!

[Or he'll have nothing to do, remember? He's good at this stuff!

—And he's getting tired of talking to a desk, so if Kurapika doesn't pop out in the next few seconds after Leorio decides to get up and walk over there, well, he's just going to lean over and look.] What are you doing over here, anyway?

[dialtones]

[They really are. Even if he's aware of his own recklessness to an extent, he has no idea in advance how bad it can get. And so, he considers this without as much weight as Leorio does, tugging on his shirt and then shifting to change pants. This is hard while crouching.]

...Alright. I think I can do that. [It seems fair. The question comes next, and he glances up when it comes with something like a shadow-- oh.

Here he is, half in his pants crouched behind the desk. Leorio might catch a couple seconds of actual sight before Kurapika grabs the nearest item (a very heavy book, unfortunately) and chucks it at his face.]

W-what are you doing?! Don't come over here!

[speeddial]

You're— [He stops, actually, before Kurapika throws the book at him. It's that brief moment of realization that Kurapika is getting dressed crouched on the floor behind a desk that throw him off. Just... why is he- what-?

And then he's beaned with a book and lets out a strangled noise that's both confused and angry, stumbling back and away from the desk. Happy??]

What the hell, Kurapika!! That was my face!

[Muffled, as he's got his hands pressed to his face now in case he's BLEEDING EVERYWHERE?! Which right now he doesn't seem to be, at least.]

[dialtones]

[Just like that, he tugs his pants on the rest of the way and stands up, buttoning them quickly as he stares at Leorio. God, look, he just got surprised. It'd be a lie to say he didn't feel a tiny bit bad, but who asks what someone is doing while hiding while looking?]

That's what you get. [Ah, he's so kind, what a great choice you've made Leorio. At the very least he'll walk over like this, reaching up to tug at Leorio's hands to get them away from his face.]

Don't be a baby, let me see.

[speeddial]

[Predictably, Leorio's mature response to this is to wave one hand at Kurapika and lean away, still holding his face with the other. He's been hit with a heavy book, he's earned this.]

I'm the baby-?! [He'll take his hand away to check for blood now - none, fine, but he's still mad!! - and blink a few times, like that helps get rid of the new and exciting pain. In his face.

his face!!]

Why do you even have that book?

[dialtones]

[When his swipes for hands fail, he frowns and crosses his arms, instead, staring huffily up at Leorio. It was a large, hardback book, okay, maybe that's fair, but still.]

It has a lot of information on how casinos are run and what goes on behind the scenes. [So, he needed it.]

[speeddial]

Well now my face does, too!! [Ah, he didn't actually want a real answer... Now that he's yelled a fair amount, he stares back sourly for a good couple seconds before turning with a huff to go back to sitting on the bed.

There he goes, sulking. For added effect he rubs his face again, muttering something that involves a lot of "heavy" and "damn it!!"]

[dialtones]

[For about a whole minute, Kurapika stands where he was with his untucked collared shirt and his suit pants, arms crossed and staring at Leorio like he's not sure how to handle this. It's true, he's not sure how to handle this.

Was he too harsh? Well, he's always been this way. Still, when he woke up to gushy feelings about how Leorio was there for him even when he hadn't realized it, it does feel a little cruel...

Maybe he should work on this. A little. He's not going to pity him all the time!! Just this once.

Rolling his eyes briefly, he walks over to the bed and steps in front of Leorio. Swatting his hands away, he takes his face in his hands and leans forward, kissing him on his forehead.

Well, if he's going to be a baby, he's going to get comforted like one.]

[speeddial]

[When his hands are knocked away, Leorio opens his mouth to loudly object to that and probably tell Kurapika to get lost, if all he's going to do now is hit him with stuff. Instead, he gets his forehead kissed...

That's sweet, damn it. Despite himself, he deflates a little - he's still pretty obviously irritated, but he doesn't have it in him to yell anymore. For at least a few minutes.

Now, however, it's his turn to completely avoid looking Kurapika in the eye; although for his part, it's because he's trying to stay annoyed. Trying to stay annoyed, that's the point he's reached- but Kurapika can't just chuck stuff at him and get away with it!]

You're supposed to say sorry out loud.

[dialtones]

[Oh. When he's on this side, it's so much easier to see how endearing it is. It's not that he even notices they've shifted places. He just knows Leorio is being Leorio as usual, and he's clearly trying to stay angry when he's not... And how could he pass that up.]

Sorry. [It seems genuine and simple at first, especially when he kisses his forehead again-- but then, he might spot that slight twitch of his mouth betraying him right before he speaks.] Mr. Leorio.

[speeddial]

[He's diligently kept up enough annoyance to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, even when Kurapika apologizes- but that is just embarrassing. He sputters, leaning away from Kurapika's hands and looking to the side at the wall.]

What's with that?! You don't have to— [sHAME HIM for his loser past] Shut up!

[dialtones]

[A laugh slips out as he slips away, tossing him a look over his shoulder as he crosses the room again. He doesn't need to say any more than that, and soon enough, his attention shifts back to what he was doing.

It's funny how his mood can improve when he's on top of the embarrassment chain, here. (He really is moody, isn't he.) He finishes with the usual, pocketing his phone at the very end.]

Everything we need to take care of today shouldn't take up too much time. I'll follow up on the family that tried to poison us, and your school, speak to the others about some business and then if you'd like we can come back here.

['Come back here' sounds like he's assigned it as a lot more of a role on the to-do list than it sounds, for some reason. Some... reason.]