dumbshow | answer your god damn phone

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answer your god damn phone

[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?

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Why does that matter?

[Why does he like this man. This is a question that goes through his head right now, but he'll settle with making a face and typing pancakes into his phone.]

The City Hut of Pancakes? [That's such a dumb name, what kind of owner thinks that's a good idea.]

Because it means they know what they're doing!

[What... This is his real reasoning, if they put pancakes in the name they probably can flip a good pancake, right? Right. He keeps leaning over to watch the pancake hunt-]

Alright! [gREAT NAME] Is it close?

Let's see. [Click clack look at him working this phone, it's amazing.] Oh, it's not too far from here. This is further into the city, but we shouldn't hit any traffic.

[So, he'll keep that open, he guesses. The elevator has taken them to the first floor by now, and he steps out, looking to Leorio. Reaching into his own pockets, he procures the keys to one of the various cars they have lined up, holding them out for him to take.

He then spends a few seconds quietly observing.]

You're really excited about pancakes.

[Pancake hut it is! Leorio swipes those keys with gusto, taking a guess at which car they're actually for and just marching up to the nearest one, really. Don't make him wander around the garage all day.

He pauses to give Kurapika a look, like he just doesn't get why pancakes are important. First, they're delicious, and second- pancakes aren't just pancakes, Kurapika. Not today, anyway.]

Pancakes are getting me out of here for a day, so yeah, I'm excited about pancakes. [Hmph! As he fiddles with the keys he adds, distracted...] You're here, too.

[A beat. Ah.]

Just get in the car!

[The more he hears things like that, the more he feels slyly proud, and like he can take it without feeling like he's going to explode from emotion. So he gives Leorio a sly look there (hah, got you) before he ducks and gets into the car. Looks like he chose the right one, after all.

Once Leorio is in, he pulls out his phone again to peek at the directions.]

Just take the main road from here towards the middle of the city. I can tell you where to turn. [He's relentless even at this, though, but Leorio has been a good driver in the past, so!]

Let me just message Melody that I'm going out...

[He'll be even better this time, in the absence of a whole sandwich to shove into his face at once. Leorio begins the arduous task of driving out to get pancakes, and fortunately does not run them into a wall in a moment of surprise when Melody's name comes up.

It's like his thought process is being written out above his head as he glances at Kurapika... Message Melody, Kurapika's out and he's missing, Melody will know they're going out for something, is it better to be more vague or less vague in this instance—

He clears his throat, focusing on the road ahead as he pulls out of the garage.]

Uh, Kurapika... [how does he ask this...] About Melody. Does she... you know.

[Another glance, sparing a hand from the wheel to gesture vaguely between the two of them. What does she know??]

[Ah yes, about Melody... He registers those hand gestures in his peripheral, but he decides to put them on hold as he types out this message. "Going out for breakfast with Leorio. Let me know if there's any trouble."

Shutting that and turning the screen off for now, since he's memorized the directions, he gives Leorio a sideways glance.]

Ah, yes. That is... I think she's known for longer than we have.

[Ah... Leorio makes a face, between surprised and slightly mortified, before looking stonily out ahead of them. Hm... No, it's embarrassing.]

Longer than... That's— [Cheating. The word he's about to say is cheating, but he doesn't both because it's stupid and because he did already know she can read people in her scarily accurate way. How dare she be such a nice person he can't bring himself to be mad at, that just makes this lame on their end!!

He grumbles at a red light, hunching his shoulders slightly to match. Hmmmm.]

I don't know what to say to that.

[how dare she]

[He shares this sentiment, honestly. How could she do that? So often he was trying to close himself off and she could see right through him. It was a little worrying. The way she reacted to his heart... She shouldn't have to deal with that kind of knowledge.

At the same time, he truly appreciates it. She's helped him snap out of things more than once, when he wasn't allowing anyone else in, and that meant the world. Again, the night a couple days ago comes to mind, and he slowly glances out the window.]

She spoke to me a little, the night after the incident with Don Paolo. [He's not entirely sure why he's telling Leorio this aside from it being something he should probably have a right to know. The way he was thinking, and the way he still sometimes thinks... Does he know this already?

Maybe. Probably.]

She talked me out of sending you away again.

[Leorio straightens up at the mention of Don Paolo, shooting Kurapika another glance. That night already seems like it was weeks ago instead of days, and he doesn't remember it fondly. But Melody...

He believes she played a part in Kurapika's decision easily; even meeting her briefly the first time had convinced him she was the sort of person Kurapika needed to stay grounded, so it seems obvious that she reached out to him and- helped. (Maybe he should thank her.) She's smarter than Leorio, after all - no wonder.

He lets out a breath that turns into a disbelieving chuckle at the end, about all of this; that he's here, that Kurapika is going against his instincts to keep him there, that Melody doesn't belong mixed up with these thugs either.]

Maybe we should bring her back some pancakes.

[It's easier to smile when he's facing the window like this. Honestly, he'd expected Leorio to react in rage or exaggerated surprise, even if he knew it-- but no. He's just happy, it seems. He should have known that that would take precedence over their bickering roles this time.

Right now, he's thinking he's pretty lucky. He reserves the right to take that back later when he's dealing with 'pancakes bigger than his head.']

We could... But are we cutting the day so short? [Playful. When was the last time he's been able to get away with teasing so much?] I thought you wanted to do more.

[The thing is, in the end - Leorio is aware Kurapika is a mess. The fact that he has someone (someone else, if Leorio can pat himself on the back for a minute) who can get through to him where it matters is incredibly fortunate. Plus, Leorio likes Melody. She's nice!

He'll have plenty more to get exaggeratedly angry at later, surely. He could start with this teasing???]

You— No!! We can go back for more pancakes.

By then, only you'd be willing to eat pancakes.

[Normal people don't have breakfast foods for lunch or dinner, Kurapika thinks. He actually laughs, though, tearing his eyes away from the window to look at Leorio. And then he's gesturing over the dash.]

Take a left here, and then your first right.

[Kurapika hasn't truly lived until he's kept eating breakfast foods at all hours. One day Leorio will educate him on the wonders of midnight breakfast, but today is not that day. He scoffs as he takes that left, and everything.]

What do you have against pancakes? You better get over that quickly!

[The size of his WHOLE HEAD.]

Are they that good?

[Aren't they just like, bread or something, Kurapika wonders.] I can't recall ever having them.

[He rarely ever ate breakfast to begin with. Since he was young, he was always out running around with Pairo and getting into trouble, and after everything, he was too busy overworking himself into no-sleep and barely-eating weeks and months.

Really, he's not the type to take care of himself in this way.]

Oh, it's on the right up here.

[LEORIO CRASHES THE CAR IN SHOCK. WHO HASN'T HAD A FUCKING PANCAKE?? IS KURAPIKA A REAL PERSON????]

[Or: Leorio legitimately turns his head to stare, before abruptly looking back at the road again (because he's a good driver and knows you don't just turn away from the road, ahem). Maybe pancakes aren't such a big deal, but...

Okay, in the grand scheme of things, if he had to pick a food to be considered a big deal, pancakes might rank pretty high.]

Well, you're in luck!! [excited about bread circles] You can let me know what you think once you've found out!

[He honestly expects this, for the record. And here they are, at the pancake place...]

[Ah, now pancakes are so talked up he wonders if they'll be disappointing or as delicious as they often look. He supposes he'll have to find out! He smiles down at his phone (Melody had just replied with something along the lines of 'Have fun! I can hold things down, so don't worry yourself too much.') and pockets it, getting out of the car.

From there, it's just a matter of quietly following after Leorio into the place, being seated, and staring at a menu.

There are different kinds of pancakes?]

I didn't expect there to be this much of a selection. [Honestly... Chocolate chip pancakes?? For breakfast? He'll probably just go with the regular kind. Looking up from his menu, he eyes Leorio.] Do you go out to eat a lot?

[Leorio, big dweeb that he is, keeps glancing up over his own menu to watch Kurapika learning about the wonders of pancakes.

He's going to order something profoundly ridiculous, but probably because this is a Special Occasion. Kurapika's first pancake experience and Leorio orders some bizarre type for himself, sure.]

Hm? Nah. [He shrugs one shoulder; he's not the type to be put off by eating alone in public (all those friends he doesn't have, ah), but he always has something to study for or something to write. Lame.] I get takeout more often, I guess.

Too bad you can't get pancakes delivered. [He's serious.]

I see...

[Leorio must not have much time to himself with school. Pancakes can't be too hard to make, can they? It seems simple enough. Maybe he can learn how. Not that he cares to make Leorio pancakes or anything, he's just-- maybe once, since he's saying it like that.

His thoughtful expression fades as he decides to go with the normal kind, after all, setting his menu down at the side of the table neatly.]

There is a park. [Is it noticeable, he wonders, that he's putting effort into this? He sure hopes not. He's thinking too formulaic, wondering what he should be doing or what might be nice with the same focus his work gets.

He really can't just relax, can he.] Not too far from here, I mean. If you wanted to go...

[That is not the face of someone who is thrilled about pancakes... But Leorio is busy being that person, thrilled, looking down at his menu again. He may be here a while yet.

The pancakes are Kurapika's saving grace in that regard, as he might have noticed the work attitude more. The park, sure, yeah, sounds great!!]

After pancakes. [beat; he glances up again] You've been to parks before, right?

[And immediately after trying so hard, he's annoyed and a bit offended.]

Of course I have! [What the fuck are you trying to say, punk.] And it's not like I was thinking we should leave right now, anyway... We haven't eaten yet.

[Neoleo would you please calm down. But alright, he contributed a bit, so that makes him feel less bad about Leorio having to be the one to force him out. But still, he's going to sit here and overthink literally everything in the meantime.]

We haven't ordered yet- [Which he means as a complaint now that he's finally selected the pancakes he wants and no one is immediately over here to take his order?? Fortunately, he is just big enough that all it takes is him straightening up to look around for a waiter for theirs to notice and come over.

He orders ice cream for breakfast, then waits expectantly for Kurapika to order more pancakes than he can possibly handle.]

Only because you took so long to decide.

[After staring in wonder at what Leorio orders, he orders his NORMAL STACK OF PANCAKES and some juice and then goes back to waiting. He can't help but look around the place as they wait. There's no one he recognizes, but he always has to check-- even if he's done well to hide his own face, there are plenty of crime organizations city to city that can recognize and follow actions of strangers without even knowing they're involved ahead of time.

So yes, he is being paranoid in the middle of their date. It doesn't really show on his face, and eventually he looks back in front of himself and undoes his little fork and knife napkin rollup, setting it up like a cute little place-mat.

This must be his version of fidgeting.]

[Leorio scoffs at that and hurriedly calls the waiter back to order some caffeinated drink he really does not need. It's important that he really thinks about his gratuitously sweet breakfast, of course.

He spends the next couple minutes fidgeting in his own way, restless as usual. He's opened the paper ring that holds the napkin and silverware sets closed and folded it over itself into a little spring and does the same with the straw wrapper when the drinks arrive. He tries to get the first one to actually spring up a couple times before giving up and leaning an elbow on the table while he sips his drink.

What the hell is Kurapika doing.]

You know... if you wanted the kiddie place mat, you only had to ask.

[Ah, romance.]

[And instantly, he's annoyed. He'd only rolled his own straw wrapper into a little ball that rested in front of him, but when Leorio pops off, he promptly flicks it straight for his forehead, closing his eyes in an annoyed huff.]

You're the one playing with paper at the table.

[He's so defensively angry!! He's trying really hard over here, don't mess up his flow with rude comments. He smooths over the edges of his napkin place-mat one last time before setting his hands in his lap.]

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