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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Were you expecting a different color?

[It's a park, Leorio. Kurapika's sass never ends. But he looks at the scenery ahead of them a bit himself, still leaning that small bit into him. He could say lame, poetic things about a park like this existing in the center of a busy city, but he won't. This time.]

I've only been able to come here two or three times. If it's not to your interest, we can do something else.

[Oh, would he rather go sit in the car again or stay here on this bench where not even the kids wandering away from their parents in this park seem to be able to find them? Hmm.

See, he gets it. He gets privacy, at least. To emphasize this he slouches a little, he's... a fan of the bench?]

This isn't all for me. If you wanna look at plants, I'll look at some plants.

Then don't make it sound so dull.

[If it's not all for Leorio. Please, some consideration for this park. These are not just 'some' plants!! But he'll spare the lecture, because he's in a good mood right now, despite everything else.

They're slouching together, now, it seems, even if Kurapika's is far more slight. He's busy looking at the flowers, smiling at himself because he knows their names, their meanings, the ways he could totally be corny if he wanted to... But of course that's not his style.]

I simply thought that we could both use some time to relax. It's what you're always saying, isn't it?

[Wh-?? Okay okay, he'll be nice to the plants. He can do that, yeah...

Or he could keep slouching here, occasionally shifting his arm around Kurapika or tapping lightly up and down his arm or any number of other little things that demonstrate he is restless, but trying. He's much more interested in Kurapika than the flowers, give him a break.]

And I'm not wrong about it, either. I'm plenty relaxed right here! [Fidgety, but when is he not.] It's... a good spot.

[So fidgety... Eventually, Kurapika looks over to Leorio. The taps to his arm are pretty silly, but then again, so many things about the two of them are. So he's not the type to sit still and enjoy a view, is that it?

Well.

Placing a hand on his thigh lightly as he moves closer, he leans up just enough to kiss Leorio's cheek. A soft, quick thing that Kurapika's looking away from just as soon as he's done it. His hand stays there, though.

'Calm down.' But if he said that aloud, it would just sound hypocritical.]

[He is calm...! It's just- sitting here, apparently doing nothing but looking at flowers isn't his idea of a great time, exactly. They're just flowers, they don't do anything.

So, as for calming down... He squeezes Kurapika's shoulder and scoots sideways on the bench enough to plunk his chin down on his other, un-squeezed shoulder. Hi.

He hums, staring ahead at some grass and willing it to be cool. Well, since he's already here.]

Tell me something nature-y.

[Kurapika deals with the chin on his shoulder, somehow. Physical affection is so much easier when he just has to sit here and put up with it.]

Nature-y? [he repeats, like he's trying to grasp the concept of it as he looks around. It's not hard to see he's bored, but he's not about to get up so soon after visiting this spot. He wasn't lying! It's his favorite spot in this city. And he wants to enjoy it at least this one last time.

Clicking onto something he thinks will be at least mildly interesting for Leorio, he lifts one of his legs to point and sweep over some of the types of flowers near the stream there.]

Do you recognize those flowers? [They're Hunter x Hunter tulips, for the record. That means it's time for Hunter x Hunter versioned Dutch History smashed with bullshit. Anyway, those flowers are relatively common, if Leorio can recognize that much. More in paintings and children's drawings than anywhere around here, but--]

They're one of the only plants that's maintained its believed meaning from country to country. Immortality, long life, and perfect love. There was one country that fell so in love with them that their worth skyrocketed. You could often sell just one Lily Cup for nearly ten times the annual income of a skilled craftsman.

[Why does he know this... Why does he know this???]

[Does he recognize those flowers indeed. He's seen flowers before...? He certainly can't place them by name or anything like that, but they're flowers he's pretty sure he's seen at least once. Instead of voicing his flowery ignorance he hums noncommittally.

They're certainly flowers.

He's both surprised and not surprised that Kurapika knows all this. The guy grew up in the woods or whatever, so it fits... but all that stuff about the lucrative flower market? Huh.

Naturally, that's what gets his attention. The all-the-way-to-the-bank flower is really pretty, isn't it.]

No way... [he hears a distinct cha-ching as he looks at them] Will they still pay that much?

[Is he looking at a goldmine!!]

Unfortunately, no.

[He's smiling a little as he delivers this terrible news, but it's because he knew Leorio would lock onto that. How predictable!! Ah, but he's amused. He touches his toes to the ground as he sits, sliding them across the grass a little.]

Their market crashed not too long afterwards, as with most instances like that. They're the price you'd expect, nowadays.

You don't say. [Hopes dashed on the rocks. He sighs, genuinely pretty disappointed to hear this.] That's a shame.

[Now the flowers are just flowers again... Pity, he could have built a flower empire!!]

Where did you learn that, anyway? You're an economy scholar now, too?

[ya nerd]

It was in one of the first books I read about the outside world.

[Ah, he hasn't called it that in a while. But for reference, rather than bringing up his clan by name-- he says this.] It was only mentioned in passing, so when I started traveling on my own, I researched it.

I was amazed by the way prices could rise and fall in such short periods of time, and to such extremes, so I did read about that more in general, as well... [Not an economy scholar, but he does know way too much. Basically.]

[What... a nerd. Leorio thinks this despite his own detailed knowledge of things like haggling and how to work a market, but he didn't read books about these things! Kurapika is weird.]

Seriously? You could've learned that by hanging around a city market for a week!

[Since his chin is still on Kurapika's shoulder, he turns his head a little and sort of... blows on his hair a little, for emphasis. Think of it as the "hands are busy" alternative for poking him in some other annoying way. Thanks, Leorio.]

Reading some book's nothing like the real thing, Kurapika. You can't learn about the world just by reading!

[The blow actually gets him to half-jump in surprise. What... Who blows at someone's hair! He makes an unimpressed face immediately afterwards, letting that fade naturally over time as Leorio continues to say other insulting things.]

Really? [There's challenge in the tone of even that one word.] I'm not just reading, for the record. You see the position I'm in now. I doubt I could have gotten here without the knowledge I have.

Jealousy is ugly, Leorio.

[Yes he is implying what he seems to be implying.]

[Hold still and let him do dumb things, okay. He's about to do it again midway through Kurapika's I'm Very Smart rebuttal, which turns into an indignant sputter right after the best part. The rude part.]

Jealousy?! Are you crazy? Like hell I'd ever be jealous of bossing around a bunch of lowlife thugs!!

[He's sat back up straight by this point, because ew, who would be jealous of that, and also because he's pretty sure he was just called stupid again, great... grumble mumble he got into med school he's smart—]

I can read too, you little jerk.

They all have their reason for being there, much like myself.

[He says that quietly and without any tone indicating insult, but he is pretty much saying Leorio should think of him as a lowlife thug, too, then. Now that his shoulder is free, he rolls it a few times and stretches his arms in front of him.]

I'm not trying to discount your intelligence. I'm simply saying I know how the world works.

[Leorio says nothing but scoffs, looking the other way. Of course he's not going to think of Kurapika like that— Kurapika could actually be a lowlife thug, and he still wouldn't... more or less what's happening now with his secret boss situation, as it happens. Whatever that says about him.

He's not going to argue that calling him an idiot is what it sounds like, because he'll lose that one. He has that much self-awareness.]

Yeah, and you still hate pretty much everything, right? [THAT'S... what he heard. He waves a hand dismissively.] Whatever, forget I said anything.

You've misunderstood.

[He slips away from Leorio, standing up and straightening out the wrinkles in his red shirt before looking to him. Hm, despite all his darker thoughts and worries right now, he's agreed to this, so-- he grants him a look that doesn't look negative or sad or angry.

It's pretty light. If anything, it's more similar to those fond looks Leorio likes to give, himself.]

There are many things that I love. [He lets that set in before turning back to step around and behind the bench, one hand closing over the back of it.]

We can leave, now, if you'd like. I'm satisfied.

[That's still calling him stupid!! is honestly Leorio's first thought. It's always he misunderstood this, or Leorio don't yell at that, or Leorio stop stomping around yelling at that other thing as well— listen, he just has a lot of strong reactions to things, that's all.

That expression gives him pause, a little surprised - but not enough to dwell on it, as he follows Kurapika's trek around the bench with his eyes and ending up tipping his head back to squint at him upside down. His glasses slide dangerously the Wrong Way, completing this picture of a big dweeb.

He's not satisfied!! Which, of course, has nothing to do with the plants and everything to do with how he's bent backwards over a bench right now just to give Kurapika a very serious look.]

Like what? Besides flowers and being a smartass!

[spare him]

[Despite all of these implied name calls, this surprises Kurapika. Really? He can't pick up on even that? Well, maybe that's for the best, but it still causes him to pause, staring down at Leorio's bent-backwards figure.

There are a lot of ways he could follow up to that question. There's plenty of things he loves. And he's half tempted to just say 'You really are an idiot' and walk away, but miraculously, he resists.]

Like reading, for one. [Obviously, he stalls here, his hand pulling back from the bench.] And you.

[Sometimes he can be incredibly blunt and not care, it seems. He decided wording it this way instead of just 'my friends' was a little nicer, without really thinking about the suddenness of it all.]

[LIKE READING... Is this truly where Leorio has laid his affections... He's (predictably) stuck on that, like a true moron, such that it takes another extra second for the point to sink in. The moment it does is pretty obvious; his expression drops from squinting exaggeratedly suspiciously to surprise, briefly, and then his mouth twists into he's not sure what kind of stupid shape and his face heats up in record time.

Oh. Well, now that he has- that tidbit-]

Huh?

[No, wait, shit— Suddenly he's moving way too quickly, trying to get up and turn all the way around at the same time rather than actually move around the bench, and the end result is he slams both shins and one knee against the bench in his effort to lean over the back of it the opposite way this time. It's an embarrassing display of too much limb and not enough forethought, and then he's blurting out—]

M- Me too!!

[No, wait, shit???]

[He never meant for this to happen! Watching this unfold is painful, even, and he reaches out with both hands when Leorio hits practically every body part on this poor bench, landing on his shoulders in an attempt to stabilize him.

Those words come out next, and Kurapika is blinking, baffled, confused, caught off guard--]

You too? [What a clumsy wording. But it sets in, despite that, and his stomach knots even while he waits for a correction, or an affirmation, or something. --God, he's got to have at least a couple bruises after that collision, so much force...]

[The bruises will come later and he'll wonder about them, probably, given how he doesn't seem to have noticed how many parts of himself he whacked against the bench just now. He suddenly has something much more important to think about!

But— now that he's spluttered his way into not really saying what he means, he has a moment to pause. It sinks in fully as he looks at Kurapika with what appears to be stern concentration, and- yeah. His heart is pounding suddenly - Melody can probably hear it, it feels like that much - and he's already fumbled this, so where is there to go but up??

His grips the back of the bench with both hands and nods, which is more for his own private agreement with himself that he has to say it properly now that he's thought about it, but Kurapika can have it too. There's no way he can do this at anything less than a half-shout.]

Yeah, me too!! [leorio] I love you!

[He'd gone into this without thinking properly. He hadn't meant to turn this into some sort of confession scene, and yet somehow it'd happened? His heart feels like it's in his stomach, or his stomach is up in his chest-- he can't really tell which-- and he finds himself taking in a slow breath.

Leorio is so sincere. Up close like this, it feels like so much more of a heavy thing.]

Leorio, I-- [Just two words sound pretty emotional, and he has to cut himself off, probably to avoid saying something too unnecessarily corny. But he's already caught in this overly determined and serious moment of staring at one another and making promises to themselves.

His hands grip at Leorio's shoulders and then slide down his arms halfway, only to hold tight there again.]

I won't ignore you anymore. Please forgive me.

[It's weird, Leorio thinks idly, while he's still staring at Kurapika and - waiting. It's weird that his heart is pounding this hard and he's confessing and yet... it all feels ordinary. Maybe not ordinary—

Inevitable? He isn't sure, but it's something like that.]

For— [What? Again, he's thrown for a moment. There are so many things he's turned a blind eye to and excused, but so many on top of those that he's raked over the coals, and... He isn't sure which things he's forgiving, from ignoring his calls to hiding being the next boss and in between.

He doesn't want whatever he says in response to sound less than serious, is the thing... Part of him feels like he'd agree to anything right now (Kurapika loves him) without even a whisper of a second thought (loves him).

He forgets there's a bench between them as he moves to take a step forward, pitching forward with a swear and grabbing for Kurapika to stay mostly upright. Smooth.]

Kurapika— [yes he's doing this in this position] Don't worry about it.

[Even with this incredible display of clumsiness, he's overcome with complex feelings. His eyes are red behind his contacts again, but he doesn't care this time. This sort of feeling is one new to him, but it feels... natural. Maybe that's it. Natural.

He's happy, he thinks as Leorio practically falls again and has to grab him for stability. He's happy but an incredibly heavy sadness grips at his chest like it's been there for the past couple of years, and he steps as close as he possibly can to the bench without actually running into it.

Who cares if there's a bench between them, apparently. Kurapika lets his arms slip to wrap around Leorio's waist so he can press his face to his chest and forget about everything else for a second. How strange... he's abandoned pride for this moment.]

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ah the common node flower

yes in all its beauty

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kill me

how can i when i am already dead

636 comments and I am dying I am dead