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Leorio cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly on his feet.
He couldn't believe Kurapika said yes.
He'd been trying for years, really. He couldn't count how many times he'd asked. Every time, at least after he finally realized Leorio wasn't joking, Kurapika would just give him a small, sad smile. 'Wait for me.' He'd say. He said it every single time.
So Leorio waited.
He waited for Kurapika to retrieve every pair of his people's eyes. He waited for the spiders to be wiped out. He waited for Kurapika to feel sorry for himself for a while before finally getting the help he needed. He waited for Kurapika to become himself again.
And now that day had finally come.
They were going to go on a date.
Normal people stuff, right? Except they weren't normal people. He knew that. Kurapika especially wasn't a normal person.
But that didn't mean they couldn't do this type of thing, right?
They could be normal people, just this once.
"Hello."
Leorio looked up from where he'd been distractedly fumbling with his tie.
Kurapika was there.
And he was....
"Wow."
Kurapika smiled softly at him, but he also looked a little bit embarrassed. It was cute.
"'Wow.'? That's all I get? Not even a 'Hello.'?"
"Hello."
Kurapika's smile widened a bit. "Hello."
"You look..." Leorio gestured awkwardly at Kurapika. "...really good. You look nice!" He could feel his face burning.
"Thank you. You as well. Even though you look the same as always." Kurapika punctuated the statement with a smirk.
"I didn't know you were gonna go all out!"
"I'd hardly consider this 'going all out' although I did dress up a bit."
"I'd say. I've never seen you wear this outfit before."
Usually Kurapika cycled through just a few outfits. Leorio assumed it was because Kurta clothing was probably hard to come by. He'd never really seen Kurapika wear anything besides his Kurta clothing and the suits he'd worn for work.
What he was wearing now...well, it was definitely Kurta. But it looked different than anything he'd seen Kurapika wear before. It was...fancier. Probably the Kurta's version of formal wear.
"Do you like it? I thought I'd make something special for the occasion, since you've been looking forward to this for so long." Kurapika did a little half twirl, his clothing swirling around him.
Leorio furrowed a brow. "Since I've been- Wait, you made that?"
Kurapika's outfit was, like he said before, definitely Kurta, and similar enough to the things he usually wore, but it was definitely fancy. The base color was a deep purple, and it was covered with golden embroidery, much more of it than Kurapika's usual outfits. The shape was slightly different, too.
"Yes, although I admit I have never made formal clothing before, nor did I wear it much as a child myself, so it might be a little off..."
Leorio found himself pulling at Kurapika's clothes a bit, causing the smaller man to slap lightly at his hand. "I can't believe you made this!"
"I make all of my clothing, Leorio. Well, other than the suits..."
"What?!"
"How else do you think I would acquire traditional Kurta garments?"
Leorio's jaw hung open. "Uh..."
"I learned to sew at a very young age. We made all of our own clothing...it's not like we had factories to mass produce them."
"Oh. That makes sense."
"You shouldn't be so surprised. Sewing is a basic skill. You'd do well to learn it yourself, perhaps then you could mend some of those ratty suits you like so much..."
"My suits aren't ratty!"
"At least you chose to wear a decent looking one tonight."
Leorio looked down. He was wearing the nicest suit he owned. For someone who wore suits 90% of the time, it was dressing up. He absently adjusted his tie again. "Well, you're lucky, I could have worn sweatpants."
"I doubt you'd ruin your dream date by doing that."
"Who said you're my dream date?!" Leorio leaned forward, jutting out his lip in a pout and shoving his hands in his pockets. Kurapika was right. He was his dream date. But he could never tell him that. Kurapika's head was big enough as it was.
Kurapika just stared up at him for a moment before smiling and rolling his eyes. He probably knew Leorio was bluffing. Oh well.
"Come on, let's go inside." Kurapika looped an arm through Leorio's and pulled him into the restaurant, not even giving him a moment to remove his hands from his pockets.
Leorio let himself be dragged around, hunched over, until they reached the hostess stand. He then stood up straight(well, as straight as he could manage accounting for the fact he slouched the majority of the time) and cleared his throat, trying to look like he belonged in such an establishment. He heard Kurapika snort beside him.
"Reservation for 'Paladiknight', please."
"Right this way, sir."
They were brought to their table, which was relatively isolated. It had an incredible view of the city below.
After they sat down and the hostess left them Leorio couldn't help but find himself staring at Kurapika again.
He'd looked wonderful outside, sure, but the fluorescent lights lighting the streets in front of the restaurant really didn't do him justice.
Kurapika was staring down at his menu, not paying any mind to Leorio at all. The dim yellow lighting in the room really brought out the gold in his eyes. And his hair. And the threads on his clothes.
He was bathed in yellow and gold, like a star.
Leorio didn't notice he was staring with a lovestruck expression until after Kurapika pointed it out.
"Why are you staring at me?"
"Huh?"
"You'd best look at your menu instead, I would like to order soon, and I already know what I want."
"Why look at the menu when you look good enough to-OW! Kurapika!"
Kurapika had stomped on his foot and was fixing him with a glare. He was blushing, though, so Leorio considered it a win, in the end.
"I didn't agree to come tonight to be ogled. Keep yourself in check for once, please. We're in public."
"So I can ogle you when we're in private?" He wiggled his eyebrows. Kurapika's face grew redder.
"Do you have no shame?"
"Can't say I ever have."
"Ugh. You're so embarrassing. I can't believe I agreed to this." Kurapika had slumped in his chair about, and was hiding his face behind his menu.
"Hey." Leorio grabbed the menu, pulling it away from Kurapika's face. "Sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I promise I'll behave for the rest of the night!"
"I'd like it even better if you'd behave forever."
"That's too much. Even you can't make demands like that."
"Darn. And here I thought I was special."
You are. More than you could possibly know.
Leorio wanted to say it, but instead he just gave his most genuine smile and picked up his menu.
The majority of the night passed without incident. They ordered, they bickered, they ate, Leorio learned Kurapika was a lightweight...
Neither of them planned on getting drunk. But what was a date at a fancy restaurant without a little alcohol?
Leorio certainly wasn't drunk, and perhaps Kurapika wasn't either. But he was noticeably flushed, and was laughing at nearly everything Leorio said, even things he'd normally scoff at or have some kind of witty comeback for.
He didn't think either of them had had too much to drink, but he hadn't really been paying very much attention to that, being much more interested in paying attention to his date.
They'd probably had the same amount to drink, and Leorio was only a little bit tipsy. He was much bigger than Kurapika, though, and he doubted the other man could boast that he'd started drinking at twelve(not that it was something most people would boast about. Kurapika might slap him if he found out.).
He only really found it weird when Kurapika started being...oddly affectionate.
At some point during the night he'd reached across the table and grabbed Leorio's hand, placing his on top and absently stroking Leorio's knuckles with his fingers.
Leorio adjusted himself to finish his meal with his free hand.
It was fine, and he could handle that. He only really started getting flustered when he felt Kurapika's foot rubbing against his leg under the table.
"Kurapika. What are you doing?"
"Nothing." Their legs tangled together. Leorio's face felt hot.
The night went on like that. Leorio tried to ignore how his heart skipped a beat every time Kurapika would giggle at something stupid he'd said, and eventually stopped letting Kurapika order more alcohol.
Things were going well. They were.
"Could we go home soon, Leorio? I'm tired."
"Of course!"
He knew Kurapika was drunk when he didn't protest at Leorio paying the bill.
And the way he stumbled a bit when he stood up confirmed it.
Leorio's heart swelled as Kurapika adjusted himself quickly afterwards, as prim and proper as ever. He dusted off and straightened his clothes like he was some aristocrat and not someone who had just nearly tripped over his own feet.
"Didn't take you for the type to go off and get drunk on a first date."
Kurapika fixed him with a glare. "I'm not drunk."
"Yeah, sure."
"I'm not!" Kurapika raised his voice a tiny bit, balling his hands into fists.
A few people looked over at them. Leorio grabbed ahold of Kurapika's arm, looping it through his like Kurapika had done earlier. "Okay, you're not drunk." He grinned.
"That's right."
They exited the restaurant without incident. Kurapika seemed fine now that he hadn't just stood up so quickly. Perhaps Leorio was too quick to assume he was drunk, after all.
They were outside now, and Leorio wasn't sure what to do, exactly.
Kurapika stared up at him with big brown eyes, his expression unreadable.
"Well, uh-"
"Leorio-"
They spoke at the same time. Kurapika giggled again and Leorio's heart skipped another beat. At this rate he was going to give himself heart problems.
"That was nice. Thanks for finally humoring me."
"It was a long time coming." Kurapika was smiling at him, his smile slightly wider than normal. Leorio blushed.
"Yeah, well...." Leorio rubbed the back of his head. He cleared his throat. "Do you wanna...maybe...come visit for a bit? It's not that late, and-"
"I would love to."
The cab ride was torture.
Maybe it's just because of the fact he was drunk. Or tipsy. Or 'slightly intoxicated', however Kurapika wanted to call it.
But he was all over Leorio the entire way back to his apartment.
He was pressed impossibly close to him, first of all. Their sides were flushed completely against each other. Leorio was pretty sure Kurapika had never been this close for such an extended period of time.
And on top of that, his head was on Leorio's shoulder.
And then, the nail in the coffin was that Kurapika was currently playing with his hand.
That's right. He was rubbing his fingers along Leorio's knuckles, intertwining their fingers together, pressing his hand against Leorio's to compare their sizes, the works.
"Your hands are so big."
This was it. This was how he was going to die.
Did Kurapika even know why people usually said those words? Did he realize? Did he know what that was usually code for?
Leorio's head slumped back against his seat and he screwed his eyes together.
No. This was no time for a boner. He would control himself. He wasn't such a weak man that he would get all hot and bothered by Kurapika's words and their implication alone.
"Leorio? Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah." He nearly yelped when he felt Kurapika press cold fingers to his cheek.
"You're all red. Did I do something to embarrass you?"
His hand didn't leave Leorio's cheek, and his other was still clutching Leorio's hand.
"No! You're fine."
"Alright." Kurapika's hand left his cheek and rejoined the other, fondling his own hand once more. He snuggled impossibly closer into Leorio's side, and Leorio could do nothing but grin and bear it.
It was the same once they got back to his apartment.
They had both quickly made themselves at home on the couch, and Kurapika was practically on top of him.
He seemed to have no boundaries when he was drunk. It was quite the contrast to the usual Kurapika, who seemed hyperaware of any touch initiated between them, and usually preferred not to be touched at all. Even when he permitted it he was never one to initiate it himself.
Leorio couldn't help but wonder if Kurapika being super affectionate right now was something he'd actually wanted all along.
"Leorio..." Kurapika's voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"Hm?"
"Have I ever told you....how important you are to me?"
Leorio's eyes widened. "Um...maybe?"
"You're so important. I don't think I'd be alive today if not for you."
"Hey, don't say that." Leorio frowned.
"It's true...you helped bring me back from the edge of despair...just by being there for me..thank you for that. I'd never have been able to motivate myself to get help without you..."
"I...you're welcome." Leorio felt his stomach knot. He never knew. He knew he possibly played a role in getting Kurapika to start therapy and turn his life around, but he didn't really know the extent of it.
"You're such a good person, Leorio."
Leorio blushed. "Y-yeah?"
"You're so kind. To everyone. But especially to me. I've never met someone as kindhearted as you." Kurapika was practically nuzzled into his neck.
Leorio chuckled awkwardly. "Stop flattering me. It's weird when you're usually hurling insults at me."
"I don't mean those. Not usually, anyway. Perhaps only half the time." Kurapika smirked at him.
"I bet you wouldn't say any of this if you were sober."
"I told you, I'm not drunk."
"Yeah, sure."
"Leorio?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you in love with me?"
Leorio choked on his own spit. "Wh-wha-whu-..?"
"Is that a yes?"
"What?! No!"
Kurapika's face fell. "Oh." He started to pull away from Leorio. "I seem to have...misread the situation."
Leorio wrapped an arm around him, pulling him back to his side. "Wait, Kurapika!"
"What?"
"I didn't mean that I-..um, I don't-...Ugh!" Leorio tugged at his own hair with his free hand.
Kurapika scrunched his nose at him and began removing Leorio's arm from around him. "Please, Leorio, I've embarrassed myself enough for tonight, don't make it worse..." His entire face and neck were bright red now. More from his embarrassment than the alcohol, Leorio would guess.
"I am in love with you!" Kurapika stilled, wide eyes looking up at Leorio. "I am. I didn't want you to find that out when you were drunk, though...." He sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
Kurapika stared at him for a moment before relaxing back into his side and letting out what sounded like a sigh of relief.
"I love you too." He glanced up at Leorio out of the corner of his eye.
Leorio beamed. He tried so hard not to get too excited, though, because who knew what Kurapika would say tomorrow. Hearing those words directed at him, though, from Kurapika's mouth? He couldn't help it.
Kurapika yawned. So Leorio yawned too.
"Sleepy?"
"Yes."
Leorio nearly yelped when Kurapika manhandled him to get him to lay down on the couch. It contrasted greatly with how he delicately maneuvered a cushion under Leorio's head.
He then positioned himself between Leorio's legs and laid his head on his chest, wrapping his arms around his waist. It happened in a matter of seconds and Leorio could barely register it until it was too late.
He stared down at Kurapika with wide eyes.
Kurapika squeezed him tight.
"C-comfy?"
"Very." Kurapika's voice was muffled by Leorio's chest. It was incredibly endearing.
"You don't want to change clothes? Or go to the bed?"
"No."
"I feel like you'll regret that in the morning. And be mad at me for it."
Kurapika lifted his head a bit. "That sounds like a problem for you, not me." He laid his head back down immediately after, burying his face in Leorio's shirt.
Leorio found he didn't mind sleeping in such an uncomfortable position if Kurapika was there.
He stroked Kurapika's hair. The smaller man let out a content 'hmm.'
"Hey, Kurapika?"
"Hm?"
"Did you mean that?"
"What?"
"That you love me?"
Kurapika was silent for a beat, and Leorio was scared he'd said the wrong thing.
"Of course. And I'll still mean it when I'm sober."
Leorio smirked. "I thought you weren't drunk?"
He didn't get a response. After a moment he realized that it was because Kurapika had already fallen asleep. He started stroking his hair again. He couldn't help the huge smile on his face.
"Goodnight, Kurapika. I love you."