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Kurapika feels warm arms tighten around his waist as he tries to get up out of bed, followed by a soft kiss to his shoulder, and a soft groan from Leorio, the only one who’d actively try to keep someone like him so close.
“Pika… don’t get up yet…” Leorio trailed off, cuddling his face further into Kurapika’s back.
“I have to get ready for work, Leorio”
“I don’t care.. wanna cuddle my amazing, beautiful, gorgeous, stunning-” Leorio began, tightening his hold of Kurapika’s waist, only to be cut off before he could finish his ramble.
“Ok grandpa, let’s get you back to sleep,” He said softly as he could, while Leorio was starting to wake up, he was clearly still pretty tired.
“No,” He began dragging on.
“Leorio, you’re whining like a little kid,” He tried his best to sound exasperated, but in all honesty, Kurapika didn’t mind Leorio clinging to him one bit.
It never bothered him, but if he didn’t put up any resistance, he knew he’d never show up to work, never avenge his people, he’d just live happily with Leorio, lay here as long as he could, bask in the feeling of pure adoration and love, he felt from Leorio- but he couldn’t live with himself if he ever did.
Happiness was a luxury, a luxury that Kurapika didn’t deserve.
But what he felt here with Leorio, the two of them having casual banter, together in bed, soft kisses exchanged, kind words exchanged between the two like it was something forbidden for the rest of the world to hear.
Leorio made him feel so much, while being the only person who quieted his mind for a bit at the same time.
Leorio made him feel happy .
Maybe that’s why it was so hard for him to be near Leorio.
“Kurapika please stay… just a couple more minutes, I haven’t seen you in weeks,” Leorio said, practically pouting at him, and looking at Leorio, while the expression looked a bit ridiculous on him, Kurapika couldn’t help but feel his resolve to get out of bed weaken.
Well, being a couple minutes late to the Nostrade Estate wouldn’t hurt.. they wouldn’t fire their one competent employee since Melody left.
“Fine. You have me for 10 minutes, no more,” He huffed, but he could tell Leorio knew he wasn’t that bothered.
Like a switch flipped, the moment Kurapika said that Leorio’s face was enveloped in a massive disgustingly cute grin in Kurapika’s completely unbiased opinion.
“Mmm, you’re so pretty ‘Pika,” Leorio hummed, cradling his face, and Kurapika tried to ignore the way he felt blood rush up to his face, and could only hope his eyes weren’t glowing a bright red to match that.
After cradling his face, Leorio just looked at him as if he was dissecting Kurapika with his eyes, taking him apart with only a glance, his touch making Kurapika feel himself completely melt away into bliss in his hands.
He’ll never truly understand why Leorio looks at him with so much love.
Leorio looks at him like he hung up the sun, moon, and stars in the sky.
He can only hope he returns a look with the same amount of love, as he admires the different shades of brown in Leorio’s eyes, the slight stubble he has, and the small wrinkle lines showing how often he smiles.
They stay like that for a few moments.
The world around them disappears for a few small moments, it’s just the two of them in bed together, there are no spiders to kill, no eyes to find, no med school papers to stress about, it’s just the two of them.
Just the two of them.
Leorio and Kurapika.
No one else.
Kurapika hates how much he loves the sound of that.
The moment ends, but leads into something Kurapika thinks he hates even more, only because it makes him so happy it is most definitely not something he deserves.
Leorio kisses him.
Leorio holds him.
Leorio kisses Kurapika like he’s something precious, like a treasure meant to be cherished, one kiss after another, all over his face and his neck, as he holds Kurapika like he’s the most delicate piece of glass, one hand cradling his face, as his other arm wraps around his waist.
Every single touch is so soft, but it’s so much at the same time.
He feels so loved it makes him want to cry.
He doesn’t think he can feel any happier, as if he can’t be thrown any further into a bliss that he shouldn’t be allowed to experience, that Leorio makes sure he feels anyway-
“I love you ‘Pika” Leorio says, as if it's a simple phrase, something completely normal to say, as if it was something a sane person says.
Part of him wants to push Leorio away, tell him to never talk to him again, lie and say he hates Leorio, anything to get him to leave Kurapika like every other good thing in Kurapika’s life.
Leorio deserves better , he deserves a lover who can be there to cuddle in the mornings, someone who can help him clean the apartment, someone who could pick up a phone call within a year.
But Kurapika is selfish, so he doesn’t say any of that, regardless of the fact he knows he should, for Leorio’s own good, instead wrapping his arms around Leorio’s neck, leaning in for a chaste kiss on the lips, that slowly became a bit more tender, akin to an all consuming flame, and like a flame, it burns away any bit of Kurapika’s logic telling him to push Leorio away.
Also akin to an all consuming flame, its beauty and warmth draws Kurapika in, despite knowing how much it’ll hurt when he gets too close, and eventually gives into logic and reason, and pushes Leorio away, leaving him to finally pursue someone worthy of his time, of his effort, his love.
(he ignores the way his heart twists when he thinks of life without leorio’s love)
But for now, Kurapika will ignore all of that, and let himself be selfish, for these short few minutes between the two on a random morning, and let himself bask in Leorio’s warmth, his love.
He lets himself be happy for a few short moments.