There's a fine line between 'love' and 'hate' and 'I don't mind'. Just let me say that 'I like that', I don't like that. – Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin
Chapter 8: Entertainment
"I'm bored, hungry, and I really have to use the bathroom. God, isn't anybody gonna let us out?"
Leorio feebly pounded his fists against the phone booth walls, leaning his forehead against the glass. "C'mon! I'm too young to die…"
"Will you be quiet?" Kurapika demanded, though amusement was written clearly across his face. "Complaining won't do you any good. Besides, it's irritating." He crossed his arms, casually leaning against the phonebook on the wall.
The two of them had been trapped in the phone booth for over two hours, according to Leorio's watch, and the teacher was beginning to wonder if the rain would stop before nightfall. To be stuck there, for the entire night? No thanks. He wanted to leave and get home, and he didn't plan on spending the rest of the day here.
"Need I remind you, you were the one who chose to come here." Kurapika stated matter-of-factly. Sitting up, Leorio muttered irritably, "Well, you woke me up. And by throwing a phone book at me, too."
"You were snoring loudly. I couldn't sleep."
"So you woke me up, and now neither of us is sleeping."
"Honestly, Hanashi-sensei, you are much more amusing when you're awake than asleep. I needed some form of entertainment if I wouldn't be allowed to rest." The blond smirked, making shivers go down his teacher's back. "Entertain me, Leorio-san." He spoke slowly, dragging out each syllable.
"You are so out of character right now, it's scary." Leorio dug through his pockets, eventually pulling out a deck of cards. "Wanna play a card game? It's something to do, at least."
"I have the urge to answer 'I'm something to do', or 'then let's do it'." Kurapika sighed, resting his chin against his hands. "I think spending time with you, Hisoka-san, and Yuei-chan today has done something to me." Leorio nodded slowly, surprise keeping any expression off his face. All he managed to say was, "I see…"
Re-pocketing the cards, Leorio held out his hands, "How about a clapping game then?"
"You mean a hand game-…" Kurapika stared at nothing in particular, letting himself fall back to look at the ceiling. "I think I'm sick."
"Quick, what's the first thing you think of when I say…girl."
"Female." The blond muttered, bored enough to play the teacher's stupid game.
"What about…penis."
"Leorio-san!" Kurapika snapped angrily, bolting to a sitting position and blushing lightly. Leorio grinned, "Ah, so you play for that team, eh?" He chuckled, glad that he could be the one to cause the blond to gape like this.
Another hour passed, barely noticed. It was spent bickering and teasing, neither of them wanting to let the other have the last word. So transfixed in their verbal battle, they didn't notice the fact that the rain had stopped. Nor did they note the people who cast glances at the two occupants of the phone booth.
"How could you suggest something like that?" Kurapika growled, a vein beginning to pulse on his forehead. Leorio towered above him, standing with his arms crossed, "You are such a girl! You're probably wearing a skirt underneath that!"
"Wouldn't you like to know!"
"Aha! Ladies and gentlemen, Yuukio Kurapika did not deny his skirt-wearing-obsession!"
"You didn't deny that you would like to know, either!" Kurapika got to his feet, grabbing the front of the teacher's shirt, "You're interested, aren't you?"
"Ahem." There was a knock on the phone booth door. "Now, girls, girls, this is hardly the place for a cat fight."
Yuei pulled open the door, finally freeing them from their confinement, "Though, frankly, I'm loving the fanservice so feel free to continue some place more appropriate."
"Would you mind if I killed you?" Kurapika asked innocently, turning his attention back to Leorio. With a sigh, he released his grasp on his shirt and stepped out of the booth. "Thanks for letting us out." Yuei shrugged, "Thought I'd return the favor."
"Favor?"
Leorio stretched his arms above his head, "I thought we'd be stuck in there forever!"
The sky was again clear, free from any signs of the storm that had struck just hours ago. Already, people were flowing back into the carnival gates to enjoy the circus. Tents were going back up and clowns began goofing about.
One of those clowns approached them, holding up a small box. Kneeling on one knee, he presented the box to Yuei and Kurapika, Leorio peering over their shoulders. With a flourish, he opened the box. Flowers and confetti sprang from the small container, a single light shooting up to explode in the dim sky as the sun disappeared behind the far away hills.
The clown laughed silently, skipping away from the group.
Leorio reached down and plucked one of the flowers from the ground, sliding it behind the blond's ear, unnoticed.
XXX
"Putting aside the Improv game and being stuck in a phone booth," Leorio parked the car in front of the house. "I'd say it was a pretty fun date, ne?"
Kurapika stifled an exhausted yawn behind the cone of cotton candy, "Sure. But it was a lousy, um, 'first date', if you ask me." Somewhere in the middle of winning random prizes from random games and the fireworks, the teacher had managed to convince the blond to refer to the day as a 'date'. Why? Because he had said so, that's why.
"In all seriousness, why were you in the women's section this morning?" Leorio asked curiously. Kurapika sighed, for the umpteenth time, "I got distracted, and when I turned around, you were already gone. So I was looking for you."
"Why would you think I'd be in the women's section?"
"Because you would be."
"That's-…probably true."
Kurapika smiled tiredly, opening the car door, "Are you gonna sit there all night?"
Killing the engine, Leorio followed the blond up the porch steps, sorting through his keys. "Where is that darn key…?" Kurapika chewed thoughtfully on his cotton candy, savoring the blue fluffy taste as it melted in his mouth.
"Hanashi-sensei, why do you want to be a doctor?"
The key clicked into the lock, sending the door open. The teacher flipped the light switch, shrugging out of his coat, "Every time this comes up, you end up walking away from me. I don't want to talk about it if that's gonna happen." He kicked off his shoes and finished off his own cotton candy. Kurapika closed the door behind him, dropping the bags to slip off his shoes, "I'm just curious this time. A degree in teaching, and then medical school? Are you just ambitious or do you have a good reason?"
"I can't tell, are you mocking me?" The teacher muttered, leaning against the wall. The blond looked up, genuine curiosity on his face, "People don't become doctors on a mere whim."
Leorio licked his suddenly dry lips, "Well, it doesn't matter. I don't have enough money so I probably won't even be able to finish medical school. Besides, it's not possible for a guy like me to get a good degree."
Kurapika shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips, "A 'guy like you'? Not good enough? Don't give up before you even try, Leorio-san."
Eyes wide, Leorio stared at the blond, a scene from the past surfacing just barely.
Don't count yourself out before you even get in the game, Leorio!
"You're just like him." He whispered. The blond blinked, "Who?"
Just then the phone began to ring, its usual song cutting through the teacher's reminisce. He quickly snatched it off its hook, bringing it to his ear, "Hello?"
Kurapika waited patiently as he talked, finishing off the cotton candy before grabbing the bags and bringing them towards his room. With a yawn, he left them in the corner and dragged himself to the kitchen. Opening the fridge, he surveyed the very limited inventory.
With a short laugh, he took out a slice of leftover pizza, eating it cold as he waited for his teacher to get off the phone. As he nibbled on the crust, Kurapika wondered why he was eating. It wasn't as if he hadn't had enough food. Actually, he had had more than he probably should have. Finishing half the slice, he lifted his shirt slightly, staring at his thin stomach. Could it be that he was getting fat? Did that make you eat more? He didn't think he had gained any weight.
Letting go of the fabric, the blond hoisted himself onto the counter, leaning his head against the cabinet. Since when did he care about such trivial matters anyways?
His gaze drifted to the doorway as Leorio waltzed in.
"Who was it?"
"It was someone from medical school." Leorio murmured dazedly, "The exams have been rescheduled to late September, just like you said."
They remained in silence as the teacher came over and snatched the remainder of the pizza away, gobbling it up in a few bites. Kurapika frowned as he finished, "I was eating that."
"And I saved you the trouble of finishing it. You're welcome." He smiled lazily, leaning back to trap the blond against the counter.
"Ow, ow! You're squishing me!" Kurapika playfully pounded on the teacher's back, drawing his legs back to keep his knees from pressing against the rough edges. Leorio pushed further back, turning his head to keep the blond from chocking on his hair, "I won't get up until you say 'Leorio's awesome and so darn handsome'."
"You're so overconfident."
"No, no. I have no self confidence. I need you to reassure me."
Kurapika rolled his eyes, "Sure you do. I still won't say it."
"Oh, so you like being under me?" Leorio teased. The blond covered his mouth with his hands, smothering his laughter.
"I should really start thinking before saying things out loud."
"It's funnier this way, but yes, yes you should."
TBC…
Yuuki: *all proud like* Ha, I kept seriousness to a MINIMUM!
Killua: Gon and I haven't been seen in forever -_-
Yuuki: Pffsh, whatever…maybe I'll make a KillGon after this…
Leorio: …when you say it out loud…it sounds like you're gonna kill Gon
Gon: *teary eyed* EHHH?
Kurapika: *whacks Leorio with book* see what you did now?
Leorio: ME? YOU'RE the one who keeps…SUGGESTING things *points to fanfic*
Kurapika: That's not ME, it's YUUKIO Kurapika *deadpan*
Leorio: *facepalm*
Everyone: Arigatou!
