Rapid City is a quiet town from the looks of it, though that opinion might be slightly biased by the fact that it's nearing on towards two in the morning by the time they finally arrive. Leorio thanks his lucky stars that he finds a hotel fairly quickly off one of the main roads in the town that still has a vacancy large enough for the four of them. The night air is brisk on his cheeks, and Leorio nudges Kurapika awake before he tries to get the boys up. Kurapika goes with ill grace, staggering upright blearily.

Herding still-mostly-asleep teenagers into a hotel is hilarious, entirely because Gon trips over himself and faceplants directly into a wall once and then decides to stay there until Leorio's recovered from laughing enough to carry him like the child he still is in Leorio's eyes the rest of the way into the room.

When Leorio wakes up, he can't move.

It's automatically obvious why. He doesn't even have the sleepy luxury of wondering.

Kurapika is, dare he even think it, cuddling with him.

Leorio holds himself like a man standing on a bomb, tense, intensely aware of imminent danger, because Kurapika is pressed against him. From shoulder to ankle, Kurapika is there. His arm is across Leorio's chest, his fingers curled into the hem of his shirt collar. One leg is thrown over his, weighing him down to the mattress, foot tucked between Leorio's shins. Kurapika's tawny head rests against his shoulder, his eyes closed and mouth very slightly parted, sweet looking in slumber. Like this, Leorio can even hear the faint whistle of his breaths.

Leorio's heartbeat stutters. Becomes heavy. Threatens to choke him with its sudden loudness.

Oh god he needs to leave. Immediately right now, right this instant, he needs to go. But if he moves… Leorio can't even shift without the very real possibility of Kurapika waking up. After all, his right arm is on Kurapika's other side, since Kurapika has co-opted Leorio's shoulder as a pillow. His hand is splayed against the gentle dip of Kurapika's lower back. His leg, hell the right half of his whole body, is underneath Kurapika for the most part, and everywhere Leorio touches the bare slips of exposed skin, his body lights up like a goddamned Christmas tree. Aware, with a capital "A".

It's intimate.

It shouldn't be.

It's just sharing a bed. The room was cold. Kurapika sought warmth in the middle of the night. Probably. Sure, it hasn't happened in the last, what, four or five nights? But this is clearly different. Maybe the bed is smaller or something.

But Leorio hasn't woken up with someone beside him like this since before he started college, and he really needs to get out of this before his body starts getting the wrong idea.

(A lost battle already, from the feel of it, actually, but Leorio needs to leave before Kurapika sees or feels and gets the wrong idea.

Look, morning wood is an absolutely regular occurrence that has more to do with the brain's cyclical release of testosterone into one's system during the sleep cycle than any mystical nightly dudeboner power, but Kurapika is Kurapika and Kurapika always thinks that Leorio's a pervert above all else, which is not an argument he wants to have in front of the kids. Or hell, what if the kids see what's going on too? They're sixteen, and Leorio knows Gon has at least been dealing with those particular bodily urges for a few years now, but they are also both in the "point and laugh at anything phallic" stage of their natural development, so Leorio would really rather save himself the embarrassment.

Thinking about "Kurapika" and "the boner" so close together is not helping his problem at all, actually.)

But past that all, it's actually just… kind of nice.

Kurapika is a warm, comfortable weight against his side, settling the static that Leorio wears within him like a second skin. Even the quiet breaths of air against his neck are more reassuring than irritating, or even arousing, once he settles down a little, and slowly, very slowly, Leorio lets his eyes drift shut once again, face turned into Kurapika's sweet-smelling hair. If he just goes back to sleep, and lets Kurapika wake up first, it'll be a little less awful for him. Maybe, anyway. Probably.

He'd get to hold onto Kurapika for a little longer, which is pretty much reason in and of itself to pretend, Leorio thinks. The slender curve of Kurapika's back is beneath his hand, and Leorio strokes that small bit of silken skin gently, hardly daring to breathe for how bold this feels.

It's just a little touch, but Leorio feels like he's on fire from this alone.

Something tickles his neck. Kurapika's hand in the center of his chest tightens, and Leorio grumbles, pulling Kurapika even closer in a simulacrum of sleepy malcontent. No moving. If he's not going to get up to deal with below-the-belt issues, then no one is going anywhere. He's too comfy here. His hand comes up from the soft skin of Kurapika's lower back (which he is Not Thinking About). Carefully, he cards his fingers through Kurapika's hair, gentle and repetitive petting motions as Leorio drifts into the grey-warm haze of almost-sleep. It's odd, Leorio thinks, to be awake before Kurapika. Since Leorio tends to stay awake worrying himself sick, Kurapika is typically out of the bed before Leorio fully wakes up, brushing his teeth or hair or doing some part of his arcane skincare routine that'll keep him looking half his age long into his fifties.

Odd, but kind of nice. Intimate, and there's that word again. Leorio breathes in deep, lets it out, and brushes his lips against the crown of Kurapika's head.

Kurapika's fist clenches tightly once more before smoothing out, palm flat against his sternum, warm. It's so comfortable here that Leorio could just-

Killua's voice breaks the cradle of silence. "C'mon, are we getting them up for breakfast or what?"

"They're cute; I don't wanna wake them up."

Well that nixes the plan to go the fuck back to sleep. Leorio at least manages to transform his grumble into a sigh, opening his eyes to glare balefully (or at least what feels like balefully) at Gon and Killua, currently perched side by side on their mattress, staring at where Leorio and Kurapika are tangled together. He holds that for a second before saying, "'m not cute."

Killua snorts. "Not on your own, god no. But he's a nice addition. It's all about framing, Leorio."

"Frame this," Leorio grumbles, his head falling back onto the pillow, and extends his middle finger.

"Ooh, damn, grandpa, you sure showed me."

Leorio wishes there was a way to bold or capitalize or somehow emphasize a physical hand gesture. He settles for shaking his hand pointedly.

"Leorio? Have you ever thought about asking Kurapika out?" Gon asks, gentle and curious.

What?

Seriously, what? Leorio sputters quietly. Super quietly. He tries his hardest to not jostle Kurapika, whose hair is still tangled in Leorio's hand, and he starts petting it again, hoping that maybe the repetitive motion keeps Kurapika asleep for a bit longer. Him? Asking Kurapika out? Honestly the argument about his definitely-not-a-boner would be preferable to Kurapika waking up to that ridiculous question. "What?"

"Well, alright, I guess that means no."

"I am not in love with Kurapika," Leorio protests. Which, he realizes a moment later, wasn't even the question they asked, but still. Related. Leorio isn't-. He's not-. Kurapika doesn't like him like that at all, so it's absolutely out of the question. They're friends. Best friends. Which is great, and Leorio wouldn't ever ask him for anything more than that, because they're great the way they are, and did Leorio mention that he doesn't like Kurapika like that?

Gon and Killua's matching expressions of disbelief show how much credit they give that. Damn. "Are you playing dumb or do you actually not know? How can you not know?" Killua asks. "You're all over him all the time."

"I am not."

Gon tilts his head, pointing at the bed. "He's literally laying on you right now."

True, but not the point. Or maybe that's all the point. Leorio shifts just a little. Maybe if he edges out a little bit, he won't be half as- okay nope, Kurapika is pretty firmly barnacled to his side. There's no graceful escape for Leorio like that. Leorio huffs. "That's him being all over me."

"Sharing your jacket?" Killua asks, ticking off his pointer finger.

Of course the brat remembers that. Not, uh, that it wasn't pretty blatant, but Leorio hadn't been making a move or anything like that. It would have been, if he was planning on asking Kurapika out. Which he's not. Obviously. "He was cold!"

Another finger. "Your bed?"

"That's necessity. You guys share a bed."

Killua shakes his head. "Not what we're talking about right now."

"Look, not only do you touch him as much as possible," Gon interjects before Leorio gets going again, "he lets you. Kurapika's really private, but he lets you in so much. You guys are really close. I think he likes it when you touch him, honestly. You guys would be good for each other, and I've seen the way you look at him, the way you act around him. That's not even including the way he looks at you back. He likes you, I know he does. So you should ask him out."

Heat rushes to Leorio's face, and his hand tightens in Kurapika's hair for just a second before he forces it to relax. Calm down, just calm down. Kurapika is still sleeping, thank god, and who knows how after that, but Leorio's grateful he didn't have to hear that. Even the very idea of Kurapika liking him is completely ridiculous. Kurapika is clever, gorgeous, a compact force of nature. He's going to end up being the top lawyer in his field, bringing people to justice left and right, and if he does decide to get involved with someone, it'll be someone just as driven, just as fierce, someone like an equal to him.

Someone he'll actually let in. Someone he can talk to about his family and everything that happened to that scared twelve-year-old boy he used to be.

Leorio turns his face to the side, getting a mouthful of Kurapika's hair as he mutters, "Don't… don't say it like that, that's weird."

"What's weird about that? You're the one getting all the wrong ideas."

"Come on, Leorio, it's time to make like a Disney movie. You guys deserve a happy ending."

"Make like a-? Don't be ridicu-"

Leorio abruptly stops when, against his chest, Kurapika lifts his head.

The boys fall silent.

"I would appreciate it," Kurapika says, tensely, mouth set in an unhappy line, "if you would all stop gossiping so loudly while I'm trying to sleep. Also, if you plan on talking about other people's emotions- which, I might add, you have no right to even speculate about- you might want to make sure they're not within hearing range of you first."

"Kurapika-" Killua starts, but Kurapika levels him with an unimpressed look as he sits fully upright. Killua swallows whatever it was he was about to say.

(Leorio misses the weight of him against his side immediately.)

"I don't even have words for you two right now. My life is not your business, nor your concern. I will ask out whomever I like. I don't want either of you, any of you, butting into it. Leorio and I are friends, and there's nothing wrong with that." Gon opens his mouth, and Kurapika could strip paint with the glare he gives the kid. Yikes. "Just friends. Leave it alone."

Gon tries again, the stupid, brave fool that he is. "Kurapika, come on, I know-"

Kurapika scoffs as he drags one hand through messy blond hair, fingers catching here and there on knots. "Know? You don't know anything. You assume, and you guess, but you don't know. Do me a favor, Gon, and get your nose out of my business. You have no right and no reason to butt in."

"Hey, we're just trying to help," Killua interjects. His arms are crossed defensively across his chest, brows drawn together. Both he and Gon seem a bit shaken, and honestly, Leorio doesn't blame them. He gets not liking the subject, but Kurapika is going a bit far.

"Then help someone who actually needs it. You can help me out by leaving me the hell alone," Kurapika says, sharp, curt.

Killua stiffens. In a flurry of movement, he stands, turns on his heel, ("Killua," Gon calls, half-standing himself) and stalks out of the room. Gon doesn't even wait for a second, flicking Leorio a confused glance before following. The sound of his voice, calling after Killua, fades as the door closes.

And then there is silence.

The relaxing warmth of Kurapika against Leorio's side has been almost entirely forgotten, and Leorio watches, resigned, as Kurapika stands, makes his way to the bathroom. With a sigh, Leorio follows him. He's tense as he watches Kurapika brush his teeth with jerky motions, the sharp lines of his anger visible. He leans against the door, waiting him out, until Kurapika meets his eyes in the mirror and frowns. Spitting out his toothpaste, Kurapika asks, "What?"

"You're being a dick," Leorio says bluntly. "You didn't have to snap at them like that."

Kurapika lets out a tense sigh, setting his hands firmly against the counter. "No. I didn't. But they don't- They shouldn't be talking like that, anyway. I don't need them shoving their noses in where they don't belong."

Hoo, he's upset. Leorio raises his eyebrows, and he's honestly startled by how adamant Kurapika is being about this, how clipped his words are. "They were just joking around, Kurapika. Everything they were saying was perfectly harmless."

Kurapika's mouth twists to the side, an unreadable expression on his face. "I'm sorry. I suppose I was mistaken when I heard them speculate about my love life, which, again, none of their business. So we woke up cuddling. I was colder than I thought last night. I ended up sleeping against you. It won't happen again."

"No, no, you, uh, you're fine. Don't worry about it at all. The cuddling was whatever. The boys weren't doing anything wrong. They're just-"

Kurapika laughs, and the sound is unhappy, wry in a way that makes Leorio tense. "Ah, alright, so it's okay for them to make jokes about how we should be fucking, because clearly we can't just be friends?"

Leorio's jaw drops, and he sputters for a moment, unsure of how to continue, because what. That was full of vitriol and caustic, and Kurapika looks like he regrets what he said even as he finishes saying it. Leorio swallows. "What? No, just. They're just teasing us a little. Kids. You know. It's no big deal. They'll make stuff up wherever they see it. So they saw us cuddling and made a guess. It's not a big deal at all."

One blond eyebrow lifts, and Kurapika shakes his head, visibly choosing to not comment on Leorio's stumbling words. "I can't count the number of times I've found Gon and Killua sleeping on top of each other because there are too many. I think it'd be easier to count how many times they've been apart. If any of us should be asking anyone out, it should be the two of them."

"I know. Again, kids, assholes, it's no big deal."

Kurapika smiles, though it doesn't reach his eyes. He looks down, away, and Leorio wants to make him look back up again, get that expression off his face. "If you say it doesn't bother you, I suppose. I might still have another talk with them, though. Jokes like that aren't something they should be in the habit of."

"They really weren't joking-" And his words fall on deaf ears, as Kurapika leaves the room, the door snck-ing shut behind him. Leorio's hand falls to his side. But what the hell was all that about, anyway? Kurapika can be touchy, but he's usually able to keep a better grip on his temper than that, letting it burn slowly instead of exploding the way he did.

There has to be something more here. Something that Leorio's missing.

He and Kurapika haven't ever really talked about dating, period. Leorio assumed that, much like himself, Kurapika was too busy with classes to be bothered with something like that, and the only thing he did find out from one particular late night conversation is that Kurapika doesn't bother with anything short term. He's an all-or-nothing sort of guy. Maybe that's his problem?

But something about that doesn't sit quite right.

He'll have to figure it out later.

"No big deal," Leorio repeats quietly to himself. He drags a hand through his hair, sighs roughly, and supposes he has nothing more to say. There's no one here to listen. He knocks his knuckles against the door frame, a quick report. "Right. Yeah."

The drive to Mount Rushmore is, predictably, awkward as shit.

While the boys are talking to Leorio, they're definitely not talking to Kurapika, hardly even looking at him as the drive continues. For his part, though, Kurapika is ignoring everyone, choosing instead to sit perfectly still, gaze fixed on some unknowable middle distance. Leorio misses the easy camaraderie of their night under the stars. But he drives on regardless, through the pine forest of the Black Hills, letting himself be awed by the rock formations surrounding the highway.

They get there and start the hike up to the actual monument when Gon and Killua's quiet conversation stops. Gon nods, both to Killua, then to Leorio, confusingly, before he turns to Kurapika.

"Hey, Kurapika?"

Kurapika just looks at him.

"Sorry for being nosy and assuming stuff. You're right, and we shouldn't have."

For a long moment, Kurapika says nothing. Then he sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "No. No, I shouldn't have yelled at the two of you like that. Leorio said you guys weren't intending to be mean, and he's right. It's just... a touchy subject. I will date when I want to, alright?"

"Alright. We just want you guys to be happy, though."

Leorio catches Kurapika looking at him. He cocks his head, curious, but Kurapika says nothing, and his expression gives nothing away. Finally, though, Kurapika seems to find something and only smiles. "We're just fine, Gon. Don't worry about us."

Leorio isn't sure he likes that expression.

By that point, they finally finish the staircase, coming up to the main plaza before the monument. Killua looks up, squinting even past his sunglasses. He surveys the scene before him, then nods firmly. "Yep," he says eventually, "those definitely are four old, dead, white dudes carved into a mountain."

"Oh my god," Leorio mutters.

It's early, so Mount Rushmore is thankfully not-full of people right now, so Killua's exclamation manages to get almost no censure from the crowd. "Look, am I supposed to be impressed? They're old, they're dead, I would've rather seen the rock as it's, y'know, actually supposed to be. Like, how cool would a random-ass holy rock in the middle of nowhere, rising out of this bullshit, be? Super cool. Australia did it, why'd we have to ruin a good thing?"

Gon nods. "There are spirit bundles tied everywhere. The carvings are like... desecrating a church."

"I know, Gon. The least we can do now is to not disturb the prayer bundles," Kurapika says, patting Gon on the shoulder.

"I won't touch them!"

"I know, but it bears repeating anyway. You're not the only one I'm talking to, after all."

The three of them, bastards all, turn to look pointedly at Leorio.

"Oh come on," Leorio protests. "I know better than that!"

"Alright, dumbass central, this is all well and good, but who wants to take a picture of me kissing Lincoln?" Killua asks, holding out his phone. "I can't get a good angle from here."

Gon eagerly helps him out while Leorio looks on, amused. Beside him, Kurapika sighs. Under his breath, he mutters, "They're so... rambunctious today."

Leorio cocks his head, then watches the boys clown around for a bit. It seems like they can't manage to get Lincoln to really focus, and have to give it up as a bad job, but they're laughing over the blurry pictures anyway. "They're just having fun," he says. "Don't worry about it, Kurapika. We're here early enough that we're not bothering too many people."

A hum. Noncommittal and sort of peeved. "Maybe so."

Before Leorio can ask what that's all about, Killua runs back over. "Okay, what if – and hear me out on this – we recreated Mount Deadguy but with us instead?"

"No," Kurapika says.

"This is the stupidest thing I think I've ever done," Kurapika says five minutes later.

"Tell your boyfriend to stop being so tall, Kurapika," Killua says heartlessly, trying to prod the four of them into position correctly. "He's making this difficult."

Sputtering, Leorio protests, but Killua doesn't seem to pay him any attention at all. Gon, however, leans out just a bit and smiles significantly, looking between Leorio and Kurapika pointedly. Good god, the kid has all the subtlety of a flashing neon freight train. He could try to be less obvious. Especially after their conversation immediately prior to this. Despite what Kurapika said, Gon obviously hasn't given up on the idea of the two of them together.

"This is the most aggressively touristy thing I have ever been part of," Kurapika grumbles.

"Conveniently, we're tourists right now, so who gives a fuck. How about that? No, Leorio, just- ugh, crouch down a bit more."

"How am I supposed to be straight-backed but still crouched?"

"I don't know, Washington, just make it happen." Killua frowns at them, then nudges Kurapika to the side just slightly. "Get up on your tiptoes, come on. I think if we all do, it'll all turn out okay. Bend your knees, beanpole, work with us here."

"Who's even going to- oh," Leorio says, as Gon runs off to waylay a passer-by, "right of course, you're going to just ask a complete stranger to take our picture. You're right, Kurapika, this is the most aggressively tourist thing we've ever done."

Kurapika sighs. He braces himself on Leorio's back, holding himself perfectly upright to stare over his shoulder. His hand is warm through Leorio's shirt. "I can't believe we're actually doing this."

"Face forward, come on! No, not- Kurapika, look over this way. Yeah, there we go. Perfect. Okay, take the picture!"

It's not half-bad which is the most hilarious part. Gon looks cartoonishly stoic, face screwed up in a caricature of seriousness as he takes the place of Lincoln. Killua, for his part as Teddy Roosevelt, doesn't even try. He just stares straight at the camera as his head floats in the space between Kurapika and Gon, wide-eyed. His face makes Leorio crack up laughing for ten solid minutes, and once that stops, the peeved look on Kurapika's gets him started all over again.

Killua and Gon survey the picture with great seriousness.

Finally, they both nod, almost in unison. "Cursed photo," Gon says sagely.

"Prime crytpid material, fucking look at me. If only my eyes were red and glowing." Killua grins. "This is the best picture ever. I'm going to make this my profile pic everywhere."

"Please don't," Kurapika says, despairing, but Leorio catches him smiling at the boys when they aren't looking, and he pushes down the burst of warmth he feels at the sight. A gentle smile shouldn't make his chest clench like that.

He nudges Kurapika with his shoulder gently. Kurapika looks up, somehow startled, and Leorio is caught by the realization that he has tiny spots of freckles across the bridge of his nose, the upturn of his cheek. Leorio swallows. Coughs. Pulls his attention forcefully away from the delightful specks of brown. "You good?"

"I think so. Sorry about earlier."

"Hey, again, no big-" Leorio's phone rings in his pocket, and he pulls it out before he can even really think about it, catching sight of the familiar name on the display right before he puts it to his ear, motioning for Kurapika to go ahead and keep up with the boys as he steps away. "Hey," he says with a tired grin, even though the other person can't see him. "What's up?"

"What's up? Is that the best you're gonna give me after you disappear for this road trip of yours and don't bother to call?" Zepile asks, laughing already, and Leorio's smile turns more genuine. "Rude, my guy, rude as hell."

"You're rude," Leorio retorts, a bit nonsensically, but it gets a laugh anyway. "How are you?"

"I'm great! Bored as all get out without my favorite drinking buddy, but I'll survive until you get back. My liver probably needs the break before we both drown ourselves in alcohol because of school again anyway."

Leorio lets out a quiet groan at that, turning away from the group. Zepile is great, an art historian that he met in his sophomore year that quickly became his friend as they bonded over awful chemistry labs and their completely legal drinking habits that had definitely not started while they were both still in high school. Zepile is a man after his own heart, honestly. "You don't have to go get your Ph.D. you know."

"If I want to consider having a job, yeah, I do. But!" Zepile coughs, chagrined, and Leorio laughs at him gently. "Anyway. Less about that, more about your roadtrip, okay?"

He regales him for a few minutes, leaving out some of the more harrowing stuff about the ever-present threat of Killua's family. Zepile is an appreciative audience, making all the right exclamations in all the right places, and finally, Leorio's story has wound down to the events of the morning. Sunligh glints off the white stone of Mount Rushmore, and Leorio squints at it, pausing his story. After a moment, he asks, "Hey, Zepile?"

"Yeah?"

And this is such an unimaginably bad idea, but Leorio sticks his courage to the screwing point, remembers the weight of Kurapika's head on his shoulder this morning. There are worse things in the world than a few moments of embarrassment. "...what do you think about Kurapika?"

"What, the focus of your hopeless crush? He's too good for you, but I like him anyway. Why, has the roadtrip given you feewings?" Zepile coos, and Leorio, nose scrunching, is suddenly reminded why he hardly ever asks Zepile for anything amounting to dating advice.

"Dude."

After a short laugh, Zepile continues without the mocking tone in his voice. "Look, all I'm gonna tell you is this: If you're wondering if these soft, gooey emotions are new, they're not, and anyone who has ever seen you two around each other for five minutes can corroborate. If you have the chance to ask him out or something while you're off exploring, just… do it. Live in the moment, Leorio."

Leorio makes a face. "Have you been talking to Gon?"

"We text sometimes. Your little cousin is cool. But hey, give it some thought, okay? Worst he can say is no."

Leorio looks over to where Kurapika is following the boys around, a gentle, if tired, smile on his face, already so different than his mood this morning, and wonders. "Yeah, alright."

"Call me if you get laid. He's hot and I want details."

"Zepile, oh my god."

Rapid City, as it turns out, is a black hole for tourists.

There's just so much to do. They easily waste time there, spending one day wandering around the historic downtown, with its water fountain and nifty thrift stores and shops full to bursting with works of Lakota art and craftsmanship. There's a goddamned hill with dinosaurs on it in the middle of town for fuck's sake, which Leorio, Gon, and Killua get pictures on top of, of course. Kurapika stands to the side, looking over the town below, silent as he surveys them from the heights, untouchable and austere as the wind whips his hair around his face. The next is spent driving out to the dry sandstone of the Badlands, where the plains fall away to reveal striated rock, miles and miles of awe-inspiring geography, so quiet Leorio can hear his blood pulse in his ears.

And all the while, Leorio finds his eyes drawn more and more to Kurapika, coming back to Gon's question, to Zepile and Killua's quiet insistence.

He isn't in love with Kurapika. He's just not.

But.

See the problem is, it isn't like Leorio hasn't thought about it.

It's not that he's in denial about his sexuality or something, but there's just always been something else, something more to be doing, like school, or taking care of Gon, or studying for the MCAT (god, those are some war flashbacks right there). There has always been something else for Leorio to be focused on. His life, his future, takes priority over anything personal. Leorio's goals are too close for him to set them aside, because the shadow of Pietro's death lingers on him still, and how is he supposed to worry about something like dating when he has everything else to take care of first?

It's not that he doesn't know how beautiful Kurapika is. He does. He has eyes, for crying out loud.

It's just never been the right time.

But now, with the roadtrip and the past week of being almost entirely alone with Kurapika, being around him makes Leorio think more. Makes him wonder, in a much more immediate sense. He's woken up every morning since they got to Rapid with Kurapika pressed against his side, with his head on Leorio's shoulder, warm and welcome, and Leorio is helpless against his wonder. Against the creeping urge to brush the barest hint of lips across Kurapika's brow, because-

What if?

("There is no unreturn'd love," he hears Kurapika say softly. He has found himself asking to hear a few more poems here and there, but that one, the first one he heard, still comes back to him. The vision of Kurapika's down-turned eyes, amber in the sunset, his mouth moving to carefully form the words.)

What if they're right?

His biggest saving grace that offsets his terrible impulse control has always been the pure and simple knowledge that there was no way Kurapika would ever like him. They're friends. Good friends, even. But...

("The pay is certain one way or another.")

A relationship doesn't have to ruin that.

("I loved a certain person ardently and my love was not return'd.
Yet out of that I have written these songs.")

They pull into the hotel they've been staying at after a long day out in the caves north of Rapid and in Spearfish Canyon. Roughlock Falls was a fun hike, and the cool dark of Wind Cave was incredible in its silence, the water-carved calcite formations stunning, and Leorio's mind has finally stilled to a single question as the boys unload, as Kurapika gets out of the car and he follows.

Why not?

And then, a haze falling over himself, Leorio moves. It's like he's watching himself from the driver's seat, still there but somehow removed from the immediacy of his own actions. Leorio catches Kurapika by the elbow, pulling him aside the barest amount while Gon and Killua race ahead. He opens his mouth, hesitates, uncertain.

"What, Leorio?" Kurapika asks shortly.

(This, he realizes later, should have been his first clue.)

"I was wondering... Uh. What do you think about letting the boys have dinner here at the hotel, and the two of us could, maybe, go somewhere. Alone. Together." Kurapika opens his mouth, and Leorio dredges up the last bit of his courage and blurts out as he lets his hand drop from Kurapika's arm, "Like a date."

Kurapika stares. For several, silent seconds, all he does is stare, eyes slightly wide, breath caught on a startled inhale. His cheeks flood with color. Leorio doesn't think he's ever seen Kurapika's eyes as pretty as they are when they're offset by that pink flush. Thinking it makes his chest clench, something pleasant in his gut twisting, and Leorio takes a half-step closer. Then Kurapika's lips part, tongue darting out, and-

"No, Leorio," Kurapika says. "I'm flattered, but no."

Oh.

Well.

That, uh.

Right. Leorio swallows once, twice, coughs when it gets stuck in his throat just a bit. He shrugs jerkily, trying too hard to make the motion look natural. Shit. "Okay, that's. Uh. Yeah, that's fine! Sorry, I didn't-"

"Leorio, stop." Kurapika reaches out, hesitates, then carefully does not touch Leorio, lowering his hand back to his side. That hurts more than Leorio expected it to. "It's okay. I didn't even know you liked... guys that way. You surprised me, that's all." Kurapika picks up speed the more he speaks, almost as though the quickness of his thoughts will keep everything else at bay. "After all, you've never says anything about liking guys before. I'm sure you're just. Cooped up. Or something, after being so close to just me and the boys for so long. Don't worry-"

"Hey, that's not-" Leorio interjects, but Kurapika only talks faster, louder, like he's trying to convince both of them of the truth of his words.

"-it's not the first time a guy has thought I would do in a pinch when there weren't any girls around. I mean, I know I'm small and people keep calling me pretty, so I'm not surprised. Anyway, we're friends, it'll be fine. It can be awkward for a little, I know, and I'm sorry, but it just-"

"Kurapika-"

"-wouldn't work out." Kurapika nods and damn it, damn it, this isn't at all how this was supposed to go! Leorio's jaw clenches so tight it hurts, teeth grinding. "Let's just... let it go, okay? No hard feelings?"

"Kurapika," Leorio says, again, helpless and angry with it. His thoughts are spinning. What should he say? Something isn't right here. He wants to say that there's been some misunderstanding, but he's not even sure where to start. He doesn't know. Was he wrong to ask Kurapika out? Does Kurapika think he's joking?

Kurapika looks up at him, a quick, darting glance before dropping his eyes again. His smile is weak, an ill twist to it. Leorio's heart seizes, adding a whole new dimension of pain on top of fucking everything else, because still, even now, Leorio wants to reach out, to smooth away, to do anything to take back everything he's said wrong. He should have never asked Kurapika. How could he have been so stupid? "Let it go, Leorio."

And then he turns and walks away. He brushes past Gon and Killua both, immediately going inside. Leorio finally lets himself close his eyes.

Damn.

Damn.

This is why he doesn't listen to his idiot friends. Leorio presses the heels of his hands into his eyes, bites the inside of his lip, anything to stop the heated, embarrassed flow of blood and tears to his face. Fuck, that was the stupidest thing he could've done. Kurapika got so angry when the subject of dating was brought up only a few days ago. He should've known better. Just because they kept cuddling hadn't meant anything. Just because Leorio thinks he's beautiful, just because Leorio lo-

No.

Just because Leorio let himself wonder, it didn't mean it could work out.

They're friends.

That's fine. They can stay friends. Leorio just doesn't want to lose Kurapika entirely, and what if this is it? What if this is the point where Kurapika quietly asks to be given another way to get home? Because if Kurapika wants a plane ride home, to spend the rest of his time alone in Mito's house without Leorio, damn it, he won't like it, but he'll let it happen. He won't push. If it helps smooth this over...

(Damn it, he had let himself want it, let himself wonder how it might be, to be the center of Kurapika's attention like that, to be free to show Kurapika in new ways how much he cared, in careful, gentle touches, had gotten greedy, and now it's all gone.)

Leorio sighs, then takes his hands off his eyes. He blinks past the bright spots they leave behind. Okay. No time for this. He can mope later. Inside. And pretend as though nothing happened, because nothing did. It will be fine. He'll make sure of it, even if his chest is caving in, falling apart like so many glass shards. Spine straight, he heads over to Gon and Killua, who are standing behind one of the pillars leading to the entrance. He draws himself up. Leorio forces his voice to be even as he asks, turning the corner, "Killua? Gon? Why are you two just standing here? Come on, let's get up to the room and wind down, okay?

"Leorio, wait, don't-" Gon starts, but it's too late.

Leorio walks towards the entrance, and when he sees the man waiting by the door, he jolts just slightly, startled. The man is tall, slender, limbs arranged with a carefulness that is somehow doll-like in its uncanny precision as he turns the pages to the book he's reading. His hair is long, black and sleek and shining in the artificial light overhead.

Behind him, Killua makes some move that he hears but doesn't see. "Old man, come on, let's-"

At the sound of Killua's voice, the man looks up. He blinks once, twice, placid, before closing his book with a soft snap, and pushes off the wall. He moves so smoothly, unnaturally so, and Leorio's hackles raise as the man comes close, closer, and then- just moves right around Leorio like he isn't even there, coming to stand in front of Killua, who fell silent the instead the man began to move. His gaze does not move, does not flicker. He hardly even blinks, and Leorio almost isn't sure he even sees anyone that isn't Killua.

Killua's hand, where Gon is holding it pressed between the two of them like a lifeline, is white-knuckled and shaking.

That alarm in Leorio's mind goes off again, thin and blaring. The man tilts his head to the side, raising one hand.

"Hello, Killu. It's time for you come home now."