Disclaimer: I already told you I don't own HunterxHunter. But I do own the waiters from the resaurant. They're mine ^_^
*****
Part 2: In the restaurant
"Good evening, Leoriosan, welcome to 'La fontanella'."
"Good evening Alberto. A table for two please."
"Off course, Leoriosan, follow me please."
The waiter with the black curled moustache showed them to a table by the window. When his guests both sat down he handed them the menu, and then left to take another order.
Leorio opened the menu.
//Would I dare ask him if he wants to drink wine?//
He glanced his eyes at Kurapica's menu and noticed he was looking at the winechart.
//Guess I don't have to worry about that.//
His eyes met those of Sandro, the other waiter, and they saluted eachother.
"They seem to know you well here." Kurapica said on a casual tone.
"That waiter over there is a fellow student of mine, and I come here quite often."
"Really? You get a discount with your Hunterlicence, right?"
"No.... I mean, I don't know...."
"Don't tell me you haven't tried it yet."
Leorio recieved a you-dont-expect-me-to-believe-that-gaze.
"No, they don't know I'm a Hunter. In this town, I'm just a university student."
The Kurata looked at him with big eyes.
"Now I'm really surprised. I never suspected you could be a modest guy."
Leorio looked back into the other's eyes, trying to keep a straight face.
"I never suspected you had a sense of humor."
They both laughed. Leorio felt relieved now the ice had finally broken. The coldness had gone from Kurapica's eyes.
//The way he looks at me now.... I wish we could allways be like this.//
Sandro approached their table, and wet his lips while he briefly surveyed his classmate's companion.
"Can I take your order now?"
"Yes please, I'll have a Pizza 'Quatro Stagione'".
"And for you sir?" Sandro raised his eyebrows while he looked a Leorio.
"I'll have the Napolitana as usual. But, Sandro.... You really don't have to act this formal with me, you know that."
"I know but I thought, with you date and all...."
In an instant the tension that had gone away for a few minutes was back and at full force. Kurapica stared at Leorio, waiting for him to correct the waiter's error, but his friend just blushed, and took a few very long seconds before he could speak.
"Well, actually we're not..... I'm not..... he's a guy you know?"
This remark got him a very hard kick in his leg under the table. Leorio surpressed a squeak from the pain.
Sandro smiled while he wrote down the order "yes, I noticed. So one Quatro Stagione and one Napolitana, would you like something to drink with that?"
"Umm"
Leorio's face was still cramped up from the pain, and Kurapica looked as if he could leap over the table and kick his 'date' in the face.
"May I recommend the housewine..." Sandro continued.
"Fine!" they answered simultaneous.
Sandro nodded and then quickly ran for shelter in the kitchen.
//Kuso! I totally blew it now!//
"Um, Kurapica.... I'm sorry about what I said. I wasn't thinking....."
While avoiding Leorio's eyes the blonde boy stood up. "Excuse me."
He walked toward the door that said 'Lavatory' and entered.
//He'll probably look for a window and try to escape.//
The idea of his friend climbing through a window made Leorio smile.
//No. Kurapica wouldn't do that. He would just tell me he didn't want to spend his evening with a baka like me and take off through the front door. So he's not gone yet. I might still be able to make things right again. If I concentrate on not making suggestions he might take the wrong way and if I don't question his masculinity again, it just might work.//
While he was waiting Alberto brought the wine and poured in the two glasses.
"Thank you very much."
The older waiter nodded and headed in the direction of the kitchen. He seemed to look around but Leorio didn't pay much attention, He looked out through the window instead.
When Kurapica came back after a few minutes his eyes had softened again.
//Lucky for me this guy cools off as fast as he gets mad.//
"They brought the wine." Leorio stated the obvious.
His friend nodded. "So, what would you like to drink to?"
//Let's think. I beter not say anything that could provoke him.... Oh I got one,it's a little lame but...//
"To our friendship..."
Kurapica raised his glass and smiled "To our friendship."
They both sipped their wine.
"Speaking about friendship, have you heared from Gon and Killua lately?"
"No the last time I saw them was in Yorkshincity, only a few days after you left. They were going to enter that computergame, Greed Island."
"Gon's father's game?"
"Yes. There was a man who offered 500 million zennies to clear the game. I was there when they signed their contract, but that's all I know."
"I hope he finds his dad."
"Me too" Leorio took another sip from his wine.
"Do you think Killua entered the Hunterexams this year?"
"Off course, I bet he's a hunter by now."
...
They kept on talking about their friends and about their fun memories of the Hunterexams. The atmosphere was tension-free. About half an hour later Sandro came out off the kitchen with the pizze.
"....Maybe we should go back there sometime and see how many more doors I can open now."
Kurapica looked at the waiter and then back at Leorio. "I don't think the Zoaldyeck family is going to be glad to see us again."
Sandro turned a little blue around his nose when he heared the name Zoaldyeck. He served the big plates.
"Here you go, one pizza Napolitana. And..." While he put down the other plate he recieved a hostile glare from the kurata. The color of his cheeks changed to red.
"And one Quatro Stagione." He bowed and slinked off to the kitchen.
//What was that all about? Did I miss something?//
"Itadakimasu."[1]
Kurapica started eating.
//Oh well...//
Leorio helped himself to his pizza. They didn't talk much while eating.
...
"I'm sorry but I can't finish this. It was really good but I'm stuffed. Do you want it?"
"No thanks, I'm satisfied." Leorio put his fork down after the last bite.
He leaned back in his chair and called Alberto when he passed by. "Can we have the bill please?"
"Off course, Leoriosan."
He saw Kurapica hand slide in his pocket. He sat up and reached over the table to touch the blonde boy's arm. "Don't. It's my treat."
He recieved a weird look but no comment. Alberto came with the bill and Leorio payed. They got up and left the restaurant. On the way out they passed Sandro.
"Good evening Sandro, see you in class next week!"
The waiter bowed a little overpolitely and sweatdropped. "Good evening."
Once outside they both stood still.
//Kuso, we didn't make further plans. He probably wants to go to his hotel now.//
Kurapica didn't move.
//Maybe he wants me to walk him to... Err, he didn't tell me where he 's staying. There are lots of hotels in this city. Why is he looking at me that way?//
It was hard to determine what had changed in his expression but Leorio felt as if those sweet blue eyes were looking right into his soul. They seemed to be waiting. He gulped.
//Time for a bold move... He might take it the wrong way but right now, I 've got nothing to lose.//
"Kurapica, would you like to go back to my room for a drink?"
A sudden gust of wind wind made the chains on the Kurata's hand rattle softly. His warm voice contradicted the cold sound of metal.
"Sure."
*****
[1] Actually I used the Japanese expression because I don't know how to say it in english. In french it's 'Bon apetit'.
*****
Part 2: In the restaurant
"Good evening, Leoriosan, welcome to 'La fontanella'."
"Good evening Alberto. A table for two please."
"Off course, Leoriosan, follow me please."
The waiter with the black curled moustache showed them to a table by the window. When his guests both sat down he handed them the menu, and then left to take another order.
Leorio opened the menu.
//Would I dare ask him if he wants to drink wine?//
He glanced his eyes at Kurapica's menu and noticed he was looking at the winechart.
//Guess I don't have to worry about that.//
His eyes met those of Sandro, the other waiter, and they saluted eachother.
"They seem to know you well here." Kurapica said on a casual tone.
"That waiter over there is a fellow student of mine, and I come here quite often."
"Really? You get a discount with your Hunterlicence, right?"
"No.... I mean, I don't know...."
"Don't tell me you haven't tried it yet."
Leorio recieved a you-dont-expect-me-to-believe-that-gaze.
"No, they don't know I'm a Hunter. In this town, I'm just a university student."
The Kurata looked at him with big eyes.
"Now I'm really surprised. I never suspected you could be a modest guy."
Leorio looked back into the other's eyes, trying to keep a straight face.
"I never suspected you had a sense of humor."
They both laughed. Leorio felt relieved now the ice had finally broken. The coldness had gone from Kurapica's eyes.
//The way he looks at me now.... I wish we could allways be like this.//
Sandro approached their table, and wet his lips while he briefly surveyed his classmate's companion.
"Can I take your order now?"
"Yes please, I'll have a Pizza 'Quatro Stagione'".
"And for you sir?" Sandro raised his eyebrows while he looked a Leorio.
"I'll have the Napolitana as usual. But, Sandro.... You really don't have to act this formal with me, you know that."
"I know but I thought, with you date and all...."
In an instant the tension that had gone away for a few minutes was back and at full force. Kurapica stared at Leorio, waiting for him to correct the waiter's error, but his friend just blushed, and took a few very long seconds before he could speak.
"Well, actually we're not..... I'm not..... he's a guy you know?"
This remark got him a very hard kick in his leg under the table. Leorio surpressed a squeak from the pain.
Sandro smiled while he wrote down the order "yes, I noticed. So one Quatro Stagione and one Napolitana, would you like something to drink with that?"
"Umm"
Leorio's face was still cramped up from the pain, and Kurapica looked as if he could leap over the table and kick his 'date' in the face.
"May I recommend the housewine..." Sandro continued.
"Fine!" they answered simultaneous.
Sandro nodded and then quickly ran for shelter in the kitchen.
//Kuso! I totally blew it now!//
"Um, Kurapica.... I'm sorry about what I said. I wasn't thinking....."
While avoiding Leorio's eyes the blonde boy stood up. "Excuse me."
He walked toward the door that said 'Lavatory' and entered.
//He'll probably look for a window and try to escape.//
The idea of his friend climbing through a window made Leorio smile.
//No. Kurapica wouldn't do that. He would just tell me he didn't want to spend his evening with a baka like me and take off through the front door. So he's not gone yet. I might still be able to make things right again. If I concentrate on not making suggestions he might take the wrong way and if I don't question his masculinity again, it just might work.//
While he was waiting Alberto brought the wine and poured in the two glasses.
"Thank you very much."
The older waiter nodded and headed in the direction of the kitchen. He seemed to look around but Leorio didn't pay much attention, He looked out through the window instead.
When Kurapica came back after a few minutes his eyes had softened again.
//Lucky for me this guy cools off as fast as he gets mad.//
"They brought the wine." Leorio stated the obvious.
His friend nodded. "So, what would you like to drink to?"
//Let's think. I beter not say anything that could provoke him.... Oh I got one,it's a little lame but...//
"To our friendship..."
Kurapica raised his glass and smiled "To our friendship."
They both sipped their wine.
"Speaking about friendship, have you heared from Gon and Killua lately?"
"No the last time I saw them was in Yorkshincity, only a few days after you left. They were going to enter that computergame, Greed Island."
"Gon's father's game?"
"Yes. There was a man who offered 500 million zennies to clear the game. I was there when they signed their contract, but that's all I know."
"I hope he finds his dad."
"Me too" Leorio took another sip from his wine.
"Do you think Killua entered the Hunterexams this year?"
"Off course, I bet he's a hunter by now."
...
They kept on talking about their friends and about their fun memories of the Hunterexams. The atmosphere was tension-free. About half an hour later Sandro came out off the kitchen with the pizze.
"....Maybe we should go back there sometime and see how many more doors I can open now."
Kurapica looked at the waiter and then back at Leorio. "I don't think the Zoaldyeck family is going to be glad to see us again."
Sandro turned a little blue around his nose when he heared the name Zoaldyeck. He served the big plates.
"Here you go, one pizza Napolitana. And..." While he put down the other plate he recieved a hostile glare from the kurata. The color of his cheeks changed to red.
"And one Quatro Stagione." He bowed and slinked off to the kitchen.
//What was that all about? Did I miss something?//
"Itadakimasu."[1]
Kurapica started eating.
//Oh well...//
Leorio helped himself to his pizza. They didn't talk much while eating.
...
"I'm sorry but I can't finish this. It was really good but I'm stuffed. Do you want it?"
"No thanks, I'm satisfied." Leorio put his fork down after the last bite.
He leaned back in his chair and called Alberto when he passed by. "Can we have the bill please?"
"Off course, Leoriosan."
He saw Kurapica hand slide in his pocket. He sat up and reached over the table to touch the blonde boy's arm. "Don't. It's my treat."
He recieved a weird look but no comment. Alberto came with the bill and Leorio payed. They got up and left the restaurant. On the way out they passed Sandro.
"Good evening Sandro, see you in class next week!"
The waiter bowed a little overpolitely and sweatdropped. "Good evening."
Once outside they both stood still.
//Kuso, we didn't make further plans. He probably wants to go to his hotel now.//
Kurapica didn't move.
//Maybe he wants me to walk him to... Err, he didn't tell me where he 's staying. There are lots of hotels in this city. Why is he looking at me that way?//
It was hard to determine what had changed in his expression but Leorio felt as if those sweet blue eyes were looking right into his soul. They seemed to be waiting. He gulped.
//Time for a bold move... He might take it the wrong way but right now, I 've got nothing to lose.//
"Kurapica, would you like to go back to my room for a drink?"
A sudden gust of wind wind made the chains on the Kurata's hand rattle softly. His warm voice contradicted the cold sound of metal.
"Sure."
*****
[1] Actually I used the Japanese expression because I don't know how to say it in english. In french it's 'Bon apetit'.