The many ways I love you [Leopika Oneshots]

A Gift

   Leorio tapped his foot against the hardwood floor impatiently, the consistently uncomfortable atmosphere the hotel room radiated made him so much more uncomfortable than he previously was. He hated hotels, "home away from home my ass," he'd say. They were try-hards that only ever succeeded in creating an uncanny suffocating feeling, with their cold sheets and mediocre breakfast menus. However, it was the only place with privacy he could think of when he asked Kurapika to meet him.

   He could've just given him his address but he was embarrassed. It was a cheap run down apartment, with mold in the walls and floors louder than fifty year old whale scrotum, but it was what he could afford. He never felt like this when he brought home a friend or a hookup, but Kurapika was different. Apparently. He assumed that it was his ego and unspoken small rivalry between him and Kurapika boiling over from their Hunter exam days, but deep down he knew it was a little gayer than that.

   A knock at the door stopped Leorio's anxious bouncing for just a second before it resumed twice as hard. He wiped his sweaty palms on his suit pants and a shaky sigh fell from his lips as he eyed the black case sitting upright on the dresser across from the bed.

   "Come in." He cleared his throat and almost melted at the sight of Kurapika stepping through the door. His heartbeat slowed and his leg stopped bouncing and the faintest grin graced his lips as he internally chastised himself for looking so love struck. Because he was, and he hated saying it. It was either internalized homophobia or his own ego screwing him over but that didn't matter, he had fallen— and fallen hard— in love with his close friend. "Kurapika." He couldn't help but mumble, eliciting a small smile from the blond.

   "Afternoon, Leorio." They both took a few steps forward. Leorio, being respectful of Kurapika's boundaries, held his hand out for him to shake while Kurapika opened his arms wide to engulf Leorio. They both snickered and tried to compromise but only awkwardly traded positions. Before Leorio could lower his arms Kurapika threw himself into Leorio's chest, wrapping his arms around his petite waist and inhaling his cologne. Leorio staggered, almost falling on the bed behind him, but he caught himself. Burying a hand in his blonde locks, Leorio grinned.

   "Long time no see."

   "I missed you."

   Leorio almost choked as Kurapika pressed his face harder against his torso to hide the almost unnoticeable pink hue dusting his cheeks. "Y- you what? Wait, really?"

   Kurapika nodded. "It gets lonely... I'm sorry."

   "Sorry?"

   "For not texting."

   Leorio pursed his lips in thought. "Normally I'd chastise you about that but now... but I don't— it's not exactly the right..." he sighed after fumbling over his words, pulling away to look Kurapika in the eye as he awkwardly scratched his brow with his thumb. "Anyways." He cleared his throat. "Come— come sit, I have something for you."

   "A present?" Kurapika asked, brows raised as he was guided to sit on the couch a few feet from the bed. "I'm not complaining but you really played this up over text. You were so insistent to see me I was worried that you... that someone got hurt."

   Leorio turned to grab the black case off the dresser and frowned. "I'm sorry, Kurapika. I just didn't know how else to get you here."

   "It's alright, I hope it's not too inappropriate to say but despite the fact that we've only just started talking I'm already glad I came."

   "You missed me that much?"

   "I guess I did."

   Leorio flushed red and set the case down in Kurapika's lap without another word. Instead of sitting next to him he took a few steps back and anxiously scratched at the back of his neck.