Unrequited No Longer (Leopika Fanfic)

It's Been So Long

            Kurapika pulled into the parking lot of the charming little café that Leorio suggested they meet at for breakfast. As he got out of his car, he could feel his heart pounding at the thought of seeing his dear friend after being away from him for such a long time. It would've better if Gon and Killua could be there as well, but being in the company of at least one of his friends was still good enough for him. Knowing Leorio, though, he'd probably be several minutes late to their meeting. 

            Kurapika opened the door and stepped into the café, the cool air contrasting with the cozy warmth of the city outside. He briefly scanned the area, but there was no sign of that familiar lanky figure and spiky black hair. He sat down at a booth near a window and took out his phone to text Leorio, 'I'm here.' A few seconds later the message was marked as read. Hmm... he saw it but didn't reply, so he's probably driving right now.

           About two minutes had passed when a waitress came over and asked to take his order. "No thank you. I'm waiting for someone, and I'd rather order when they get here." She nodded in understanding and made her way to another table. He turned his head towards the window and gazed out at the city streets, watching the blur of people and cars pass by. He began to reminisce about the time that he and Leorio had spent together, and without realizing it a smile had crept onto his face. It really had been a while since they'd seen each other. Leorio was busy with medical school and, well, Kurapika had some personal business to deal with. He must've been getting lost in his thoughts because he didn't notice that the person he was waiting for had arrived until the soft jingle of a bell caught his attention. 

            He turned his gaze towards the entrance of the café - where the sound had come from - and there he was: Leorio Paradinight. He looked almost exactly the same as last time he saw him, and of course he was still wearing a suit despite the casual nature of their meeting. When they both locked eyes, their instantaneous smiles were so bright it seemed as if they created their own light source. Leorio quickly made his way to the booth and sat down across from his blonde haired companion. "Long time, no see. How's it going, Kurapika? It's nice to see you again, after so long," he said. Kurapika replied, "It's really nice to see you too. I'm doing fine, thanks for asking. I've just been a bit preoccupied with... my search, so I'm glad that we could set a day aside to just take a breath and relax."

            Just as Kurapika was about to ask him how he was doing, the same waitress approached their table again and asked for their orders once more. Kurapika was the first to respond. "Just a plain coffee please. Oh, and do you sell crêpes here?" She gave a quick nod at his question. "Wonderful. Then I'd like a peaches and cream crêpe. Thank you." The woman jotted down his order and then turned to Leorio. "Just a mocha and a poppy seed muffin," he said, flashing a smile as the waitress left and immediately turning his attention back to Kurapika.

            Kurapika opened his mouth to speak, sure that he wouldn't be interrupted again now the waitress was gone. "Anyway, how have you been? Is medical school going alright?" he asked. "I've been doing real great, thanks for askin'. Medical school is going just fine, it's really difficult but that doesn't stop me. I've been studying..." almost every word he said after that point flew over Kurapika's head. It was all science-related jargon that was hard to understand, but he didn't mind one bit. Just watching him as he talked about his passion was enough to keep all his attention on that handsome face. Kurapika tilted his head to the side and placed his cheek in his hand, pretending to listen as he explored every feature of Leorio's face. Those brown eyes of his, the way his lips seem to naturally curl up into a smile even when he's not trying to, his perfectly cut eyebrows, and... wow, those sideburns are just so-