Chapter Text
Leorio was irritated.
While some people, mainly Leorio’s roommate Hanzo, may argue that Leorio being irritated was like water being wet, Leorio didn’t think that they understood what Leorio was like when he was actually irritated.
Like right now, for example.
Tapping his foot impatiently, Leorio tried to remember when this had all started. When this little buzzing fly had turned into a swarm of humming bees.
It had started a year ago, back when Leorio was still in his first year at Creston University. Ah, the memories of innocent youth.
Leorio had walked into the library, like any good student would do when there was a test that they had not studied enough for a mere day away. Innocently, Leorio had found a study table and went to go find a book on the topic he needed to practice.
That was when he saw, him.
Leorio’s frowned deepened at the memory. An almost bitter taste seemed on fill Leorio’s mouth.
Pressed up against the corner of a shelf, a person with mountains of books curtaining them read leisurely. They sat with their head propped up against the shelf, their back flat on the ground, and one leg was propped up over the. The person acted as though they owned the library, or that they were in their own little bubble and nothing around them was there.
Sure, it was a secluded corner of the library, caged by an aisle of shelves, but Leorio thought it was down right disrespectful. This was a public library, not someone’s bedroom!
Leorio wanted to give this person a peace of his mind, right then and there, but he then remembered that he didn’t have time to waste; every moment he spent could have been spent studying.
So, Leorio had pushed up his glasses with dissatisfied snort and began to examine the shelf behind the rude person for the book he needed.
That was a year ago.
Leorio was a creature of habit, he couldn’t help it, so he had a set time that he would come into the library to study, a set spot, and all those routinely things.
Everyday, Leorio saw that same person, sitting in some odd way in the library. This person never was studying, never had a binder, but was always reading books from every topic. Not to mention, the person was always alone. Leorio was of the opinion that this person was simply a queer breed of a lone wolf.
It was weird, that Leorio was certain of. Leorio was peeved at the consistent displays of disrespect towards the library, but simultaneously, Leorio was curious. Anyone would be curious, if they saw a person, in a university library, never studying and sitting oddly everyday.
No matter how irked Leorio was with this stranger’s antics, Leorio never approached them. It was annoying, but Leorio could live with it. Leorio could live with the stranger sitting on desks, walking on desks, building pyramids of books, and even rolling on the library floor with a book in hand.
However, today was where Leorio drew the line. Today, a year later, was when Leorio put his foot down. This disrespect had gone too far this time.
Atop one of the large shelves, a familiar blond lay, turned on their side, reading a book; like a bird nesting atop a fire hydrant, it was plain wrong.
Leorio could see them from halfway across the room, as noticeable a neon sign.
“Why isn’t anybody stopping this?!” Leorio muttered, storming over to the shelf. “How can people study when there is a person on a shelf! Madness, its madness! People these days, they- ”
Inhaling sharply, Leorio gave the shelf a light kick, feeling more like he had just kicked an alarm he was not supposed to pull. “Get off the damn shelf!” Leorio ordered.
To Leorio’s surprise, the blond looked up from their book, the first time Leorio had ever gotten a good look at their face, and they looked at Leorio with their mouth agape. Surprised, if Leorio had to guess.
Which only made Leorio’s anger grow. “What? Did you think nobody was ever gonna call you out for what you’re doing? That’s arrogant of you!”
There was a moment of pause, Leorio seething and the blond looking incredulous.
What was their problem? Leorio crossed his arms and stood his ground.
In a swift movement, the blond jumped off the shelf and landed neatly beside Leorio. If the tall man wasn’t trying his best to look imposing, he would have looked more awed by the graceful movement just displayed.
“Is it wrong to read in a library?” The blond narrowed their eyes. Their voice was mellow, even with a sardonic tone interwoven in their words.
Now that the blond was standing, Leorio was able to get a good look a their face.
Androgynous, was the first word that came to Leorio’s mind, followed by the word, pretty. Their skin was smooth and pale. Jaw sharp enough to be male, but not enough to be sure. Their eyes were a light brown, like the colour of murky water.
“It’s wrong to sit on shelves! Get some manners!” Leorio pointed a finger accusingly, trying hard to stay angry rather than curious.
“Please,” the person tucked a strand of their shoulder length hair behind their ear, exposing a hanging red earring, “don’t talk to me about manners when you are the one shouting in a library.”
Leorio made a strangled sound because, this infuriating tiny person, had a point. Naturally, that made the situation all the more infuriating. Leorio had expected to be ignored, or laughed at, but instead, Leorio got sass. Ready to blow, like a volcano’s tremors, Leorio took a deep breath-
“I’m Kurapika,” the blond held out a hand abruptly, which Leorio had not been expecting. With a sigh, Kurapika glanced once around the library. “I apologize if my behavior caused you a disturbance.”
No, Leorio had not been expecting this. His anger deflated at the apology, curiosity taking over. Leorio had anticipated an argument, not an apology.
A blush creeping up his cheeks, Leorio took Kurapika’s hand. “I’m Leorio, as long as you understand I guess.” Leorio let his eyes scan Kurapika’s body.
Kurapika was wearing a button up white shirt with the sleeves folded up to their elbows and black pants. Their frame was slender and they stood a head shorter than Leorio.
“I am male, just so you know,” Kurapika crossed his arms, the corners of his lips turning up.
Before Leorio could respond, Kurapika paced over to the desk that Leorio usually sat at.
“You are going to study, if I am not mistaken? I am going to go grab a coffee. Do you want one, as an apology for disturbing you with my bad manner every day?” Kurapika offered, his face rather stoic, as though he were not frazzled at all by Leorio yelling at him moment earlier.
“We could just go together, I’ll study after,” Leorio found himself saying before he registered the words.
So what? Leorio was interested in the cute weirdo blond who may be slightly more polite than Leorio was under the impression of originally.
Now, Kurapika looked slightly taken aback. The expression was like a startled cat, Leorio thought. “If you would like to come, I am not opposed to it.”
“Let’s go then,” Leorio packed his books, wondering how exactly his days plans had gotten spontaneously messed up. First year Leorio would have laughed if someone told him what had just happened.
Current Leorio was having a hard time understanding what had happened as well.