After The Eyes ~ A Leopika Story

Chapter 15

"Hello ladies and gentlemen!" a voice boomed from overhead. The classical music was turned down, and everyone's attention turned to the man upstairs who was leaning over the balcony. "Thank you all for coming! I am King Kichiro, as many of you know." the king boasted. 

Kurapika's eyes widened, and Leorio glanced at him. 

"I'm running behind. So I will be downstairs with you all in about an hour. Enjoy your time!" he exclaimed, before turning back around. 

His room must be upstairs... Where the eyes are. 

"Are you wearing contacts?" Leorio asked quietly. Kurapika looked back at him and nodded. "Yeah, otherwise I would've been screwed by now." Kurapika says, taking a sip of his drink. Leorio shook his head, "No, I would've taken care of it." 

 Kurapika lips curl into a small smile, but he immediately forces his face to rest. 

That wasn't a fake one. Really? Here of all places? Kurapika thought to himself in disappointment. 

"I've got a plan." Kurapika muttered. Leorio's eyes widened out of curiosity, "Do tell."

 A few women came beside them looking for drinks, and Kurapika shook his head. He mouthed the words 'go along with it' before turning around. 

He tapped one of the women on the shoulder, and smiled softly at her when she turned around. "Hello, I just happened to notice that beautiful shade of lavender your gown has." Kurapika said, all of his words rolling off his tongue naturally. The woman giggled, "Why thank you sir." she said with a small curtsey. 

Leorio watched the interaction take place, and was utterly lost on what Kurapika's intentions were. 

"Why of course. What's your name miss?" he asked. She batted her eyelashes, "Retz." Kurapika smirked, "What a beautiful name, Ms. Retz." he said. He took her hand and bowed down, kissing it softly. 

Leorio cringed, and a sharp pain hit his heart. It's all an act, It's all an act... He repeated in his head. 

Retz giggled, "Thank you. What's yours?" she asked. "Well, you don't need to know just yet." he said with a wink. "Although, I did see a painting over there that reminded me of you. Would you like to go see it?" Kurapika asked. Retz smiled, "I would love to." she said. 

Kurapika turned around and shot Leorio a quick look that read 'i'll be right back don't do anything stupid', a look Leorio knew all too well. 

Kurapika laced his arms with Retz's, and proceeded across the room. 

Leorio watched them silently, wondering why he felt so jealous of a woman that Kurapika doesn't even care about. 

"So where is this painting?" Retz asked. Kurapika smiled, "Just this way my dear." He led her behind a curtain, and she looked confused. 

"Where-" before she could finish her sentence, Kurapika had his hand up to her throat. Her breaths wavered in fear, but she didn't dare turn around. 

"I don't want to hurt you, but I'll do what I have to." Kurapika muttered. "Please! Don't hurt me! I'll do anything!" she whimpered. 

"I do need you to do something for me."

"Anything!" 

Kurapika sighed, "Do you see the fire alarm on the wall over there?" She nodded softly, looking through the crack of the curtain to see the red box that was attached to the wall. 

"Right. In ten minutes, you're gonna pull it." Kurapika said. "W-why?" she asked quietly. 

"Because I said so. And you're no going to run away or tell someone else, or else I think you can guess what I'm capable of. You're a smart girl." he said. 

He hated talking like this, he sounded like a creep. Of course he would never harm her, but he needed to convince her of otherwise. 

"Okay..." she whispered. 

"Promise?" he asked. 

She nodded, so he let go. 

"Thank you, Ms. Retz." he said, as he walked out from behind the curtain. He walked back to the drinks table where Leorio was standing, awkwardly sipping his drink. "Geez took you long enough." Leorio grumbled. 

Kurapika turned around to see Retz walk out from behind the curtain, and awkwardly making her way to the corner he directed her to. 

"So, the plan?" Leorio asked. Kurapika nodded, "Right, come with me." he said, taking Leorio's hand. 

He brought them towards the dance floor, where multiple couples were dancing. Waltz music was playing at the moment, so Kurapika wrapped his arms around Leorio's shoulders. 

He looked up to see Leorio's flustered face, so Kurapika mouthed the words, 'my hips'. 

Leorio placed his hands on Kurapika's hips, as they blended in with the crowd. Kurapika nodded, and then looked around the room to find a door that would lead him upstairs. He eyed it, on the other side of the room. 

Before he could subtly waltz himself closer to it, the song changed. Some sort of tango track was now playing, and he watched the other couples loosen up a bit. 

He had gone to plenty of ballroom dances when he was a bodyguard for Neon, so he knew what he was doing. 

The thing with the waltz is that you need two people, but one person can pretty much lead the whole dance. The thing with tango, was that it required two people to cooperate. 

"Follow my lead." Kurapika said, bringing his body closer to Leorios. They held hands on one side, and Leorio held Kurapika waist while Kurapika had his hand on Leorio's chest on the other side. 

Leorio was getting the hang of the spinning and what not, but Kurapika could tell he was still flustered. 

"Play it cool." he whispered into Leorio's ear. "R-right." Leorio muttered.

 The music continued to play, while Kurapika casually moved them closer to the target. Leorio could feel Kurapika's warm breath against his neck, as it gave him butterflies. 

Kurapika continued to lead the dance, as he moved the hand that used to be on Leorio's chest to Leorio's arm. "Get ready." Kurapika whispered, and he moved Leorio's hand down to his thigh. 

"Mind elabo-" but before Leorio could finish, Kurapika leaned back and Leorio was now the only thing keeping him from falling. 

Their faces were inches apart, and Leorio's hand was holding onto Kurapika's thigh. 

(please look up 'tango dip' for better imagery)

As they stared into each other's eyes, a loud alarm blared through the room. 

Kurapika sprang up, and realized that Retz had pulled the fire alarm early. He jerked his head towards the door he wanted to go through, and watched the two security guards abandon it to run towards the fire alarm. 

Kurapika turned to Leorio, and gave him a soft nod. "I'm on my own now, you should get out of here." he said, before racing through the door. 

As he ran up the stairs, he couldn't push away the thought of how badly he wanted to kiss Leorio just now. How much he missed him. He needed him. 

But no matter how intense that feeling was, he forced it out. 

The eyes. I am seconds away from completing my journey. 

All the depression and worry about what happened next would have to come later, because he needed to get the eyes back. 

No matter what.