i turned off the music

[revengier]

Comments

[dissimulative]

So with that, I can safely assume that you really wanted to come here!

[ It sure is a leap in logic, but logic nonetheless. ]

1/2

[revengier]

[ God, he's so annoying, turning this right back around on him. ]

[revengier]

[ But it's such an absurd leap that actually makes sense that, without knowing what else to do, Kurapika laughs. ]

You're so annoying.

[dissimulative]

[ Oria pauses his silliness when he looks at Kurapika laugh. He rides the high more than any variance of Sherlock Holmes finding a decisive clue. That said, he doesn't pick on Kurapika for laughing. Instead, he just smiles. He's glad to have made him laugh, despite him saying that he's annoying. ]

[revengier]

[ He manages to catch that smile in his periphery and... ]

That sincere look on your face suits you much more.

[dissimulative]

Are you hitting on me?

[ No hesitation. ]

[revengier]

[ A tight silence envelopes the air between them. ]

No. I'm sorry for any disappointment you might feel.

[ Because surely he's disappointed. ]

I meant it, however. You look nicer when there's sincerity in your expression. I almost feel like you're trying to distract me away from my comment by flustering me.

[dissimulative]

[ hey god, its me oria, why did you invent someone like kurapika, thanks

aka Oria would like to not be seen so through? He's being perceived?? Stop that. ]

I'm not disappointed though.

[revengier]

No? And why is that?

[ Don't think he's forgotten the subject of the conversation here, Oria. This is simply going in his evidence book. ]

[dissimulative]

Because I didn't expect anything.

[ Look, even Oria has to temper his expectations, okay. Also hello??? Evidence book?? Stop mean girl-ing him. ]

[revengier]

Do you usually operate under the guise of no expectations?

[ This has turned into Oria Study Hour. ]

[dissimulative]

[ He doesn't like this, so he just... gets up and flounce away. Bye!!! Not even a word. Not even simple "bye". He's outta here. Peace out. ]

[revengier]

[ Wow, giving up on their little outing like this when he suggested it in the first place? How can he run a company in that state?

But Kurapika isn't particularly offended, laying back on the grass instead as a few more puppies run up to him to sniff at his face and roll around beside him.

He sends a message a few minutes later: ]

I was planning to invite you to watch archery practice sometime, but you left before I had a chance to. It's open to other students, and plenty come by to watch.

[dissimulative]

[ Okay, but to be fair, running a company doesn't mean that they'll be peeling his person like an onion.

Anyway, the reply comes pretty quickly: ]

sure.
when and where is it?

[revengier]

[ smh oria let him peel you ]

Monday, 3pm. Near the greens. Have you seen the recreational outdoors training area?

[ And because he's a naturally condescending asshole, he sends another message of a pin drop on a map of the campus—it's intended to be helpful... but whether or not it actually comes off that way is a different story entirely. ]

[dissimulative]

[

Hell naw, son. But damn, Kurapika really is a natural at being condescending. Oria isn't annoyed by it though, and just takes it as him being helpful. ]

not for a closer look, but i've been there!
i look forward to seeing it!

[ Maybe he'll get to see Kurapika being graceful. ]

[revengier]

[ The message gets a nice little "read" receipt and no response.

Come Monday at three o'clock, practice hasn't started just yet. There are a few people milling around, and Kurapika himself is off to the side, near the small stands and talking to what seems to be a couple of middle schoolers. His hair is tied back into a little ponytail and he's in gym clothes, baggy t-shirt and basketball shorts and all.

Shockingly, those middle schoolers don't look miserable in his presence.

And even more shockingly, there's a little smile on Kurapika's face. ]

[dissimulative]

[ Kurapika is pretty easy to spot when Oria gets there, but he doesn't make himself known on purpose. The main reason is because he sees Kurapika busy with the middle school kids and that... he actually seems to be good with kids? Maybe he just doesn't like him that much. Of course, Oria made his outer personality obnoxious on purpose and he doesn't like being peeled so bluntly like that. He hasn't met someone like that before, and honestly? It feels vulnerable in a way that Oria hoped he wouldn't feel.

And it's Kurapika, of all people.

Oria takes a picture of the area with his phone and sends it over to Kurapika with a text saying "good luck ✌️". He was here!! Don't say that he wasn't!!

Anyway, he goes to take a seat somewhere in the back. He's a little tired of sitting in the front for anything, but at least it's somewhere with a good view. ]

[revengier]

[ As he's still busying himself with the kids, his phone buzzes in his pocket. The timing is too good for it to be anyone other than Oria, so as he hands his bow to the dark-haired kid and waits for him to get into the right posture, Kurapika looks up into the stands.

...Hm. He figured Oria would be up at the front, but no. He's in the back, where only a couple of girls that Kurapika recognizes as some of his team member's girlfriends are sitting.

But maybe that really isn't shocking. Oria has a mask that he wears over his real self, and it would make sense for him to sit in the back if he didn't feel like wearing it right now. It's with that line of thinking that Kurapika meets his eyes, his lips curving up into a little smile, at least up until the boy next to him fumbles with the bow in his hands and Kurapika has to hurry to steady him. ]

[dissimulative]

[ ...

They meet eyes and Oria isn't sure whether Kurapika smiled at him or not. Why though? He didn't do anything? Unless it meant that much to Kurapika that he came to watch the event, but he doubts that. Oria has enough self-respect and a seemingly inflated ego, but he's going through the logistic motions here.

But then he watches Kurapika tend to the boy that's having some problems. It's nice to see him like this, he thinks. Perhaps he really didn't need to bring him to the dog therapy week after all.

He's also ignoring the girls in favor of watching the event. Do not distract him. Please. ]

[revengier]

[ the girls immediately descend upon oria like a pack of wolves

Although Kurapika called this a practice, this seems to be more of an archery meet between a few schools in the surrounding area as more students from other universities, high schools, and even a few middle school students aside from the ones Kurapika is tending to begin to arrive en masse.

The students that were milling around, including Kurapika, start to gather into their own teams, divided up by school, and the younger students by grade. It's a while before their school is finally up, but maybe watching the younger students slowly get better as they take their several shots and receive tips from the older students is something Oria would find interesting. That, or he can get distracted by the girls.

Either way, a lot more people in the stands pay attention when Kurapika finally steps up. It seems like he's known, especially among the students, who all watch him intently. For his part, Kurapika seems relaxed as he readies himself, muscles taut only in the areas where they need to be, especially as he nocks his arrow and draws the bow with ease. It's as if he doesn't hear the chatter around him, his gaze focused on the target, a fire in his eyes that hasn't been present any other moment.

He lets go of the arrow and it zips towards the target and lands in the bullseye.

With each subsequent shot, Kurapika makes the bullseye. The way he readies himself looks effortless, almost as if he isn't even thinking about aiming. Though of course, the sharpness in his eyes counters that notion.

When he's done, Kurapika disappears somewhere behind the crowd, but it's obvious he hasn't left. ]

[dissimulative]

[ He will not be distracted by anyone as he focuses on the event. He is here for one thing and doesn't feel like doing anything else!!

Oria watches all that happen and takes notice of, well, how the audience shifts its attention once Kurapika's turn is here... and for good reason. The consecutive bullseyes and how he does it-- ]

He makes it look so easy...

[ Oria is impressed as Kurapika disappears into the crowd somewhere. But rather than making the target itself, perhaps what really stands out was how he composed himself.

He thought he was good at reading people, but Kurapika just throws that out the window. He watches the rest of the archers too and finds himself comparing in his head.

... ]

[revengier]

[ It's a few rounds of other archers before someone sits next to Oria, a duffel bag unceremoniously dumped at his feet. Kurapika leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. ]

His shoulder isn't relaxed, do you see? That will cause him to miss the mark and stray left.

[ And sure enough, when the student lets go of the arrow, it lands on the upper left area of the target. ]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria was aware that someone sat next to him, but didn't look in their direction. It's only after Kurapika speaks that his head turns to look at him, missing the student releasing the arrow to an undesired area. ]

Aren't you supposed to stay down there with everyone until it's done?

[revengier]

Technically.

[ He shrugs. ]

I'm finished, though, and there's no awards or anything they're handing out. [ He glances at Oria. ] I asked if I could go, before you start to worry.