hunterxhunterbb - Tumblr blog

hunterxhunterbb · 3 months

Text

Intersections

Chapter 1 | Read on Ao3

Summary: Every year after their separation, Killua and Gon reunite. Things feel different between the boys, far from irreparable, but the axis of their relationship has tilted, and with one of them on the run and the other without nen, balance is hard to reach. They have both transformed under the intense pressures of the past, and while it might take them a bit to realign, that does not mean they will not try—although with bumps on the way. This is a story about teens wrestling with their true feelings, friendships old and new, and all the awkward, goofy, angsty and warm-hearted moments that come with them.

Zzzzt ZZZZZZN

Gon, nose against the surface of the kitchen table, flopped his head to the side. With one ear pressed to the wood, he heard the familiar buzz of his beetle phone vibrating from across the room. Heavy eyelids lifted with hopes of breaking away from the tedium of education.

“Aunt Mito, can I check it just this once? Please?”

Aunt Mito stood with her back towards him at the counter, “Gon, your friends should know by now—no phone while you’re doing your schoolwork.”

The rhythmic whirring of his phone did little to ease his want. With one hand holding his chin and the other tapping a pencil on his book, he peeked towards his phone, imagining who could be trying to contact him. He had heard the faint rumbling multiple times, including both calls and texts. What if someone was having an emergency? Any one of his friends could easily be in danger!

He knew going against Aunt Mito’s word would mean grief for him, and besides, he never wanted to make her angry. He scrunched his brow, deliberating a strategy.

“Aunt Mito!” He stood abruptly in his chair, prompting her to spin around at once, “If you let me check my phone now, I’ll do an extra hour of studying today!”

Crossing her arms, she leaned onto one leg, her cheek creasing as she thought.

“Fine,” she decided after a few seconds, “But I’m holding you to it.”

She barely finished her sentence before Gon bolted out of his seat, his bare feet beating the wooden floor with each urgent step. He snatched his phone from the counter and scrolled through the many notifications, all sharing the same contact.

Missed Call: Killua 10 mins ago

Killua: Hey, you there? 9 mins ago

Killua: Can you talk? 5 mins ago

Killua: Gon! 2 mins ago

Pulse blaring, Gon furiously tapped the buttons on his phone to pull up Killua’s contact and dial him. He could exhale when he heard the call trying to connect, but even waiting a single ring was torturous. He heard the distinct click of the line connecting and drew in a large breath.

“Killua!” he shouted.

“Yeah, what?” Drifted monotonously from the other line.

“Are you okay?!” Panicked tears threatened to leak out of his eyes.

“Uhh, yeah, why?”

“Why’d you reach out so many times?!”

“It got you to answer, right?”

Gon sighed roughly. “Yeah… Except I promised Aunt Mito another hour of work for this.”

“Not my problem.”

“Ughhh.” His head drooped. “What’s up, anyways?”

“Can Alluka and I visit?”

A jolt shot through his body, swiftly straightening his spine. “What?! When?!”

“See? I did have something important!” Killua insisted. “These itineraries say we can be there in either two or three days.”

“Yes!” Gon hunched over, clenching his fist in front of his chest.

“Which one, ya dummy?” He asked with a chuckle.

“Doesn’t matter! Both give me enough time to tell Aunt Mito!”

“Tell me what!?” Her voice projected from the other end of the kitchen.

“Killua and Alluka! Coming to Whale Island!”

After a few exchanges of stern questions and submissive replies from Aunt Mito and Gon respectively, Gon whispered into the phone, “Two. I’ll figure things out here in the meantime. Bye!”

He swiftly hung up, followed by reassuring words in an attempt to quell his guardian. Killua and Alluka were always moving, and Gon knew he never planned ahead, to avoid the risk of someone discovering and tracking their route. Killua coming to Whale Island must have been by pure coincidence, so Gon needed to grab this chance, regardless of any consequences at home.

There were few exceptions he would not make for Killua, and although punishment in the form of written assignments seemed so much worse than physical pain, he would eagerly endure any of it for him. Subsequently, four days of curriculum were shoved into the next 48 hours. Gon’s brain felt like it was going to burst at the seams, but there was no better reward that could have been waiting for him after.

The morning of the Zoldyck’s arrival, Gon changed his bedsheets, dragged out a futon, cut fruit and bathed before dashing from the house to the harbor. For the next few days, only the edges of the island could restrict his freedom, and he could experience all of it with Killua again; showing him the changes on the island, revisiting their favorite spots, seeing what Killua has learned.

Seeing Killua.

He was able to see Killua many times over the past year, in pictures and videos, but he never sounded right in recordings, and no single frame could capture the same brilliance he shone in person. They had kept their friendship afloat, but at times, it seemed obscured, with no clear path forward, but that was typical for Gon at this point in his life in the calm waters he returned to after years of tumult.

Nonetheless, his years away from Whale Island were the best of his life. Gon loved Aunt Mito and Great-Grandmother Abe, but he could be his truest self around Killua, without any restraints. Yet a lack of restraint is exactly what landed him in his current situation—home without access to friends nor nen.

Sometimes, alone while reminiscing with the clouds above, Gon laughed at himself, once thinking it was acceptable to depend on someone else for his own self-control. To his credit, he had never connected with someone like Killua. He trusted him wholly, and unknowingly, took advantage of that trust. Gon may never understand why Killua forgave him, but he would never question it.

He made the conscious decision to think mostly about the good times they shared together. Killua simply made everything better, more fun and exciting and meaningful. So many of the places Gon had seen and the things he accomplished included Killua; he helped uncover possibilities Gon would have never found alone. The only reason he realized his life’s goal was because of Killua, and even with all the strife they endured along the way, he never left his side.

Gon increased his pace, arms pumping at his sides, breath tearing through his lungs. The sound of a marine horn blared over the trees covering the path he was taking, scattering a few finches into the sky. He sped even faster, as if the ship carrying his friend would match his fervor. The sun seemed brighter to him today, its light reaching a little deeper, warming him from the inside. In just a few minutes, he would be meeting Killua.

When he rounded the first row of buildings, he saw the vessel carrying his friend had arrived, people crowded on the deck to exit. Gon stood in place, inhaling deeply through a huge smile, catching his breath, then rushed ahead, dodging around visitors and townspeople. He paused where the harbor turned and widened in order to see the boat more clearly, and through a jagged opening of people funneling off, a shock of white hair revealed itself.

Killua!

Chest thumping, he tensed in excitement, still wearing a massive grin. Killua was at the top of the boarding ramp! Gon jumped in place before resuming his path to him, and the world spun faster and everything passing by him blurred together and he flung his arms out like he had just won a marathon. Neither killer ants, deranged family nor vast oceans could keep them apart, and today would be proof that their bond could hold after a brutal assault.

He halted at the top of the stairs leading to the thin stretch of dock onto which the passengers disembarked. Killua stood behind Alluka, stuffing something into her backpack. Gon could see that he was taller, and he had let the back of his hair grow longer. It suited him.

“Ki—Hey!” Gon shouted, realizing it would be best to not loudly disclose the fugitive siblings’ names. He waved both arms above his head, “Over here!”

The Zoldycks beamed back at him, lifting their own hands above their heads. They were together again, Gon and Killua, and from now on, Alluka as well. If Killua loved her, that meant Gon did, too.

Gon waited, practically vibrating out of his own skin as the siblings headed towards him. Killua climbed the stairs to Gon first, and when he came into view over the landing, Gon had to catch his breath. He just wanted to look at him! His icy eyes and wispy hair, solid arms hanging from his dark tank top—Gon could barely believe he was standing in front of him.

“Killua! Alluka! Hey!” He greeted, throwing his arms down in excitement. The brother and sister stopped side by side, and somehow, Gon’s smile stretched even farther across his face.

“Hey, Gon,” Killua said with a smirk, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his gray shorts.

“Hi, Gon!” Alluka squeaked and Gon’s eyes widened, darting away from Killua. “Whale Island is so-oooh pretty!” She clapped her hands together, tilting her head to the side.

Since Gon saw her last, she had begun wearing a knee-length skirt, paired with a thin shawl and small bow in front of her abdomen. Her hair was cut just below her shoulders, and she still wore her signature headband and beads, in a white, plum and blue motif to match her outfit. Gon figured it was Zoldyck nature to look your best at all times.

Gon blinked at her, his expression re-enlivening. “I’m glad you think so! Then let’s get going!” He called before stepping backwards, “We’ll drop your stuff off! We just have to make a quick stop on the way to my house!”

He scrambled towards town, arcing his arm widely in the air, beckoning them along. Killua and Alluka raced after him, dodging around the various stalls of vendors. Gon could hear Alluka’s shoes pounding behind him, Killua still silent in his step. After squeezing through a crowd, he realized they were not on his trail anymore, but he continued to his destination nearby, knowing Killua would find him.

Two people queued in a line designated where Gon needed to be, and he assumed his place behind them. He rocked on his boots, eagerly searching the street to be discovered and when moved ahead in line, there was still no sign of his friends among the white brick paths. Leaning back on his heels, finally he could see, charging up the street, Killua clutching Alluka’s hand. Another stride forward and Gon was in front of the counter.

“What was that all about?” Killua demanded upon reaching him.

“Sorry, Killua! Here to pick up my order, Mrs. Filone!” Gon announced into the service window.

“Here ya go, Gon,” a rough yet gentle woman replied, passing him a large paper bag over the counter, “Six pastry rolls, all ready for ye’.”

“Thank you!”

“Six?” Killua asked once they stepped away, a slight edge to his voice. “Is someone else visiting?”

“Well, the rolls are pretty sweet, so I thought you might have wanted an extra—”

“He got one for Nanika!” Alluka interrupted, tossing her arms in the air.

“You and Nanika share a stomach.” Gon saw Killua flash a feline-like expression, cradling his chin in the space between his thumb and pointer finger. “So give me half.”

“Big Brother!”

Gon offered without hesitation, “You can have mine!”

“Stay out of it Gon!” Killua sneered. “Anyways.” He put his hands into his pockets. “Thanks. Boat food sucks.”

Gon smiled large. “There’s more back at the house, too. You know how Aunt Mito cooks.”

Heading to the Freecss’ home, Gon walked behind the siblings, watching the dancing pins of light dapple Killua’s frame through the tree canopy. He had walked this exact trail through the forest countless times before, but this time through, it felt fresh and exciting, as if he had noticed new shades of green in the foliage. He and Killua told Alluka about the last time Killua visited Whale Island, and Gon was sure to identify any flora or fauna Alluka pointed out.

“So you’re in school?” Alluka asked Gon.

“Technically homeschool, but yeah!”

“Big Brother teaches me everything. On the way here, he was telling me all about, umm…” She touched a finger to her bottom lip. “What were we talking about?”

“Oh, just coastal barrier systems and the connection between their health and sea level rise. Nothing too important,” he assured, rubbing the crown of her head. Steam collected in Gon’s head while laughter rang from Alluka and she clapped her hands, pure bliss stretching over her face.

Killua smiled back at her sweetly before asking, “What’d you have to work on, Gon?”

“Well, I got pretty behind with my ‘Life as a Hunter’ essay, so I did a lot of that. I’m in the elaboration stage.”

Killua smirked. “You don’t say...”

“I know it doesn’t sound exciting, but I get to write a lot about you, Killua!”

The white-haired boy grumbled, cupping the back of his head.

“Can I read it when you’re done?” Alluka asked, holding her hands together behind her back.

“Definitely!”

From under a curtain of hair, Killua muttered, “I wonder if the school board will even believe anything you write.”

“Hmm,” Gon dipped his chin, able to see both appendages he had lost before. “I need at least one hand to write, so they should believe me.”

Wagging his head, Killua emitted a playful scoff. Gon glanced at him quizzically, and with a few more strides, the forest boundary was visible through the opening of trees before them. Gon instinctively quickened his pace, zipping between the siblings, urging them to Come on! with a hop and a wave.

Once his house came into view, he heard Alluka exclaim, “Big Brother! Gon lives on top of a mountain, too!”

Except there were no trials to enter Gon’s home, no soulless beasts or squads of butlers who use force and deceit as deterrents. Killua and Alluka would be welcomed here as friends anytime, no tests required.

The door slammed open with a proclamation, “Aunt Mito! Great-grandmother Abe! Killua and Alluka are here!” The two women observed him expectantly as he rushed into the house, leaving the door ajar. He reached the kitchen counters and flung the cabinets open, retrieving dishes for his guests’ breakfast. Moments later, the Zoldycks entered, decidedly less frenzied than Gon.

“Killua, it’s wonderful to see you again! And Alluka—I’ve heard so much about you!” Aunt Mito greeted, clapping her hands together, “How was your ride in? Help yourselves,” she offered, gesturing to the spread of food upon the kitchen table.

“Thanks, Aunt Mito. The ride was great,” Killua answered, kicking off his shoes and dropping his bag. “Captain Hetburn gives his regards.”

“Captain Hetburn,” She lowered her arms from drying a bowl and looked out the window over the sink. “He’s been doing that route since before you were born.”

“Killua, you met the captain?” Gon wondered. It seemed unlikely for Killua to casually pursue conversation with strangers.

“Well, Alluka introduced me. She, uh, makes friends with everyone.” Killua put a hand on her head as she enthusiastically studied the breakfast selection. “But who wouldn’t want to be friends with her?”

“Thank you so much! This looks sooo good!” Alluka chimed, her fingers interlaced under her chin.

“Killua, take the bags up with me!” The boys glared at each other before they romped up to the second level with minimal shoving, firm footsteps pounding loudly on each stair. Gon headed towards his bedroom, the cot on the floor peeking through the opening, but an additional pair of footsteps did not follow. He spun around to see his friend standing aloof with his hands in his pockets, staring at a painting on the wall.

“Don’t you have a guest room?” Killua distantly asked the picture before facing Gon.

The question landed like a thorn in Gon’s heart and he straightened his posture, his brow tightening.

“Yeah, just last time—” He stopped short. “Um, it’s the first door on the left,” he directed, pointing down the hall.

Killua nodded, casually looping one arm through his backpack strap, and headed towards the spare bedroom. Why did Gon feel like they were separating again, like every step Killua took away from him could be permanent? Killua could have had any reason to ask for their own room—privacy, comfort, but Gon could not shake that the request was personal. The corridor in front of him seemed to stretch longer, creating more space between the two; if Gon tried to follow him, he may never catch up.

“You just going to stand there?” Killua asked, pulling Gon from his own mind.

“Huh? No. Here.” He moved forward, offering Killua his sister’s bag. They descended the stairs together, much more quietly, a hollow sensation gnawing in Gon’s chest. He asked himself what else he had wrong about the two of them. Maybe this was one of those unspoken rules of growing older. He wondered but never questioned, as to not disturb the shaky foundation upon which they already stood.

When Gon reached the entryway of the kitchen, he could see Alluka and Aunt Mito actively engaged in conversation, Alluka smiling wide with her eyes closed, palms out in front of her chest. A smile curled softly on Gon’s face when he saw that Aunt Mito shared her happiness, eagerly absorbing every one of her words. He recognized that it was not often that Aunt Mito got to talk to a young girl, and he could imagine she saw some of herself from years ago in Alluka.

Killua approached his sister and showed her a grin as well. Gon reminded himself if Killua did not want to be here, he would not be, but it was probably best still to proceed with caution. Besides, Gon could live with being just a place to stay for Killua; at worst, that would mean he still got to spend time with him.

“You’re all going to the beach, right?” Aunt Mito questioned while Gon and Killua grabbed the backs of their seats. “Go after you finish eating. I’ll clean up.”

Gon took a half step back, protesting, “But Aunt Mito!”

“Do what I say, Gon!” Fear bristled down his vertebrae and he bowed frantically in response.

“Thank you!” The trio cheered in unison, hands joined below their chins. Gon reached for the table, but his arm was blocked by Killua stretching a plate in front of him.

“Alluka, serve yourself first,” he offered, casting a serious yet knowing glance at Gon. Gon’s brow pinched in confusion, but after a few seconds, he bobbed his head and dropped his limb at his side. The Zoldyck sister scooped a pile of fruit, eggs, some ham slices and placed one and a half sweet rolls onto her dish. Meanwhile, gravity became denser between Gon and Killua’s locked gazes.

Not a second after she retracted her plate, the boys sprang forward, devouring everything as fast as they could grab it. Alluka calmly poked at her food with her fork, smiling with each bite, and Great-Grandmother Abe hurried to the counter to prepare tea. In minutes, all the food was cleared from the table and with his mouth still stuffed, Gon beckoned Killua to help him pack for the beach. Rifling through a closet, they found and piled towels, sunscreen and other supplies into a basket to bring along.

Gon carried the basket to the front door, Alluka finished her meal, and they all changed into bathing suits before heading out the door shouting their goodbyes. The boys let Alluka walk ahead of them while they each carried a handle of the basket, walking side by side on the way to their destination. Gon explained that he knew of a secluded shoreline a short walk away, back down the hill away from town.

The basket bobbed rhythmically in between the two boys, a seamless synchronization in Gon and Killua’s gait. The three talked and laughed, recounting recent travels and travelers, weaving around trees and skipping over roots. To Gon’s dismay, Killua insisted on interspersing a few math equations throughout their conversation, and they quickly realized Alluka was more skilled in the subject.

“Hey!” Killua shouted upon stumbling. “Gon!”

Gon snickered, having deliberately shortened his stride to knock Killua off balance.

“I’m gonna throw sand in your eyes,” the white haired boy vowed, jaw clenched. His comment only made Gon laugh more audibly, partly due to a flood of nostalgia, and partly because of his resistance to the exact thing he just threatened.

Killua scoffed, “You’re probably gonna tell me you’ve practiced getting sand in your eyes since you were a kid or some sh—”

“Is that it!?” Alluka cried, arm fully extended, pointing to a dune just past the edge of the forest.

“Almost!” Gon clarified.

“Almost!” Nanika repeated, trotting forward with her arms outstretched. Gon and Killua trailed behind her, taking a few false starts before they could consistently match each other’s pace, blaming each other throughout the process. Gon directed them to a gap in the brush and they scaled the ridge, revealing an endless expanse of white sand and azure ocean.

“Wow!” Alluka cheered, hopping and raising her arms as high as she could reach. Killua and Gon, walking in a straight line, carrying the basket like a palanquin, placed their cargo on the ground to take in the view. Indeed, the three of them were completely alone, the beach their personal realm for the afternoon. Gon was tempted to mention the unobstructed sunrises he and Killua witnessed together as they traversed the NGL, but he kept the comparison to himself.

“Cool, isn’t it?” Killua asked his sister, his blue eyes glistening like their own seas under the sun.

“Uh-huh!” She beamed back, a smile encompassing her entire face.

Passing two towels to Killua, Gon wondered, “What are we waiting for, then?”

“Right!” Alluka announced, leaping forward.

“Alluka!” Killua called after her, “Sunscreen!”

“Aww…” She sauntered back, arms dangling in front of her. “Oka-aay.” With a chuckle, Gon laid his towel flat and Killua opened the bottle of sunblock.

Gon observed his friend’s gentleness, the same hands that he once witnessed tear out a man’s heart were now carefully gathering Alluka’s long streams of hair in a bunch. He handled her hair like silk, as if it would shred if he were not fully attentive and precise. Using an elastic, he tied her locks together so they would avoid touching her back when he smoothed lotion across her shoulder blades.

Alluka was his Kon—she was practically motherless, a precious being for whose survival he was solely responsible, and from what Gon had seen, Killua placed her comfort high above his own. With how many lives he had taken, years spent with killing ingrained into his very existence, and having been on the precipice of death countless times himself, perhaps he learned exactly what one needs to live, too.

Gon inhaled deeply, the taste of salt scraping against the back of his throat. Wisps of sand lightly grazed over his body, and lifting his chin, he charged himself in the sun, heat seeping into his skin. The spring air wove around him, insulating the warmth that had bloomed from witnessing Killua so content, so devoted, the sensation softening to his very core.

“Okay, ready!” Called Alluka, popping up from the ground. Gon turned to look at his friends, both wearing playful smiles.

They took off, their heels flinging up pockets of beach with each stride, laughter ringing from all of them. Gon’s feet slapped against the wet sand and he splashed into the receding tide, streams of water leaping all the way up his legs. He dove under the first sizable wave, creating his own current out to sea, the chill of the ocean piercing all the way to his bones.

When he surfaced, he saw Alluka dashing back to dry land, shrieking, “It’s freezing!”

“We did just come from Paruna,” he heard Killua say as they watched her flee.

“Where?” Gon questioned, barely glancing towards his friend.

“A resort country in the tropics. Aren’t you learning geography?”

In an instant, water rose around Gon’s face, sealing over his head, with Killua’s hands pushing down hard on his shoulders. Upon submerging, bubbles shot out of Gon’s nose, and he briefly floated in place under the waves, reveling in the sharp sensation of the cold sea. He swam in a circle, then dove deeper, touched the soft, slimy floor with the pads of his fingers, and pushed off, opening his eyes for a fraction of a second, but the perfect amount of time to locate—

“Agh!” Gon heard a garbled shout as he pulled Killua under by the ankle. He released his limb and propelled himself forward, immediately being pursued by Killua. They tumbled to shore, cyclically grabbing at and dodging around each other until they both flopped on the beach in front of Alluka.

“Big Brother! Make a sandcastle with me!” She excitedly demanded, leaning over the two collapsed boys.

“Sure thing, Alluka,” Killua said, his expression easing as he propped himself up on his elbows.

He fully rose, blocking the sun, light spilling from the edges of his frame around the shadow he cast over Gon. Gon watched him shake his hair out to the sound of Alluka yelping and jumping away, then comb it back with his fingers, setting his bangs perfectly across his forehead. He found himself staring intently at his friend’s display, and his eyes following as he and Alluka retrieved their supplies. The space next to him felt especially empty after Killua moved away.

“I’ll go grab some shells to decorate,” Gon offered, sitting up.

“Oh!” Alluka exclaimed, “Thanks, Gon!”

He bent his knees and jumped to his feet, heading for their supplies. He grabbed a pail and trotted back to the shoreline again, searching for small seashells with which to fill it. Water receded from beneath his feet, pulled back into the ocean, uncovering tiny bubbles in the sand before another wave crashed and slid onto the coast. Gon remembered showing Killua long ago where to find clusters of crabs beneath the little pockets of air.

He bent over to retrieve a cream and amber colored carapace, thinking there could be a possibility of the same things reminding Killua of him, too. Killua was here with him now, but he was still compelled to wander among memories, when he and Killua relied on each other. When he used to surprise him and marvel at the look on his face. When they were inseparable and still naive. He gazed towards the horizon, letting the notions go with the current and drift out to sea.

Shells rattling in his bucket, Gon returned to Alluka and Killua, applying their finishing touches to their sandcastle, consisting of a square keep with four turrets at each corner. The male Zoldyck carved crenellations into the sides with a stick and Gon offered Alluka his pail of shells. She squealed with glee and started placing them around the outside of the structure, matching and alternating shapes and colors.

After the last shell was placed, Killua insisted on taking a picture of the master architect with her creation. Looking upon the scene, Gon wore an equally large smile despite being out of frame of the photograph. He waited for the siblings to hug after the photo was captured, Killua praising his sister, then with a shovel in his hand, Gon ran a few paces down the beach, shouting, “Killua! Come help me!”

“Huh?” He replied, checking with Alluka before turning away from her, “What’d you find?!”

“Nothing!”

With a toothy grin, Killua ran towards him with his own spade, hollering, “Just like what’s in your head!”

“Big Brother!” Alluka chastised. She followed with no tools of her own, but to supervise the digging, which, according to Killua, was the most crucial role of the operation.

“Hey Killua, this feels familiar,” Gon commented, burying the end of his shovel. “Like we haven’t done enough digging!”

The only acknowledgment Killua gave to his statement was a soft ‘yeah’, but he too shoved his spade into the ground. Gon felt a dense feeling descend within his body as he watched Killua. They dug and dug quietly, and as the hole got deeper, began to hurl sand over their shoulders. Gon could not stifle his laughter when Killua tried to spit out sand that landed in his mouth, which produced some choice words from Killua and even more laughter.

“Just when I thought I could finally forget Bisky’s training,” Killua mentioned sarcastically.

Gon’s spirit lifted like a dandelion seed floating on the wind. It took them just a few minutes to hollow out a hole the three of them could fit within comfortably. Gon placed their tools above the ditch and sat down with his legs stretched before him, grinning at their effort.

“But… why?” Alluka asked, peering over the lip of the pit.

Gon’s feet slid under him, but he stayed low, his hair barely peeking over the edge of the hole. He crept forward, an absolutely wicked expression on his face, his line of sight locked on Alluka. She noticed and straightened up, her eyes stretching open.

“I wonder…” He retracted his arm ever so slowly. “Why!” He struck at her ankle, but she jumped, avoiding his attack with a flurry of laughter. Killua caught on immediately, pouncing cat-like towards his sister.

“No!” She protested, twisting and lifting a knee to evade Killua’s grasp. She scuttled around the rim of the pit, hopping and changing direction around their advances.

“Wait!” Suddenly, Alluka threw her arms out and halted, and Killua and Gon swiftly obliged. “Spread out!” She conducted them to opposite sides of the ditch before taking a few paces back and back surging forward.

She leapt over the hole, the boys transfixed as she careened past them. Her hair lifted behind her, and with her limbs outstretched she floated through the air. Gon and Killua pumped their arms and cheered, but the breath zipped out of Gon’s chest when she hit the other side and slid forward on her palms and shins.

“Alluka!” Killua cried. Gon felt his breath gust out of his lungs and could only inhale again after he saw her begin to rise. She jumped to her feet and twisted her trunk, posing with a hand on her hip.

“YEAH!” Gon and Killua bellowed fanatically, clapping and hollering at her performance.

They took turns bounding over the pit, playfully tagging at each other, comparing how far they could leap. When they got hungry, they threw snacks into the pit to see what they could catch in their mouths. Killua hoisted up Nanika ballet-style around her ribs so she could jump across, no matter how many times she cheered, ‘Again! Again!’

The trio found sticks on the beach and carved swirls, shapes and hieroglyphics into the wall of the structure, giving a name to each one of their designs. At one point, they all combed the beach and used new found shells to adorn their sand patterns. Once they were finished, Alluka snapped a picture and they packed up to head back to the Freecss’ residence. They reached the house right as the first fireflies were waking up for the evening, just in time to help prepare dinner after a quick bath.

Sitting at the dining table next to his sister, Killua announced, “Well, Alluka, now that they’re cooking, we can just chill,” His arms stretched up high before joining behind his head.

“Gon! Ms. Mito!” Alluka jolted towards them, pressing her palms on the table. “Can you please show me how to cook? Big Brother isn’t very good…”

“Yeah, come on!” answered Gon, beckoning her towards the stove.

“We have one more apron,” Aunt Mito announced, reaching into a drawer.

Killua squinted one eye as Alluka pranced over to the pair, clapping when Mito offered her the garment. Bouncing on her heels, Alluka spun around so Aunt Mito could tie the straps behind her back. She tightened the knot, and Gon saw Alluka’s face suddenly fall, as if she were witnessing an impending disaster.

“What about Big Brother?!” She cried.

“He’ll be okay. Killua can help with the dishes,” Aunt Mito declared plainly towards the white haired boy. Killua’s arms melted to his sides and he sank in his seat, meanwhile Gon stuck his tongue out towards him to rub it in further, and Nanika agreed with a ‘Kay.’

Gon could not bask in his friend’s misery for long as Aunt Mito began to bark orders. Her expansive menu consisted of a casserole, soup, fish filets, fried shrimp, salad and a few other plates Gon lost track of as he ran around the kitchen following the chef’s orders. Although evenings like this, hosting guests, were scarce, he understood the high risk of getting walloped by a wooden spoon if he interfered with Aunt Mito’s cooking.

Dishes began to collect in the sink while the rest chopped, mixed and cooked and Killua lifted himself from his seat, sulking over to the counter. Gon was blending a tomato sauce in a bowl, but paused when he saw Killua in his periphery.

“You probably want to wait for an apron so you don’t get wet,” he mentioned, turning to face him.

He responded with flicking water onto his torso, telling him, “Worry about yourself, Gon.”

Gon’s eyes slit and he returned to his station. He heard snippets of Aunt Mito coaching Alluka on the different recipes and their techniques, her tone subdued throughout. She had noticeably different attitudes reserved for hunters and non-hunters, and Gon was relieved she made the distinction for Alluka.

As for himself, he would not change a thing; he was more than accepting of his guardian’s threats for causing her so much worry throughout the years. Besides, he was still a hunter, and anticipating his target’s next move was basic training. He handed her the appropriate utensil for which the recipe asked, brought her more flour when the stock was looking thin, and he should have definitely known by now that, ‘Olive oil isn’t a neutral oil!!!’

Preparing became plating and Gon placed the first platter on a far corner of the table, knowing the entire surface would fill before all of the food was served. He rubbed the throbbing lump on his head and returned to the counter to collect more dishes, stacking them up his arms. In a whirl of movement, the plates were all set with the Freecss and the Zoldycks seated around them, portioning out the different meals and passing them along.

Gon’s cheeks stung with glee, an unabating smile cemented onto his face. Despite quiet protesting, Aunt Mito insisted that the siblings eat more than their fill, and Gon secretly switched plates with Alluka when his aunt was not looking. He knew because she could not protect them out in the world, she overcompensated with sanctuary in her home.

Gon ate slowly for a change, savoring the variety of flavors and company, and more than anyone else, Killua caught his eye, even when he was not speaking. It was still unbelievable to Gon that his friend was sitting here in his home again. There was a time where he was convinced that he would not make it out of East Gorteau alive, and he still may have had doubts whether he and Killua’s relationship would survive, but he was by his side now, and it was amazing.

Since they met, this morning had marked the end of the longest period they had ever been apart. Prior to their separation at the World Tree, the longest had been after the Hunter Exam, when Illumi tricked him into going back home, but even then, most of Gon’s time was spent trying to retrieve him. The two of them shared updates over the phone over the months away from each other, but it was nothing like being near him and seeing his mannerisms, how he folded his arms behind his head and closed his eyes when he smiled.

Their plates gradually emptied among conversations about the past year and refills of tea. Regret pricked at Gon with each mention of jungle tours, traditional garb and ancient monuments, but its sharpness was from a desire to experience it all alongside Killua. Despite his time away, sent in all directions of the world, the parts of him that Gon held so dearly remained intact; hopefully, Killua would realize that Gon was changing, or at least trying not to be as impulsive and reckless.

Gon was boundlessly grateful to still be able to laugh with Killua, that they still liked and cared about the same things. Even though there was distance between them, Killua had not become any less important to Gon. He still cherished his talent and skill, his cool nature yet his proclivity to outbursts, his vast knowledge and his love of sweets…

“Oh!” Gon exclaimed, sliding his chair back. “I’ll be right back!” He went to a cupboard and pulled out a woven bucket, carrying it over and spilling its contents upon the table. Wrapped candies scattered over the flat surface, crinkling sounds accompanying each tumble of the morsels.

“A candy merchant came through a couple months ago! I haven’t even made a dent in what I bought,” Gon said.

“Ha, nice, Gon,” Killua commented, sounding almost hesitant, his lips smiling but his eyes not. Did he just need to taste one? Gon rifled through the pile and picked up a bright yellow candy.

“Hey, this one’s chocolate. You should try it, Killua,” he suggested, rotating it to read the description. “Has some… lemon center or something.”

Alluka pulled the edges of a wrapper, twisting open a second candy, and suddenly perked up. “Gon! Aunt Mito! Big Brother said you might have some pictures from when he was here last!”

“Hmm…” Aunt Mito pondered, chewing a bonbon, “We should have one or two. Gon, they’re in the chest in the living room. Killua—” She glared daggers at him, causing him to shiver. “You’re off the hook for the rest of the dishes,” she finished, pointing her head to the side, indicating he belonged in the living room with them too.

“Thank you, Aunt Mito,” Killua said with a shallow bow after rising from his seat.

Gon repeated thanks of his own and scooped the candies off the edge of the table back into the basket. He beckoned the siblings to the living room and they sat on the floor while he headed towards the trunk containing the photos. He lifted the top, extracted a box, and joined his friends.

“So… This is the box with all my stuff, they should be in here,” Gon clarified, shuffling through the stack. He thumbed through pictures of him as a young child, his first-caught fish, playing in the ocean and standing on a stool in front of the stove, among others. Then, tucked under another childhood memory, was black and white hair and huge smiles. Gon’s heart swelled with nostalgia and uncertainty, unsure of how much space each feeling occupied.

Gon flipped the image around so as to not get lost in it, saying, “Alluka, look.” Killua’s eyes followed the card as Gon passed it over, his expression indistinguishable. In the muddle, Gon could pick out fondness, maybe disgust or bittersweet sadness. Maybe all and maybe neither.

“Big Brother! You look different!”

“What do you mean, Alluka?” Killua said jovially, “That was barely two years ago.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t with you then!” She held the picture closer to her nose. “Ha-ha, you were short!”

“Hey! No fair!” Killua protested, snatching the picture from her.

“Ki-llua cute!” A pink hue dusted Killua’s face from his sister’s compliment. “Gon!” Nanika chanted, pointing at the box of photographs. Gon blinked a few times in response to her supposed request.

“Oh,” Gon scooted the container closer to her. “Go ahead!”

“‘Kay.” Nanika picked up a few cards individually, nodding and audibly verifying each one of them featured ‘Gon.’

Killua and Gon smiled at her as she made her way through the stack. Killua was still pinching the picture of the two of them with their arms around each other’s shoulders, the current distance between them palpable. Gon noticed Killua glance at the photo, then drop it in the box, the falling picture mirroring the same sensation inside of Gon’s chest.

“This one looks recent,” Alluka stated, holding up a photograph of Gon posing with a group of men, some covered in bandages. “What happened?”

“Oh, I helped rescue some people from a shipwreck during some high winds.”

“What?!”

“Yeah! I was in town helping block windows and tie things down and I heard the alert of an incoming ship from the mainland. They miscalculated and ended up here.”

“Wo-aaah! Was everyone okay?!”

“Yep! Only the crew was on board, and they wrecked close enough to land that I just jumped right in with a rope and tied it to their lifeboat!” He looked at his white-haired friend, whose gaze was focused elsewhere. “I told you about that, right, Killua?”

“You sure did,” Killua said, pushing off his thighs to stand.

“Big Brother, that reminds me! I need a picture of you and Gon for when I leave you two together again, so I have something to remember you by!”

Killua made a slight noise that sounded like choking, pressing his hand to his mouth. He cleared his throat and gently assured, “Yeah, Alluka, we will.”

To Gon, his promise sounded brittle as an avian bone, solid at a glance, but hollow within. Passing behind Alluka, Killua pinched her lightly on the shoulder. “It’s late, time for bed.”

“Hmm…” she uttered, bunching a fist to her eye. “Yeah, I guess I am tired.”

“Oh, uh, goodnight?” Gon said, shuffling the photos together.

“Goodnight, Gon,” Killua said, barely peeking behind him.

Following a yawn, Alluka repeated, “Goodnight.”

Gon watched them fade away into the dark hallway and up the stairs, an empty feeling within him gaping wider. He stacked the pictures back into the box, absently tossing the images in a pile. He took one last glance at the photograph of him from the rescue mission; could there be something about it that bothered Killua? Was he upset that Gon put himself in danger? He was not helpless, but he was nothing compared to his power a year ago.

If Killua would just tell him how to mend their relationship, he would do it—he would do anything for him, suppress any bad habit or trait. He dropped the picture into the box with the rest, tucking it back into the storage chest, resisting the quiet urge to sprint outside and launch it into the ocean. He slid upstairs, barely picking up his feet, mindlessly conducted his nightly routine and fell on his bed.

Despite his friend nearby, just down the hall, Gon felt as if they were still continents away. He recognized the cracks between him and Killua; they were small enough that they were easy to look past, but one wrong step and he would be swallowed into the void. He would keep offering his hand to help Killua across, but it was ultimately up to him if he would take it. Maybe Gon really did screw everything up between them. Maybe there were things he said that could never be retracted, no matter how many times he apologized.

Through the darkness, Gon could make out the photograph of the three of them near the World Tree, smiles genuine enough to trick anyone. Since Killua recovered Alluka, it must be that he did not need Gon like he did before. It was probably that Killua never needed him in the first place, it was all Gon who needed support for all his wild ideas, and for someone else to pick up the pieces the outcomes left behind. He rolled onto his back, the black ceiling murky in his vision. Rescuing Alluka was the best thing that could have happened to Killua—she gave him a reason to leave Gon.

Gon shoved the base of his palms into his eye sockets, leaving behind a wet spot when he removed them. He rolled towards the wall, tears pooling on his pillow. He hoped more than anything that Killua was happier now, and he hoped no one else would ever treat him the same way he did. Consumed with so much hatred that he was willing to forget everything he loved… Gon made Killua feel like nothing, coaxing him in with promises of friendship and trust just to throw him away.

Sniffling, he pulled his sheet up to his chin and turned over, a cloudy sky visible through the open window. Killua would still be here tomorrow, and maybe right now, he was looking out at the same sky, wishing it would clear before the sun rose. At least he did not smell incoming rain, Gon thought, forcing his eyes shut. Consciousness slipped away from him, softening the tightness wound in his chest. Only a dreamless sleep could be respite from his worries.

In the morning, Gon was at the kitchen table, forcing his way through an algebra lesson when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. He twisted to see who they belonged to, but they halted halfway through the descent. Gon’s forehead scrunched together and he opened his mouth, but before he said anything, the strides resumed.

“Killua!” He exclaimed once the boy came into view.

“Hey Gon.”

“Oh!” His head snapped towards the oven. “We haven't even started breakfast!”

“It’s fine. I’m not hungry yet.”

“Okay. Well, is Alluka coming down?”

“She likes to sleep in a little, and most of the time, I let her. How could I say no?” He shrugged nonchalantly, then leaned against the doorframe, eyes swiveling around the room. “So… You got something due?”

“Nah,” Gon said, forcing a smile, “I just had trouble sleeping so I thought I might as well work on some stuff.”

“How studious of you.” He freed his shoulder from the wall. “You’ll catch up to Leorio in no time.”

Gon flapped his arms down over his work, ducking his head. “I don’t know how he does it!”

Exasperated, Killua told him, “Calm down!” He groaned, tousling the back of his hair, and Gon watched him meander briefly at the far side of the kitchen before he approached the table.

“So yesterday, we couldn’t go in the water, but uh—” Gon’s brow rose. “Do you want to go now?”

Gon flew up out of his seat. “Yes! Morning tide is best for cliff jumping!” He shimmied himself out from between the chair and the table, continuing, “I should have some swimsuits on the clothesline!”

His heartbeat flailed like a fish on land as he ran outside. Killua pulled the sun out for Gon, scattering his thoughts that thrived in the dark. A quiet part of him wondered when Alluka might let him go, as she was insistent on saying. It was without a doubt that Gon hurt him intentionally, so time was the material they needed to fully rebuild their relationship. Gon wanted to figure out how to squeeze himself into the open spaces of Killua’s life without burdening him. He needed to show Killua he could fully trust him again, and maybe in some future, if he were so lucky, Killua would help him with another hunt.

The first time they visited the island together, it had been early in their adventure, and yet, they experienced a freedom and excitement together that was hard to find anywhere else in the world. But perhaps, it was simply because they were together. Now, it was not the same, but that did not mean it could not still be good. Friendships change—it was not like Gon spent much time with Leorio and Kurapika lately either—but with Killua, the loss was discernibly more palpable. He held absolutely no resentment towards Alluka, Killua’s gain was his gain, and really, he only had himself to blame for his own situation. He decided to put his current focus on Killua.

The following half hour was jumping, screaming, swimming and splashing. They started with taking turns leaping into the sea, then silently and simultaneously decided both of them absolutely needed to be the first one in. They grabbed at each other’s arms and shoulders, pulling each other back in a clamorous and rowdy dance, until Gon yanked Killua into a bear hug and plummeted with him. He could barely hear his friend berating him over his own cackling, and before they plunged, chests pressed together, he felt they might stop falling entirely and float on the air.

They sank into the water and broke apart, Killua hacking violently upon surfacing, accusing Gon of trying to kill him. After hoisting themselves back onto the cliffside, Gon stared at the drops of water streaming down Killua’s snow hair and pearl skin. As Alluka’s guardian, Killua had developed a gentleness hidden from Gon throughout the duration of their time together, but his new role had not fully smoothed down the rough boy to whom Gon had grown so close.

“What are you looking at?!” Killua demanded.

“You!” Gon called back, smile widening.

His cheeks flared bright pink. “Shut up!”

“Big Brother?” They heard a diminutive voice utter from far away and they hurried towards the house. Approaching the building, they could see Alluka through Gon’s bedroom window, eyes heavy and hair in every direction.

“Alluka! Good morning! How are you?” Killua called from the ground.

“I wanna’nother sweet roll,” she yawned. Grinning, the boys exchanged glances and ran inside to prepare for the outing. While Killua went upstairs with Alluka, Gon helped Aunt Mito pack their bags with sandwiches, made using leftovers from the prior night, and other snacks to accompany their pastries.

They left within the hour and arrived at the bakery where three rolls were waiting for them, just as flaky and equally as glazed as the day before. They paid, thanking the baker, then found a spot on the pier near the water to lay down a blanket. The food, even cold on the second day, was delicious, and they all shared their appreciation for Aunt Mito. When they finished, full and satisfied, they tidied up and sat watching the waves.

“What should we do today?” Killua wondered aloud.

“I want to do something other than the beach,” Alluka mentioned. “Are there any museums?”

“Well… No,” said Gon.

“Historical sites?” Killua questioned.

“Hah…” Gon squinted his eyes. “No.”

Alluka asked, “Shops?”

“Yeah! But they don’t open till 11:00 or noon...”

“11:00 or noon?!” What kind of unserious place is this?” Killua muttered.

“What is open?” Alluka inquired.

“The diner, the bakeries, the fish market should open soon… and at least one bar.”

Rolling his eyes, Killua commented, “Always classy, Whale Island.”

“Big Brother, stop it! You wanted to come here, too, remember?” Alluka argued, puffing out her cheeks with her hands on her hips. Killua’s face screwed together and his shoulders shot up, as if something had just fallen on his head.

“Umm…” Gon touched a finger to his chin before pointing upward. “We could go fishing!” He did tuck his gear into his pack before leaving, after all.

“Sounds a little gross,” Alluka said hesitantly.

“It kind of is!” Gon confirmed with a laugh. His smile fell when he noticed the enduring silence from the pair.

“I think we’re trying to steer clear of gross,” Killua grumbled.

“Oh, sorry.” Gon wrung out a strained grin before offering, “Let’s walk around for a bit, see what we can find.” Truthfully, he had no idea what Alluka’s interests were. She shared her brother’s affinity for sugary foods, she could heal people, she loved Killua… Gon had a lot to learn.

He led them through the white brick and red roofed streets of Whale Island. They read the door signs on the identical buildings, Killua quickly noticing how many were dedicated to fish and fishing. When they reached the central fountain, each threw a coin into the water with a bow and a silent wish. Alluka somehow convinced Killua to let her buy an additional sweet roll on the condition that she wait to eat it, but she was the most enthralled when they passed by a window at a far end of town.

“Gon! What is that?!”

“That’s a foxbear!” He answered, referring to the plushie inside. “They’re native to this area and the mainland.”

“They’re so cute!” She hopped and spun towards Killua. “Can I get one, Big Brother?”

“Of course, Alluka. Come on.”

He led his sister inside the building, Nanika happily chanting ‘fox-bear, fox-bear.’ When Gon stepped in, he was struck by the contrast of the bright afternoon scene to the interior; even with windows, it seemed this place repelled light. Dim illumination barely touched the black and white checkered floors, and the brown painted walls had suffered many gashes and scrapes, exposing the plasterboard underneath. Tall round tables were scattered around the floor, and a single woman was behind a worn bar that spanned the entire length of the room.

“We don’t serve children,” crackled from her raspy throat. The brown nest of hair stacked on top of her head bobbed as she spoke.

“Hi, Ms. Leida, we’re not looking to order anything,” explained Gon.

“We want the toy in the window,” Killua interrupted, pointing a thumb over his shoulder towards the plush.

“Only way to get that is by playing the game in the corner.” She pointed behind them and they turned, all noticing a claw machine, an assortment of toys sitting within its glass box.

“You heard the lady,” Killua passed between Gon and Alluka, rubbing his hands together and shaking them out. Gon exchanged a glance with the sister Zoldyck, and they reluctantly proceeded, standing behind Killua on either side.

Fumbling around the lower panel, Killua deposited a coin into a slot. The contraption lit up, their reflections staring back at them, revealing a clear divide in anticipation. Gon and Alluka watched, quietly encouraging him for a couple rounds, but became weary with a string of failures. Even suggesting the game was rigged did nothing to abate Killua’s determination, because he insisted there was always a way to scam the scammer.

After what had to be the tenth try, each time Killua experiencing an intense freefall of excitement to disappointment, only Gon noticed Alluka prance over to the bar and introduce herself to the woman working. No reply.

“I like your bar!” She expressed. A grunt in response.

“How long have you been working here?” She wondered, tilting her head to the side.

“Doesn't matter what you say, little lady. No free rides,” was the woman’s only response.

Alluka shuffled back to the boys. “Let’s wait outside…” she requested, her tone deflated. Gon slinked away with her, leaving Killua as the only patron. Outside, Gon and Alluka picked out a bench on the same block to stop.

“Sorry about Ms. Leida. She’s a tough one to crack,” Gon explained sympathetically.

“I’m sorry Big Brother is doing this… I would have never agreed if I knew that was the only way to get the foxbear!” She threw her arms down with a forceful whine.

“Don’t worry!” Her frown dipped lower and Gon continued with a wobbly grin, “We can think of what else to do now!”

“Okay...” They both hummed in thought, Alluka speaking first. “What parts of the island haven’t we seen?”

“Most of it is either forest or farm, so there’s not too much else. But actually…” He pinched his chin with his fingers. “The ship from the picture yesterday: it’s still there, we can go see it!”

“Yeah!” Yet her excitement quickly dissipated. “If we can go… It’s impossible to pull him away once he gets started,” she complained, finishing with a sigh.

“I know how Killua can get; I’ve seen him like this before.”

“Really?!” Her blue eyes shimmered with curiosity.

Gon tipped his head to her enlivened reaction. His mind flashed to Killua’s subdued, possibly even annoyed reaction to Gon mentioning Greed Island yesterday. It was possible that Killua had not shared anything about their adventures together. He did not want to pry in front of Alluka, but he also did not want to interrupt the fun he and Killua had alone this morning.

“Has Killua told you about Greed Island at all?”

“The video game?” She reached her arm to the bottom of the brown paper bag.

“Yeah!” Gon affirmed, thrilled that Killua still spoke of it.

“But it’s not really a video game… It’s nen?”

“Pretty much!”

“Okay,” she said sing-song, lifting out her pastry. “So what about Big Brother?!”

“Right! He was so into the slot machines, in order to pry him away, our mentor had to knock him out cold!”

Alluka slumped. “Awh… That’s not very fun…”

“Yeah, she was a little rough on us. But we couldn’t have won without her!”

“Are you writing about her, too?” She wondered, preceding a bite.

“Yeah, of course!” Gon swung his legs under the bench. “You also have a part in my essay, Alluka.”

“I do?!” Her face brightened, no trace of shadow remaining.

“Mm-hmm,” Gon confirmed, “Not a huge one, ‘cause I was still unconscious when you visited me for the first time, and I don’t want to say too much because I want to keep you and Killua safe.” His voice trailed off. “But you’re still in there!”

“I can’t wait to read it!” She waved her hands, then joined them on her lap. Closing her eyes briefly, her lids opened to reveal black pits. “Me too?”

“Of course, Nanika,” he assured with a soft smile.

She stared at him with her abysses, a minuscule smile fixed on her face. Gon’s eyes rolled around, eventually landing in his lap. He brought his hand up and hovered it behind her head before patting it one, two, three times. Nanika melted into a fit of giggles and Gon laughed along. It was easy to be happy around the two of them, Gon thought. Although, it would be nice if Killua were around, too.

“Ki-lu-ah!” Nanika chimed. Gon opened his eyes, and indeed, saw Killua charging towards them.

“Where’s the nearest ATM?” Killua demanded to know once he was close enough, his hair unkempt and the past hour embedded deeply under his bulging eyes.

“Killua! No!” Nanika wagged her head desperately.

Killua appeared somehow even more crazed, arguing back, “One more time, Nanika! I got this.”

She jumped off of the bench, puffing her cheeks, her now blue eyes widening. “I don’t want it anymore!”

“It won’t take long, I promise!”

“It’ll be too hard to carry when we go hiking!”

“What? Hiking? When?” His eyes darted around his head like flies in a jar.

“Right now! Or we’re gonna leave you behind, Big Brother!” Stomping, she pointed directly at him, practically touching his nose.

Killua crushed his eyes shut and shook his head rapidly. He patted his palm to his forehead so it made a little slapping sound, and when he removed his hand, a dull red mark remained on his skin.

“I’m sorry, Alluka. I’m sorry, Nanika.” His arms fell at his sides. “Will you forgive me?”

“‘Kay,” Nanika agreed, and Killua signaled for her to come in for a hug.

When they separated, Killua rubbed Nanika’s head, telling them, “I’m ready now.”

They cut through the west end of town, towards the forest at the far end of the island, away from Gon’s home. The landscape was mostly the same as yesterday’s trek, save for boulders punctuating the ground that had slipped from the Whale’s back over the centuries, but a footpath was carved either around or through them. Eventually, Gon gravitated towards a sheer rock wall, breaking from the Zoldycks.

“I can get to the top of this cliff in a minute!” Gon called out, pointing ahead. “Watch!”

He bounded towards the wall, his pulse increasing, excitement and a tinge of apprehension rushing through his blood. Reaching the rock face, he sprang up, bringing his hands to his shoulders to latch on to a miniscule ledge using the tips of his fingers, his thumbs digging into the underside of the stone. His toes pressed into the rock surface, he pushed off of the vertical, jumping diagonally to grab a deeper indent with his right hand.

Dangling parallel to the surface, he tucked his knees near his chest and gripped the shelf with both hands, hanging like a fruit on a branch, then propelled himself upwards with his arms and legs. His next target was a wider gash that both feet could find purchase on, but oh damn his foot slipped and he flung both arms out in front of him to grab onto the ridge with his hands. He pulled himself up, standing on the crack, ankles rotated perpendicular to his body, bending over and pressing the pads of his fingers to the wall to balance.

One more, he reminded himself, clutching the rock with just his fingertips again. He twisted his trunk, nose to the wall, and lodged his toes on the ledge before leaping one last time, touching down with both hands and feet on the flat surface above the wall.

He stood and turned around, looking over the edge and panting. Not a personal record, but a beautiful ascent nonetheless.

“You call that climbing?!” Killua teased from the ground, hands cupped around his mouth. He bent his legs, preparing to jump.

His knees flexed, but when one of his feet left the ground, he stumbled, hopping multiple times before steadying himself. Standing on one limb, he spun towards his sister, his expression alarmed.

“Alluka!” He held out his arms. “Please, come with me!”

“Ya-aaaay!” She cheered, leaping towards him and hooking her arms around his neck.

She nuzzled her face into his chest and he stroked her hair, then lifted her bridal style. He scaled the wall with just his legs, jumping onto a tree trunk growing out of the cliffside, then toeing on a narrow ledge, until he reached the top, still holding Alluka the same way in his arms. She giggled as he lowered her to the ground, and Gon could not detect any fear in her from their ascent—she and him both trusted Killua with their lives.

Kneeling to her height, Killua cupped the back of her head, asking, “Will you stay here and watch Gon and I climb?”

“Hmm…” She touched a finger below her mouth, considering his request. “No!”

Gon heard a thud in his ears and the boys leaned back, surprise and confusion contorting their faces.

Repositioning, Killua wondered sweetly, “Alright, what would you like to do?” She scrunched her lips together, pointing her eyes upwards. She pondered for a few moments, Gon and Killua waiting attentively.

“I’ve got it!” She jumped and threw her hands up, arms and legs spread. She then ducked and dashed to the side, filling one hand with leaves, and picking tiny wildflowers with the other.

“You’re going to climb, and I’m going to throw these off the top!” She raised her clenched fists next to her head. “Leaves are one point, flowers are two: whoever catches the highest score wins!”

Killua and Gon turned towards each other, visibly sharing the same combination of awe and agreement. Alluka was only stoking the flame of competition with her idea, but it was clear that neither Gon nor Killua had any issue with adding an extra dimension to their contest, especially if it meant a bigger challenge.

The two leapt off the cliff side, both landing softly on the lower level. Gon puffed air from his nose, furrowing his brow; if Killua was going to approach this competition like he did the Hunter Exam, he would go exclusively for the highest number of points. Alluka collected more leaves than flowers, but Gon did not know exactly how much, so only going after leaves would be a risky strategy.

“ON THE COUNT OF ‘GO!’” Alluka shouted from above, breaking Gon’s concentration. A tiny yet forceful thought invaded his mind like a termite chewing through wood: he and Killua had not competed since Gon lost his ability to use nen. He wondered if he stood a chance. Would this be a competition at all?

“ONE!” Gon glanced over to Killua, who shifted his legs apart. Gon imitated his stance.

“TWO!” They lowered themselves to the ground.

“GO!” Alluka yelled, tossing the foliage into the air.

“See you at the top.” Killua phased from Gon’s vision, reappearing meters above him.

Gon shook his head once and pounced up the rock face. He aligned his thoughts, constructing his course of action. There were two objectives: collecting points and maneuvering around Killua, and his main focus should be on the latter. The targets were predictable, floating down at a consistent speed and direction; it was harder to infer how a trained assassin would approach this situation.

With one hand and one foot in holds, Gon quickly plotted and began to execute a climb across the facade, jumping sideways and extending his arm but Killua dashed past him, causing him to lose momentum and he caught himself on a lower ledge, gritting his teeth in pain as his elbows overextended from the force. He crushed his eyes shut for a second and pushed himself back up, changing direction midair, which resulted in him and Killua colliding.

Gon let himself fall to the lower ground while Killua grumbled obscenities from the wall. Killua was much faster than Gon, but that did not mean he could cover the whole wall at once. Gon sprinted to his pack, just a few feet away, and snatched his fishing rod. He scrambled back up the cliff face, drawing a mental path of two leaves and a flower, and cast his line, whipping the rod halfway through the intake in order to hook all three. Killua looked stunned, then diabolical.

They darted around the wall, slipping under each others’ grasps and grazing past each other in the air. When Alluka called time, both heaved themselves over the edge of the cliff, breathlessly landing on the ground. Gon was keeled over, Killua leaned back, but at the exact same moment, they locked eyes and stood upright, eagerly presenting their hauls to Alluka.

“Okay!” She declared, “Gon: four leaves and one, two, three flowers makes ten points!” Turning to Killua, she judged his hand. “And three flowers and six leaves make… Big Brother wins!”

Killua posed and laughed haughtily and Gon dropped his shoulders expelling an, “Aww.” Killua did always seem to catch on faster than Gon, and yet, Gon had not had that much fun since he last played a game with him. He wondered how much farther past him Killua had progressed in the last year.

A ring of laughter refocused their attention on Alluka. “You two are so fun together!” She praised, clapping, her cheeks colored pink.

Gon looked at Killua and Killua dipped his head down. A smile pulled at Gon’s lips and waves of sunlight crashed within his chest because everything felt so familiar. His thoughts of ineptitude were snuffed out by the soft comfort settling among their group. Besides, Killua did not beat him by that much.

“Ki-llu-ah! Did you like game?”

“It was the best, Nanika.”

“It was awesome!” Confirmed Gon.

She repeated, clapping, “Game! Game!” and Killua draped his arm across her shoulder blades, directing her along as the three of them descended the wall and proceeded on the route. It was mid-afternoon, so partway through their journey, they stopped to share some food. Lately, Gon had been curing fish, drying fruit and collecting nuts, and he dispersed his snacks among the trio. His smile grew when Killua complimented the flavors.

They packed up and resumed their hike. Time and distance melted amidst good conversation, and before long, they reached the site of the shipwreck.

“Bad accident,” Gon explained as they gazed upon it, Alluka consistently oohing. “We were going to remove it, but it's really lodged into the seabed.”

“It’s even worse in person,” Killua commented.

The boat was tilted back, the stern dipping into the bay. It appeared as if it was scaling a ramp or being dragged up to the heavens, going in a direction no boat should go.

Alluka looked at it sideways. “How did that even happen?”

“You can’t see now, but during low tide, there’s some pretty tall rocks in the water,” Gon pointed, dragging his finger across the horizon. “They got blown into them and gashed the hull right open.”

“Why did they not tip over from the wind?” Alluka wondered.

“Boats are weighted down with some pretty heavy stuff built in,” answered Killua.

“Then why don’t they sink?!”

He answered through a smile, “Because they’re full of air, Alluka.” He brought his hand to the back of her head and ran his palm down her hair a few times.

“Big Brother, you’re so smart!”

Killua smirked devilishly.

“He sure is!” Gon chimed.

Killua flinched. “Cut that out!”

“I love Kii-llua,” Nanika slurred.

“I love you too.” He crouched down next to her, wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her hair. Gon smiled at the interaction, calmness swirling within him like sweet vapor. Killua had been able to sever himself completely from the gruesome demands and depraved treatment from the rest of his family, revealing an equally natural side of tender compassion. The Zoldycks were full of surprises.

“Do you have any questions, Nanika?” Killua inquired.

“Uhhmmm.” The boys stared in anticipation as Nanika tipped her head, thinking deeply. “No!” Killua and Gon laughed with her while Killua patted her head, thanking her for her contribution.

Gon looked back at the ship, and stepped closer to the edge of the dropoff. He bent and leaned, trying to find an angle to see inside through the windows. “One of the people we recovered was really upset that his stuff was still on board, but he had to leave the island before he could retrieve it. It’s become kind of a local myth that there’s treasure inside.”

“Woah! Has anyone tried to find it?” Alluka inquired.

“Ha, yeah. I have!”

“Is that thing even stable?!” Killua shouted.

“You’ve been inside!?” Alluka shrieked simultaneously, pressing her fingertips against her cheeks.

Gon pulled the fishing rod from his pack, wielding it in front of his hips, like one might hold a longsword.

“Last time I was here, I couldn’t find anything decent, so I want to try again.”

“Don’t you think it’s like, eroded since then?” Killua interrogated sharply.

“Hasn’t been that long,” Gon mentioned, holding the rod with one hand and crouching to jump.

“Just…” Hearing Killua’s sharp tone, Gon looked behind him. “Be careful.” Killua breathed a long sigh and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking to the side.

“I will.” He nodded, showing him the same seriousness that he would give a mission from the Hunter Association.

Gon vaulted over the space between the island and the ship, landing slanted on the exposed part of the deck. He lowered himself to the floor and slid down until he reached the front window of the hull, where he leaned over and slid open a side window. Wriggling himself into the ship, he kept a tight hold on the outside, rooting his heels onto the inside of the window frame before releasing his grip.

He looked around for some additional purchase, and stepped one foot down to a vertical—now skewed—beam. The other foot remained behind him, on the ledge of the window frame, and he whipped his fishing rod to the side for leverage. He arched it back and cast the line, reeling it in in intervals, attempting to latch onto something on its way in. At times, he could feel the hook graze against whatever items laid beneath the gray water, sensing some tension, or even extracting a waterlogged scrap of debris, but nothing with any promise.

Every day, he must do a similar motion to this at least a hundred times, waving his pole backwards and forwards, core engaged, but the majority of his casts were from level ground. He flung the rod in front of him, and the heel of his boot inched forward, slipping to the edge of his precipice, and he leaned back to counterbalance the motion. The water below held the unknown, obscured by pollution and shadow, and as he wobbled in place, Killua’s words rang through his mind.

He would not tell Gon to be careful if he did not truly mean it. Gon’s pulse raced faster still, and although he wished Killua would never worry about him, he vowed to be more cautious. Sweat trickled down his forehead and spine, and he rotated his neck, an aching stiffness seeping into his bones, yet he had determination to spend. Reel, whip, cast, over and over.

The line pulled taught. He had hooked on to something. It was not moving, and he needed to be careful as to not sever the line. He jerked the pole, hoping to dislodge whatever was caught, hoping it was worth the effort, and he cranked the handle and leaned back and a leather sack flew to the surface. It was heavy—what was inside?

“I found this!” Gon declared once he returned, holding up a box. Killua’s brow raised, but he stayed put, crossing his arms in front of him. Alluka bounced closer to Gon, who held the answer to the mystery.

“Well, it was inside of a bigger bag, but everything else besides it was totally ruined,” Gon clarified.

“Have you opened the box yet?” questioned Alluka.

“No, it’s locked.” He rotated it in his grip, studying the treated wood.

“Not this again.” Killua moved forward and snatched it from Gon’s fingers, pulling his elbows up and twisting around. From behind Killua, Gon could see him fidget with the container, seemingly pushing it together and pulling it apart until it made a metallic clinking sound.

“What is it!?” Alluka tried to peek over and around his shoulder, but her efforts were futile, as he held it too high for her to see. “Big Brother?”

Another beat passed, they could hear the sloshing of the waves below, then he spun back, lowering the box so she could see the contents. “There’s a pouch and a note inside,” he explained to Alluka, “You’ve been working so hard lately, I want you to read the note.”

She extended her hand slowly, plucking the slip of paper from her brother’s possession. She scrunched her brow, studying the words for a time, and whispered a few things back and forth to Killua. After a big breath, she read:

If I lost you, I would surely lose myself. Wear this when we are apart, so that we are always together.

As if on instinct, Gon glanced at Killua. He was looking down, his eyes concealed beneath a layer of white hair.

Alluka announced, “It’s a love letter! Kind of a sad one.” She cocked her head, her brow scrunched. “Where are the compliments about how pretty she is?”

Killua placed a hand on her shoulder and shrugged. “Some people suck at that sort of thing.”

“He should’ve gone looking for more paper,” Gon suggested.

Grinning down at Alluka, Killua moved the box closer to her. “You want to open the pouch?”

She gasped sharply with excitement. “Yes!” She went to grab the sack, but Killua quickly retracted it.

“You can only open it. We don’t know what’s inside, so drop it into my hands.”

Slouching, she grumbled, yet agreed, “Fine.”

“Okay.” Gently, he offered her the treasure again and she extracted it from the box, pulling it apart from the cinched opening. She closed one eye, peeked in, then turned it over into Killua’s hand. What fell into his palm was a golden heart-shaped locket on a similar quality golden chain. The pendant had an intricately carved surface, also in the shape of a heart, around the inside perimeter.

Killua placed the box on the grass, using both thumbs to pry open the locket. He held it open in his hands, presenting it to Alluka. Gon caught a glimpse of engraved initials across from a picture of a man and a woman posing together.

“Big Brother!” Alluka cried, snatching the jewelry piece from him. “We have to find these people! They have to be somewhere in the world!” She leaned in close to him, as if proximity would be enough to convince him.

He chuckled silently, eyes flicking in Gon’s direction before he said, “It was Gon’s find, so it’s up to him, Alluka.”

Alluka twirled towards Gon, stepping towards him with her hands clasped under her chin. “Please, Gon?! Can we keep it?”

“Oh!” His brow pulled upward. “Of course! You’re more likely to find the owner than me!”

Her eyes glistening, she hollered, “Thank you!” She swiveled back towards Killua, bouncing to her brother’s side. He welcomed her by resting his hand on her head.

“Then we’ll find them,” he declared. That promise sounded sturdy enough to hold onto, thought Gon.

Alluka would be a hunter herself alongside Killua. She did not own the regalia or endure the exam, but she had a clear goal and a mission. Gon’s smile waned, listening to Alluka develop a plan to find the locket’s owner. Did a Hunter License even mean anything if he stayed in the same place most of the time?

He could not think about it anymore.

“Hey, while I’m at it.” Gon lifted his fishing rod. “I’ll catch us dinner.”

Alluka recoiled.

“You don’t have to help in any way, promise.” He proceeded to the cliffside and casted his line into the sea.

Before long, Gon caught and served fire-roasted fish filets on skewers to very positive reviews from the group. They sat around the fire, talking and laughing, yet Killua stayed quiet when Alluka asked Gon more details about the rescue mission, only reanimating when the conversation morphed into something else. Once the fire dwindled enough, they stamped it out and headed back home.

Alluka would finish the journey on Killua’s back, falling asleep before they reached the Freecss’ residence. Whether on purpose or not, the boys kept topics light, but conversation was always effortless with Killua. Gon ached to ask him about their points of distance throughout the weekend, but it was best to leave on a positive note, after all.

The lights were off when they arrived at Gon’s home. They opened the door as quietly as they possibly could, and just inches from Gon’s face in a low voice, Killua told him, “See you in the morning.” He pivoted to the stairs, but Gon interrupted him, a sudden urgency formed into a harsh whisper.

“Killua.” He froze and looked at Gon, who could feel his heart seizing up. This would be their last night together, their next meeting indefinite, and Killua was turning away and there was still time to spend and so many things clawing at the inside of Gon’s throat he needed to address. “After you put her to bed, do you want to make a bonfire with me?” Their late fireside talks seemed like a ritual to Gon, one too sacred to abandon.

Killua looked down at his feet and one of his sisters mumbled something nonsensical. He shut his eyes, releasing a long puff of air.

“Yeah.” He bobbed his head, “I do.”

Gon’s heart ricocheted against his chest and he nodded emphatically, breathing the word, “Okay.”

He waited in the foyer, the only light filtering in from upstairs and the starlight outside. His pulse continued to beat wildly, throbbing in his neck, and he shifted in place, peeking up the stairs. It took Killua a few minutes to help get Alluka prepared for sleep, and once he reached the downstairs landing, Gon wordlessly led him back outside. There was a stack of cut wood around the side of the house, and they each grabbed an armful to carry to their destination.

They walked to a familiar site, a ledge overlooking a section of swamp. A massive tree grew from the water in the center of the cove, and a thick forest lined the opposite end of the ridge. With the fire steady, Gon slipped into the spot next to Killua on the grass—the same placement as years ago, as if it had been reserved for them all this time. The inlet remained seemingly untouched by the outside world since their last visit, the only changes occurring were themselves.

“I’m glad Alluka and Nanika are having a good time,” Gon said.

“Yeah… I am, too. I just want them to live a normal life, be normal kids.” He released a long breath. “They’re too strong for our family to break them.”

“And Alluka’s reading is amazing! You’re great at teaching her, Killua.”

“I just think she’s a good student…” Killua gently asserted, throwing a pebble into the water far below them. “I’m really proud of her.”

Gon leaned forward and kept his eyes on Killua. “How do you feel… being here, with me?”

The blue-eyed boy recoiled in his seat. “Your questions!” Once he straightened up, he looked forward and answered quietly, “It’s been nice.”

Killua glanced at him with a weak smile and Gon could feel his own pulse pounding hard in his brain. He clenched his teeth together expecting, almost begging for a stipulation. But what? He asked himself, he would do anything to smash the lingering barrier between them.

“I’m really happy you wanted to see me again,” Gon blurted.

“You’re so blunt!” Killua accused, holding his head in between his hands. His arms slid to his sides, and the wind paused for him to continue. “It’s funny. How much we went through, and everything ended, just like that. I’m on the run but… I thought one of us would still be hunting.”

“You are hunting!” Gon threw an arm out in emphasis. “That necklace we found!”

“That’s just a game for Alluka and Nanika.”

Gon huffed air out of his nostrils, stirring with irritation at Killua’s stubbornness. “And you’re searching for a better life for them.”

“Yeah, but most of the time it feels like we’re being chased.” He pointed his nose to the sky. “And you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I never saw you as someone… who waited around for things to come to you.”

Gon cast his eyes to the inky grass below. His head was light, like Killua’s words were a blow to his body and he had not yet been able to recover oxygen. His vision blurred like he had opened his eyes underwater, his body feeling no more sturdy than a thin branch swaying in a breeze.

“No, Gon, I didn’t mean it like that.” From his periphery, he could see Killua bend towards him, but Gon kept his gaze low. He heard him continue, “It’s just, I used to look to you for a goal and now…”

The boys’ eyes met, Killua’s gunmetal stare cooling some heat that had risen in Gon’s face. This was Killua, his dearest and closest friend, but that was exactly why criticism from him hurt so much more.

“Do you want to be here, Gon?”

Gon tightened his brow, facing the stars, the question sinking into him slowly like a footstep on wet sand.

He opened his mouth, his answer flowing out of him calmly and naturally. “Ging said it himself: I’m lucky to be alive. And that’s only because of you and Nanika,” he insisted, peeking at Killua.

“I was going to rescue my sisters anyways,” Killua voiced casually, hanging his head to the side, “I might as well have brought them to the hospital while I was at it.”

Gon chuckled. “He said this is my time to find out what I want to do with my life. I figured, I’ve already done so much, so I really need to consider it carefully.” He heard a soft grunt from Killua and he concluded, “Aunt Mito wants me to get my degree anyways. I might not finish on time, but I’ll work on it for her.”

“Yeah. That makes sense.”

Gon smiled lightly and looked down at his palm cradled in his lap, studying the indented lines from end to end. Killua, a powerful new user, was sitting right next to Gon, but he could not detect a trace of his life energy. Although he knew that it would not work, that something deep inside of him was either blocked or broken or destroyed altogether, Gon breathed deeply, focusing, straining to conjure even a single pin of aura on his hand.

Nothing.

“I could be out searching for a way to learn nen again but… The last time we were together, I was dealing with things I couldn’t understand and—it wasn’t good that I had access to that power. I lost myself.”

Gon could still envision the smoky aura billowing in his vision, hatred and anger penetrating his every nerve. His heart squeezed up into his trachea, thinking of the words he told Killua at the East Gorteau castle when Killua was only trying to pacify him. It was enough to make him twitch in discomfort.

He turned to his friend again, and Killua was looking back at him, half of his face glowing in the firelight. As he stared, Gon silently noted his hair shone soft and bright like the billowing Milky Way above.

“And I almost lost you.”

Instinct assumed control of his body, and silently, breathlessly, Gon clenched Killua’s hand under his. Killua looked away, resting his arm on his knee and covering his mouth with the inside of his hand. Although Gon could not see the other boy’s face, he did not move his hand, and so Gon held on, watching the stars to give Killua what privacy he could offer without leaving his side. His hand was solid and cool to the touch, smooth but worn, rippled with puckered lines of flesh marking past injuries.

Gon wanted to remember this night perfectly—the chill in the air, the heat of the flames, the chorus of fauna, his best friend and his home, bundled together and tucked into a safe place in his heart. Clutching Killua’s hand, he felt like he was glowing, his skin borrowing radiance from the fire behind them. But suddenly, he twisted, a tremor ripping through him when he heard Killua sniffle, and his gaping eyes instantly locked on to what he could see of his friend.

“Killua!” He cried, quickly withdrawing his hand.

“Alluka’s turned me into a huge sap, you know…” Is all he could hear from behind a curtain of white hair. Turning towards Gon, Killua exclaimed, “I can’t believe I’m practically encouraging you to do stupid things!” He groaned. “I just found your endless quest for strength—inspiring.” His head fell.

Gon chuckled at his confession before tucking his knees to his chest. “Now that you mention it, recently Palm and I talked about different kinds of strength. She told me about meeting the king ant right at the end, and how he was in love with that girl at the castle.”

“The blind girl?!”

“Yup. The one thing strong enough to make Netero self-destruct, only wanted to be with her. I don’t know, there’s probably something to be said about that,” he suggested, fiddling with some blades of grass beneath him. “And it’s not the same, but I feel good helping out Aunt Mito. It makes her happy. It won’t be forever, but it feels right at this moment.”

Killua threw his head back and hollered, “Your Aunt Mito is still the coolest!” Gon smiled wide, loosening up his shoulders while Killua leaned back on his hands and sighed. “Yeah, fine. By the way, I never asked,” he said before his voice became lower and more distant, as if to separate himself from his inquiry. “Does anyone know what happened to her? The girl?”

“Yeah... I do.” Gon’s chest tightened. “The king only wanted to see her before he died. He knew he was poisoned and that it was contagious and, well, they chose to die together.”

Killua shifted in place. Countless forest creatures wailed in response to Gon’s story and he noticed his friend drawing both knees into his chest, retracting into himself.

“I’m—” Killua words were drowned by a sob, and he hid head between his legs. Gon’s body tensed and he breathed slowly, barely daring to move.

The air stilled, seconds passed, and Killua lowered his knees to the ground. Pausing between words, he said, “I’m just glad—I found you in time.”

Gon’s chest plummeted, the sensation reverberating throughout his body until he felt weightless. He reeled back, crushing his eyes together and taking a massive gulp. Opening his eyes, Killua was still there, and Gon sprang forward, grabbing his wrist and pulling him into an embrace.

“Thank you,” he choked against Killua’s neck, “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too,” Killua whimpered. “Sorry we had to live through that shit.” Not before chiding him for being embarrassing, Killua’s hands crept up Gon’s back to return the hug.

The boys held each other for minutes, or perhaps an hour, time bending and stretching in each other's arms like dough in a baker’s hands. Gon could not recount exactly the sequence of events that led them to the ground, but he and Killua ended up laying on their backs next to each other, mapping their own constellations in the clear night sky. In their little nest of grass, they would point to a plot in the stars, inventing a story, swatting at each other’s arms and taking control of the tale if they disagreed, all the while wearing smiles equally as large as the other’s.

Killua released a long sigh, folding his arms behind his head. “I just need to follow Aunt Mito’s example and whack you when you’re acting out.”

“May not be a bad idea,” Gon agreed, shrugging deeply. “I’m getting better about it, though.”

After a few beats of silence, Killua told the stars, “I don’t mind it… sometimes.” Gon snickered and heard the scratchy sound of Killua shifting in place. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, either.”

Gon’s smile faded gradually like the sun dipping under the horizon. “I’m glad you’re honest with me, Killua.” While he waited for Killua to respond, everything within the cove, down to the insects in the grass, seemed to wait.

“I’m trying to do better at that myself. At least with you.”

Despite the dying fire, heat emanated throughout Gon’s body. The splitting of wood prickled in his ears as he drank in rich notes of charcoal and earth. Looking into Killua’s cool gaze, he felt perfectly balanced in this corner of the world, heart beating and lungs inflating seamlessly in rhythm with the surrounding nature. His pulse strengthened as his eager eyes followed the upward hook of Killua’s lips and traced his jawline.

Killua propped himself up abruptly, expelling Gon from his hazy state. Wrapping his arms around his knees, he asked the tree in front of them, “So we leave tomorrow, huh?”

Gon rose, letting a few beats pass before breaking his silence. “Yeah.”

“I just wish we could stay put for Alluka’s sake. She’s a Zoldyck family refugee, completely lacking any structured education past preschool.” He sighed at length. “Like her life wasn’t going to be hard enough already...”

“What do you mean?” Gon wondered, sitting up.

He peered over his shoulder before answering. His voice sounded heavier, as if the words bore a physical strain. “Alluka is trans. She’s a girl, but born in a boy's body.”

“Oh, okay,” Gon voiced, nodding.

“It’s tough to treat when we can’t be in the same place for more than a couple of days.”

Gon bit the inside of his cheek, squeezing his brow. “Let me help.”

“What? How?”

“Well… I’d start by asking Kite. She knows what it’s like to be a man and a woman!”

Killua erupted in laughter. “You might be onto something!”

Gon observed him in awe, finally blinking again when Killua lowered his head. When Killua glanced at him, Gon stuck out his tongue, squeezing his eyes together. They both snickered, the sounds fading into the night air.

“It’s pretty late,” he heard Killua breathe.

“I know.” Gon could feel his heart thrumming in his chest, the cool night air stung in his throat. “I just wanted to be with you.”

“Do you realize how you sound?”

Gon showed his teeth, knowing full well how he sounded, and lifted his arms above his head. He groaned with a stretch and his limbs fell back down, running his hands over the tips of the grass. The blades tickled his palms until they began to itch, then he pressed them into the damp ground, dew coating his palms. Moisture from the turf seeped into the fabric of his clothing, and next to Killua, he felt like he might melt into the earth under him.

“I wish you could stay longer,” he stated flatly.

Killua did not say anything for what felt like a minute, instead facing downwards. Gon waited silently; truthfully, he had nothing more to say. It would be unfair to ask any more of him, his tongue was pulled taut with the urge, but he would not let it snap.

“We would be too easy to find here,” Killua replied eventually, “It’s too obvious. But um—” He scratched the side of his head. “Yeah. I do too.”

Killua stared into the distance, into the black twisted forest. Gon tore his gaze from his friend, matching his pose to look out at the glimmering pool.

“One day Alluka will be safe and…” Killua’s voice waned and he sighed harshly. “We can—see each other more.” He cleared his throat, remained turned away so he could not see Gon’s beaming face. Gon became light-headed, running through the infinite possibilities of adventures with Killua in his mind.

“Can we go inside now?” Killua asked sharply, whipping his head towards Gon. “I don’t want to talk anymore!” Even against a dull flame, Gon could see a deep blush smothering his face. It was impossible not to smile.

He stood, offering Killua his hand, who smirked before taking it to lift himself. They walked side by side back to the Freecss’ home, Killua’s hands behind his own head, both chins tilted up, taking in the last sights of the vast starry sky before they went indoors for the night. Both of them stopped when they reached the front door, Gon’s legs suddenly feeling heavy. He took a deep breath and looked towards Killua, who was facing the ground.

“Goodnight, Killua.”

“Goodnight, Gon.” He gradually raised his head, eyes flitting around before meeting Gon’s.

Gon did not last more than a few seconds without lunging towards him, burying his face into the dip of Killua’s neck and latching his arms around his back. Killua reciprocated the embrace, squeezing him tightly under the shoulders, pushing his forehead into Gon’s temple. A calm rush surged through Gon’s body, somehow both energizing and relaxing him, and he felt the everything around them evaporate, leaving only Gon and Killua. They held on like the only thing keeping them attached to this world was each other.

The ground returned under Gon’s feet, and tears bulging in his eyes, he lifted his head and pressed his cheek to the side of Killua’s feather soft hair before letting him go. They whispered goodnight one last time, Gon still able to feel the pressure from Killua’s touch as he changed his clothes, brushed his teeth and slid under the covers. Laying in bed, despite the sensation of hovering inches above his mattress, he was eventually able to drift to sleep.

The morning was rushed bathing, packing, eating then leaving. Aunt Mito hugged both of the siblings goodbye, together and individually, and made them promise their safety. While Gon escorted them to the docks, a thick cloud followed them on their path, a constant reminder of the soon to be inevitable. A dismal feeling pooled in Gon’s abdomen, as if they were walking towards a burial. Two days never seemed so short.

“There’s your boat,” Gon said redundantly.

“You guys!” Alluka dropped her bag, placing it in front of her. She rustled around inside of it, extracting a simple teal camera. “Go stand—somewhere!”

Killua and Gon looked at each other in surprise, then scrambled to the edge of the pier, posing with their backs against the water. Killua wrapped his arm around Gon’s shoulders and Gon learned just how large his smile could grow. He reciprocated, holding Killua around his midsection, a warm tingle crawling down his arm. Alluka counted down, he heard a click, and his heart fluttered when Killua grinned directly at him before breaking apart.

“We’ll send you a copy once we get it developed!” Alluka cheered, raising her arms. Something else to remember him by when they are apart, Gon thought.

“Thank you, Alluka!” He exclaimed as they shared a hug. “Thank you so much for coming!” After separating, a distinct heaviness sinking around him, he slowly turned to Killua.

“Till next time, Gon.”

“Will I see you soon?”

Killua scoffed quietly, looking away from him. “Don’t you trust me?”

Breathing out softly, Gon contemplated his response. “Sometimes, more than I do myself.”

Killua’s eyes grew and he inhaled sharply through his nose, his cheeks tinted with blush.

“Well… If we don’t go now…” sighed Killua.

“Yeah.” They did not need to say more.

“We had the best time!” Alluka shouted, her arms flying above her head.

“We sure did,” Killua agreed.

And they said goodbye again and queued in line, waving at each other with every step. Although Gon and Killua were leaving each other again, they were not turning away from each other, instead watching as the world pulled them apart. Gon observed the boat until it disappeared on the horizon, the tide shrinking and townspeople moving around him, and with each passing moment, a part of his heart floated farther and farther away.

With the sun shining high overhead, the ship long gone, Gon turned to head back home. Already, he was formulating the plan for the next time he would see Killua, the next call they would have or picture he would send him. A soft warmth washed over him with memories of the prior night; their conversation confirmed that instead of trying to dredge up their past, Gon could decide to pursue a future alongside Killua.

For now, Gon would stay planted on his island, cultivating himself, visiting friends when possible, but keeping his promise to Aunt Mito to finish school. This time around, his hunt could be Killua, a life where the two of them could be together more often, where Killua did not have to participate in his family’s internal wars. He would look forward to that future and endlessly anticipate the day of its arrival, but until then, he would make sure to enjoy the little detours to the fullest, although nothing from his journeys could become more important than Killua.

So happy to start this story as a part of the @hxhbigbang24!! Thank you everyone who was a part of the event. I am having the loveliest time with this community. ALSO, there's beautiful art for this chapter here and here!

#hxh #hxhbb24

24 notes · View notes