#chimera kite

[kitefreecss]

[moonsoupss]

[superiorcake]

The Chimera Ant Arc.

Greed Island server prompt for card #38, Fledgling Artist.

[clearlydusty]

SPOILERS FOR CHIMERA ANT ARC HUNTER X HUNTER

Heres my contribution to the Hunter x Hunter fandom finally hope you guys like it

[yanoharuhito]

my sole contribution to the hxh fandom

[dalzollene]

Kite sketch from Summer 2022! ⛈️🌿

[wiabelle-art]

Limbo.

Wip but I probably won't finish it, sorry!

Btw, 3 is the number Kite drew when fighting Pitou; the only number he didn't call a bad draw. It's implied its nen ability assisted in helping him reincarnate.

[wizards1977]

Baby don’t lose your head! 🐜

[sunderingstars]

ging can say “he wasn’t trying to sacrifice himself for you” all he wants, but i still find it such a reductive view of kite’s decision. everyone seems to have their own ideas following what happened: morel attributes it to a hunter’s self-serving curiosity, ging attributes it to crazy slots’ special setting, gon attributes it to a nebulous reason that’s always his own fault. others look at a dead man from the outside in, but where is kite’s account? where is kite’s agency? buried with his bones, lost in some half-forgotten purgatory?

but it isn’t. it was there when he saw pitou coming, when he stayed behind to buy the kids more time, when he chose to spend those precious few seconds warning gon & killua to run instead of trying to protect himself.

ging can talk about sacrifice all he wants, but he wasn’t there when kite lost an arm. he wasn’t there when his student was stripped of more than his head or his body but his mind, then suffered a fate arguably worse than death. if ging was right and crazy slots did possess some sort of reincarnation ability, kite sacrificed more than his life. he sacrificed his will. his control. his agency.

and for ging, notorious absent parent, to pretend he knows the true nature of kite’s mind in that moment is incredibly presumptuous. he may be good at reading people, but he’s so divorced from the idea of caring for his son that he can’t imagine someone else possibly, possibly doing it in his stead. it shows. and i simply do not believe kite is the self-serving stereotype ging makes him out to be. if actions speak louder than words, then kite had been screaming. he had always been screaming.

[sometimestart]

Thinking back to when I watched the chimera ant arc for the first time and I was choking back sobs the entire time yet I was also watching it on Hulu so I had to watch ads for like sour patch kids inbetween and so I’d be fully sniffling and choking screaming while this was playing

[i-heart-hxh]

I love you meta posts! I've been curious to here other peoples opinions on whether or not Killua every truly believed that Kite was alive. Part of me believes he just went along with Gon not wanting to admit it to himself.

Thank you so much, and this is a great topic to dig into!

To truly understand the answer, we need to back up a bit.

When Pitou appears in front of Gon, Killua, and Kite, Killua knocks Gon out and flees at Kite's urging, as well as out of his own terror. However, almost as soon as Killua flees, he realizes they screwed up by coming along with Kite to NGL in spite of the warnings they received:

After he flees, Killua encounters Knov and Morel (along with Netero), fellow Hunters who he can tell are very strong. He's mocked and insulted for his decision to flee and told he's a failure.

Killua is aware of his own tendency to flee when faced with an opponent beyond his ability to handle. He isn't aware of the needle at this point, however, so he likely interprets this tendency as simply his own personal failing--something that makes him unworthy of someone like Gon, who pushes onward no matter what obstacles are in his path.

He must have been worried about what Gon would say when he woke up--after all, Kite is Gon's mentor and someone who means a lot to Gon. Killua was beating himself up for what happened, both their decision to go along with Kite and his decision on both of their behalf to flee. I believe Killua thought Kite was dead at that point. It's a reasonable expectation because he saw Kite lose his arm, and he was overpowered by the sense of how strong Pitou was.

And then Gon wakes up, and rather than criticizing or being upset with Killua, he thanks Killua for making the decision to flee and expresses this very naive but overpowering optimism that "Kite is alive!" and they just have to go back and save him.

Killua is not naive like Gon is. He's someone who strategizes based off the reality of a situation rather than hope and belief that things will work out, and it makes him someone who flees when he feels he can't win (in his view, of course the needle is a big part of this). He doesn't see himself as able to become someone like Gon, who can force reality to his own will even when the odds seem insurmountable.

But here, he lets himself believe in Gon's words in spite of everything. Because he wants to believe that Gon is right. Because he wants to believe he's not the person he was beating himself up for being and that there is hope in the situation after all. That his decision wasn't wrong. That Gon can save him again and continue to lead him into the light, rather than the darkness he grew up in and knows he still harbors within himself.

He buys into Gon's perspective also because he can't stand looking into Gon's hopeful face and telling Gon what he strongly suspects: That Kite is dead, that there's no hope. Gon wouldn't accept that, Gon might reject Killua if he says that, and Killua doesn't want to dim Gon's light.

Killua was never allowed to be a kid--he grew up training, killing, working. It was only with Gon he was finally able to act his own age, play, be a normal kid like he wanted to.

And here, he lets himself be a little naive and accept Gon's perspective, let himself have faith in the world and the boy he loves.

So, ultimately I think his cynicism and realism collapses in the face of Gon's "light," but I think Killua has moments throughout the arc where doubt starts creeping in in spite of that. He pushes it down because of all the above reasons. By the point his view of the situation reaches a breaking point, it's like Gon is a boulder rolling down a hill and gaining speed, and Killua isn't able to stop him until it's very nearly too late.

[shasta627]

Sitting here tearing up over an ant who was born a monster and had all the power in the world and could do anything he wanted, yet chose to spend his time playing board games with the blind girl who captured his heart and ultimately died embracing both her and his true human nature

[geloauthor]

This time you're in big trouble!

[rcaotic]

Imagine being told that you're gonna like a character and just in spite of proving them wrong you start to watch it and a month later you have consume 6 seasons, 148 episodes and your whole life has been changed over a fricking ant.

Yes that's me, btw I finished HxH the anime.

This is my favourite character

[crusty-chronicles]

Forgiveness and Acceptance

Ch 3: Changes

MASTERLIST

Synopsis: Despite what it may seem, Kite still struggles with his chimera body. A constant internal struggle between his rational thoughts and new instincts.

NSFW Minors DNI

Warnings: Intimacy, mentions of nudity, mentions of breeding

-------------------------

Kite awoke engulfed in a familiar warmth. A feeling that was unmistakeably you. Limbs tangled in a comfortable mess, beckoning him back into sleep. But he couldn't. Not today. Unfortunately, you both had somewhere to be. So he begrudgingly opened his eyes. Your loving smile being the first thing he saw today. One he'd be missing for the next week.

“Good morning, sleeping beauty.” You cooed. 

Without fail, his face reddened at your teasing. He really should have been used to it by now. But you had a habit of getting under his skin in the best way possible. No matter how much time had passed, your words would always have an effect on him.

“How many of those do you have?” He asked, snuggling deeper into the crook of your neck.

“Endless. Maybe if you weren't so pretty I'd stop calling you princess.”

He could practically hear the smirk in your voice.

“Mhmm. Sure.”

And he was right, your cheeky grin on full display as you caught the sight of red. Very much enjoying his flustered state. The two of you content to bask in the other's warmth for as long as possible. 

It was another five minutes before Kite pulled away from you enough to meet your gaze. Staring into your sleepy eyes that weren't as burdened with dark circles as they once were. That never seemed to carry the same heaviness from before. You'd come so far since then. Since the Chimera Ant Incident. Which brought him back to what he'd dreamt of last night.

The realization that he hurt you.

That you let him hurt you.

He never really asked you about what happened, or rather, you didn't like talking about it. There were bits and pieces he gathered from Ging and the boys. But other than that, he didn't pry. Maybe if he had, he wouldn't have been so caught off guard by what he did. As repulsed.

Yet despite that, you were still here next to him. Offering up your comfort and love in exchange for his. Joined together so intimately, he was hesitant to move. To disrupt this peaceful morning. It wouldn't have been fair to worry you before you left. But it seems even without your nen, you could still read him like a book. Your expression shifting into one of concern.

“About last night…” you started. Already sensing his rising discomfort.

“We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'd like to know at least how you're feeling.”

Because you knew what it was like to startle awake from a night terror. Forced to relive something you just couldn't escape. And you knew what it was like not wanting to talk about it. Not wanting to relive the dream a second time. If he didn't want to tell you what was bothering him, that's okay. You just needed to be sure he was fine. That whatever it was he dreamt about couldn't hurt him.

But Kite was never the type to hide things from you. He was more open than you could ever hope to be. 

“... You let yourself get hurt by me. During the ant incident.” He said after a while.

He didn't have to explain for you to know what he was talking about. The hits from when he was a puppet under Pitou’s control. The swelling and bruising that came after. Only for the process to repeat itself the next day. And the next day. Until the dreadful extermination mission from the hunter association. It was the only time he'd ever actually hurt you.

But it wasn't really him was it?

It was Pitou's nen controlling him. And you could never blame him for that. It was your decision to visit him everyday. Your decision to step in front of Gon. Your choice to give whatever negative emotions he may have been harboring an outlet. Back then, you'd been able to feel the pent up malice. 

“You weren't yourself.” You rebuttabled. 

You hadn't been sure he was even in there. But you remember what you told the boys that day. The first time you'd seen his stitched up state.

‘Being an adult is hard. I'm supposed to stay strong and tell you everything's gonna be okay. But how can I reassure you when I don't even believe that.’ 

You didn't know if he'd ever come back to you. If the consequences of your cowardness could be reversed.  So you'd taken every hit, not knowing any other way to make it up to him when you weren't even sure he was alive.

“But I still hit you.” Kite argued.

“I've been hit by a lot of people. I'm used to it. It wasn't your fault anyways. It was mine.” Your fault for running away and letting him get caught up in the aftermath.

You'd told him about your upbringing. How your clan would punish you for making a single mistake. How they always told you that you weren't good enough.

An old habit of blaming yourself for the abuse inflicted on you. 

It was something you were working on. Something he was trying to help you through. Which is why he refused to continue to let you think that way. You shouldn't have to be used to being hit, regardless of if you were a fighter. You shouldn't blame yourself for everything that's happened. 

“It wasn't your fault. What happened was not your fault.” He moved to cup your cheek with as much softness as he could muster. Making sure your eyes were focused on his. 

Yet still you avoided his gaze. As if you felt guilty. Now he had to know-needed to know just what the hell was going through your head.

“Why did you let me hit you? Did you think of it as a way for me to get even for what happened?”

He hit the nail right on the head. And for a brief moment, you regretted opening your mouth this morning. You still weren't used to being open when it came to bad memories. They were always harder to talk about. But you owed Kite that much. To reassure him that what happened was not his fault.

You would have done it all over again if it meant he was still here.

“...I thought it was the least I could do.” You said. An honest answer. He was getting better at drawing those out from you. But it only further worried him.

“I wasn't in there. Do you think if I was, I would have still lunged for you?”

Your hesitance to speak had been answer enough for him. 

“I don't know.” You responded, almost looking ashamed.

You really thought he had been hitting you on purpose? That it was his choice. Seeing it happen through his own eyes was enough to send him spiraling. But to willingly hurt you…He would never be able to forgive himself. For you to believe he ever hated you at some point, he must've been doing a terrible job of showing you the exact opposite. That he loved you more than he could put into words.

But he would show you. He had the rest of his life to prove it to you over and over again.

“I'm sorry.” He leaned up and pressed his forehead to yours.

“Why are you apologizing?” You asked. 

“Because you mean everything to me. And I don't want you to think you deserve anything less than.”

You didn't even realize you were crying until he swiped away one of your tears with his thumb. Your heart only swelling from the gesture. What did you ever do to deserve this man? Someone who only ever saw the best in you. Who had once again convinced you there was a chance he revered you just as much as you did him.

“I was supposed to be the one comforting you today. But here I am blubbering like a baby.” You said with a sad smile.

Crying had been another thing. You never liked crying in front of others. Another part of yourself you hid away, but never from him. Kite didn't like seeing you cry either. But he understood it was a part of your healing. Being able to just feel instead of bottling it up. 

That didn't mean he was just gonna sit by and do nothing when your thoughts were so self destructive.

“You've done more than enough.” He assured.

Because you'd brought him back at the risk of losing everything. Your life, your relationship with the boys, your nen. One of which you'd lost permanently. Or so it seemed.

He pressed his lips softly to yours.

“I love you.”

And once again you were struggling with those three little words. So close yet so out of reach. You just couldn't say them, but you could still tell him how you felt.

“Kite, you are so important to me. I'd do anything for you.” Anything to make him happy.

And for some reason, those words didn't sit right with him. A foreboding feeling settling in his stomach. But he brushed it off, about to offer more words of comfort before the sound of an alarm went off. Your peaceful morning had come to an end.

You let out a sigh before speaking.

“We gotta get going.”

“You go on ahead and get ready first,” Kite encouraged. 

He placed a hand on your hip. Tracing little circles with his thumb on your thigh as he finally pulled out. Mourning the loss of your warmth. He looked back up to make sure you weren't in any pain, but he caught sight of a dark bruise on your neck.

“Does that hurt?” He asked, remembering he'd bitten you last night in his haste to feel your comfort.

You reached up and skimmed the mark with your fingers, wincing slightly at the feeling.

“It feels a little sore but other than that, no.”

Before he could question you further, you'd gotten up. Placing a kiss on the tip of his nose and quickly making your way to the bathroom. The sound of the shower turning on signaled the beginning of what would be a long week.

Your doctor’s appointment was something he couldn't help but dread. A day to get there. Two days of tests. A day to get results. And one for rest. Absolute hell for him. He understood that this was important to you. Why it mattered so much.

But you'd been trying for over a year to get your nen back with no luck.

Would it really be so bad to accept it was lost forever now? After so much time had passed? It's not like anybody would think any less of you. You'd proved yourself a thousand times over during the extermination mission. Everyone did. Then there was the question of why you were trying so hard to get your abilities back.

A goal.

Something to chase after.

But what would you do once you regained your nen?

Would you become a hunter? No. Despite all that's happened, you still despised the association with everything in you. Would you follow around the boys again? It didn't seem likely. You wanted to give them space. Allow them to enjoy being kids while they still could. Would you end up doing your own thing? Find a passion completely separate from his that kept you away?

Or would you stay with him regardless?

More than anything he hoped the latter was true. That you two would continue to share this life together. And maybe it was selfish of him to think that way. To want you by his side to quell his own anxieties of losing you.

There was no denying you were strong. Managing to go head to head against Killua's brother even without your nen. But despite your physical prowess, an experienced nen user would always have an edge against you. One misstep and you'd be done. It should have pointed to him vying for you to get your nen back. So he wouldn't have to worry about you getting hurt.

Yet, the exact opposite was what he felt was best. You weren't a fighter. For as long as he's known you, you tried your best to avoid combat. And after everything that's happened, you’d never fight again. You deserved to live a normal life away from monsters and bloodshed. To stop looking over your shoulders in fear.

You were getting better. You seemed happier. Your crooked smile had never been as bright as it was now. If you got your nen back, he had a feeling it would all be gone. That you'd once again hold the weight of the world on your shoulders. 

But something was driving you desperately to regain your nen. Something he couldn't help but connect back to your earlier words. ‘I’d do anything for you.’ 

It wasn't like you were burdening him without your abilities. The kids certainly didn't mind you being normal. And none of your friends thought differently of you. So what was it? Why did it feel like you weren't doing this for yourself? Whatever it was, he just hoped you'd eventually tell him. He'd be able to help you better that way.

For now, he should be focusing on the present. You two were currently looking into getting a house. All odds pointing towards a future with both of you in it. A place to relax after traveling around for months. A home to go to instead of another hotel until the next expedition. 

Who knows, maybe you'd choose to stay there instead of following him around. He could almost see it. You lounging about, waking up at an ungodly hour now that you didn't have a deadline to meet. Carrying around comforters with you to nap where you pleased. Unawares he'd just gotten back after being gone for months. 

But that was the root of the issue wasn't it? Being away from you for so long. He couldn't imagine leaving you by yourself for a few months, let alone with a child.

Wait.

Child?

Immediately his face turned a bright red. Internally cursing himself out for thinking such a thing. Trying to ignore the way something stirred within him. The thought of you carrying around his child. Getting to create a family with you. 

Then again, hadn't you created one already? The kids you'd gone through hell and back for. His team who he'd looked after for years. Then there was the extermination team. Your friends. And Ging. Someone who he'd never be able to pay back for saving you. For giving you a reason to keep going when you thought you'd lost everything. 

They were family, yes…But what Kite had in mind felt a little more special. A life created by the two of you. A family stemming from the best parts of you and him. He mentally scolded himself for not even considering how you felt.

Would you want to have kids with him?

You'd talked about it maybe twice. And both times you'd agreed it was too soon. That both of you weren't ready yet. 

But you did want them, a part of himself immensely satisfied with the fact. And once again, Kite had to reprimand himself.

What the hell was wrong with him?

He cursed the beastly instincts inside him daily. Fighting with himself everytime the need to keep you away from other men would arise. Even though he knew you didn't have a specific preference for partners. 

The word possessive flashing through his mind.

Though territorial would have been a better descriptor.

Maybe that was why he couldn't stop himself from marking you every time you made love. A way to show that you were his and his only. Had he self-consciously bitten you yesterday because of that? A reminder to whoever saw you during the week?

Chimera Ants only had one purpose. To serve their queen and subsequent king. And even though his mind was human, his memories were human. His body was not. No matter what it looked like.

Thus the struggle to keep his new instincts at bay. The ones that wanted to cater to your every need. The ones that yearned to keep you in a safe place. To have you right next to him at all times. The ones that demanded he breed you.

As cliche and cheesy as it sounded, you were his queen.

His body refusing to accept you as anything less. His mind arguing with the extreme declaration.

What you were was his lover.

And if he got lucky enough one day, his wife.

‘Mate.’

‘His mate.’ the little voice in his head argued.

And there it went again. Fighting with himself over something so stupid. He hated these new instincts. He hated the way they prevented him from thinking with a clear head. It always seemed to get worse when you were about to leave. The panic of not having your scent around him. Of not being able to sleep without you.

Then it'd quiet down after a few days, only to come back upon seeing you again. And once his scent was back on you, it'd slink back down until the next three months when you'd have another appointment.

He wondered if any of the other ants went through this. Then again, he was the only one with a lover. They probably wouldn't be of any help. He was just thankful he never had a heat.

Now that would simply be too much. He'd die of embarrassment. He was ashamed of himself enough as it was without a heat.

The sound of your humming steadily reached his ears, effectively snapping him from his thoughts. Another one of the things that would be missing. He remembered you used to be embarrassed about singing in the shower. Always going eerily quiet when you'd hear him moving about in another room. Truthfully, he liked your voice. It had a certain calming effect that just fit with the old songs you chose. It helped with the nightmares. Both yours and his. 

He had to reassure you over and over again that he didn't mind. And while you got bolder over time, you no where near belting out lyrics the way you did when you thought he wasn't there. But like all things, you were getting there little by little.

Which reminded him, one of these days he had to take you out dancing. It was another coping method for you. Something else precious from your childhood that you liked to indulge in. That let you go back to the simplest of times. To two people who you remember treating you with kindness back then.

He knew it was the small gestures that stuck with you the most.

He glanced over to the small alarm clock and figured it was time for him to get up. No use stalling. He could hear you more clearly as he approached the bathroom. Hand hovering above the door knob before he entered. Immediately he was engulfed in a puff of steam. You always liked your showers scorching hot to make up for the cold ones you endured as a kid. 

Inversely, Kite always liked his cold.

It didn't mean he would turn a hot one down to be with you. You'd showered together frequently enough that he'd bear the heat if you bore the cold. It was most definitely a first for him during the beginning of your relationship. He was embarrassed to see your most intimate parts in a setting that was almost domestic. Being completely vulnerable and viewing your body in a way that wasn't sensual. Just you. Just Him.

It was a different intimacy from the one you shared in the bedroom. Softer. He loved you and everything you were, and you loved him. 

He spotted the pile of clothes on the floor and picked up your shirt. It would get him by the five days you were gone. Kite never could sleep properly without you. Your scent. And he knew it was the exact same for you.

“Hey! Make sure to give me your hat before we leave,” you called out from over the curtain.

You didn't have to ask for him to already have it out for you. You always took either his old blue one or his dark red when you left. This time, it'd be the red one. 

“I swear, sometimes you love snuggling that thing more than me.” He teased. 

“If you get to keep my shirt, I get to keep your hat. Besides, it smells the most like you anyways.” 

He'd been told his old hat had comforted you during the ant incident. Or rather, his scent still on it. It made sense why that was the thing you chose to take with you. He couldn't help but find it endearing.

“You almost done in there?” He asked.

“Just about.” You responded before peaking your head out of the side of the shower curtain.

“Unless you wanted to join me?” You gave a playful waggle of your eyebrows, offering up more space next to you.

Always a tease. Kite shook his head in amusement before responding. 

“Sure. As long as you lower the temperature a bit. I'd rather not explain why I have third degree burns to my team.”

“Coward.” Nevertheless, you reduced the heat. 

Kite's clothes soon joined yours on the floor. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and froze. It'd taken him a long time to get used to his reflection. To accept this was really him now. Although the changes had been minor, they'd been a lot to take in. 

He didn't carry any of the scars his past body had. Only the memories of where the marks should've been. The agility that came with his lean build had been replaced with an awkward clumsiness due to the increase in muscle. His height was monstrous, and the addition of a rat tail didn't help. More often than not, he found himself tucking it away from sight. His hair might've been the only thing he didn't mind as much as the others. It didn't reach the back of his knees as it once did, but it was still decently long. The color he didn't care much for. Although, half the time he still expected to see silver instead of red.

The only thing that had stayed the same were his eyes.

Wondering what was taking your partner so long, you once again peaked out. Noticing the blanked out expression on his face as he stared at his reflection. Kite, as calm and collected as he was, still had his moments where the weight of what happened hit him. This was one of those moments.

Where the differences bordered on insecurities. 

So you did the only thing you thought would help. Distract him from whatever was plaguing his mind. Soothe the doubts.

“Hey handsome. Might wanna join me before I get all pruny.” You called out.

Kite jumped at the sound of your voice. Turning to you before his eyes softened. They always did when he was looking at you.

“You've still got some suds in your hair love.” He pointed out.

You jumped back in the shower with an offended gasp. Listening to the small laugh Kite gave as he finally made his way over.

“I do not! You're just trying to gaslight me!”

The curtain pulled back for a brief moment. You could feel Kite behind you before it closed once more. 

“Did Killua teach you that one?” He asked. Cupping his hands under the stream and pouring the water on your head. 

“I can neither confirm nor deny that statement.” You crossed your arms, but there was no protest to his actions.

So he continued washing away the suds on your scalp. Angling your head back against him.

“Hold still for a second.” He instructed.

You leaned your full weight on him as a show of your trust. Your limpness an indicator that you were comfortable with whatever was happening around you. He ran his fingers through your hair a few times to make sure there was no more soap.

“There. All rinsed off.” 

He made sure to steal a kiss from you before he righted you up. You returned it and ushered him to switch places. The water hitting him directly now. 

“Your turn. Let me get all of you.”

You started off with his body first, lathering enough of the soap to get started. If he ever expected your hands to feel silky soft, he would've been dead wrong. They were probably more calloused than his. Never knowing a day of rest until you were 17. But it wasn't the texture of your hands that put him at ease. It was the gentleness in which you touched him. 

Taking away any knots in his shoulders and lightly scrubbing him down. Had he gotten up sooner, your body would have received the same treatment. He took over when you got lower, not wanting to turn a moment of domesticity into something steamy. 

When he was rinsed off, you moved to his hair. If he had it his way, he'd let you wash it everyday. You probably took better care of it than he did. Massaging in shampoo and conditioner without getting any tangles. Your fingers combing through in a way that almost had him purring. Moving his head down so you could reach properly. He felt completely at bliss. One of your ways of showing your love even without saying it.

Your morning had started off slower than you would've liked, but you couldn't say you regretted spending a few minutes more with your lover. You both got dressed quickly. Only forty minutes left before your flight. After double checking your suitcase one more time, you snagged Kite's red hat and made your way towards the door. 

But he had other plans for your usual routine. Hand placed on yours a top the door knob, effectively stopping your movements.

“Let me at least take you to the airport? I wanna see you off.” Something pleading in his tone.

He never seemed to have the right opportunity to go with you to your appointment. Always too busy with work. It should've come as no shock. Being a pro hunter meant you'd always be on the move. Never time to stop in one place for very long.  Already moving onto the next project by the time you returned. It was exhausting, but he loved his job. 

However, he found he loved you even more. If it weren't for your insistence that he stay, he would've booked a flight with you in a heartbeat. So if he couldn't come with you, he at least wanted to spend what time he could together. Just knowing you'd made it to your flight would be enough.

“I don't want you to be late.” You responded. The last thing you wanted for Kite to ditch his job for you. You weren't nearly as important.

But he had this habit of always knowing what to say to reassure you. 

“I won't. I promise I won't be late to the meeting point. And even if I was, it'd be worth it.”

—--------------------

Surprisingly, you made it with 15 minutes to spare. It gave enough time for both of you to eat something light for breakfast while you waited. A pair of blueberry muffins (because it was never too early for something sweet according to you) and coffee. Yours iced and his hot. You'd scrunched up your face as he took a sip of his.

“I still can't believe you like your coffee black. Your taste buds must be dead.”

He playfully nudged your shoulder at your comment.

“I still can't believe you like coffee. If it weren't for all the sweeteners you wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole.” 

“I like to have some flavor in my life thank you. Besides, cold coffee taste stronger than hot. I get a little more of a kick from it. One of these days I'll convert you.” You gave a fake glare before crossing your arms.

“Sugar isn't really flavor, hun. And I doubt the temperature makes much of a difference.”

“I wholeheartedly disagree. You just don't like to have fun.”

Fun, huh? Not too long ago you rarely messed around. Now you were joking and laughing so freely, it was like you were a different person. Your guarded exterior no longer there. It felt lifetimes away from who'd you become.

“You're starting to sound like Ging.” Kite teased.

You'd stuck out your tongue in response. Unawares to your partner leaning over and taking a sip from your drink. Looking down and catching him in the act right as he pulled away. 

“You know, I think you might be onto something. It's not so bad.”

You gave an offended gasp and pulled the cup close to you. Your feigned glare becoming just a little more real.

“You’re lucky you’re pretty.” You grumbled. And as always, your banter was returned.

“I knew you were only with me for my good looks.”

“Sure. Totally not because of your kind heart. I mean, you're wearing the little friendship bracelet Gon gave you. That's totally not attractive to me.”

All at once his face flushed. You liked that he was attentive to the kids? Of course you did. They were practically your own. Still, it'd been unexpected to hear.

“Good to know,” he stammered out.

Your mind couldn't help but circle back to what he said about his appearance. Comparing it to the way he seemed to examine himself in the early morning. He looked like he had been dissociating. Spacing out at the man staring back at him with something that bordered on distaste.

“Do you ever miss your old body?” You asked. Your tone now serious.

Kite mulled over the question for a while before answering.

“Sometimes. I miss having more coordination in my body. I miss not having a stupid tail to worry about. I certainly miss not being labeled as a protected species…But I'm coming to terms with it. It's getting easier to deal with all these new instincts. Progress is progress. Why?” 

You realized that wasn't exactly what you meant to ask. But it should've been a no brainer he preferred his human body over this. 

“Sorry. I should've phrased that better. I mean, obviously you miss your old body. Who'd wanna be forced to be a chimera ant. I just meant, do you miss how you used to look?”

At that he quirked a brow. You sounded ashamed. Of what, he couldn't quite tell. Did he make it seem like he blamed you for his grievances? He was beyond grateful you'd brought him back. But why now were you asking these questions? Were you having second thoughts?

“I don't hate it. It's just surreal to see somebody else where my old reflection used to be. Sometimes I can't help but compare what's the same and what's different. I'm still recognizable with the changes, so they're not all that bad.”

His next question had caught you off guard.

“Do you miss the way I used to look?” 

You stuttered your way through a response, not really knowing how to answer.

“No! I mean, not that I didn't like the way you look! But I don't mind you now. That's not to say I don't prefer the old you! I just-!” You were cut off by the sound of Kite's laughter. Your face burning impossibly hot.

“It's fine. I can always dye my hair back silver if it’s too much for you.”

You lightly slapped his arm.

“You ass… Don't you know I'd choose you no matter what?” You'd finally gotten the right words out. And just in time too.

“Now boarding Flight 87!”

You got up and turned to Kite.

“I'll see you in five days.”

He pulled you close in a tight embrace. Your arms wrapped around him in response.

“Stay safe. Call me when you get there, okay?” He reminded.

“Always. You be careful too. Let me know if something happens.”

He bumped his head lovingly against yours.

“Always.” and sealed the promise with a kiss. Pressing his lips softly to yours until you both ran out of air.

----------------------------

An: We are so back ✨💅

[superiorcake]

Greed Island Server challenge for the "Poor Man's Rose" game. Prompt was to produce a cursed work.

What a blessed alternate timeline this would be. So many deaths that transpired during the Chimera Ant Arc would never come to pass. Their beautiful hybrid babies would usher in a new era of Nen proficiency.

I haven't drawn anything with a tablet in like twelve years, and this abomination is what happens.