#none of these people know how hunting and fishing licenses work and how much thought and care goes into this

[daggersandarrows]

quick rant and then i'm done but i just saw someone commenting that we can use hunting and fishing as a talking point to "reach across the aisle" and get conservatives to realize they should care about conservation and the environment and i actually wanted to fucking scream. like. you dumb motherfucker how do you not get that hunters and fishers are conservationists. that they are actively doing conservation while you make snide comments about how you can "convert" them (while also, of course, assuming that hunters and fishers are all right wingers) without realizing that these are people who both love animals and have decided to dedicate their lives to their conservation

[shimmy-sham-with-the-fam]

Here’s the prologue!

Previous

Hello friends!

Here’s the official post for Hunting X For X Bruises!

Sorry this took me so long to get up!

Hope you enjoy reading it!

Rate: T

Words: 2010

Summary:  An AU where the bruises and cuts of a soulmate appear on the skin. Gon becomes increasingly worried about his soulmate as he gets tattooed with new marks everyday, and hopes to find the person soon. Killua, on the other hand, has been brainwashed by his family to believe that the spots on his skin are a curse from the person who plans to target and kill him, as they believe learning about a soulmate would make him soft during jobs.

Chapter 10: Suffocating X By the X Minute

Gon hadn’t had this much fun since the last time he chased his foxbear friend Kon in the jungles of Whale Island. But… this was different. Playing with Killua was completely different in comparison. Because Killua was a human boy the same age as him. Killua could talk to him and laugh with him. Killua could jump through the trees and play the most amazing game of chase. And although Gon would gladly make friends with almost anyone he met, Killua just felt… natural. Like they had grown up together like this.

But Gon also felt the slightest bit of pain in his heart. Because he realized that there was a huge part of him that wished that Killua was the one who shared his marks. He had never wished for something so weird in his life, he confessed to himself. But none the less, he quickly lost his laughter and replaced it with the thought that no matter how special Killua seemed, there was someone out there that was supposed to be so much more precious to him. And somehow, he hated that thought.

His pace slowed as he gazed down at his left hand, noticing that even the last mark he shared with that other person was already starting to fade. Those marks they shared were the reason why he was taking this exam in the first place. So that he could find that person who was meant to be his soulmate.

And that wasn’t Killua.

Gon would have seriously considered Killua to be it. But Gon had taken the time to glance at the other teen’s hands a while ago. Much to the island boy’s disappointment, both of Killua’s hands were wrapped in medical gauze. It would have been possible if only Killua’s left hand was enveloped in the bandaging, but no… It was both hands.

Then, two of the worst thoughts popped into his head. The first one; that Killua was meant to have someone else as a soulmate, and a twinge of jealousy twisted his heart. Or that Killua just wasn’t meant to have a soulmate, which made Gon feel an unbelievably deep sadness for the other boy. It wouldn’t be fair, Gon thought, that Killua could play and make as many friends as he wanted. But the cruel reality that may have been made for the silver haired boy is that no one would ever truly be connected to him. That, in a sense, Killua would be alone his entire life. And that was even worse, Gon decided. No one as fun and smart as Killua deserved to be alone.

Gon snapped his eyes open in front of himself. He had stopped chasing Killua a long time ago. His playmate had long since disappeared into the fog, and now was nowhere in sight. “Kil-” He had almost called out the other teen’s name, had he not been cut off by the yelling of a familiar voice to his side. It was an older, masculine sound in comparison to his own underdeveloped, boyish voice. And Gon knew immediately that it belonged to his travel companion, Leorio. Gon followed the sound of his voice feverishly, hoping that his friend was okay. But if Leorio was yelling, there was a good chance he had gotten himself into some unnecessary trouble.

Gon ran to the clearing of trees and found his older friend sprinting full speed towards a taller, more ominous figure with red hair and suspiciously excited eyes. Hisoka. Leorio was going to get himself killed, Gon realized. He had to act fast if he hoped to save his friend’s life. The small green clad child took hold of his fishing pole that nestled snugly between his back and bag. He released the line quickly and swung the rod as fast he could, hoping that his aim and strength was precise and quick enough to hit his target.

Hisoka was leaning closer to Leorio, who had flung a large stick at the other man hopelessly, but with a bountiful amount of determination.

His arm creasing back behind him, smiling without a second thought. Hisoka was obviously excited to kill such a willing participant.

The red ball at the end of the wire flew through the air, heading straight for Hisoka. It was a miracle that Hisoka hadn’t noticed Gon or the ball that began to grow closer and closer to his head. Gon knew that if Hisoka hadn’t been distracted by Leorio’s pointless onslaught, the taller figure would have noticed him instantly.

With a deafening thwap , the ball collided heavily into the side of Hisoka’s face. The ball left the smallest marking across Hisoka’s left temple. But that wouldn’t matter to the oddly clad man. No, now his focus was upon the young raven haired teen. And this scared Gon beyond belief. Yet… in the mix of the gaze that settled on Gon, he also couldn’t help but be the slightest bit of excited at such a sudden and strong opponent.

XXX

   Killua joined the group of runners with a small bit of anxiety resting in his chest. Despite his decision to move forward into the exam, he couldn’t settle the nervous feeling that threatened to rise and choke the air from his lungs. What if Gon really didn’t make it back? What had happened to him? Why would he just disappear like that?

Killua wanted so badly to push the thoughts out of his mind. Why did he care anyways? Gon’s passing wouldn’t matter to him; not in the slightest. Even if both of them pass the exam and get their licenses, they’d both probably go their separate ways afterwards, right? They had their own goals after all. Killua would go after  his pursuer and Gon would go after the person who’s important to him. Important to him… Important to Gon. How lucky that person had to be; to be so important to someone so exciting and fun.

No, he should stop thinking like this. It was wrong for him to get attached to Gon. Gon had someone else important to him, and that was just a basic fact. Unfortunately that just didn’t include Killua in this equation and there was nothing he could do about it. It wasn’t a surprise, really. Gon had proven that he was more than capable with getting along with different kinds of people. If Gon didn’t pass now, he’d go back home and have friends there and laugh with them, forgetting Killua. If Gon somehow found his way back and passed the exam, he’d set out to find that person that he says is so precious to him, forgetting Killua. So there was no reason for him to feel especially attached to Gon. It would only end in Killua’s suffering.

Suffering… Suffering… Suff… Suffocating? A tight coil sprung around Killua’s neck, as if he was being lifted from the ground by the neck and choked. Breathe! His fingers dragged at his neck, hoping to claw off whatever invincible force was cutting off the air flow to his lungs. Why couldn’t he breathe?! Were the thoughts of Gon too overbearing? No, that would be ridiculous! He could admit that they were quite upsetting internal disputes, but none could truly be the cause of his sudden inability to perform a basic act for living. No… Something was actually choking him…

The tight grip on his throat caused his vision to become darkened. Darker and darker was his descent into unconsciousness. It had to be… the person who’s hunting him! They got to him first! He failed… He’s a failure!

He failed himself and he failed Alluka and he failed Gon.

He’s going to die a fai-

Air bursted into his lungs, reviving the empty organs. His breath stuttered as he listened to the pounding in his head. They, whoever they were, released him. Were they toying with him? Did they realize that they had him in the palm of their hand, so they decided to play and torture before ending him?

He needs to act more cautiously; be more aware…

As his breath finally evened, a large wall was becoming visible amidst the collection of fog. Once approached, the examiner explained to the crowd that this was the end of the first phase of the exam, and that they would wait ten minutes for resting and last minute passers before the next phase began.

Killua darted his eyes around as he searched for another young boy clad in green.

One minute passed by.

No sign of Gon.

Killua’s foot rests on his skateboard. He limply pushed it back and forth.

Another minute flies by.

Stop being so concerned about him! You hardly even know him! Why do you feel the need to be so attached despite knowing him for only a few hours?

Three minute mark.

It doesn't matter if he passes! It's already been concluded that Gon’s passing wouldn't matter, so why? Why?! Why is there a need to feel so damn attached to him?!

Four.

It's wrong for him to feel so attached. Isn't it? After all, he'd always been taught to live without emotional connections towards outsiders. It was wrong for him to feel this way towards Gon.

The halfway mark.

Shut up... Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! It isn't wrong! Killua just wants a friend! What was so damn wrong about that?! That's why he broke away from his family in the first place!

Only four more to go… Gon, where are you?

So that he could make his own decisions about his life! So that he could be who he wanted to be and not have his whole life made up for him! Yes, all he had to do was get rid of the target on him and he would be free. Free to live his own life however he wanted!

Seven minutes… Will he make it?

No… there's no way… not with only three minutes left. Gon was done for, and Killua would have to finish the exam on his own.

Alone.

“Leorio!” A familiar, cheery voice filled Killua’s ears. Killua found himself locking out any other sounds besides that one voice.

It was him!

Gon made it!

Killua followed the voice, pushing another examinee out of his way in order to locate the source of that exciting voice. When he located the spiked hair and bright green jacket, he let out a long sigh of relief.

There Gon was, standing next to the blond named Kurapika and in front of a sitting Leorio. The oldest of the bunch looked like a wreck in Killua’s opinion. The right side of his face was richly swollen to the point that his eye was almost sealed shut.

And while Killua felt the slightest bit of concern for the man, what he was really focused on was just rejoining with Gon.

He was about to run full speed in the direction of green, but quickly realized that would be an entirely embarrassing act. He'd seem way too excited and how would that make him look?

No, he should just stroll up nonchalantly, and act cool like he always does. He called out to the other boy, “Gon!” Golden amber eyes locked onto him as his heart skipped a beat.

“Ah, Killua!” Gon looked just as excited as Killua felt. But the white haired boy was sure this was just because Gon was naturally an enthusiastic person regardless of who he was addressing. Still, Killua couldn't resist feeling overwhelmed with joy.

“Wow, you made it! I thought for sure you were a goner!” Killua grinned light heartedly.

“I just followed the scent of Leorio’s cologne!”

“Followed his cologne?! Can you get any weirder?” Killua huffed at him.

Gon tried to come up with an answer, but was interrupted by the examiner, who was signaling the start of the second phase.

Killua grinned.

And secretly thanked fate for bringing them together for at least just a little bit longer.

Even if they eventually went their separate ways.