Work Text:
“Hello!” A boy greeted him in front of the first city he found, his hair spiky, an unusual mix of green and black, and his eyes a warm brown. He was a bit shorter than Killua, but seemed to be around his age.
That caught Killua’s attention, who ignored the town ahead and stopped in front of the stranger, who smiled at the attention. “How old are you?”
“I’m thirteen.” The kid said.
“Hum, me too.” Killua mumbled, technically on the job right now, he needs to kill some guy named Genthru, but Illumi doesn’t have to know if he makes a friend…? gets sidetracked here and there. He has a lot of time to kill this guy“What’s your name?”
“My name is Gon!” He said “Gon Freecs.”
“Killua.” Killua put his hand in his pockets, not sure how to interact with people his age, thankfully the lack of visibly returned enthusiasm didn’t offend Gon.
It was strange, maybe he was playing nice and would try to steal his cards later.
“It’s nice to meet you, Killua. I hope you enjoy Greed Island.” Gon said, “If you have any questions about the rules and mechanics of the game you can ask me, most new players tend to be confused by it.”
“I am not new.” Killua lied, not sensing any malice in the stranger's aura but still on edge that every person he met somehow knew he was new.
“Yes, you are.” Gon said, his bluntness making Killua drop the nonchalant charade and narrow his eyes. Gon raised his hands in mock surrender, vaguely amused. “It's not a bad thing, it’s always nice to meet new players.”
Killua would snap at him if he didn’t notice his fingers were naked. There is no ring.
That’s not normal.
Killua looked back at his friendly smile, at his unnatural patience, not minding how Killua openly scrutinized him from the collar of his half-sleeved hoodie to his bright yellow flip flops, and came to the baffling realization that Gon wasn’t a player.
Still, he was human. He has to be, right…? He looks and sounds real.
Killua poked his forehead, noticing he feels real too.
(The grass under Killua’s shoes and the sun on his body also feel real. Everything about this game is uncannily real)
“I’m assuming you’re not new to Greed Island?” Killua asked, relaxing his shoulders and giving off a casual vibe.
“You would be right.” Gon said, audibly proud “I was born here, I know every corner of Greed Island.”
“So if I have any questions about the island I can ask you,” Killua guessed. “Anything at all.”
“Yes.”
Killua cracked a humorless smile at his big eyes and the slight scratches on his hands. Gon may look like a person, but he is just a tutorial, as deceiving as the realistic scenario.
Hah…
Nen really is incredible.
“Cool,” Killua mumbled without any enthusiasm, all his excitement in the face of finally interacting with a kid his age without his family supervising his every move dying before it could properly come to life, leaving a sense of betrayal annoyance behind.
“Where do you live?” Gon tried to start a conversation. “York New?”
“None of your business.”
Gon blinked.
Killua kept walking. The fake boy followed him.
“Will you just follow me now?” Killua asked, genuinely curious about the guy’s coding.
Would he stick by his side waiting for questions or abandon Killua the second he finds a newer player?
“Would you prefer to explore the island on your own?” Gon's smile fell, but he patiently waited for his answer.
Killua almost expected a menu to float in front of Gon, giving him the option to reject him or let him tag along, but nothing happened, this may be a game but it doesn’t have a screen.
Killua thought about it, it would be foolish to skip the tutorial when he barely knows the rules.
“You can stay.”
The tutorial smiled.
.
Antokiba, the city of prizes, lives up to its name, the walls on the street filled from top to bottom with fliers promising challenges and rewards. He spared them a glance, vaguely interested in the type of games this game has to offer, but he didn’t stop to analyze any flier, he wasn't hired to win this game.
(If he indulges and collects a few cards it should be... fine, but winning doesn’t seem appealing when he knows the reward will be confiscated the second he gets out, and his parents would punish him for being childish on the job, no doubt restricting his next jobs to boring and heavily supervised ones again.)
“Are you hungry?” Gon asked, catching his attention.
“A little.”
“Me too. I’ll buy us a meal, we can talk while we eat.”
Gon took him to a store owned by an anthropomorphic wolf, who spared Gon a wave, wagging its tail when Gon returned the gesture with a smile. He gave Killua the menu as they sat down. The place only has two types of pasta, gyoza, and a tomato salad as available meals. No drinks.
This place sucks.
But he shouldn’t expect much from a free meal, the good shops with a lot of options must be in more distant cities.
Killua chose a pasta, crossing his arms and staring when Gon paid upfront with a card with a bill image on it, pocketing the change also given by cards with money image on it “This is the currency, bills are only accepted in card format here, since everything is based on cards, I’ll teach you how to read them.”
And that’s what Gon did, teaching him the card rarity values from SS to H, and the number of transformations each card has, the difference between restricted and free slots cards, and some of the most used ‘magic spells’, some of which felt like a direct repetition from the exposition the girl that greeted him at the start of the game said. He learned that only spell cards can defend against other spell cards, someone’s individual skill doesn’t matter, which made him feel better about his unsuccessful attempt to dodge a spell.
“Am I going too fast? I can slow down.” Gon asked when their pasta arrived.
“Nah.” Killua dismissed, sinking his fork on his meal “Tell me what the card ‘trace on’ does.” Killua twirled the pasta until he had a decent amount on his fork, deciding from the smell that it was safe to take a bite.
Oh man, the food tastes good! It feels real too. This game is insane, you can do a lot with nen outside a battle.
(He doubts his family will teach him any of it, but it's still cool.)
“Trace on it’s a weak card, it traces the location of the target.” He said, “Have you been hit by it?”
Killua nods, mouth full of pasta, and Gon hums. “You can nullify the spell once you leave the game, but it will not hurt you.” He took a bite out of his own pasta. “Still, it’s not good. You’re defenseless against spells without defense cards, so I would suggest buying some before trying to find cards.”
“I am not defenseless.” Killua said, the insinuation he is a small fry rubbing him the wrong way “The people who steal seem to be the ones desperate to beat the game, if I can keep my cards in my free slot, I doubt they’ll spend cards trying to steal my water.”
“You learn fast.” Gon's eyes sparkled, sounding genuinely impressed, as he should. “But there are spells that can target specific cards. You need defense cards, Killua.”
Tch.
“Fine, I’ll buy some cards.” He shoved more pasta in his mouth, chewing his annoyance away “How do I turn my money into card money?”
“You can’t, Greed island does not recognize outside items as cards, you must sell cards to a shop to be paid in cards” He raised his finger, in exposition mode “You can’t buy restricted slot cards, so being rich isn’t all that valuable in Greed Island, but it’s still good to have money for supply items and spell cards.” There was a spark in his eyes that begged Killua to pay attention “We need to get cards and sell them.”
He’ll give the developers prompts, it caught his attention, he found himself asking “How?”
“We can check the monthly tournament and risk being robbed or head straight to Masadora.” Gon beamed “To reach the city of magic on foot we must cross a ravine full of monster cards, they aren’t worth as much as Antokiba’s bigger rewards, but they aren’t cheap.”
.
Gon gave him a sandwich and a water bag so they could have lunch on the road.
“Does this game have a map?”
“Not for free.”
He figured as much.
“Do you have a map?”
“Nope, I gave my last one to Asta-san.” Gon said as if the name would mean anything to Killua, sitting down in the middle of the street without a care in the world and grabbing a stick to draw in the dirt “There is a forest between Akitoba and Masadora.” He drew a tree “It’s usually a peaceful territory but be careful!” Gon's eyes sparkled, pointing the stick at Killua’s face “Bandits live there, there is a chance you’ll be attacked;”
Bandits?
Killua’s eyes sparkled too, sure they have a lot of loot from all the players they stole from.
Gon then drew what looked like a ton of squares “After the forest is the rocky desert. It's where the monsters live, so it may be more difficult, but it’s not that far away.”
Killua cracked a smile, that sounds fun.
.
It wasn’t fun.
“Help us.”
The bandits are sick.
“Please” They coughed.
Ugh… That’s so lame.
“I don’t have any healing cards.” Killua waved them off. “Better luck next time.”
“We accept anything!”
Killua sweated at the rough quality of their voice.
“I don’t have any cards at all.” He glared, not wanting to waste more time here, “Gon, let’s go.”
“Humm.” Gon said, obediently following.
“No, don’t go, please…! We’ll accept anything!!”
They are awfully insistent...
Maybe they are a quest NPCs, not enemies.
Killua grabbed the sandwich and the water bottle Gon gave him, hoping to get a reward for his good deed. “Here, that’s all I have.”
He was showered in thank yous, the gratitude in their eyes vaguely uncomfortable. “Yeah yeah, I accept items as thank you too.”
.
“I can't believe I got mugged!” Killua kicked a rock down the forest, still annoyed he got nothing in return. Made for a fool.
“It was half of a water bottle and a sandwich.” Gon said, amused by how much of a sore loser he was being.
“Yeah yeah,” Killua huffed. “If the monsters are sick too, I'm beating them anyway.”
Gon laughed.
.
The monsters are not sick.
Why is killing these monsters so hard? He knows there isn’t a level system in Greed Island but shouldn’t the adversaries near the beginner city be small fries??
This game design sucks.
Speaking of bad design.
“Aren’t you supposed to help me??” Killua yelled, dodging a hit from the tail of a giant purple salamander after learning how strong the silly looking monster was, annoyed that the nen creature could easily brush off Killua’s attempt to claw its neck.
Any monster in the real world would have been dead after one attack.
“I can't directly interfere or I'll get in trouble!” Gon yelled from a tall rock safely out of the monster's reach, he sounded unhappy, crossing his arms.
“Tch,” Killua snapped, ducking under the salamander's attempt to bite him and kicking the ugly beast's face. It only annoyed the monster, increasing it's speed “You’re useless.”
“Hey!” Gon huffed, but it wasn’t mean-spirited. “If you get beaten up I am allowed to give you a hint.”
“Oh yeah?” Killua raised a brow, his distraction earning him a purple tail in the face.
He used his ten but still winced, skirting on the dirt.
“You should have dodged!”
You don’t say.
Killua glared, gaining a sheepish smile from Gon and a salamander claw that nearly squashed him on the ground.
.
He figured out the salamander’s weakness after some trial and error. Once you learn the trick it becomes easy to target its weak spot, but he had to swallow his pride and get a tip for the strange armored monster.
“Remember the basics of Nen,” Gon was direct, his hint straight to the point as he smiled and raised a finger.
Good, Killua doesn’t have time for cryptic hints.
It was easy to go over every nen basic, discarding zetsu right away, learning ren didn’t scare the armor at all, and hesitantly focusing his aura in his eyes, seeing a thin line of aura sprout from the back of the armor, and the words ‘right answer’ floating above Gon’s finger.
He followed the armor's nen line, finding a tiny fluffy ball creature that immediately turned into a card when their eyes met. Radio Rat, the card said.
Gon clapped, raising a hand for a high five. Killua blamed the design choice to make Gon so dazzling for the instinctive way he accepted the high five.
He felt light on this trip to Masadora.
.
“I have been studying Nen for one year.” Killua bragged, satisfied by the way Gon’s eyes sparkled with awe.
“Wow, for an amateur your Nen is incredible!”
Killua's smile dropped, offended.
An amateur??
“What’s your nen type?” Gon asked.
‘Nen is a powerful weapon, you should never let them know what your type is.’ Dad’s advice rang in his head. ‘No exceptions’
“I’m not telling you.”
Gon narrowed his eyes, sensing a challenge “I am an enhancer.”
“I didn’t ask.” That explains how powerful and plentiful his aura feels.
“At least give me a hint!”
“No way!” Killua crossed his arms behind his back, looking up and closing his eyes.
“Just one.”
Killua opened one eye, smirking at his palpable restlessness “Humm, I’ll think about it.”
“Killuwah!”
.
Two of his cards were stolen on the borders of Masadora. Half of his cards, half of his whole evening, gone!
Killua's eyes twitched, glaring at the weakling with the audacity to take away his cards, his malicious aura enough to make the thiefshake with terror. Good, he’ll show the idiot exactly how big of a mistake he just made-
Gon jumped in front of him, replacing the sight of his shivering target with an unimpressed honey stare. It caught Killua off guard.
“What are-”
“The shop is near, let’s go before your other cards get stolen too,” Gon said, glancing at the run away thief and gaining a disappointed glint in his eyes “Sorry, about that, I knew people have gotten more desperate to get their hands on a Leave card but I didn’t think it would be bad enough to warrant a warn-”
“I don’t care.” Killua sidestepped Gon, his surprise turning into annoyance again as he caught sight of his target disappearing behind one of the buildings with his salamander card. Tch, he may have to play tag. “I am getting my cards back.”
“You can’t get it back without a spell card of your own, they are his cards now,” Gon followed him “Killing him won’t give you anything.”
“I can still threaten him.”
“Killua...”
Killua stopped at his audible disappointment, sparing his guide an exasperated side look “Am I supposed to just let him go, them?”
“For now. You can steal his cards later.” He offered, eyes bright “You’re very skilled, you’ll get a better offensive deck than him in a week tops!”
Killua paused, seeing the appeal but not swayed. “That’s too long, what if more people keep stealing from me?” Leniency is exploitable, stay alert, “I’ll be a target if I let it slide.” He turned his hand into claws “I need to send a message.”
Gon crossed his arms, displeased, “But I don’t like this approach. I think it would be more enjoyable if you played my way.”
More enjoyable? That’s his best argument?
Is this thing on kids mode?
“Lame.” Kilua flickered Gon’s forehead, ignoring how he pouted. It was funny, just a little “I’m not following your rules,” He turned his back on him, “I’ll have fun my own way.”
He could hear Gon follow him “...Fun?”
“Lots of it!” Killua looked down on him with a challenging smirk, noticing up close Gon’s eyes have sprinkles of gold to them. It’s pretty neat, his design keeps getting better the more attention Killua pays to it.
“Why is killing fun?”
Hum?
Killua turned back to his frowning guide.
“I have seen many people kill to win the game, and I get the logic behind sending a message, even if I don't agree with it.” Gon’s eyes burned with that intensity that is hard to look away from, the curiosity in his eyes alien “But what about killing is fun?”
I don’t know.
“ The thrill.” Killua decided, the adrenaline rush is a good distraction and the power trip that comes from understanding he is the best in the field is not bad. If he wasn’t forced to do it all the time he would like it. Probably. Hopefully?
He felt an unpleasant uncertainty at Gon’s blank stare, staring at the happy and colorful buildings of Masadora instead, refusing to let a programmed opinion bother him. “It’s obviously good to hurt what hurts you too,” He raised his voice, shoving his hands in his pockets. “If you can’t understand something so basic you should stick to explaining rules.”
That's right. He doesn't have to listen to him.
He sneaked a glance at Gon, meeting his puzzled frown with a judgemental brow, his hidden hands clenched into fists.
It’s not like he cares about Gon's opinion. Please, he is not that lonely, but his silence still fills him with anxious energy.
(It must be because of how Gon feels like living nen, his aura so compact, buzzing with so much power. It’s hard not to be wary.)
“Hum.” Gon’s big eyes were full of confusion “You’re lying.”
Killua froze, shoulders raised “I am not!” Shit, his voice got too loud. “I am not.”
“Yes, you are.”
Killua hissed, the instinct to double down dying at how casual Gon sounded, his open wonder making the sharp words not sound like an accusation.
He doesn’t know how to deal with that.
An unfamiliar feeling crashed over him, something not… unpleasant.
“...Why do you think that?”
“You sound like the people that try to scam me for cards.” Gon said, sensing Killua’s bafflement and explaining “You don’t believe what you’re saying, you just want me to buy it.” He tilted his head, cracking a tentative smile “Right, Killua?”
Killua blinked slowly, as amazed as he was horrified to be read so casually.
Because murder is a lot of things: It’s easy, it’s safe, it’s a skill he is good at, that he needs to excel at, but it isn’t fun.
It’s a job.
A miserable job his family is oh so proud about but that no one loves, he never sees his parents crack an excited smile when they get a new killing contract, their joy nothing like the happiness he has seen in the rare occasions a photographer comes to the zoldyck mansion, so excited to take their dumb photos, or that couple of bakers he stumbled on the first time he escaped home to experience the hunter exam, both weirdly happy to share free samples of a bread they loved baking.
He doesn’t have anything that makes him that excited, anything that is fun.
“You’re so weird.” Killua mumbled, feeling a buzz in his veins but pushing it down. He could hear people walking through the city. Could feel Gon's eyes on him still. “Let’s go to the shop before we get robbed again.”
“You’ll let the thief go?” Gon was so excited by the idea, that it made him annoyed.
“He must be in another city by now” Killua poked Gon’s chest, narrowing his eyes “It’s your fault too! So you’re buying me a new card.”
Gon laughed, “That’s not how it works,”
“Rock paper scissors, if I win you owe me cards.”
Gon's eyes glowed. “Fine.”
He won, his rock crushing Killua’s scissors.
Tch.
.
The shop owner greeted Gon with a smile and asked him to check something in the back, so away his weird companion went, promising to be back soon.
Killua was better than following a guide like a lost child so he checked the cards alone, asking things to the shopkeeper, whose dialogue is surprisingly simple and repetitive. He looks real enough but he barely changes expressions and asks if Killua wants to guard his money in this shop every single time he approaches him with a question.
“Do you have a bug or something?” Killua raised a brow.
“Bug?” The shopkeeper frowned. “I don’t sell that card.”
“I’m asking if you’re sick.” Killua deadpanned.
“Sick? I don’t sell that card.”
“He has limited dialogue, most shopkeepers do.” Gon said with a heavy box in his arms, his smile a bit sad, as he set it on the keeper’s desk. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Hank?”
“No, I'm good Gon. I haven't gotten a new card stock.”
Gon smiled, which was weird, why would he be happy that there is nothing new in stock?
It must have shown in his face, because Gon got closer and whispered. “That means no one died recently.”
“Hum…”
That’s a brutal mechanic.
.
Killua could buy one decent defensive spell but he liked the uncertainty of the cheapest card pack available, which would give him 3 random cards for the same price. He ignored Gon’s advice, and bought the cheap card pack, the thrill of gambling making his blood pump. It’s harmless fun.
He gained one Contact and 2 Magnetic Forces.
“These suck.” Killua sighed, raising his ring “Book.”
“It could be better,” Gon agreed, putting the nearly gained contact card on Killua’s freshly summoned book and jumping to teach him how to use them. Killua felt a knot on his stomach when a list of names appeared in his book, each name belonging to a player he had previously met and could now contact if he so desired. His target name wasn't on the list and Gon...
Gon Freecs was not listed either
“I don’t want to contact anyone,” Killua closed the book, the reminder his friend isn’t real hitting him harder than it should “I’ll save it for when someone catches my attention.”
.
“I think you need more Nen training before defeating the bubble horse.” Gon yelled from his safe distance.
“Hah!” Killua's laugh was bitter, gritting his teeth when more bubbles exploded upon contact with his ten. Does he have to switch between ten and zetsu for every bubble? That’s insane, he can’t do it so fast. Still “I am not losing to this dumb spotted horse!”
“Yes you are,” Gon said matter of fact.
“Just give me the hint!”
“Aura can protect you from the white bubbles.”
“No shit.” Killua hissed, the red bubble exploding in his face.
Gon had the gall to laugh at him.
.
He lost to the horse. Again.
Fuck this.
“Help me with nen.” Killua ordered, shoulders raised high. He hates needing help.
“Okay" Gon smirked "Let's train your aura speed first!"
.
Killua flopped on the ground, his shirt soaked with sweat “Aaaaah, I’m exhausted.”
‘Not enough if you can complain, Kill’
"Shut up..." He mumbled to the burning sun in this overly blue sky.
“You learn fast!” Gon got into his field of vision, blocking the sun as he smiled down at him. “You need to use Gyo more though.”
“Hum?”
“You missed some things.” Gon raised his finger, mischievous.
Really…?
Killua ignored his fatigue and used Gyo, his vision filled with Gon’s bright aura, watching incredulously as his nen rushed to the tip of his finger, gaining shape and slowly forming words. It was amazing to see it eventually become a full phrase “Your reflexes are faster than your aura.”
“I noticed that!” He huffed, mimicking Gon’s gesture and feeling a frown on his face “Have you been writing with Nen since we met?”
“I don’t know,” Gon teased, dissolving the nen words. “Have I?”
Killua's eye twitched, trapping the bastard in a headlock “Don’t play coy with me!” He dragged him closer to the edge of the cliff “I’ll drop you!”
“Nooooo! Sorry sorry!! I give up!” He whined, squirming under Killua’s glare and admitting “I haven’t been giving you tips. I swear!”
Gon stretched his neck but didn’t jump away from the edge when Killua let go, back to smiling. Guess having any sense of danger isn’t part of the package.
“I picked up the habit of forming shapes with my aura, it’s a good nen control training.” He made a five pointed star with his aura, slowly adding more edges “Double as good if you have any interest in emission skills.” He tilted his head, a now familiar curiosity in his eyes “What is your nen type? I am torn between conjurer and transmuter.” He narrowed his eyes at Killua’s lack of outside reaction, keeping his face a perfect mask of boredom “...You could be emiter too? Your Ten is really strong.”
‘Because I’m awesome.’
“Who knows.” Killua mocked.
“Give me a hint!”
“I’m not an enhancer.”
Gon frowned “I could tell that much.”
“...”
“...Can I see your hatsu?”
Killua flickered his foreheard, smirking “No.”
.
They killed a lot of monsters for training and every time they went back to Masadora, Killua kept buying the random cards package, tuning out the repetitive NPC shopkeeper yet effortlessly high-fiving Gon when he finally got a nice roll full of protective spells.
.
They were camping under a tree in a lush field near Masadora, flowers and bugs littered the ground. Gon said he liked the caterpillar with blue stripes, picking one up and not reacting when the creature poofed into a card.
He admired the card under the sunlight, blurting out “If you put a bug card in your restaurant order, you can get a free meal.”
Killua made a disgusted face, “I am not putting bugs on my food.”
“They’ll be in card format.”
“It’s the principle of it!”
“Bug’s are edibl-”
“So you eat bugs?” He raised a brow. “You look like it- Hey!”
He pushed Gon away when the idiot threw the caterpillar card in his head, which quickly turned into a furry bug.
“Gon!”
Gon stuck his tongue at him, because he is the most stubborn and biased tutorial in existence.
(He is sooooo lucky Killua enjoys his nonsense.)
“Kid?” A voice nearby caught their attention “It really is the kid! Thank god.”
A woman walked towards them, she seemed tired, focusing only on Gon but still putting Killua on edge. Who is she? What does she want?
She stopped in front of Gon “Where do I get card 11# Golden Scales?”
“There is a race competition in Akitoba in two hours, if you win first place you’ll be rewarded the scales.” He answered right away “You can also find a couple in the most populated city, just-”
“Save it, I’m not going on this game’s mad hunts” She ruffled Gon’s hair, sparing Killua’s narrowed eyes a suspicious look of her own and walking behind their tree, out of view, before saying “Magnetic force on! Akitoba.” and disappearing.
Good riddance.
Killua glanced at Gon, waiting to see if he would teleport to the new player to help her out and inwardly relaxing when Gon just sighed “If she paid attention she would already have known the card is a prize type.”
“Hum…”
Gon focused on him again, “We have a decent amount of protective cards now. Do you want to visit Akitoba?” He smiled “I’ll meet you there if you use magnetic force, no problem.”
He felt embarrassingly happy that Gon would follow him if he used magnetic force.
Killua ruffled his hair too, just to test his luck, expecting the edges to be sharp and being surprised by how soft it feels under his fingers. He unconsciously ruffled it harder.
“What is this for?!” Gon looked at him in confusion.
Killua stuck his tongue out as an answer, feeling smug “Book” He grabbed a magnetic force card “See you in the city, Gon.”
.
He paid for Gon’s meal in the same restaurant owned by the anthropomorphic wolf.
Gon's eyes widened, his surprisingly soft hair still messy, his laugh so carefree and warm that Killua felt himself grow self-conscious of the spontaneous decision.
“You don’t have to pay for me.” Gon blushed, twirling the pasta in his fork “But I appreciate it. I’ll pay you back.”
“This is already my payback.” Killua dismissed him with a limp hand wave, “So you better enjoy it!”
Gon looked like he wanted to argue, but he looked down at his plate and changed his mind, thanking him for the meal and taking a happy bite.
It put Killua at ease.
.
When they finished cleaning their plate the sun was low, bathing the colorful city with shades of orange and gold. So bright compared to the heavy and isolated atmosphere in Kukuro Mountain...
It feels like being inside a fairy tale. Another world.
“Are you enjoying the game?” Gon asked, his smile serene, eyes hopeful.
“Is not bad,” Killua said, but he didn’t smile back, his mind full of thoughts.
.
“I am from a family of assassins,” Killua admitted, staring at the night sky of this monster infested area.The stars look pretty in this game, realistic and accurate to the outside world but far brighter than in the big cities or his mansion.
He tried to only focus on the sky, not on the company by his side, hating how much anxiety he was pushing down to sound casual. It’s pathetic, truly, but he has gotten attached enough to Gon to take it personally if opening up about his family ends up triggering a lecture about the ‘right’ way to play this game and what Gon considers good or bad.
It’s so childish, how much he values Gon. He should send him back to the beginner city after he finishes his nen training.
(He knows he won’t.)
“Your whole family?” Gon asked, his curious tone making Killua glance his way, feeling his heart sing at how calm he looked.
“Yup! Even the dog.” Killua's eyes crinkled, feeling his usual resentment mix with an unfamiliar giggliness in his chest. It was strange, he wanted to vent, to brag, to do everything he had been bottling up, all at once, but mostly, he wanted to be heard “My family has high hopes for me, but I can’t stand it. It’s always, ‘kill him, kill her, stay inside!’ Ha!” He rolled his eyes “I should be hunting some idiot here too.”
Gon blinked, caught off guard, but he was still listening.
“I can’t even choose a target without mom throwing a fit and my brother saying I can do better." He huffed dramatically "Talk about a bummer.”
“Haha,” Gon sounded a bit awkward, sweat on his cheek, clearly unable to keep up with the mix of half lies and truths that Killua concocted. “The outside world rules are weird.”
“Ha!” Killua barked a sharp and malicious laugh “My parent’s are the weird ones, the outside world is nothing!” He crossed his arms behind his back “Most places are similar to Greed Island, I think.” He huffed “I haven’t seen much of it.”
He isn’t sure if he wants to either.
Unless...
His eyes crinkled with glee “Maybe we-”
‘Should run away together. Explore the world!’ He thought, the nice fantasy burning at the memory of Illumi's empty eyes in the last phase of the hunter exam, a terrifying cold washing over him.
‘Your place is at home.’ The cold grew stronger. ‘You belong at home.’
“Killua?” A calloused hand on his shoulder snapped him out of it.
Killua sweated “Whatever.” He clenched his fists, not wanting Illumi to find Gon.
But Illumi would find him when he got out. He always does. The hunter exam was proof of it.
“I’m tired,” Killua said, turning his back on Gon. He doesn't have to worry about being followed here.
Not yet.
.
“Aiai isn’t far, we should visit it!” Gon smiled, and when he raised a finger, Killua used Gyo, catching the way his aura effortlessly formed a smiling heart. Gon's eyes twinkled, switching the heart to the shape of a thumbs up before dissolving the image “I’ll introduce you to some of my friends!”
‘Am I your friend too?’ he wondered.
“Aiai?” Killua asked instead, pushing down the embarrassing jealousy that comes with the idea a guy designed to be approachable has friends. “What’s that?”
“It’s the city of romance.” Which Killua should have expected from the name, but it still surprised him, having assumed this is an RPG inspired card game, no time for sappy nonsense. “The NPCs are far more complex there, with backstories and distinct individualities.”
Killua stared at him, trying to understand why they would put so much work on the NPCs there instead of the main cities, like Masadora, and feeling increasingly more incredulous at the answers he could find “The NPCs are supposed to be the players' romantic interests.”
“Right again!” Gon praised “Since romance is the main reason the city exist, the residents of Aiai fall in love easily.” Gon eyes sparkled, happy to talk about it “They are very simple people, with many skills! My hoodie was made by a sweet seamstress there. Unfortunately, most of them will refuse to see you again after being rejected, but many can become good friends.”
“Become good friends, eh?” He mumbled with a sharp smile, understanding a bit more why Gon has such an unreasonably appealing design for a mere guide, both in appearance and personality. “Is that where you’re from?”
Gon blinked, his big honey and golden eyes in a sea of dull eyed NPCs finally making sense.
“Didn’t know NPCs could get out of their city.” Killua teased, eyes crinkled.
Indeed, he hasn't seen any other characters walk around the towns. Gon must be special. A key character, so to speak.
Maybe he is a secret route? A boss that gives a rare card after gaining enough affection points? Was his delight at being brought food a foreshadowing that he is a romanceable character?
Not bad.
(The idea made him blush, somewhat familiar with romance games from terrorizing Milluki and stealing his favorite ones, but not by much. Would Gon try to kiss him when he triggers an… event or whatever… And if he fails, would Gon leave? How long would that take? How much is he allowed to stumble before a game over?
The idea of romance, even if just a play pretend version of it, makes him feel weird, it’s borderline terrifying, but there is a tiny hint of curiosity too, of something that compels him.)
Maybe he’ll indulge Gon’s storyline.
“Killua…” Gon sweated, awkwardly scratching his cheek “I am not a character of the game.”
Killua froze, blurting out a startled “You’re not?”
Gon shook his head, playing innocent. Cause it has to be a tease, a trick, there is just no way he is a person.
(The possibility Gon has always been a kid his age and he keep treating him as an NPC is too mortifying to consider. He can't be real. He just can't.)
“Liar.” He pointed an accusing finger at him “You don’t have a ring! You don’t show up in the book list, and you said you live here!” Killua raised his voice, growing more confident the more he stacked the overflowing piles of signs that Gon isn’t a player “Every NPC knows you too!” He huffed, “You yap like a tutorial guide!”
“Haha, so I have heard...” Gon sounded more awkward than offended, scratching the back of his neck, “I am an honorary game master.”
“A game master.” Killua repeated slowly, feeling like his brain was exploding.
Now that he thinks about it, the white haired girl that greeted him when he entered the game wasn’t wearing a ring either, and he is pretty sure she didn’t show up on his list when Gon showed him how the Contact card worked.
Not to mention his unnaturally refined nen doesn’t mean he is made of it, that’s such a newbie assumption, of course Gon could just be (a far better nen user than Killua?? That’s…! That’s unfair! Why is Gon stronger than him? Gon didn't train as much so why why why is he-) a master of Nen?
A nen master. A game master.
Shit shit shit.
“Is complicated... Razor said I shouldn’t spread it.” Gon added, oblivious to his growing mortification “But I trust you”
Why?
“Is that so?” Killua buried his hands in his pockets, far more aware of his every action and feeling unbalanced by it.
Did he share too much about his family too fast? Was his disinterest seen as cool? Does that mean he can’t ask about Gon's life now cause that would be uncool? But he wants to know so much more about Gon! How should he approach him?
Gon doesn't mind that I’m part of a family of assassins, he won't care about some questions.
Right. Yeah. Of course.
Killua sweated, feeling dumb. It isn’t something he is used to. It's not a nice feeling.
“Are you disappointed?” Gon asked in the face of his silence.
“No way, I am happy I’ve been talking to a person.” Killua admitted, trying to be as casual as ever but blushing a little when Gon beamed.
Was that too eager?
“Me too.” Gon said.
Killua offered him a tentative smile, raising his hand. Gon was happy to high-five him.