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The morning stood still, holding its breath. A faint glow signaled the awakening of the sun, and the city was just beginning to churn below.
Gon and Killua currently lay sprawled out on top of the skyscraper's roof, enjoying the sunrise and the fresh morning air that ruffled their hair and filled their lungs with new purpose. They both were silent for once- no tickling wars ensued, no giggles racked the air. It was just them, the fading night above, and the rosy fingers of the dawn.
Killua loved this peace. It was a rest from the running, the jumping, the fun.
A rest from everything.
Well, everything except Gon.
Because Gon would always be with him.
Killua smiled to himself, content. He often had found himself thinking things like that lately. He didn't know why, but it was comforting all the same.
Gon was never leaving him.
Killua lazily glanced over at the boy next to him. Gon was being especially quiet. Killua could barely tell he was there.
Gon's eyes were closed, and his breathing was even. Killua committed to memory the honest expression he always bore, even when asleep.
Wait…asleep?
Killua poked his friend in the ribs.
No reaction.
Killua giggled.
Gon had fallen asleep!
Killua covered his mouth with a hand, fighting laughter. He could only just barely control himself.
And this was probably why everything after that happened so fast.
Suddenly, a blur flew past him. Killua didn't even have time to turn his head to catch sight of the figure. He could only feel the rush of air, the chuckle of a laugh he knew from somewhere, and then there was Gon, standing on the edge.
Of course, Gon was asleep. There was no way he could be standing…
But then Gon was tipping, falling forwards, falling forwards and over the building…
Killua leaped with lightning speed, cutting through the morning breeze like a knife through butter. Catching Gon before his friend could fall down, down, down…
Killua looked over the side of the skyscraper and shivered. He didn't even want to think about what would have happened if he hadn't gotten Gon quick enough.
Focusing his attention to his surroundings, Killua absent mindedly shook Gon awake as he scanned for the person who had caused the whole scenario in the first place. The fact was, Killua already knew who that certain someone was. Only one person could laugh like that.
"Hisoka, come out already."
Killua's voice was confident. Gon groaned beside him, and rubbed his eyes. Killua glanced over at him. There was blood running down from one of Gon's temples. How did he do that?
"Wh-what's going on?" Gon murmured. Killua gave him the short summary, and watched as Gon's eyes widened.
Gon touched his temple. His fingers came back crimson.
"Hello, my unripe fruits."
Finally, the man that they both knew was there stepped away from what remained of the night time shadows. His pale skin gleamed in the early morning sun that shone behind Gon and Killua, framing them in rays of orange.
"What do you want?" Killua asked. Gon nodded. Killua's voice was harsh and cold, demanding.
Hisoka chuckled, sending shivers down Gon's spine. Gon felt his vision begin to swim. What was going on?
Gon clutched Killua's forearm, much to Killua's surprise.
"Gon, are you alright? Gon!"
Gon shook his head, trying to rid his ears of an awful ringing sound that slowly was increasing in volume. Pain flared through his head. It felt like someone had lighted a fire inside his brain. His vision did back flips.
"Wh-what?" he whispered. Gon faintly heard Hisoka laugh once more.
"My dear Gon, do not worry. I just want to see how much you trust your friend here!"
Killua was holding him now. Gon grasped at his friend, for something solid, something that wasn't floating and that wasn't hurting like the devil.
After a moment, Gon grabbed control of his body. His headache throbbed, but it was manageable. Focusing his eyes, he blinked as he realized that they weren't on top of the skyscraper anymore.
They were in a large warehouse, or at least, Gon thought it was a warehouse. It was more like a large obstacle course.
Currently, Gon found himself being carried up a latter that lead to a diving board. Below the board was a pool…of deadly, gleaming spikes. Gon gulped.
Killua was holding him close, as if he was the only real thing there. Once they finally where at the top, felt Killua let him go. It took a moment for Gon to regain his balance, but soon he stopped wobbling and silently watched as Killua descend back down, leaving Gon on the edge of the diving board.
Gon was panting now. He watched as Killua slowly began walking away from him towards a pair of shackles far at the end of the wall. He seemed so far away…Gon guessed it was approximately a hundred and fifty meters away.
The cold laughter of Hisoka rang through the air.
"Gon, your faced with a choice."
Gon glanced around, but he couldn't see Hisoka. He could only hear his voice, and watch as Killua chained himself to the wall.
"You either jump and count on the fact that Killua will catch you or don't jump and let Killua take the consequences."
Hisoka's voice seemed to smile. Gon wondered why the clown was doing this to them. Judging from his experience with the man, he guessed that Hisoka was either being put up to it by someone or this was his idea of amusement.
Both answers made him mad.
Gon nodded as he stared at Killua. He could even see Killua's eyes widen.
It was no small distance from the diving board and the where Killua was, not to mention the fact that he was chained. It was extremely risky that Gon would die if it even took Killua a millisecond too late.
But Gon would rather die than have to watch Killua "take the consequences."
And so Gon took the extra step off of the diving board without a second thought.
The wind rushed past his face for a brief moment. The spike loomed up towards him. Gon kept his eyes open, not even doubting for a moment that Killua was about to grab him.
Gon stopped his descent. The tips of a spike dug into his forehead, and a trickle of blood dripped down from the cut. Gon barely noticed.
But Killua did. He was breathing heavily, and as he swiftly lifted his smiling friend from the pool of lethal barbs. That had been too close. Way too close.
"I didn't doubt you for a second Killua." Gon said seriously, smiling. He wasn't kidding.
Gon had just stared death in the face. Literally.
Killua breathed in. Out. In. Out. In…
Damn you Hisoka.
The chortling of the man was accompanied by a malicious aura, reminding him of their situation.
While Gon had been in too much pain to follow their conversation, the clown had spoken to Killua, explaining, if you could call it explaining, what this whole thing was about.
"Of course, I won't kill you. But you might kill yourselves. Don't do that. It would be a waste." That snickering voice.
Killua had narrowed his eyes, deadly.
"It's a test. A test from whom, I cannot say, but a test none the less. If you fail, you may never see each other again."
That sniggering. That mocking. That threat. It hit home for Killua.
If you fail, you may never see each other again.
What sort of sick test was this anyway?
"Next test…Gon, put on the blind fold!"
Hisoka's puerile tones, as if he was enjoying himself, hammered rage into Killua. Gon, who was currently wiping blood from his eyes, looked around. On a table just a little ways away, there was a thick, black blindfold.
Unsteadily walking over to it, Gon tried to tie it around his head. His arms felt so heavily, it was as if they were made of lead. Did Hisoka poison him or something? He felt like a helpless little boy who couldn't do anything on his own.
Suddenly, gentle hands were helping him, tying the blindfold around his head. Gon looked up, but couldn't see anything. Not like he needed to or anything. He already knew who it was.
"Thanks Ki-Killua." Gon stuttered, fatigue and rough pain dragging at his stamina. He couldn't even talk properly.
Why were they doing this anyway?
And that's when Gon's resolve hardened and he tried with all his strength to quell his trembling limbs, which he just realized had been shaking.
If Gon didn't do his part, Killua would be the one to suffer.
And Gon would never let that happen.
Never.
"Wh-what do I…do now?" he coughed. His nose was clogging up with blood, that awful smell, so tangy and strong in the air…
But where was this blood coming from?
For a moment, Gon paniced. Was Killua alright? Was Killua hurt? Was Killua the one that was bleeding?
And then suddenly Gon had fallen to the floor.
What was going on?
And it was only then that Gon realized that the blood he smelled was his own.
The pain came then, tearing through his head and out of his throat. He was coughing, vomiting blood. He faintly heard Killua screaming his name.
A spike had managed to pierce him right in between the ribs. Gon felt the hot liquid as he clutched his stomach. The blackness of the blindfold turned purple.
He felt hands helping him, hands frantically bandaging him. A voice he knew cursing his own stupidity. Gon shook his head.
"Stop…" he murmured. If they focused on him, then maybe Killua would take the blame…
The thought made Gon constrict.
"STOP!" Gon shrieked, a blood curdling, pleading, begging sound that resembled half broken claws on an old chalk board. The hands stopped, suddenly, surprised.
"We…continue…" Gon muttered, but he tried to make himself clear. Gon's eyes widened, even though nobody could see them.
And then he was standing.
Giggling.
Hisoka.
"Stick close to Killua, Gon. Otherwise, you might die."
Gon reached out his hands, trying to feel for Killua.
"Gon, stop!"
Gon immediately froze.
"Take a step to your right."
Gon did as he was ordered.
"Take another step to the right."
Killua was sweating. This was bad.
What Gon didn't know, and what Killua did, was that Gon was about two inches away from a pool of acid that he faintly remembered his mother telling him that it would be too dangerous for him to drink as a child. It was a corroding acid that ate at flesh in milliseconds.
If Gon so much as stepped in it…
Killua shook his head. He had to lead Gon through this obstacle course.
"Jump up and forward about three feet."
"Sidestep left and then as fast as you can take three steps forward."
"Duck! Gon, roll to the right five feet!"
"Don't move!"
Gon obeyed his every command with perfection, completely trusting Killua to give him the right coordinates to get past the swinging blades and the flame throwers.
Gon could barely do anything himself. His ears could only just faintly hear Killua's commands. His nose was stuffed with the smell of blood. He couldn't see. His limbs dragged, tiredness weighing them down. His body labored, beaten and drugged.
After jumping over another obstacle (a rotating blade coated in poison), Gon collapsed. Killua screamed his name, telling him to get up quick.
"Gon, hurry! HURRY! GON!"
Gon forced his feet to move and ran forward, trusting that Killua would tell him if there was something there.
"Dodge left!"
Gon pushed his body left, clumsy and slow. He felt air rush past his arm, and then felt a slice of pain. He hadn't been quite fast enough.
"Run left!"
Gon sprinted, his feet leaden.
"RUN!"
Gon gave every last ounce of strength he had left.
"A FEW MORE FEET!"
And with one final burst of speed, Gon crumpled to the cold floor.
He didn't know for how long he lay there. All he knew was the pain that seared through his veins like white fire. All he knew was that he felt like he was dying. All he wanted to know was if Killua was alright.
When he final had stopped violently twitching and regained control over his body, Gon's eyes fluttered open.
Somebody had taken his blindfold off. Gon blinked up at the dark ceiling above him. There was a splotch of white, and Gon tried to focus on it.
He soon realized that it was Killua.
His friend bore an expression of profound worry, as if it had been keeping him up for several days. Blue eyes glistened, and Gon grasped at their depth. They seemed too real for him.
"Gon…"
Gon blinked.
"We have one more test to do."
Gon blinked again.
He sat up, and then he was standing. Gon leaned heavily Killua, who acted like a crutch as the two walked over to the final stage of this strange, life threatening trust exercise.
Killua hated everything just then. Everything except Gon, that is. He hated Hisoka. Hated that they had to take this test. Hated that Gon had to go through this pain.
He hated it.
Ahead of them was a long table with huge, metal straps at its base and half way. Killua recognized it. It was a table he had seen many times in his youth.
A torture table.
...
To be continued! PLEASE REVIEW!
