"Let's go on this one next!"

"What?"

Gon tugged at Killua's arm, guiding his attention away from the ice cream stand beside them. "Come on, Killua! It looks fun, right?"

Killua looked askance at the metal monstrosity towering above them. His stomach turned a somersault.

"Gon, why don't you go on that? I'll wait down here for you. Hold your stuff, you know."

"Aww, but Killua!"

Gon pouted up at him, all big, appealing eyes and kissable lips. Killua groaned. He hadn't looked away quickly enough, and now he was, well, Gon for.

"Fine," he said. "But just once."

Gon beamed at him, bright and smiling. "That's fine! Come on, then! Let's go get in line!"

"You go hold our place. I'll be right over."

Killua made his way over to the bench where Kurapika and Leorio were waiting and watching this exchange with some amusement. He put his bag into Kurapika's hands. "Watch this for me. And if I die, give everything I own to Alluka."

"To me? Really, Killua?"

"Yeah. It's not like I'd give it to any of the others."

"Aww! You're the best!"

"Only if I die, though," Killua pointed out hurriedly. "You're not getting jack otherwise."

Alluka stuck out her tongue at him. "Meanie."

"Rude."

Kurapika smiled kindly at the siblings. "Now, don't bicker. Alluka, I'll buy you a stuffed toy later. And Killua, don't worry. You won't die."

"You don't know that."

"I do. Statistics show that most roller coaster accidents merely leave people irreparably injured for life."

"True," agreed Leorio. "I've seen a few cool case studies in class."

Killua thought he might have made a mistake eating all that cotton candy earlier. Now he felt like throwing up.

"Guys, please..."

"Don't worry!" Kurapika patted him reassuringly on the hand. "Accidents are very rare. So this will be a good excuse to sit tight and cling to Gon."

"Eh-what?"

"It will be very romantic," said Leorio. "Hold his hand and tell him how big and strong he is. Guys like that."

Kurapika looked askance at him. "Is that what you like?"

"I mean, I wouldn't be averse to you reminding me, oh, maybe once or twice a day."

"You're stupid."

"I love you too."

Killua clenched his jaw. He had no other choice but to get on with this. After all, his only other option was standing here and watching Leorio and Kurapika flirt with each other.

"Okay," he said. "I'm going."

Kurapika and Leorio waved at him. "Good luck!"

"Hold his hand!" added Alluka happily, and very, very loudly. Killua rolled his eyes dramatically at her. Sometimes, little sisters were the worst. He loved her, though. Upon his tragic and imminent demise, he would be happy for her to receive all his worldly treasures.

"Killua!"

Killua looked up to see Gon come skipping over, waving his arm above his head as if he needed any more help getting his attention.

"Killua! Come on! The line is getting shorter! We're almost next!"

Killua blinked. "Should you have given up our place in line?"

"Don't worry, I got a nice man to save it for us! Come on!"

"Fine, fine."

Killua allowed himself to be led over to the line. It wasn't actually that short, but Gon pulled him up to the front, waving cheerfully at all the people they passed.

"Here we are!" he exclaimed, once they'd reached the third place from the gate. "Thanks so much for holding our place, Mr. Hisoka!"

Mr. Hisoka turned around. He was the creepiest person Killua had ever seen, complete with dyed pink hair, a face full of weird makeup, and an honest-to-goodness clown suit.

"Ah," he said. His voice sounded like the aural personification of slime. "Good to see you back, little boy. And I see you brought your friend. Very good. Very good."

Killua didn't know whether he wanted to kick this guy in the shins or run away. Fortunately (or unfortunately), though, he didn't have to do either, because at that moment, the attendant ushered them through the gate.

Gon clutched at Killua's arm. "We're going! Isn't this exciting?"

"It's exciting," agreed Killua in a monotone. Gon didn't seem to notice.

"Come on, let's go in the front! That's the scariest!"

Ugh. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. Killua followed Gon to the front-most car and strapped himself in, deciding that this was best after all. At least, this way he would probably die quickly.

The attendant took her time strapping everyone in, which Killua appreciated, but all too soon, she was heading back and pulling the lever to start the ride. Killua couldn't stop himself. He clutched at Gon's leg.

Gon looked at him, bright, smiling, and totally puzzled. "Huh? But Killua, don't you want to put your hands in the air?"

"N-no, that's okay," stuttered Killua. "You do it for me."

"Well, okay!"

There was no time to respond. The ride had started. Killua closed his eyes in sheer terror, holding his breath as the car began to ascend up the metal ramp that would send them hurtling towards oblivion. Was he breathing? He didn't know. All he knew was that he was about to die.

For a second, the ride stopped. Killua dared to open his eyes. And then, they began to hurtle forward. Sound seemed to stop as they flew down, caught in free-fall. Killua wanted to shut his eyes again, but he couldn't seem to figure out how, and he didn't think he was breathing, and everything was a blur, and his stomach felt awful, and here it was, death at last. Dimly, he realized he was screaming. He tried to shut his mouth, so as not to embarrass himself in front of Gon, but it was probably too late for that, wasn't it? He tried to take a breath, and everything went black.

"Killua! Killua!"

Killua struggled to open his eyes. Where was he? For a second, he couldn't remember. And then,

"Holy shit! Am I dead? Is this hell?"

"Why do you think you're going to hell?" came Alluka's curious voice.

Killua groaned and opened his eyes all the way. He couldn't be dead, then, not if Alluka was here.

"What happened?"

"You fainted." Gon's face appeared over him, concerned brown eyes staring into his. "Killua, why didn't you tell me you were afraid of roller coasters?"

Killua sat up. He felt okay, really, just a little weak and shaky. But he was glad to be alive.

"Who told you?"

"I did."

Kurapika appeared, carrying a glass of water. Leorio was right behind them. Killua glared weakly at them both.

"You weren't supposed to tell him that!"

"Well, he asked. What was I supposed to do?"

Kurapika set the glass of water down on the bench beside him. Then, they took Alluka by the hand and began to pull her away.

"Come on, why don't I get you your toy now? I think Killua and Gon want to talk."

"Should we really be leaving..." began Leorio. Kurapika grabbed him, too.

"They want to talk."

"Oh, okay."

Leorio, Kurapika, and Alluka disappeared. Killua really wished they hadn't, because now they were coming up on a touchy subject. He smiled nervously at Gon.

"I'm okay, really."

"No!" Gon sat down beside him, staring at him with those big, earnest eyes. "Killua, I was so worried! Why did you go on that roller coaster if you were so scared?"

"I..." Killua swallowed. His mouth was dry, but he didn't think it had anything to do with his fainting fit. "I wanted you to be happy," he mumbled.

"What? But Killua! I think that's a little too far!"

Gon grasped at his hand in his ardor, eyes gleaming with passion. He was pure sunlight. Killua honestly didn't know how he stopped himself from burning up every day.

"I want to go far for you," he said before he could stop himself. Gon's eyes somehow got even wider.

"What?"

Oh. Oh shit.

"Nothing," he began. Gon wasn't having any of it, though.

"No! Killua, what did you want to say? You have to say it!"

Killua had never been proof against Gon's requests. He sighed and looked down. It was hard enough making the confession without staring directly into Light Boy's brilliant eyes.

"I like you," he said.

"What?"

"Yeah." Killua sighed again. He'd ruined everything now. Gon would hate him, and and they would never speak again, and he would die alone, miserable and-

"Killua!"

Killua looked up, reflexive, and Gon was smiling, brighter than he'd ever seen, and then there was a hand on the back of his neck and warm, chapped lips on his, and-

Gon was kissing him.

What?!

Killua pulled away (loath as he was to do so), gasping for breath. This had to be some kind of trick.

"Gon. What are you doing?"

"Kissing you," said Gon, like it was perfectly obvious. "You like me, and I like you. So I wanted to kiss you. Was that not okay?"

"What?" Killua's brain was short-circuiting. "Gon. What. You like me?"

Gon smiled at him, clear and sunny as the day. "Of course! How could I not? You're Killua!"

"You like me," repeated Killua numbly. This was more than he could process. "You like me, and I like you."

"Now you get it!" Gon inched forward again, warm breath tickling Killua's nose. "Now can I kiss you?"

There was only one answer to that. Killua pressed forward and caught Gon's mouth with his own. It was infinitely better than he'd imagined (even though he'd imagined it a lot), all warm and sweet and perfect. Who would have known that kissing sunshine would feel so good?

When they finally broke apart, Gon was grinning hard enough to burst. Killua knew he was, too.

"Gon," he said.

"Killua!"

"Congratulations, you two," came a voice. Killua dragged his eyes away from Gon to see Kurapika, Leorio, and Alluka standing next to the bench, looking like they'd just won the lottery. Leorio was running his hands together, and Kurapika was holding a camera.

"I got your first kiss on film," they said casually, holding it up.

Killua hid his face in his hands. "You saw that?"

"Don't be embarrassed," said Alluka helpfully. "It was very cute."

"Yes, yes. We're happy for you."

"And it was about time, too," added Leorio.

Gon smiled at them all, somehow not even the least bit chagrined. "I'm so happy!"

"Well, then." Kurapika turned to the others, one eyebrow arched mischievously. "Now that the good part is over, shall we really go and buy Alluka's toy? I think these two lovebirds would like some time to themselves."

"Yes, definitely." Leorio winked at them both. "Be good, you two. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"That's not much of an advice," said Kurapika. Leorio flipped them off.

"Shush, you."

Alluka looked at Killua. Whatever she saw in his face must have satisfied her, because she darted forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek, quick as anything, then came back to Kurapika's side to tug on their hand.

"Let's go," she sang.

"Okay." Kurapika waved at Killua and Gon, already starting to walk away. "Text me when you're ready to leave. We'll meet up then. See you in a bit!"

Killua didn't answer. He was too busy smiling at Gon.

"What should we do?" he asked.

"Everything!" Gon took his hand, squeezed it, and jumped to his feet. "Come on, Killua. Let's go explore! We can do it all!"

Killua stood up, too. Gon was right, there was a whole world out there for the taking. Maybe some parts of it were scary, but that was okay. As long as Gon was by his side, everything would turn out all right.