So, umm... hi. This is my first fic on this site by the way, for I've originally written this story for a joint practical test in my class's Reading and English subjects. When I'd first written this, I was planning to leave the characters unnamed, but for the sake of both publishing it here on FFnet and the fact that I adore the anime Hunter X Hunter and have been wanting to write a tribute for it ever since it finished, I decided to make it a family-ish fic between Killua and Alluka, with Gon in the mix for a little while. (And I'm sorry, but no, this isn't a KilluGon fic). If you're asking for their ages in this alternate timeline, Gon and Killua are both 13, while Alluka is 12 (Killua still considers her a 'little girl' by the way). So, uhh... yeah. Please notify me in pm or review if I missed any details or grammar, and if a part or scene confuses you, please don't be afraid to ask. I'm sorry by the way, I'm taking up your time with this lousy author's note. By all means, please continue the story!
Nothing really mattered anymore; for she was still his sister.
And a bite from one of them wasn't about to change that.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine."
In a cold sweat, he wakes up from yet another nightmare. His palms are clammy, and the slightest hint of moisture has gathered in his eye. Stomach churning, he glances to his left, seeing his best friend and little sister, both still fast asleep. He heaves out a sigh in relief. Three years. Three whole years now. Their small makeshift campfire has nearly died out, with bits of graying charcoal, ashes and a few weak-flamed embers flickering in the little pile of sticks and pebbles. Muttering to himself, he begins his share of the daily rounds. Scout the area, gather any water available, replenish their heat source. His muscles groan in protest when he begins to sprint. Past the trees, eyes alert, he heads to the river. The shallow pail in his arm rattles, the water quickly filling it up. Balancing it in the crook of his elbow, he begins to slowly make his way back to the fort. He hates water runs. His heart soon drops in his chest when he soon hears the monotonous growling that he's long grown accustomed to.
He sets the pail down and blindly dodges to his left. Cursing under his breath, knife in hand, he plunges its rusted metal to the hilt into the corpse's wrist. Using his other hand to hold it down, he decapitates the body. Panting, he gathers up the pail once more and makes a beeline for shelter, hands tightening their grip on their respective items.
He weakly cracks open the worn metal door, to be greeted by his still-snoring companions. Despite all that's happened these past several years, a chuckle manages to escape his lips.
After setting the small pail atop the embers to (hopefully) boil, he watches the sleeping form of his sister. She's young, way too young... he thinks. In the middle of gathering up his tattered sleeping bag, the little girl stirs.
He scrambles to set up the gift tucked behind his supply bag, wrapping it up in old, crinkly newspapers. He soon finds a short string of twine and uses that to hold the present together. Just in time too, for his sibling yawns and sits up just a little while after he finishes struggling with the messy ribbon sitting atop it.
A tired smile makes its way to his face.
Happy Birthday.
"You make me happy, when skies are gray."
The joy on her face says it all. After receiving the parcel, she runs up to smother her face in his stomach. Her laughter rings in his ears, too young, too innocent. His best friend is awoken by the commotion and sluggishly gets to his feet, blade at the ready. The sleepy man's face softens at the happy scene.
I got you something nice; her brother's skittish body language all but screams. Mischievous eyes turn to him and greedy hands reach out, tearing at the paper before he even let it go. Fascinated, the young girl twirls the brass switchblade in between her fingers, coppery reflections glinting off its edges. She liked it. A lot.
So shortly after, an opportunity arose to test it out.
One of the dead bit sharply into her friend's ankle, causing him to cry out in alarm and pain. She flinches and her brother quickly grabs a pistol from their shared ammunition bag and, eye shining with remorse, looked to his target.
The bitten young man nodded.
A silenced gunshot paired with the sickening crack of bone resounded throughout the old warehouse, the sick boy's form collapsing to the ground. Shocked, she turns to the source of the noise. Her brother stood just a little behind her, weapon quivering as he drops to his knees, grabbing her up in a trembling hug.
Her fingers gently drag along the back of his worn cotton shirt. She smiles, but it is sad when his eye scrapes over her, scanning for any injuries. Her brows knit together, teeth clenching when he sighs relieved, until she carefully hikes up her track pants, revealing a reddish-green mark on her calf with purple bruising around the edges.
"You'll never know, dear, how much I love you."
He couldn't move, speak, let alone breathe. His sister was in front of him now, or at least her body now is. Eye blank, he gathers her up in a piggyback ride and proceeds to step out of their broken base's creaky gates and into its trampled parking lot.
Wordlessly, he sets her down on the asphalt, pointing upwards. The sun had since then long set, casting an indigo blanket over to coat the grayish horizon. The sky was dotted by several stars, each one twinkling to their own heartbeat-like rhythm. Her eyes drift over to him, awaiting the shot that never came. She could feel the need for flesh pulsing deep within her, her brain already beginning to rot away. So she lightly tugs on his sleeve, former deep coal irises transmuting into a murky, clouded reddish-brown.
He nods.
So she ever-so-slowly makes her way over to him, pointing a questioning look his way for confirmation. His gaze is firm now, telling her that yes, yes she can.
So she sinks her teeth into his shoulder, muttering "I'm sorry"s over and over. He smiles, albeit a pained one. For through the haze of crying and agony, he manages to choke out six words, words you would most likely hear in a lullaby.
"Please don't take my sunshine away."