Hello, everyone. I've gotten quite spoiled I suppose primarily working on AO3 over the past year or so so it feels a little strange to me to be putting an author note directly in the chapter? Wow, hi again, 2007, or as I like to fondly call it, "The Dark Days of My Weeb Writing."
Anyhow, jokes aside, I feel it's best to give content warnings for this fic (albeit I didn't add this until I was about to upload chapter two, oops) and since I can't really use any tags or anything, I'll just be writing it here. Please be patient with me while I get used to working on another platform ^^; I also didn't realize there were special character restrictions and thus there were no breaks between my scenes! Sorry about that! That's been fixed!
A short list of content to be aware of (details after the list):
-implied sexual content
-dubcon
-abuse
-dissociation
-dysphoria
Though this fic will not cover any explicit sex scenes, there will be a few implied or referenced. There is a case of a scene that builds like it's going to move into a dubious consent moment but it de-escalates pretty quickly and nothing beyond a forced kiss really happens. I'll be sure to make author note warnings for each of these things at the beginning of the chapters like I have below.
Also, Illumi is shown being physically and mentally/emotionally abusive to Killua and Killua dissociates sometimes, especially after dealings with Illumi. I wasn't planning on putting up warnings for those things but if y'all would prefer I do put in warnings for it, leave a comment to let me know.
There are occasional references to Kurapika, who is characterized as a trans man, experiencing dysphoria as well, starting from his first appearance.
Also, not a content warning, but just a note of a couple of choices I've made with characterization: in this fic, I've coded Gon as autistic. I felt like it was fairly obvious but my beta didn't catch onto it so I wanted to mention it just so people, like, get it because a lot of his behaviors are based on this fact. Also, as I said in the summary, everyone is about 8 years older than they were at the start of canon so Gon and Killua have already turned 20, Kurapika is 25, Leorio is 27, etc.
Content warnings for this chapter:
-An instance of Hisoka Can't Keep His Hands to Himself. Very brief, not detailed. Also involves Kurapika.
Ch 1
Killua wasn't sure he was ready to be king.
His father, King Silva, seemed to think he was when he stepped down from the throne just over a year ago, ceding it to Killua, who had been 19 at the time. He was named crown prince over his two older brothers, Princes Illumi and Milluki. However, Illumi had insisted that he act as regent, in charge of passing judgement on any of Killua's decisions, until Killua had proved himself a fit king through a feat of military prowess when the opportunity presented itself. Having to prove oneself to a regent was a standard procedure in the Zoldyck kingdom, but often only for princes who took the throne as children. Though Silva had seemed opposed to the idea, Queen Kikyou had been supportive and Silva had relented, insisting that a son of his would have no problem rising to such a task.
Killua had always been under Illumi's thumb. Illumi was manipulative and condescending and wasn't against becoming physically violent with Killua, usually under the guise of training. His parents always insisted it was "out of good intentions" and "in the interest of Killua's growth," and as such they determinedly looked the other way. It wasn't like they had ever been any better, it was just that Illumi's influence was more direct.
"Killua?"
Killua felt an easy smile spread across his face at the voice.
"Yeah, Gon, I'm in here," he answered.
Killua and Gon had known each other since they were children. Gon's parents, Sirs Ging and Kite, were also esteemed knights, now on a long journey of discovery, not expected back for many years still. It was no surprise when Gon showed the same great potential that his parents had shown in knighthood training.
Due to their longstanding history and closeness, Killua and Gon hardly used honorific terms for one another. However, it was unusual for Gon and Killua to be as close of friends as they were given their positions. For the king to be so familiar with someone as far beneath him in social standing as a knight was viewed as almost debasing. It was common for Killua's advisors to comment on their closeness, though Killua sometimes wondered how much of that was Illumi's influence.
Killua remembered the first time Gon had met him like this after he had taken the throne.
"Well, it's Your Majesty now, huh?" Gon's voice came across less confidently the second time as he stepped into the empty throne room.
"Ugh, ew, don't call me that," Killua said flippantly. "It makes me feel like you're my servant or something. I know you're my knight but you're my best friend too, so you don't have to use any special titles or whatever unless we're in public. …Or my brother is around…."
Gon's face turned into a heavy scowl at the mention of Prince Illumi and he glared at the floor. He was quite aware of the mistreatment Killua suffered at Illumi's hand. He seemed to remember things Killua didn't even remember telling him.
"He's so awful," Gon complained. "I wish you were going to finally be free from him now that you're king."
Killua shrugged. "Can't really get rid of him without proof he's doing something wrong."
There was a tense silence but before long, Gon's voice broke it.
"Killua?" Gon sounded uncertain. "I'll still be able to come visit you like always, right?"
"Of course, stupid," Killua said. "Like I'd give that up! Isn't that what you'd expect? Have you been worrying about this?"
"Yeah."
Killua wanted to laugh but when Gon raised his face and their eyes met, Killua felt something like lightning go through his body. It wasn't new but he still didn't understand it. It felt like his skin was ablaze in cold fire and all the blood in his body was surging. The shared gaze only lasted a split second before Gon, who had always been uncomfortable with eye contact, looked away, but the effect on Killua felt the same as if Gon had held his gaze for hours.
Killua awkwardly cleared his throat and said, "Well quit worrying about it, nothing's gonna change."
Illumi had asserted himself as regent only a few days later, so things had changed after all, but they did their best to maintain their friendship in small ways.
"It's almost time for training," Gon said. "You're ready, right?"
"Yeah, Gon, let's go."
xxx
Kurapika awoke, initially displeased. He often woke in a bad mood these days as he struggled to sleep, and when he did, nightmares regularly rendered it restless.
This night, his sleep had been disturbed with thoughts of the Phantom Troupe, a group of thieves that had been plaguing his kingdom off and on for a couple of years already. And upon waking, his mind was still on them and his mood thus not at all improved.
Kurapika lay back on his bed with a sigh. The Troupe had been causing the kingdom a grave amount of trouble lately, attacking caravan after caravan, focusing on stealing the Kurta kingdom's primary export, Scarlet Eyes. They were a rare gem only found in mines within the Kurta kingdom, unrivaled in clarity but mostly desired for their brilliant scarlet color that seemed to catch fire in the sunlight. They were sought after for their beauty by the rich and were popular amongst fortune tellers and sorcerers for magical applications.
"Your Majesty?" Neon, one of Kurapika's servants, called through the door. "Are you going to be ready for breakfast soon? Shall I tell the cook?"
"Yes, Neon, thank you," Kurapika answered as he dressed himself.
The Kurta style of dress was different from how many surrounding kingdoms dressed, consisting of at least two layers the majority of the time. Most often, the Kurta wore a loose shirt and pant set underneath some outer garment that draped over the clothes underneath to varying degrees, depending on the occasion and the wearer's preference. The culture of the Kurta kingdom was rather modest so the clothes were loose, avoiding highlighting the shape of one's body, but some who had visited the kingdom started dressing in Kurta fashion largely for the comfort.
Kurapika pulled on his top garment over his corset and the rest of his clothes. This one had a secondary piece to it over the chest area, further downplaying his chest. He usually only wore this one on days he needed to take off from wearing his corset, but he had been feeling especially self-conscious today, remembering, for some ill-fated reason, the bygone days of being called "Lady Kurapika."
"Also, your eye appointment today is scheduled for lunchtime. Is that still acceptable?" Neon asked.
He had an appointment with Leorio that afternoon! Leorio was the physician who had monitored and treated Kurapika's eyes for the past several years and at remembering he would be seeing Leorio today, his spirits rose.
Vision impairment was pervasive in the kingdom, largely due to the fact that much of the Kurta kingdom still came from the same bloodline, that of the clan that founded the kingdom a few generations ago. The trait was slowly becoming less common as people immigrated from other lands, but it was a slow process.
"Yes, that is fine," Kurapika answered, putting on his lenses now that he was fully dressed.
Time with Leorio would be nice. Maybe today would be okay.
xxx
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty," Leorio said politely as he entered Kurapika's room.
"Good afternoon, Leorio," Kurapika responded in kind. "Close the door on your way in."
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Leorio closed the door as instructed. He turned to see Kurapika already walking toward him, arms open. Leorio reciprocated and the two shared an embrace.
Kurapika breathed in the scents lingering on Leorio's clothes. He was never quite sure what part of it was the herbs and other plants he worked with and what part was just how he smelled, but Leorio always smelled nice. Most doctors who worked with the eyes only worked in that field, but Leorio handled other medical procedures too. He had apparently always had a knack for the medicinal arts.
"I've been looking forward to this appointment all day," Leorio said.
"I admit it was quite a pick-me-up for me as well," Kurapika said. "Yesterday was yet another fruitless day with the council and my thoughts were so of the Spiders, I barely slept."
"Still no budging, then?"
"No…" Kurapika frowned and pulled out of the hug. "I wish I knew some way to convince them and the citizens that it is worth it to eradicate the Spiders. They are killing us, Leorio, even if it is slow."
In his frustration, Kurapika walked over and sat with a huff on his bed. He crossed his arms and scowled, trying to reason through the issue again.
"Even if we cannot directly fund military support or action, if we were to ally ourselves with more militarily powerful kingdoms, we may be able to get assistance from them in exchange for something else, something we could do for them or…" Kurapika groaned as he trailed off. He had been over this idea before and gotten nowhere. "I understand why hiring mercenaries is out of the question, but…"
Leorio came and knelt before him, cupping Kurapika's cheek in his hand.
Kurapika met Leorio's gaze. "We simply cannot survive as an isolationist kingdom with no military strength anymore."
"Don't give up, Your Majesty," Leorio said. "I'm sure you can convince them. Maybe you just need to try a different strategy."
Kurapika brought his hand up to hold Leorio's and leaned into it. "Thank you, Leorio," he murmured.
"Plus, they're all just idiots if they won't listen to you," Leorio followed up. "There's nothing you can do if they're all just too stupid to see that you're right."
Kurapika laughed, dropping Leorio's hand. "Thank you. You speaking plainly like this is the whole reason I enjoy seeing you."
"The whole reason?" Leorio repeated, taken aback. "My hard work and gentle care with your health doesn't even come into consideration?"
With a mischievous look on his face, Kurapika said, "Not one bit."
Leorio spotted the look Kurapika gave him and grinned, playing along now. "I guess I'll just need to be extra thorough today to make sure my practice is worthy of His Majesty's notice then! Let's get this exam underway, shall we?"
xxx
"Don't you think you're being a little too friendly with that knight?" asked one of Killua's advisors, Seaquant.
"What are you talking about?" Killua demanded.
"Well, it's very obvious you're playing favorites," said Tsubone, another advisor.
"I'm not playing favorites!" Killua said defensively. Then he dismissively continued, "And anyway, I'm the king! I can play favorites with my knights if I want to."
"A king can play favorites, but it's unwise for him to do so quite so openly as you are," came the voice of Killua's oldest brother, Prince Illumi, as he strolled into the meeting hall.
"What is your interest in the boy anyway? He's just a knight, little more than a living shield for you. He can offer you nothing more than his body and his blood to protect yours. You know it's against our laws for you to be with someone of lower status than you anyway."
"He's my friend!" Killua yelled. "Leave me alone! This isn't a formal meeting anyway so you don't need to be here! Get lost!"
His heart was pounding. With advisors around, he was relatively safe; Illumi still knew that the way he often treated Killua was frowned upon. But he had the authority to be at the meeting, even if informal, and to send everyone else away.
"Such a temper for a king," Illumi said, sounding disappointed. "I'm sure our father saw something in you that caused him to pick you as the successor but…"
"Leave!"
"I'm just here because I care about you as my younger brother. I want you to grow up into the best king you can… "
Killua let Illumi continue his brief lecture.
"Is there anything else?" Killua asked. He brought his voice back down to a normal speaking level but it remained tight.
"No," said Illumi. "But if you won't let me join the meeting, I expect you to meet with me later in private to discuss it."
That was a threat.
Killua acquiesced to Illumi's request to join the meeting then, but any memory of the rest of the meeting was entirely lost.
xxx
Kurapika lay on his bed, a smile on his face. The time with Leorio had brightened his day significantly.
It always did, if he was honest with himself.
Leorio made Kurapika feel calm, and he supposed even if he wasn't ready to act on them yet, Kurapika recognized he had some strong feelings for Leorio. Though it was uncommon, there wasn't actually anything against royals marrying commoners in the Kurta kingdom like there was in other kingdoms. But that meant he had to actually be open and vulnerable with another person. Getting to that point with Senritsu had been hard enough. Worth it, but hard. Not to mention that even if he suspected, he couldn't be sure Leorio reciprocated his feelings.
A series of taps on his window caught Kurapika's attention. He waited, trying to decide if he was just being pestered by a bird or if it was something else.
The tapping came again in a rhythm Kurapika recognized and his brows came down and flattened as his lips pressed into a line. He didn't want to deal with this right now.
The sound came one more time, more insistent this time, accompanied by a lilting whisper of, "Your Majesty~! If you don't open the window and see me I'll shatter it~!"
Kurapika's brows lowered even farther and his lips turned down in a frown. This wasn't the first time he'd heard this threat from the voice behind the window. The first time he had heard it, he'd ignored it and the window had, indeed, been shattered.
"Very well, I am coming," he said quietly.
Kurapika went to the window and opened it to see a man perched on the roof beside the window.
"Good evening, Your Majesty," said the man with a smile and only a hint of sincerity.
Kurapika glared back, "What is it that you want, Hisoka?"
"Oh, no time for small talk tonight?" Hisoka said in openly feigned disappointment.
"I make no habit of small talk with mercenaries and I certainly have never wanted to make small talk with you," Kurapika said flatly. Then, more forcefully, he repeated, "Now, what is it that you want?"
"Your previous king was a lot nicer to me," Hisoka said with a pout. "He even knew how to care for my more… personal needs."
"I have no interest in your wanton desires, Hisoka," Kurapika said, turning away from what was certainly arousal in the mercenary's pants. "Nor have I any intention of hiring you."
"Even with the worst bandits you've ever dealt with constantly attacking and your council unwilling to let you repel them with more respectable means?"
"Even so."
Hisoka shrugged. "You'll find a use for me someday, Your Majesty, I'm certain of it."
Kurapika felt Hisoka's lecherous hand caress and squeeze his behind. He turned back towards Hisoka to deliver a slap along with a scathing rebuke, but he was already gone. Kurapika let out a small sigh and closed the window. He wished he could be rid of the infamous rogue mercenary, but the strange man seemed to hover between the Kurta and Zoldyck kingdoms. Mostly he harassed the royalty. However, Leorio had complained of unpleasant encounters with the man as well, and there were stories of his odd preoccupation with a knight or a prince from the Zoldyck kingdom. Stories from there were not as clear.
Hisoka was well known for his prowess and potency as a mercenary. Because of his tendency to appear near where the Phantom Troupe had struck, it was long thought that he was a member. Eventually, though, it became clear that the real reason Hisoka always appeared just on their heels was because of his unspecified but extreme interest in the leader of the Troupe, Chrollo Lucilfer.
However, he had been hovering around the Kurta kingdom not only because the Phantom Troupe had been focusing their attention there, but also because the previous Kurta king had secretly hired Hisoka and had paid him handsomely, even with respect to the nature of the business Hisoka was in.
With Hisoka gone, Kurapika supposed there wasn't much to do now but to go to sleep and try to forget his encounter with him.
