It wasn't easy to make Alluka mad. Of course, when her brother didn't let her have her way, or when she lost in a video game she could get angry. But usually it only took Killua a few pats on her head, and she calmed down. Now though, they didn't even dare to go near her – she was so angry, it almost reminded Killua of that time, when he had told Nanika to leave. Luckily, this situation wasn't that serious – or so Gon and Killua thought.
It all started with them meeting up with Gon to celebrate Christmas together in the cottage the Zoldyck siblings had rented in the mountains. Everything had started well; they spent a lot of time together - decorating the small living room, setting up the Christmas tree, playing outside building snowmen and having a fierce snowball fight with Alluka as judge (which was absolutely necessary, when the snowball fight turned into wrestling in the snow). After both boys had managed to get snow under their coats and even their shirts, Alluka decided itwas a tie and urged them to go inside. Considering how cold it was even without snow under their clothes, she didn't have to say it twice, the two friends followed her obediently.
They spent the afternoon in the kitchen baking cookies. Gon and Killua preparing the dough as Alluka formed and decorated the cookies, humming Christmas songs as she worked. The problem started when Killua accidentally got flour all over his shirt and Gon laughed at him. Embarrassed at his clumsiness, Killua blew some flour into his friend's face, who coughed and whined ("That was mean!") and responded with flicking dough at him. In the next moment, they were on the floor – Killua straddling Gon and trying to stick up dough into his nose and mouth, while Gon struggled to free himself, failing miserably. In their rough housing they bumped into the table, what caused the milk bottle to fall over, the remaining eggs to roll down and crash – in other words, it was a disaster. They only stopped when Alluka shrieked in horror at the mess. Quickly getting up when she glared at them with piercing eyes. Killua realized only then, that they had even messed up the already formed and decorated cookies, which were yet to be baked, but couldn't fit in the oven. He felt immediately guilty - his sister worked hard to prepare them, and they ruined them all with their childish behaviour. Even though they offered to clean up and remake the cookies, Alluka chased them out of the kitchen, before they could start another food fight."Why can't you be nice to each other?!" She scolded them, before slamming the door shut behind the troublemakers
All cleaned up, sitting on both ends of the couch, Killua thinks about his sister's words. Really, why couldn't they be nice to each other? Though it was Alluka's idea to invite Gon to celebrate together, he was glad they did. Gon seemed to be happy as well, but still, at some point their conversations turned into quarrelling, their playful fights into serious ones, and all that for no reason. And has to admit, most of the time he was the one who reacted aggressively, feeling like he has to get back at Gon, has to pay him back, even though his friend didn't say or do anything offensive or harmful enough to warrant that reaction. In fact, Gon was the same as always: warm, kind and welcoming. Yet Killua kept acting like this...
He sighs and looks over at Gon sitting on the other end of the couch, seeing him glance over in the same way. When their eyes meet, they let out a small laugh, the tension between them finally breaking. The dark haired teen starts talking about the traditions he heard on the way here, and Killua just leans back and rests his head on the backrest of the couch. He barely listens to Gon, he's heard these things when they got here with Alluka too, and he didn't care about them that time either. He just listens to Gon's voice (which has already started to change), trying to memorize this new - but still familiar – sound. But he won't admit that, not even to himself, not even now. He just... he just listens, because Gon sounds different than before, that's it. His gaze wanders around the decorated room and falls on the ceiling. It's decorated too; he and Gon had attached the garlands and the various ornaments Alluka handed them, under her instruction.
He notices a small plant with white bead-like berries – it's mistletoe, he recognizes. He can't remember putting it there, so maybe it was Gon, but the name of the plant stirs up some thoughts in the back of his mind. That old lady who told him and Alluka about the Christmas traditions mentioned mistletoe , but he hadn't really paid any attention to her. Alluka, however, did; and she cooed loudly when the lady finished her explanation. Killua muses – just what was it, that caused that reaction? But before he can think on it for too long, a tanned palm waving in front of his face and a whiny call of his name snaps him out of his pondering. He looks at his side and is greeted with a pout, Gon having scoot over to him while he was lost in his thoughts.
"I was talking to you, but you don't even listen to me!" Gon complains; cheeks puffed up; and Killua guiltily scratches the back of his head.
"Ah, sorry..." He says hesitantly, still confused a bit because of the sudden come back to reality. "I was just thinking..." He adds absent-mindedly.
"About what?" Gon asks curiously, but he just waves a hand at the question.
"It's not important," he says and glances up one last time at the mistletoe.
He has a feeling that Gon knows the meaning of the plant; but he can't ask him – that would just prove that he wasn't paying attention to his friend.
"So, what did you want to..." He starts, but the words dry up in his throat. Gon followed his gaze before and is now staring at the ceiling – at the mistletoe – with wide eyes. And when he looks back at Killua with gleaming eyes and slightly pink cheeks, the white-haired teen remembers the old lady's words and feels his own cheeks heating up too. The silence hurts his ears, and he feels a strong need to push Gon away and run out of the room; but instead, he bites his cheeks and shifts a bit to gain more space.
"It's mistletoe," Gon breaks the silence
"What?" Killua decides to play dumb, considering the odd tone Gon's voice has.
"On the ceiling. Weren't you looking at it?" Gon asks innocently, and Killua curses inwardly. This guy has to notice everything unnecessary...
"Huh? Oh, right, there is one..." He says looking up, like he only noticed the aforementioned plant now. "I didn't notice..." He adds, and hopes his acting is believable.
Gon still looks at him with those huge shining eyes, and it makes his stomach clench. He stares out the window as if the snowfall has captured his attention, but can't help but notice when Gon scoots closer.
"You know, there is a saying about mistletoe around here" Gon starts, the smile heard more than seen.
Killua still stares outside and only hums in reply. He doesn't trust his voice; Gon's behaviour makes him nervous, and he doesn't want his friend to notice. He is already tense enough because of their current closeness.
"They say it's necessary for people to kiss under mistletoe, so their love lasts forever" Gon continues and shifts closer again.
"So what?" Killua asks, looking back at Gon but regretting his decision immediately when he meets Gon's burning gaze.
"Do you want to kiss?" The dark haired teen leans into his space, and Killua tries backing away futiley; hand slipping off the couch, making him almost fall from the furniture. After regaining his balance, he gawks at Gon. He couldn't have heard that right...
"W-wha...?" He whimpers; and he hates himself for being so taken aback by Gon's ridiculous question. Why would he want to kiss his best friend?
"...Like this; even though we're going to part ways again, we can be friends forever!" Gon explains cheerfully.
"But that's the point!" Killua exclaims, surprising his friend. "We're friends and not lovers! We can't kiss just like that!"
"But I like Killua a lot, so it's fine!" Gon beams, like he didn't just say something completely embarrassing. Killua's heart beats so loud in his ears; he almost misses the soft and pleading "Please!"
Killua still looks at Gon with slightly opened mouth, his chest feels hot and tight, and his head buzzes like it's going to explode any minute. He is sure he is blushing bright red as well, but he can't even move. What is Gon thinking? The idea is totally ridiculous and embarrassing, not to mention that it's not even logical. There's no way he will agree to something like this; it's out of the question. And it's not like he is staring at Gon's lips now, he just looked at them for a moment and...
He opens his mouth to tell Gon how stupid he is for thinking he would kiss him, but instead whispers,"If you insist..." He wants to slap himself, but Gon catches his hand. He gulps when he sees his friend's reaction to his words, Gon is almost shining. He leans closer and closer, and Killua clenches his eyes shut, bracing himself for whatever might come.
He feels a soft press in his hot cheek, then Gon lets go of his hand.
After a few moments of silence Killua opens his eyes and stares dumbfounded at Gon, who looks extremely proud of himself.
"Was that all?" He asks before he can think, and is surprised by the disappointed tone of his voice.
Gon blinks twice at him, then lets out a small Oh!, covers his mouth and freaking blushes, and Killua wants to die.
"But... I-I thought... and you look like you feel uncomfortable, so..." Gon stutters in a small voice, and his embarrassment makes the situation worse. He lets his hand down, and his eyes are gleaming again. "Do you wanted me to kiss you on your lips?" He asks; looking at Killua excited, expectant.
"No way!" Killua screeches and shoves Gon's face away. "You just... you just made it sound like... like that... and... and I thought you would... you would kiss me for real..." He stutters, and he feels like an idiot. Gon just watches him with shining eyes, as if his embarrassing state is the best thing he's ever seen in his life - which is probably what Gon really thinks - and he wants to punch him.
"Hey Killua..." Gon leans into his space again, "I really want to kiss you. Can I?"
Killua is captured in Gon's gaze, he can't turn his head away, but he can't even move. He'd like to run again, but his legs won't work. All he can think about is Gon and his lips, and the disappointment he felt when Gon only kissed him on the cheek. They say it's necessary for people to kiss under mistletoe, so their love lasts forever.
He nods and closes his eyes again when Gon smiles and leans in, lets his brain shut down when he feels the soft press - this time on his lips - and the only thought he can muster is a small oh, before he returns the kiss.
It's suspiciously quiet in the living room, Alluka notices, when she takes the last tray of freshly baked cookies from the oven. She heard them (or better said, her brother) talking/screaming at each other when she was still cleaning up the mess they made, but now everything was silent. She takes off the apron and lines up the cookies so they can cool, and exits the kitchen. The living room is quiet; only soft snoring can be heard, what comes from the direction of the couch. She bypasses the furniture and can barely stifle an awwwww, when she sees her brother and Gon leaning against each other and sleeping soundly. She watches them fondly, before hurrying to their rooms to get a blanket. Just when she is about to cover them, Gon shifts his hand, and she notices their entwined fingers. I knew it! she thinks; and even Nanika giggles somewhere in the back of her mind. She looks at her brother's peaceful sleeping face, and finally starts to understand him too. She covers them with the blanket and whispers, "only a little bit okay, Gon? Let me spend some time with him, and after that you can have him back."
"Okay," Gon whispers and squeezes his friend's trembling hand, when she leaves the room.
A/N: Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you all have wonderful Holidays and can spend a lot of time with your family and loved ones!
Huge thanks to Gee Writes on AO3, who helped me to get this fic into presentable shape. Thank you friend!
(If you haven't read her works yet, I highly recommend to do so, they're really nice!)