Let's get the legal stuff out of the way first. I do not own Hunter x Hunter or Hunter x Hunter 2011. All rights and ownership go to the following: Yoshihiro Togashi, Shueisha, Shonen, Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Nobuaki Kishima, Nippon Animation, Viz Media, Fuji TV, Funimation Channel, Satoshi Saga, Yukihiro Matsushite, Makoto Sato, Hiroshi Kojina, Atsushi Maekawa, Tsutomu Kamishiro, Madhouse, NTV, Yuzo Sato, Shoji Yonemura and last but not least Keiichiro Kawaguchi. Whew.
So there's all these things happening. Loads of stores in Yorknew City have loads of pink shaped hearts and shop windows filled with boxes of chocolates and weird but catchy slogans like "Show that special someone that they mean something to you"...Okay, so they're not exactly catchy and if you ask me I'm sure the special people in your life already know they're special to you regardless of what you give them.
My brother was coming back to Yorknew to visit me and Leorio was coming back to meet up with us all again. It had only been a few months since I last seen them, but I missed my brother deeply and there was only so much Gon and Killua I could take before I wanted to throw my head against the wall. Don't get me wrong, living with the two boys is fun and all, I mean, we're only twelve and we all live together in a hotel suite how cool was that?! But I missed my brothers presence and general air of sensibleness.
I sighed to myself as I wondered up the streets on my own. It was boring. Gon and Killua had decided they wanted to try to find some information on a new game; this time console based, so I was left on my own to explore the streets of Yorknew until my heart's content. It would be at least if I didn't see all this pink hearts and chocolates everywhere. What did it all mean anyway? I know it happened once a year; that much I knew. But me and big brother never stayed too long in a town to even find out what all these events were about. I was sure big brother knew though.
Stopping in the middle of the pavement, I lifted up the side of my dress tabard slightly and shoved my hand into the pocket of my training trousers. I smiled widely to myself when I found my phone and quickly removed it from my pocket, flipping it open as I brought it up to my face. I felt someone bump into my shoulder, nearly knocking my phone out of my hand.
"Don't stand in the middle of the sidewalk kid! Move!" The man yelled angrily. I nodded my head quickly, pulling my flip phone to my chest in a hurry and scurried off to the wall of one of the buildings.
I leaned my back against the wall and sighed deeply to myself, closing my eyes and knitting my brows together.
"Everyone's so angry today." I muttered to myself.
"That's because it's Valentines day in two days." I heard someone say beside me. I looked to my left to see a rather chubby lady with long blonde hair and green eyes standing next to me, broom in hand and a gentle smile on her face. She wasn't that much taller than me. She wore a pink apron and blue dress with black jeans and shoes. I looked at her questionably and wide eyed.
"Valentines day?" I said to her, repeating those words. They sounded strange to say and I didn't even know what they meant. The lady nodded her head as she began sweeping the pavement. I shuffled over to my right, letting her get to where I was standing, continuing to hold the phone closely to my chest.
"That's right. It's a special day to celebrate love. It's so romantic, seeing all these young ones getting excited over a day that's meant to bring love to everybody." She said, smiling widely to herself as she continued to sweep. I nodded my head slightly, still not getting exactly what she meant, I mean couldn't you show love to anybody on any day? Why was this day so special? The blonde haired woman looked between me and my phone, smiling slyly to herself.
"Texting your boyfriend?" She asked me, wiggling her eyebrows. I continued to look at her wide eyed and shook my head, looking back at my flip phone and removing it from my chest, holding it towards the woman's face.
"No. I was going to call big brother and ask him what was going on, he knows everything! My boy friends are looking for a new game to play." I said to her, making her look at me wide eyed, before smirking at me. She walked over to me, slinging an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to her. My cheek was being crushed into the side of her breast. I pulled my phone back close to my chest once more.
"Two boyfriends?! You little minx you, how old are you, getting two boyfriends... You're only a little baby." She said to me, continuing her smirk as the side of my face was disappearing more and more into the side of her breast as her arm was pulling me in closer and closer.
"Why is it weird? They're my best friends. And I'm twelve!" I said to her, my words and voice muffled.
I felt the pressure suddenly leave my arm as the woman spun me around quickly and grabbed my shoulders with her hands, looking at me shocked and wide eyed; but also slightly confused. I blinked a couple of times, looking at her equally wide eyed, before jumping slightly as the woman began laughing loudly to herself.
"So that's what you meant! You really are just a little baby. Come with me, I have much to discuss with you!" She said, spinning me around, dropping her broom in the process and pushing me towards the store door. I shook my head quickly, digging my weight onto my feet, although this was proving difficult.
"B-But I should really ring my big brother! He's visiting me and I really want to know if he's on the airship safely or not!" I said to her, pushing my legs in front of me to stop me moving. The woman chuckled even more as she continued pushing me forward.
"Nonsense! I'm sure your brother can wait, I must teach you how you could get those two best friends of you falling head over heels for you!" She said loudly as she continued to push me through into the shop. I shook my head quickly again, closing my eyes tightly.
"That sounds really painful I don't want them doing that! Come on please let me go?" I asked her as she pushed me over to a chair behind the counter and sat me down in it. My bottom landed on the chair heavily, making me flinch slightly. I continued to hold my phone towards my chest.
I looked around the shop probably. It was actually a little dark. The walls were dark red with darker red curtains and a black tiled floor. There were bra's and underwear everywhere in the shop. I looked towards the back and saw a massive flashing sign saying "XX Over eighteen only XX". I looked at it questionably before looking back at the blonde woman who dragged me here against my will. The woman smiled widely to herself before smiling down at me.
"Now just sit there while I get some things to show you that'll make any boy fall for you." She said to me, removing herself from behind the counter and walking towards one of the underwear racks. I knitted my brows together as her back turned towards me. I could get out of here right now; that would be the best idea. I began getting up off my seat until the woman turned around once more, smiling widely at me.
"What size are you?" She yelled over, making me look at her confused.
"Bra size, undies size, you know all that jazz." She said to me, continuing to smile widely. I continued to look at her confused, making her sigh and walk over to me. She stopped in front of me and instantly threw her hands onto my hips, pressing them together. I stiffened at the touch and looked at her wide eyed as she continued pressing my hips together.
"Now very big are you? I'd say a size six at best." She said to be before looking at me smiling widely. I continued to look at her wide eyed and stiff as she grabbed my wrists and gently pulled them down to my sides. I continued to stare at her wide eyed, watching her closely. She then thrust her hands onto my chest, her fingers spread out. I felt my cheek heat up something terrible and looked at her with wide eyes and reddened face.
"You're totally flat! We'll have to make do with what we got." She said as she removed her hands and began walking away.
"Why didn't you use a tape measure?!" I said to her, closing my eyes tightly, my face still bright red as I brought my arm across my chest, protecting it from her. Didn't people usually use tape measures for that kind of stuff?!
"Don't have one! Besides, this shop works best by practical work!" She yelled over her shoulder as she stopped in front of another underwear rack.
I opened my eyes and began looking around panicked. I really needed to get out of here, I didn't know what "here" was; but it was strange and that lady was really strange. I looked at the woman, she once again had her back turned towards me, I then shifted my eyes towards the door. I could make that distance, there wasn't that much and she had her back turned; so I should be safe...right? I took a deep breath, and dropped my arms to my sides once more, then bolted for the door. I ran quickly, slamming into the door and stumbling backwards.
"Where you going?" She questioned me as I began opening the door in a panic. I turned around to face her, she looked upset that I was leaving. Her brows were furrowed and her face carried the look of upset on it. I knitted my brows together, my face still very much red.
"I really need to meet my big brother, I'm sorry. Bye bye!" I said to her, flinging the door open and throwing myself out of the store. I ran a little bit from the store before the woman could say anything. Once a safe distance away, I stopped running and doubled over, putting my hands onto my knees and taking deep breaths. My face still felt red, really red; but maybe that was because I was running.
"Mishka...are you okay?" I heard a familiar voice ask. I brought my head up, my brows still furrowed as I tried to catch my breath.
"Big brother!" I yelled happily, smiling widely.
I stood up straight and quickly jogged over to him, hugging him tightly and burying my face into his waist. I grew a little, he also grew a little, so it meant I was still quite short compared to him. My face had cooled down and returned to it's normal pale colour. It took my brother a minute or two, but he did hug me back. That's the once thing that made me a little sad; since he became a bodyguard and since the whole Phantom Troupe incident in Yorknew all those months ago, he became guarded. I noticed it a lot. But I always tried to get him to act like my big brother whenever I saw him, just like how he was in the Hunter Exam before everything became messed up and weird.
After a couple of minutes I let go and smiled up widely to my brother, receiving a very small smile in return. He then looked at me seriously, dropping the very small smile he held on his face.
"Why weren't you answered your phone? I tried ringing you several times and you weren't picking up." He said to me sternly. I looked at him questionably before looking at my phone. It showed on the screen "Big brother" with a blinking phone icon and the number "eight" next to it, blinking along with it. I frowned deeply and looked at my brother apologetically.
"Sorry big brother. I got...side tracked and forgot to put my phone on loud." I said to him, knitting my brows together as I looked up at him apologetically. I heard my brother sigh to himself, placing a hand onto the top of my head, before rubbing my hair slightly.
"Remember to put your phone onto loud." He said to me simply, making me nod my head under his head. My brother dropped his head from my head and looked at me a bit more cheerfully this time, making me smile widely at him.
"Shall we head back to the hotel then?" He asked me, making me nod my head quickly. I pocketed my phone once more into my training trousers pocket, keeping it safe.
We got to the hotel room just a little before sun set. Gon, Killua and Leorio were already there when we got to the suite. I smiled widely at everybody as Leorio looked over, waving his hand slightly. Gon and Killua smiled widely back at me. Killua laced his fingers behind his head as he looked at me questionably.
"So where were you? You're always back hours before the sun sets." Killua said to me. I thought back to what happened earlier and felt my face turn bright red, making me shake it quickly, screwing my eyes shut. I heard Killua laugh slightly to himself as Gon looked at me confused, with Leorio and big brother looking at me questionably.
"I got side tracked!" I said to him, using the same excuse I had used with my brother. It wasn't a lie technically, but it wasn't fully truthful either. I could feel my brother staring at me questionably, making me look at up at him wide eyed.
"It's true!" I said to him defensively. He sighed, before nodding his head. I knew he didn't accept my answer though, he didn't accept it in the long shot.
We had fun just chilling out with each other, catching up on what was happening on our ends of the universe. Leorio was still studying to become a doctor, he said it took years so he was going to be at it for a while; but he was enjoying it as well so it made it worth while. Big brother was still hunting for the scarlet eyes when he got the chance. I was too; we promised to keep each other updated on whatever information we found on them, but our searching was fruitless at the moment. I had tried to cook dinner, tried. It wasn't edible, at all. I hadn't gotten any better at cooking and Gon only knew how to cook steamed rice...I somehow messed that up too, even with step by step guides provided by Gon standing next to me and telling me when to do something. Cooking was not my strong point. It ended up with my brother cooking for us, as we didn't want steamed rice...again...for the tenth night in a row.
In the end, Leorio and big brother ended up spending the night at Mine, Gon and Killua's hotel suite; mostly because Leorio fell asleep on the couch and big brother was actually tired from his airship flight. I was glad though, I missed being around big brother, so it made me happy he was staying. We all crashed in the front room. Me, Gon and Killua dragged out all the blankets we could find in our hotel suite to make up make-shift beds on the floor. In the end, Gon and Killua decided they would just share one and I would share one with big brother. That left the bed covers to toss over Leorio, who was sleeping soundly on the couch. I was the one who tossed a blanket over Leorio who was sleeping sitting up on our couch. Gon and Killua laid down on one side the room as I laid next to my brother. I couldn't sleep, I just stared at the ceiling.
I thought to myself. Today was so weird, I had learnt it was Valentines day in a couple of days, and I knew nothing about it or what it even meant. Only thing I knew was some crazy lady dragged me into a shop to try and find something that would make Gon and Killua "fall head over heels" for me. That still sounded painful, I wouldn't want that to happen. I sighed to myself and looked over to my left slightly. My brother couldn't sleep either, he was staring at the ceiling as well; but his reasons were more than likely different to mine.
"Couldn't sleep either?" I asked him in a whisper. Through the dark room I could see him nod, although just about. If it wasn't for the odd bit of light that shone through the curtains I wouldn't have seen anything. I looked back at the ceiling, keeping my thoughts to myself.
"What was up with you earlier? You seemed flustered." My brother said, jogging me out of my thoughts that only lasted for seconds. I looked at him through the corner of my eyes, then looked back up to the ceiling and pulled my quilt cover that I had to share with my brother to my nose.
"I learnt in why there's all these pink hearts around the place. Some day called Valentines day. A lady said to me that it was a special day to celebrate love before dragging me into her shop." I whispered to him, keeping my eyes on the ceiling as I took a deep breath of air.
"I don't think the love she meant was the same to the one I thought of." I whispered to him, knitting my brows together. I didn't get it, it was strange and very confusing; and that lady just confused me even more.
"There is more than one kind of love. You feel something for Gon and Killua, right?" My brother whispered to me back making me nod my head slightly.
"They're my best friends." I whispered back to him, careful not to speak loudly so that the others woke up.
"That's love for your friends. It's different to your love for me as your brother. And it'll be different to other kinds of love as well." My brother said quietly as I continued to stare at the ceiling. So their was more than one kind, and this day celebrated them all?
"So Valentines day is a day to show that to everybody you love, right?" I asked my brother in a whisper, looking at him through the corner of my eye. I could see him thinking slightly, before finally nodding his head although not that certain. I couldn't help but smile widely as him, grateful for the explanation, it sounded a lot better than the woman's who dragged me into her very strange shop filled with underwear.
The next day came quickly. I didn't even remember falling asleep. I got up early though, I wanted to get my brother, Leorio, Gon and Killua something for Valentines day. Now the question was...what to get them? Everything was full of pink and stuff you would give to someone you were dating; which wasn't the same type of love as you had for your friend or brother so it would have been a little bit weird. I had visited many shops, which resulted in me either being laughed at or kindly dismissed for asking what seemed to be deemed a "silly question". It was getting very frustrating very quickly.
It was around noon when I decided to take a break. I sat on the steps to the library, deciding that was the best place to be to stay out of peoples way. Propping my elbows onto my knees I dropped my cheeks into the palm of my hands and sighed deeply to myself, knitting my brows together and closing my eyes. This was a lot harder than I thought.
"Guess there isn't much I can get for siblings or friends on Valentines day." I muttered to myself, feeling disheartened by the whole thing. I was on the verge of just giving up and forgetting about it all together.
"I'm sure your friends and brother don't need things for you to show them you love them." I heard someone say from beside me. I opened my eyes and saw the blonde haired woman from the day before. I couldn't help but jump slightly, staring at her wide eyed. I scooted away from her, remembering yesterdays events as I continued to look at her wide eyed. She chuckled and waved her hand at me before taking a seat next to me.
"Don't worry I'm not going to drag you back to my shop. It was a misunderstanding on my part, so I apologise." She said to me kindly. I nodded my head slowly, continuing to stare at her with wide eyes.
"That's...okay." I said to her hesitantly. I remembered what she had said earlier and looked at her questionably, wrapping my arms around my knees and placing my cheek on top of my knees.
"What did you mean earlier? When you said I didn't need to get them anything to show I love them? Everyone else is getting things..." I said to her, knitting my brows together and frowning widely. She smiled kindly, watching me closely.
"Your friends and brother don't need a gift to know that you love them. They'll know anyway, otherwise you wouldn't stick around. It's human nature." She said to me, as I watched her carefully, keeping my cheek on top of my knees.
"If you do want to show them, then just show them in your own way. It'll mean a lot more to them then a gift." She said to me, keeping the kind smile on her face.
I thought about her words, knitting my brows more at her before turning my head so that my chin was sitting on top of my knees as I looked down the steps of the Yorknew Library. Show them in my own way? What could I do? I looked back at the blonde woman, about to ask her to see that she was looking at the watch on her wrist. She turned her head back to me once more, smiling kindly.
"I better be off, my lunch break is almost over. Good luck, I'm sure you'll think of something." She said to me, smiling widely as she stood up and stretched her arms above her head. With that she walked down the library steps and turned a right, walking back to her really strange shop. Her words stuck to me, what could I do to show them that I loved them in my own little way? I sighed once more to myself, I didn't like riddles as I wasn't good at them; I was going to be stuck on this riddle for a long time, I knew that much.
Valentines day soon came. I had stayed up all night trying to think of a way to show my friends and big brother my love for them in my own way and I believe I have finally got it. I was waiting for everyone else to get up. It was hard not to fall asleep on the spot on the floor, I was so tired. I sat on the floor, reading one of the books we had in our hotel suite. It wasn't very interesting, just a book about different sites to visit while in Yorknew. Reading the tour book seemed so much more interesting now that I was actually really nervous about how well or terrible this would go.
The first people up were Gon and Killua. I heard them yawn and stretch, making me look over to them. I swallowed the lump in my throat and quietly closed my book so that I wouldn't disturb the others. Placing the book gently on the floor I stood up and patted down my dress tabard over my training trousers. I walked quietly over to them as the two began standing up. Gon looked over, smiling widely as I stopped in front of the two boys.
"Good morning, Mishka." Gon said happily, making me smile widely at him. I swallowed the lump in my throat again and fidgeted with my sleeves. I quickly latched one arm around each of their necks, hugging the two at the same time. I could feel Killua stiffen at the action, but Gon seemed unfazed and gave a very small hug back.
"Happy Valentines day!" I said to them as I quickly let go of them. Gon smiled widely back at me as Killua continued to look shocked and confused by the action. I couldn't help but smile widely back, that went better than I thought it would go. Now to wait for Leorio and my big brother to wake up so I could wish them the same. Gon and Killua had wondered into the kitchen complaining that they were hungry.
Leorio was surprising the second one to get up. It took me back, as usually it's my brother that woke up before him; I could only guess that my brother was really tired from his bodyguard job. It must be taking it's toil on him. I looked back at Leorio to see him scratching the back of his head with his eyes closed and yawning loudly.
"Sleeping on the couch isn't comfortable here." I heard him complain to himself as I walked over to him. He opened an eye lazily and looked at me tiredly, before yawning once more. I took a deep breath and quickly flung my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Happy Valentine's day!" I said to him quickly. I felt a small pat on my back as I removed my arms from Leorio's neck and stood up straight. Leorio looked away a little embarrassed before looking back and smiling widely.
"Not what most people expect. Don't do that to too many people, they'll get the wrong idea." Leorio said, standing up and patting my head as he yawned once more and began walking into the kitchen to join Gon and Killua.
"Why would she hug me?!" I heard Killua yell as Leorio opened the door to the kitchen and wondered in, not fazed by Killua's yelling. I couldn't help but laugh slightly, it didn't seem like Killua was used to be hugged. Then again, he did the same thing when I hugged him at Trick Tower after not seeing any of them for three days straight.
I looked over to my brother who was still sleeping. I wondered by over to my spot next to him and quietly sat down onto my knees and picked up the Yorknew tour book once more, deciding it was better to read that until my brother woke up.
It was about ten minutes before I heard rustling and shifting from next to me. I looked away from my book and at the noise source. My brother had finally woken up next. He sat up straight and grabbed his tabard top from next to him, pulling it over his head quickly and quietly. He looked at me with an eyebrow raised in question before I quickly latched myself to his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Happy Valentines day!" I said to him quickly. I frowned to myself slightly when I didn't feel any sign of movement back. I began moving away, about to fall back onto my bottom on my legs until I felt my brother hug me back tightly. My eyes went wide at the action, but I couldn't help smile back as I went back hugging my big brother. He didn't say anything, and I didn't mind that really. I was just happy to receive a big brother hug back from the person I missed the most in the world. He hadn't been the same since we departed to get stronger, and I was scared that he didn't care about me any more.
But I was happy. I hadn't had a proper hug from big brother since we split up to get stronger in our own ways, before everything got messed up and weird. I was glad that today was the day that I finally got a real hug from my big brother.
Because Valentines day is the day to show your love for somebody you care about.
Author note: I honestly got stuck writing this chapter, so I apologise if it's terrible.
