Synopsis: Christmas Time! HxH style! What does that mean, you ask? Throw together one clueless boy, an ex-assassin, an avenger, a med-student, an assassin, and a magician. Mix thoroughly and enjoy…
"Ne~ Killua! Hisoka took my hot chocolate again!" Gon, the green tipped spikey black haired boy, complained to his equally aged friend. Killua's silver head popped up from inside a hug cardboard box, as the boy had been trying to find a specific ornament for the tree. Hanging from an ear, and hooked into the fabric of his blue shirt, were other ornaments of various colors and sizes.
"Go complain to aniki, I'm busy!" The ex-assassin responded before diving back out of view. Moments later a mumbled curse could be heard as Killua dug without success on whatever he was looking for. Gon peered over the edge of the box, only to have his face shoved back by Killua's hand. "No peaking baka!"
The living room was filled with numerous Christmas decorations; a tree covered in tinsel and small lights was standing tall in the corner, a little train was racing along its track beneath the lowest branches, and along the mantle of the fireplace hung six mismatched stockings.
Moving from left to right, the stockings reflected their owner's personalities: Gon's was striped red and green with fluffy white cotton stitched to the top, and he had used white glitter glue to spell his name in capital letters. Killua's was solid dark blue, with an iron-on choco-robot sticker on the heel and his name was painted on with white and red fabric paint. Hisoka's hung beside Gon's; it was covered in the four suit symbols, and if you looked at it long enough you could find all fifty-two cards, plus the two jokers, on it. Leorio's looked like a doctor's lab coat, complete with a little pocket and a stethoscope around the opening, like how a doctor would wear it. Kurapika's was also easy to spot, as it reflected his usual blue and yellow outfit, with his name painted along the top in elegant calligraphy. The very last stocking on the mantle was Illumi's, much to the other five's surprise. Illumi's stocking was black and he had written 'Zoldyck' is silver marker along the sole. Hisoka, when he first saw it, could not resist the temptation of stealing some of Illumi's precious pins and sticking them into the stocking, copying Illumi's 'Gittarackur' appearance.
Holly wreaths hung on every door, inside and out, and red candles were in candle sticks on every table. The air was filled with the scent of gingerbread and sugar cookies, courtesy of the blonde Kurta who was busy in the kitchen. He pulled out a fresh tray of the gingerbread men and set them aside so Gon and Killua could decorate them later. With a smile on Kurapika's face he called out to the hallway, where Leorio was just coming from with an arm load of neatly wrapped presents,
"Don't let Gon near those presents; he won't last until tomorrow if he sees them now."
"They aren't for G- AH!" Leorio had dropped one seemingly heavy present onto his foot, struggling to hold onto the others as he bounced up and down on the uninjured appendage. Kurapika tried, and failed, to hide his smile behind his white oven glove. Leorio smiled before stomping off, leaving the fallen present to be picked up later.
It was Christmas Eve and the gathered group were all enjoying the last minute decorating details. Kurapika glanced out the frost framed kitchen window to see both Hisoka and Illumi standing in the yard ankle deep in snow. By luck of the draw (literally since they had drawn straws earlier in the day to assign who did what) both of the older boys had been given the task of hanging the outside lights. Kurapika, ever skeptical, really did not want to know what Hisoka had planned. He had seemed only too happy to do the task.
Shrugging, Kurapika left the thought alone since he was probably just over thinking again.
Outside, Hisoka and Illumi looked up at their handiwork. The task had been quick and easy with the use of Illumi's needles, and Hisoka was gleeful. Leaning against Illumi, Hisoka purred into the younger man's ear,
"We make a good team, ne Illumi, don't you agree?"
The long haired assassin simply blinked up at the lights and walked inside, leaving the red head to his activities. Snow had begun to fall, accumulating more on the ground. Snow was one of Hisoka's favourite inanimate things to play with.
"Illumi-nii!" Gon called out, much to the man's irritation as soon as he walked back inside. He looked down at the young twelve year old who claimed to be Kil's first friend. They were in the main hallway, decorated with paper chains strung from the ceiling. Illumi did not understand the appeal this holiday had for the majority of the planet, but since he had had no choice but to come (having been dragged by Hisoka no less) Illumi dined to keep his opinion to himself. "Killua told me to tell you that Hisoka took my hot chocolate again!"
Blinking his wide black eyes at the child, Illumi was lost. What on earth did he have to do with Gon's beverage being stolen?
"Gon!" Killua called out from his place in the living room. Completely forgetting about Illumi, Gon raced off to see what his best friend wanted.
Illumi slid the coat from his shoulders and hug it on his peg, before following at a much more reserved pace to the living room. The house was warm, filled with soft glowing lights from the few scented candles and the fireplace. It was a… first for Illumi to feel so relaxed surrounded by so many people. He passed by the kitchen, where he was waylaid by Kurapika.
"Illumi! Could you take that tray to the living room for me please? They're the cookies for Gon and Killua to decorate." Kurapika's blonde hair was starting to frizz from the constant heat of the oven, and with an impatient hand pushed the strands from his eyes.
Nodding, Illumi picked up the still slightly warm tray filled with gingerbread men and continued onto the living room.
The living room at some point in the past few minutes had turned into a war zone. Standing, perplexed, in the doorway Illumi blinked in the hopes that maybe for once his vision was failing him. For he saw; a Gon dressed in tinsel with a Santa hat on his head, Killua wearing a pair of antlers and running after the Santa hat wearing Gon, and Hisoka, who had at some point changed into an… elf costume? A female elf costume, if the skirt was any indication.
"Aniki stop Hisoka!" Killua shouted as he caught sight of his elder brother. Gon continued running, jumping over the couch and coffee table when they became obstacles. Hisoka was grinning as he ran after the boys, who were giving their all to get away from him.
Leorio, surprisingly, was actually acting close to his age for once and was picking up all the things the trio were knocking over, growling obscenities under his breath - majority of which were directed at Hisoka who was causing the most damage.
"Will you knock it off you brats!" Leorio finally shouted, grabbing Killua and Gon by their collars the next time they rushed past the glasses wearing med student. Hisoka too stopped once his entertainment had been halted and skipped over to the tray holding Illumi.
"Mhmm~ Smells good~" Hisoka breathed in the scent of the cookies and tried to take one. Illumi stopped him with a stomp to Hisoka's foot and moved into the room so he could place the tray onto the coffee table. Leorio let the young boys go the second Illumi stepped back from the table, and the two pounced on the goodies like their lives depended on it.
Leorio grunted, finally happy that what he straightened up was not immediately knocked over again. Tinsel was strewn across the room, strings of beads half hung from the nails in the wall they had previously rested on, and tissue paper for some unexplained reason was also randomly about the room.
Kurapika peaked his head into the room minutes later to announce that dinner was ready, and ordered them all to wash their hands or no dessert would follow. Hisoka, Killua, and Gon took the threat seriously and raced to the bathroom. Illumi looked after the trio and tried to mentally picture how Hisoka would have acted at the age of twelve if this was how he was acting now. The thought was slightly disturbing.
Leorio and Illumi, not wanting to join the pushing and shoving they could hear from the bathroom down the hall, decided to wash their hands in the kitchen sink.
Two hours later the large meal had been cleared away and Kurapika had managed to rope both Gon and Killua into helping with the dishes. Gon volunteered eagerly, but Killua only accepted the job so long as he was given chocolate afterwards. Kurapika supervised the duo as he and Leorio packed up the leftovers into containers and placed them in the fridge. Illumi had been sent to the back bedroom to start bringing out the presents, which would be placed under the tree, and Hisoka had excused himself with a little,
"Time to wrap presents~" directing a look to the youngest boys which stated exactly what type of presents he wanted to be wrapping.
The sky had long since darkened, early as it always did in the winter months. The six males, since not all of them could be considered 'friends' gathered in the festive and cheery living room with steaming mugs of their favourite beverages; Gon and Killua had hot chocolate, Kurpika had tea, Leorio and Hisoka both drank black coffee, and Illumi had a mug of near-boiling water.
As they gathered onto the couches, chairs and even the floor, the group was interrupted with an expected knock.
"She's here!" Gon called, rushing to the front door with Killua hot on his heels. Flinging the door nearly off its hinges Gon and Killua looked out of the house to see a young woman standing on the porch dressed warmly in a coat and scarf.
Stomping her booted feet and breathing into her numb fingers she let herself into the house as Kurapika, Leorio, and Hisoka all appeared in the hallway.
"Ria-chan!" Hisoka called as the brunette unwrapped the scarf from her face. Smiling at the two boys who had opened the door for the girl, she ignored the clown.
"Kil! Gon!" She greeted and hung up her jacket. "Merry Christmas you guys!"
"Merry Christmas Ria!" Both Gon and Killua chorused. The trio walked back to rejoin the larger group, exchanging greetings and holiday wishes.
"Here you are Ria." The Kurta handed over a red mug to the only girl of the group, smiling comradely. Ria smiled back and took a tentative sip, savoring the warm chocolate flavor.
"Hmm… That hits the spot. Thanks so much Kurapika!"
"You're welcome."
"Don't ignore me Ria-chan… I missed you~" Hisoka was standing on the other side of the couch, behind Ria's seat and wrapped his hands across her shoulders.
"Illu?" Ria asked the assassin, "Could you do something about the clown please? Consider it my Christmas present from you."
He blinked his black eyes, and finally seemed to settle on a decision. With a swift flick of his wrist, several pins whizzed over Ria's head and would have hit the clown in his chest but for the fact that he ducked. They punctured the wall behind Hisoka, and Kurapika's eye twitched at the thought of having to patch the wall. Again.
"That's not nice Ria-chan, Illu-chan." Hisoka chided as he vaulted himself over the couch to land in the open spot beside Ria. She leaned as far as she could from him without actually giving up her spot. Ria was sitting comfortably with her legs drawn up and the afghan tucked around her feet. Kurapika, who sat on the other side of Hisoka, placed his mug on the coffee table.
Leorio and Illumi were seated in the chairs, each holding their own mugs, and Gon and Killua were having their own whispered conversation in the corner.
A small silence followed where the crackling of the logs in the fireplace could be heard and everyone seemed to exhale. The atmosphere relaxed, even Ria stopped shifting away from Hisoka so much and the three occupants of the couch sat companably next each other. It wasn't long before Leorio's eyes dropped and the only thing which kept him awake was Gon's loud,
"Present time!"
Three of the other five living room occupants jumped before turning their eyes to stare at the spikey haired boy. Killua was no longer standing next to him.
"Where's-?" Leorio started before Kurapika launched himself up and over to the Christmas tree, which was in the corner behind Illumi's chair.
"Killua!" Kurapika cried, stopping the actions of the ex-assassin on the spot.
"No fair Kil! I want to open a present too!" Ria kicked off the afghan, set down her own mug, and skid to a stop on her knees beside the young silver haired boy.
Gon, seeing the big smiles on their faces, soon joined and the three of them rooted around the presents, looking at the names tags and stacking them into piles. By the end, there were seven piles and Kurapika had long since given up on trying to stop them, Christmas was just going to come a few hours earlier this year he supposed.
"Here Leorio!" Gon called and tossed a small box at the older teen, "It's from Kurapika!"
"And here's one from Leorio, to Kurapika!" Ria smiled up and handed the flat, rectangular package to the Kurta.
"Gon!" Killua cried, running half way across the room before throwing a package to his friend with a perfect spiral. Gon caught the package with a wide smile on his face. He set it aside to pick up another package, wrapped in shiny silver paper and gently handed it to Ria.
"Merry Christmas!"
"Aw, Gon! That's so sweet!" The woman hugged the boy before taking the package and handing him another, whispering in his ear.
With an enthusiastic nod, Gon raced to Killua and gave him the package, also whispering something into the ex-assassin's ear. Killua's neck retreated like a turtle's and he could hardly stop the blush from painting his cheeks.
Since everyone else had already exchanged presents, Hisoka took the opportunity to sit on the arm of Illumi's chair and dangled his own gift for the assassin in front of Illumi's face. Illumi took it quietly and surprised the magician by handing him a present of his own.
At an unseen, and most likely unplanned, signal, all seven tore open the paper which coated their presents. Wide grins and exclamations of thanks were heard from the majority of the group, the only exception being Illumi of course.
Leorio had opened his little box to discover three glass jars filled with herbal teas. Labels on the jars listed not only the ingredients, but also what symptoms the contents would help with (one specifically for helping with headaches).
Kurapika carefully took the wrapping off of his own present to discover, not just any book, but a book the Kurta had specifically been looking for, for months; General History of the Azian Continent. It was a green bound volume, inlaid with gold flecking and in amazing condition. Kurapika ran his hand along the cover and spine, overwhelmingly touched that Leorio could have found him such a perfect gift.
Gon was bouncing off the walls when he saw his gift, though it was an unusual choice especially considering the one who actually picked it out. Gon had received a foxbear plushie, which was immediately named Konta, after Gon's pet foxbear back on Whale Island.
Ria also tore into her gift and jumped for joy as she saw what it was; a vampire puffin. Laughing, Ria hugged the spikey haired boy around his neck and kissed his cheek. Starring at the stuffed toy, Ria was amazed at how realistic it looked. The fangs were plastic and glued to either side of the beak so they did look as if they were jutting from the mouth. The unusual toy briefly caught Hisoka's eye, but the magician was distracted by the rumpling of paper as Illumi opened his gift.
Blinking his large eyes, Illumi did not know what to say to the magician. Held in his long fingered hand, was a set of four metal hairpins. They were each five inches in length and sharpened at both ends. Their weight was comfortable in Illumi's hands and they were discrete enough that he could hide them in more places than just his hair. Looking up at the smirking magician, who was gently holding his still unopened gift, Illumi gave him a nod.
Now it was Hisoka's turn to focus on his present, which was given to him by his lovely Illu-chan. The unexpected gesture had the magician curious as to what it contained. Using a sharp fingernail, Hisoka sliced off the paper to find a seemingly normal deck of cards and a deck of tarot cards. Upon closer inspection, the 'normal' deck was in fact an assassin's tool – they were made of a thin but sharp material which resembled paper and were painted to copy every card, jokers included. Hisoka took the time to go through both decks, impressed that Illumi had found such interesting little gifts.
That left Killua and his gift, which he was refusing to open.
"Ne, Killua! Let me see, let me see, let me see!" Gon chanted, bouncing on the balls of his feet with his own present in his hands. He had yet to let go of the plushie since he first opened it.
"No!" Killua shouted, before running towards the door. Gon swiftly flew after him. The rest of their friends laughed, Illumi just looking after the two boys missing what was so funny.
"Ria, what did you give him?" Kurapika questioned, coming to stand beside the still kneeling girl. She grinned up at the Kurta like she had just won the first prize in a contest.
"Not what he thinks I got him." Ris stopped to chuckle, thinking back to what she had told Gon to whisper into the ex-assassin's ear. The spikey haired boy was so clueless and innocent it was adorable.
Kurapika and Leorio exchanged a look over the laughing girl's head, both unsure they wanted to know the answer. Ria was known to have some pretty strange ideas. However, Leorio soon grew impatient and since the boys were still running around the rest of the house, he took the opportunity to ask,
"What did you tell him it was?" The med student adjusted his glasses and stared down at the brunette. He was going to regret this, he knew he was going to regret this, but he still felt compelled to ask.
Ria motioned for Leorio to lean down, which he did, and whispered the answer into his ear. Balking, Leorio rocketed back onto his feet and motioned for Kurapika not to ask. The blonde would be blushing like a maiden if he heard the answer too.
Hisoka, who had been watching the little drama between the group, chuckled.
Illumi was still sitting in his chair, appreciating the first gift he had ever been given in his life. It was an odd feeling, and not just because the so called magician had given Illumi a gift he thought was going to be useful.
Killua and Gon were still running around the house, occasionally running through the living room, as the remaining five people in the house opened their additional presents from under the tree. Time passed and eventually the grandfather clock, located in another room of the house, chimed out the hour. It was midnight, and Christmas had officially come to the hunter world.
A/N: Well this was longer than I thought, and I am still trying to figure out why I put me in here. It wasn't the original plan, but I guess I couldn't help but want to embarrass Killua. He's so adorable ^^
Thank you for reading ^^