I'm glad you like them! They both have quite an interesting backstory but I'll get to that later. And I'll probably end up changing the title later on...I kind of just threw it together since I wanted to upload so bad.
There's Something About Young Love
Preview: "Killua and Saffron sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love than comes marriage than comes the baby sitting' in the carriage!"
The applicants trudge through the swamp trying to keep up with the examiner. Saffron and April splash each other every now and then, the people nearby aren't too happy about that. April finds a big puddle and soaks Saffron's bottom half, "Ew, hahaha..." She's so very tempted just to push her in it as revenge.
"Gon, Saffron, April let's move up." The three's attention switches to Killua, who gazes ahead with a serious look.
"We don't want to lose sight of the examiner." Gon adds.
"I'm more concerned with increasing the distance between us and Hisoka. Staying too close to him is dangerous. I can smell it in the air."
"He doesn't seem like such a bad guy, a little creepy but he's okay." Saffron thought out loud locating said man with her eyes. He seems pretty entertained as usual.
"He's dangerous. You should keep away from him, wouldn't want you to get hurt." Killua admonishes.
He gives her a strange look when she grins at him like an idiot. "You care~." She coos. He stutters incoherent words before snapping out a remark and facing away from her.
Gon's shouting stops their little chat. "Leorio! Kurapika! Killua says we should move up!"
"Don't worry about us!" Kurapika shouts back.
The four of them start to head up. April tugs Saffron's sleeve. "I don't know if we should leave them..." She pouts. Saffron hesitates to answer but Killua speaks up instead, "They can look after themselves." That wasn't very reassuring but they made sure to keep up with the boys.
It's not long after they separate from the crowd that the screams of many people can be heard from all around them. Those poor saps never knew what hit 'em. April shudders and jogs faster, running directly between Gon and Saffron, thus making her feel secure.
"I wonder if Leorio and Kurapika are okay..." Gon wonders aloud, worry definite in his tone.
In union the four of them notice something off about the ground they had just walked on, the second they pause they're swallowed up, caged in something disgustingly slimy.
"Gross." April whines.
Saffron puts her hands out in front of herself, searching for the uvula. She grabs something slimy but also hairy so it can't be it. "What am I squishing?"
"My face." Killua answers, his voice muffled.
She releases him and laughs, "Sorry." The monster's tongue jolted abruptly throwing Saffron off balance.
"Found it!" April and Gon cheer in unison.
A wave of saliva and vomit washes over them and forces the four out of the beast. They slide across the ground. Upon slowing to a stop, Saffron opens her eyes to see Kilua's blue eyes staring back at her. Their faces are extremely close, with foreheads close to touching. They stare stunned. Saffron breaks the connection by giggling, little wrinkles form at the corner of her eyes.
"Oi, oi. I know you guys are dating but can you at least wait till you get a room before having your make out session."
April earns glares being sent her way; she and Gon are chuckling childishly amongst themselves. Saffron gathers up some saliva and pegs it at her, smacking April's face.
"Bull's eye!"
April squeaks and mumbles small 'ewes' as Gon laughs and wipes it off her face.
"I'm still worried about Leorio and Kurapika." Gon repeats, shaking the saliva off his hands.
Saffron hops off Killua and bringing him up in the process. "Forget about them. Let's get a move on." He says indifferently, putting his skateboard between his arm and side. "We can still catch up to the examiner."
They start to jog again. As expected Gon hesitates and dashes off back the way they came. "OI! WAIT UP!" April bellows sprinting after him.
This causes Saffron to skid to a stop, twisting back in their direction, her hair whips against her face "APRIL! Idiot!" How can she just leave? She knows that's dangerous, not only for herself but for the people around her too! A hand stops her in her attempt to go after them.
Killua cutely tilts his head to the side. "You're not really going after them are you?"
Her eyes flicker between his and she huffs out a strained laugh. "Yes, I have to. We can't be separated. We'll catch up to you." She forces her arm from his grip and jogs after them.
Hearing his voice Saffron glances over her shoulder. "You better come back." he mutters looking in the opposite direction.
"Don't doubt me!"
"YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO HEAR THAT!"
Saffron reaches an open area and immediately spots April and Gon, they're fighting Hisoka. If this battle doesn't stop before April snaps this could be bad. Gon repeatedly swings his fishing rod, trying with all his might to land a hit. Hisoka dodges them with no effort. April sprints, ready to attack, he easily intercepts her and lands a hit right to the head.
Saffron clenches her teeth, balls her fists and reluctantly dashes up to him, she jumps and swings her leg back aiming for his temple. He catches her foot, a sly smile printed on his face, her eyes widen for a fraction of a second. Putting her weight on the leg he's holding Saffron swings her other leg at him, knowing he'd catch it she balls her fist and fires it at him.
Hisoka simply leans back while releasing her. He brings his arm up and elbows Saffron in the stomach and into the ground. She sits in a small crater glaring up as he presses on of his cards to her face. Slowly, he drags the card down across her skin, from her temple to her jaw creating a semi-deep wound. Saffron cringes at the small pain.
As soon as he removes the card Saffron wastes no time in launching a flurry of attacks, he dodges them all. After missing a punch to Hisoka's stomach, in a swift movement Saffron swings her leg up high aiming for his chin, but yet again, he effortlessly avoids it.
He retaliates by hitting her in the chest with the side of his hand causing her to slide across the ground, a trail of dust following after. A slicing sound whooshes through the air and a sudden pain hits her right shoulder. Saffron yelps and rips out the card embedded in her shoulder while gritting her teeth.
"Gon!" April cries.
Hearing noises of struggle and then a loud crash, Saffron forces herself up and hesitates before she sprints over to them. Panic settles in when she sees that Gon is caught around the throat, his feet far from the ground and he struggles for air. April lets out a strangled cry as she's being crushed under Hisoka's foot.
"Let them go!" The crack in her voice cracks reminds Hisoka of a skittish dog whining in fear. Before she can try to land a hit he grabs her face, yanks her forward and knees her in the abdomen.
Suddenly he releases all three of them, Gon and April gasp for air. Hisoka kneels down to their height, somewhat, and smiles, "Do not fear. I will not kill your friend. He passed." The three exchange a look with a mixture of shock and confusion. "You all passed as well, grow up and become fine hunters." He says, giving them a closed eye smile which did nothing to settle their fear. However, Saffron's anger dissolves into bewilderment.
Hisoka chucks Leorio over his shoulder. "It's always good to have friends." He comments and it sounds as if there's a hidden meaning behind those words. "You can find your own way, yes?"
They nod silently.
"Good children."
"Gon, Saffron, April! Are you all okay?" Kurapika's voice reaches their ears.
The four of them start their journey back. Saffron's legs are still shaking and the wounds she's received don't make the walk pleasant.
Saffron's thoughts run a mile a minute and she glances at April in her peripheral vision. She's normal. She's actually fine, nothing happened – April didn't snap. Although relieved, Saffron couldn't help herself from feeling apprehensive.
"Ne, Saffron, those cuts on you don't look too good." Gon says with concern.
Saffron wipes off some of the blood and flicks it away. "I've had worse." Her attempt at smiling reassuringly didn't help much.
"Eh? But what if you pass out?"
"I'm not going to pass out from a little bit of blood loss." She counters.
"You might!" April butts in.
"Yosh! She's right let me give you a piggy back ride!"
This causes Saffron to laugh lightly "No, that's alright!"
"I insist!"
"Well, I reject"
"I reject your rejection!"
She mentally face palms. "But you're holding stuff."
April giggles "I'll hold it!"
In the end and unsurprisingly, Saffron lost and is clinging to Gon like a koala. "Saffron are you wearing a necklace?"
Releasing a small hum of confusion, her brows furrow together in thought "No, why?"
"Are you sure?" He wiggles for a second, "It feels like you are."
"No-" Her mouth clamps shut as she's struck with the realization that he can feel the glass heart in her chest "Oh! That! Yes! I. Am. How could I forget!" That seemed to work since he nods in affirmation.
They made it just in time and find Leorio, who doesn't remember much and made a fuss about Saffron's injuries, insisting that she let him patch her up. During her Doctor's appointment' Gon refuses to let her down.
Saffron pats Gon's shoulder. He peeks over to look at her. "I'm good. You can put me down now."
He tilts his and then smiles. "No!"
"You guys actually made it!" Killua approaches, still holding his skateboard.
April randomly appears behind Killua and rapidly points at him. Saffron tilts her head confused. Gon makes an 'oh!' sound and swings her around. "Killua will hold you!" And throws her to said boy, who thankfully catches her by sacrificing his skateboard.
April runs up and grabs Gon's hand. "Don't put her down, she might faint." They say in – very bad – sync and run off.
Saffron unwillingly reddens from the closeness. "You can put me down, they're exaggerating."
He thinks for a moment. "Since I'll be held responsible, no, I think I'll keep holding you."
Saffron huffs in indignation. "Fine, be that way." And wraps her arms around his neck. An idea pops into her head "Hey, how about a skateboard lesson?" Saffron hops this will get him to release her, she feels like a helpless child.
Killua lets her back on her feet and slides the skateboard in her direction. "Don't put your feet right on the edges or it'll flip." She does as directed. Why does something so simple seem so scary right now?
Saffron reaches her hands out to him. "You gotta hold my hand or I'll fall." She says in a childish tone waving her arms around impatiently.
He holds out his palms allowing her to grab hold, their fingers curl around each other's. And he noticeably reddens, seeing it causes a laugh to leave her lips.
"What are you giggling at?"
"You're cute when you blush." Saffron states bluntly.
"Shut up idiot!"
Their hands stay connected as she 'skates' around the area. People look at on weirdly and mutter things about 'young love'.
"I think you can do it on your own now." He lightens his grip on her hands.
"But I feel safer when you're holding me!" Saffron whines and purses her lips while tilting her head; confused. For some reason his blush intensifies.
His eyes dart to the ground, "I'll catch you." He mutters, but it did not go unheard. They release each other. Killua gives a few pointers before setting her off.
Saffron pushes off with her feet and starts to pick up speed, a lot of speed actually.
"Oi! Don't go too fast!"
'Wait? Where are the brakes? Does this thing have brakes?'
The board hits something; hard. And she's sent flying. Saffron can easily land on her feet, but something stops her, she's caught around the waist and pulled into someone's chest.
"Told you I'd catch you." Killua spins her around in his arms to face him, their noses accidently touch.
"Thanks." She says, trying to ignore the nervous feeling blooming in her stomach.
He shakes his head. "You don't need to thank me." It's what friends are for, he wants to say.
Slinking her arms around him, she smiles sweetly and nods. Neither move, Saffron expected for him to put her down by now, not that she's complaining, instead silently enjoys the closeness.
"Ooooooooooo~"
Oh no. Please no.
Their heads snap in the direction of the voice. April and Gon stand there with cheeky smiles, they glance at each and open their mouths.
They better not.
"Killua and Saffron sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love than comes marriage than comes the baby sitting' in the carriage!" They start laughing so hard they have to lean on each other for support.
Saffron's face burns with embarrassment but with also playful anger.
"Let's get 'em'." Killua smirks and puts her down.
"Yosh! Come here jerks!"
Gon and April sprint away from the 'lovebirds' as they chase them, all four laughing. There have been a few hiccups on their journey so far but everyone is safe and for the most part unharmed. Most importantly April is fine, she's normal. Coming to this turned out being a better idea than Saffron initially thought.
