Ohiya! If some of you are wondering why Killua was sweating and panting when he was running in the forest, it was exactly because he was running. Well, some of the reason is. Since he gets strained from being away from the house that makes him weaker than he is when he's away from the property so since he was in the forest running, that made him tired easily causing the sweating and him being out of breath. Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and follows! Please leave a review and favorite! Farewell and Enjoy!

-Let there be midnight

Me No Own HunterxHunter


Ghostly Friends

I'm Alive

Gon was nervous. No wait, that was an understatement. Gon was beyond nervous. His hands were shaking uncontrollably to the point he had to stuff them in the pockets of his shorts to hide them from his friends who walked beside him on the sidewalk towards the house at the end of his street. Not only were his hands shaking, but they were sweating and so were his armpits. Boy was he glad he decided to wear his black sweatshirt today so it hid the sweat… even if it was twelve at night, but who knows, maybe Kurapika will shine his flashlight on him and ask why he was sweating so much?

He was broken from his nervous musings as Kurapika and Leorio stopped in front of the house he knew his best friend lived in. Somewhere in there Killua was planning a surprise for his friends and that made the butterflies catch on fire in his stomach and decided shotguns were fun. Well, let me tell you, shotguns aren't fun and Gon can vouch for that.

"Here we are." Kurapika said as he shinned his flashlight onto the large house, all three of their eyes trailing upwards till they reached the roof, then traveled back down to rest on the front door with a creepy looking knocker-thingy.

"Come on, let's get this over with and hope that kid gives us a quick death." Leorio grumbled walking forward and muttering under his breath as he went. Kurapika and Gon looked at each other silently, not moving.

"You okay Gon?" Kurapika asked noticing Gon shaking a little. He gave his blond friend a quick reassuring smile, nodding his head up and down.

"Yup! Come on before Leorio gets there before us!" he cheered running off to catch up with the older teen. Behind them, Kurapika sighed and shook his head, jogging to catch up. When they reached the front door Leorio didn't waste a second before he flung the door opened, making the other two jumped in surprise. He glared at the two then he pushed them inside, making them fall to the floor before he went inside himself and shut the door behind him.

"Leorio!" Gon and Kurapika shouted glaring at him as they both got up. Leorio was about to respond before he was quickly cut off.

"Mother, are you finally home?" a voice Gon instantly knew as Killua's came from up the stairs. Both of the older teens—except Gon—froze when they heard the voice, all three heads looking towards the top of the stairs to see a boy around twelve sitting at the top steps. Killua looked different than he did yesterday, but Gon guessed he did that on purpose just to scare his two friends. His hair was messier than normal, sticking up everywhere and one fringe almost hid one of his wide unfocused blue eyes. He was paler—which was saying something—with dark bags under his eyes and his clothes looked a lot bigger with his shirt slipping off a shoulder and rips covered the shirt and shorts everywhere on him, one of the sleeves being cut by the elbow, hanging off limply showing his pasty skin.

A shaky smile that sent shivers, even down Gon's spine, curled on his lips, making him look almost sad… as if he needed a hug and quick. "Thank goodness! I thought you would never come!" Then he was gone, his smile stuck in the three's minds.

"W-w-was t-t-t-that a-a-a-a g-g-g-ghost?!" Kurapika asked shakily, teeth shattering as he looked over at Gon and Leorio. Gon nodded slowly, Leorio in too much fear to speak.

"Y-yeah…" he replied, his eyes never looking away from the steps he had just saw Killua sitting on. "Let's go upstairs!" he quickly added only to stop when Leorio grabbed his wrist, preventing him from going.

"You were all afraid about coming here! Why the sudden change?" he asked suspiciously, trying to hide the fear he felt inside from just seeing the ghost kid only seconds ago. Gon shrugged.

"Dunno, got curious I guess." he smiled awkwardly at his two friends before he took his wrist back. "Come on, maybe he wants us to follow—" Gon was instantly cut off by the sound of Killua singing eerily.

"I'm afraid

I'm afraid

The darkness is all around." Gon quickly grabbed both of their hands and pulled them up the stairs, trying to pull their minds away from the eerie song. "Where are they?

Where are they?

I'm all alone."

"M-maybe we should turn back?" Leorio suggested, smiling shakily. Kurapika shook his head at him, wanting to see his plan through.

"Nope, we came here to see a ghost, and we're doing just that!"

"Who are they?

Who are they?

Mommy, where'd you go?" Leorio jumped, teeth chattering as he looked all around him trying to find the ghost they had saw at the top of the stairs, but he saw no ghost.

"W-we al-already s-saw him! Can we just go home?!" he pleaded wanting to be far away from the house as he possibly could. Kurapika and Gon shook their heads, Gon's shotgun on fire butterflies intensifying. If they went home now, he would be getting an earful from a certain ghost friend for being a scaredy-cat and he didn't want an earful from Killua.

"Maybe he wants to show us something?" Gon suggested as he let go off both of their hands, stopping in front of the door he knew was Killua's room. The singing was louder meaning whoever sung the eerie song was behind the door.

"I'm afraid

I'm afraid

The dark is terrifying,

All around.

Where is mommy?

Mommy are you there?

I'm alone

I'm alone

All alone." They all stood in front of the door wanting one of the others to open it as long as it wasn't them until Kurapika had gathered the courage and manliness to do so and opened the door showing the boy who was just sitting on the tops of the steps staring blankly at them. This time though, blood seeped through his shirt and dripped onto the wood below him making a puddle in the moonlight that shown through the window behind him. Killua stopped in his song and rose his head up slowly to stare at all three of them in the eyes silently.

"You're not mother…" he said with a tilt of his head. "Who… are you?" And once again he disappeared just as the flashlight in Kurapika's hand flickered on and off until it went out completely, incasing them in darkness. All three of them screamed in fright until the light flickered back on, lighting up the bed on the far wall of the room where Killua laid in, bandages the only thing covering his chest as he looked up at the ceiling with the same blank eyes he had stared at them just moments ago with. Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika stood frozen, not knowing what to expect from the ghost that laid in the bed.

"It h-hurts…" Killua croaked shakily, slowly turning his head to them as if it caused a lot of energy to do so. "M-make it s-stop… it-it hurts…" Tears filled his blue eyes as his lips trembled. Gon didn't know if he was playing with them or not, but he wanted this to stop quickly. Joke or not he didn't want to see his best friend like that, that's why he flung himself on top of Killua hugging him while his two older best friends stood in shock.

"Stop! Just stop it Killua!" he shouted burying his head in the crook of his neck. "You don't need to scare them anymore!" Killua's once blank eyes turned into focus and stared at Gon angrily, disappearing from his hold to appear at the end of his bed with the appearance Gon was used to seeing.

"I thought you said I could have my fun and you wouldn't ruin this for me!" he shouted with an accusing finger at the spiky haired boy. Gon turned around with a pout.

"I know what I said but you looked to be in so much pain!" he countered as Killua leaned forward with his hands on his hips.

"It's called scaring people with my death! Geez, don't you know anything?"

"No! I thought you would do something like what you did when I first met you!"

"If I did that all the time I wouldn't have fun and people would call me "Killua the Friendly Next Door Neighbor Ghost"! Maybe I want to be the feared ghost on Yorknew Street!"

"You didn't have to do it that way though!"

"I like doing it this way!"

"Well it's way too sad!"

"I'm going to kill you!" A tick mark appeared on Killua's forehead as he leaped forward and jumped on Gon, making both of them fall to the floor and into a wrestling match. Kurapika and Leorio stood there staring at the two as they tried to digest the very confusing situation in their minds, but only ending up with mush.

"Um… Gon?" Kurapika finally asked, getting the two to stop wrestling. Gon looked up with wide innocent eyes as if nothing strange had just occurred. "How come you act like you know that ghost?" the blond asked trying to wrap his head around this. Another tick mark appeared on Killua's forehead as he growled.

"This ghost does have a name you know!" he shouted only to be ignored. Gon tilted his head to the side with furrowed eyes.

"But I do know Killua! He's my best friend! Why would I not know Killua?" He was generally confused. Was he not supposed to know his best friend? Was it a crime? Why did Leorio and Kurapika look even more shocked at him once he said that? He would probably never know.

"You're friends with a ghost?!" Leorio asked in surprised as another tick mark appeared on Killua.

"My name is Killua! Get it right old man!" he shouted. Leorio was the only one to listen to Killua at this point since he had just been called old man. He wasn't that old, okay? He was young and still in highschool!

"You're one to talk! You're forty-two!" Leorio shouted back, an identical tick mark on his forehead.

"No! I'm twelve! I would be forty-two if I was still alive! But I died when I was twelve making me forever twelve! Get your damn ages right old man!" Killua shot back, both of them face to face in anger. Kurapika and Gon sweetdropped at the scene, not knowing what to do to make the bickering duo stop fighting so they can discuss this in a civilized manner.

"At least I'm alive!" And at Leorio's comment, the whole room went completely silent as everyone stared at the teen in shock. Leorio stopped, suddenly realizing what he said and stepped back as he looked at Killua who just stared at him with wide bright blue eyes, mouth opened forming an 'o'. "I-I—" Killua cut him off as he narrowed his eyes and glared at him dangerously, shoulders tensed and hands clenched.

"Even if I'm dead doesn't mean you can shove it in my face and laugh! I didn't ask to be like this!" Killua shouted in anger, glaring at Leorio once more before he disappeared.

"Killua!" Gon shouted in protest before running out of the room, Kurapika and Leorio quickly following him once they gotten over their shock.

"Why didn't you tell us you knew this Killua kid?" Kurapika asked as Gon went up the second flight of stairs to the third floor of the house. "Or tell us that he was dead?" Gon shrugged, his eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"No one would believe me if I said I was friends with a ghost." he pointed out as they stopped in front of a long, narrow door.

"Where are we going?" Kurapika quickly changed the subject, not knowing how to answer Gon.

"Whenever Killua is mad, sad, or frustrated at something, he always goes to the attic and sits at the window, staring out onto the street." he replied as he reached for the knob, only for Leorio to stop him. Gon looked at the older teen in question, retracting his hand away from the doorknob to stare at him. Leorio's lips were pursed and his eyebrows were furrowed with the look of guilt on his face as he looked at the attic door in front of him.

"Gon, how does Killua usually take his death?" Leorio asked almost quietly. Gon put his finger on his chin as he thought about it.

"He usually takes it casually, but he also takes to offensive easily. A few days ago he got mad at me because I wouldn't let him explore the forest because it was straining him to do so. He was sweating panting from the strain of being away of his property and running at the same time was taking a toll on him. There was also this one time when I asked him how his death affected him. He apparently stayed depressed for two years." Gon then looked down at the ground in front of him. "But… Killua may act indifferent about his death and all but I know he misses being able to live like other people." He looked up and smiled reassuringly at him. "But don't worry, Killua will forgive you! I have no doubt about it!" he said cheerfully. Leorio looked down at the ground in front of him, smiling lightly.

"I hope your right." he grumbled. Sure Leorio only knew the ghost kid for like twenty minutes or so, but he just grew on him fast and him accidently saying what he did to Killua made him feel like he kicked eighteen puppies. And maybe killed two. Yes, that was how much the guilt he had in him right now, eating away at his core.

Gon gave Leorio one last smile as he opened the door and started to ascend the creaky stairs till he reached the attic. Gon looked around as Leorio and Kurapika stepped off the last set of stairs, trying to find Killua when he noticed he wasn't sitting at the window seat and looking out of the window like normal.

"Killua?" he softly called out inside the room full of boxes, crates, and other such stuff, but no answer came to Gon. Pursing his lips slightly, Gon stepped farther into the room, looking for his friend as Leorio and Kurapika went in opposite directions doing the same. "Killua?" Gon called out softly again, looking around a stack of boxes only to see his friend huddled in the corner of the attic with his knees drawn to his chest and his bangs hiding his face. Gon got on his knees to avoid the dip in the ceiling, crawling to stand in front of his friend. "Hey Killua, you okay?" he asked softly as he laid a hand gently on his friends pale knee. A jolt of electricity went up and down Gon's spine from the small touch, his eyes widening as a memory that wasn't his flowed before his eyes.


"Huh...?" Killua looked around the room confused. His chest was bandaged tightly, but that didn't stop the blood from soaking the bandages. His eyes had heavy bags under them and he tried to focus his eyes on the people surrounding his bedside. His mother sat in a chair with Kalluto and Alluka by her side, all three of them crying softly. His father stood behind his mother, a comforting hand on her shoulder as he looked down with sad eyes. Illumi stood near the door way with an emotionless face, but he was frowning and his eyes seemed a little heavy which was unusually to see in his older brother. Milluki was looking at the ground by his father, biting his lip. Beside Milluki was a man Killua recognized as the family's personally doctor who looked away shamefully. "W-what's g-going… on…?" he croaked out weakly, furrowing his eyebrows together.

"Killu! My precious little Killu!" Mother cried burying her face into her hands. Killua tried to focus in on his mother's figure. His younger brother Alluka tearfully hugged their mother, his wails loud.

"E-everything h-hurts…" Killua looked away from his family and up at the ceiling. "P-please mother, make-make it st-stop…!" he begged his face grimacing in deep pain. Everything did hurt, and it hurt terribly, but there was something odd going on… something Killua never felt before. He was starting to feel cold and some parts of his body… well; he couldn't feel them anymore which confused him greatly. What was happening? He started to freak out mentally, not wanting to worry his family any more than they already were, but… he knew deep down that he should probably feel his legs.

"I thought you gave him something to ease the pain?" He heard his father mention quietly to the doctor-Mr. Jones. Killua shifted his head to look at his family once more, seeing Mr. Jones shake his head sadly as he looked at his golden pocket watch.

"I have given him some morphine, but it doesn't seem to be helping much…" the doctor muttered refusing to look up at Killua's father. Silva frowned, not liking this answer.

"Can't you give him more?" Silva asked his voice rising as if he was giving an order. Mr. Jones found the courage to look up at Silva, his face hardened.

"If I do that, then he will have less time. It's better to let time take its course instead of moving it faster, Mr. Zoldyck." he replied a little harshly.

"What a-are y-you talk-talking a-about…" Killua asked catching the two grown men's attention. Silva's and Mr. Jones' expression softened at seeing the injured boy lying in bed.

"Nothing Killu." his father replied trying to look at least a bit happy just for his dying son.

"Oh…" He looked back up at the ceiling, the pain suddenly ebbing away. He had this weird sensation to sing and he didn't know why but he didn't question it, instead he went along with the sudden urge. "I'm afraid

I'm afraid

The darkness is all around.

Where are they?

Where are they?

I'm all alone." Killua's mother gasped as she recognized the lullaby she had taught her son, crying harder as his rough voice went on; trying it's hardest to match the usual pitches it was used to. "Who are they?

Who are they?

Mommy where'd you go?

I'm afraid

I'm afraid

The dark is terrifying

All around." Killua had to stop briefly as he had to cough, and to try to wiggle his fingers and toes to see if they were still there, only to not feel anything. He furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, but he continued to sing even though he struggled to move the parts of his body he started to lose feeling over. "Where is mommy?

Mommy are you there?

I'm alone

I'm alone

All alone.

Years and years

A thousand might've passed

And I stay here

Here to relive the past

Of a life I once had known," He felt Alluka's hand slip into his numb one just barely and tried to squeeze back knowing his little brother's discomfort. "But all I want

Is the dark to go.

I'm afraid

Too afraid

The dark might eat me

So save me please,

I don't want to relive

The things I've forgotten." His voice began to grow weak and his vision too blurry to see anything clearly as the song started to drawl and get lower with each verse. "I'm afraid

I'm afraid

Where are they?

Where are they?

Mommy, I'm afraid

Afraid of the dark.

All alone

All alone

Please come… and… save… me…" It came out as a whisper as he breathed his last and closed his eyes. The hand that weakly held onto Alluka's slackened and the young boy's cries—along with his mother and younger brother—filled the room, shaking the whole house and singing to the street a sad melody. Mr. Jones flipped his pocket watch closed, writing in a notebook he held in one hand and reading what he wrote down aloud.

"Killua E. Zoldyck, twelve-years-old, born July 7th and died July 7th 5:47 A.M from gunshot wound to the chest." Mr. Jones muttered under his breath, closing his notebook and bowing his head in respect to the young boy who looked to be just sleeping in his bed. He slowly moved forward and took the bed sheets, drawing them over the boy's face gently, a few of his own tears slipping from his eyes.


Gon immediately took back his hand in surprise, eyes wide and heart beating frantically in his chest. He had just saw Killua's death. He saw how Killua died; he saw what his last moments alive were. And it scared him.

He looked at Killua and noticed that he didn't seem to know that Gon was right in front of him, which also meant he didn't know what Gon just saw by touching him. "Killua," Gon muttered gathering up the courage to touch him yet again, shaking his shoulders. Killua lifted his head to stare at Gon, looking confused.

"Huh, Gon?" he asked startled at seeing his friend suddenly appear before him. He looked around as if he didn't know how he got there, then back at Gon.

"Are you okay?" Gon asked worriedly. Killua slowly nodded, standing up while being mindful of the low ceiling, Gon doing the same as they crawled/walked out to where the ceiling was higher. Kurapika and Leorio saw Gon and Killua, instantly walking over to the two with slightly worried faces.

Leorio scratched the back of his head sheepishly, looking away from Killua guilty.

"Listen, uh, Killua…" he started out awkwardly. "I'm… I'm sorry for what I said back there. I was being insensitive and rude and I apologize." He smiled friendly at Killua who tilted his head confused.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I don't remember you saying anything insensitive and rude." Killua said slowly. Leorio furrowed his eyebrows, also confused as he dropped his hand from the back of his head.

"You ran off after I said… something. Don't you remember?" Leorio asked cautiously. Killua shook his head, looking at Leorio as if he was mad.

"No… All I remember was wrestling Gon to the ground and suddenly I find myself up here with Gon in front of me. Is there something I missed?" he asked as he looked at Gon trying to find the answer that he was seeking for. Kurapika, Leorio, and Gon stared at Killua in deep surprise, not believing what they had just heard.

How could Killua forget?