Chapter 10

"I cannot believe you Gon. An entire box. A whole coco-robo wasted because of you!" Killua said aghast, as he picked up the box before gazing down at its spilled contents. Gon only chuckled as he pulled himself from the fountains chilled waters.

"Hey, you started the battle, you should have known that you weren't leaving without going for a swim. And you have like…" Gon peered in the box and looked like he was counting, but gave up half way and finished instead with, "A bunch more." Killua just shook his head (Which sent small droplets of water flying around him) and picked up the large cardboard box after placing the small coco-robo inside.

He turned to Gon, who was squeezing out his black tank top of moisture. His mid-length ebony hair was now somewhat subdued and down. It looked odd not sticking up at random angles, completely untamed. Gon finished squeezing his tank top and went to work on shaking out his hair which was quickly regaining its height. Killua, who had been observing Gon just shook his head once again (much less water fell from his hair this time and it was already beginning to regain its natural poof) and began to walk towards the direction of Gon's home.

Gon followed beside him as they walked in companionable silence. "Do you think Mito has dinner ready yet?" Gon asked, breaking the silence.

"We've been out for a while. She's probably almost finished." Killua responded thoughtfully. Gon nodded his head and began to walk just a bit faster.

When the boys finally walked through the door of Gon's home a wonderful smell invaded their senses. Both took a deep breath of the extraordinary scent and walked to the kitchen. Mito was just placing the last dish on the table as they arrived. Steaming vegetables, succulent ham, mashed potatoes, and warm bread sat on the table.

The two male's mouths began to water and they rushed to sit down at the table. Killua placed his half empty cardboard box (He needed a snack on the way back) on the floor by the wall before grabbing the seat by Gon opposite of Mito.

"I hope you boys are hungry." Mito said. The two nodded their heads enthusiastically. Mito smiled and bowed her head. Gon followed suit, all the while Killua watched curiously. After a few seconds he was about to ask them what they were doing when they looked up simultaneously and began serving the food to their plates. Killua shrugged mentally and began to pile his plate high with food.

"So, how long are you going to be staying here this time Gon?" Mito asked as she ate her food at a reasonable pace. Gon on the other hand was shoving food into his face as if he wouldn't be eating for the next week and had to stuff himself. He slowed down just enough to get a few words out.

"A momf am a haff." He said through a large chunk of ham. Mito gave him a condescending look.

"Finish chewing before you try to speak, I can barely understand you." Gon swallowed and tried again.

"A month and a half."

"That is a very specific time. Do you two have somewhere to be?"

"Yeah! Killua and I have to go on a mission so that we can become hunters!" Gon said, his face lighting up. Mito's face, however, darkened.

"Hunters? Where ever did you get that idea?"

"Well, after…" Gon looked over to Killua who nodded his head slightly.

"After Gon found me and we became… friends." Killua still seemed confused every time the word left his mouth. He shook his head to clear some of the static that had overcame it. "He told me about Whale Island and suggested that we come here. So we got on a boat but were intercepted by the Hunter association." At this point Killua angled his head so that his bangs covered his eyes. "You see, they don't really like me. We fought them off but in the end we had to talk with one of the higher ups and he said that I had to become a Hunter if I didn't want to run from them for the rest of my life." Killua had stopped eating. "He also said that because Gon had been with me that he would be questioned and or hunted down if he didn't carry out the mission with me. Gomen, Gon."

"No, no. Killua, being a Hunter sounded like fun. I wanted to be one. And it's my fault the Association found us in the first place. I should have listened to you when you said that I should have stopped talking to Satotz." Gon said in a rushed tone.

"I think that he had figured it out the second he saw us Gon." There was a moment of silence before Mito spoke up.

"I guess there is no avoiding it now. With the path you're on you are bound to find out sooner or later. Gon, Ging didn't just leave for no reason. He left you with me so that he could become a better Hunter. I haven't told you anything till now because being a Hunter is a very dangerous job and you can die easily. I was hoping that if you went at it long enough that you might become uninterested and give up. But it is obvious now that that is not going to happen."

"Ging is Hunter! That's so cool! I finally have a clue that leads me closer, and I'm already on the trail!" Gon smiled happily, not seeming at all bothered by his Aunt's (Though she was more like his mother) untruthfulness. He shoved a scoop of mashed potatoes into his mouth and closed his eyes as he savored the creamy taste.

"Who's Ging?" Killua asked. Gon turned to him with a giant smile occupying his face as he swallowed his food.

"Ging is my father!" He exclaimed cheerfully. He continued to speak with a dazzling smile. "He left me with Mito when I was really young and disappeared. He was the reason that I was traveling through that empty city and found you! I have to find him." His smile grew determined. "I'm getting close, I can fell it." He then took a large bite from his roll of bread, almost comically ending the conversation.

The other two occupants of the table just watched the optimistic boy with disbelief. After a few seconds Killua smiled ever-so-slightly and muttered a certain word- Baka- under his breath before he went back to eating, only slightly slower than his tanned companion. Mito took a few more bites from her plate before she asked another question.

"So, Gon, you're turning seventeen soon…" Gon smiled and nodded his head. "What do you want to do for your birthday?" Gon swallowed his large mouthful of food before responding.

"I want to spend time with you and Killua." He said simply. "I also want to make some coffee and bring it to Oba-chan."

Mito smiled. "Alright. You can visit her tomorrow if you want. Her favorite flowers are in bloom in the garden. You can take some to her."

"Okay!"

Killua watched the exchange with growing curiosity. "Who is Oba-chan?" Mito and Gon both turned to him with gentle smiles.

"Oba-chan is my Grandmother." Gon said with a smile that brightened even more, his eyes closed in happiness. Killua let out a quiet oh and went back to eating. "You can come with me if you want Killua. You can help me with the flowers!" Gon stated with growing excitement.

"Okay, Gon. I'll go with you." Killua said with a seemingly indifferent tone, but he was quite happy that Gon had asked him to come with him.

The dinner continued with Gon either stuffing his face rapidly, or telling stories of his travels. (Before he met Killua) He told a story about a poverty filled town and how he tried to help them as much as he could. He caught fish for them and he gave his favorite green jacket to a little homeless boy.

The stories were nice and the food was delicious. Killua was very much enjoying himself at the moment. This is such an odd thing. Is this how families are supposed to act? He thought as he continued to eat happily listening to Gon's stories. I really like this.

When dinner concluded the two young men helped Mito with the dishes. They all stood in a row with Mito washing them, Gon rinsing them, and Killua drying them. The row also went from the shortest to the tallest. Though Killua wasn't much taller than Gon, an inch or two still mattered to him. Mito, however, was no match for Gon who was about half a foot taller than her.

Focus was etched on the male's faces as they competed to see who did their job the best. Mito simply smiled at their antics.

Once the dishes were washed (Killua smiling victoriously over a pouting Gon (That Killua found ridiculously adorable)) Mito set about putting the neatly stacked dishes into their rightful places in the cupboard or under the counter.

"Gon, why don't you go get the futon ready?" She asked/commanded.

"Un!" Gon said, pulling his face muscles back into their usual smile. He darted upstairs, leaving Killua with Mito. Killua found himself recalling an etiquette lesson He had been taught long ago.

"Arigato Mito-san. The food was very good." He said. He meant it too. He usually wasn't one to give out complements or to thank someone for anything (Except maybe Gon for, you know, saving his life) but he felt Mito really deserved it. She had been so good to him, not even knowing who he was or what he had done. She had solely judged him on how he acted now, rather than his regretted past actions, and he was so incredibly grateful to her and Gon both for that.

Mito smiled and reached up to gently push some of his silver bangs from his eyes. It was a loving mother gesture that was foreign to Killua, but he liked it.

"You're a good kid Killua." Mito said with a gentle smile. She ghosted her fingers over Killua's pale cheek, a hint of worry creeping into her voice and features. "Watch over Gon for me, okay? He can be reckless and stubborn at times and rushes into things head first before wondering whether or not he is about to hit a wall. Sometimes he can be so caught up seeing the hidden good in people that he overlooks the looming bad over their shoulder. He did good finding you though. Just try to keep him out of the line of fire." A small smile found its way back onto Mito's lips and Killua found himself grinning at the truthfulness of what she had said.

He had met Gon barely two days ago and already he could tell Gon was more stubborn than a mule (Sharing the blanket) and challenging the scale of recklessness he could achieve. (Challenging Illumi's authority) Not only that, but he saw the good in people, no matter how far down he had to search to find that light. (Trusting Killua)

"Of course Mito. I will." He said reassuringly. Mito smiled and pulled him in for gentle hug. Killua hesitantly returned it, still unused to the previously unnecessary contact.

"Mito-san…" Gon whined coming down the stairs. Mito let go of Killua and turned to Gon.

"Yes?"

"I think that I may have brought the futon outside to sleep on once. And left it there. In the woods. And left to find Ging…" Gon sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

Mito sighed and shook her head. "So, it's ruined?"

"Yeah, probably."

"Well I'll leave you boys to figure this out. I'm going to bed." Mito stated as she rubbed her temples before turning to her room that was on the first floor.

Killua grabbed his coco-robo box from where he left it in the kitchen and made his way up the stairs to Gon's room with Gon right on his heels. He let Gon get in front of him to open the door and followed in behind him. The window was dark now as it was almost nine o'clock and the moon had taken its rightful placing the sky, shining silver light down on the land below that it longed to be a part of.

Killua placed his coco-robos down in front of the window and turned to Gon. Before he could begin to suggest that he could sleep on the floor Gon cut him off stating that he had sleep in worse places and his room floor would be fine. Killua could argue back that he had probably slept in worse places than Gon, but decided against it.

"It's your home Gon, you can't be sleeping on the floor."

"But now it's our home." Gon said simply in the way that the most meaningful things left his lips. Always as if they were so obvious. Killua shook his head and tried again.

"You are not sleeping on the floor."

"Well you're not allowed to sleep on the floor." Gon said and crossed his arms.

"Since when?"

"Since now, it's a new house rule." Gon turned his nose up in a 'there's no way I'm changing my mind' gesture. A Cheshire cat smile invaded Killua's pale lips as a thought came to him.

"So no one is allowed to sleep on the floor?"

"Nope." Gon said, popping the 'p.'

"And that is the rule?"

"Yep." Gon said in the same manner as before.

"So, where will you be sleeping?"

"On the floor Killua." Gon said turning to him and speaking in an 'isn't it obvious' tone.

"But you just said that the rule was no one is allowed to sleep on the floor." Killua said in a seemingly innocent voice. The gears were turning in Gon's head as he ran over the last few sentences of conversation in his head. It took a few seconds before the light bulb above his head lit up.

"Killua you tricked me!" Gon said shocked. Killua laughed at Gon who seemed actually hurt at first, then he heard Killua laugh and the gesture turned a more at ease look. Killua's laugh was light and gentle. It wasn't forced and it seemed like he hadn't actually really laughed in a long time. The sound, Gon thought, was beautiful. After a few more seconds Killua reeled in his outburst and became slightly more serious.

"So, where am I sleeping? In the wardrobe?" He asked, very seriously.

"Wouldn't that be uncomfortable though?" Gon asked cocking his head to the side.

"No, no, you just have to sleep standing up and in between all the clothes." Killua continued in a thoughtful voice.

"You kidding aren't you?" Gon said with a sigh at just having realized what his friend was doing.

"What gave it away?" Killua spoke with sarcasm not only dripping but flowing out in sarcastic rainbows.

"Ha, ha." Gon said unamused. "I guess we can just share my bed. It's small but we should be able to fit."

"You really want to do that?" Killua asked. Gon smiled.

"It seems to be the only solution." He said in a very 'intelligent' voice. Both of the boys looked at each other before bursting out into laughter.

The two boys had gotten ready for bed, Gon lending Killua an old set of clothes he never wore that consisted of a black shirt and pants. For sleep ware Gon gave Killua an old black tank top and a pair of grey sweats. Gon also gave Killua a new tooth brush still in the wrapped plastic.

Now, teeth brushed and pajamas on, the boys lay on Gon's tiny twin sized bed. The green quilt that Killua had noticed on Gon's bed early now lay draped over the two of them, providing sufficient warmth. Due to the lack of mattress to lay on the males ended up back to like they had slept the night before. It was strangely comforting to have another's warmth occupying such a close proximity.

Killua fell asleep quickly and found himself in a nightmare free rest by Gon's side.

81 needed.

Heyo, I think I did a pretty good job getting this chapter out if I do say so myself. *Smiles smugly *Gets book thrown at face. (The book always finds its target by the way) Well, I don't have much else to say other than maybe thanking you guys profusely for the sweet reviews. Seriously, you had my smiling from the inside out when I read that stuff. It made me so incredibly happy. Thank you. As always Luv you guys ;)

Until next time! By the way this is un-betaed (As usual but I have a bad feeling about this particular chapter) so if there are any incredibly stupid mistakes please PM me and help me out.