I do not own Hunter X Hunter.

10. Sweet

"A-CHOO!"

I had such a lousy sneeze. It was not really like a like a squeaky mouse; it was the kind that, if I stood on top of the Alps or something, and I did it, would reduce the whole damn mountain to a pile of rubble and snow. It could've been my imagination, but I could hear it echo all across the room, the whole floor, the entire building, for Christ's sake, bouncing off the walls like jeers. But the good thing was that it caused all kinds of pressure to release from my body, but then that pressure had to quite forcefully stabilize again once the sneeze had ended.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Good God, Killua! I'm just fine! Why you not believe me!" I answered rather loudly. My head dropped in my hands as my aching eyes scanned the print of the file lying open in front of me. I hardly had the energy to even keep my head up.

"I'm gonna nod and ignore your poor grammar," Killua said.

"Thank you," I muttered, rubbing my temples furiously. I felt another sneeze building irresistibly at the back of my nose and I had no time to reach for a tissue.

"A-CHOO!"

In a swift movement, Killua dropped the files that were in front of me on the ground and held my cup of jasmine tea up to protect it from any possible germ.

"Goddammit!" I hissed through gritted teeth.

"You're on fire!" Killua commented, placing the cup back on the table again.

"It feels like my head is about to split in two," I complained. "I need to go bang some holes in the wall. With my head."

"I don't think it'll help to ease your discomfort; if anything, it'll exacerbate it."

"That's right, Yuki," Gon seconded.

Uh, whatever. Banging on the wall would've been like morphine.

"Gimme the next file," I demanded as I fiercely slammed the file I had in my lap down on the table, practically making Killua jump out of his seat.

"What the hell was that for?" he asked me.

I flopped down on the table and hid my face in my arms. "Oh, nothing," I mumbled, blinking hard to douse the burning in my eyes. "It's just life. It kicks your ass up and down the long, winding road. And then you die. But I'm sure you already knew that." I didn't feel like saying more than that. Besides, I wasn't lying. Life did kick my ass, especially this day. What a shame that I couldn't kick back.

Killua blinked at me. "You're not hallucinating are you."

"No! I'm not!" I snapped at him.

"Yuki."

"What, Gon?"

"Please keep your voice down. Everyone is staring at us," Gon pleaded, mortified. I wasn't paying much attention to the number of glares I was receiving from around the room.

"Oh."

"Thank you," Gon said.

"God!" I began again with a piercing voice, looking at the heavy files we still had to study. "That's a lot to finish in one day! And I need to sleep! Right now, I need sleep like a fat kid needs cake."

Killua face-palmed. I couldn't blame him really.

"We finished fifty-seven file! That's really something, Yuki! Cheer up!" Gon exclaimed.

Killua looked at him dryly. Bad sign. Bad sign indeed. Killua had several kinds of looks, and I'm unsure if I can give each look the decent description it deserves. This 'dry' look as I liked to call it held a hint of challenge. It was like he was indirectly saying 'Your eyes will be out of their sockets faster than a Ferrari off the grid if you don't stop talking right now.'

"When you are done celebrating, Gon, would you be so kind to finish the rest of the work?" Killua asked flatly.

Poor Gon.

Gon groaned. "Killjoy."

"That's not right," I whined. "What Kurapika is doing, I mean. Why does everyone gotta pick on us rookies, all the time? Kurapika used to be a rookie too, once." An inexplicably devious smirk plucked at my lips. "I say we retaliate, somehow. Nothing too big and nasty, mind you, just something that will teach him a lesson. What do you say, buddies?"

"Er, Yuki, are you okay?" Gon looked honestly worried now.

In fact, I don't even know why I made a suggestion like that, at all, to be honest. You know how you can say things and mean it right when you say them, but then when the heat of the moment cools, you start wishing you hadn't said anything? I had a horrible habit of that. I think it was the flu talking this time.

I felt my face go blank, almost as blank as Killua's, but not really. Killua was the king of blank. "I dunno," I admitted. "Define 'okay.'"

"We'll finished the rest of the work. You should sleep," Killua told me. "I suggest you sleep by yourself before I lose what's left of my fragile control and knock you out."

Words failed to support me then. I didn't say anything, instead leaning my head back on the couch, waiting for sleep to over take me.

Killua's PoV

"Finally!"

I smiled at Gon. "Yeah, you can celebrate now."

"I can't believe it took us a straight six hours to get over with this job." Gon grunted with exertion as he stretched his body as long as it would go, making the most of his height. "To be honest, I'd rather go through your family's training than have this experience again. Who knew Kurapika's requirements could be more painful than the Zaoldyeck's?" Gon said mockingly.

"Uh, don't push it. And please keep quiet." I took a quick glance at the sleeping girl beside me to make sure Gon's aggrandizement was not loud enough to wake her up. She was splayed uncomfortably across the couch, with her neck flexed to the right. Her hair was fanned around her face and a few strands fluttered every time she took breath. She was clutching tightly at one of the files, like it was a pillow or a teddy bear.

"Oh, I almost forgot about her." Gon gave me an apologetic look. Then he said even softer, "Perhaps we should wake her up now."

Despite her unfortunate position, she was the picture of comfort. "No, let's leave her alone."

Finally, ever so slowly and silent, I extended my hand to brush off a few more raven curls which were delicately falling across her face. I was careful not to startle her because I knew if I woke her up right now, I might end up sprawled on the floor while she retreated to a corner.

"I seriously can't thank you enough." I whirled my head to see Kurapika approaching our spot. He noticed Yuki instantly and his features dramatically turned into a scowl. "Is she okay?" he asked.

"She's asleep," I answered.

"She's pretty sick too," Gon said.

"I see," Kurapika muttered. "Gon, would you please help me get these files to my office?"

"Sure."

"Killua, do you think you can carry Yuki to one of the empty rooms here. If you don't mind."

"Of course not. I will," I reassured him, knowing deeply in my heart that it was a bad idea.

"And by the way, feel free to pick any room you two want. You can stay here til the end of the auction," Kurapika said.

I exchanged a quick glance with Gon, before we both nodded in approval.

Gon carried a few files in his hand. He paused for a second to ask me, "Do you need any help with…that?" He gestured at Yuki.

"I guess not," I responded as I shifted my weight to my feet and examined Yuki's sleeping form for a while, unsure how to approach the situation. It seemed best if I carried her…princess style. And I was worrying about clichés, when it was I who was about to make the biggest faux pas. Smirking slightly at the implication, I carefully hooked an arm behind her knees, using the other to cradle her head as I lifted her from the couch. Her fingers tightened in the fabric of my shirt, and she was humming to herself in a low tone.

I turned to Kurapika who was staring at me in amazement. "Where is that room?" I asked him firmly. There was a little tension between us since yesterday. Truth to be told, I kinda wanted to punch him. That paper work was hideous.

"It's beside my office. Two doors to the left," he answered. I nodded and walked passed him carefully. "Killua."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you," he told me. "I know it was a lot of work to do. And I can tell you're mad at me."

"Seriously, Kurapika. It's no big deal."

I started to walk my way to the room in slow and dull steps.

Sometimes it got hard to believe that I was the one who turned this girl to an orphan. I always avoided to think about it. Probably not the most mature response, I realize, but what else could I do, spend my whole life feeling guilty about it? I sure didn't feel good, though; I felt kind of fogged up, the way I felt when I thought I'd just heard something awful and didn't want to believe it.

Family. They used to drive me bonkers sometimes—okay, they used to drive me bonkers often. But they loved me, I suppose. And I'd much rather have people that drove me crazy on a regular basis than no one at all. Of course, I was talking about my friends, family now. The one I'd made.

"Um Killua?" I flinched a little when Yuki's tired voice addressed me. Dammit.

"Yes?"

"Not that I minded, but why exactly are you carrying me?" The yawn at the end helped with her nonchalant tone.

"Erm…you fell asleep, so I took the liberty of moving you to a more comfortable sleeping area."

"Well thank you. That's pretty thoughtful," she whispered before smoothly closing her eyes.

"I can be thoughtful sometimes."

"You're comfortable," she murmured as she buried her face against my chest.

"If you find me comfortable, then perhaps retiring you to a real bed was actually a good idea. Your exhaustion is making you delusional."

She laughed weakly.

"Maybe," she admitted. "You know what? Sometimes I feel like I want to punch you."

My lips curled up into a tiny smile. "Go on, then. I won't stop you."

She slapped my chest playfully. "Don't tempt me," she said, laughing. "But sometimes you are nice. Like now." She sounded like a child, but the honesty was somehow refreshing.

"I am?"

"Yes. Really nice. And sweet. Like chocolates."

I chuckled. Her level of awareness had deteriorated to complete nonsense.

"I'll definitely take that as a compliment."

"You should." It came out as a tired sigh. I pushed the door to the bedroom open and gently deposited her onto the bed. She curled into a tight ball, her fists clenched, pressed against her heart. Then she let out another small sigh. "Good night, Killua. I'll continue my battles with you tomorrow."

"Fair enough," I answered. "Because our conversation is becoming completely nonsensical." She was going to protest, but another yawn stopped her. I smiled, and before I knew it, I was unwrapping the blanket to carefully tuck it over her like a cape, hands trembling with the fear of accidentally brushing against her and waking her up again. I winced with every quiet rustle the blanket made as I spread it over her.

"Good night."