Hey, everyone! Behold, the last chapter. As of right now, the sequel should be available to read. It is titled "The Warmest Winter" and should be the first updated story on my profile. This story continues there. Enjoy the chapter, and thanks so much for reading!

Also, please note that, for the actual wedding scene, I did legitimate research on how a wedding procession should go traditionally. I've also been to weddings before as both a flower girl (back when I was eight and still identified as female) and as a spectator in general. However, if something seems out of place, please let me know. Seeing as I'm a bit too young to be married (I'm only a sophomore in high school lol), I can't say I know for sure what a wedding looks and feels like from the perspective of someone who's actually getting married.

This is the longest chapter I have ever posted. I sincerely hope it was worth the wait.

Killua was freaking out.

It had taken only four months to plan and set up the wedding (strangely enough, wedding planners tend to move faster when they're working for royalty) and the theme was flowers. Alluka had spent a lot of time working with the people in charge to set up the ballroom in the Southern palace, hanging chains of orange and white lotus flowers across the ceiling and lining every banister or railing with bright pink roses nestled in dark, earthy green leaves. The marble floor was littered with vivid yellow daffodils placed between the round tables, providing bright bursts of color against the otherwise white, spotless surface.

It was beautiful, but the gorgeous sight and smell of the flowers did nothing to calm Killua's nerves.

He honestly wished he could just curl up in the corner and hide until everything was over. Why? Because he suddenly felt extremely unready to be married. He had absolutely no idea how real couples worked, and he was worried Gon would wake up and realize he didn't want a dishonest Zoldyck for a husband. Killua was so very afraid of everything falling apart, of losing the man he fell in love with.

"Is it possible to cancel this whole thing?" Killua asked, as Illumi and Kalluto worked on untangling his messy white hair. "I'm not sure I'm ready for this."

"Really? You're telling me we spent four months hard at work for absolutely no reason?" Kalluto swatted Killua's arm indignantly.

"I don't think anyone's ever ready for their wedding day, Killu." Illumi reasoned, lightly rapping the comb he was holding against his palm. "You've just gotta tough it out. I always hear people say their wedding was the happiest day of their life, so you have nothing to worry about."

"But what if I made a mistake and Gon isn't right for me? What if something happens between us and he winds up leaving me? There are so many things that could go wrong, and I'm not sure I'm ready to face that." Killua buried his face in his hands with a low groan. "This morning, Father looked like he wanted to leap across the table and rip my head off with his bare hands. Just the knowledge he doesn't approve of this is making me feel sick."

"I still say you have nothing to worry about. You'll be living here in the Southern kingdom from now on, so it's not like our parents can do anything to you." Illumi reasoned, returning to running the comb through Killua's hair, trying to make him look somewhat presentable. "You do realize that couples have fights sometimes, right? But if you really love each other, you'll stay together no matter what happens. Besides, Gon seems like a very reasonable young man. And he really does adore you, so I doubt he's even capable of leaving you."

"But... But what if he finally realizes what a terrible person I am?"

"You're not terrible, Onii-chan. What's really terrible here is all the fretting you're doing." Kalluto remarked, planting his tiny hands on his hips and frowning. "Just get it over with, you'll see it's not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be."

"I'm not ready." Killua repeated, stubbornly. He didn't want to let go of the worming anxiety eating away at his gut just yet.

"And you never will be. But that doesn't matter. Like Kalluto said, just get it over with. We'll be right behind you every step of the way, okay?" Illumi reassured, taking a step back to examine his handiwork. He clapped his hands approvingly and added, "I'm finished, it looks perfect."

Killua turned to face the full-length mirror off to his left. His white, slightly curly hair was no longer messy, instead it was all fluffed up and completely tangle-free. He noticed for the first time how well it complimented his sapphire blue eyes, and smiled. "Thanks, Aniki. You're right, it looks great. What next?"

"Hurry up and change into your suit. The ceremony starts in half an hour, we can't have you going out there looking like you just woke up." Illumi nudged Killua out of his seat and shooed him out of the room so he could get changed.

Kalluto wrung his petite hands for a moment before looking up at his older brother and saying, "I'm kinda glad Killua's as nervous as he is."

"Hmm? What makes you say that?" Illumi asked, tilting his head to one side like a curious puppy.

"He seemed so eager to just up and leave us before. The fact he's uncertain now means he might actually miss us once he's gone." a worried frown caused Kalluto's brow to furrow, a shadow passing over his face. "I don't know why, but... I'm really afraid of what might happen if he forgets me. Forgets all of us."

"Athazagoraphobia."

"Gesundheit."

"No, that's an actual word. Athazagoraphobia."

"Which means?"

"It's the fear of being forgotten, to sum it up blatantly."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." Kalluto shrugged and reached his arms as high over his head as he could, signaling that he wanted to be picked up. "My legs are getting tired from all this planning and stuff. Carry me?"

Illumi nodded and bent down, scooping the child up with ease. "You haven't done all that much walking, but okay." he pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Kalluto's head and added, "You don't have to worry, okay? Killu's a good brother, he would never forget us. He loves us."

"Are you sure? What if he goes away and never comes back?" Kalluto fretted, burying his face in the crook of Illumi's neck, balling his tiny hands into fists.

"It'll be okay. He won't forget us, I promise. We'll always be brothers, and brothers come back to each other no matter what. That's why I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Illumi said, patting Kalluto's back in an attempt to comfort him. "Killu's found his own way in life, and we should be happy for him. This wedding is a very good thing. Maybe our parents will be more open-minded from now on."

"I doubt that. They only let up because you threatened them. Alluka told me about it, and she probably heard it from Killua. He tells her everything about everything." Kalluto murmured, playing with a loose strand of his older brother's hair.

"Does he, now?" Illumi made a face that implied he wasn't amused. "Alluka's too young to be hearing about things like that."

"Does that mean I'm too young as well? I'm younger than her!"

"Yes, you are too young. Don't get any smart ideas about threatening people. The only reason I did it was because I wanted Killu to be happy."

"You wanted him to leave?" Kalluto's bright purple eyes went wide and he lifted his head to give Illumi a shocked stare. "Aniki!"

"You should know by now that I would do anything to make my siblings happy. Why do you think I'm staying here with you and Alluka instead of leaving with Hisoka?" what appeared to be a look of remorse crossed Illumi's face, but the moment Kalluto noticed it, it was gone. "I love my little siblings more than I love anything else in the world. As such, I would do whatever it takes to ensure all of you are kept safe and happy."

"But he's leaving. I want him here." Kalluto pouted, wiggling his feet around childishly.

"I don't want him to go either, but... it's necessary. And he will come back for us. I believe that."

Killua grimaced as he smoothed down the expensive white fabric of his suit. The tie he'd chosen to go with it was sky blue, which was known to be the Northern kingdom's traditional representative color. Because the theme of the wedding was flowers, Alluka had insisted he pin a red rose to the right breast of his suit. The crimson color both complimented his porcelain-pale skin tone and reminded him of blood. A splatter of blood against his chest, staining his suit.

He shook that gruesome and painfully familiar image out of his head and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

I don't have to worry about blood anymore. Gon would never do anything that would cause me to bleed. He loves me, and doesn't want me to be hurt. And, as time passes, my countless scars will begin to fade away.

The slightest hint of a smile touched Killua's lips. In just a few minutes, he'd step out into the ballroom and begin the wedding ceremony. He'd be married to the most amazing person in the world, and he'd finally be free from his parents. He could already feel the weight of the burdens they'd thrown upon him sliding off and disappearing. Before long, he'd be weightless.

Maybe Aniki was right. Maybe I was fretting too much.

Now that he thought about it, Killua really didn't see Gon as the type of person who would stumble into a massive commitment such as marriage without knowing exactly who he was marrying beforehand. In other words, Gon knew Killua was a Zoldyck who was used to lying and just being a bad person in general.

But in the end, Gon still chose Killua over every other eligible human being in the room all those months ago.

He chose me, and he'll continue to choose me. That's a kind of love that isn't easily broken.

A strange sort of calm spread through Killua's body, completely undoing the knot of anxiety that had tied itself tight into his stomach. For the first time in his entire life, he felt completely and utterly certain that everything would be alright.

A soft knock sounded on the closed door off to his left, causing him to jump a little.

"It's not locked. Come in." he called out, checking himself over one last time in the mirror to make sure he looked somewhat presentable.

He heard the faint click of the door handle being turned, and fully expected one of his siblings to come in. You can imagine his surprise when a familiar blonde figure with soft, gentle silver eyes stepped into the room.

"Ah! Kurapika-san!" Killua blurted out, instinctively using the Japanese term for respect.

"San?" the bodyguard raised one eyebrow curiously, before remembering his rank and dipping into a low bow. "I apologize for arriving unannounced, Your Majesty."

"Oh, for god's sake, stand up. And call me Killua." the young Zoldyck waved a hand dismissively. "You have nothing to apologize for. I'm always happy to see pleasant people such as yourself. Besides, any friend of Gon's is a friend of mine."

"That's awfully kind of you. I just wanted to stop by and wish you all the best. I've been protecting Gon and just looking after him in general for a couple years now, so it's honestly hard for me to wrap my head around the fact he's getting married and starting a new life today." Kurapika said, after standing up straight. "I think you're perfect for him. Just know you'll always have my support."

"If I'm gonna be a part of Gon's family from now on, and if I'm gonna be living here, doesn't that mean you'll be my personal guard, too?" Killua asked, tilting his head to one side and regarding Kurapika with genuine curiosity in his sapphire blue eyes.

"You are correct. I look forward to serving you. I am also excited to see you and Gon grow together. Despite being adults now, you still have so much to learn and so much to see. It's only natural that you take that adventure together." a soft smile lit up Kurapika's features, causing his metallic silver eyes to glitter as if they'd been sprinkled with stardust.

"Huh. That wasn't what I was expecting you to say at all." the snowy-haired boy chuckled nervously. "I honestly expected you to come here for the sake of lecturing me on keeping Gon safe, taking care of him and all that."

Kurapika laughed – a velvety, musical sound – and shook his head no. "I don't need to tell you all that because it isn't necessary. I know you'll do all those things. If I doubted it, I wouldn't let you marry him."

Killua smiled as a warm feeling of acceptance washed over him. It was nice to know that Kurapika wholly supported his marriage with Gon.

"Thank you, Kurapika-san. That really means a lot to me."

"Anytime, Your Ma- I mean, Killua." the blonde quickly corrected himself, nodding a couple times and glancing over his shoulder warily. "I'll be going now; the ceremony starts in ten minutes and I'm at the front of the procession. As you already know, Gon asked me to act as his best man."

"Alright. I'll be out shortly." Killua promised, dipping his head respectfully.

Kurapika returned the gesture and ducked out of the room, walking away with a sort of dignity and grace gleaned from years of practice. His shoulder-length blonde hair swayed from side to side as he moved, sweeping across his back.

Killua watched him for a second before returning his attention to the mirror in front of him. He didn't look like a frightened little boy anymore.

He took a deep breath and gathered himself before turning to leave. It was nearly time for his wedding to begin, and he didn't want to miss a single second of it.

The first chord of music was struck at exactly three in the afternoon, signaling the wedding procession that it was time to make their appearance.

Gon had been standing in the hallway leading out to the lavishly decorated ballroom, wringing his hands anxiously as he waited for the procession to begin.

He was clad in a stiff black suit with a forest-green tie, a white rose pinned to the right breast. It was honestly uncomfortable, he much preferred his casual shorts and jacket to the confines of a tuxedo, but he wanted to look nice for Killua's sake. Getting married was something worth wearing uncomfortable clothes for.

There was an abundance of fragrant, colorful flowers everywhere, complimenting the already-vibrant gold and white themes of the ballroom. It was gorgeous, and the entire room smelled like springtime blossoms. Gon hadn't known what to expect when Alluka completely took over commandeering the people in charge of decorating the ballroom, but he was pleasantly surprised with the results. It was absolutely perfect.

But the Southern Prince was also so nervous he had an extremely hard time standing still. He was scared out of his marbles for what was to come because it had hit him for the first time that he was actually getting married.

He didn't know anything about married couples or how they worked. What if he wasn't good enough to make things work out with Killua?

Gon was also afraid of what might happen if he wasn't capable of making Killua happy, of giving him a better life. What if everything went wrong and the marriage fell apart? What if they really weren't right for each other after all? What if it was all just a stupid dream?

But then, the first chord of music was struck, as clear and as real as a silver bell being struck in the dead of night.

This isn't a dream.

The first person to step out of the long hall leading into the ballroom was the elderly priest, followed immediately by Gon and Kurapika. They made their way across the massive room to the front, where the full-length windows with beautiful stained glass were located. Once they reached the front, Gon and Kurapika moved to stand on the right side while the priest remained in the center, turning to face the crowd of people seated in the numerous fold-out chairs that had been gathered up and arranged in the ballroom.

Next, Illumi, Hisoka and Kalluto came down the aisle, each one dressed in suits that complimented their appearances quite well. Illumi had chosen to go with his hair down, though Kalluto insisted on pinning little white flowers there, creating the appearance of blossoms cascading down a black waterfall. Hisoka looked smug as usual, but he'd cared enough about the ceremony to go without the ridiculous makeup he usually wore. Kalluto was clad in a simple kimono, pastel blue in color, tied off at the waist with a golden cord.

After them came Zushi and Alluka. Zushi was carrying a white, fluffy cushion with the engagement rings perched neatly atop, and Alluka had a large basket of soft pink rose petals, which she sprinkled all over the floor as she skipped along.

Lastly, Killua came out, and Gon's heart skipped a few beats.

Killua walked alone, seeing as his parents weren't willing to further humiliate themselves by walking him down the aisle. But he still looked absolutely stunning, and not the slightest bit lonely. He carried a bundle of various colorful lotuses and blossoms in his arms. Even though he wasn't a bride by any means, Alluka had still insisted he carry a boquet mostly so she could hold it for him while he said his vows.

Gon sucked in a breath. Killua was more than just beautiful to the Southern Prince in that moment. He was radiant, he was perfect, he was everything.

It only took a few short moments for the young Zoldyck to make his way across the ballroom and stop directly in front of the other prince, handing his flowers off to Alluka so he could take both of Gon's hands in his own.

Gon wanted nothing more than to tell Killua how gorgeous he was, but the priest had already begun to talk about marriage and the physical, emotional and spiritual commitment it required, so he kept his mouth shut.

The initial ceremony itself flew by faster than Gon could process all of it. Before he knew it, Zushi had presented the young grooms with their engagement rings and they were slipping them on each other's fingers. Just moments after that, they were saying their vows.

It went by quickly, too quickly, but Killua's softly murmured "I do" melted Gon's heart and caused fireworks to go off in his brain. He'd never forget how certain and confidant Killua had sounded when he said those two simple little words that held so much meaning. In that moment, Gon was absolutely certain he'd chosen the right person.

"I now pronounce you lawfully wedded husbands. You may kiss." the priest finally finished with a respectful nod of his head.

Gon didn't hesitate to initiate the kiss, pulling Killua flush against him and crashing their lips together. It was the first time either of them had kissed anyone before, so it probably wasn't the most coordinated, graceful thing in the world, but to them, it was perfect. Killua's lips were as soft as Gon imagined they'd be.

The kiss itself only lasted a couple seconds, but to the two princes, it felt like it lasted a lifetime. Next thing they knew, they had separated and the large crowd before them had begun clapping, cheering and whooping excitedly.

Gon blinked a couple times, eyes transfixed on Killua's face. "So, does that mean we're married now?" he asked.

Killua laughed and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, baka, we're married. In case you don't know, it means that I'm your husband and you're my husband. Did you not listen to a word the priest said?"

"Of course I know what being married means." Gon rolled his eyes and gave Killua's hands a little squeeze. "I'm dumb, but not that dumb."

"Everyone present may now get up and proceed to the dining hall for the reception. The traditional dance between the newlyweds will begin in an hour." the priest announced, spreading his hands to indicate the entire crowd before him.

Gon's whole face lit up and he all but completely dragged Killua back through the ballroom to the dining hall. "We get to have cake and everything before our dance! That cake looked so delicious, I don't know if I would've been able to wait until after the dance to try some." he chattered excitedly, feeling the weight of the golden wedding ring around his finger.

Every inch of him was glowing with delight. He couldn't believe that he was finally married to the boy he fell in love with. It felt so unreal, like a dream he couldn't wake up from. But if it was a dream, it was the most beautiful dream he'd ever had. He didn't ever want to wake up, and silently prayed he never would.

Killua was grinning from ear to ear, his blue eyes sparkling with a sort of elation that Gon had never seen before. He could sense that something inside the Northern Prince had changed for the better.

Everyone else both in the crowd and in the actual wedding procession followed close behind the newlyweds, talking excitedly amongst themselves.

But Hisoka and Illumi chose to hang back a little bit, moving at a much slower pace so they'd have a chance to talk alone.

"You're probably going to deny this, Illu-dear, but you're definitely hurting right now. I can tell just by looking at you." Hisoka remarked, as soon as the last couple stragglers in the crowd had filed out of the ballroom, leaving them alone together.

Although Illumi had smiled throughout the entire ceremony, there was a sort of stoic grief in his abysmal black eyes. He still grimaced as if disgusted and shook his head no, despite how obvious that grief was. "I believe you are mistaken, Hisoka. I'm not upset at all. I'm very happy for my little brother." he said, his tone cold and dry.

"Hmm. What is it that's bothering you so much, darling? You can trust me, you know."

"I don't know what you're talking about. Nothing's bothering me."

Hisoka shrugged helplessly. "Alright, moving on. Are you planning on staying in the Southern kingdom with me? Or are you going to go back home?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest neatly.

"My first and foremost priority is my siblings. For the time being, I'm going to stay in the North with Alluka and Kalluto so I can properly care for them." Illumi's response was so mechanical, so precise, that Hisoka could tell right off the bat that it was rehearsed. How many times had Illumi practiced the same phrase over and over until he could say it without any trace of longing, of sadness, of regret?

"Ah, I see. And I understand. Your little siblings still need you around for them." Hisoka nodded his head a few times, still smirking like a Cheshire cat. "It is a shame, though. I'll get bored without a pretty little thing like you around here to keep me company."

"You'll be okay. I'm sure you'll find someone even better than I ever could be to help you with that." Illumi's lower lip quivered ever so slightly. The emotionless mask he wore was beginning to slip.

"But what if I don't want anyone else?" Hisoka quipped.

"Well, you're just gonna have to deal with it, then. I have to be there for my siblings, especially now that Killua isn't gonna be around for us anymore. You forget that I don't have the luxury of doing whatever I want like you do." with that, Illumi sped up, eager to get away from the magician as quickly as possible.

Hisoka watched him go with an expression akin to longing on his face. He wanted to go after the Zoldyck, to try and convince him to stay. But although he had no problem chasing after what he wanted, Hisoka decided against it. He knew that, if he pushed the issue any further, Illumi would never come back.

I'll let him go for now, but... The next time I see him, I will make him mine. I always get what I want, and he is no exception.

"Oh my god, this cake is amazing." Gon cooed, popping his frosting-coated fork into his mouth. "Best cake I've ever had in my life."

"I've never had cake before, actually." Killua mumbled, poking his completely untouched slice of chocolate cake with his fork. "What does it taste like?"

Gon rolled his eyes and took Killua's fork from him, stabbing it into the piece of cake. "You should stop asking stupid questions and try it for yourself... baka." Alluka had told him that "baka" meant "idiot", and it had since become his new favorite insult.

"What if I don't want to try it?" Killua raised one eyebrow stubbornly.

"Don't make me force-feed you. Open your mouth." was Gon's even reply.

Killua sighed and obeyed, letting Gon feed him the little bit of cake that was on the fork. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment before saying, "It's okay. A little sweeter than I expected, but otherwise good. Chocolate is still better, though."

"How is plain chocolate better than chocolate cake? Are you delusional or something?"

"No, I just have good taste. You're the delusional one."

"That's preposterous."

Gon continued to feed little bites to Killua as they spoke, grinning when a little spot of chocolate frosting appeared on the tip of Killua's nose.

"What are you snickering about, dummy?" the snowy-haired boy demanded to know, folding his arms indignantly.

Gon clicked his tongue a couple times and reached out, gently wiping away the bit of frosting on Killua's nose. "You've got a little something on your face."

"Oh." a delicate pink blush spread across Killua's cheeks. "Thanks."

There was a large crowd of people in the dining hall, the dull buzz of conversation filling the large room. Everyone was having a good time, whether they be eating cake, talking and laughing amongst themselves, or offering their congratulations to the newlyweds. So far, only certain naysayers throughout both the Southern and Northern kingdoms had opposed to the somewhat untraditional marriage. Because homosexuality wasn't against the law, a good portion of the population was completely okay with it.

Gon noticed the absolutely murderous looks King Silva and Queen Kikyo shot his way every chance they got, but he honestly didn't think very much of it. If they were gonna have nasty attitudes and spoil the wedding for themselves, that was entirely their problem. Gon was much too happy to let anything else drag him down.

He couldn't believe he was finally married, and it was to the person he genuinely was in love with. He had always dreamed of a day like this, despite knowing he'd probably be forced into an arranged marriage with a woman.

He smiled at the thought and turned to his new husband, reaching out to take Killua's hand and lace their fingers together. "I love you." he murmured, in a tone so soft only Killua could hear.

Killua's adorable blush only deepened. He looked down at the halfway-gone piece of cake in front of him and squirmed around a bit before replying, "I love you, too."

Gon smiled and squeezed the other's hand. "Just know that I didn't know how to dance before all this. I had Kurapika teach me, but I'm still really bad at it. I apologize in advance for being awkward, tripping myself up, and stepping on your feet." he added, grinning playfully.

"Oh, jeez. I highly doubt you're that bad at dancing. Besides, we just have to do a classic waltz or something. There's no rules stating we have to be fancy and perfect." Killua shot back, rolling his eyes.

"Well, I want it to be perfect because I'll be dancing with you for the first time. If that isn't special I don't know what is." Gon retorted, smoothing his thumb across the knobbly flesh that was Killua's knuckles. "Once we finish our dance, we're supposed to dance with each other's siblings. So I'll be with Illumi and you'll be with Kurapika because I don't have any blood siblings. I'm more worried about my dancing while I'm working with your brother than when I'm with you, because let's not forget that man has threatened to end my life on many occasions."

Killua slapped his free hand to his forehead. He had completely and utterly forgotten about the traditional order of dances. Usually, tradition called for the parents to dance with their newly-wedded children, but Gon's parents were nowhere to be found and Killua's parents were dying of secondhand embarrassment. As such, they had chosen to skip over the parental dances and go right to the others involving the actual wedding party.

"I forgot about those. Oh god, my Aniki's a great dancer and he'll probably criticize the hell out of you." Killua groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger to keep from face-palming again. "Kurapika's nice so I'm sure I'll be fine, but it's you I'm worried about."

"That makes me feel so much better, thanks." was Gon's sarcastic response. "Out of all the people I'd have to dance with, why'd it have to be your older brother? Can't we change it up and let me go with Alluka or Kalluto?"

Killua was already shaking his head before the tan boy had even finished his sentence. "Absolutely not. Our wedding planner would have a fit and most likely have us beheaded if we abruptly decided to change things up in the middle of the wedding reception itself. I want to live to be married for longer than half an hour, so we have no choice but to follow through with this."

Gon visibly blanched, all the color draining from his face. "What do I do and how do I do it? Is there any sort of special trick I should know about beforehand?" he asked, his voice almost frantic and panicky.

"Calm down, calm down." Killua flapped his hands ridiculously at the other boy. "I'm sure you'll do fine. Illumi can be strict with other people, but given the fact it's my wedding day, I doubt he'll say or do anything even remotely hostile."

Gon nodded his head a couple times, causing his vertically-standing ebony hair to shimmy atop his head. "Alright. Does that mean I'll be okay, then?"

"Yeah. I think so. But try not to mess anything up just in case, okay?"

"Oh god, now I'm even more nervous!"

"Sorry, I probably shouldn't have said that. I'm almost completely certain you don't have anything to worry about."

"Almost?! Killua!"

"Sorry, sorry, I'll just stop talking now..."

Gon shivered all over and lightly swatted Killua's arm. "You've done absolutely nothing to calm my nerves, I hope you know that." he hissed, between gritted teeth.

"Oh, come on! This is my Aniki we're talking about, here! He's completely and utterly harmless!" Killua exclaimed, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture.

"Maybe to you he is, but to me, he's absolutely terrifying! He chucked a whole damn needle into your father's arm and threatened to kill both him and your mother in their sleep! That's not harmless at all!" was the Southern Prince's indignant reply. He really didn't know how he'd manage getting through a dance with Killua's very intimidating older brother. Illumi was definitely a force to be reckoned with in more ways than one.

"You need to calm down. I promise you'll be fine." Killua insisted, shaking his head as if disappointed. "It'll be alright. Besides, you still get to dance with me first, so you have something to look forward to." he added, smiling sweetly.

Gon considered this for a moment before nodding his agreement. "Now that I think about it, you're right. I am looking forward to our dance."

The young Zoldyck's smile broadened, accentuated by the warm blush that spread across his porcelain-pale cheeks. "Me too. I've danced before, but never with someone like you."

I want to kiss him so badly. The first one was addicting, to be honest. But I know he wouldn't let me with all these people around to see it. Gon thought to himself, brown eyes flitting down to focus on Killua's unbelievably soft lips for a split second before darting back up to meet his sapphire gaze.

Naturally, Killua noticed. He scoffed and rolled his eyes for the second time. "Stop acting so weird, baka. We don't want anyone here to think you're some kind of creep, even though you obviously are."

Gon got all indignant and puffed out his chest a little, crossing his arms. "And just what is so creepy about my wanting to kiss my husband again, hmm? We are married now, you know. That means absolutely nothing is off-limits."

The snowy-haired boy immediately picked up on the slightly flirtatious edge in Gon's voice and his face turned fifty shades of crimson. "Now you're just being a pervert." he declared, turning away in an attempt to hide the flustered look he bore.

"Keep quiet and finish your cake." Gon laughed, nudging Killua's arm with his shoulder.

Only a few minutes later, Kurapika came over to tell them it was time for their dance. The two newlyweds quickly scarfed down the rest of their cake and made their way back out to the ballroom. Naturally, several people present caught on and followed them out.

The hundreds of chairs that had crowded the ballroom a moment ago had either been put away or pushed off to the side so they wouldn't be in the way of the dances. Various colorful blossoms and flower petals covered the white floor, probably Alluka's doing. The ballroom itself looked two times bigger than it actually was now that it had been almost completely cleared out.

"Wow." Gon breathed, bending down to pick up a blue pansy. The soft blossom stood out starkly against his well-tanned skin. "They really outdid themselves, didn't they?"

Killua smiled and blushed as Gon tucked the little flower behind his ear, brushing his snowy-white hair out of the way in order to do so. "Heh, yeah. It's only natural that they would, though. Weddings between royal families are kind of a big deal."

"We owe Alluka a huge thank-you for the genius idea of making the theme flowers." Gon declared, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to the other's lips before taking his hand and leading him toward the center of the ballroom. "How do we know when to start dancing? I already forgot." the Southern Prince giggled sheepishly.

"When the music starts, dummy. We rehearsed this a thousand times." Killua said, with a slight roll of his eyes. He squeezed Gon's hand affectionately before adding, "If you trip me up, I will seriously sock you in the face."

"I'll do my best, but no promises." Gon snickered.

"Well, if you mess up with me, you'll definitely mess up with my Aniki, so..."

"Oh. Oh god. You're right."

The two princes took their positions in the center of the ballroom, facing each other with their hands clasped neatly in front of them, waiting for their music cue. The large crowd had gathered around, some of them choosing to sit in the chairs clustered at the edge of the room, waiting eagerly for the dance to begin. Killua spotted his siblings amidst the numerous guests. Kalluto was sitting on Illumi's shoulders because he was too short to see over the crowd, and Alluka was clutching the bundle of flowers Killua had handed off to her earlier. She waved at Killua enthusiastically when their eyes met. Milluki looked like he'd rather be anywhere in the world than where he was right now, but that was normal for him. Killua flashed them a quick smile before returning his attention to Gon.

A split second later, the first chord of music was struck. It was a beautiful, slow song played on the piano that stirred up pleasant memories of all the moments that made life worth living, of all the things that took your breath away and made you smile.

As always, Killua was just a half-second too slow, and Gon was all too eager to take the lead. He stepped forward and slipped his arm around Killua's waist, taking hold of his right hand. Killua stiffened, only to remember what he was supposed to do and place his left hand on Gon's shoulder. This all took place within the span of a couple seconds, and, just like that, they had begun to dance.

Gon guided his beloved through a series of simple waltz steps, taking them in neat circles around the ballroom. He even paused once or twice to spin Killua around. Killua spent most of the dance completely dazed, awestruck by this perfect, beautiful human being in front of him. He couldn't believe he was actually married, that he was free from his parents and all the bizarre expectations they had for him. A slight smile touched his face. He was never going back.

"You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, Killua." Gon whispered, barely audible over the music. "They're as deep, blue and mysterious as the ocean."

Killua dipped his head slightly. "Nobody's ever told me that before."

"Well, you deserve to be told how gorgeous you are on a daily basis, so that's what I'm gonna do." Gon replied, with that familiar, goofy grin of his plastered all over his face.

"Just because we're married now does not mean you need to spoil me." Killua said, making a soft tch noise under his breath.

Gon looked genuinely dismayed for a second. "But... But Killua deserves to be spoiled!"

"Shut up and dance with me. People are gonna start wondering why you look like a confused puppy if you aren't careful."

"Alright, alright..."

The two continued to glide around the room in smooth, fluid motions, as if they had been made to dance together. Despite Gon's earlier concern, he was actually doing really good. Never once did he stumble or step the wrong way. It was one of the most amazing things Killua had ever experienced.

When the music stopped and the crowd began to cheer, Gon pulled the Northern Prince close and touched their foreheads together for just a second before letting him go. That tiny, intimate gesture melted Killua's heart and made his knees feel weak. Not wanting to collapse on the floor like an idiot, he looped his arm through Gon's and hastily pulled him away from the center of the ballroom.

Because of the stunning lack of parents to dance with, the wedding planner had chosen to let the flower girl and ring bearer dance dance together next. Alluka and Zushi barely knew each other, but because they were adorable little children with vibrant smiles, nobody seemed to mind the fact their dance was a bit clumsy and awkward. Once their dance was over, Alluka made a point to pick up as many flowers as possible from the floor to add to the bundle she'd been carrying around, which she'd left in Kalluto's care during her dance.

Next up was Killua and Kurapika's dance. Because both of them were good dancers and they were already well-acquainted, it didn't feel awkward at all until Killua nearly tripped over his own feet like an idiot. But the blonde covered for him easily by taking a half-step to one side and pivoting sharply to his right, making the little stumble look entirely intentional. It also made said stumble look more like a fancy dance move, which earned a round of delighted applause from the crowd.

Lastly, Gon and Illumi were expected to dance. As Killua returned to the crowd, he nudged Gon's shoulder to get his attention. "Good luck," he said, simply. "You're gonna need it."

"Stop saying stupid stuff just to make me nervous!" Gon hissed, through gritted teeth. The poor thing was obviously scared out of his marbles.

Killua rolled his eyes and managed to catch Illumi by the arm before the ravenette could make it past him. "Nē, kare ni kiraku ni iki nasai." Killua said, quickly. ("Hey, go easy on him.")

Illumi's dark, snake-like eyes flitted to Gon for a half second before returning to his little brother. "Kare wa kinchō shite imasu ka?" ("Is he nervous?")

Killua nodded tersely. "Hijō ni." ("Extremely.")

The slightest hint of a smile touched Illumi's lips. "Kekkō. Kore wa tanoshī hazudesu." he said, voice adopting a teasing tone. ("Very well. This should be fun.")

With that, he shrugged out of Killua's grasp and made his way out to the middle of the ballroom, his movements graceful and dignified.

"What did you tell him?" Gon asked, giving his beloved a wide-eyed stare.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about it. Illumi's waiting for you, you'd best get out there." Killua laughed, giving the tan boy a little shove in the right direction.

Because of the painfully obvious difference in height (Illumi had Gon by about four inches), the dance started off extremely awkwardly because neither of them seemed to know what to do at first. Illumi appeared to be generally confused, and Gon looked like he was about to pass out. Once they figured out how to work with each other regardless of height difference, they began dancing like normal. In fact, it seemed they worked really well together. Illumi's natural elegance complimented Gon's wonky, borderline clumsy movements. From an outside perspective, Killua could now see that Gon really wasn't the best dancer in the world, but for some reason, it still worked really well.

The fact the Southern Prince looked massively uncomfortable throughout the entire dance was what made it genuinely hilarious to watch. The audience noticed, too. A ripple of laughter ran through the crowd when Gon tripped himself up and started apologizing profusely, as if his life depended on it.

Illumi just waved him off with an easygoing smile and kept the dance going.

Killua noticed that, at one point, the two started talking in hushed voices and made a mental note to ask Gon about it when he made it back. Assuming he was still alive and hadn't fainted from absolute mortification, that is.

When the music finally stopped and the two were allowed to return to the edges of the room, Gon all but completely bolted back to Killua, who was laughing almost hysterically.

"That was the most terrifying thing I've ever done." the tan boy declared, bending down and putting his hands on his knees so he could catch his breath.

"Why are you so out of breath? It was just one dance!" Killua's eyes widened and he lightly poked the top of Gon's head. "Also, what did Aniki say to you? I saw you guys talking out there towards the end."

"He just asked me to promise him that I would take good care of you and stuff like that. He said you were precious to him, and that if I hurt you, he would have my head." Gon replied, shuddering a little. "Is it bad that he threatens me so much?"

"He's just protective. It's not exactly easy for him to let me go, given the fact he spent most of his time raising me. I highly doubt he'd do anything bad to you unless you gave him a reason to. Besides, he threatens everyone. You're not exactly special in that sense." Killua said, waving a hand dismissively. "Lastly, the entire audience is welcome to come out and dance, but we're expected to be present, too. We're not done yet."

"Oh. I forgot about that. So long as your siblings don't try and dance with me, I'll be fine." Gon replied, nodding his head a couple times.

Kurapika, being the ever-diligent person he was, announced that everyone was now allowed to get on the designated dance floor. The reaction from the gathered audience was almost immediate. Several couples both old and young jumped out of their seats and eagerly made their way out to the center of the ballroom as the pianist began playing an upbeat, fast song that was perfect for a mass dance such as this.

"Onii-chan!" Alluka squeaked, pushing her way through the crowd and taking hold of Killua's hand. "You should dance with me, Onii-chan! Pleeeeeease?"

Killua threw his head back and laughed. "Alright, alright. Let's get out there." he led his delighted little sister out to the crowd of dancers, disappearing in an instant.

Gon stood around awkwardly for a moment, before he was confronted by a certain Kurapika who insisted on taking advantage of this time to help the young prince improve his dancing skills.

The rest of the evening passed without incident. Hisoka somehow managed to convince Illumi to dance with him, which Killua got a kick out of. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time, and Gon was so very happy he might as well have been on the moon. Even Milluki stopped being a huge drag at one point and actually made an attempt to enjoy himself.

Overall, it was perhaps the most successful wedding in the history of both the Northern and Southern kingdoms.

That night, after all the guests had left and the only people left around were the Zoldycks, the newlyweds, Hisoka and Kurapika, Silva made the statement that he and his family were returning to the North. They weren't gonna stick around any longer.

"Although we'd love to stay for longer, we want to return home as quickly as possible. We've already been away long enough." Silva rumbled, in that velvety voice of his. "We wish Gon and Killua the best of luck with their new marriage."

Like hell you do, Killua thought to himself, though he wisely chose to remain silent.

"I don't wanna go." Kalluto declared, tugging lightly at his mother's sleeve to get her attention. "Do we really need to leave right now?"

"Don't act like that. Do as your father tells you." Kikyo hissed in response.

Killua rolled his eyes and moved forward to give all his siblings a hug. Milluki blatantly refused him, but everyone else received it willingly and gladly.

"You guys take care of yourselves, okay? I promise I'll come by and visit some time soon. I'm sure you'll do okay without me, but that's not to say it'll be easy. I'll miss all of you so much. Just... hang in there, alright?" Killua said, pausing for a moment to give Alluka a couple friendly pats on the head.

"I don't wanna go without you, Onii-chan." she whispered, in a low voice so her mother wouldn't overhear.

"I know, Alluka. But it'll be okay, I promise." Killua reassured, bending down to kiss the top of her head. "You're stronger than me, you know. I'm sure you'll do just fine without me around."

"I'll take good care of her and Kalluto." Illumi promised, giving a slight nod of his head. He pulled Killua in for one last hug and added, "They're safe with me. We'll miss you a lot, but I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Thanks, Aniki. Be careful, okay?"

"Come on, children. We need to get going now." Kikyo said, herding her four children toward the door.

Silva paused to give Killua one last look of absolute disdain before following them outside. And, just like that, they were gone.

Hisoka scoffed all of a sudden. "That was rude. Illu-dear didn't even bother to say goodbye to me."

Killua turned to face the magician with an incredulous look on his face. "I assure you he wasn't doing it out of spite. The only times he doesn't bid someone farewell is if it would be too hard for him. He's not exactly good at emotions, you know."

"I'm tired." Gon said, nudging the snowy-haired boy's arm to get his attention. "We should go get some rest. It's been a long day." truth be told, he could sense Killua's growing unease and wanted to get him away from everyone before it ruined his night. Gon didn't want to see his beloved unhappy.

Killua nodded his agreement, shooting one last disdainful look at Hisoka before following Gon out of the ballroom and up numerous flights of stairs to what was about to become their shared bedroom.

Gon sighed as he took off his tie and jacket, watching the Northern Prince out of his peripheral vision. Killua seemed really distressed; he kept pacing back and forth across the room with his arms folded and his gaze riveted on the floor. It was more than a little concerning, especially given the fact he'd been extremely happy and upbeat not twenty minutes ago.

"What's wrong, Killua?" Gon asked, tentatively.

"I'm just... wondering if I made a mistake by letting my siblings go home. I'm worried about them. I... I feel like I abandoned them somehow, especially because I know my parents are gonna make their lives hell from here on out." Killua shook his head, continuing to pace back and forth, his movements frantic and jerky. "I just told them they'd be okay to keep them from freaking out. Kalluto and Alluka looked so damn close to crying I couldn't bring myself to express my concern for their safety. And Illumi... he just looked sad. I'm so selfish, why'd I let them go?"

"Killua." Gon said, his tone firm but gentle. He took a couple steps forward so he could take both of Killua's hands in his, squeezing them softly. "You aren't selfish. I would do the same thing if I were in your position right now. I know it's hard right now, but... try and enjoy your freedom, okay? Remember, we just got married today. That's a big deal, and I want to keep celebrating with you."

Killua took in a shaky breath before nodding. "Alright. Okay. You're right, I'll try not to spoil the rest of the evening for us." he stated, though his voice wavered with uncertainty.

"You aren't spoiling anything, love. Your concerns are valid. Remember what we promised? We'll make sure we go check on your siblings once a month has passed. If we can confirm your parents are hurting them in any way, we'll take them back here with us. Give them a safe place to stay for a little while." Gon reassured, guiding Killua over to the bed so they could sit down on the edge of it together. "We won't forget about them, alright?"

"Okay." Killua tipped his head forward, burying his face in Gon's warm chest. "Sorry for worrying so much..."

"You have nothing to apologize for." the Southern Prince insisted, slipping his arms around the other's narrow waist.

Killua took a couple deep breaths to calm his nerves, basking in the pleasant, earthy fragrance Gon possessed. He smelled like crushed pine needles and rushing river water in the middle of a forest. It was the most unique, calming scent Killua had ever encountered, mostly because he had learned to associate it with his love.

Illumi will do his best to keep Alluka and Kalluto safe. Milluki can handle himself. But... who's gonna keep Illumi safe? Was letting them leave really a mistake?

That wouldn't be the first time Killua wondered that. What he feared most was losing his siblings, whether it be to death or to the mental anguish that only victims of physical and mental abuse know. He didn't know at the time that his concerns were absolutely valid, and that the next time he visited his home, he'd find nothing short of bloodstained walls and broken bones.

But then, Gon was pulling him in for a kiss, and suddenly nothing else mattered anymore.

The story continues in "The Warmest Winter"

A/N: Oh my god. It's done. It's finally done. I spent a very long time slaving away over this chapter, mostly because I had absolutely no idea that I'd end up with over 9k words by the time I made it to this author's note. Jesus. It was painful, but in a good sort of way. I feel as though I ended this story in a decent way, and I feel like I did a good enough job hyping y'all up for the sequel (which is, in case you haven't been paying attention at all, available to read now.)

I sincerely hope all of you enjoyed this fic. Just know that it was only the beginning, and there's a lot more to come. The show ain't over yet, folks. I also hope you're still interested in reading the sequel. Thank you to everyone who's supported this story through reviews, favorites and follows. Special thanks to WindyQ and tittiwoo, my two most prominent and amazing reviewers whose kind words have provided me with motivation even at times when I wanted to give up on this story and move on. We never would've made it to the sequel without them.

As always, thank you very much for reading. Please let me know what you thought of this story overall in the reviews, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also, if it interests you, please take a look at the sequel. Though the fic itself has ended, the actual story is far from over. See you there!

-UltimatexAdmin