There were some things I had to learn about being a member of the Phantom Troupe. 1: Don't trust anyone unless they're another member of the Troupe. 2: If there's a problem, flip a coin. No conflicts. 3: Work together, as one. We were the legs of the Spider. And 4….

There was no room for morals.

When it came to helping your allies - no, friends there was no need for morals. You simply acted to protect and help your friends, you couldn't think of anyone else. What scared me most though was that I had been thinking kind of like that already. I was impulsive and selfish and would act on emotions, especially if it had something to do with my friends.

Nobunaga patted my back and messed up my hair, "You'll fit right in kiddo."

"Thanks." I laughed.

Recently, I had been getting along with Nobunaga. He was very kind to me and we would make lots of dumb jokes. He helped me understand things if I was having trouble. He helped me become stronger in one day. He even gave me a nickname: G-Man! It was like he was my father, the one I never had. So even though I had only been with the Spiders for two days, the craziest thing happened.

Nobunaga went to stand, and I needed to ask him one more thing, and his name came out like, "Dad!"

He looked back, his tired eyes holding questions and some… happiness in them too, "Gon? Did you just call me 'Dad'?"

I slapped my hand over my mouth. "N-no." I lied.

Nobunaga came over and crouched to my height, placing his hand on top of my head. His smile was kind and he told me not worry about calling him 'dad'. Then he hugged me and I felt the fatherly love I had never had. It was so amazing, just being able to have a father figure care for you, give you affection. I had been chasing after a father who had never given me that and probably never planned to. Why chase after Ging when Nobunaga was right here?

I began crying into his shoulder. Maybe I had been wrong about this man. He was caring and kind and was fun and funny and…

He rubbed my back, hugging me and trying to calm me and stop the tears. This was a father that would never abandon me. One who wouldn't die either, he was strong enough to keep himself safe. He could teach me things and he was there when I was upset. He sat there, not saying anything as he allowed me to let out my feelings.

"Y-you won't abandon me… right?" I cried, clutching his purple robe.

"I won't," He said, holding me in his arms, so gently, so caring.

The tears continued to stream down my face, "P-promise? Please don't leave me. I-I don't want to be a-abandoned by someone… wh-who's like a father to me…. again."

"Promise." Nobunaga said, just sitting there, hugging me, caring for me. Promising that he wouldn't leave me. Promising to be the father I never had, even if he didn't say it exactly.

"Th-thank you…" I mumbled, sobs choking my voice, "Thank you s-so much Nobunaga."

Nobunaga pulled out of the hug, placing his hands on my shoulders, a small smile appearing on his lips, "No need to thank me Gon, I'll be here for you. I'll train you, I'll be here when you're upset, I'll be here when you need me."

My lip trembled and my hand drifted to the tattoo on my shoulder, I touched it and it stung still, but I was here, with the Troupe. With a man who promised me that he wouldn't leave me, that he would be there for me through everything. I was here with my new friends Shizuku and Shalnark. With the kind Machi who taught me many things. With my family.

"Stay with me…." I whispered, "Please… don't leave me like Ging did."

"I won't, I won't. Believe me when I say I won't." Nobunaga reassured me.

I wiped at my nose, "O-okay."

Nobunaga messed up my hair again, "I gotta do something now G-Man, how about you go and play."

I nodded and he brushed away the tears on my cheeks. This was a father, maybe he wasn't mine biologically, but I could feel the connection, and so could he.

As he walked away and I wiped at my face, feeling embarrassed, Shalnark sat beside me.

"Hey, Nobunaga, I've never seen you like that before. Maybe you'd be a good father if you got married." He said.

Nobunaga's face got really red, "H-hey, shut up. I just care about Gon, I don't actually wanna be a dad."

"Liar!" I laughed, "You said you would be my father figure!"

"There's a difference!"

"Yeah, yeah." Shalnark and I said at the same time.

As Nobunaga went to talk with Feitan about something, I laughed with the rest of the Troupe. Yes, this was my real family. I never belonged with Kurapika and Leorio if they wouldn't believe me. I couldn't be with Killua now, since he was dead.

But here, nothing concerned me. They cared for me.

This was home.