Disclaimer: None whatsoever.
Notes: Killua's POV
"Flashback Dialogue" Thoughts "Present Dialogue"
Silk and Cedar
Part Two: Closed Doors and Deadbolt Locks
Being the idiot you are, I know the simplest things make you excited. Even after all these years, even after all you've been through—the Hunter Exam, the Genei Ryodan, Greed Island, the Nacre Trials—you still find pleasure in the smallest of things...
"Wahh! Look at that!" your voice was as clear and crisp as the country air. "It's a three-legged race! Ne, ne, we can do that! That game's all about teamwork—I KNOW that we'll win for sure, Killua!"
And being the idiot you are, I know you don't remember that time. But...I remember this memory all too clearly: as we were scouting the British Isles, we found a small nameless village nestled in the woods...even though we were on a mission to find an "elfin fox" for our client, you still insisted that we take a break and participate in the village's festival games—specifically the three-legged race.
After you dragged me to the village with sheer force, I decided to play with you (you can be so damn stubborn sometimes)...I felt pretty stupid and really uncomfortable (I swear you try to find new ways to embarrass me) because the only people that participated in that game were...lovers. But, of course, you didn't notice.
"Gon! Wait!" your quick, deft hands tied my left leg to your right leg with a length of red rope. "We shouldn't play in this game, you idiot!"
"Huh? Why not?" you paused and looked at me curiously.
"Because—because it's a waste of time!" I shifted a bit under his still questioning gaze as he waited for me to continue explaining. "...and these people...they're all—you know—lovers!" I whispered the last word harshly, trying to force the word through his thick skull.
"Oh really? Huh..." you casually looked around at our opponents. "Well, that's nice," then you knotted the tie, making sure it wasn't too loose or too tight. "I noticed that they're all a little older than us, too! Now we won't feel guilty when we beat them!" you grinned and winked with confidence.
I stared at you tiredly, shook my head, and rolled my eyes. You just didn't get it, which really was no surprise. You just didn't understand why I felt so uncomfortable. Hell, I didn't even know what was bothering me! Until...
"Yatta! Killua! We won!"
"Of course."
I smirked easily, satisfied at how well we ran and worked together despite the awkward handicap. Somehow the three-legged race turned into a fight to the death (yeah, don't ask) between us and some of the contestants as flashes of Nen clashed about. But in the end, we won anyway (with a few scratches, burns, and bruises). Oddly, I didn't care about winning anyway. For some reason, simple games have always been unusually fun whenever you were beside me.
You cheered again, congratulated me with a smile and then...you practically tackled me, your arms slipping under my own arms, pulling me into a tight embrace. It wasn't the first time that you touched me or hugged me. In fact, you hugged me plenty of times before, even shared a bed and took a bath with me on many occasions—but in that instant, that moment, things changed...things felt...different...
"Idiot—!" I exclaimed as I stumbled back, wrapping my arms around you to prevent us from falling off balance. Your arms locked around my body and my arms locked around your shoulders—then all my senses suddenly flared. My eyesight and hearing became abnormally acute (an assassin's adrenaline rush is much more effective than that of a normal person), my nails lengthened instinctively, and my muscles became rigid in defense.
You didn't notice, Gon...but you were making me panic, triggering my adrenaline to rush furiously, causing all my senses to sharpen painfully. The gentle warmth of your body felt like a furnace against my skin, your beating heart was pounding repeatedly against my ribs—cracking them, breaking them—and your joyful laughter was a piercing, tearing echo to my ears. The overwhelmed senses, the physical pain, it was almost too much for me, it absolute Hell to me—but I wanted, I needed to stay there...I didn't want to leave, not ever...
...and it was then that I knew. I just knew.
Heh. But you don't remember any of that, do you? I know you don't. Because you're such...an idiot...
-o-o-o-
"Oh! Gomen! Did I hurt you, Killua?"
Before opening my eyes, I quickly file away my thoughts. Gon has this freakish ability to figure out what I'm thinking sometimes (and that says a lot, considering I'm a trained professional). My blank eyes regard him in response. "...what?"
"I scratched you with the comb," I blink, feeling a dull sting on my left ear. I didn't even notice it until he told me. "Sorry, I kinda spaced out...does it hurt, Killua?" he runs his cool fingertips, carefully and slowly, across the shell of my ear.
My shoulders tense from the sudden sensation. I feel shivers zip down my spine from the mere touch. I angle my head slightly, shifting away from his hand. I clear my throat as noiselessly as possible, adjusting my voice to sound irritable. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I hardly felt it."
"Okay," his reflection smiles at me, "that's good. I'm almost done, so just sit tight for a while longer."
Take your time. I indulge my senses in the soft caresses and brushes of his hands. I vaguely hear the clip, snip, and snap of the scissors...but I can only concentrate on the slight tugs and pulls on my hair, the slight brushes on my scalp, the cool breath ghosting on my neck and shoulders.
Yeah. Fine. I admit it. I could have cut my hair by myself...but...
"Okay, I'm done!"
Already...? Damn. "Well, it's about time. You took forever!"
Gon scowls, or rather tries to scowl. His eyes are too warm, too kind for that sort of expression. It looks more like he's pouting. "I did not! Anyway, you should be glad I didn't rush and make any mistakes!" he hesitates, his eyes concerned. "Um...I didn't make any mistakes, right? What do you think?"
He is so damn...adorable (I can't believe I'm actually using that word). I shift my gaze from his reflection to my own, running my hand through my cleanly trimmed hair. I could still feel the lingering traces of his touch. And then I pat my ears, smirking playfully at him. "Well, my ears are still there, surprisingly. Guess you're not as bad with the scissors as I thought, Gon."
Gon scowled (pouted, really) again. "Killua!"
"Okay, okay, you did good! My hair never looked better in my whole entire life!" I arch my eyebrow at him sarcastically. "There. Was that what you wanted to hear?"
His scowl-pout disappears in a blink, a grin lighting his face. "Yep! See? Was it that hard to say?" With practiced ease, I roll my eyes in response. Still smiling, Gon turns away, sets the scissors down on the bedside table, and grabs a folded towel. "Let's go to the hot springs, Killua! I've been waiting all day for it! Now it should be empty, ne?"
Oh, god, as much as I wanted to go with him... "No, s'alright. I want to go to sleep now."
"...oh," his smile falters, his eyebrows slant with disappointed confusion. "...already?"
"Yeah, it's been a long day," I stand up and go for my travel bag on the floor. I can feel him staring at my back. Did he know...? No way. I'm too good of an actor, he can't see through me so easily...
"...okay. I guess I'll see you in the morning..."
"Yeah," I shuffle through my bag purposefully, picking out a worn shirt.
"G'night then," he opened the door. "Sleep well."
Sorry... "Mm."
He doesn't move, as if waiting for me to change my mind...then I hear the door close and I follow his footsteps till they echo out of my earshot. Letting out a heavy sigh, I stuff my shirt back into my bag with surprising ferocity. Gon...hot springs...I shake my head, chasing away images that I put off-limits. I close my eyes, blanking my thoughts as best as I could. It's been getting harder and harder to keep my damned feelings shut and locked away.
I head over to the fireplace and toss in a few logs (I know Gon can't sleep very well with a cold draft in the room...of course, he's too damn stubborn to admit it). A silver-blue thread of electricity leaves my fingers and strikes a log. Sparks and embers of a promising fire slowly spread among the pile of wood. A faint fragrance reaches my nose from the fireplace.
Cedar.
I toss in another log. I like this scent a lot. It's natural, warm, crisp, and subtle. It...reminds me of him. I really don't know why, it just doesn't make sense. After all, Gon doesn't have a scent and I don't either—at least, that's what I observed. Since I am—was—a professional assassin, my body doesn't have a scent. Sweat, blood, it doesn't matter—I was trained to blend in with my surroundings completely. Gon is the same, yet I don't know how his body adapted that skill...
...yet he still smells of cedar to me.
Hm...well, I have an idea why but it may be a misperception...when we were on the British Isles, when he hugged me, when our bodies were drawn close together, and when my senses were crested—my enhanced sense of smell picked up scents from miles around me: watercress, burdock, oat-grass, nightshade, hemlock, birches, maples, sycamores, marigolds, wild basil, juniper...yet the closest scent that reached my nose, that drew my attention, was the warm fragrance of cedar wood.
...now that I think about it, I don't even know if there were cedar trees in that area. Maybe I just imagined it. I would ask Gon, but...it's not as if he would remember anyway.
After all, he didn't have the same experience I had that day...he didn't...he doesn't feel the same way toward me.
E.n.d. o.f. P.a.r.t. T.w.o.
I know, I know, it's been MONTHS since I updated. I had my wisdom teeth pulled and—ohmyfreakingod—it hurt like HELL. Anyway—so, what did you think? Was Killua in-character? Is the story confusing at all? Please criticize to your hearts' content! And THANK YOU for all those reviews, guys! They really helped me, you have no idea!
Vicadin-Tea: Thanks! Oblivious!Gon is the only Gon I can do...heheh!
C: Cute, fluffy—yep, that's what I'm striving for!
Mizu: I get this feeling of sadistic pleasure when I embarrass Killua. It's so very fun! Thanks for the comment, I'll try to keep adding the fandom here!
Random Obsessed Person: Sorry for making you wait for...a couple months, but your review really gave me encouragement! I'm glad you liked my other stories! Thank you!
Amasaki Reyoko: Hee hee, thanks! I'm glad you could empathize with Gon!
Am1-13th: Thanks for patiently waiting! I'm a SLOW writer, so your patience is appreciated!
Youkoforever: Sorry for the wait, I didn't exactly hurry, but the chapter made it! thanks!
Klappy: I hope I didn't disappoint you with my Killua POV chapter. Thank you for the kind words!
Naru Asakura: I will continue to do my best to embarrass Killua:salutes:
kazapochi: Yeah, my writing style tends to lean more on the maudlin, sappy side...I'm trying to go away from that, but its such a bad habit! ; thank you for your criticism! If you have any suggestions to improve my style, please share them with me!
Fuji Fox: :blushes: Me? Wonderful:glomps: thank you!
Allusho: Yay! I'm glad you could empathize with Gon! I was really trying to go for that. I hope you're not disappointed with my Killua POV!
Shinobi KazeKage: Thanks for the advice! I try to give Gon a "naïve" tone of voice with a lot of facial descriptions, like how a kid would be. Eh, but I still suck at writing Gon!
kurokioku: Well, I updated (finally)!
azamiko: Hehe, thanks! I'm glad you thought so, too!
FireDemon17: Thanks for the encouragement! I'm glad you like my writing style! But I'm still such an amateur!
Meetha: Thanks! Hope you liked Killua's part!
kyria valkyrie: Eeee! I'm happy you loved this story! You were my last reviewer, so... :glomps you: ...thank you!
