AN: my search history is so sus after this damned chapter
Gon pulled up the hoodie of his dark green jacket. He had his favorite shorts on for luck, and a pair of black leather combat boots because they reminded him of Killua. He sat with his back against his bedroom door, scenting the air. He couldn't hear Killua, but he could smell him and sense his movements.
The Valkyrie was putting on a different pair of clothes, and silently leaving his room to exit through the balcony. Gon suppressed his presence using Zetsu, making his very active and adrenaline pumped aura feel like a sleeping aura to Killua.
He had to do this right.
If Killua caught him then he would shut down.
And if he just stopped Killua on the way out then he would shut down.
Gon knew Killua, and knew that he didn't like doing whatever this was.
He'd follow him to see what he was doing, and then jump in and help him whenever the time felt right. But in order to do that… Gon had to track an expert Valkyrie assassin through a crowded city.
When the whisper of the sliding door brushed Gon's ears, he braced himself, knowing that it was almost time.
He shut his eyes and counted, picturing what he knew Killua's moves would be in his mind. The Valkyrie would slip the door closed behind him, and walk up to the railing. From there he would stand on it, and then jump in one fluid motion to the roof. From there he would immediately take off over the rooftops.
Gon snapped his eyes open and was out the door in a flash. He jumped from the railing to the roof, and landed down in a roll to muffle the sound. He immediately scented the air, picked up Killua's almost nonexistent scent trail, and took off.
He fell into a sort of hunting mode, and leaked a little biochemical into his veins to enhance his senses and reaction time. He let his Ren slip around his body, and used it to sense the slight traces of Killua's Magic aura that he left behind him.
Killua wasn't using Zetsu, which either meant that he didn't want to alert anyone with the disappearance of his powerful aura, or that he didn't think he needed it.
Gon was really freaking glad that Killua wasn't using Zetsu.
It was hard enough to follow him as it was.
The only reason Gon hadn't immediately lost him was because Killua's scent was ingrained into Gon's mind. He could pick that lavender and snow scent up no matter how faded and vague the trace was.
The hybrid sprinted over the rooftops, Killua nothing more than a flash of shadow in the distance. Gon was keeping his distance on purpose… but also it was really hard to keep up. He couldn't use too much biochemical, or else Killua would notice. Same thing with using Ren to enhance his strength. So he was left with just his own muscles.
Gon panted as he ran across roof after roof, his boots slapping on metal and concrete. He leapt in between buildings, arms pinwheeling as he sailed through the sky. The night was chilly, fall was fast approaching and the temperatures had started plummeting in the night. The dry air burnt Gon's throat and dried his eyes.
He exclaimed in surprise when Killua suddenly jutted off to the side, jumping off a building and falling diagonally to run across one on the other side of the street.
Shit.
With a growl, Gon picked up the pace, if he didn't hurry then he'd lose Killua.
He tore across the roof, legs pumping and burning as he got ready–
With a quick burst of biochemical into his body, he flung himself off the side of the building. He left a crater in the edge of the roof, and a bit of rubble tumbled down to the sidewalk below. Gon's heart was in his throat and his eyes were blown wide as the wind rushed in his ears, rustling his clothes and playing with his hair. His stomach dropped as his momentum changed directions, and Gon had to admit that he was really freaking scared right about now.
He sailed across the enormous gap of the street, and fell a lot lower than Killua had. Gon encased his feet in Ren, and braced himself for impact. He landed sideways against the building, and immediately started running across the outside wall. He shattered the windows he landed on, but he couldn't worry about that now.
Killua was pulling ahead and he had to hurry.
Gon's knees and ankles screamed in pain as he landed hard and then tore off across the side of the building, they were really not used to running horizontally. Gon needed to train more in that regard.
The hybrid sprinted along the side of the building, leaving sparks of Ren wherever his feet hit. He ran at an upward angle, trying to get back to Killua's height. Jumping between buildings got a lot harder now, and Gon had to use a lot more of his biochemical than he would have liked.
What the hell, how was Killua this big of a badass–
Gon gasped. "Dammit!" he cursed when Killua suddenly started jumping from building to building, ping ponging back and forth across the street and sailing through the air. He was clearly building up momentum to sling himself around a corner or over to a different street entirely.
Shit!
How the hell was Gon gonna keep up now?!
With a growl he pumped a buttload of biochemical into his veins, his horns growing an inch longer and a thick aura pumping off him. He didn't have time to worry about it leaking out. Killua was way far ahead, and wouldn't be able to sense it anyways.
This was bad. Gon hadn't even been able to keep up for ten minutes!
He jumped off the side of the building, knowing that he'd never be able to jump back and forth across the street like Killua was doing. He sailed through the air, diving down towards one of the streetlights that hung out over the road.
He landed down on it like a horizontal bar, gripping on and flipping around several times before flinging himself to the next one, and then the next. People gasped and yelled as he made a very public display, whipping out their phones to record him and yelling to their friends. But that didn't matter, Gon was gonna lose Killua if he didn't hurry the fuck up!
After picking up speed swinging from street light to street light, Gon flung himself in a graceful arc over the street, flipping around in the air. He landed down on the centerline in the road, and hopped over to the other sidewalk with a hiss of air - much to his audience's awe.
Now on the other side of the street, Gon tore down the sidewalk. He could run a whole lot faster on flat ground. People screamed and pressed up against the storefronts as Gon sprinted down the busy sidewalk, a dangerous aura deeping off of him with jagged teeth and growing horns.
Killua was still jumping from building to building, if Gon could just catch up to him then maybe he could jump back to the rooftops and follow him from there. He changed his running, choosing instead to leap in enormous bounds. He pretended he was back on Whale Island, leaping from tree to tree and pretending he was a ninja from that one show he loved to watch as a kid.
Gon took enormous steps, cracking the sidewalk wherever he landed. He was like a kangaroo, jumping up and down as he chased after Killua. He used his Ren to propel him, Magic sparking and following him like the tail of a comet.
He kept his eyes glued on Killua, and ignored all the insults and curses slung his way as people fell to the ground to avoid him. Soon he caught up to Killua, and was running directly underneath him as his friend jumped back and forth across the street. Gon was burning like a sparkler, the biochemical racing through his veins and heading up his blood. It didn't burn yet, but he hadn't used this much of the chemical in a long time.
It got to the point where his horns started to get thicker rather than just longer, and he felt his muscles and bones warping, preparing to expand.
Shit.
Gon bit his tongue so hard it bled.
He couldn't think about that stuff now.
He had to catch Killua.
He could use more. He could shift a little bit further. He could contain it.
He just needed to keep up with Killua.
He ignored the way his aura turned visible and started pouring off of him in a smoke. He didn't need to worry until that smoke turned black. It was wispy and barely visible. He needed to calm down, stop thinking about that night, and get his head in the game.
Gon hyper focused on Killua, his mind zoning in on one thing and one thing alone.
It was because of this intense focus that Gon noticed the slight and sudden change in Killua's stance. He gasped and slid to a halt as Killua bounced off the building directly above Gon and sailed through the air. They were at a block, an intersection of streets. Killua had changed streets, and was now shooting up towards this new street, where the buildings got higher and the streets busier.
No! Gon needed to cross that damn street, he had to get over to Killua now–
"Killua!" he gasped, not thinking as he turned 90 degrees and started running in a beeling following the ever disappearing assassin.
But.
He stepped right out in front of a moving vehicle.
A moving vehicle that was flying down the road and past the point of no return.
Gon gasped, realizing his mistake. He looked to the left, blinded by headlights.
Time seemed to slow, and he knew there was not a damn thing he could do.
He'd been so focused on Killua that he'd forgotten this was a road.
Gon stared in horror into the headlights, right in front of a car that was less than two feet away from him–
"Hey!" someone exclaimed, grabbing onto Gon's hood and yanking him back onto the sidewalk. Gon gagged as he was choked by his collar, and was pulled out of the road a split second before the car went whizzing by.
Gon stumbled and fell onto his rear end on the sidewalk.
Panting with his heart beating a million miles a second.
I almost died–
"You alright, kid?" snapped the person who had just saved his life. A lanky man with lazy eyes and a stubbly beard leaned down across Gon's vision. The hybrid blinked out of his stupor, he had just been zoning out at the road.
"Uh…" Fuck. Gon had lost Killua. He wasn't even in sight. His scent trail was long since dissipated. "Yeah," he sighed. "Thanks for that."
The guy sighed and straightened back up. "What're you still here for?" he called out to the dense crowd of people standing around Gon and the guy, shocked and more than a little shaken up by that display. "There's nothing to see here! You have shit to do, don't you?"
The people all started chattering at the same time, and jerked back to attention. The foot traffic resumed, Gon and the man like a rock in the center of a river. The people flowed around them, their voices no more than a dull hush against Gon's ears.
He released his biochemical with a wince. His horns shrunk back down and his body deflated back to its normal size. It burned, but Gon didn't care.
He'd failed.
He'd lost Killua.
What was he gonna do now?
This proved that there was no way to follow him.
The dude grunted, getting Gon's attention. He was extending his hand to help Gon up. The hybrid took it, and the guy hauled him to his feet. He was dressed in a baggy white shirt and a pair of khakis. He had long black hair that hung around his face like thin curtains, and Gon swore to the gods that that was a katana stuffed into his left pant leg.
"I had a feeling we'd see each other again, but I have to say that this was not what I had pictured," the man chuckled, slapping Gon across the back once he was back to his feet.
The hybrid stumbled a little, his entire body was on fire. "Oh? Have we really met before?"
The guy gave him an exaggerated face. "I'm the lifeguard from the water park! From that slide of doom? Remember? The guy hanging 'round in the back?"
Gon gasped, a light bulb going off in his mind. "Oh yeah!"
The guy laughed out loud, "Now ya get it?"
"Uh huh!" Gon said, nodding. "I'm Gon. What's your name by the way?"
"It's Nobunaga. Good to meet you."
He held out his forearm, and Gon clasped it. It wasn't a handshake, but it was similar. Instead of grabbing the other's hand, you grabbed the inside of their forearm. It was a greeting used in the upper northern hemisphere. A lot of species used it, but what surprised Gon was that Nobunaga used it. Gon had thought he was human! But this meant he was a humanoid. Gon wondered what his species was?
"Nice to meet you too," Gon said with a respectful dip of his head. It was customary for lone travelers to show their respect for a humanoid of undetermined blood. Usually a stirring in your aura was the sign of peace, but if you didn't know another's species that was a bad call. Then you didn't know what their limit was.
Nobunaga dipped his head in return, which was really nice of him. Usually the people Gon met didn't return the gesture cause he was a hybrid. He liked this Nobunaga guy! He was cool!
"You seem like you've had a rough night," Nobunaga said, walking down the sidewalk. Gon followed alongside him, not really wanting to go back to the apartment. Then he'd have to think about his failure, and he really didn't wanna do that right now. "Wanna grab something to drink?" the older male asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Gon was clearly underage. Yorknew bars went by the human drinking age: 21. It was the oldest drinking limit, and the less drunk kids on the streets the better. Less liability.
Funny how humanoids only respected human culture when it was beneficial to themselves.
"I'm down," Gon agreed nonchalantly. He hadn't had something to drink in a really long time.
Nobunaga barked a laugh and jostled Gon's shoulder. "You're more fun than you look, kid! I like it!"
…
Gon knocked his fourth shot back, slamming the glass back down onto the counter.
Nobunaga was staring at him with an expression of shock on his face.
"Damn, kid. That's just impressive. What the hell is your tolerance?"
Gon slouched over the bar and played with his glass of some fancy mixed thing. It had a lime on the edge of the glass, and tasted like fruit. It burned worse than the shots of whiskey going down, but Gon liked that. "I can drink a whole lot before I get really drunk," Gon mused. He wasn't even feeling very buzzed right now. He was just drinking enough to dull the pain from using so much of his biochemical.
He didn't wanna get super drunk. He really wasn't in the mood for a hangover tomorrow morning, what with this failure just now. That would make it even worse.
"That's your fourth shot and your third glass of that crap! I know some humanoids have higher natural tolerance levels, but damn! Usually when one's got human blood in 'em they've got the weak liver of a human. God only knows what's in your blood, kid. Good luck with figuring that out, seriously," Nobunaga trailed off to take a swig of his beer.
Gon didn't like beer. It wasn't enough, and he liked fruity stuff.
"Oh, I do have the tolerance level of a human," the hybrid commented casually. He'd been chatting with Nobunaga for a good while now. The guy was really chill and nice to be around. Gon had had adult friends before, but Nobunaga had to be his new favorite.
The raven haired man choked on his drink, spitting it out and leaning over the bar to scrutinize Gon. "What?! Then how the hell are you able to drink this much?! You're only eighteen!"
Gon shared a grin with his new friend, "I just drank a ton for a while there!"
The bartender gave Nobunaga a look, and Gon gave her a sheepish wave. She knew Gon was underage, it was obvious. But after sharing a quick glance with Nobunaga when they'd walked in, she'd served Gon all he wanted without hesitation.
They must've been friends
Nobunaga was so cool! Gon had never been cool enough to befriend the bar tenders. Except for that one Cryptid woman, but that was a whole nother story.
Gon had forgotten how much he enjoyed spending time in bars. Especially ones like this one. It was so chill in here, with low lighting and dull music playing in the background. The dark, and wooden color scheme reminded Gon of the Clawthorne, but the golden colored light bulbs and neon signs just screamed "Yorknew City."
He'd been all over the place over the course of his lifetime, and had been in too many bars and clubs to count. Gon hadn't gotten the chance to come to places like this since he'd started traveling with Killua. Ever since he'd met the silver haired prince he'd never needed to get drunk to have fun, or to lose himself in some random person just to get his mind off the world.
That didn't mean he couldn't enjoy a good bar… but something about lapsing into his old habits made him feel a little droopy inside.
"You've got a pretty interesting life, Gon," Nobunaga said, noticing the sudden change in Gon's previously happy mood.
"Yeah," the hybrid sighed. Thinking about how "interesting" it was as of late.
Nobunaga turned to face Gon, and the hybrid met his gaze out the corner of his eye. "But for somebody who's gotten into his fair share of trouble myself, I know a guy in a tough spot when I see him. Why were you running around the city like that? I know you were chasing someone, and you had some serious power-up form going for you there. I can tell something's eating at you. You wanna talk about it?"
Always quick to trust, Gon immediately dove into a rant, his problems spilling forth like blood from a nasty stab to the heart. "I've been traveling around for a long while now, almost three years. At first it was fun, but then I started to realize that the world's not as awesome as it's made out to be. It was a lot harder to find my dad than I thought it would be, and I got into trouble of some sort like every other week. It was boring, and even though it was exciting and super fun, it wasn't fun-fun, ya know?"
Nobunaga nodded, leaning his cheek on his fist.
"So I'd go to bars and brothels and stuff, I was a horny and bored kid and I just wanted to have a little fun. It was awesome, I toured around from city to city going to all kinds of clubs for a while there, I even joined a really fun group of club-hoppers once!"
Gon smiled, reminiscing over Knuckle, Shoot, and Meleoron.
But that smile was quick to fade.
"But fun doesn't last forever. And after me and the guys split ways, I realized that all that stuff was just a cheap filler for what my life didn't have. I kinda got a little lost over the years, and I was honestly struggling a whole lot more than I like to admit. I was in a really tough place, and I was spiraling deeper and deeper into the dark and shadowy parts of this world… until I met someone incredible."
Nobunaga's sympathetic face softened, a smile tickling at his lips.
"His name is Killua, and we made friends really fast. We started traveling together… and all of a sudden I realized that I was having real fun, like fun-fun. We've been going around together for almost a year now… and he really means a lot to me. He's my best friend."
Gon's eyebrows drew together.
"I sense a 'but' coming," Nobunaga prompted softly.
Gon gave him a weak smile. "But… lately? Things between us have been… off. Killua's really struggling… with… stuff that's been going on. I know what some of that stuff is, but not all of it. I can tell that Killua's really struggling… but like…"
Gon groaned in frustration and rustled his hair, then downed the rest of his drink and continued. "I wanna help him but I'm afraid I'll do it wrong! I really wanna be there for him, but I have this stupid anxiety that me trying to step in and help him out is just gonna make him mad, and that we'll drift even further apart. There was a time several months ago when I thought we were gonna split up… it was completely nothing, I was worrying for no reason at all. But now, I just get this feeling that the anxiety is for real this time. Like, we're splitting up for good. And he acts like he's okay, but I know he's not! I just wanna be there for him, but he keeps pushing me away. So… so I tried to follow him tonight and figure out where he keeps going. But he's super strong and I couldn't keep up with him. That's why I almost got hit by a car."
Nobunaga whistled. Gon whined and hunched over the bar. The raven haired man placed his hand on Gon's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze.
"Ahh, kid. Young people like you really shouldn't have to go through shit like this. It's what's so wrong with this world…" Gon peeked up at Nobunaga from under his arms. The man had a sad shadow over his voice. He'd clearly been through something when he was younger. He had a glaze over his eyes, like he was lost in thought.
He shook his head, and gave Gon a kind smile. The hybrid sat back up, taking the refill on his drink that the bartender pushed his way.
"Listen," Nobunaga said. "I know what it's like to have friends you care about like family, more than family even. And I know what it's like to watch them suffer. I know how bad that feels, and how hard it can be."
Gon's amber eyes shimmered as Nobunaga gave him one of the most meaningful heart-to-hearts of his life.
"It sounds a lot like Killua is trying to work through his issues on his own. But no matter how hard he tries to handle it, it will be too much for him to chew. Maybe he's reluctant to ask for help, and maybe he's a little hostile when it comes to people trying to solve his problems for him. But that doesn't mean you let him suffer through this alone. I can already tell by looking in your eyes that you've decided you're gonna help him. But I can also tell that you're unsure about that now that you're plan tanked. How about this. Instead of trying to follow Killua, wait up for him, and when he gets back, talk to him. Don't let him run away. He knows he needs help, as much as he hates to admit it. You can let Killua handle whatever situation he's handling on his own, but you should be there for him during the aftermath. Don't let him push you away this time. Step in and take matters into your own hands. It will help both of you. It will help Killua get through whatever he's going through, and it will help you in the regard of knowing that you helped your friend."
Gon grinned at Nobunaga, sitting up and wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Thanks so much, Naga! This really means a lot!" The hybrid flung himself into the older male's chest, and he oofed when he was wrapped up in one of Gon's bear hugs. He chuckled and patted the boy's back. He was a whole lot like Uvogin. Nobunaga could see why Uvo liked him so much.
Gon drew back, grin blinding and spreading to even the grumpy bartender. "I'll do it! I'll help Killua!"
"That's the spirit, kid!" Nobunaga cheered, holding his hand up for a high five. Gon slapped his hand against the other man's, and they ordered another couple of shots.
…
Gon and his new friend had moved over to one of the booths in the back corner. They were done with alcohol for the night. Gon didn't wanna get drunk, and if Gon didn't wanna get drunk then Nobunaga didn't want to either.
The hybrid was having a whole lot of fun with this guy! Spending time with him was really helping Gon pass the time until Killua would be returning.
Nobunaga prodded at his phone and barked a laugh. "A couple of my buddies are coming to meet me here! You wanna meet 'em?"
"Sure!" Gon cheered.
"Good, cause we're already here!" an enormous voice boomed.
Gon whipped around, no way!
A huge monster of a guy ducked through the door. He was a Titan with wild brown hair, head almost brushing the ceiling. "Uvogin?!" Gon exclaimed, a grin growing on his face.
The guy froze in his tracks for a second, a blonde companion of his bumping into his back with an "oof." Uvogin's face lit up in a smile countered only by Gon's, and he was at the table in a heartbeat. "Gon?! Is that really you, kid?!"
"Yeah! What are you doing here?"
Uvogin picked Gon up and out of the booth by his shoulders, and held him up to the light. Gon giggled as he sniffed at Gon's clothes and swung him around a bit. "Damn, it really is you!" he boomed, crushing Gon against his side. The hybrid and the Titan laughed together, the mood in the entire bar suddenly turning from chill and brooding to bright and hyper.
"Let's not crush him to death, Uvo!" chirped a male voice.
Uvogin set Gon down with a rustle to his hair, and Gon hung on the giant man's arm like a pullup bar as they shuffled into the booth. "This is Shalnark," the Titan said with a point of his thumb in the blonde's direction. He had a very smiley face with bright, expressive eyes and–
"Are those sealing tattoos?!" Gon demanded, getting very excited to have noticed.
"Yeah, they are!" Shalnark chirped with an enormous grin. "I'm a Mermaid so they seal my tail!" If Gon had a tail it would be wagging right now. Humanoids almost never shared their species so fast! Shalnark was so incredibly friendly! Gon loved him immediately!
"Woah!" Gon ogled as the blonde pushed up his sleeve to reveal a casing of pink and teal scales running up his arm. His tattoos looked like swirling patterns of water, unlike Killua's thorns. They were also a pale blue instead of black. Gon thought that meant that they were weaker or something? He was pretty sure it meant that Shalnark could shift from legs to a tail at will, unlike Killua who could never pull his wings out no matter what.
"Alright, let's not flash a guy you just met," Uvogin joked, shoving Shalnark in the shoulders and almost out of the booth. The blonde laughed, and Nobunaga shook his head with a chuckle. "What have you been up to, Gon?" the Titan asked. "I've kept up with your battles, and you're pretty impressive! Haven't gotten the chance to see one in person just yet, but you've got some serious moves on you!"
"Well, I started training again to get stronger… but, things have gotten pretty serious lately."
"Huh? That blows!" Uvogin boomed. If Kurapika were here he'd definitely be scolding the giant man for being so loud! A waiter brought a GIANT glass of a foul smelling stuff for Uvo, and a couple bottles of beer for Shalnark.
"Hey, where's the grumpy albino at?" Uvo asked around the rim of the enormous glass. "Thought I'd bully him a little if he's around!"
Nobunaga gave the Titan a disapproving look. "Uvo, leave him alone."
The brunette blinked, confused. "Huh? Why?" He narrowed his eyes at Gon, leaning in dramatically close. "What happened?! If there's drama I wanna know right now!"
"It's alright," Gon said sheepishly before Nobunaga could snap at Uvo again. "It's just… complicated."
Uvo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?~"
Shalnark leaned around the giant brunette to look at Gon. "Oh?~"
"Leave him alone, guys! Come on!" Nobunaga complained, taking out his sword and poking each of them in the forehead with the cased tip. The mischievous pair merely snickered. They kind of reminded Gon of him and Killua. But not in a sad way, in a happy way.
Shalnark and Nobunaga dissolved into some hard to follow conversation about complicated technology stuff, leaving Uvogin and Gon unsupervised. "Wanna try some?" the Titan asked Gon with a wicked grin, offering his giant glass.
Gon grinned back, this felt like something he shouldn't be drinking, and it made him want to try it even more. Uvo cackled and leaned the glass down to Gon, who could barely fit the rim in his mouth. He took a bigger mouthful than he meant to, and damm! The second it hit his tongue he got a sparkly buzz of intoxication!
It was nothing he couldn't get over before Killua got back, but if he drank even just a couple more sips he'd be drunk as a dog!
Gon laughed, "Woah!"
Uvo practically giggled, "I know, right?"
"Uvogin. You did not just give Gon some of that awful stuff," Sharlnark scolded, smacking the Titan on the arm. The Titan cracked up, laugh booming against the walls and shaking the light fixtures. The Mermaid flicked him in the ear, and the Titan draped his arm around his shoulder, pulling the blonde close against his side.
Gon laughed with Nobunaga at their antics. They were so funny together!
"So how do you three know each other? It's such a crazy coincidence!" Gon asked.
"Oh, we're in the Phantom Troupe together," Uvo answered simply, more than a little buzzed by now. Nobunaga and Shalnark gave him looks of annoyance, then sighed and laughed it off. Nothing they could do about it now, everyone already knew their faces now, anyways. The floor masters were literal celebrities around here.
But Gon had been completely oblivious.
All of a sudden he was frozen in surprise.
Nobunaga. Was a SPIDER?!
And Uvo and Shalnark too?!
Like, the Phantom Troupe?! The ones who killed Kurapika's clan and the ones that Kurapika left them behind to go fight?! How was this even possible?! But they were so–
They were so–
"Wait, you're Spiders?!" Gon exclaimed, standing up and slamming his palms on the table.
"Yeah, had a feeling you hadn't noticed," Nobunaga chuckled.
"Wait! then those other two guys at the water slide–"
"-Phinks and Feitan."
"And that girl with the pink hair–"
"-Machi."
"They're all members too?!"
"Yep!" Shalnark chirped, looking amused at Gon's mental breakdown.
This was insane! Gon's entire mind was yelling at him that these guys were a serious threat, but at the same time his mind, heart, and instincts were telling him that they were okay. Like what?! How was this even possible!
Gon was starting to steam at the ears.
Uvo barked a laugh. "I feel you, there! I never woulda noticed either!"
Nobunaga chuckled, "You alright there, Gon? Don't blow a fuse!"
The hybrid opened his mouth and then closed it again. These guys were his friends, but if they'd hurt Kurapika then…
"Do you guys know… or, have you heard about an Elf named Kurapika?" Gon asked, voice unsure. Shit. SHIT. This was so bad, and depending on their answer–
"Kurapika? The blonde one?" Nobunaga mused, finger on his chin. They all looked so relaxed. As if this was nothing at all–
"Yeah, I know him," Nobunaga answered. Gon was tight as a wire. "Well, more like I know of him. I know it through our boss, Chrollo. They've run into each other a whole lot over the years, we all have."
"Yeah, he's pretty gay to be honest," Uvo sighed.
Gon quirked an eyebrow. Chrollo or Kurapika?
Shalnark slapped Uvo upside the head, and Gon decided that that was probably a sign that Uvo's comment was not one to be taken seriously.
"Do you know… what he's doing right now?" Gon asked, he was grasping at straws here but anything would be enough at this point.
"Yeah, actually," Shalnark answered around his beer bottle. "The boss is hanging around him a whole lot. Kurapika's out on the outskirts of the city learning Hatsu. The boss is having a whole lot of fun watching him train and stuff. He says he's getting pretty powerful."
Gon was smoking at the ears again.
What the hell?!
How were these guys so casual about Kurapika?!
And why was Shalnark saying that him and Kurapika were friends?!
He thought Kurapika hated the Spiders!
"Wait, are Chrollo and Kurapika friends or something?" Gon demanded, his voice high pitched.
"Yup," Uvo said, earning a glare from Nobunaga.
"Not entirely," the raven clarified. "They're relationship is pretty complicated. Chrollo says they're friends, and Kurapika certainly acts like they're close, but then the guy will turn around and snap at him like they're sworn enemies. If you ask me, I'd say they're pretty close. But don't tell Kurapika we said that."
"...Does Kurapika know all of you?!" Gon asked. What the heck was going on here?!
"Yeah, but he likes to pretend that he doesn't!" Shalnark chirped.
"He's just a grumpy tsundere," Uvo said, earning another slap from Shalnark.
Gon sat back into his chair. Brain completely bombarded.
What. The.
Hell!
Had Kurapika been lying to them this whole time? I mean, he hadn't exactly been open about much with the Phantom Troupe… and oh, it was actually starting to make sense now. He really did sound like he admired the Troupe's accomplishments. Even as he was slandering them he'd always manage to admire their work and their power.
Definitely a tsundere.
But that just sounded so wrong!
Had… Kurapika been lying to them this entire time? This whole time… had Kurapika been hiding his true feelings? Was he really that distrustful of Gon, Leorio, and Killua? That… really hurt. And considering this recent stunt he'd pulled, it actually made Gon kinda mad.
Kurapika… apparently Kurapika wasn't the person Gon thought he was.
But he just couldn't help but ask: "Is Kurapika doing alright?"
Nobunaga shook his head with a chuckle. "Oh, he's definitely doing alright. Chrollo's always talking about him. But that's nothing new. It's just a lot more frequent and annoying. Like it always is when they run back into each other. Kurapika's definitely doing alright. Chrollo says he's happy to see him… in his own strange way. He's becoming quite the proficient Sorcerer. He's aiming to jump from the 325th floor to the top in one battle. His goal is to impress us Spiders enough to get the gold. And if Chrollo has anything to say about it, all of us will be dragged to his next match. Whenever that is."
The raven sighed and leaned back against the booth, slinging his arm over the back. "Don't worry about Kurapika and Chrollo. They'll do their own thing and there's nothing anyone can do to stop them. They're really similar, as much as that stubborn elven assbag hates to admit it. Don't know what Chrollo sees in him, but who am I to judge?"
"Huh," Gon said.
He relaxed against the booth.
He knew that these were the Phantom Troupe. And that if he was loyal to Kurapika at all then he'd either fight them or run away. But… based on everything he'd just heard, and what he now understood about Kurapika, Gon didn't wanna do what Kurapika would want.
Gon knew it was petty, but he didn't care.
Why should he be respectful to Kurapika like that when he'd been lying this whole time?
When he'd just up and left to be with his best friend, the leader of the Phantom Troupe?
Besides. Gon liked these guys.
He'd never been one to judge based on someone's actions anyways.
He judged on character, and he liked these guys.
Nobunaga, Uvo, and Shalnark were his friends now.
That didn't mean he wasn't friends with Kurapika anymore. He'd still worry about him. He'd just have a lot of words for him when he got back. All this was super weird, but Gon was glad Kurapika was okay he guessed?
AN: not me researching about alcohol and the dere types! but all in all i had so much fun writing this chapter. Uvogin is underrated! we love Uvogin
