Ging, Pariston, and Gon slid into line beside Ryder, all of them hiding on the roof of the building across from Leol's base.

"Took you long enough," Ryder complained.

"Sorry, we didn't expect Alligator to move this fast," Ging responded.

The second Ryder had realized where Alligator was going, he'd contacted the others. In order to time this perfectly, they had gone ahead of Alligator, waiting for Killua's signal.

Because there would definitely be a signal from Killua. He wasn't stupid, he would have figured out what their plan was by now… from Gon's failure to pop up at random alone.

"Remember, we drop in and we kill them all fast," Ging said for like the fifth time that afternoon. "Once we've taken them all out, we enter the building and eliminate anyone Killua hasn't gotten to yet."

Pariston and Ryder nodded in agreement, Gon just placed his hand on the hilt of his scythe.

Ging rolled his eyes, poking his son in the ribs. "Don't be a pain in the ass, you hear?"

"Yeah."

The older hybrid scoffed, slipping back to Pariston's side.

Ryder snorted, Gon certainly knew how to piss his dad off.

The Demon had selected a single knife. A tiny knife, it may as well have been a butter knife. The gods only knew what he intended to do with it. Yeah, Ryder never wanted to be on the opposing end of Pariston… ever. Ging had picked up a pair of metal gauntlets with blades embedded in the wrists. Pretty typical of him, he liked rough combat.

But Gon's weapon was the one that seriously caught his eye!

"Gon, dude," he gasped, scooting closer to get a better look. "You fight with a scythe?!"

"Yeah."

"That's literally so metal! Why the hell didn't you have one before?!"

"Yeah."

Ryder frowned, waving his hand in front of Gon's eyes. The horned male didn't so much as blink.

"Gon," Ryder asked, "What's one plus one?"

"Yeah."

The purple skinned hybrid snorted. Okay then.

Killua gritted his teeth as Leol pressed a heated metal coil against his stomach. The skin steamed and burnt, the tissue beneath weeping blood as the heat burnt all the way through. Killua didn't so much as flinch.

It's not like the pain made him happy or anything, it still hurt really bad.

He was just used to it.

Leol watched Killua's unmoving face, before snarling and flinging the metal tool back into the fire. "Are you really so impervious to pain?!" he snapped, losing his patience.

Killua blinked up at him, impassive.

The Ant barked like a lion, and then lashed out with his claws. He slashed across Killua's face, jingling the chain and making the Valkyrie's head snap back painfully. Those claws dug into his face, cutting through the shin skin against his skull like butter. Blood sprayed, dripping down into Killua's eyes and mouth. Three fresh claw marks lined his face, slashing from his forehead all the way down to his jaw.

"React, dammit! Does it not hurt?! Do you not wish to cry out?!"

Killua just spat a mouthful of blood.

Leol growled, and punched Killua hard in the gut, again and again.

It may as well have been a tantrum.

Killua gagged, coughing up blood.

But he still didn't react.

No. Not yet.

He needed to discourage Leol, get him to storm off again so Killua could continue surveying the building.

Leol finally grew bored of beating Killua, and with one last blow across the Valkyrie's bloodied nose, he stepped back with a dark chuckle. "Fine, little Valkyrie. We'll take a break. If pain doesn't work, then we'll just have to resort to suffocation."

Killua watched as Leol crossed the room to the sink in the corner. He plugged the drain, and flipped the water on cold. He smirked at Killua from over his shoulder, eyes glinting as he stepped back to show the assassin what he was preparing for him.

"I'll return in five minutes, your bath should be ready by then~"

He left the chamber, slamming the door behind him.

Killua growled once he left, spitting blood where he'd just stood. Fuck. He hated suffocation torture. He could hold his breath for a long assed time, but while one could stand up in the face of pain… standing up in the face of drowning was by far harder.

Leol already knew that Alligator was leading Ging and the others here. He was trying to torture their strengths and numbers out of Killua, but if he didn't end up talking than Leol wouldn't hesitate to drown him.

Shit.

The Chimera Ants seriously owned up to their reputations.

With a deep breath, Killua reactivated his In and En combination. He stayed calm, using the menacing filling of the water in the sink to help him focus rather than getting skittish about the depth of the water his head was about to be forced into.

He reached his Magic out, encasing the building in his power. His control was waning, he was starting to struggle. The blood loss was getting to him, slowly but surely. The screws driven through the raw nail beds in his toes weren't helping either.

Ging, you guys better fucking pull through.

I can fight while in this state, but not for long. Even I have my limits…

Killua quieted his mind, and reached out with his Magic. He focused on the building. Counted each and every soldier, and once he'd confirmed Leol's seat on the couch, he extended his Magic outside.

The Valkyrie gasped.

There, just outside the walls of the building, was another En. Another sphere of Magic, warm and waiting.

Gon.

It was Gon's En.

The second Killua's En brushed against Gon's, he felt a ripple along the surface.

Killua!

You're here, the Valkyrie thought. Through all the pain, he smiled. Bright and true.

Filled with a new strength, Killua forced his Magic outwards. He felt with the edges of his Magic, knowing that he had only three minutes left on the clock before Leol would return and drown him in the sink. But he didn't get antsy, he didn't lose his focus. He didn't get light headed, and he didn't start to falter.

Because of Gon.

Because now he knew that Gon was out there, ready and waiting to back Killua up.

The outside was silent. He could feel Ging, Ryder, Pariston, and Gon waiting on the roof of the building across the street, but Alligator was still nowhere to be seen.

Two minutes.

If Gon and the others were already here, then that meant that they'd trailed Alligator, but chose instead to go out ahead of him to properly sync their attack with Killua's. So what the hell was Alligator doing? Why the fuck was he taking so long?

Killua knew Leol was pissy about how long he was taking. Didn't he know that he'd get his neck wrung by the feline if he didn't hurry the fuck up?

One minute.

Killua gritted his teeth. His body was beginning to tremble. Killua wasn't the most skilled with En, it was one of his weak points. He already had enough trouble extending it this far, and being under this much pain and stress was just making it harder.

Gon's En strained against his, encouraging him to keep it up. Encouraging him to keep In active at the same time, even though it took so much out of him.

Killua sensed Leol stand up from the couch. The sink was almost full, he was returning to the torture chamber.

Thirty seconds.

Where the fuck was the third squadron–

There. Yes.

Fucking finally.

On the outskirts of Killua's straining En, he finally sensed Alligator. He was walking slowly, taking his sweet time. Jackass.

He was taking advantage of Leol's agreed radio silence to try and throw their plan off on purpose. He clearly wanted most of the glory fighting Ging, and was taking forever to make sure that Leol and Koala didn't leap into the fray at the right moment, giving him more of the glory.

Well damn. That was such a shitty thing to do.

But it so worked in Killua's favor.

Because that meant he'd get Leol all to himself.

When he heard Leol's hand on the doorknob, Killua released his En and In.

It was finally showtime.

His wings stirred in their cage of thorns, sensing his itch for violence.

Killua put his acting face back on, just in time for Leol to reenter the torture chamber.

Gon gasped when Killua's En suddenly vanished.

Ryder snapped his head to Gon, nudging the other male with his shoulder. "What? Why'd Killua's En go away?" he whispered. Alligator was visible down the street, taking a long fucking time to get the hell over here.

"Killua's about to make his move," Gon breathed, tightening his fist around the hilt of his scythe. "Get ready."

The others braced themselves, the second Killua gave the signal, they'd descend upon Alligator with no mercy.

Leol stepped into the torture chamber, making a show of locking the door behind him. He stayed silent, smiling darkly at Killua. The only sound in the chamber was the dripping of Killua's blood onto the floor.

The Ant walked slowly up to the sink, shutting it off just before it overflowed.

Killua breathed slowly in, and then out.

Anxiety raged within him. He remembered all the times Illumi had trained him for this… all those horrible times, tied up, upside down with his head in the sink. The water rising up… pouring into his nose, no way to get out…

Gotta stay calm.

It's not like that this time.

Leol is intimidating, but he's nothing compared to Illumi.

I can do this.

"Tell me, can you swim?" Leol purred as he slowly approached Killua.

The Valkyrie braced himself.

Yes. This was it.

Come closer, you son of a bitch.

"I suppose we're about to find out~" the Ant chuckled. "Although, there's not much you can swim away from when it's only your head that's underwater~"

Leol stopped before Killua, standing in the pool of blood that he had painted the floors in. He took the Valkyrie's lowered chin in his hand, forcing those sapphire eyes to meet his own.

"This room is soundproof, you know," he mused, "No one will hear your screams~"

"Good," Killua said, speaking up for the first time since he'd been chained up in here. "I'm counting on it."

Leol frowned. "What–"

Killua moved too fast for the Ant to respond, drawing from his blood on the floor and activating Godspeed in an explosion of electricity. He ripped his hands and tail out of their restraints, and headbutted Leol directly in the nose.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Leol cried out as he slammed into the metal door, head cracking deafeningly against the iron, splattering the metal surface with his navy colored blood.

Killua deactivated Godspeed, the ultimate mindfuck, making it seem like he'd somehow managed to move too fast for Leol's eyes to follow.

Once second Leol was standing before Killua, the next it was the opposite.

"What?!" the Ant gasped, "How–"

Killua savagely kicked him directly in the balls, the Ant howled.

The screws in his toes hurt like hell from the force of the blow, but Killua didn't care, it was worth it when he got to hear that scream of agony.

Leol hunched over, only for his face to connect with a blow from Killua's knee. The Valkyrie busted his nose, and Chimera blood sprayed once again. Leol gagged, dazed from the force of the blow.

Killua was on him, he grabbed the Ant by his mane and dragged him across the floor while he was still fighting unconsciousness.

Killua made it to the sink just as Leol regained his senses, the enormous feline lurching to his feet in an attempt to pin Killua down. The assassin simply bashed his face against the metal of the sink, making him shriek in pain.

"You've made a grave mistake, little Valkyrie–"

Leol began to pick himself up to his feet, but Killua stomped on the back of his knee.

Shattering it.

The Ant screamed.

Killua leaned down by Leol's furry ear, "No~ You made a mistake the second you accepted my surrender~ You'd have lived, had you taking that chance to kill me rather than capture me~"

Leol growled, taking a breath to argue, but Killua yanked him up by the hair of his mane.

"Tell me," Killua chuckled, "Can you swim?"

"WAIT–" Leol cried, only to be interrupted when Killua dunked his head into the sink.

The Ant bucked, beginning to squirm, but Killua activated his Ren.

He drew from the blood gushing from the wounds all over his body, and he activated Lightning Palm.

Electricity exploded from Killua's hands, raging through the water of the sink.

Leol thrashed and screamed from beneath the surface as his brain was fried, he gurgled and bucked as he took on water, and then he was dead. Leaving behind nothing but an enormous corpse and the stench of burnt hair.

Killua unceremoniously dropped his body.

And hunched over. With gritted teeth, he ripped the screws out of his toes. Then he latched onto the pins Leol had driven through the sensitive flesh at the thick of his ears, quickly pulling them out one by one. He yanked the wooden spikes out of his left arm, and wiped his right across his eyes, getting the worst of the blood off his face.

The Valkyrie sighed. "That was fucking annoying," he grumbled. "I estimate that Alligator will assume his position at the front of the building right about… now."

With a dark chuckle, Killua activated Godspeed again, drawing the last of the blood on the floor for the activation price.

Killua activated ThunderBolt, and a pillar of raging electricity exploded from his body, busting through the roof and startling every single Ant in the vicinity.

That was the only warning Killua gave before he activated Lightning Speed, and fell into assassin mode with a grin on his face.

Not moments after Alligator finally positioned himself and his squadron at the front of the building, a raging pillar of electricity exploded from the back right corner of the building. Gon startled at the angry explosion, but then grinned.

"You think that's the signal?" Ryder quipped before four of them leapt from the roof in unison.

Gon hit the ground swinging, touching down right before Alligator.

"What the hell?!" the Squadron Leader exclaimed, whipping around to face his soldiers, "What the fuck was tha–"

The second he turned around, he came face to face with Gon.

The last thing he saw before he died was Gon's raging amber eyes as he swung his scythe directly for Alligator's neck.

Gon exploded forward, swiping his blade left and right and taking out five more soldiers in his mad dash for the door. He ignored Ging's instruction to wait until all of Alligator's squad was dead before entering the building. Gon didn't fucking care.

He cared about Killua.

Ging and the others could handle the rest no problem.

"Now, show me rock!" Gon roared as he charged the door.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing–" Ging screamed as he bashed a soldier's head in.

"JAN! KEN!"

"Your honor, he's slaying!" Ryder snickered in Gon's defense as he jumped on a soldier that had been charging Ging.

"ROCK!" Gon roared as he busted through the door in an explosion of raging orange fire.

The second he stepped (exploded) into the building, Gon heard nothing but screams. The entire place stunk like blood and burnt electrical wiring, and the occasional spark of wild blue light would occasionally zig zag into sight across the space.

Gon immediately jerked into action. He'd sensed 37 soldiers in here with his En, along with two Squadron Leaders. His sixth sense was telling him that there were about half that remaining, and falling fast.

The hybrid rushed forward, jumping over the railing and sailing down for the common area decorated with now broken and burning furniture. He dropped down in the center of a circle of Ants, standing back to back in an attempt to predict where Killua would appear next.

"Hey, he's behind us!" one of the soldiers screamed in warning, but not fast enough.

Gon spun on his heel, slashing each and every one of them apart with his scythe. Only three of them managed to leap back in time. Gon crouched, grin on his face, and then jumped back into the fray.

The three Ants immediately teamed up on him, always fighting in packs.

The fight was fast and brutal, but the feeling of the scythe's hilt in Gon's palms made him feel inexplicably more powerful. It felt like nothing could stop him… it felt like… Kite was fighting right there at his side.

The Ants raged on Gon, attacking him from all sides. The hybrid blocked all of their blows with ease, catching their fists on the enormous hilt of the scythe and whipping the blade around to cut off any limbs that dared step to close. It was all over within the span of a minute, blood spraying as Gon lopped the head off their final enemy.

"On your right!"

Gon gasped, quickly stepping to the left as a certain Valkyrie materialized at his side.

"Killua!" Gon cheered, only to be overcome with horror when he glanced at the Valkyrie out the corner of his eye.

Godspeed was thinning out, dangerously close to running out of juice. Killua had used too much of his Blood Energy reserves on his In and En. Not to mention the fact that he was covered in blood! Not blue Chimera blood, but his own scarlet Valkyrie blood!

The top half of his suit had been ripped away, as well as the feet. His arms and torso were covered in deep cuts and lacerations, his back pelted in whip wounds. There were literal holes all up and down his left arm, and his feet were a bloodied mess. His fingers were bleeding and bruised from where his nails had been ripped out and regrown when he'd extended his claws, and there were three deep claw marks slashed across his face.

"Oh my gods!" Gon exclaimed, immediately dropping his scythe and catching Killua when the assassin toppled over, Godspeed shutting off from exhaustion and overuse. "Killua! What the hell did they do to you?!"

Killua chuckled, blood bubbling up from his lips. "Just a routine torture session, nothing too exciting."

Gon stood frozen with Killua held up in his arms. Unable to move or even process as Killua's blood soaked into his clothes and slipped down his arms and coated up his fingers. "What– where are they?" Gon breathed, whipping his head back and forth.

He startled as a piece of the ceiling crumbled and landed behind him, light shining down from the outside.

"Dead," Killua snorted, holding up his hand… which was still gripped around the Koala's severed head. "Don't worry, I," he coughed up another mouthful of blood, "All of them."

Gon gritted his teeth, quickly kneeling down and resting Killua on the ground.

"Gon! What's going on in here?" Ging called from the door, himself, Pariston, and Ryder finally making it inside.

"It's done!" Gon yelled back, ripping the sleeve off his new jacket.

"Holy shit, is that Killua?!" Ryder exclaimed. The Valkyrie saluted with two fingers.

"Fuck," Ging hissed, the other three males storming across the walkway and down the stairs, arriving at Killua's side in a matter of moments.

"Oh my gods, oh my gods, we have to get him to a hospital–"

"No," Gon interrupted, shoving a hysterical Ryder behind him. "Stand back. I need to focus."

Gon took a deep breath, focusing on the glands in his neck. He quickly made a weak muscle relaxant. A very weak strain of his neurotoxin. It would make the pain go away. He slicked the slimy stuff across his hand, and then splattered it all over Killua's face and chest.

The Valkyrie sputtered as a little bit got in his mouth. "Careful with that crap, huh?" he complained.

"Shut up and let me heal you!" Gon snapped, taking Killua's tail in his hand and using the barb to cut his forearm open. He winced through the pain, cutting deep enough to see the bone. He needed a lot of blood.

Ging, Pariston, and Ryder stayed quiet, watching as Gon activated his Ren and closed his eyes.

Bisky hadn't just taught them Hatsu, she'd also taught them Healing Magic and a couple of other necessary spells. Gon wasn't as good at Healing Magic as Killua was, but if he drained a fucking half a gallon of his blood than he could more than make up for that, as well as go ahead and pay for the all pain Killua would be forced to endure throughout the Spell.

Gon took Killua's hand, gripping it in his palms. He set his jaw, and focused.

His Ren began to glow a healing blue as it absorbed the blood gushing from the wound on his arm. The light encased Killua's body, and Gon focused his Magic.

Healing Magic was like the ultimate combination of En, Ren, and Ko.

En to scan the body, Ren to encase that body in Magic, and Ko to focus the Healing Spell in specific places.

It also took a shit ton of blood to activate, and caused the patient of the Spell to endure immense amounts of pain as their body was laced back together. But fuck that, extra blood could be sacrificed to spare the patient the pain. It was dangerous because it used triple the blood, and completely draining one's blood was a serious possibility when healing a ton of injuries at once.

But once again, Gon didn't fucking care.

He was saving Killua, and he was going to do it without making Killua hurt anymore than he already had.

Linking his Magic to Killua's battered body, Gon pretended like he was using the healing capabilities of his biochemical. He pictured his Magic as the biochemical, and Killua's body as his own. He mapped out the damage, and focused on healing every little cut and bruise.

He envisioned Killua's skin lacing back together. He envisioned the holes along his left arm closing back up. He envisioned the broken ribs in his chest fusing back together, and he envisioned all the marks across his back being entirely erased.

No scars. Gon would leave no scars.

Gon would see this Healing Spell all the way to the finish, and he would take no shortcuts.

"I'm gonna reset your nose," Gon murmured, lost in the trance of the Healing Spell.

Killua nodded, and Gon snapped it back into place.

He then fused the skin across his face back together, and healed each and every bruise dotting his pale skin. Gon dismissed the pain building in Killua's head from all the blows to his skull, and he rebuilt Killua's shattered toes and fingers.

Finally, Gon replenished Killua's blood supply, just as the effects of the muscle relaxant wore off.

With a deep breath, Gon released the spell.

He was overcome with a wave of dizziness, and lurched backwards. Killua sat up in a flash, catching Gon and steadying him.

"Idiot," the Valkyrie murmured, "Why'd you sacrifice so much blood?"

"It's nothing," Gon slurred, the wound on his forearm already lacing back together with the strength of his biochemical.

Killua sighed, picking both himself and Gon to their feet. "Thanks for that."

"Don't thank me," Gon panted, leaning on Killua for balance. His head was spinning, he'd really sacrificed way too much blood to be considered safe. But that was alright, Gon gritted his teeth and focused his biochemical, restoring his blood level in exchange for a dull ache between his eyes.

Ging sighed, "I'm glad you're alright, Killua."

"Yeah, sorry about getting captured," the Valkyrie snorted.

"Uh huh, no kidding!" Ging snapped, tossing a baggy sweatshirt into the Valkyrie's chest. "Now put this on, we need to get out of here before our neighbors come over to start investigating. Gon! Burn the bodies."

"On it," Gon nodded, ducking out from under Killua's hand and rushing from body to body. He slid his palm, and used just the tiniest spark of Jajanken, only enough for a small flame. Yeah, he needed something to do. Something to keep him busy and distracted from the rage in his mind…

"Ryder, Paris, Zoldyck! Don't just stand around, we have fifty-three bodies and five minutes tops before the authorities figure out what's happened!" Ging scolded, tossing a lighter into each of their chests. "Help Gon out, we're clearing out in two, ya hear?"

The five of them spread out through the base, burning each corpse and severed body part. If they left nothing behind, then the authorities would assume that it was just more Chimera violence, nothing out of the ordinary. Finding the casualties of a massacre? Now that would be blaring evidence that a powerful Zodiac was present on Hallah.

Gon slipped through the halls, checking every room and burning each of the bodies Killua had dropped. There were so many, and he'd taken out all of them so fast… Killua really was amazing.

But still. Gon hated that Killua had been forced to endure all of this.

Honestly? Gon's mind was in a frenzy. He couldn't think straight. Remembering Killua bloodied and beaten like that… it was… it was impossible to just…

The hybrid pushed through a metal door, peeking inside the only room he hadn't checked yet–

Only to freeze in the doorway.

A torture chamber. This was a torture chamber.

Gon slowly walked inside.

There were chains dangling from the ceiling, and a red stain all over the flood. The red of blood was splattered all over the walls, and a cart littered with sharp and bloodied tools loomed next to the enormous bloodstain. A fire burned in one corner, and a sink filled with bloody water sat in the other.

Alongside an enormous corpse, half drowned and half electrocuted to death.

With… the scent of Killua's blood wafting from his fur.

From the entire room.

Killua had… this was where Killua had gotten all those injuries. This Ant… Leol, had been the one to do it to him.

Gon choked back a sob.

He couldn't– he just–

Dammit.

Killua had suffered. All because Gon had allowed Ging to stop him.

Steps stiff and shaky, Gon approached Leol's body. Eyes dark and lined in silver, he sparked his Magic. And set the enormous course on fire. He stood up. That was the last one. They had to leave in less than a minute but…

Gon found himself frozen. Stuck.

In this horrible room… this horrible room that reeked of Killua's blood and Killua's pain.

He couldn't stop looking at that card covered in horrifying tools… that dish holding twenty bloody nails.

The soft patter of bare feet in the doorway. "Gon?"

The hybrid stiffened, shoulders drawing up.

Gon whipped around, and threw himself into Killua's chest. Or rather, he yanked Killua into his chest.

Gon squeezed Killua close, choking down sobs as he clung to that skinny frame.

Maybe Killua was okay now, but he hadn't been okay for… for the two hours that Gon had left him alone.

"Killua, I'm so so sorry," he choked out.

The Valkyrie's arms looped gently around his shoulders. "Gon," he sighed. "It's okay. There's nothing for you to be sorry about."

Gon jerked back, holding Killua in place as he stared passionately into those soft blue eyes. "Killua, they tortured you! For two entire hours! And– and it was all because I just was sitting around and taking forever to just get here! Are you really okay? How can you be okay after all that?"

"Gon," Killua sighed, pulling the hybrid against his chest. "It hurt a whole lot, but I'm alright. I'm used to stuff like that. I'm trained to endure torture. It's over now, right? It was just a little pain, Gon. I'm not made of glass," he chuckled. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"I know you say that but…" Gon mumbled, fisting the fabric of Killua's shirt. "I just… I hate that this is normal for you. So… I'm sorry. That you… that something awful like that is just… nothing at all."

"Hey," the Valkyrie murmured. "I was only able to do it cause of you. Thanks for activating your En like that… I wouldn't have been able to make it without you there. You reminded me what I was fighting for, and showed me that I could do it."

Gon leaned back, staring up into Killua's cerulean gaze. Those eyes were so soft… so caring. Even after everything he'd just been forced to go through… he was still able to look at Gon like that, to comfort Gon when he'd been the one to truly suffer.

Killua was so strong… Gon felt himself fall a little harder.

The hybrid moved his hands to Killua's shoulders. He clung tight, he pulled Killua closer.

"Killua, I know you were only gone for three hours, but those three hours were so incredibly difficult. Without you there I…" Gon trailed off. He shook his head, forcing himself to look Killua in the eye.

He wouldn't look away.

He wouldn't look away this time.

"I was reminded of what it was like when I lost you before."

Killua's eyes wavered.

Yorknew City.

"I was so scared," Gon said, voice wavering with nerves, but the strongest it had ever been. "I was reminded of how much it hurt to have you gone, and it reminded me why I fought so hard to win you back. Killua, I could sense it in your En. You believed… you were about to die," Gon's voice cracked.

The silver of tears lined Killua's beautiful blue eyes.

"I was so terrified," Gon whispered, "Terrified that I was about to have you ripped away from me, before I could tell you."

"Tell me what?" Killua breathed, eyes wide and raging with a million different emotions.

"Before I could tell you how much you mean to me," Gon declared, amber eyes burning. "Killua, I–"

"Hey!"

The two of them startled, leaping a foot in the air and shoving away from each other.

"Break it up!"

There, enraged and leaning in the doorway, was Ging. "Remember what I said about two minutes?! Well it's been three! I'm not getting arrested for mass homicide because you two can't express your emotions! Save the gAziNg iNtO eAcHoThErS eYeS for later, now come the fuck on!"

Gon and Killua followed Ging and Pariston through the streets of Hallah, Ryder trailing along behind them. Gon's heart was in his throat. Walking beside Killua after all that felt so… awkward. He'd been interrupted. Again.

The hybrid could hardly bring himself to look Killua in the eye.

Why did Ging have to bust in like that?! Gon had literally been two seconds away from finally kissing the love of his life!

Gon startled when Ryder materialized at his side, slinging his arm around his shoulder and pulling him closer. Gon turned to face a pair of narrowed green eyes.

"A fucking torture chamber?!" Ryder demanded, whispering so that Killua wouldn't hear. "You're the one who's been obsessing over your confession to Killua being perfect, and you pick a fucking torture chamber?!"

"I got wrapped up in the moment!" Gon whined in protest.

Ryder rolled his eyes. "I hope you intend on picked that back up the SECOND we get to the hotel, because so help me if you decide that this is a prime excuse to push this off for another 50,000 words–"

"-I know, I know!" Gon hissed hurriedly covering Ryder's loud mouth with his hand. "I'm not doing that, alright?! Now shut up, he'll hear you!"

"What are those two talking about?" Pariston purred, glancing over his shoulder to where Gon and Ryder were huddled together and pulling each other's hair.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know," Ging grumbled. "Come on, Killua, you're the only CIVILIZED child in the family, so you get to pick the hotel."

The assassin shrugged, grinning as he skipped on ahead with Ging and Pariston, more than glad to leave Gon, Ryder, and their antics in the dust.

"Gods dammit! Those fucktards shorted us a side!" Ging raged from the kitchen.

"It's okay!" Ryder protested, quickly taking the phone out of Ging's hand before he could call the restaurant in a fit of hunger induced rage. "We already got like five more sides than we'll be able to eat, we don't even need that one!"

"They also forgot the gravy~" Pariston spoke up, digging through the other paper bags.

"Are you trying to make this worse?!" Ryder snapped at the grinning Demon, "Huh?! Cause I'm really starting to think that you're trying to get Karen here even more riled up than he already is!"

Gon sighed in exasperation, slipping through the sliding glass door and onto the balcony where Killua was watching the flashing neon signs. He shut the door behind him, more than glad to shut off the racket Ryder and Ging were making.

The hybrid silently slunk to Killua's side, leaning against the railing beside him and looking out at the mind melding space-city around them. During the night cycle, all the lights defaulted to red, even the blacklights on the ceiling. It made the place look soft and futuristic, like a warped urban wonderland.

Rather than pick a hotel room, Killua had upped Ging and picked an apartment. Luckily his incredible real estate scenes had led him to discover a place that Ging had actually agreed to renting out. Or rather, Ging had purchased the place, deciding that this would be his fourteenth rental property.

Killua had argued with him until Ging agreed to fork over half the profit from whoever he rented this place out to. Quite the little business maker.

It was cute… watching Killua handle Ging like it was nothing at all.

Not to mention totally badass.

Killua had gotten them into the best seat in the house, even if they'd only be staying for a couple days tops.

They were right in the heart of Hallah's fourth sector, the enormous open area where all the layered streets and bridges led. The walls, the ceiling, the floors, every single surface was nothing but city buildings, with recreational ships flying from platform to platform. It was like they were within the belly of a beast… a beat whose intestines were made up of a city even more technological and futuristic than Yorknew City.

Just watching the flashing neon signs and the staring out at the incredible cave of apartment complexes with stalagmites and stalactites that were literal buildings–

It could entertain Gon for an eternity.

This place was truly incredible… and Killua clearly agreed with him.

"Another lovers quarrel?" the Valkyrie snorted, referring to Ging and Pariston.

"Not this time," Gon sighed, "Ging's mad that we got shorted some of the food we ordered."

"Valid," Killua mused, "But not when one orders a wild feast costing 500 silver. I'd have forgotten something too. We had six bags, I don't think we need anymore."

"That's what Ryder's saying!" Gon laughed. "But of course Ging's not gonna listen."

"No, never. He is your father after all~"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"'Rationality' is not a word in his vocabulary~"

"Hey! I'm rational!" Gon pouted.

"Sure you are," Killua laughed, bumping his shoulder into Gon's.

Gon sighed contentedly, scooting closer so that they were leg to leg, arm to arm. Killua's tail made its way to Gon's waist, gently looping its way around his hips.

This… just this. Just existing with Killua at his side, it meant everything to Gon.

"It's just like watching the sunset in the apartment back in Yorknew," Gon murmured.

"Yeah," Killua agreed softly. "Yorknew City was a vibe."

"You sound like Ryder!" Gon accused with a laugh.

Killua giggled, "I can't help it! He says so much weird shit that it's permeating my brain."

"He's certainly interesting, alright," Gon agreed.

"So, I noticed that you two are friends now?~" Killua taunted.

Gon snorted, "Far from it."

The Valkyrie bumped Gon with his shoulder again, "Liar."

"Am not!"

"Are too."

"We're not friends, we're just… Dick Buddies."

Killua choked on air, "What?!"

"Yeah!" Gon said as if it was nothing at all. "It's slightly less than friends, and comes with free blow jobs."

Killua blinked… that's not what Dick Buddies had meant between him and Ryder but he wasn't complaining.

"Did you take him up on that offer?" Killua teased.

Gon sputtered, "No, of course not! I don't like him that way, and he's definitely not my type."

"Oh yeah?" Killua said, leaning his chin in his hand. "What's your type then?"

Gon's eyes snapped to Killua's. Mischief swirled in those brilliant blue orbs.

He knows.

Shit, he probably heard what me and Ryder were talking about in the clothes store today, I mean it's not like we were being quiet–

Gon swallowed his nerves. Ryder had told Gon that Killua… so… it only made sense that he had told Killua too.

Asshole.

Gon made a show of "thinking" about his response. "Hm, my type is probably… tall. Skinny, but not too skinny. Legs for days."

Killua scoffed, moving his hand from his chin and shaking his head at Gon's basic response. "Shocking, you just described every female actress in existence," he teased.

Gon snickered, leaning forward across the railing so he could peek up under Killua's bangs. "But also strong," he added. "With fluffy hair and a sour attitude. I'm not opposed to tattoos, either."

Killua stiffened, face flushing as he refused to look Gon in the eye. He tried to hide behind his hair, but Gon just leaned further across the railing to see under that silvery veil. He loved Killua's blush, he loved to watch his cheeks flush with color… to know that he'd been the one to bring that beautiful pink to life.

"I'd like someone with pretty eyes," Gon said softly. "Blue, like the ocean. White hair that sparkles like the snow. Skin like the moon on water. Someone that's graceful. Fast, strong, and smart."

"You already said strong, idiot," Killua choked out, turning his head in the other direction.

"Some who knows who they are," Gon murmured. "Someone who stands up for their friends no matter what. Someone that reminds me why I'm alive… someone that stays by my side even when I'm being an idiot."

"If only someone like that existed," Killua interjected, shoulders hunched and voice wavering.

Gon slowly straightened up. He leaned in closer, closing the gap that Killua had placed between them. He gently placed his hand on Killua's shoulder, slowly turning him back around. The assassin refused to budge at first, then hesitantly complied, facing Gon. His cheeks were flushed, eyes lined in silver… bangs angled down to conceal his face.

Slowly, gently, Gon brushed the bangs away from Killua's face.

The gesture felt so tender, so caring. It made Gon's heart lurch, it made his lip wobble with emotion.

So much emotion… so much passion and caring… all for Killua. It was all for Killua, he was all for Killua.

Maybe he'd tease Killua about hiding his eyes beneath his bangs… but Gon was the one who had hid himself away from Killua for so long. The entire time they'd known each other, Gon had never hesitated to tell Killua everything he was thinking. He'd never held anything back, he'd shared everything with Killua… his love. His light.

So why… why had Gon felt the need to hide these feelings from Killua? Why had Gon felt the need to hunker down and turn away?

Because he had been scared.

Scared of how Killua would react, but also scared of the powerful feelings pumping within him.

But Killua didn't deserve that. Killua didn't deserve to have all this hidden from him… Gon had always wanted to show Killua his everything, it was about time he finally did that.

No more running.

No more games.

No more hesitation.

"Killua?" Gon murmured, resting his palm gently against that pale cheek.

"Gon," he mumbled, still refusing to meet the hybrid's gaze.

"Everything I said back there… I meant every word of it."

Tears gathered in Killua's eyes, those blue eyes sparkling and wet.

"Killua… I hate to see you suffer. I hate to see you in pain. I just want… to wipe it all away. You deserve so much more than what you've been given in life, you don't deserve all the pain and the suffering. Killua, you're so strong. So brave. You're so good. And I… you sparkle like the moon, sometimes I… I can't believe that you're really here. I can't believe that a light such as yours is something I have right before me… You shine so bright, I can't even look at you sometimes…"

Gon chuckled to himself, trailing off and glancing off to the side. Killua's eyes… they were doing it again. Shining so bright. It was so hard to watch those beautiful eyes contort and glow like that… it was so hard to imagine that they sparkled like that for Gon.

He looked back up at Killua, eyes burning with that soft passion, that soft emotion. All of it, all of it for Killua. Every breath he drew, every single thing he did, every single time he woke up in the morning or went to sleep at night… it was all for Killua. His life, it was for Killua.

"Killua… what I needed to tell you back there… and back on the ship… and back… back in the forest with Bisky… what I needed to tell you forever, actually. It's that…"

Gon took a deep breath, he didn't let himself look away.

He forced himself to stare directly into the sun, he didn't care if it blinded him.

Because if he never saw anything again… he'd be okay. Because if Killua was the last thing he ever saw... than he'd be the happiest man in the universe.

"Killua, I'm in love with you."