Og, Posted, Oct, 3, 2020

/

/

Killua can't believe he agreed to this. It's not that rain bothered him, really; playing outside with Gon would be fun regardless, but he swears they're gonna get in trouble for playing in the mud...but Gon had insisted with those big old puppy dog eyes, pulling on his green jacket and leaving his boots at the door, motioning Killua to follow him. So Killua left his shoes at the front door too and followed... He could never really refuse a request from Gon.

The mud beneath his feet doesn't annoy him either. Not even when it squishes in-between his toes, it's cold, wet, and slippery, but he's just laughing following behind Gon.

Until something wriggly squirms beneath his feet, and Killua screams with a relatively high pitch, something he would never admit to.

"AAAAAH! G-GON, WHAT WAS THAT?!"

He basically jumps on his friend hiding behind him and lowering his head. His claws dig deeply into Gon's jacket as he peers over his shoulder, staring at the ground, eyes concentrated in pulsing fear.

Gon laughs in a mix of bewilderment and pain, tilting his head back to look at his friend. "It's just an earthworm, Killua."

He goes to pick one up, but Killua's grip is so tight on him, Gon can't really bend over, eyebrows scrunching up in pain.

"JUST AN EARTHWORM?! GON, GET RID OF THEM!"

Gon looks back in disbelief, a whine rumbling from the back of his throat.

"Killluaaaa, I can't just get rid of all the earthworms..."

Killua grips tighter burying his face in Gon's neck, the older of the two tilting his head and sighing.

Killua slowly peels himself away, the look in his eyes somewhat distant, his fingers running up and down his forearms anxiously as if he's trying to stave off the cold.

"Are you cold?"

"Huh? No."

Killua digs his toes into the mud, trying to ignore thoughts that threatened to creep out; this is supposed to be fun. You're supposed to be having fun with Gon.

"But you're shaking."

"I'm not cold."

Gon bites down on his lower lip, tilting his head to the side like some lost puppy.

"You really don't like worms, do you? Are you scared?"

Something akin to fear flashes in Killua's eyes for just a moment before he bends over, grabbing a handful of mud, tossing it right at Gon.

"I-I'm not scared! I just don't like how gross they are!"

It lands and hits Gon straight on, and Gon sticks out his tongue with a 'Bleh' when the taste of dirt runs in his mouth. He quickly wipes his face to get it away from his eyes, nose, and mouth.

"If you're going to play that way!"

Gon picks up a worm from the ground with a grin, walking forward slowly and then fast, sticking it right near Killua's nose.

The younger of the two freaks in an instance, jumping back, eyes narrowed and basically hissing like a cat.

"GON! Get that away!"

"That's what you get!"

Killua huffs, glaring, lips curling down into a scowl and cheeks puffing out ever so slightly.

And then his expression falls, he turns away, downcast, pushing his hands in his pockets, ignoring the one muddied with wet dirt.

"Killua?

That wasn't the reaction he had expected, really. He had thought that Killua would get madder, and they'd start a mud fight, not withdraw in.

"What. Gon."

His tone is like ice, and Gon sticks out his lower lip, pouting and stomping over.

"Geez. Why are you getting mad? You started it!"

Gon picks up a whole handful of mud with its own ample share of worms and grabs on the edge of Killua's turtleneck, dumping the entire thing of mud, worms included, down his back. The other boy shrieks, jumping back and tugging his blue shirt out from where it's tucked underneath his shorts. Although all of the worms fall out with ease, Killua draws his nails across his back, turning porcelain white bright red and not stopping his onslaught until he's sure they are gone.

Killua whips around, and Gon can feel the anger in his footsteps; even as silent as they are, as he marches over, and shoves Gon back, a mixture of fury and sadness sparking in his eyes like lightning. Had the rain not obscured it, maybe he would have seen tears forming in Killua's eyes. The older of the two doesn't even stumble, primarily due to his stubbornness and pride.

"GON, YOU IDIOT!"

Gon glares back, sticking out his tongue, ignoring and not bothering to follow Killua as he runs off, crossing his arms over his chest.

"YOU'RE THE STUPID ONE!"

*+:。.。 。.。:+*

The rain hadn't let up. If anything, it had gotten worse, and Gon sighs, sinking down from where he is sitting under a tree.

Booooreeeeddd...

He had tried playing by himself, and it just wasn't as fun... and Killua hadn't come back yet...

Gon sighs again, jumping to his feet, not bothering to brush himself off.

He sniffs the air, it was hard to tell with the mixture of rain and mud smell still in his nose, but Killua couldn't be that far...

He follows the smell, looking around with his acute senses; it should be easy to find the other amongst all the green and brown...

A branch snapping and a quiet curse snap him out of his search, and his eyes fall on a giant oak tree, darting up to spot the boy he had been searching for. He was stumbling from unsteady branch to the next, and Gon whines. Geez. Killua really was stupid! Doesn't he see how old that tree was? Sure, it could hold a person's weight, but get on the wrong branch, and you're done for.

Gon exhales, remembering Killua hadn't grown up climbing trees and befriending animals like him. He rushes over, planting a foot on the base of the tree, the lack of shoes not bothering him as he quickly scales it much faster than he had seen Killua do. In fact, it doesn't take long for him to catch up at all. He stretches a hand out for the other boy, putting aside his own pride, hoping Killua would do the same.

"Killua!"

*+:。.。 。.。:+*

Killua stops midway to grabbing the next branch, cursing inwardly. How did Gon get up here so fast? He really was a weirdo! A big stupid one! But... Killua can't stay mad at him... his heart still pitter-patters like the rain thinking of Gon. His heart had burned when they fought like he had tossed it into a volcano, and so he swallows and looks back.

In the end... he just loves Gon too much.

He reaches out to grab Gon's outstretched hand only to hear a crack; it makes him freeze. Gon is saying something. His lips are moving through his hazy vision, but Killua can't hear the words. Concern painted over his features, reaching his hand out further to try and grab Killua's own.

And then Gon is gone, and there is cold wind whipping and hitting his face at such speed he shuts his eyes...

Then gravity stops and hits him like a bus.

The air is knocked right out of his lungs and his back aches, burning despite the rain, and his vision splits, blurring and going black in the edges, colored dots darting around.

The pain doesn't subside, but he can feel the touch of cool mud around him, and it's almost calming until something squiggly and slimy is under his fingers, taking the breath right out of him again.

Moving and beating... right around his fingers, the crunching on ribcages echoing in his ears, and when he tilts his head, ignoring the roaring in his ears, there's blood. Blood all around him, and a warm beating heart in his hand, and he chokes back a strangled cry, paralyzed in place.

A hand tugs the heart from his own and tosses it to the side, the voice sounding oddly alarmed, shifting him up, making his head spin.

He's adjusted, an arm around his shoulder and head leaning against a chest, legs laid and bent awkwardly at the knees.

There are muffled shouts which he blocks out, staring at that heart, eyes blown wide open in fear, as it multiplies right before his eyes. He grasps weakly at the arm held out in front of him protectively.

"...LLUA!"

"KILLUA!"

He shifts, pain hitting him all of a sudden, making dark eyelashes flutter and open.

When had he closed his eyes...?

"Killua?! Can you hear me?"

His mouth tastes like blood, and he swallows it, gagging and nodding weakly.

"G...get... them... away."

He points out to the hearts, they're still there... all the hearts... All the blood...

"Killua...? It's okay."

The hand on his shoulder tugs him closer, the other flicking away the blood beating squirming things with ease.

"I won't let them near you, okay?"

So gently that hand moves, tilting his head up, and ocean blue meets hazel brown; those eyes are so full of concern and panic and aren't looking back at his. They scan him up and down as fingers press to his head, his shoulders, near his torso, waist, and legs.

"Does it hurt?"

Killua is still drowning in those eyes, so warm and full of light, he swallows the taste of coppery metal down again, shaking his head.

"N-no."

He croaks out, shutting his eyes and going to place a muddied hand near his temple, until Gon grabs his wrist gently halfway, putting his own calloused hand near the spot Killua was going for. He tucks a strand of hair behind Killua's ear and gets his face real close to clammy, pale skin, examining it.

"Does it hurt here? You shouldn't lie. You fell far."

The younger shakes his head; it did hurt, his back tingled up in down in spikes of needling pain, and his head was throbbing, but it was really nothing he couldn't deal with. He's more worried about...

"Gon... the... the... hearts..."

The hearts. It makes his own heart jump to his throat, and he feels sick, peeling his lids back slowly, staring at the ground... it was no longer blood red or relatively as smooth. Clumped together dirt, soaked, dyeing the back of his clothes and his legs, and even his hair, brown. Although the rain was slowly washing mud away from the back of white locks.

"Don't worry, Killua. I'll squish every little worm if I have to!"

Killua's eyes widen, lips parting, and he freezes.

"N-no! You shouldn't have to do that... just 'cause I'm weak."

Gon shakes his head, tugging his hand away from Killua's skin, making that spot feel ablaze, unlike the rest soaked and freezing.

"No. I'm sorry. You were scared... and I hurt you... Aunt Mito told me she would always squish away my fears no matter how big or small! She said she'd protect me even if it was a giant beetle! So I'll do the same for you! Even if it's just a small little earthworm, okay?"

Gon slips his hand under Killua's knees, in turn, smearing mud onto his jacket as he lifts the younger up as slowly as possible. He was a little worried the boy hit head harder than he thought, especially since Killua seemed to be seeing things. He had said hearts earlier; Gon hadn't wanted to add to his panic or stress by saying there weren't any, so he automatically changed it to earthworms. Real or not, Gon would squish anything Killua was scared of.

One of Killua's hands stays limp at his side, the other falling to his stomach and dragging mud across his white shirt, making Gon cringe.

His eyes were unfocused, staring out into nothingness, and he hadn't even protested since Gon made his promise.

"Killua? It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

The other boy hardly shifts his eyes up to hint he had heard, simply pressing his fingers deeper into cloth.

Gon pauses before grinning and shouting.

"Okay! Ready!"

This seems to snap Killua out of his haze in a second, looking up at Gon in alarm.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?!"

Gon laughs, crouching down, making Killua even more confused.

"We're going to squish your fear!"

Killua's mouth falls agape, and he grabs at the neckline of Gon's jacket, the corners of his lips turning into a scowl.

"Stop! What are you doing, you idiot?!"

Gon doesn't listen, simply sticking out his tongue in concentration and putting all his weight into his haunches, jumping and landing on a large puddle of mud with a bunch of worms.

It splatters everywhere, drops landing on Killua's legs and cheeks, painting Gon's whole face as he stands back up with a grin laughing.

"Tada!"

Killua stares, just stares, dead silent, at Gon.

"Are you crazy?!"

"There's the Killua I love!"

Killua is about to mouth off again, but he stops mid-thought, biting on his tongue, his cheeks slowly turning pink to bright red, and he smacks Gon right on his shoulder blade.

Gon bites down a cry of pain, hobbling around like he had stubbed his toe, only stopping so he doesn't accidentally worsen Killua's injuries.

"But it's true!"

Killua stammers before looking at the ground, cheeks puffed out in a pout and still red as an apple, but once his eyes meet the ground, he stiffens.

There were no more bloodied beating hearts, just the mud and occasionally worm.

His fingers are still entangled in Gon's jacket, and he tugs Gon's head down so fast the poor boy almost drops him and falls himself at the sudden movement. Killua leans up and presses the smallest of kisses to Gon's nose before pulling away and drawing his arms in, lowering his head, his ears red and cheeks even redder.

"Huh?"

Gon looks dumbfounded and is frozen in place.

"Killuaaaa, what was that for?"

"N-nothing, you idiot! It was just... I'm sorry too... and thank you..."

He mumbles out the last words, timidly playing with the creases of his sleeves.

"Oh!"

The lightbulb goes off in Gon's head, and he smiles wider than Killua has ever seen him do.

"So like the princess in that video game you were playing on the Joystation earlier!"

Killua's mind screeches, and all the words in the world evade him. He presses his chin down into his turtleneck, mumbling incoherent things.

And then he screeches.

"N-no! Just keep walking, you idiot!"

Gon laughs and points back that Killua wouldn't be so embarrassed if that isn't what is it was. Needlessly to say, they argued the whole way back.

/

/

Everyone always makes jokes about Ki not liking slimy stuff, but I can only think of his trauma, he has trauma. KI DESERVES BETTER 😤