Gon liked to work with his hands.

He wasn't all too bright, so he made up for it with hard work and determination. That was his way of doing things, he never looked before leaping. He liked rinsing the dirt off of his hands after a hard day of work, solid evidence that he had contributed to the world in some small way. He liked icing his sore hands, no matter how much he complained out loud.

Gon had been working under Bisky as a gardener for two years now. He liked it a lot, for an after school job at least. He was sad that in two months, he would have to leave this small, sleepy town to go to college.

"Gon, let's go," Bisky nagged, irritated. He didn't mind though, he was used to it. Bisky's harsh words didn't faze him anymore.

"This is one of our most important clients, so be prepared. Here's what you got to do." Bisky didn't like to get her hands dirty, she made Gon do all the grunt work. Bisky loved designing the product, admiring her work from afar. That's what made them such good partners in the landscaping business. They were two sides of a coin.

Gon's boss lay out a large parchment, beaming at her finished design. "Isn't it great?" Bisky nudged Gon affectionately. Gon sucked in his breath as he looked at the paper in wonder.

"Oh Bisky, it's beautiful," Gon breathed. It wasn't a lie. Her work truly was stunning. He was lucky he got to work with someone as talented as her. Her plan was as intricate as always. It was amazing that people could afford a garden as beautiful as this.

"We're going to scope out the house today, see if my measurements add up correctly. You should be all set to start working tomorrow," Bisky informed her pupil. He nodded vigorously, his eyes still glued to the page. She snapped her fingers impatiently, finally getting Gon to tear his eyes away from her creation.

He was like this every time, without fail. Each garden was more spectacular than the last to him, no matter the scale. But this time it was different, grander. The Zoldycks were one of the richest families in town, it was no wonder he was entranced by the garden they commissioned.

The pair jumped into Bisky's car, a cute little Beetle. Bisky was all about the aesthetics, pushing practicality to the side. As Gon grew taller and taller, he found it more and more difficult to cram himself into Bisky's tiny vehicle.

"Aw Bisky, can't we use my car?" Gon complained, rubbing his head. He had bumped his head against the ceiling. Bisky only laughed.

"Maybe you're the one who needs to stop growing. How tall are you now, six feet?" Bisky teased. Compared to her short stature, Gon was a giant.

"6'1, actually," Gon replied smugly. "You should really accommodate your employee's health and safety."

"Well, you'll be leaving in two months anyway, so you won't have to worry about that soon enough." As soon as Bisky uttered those words, the mood became somber. She really would miss Gon. And Gon would miss her too, he loved their silly banter. Besides Aunt Mito, Bisky was the closest thing he had to family.

The two drove in silence on the way to the Zoldyck estate, Bisky's fingers drumming against the steering wheel. It was almost a relief when she finally pulled into their driveway.

"Woah," Gon murmured. That was the only appropriate response he could give. The Zoldyck's house was grand, with marble pillars and a garden that was bigger than Gon's own home. The house looked cold and unwelcoming, but no one could deny its beauty. Gon and Bisky stood there for a few moments, just taking the breathtaking sight in. They were soon interrupted, however, when the front door opened abruptly and a guy around his age walked out.

Gon was starstruck the moment he lay eyes on him. How could he not be? The teen was wearing a soft grey turtleneck and sweatpants, but he pulled it off so well he could've been modeling for a fashion magazine. His outfit contrasted perfectly with his hair, so silver it was almost white. Was it natural? It had to be, it looked too good for any hair salon to replicate. He felt like melting when the stranger's stormy blue eyes locked onto his own. He felt self-conscious, his own eyes a boring brown. For the first time in his life, Gon Freecss was speechless.

Bisky could see that Gon was struggling, that he was already struck with Cupid's arrow. She couldn't blame him, but that wouldn't stop her from teasing him relentlessly later on. She marched up to the newcomer and shook his hand.

"You're the landscaper guys, right? My name's Killua, I'm supposed to show you around or whatever. It's pretty easy to get lost if you don't know where you're going."

Gon squeaked out his thanks, his ears bright pink. Fortunately for him, Killua didn't seem to notice.

"Thank you so much! My name's Bisky, it's nice to meet you," Bisky responded smoothly, rescuing her companion from total embarrassment. She held out her hand and Killua shook it. "And my partner right next to me is Gon."

"It's a pleasure," Killua replied evenly, holding out his hand for the other boy to shake. Gon complied, thanking the gods above for not making him burst into flames or something equally embarrassing. Killua's palm felt smooth and icy in his hand. When they separated, Gon's hand tingled.

"M-my name's Gon," he informed the other boy, before realizing his mistake. "D'oh! Bisky just said that." He could feel his cheeks heating up. Usually, Gon was good with new people, people in general. But this Zoldyck boy was making his brain short circuit in more ways than one.

That is, until Killua laughed, clear and bright, and nothing like his cool demeanor. Gon could feel his body relax, snapping out of his trance. Killua's laugh was hypnotic.

"Killua, would you mind showing Gon the backyard? I'll look out front here," Bisky asked sweetly. Gon glared at her so intensely it was almost comical.

"Sure, I don't mind. Let's go, Gon." And Gon followed, cracking jokes for the sole purpose of hearing Killua's beautiful laugh one more time.