Killua approaches Mikkel to ask for assistance, the man is not amused everyone is trying to push Daniel to do something, he clearly, doesn't want to do. Killua is forced to explain the situation to the man.

A\N: I'm super excited. I can't wait to reveal, not only Daniel's idea, the specifications of the weapon(s)

Killua was quiet when he left their hotel. He made sure to leave without disturbing Daniel, or his sister, given that she was hugging him in her sleep. Sure, what he was about to do shouldn't be kept a secret, especially with the rules they had set in place with their advanced connection.

But he wanted to make sure that Mikkel will agree with what he's asking for before he says anything to his partner.

He didn't want to get his partner's hopes up, considering everything that had gone wrong for them so far. He made his way to Mikkel's Smithery while looking out for anyone who may be tracking their movements.

Victor may not be able to follow them, but that doesn't mean someone else couldn't do it for the man.

The bell chimed as he opened the door, Mikkel's voice is heard coming from the backroom, "Coming." The man rounded the corner, surprised to see only one of the boys there, "Oh, back so soon? What can I help you with?"

"I have a request…" Killua started, his eyes glancing towards the weapons on display, "Daniel didn't bring it up because of several key factors, but he was hoping you'll be able to make a weapon… or three for him."

Mikkel crossed his arms, "Then he can tell me, himself. I told Vastorie no… and my answer will not change for you, no matter the connection you share with the other boy."

Killua crossed his arms, "Vastorie…? No, he's not important in this matter. Daniel has been down lately, triple guessing himself at times. He had well thought out ideas at times, but what he needs is a push… for someone other than Vastorie… from someone other than even me."

Mikkel shook his head, "Again, I-"

"I get it… you personally, don't want to push him to speak up for himself, but given the situation, we're in… you're the best and only option I have right now. You know how you mentioned Vastorie made a mistake when it came to making Wolfbane, that has Daniel now second-guessing himself."

The man uncrossed his arms at the scenario, choosing to press the one still holding a hammer against his hip, "I don't see how that's got to do with me, nor the situation. I made Wolfbane with the intent for it to suit Daniel's needs. If he wants another weapon… or three, I rather he comes here and explains what he wants, rather than you suggesting I press him… for what he wants. I don't do assumptions."

"I'm not asking you to assume what he wants; I'm asking you to tell him it's okay to make mistakes…"

"I…" The man quirked an eyebrow, "You want him to make mistakes freely? That sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"You're clearly, better than Vastorie when it comes to knowing about what minerals works best. If he picks the worst option, tell him it's not a good mix. Or better yet… let him make the mistake of making the wrong choice, but then get him to think about the scenario… why it wouldn't work until he concludes, that he hadn't thought about it for long enough."

"It sounds like a hassle… not just for me, but for your partner as well."

"BUT-" The boy's phone buzzing forced him to stop mid-sentence. Daniel wanted to know where he was. He'll make up an excuse for the moment, only because Mikkel still hadn't agreed to anything.

Frowning, he gave a quick response. I'm gathering some information for us… I will tell you about it later, once I've gone over everything. See you when I get back… He stopped to think about it. Would it sound unnatural? Ah… screw it… He added a smiley face along with a kissy face before hitting send.

The weird stuff he's slowly coming to terms with now being considered normal for him was strange, but it not only makes Daniel happy, but it's also a new normal he willing to accept about himself.

Seconds later, he received a kissy face from Daniel. The response made him blush, "Ah… sorry about that." Killua coughed, trying to will the embarrassment of being caught in the act away, "Daniel was worried about me. Anyways, what I was saying… it'll be a great learning experience for him. That's what I want. I want him to be happy about the end, result, not how many mistakes he can make before then."

"Now I understand…" the boy wants him to help his partner grow in a way that benefitted Daniel. He now could understand what they have was, in fact, a relationship between the two. Sure, what Killua was doing for Daniel would've been considered a nice gesture, a very, thoughtful one. But he still has standards. He didn't want to push Daniel to speak for himself, "However, I still won't do it."

"Why the hell not…"

"Look, kid. You got your heart in the right place. I can see that you care about your partner's well-being. But Daniel still needs to ask me himself. If he doesn't feel like he's ready to make a choice, he shouldn't be forced to choose what he wants with minimal information. He'll make a lot of mistakes, which may only deter him further if-"

"Vastorie fucked him up." The man fell silent, Killua sighing as he was forced to explain their predicament to the man, "There's a man that's after us, we just learned that Daniel's father is keeping secrets from his son, ones that are making my partner second guess if he should be a sheep to the Shepard, his father in this case… or that he's a wolf that's been forced to believe he's a sheep. You saying Vastorie made the wrong choice with Wolfbane, now has him second-guessing himself on what is right. Daniel knows two, out of three of the weapons he wants to make."

Killua directed the man's attention to the weapons on display "You have the experience when it comes to picking the materials. I don't want him to be second-guessing himself, he's smart… smarter than he gives himself credit for. By making him realise he can make good choices, without his father's interference… It'll push him to stop beating himself over every single little mistake he'll make. I… I want him to realise that."

Mikkel looked from the weapons back to Killua, "I'm sorry, but…"

"Why-"

"Hear me out… I'll explain why." Killua fell silent, "I'll help Daniel; HOWEVER, I'm not going to ask him to tell me his ideas. I want him to speak for himself. If you want him to learn from this situation, I may know how to do so… but I want him to stand up for himself. I will not settle him saying I'm willing to do X… I want him to say I want to do X… I won't go easy on him… I'll be brutally honest with him at times. If he's going to learn, I'll whip into shape over this plan to learn something new. Bring Daniel back… He'll explain what he wants, and I'll go over what happens next, the rules and conditions I'll apply. If he accepts, I'll move forward with this. If he can't accept, or if you force him to make a deal with me, the deal is off, understood?"

Killua gave a nod, "Alright… I'll bring Daniel, when's a good time?"

The man scratched his chin, "Tomorrow afternoon. I'll have Vastorie's request done by later today. I'll pack everything up, ship it off to the next person to work on the final touches. Then, I'll be free to work with Daniel without any distractions, does that sound fine to you?"

Killua gave a thumbs up, "Sounds good. I'll tell him we'll come tomorrow… I'll be open about the deal we made here, only because we don't keep secrets. I came here because I wanted to see if you'll work with us."

"Alright…" Mikkel pointed the hammer at Killua, "Bring him tomorrow and we'll talk about my proposal."

"~"

Killua came home to Daniel at the table, doodling in his journal. Daniel was writing his ideas down, hints and tips on what he believed were good ideas. Whether he chooses to change them later, he wasn't too sure. But he needs to talk about this with Daniel, "Sorry, I'm back now."

"Oh…" Daniel turned to face his partner, "So what were you trying to keep from me."

Killua frowned, "You could tell my response was a total lie…?"

"I felt…" Daniel rolled his wrist, "it wasn't a complete lie, it's that you didn't feel right telling me the full story… I guess."

Killua looked way, feeling a little exposed for being caught in a lie. When Daniel hugged him, he felt a little better for trying to keep a temporary lie, "Sorry…"

"It's okay… I'm sure you have your reasons."

"I did…" Killua gave his partner a peck on the tips, "But I don't think you'll like it. At least, for the moment."

"What exactly did you do…?" Daniel pouted at the news.

"I spoke to Mikkel about your request."

"But I haven't-"

Killua held up his hand, "He wants me to bring you tomorrow afternoon. You… must convince him, that you want to make these weapons. If you can argue that you're not being pressured into doing this, he'll help you out. Otherwise… he won't help you."

"Killua…" Daniel let go of his partner, "I won't be ready. I don't even know if I'm making a good decision or-"

Killua pressed a finger against Daniel's lips, silencing his boyfriend, "I know… but I also know you're smarter than this. You've been beaten down, and what Mikkel, or more importantly what I… want you to gain from this, is the strength to move forward. For too long others have told us what's best… I want you to realise, that you can make good choices too."

"But, I'm not ready-"

"You are ready… trust me. I've been with you long enough to know you only feel like this. You're not giving yourself a chance to grow… to be more honest with yourself. You can grow, I just need to give you a gentle shove, this is that shove."

Daniel stopped to take in his partner's words, accessing the pros and cons. He realised over time that he can make good decisions, that his partner is trying to put him in a situation where he can make another one. But given the circumstances, it's a little harder…

He has ideas on his three main weapons, but when it comes to their combinations, he has only figured two out of three of those weapons. What if he never figures out the third during their time during this experience. He can't afford, to not have an idea of what that combination would be because it'll impact the design of if not one, but two of the main weapon designs.

What if he-

Killua pressed a hand to his partner's shoulder, drawing his attention, "I know that look in your eyes…." He moved his other hand, bringing them down to rest on his partner's hips, "You'll be okay. If you never figure out a third before we complete the other two, we'll just stay here until you figure it out. I… I want you to be happy with the result. Mikkel can help you with that, you just have to be willing to learn from your mistakes along the way."

Daniel dipped his head slightly forward, tears forming. These weren't tears of sadness, but rather of joy. He was thankful for the opportunities he was getting with his partner, "Thank you…" He hugged his partner, "THANK YOU so much."

Killua's features softened, "Baka…" He held his partner back, "What I told Ikalgo applies to you too. You never have to thank me. Isn't that what partners do for one another?"

Daniel nodded in his partner's shirt, hoping he hadn't left a snot trail on his lover's shirt. He couldn't afford to give Killua a reason to get upset at him later.

With a new objective in place, he'd have to persuade Mikkel he wants to do this. He has two weapons out of three. He wants to be ready for whatever the future holds. It's about time, he makes Wolfbane version 2.0, one better than whatever Vastorie could dream up.

"Alright, but I need your help…"

"Sure, what you need?"

Daniel extended his hand, directing his partner's attention to the journal, "Help me revise my weapon choices."

"Alright, we'll talk about it as I prepare for Lunch. Lay it on me…" The boy headed towards the kitchen, listening to what his partner had to say while he prepared something for three of them.

From the looks of things, Alluka wasn't up, but that doesn't mean their discussion wouldn't wake the poor sleeping girl. The boy flicked his wrist in his sister's direction, letting Daniel know he shouldn't be too loud.

"Got it." He spoke softly, telling his partner his current needs, "So, originally, I thought of a combination of a Halberd, spear or quarterstaff as my mid-range weapon. Something like a hand axe as my short-ranged, and a whip or Kusari-Gama for the long-range."

"Okay…"

"I've narrowed it down, a little better. Spear or quarterstaff as the mid, War axe as my short and a chain whip for long-distance. As of right now, I only have two combination ideas. Mid plus short would combine to make either, a halberd, or if you've ever heard of it, the Bec de Corbin."

Killua raised a questioning eyebrow at his partner, "The Crow's beak? Well, I guess it'll be a different design… given that the Bec de Corbin has a spike on one end and a hammer on the other. This one will only have an axe, which would make it closer to the halberd… or a poleaxe."

The boy gave a nod at the response, "There are things I need to ask, like, is it possible to make it so that connecting two weapons can cause secondary features to activate, like axe blade to unfold, so rather than it being parallel to the shaft, it'll turn into more of a… pickaxe, for example, to make it more like a scythe blade."

"Maybe if the blade was shaped like one, it may be possible… but I'm assuming this, given that we don't know Mikkel's skills, we only assume what he can do, from one of his original craftmanship, which was Wolfbane."

"I know…" The boy hummed in response, a finger being pressed to his chin, "these are only ideas, things I'll need to ask Mikkel for validation before going ahead with anything. The second combination is the Kusari-Gama, which is a short plus long-ranged weapon. I don't know the full mechanics of this, but I want to be able to use the chain to hold people down and the axe as either a hook to attach to objects to allow for easier bindings or like I did with Wolfbane originally… a way to tie a knot around someone. Again, the logistics haven't been completely thought out, so more questions for Mikkel. Right now, I don't know what to do with the medium, plus long-range weapon. I'll need to think about it more. But I can't be the only one that benefits from this scenario…"

Killua tilted his head slightly in his partner's direction, "What you mean?"

"I'm talking about replacing your yo-yos, that's what…"

Looking away, the boy thought about it. Palm smashed one of his to pieces. He hadn't thought of getting a replacement, let alone remaking them. He no longer trusts his family… for all he knows, Milluki might try sticking a tracking chip inside the yo-yo. Then again… if Mikkel was as skilled as he says he is, he may be able to make a better version, or an exact replacement if he asked.

Letting his thoughts linger, the boy eventually shrugged at the idea, "You first. If it's possible, maybe I'll commission him for a replacement, otherwise… it's not in my top priority, so… yours first."

Daniel agreed to the terms, he wasn't about to force his partner to do something that was at the bottom of his to-do list. Yo-yos or not, Killua was still a skilled fighter. He had them as a fallback item, something to amplify his fighting style… to make others pause on what they should do next.

It's how his lover fought… to delay, so he could formulate a plan on the go.

"What do you think, where or what should I change?"

His partner paused, ideally, he'd say everything. Only because every single weapon he listed, besides the quarterstaff could lead to death. Daniel doesn't like to kill, it's something he shied away from.

Every time he had tried to do so, it had left him a broken mess. The Chimera Ants he did manage to kill, well… they left a permanent scar in the boy's memories. There's only one way Daniel can change that thought process, and that's if he's broken down, then remade in an image where he can be a natural-born killer.

What would it cost to do so…? How much of his personality would be taken away in the process?

"Killua…?"

The boy stopped those thoughts dead in its tracks. There was no point in trying to guess what would happen to Daniel in that scenario. It was something that would never happen.

Instead, he'll answer the boy's original question. He wasn't about to leave anything to chance. He'd rather see why he was making weapons that went against his fighting style, from his partner's perspective. Shifting his gaze back to the boy, he spoke with a direct tone "I'll be honest. Everything… the weapons you picked is closer to the deadly scale. Sure, a quarterstaff could also, be deadly in the right hands but are you making them with the intent to kill, or to cause serious damage."

"I…"

"I don't want to lose you, for who you are. But once you take that step, will you continue to be yourself… or act like yourself?" The boy reached out, touching his partner's cheek, a thumb grazing the skin, leaving a tingling sensation that sparked between them, wherever the finger travelled, "Are you still going to be the person I fell for."

Daniel touched the hand, stopping its path, "Yes… I may be broken for a time, but I'll still be there for you. I'll never be someone you'll hate." Interlocking their fingers, he brought Killua's hand between them. Using his other hand to cup his partner's, cradling his boyfriend's hand between his, "I just want… to be strong for you. Strong enough to do the only thing that may protect us…"

Killua pulled his hand from between his partner's, bring it back to the boy's cheek, "You don't have to…" He leaned in, lips almost touching, "Never force yourself to do something you don't feel like you're ready for. I'll always take that last step for you, if, you don't feel ready to make it on your own."

Daniel broke out into a huge smile, tears forming, "Thank you…" He wanted to thank his partner for being the person he needed most; to wipe away the tears which had been building during the course, of their conversation.

However, Killua had other ideas. Seeing this side of Daniel made him snap. Using his free hand, he cupped his partner's butt, drawing them closer, effectively grinding his body against his lover's, their lips once more touching.

Daniel would've had to bite back a moan, had his partner not swallowed the sound the moment their lips connected. Arousal aside, the need for this to continue was eclipsed by who else was in the room… sleeping.

His sanity stopped him from falling into depravity, into the thing his partner wanted the most right now, to claim his body. A small aspect of him may have wanted it too within the moment, but he needed to warn his boyfriend "Killua…" He whispered into his partner's lips, the boy acknowledging his name with a mere hum, "Your… sister…"

Killua pulled away, suddenly feeling shy, "Oh, shit… I…"

Daniel grabbed Killua in response, forcibly kissing the boy that made him extremely happy. Pulling away, he smiled at his boyfriend "I want it too…" He stated with rosy cheeks.

Killua found himself smirking at the idea, the idea of Daniel being sane… and aroused at the same time "We seriously, need to get our own, room."

"Or a non-squeaky bed."

Killua burst into laughter. The sound accidently stirring his sister. He covered his mouth, hoping he hadn't woken her up. When he heard the soft snoring, he let out a breath of relief. Even if that was the case, that sounds of laughter or moans disturbed his sister sleeping form, intriguing her curiosity into an awkward conversation.

In the grand scheme of things, he'll need to divert the topic. What matters now, is discussing if his partner was sure of his choices "Are you really, ready to make such deadly weapons…?"

The boy thought about it for a moment, there was only one answer "Yes… I am ready. If I can't kill them, I can certainly maim them… or at least try to."

His partner gave a nod at the statement, "Then I say your choices are good. You reached a nice balance between styles. However, most weapons, combinations included, are two-handed. You only chose two one-handed weapons… the axe and whip. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

"Yes, I thought about it… While I still want to be able to have a free hand, so I can still manipulate my shadows, at least, until I learn to control them without gestures… I made sure that even though they are two-handed weapons, I can momentarily wield them with one hand."

"Understandable, then I say we approach Mikkel, give your suggestions and see what he responds with. This time, we're bringing Alluka. It's most likely going to be a long conversation… and I don't want to leave her alone the entire time."