Some time has passed, the boys' moods improving over the weeks.

Alluka had already begun strength training. Much like Daniel had done when training to open the Zoldyck gate. When she was awake, she wore Rekril plates, depending on how much weight she could handle.

So far, she's managing to carry six kilos just fine. She was due for a weight change in the next week or two, if, she continued to improve.

Daniel had finally finished the bust, the face having been carved out. He still needed to clip in the eyelids and set the eyes, but at least it was done for the most part. He was now working on the tail, giving it grooves so it looked fluffy.

The next part would be the handle. But due to what happened with Killua, he'll be forced to use the same tool as his partner used, the etching blade. But seeing as Killua was still in the process of using it, he'll need to wait.

Killua was also acting secretive with what he was drawing. He wanted it to be a surprise…

Mikkel wouldn't say what his partner had planned, even though he clearly, knew what Killua was drawing behind the scene.

Shifting the knife, he deepened the groove, accidentally cutting a little too deep, "Damn it…"

"Oh, god… did you cut your hand too?"

Daniel shifted the blade, inspecting the new groove. It wasn't too bad; he'll just have to work around it somehow "No… I just cut a little too deep…"

"As long as you didn't cut to the core, you'll be fine. You can try melding it with other grooves. Give it the illusion of being a 'designer' choice."

"I guess I could." The boy moved the knife, cutting curves, trying to round them off so it looked like it joined the other. The tail was looking more like a broom brush, than a tail right now. He'll need to make other lines, to give it a more tail-like look.

"How did you go?" Mikkel turned around to look at the boy's work. He wasn't doing too well, "Ah… that is quite deep, considering the connection you're trying to make with the new cut. May I?"

Daniel handed the tail over to the man.

Moving closer, he tilted the tail towards the boy, "The new curve is good, but it won't connect that well. You made it too close. Still… that's a fine groove, so I'd say leave it. If you want to make a connecting groove…" The man moved his finger further south, "I'd say… start here… then cut towards the groove, making it go deeper as I go along. Watch…" He made a small incision first. Then moving the knife with grace, he deepened the wound, cutting towards the mistake.

Shifting the knife, he went over the area like he was going over it with a fine-tooth comb. Each cut was faster than the last, the man rounding off the area with vein-like cuts to mask the mistake.

Daniel was awestruck by how quickly the man worked.

Blowing off the shavings, the man handed it back to the boy, "Sorry… I ended up doing your work for you." He chuckled at his minor mistake, "I guess I got too distracted."

The boy shook his head in response, "No… that was amazing. That was some incredible control, given how fast you were cutting."

"No, it was just practice. Here… let me show you." He pointed against the metal, "see these grooves here?"

"Yeah…?"

"Follow the grooves, and you'll be able to cut just as fast. You want to go along the veins, not against them. On something like the bust, it's hard to follow the veins all the time. But when its shape is designed to be longer, like a rectangle or cylinder, sometimes even square-ish, it's easier to follow them."

Daniel followed the man's method, finding it easier to curve the knife along, the metal, "Wow… that's actually, easier…"

"I'm glad the assistance was helpful to you…" Mikkel returned to his work, fashioning the eyelids that will be placed into the eye sockets. He looked through his magnifying glass, twisting and melting the clips, manipulating them so he could clip them on the inside of the eye sockets.

He twisted the clip a fraction… checking his workmanship one last time. Bringing it over to the bust, he pressed it against the eye socket, the mechanic slipping inside the socket easily. But with nothing to latch on, the clip fell inside it.

He fished it out before moving the bust to the table, moving it so he could look inside the socket with ease.

Holding it up, he grabbed a marker to draw on the lines where he planned to insert the clips.

Grabbing the thin long knife, he scratched the marking, carving away at the metal so he could make a dock for the clips. He took his job seriously, focused only on the task at hand. Every, now and then, he tried to push the clips in, seeing if they touched the edge of the clip. When they didn't, he made the hole deeper.

When he saw it slot in, he pulled the clip out once more.

He pulled out a curved hook, scratching away at the bottom, towards himself. He needed a place for the brace to clip in. Next, he drew the hook out, melting a small dot of metal onto the bottom of the brace, closer to the curve so it could be locked in the eye socket.

He then added hooks to the top of the brace, before pressing the eyelid into the clip. He pushed it, checking to see if it rotated correctly.

Taking the eyelid off, he brought the brace back to the socket, pushing it into the hole. With a satisfying click, he drew his fingers out, "Daniel may I borrow your dainty hands?"

Daniel laughed, "they're anything… but dainty."

"Against mine, they're dainty. Now come over here…" He moved out of the way, allowing to get closer to the bust. Pulling out the eyelid, he handed it over to the boy, "Inside the right eye socket, on the bottom you'll feel two clips protruding out."

Daniel felt around, touching the two bumps "I do…"

"Slot the eyelid into the clip, you should hear a click."

Daniel pressed down on the eyelid until he heard two successful clicks. When he moved over, Mikkel moved closer, pressing down on the eyelid. It moved inward. When he pulled his hand away, the eyelid flicked back to its normal state. Smiling the man stretched his muscles, "One down… three more to go."

As Daniel returned to his other job, he spoke, "So that will keep the eye in place?"

"Yup… going to make one for the top, making sure it curves so it gives the wolf a more menacing look. So, for now, I'll fix up the bottom, before trying to make the top eyelids. I'll still make the hooks to clip them in though. That's easy enough…"

Daniel gave a nod as he continued to scratch at the tail, once more giving the tail defining lines.

As Mikkel continued his job, the two worked in silence.

"~"

Killua placed the etching blade on the table before stretched his arms, he gave a long yawn before checking the time. It was later than he'd normally cooked, but he wasn't about to leave his sister and partner starving.

Heading downstairs, he fired up the stove, looking through the fridge for ingredients. Looks like I'm going to need to do another trip of shopping soon… grabbing some vegetables, and meat he left marinating in the fridge, he moved them over to the table.

Next, he searched through the cupboard, pulling out a chopping board.

He got to work, chopping the vegetables as he hummed to himself.

These past few weeks have felt relaxing for him…

Except for the fact he and his partner hadn't had some time for themselves. He wished the walls weren't so… thin. Hell, he'd kill for a forest in Mikkel's backyard so they can seclude themselves for a little romping in the backyard.

But alas, it was hard…

He'd even kill for some head. But they both knew neither one of them could be quiet. Especially, Daniel… not just because he's vocal when he's in the mood… he was a talker in the sheets. Both sweet, and descriptive on his wants, needs and compliments.

When Killua felt himself throb from his memories of their nights together, he moved his attention elsewhere. He had nowhere to please himself, not without others overhearing him whimpering with need.

With a sigh, he let his thoughts linger to what still needed to be done.

Cutting the last of the vegetables, he slid them into a bowl, before adding the meat to the pan sautéing them, just as someone walked in. He didn't need to turn around to know who it is.

The longer their relationship progressed, the easier it was to pick up on the other's movements. It was becoming a sixth sense to them. Two arms curled around his waist as a voice whispering in his ear "Guess who…?"

"The person whose letter starts with the same thing I'm craving right now."

There was a long pause, Daniel still awkwardly holding his partner. It took him a while before he was able to speak again "What?"

"You heard me…" both boys blushed from the situation, Killua caught off guard with what he said louder than he should of, especially, considering they were in a room where anyone else could walk in on them, at any given moment.

He could only imagine what his sister would've said if she had heard him… let alone Mikkel.

"On a scale of one to ten… how 'H' word, are you?"

"Eleven…"

"We could… you know."

"Sneak off into the wilds and have some loud, unfiltered, fun times…?"

"No…" The boy paused, "Hire a hotel room for an hour or two to get the edge of your tense body. You know… I'm not ready for that. To get dirty in the wilds."

"I know…" Killua sighed in defeat, "I know… But I think, given the development of our relationship, I just…" the boy fell silent, "Don't worry about it…"

Daniel shifted his hands, slowly stroking his partner's sides in a comforting manner "Speak to me… tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm pent up…" Killua whispers under his breath, "I'm craving that connection as though I'm starving for that attention. How long has it been…? A month… two months?"

"Close to four now…"

"That's too long for me…"

"Then what do you propose… other than going into the bushes and performing the mating call."

"Maybe not the mating call…" Killua chuckled, "Maybe you're right. Hire out a hotel room, get it out of my system then come back to continue working on the weapons."

"Is this something you really, want?"

"Yes…"

Daniel gave Killua a little peck on the cheek, "Alright, I'll try to visit a few places in the vicinity. Get a gauge of if there's an open room. We'll do the deed… spend a few hours cuddling in the afterglow, then return here after washing up, sound good?"

"Are you…" Killua gave his partner a once over, look "really, organising our… you know."

"If it makes you happy, I'll be happy to do so…"

Killua rolled his eyes "Fine, but I want to be spent…"

"Consider it done…"

"One more thing…" Killua turned around, locking lips with his partner. The two kissed, the boy pulling away only once he felt his partner's lips were left swollen. He licked his own, lips in a lecherous manner, drinking in the blush coating his boyfriend's cheeks.

He had made him a blushing mess, from a sensual kiss…

Killua was loving every second of it. Rather than teasing his partner about the incident, he drew his attention back to the food almost done cooking while he had been making out with his boyfriend.

"We'll talk about it later…"

Daniel shifted his gaze, eyes flicking down towards his partner's butt which was now enticingly swinging from side to side. Killua was teasing him, using everything in his arsenal to tease him.

If Killua was allowed to tease him, he should be allowed to tease his partner.

While his boyfriend was cooking, he groped his partner's butt, earning an elicit moan that not only gave him a boner, it simultaneously caught the two of them off guard. Killua was right, he was an 'elven' in terms of horniness.

Through blushing cheeks, Killua tried to glare at his partner… but it was hard to do so, while he was extremely aroused, after having his butt grabbed.

"Sorry…"

"Sorry…?" Killua looked mortified, "You grabbed my ass… knowing how painfully aroused I am…" He argued through a hushed breath.

Daniel grabbed his partner, one hand holding the back of his head while the other wrapped around his partner's waist, "I should've been more considerate of your feelings."

Killua reached around his back, turning off the stove for the moment. The moment the stove was off, he returned the hug. He wasn't mad at his partner, he just wished he was more assertive like this, when they were in private, "Next time… do this when we're alone."

"Alright… I'll do it for you."

Reheating the stove, Killua returned to cooking, Daniel's arms still around him… a kiss being pressed into his cheek, once every so often. He relished in the comfort it gave him, even though his partner had not only, surprisingly groped him, he did so while they were in a non-private setting.

Actually… now that he thought about it, it was an abnormal trait to Daniel.

Over the past few months, they exhibited out-of-character traits.

Getting worried, when they'd normally be calm and rational…

Signs of assertiveness, when they'd normally be submissive…

Now the latest, sensual touching, when he'd normally be complacent.

"Hey Daniel, have you noticed the moments we act out-of-character around each other?"

The boy gave a nod, "I chalked it up to our relationship progressing… why? Should we be worried…"

Killua threw the vegetables in the pan. Maybe Daniel was right, it was only signs of their relationship progressing "Maybe you're right…"

"Uh, oh… that doesn't sound good. You agreeing with me when something is troubling you."

"It's about our connection… It's obviously, progressing. Our connection is getting stronger. But there's this… nagging thought, about us sharing each other's traits. I'd consider that an abnormality, even if it's a positive change… but then again… positive aside, what if it's a negative trait we start to share?"

"Like…"

"Breaking down under pressure."

"I guess I already do that…"

Killua elbowed his partner in the chest, "I'm being serious. What if we start sharing negative traits, not just the positives?"

"If the connection is improving… wouldn't it mean the negativity gets left behind?" Killua gave him a look, making him rethink his stance, "You think we're already sharing negative traits… don't you?"

"I've picked up on a few…" The boy let out a long sigh, "You know when I felt a pair of eyes on me?"

"Yeah…?"

"I struggled to think of who to go to. Alluka… or you? You sent me a text to go to Alluka, as though you were the rational one, not me."

"I don't know whether to be insulted by that or take it as a compliment…" When his partner jabbed him, he reconsidered his words "Alright… Alright… let's say you're correct. We're starting to share some negative traits… how do we combat them? Wait, a second…" Daniel tapped his partner, "Back up… you said: as though you were the rational one, not me. What if we're not sharing traits… but rather swapping from time to time?"

"Huh…" Killua gawked, only to stop himself once he thought more about what he originally said "Actually… that makes a little more sense. We're not taking each other's negative traits, but rather swapping. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS…?"

"I'm going to lose my hearing before the end of this discussion."

"No! It means our connection has already developed; we just haven't set restrictions…"

"That means…?"

"If we're not careful, we might end up being able to use each other's abilities…"

"Wouldn't that be fine… considering we can use our own, abilities at maximum capacity, well… our, version of maximum capacity, without a single issue?"

"No, Doofus! We can't use each other's abilities. Like Hisoka said… running out of memory. You're a Manipulator and I'm a Transmuter… we're on the opposite sides of the Nen category graph. We can't use each other's abilities, not without, proper training…"

"Then we just train each other, to use the other's ability."

"No! I'm not training you to use my ability… it requires intensive pain resistance training. I'm not about to force you through that. Besides, that's one of the conditions I wanted to set between us. Like I told almost everyone… I don't want to fry you like a roast chicken. Besides, I said I wanted our connection to stop us from using our abilities… or have you forgotten?"

Daniel cupped Killua's chin, "What if it's too late…? What if we could technically use each other's ability right now?"

"I'd say… don't. We don't know the ramifications of trying to use each other's ability… we could get a memory overload."

"Alright…" Daniel laid his head on Killua's shoulder, "What do you propose then?"

"If the connection is stable, then we need to set boundaries… okay?"

"Alright… maybe after our alone time, hmm?" He kissed his partner on the cheek, "Sound good?"

Killua sighed, "Alright… after that, okay?" Again, Daniel acted out-of-character… then again, he could've proposed intimacy first, because he knows I'm severely backed-up in that department. However, on the other hand… we should be focusing on this issue first, not the aspect of me getting laid.

With another sigh, Killua decided to keep those thoughts to himself. He was glad Daniel didn't decide to pursue his troubling thoughts. The less he lingered on those feelings, the more he could rationalise what he's anticipating to come next.

He misses that… having some private time, where they got to have fun in the bedroom, without having to be worried about someone overhearing them, and then having to have that awkward conversation the very next day.

Maybe if he does release his pent-up energy, he could finally stop dreading another day of having not getting laid. Whichever day Daniel organises it for, he'll cherish every second, because there might not be another chance… at least for a while.