The second week of basic came in with a bang, bringing with it some interesting new developments. The first and foremost was Killua's revenge plan going bust. He hadn't mentioned anything about it, but he'd been researching who this 'Tonpa' was, and he'd been slyly collecting info on who the other guys who'd messed Gon up were. However, all of a sudden the info hit a dead end. He tried asking around, but people were completely clammed up about where the guys were. It was strange, suspicious. He threw his family name around a bit and finally got an answer. They were dead. They'd been murdered the morning Gon was found. That and the way people shied away from Tonpa's name made him realize just how dangerous BGen. Hisoka was. And he was still keeping a close watch on Gon.

The second thing happened on the second night. Menchi had been running them into the ground with drills, pushing everyone as far as they go so that even Killua was dead tired by the time he stumbled back to the bunks. Ten mile runs with fifty pound bags were killer. Menchi had assured them it would get easier, and that the next week would focus more on weapon and hand-to-hand combat. Still, they had to make it through this hellish week first.

Killua had walked slowly back with Gon, both of them using each other for support.

"Killua, we were first again today."

Gon mumbled it contentedly, swaying so much that Killua almost fell over.

"Yeah. We'll be first every day. We're awesome."

The only thing that stopped them both from tumbling over like cotton in the wind was the fact that Killua was swaying left and Gon was swaying right, and since they weighed around the same it somehow balanced out. Until Killua tripped forward and fell, which of course brought Gon down too. He landed on top of Killua, and Killua waited tiredly for him to roll off. But he didn't. Damn. He'd fallen straight to sleep. And the warmth and heaviness was making Killua sleepy too. He closed his eyes, and the next thing he knew he was in bed, only half awake, not really sure if he was hearing voices or dreaming.

"—on the bottom bunk."

"Well yeah, I can't lift him."

"—on the top?"

"—heights! Definitely not!"

"—sleep together. Do you–mad?"

"—don't think so. To be honest—"

"—too. It's pretty obvious."

"—they know?"

"Not yet."

"—protect them."

"Of course! They're—"

"—dear friends."

Killua only picked up bits and pieces of the conversation as he drifted in and out of consciousness. It sounded like Leorio and Kurapika, and he had a feeling they were talking about him and Gon. He sighed a little and drew closer to the warmth beside him. His mind registered that it was another person, but not much beyond that. He wrapped his arms around it, burying his face in skin. It smelled of earth, rain, and sweat, but it wasn't an unpleasant smell. He pulled it closer and fell into a deep sleep.

When he awoke groggily, he knew it was because his mind was registering a sound that could potentially be threatening. It should have had him bolting awake, but he felt inexplicably safe and warm. Nevertheless, he forced himself awake more, and then shot up, his eyes wide. It was dark, but he could still see the shape beside him. Gon? Why was he sleeping with—he shoved it to the back of his mind to focus on what the sound was. Whimpers, moans, growls. Lots of growls. And the sounds were coming from Gon. He rolled over and grabbed the flashlight he'd seen Gon keep beside his bed, frowning and flicking it on.

Gon was curled up, his lips drawn back in a snarl, his hands digging tightly into the flimsy bed sheets as he writhed and made strange, animalistic sounds. Killua blinked, still not fully awake, wondering what the hell the kid was dreaming about. He glanced over his shoulder slightly to make sure Gon wasn't waking up Kurapika or Leorio, then turned cerulean eyes back on Gon. What should he do in this situation? He wasn't sure. He should climb back into his own bed and forget about it, obviously. But Gon let out a low whimper, curling up more, and he knew he'd never be able to sleep with the knowledge that his friend was whimpering just below his bed, curling up as if in pain. He leaned forward, shaking Gon's shoulder lightly.

"Hey. Gon, wake up."

He wasn't prepared when Gon let out a low, chilling wail, so loud that it made Kurapika and Leorio shift. He pressed a hand against Gon's mouth, glancing back at them, but that was a huge mistake. He heard it before anything; a kind of soft, tearing sound with a squelch that made him shudder. The shock allowed him to turn his head and see it even before he felt it, but the difference wasn't that long. It felt like time had slowed down, as his eyes inched wider and wider, at the sight of Gon's teeth sunken into his hand so deep that blood was streaming down his arm. Then all hell broke loose.

Killua let out a scream of disbelieving pain, jerking his hand back and falling off the bed, clutching it in agony. Kurapika bolted up, leaping out of bed and grabbing the nearest thing that could be used as a weapon (which happened to be a frying pan). Leorio sat up so fast he hit his head on the ceiling, and a stream of curses that would make sailors flinch came from his general direction. And Gon… Gon opened his eyes, brought his hand up to his mouth, which was so coated in blood it made him look like something from a horror film, then leaned over the side of the bunk and threw up all over the ground.

Everyone froze in that position, wild eyed, looking at each other. Kurapika looked back and forth between Killua's hand and Gon's mouth, then he slowly lowered the frying pan and held a hand out to Gon cautiously, the way you might to a frightened animal. Leorio nervously climbed down, avoiding the vomit mess, and made his way over to Killua, gesturing for the silver haired boy to give him his injured hand.

"Gon, you need to calm down. I don't know what Killua did, but biting him isn't the right way to solve this."

Killua glared at Kurapika indignantly.

"I didn't do anything! I tried to cover his mouth to keep him quiet because he was making strange noises, and he bit me!"

There was an audible pause. Then;

"He was having a nightmare! Get your minds out of the gutter!"

Gon's eyes widened, then began shimmering. He leapt over the puke and crawled up to Killua. Killua backed up a little, holding an arm up defensively.

"I'm sorry Killua!"

Gon's voice was loud and mournful, as he pressed his hands and forehead to the ground, bowing over and over again.

"I was having a dream about fighting off racoons on the island! I didn't mean to bite you! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

He bowed over and over again, his head hitting the floor enough times that a red mark was starting to appear in the middle of his forehead. Killua tried to assure him that he wasn't mad, but Gon would hear none of it. He just kept adamantly apologizing over and over, all the while making strange faces and trying to wipe his tongue off every now and again. Leorio and Kurapika had to spend the next hour calming the two boys down and cleaning up the mess, and then it was time for PT with Menchi.

"Killua, I really am sorry that I bit you."

They were running the ten mile course again, and Gon and Killua were side by side, a mile ahead of everyone. Killua glanced at Gon from the corner of his eye.

"I told you a hundred times, it's fine! I should've known you'd do something like that. After all, you're like a wild animal."

Gon stuck his tongue out, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Killua hefted his back pack higher onto his back, wincing a little at the pain that lanced through his hand. Leorio had quickly disinfected it and bandaged it up, but it had been deep and it had taken a while to get the bleeding to stop. Even now, after hefting the bag a little, the clot that had formed broke again and he could feel blood seeping into the bandages. That was certainly the last time he'd be putting his hand near Gon's mouth, that was for sure. But, on the bright side, the whole ordeal had been enough to make Gon forget the fact that he'd slept beside Killua for the majority of the night. Or the fact that Killua had held him like some sort of girl. Killua's face coloured at the memory. Even though he hadn't been thinking straight, he couldn't deny it had felt nice to have the spiky haired wonder in his arms.

Gon glanced over at Killua, his face guilty as he saw Killua's hand begin to bleed again. He wished he could carry Killua's bag in apology, but that would only serve to get them both in trouble. Stupid racoons. They stole food and now they were even influencing how he treated Killua. He reached out and grabbed Killua's injured hand, wrapping his fingers around it gently. Killua jumped in surprise, then stared at him blankly.

"What are you doing?"

"You keep using your hand. It's your right one, so you keep using it without even thinking. If you do that, it'll bleed. So I'll hold it for you so you stop using it!"

Killua stared for a second more, then let out a laugh, free and easy.

"What kind of logic is that? You can't hold my hand for the rest of the week! You're really an idiot, aren't you?"

Gon glared at him, raising a threatening finger.

"I will if you keep using it! I'll hold your hand all week and then everyone will see us holding hands and you'll be embarrassed!"

Killua leaned forward and flicked Gon in the head as hard as he could. Gon released his hand, clapping both hands over his forehead with a yelp. He rubbed it, pouting, and tried to make his glare more threatening. Of course, since it was Gon it only served to make him look comical and Killua couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Id-i-ot. I don't want someone as slow as you holding my hand. You can't even beat me in this run!"

Killua bolted as fast as he could, knowing it was stupid because he should be conserving his strength, but too exhilarated to care. When was the last time he'd felt like this? When he was a child, playing with Gotoh? No, even then it hadn't been like this. Right now, even as his hand throbbed and his chest burned for oxygen, he was happy. Gon was by his side, not prepared to lose, and they crossed the finish line together as usual, no real winner apparent. Menchi glanced at her timer, then shook her head. They may have a relationship that was frowned upon, but damn were they fit.

"I hope you're enjoying these runs, recruits, because the real fun starts Saturday."

Gon was lying on the ground, wheezing from Killua's punch to the stomach after he'd tried to claim that he'd won, but Killua straightened, wondering if he should be worried. When Menchi said 'fun,' things usually became hellish.

"Why? I thought we didn't start anything new until next week."

Menchi laughed, and the sound had Gon sitting up with wide eyes and Killua cringing.

"Oh, so did I. But your new instructor insisted, after hearing that Gon Freecss was part of the new recruits. He wants to give you a taste of what week four's Confidence Course will be like."

Oh man. The Confidence Course was the hardest thing of the first phase, according to every recruit ever. Gon and Killua shared a glance then spoke at the exact same time.

"Who's our new instructor?"

Menchi just laughed again, turning to mark times down for the rest of the recruits who were slowly filtering in.

Saturday rolled around in no time at all, thanks to everyone becoming slightly more used to the grueling pace set by Menchi. Squad three, the only squad who knew something was up (Gon and Killua had filled in Leorio and Kurapika) waiting impatiently for Menchi, early for the first time. Other recruits stared at them curiously as they approached, and soon everyone was wondering what was going on, as Menchi was late. Squad three was early and Menchi was late… something must be very, very wrong. Their fears were confirmed when Menchi marched up with a smile on her face.

"Stand at attention, recruits! We're marching! Single file, let's go!"

They marched resolutely, everyone fearing they were marching to their deaths. If Menchi was smiling, that was the only possible explanation. Their eyes grew wide with fear when they finally reached their destination. It was an obstacle course from hell. They only saw a couple of the things on it, but already some people looked scared enough to piss themselves. Menchi turned to her recruits, spreading her arms wide.

"This is the Confidence Course! Today, you'll only be doing one obstacle. But just remember, this is what you have to look forward to in another couple of weeks! Squad three, you're up!"

Oh. Menchi really was trying to kill them. Every recruit truly believed that at that moment. Then Gon stepped up, placing a hand over his eyes to shade them from the sun, and grinned. He turned to Killua his eyes sparkling. Killua nodded, excitement plain on his face.

"What's the fastest time, Sgt?"

Jaws dropped as even Menchi looked surprised, then she grinned slowly.

"Five hours. For the obstacle you're doing today, sixteen minutes."

"Yosh! I think we can do it in ten, right, Killua?"

Killua rolled his eyes, scoffing at Gon's naivety.

"Don't be stupid. I say seven is the max."

They both laughed, stretching, as they looked at the first obstacle. Seemed easy enough. You had climb a rather spaced out ladder made of logs, inch across a thick rope, then climb back down another ladder of logs. Leorio and Kurapika both let out small sighs; they'd never keep up with their rambunctious squad mates.

"Okay, I'll get the timer ready. Remember, if you fall and land in the water below, you're done for the day. We don't need any recruits getting sick."

Killua and Gon barely heard her, they were gazing at each other with obvious challenge, crouched down to sprint as soon as Menchi gave the word. She glanced at her timer, then back up at them. Everyone held their breaths, eyes alight with curiosity as to how well the two best recruits would do. Menchi raised one arm, slowly, holding it above her head for a second. Then she brought it down with finality, shouting 'Begin!'

Gon and Killua took off, bolting to the logs as fast as they could while Leorio and Kurapika followed half-heartedly. They tried scrambling up them with speed, but then quickly realized it was a bad idea and concentrated on quality. The logs had limited handholds, so you grabbed one too shallow you'd fall into the water. Gon's hand slipped once and everyone held their breath, but he quickly swung up and grabbed a different handhold. It gave Killua a lead on him though, as Killua laughed and reached the rope a few seconds before Gon. At that rate, he'd win as there was no way Gon could pass him when they were hanging from the rope by their hands.

Menchi watched in awe, glancing down at her timer. It had taken them three minutes. That was a record, for sure. It took the fastest person five minutes to get up, seven to get across the rope, and another four to get back down. Killua was already shimmying down the rope, Gon close behind, at five minutes.

Of course, the rope was the hardest part. It required you to wrap both arms and legs around it and slide along it inch by inch. Killua and Gon would've been fine, had the incident a few night ago not affected Killua's ability to hold on. He was moving at a decent pace, when suddenly, a sharp throb went through his hand. He glanced down and groaned inwardly to see that the bite wound had opened up again and blood was smearing down the rope. Gon noticed and looked up worriedly, slowing down.

"Killua, are you okay?"

Killua waved off his concern, concentrating on getting to the other side. He needed to prove he was more than just his family name, so doing well was important to him. Plus, he couldn't let Gon show him up. He gritted his teeth and kept going, though the pace was much more subdued than before. At this rate, they wouldn't beat the record. Damn. He threw caution to the wind and sped up, his hands blurring as he crawled. Almost there, almost there, almost—

Everyone gasped as his hand slipped, and it surprised him so much he didn't have time to grab onto the rope again. His body shook dangerously before his legs slipped from the rope and he was falling. He let out a frustrated yell, preparing himself to hit the water, but then he realized he wasn't falling anymore. He looked up in surprise to see Gon, clinging to the rope with one hand, feet dangling, as he clutched onto Killua's arm.

"YEAH, GON! YOU ROCK MAN!"

"WOOOOO!"

"YOU GUYS CAN DO IT!"

Shouts of encouragement drifted up from below; Gon and Killua had become fan favourites of the recruits, as they were full of life and always encouraging others. But Killua barely heard them. He shook his head, trying to pull his arm away.

"Gon, let go."

"No."

Gon hung on for dear life with both hands, one on Killua's arm and the other on the rope. His face was a mask of pain as he glanced back to the rope, then down at Killua.

"This is stupid. It's just practice, Gon. You're really going to hurt yourself. Just let go."

Gon shook his head stubbornly. The crowd below suddenly quieted as they realized what was going on. Leorio and Kurapika, who had finally reached the top, quickly mounted the rope to make their way down to their squad mates as quick as they could.

"It's not your fault. You caught me at a bad angle. Just let go already."

"I won't."

Gon drew in a sharp breath through his nose. He'd caught Killua alright, but in the process he'd twisted his shoulder into an awkward position and it was causing him a huge deal of pain. There was no way he could pull Killua up like that. But still, he didn't let go. Killua shook his head, changing tactics.

"Don't be an idiot. This is just practice! It won't matter if I fall or not. But you're going to injure yourself and you won't be able to go on."

Gon gritted his teeth, tears of pain in his eyes, and suddenly Killua felt his body rising. No. Oh god, don't say he was trying to do it. Killua shook his head frantically, his voice rising in panic.

"Stop! You'll ruin your shoulder!"

Gon lifted him even higher, the tears spilling onto his cheeks. There was a sick, creaking sound coming from his shoulder.

"Recruit! Stand down! Let him go!"

Menchi had finally gathered her wits enough to yell, recognizing the stubborn set of Gon's face and Killua's panic. She could see what was going on, and she felt panic building in her own chest.

"Shut up! I can pull him up!"

Everyone was deathly silent, their faces paling. Gon pulled harder, and Killua could feel the pain shaking his body through the grip he held on Killua's arm. Killua desperately tried to twist out of Gon's grip, but he only succeeded in injuring his friend further. His panic was quickly turning to fear. Stop. Don't do this. Please, not again. Why are you always doing this?

"Gon, please."

His voice broke, but Gon kept pulling, inch by inch getting Killua's hand closer to the rope. But at what cost? His shoulder was twisting more and more, and the muscles bulged in a way that was clearly painful.

"Why are you doing this?"

Killua's voice was a whisper. It suddenly felt like this wasn't about the training anymore, like it wasn't about the course. It felt like it was about much, much more. Gon looked down at him, shaking his head, his lips trembling.

"I won't let you fall. Never, ever. I need you by my side to survive. We're fighting together, remember?"

Tears spilled over onto Killua's face, but he barely noticed. It wasn't about the war. It wasn't about this war. It was about… He could see Gon looking at him, his face pale but resolved. It was about… "We can't win!" Killua was screaming and Gon was crying, and the Chimera Ants kept coming. It was about…

Gon let out a hoarse scream as he pulled Killua up those last few inches. There was a sickening pop from Gon's shoulder. Killua wrapped both hands around rope, pulling himself up and grabbing Gon by the back of the shirt, holding him up as Gon's eyes floated closed and he passed out. Whether it was from the pain or from something else, Killua wasn't sure.

"YOU GODDAMN IDIOT!"

Gon was slipping and Killua couldn't hold him up. He was going to fall, he was going to fall, he was—two more hands grabbed Gon's shirt and Killua looked up into the determined faces of Leorio and Kurapika. They nodded shakily to him, and he nodded back, swallowing. They all held onto Gon as they inched their way to the end, then the three of them together somehow managed to get him to the ground. They laid him out as everyone ran over. His eyes fluttered open for a second. Menchi was furious.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, RECRUIT? I SAID TO LET HIM GO! HOW IS IT BENEFICIAL IF YOU FALL TOO?"

Gon gave a small grin, raising his good arm to give his squad mates a thumbs up.

"It was okay. I knew my friends would catch me, like always."

Everyone stared at him, as he laughed sheepishly.

"You know, though. If this was a mission… we all would've made it out alive."

The simple statement shocked everyone. It was true. Gon had saved Killua, and the rest of the squad had in turn had saved him. In the end, if it was a mission, it was the only possible way for everyone to live. They all exchanged glances, then suddenly everyone was laughing, the tension that had been built up needing an outlet. They were laughing and patting Gon and his squad mates on the back. Menchi watched, her eyes wide in wonder. They were always taught friendship in the military was horrible, but if this was a real battle, Gon's trust in his comrades was the only thing that would've kept them all alive. She quietly moved away.

"When you said you wanted to show me something interesting, is this what you meant…"

Somewhere on the base, a long white-haired man who was preparing the next two weeks of training sneezed. Menchi smiled.

"…Kaito?"

A/N: Thanks, I'm happy you like it! :D