A/N: Oooooh this chapter's kind of big.

Kon'nichiwa to everyone checking out this new installment! One thing to note is that I've edited my foreword a few days ago. Due to the changes, those of you guys who were with me from the beginning might want to reread it for general information on this story as well as a note about possible spoilers etc.

I'll like to make special mention of my first two reviewers (HomoSocks & Kee-Rect) who were so kind to leave some encouraging words for me in my first chapter as well as all my new followers (Mazura, Emopiggy & Grisia). This has helped to motivate me as I write future chapters and I hope that you as well as everyone else who has waited for an update enjoy this new chapter. Thank you for your support!

Warnings: some coarse language, and well poor Gon..

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter x Hunter!

Chapter Dictionary:

Kuso: Damn

Chapter Two: An Unexpected x Development

His previously chilled blood started to burn again and with expressive eyes brimming with excitement, he stared down the man smirking at him and gasped breathlessly, "…Hisoka!"

Hisoka simply grinned wider and Gon was suddenly so worked up, so overflowing with anticipation and caution that he never allowed his eyes for one moment to leave the figure before him.

"My, my…what do we have here?~ " Hisoka drawled, steadily approaching the boy.

Instantly Gon dropped into a fighting stance, not knowing what to expect from this encounter.

This was the last thing he was expecting in his state.

"Stay back!" he shouted, as the man continued to approach, jumping backwards to put some more distance between them.

Regardless, Hisoka paid him no mind – slow, steady steps putting him only a few feet away from the young man.

"Hmmm…? Is that how you treat an old acquaintance you just happened to meet? How unfortunate~" Hisoka pouted.

"Just met?!" Gon started disbelievingly, "You liar, I know you've been following me for quite a while now, so drop the innocent act!"

Of course Gon did not include the fact that he'd been unable to differentiate who it was that had been following him.

"And here I thought we could have a little chat for old times' sake~ " Hisoka laughed, making a showy gesture of shrugging despondently as he studied the boy in front of him. Internally though, he displayed a conniving smile.

Gon knew him so well. It made no sense trying to fool around with him, but that didn't mean that he would stop doing so.

It was just too much fun playing around with the boy and watching that fire in his eyes burn even brighter.

Hisoka dared to take one step closer, even as Gon attempted to maintain his pose and stay rooted to the spot. Now that he was standing much closer, he was able to get a good look at him. In the past year and a half since he'd last seen Gon during the match with Razor on Greed Island, it seemed that the boy had matured quite a bit.

It wasn't just about the fact that he was now more than two inches taller than the last time they'd met, but something in his eyes had changed. He seemed less trusting than he was back then.

Something drastic must have happened to cause this kind of growth.

It was then that he remembered that just one year earlier Gon had been on the verge of death, only to be miraculously brought back just as he was about to teeter over. That experience, coupled with what Hisoka could only imagine he had been through during the Chimera Ant event, must have dramatically shaken, if not altered some of the boy's perspectives.

This thought made Hisoka even more excited to see how much these experiences would have affected Gon's fighting style.

"Mmm~"

As Hisoka's golden stare roamed over Gon's rigid stance, he realized that Gon was no longer a boy, but a young man now. Clothed in a simple armhole vest and light track pants tucked into his green boots, his trademark green jacket was gone (which may have been due to the season's uncharacteristic heat) revealing toned and slightly muscular arms. Hisoka licked his lips, trying to pay attention as he realized that Gon was saying something.

"…and there's nothing that we could possibly have to chat about."

There was a tone of finality to that sentence that he did not like.

"Oh? ~ " The jester laughed and he saw Gon's muscles suddenly tense. He found that he was beginning to like watching the smooth play of muscles under the tanned skin…skin that was now covered in a delicate sheen of sweat. Was that a sign of excitement, or fear?

Mmmm…~

He was more than eager to find out. "Are you sure we don't have unfinished business? ~ "

Hisoka never once changed his relaxed pose and that angered Gon even more than the man's apparent ambiguity. "What the hell are you talking ab—" His retort was abruptly cut short as said man was now mere inches away from him, his lips almost touching his ear as he whispered dangerously, "Playtime's over Gon-kun…I'm tired of waiting~ "

Momentarily stunned by Hisoka's sudden shift in position and proximity when he had clearly been at least ten feet away just a few seconds ago, Gon was unprepared for the swift punch to his stomach that sent him flying into the thick trunk of a tree several feet away.

"Oooh I almost lost control there~" Hisoka muttered to himself as he steadily approached the slumped figure before him. I can't let this end too quickly; I've been waiting too long for this moment… ~

Wiping his brow and coughing, Gon jumped to his feet before Hisoka could reach him. Despite his fast reaction though, he only managed to barely crouch to avoid the high kick that was aimed at his head – a kick that instead met with the solid trunk of the tree behind him, shattering it in an instant.

The air around them erupted in a cloud of splintered wood and a thunderous sound broke the peace of the forest as the huge tree crashed to the ground, breaking branches of nearby trees in its wake and forcing flocks birds to escape in hysterics.

Distracted by the fate that he could have suffered, Gon didn't notice the front kick that soon connected with his solar plexus, sending him sprawling unceremoniously over what was left of the demolished tree.

He groaned internally, fingers digging into the grassy earth as he lay on his stomach. Damn, everything hurt so much more when not using Nen…

All the training he'd done in the past year could only help so much to nullify the effects of two direct hits to his trunk from a skilled Nen user.

He was lucky to be alive; lucky that those hits happened to not be powered by Kyo.

Embarrassed and panting from the pain in his abdomen, Gon pushed himself up from the mossy ground, struggling to his feet once more. He was determined not to stay down – especially not in front of this man.

Hisoka...

His eyes glared daggers at the jester standing akimbo mere feet from him and smirking.

The man raised his index finger as if about to scold him "My dear Gon, didn't I once tell you that you should pay more attention to your surroundings? ~ "

It was then that the younger man was brought back to the time when they'd last fought in Heaven's Arena – where Hisoka had tricked him while he wasn't paying attention and quarrelling with the referee.

He realized that taking his eyes off of Hisoka for one second again would be like signing his own death warrant.

But would Hisoka really kill him? Hadn't they formed an alliance of sorts before?

Gon did not want to wait to find out; Hisoka was fickle and did whatever suited his mood at any given moment...

And if killing me gave him more pleasure than seeing me alive, there is no doubt that he'd do it.

Clutching his stomach that burned with the pain of his injuries, Gon knew that in order to ensure his own survival, he needed to end this quickly before Hisoka decided to use his Bungee Gum.

Things would really be over then.

The man still did not move from his spot or change his position and that made it really easy to swing a few strong punches at him – which Hisoka dodged easily of course. But Gon only smirked, deciding that Hisoka's overconfidence in the difference in between their abilities would be his downfall.

Yes.

The last year spent on Whale Island had not simply been passed under endless piles of homework. Gon had spent many months training in hand to hand combat and as a result had learned quite a few tricks in that time.

Hisoka would be in for a big surprise.

One, two, three… he thought amidst punches that met only air. Regardless, Gon continued to advance on his assailant, pacing himself and not giving Hisoka a chance to counter.

Yes…

It was working; his relentless attacks and different combinations soon had Hisoka jumping backwards to avoid a fist that would have surely connected with his nose, had he not been so fast.

Not wanting to lose the opportunity, Gon reacted quickly, not allowing the slightest chance for recovery and soon met Hisoka with another flurry of attacks.

Hisoka found himself constantly on the defensive, the boy using his inherently above average speed to attack from every possible direction.

Good, Gon thought triumphantly, I have him now…

Unbeknownst to Gon though, Hisoka was studying him despite appearing to be ostensibly disadvantaged.

There was something that the man wanted to test, and he intentionally left an opening in his defense…

Feeling pure satisfaction as his fist made contact with the side of Hisoka's face for the first time, Gon almost cheered aloud.

Encouraged by this and not wanting to lose his rare chance, he followed through with a barrage of punches and uppercuts that had the magician stumbling backwards at last.

Balling his fist even tighter, Gon landed a solid punch to his solar plexus – the force of which, coupled with the uneven ground, caused Hisoka to fall backwards.

Not losing a breath, Gon was soon straddling him, his punches meeting that smug face repeatedly, as if trying to erase the ever present smirk.

Mmm~

Hisoka couldn't be happier. Not only was Gon straddling his chest, but the fiery spark in those hazel eyes was now ablaze as he pounded into his face. It was all fantastic as the pain merged with the visual to bring him utmost pleasure.

Oh yes~

He almost moaned aloud from the sheer intensity of it.

But what captured his attention though – what he'd let his guard down intentionally to investigate – was the fact that Gon seemed to be pulling his punches as his power was nowhere near what he'd witnessed when they'd fought Razor in Greed Island – or even Heaven's Arena for that matter.

Why would Gon ever hold back from hitting him as hard as he could and escaping once he had the chance?

Gon was so enraptured by the need to incapacitate his foe and quickly put as much distance as possible between them that it took him quite a while to notice that Hisoka was not fighting back or using any defensive strategy at all. The magician just lay there, smiling masochistically, his eyes glazed over and reflecting what appeared to be…

Gon paused, taken aback.

…Is that pleasure?!

Alarmed, he gave in to his instincts that were immediately screaming at him to get away, quickly moving to jump backwards.

His attempt at escape was halted by a faster response from Hisoka though, and suddenly Gon found himself flipped over, their positions reversed with both his hands restrained overhead in a powerful grip.

"Let me go!" Gon struggled, pulling at his wrists but to no avail; those hands just tightened their grip.

Damn it...

He had known from the moment his eyes had locked with Hisoka's at the edge of the clearing that he'd end up like this – that it would have been game over – but that had not stopped him from trying to best the man. Gon had tried to change the fate laid out to him only to fail miserably and even now as he lay beneath this ruthless killer, cloaked by that familiar menacing presence, the limitations of his present state did not hinder his efforts to free himself.

"Let you go…~" Hisoka's eyes glinted like a predator about to make the kill. "Let you go?" he repeated disbelievingly. "Why don't you try a little harder to escape? I'm not even holding you with any strength at all~"

Gon tried. Really hard. He pulled, wriggled and even tried kicking himself out from underneath Hisoka but the results were the same: Hisoka was still over him with that annoying fake smile.

Gon's hands clenched into fists and he gritted his teeth. Right now he wanted nothing more than to punch that condescending look off of Hisoka's face.

If only I could get my hands free I'd…show him! I'd…

Damn it!

As if understanding the weight of the need that Gon felt, Hisoka leaned just a bit closer…close enough that his cool breath whispered over the heated skin of Gon's neck and taunted, "What's the matter Gon? It's not like you to be restrained so easily… ~ "

Gon didn't answer, choosing instead to glare unwaveringly up at his captor.

"Hmmm? ~"

"..."

The last thing on Gon's mind was to give in to Hisoka's taunts. All he could think of was how embarrassing and uncomfortable the position he'd suddenly found himself in was. This fucking sucks, he thought heatedly, now grinding his teeth.

Damn it!

Gon twisted, trying again to free himself and something sharp cut into his vest to scrape the skin on his back.

He tried not to grimace.

The same nature that he had been reveling in just a few moments ago – before Hisoka had showed up – seemed to have now turned against him.

The tree roots bored into his back…the air was thick, stifling, sticky and hot and the birds were clearly laughing at him while perched on high branches overhead. Thin, gnarly, far-reaching branches through which the sunlight peeked to shine directly into his eyes.

Urgh…

The burning intensity of the bright midday sun made it hard for him to clearly see the man over him, and Hisoka's looming figure now gained a mysterious, domineering and dangerously dark persona.

Gon panted, his discomfort increasing as the minutes ticked by painfully with those yellow eyes simply looking down at him.

Hisoka was doing nothing, just holding him still…just observing and for some strange reason, that lack of action made Gon want to run more than before.

He's too unpredictable…

To be in this man's presence, under the inspection of those cold, shrewd eyes was too much. And the sweltering heat was not helping, as his cotton vest was now stuck to his skin and the temperature continued to climb with each passing minute.

Hisoka shifted a bit and Gon's heart soon started a frenetic rhythm, thumping so loudly in his chest that he became breathless. It was a rhythm that he couldn't control; a rhythm of anticipation, excitement, and…

Gon refused to accept that fear had slowly started to creep up on him.

It had to be the increased heat that made his heart beat faster and his skin flush as he lay there restrained right?

He hated feeling so weak.

"Something's not right," Hisoka said, as if he had finally completed his analysis and was now thinking aloud. "You're not using your Nen…~ "

Kuso, Gon thought, The bastard is going to figure it out.

Things might get really dangerous then.

At this realization, he renewed his efforts to free himself, ignoring the way the roots rubbed into his back, bruising his skin as he struggled valiantly against Hisoka's iron grip.

"…hmmm," Hisoka enunciated, looking completely pensive and unaffected by the fact that there was a flailing young man beneath him trying to escape. "Or is it that you can't use Nen? ~ " At this, the yellow eyes that were once focused in contemplation on some distant point among the trees were on Gon's face with rapt attention as if seeking confirmation for that hypothesis.

Oh damn. Gon stilled instantly, feeling as if those eyes bore painfully into the most secret places of his very soul. He focused on calming the erratic beating of his heart, even stopped breathing, but as much as he tried in those few tense moments, the momentary flicker in his unrelenting glare told Hisoka everything the man needed to know – he could no longer use Nen.

"Well, well...what an unexpected development ~" Hisoka said in a lilting tone, a wide smile filled with vile intentions spreading across his face. The man looked like he had just won the lottery and Gon's heart literally stopped for the length of two beats.

Gon thought that he had conquered fear. He was no stranger to grief and despite his age, there was a time when pain and despair had become his constant companions...a time when he'd been in more dangerous situations than he could count, especially in his recent expedition against the Chimera Ant King.

Having faced off against extraordinary beings like the King's Royal Guards with his team and personally facing Neferpitou had taught Gon a lot of things about raw fear, life, death and his own limitations.

And walking the thin line between life and death as he had lain comatose in that hospital for months made him strong in ways that nothing else could have.

But none of this could have prepared him for the absolute terror that he now felt, cloaked by Hisoka's sinister aura without his own to protect him. Hisoka was unpredictable and unlike other foes whose dispositions he could easily read and use to determine his fate, with this man Gon was never able to tell whether he was about to be gutted alive or simply toyed with and spared.

This uncertainty rendered him speechless – frozen and pinned by the man's intent gaze that had turned predatory upon learning that he couldn't use his Nen anymore.

At this point, anyone else would have started pleading with Hisoka to spare them, maybe even started bargaining for their lives: offering any and everything, but Gon, stubborn at heart – even when the odds appeared to be working against him – refused to show any of the fear or tumultuous thoughts that were wracking him…choosing instead to continue glaring defiantly up at the figure looming over him.

"Oh? ~ " Hisoka moaned, smiling. It was a feature that sent chills down Gon's spine but the young man did not show it."So you continue to look so defiant in your condition? ~ "

No answer.

Hisoka chuckled darkly. "You look like you still want to fight, but how do you plan on defending yourself against me? It's obvious you can't win, especially when your punches have little effect…" Hisoka paused dramatically, licking the side of his lips where there was the faintest trickle of blood, never once breaking his eye contact with Gon.

But Gon's eyes left his to briefly follow the movement of his tongue before returning to glare at him and although the defiance remained in their hazel depths, he saw Gon swallow nervously as if finally absorbing the reality of his situation and he smirked even wider.

"Don't you remember my promise to you in Heaven's Arena? ~" Without waiting for a response he continued, "That 'the next time we fight it'd be with our lives on the line?' ~" Hisoka let his words soak in, observing with pleasure the way Gon squirmed uncomfortably beneath him.

"Mmmmhmmm…I honestly don't care much for broken toys – they're no fun at all; and as you know, I only spare those whose deaths won't go to waste… ~"Hisoka finally looked away and Gon realized that he'd have laughed (had he not been in this situation) at the way the magician seemed disappointed, pouting and pondering his next move – like a child deprived of its favourite toy. Maybe now he would be left alone since he no longer would be of interest to the man.

Finally. It's about time he—

But all possible mirth (and hopes in getting out of this unscathed) left him the instant those predatory golden eyes met his once again. He was sure that whatever the man had decided was not something that he would like and again Gon was instantly on guard, unsure if Hisoka was going to finish him off right then and there.

"What should I do with you, hmmm? ~ " Hisoka asked as if giving him a choice to determine his fate. Gon almost spoke up to suggest that he 'let him go', but he could see that from the intent perusal that left his face to travel the length of his body and back to capture his eyes again that this was not a question open to suggestions.

What is it that Hisoka wants?

Gon was confused.

Since I'm 'broken' and I am of no use to him, why doesn't he let me go?

"I'm really excited you know, and it's all your fault. Seeing you again stirred me up, made me anticipate our fight, but without your Nen it won't be a fair fight at all… I won't fight you half-heartedly again, and I do not want to kill you, but those eyes…when you look at me like that… ~"

Fuck, Gon thought. Looking at Hisoka's facial expression made it clear that the man was on the verge of giving in to whatever sick plan he had for him. This is getting more and more dangerous.

Hisoka's aura was flaring, even more ominous than it had been during their fight in the Heaven's Arena. Wait…did he just say that he won't fight me half-heartedly again?

Damn…

I knew something wasn't right when I was able to land a punch on him so easily back then in Heaven's Arena. This bastard can't be human and— Gon's thoughts were cut short as he realized that Hisoka was talking again.

"—are you going to do to deal with this situation? ~ " Hisoka seemed to be genuinely asking him a question this time.

But he didn't have the chance to answer as one of Hisoka's hands glided suggestively down the length of his arm and settled briefly over his heart before a long pale digit came up to trace his lips.

"So bruised and beautiful~" Hisoka whispered huskily, eyes locked on the movement of his own fingers across Gon's slightly parted lips.

"Wait, what…?!" Gon sputtered, eyes going wide as he tried to pull back. If only he had the ability to sink into the earth he would have done so without hesitation. What exactly was happening here? Why was Hisoka touching him like that?

"Why do you look so confused? Isn't it obvious? I'm feeling quite sensitive right now. I can no longer control this urge to…"—Hisoka stopped himself—"No, I'm lying…" he admitted with a snide laugh. "The truth is, I don't want to control this urge to dominate you~"

Gon's eyes went even wider as Hisoka's face descended, now mere inches from his own.

"You shouldn't look so startled Gon-kun… you've always known how to stroke my desire without even trying so you should be proud~" Turning to the left, Hisoka bent even further to whisper in the younger man's ear, his earlier question now saturated with the evidence of his excitement, "Now tell me…what are you going to do to deal with this situation? ~ "

"I…" Gon twisted uncomfortably. He had no idea what to say.

The way Hisoka exaggerated those words…the way those lips barely skimmed his ear…made Gon's own words fail him indelibly.

It was as if every muscle in his body had been paralyzed by Hisoka's dominating proximity, that suffocating aura and the whispered words in his ear hinting at dark and forbidden things to come; things that he had never experienced before.

Oh no…

He didn't even have the strength to tremble and his reaction was perfectly understandable, especially when the man's question was punctuated by a long, languorous lick on the perimeter of his earlobe and another throaty whisper, "Oh Gon-kun, if you have no idea how to continue this, I'll be more than happy to show you how~"

Hisoka blew a delicate wisp of air across his skin and Gon shuddered involuntarily in response to the stimulus, his eyes still widened in abject fear. To anyone looking on, it would have appeared as if, with this unexpected turn of events, that Gon had now lost his speech, just as he had lost his ability to use Nen.

Re-edit Note: Added a bunch of stuff to show just how much misery Gon was experiencing...

A/N: Cliffie anyone? Anyone? Lol sorry I'll make it up to you guys with an early update and nice chapter *wink*.

Urgh I wanted so badly to include those little suit symbols at the end of Hisoka's sentences - they add so much character - but fanfiction .net's basic upload deleted those that I've painstakingly put in T_T Instead you'll find this "~" which is my personal way of depicting Hisoka's singsong tone...oh well I guess that it'll have to work! Anyway, thanks for reading and please review...reviews are love XD

Now I'm off to work on editing Chapter Three. Are you guys ready for that? Am I ready? Is Gon ready? (LOL)