A/N:

(1) Early update because Panda Master X was the 50th reviewer and the prize was this update!

(2) Reference in this chapter will be made to episode 20 of the 1999 HxH series where there had been a special bonus to the Third Phase of the Hunter's Exam.

(3) OMG your reviews in the last chapter had me laughing so hard (especially the part about drugging Gon's breakfast)! I will try to respond to the questions briefly now!

Delphinium Sweets: oh my, it's good to know that I'm not the only one that has that pervy side that needs to be kept under lock and key XD Unfortunately though, she gets let out for this story :/

Kee-Rect: I can't wait to show you guys what happens later too! One hint is that I may have a theorized past for the Hisoka in this story…

Yaoi-freak2580: Oooooh you will surely see how the others react to their living situation!

Thanks for all your reviews – the returning reviewers and new ones too; you know how much I appreciate you guys right? I do my best to make you all happy because of the love you give me and I'm glad you like the story so far. I promise not to stop any time soon. Thanks all for the well wishes for the season! Happy New Year and all the best to you too! I had a good Christmas holiday spent cooking/baking and working on future chapters for this story so it was well spent!

Dislaimer: The characters mentioned here belong to Togashi-san, not me. I'm just borrowing them for tortur- I mean, story writing purposes…

Warning: Not M-Rated…yet *wink*

Let's get it started! I will include the day numbers so you will know how many days since they met in the forest. Probably feels like a lifetime for Gon…

Chapter Nine: Storm

NB: Day Five continues…

Gon frowned.

The magician's hot and cold attitude had his emotions all over the place and he just did not know how to respond anymore – when to be on guard or when to relax.

Could this be a part of the man's plan?

Just then, the front door opened and said man entered. Even more surprising, it was clear that the reason for his absence was that he had been out buying them breakfast.

Wait…

Breakfast?

Gon couldn't believe what he was seeing as he eyed the parcel in Hisoka's hands warily. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

Why would Hisoka go through the trouble of doing that?

Now honestly, this was all just too much and Gon was completely, without a doubt, at a loss for words.

XXX

It was quiet. Too quiet.

The low hum of the air-conditioning unit was the only sound discernible in the overwhelming silence of the condo.

Not even the sunlight pouring in unimpeded through the floor-length windows helped to erase the chill that Gon felt. He looked down at his untouched sandwich.

Maybe it's all in my head.

Feeling awkward, he kept stealing glances at the magician who had regrettably chosen to sit directly opposite him.

That man…

He expected him to do something suspicious at any minute. Instead, Hisoka looked completely at ease – elbows resting on the polished surface of the mahogany table separating them and his eyes closed. For the most part he looked harmless.

Is that even possible?

Gon studied Hisoka's face as he lifted the mug to take another sip of his coffee, the dark liquid disappearing between those pale lips, leaving them wet and glistening. He blushed, immediately averting his eyes to study the wood grain of the table instead.

What the heck am I doing?! Why am I watching that man?

He bit angrily into his sandwich, barely even tasting the smooth sweetness of the strawberry jam as he swallowed quickly.

He is the enemy...isn't he? I have to keep my mind on that—Gon focused his eyes on the flower vase at the center of the table—He is a bad person, a murderer...and without my Nen, he'll most likely kill me eventually. But why is he being so nice? What is his plan?

As they sat at the dining table having the sandwiches he'd bought, Hisoka looked over at Gon, and raised one slim eyebrow. "You look like you're lost in your own thoughts~"

...enemy. The enemy. The enem—

"Huh...? Um...well I was just thinking that you're the enem—...I mean that you're acting rather… I don't know…weird?" Gon scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Weird? ~"

"Uh, yeah, really out of character..."

"And what exactly is my character? ~"

Gon realized then how difficult it was to voice his suspicions but decided to go ahead anyway.

"It's just that...ever since we've reached York Shin, you've been acting...nice." He said the word with much difficulty. "You...tended to my injury; carried me to bed and covered me with a blanket; took me out for a buffet breakfast; brought me breakfast..."—Gon gestured at the sandwich in his hand—"...and now that I think about it"—he pondered for a moment—"You were acting differently even when we were crossing the desert, when you had killed that bandit who was trying to kill me..."

He paused for air and that's when Hisoka spoke.

"It seems as if you're keeping count... ~"

"I have to, especially when that's not how you normally are. It makes me wonder what you're up to."

Hisoka sighed, "This is the second time you're accusing me of acting out of character~"

"When have I—"

"Greed Island, after our dodgeball match~"

"Can you blame me? You don't do anything unless it benefits you," Gon countered. "And then there you were talking about 'everyone contributing' and it being a 'team victory' and I was convinced that I was still knocked out and dreaming."

Hisoka smirked on the inside. It was obvious that his little fruit would not be won over so easily. "Oh, boy am I hurt...~" he lied.

"But it's the truth..." Gon insisted.

"I have done what others would consider as 'good' things…many times in the past you know~"

"I see…" Gon said with a bit of skepticism, pondering much more than necessary on what Hisoka was telling him.

Can Hisoka really do good, unselfish things?

"Hmmm...you really don't get it, do you? ~" Hisoka deadpanned, his face a comedy of disappointment. "Are you so determined to see me in a bad light? ~"

"It's just really hard to think of you actually helping anyone…"

"Tch, I don't know if to laugh or cry~" Hisoka stated sarcastically.

Gon looked up, unfamiliar with the idiomatic expression and appearing as if he was expecting the man to do one or the other.

Seeing the openly expectant look on his face, Hisoka couldn't help but laugh.

"You've grown up so much…~" he said, eyes wandering over Gon's lithe frame for a moment before continuing. The young man suppressed a shudder. "Despite such growth, you're still such a child at heart. To be honest"—he seemed to want to laugh at this— "I have been helping you since the moment we met~"

"What?!"

Putting the tip of his pinky finger to his left ear and squinting one eye, Hisoka made a show of being temporarily deafened by Gon's outburst. He turned to face the young man.

"Why is it so hard to believe? I helped you during the York Shin situation with the Genei Ryodan didn't I? ~"

"Yeah, but you did it only because that coincided with your goal to fight Kuroro," Gon challenged, pushing back his damp hair so that he could see Hisoka clearly.

"And how about Greed Island? ~"

"What about it?"

"The dodgeball game with that overpowered Razor guy? Didn't I dislocate my fingers helping you guys out? ~"

At that point, there was a fleeting apologetic look crossing Gon's face. "I'm sorry about that Hisoka; I agree...you definitely helped us out then. We wouldn't have been able to clear the game without your involvement, but didn't you do that only because you were bored?"

Hisoka didn't deny it. "Bored or not, that counts as a save, especially with my final shot at the end of the game. Didn't you say back then that you wanted 'total victory'?"—he smiled—"and that's what I gave you~"

At this, Gon looked up. He'd remembered Killua's and the others' accounts of how Hisoka had ended the match, properly whooping Razor's ass with a final, powerful return using Bungee Gum.

Hisoka...did that for me?

Hisoka smirked. "And you know, there have been other times too~" he continued. "Like when I helped Killua escape Illumi during the elections or when I'd saved you as you were about to drown during that weird storm in the Third Phase; not to mention me telling Illumi not to kill you after the Hunters' Exam…~" Hisoka stopped, looking as if he could go on and on but hoping that Gon had gotten the point.

Gon's look of distrust softened a bit upon hearing his friend's name and he shifted once cautious but now inquisitive eyes to look at Hisoka more intently. "You helped…Killua?"

"To…help you, yes~" Hisoka admitted, marveling internally at how Gon's one-tracked mind would never ceased to amaze him.

"Wait…"

"Mm? ~"

"Did you say that y-you had saved me in the Third Phase?" Gon was shocked. "So you were the one who pulled me out of the water…"

It can't be...

"Is that so hard to believe? ~"

"Well…yeah."

Hisoka frowned at the young man's open honesty. Some things never really do change…~

"But I bet you did it only because I somehow fit into your crazy plan of saving the strong fighters for last. Do you think I forgot how you told me before on Zebil Island how you were just keeping me alive so that I'd grow enough to be worth killing…" Gon met his eyes, disapproval apparent in those hazel depths. "I wouldn't be surprised if all of this now was towards that goal as well…"

Close guess Gon but not quite...you're of more use to me alive~

Hisoka shrugged nonchalantly. "Haha you've got me…~" he said smoothly and smiled, eyes closing briefly. But then those eyes reopened to reveal cold, calculating yellow eyes, his expression sharpening in intensity as he continued, "...I did want to save you for last, to savor the flavor of your growth, to taste you, play with you…and then kill you…"

Gon shivered under the intense, lustful glare and the deadly promise in those chilling words. At this point he wasn't even sure if Hisoka was referring to something sexual or just fighting…or both. Those two things – as far as he could tell – were probably inseparable for someone like that man, bringing forth the same satisfaction.

"But?" he prompted.

No answer. Hisoka just continued to stare at him with that same chilling expression.

There is a 'but' wasn't there?

Gon never broke eye contact with the man seated across from him even as his heart thudded loudly in his chest.

He persisted. "There is a 'but' right? Or am I to assume that you're going to do away with me once I no longer am of any use to you?"

Although he probably couldn't avoid that fate if it were to be that way, Gon felt like he needed to know.

The air in their small dining area felt still and clammy despite the air conditioning and the silence seemed to stretch on for hours.

Hisoka finally spoke, studying Gon carefully. "There was a time, as I said, that I wanted to kill you more than anything, but I feel now that that would be a wasteful gesture." He waved his hand dismissively, going on to explain. "You see, I've realized that experiencing your growth every time we meet turns me on more than your impending death at my hands…so much so that I've decided that it would be a waste to kill you~"

Was that a good or bad thing? Gon thought, unable to decide. It is because Hisoka thinks that I am too important to kill that I'm in this current predicament.

But then, if Hisoka hadn't come to that conclusion, I might be dead right now…

The tension in the air shifted to something less ominous as Hisoka added, "You could be an interesting ally~"

"Huh?"Gon could not believe what he was hearing. "An ally in what exactly? Come to think of it, you've never actually told me why you're here in this city."

"Neither have you~"

"It's no secret why I'm here. I'm meeting up with Killua."

"Really? ~" Hisoka frowned.

That boy again.

The one that looked at him as if he could see right through his actions.

I'd have to move quickly to claim what's mine then…~

"Now it's your turn. Why are you here?"

"I'm on a job~"

"What kind of job?"

"That's not important. It's a very crucial one and you might be able to help~"

"But how can I help if I don't know what it is about?"

"It's basically reconnaissance and if we work together it will be to your benefit as well~"

"How so?" Gon was excited that Hisoka was actually seeking his help with something but he was still wary.

"The person that we need to watch is a vile individual and the world would be a better place without him~" he replied elusively.

"You're one to talk…" Gon said and instantly regretted his words.

"You don't really think that do you? ~" Hisoka was looking at him intently, yellow eyes focused on wide-eyed hazel ones.

Biting on the inner corner of his bottom lip, Gon felt as if he was being broken down by the truth.

Hisoka is right, I don't...

I...really don't think of him as a vile person.

I never have.

All this time I've been treating him with the caution that others have kept saying that I should exercise around him, but the truth is...

Gon turned away and squeezed his eyes shut.

...the truth is that I've always been mesmerized by him...I've always found him intriguing and exciting...

Pausing, Gon could not believe that he'd just confessed that to himself. He had finally admitted it but with that admission he found no reprieve. On the contrary, his thoughts were upsetting him more than anything at that moment.

Damn.

Hisoka was still looking at Gon, watching the subtle play of emotions on his face – at least what he could see of his face anyway. His hair was still damp (from what the magician could only assume had been a recent shower) and had fallen forward in his face again, partially obscuring his eyes.

He watched as Gon moodily pushed the hair away from his face for probably the hundredth time since they'd been sitting there, while trying to maintain a hold on the strawberry jam sandwich he held in the other hand.

Unable to resist anymore, Hisoka reached forward and pushed a stray lock of hair away from Gon's eyes, deciding that even though Gon looked so cute with his hair that way, he wanted to see those eyes that always seemed to utterly bewitch him.

At the slight touch, Gon paused mid-struggle with his hair to look over at him. Their eyes met, the hand still lingering in his hair, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

What?

He turned away abruptly, the movement causing Hisoka's hand to fall and their electric eye contact to be broken.

But that was not to be how things would end that morning.

At the corner of his eye, Gon saw Hisoka stand and walk around the table. He was now standing to the left of him but Gon refused to turn to meet those eyes; unsure as to whether he was ready to face what was reflected in those golden depths.

This time though, Hisoka did not wait for him to come to a decision.

A/N: Oh no...cliffhanger! But the good news is that the next chapter would be niiiiice XD

Ah oh my Hisoka has finally made his move! What is going to happen to Gon? I don't think that turning his face away would help…:/

Do you think Gon would be able to keep fighting what he's feeling? Especially now that he knows Hisoka has been looking out for him?

But...what's up with Hisoka thinking that he needs to claim what is his (Gon) now that he's aware that Gon is meeting Killua in the City? I don't blame him though…Killua is the reasonable one that "sees through" his actions as he said.

All these questions and more may be answered in the next update XP see you guys soon in another update and I look forward to your reviews :3