Daniel takes Killua shopping to buy chocolate, like, he promised. He gets to learn some facts along the way.

Daniel pulled into the closest supermarket parking lot near his house, looking for a parking spot. It looks like it was going to be busy, considering he was struggling to find an empty spot. It could take him longer to find a spot than it will take to do the shopping for all he knows.

As Daniel gauged whether or not he should drop off Killua back at his house before returning to go shopping, Killua peered out the window, "I'm assuming this is a normal human thing…"

"Yes, and I suggest you don't say human while in the store… people will think you have a Superiority Complex."

"A what now?"

"They'll think, that you think of yourself as being above everyone else…"

"Just because I used human in the right context."

"You look human right now…" Daniel turned to look at the Alien in his car, giving them a look of disbelief "which means, you need to act like one. Don't do anything strange…"

"Define something that would be considered strange…"

"Grabbing something off the shelf, only to open it and eat the contents inside. Just follow my mannerisms, and you'll be okay… not to a complete 'T'. If I pick up something to read the ingredients, don't follow in my footsteps… my actions, I mean."

"I understand…" Killua shifted their gaze back to the man, "anything else?"

"If someone drops something, I would tell you to help them pick it up… but some people don't like that. So, I would suggest, if it looks like they're struggling try to help them. But at the same time, try to also avoid getting lost… You don't have a phone I can call. Just tap my shoulder if you plan on helping someone, so at least I know."

"Sounds reasonable…"

Daniel turned a corner, spotting an empty spot. Flicking on the indicator, he prepared to reverse into the spot. He checked his rear-view mirror as he turned the car, moving into the spot. The moment he parked, he turned off the engine, smiling at his reasonable parking.

"Since you're staying with me… I need to get a fair, few groceries."

"Groceries…?"

"Right… you probably call it by something else. Basically, it's ingredients to make specific dishes. Things like seasonings, vegetables, meat and what not… I have a long list I'll be needing to get, to introduce you to a wide arrange of foods that you may or may not like."

"Sounds… interesting…" Killua hummed to themself, wondering what else, other than egg and bacon could Daniel cook.

"However, while the idea of introducing you to the lazy man's local cuisine sounds appealing to me right now… Which to be honest, is Maccas and KFC, I can't afford to get UberEATS every night for us."

"Now that I understand… you're talking about restaurants, correct?"

"Well…" Daniel tilted his head from side to side, wondering if it falls under a technicality, at least when it comes to explaining culture differences between species, "we'd consider it fast food, as in mass-produced quickly, to eat. Too much isn't good for you, but sometimes, you're just in a situation where it's the better option… but yes, it's technically considered a restaurant to some degree."

Killua thought about the man's explanation over, it does sound closer to the system they have on their planet, "Sounds closer to what we have…"

"Fast food?" Daniel asked, now worried for the Alien.

"More like a type of… I think the word comparison would be… ration system. The harder one works, the more rations you get."

"Sounds brutal…"

"Well, lucky for me… I was born into a class with an easy to exploit a loophole. While I had to work twice as hard, I still manage to get enough rations for myself and-" They stopped themselves from progressing, "Anyways, we should probably go. We've been sitting in this car an awful lot."

"You're probably right…" Daniel sighed. He was so close, so close to learning something new about his new friend, "Well, whoever you put the extra effort in for, I'm sure they appreciated it. It sounds like they were someone important to you."

Killua ignored the comment, not wanting to talk about it anymore. Rather than addressing Daniel's argument, he unbuckled his seatbelt before exiting.

Looking away, the man did the same. I understand it's a touchy subject… but hearing these little snippets, I'm coming to appreciate them. They sound like a caring person, but with so many omitted details… I just can't pin down their personality. Locking the car door, they head towards the supermarket.

"~"

Killua watched Daniel move, sometimes randomly picking up things to squeeze it. The man told him not to act weird, but considering his current actions, he looked very weird right now. He was holding an avocado, looking at it like it was a conundrum waiting to be solved.

It must be a normal thing, considering others were doing it too, with different Vegetables.

The man eventually grabbed a few, placing them into a separate bag.

"So…" Killua leaned in closer to the man, "this symbol next to the numbers… what's it for?"

"It's the type of currency we use, called Jenny. We use it to pay for things, like groceries, bills, etc. But I suppose it's not something you'd use…"

Killua looked at the man incredulously, like he had said the most offensive thing to them.

Daniel raised an eyebrow, "Wait… you have an economy where you're from."

"Well, yeah…" Killua frowned, "I explained part of a system, not the full extent. That system is designed to punish those who cannot fend for themselves or are weak in general. We have a separate system to buy other things…"

"Noted…" Daniel found himself smiling a little, "Maybe that's something we can talk about back at home, not, with the nosey listeners." The man casually gestured to the woman looking in their direction.

Killua offered a nod, giving a smile and a wave to the woman.

Her cheeks turned red before turning away and hurrying off.

"Why did she turn into, like that vegetable over there… a tomato, when I waved at her?"

Daniel looked at his alien friend, caught off guard by the question "I'm sorry… what?"

"She went red before walking away…"

"Oh…" Daniel's mouth hung open for a second too long. She wasn't nosey, but rather checking Killua out, "I stand corrected. She thought you were attractive and was checking you out… not listening to our conversation."

Killua smirked, "Nothing new from where I'm from."

"Good to know…" Daniel hummed, now moving on to another section. He looked over each section of meat, thinking about what he could get Killua to try. As much as their cat-like features are screaming at him to go to the fish section, he doesn't want to stereotype his new friend.

Crossing his arms, he broached a casual conversation "Have you ever done fishing?"

"Sure… hate it. It's… disgusting dealing with those wiggling slugs moving around."

"Slugs…? Wait, I'll ask later. Which one sounds more appealing to you? Pork, Beef, Chicken or Fish?"

"Going just by name…" Killua thought it over, "I suppose Pork and Fish."

"Alright… your uncertainty sounds like I should try a mix." Daniel thought it over, wondering what he could make, that could narrow down Killua's tastebuds if they even have any. Most of their biology is up in the air for him "Maybe I'll try a combination of stir-fries, steaks and schnitzels for you, see what you like and dislike. Other than that, honestly, I'm terrible when it comes to fish… so maybe we can make a pitstop at the fish and chip place near my house. I think you might like Blue Grenadier, maybe get a couple of dim sims, prawns and crab sticks for you to try."

"Sounds fine to me…" Killua thought about the man's words. Why is he going out of his way, to find different styles of cuisines to impress him? It was… what would the man deem the action as? It would be considered sweet of him to play away with ingredients to try to narrow down his favourite foods, but at the same time, it's a weird thing to be doing for a total stranger "Although I consider your actions very weird, especially you suggesting… fast food while also, shopping at a Woolworth for groceries."

"You'd be correct, about the fast-food aspect, but the only reason I'm actually, considering Fish and Chips, is because Fish is the one thing, I don't like cooking…, especially from scratch. Actually, do you cook food?" When Killua looked at him funny, Daniel had to correct himself "I mean, besides meat. Like, do you have a robust system… actually, it's a conversation to be having much later."

"You really, want to know more about me, as though I'm this enigma…"

Daniel shrugged, "It can be a conversation to get to know each other better… plus… would you rather that, or we awkwardly avoid each other in my house?"

"Is it really, a choice…?"

"I suppose not…" Daniel hummed in agreement, moving through the aisles, trying to avoid other customers trying to buy groceries. The man, made a pit stop to grab some bread then Nutella, for Killua to try. He grabbed the smallest one, just in case. He next grabbed peanut butter, crunchy style as it's something he more enjoyed.

Killua was watching him with a critical eye, looking at the trolley fill with random items, at least what seemed random to them.

The two continued, eventually, Daniel stopping in front of the lolly section. He looked at the aisle, then back to Killua "Alright…" The man paused, pointing to the section "I would say go ham, which means to pick whatever you like… But I'm not that rich…"

He led the Alien into the aisle "Try to pick a small selection of chocolates that look appealing to You. Might I suggest… Crunchie, Twix, Mars Bar, Maltesers, Kit-Kat and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, as being the better options in my opinion."

Daniel then pointed at a small container, "There's also the chocolate I gave you last night, which are the ChocoRobo-Kuns… but if you want a creamy type of chocolate, aim for the Milk Chocolates… Dark Chocolate if you want as close as you can to eating pure cocoa chocolate. I would also suggest grabbing a bar of white chocolate to try."

Killua grabbed a few of the ones Daniel first suggested, including the one from last night. They then grabbed a bar or two of Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate, bringing it over to the trolley.

Daniel looked at the Alien incredulously, wondering if they planned to eat it all today, or over the next few days.

When Killua didn't relent, the man sighed in defeat. He couldn't say 'no' to such a childish smile that beamed like a little kid that hit the jackpot in sweets, "Fine… but you better space them out over the next few weeks."

"I promise…"

Even though Daniel felt like he shouldn't believe his new friend, there was nothing he could do to change his circumstances. The two of them moved on, Daniel trying to finish off the shopping without breaking his bank.

"~"

Killua was sipping on a Chocolate Big M as they held onto the hot food on their lap. To them, it smelt nice the Fish and Chips, but the problem was they felt a tingling sensation in their loins as they continued to sip.

It wasn't as strong as it was last night, but it became apparent that they were starting to 'stink' when Daniel opened the window. There was a constant whistling noise in their ears; an annoyingly loud noise to them.

But seeing Daniel react in annoyance to the sound, meant, it was just as bad to him as it was to them.

The man eventually pulled up in front of his house, letting out a sigh of relief when his Ex's car was gone. Yannick had found his spare keys and fucked off, as he should have a long time ago. However, he doesn't think it'll be over any time soon. He'll have to put a restraining order on that man… until then, he'll have to somehow help Killua get accumulated to their new home.

Killua supposes the situation wasn't over after seeing the car gone, but at least the situation was dealt with, promptly.

Daniel moved to unlock the front door, only to see a letter in the front waiting for him. He plied it off the door, taking note of handwriting. It was definitely, Yannick's. Opening the front door, he threw the letter in the trash.

Killua watched the man throw the letter in the trash with a concerned look.

There were obvious signs of hurt when he did so, but the fact he didn't even look at the contents of the letter, meant he was done with the whole situation.

Killua cleared their throat, "Is it okay if I shower first?"

"Certainly, but you might want to be quick so that the food isn't cold after you're done…"

When Killua gave a nod, they left to have a shower, leaving Daniel to bring all the groceries in by himself. He didn't mind. Yannick wouldn't leave him to do it on his own, but to be honest, it wasn't a deal-breaker to him.

He put all the chocolates in a bowl, leaving it on the counter as he put everything else in their respective spots.

By the time he was Done, Killua was out of the shower and dressed in some of his comfortable clothes. As the two ate, they conversed like there wasn't a break in their conversation between the supermarket and now.

"So, first off… I just gotta know, you mentioned wiggling slugs during our brief fishing conversation."

"It's disgusting… what more do you want me to say?"

Daniel burst into laughter, a chip still between his fingertips as he tried to calm down.

When Killua swiped the chip from between his fingertips, the man looked at him, offended by the action, "You stole my chip!"

"Well, you laugh like an idiot while holding it, of course, I'm going to steal it…"

Daniel shot a glare at the Alien, Killua moving to grab a chip. The man like a Viper, snatched the chip before they could grab it, sticking it in his mouth and chewing loudly like a toddler.

Killua's eye twitched, the two bursting into laughter when the man stuck his tongue out at them. They continued, "Fine… the whole concept of fishing is icky. Having that thing wiggling around in your fingertips as you try to wrap it around the hook…" The alien shivered, "It's such a weird sensation."

"Don't tell that to Gon, he grew up on an island… so fishing was a normal pastime for him."

"Who's Gon?"

"Okay, so you remember how I mentioned one of my friends said I'll swallow a thousand needles?"

"Yeah…"

"It's the exact, same guy…"

"Ah, so he's the weirdo."

Daniel snorted, "He's not weird… Unique, certainly… but not weird."

"What's the difference?"

"He has certain skills in some departments, that I'll never have. Like the ability to satisfy multiple partners… at the same time."

Killua waved off the comment, "Pfft, that's easy for my kind, at least…" They raised an eyebrow when something betrayed Daniel's features "What's with the weird reaction?"

"I guess… the thought of knowing I'm single and surrounded by friends who're already in relationships?"

"Relationships…?"

Daniel shook his head, "Oh, nothing. Anyways… basically, having a consistent partner."

"But…" Killua tilted their head slightly, "I don't have a consistent partner."

"So, your kind isn't strictly monogamous?"

"Not… really. Some of us have consistent partners; blood companions or bounded partners as we sometimes call it. But, one of my siblings had a different parent."

"Different parent?"

"Ah…" Killua looked away, choosing to remain silent on the matter.

"So, most of your siblings have the same parents, except one. I can assume out of wedlock or possible cheating."

"Drop it!" Killua growled at the man.

Daniel pulled back, "I'm… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed it."

"No…" Killua sighed, "It's okay. I shouldn't really, be pushing you in the dark about that. It's just… I don't… want to talk about it."

Daniel gave a silent nod, watching Killua quietly bite into the flake. The Alien munched on it slowly, eyes full of sorrow. To the man, it looks like broaching the conversation will be a painful reminder of what they lost. But unless he somehow gets them to take a step in the right direction, they'll never be able to recover from the pain of loss…

Closing his eyes, he thought about the situation wondering how many avenues he had left to explore. It seems like Killua is willing to talk about it, but with every wall they break, another is immediately erected in its place "How about your economic system?"

"It relies on trade and rations. We sell things, like animals, tools and whatnot, for rations. Rations can be traded to buy other stuff or jobs that needed to be completed. Slave labour is something in our system that fundamentally benefits us… but for certain classes, especially the Slaves themselves, it's a disgusting system that makes it almost impossible for them to work with the system. Traders, the ones that are deemed as 'Slaves' often get overlooked, even if they have unique items to trade that could be considered beneficial."

"So, Masters, get to reap the rewards, while Slaves have to fend for themselves? Are there any strong Slaves that break those boundaries?"

"That can compete with Masters? Certainly? One of my parents is a Slave, ruthless with how they portray themselves. But the problem is, they look down upon other Slaves, no matter… who they are."

"Interesting…" Daniel rubbed his chin, "You have Slaves that can be brought into a higher-class system, from the sounds of things. But even if they came from a lower class, they'll shit on people… figuratively speaking, not literally… even if they came from the same class system."

"Basically…"

"But you're a Master, who could ultimately end up with a Slave… would that parent treat them poorly?"

"Most definitely…" Killua picked up a chip, throwing it into their mouth, "They'll respect them, but at the same time… they'll treat them poorly unless they can prove themselves."

"So, a strong Slave could earn this parent's respect."

"Yes…"

"What kind of profession would earn this parent's respect?"

"I rather not say…" Killua's expression remained neutral.

"How about… something like cooking?"

"Definitely, not… although, making the comparison between what you cooked for me this morning, and what I'm eating now… I can taste the difference."

"Oh…?"

"I liked the bacon, however, eggs tasted weird…"

"Define weird? Was it soggy? Burnt? Squishy? Over salted…?"

Killua raised an eyebrow, so many terms were just thrown at them, regardless if they understood what each meant, "I don't know what over salted is, but it tasted like eating mushy… well, something that would taste mushy with bits of chunks in it."

"Ah… I know where I went wrong. I should've whisked the milk with the eggs and salt in a bowl, before trying to cook it."

"Cooking sounds robust when compared to my species. It's a combination of preserved meat and what you would call, vegetables and fruits. Sometimes if you're lucky, you can get herbs also."

"So, rations are randomised pretty much?"

"Exactly… meat is preserved in airtight containers and herbs. It gives it a unique flavour, and it helps stop it from rotting if you need to preserve resources."

"How would one know if a ration wasn't swapped with something else?"

"Trades are validated before transactions, the only way to know for sure. But when dealing with shops, they can check via their arm device, some come with a scanner that allows you to check the inside of contents. I'm lucky to have one built into my device, it's what I had to modify, to change my appearance."

"So, you're pretty much a jack of all trades…"

"Something of that sort…" Killua felt themselves blush, another compliment being received for no reason "You're a weirdo…"

Daniel smirked as he leaned forward, "I'm sensing you're not the kind of person who can handle compliments."

"What gave it away…?" Killua frowned.

"Cheeks, plus the rise in tone. Your pitch raises whenever you try to deny the situation."

"I'll try to be more reserved then."

"I don't mean it as a negative thing. I'm just pointing out what you do when you get embarrassed. Plus, it means you're humbler about your skills. I admire that in a person, even though you could show off, you're down to earth… so to speak." The man snatched the final chip "Which reminds me… so for tomorrow, even though I took a day off… I'm thinking of bringing you out to do some clothes shopping. As much as enjoy you filling out my shirts… which is sarcasm, I'm a size at least smaller than you. I'm surprised none of my shirts has ripped in half as soon as you flex those muscles of yours…"

Killua looked down at Daniel's shirt, "I suppose so… also, it's not something I would wear. Do humans have pants that come with protective gear for down there?"

"Unless you're planning on wearing a codpiece… no. None of our undergarments has protection for what we dub as… the family jewels or Nuts."

"Is that what you call it? We call it an Aconaris…"

"If it's what I think I accidentally saw… ours, is called a Penis. Judging by what yours looks like, from my quick glimpse… I'd say ours looks different to yours."

Killua tilted their head slightly, "You're… not weirded out by it?"

"First of all, I won't say anything. I didn't plan on catching a peek, it wasn't my intention. So, I'm sorry for doing so… otherwise, my opinion is the junk doesn't matter if the personality is trash. I've been with a Pre-op Trans-man before, which means no bottom surgery, for the non-jargon savvy person… I don't mind. If we were dating or hooking up… I'll be intimidated, but nothing I can't get used to."

"Did… did you just casually hit on me?"

"To steal a line from a song… Hey, I just met you and this is crazy… I would give you my number, but you don't have a phone. However, I'd think I'd like to get to know you first… before one of us, takes the other to pound town."

When Killua raised an eyebrow further, the man sighed "Basically, we barely know each other… I don't date strangers, even if one or both of us consider each other as friends. Gon on the other hand… I'm worried about you meeting him."

"Why…?"

"The moment he sees you, he'll want to undress you… as in, be all up in your business."

"Understood…" Killua, however, immediately smirked "Although… it sounds like my kind of person…"

Daniel frowned, "I'd say avoid him… considering, he could figure out you're not human… and that could be bad." Why… why did it hurt, knowing Killua could be attracted to Gon? The man pushed the thought to the back of his mind "Anyways, let's watch a movie then we can turn in for the night. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."