Sorry I took so long! Well if it helps this is a thousand words or so longer than the Two Rivers' chapter that pushed this chapter down my update queue. Haha. Forgive me? xD
Anyway, hope you enjoy this and seriously don't hesitate to leave me your feedbacks~
WARNING: Lots of OCs with no names cuz' they won't be appearing again. xD Also, this chap has various themes. They could be all over the place, they could be integrated, it depends on your POV. Lol
DISCLAIMER: I WISH I own HxH
…
CHAPTER 13: Exposed
When Killua was three, he already knew how to wield three weapons: the blade, a rock, and his own hands. He didn't really use the blade after it was taught to him; his training was more on the latter two: how to use a rock to kill better than a bullet, or how to rip someone's heart out with just his hand, respectively.
By the time he was six, he already endured wounds most people would get in a lifetime. That was also the year he was thrown into a 50-feet well, with rising water and with weights to keep him from floating with it. The only way to get out was to sharpen his own hand and make his own path up.
It was dark and cold in that well (his whole childhood really) and he was reminded of it because of the place he was looking at the moment.
"I have never been on this side of the city before." Vaise said. Almost everyone nodded in agreement.
They were currently on top of the wall for their latest mission. It was almost as tall as the school's main building, and they were all looking down on a cluster of shanties and make-shift houses that could not go too far vertical because of the feeble material used to build them.
"I didn't know we had these." Gon said. Killua tilted his head to look at her for a second, and pushed down his blush. He could still feel the tingle in his cheeks in memory of her kiss or her words. But he realized he really couldn't take his eyes off her and her expression—not when she had yet to realize he was gaping in the first place.
She didn't look at the dirt and the messiness in disgust. She looked at it, and the people there, and saw it as it was: Broken. She wasn't as naïve as they thought she was, she did notice these things and understood them to a degree—yet, paradoxically, she remained bright and innocent.
Years ago, he never would have thought people like her existed.
And the fact that simply having these feelings for her could endanger her made him feel even more of a sludge.
"Okay, now's time to review the geography." Bisuke raised a finger and everyone immediately used Gyo, one of the first advanced technique they learned since learning the basics. Bisuke drew a nen very rough circle (she claimed it was intentional) in the air like she was drawing on a dusty glass. She put a think horizontal line somewhere in the upper quadrant that extended from before to beyond the wall. She then shaded the southern part of it, and put a dot at the top.
"This circle is the wall, a modern wall that was built on top of ancient ones that withstood the Great Fire." She said, looking at them one-by-one as she spoke. "This line is the Through river, a river system that went under the ground to resurface beyond the walls again. It exits at the West side of the wall to the sea several miles from here.
"This hatched section is the forests which connects the inner city (and the shaded parts) to less dense areas and the country sides. This is the entrance to the city from the rest of the civilized areas, really." And she paused, tapping that area. "In fact, if it weren't for [some extreme] interventions, this hatched part would be shaded as well, since… why not live in the forests right?
"This shaded part is the part you're looking at." She went on, re-shading the place to emphasize that its area was large—almost as large as quarter of the city itself. "The number of people who live here are at least five times as many as within the walls, though."
"Eh?" Gon exclaimed. One-fourth the size of the city, but five times its population? "How can they still breathe?"
"You underestimate the human condition, kid." Bisuke only said. "Mah, you'll know more soon enough.
"And finally, this dot…" She paused for effect. "Look behind you."
They did.
And they all flinched.
They had been following Bisuke's lead until then and she had been facing the southern horizon the whole time. The woman demanded attention to herself too naturally, and also they were distracted by fellow members, that it never quite occurred to them to look behind them.
They knew there had been a mountain, of course, but until then they (except Killua) didn't think on how large it actually was. It was so large that people from below wouldn't even have an idea how massive it was until they were high enough from the ground.
"That's called the Kukuroo Mountains," She said looking at Killua, just before she shrugged. "I just want you to know how certain powerful families live."
Neon furrowed his eyebrows and stared at the dark clouds over the top half of the mountain (he didn't even know it was snowing in there, and now he mused it must be a perennial thing it was there. How white and grim it looked… "People actually live there?!" Almost everyone stared at Bisuke the same way.
Instead of answering, however, Bisuke turned her sights to Killua.
"Y-Yeah." He said and everyone blinked in surprise as they turned to look at him. "I used to live there."
And they gaped at him again. Killua didn't know what to feel about that.
…
Some meters behind them, Bisuke looked at her students, one by one. The youngest were having fun, as always (Gon was somehow coaxing Killua details of living at such a place, which Bisuke knew he never would've wanted to relive if it wasn't ever-beaming Gon who was asking); the bocchama looked haughtily annoyed, as usual; and her star student seemingly stoic, but in a different way than usual.
This assignment was actually supposed to be done the next week, or the week after that, so the kids could be mentally prepared of a world most of them weren't exposed in. But Killua was particularly giddy and shy (it was freaking annoying), Neon unenthusiastic, and Kurapika seemed very troubled about something she probably didn't plan on telling them about at all.
As the particularly strong gust of wind at their height made her ponytails wave wildly, she stepped closer and clapped her hands twice. "Attention kids! I'll tell you what we're doing at the border of, what some would call, 'paradise'." She said with nonchalance that implied she definitely didn't agree with the nickname.
"This lesson is titled: Introduction to marginalized communities. What is your mission, you ask?" She questioned rhetorically. No one was really asking. "Clearing up the stereotype of 'high society' folks."
.
"Huh?"
"I'm confused." Neon said. "What's the point?"
Bisuke tiredly sighed at this and Neon blushed a little for suddenly being made to feel like an idiot. "These people may not have a lot of money." The blonde said. "But you will learn much from them."
"First off: Here's how the disparity of this city (and the shanties at its borders) came to be." "A few decades ago, the new generation of rich merchants decided to create a self-contained city—that is, a city where you wouldn't have to leave because everything you need is within it, and of great standards too.
"To make things short when incorporations boost a part of the city and make it rich, the surrounding area becomes valueless—and who'd do the menial jobs for those in the high-end areas?" She said and looked below her for the answer.
"Aaaand that's how the dense shanties are created." Bisuke said frivolously before shrugging. "It was a pretty common event back when there were still a lot of cities." Neon continued to look at her doubtfully (perhaps trying to think of something smart to say).
Bisuke, unfazed, went on. "They… also comprise eighty percent of the city population." She added, her tone going slower for an eerie effect. "Imagine what'll happen if they unite and kill every elite."
"I still don't get what exactly we're supposed to do." Kurapika said coolly. "We understand the goal, but what of the objectives?"
"Simple." Bisuke said in a way people who didn't know her would actually believe it. "I need you guys to help at least one family each." She said. "And be sure to truly help them—and that means no money or buyable items allowed."
Neon looked at her incredulously for a second (how were they supposed to help poor people without money anyway?) But then he noticed the lack of disparaging reactions from the rest of the group (which didn't help his case of still feeling a tad ignorant).
And so instead of calling out how incomplete he thought the plan was—he crossed his arms and asked: "How do we know when we truly helped them, then?" Bisuke only grinned back.
"Trust me," said the blonde. "You'll know."
…
Several minutes later, the group was already walking across the slim corridors of the shanty area.
It felt weird. All eyes were on them. Don't get them wrong—all of them had more than enough moments of being stared at (even Bansho, because MUSCLES), but this was a different sort of stare. Not quite hostile, very few of them were, and mostly curiosity, like most of the ones they were used to receiving, but the sort of appraisal they felt was nothing like the ones directed to them in the past.
Looking at the denseness, the number of people in the narrow streets, the make-shift items—the used galvanized steel sheets for roofs, the used tires to keep the wind from blowing them away, and the old fabric as curtains, among others—that constituted their homes…
But they, being people who had been through things themselves, didn't feel superior at all.
And contrary to what most people would feel—it was humbling.
After a walk that felt so long, particularly because of the clear path the people made, they eventually reached a small crude plaza. Honestly, with all they saw they didn't think there would even be one. It was small, but there were improvised basketball courts and a small open area where kids could play and mothers to wash clothing as a group.
"It's time to take my leave now." Bisuke said, turning away, and looking at the two suited people by Neon. "Basho, Vaise… you are not allowed to help him in any way. For the sake of your jobs, I can only allow you to watch over him from afar."
"Eh?" But that's just—
But then the bodyguards received the sort of stare (it was not even a glare) that made them fear for their lives, and they simultaneously patted Neon on the back. "Mah, you'll be fine without us."
"OI—"
"They cannot go within a ten meter radius from you, understood?" "And Neon cannot see you." "That is my condition."
Vaise and Basho shrugged. Ten meters is already pretty near, especially now that Neon could use Nen. They'll take what they could get. Satisfied with the lack of counters, Bisuke nodded, and turned around. Basho and Vaise soon faced another direction and walked there, soon to disappear in the crowd.
"You'll be facing something worse if you bail out~" She said. "Have fun!"
And then they were already gone.
…
The awkward silence in the vicinity remained, and soon enough they could hear quiet mumbles. Most of them were 'What are they doing here?' and the annoyed Neon, who wanted to get this over with, decided to break the silence.
"We are here to help." He said in that pompous way of his. "It is our mission." "If anyo—"
"We don't need your money."
Neon raised an eyebrow at this. "We're not actually supposed to give monetary benefits."
"That's not the point!" Another one yelled. It was an unruly-looking middle-aged man. "We don't need your pity, you rich bastards."
"Yeah!" A woman with wild hair and a baby at hand supplied vehemently. "Go and take your pretty flawless little faces back to the center!" Bisuke would've taken that as a compliment but alas, she left them in there.
"That won't do!"
"We owe you nothing!" "And we would not want to have one."
Neon was about to continue his retort when he felt familiar hands on his shoulder, stopping him. His emerald eyes met her blue ones and he could only watch as she took a step forward.
"But you do owe giving us a chance." Kurapika said, for some reason the face of a certain mysteriously infuriating school president came to mind. "We do not judge you by your economic conditions." She went on, as if nothing out-of-context was on her mind. "We're only asking you do the same to us."
Neon's huge verdant eyes never left Kurapika. Killua and Gon did the same. "Ah, as expected of Kurapika." Killua said, impressed. "She knows what to say."
"Yeah. But…" Gon whispered and Killua leaned down a little by instincts to hear her better. "…somehow I get the feeling part of that speech is directed to herself."
Killua blinked a little at that and turned his head to Gon. Suddenly, they were too close and her breath sent shivers down his spine.
"Well, then help my family." A woman said, appearing from the crowd which somewhat dispersed as she spoke, turning their attentions to her. Killua gulped down his nerves and appeared stoic again.
The woman was plump, but she was filthy in her way, and Killua could so easily see the slyness and meanness behind her eyes. "I need help in dealing with my eight children."
"I can do that." Gon said beside him and he found himself whipping his head towards her again. His eyes widened as he watched her approach the woman and gesture to follow her as she walked.
"W-Wait. I'll come with you."
"Ehh." Gon uttered, puzzled. "But we have to help a family each." She said as if Killua wasn't listening to Bisuke.
"Yes, but—"
Gon turned away when the woman called her. She just looked at him for a moment. "I have to go now." She said, before shifting her eyes alternately to her friends, and beamed at them excitedly. "And have fun!"
"Ah. Gon being Gon…" Neon said, partly moping behind him, just before noticing Killua was moving to the direction Gon went. "Where are you going?"
"I'll choose a family near hers." Killua said with a shrug, as if it was automatic that he did so. And he, too, disappeared.
It was around then that an old woman went near them, shaky from age, and stared right at him. "Pink hair?" She said, eyeing his head like it was some sort of museum piece. He couldn't not help but notice her lack of teeth. "Wash my dishes!"
.
"What?"
The old woman stared, Neon stared back, eyes twitching. Kurapika sighed and patted his shoulder (which made him flinch a little) and gave him a gentle shove.
"Go on Neon." She said. "A new experience is usually worth it."
"I'll have you know that—"
But then Kurapika was already turning opposite to him, eyes set to a little brunette girl who was hugging a worn-out stuffed toy, staring at her in awe. She sat down to see her eye level. Neon's heart skipped a beat when she gave the girl a gentle smile.
"Do you want to play?"
…
Killua, after seeing Gon enter one of the houses, looked at the old man that had been staring at him since he was in sight. He had an old beard, his back made a painful convex arc, and he was only stabled by a stick. Killua found him a little familiar… like he had been a passing entity in his every day life.
"Where do you live, ossan?"
He unsteadily pointed at the cardboard box supported by the wall that wasn't even that less flimsy than a cardboard.
Killua blinked and coughed, embarrassed. "…oh."
The old man didn't seem to mind the question nor his answer and only stared. "What are you doing here?" The man asked very slowly, shaky, to the point Killua could almost not understand.
"We're here to help a family." Killua said and looked at him, just in case, because he really wanted to help him out. "Do you—"
The old man shook his head. Then again, why not help him along with a family? Surely they had enough time… "Well if there's anything you need me to do…"
The old man didn't even wait for him to finish and pointed at the small house in front of him. "Wife hurt every day." He paused. "Drunkard."
"Eh?"
And right on cue—he realized the cluttering of porcelain and the angry grunts inside the house. If he had Gon's ears he wouldn't have taken so long. Then the screams soon got larger and cries of a boy resonated.
He burst through the door—something that came down easily even when he didn't use much force—and saw that the man's hand was way up in the air, ready to strike the woman he was holding by the collar.
"What the—" He was cut off by something sharp pass by him, scratching his face. The man moved his striking hand to touch his face that then had a stinging line of blood. Reluctantly, the man looked behind him to realize the sharp object was a splinter from the jamb of the broken door.
He was born from a family where everyone hurt each other—stab each other, throw each other sharp objects, contain a member for years—all without conscience.
And being naturally angry at this was a statement of why it was the right decision to leave.
"What are you doing?" he asked coolly and the man, although shivering under his cold stare, steeled up to face him.
"Disciplining my wife."
"He's drinking that weird stuff again!" the boy cried facing him, not moving to him, but rather to his mother. And Killua thought he was either foolishly trusting that he could help them or he was just a very very brave boy.
"TEME—"
"C'mon old man, you're talking to me." Killua said, nonchalantly crossing his arms. "And there I thought manners are universal."
"Why you—" The old man gritted his teeth, his face red from the alcohol now redder. "IF you want to get out of here in once piece—GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE!"
Killua palmed his face as if the shower of saliva reached him and sighed in faux-exasperation. "I can't do that, obviously. I wouldn't have gotten involved if I'll just leave right?"
The old man's eyes twitched at being made to appear stupid and he stomped to the boy. It wasn't hard to ignore his woman and his brat's pleas to leave the boy alone—it was something he did every day, anyway.
They were particularly noisy that time though, yelling not to hurt the weird elite-looking kid, so he didn't realize the screams that soon came afterwards...
Were his own.
…
It took Killua a little over an hour to teach the boy—no more than six—some fighting techniques. His father was at his bed still screaming in agony while his mother went to and fro to checking the two men of the household. Killua didn't realize she still had two children, both too young to walk by themselves, until she went to them carrying the two.
Killua taught him basic self-defence techniques—particularly how to rouse unharmed when being attacked by a much larger man—none of which could kill by themselves. They even got a few audience, a few kids mimicking what he was teaching the boy.
He had to admit, a kid less than a third his age desperate to get stronger for his family was pretty humbling.
"You're the man of the house now." He said when they finished. "Be sure to keep your dad in line."
And behind him, the old man clapped.
…
Meanwhile, several houses away, a certain pink-haired bocchama was mumbling to himself as he cringed at every used plate he touched. "I can't believe I'm doing this—"
"You don't directly put soap in!" The old hag yelled, suddenly behind him, and tapping a finger on her arm in impatience. "Use water to rinse!"
He faltered a little, although he was really just annoyed with the old woman's voice. "What are you, five?"
His eyes twitched in annoyance at that. "Well I'm sorry since I don't know how to do things we hire people like you to do!"
His eyes widened immediately when he realized what he just said. "I'm sorry I—"
However, the woman who had been noisy and nagging suddenly got quiet. A frown that told him, despite being soundless, the woman was furious. "Get out."
"Listen—"
"Get out!"
"I-It was just a slip of the tongue." He spat back but it only made the woman even more annoyed.
"In all my years of living, I know that slip-of-the-tongues rouse from the most truthful thoughts." Neon blinked. He didn't expect that. "Now stop acting like a five year old and freaking get out of my house!"
As he slowly and dejectedly walked towards the door—an area so near the kitchen because of the smallness of the home—Neon was reminded of Vaise's words. Humility could carry you a long way.
How hard would it be to say: 'I was wrong. I'm a rich bastard who knows little. And I would appreciate if you allow me to learn more.'? Despite not believing them to be true at all?
Bloody difficult, that's what.
In the end Neon couldn't do it, and he got out of the house to be greeted with the horrible smell of the slums, making it easier to push the twinge of guilt away. No use punishing himself over something he couldn't do, right?
He probably only could do that when all their riches disappeared.
Ha, he mused, like hell that'd happen.
…
Killua and the old man walked together to the area where Gon's house was. Apparently, the old man liked accompanying him. He said his name was Hamori… or was it Chatori? It was difficult to understand his enunciation because of his lack-of-teeth.
His feet stopped when he heard her chime-like laugh. He realized a second later that a number of other giggles resonated with hers and he only stared to watch.
She had a few kids circling her, laughing, and one small kid was even hanging on her arm like it was a tree branch. Another kid was yelling it was her turn next to swing, and child-like fight ensues. Gon effortlessly stops this by lifting the two kids up, one hand each, and he could tell a number of watching people were surprised with her strength.
Even the hostile woman—who no doubt planned to 'teach' Gon how hard it was to live her life—was already looking at her softly.
Gon's charm was unbelievable. And he couldn't help but grin so proudly.
"Killua?" She voiced out before even turning to her and yelled "WHOA!" when she did. "Hatori-san?!"
The old man with the long beard shakily raised his hand. "Y-Yo."
Killua's eyes widened and he looked at the two in alteration, surprised. "You know him?"
"Yeah. He's the janitor in our building." She said and mentioned that she found it adorable that he uses the mop as a cane. Then Killua realized something.
"You have a job?" He asked, facing the man. "Isn't that enough to get you even a small house?"
"I am used to being homeless." He said with a shrug (as Gon translated), and her face warmed further as the old man spoke, and looked around from adult to adult, child to child. "Children need money more than I do."
…
The three stayed in the plaza, observing the people as they chatted. Killua noticed Gon was particularly observant when it came to the kids. "I've always wanted siblings." She said when he asked why. Killua only nodded, and keeping the fact that he wished most of his siblings didn't exist to himself.
The old man made a peace sign as they chatted, he realized it meant "I had two." And then began mumbling again. This time Killua understood. "They're all dead now though."
It was a little disconcerting that Killua understood Hatori's speech better when he began speaking of the dead.
"Were you always a janitor, Hatori-san?"
He shook his head. Apparently, the old man was actually had a better job until twenty years ago.
It was the time when he lost his whole family to an unknown mafia.
And Killua was suddenly very very quiet.
"All I saw were needles." He said as he whispered about the day his family was killed. The day he lost the capacity to walk without support. "But when I came to look there were none." He whispered, touching his calves as if it was still in pain.
"All I know for certain that my family is gone.
"…the only solace I could get was alcohol." He said with a sardonic smile. "In retrospect, that made everything worse…"
"It was weird. I couldn't help but imagine the black-haired kid I saw." He whispered, looking at the air so deeply as if he could still see it happening. And Killua was already frozen in place, shivering. "He was a young one, small, perhaps no more than five years old at the time..." "He was pale and had eyes deep as a pit.
"Maybe I over-romanticized my memories…" He said, laughing ruefully to himself. "Perhaps it was because he was the last person I saw before my family.
"Yet I still shiver when I imagine his eyes."
…
Hidden in one of the alleyways, Vaise and Basho were about to go to Neon and force him back into that poor old woman's house when they realized that they suddenly couldn't move. Still, their minds' eyes tried to visualize frantically the source of the sudden strong aura concentrated on an area right behind them.
It was unbelievable, how such perfectly hidden auras were suddenly so strong. They were so well-controlled that they doubted any nen user outside their radius could feel these two.
"W-Who are you?" Basho yelled, still looking in front of him, unable to see who was causing all of these. He abruptly forced an aura to at least get his head to turn around. But then they felt light pressures at the area in their shoulders near their necks, and suddenly they liked standing stiffly better. It was definitely better than dropping to the ground, vision blurring to a black.
"Whoops." They heard above them. It was a big voice, obviously a male of likely large built. They cursed the fact that they heard less and less as they slowly slid into the state of unconsciousness.
"Oi, Oi, Uvo—don't kill them." "Danchou's gonna kill us!"
"I doubt it." The man said. "But mah… I guess we can spare these rich bastards."
Their eyes blurred further until all the could see was black. Vaise could sense the line of tears forming in her eyes. She was so helpless.
Neon-sama…
If something were to happen to him, Vaise would really have rather they be killed.
…
But they woke up, being shaken wildly by Bisuke and the others.
"They're awake! Finally!" She yelled, pretty near their ears too, and they heard Gon and Killua speaking somewhere in the background.
"W-What was that?" Killua said worriedly. "What's with the sudden burst, Basho?"
They both groggily opened their eyes and moved, although Basho visibly moved slower. Vaise just sat up and tried her best to regain full control of her body again. "How long have we been out?" Basho asked with palm on his head. By that time Vaise was readying to stand up.
"We sensed the aura around ten minutes ago…" Gon supplied. "You two were very difficult to wake up, what happened?"
The two tensed up and looked around frantically at that. "Neon-sama?"
"Kurapika went to look for him." Killua said, eyes never leaving them. "We can sense him," Killua said. "He seems stable."
Vaise and Basho heaved a sigh then, but it wasn't quite the moment to relax just yet. It was around that moment when Kurapika and Neon appeared in their line-of-sight.
"NEON-SAMA!" The two guards yelled with Vaise running to him immediately and shook him. "Oh my goodness—a-are you okay?!"
"Oi—" Neon sweat-dropped, not hiding an annoyed expression at all. Although, inside he was touched but he was never the one to openly express that. Despite her usual harshness, Vaise had been the closest person he had to a mother.
"You are okay?" Basho said from behind her, and Vaise let go to make way. "Did no one approach you?"
"I found him unconscious as well."
"What?"
"Well, I think I fainted somewhere." Neon shrugged. He could vaguely recall a short haired blonde woman—but he was so uncertain he didn't even bother saying it. And otherwise? His memory was blank. "I don't feel anything. Nothing from my possession was lost either…" He said, which was one of the reasons why he didn't really mind fainting other than the fact that it was embarrassing.
At least he woke up with Kurapika's face so near his, and her hands holding his neck anxiously.
He blushed at that thought.
But fortunately, everyone was busy trying to make sense of what just happened. "Perhaps it was just people with a grudge, wanting to scare us off." Basho said with a frown, still shaken by what happened.
"But they're really strong."
"Yeah." Basho said, his hands forming a fist. "But next time we'll be ready."
Vaise frowned at this. Because, really, she doubted they ever would—not with that kind of strength. And yet she didn't say anything and only stared at the boy she vowed to protect since he was a baby.
Perhaps they wouldn't be strong enough to protect him from these people, but she was sure they'd die trying.
…
The group returned to the make-shift plaza after they had composed themselves. Gon insisted, despite most of them wanting to just go home. She said it would help them get over their bad moods. She didn't want them to remember the place so negatively.
And indeed they didn't.
It was a close community—everyone knew each other—everyone was smiling and everybody seemed friends... or rather, a family. They had meagre living arrangements but there they were: Okay and smiling. Neon couldn't remember ever smiling so freely for no reason at all.
Then his eyes found that little girl Kurapika spoke with earlier and when she looked at their direction, the girl beamed and wildly waved her hand. From his peripheral view he could see Kurapika waving back but, as he turned, he realized her bangs were hiding the upper half of her face, and her smile was strained.
Neon's eyebrows furrowed and he leaded down a little to peek. His eyes widened.
Her eyes were red.
"Ah, Kurapika." He paused. "Your eyes."
"It was just your imagination." Perhaps it was. He'd heard about it from pretty much everyone—how Kurapika's eyes magically turn red—but he doubted he'd ever get used to it.
"You trust me don't you?" He said without moving, slightly leaning closer. She flinched a little as they both recalled how she told him of her past not too long ago. "Then let me see."
Kurapika sighed and didn't lift her head. However, she tilted it every so lightly—just enough to grant him his request. They were so red—so bright, so alive and he could feel his heart do the same thing. "I think they're beautiful."
Kurapika's eyes widened slightly, but otherwise she gave him a small smile that made his chest feel like it'd burst any time soon. He looked away then, regretfully, but he knew he could only take so much.
Silence passed and everyone remained spectators (except Gon, who was suddenly playing with the children). He realized he and Kurapika were alone, in a sense, at least in their own little zone—an imaginary circle no more than a meter wide.
As he listened to the children laughing, he could feel himself calming a little more. He recalled what they said about Kurapika's eyes—that they turn red when they experience extreme negative emotions. Kurapika liked that little girl, and he could only thing she remembered something she didn't like instead.
"What did you remember?"
"My childhood." She said quietly, amazingly steady. "She reminded me of me when I was that age."
Neon's emerald orbs darted back to the little girl—a girl so happy and smiling and he immediately felt his stomach drop at the fact that Kurapika experienced something so heartbreaking that she changed so drastically.
"I'm… sorry to hear—" But then he stopped himself. No he wasn't sorry to hear that. Instead, he looked at Kurapika again, and she looked back at him.
"Thank you for telling me."
…
Standing a little farther from his group, Killua saw the exchange with an observant eye and he realized he was envious of the two. At least to Neon, the only thing keeping him from confessing was his ego. To Killua, his ego no longer mattered to him. But just thinking of his family—
"Ora, why are you so pale?"
"Gon!" He gulped and suddenly his thoughts went out of the window. She was huffing a little, obviously still hyped up from playing with so many kids. "…er…what do you think the point of this is?"
Idiot
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… the lessons we're supposed to learn." He said dumbly and mentally kicked himself in the back. Gon seemed unaware of this, fortunately, and looked at the sky and then to the people in ponder.
"Well…knowledge of the world they have…," She looked at the shanties—the houses made from make-shift materials and by their own hands. "To be forced to find every way to get what they needed…to do what they have to." "That sort of ability that roused from helplessness is incredibly useful." She said and grinned, staring at Killua's ogling face.
"Besides…, look how easily they become happy—with the littlest of things."
But then as her eyes roamed proudly at the people, her eyes ended up on Hatori again. He was patting a boy's head, who promptly jumped up and went back to playing with another child his age.
"I still feel bad about Hatori-san though. I never knew…" She said, smile suddenly disappearing—something that changed further into a frown the moment she turned to look at him. "…Killua?"
"Are you okay?" She asked further, facing him fully now. "You look unwell."
Unwell? He was sick. Sick to the bottom of his stomach.
But then his hard frigid hands suddenly came contact with something soft and warm and he realized she was holding his hand. "You can tell me."
His hand tightened its hold on hers like a lifeline. He looked at her golden russet orbs, almost pleading her not to ask. But they were so large and kind that he couldn't bring himself to deny her of her request.
"It was my brother." He said, tone flat from nervousness. "…the boy who killed that old man's family."
There was a silence between them, but their eyes never parted.
"I…see…" She whispered but she did not let go of his hand. She barely even flinched.
"It makes me feel sick." Killua continued, feeling like she once again opened that taut faucet that blocked his thoughts. "What my family—what I did—for so long."
His eyes went to look at the oblivious old man again. "I want to do something to get the old man back a good life."
"He already made one for himself though." She said from beside him and his head whipped to her direction, and he gaped at her for saying something so odd.
"He's really happy don't you see?" Gon added as if reading his thoughts. "He gave almost all the money he earns to others, didn't he?"
Like before, Killua only stared
"The thing is…" Gon supplied further, really wanting him to understand, yet at the same time smiling in amusement at his expression. "When you are really really grateful for what's happening to you…, then you'd naturally want to give."
She said her words in a way that made him think it was the most obvious thing in the world, their sights moving towards the quintessentially-smiling Hatori again at the same time. "That means he's happy."
He continued to stare for what felt like a few seconds.
And then he burst out laughing.
Gon blinked at his reaction and tilted her head in puzzlement. "Why are you laughing?"
"Haha—I was—hahaha—" He cleared his throat. "Sorry." And then he looked at her again—this time really deeply, making her flinch under his gaze—his cheeks painted pink from laughing. "How…how do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"See things in that sort of light all the time?" Gon stared back at him not really sure what he meant. Killua only smiled at this. "Do you think you can teach me?"
"…Huh?"
And then Killua laughed again.
.
.
END OF CHAPTER 13
Coming Soon:
CHAPTER 14: Families
There are many types kin. But whichever you have, they will tend to define you.
REPLIES TO ANGELS
LittleChomper – Hahaha you're welcome! I really enjoyed writing that pair and glad you liked it! Btw, it was pretty much just how Kuroro looked at him that made her blush. *wink* Thx for reviewing~
Kazumi Rin- *cackles* IKR. In real life it's seriously hard to have nice moments under the rain. xD I'll reveal the whole Kuroro thing little by little. For now I'm hoping you angels will be satisfied with the filler-y other developments. LOL. And yep! Illumi'll appear soon. Thank you for reviewing btw! :D
Jonica77 – Thank you for reviewing~ Super happy you're loving the story so far! And abt Entwined… hmn… I'm still uninspired for that one. I'll try to update tho!
Laine Klein – Hi there! Welcome to the story and I'm glad you sent me some feedback. xD Glad you like the charas so far and lol. I made fanarts of fem!Gon… hope they can help with the visualization thing. Haha. And Thank you for reviewing~! :D
KG-Ai – hahah IKR. Writing love-struck Killua was super fun to write too! haha. Anyway, glad you liked the moments of both YY and Chain pair and thank you (and your OCs) for reviewing! Hihi
Darlingfedz – Aw *blushes* well then! Thank you for saying that and I'll do my best to deserve that title. xDD And whoa! A teenager again, eh? Fun times, fun times. In any case, so glad I manage to help with your stress~! *cheers* I'll try to keep at it!
Duskofdawns – Thank you for reviewing! Hahaha. Two dorks. What a suitable way to address them! *cackles* So cute. I'm glad you liked the update too, and sorry for taking so long~ Hope this one's okay, too! xD
Phoenix-Thunder – lol. Thanks for the review~! 13k words? LOL that's never gonna happen. xD Proofreading 6k words already kills me you know. Haha. And of course, I'm so happy you found the chapter great! *brofist*
Tochiome-chan – I will never tire of telling you 'welcome back' every time you return from a ban. xD haha. Super glad you liked the pairing moments! Wohhoo ~! And thank you for reviewing xD
PrimsoneClementine – Hahah thank you for reviewing! xD So much fun to see you react that way lol and I am super glad that you liked the chapter! (Kura needs to blush more) Hehe. And, oh? The story is easy to understand but hard to predict, eh? I like that, I'll try to keep that up. xD
Retz – Awww don't stress yourself out! I hope you're enjoying what you're doing! And if you aren't—brainwash yourself! Lol. Anyway, thank you so much for reviewing! And I hope this chap helps with your mood xD
Shiver-Fire – Thank you for reviewing and glad you liked the chapter! And Entwined? Not sure. I outlined it ages ago, but inspiration to expand 'em has yet to come *sobs*. Plus inspiration for Two Rivers (another story) is stronger unfortunately…
Obsessed Dreamer – First off thank you for reviewing! So glad you really felt the intimacy in the sublime rain scene lol. I'll reveal their past, little by little, in due time. ;) And cool! A KuroKura plot bunny? Maybe you can post in the facebook page and see if someone'll adopt it! Only if you want of course.*twinkles*
Queen of the Avast Seas – Wahaha glad you liked the story! Haha. And no worries, I think the next chapter (or the one after that)'ll have more romance lol. Thanks for reviewing by the way~ :D
…
Thank you for reviewing!
Now please pause for a moment and tell me: what you thought of the story so far!
And/or this chap in particular? xD