THANK YOU FOR READING THIS FAR! I hope you enjoy this chapter and, as always, I would love to know what you thought! Hugs to my vocal readers and to the silent readers—please don't stay that way forever. xD
Again, here Alluka is still a boy and still referred to as 'she'. Kalluto and Gon are girls. And Nerys is here! Altho she won't be as threatening as she is in Two Rivers. She'll probably be just as annoying tho. Hueheuehue
WARNING: There will be quite a few pairing developments here. However, it is likely you'd like some, and hate the rest. xD You've been warned! :D
DISCLAIMER: I WISH I own HxH
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CHAPTER 15: Cave
Alluka stared into the ceiling of her new room. Well, hers and Kalluto's to be exact. Whichever case, she regarded the room with fascination—the high ceiling, the box with moving pictures, the light from an actual window. It was a reaction natural to someone who had been living underground for as long as she could remember. Her room for the past decade wasn't exactly a cave, but it was no different either.
She stood by the city map in front of her. She recalled that Kalluto-chan and another girl showing it to her. "I wish to know precisely where Killua is," the other girl said after granting three of her wishes, and Alluka thought nothing else of it but seeing her older brother again.
"Aye."
Tilting her head to look at somewhere random with a goofy grin on her face, Alluka knew she was very excited indeed.
"Are you thinking?" Kalluto asked because Alluka might just as well be staring at the ceiling for no reason at all. "What of?"
"Onii-chan~!"
"Ah." Kalluto nodded, expression as stoic as always, but twinge of a smile was unmistakable. "Me too."
…
Meanwhile, just on the other side of the door, on the suite's living room, Nerys Bloodsworth was sitting pompously on one of the upholstered chairs, legs crossed, one arm laxly resting on an arm rest, while the other supporting her phone."Can you do it or can you not?" Her eyebrows furrowed at whatever the response was. "Of course the latter is rhetorical."
"I don't care if it's an elite school. I'm an elite! What's the bloody problem?" "A third of the school year is over? So? Why don't you even try first before spouting nonsense? Just use our name." "Do you want to get fired?"
Eventually, her posture softened after something her servant said. "Good." She nodded in approval, before her eyes shifted to the door where the siblings were. "And make that for two students."
Another murmur came out from the other line. And with that, her eyebrows furrowed again in annoyance.
"Just do it!"
…
Killua opened his eyes, feeling an odd chill. His head turned automatically to look at the clock. It read 11:00pm, which meant he was asleep for no more than an hour.
He rolled around for a few moments and sat up when he failed to get back to asleep. He sighed and as if it would help lull him to sleep again, he recalled what he was doing before he fell asleep earlier: rehearsing how he could possibly confess to Gon in the most romantic way possible.
He flinched a bit at the surge of nerves that went past him—roused by nervousness, excitement, and anxiety from the unknown.
Blasted Bisuke for giving him an ambiguous answer. What the hell was 'You already know the way' mean?! He wouldn't ask if he already knew now, would he? Ridiculous old hag.
He was about to continue mumbling to himself when the phone rang. Now, who could be calling at such a time? Probably an idiot with a death wish—
"Killua?"
He froze. "G-Gon?"
"Did I wake you?"
"Uh." He cleared his throat. "No. Is everything alright?"
"I couldn't sleep," was all she said for a while. "Have you heard what happened to Neon?"
He almost sat up, then, but his back remained glued to the bed. The tension in his body was a dead give away of his worry, however. "What happened?"
"His ability was taken." She said.
"What do you mean?"
"As in stolen." She paused. "Like Nen is something you can touch."
"What?" He voiced out, incredulous. "Is there such an ability?"
"Vaise said Neon could tell the future." If his eyebrows were curved before that, it certainly furrowed increasingly as he heard Gon explain. Then again, he had a sister that could heal anyone. And that was just the beginning. "So yes, I think anything is possible at this point."
Yeah, he mused referring to a brilliant confession idea that had yet to come to him, anything.
"I just want to ask if you'd know how to interact." She mumbled. "I mean… I could say something insensitive or something."
"Just be yourself." He said, with a reassuring smile on his face. "I don't anyone would be offended by anything you'd say." Then he paused, recalling just how important words were—his words were, as well, at the moment. "I wish I knew what to say."
"Just be yourself." She echoed, and he could almost see her grin.
"Mou—" The words were cut from his tongue by a realization.
"Killua?"
She wouldn't care how she said it, would she? What mattered was that he did. "A-Ah. Gon?"
"Yeah?" He couldn't say anything for a while, and he could almost feel Gon's increasing worry from the other line. "Killua? What is it?"
"…er. Nothing." He cleared his throat and palmed his face at the cowardly move. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"
"Not really." She said and he saw her smiling somewhere in her bedroom. A second of the image made him feel warm. "Night night, Killua. Sorry for bothering you."
"Not at all!" He forced himself to shut up instantaneously. Well, that came out louder than it should've.
"Killua?"
"Just call whenever you need to." He could hear his voice weakening. "Or want to."
"Eh? Oh… okay!" He heard her puzzlement, but he knew both of them were glad he said that. "Thank you."
He smiled into his pillow. "Owashumi." He said. He heard her giggle, and he ended up burying his face deeper into the pillow.
"See you tomorrow."
...
And that they did.
"You're early." Gon said, knowing that Killua was always the last to arrive. At this, Killua stuttered a little. Why couldn't he just say that he was here to be with her a little longer? He mused to the night of the ball. He was somehow smooth then, and he wondered if the suit magically gave him confidence.
That and he didn't have a dream about his brother back then. But still—surely they couldn't find him? He was one of the best in covering his tracks. He'd live out his life the way he wanted to. And that was with Gon.
Gathering his courage (who would've thought this would be what terrified him?), and cleared his throat. "Gon…"
Gon stared at him, and as he looked at her, her expression became deeper and more sincere. It must be his own expression. He wondered how red he was.
He might be burning. But he was ready.
But then the school bell vibrated throughout the school grounds, so loudly that even Gon who was entering a trance was pulled out of it. "Eh…" Gon mumbled, a bit stuttred. "Right now?"
Nononono. It was time he really told her. He'd go insane otherwise.
"GON—"
But then he felt it—an unfortunately familiar sensation that made him bit his tongue. The sensing of presences of people he had sworn never to see again. Inside the campus.
They found him.
…
On her side of the school, Kurapika was walking on the near-empty corridor, emptied by the fact that most students were already in the auditorium. It was one of the things the students were surprisingly prompt and obedient about—she expected they'd be more prideful and defiant, due to their statures. She later found out that the compliance was because of a rumor that the President watched in the shadows, picking out the students he'd guarantee amazing future and connections with.
Kurapika thought, with little doubt, that they were all fools.
"Please help me, Neon-sama!"
She stopped herself when she heard frantic voices of girls, instantaneously sensing a certain friend's presence. She walked to it, and there they were—Neon, surrounded by three girls.
"I heard the most horrid news that my father's selling his stocks of your company! He barely got profit too." Another girl pleaded. "I can't let him do that—"
"My father as well!" "He dismissed the idea of letting me get engaged to you!"
Neon only glared at them. They flinched, but some people simply were too self-absorbed to be aware of their surroundings. "Is it true, then, Neon-sama?" The third girl whispered, an undertone of disgust barely disguised. "That your father's having… health problems?"
Mental problems.
He was ready to snap at the girls. He really was.
"Neon."
"Oh, Kurapika." He froze. But as the others looked at the source of the voice he too turned to her, stance straight, but his head was lowered to the point she could barely see his eyes. "Walk with me."
He ignored the disbelieving gapes of the women and walked to her. Kurapika caught the signal and began walking along side him. However, as they turned their backs on the girls, they began speaking behind them. "They're really hanging out together?"
"So the rumors are true then."
"Neon-sama's friends with the poor students—"
Neon turned to yell then, but Kurapika held his arm. "Don't bother with them."
"But—"
"Let's just go." She said, pulling him to move. And after a while, her grip softened, and she looked at him pitifully. "You look horrible."
Neon didn't say anything, all the way until they reached an abutting corridor. They entered an even emptier corridor and stood still for a while. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking up at his passive face. "Where's Vaise and Bansho?"
"I asked them to leave me alone for a while." He sounded monotonous, slightly facing away from her. "I'd have to get used without them around. Because obviously one of these days we'd have nothing to pay them."
Kurapika opened her mouth in an attempt to say something when Neon faced her and sighed, tiredly putting his head on her shoulder. A small blush to crept up her face.
"N-Neon?"
"Just be still and let me stay here a while Ice Queen." And she did stand still, but not because he ordered her but because of how much she knew just how deeply his haughty tone just tried to mask the cracking voice underneath. Neon was caving in.
Kurapika remained there, still, until he said it was okay.
…
AUDITORIUM
Several minutes later
They, being late for the ceremony, arrived in the school's monthly assemblies using Zetsu to avoid earning attention upon themselves. Kurapika froze when she saw him sitting next to the teachers. Their eyes met, and she was quick to turn away, making sure that that little exchange never happened.
Hanamura Kuu, the principal, began his speech and as she watched an experienced old man speak, her mind wondered as to how a young man like that guy would become the school president. It was likely family connections, which led her to the thoughts she'd rather not dwell about at the moment.
"We will now introduce two new students!"
There were murmurs in the crowd. It wasn't often they got transfers more than a month in. And when they did, they rarely announced in such public assemblies. When they do, the students were special. And by special that meant 'from very powerful families'.
"Also, be nice to them. You should really show them around the school."
From the backstage emerged two very beautiful women arrived. One seemed to be a year or two older than the other, and they were both had aesthetic faces and charms in different senses. It wasn't a surprise that the murmurs that followed were men's.
But there was something that made her whipped her head to a direction of the walls, sensing something, yet knowing full well whose it was.
"Killua." Neon whispered, apparently sensing the same. "Ah. It's gone."
There was a sudden fluctuation of aura—almost like a burst of surprise and anger and panic—that Killua was quick to subdue, but was unfortunately not quick enough. It didn't take long for Kurapika to understand why.
"This is Nerys Bloodsworth and…" Kuu-sensei gestured at the girl with a demure aura around her, the name pulled their attention back from worry for Killua. "Kalluto Zoldyck." He said. The murmuring stopped, apparently the whole room was shocked. From some rows behind her, Kurapika heard a few people get enough composure to speak.
"How surprising." One said, whispering vehemently. "Gorgeous girls from seriously powerful families—so powerful the children didn't even need to go to school at all."
"First time laying my eyes on people from either family."
The other one seemed to nod. "People from two of three families who were more powerful than the Nostrades, eh?" It was followed by a scoff. "Not that the Nostrades would be keeping their position."
Neon flinched at that and Kurapika's hands moved on its own to rest over his hand—a hand that was gripping the cloth of his slacks. It was around then when the older girl, the one with an oddly sophisticated yet feral look about her, walked to Kuu-sensei and said something. She was staring at a side of the audience, next to the wall behind which she felt Killua's now-disappeared presence.
A huge part of her attention was caught with how easily Kuu-sensei let her have the mike. He was unconsciously bowing, even, as if he was revering the girl. That or was afraid to lose his life. Either way, Kurapika knew she'd have to be wary of the two girls.
In any case, a few men thought Nerys' watchful, searching eyes were directed at them, were for them as shown by their dreamy looks. "Sorry guys." Nerys said with a proud smirk. "I'm already engaged to one Killua Zoldyck, a student here."
.
She smirked at the utter silence she initiated. "Does anyone know why he's not in here?"
The quiet atmosphere prepped up. They were surprised they already had a Zoldyck in their midst. And most of them did know Killua—not everyone had silver hair, whether or not it was dyed. Also, as a few girls would add, who would forget anyone so devilishly handsome?
In any case, by that time Kurapika was certain Gon and Killua never entered the auditorium, she realized that she shouldn't have entered either… because the moment Nerys and Kalluto took their seats below the stage, Kuu-sensei looked at that guy.
In retrospect she should've noticed that the President was taking a random seat next to the professors. "Now, we'll introduce a new faculty member—our new Guidance Councillor!" He paused and looked at the raven-haired man. "K-Kuroro-san?"
Kurapika's eyes widened a bit and she could only watch helplessly as he took a spot behind the rostrum.
Did he lie when he told her he was the President? But more importantly—why did she believe his words so easily…when she had been acting so suspiciously of everything else?
Kuroro looked somewhere in her direction and smiled. There were barely-contained fawns and the noise from the female population pulled her back to the present, and both made her frown. "I hope we can get along well~" He said, and the girls squealed.
She would've destroyed whatever she was gripping, if it wasn't Neon's hand.
What's this bastard planning?
…
Gon and Killua sat at a sturdy branch of a massive tree far away from the auditorium. Killua had been very vehement to being left alone—he didn't want to be seen with her—just in case people he didn't want to see were watching. Yet, as they sat side by side, or rather with Gon facing him, looking at him like he was a fascinating yet worrisome painting, he could say he was glad she followed him there.
"Why didn't you listen to me?"
"Rather than the want to be alone…," said Gon. "You seemed scared. How could I just leave you like that?"
"Ah."
"So... I get that you don't want to attend the meeting this month, but… what happened?"
He only stared at her for a while, his mind running a few kilometres every second—trying to figure out exactly what and how much he should tell.
"I…" he began, albeit very slowly, facing whatever he was seeing below them. "I sensed people in the auditorium—people I didn't think I'd see again…" And even more slowly he lifted his head to finally look at her. "You know that I ran away right?" She nodded.
"They might try to take me away." Her eyes widened in response, he ended up facing away again. Pitiful that he couldn't even hold a stare.
He was scared.
Then he felt her warm hand on his head. "That won't happen." She said with that resolute way of hers—yet he thoughts he was being very naïve, if only she knew what they could do to her. "If you do not want to go with them, I will not allow them to take you."
And as happy as he was to feel that she cared so much, it was a statement that truly, inexorably, terrified him. "NO." He said with even more determination than she just did, forcing her to make an expression that made him flinch. "I-I mean don't do that." He said and sighed, the weight of everything getting to him. "In fact, you shouldn't even go near me until they leave."
"What?"
He had to protect her—he can't have her involved in his family's bloody affairs. He couldn't burden her with his feelings now, especially when he'd be risking her life.
He ran away not because he hated the killing, it barely got under his skin for a while—taking lives was no longer an innate issue with him—especially before he met Gon. It was his lack of freedom, how his life was being controlled so thoroughly, how his life wasn't really his anymore—that pushed him off the edge.
But now they found him. Who knew what they'd do to Gon once they figured out how much of a weakness she had become.
The thought made his stomach drop.
He looked deeper at her confused, and hurt, expression and a part of him regretting saying everything that he said. But the larger part told him to steel himself.
Besides…, she's the daughter of a law enforcer, he a son (and former heir) of the most powerful and dangerous mafia in the world. If the fates were writing some sort of tragic love story..., they were being very very cruel.
"My family—particularly my older brother—wanted me to live in their cave. They think it will shelter me, protect me, but all I see is darkness." He said, meeting her eyes and trying to connect through them. Please understand. "They are the darkness. They'll do whatever is needed to get their goals."
He held her cheek, so warm and soft, and for a millisecond she turned away from it. He pushed down the sudden pain in his stomach at this and thought of what he'd do to close this distance—but he stopped the thoughts, and his hand flinched once more.
"Just promise me you're not to associate with me until I say you can, okay?" He said with the straightest face he could muster, using his other hand to make her face him again. "Please understand." He said, trying to reach something in her eyes—something that didn't use to be so guarded. "I'd like to deal with this on my own."
Gon frowned, the hurt too much to mask. How little he trusted her, she must've thought. But who was she to say otherwise? In the end, holding his cold pale hands on her face as tightly as she could, she nodded.
"You will come back, right?" She said, looking straight into his eyes. "To us, I mean."
He did not find the need to push the warmth inside his body at the implication, but other than smile and nod he didn't do anything. "Promise."
His eyes were telling her something at the moment, and a part of him wished that—even with the most unconscious part of her brain—that she understood.
Wait for me
.
END OF CHAPTER 15
Coming Soon:
CHAPTER 16: Action-Reaction
Almost everything clashes with another
REPLIES TO ANGELS
XHunterzX – haha. Glad you don't mind Nerys! I'll make sure she isn't as troublesome as usual but mah. Hahaha. And thank you for reviewing~!
KG-Ai – First off Hello there Okire-chan! Hahaha. And aww—I'm so glad I help in your relaxation. I hope to continue writing such chapters. And sno worries~ Nerys won't be as troublesome as she was in Two Rivers. Hope you enjoy and thank you for reviewing~
Jonica77 – I know, I know I'm sorry! Hahaha. But if it makes things a bit better she's way more troublesome in TR. *wink* I'll reveal the Ging thing next chap. Enjoy and thx for reviewing~
Darlingfedz – Wahaha I know I'm so sorry! I took longer this time too. Hope it's still worth the wait~ xD Anyway, glad you somewhat liked the chap anyway and advance Happy New year! xD Thx for reviewing as well~
LittleChomper –Ah, no worries~ Nerys won't be as troublesome as she was. I'll make sure of that. *wink* Hope you still like the story regardless and thank you for commenting!
Obsessed Dreamer – Well, I'm glad you're back! And yes, that's right. It's Kuroro. I'll dwell on that a bit more later on. Thank you for commenting~! And again, glad you're back. xD
Queen of the Avast Seas – Ah~ If it makes it better, Nerys will be a wee bit less threatening here. xD She's actually kinda for the humor lol. Anyway, thank you for reviewing~! Hope you enjoy ;)
Laine Klein – It's you! Glad you're liking this so far and I do hope I don't disappoint (tell me when I am). xD Thank you for reviewing!
Guest [nov 7 2014] – Thank you for reviewing! Glad you like the story so far and here's the update! Sorry it's late.
Guest [nov 14 2014] – (ch1) More Gon Killua moments coming up~ xD Well, maybe not as much as you'd like but it's something! Lol. Thank you for reviewing, and glad you're having fun. :D
Phoenix-Thunder – Thank you for reviewing! Lololol. The Ging thing I'll dwell on soon, and yes we should cry lol. She won't be that troublesome tho so don't worry! xDD I'm super glad the ships here actually works lol and so glad you're having fun!
Trishlee – Hi there! Happy you're liking the story so far. A few more GonKillua moments here and the KuroKura pair will be focused on real soon! I promise. xD After I fix the GonKillu one lol. Thx for reviewing btw~
…
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