Chapter Text
“Here have some of this.”
Killua didn’t put up a fuss when Geon practically shoved a doughy ball of goodness into his mouth. The sweetness was immediate as the crusty glaze on the ball melted upon contact with his tongue. The first bite was normal, just like any other donut hole, but the release and subsequent bites were foreign sensations.
Killua swallowed.
“What is that?” It tasted just like a donut hole but that texture and consistency were so strange. Almost like a mochi-dough hybrid.
Geon casually plopped one into her mouth and answered while chewing. “It’s called… A poi mochi doughnut…” She swallowed and beamed at her new friend. “It’s good right?” Killua took another whatever-it’s-called and shoved it quickly into his mouth and nearly cried at the beautiful tastes and textures.
“Itsh rwoory groood…!”
The afternoon was nice. Neither one of them had a match scheduled that day (apparently the matches start getting a lot longer the further up you get) and Geon had promised to wait for him to catch up to her anyways so it was just a free day to do whatever they pleased. Killua, who had yet to explore the city, suggested a city outing.
“We should go on a date right? That’s what c-couples do before they get married ri-right...?”
Urgh. He really wanted to die of embarrassment. As comfortable as he felt with Geon, sometimes she just got him so damn flustered and then she would laugh when he floundered at what to say. Totally uncool. But she was also super cute when she laughed so maybe making a fool of himself wasn’t the worst thing that could happen.
Like when they first left the arena in the morning and Geon had instinctively grabbed and held onto his hand as she led him down the streets. He had never held a girl’s hand aside from Alluka’s before and had sputtered out in embarrassment. Geon had asked if he was okay and when he failed to explain she had started laughing.
It was cute. But also fucking embarrassing.
Killua knew that his new friend wasn’t actually laughing at him but it certainly didn’t help his bruised ego at all.
Geon eventually showed him this quaint little shop that sold ethnic pastries from around the world. He had no idea how she knew he loved sweets so much but Killua was bursting in excitement to try new deserts out. She just smiled secretively at him.
The entire afternoon was great, Killua got to eat to his heart's content and the conversation with Geon was animated and interesting. Talk flowed easily, the young Zoldyck didn’t think he’d ever just clicked so well with another person before. He imagined that even if they hadn’t met here in this city they were inevitably meant to meet one day. There was just this gravitational pull between them that Killua didn’t want to fight. Like it was fate.
The look in Geon’s eyes said that she felt exactly the same.
Just when he didn’t think the day could get any better a commotion occured and for the first time he got to see her in action.
It was on their way back to Heaven’s Arena, hands full of plastic bags filled to the brim various pastries, when there was a shout of alarm.
The two children stopped in their walk when a lanky man burst out onto the street from an alleyway looking terrified. Then there were several large men in suits chasing after the poor sod.
Everyone on the street watching the commotion did nothing but stare and move out of the way as the man was pursued. Killua himself scoffed at the man’s cowardice and lack of self defense ability, was ready to walk away when he noticed his new friend didn’t move.
“Geon, what’s the matter-”
Turning around revealed an uncharacteristically stormy expression on the perpetually happy girl’s face. Killua had been dumbstruck for a moment before realizing her shining green eyes were trained on the group of men who had caught up to the man and were preparing to beat him up.
Geon held her hand out and passed him her plastic bags.
“Killu, please hold my stuff.” He followed the order without a second thought.
Then she marched forwards.
Killua almost didn’t realize what was happening because his mind was suddenly stuck on a loop of ‘oh my god she called me Killu’ and he blushed brighter than a tomato.
The cute nickname induced trance was swiftly knocked out when Geon delivered an equally swift kick to one of the large men who went flying several yards and slammed into a wall unconscious. Killua’s eyes widened with amazement. This was much better live than seeing it through a screen.
All the suited men were immediately on guard, stepping back in alarm as this slip of a girl sent one of their men (maybe a good six times her weight and size) flying. They all pulled their blades out.
“Stay out of this brat! This doesn’t concern you!” Suit number one shouted.
“She’s just a kid boss!” Suit number two said.
“Did you see what that kid just fucking did to Reggie?!” Suit number three cried. “Kill her already!”
Geon just frowned despite the death threat and narrowed her brilliant eyes at them.
“Don’t pick on other people!”
The three suits just looked at each other incredulously, as if to say “is this kid for real?” Then with a synchronized nod they all charged.
Geon easily dodged their clumsy swipes, dancing freely between punches and switchblades, a bright smile on her bright face, eyes gleaming with enjoyment and the thrill of the fight. She leaped up at a particularly vicious lunge from Suit number 3, tucking her knees to her chest, before swiftly bearing down on the huge man with a powerful kick. The pavement beneath the thug cracked and his face was deliriously dumb before he collapsed into a heap. Geon just gracefully skipped back down onto the sidewalk.
“Fuck,” Suit number 2 cussed as Suit number 1 charge forwards her with a swipe of his knife.
Geon whirled around and knocked the blade out of his hands with a sharp chop then followed through with a roundhouse kick to his head. Suit number 1 went down fast, head knocking against the hard concrete ground, before going unconscious.
“Fuck.” Suit number 2 cursed again but was smart enough to halt in the fight, recognizing when he’d lost. He glanced at the girl fearfully and carefully dropped his switchblade to the ground. “H-hey kid. I don’t want any trouble. I-I’m just following orders okay?”
Geon regarded him with a stern expression on his face but made no move to attack.
“Who’s orders?”
The man paled.
~*~
Later on, after Suit number 2 ran off dragging his associates with him, Geon had gone and talked to the man they were chasing. Apparently he had owed their gang some money which he borrowed to care for his sickly daughter (at this Geon’s eyes had melted and Killua could’ve sworn he saw some tears) and when he couldn’t pay it back they had sent those goons after him.
To Killua’s continuous surprise his new friend had reached into her pocket and fished out a bunch a cash and handed it to the man with a blinding smile. The man had sniffled and cried and thanked her profusely and ran off.
“How do you know he wasn’t just telling you a sob story?” Killua asked when Geon returned to his side and took her bags back from him. If it was him he wouldn’t have bothered to help someone who was too weak to even defend himself. What kind of man had to rely on little girls to fight his battles for him?
“I can just tell,” Geon told him with a smile. “Besides it’s not good to be so suspicious in life, you’ll get wrinkles early on.” She playfully poked him in the head and he swatted her hand away embarrassed.
“I-it was cool seeing you fight,” Killua admitted with a blush. “You were amazing.”
She stared at him for a moment and he could’ve sworn her cheeks turned just the slightest bit pink. But then she was smiling again and throwing her arms around him. “Thanks Killu! I can’t wait to see you fight too!”
Killua didn’t want to say but he was a bit hesitant to fight before her. She was obviously much more skilled than he and with his family background it was a little embarrassing to lose to some no-name girl.
Not that he thought she wasn’t special because she was probably the most amazing and beautiful person he had ever met.
“Let go now then!”
He looked up at her with confusion, “Wha…? Go where?”
“I wanna see you fight too, Killu,” Geon said with sparkles in her green eyes. “Let’s go hunt down those bullies and teach them not to pick on people anymore!”
Killua became alarmed at the suggestion. Because as skilled as he was even he knew he wasn’t ready to go up against a whole gang who probably had guns and other weapons for killing. But his heart became calm when he looked into Geon’s ernest green eyes and somehow he knew that if it was with her they would be alright.
“Ok!” He said with determination, “Let’s go hunt down some bullies!”
Even just the smile she flashed him at that was worth whatever he was he had just agreed to.
~*~
It was probably the most fun he’s had since being dropped off in this dumb city. Possibly the most fun he’s ever had.
As Geon had said, they did track down those gang members to their main hideout. And as Killua had suspected they did indeed have guns. Many many guns. But then Geon had just tossed him a piece of fabric, which turned out to be a jean jacket, and told him she had made it for him. He had been unsure how this was an appropriate time for gift giving but put the jacket on regardless. The soft faded blue was a lovely color, and Killua had no idea how Geon knew that he’d always wanted a jacket just like this.
But then it became more apparent why she had gifted him article. Killua could not be 100% certain, but it almost felt like bullets just grazed off of him when the mobsters fired on them. Killua had yet to be trained on how to dodge bullets but when he and Geon had finished pummelling the grownups, they had both emerged unscathed. Geon was smiling brightly and blindingly at him and Killua could not help but smile back. They left the hideout laughing and joking, carrying bags full of stolen goods and passed them out to the needy.
That how they ended their day as they stumbled back into Heaven’s Arena. Exhausted but in the best way possible. Grinning and giddy. Killua, who had yet to pass floor 100, was then dragged up to the suite Geon had been rewarded with for her Arena achievements. He had not had a proper bed to sleep on in months and so entering the room and spotting the luxurious King size was enough to bring him to tears.
“The bed's too big for me,” Geon admitted. “So we can share, okay? That’s what best friends do right?”
Killua, for maybe the hundredth time since meeting the enigmatic yet wonderful girl, blushed red again and refrained from pointing out that boys and girls who were not married should not sleep in the same bed. But then again, Geon had agreed to marry him, even if it was a joke (he was still dubious).
As if hearing his internal strife and hesitation, Killua was unceremoniously lifted by Geon who then tossed him onto the bed with a gleeful cry. He retaliated by pelting her with one of the large feather pillows. And so began the greatest pillow fight in all of history.
In the end, they both collapsed bonelessly and exhausted next to each other. Killua could hardly keep his eyes open, much less agonize over the inappropriate nature of the two of them sharing a bed (at least, that’s what his mother always told him). He began to fall deeper into sleep.
Before it fully took him he heard a sweet:
“Goodnight, Killu.”
And he closed his eyes, dead to the world.
~*~
“Like this?”
Gon flexed his body and followed through with the position Killua had instructed him with. The result was a charged spring that sent him tumbling forwards into the air and bringing down a powerful kick. Killua’s eyes widened at the power behind the move and instead of blocking as he had been doing during their training, this time he dodged instead.
The force of Gon’s kick shattered the floor beneath his heel and he let out a peel of laughter at the result. Meanwhile, Killua stared at him in wide-eyed surprise which morphed into a huge grin.
“That was awesome !” The young assassin exclaimed. He ran forwards towards Gon and the two shared a high ten. “You totally nailed that move!”
“You’ve got to teach me more!” Gon said. He hadn’t known how much more powerful his attacks could be with proper martial arts moves to channel his raw strength through. What would this be like later down the line when he could finally incorporate his enhancer Nen powers?
“And you have got to teach me how you got so strong,” Killua replied in awe. Gon flushed at the praise. It wasn’t like he could tell Killua that compared to his old life, being strong in this world was next to nothing. It was all relative he supposed.
Two weeks since meeting Killua and Gon didn’t think that he had had so much fun since living with his father. He loved Mito and Granny and Whale Island as much as anyone, but there wasn’t much to do. But here in the city and with his new best friend? Gon was having the time of his life.
For the first time in years, he felt elated. The last time he had felt this way was when he made his first piece of clothing back when Mito bought him that sewing kit. And before that it had been spending time with Ging. Gon hadn’t realized that it had been so long since he felt true joy. Finding Killua was the best decision he had made since being reborn.
They were practicing for their next arena match at the moment. In the span of two weeks, Killua, with Gon’s help and support, had managed to ascend to floor 130 while Gon himself had held back a bit to allow his friend to catch up and had only ascended to floor 157. Afterall, he wanted to finish this leg of their adventure together. Meanwhile, Gon had also been receiving some more professional training from Killua, aided by the other boy’s family background. At the moment, with the opponents he was facing, Gon didn’t really have need for such a thing but it would no doubt help later on when stronger opponents started cropping up. The Phantom Troupe came into mind.
They were practicing alone in one of the exclusive training rooms provided for those ranking floor 100 and up, which was chock full of training dummies and even the occasional automatron to offer a more intensive session. So far, Killua had yet to beat Gon (even without using Gon’s Nen), but Gon could tell that the other boy was vastly improving at a rate that if Gon had not been able to use Nen, he would soon be outmatched by the assassin.
But it was good this way. If Gen’s memories served correct, Killua would’ve spent the next two years struggling to reach floor 200. At this rate, they’ll reach it together in the next few weeks. Gon had yet to come across an opponent that he could not take out in one hit. It was only some faster opponents that drew out the time of matches a little bit since Gon had to hold back. The prospects were exciting!
It was only too bad that he would have to hold off on fighting above floor 200. Gon didn’t think he was ready for it anyways. The fighters on that level were currently beyond him. While Nen training and the improved physics in this world allowed him to become ultra powerful at such a young age, his body still wasn’t developed enough to go all out like he wanted to. Nor could he take too many hits from a master fighter. Someone such as Hisoka, for example, Gon could not yet hope to beat.
And that was a whole other can of worms to open. The Gen part of Gon balked at the idea of meeting with the crazed magician who may or may not have some weird predelections towards underaged boys. But Gon himself was sort of eager to have a chance at fighting someone as strong as Hisoka. Not anytime soon, but the allure was there.
“So what should we do now? Lunch?” Killu was asking as they started to wrap up their training session. The boy was sweating buckets through his white tank and looked overall exhausted but content. “I’m starving. I could go for some omuri-”
A chime sounded on the intercom system and Killua paused. They both looked up in interest as an announcement began.
“Attention contestants of Floor 150 to 199,” the woman said. “We here at Heaven’s Arena are proud to announce a special one-time event for those looking to get a leg up in the competition. To celebrate the centuries old holiday of our beloved Republic of Padokea, in two-weeks time we will allow you to partner up with a fellow contestant and compete in our special Friendship week contest!”
Gon’s eyes widened and he quickly shared an excited look with Killua next to him.
“Participants will be competing in a series of tag-team battles and move up the ranks. Depending on skill, teamwork, creativity and, of course, victory, partners will be awarded Friendship points that may be traded in to move up floors!” The announcer continued, but it was the next part that really grabbed Gon’s attention.
“And as a special treat, we are also inviting a Floor Master from the lauded 200 and above levels as the final trial for the winning pair to fight!”
“Floor Master?” Killua asked in confusion as the announcer continued on with the signup information.
“I…” Gon trailed off. Gen’s memories were so foggy despite his Nen enhanced brain that it was hard to remember. Floor Master… What was that again? He knew what 200 and above entailed, which were master fighters with Nen capabilities, but what was a Floor Master?
He shrugged at his friend, “No idea. But that sounds so fun ! We should totally do it, Killu!”
“I’m only on floor 130 though,” Killua said. “I don’t qualify. Is 2 weeks enough time to move up 20 floors?”
Gon’s eyes shone with shimmering determination, “You can do it, Killu! I believe in you! Plus, if we get enough points maybe we can get get to Floor 200 really really soon!”
His excitement and certainty must’ve been infectious because suddenly Killua was returning his smile and his blue eyes were bright with the same determination.
“You’re right, Geon! Let’s do it!”