Archive of Our Own ^beta

Disclaimer: I do not have anything to do with the HxH franchise. I guarantee I wouldn't be a fanfiction junkie if I did.

A/N: I really don't know where I'm going with this fanfic beyond this. So let me know if you want anymore besides this one-shot.

ALSO! PM ME IF YOU WANT TO REQUEST A PROMPT. I WILL DO IT AND GIVE YOU CREDIT FOR THE IDEA.

….

Return to Whale Island

….

The white-haired former assassin stood hesitantly at the front door of a familiar house on Whale Island- Gon's house. By his side was his sister, looking anything but her childish self. She would occasionally steal fearful glances at her brother before quickly bringing her bright blue eyes back to the ground. The boy to her left was in no better shape- looking as if his heart had been ripped out, a devastated and lost look in those blue eyes of his. He finally gained whatever nerve he was lacking and brought a shaky fist to the door, knocking on the wood. It wasn't long before the door opened, revealing a bright-eyed, albeit confused, Mito. The woman tried to keep from frowning, her brow creasing with worry.

"Killua? What a surprise!" She looked over his shoulder on instinct, "Where's Gon? Did something happen?" She tried her best to keep the panic from her voice- the look on the boy's face not helping to ease her fears.

"He's… He's with Ging." Killua mumbled, looking to the side and he almost missed the relieved sigh escaping the woman's lips. Though the idea wasn't totally relieving to her. In truth, she'd hoped that he would have given up before he'd found his father. She wanted Gon to continue thinking of her as his parent. Not Ging who had so easily given him up. Then there were the children on her doorstep. Why was Killua here? And who was the girl with him?

"Why don't you come inside, Killua? You can introduce me to your friend and catch me up on what's happened." Mito barely caught the fear in Killua's eyes sharpen and she grew more concerned. The girl beside him just continued to look down, tense.

"N-No. That's okay. I can't stay." He looked at the girl next to him before returning his gaze to Mito, "This is my sister, Alluka. I'm supposed to be looking after her, but something…" He shifts a bit, pain flashing through his eyes, "Something happened. She's not safe with me anymore. Could you look after her?" Mito's eyes widened, looking between the two children.

"You want her to stay here?" Killua looked desperately at her.

"Please. I don't want to impose. I just thought that since Gon was with his dad, maybe you wouldn't mind having her here for a while… If you can't take care of her, then I'll find someone else. I just can't be the one watching over her anymore. She's not safe. Besides, she needs a mom, not me." He rambled, desperately trying to convince the woman in front of him to take care of his sister.

Mito looked torn. She considered Gon her son and having Killua stay with them for the period of time that he had was such an enjoyable experience. She loved having the house as lively as it was and having another child around for Gon to play with. And truth be told, she grew attached to the white-haired boy, despite not knowing much about him. He was a friend of Gon's and was, as such, family. So when he pleaded with her, she wanted to help him. But her motherly instincts also told her that it would be a bad idea to let him leave his sister here. What had caused them this much pain? What danger were they in? She couldn't in good conscious leave him alone.

"Alright," Killua snapped to attention, looking at Mito in surprise, "She can stay here. But on one condition."

"Anything." The boy spoke with such affirmation that Mito felt bad for getting his hopes up.

"You're going to stay here too." Killua opened his mouth to speak before Mito held up a hand, silencing him, "Just for a few days. Four days. That's all I ask. If you really are in danger, then you'll need to be well-rested before you leave. Get rested up, then you can go. Okay?" The former assassin hesitated. He didn't want to stay. It wouldn't be right. But the stern look in her eyes told him that he no longer had a choice.

"Fine… I'll stay. But only for four days. After that I'm gone." Mito sighed, wishing that there was any way to make him stay longer.

"Alright. I'll make up the guest room for Alluka. You can sleep in Gon's room while you're here." She crouched down to face the girl, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alluka. My name is Mito. I'm Gon's aunt. I hope you like it here." Alluka smiled sweetly at her, her eyes showing the faintest trace of happiness.

"Thank you for your hospitality. You're really nice!" Mito's heart warmed, already falling for this sweet little girl. She noticed a small smile on Killua's face reacting to his sister's happiness and she longed to know what had happened.

"Well, let's get you two settled then!" Mito stood up straight again, leading the kids inside the small home. Killua was filled with nostalgia, a feeling that wasn't welcome to him these days. "Killua, you both can put your things down in Gon's room while I get the guest room ready for Alluka. You remember where it is, right?"

"Yes. Thank you." The assassin replied almost numbly, trying to block the pain out of his heart.

He walked down the hall, opening the door to his old friend's room. It didn't feel right being there without him. In fact, it didn't feel right being there at all, even if Gon was there. It just felt wrong after all that they had been through. It had only been a mere three months since Gon and Killua had separated, but in that short amount of time Killua's life had been completely turned upside down. Promises were broken, people were killed, and hearts were broken. All of this without his friend's knowledge, of course. He couldn't bear to tell Gon everything that had happened. He couldn't bear to see the betrayal in his eyes, hear the disappointment in his voice. He would eventually find out about him leaving Alluka on Whale Island, but by then Killua would be long gone. A coward's way of dealing with the present situation, he knew, but he wasn't about to stick around.

"Do you need any help unpacking?" He said, knowing his sister would only refuse. He was right. She simply shook her head, refusing to look at him or utter a sound. He sighed and set his bag down on the bed, frowning. He didn't know what to say. What could he say? Nothing. And so he said nothing all afternoon and evening unless addressed by Mito or Abe- and even then he was as vague as possible.

Alluka was better at hiding the intensity of the situation. She spoke easily with the women of the house, all of the time ignoring her brother aside from the occasional sidewise glance. This interaction, or lack of interaction, deeply troubled Mito. She remembered the bright-eyed, witty boy that her surrogate son spoke so highly of. The boy who had watched her in wonder when he thought she wasn't paying attention. Now that boy was reduced to silence and what she could swear were unshed tears.

That evening, as Killua was taking a bath and Alluka was helping Abe with baking cookies, Mito found herself alone to her thoughts. Gaining some resolve, she took her phone outside into the humid evening air and dialed Gon's number. It rang a few times before his chipper voice answered, bringing a smile to her face.

"Mito-san! Hi! How are you?" She walked to the steps, sitting herself down.

"Hi, Gon. I'm fine. How are you?" Gon faltered for a fraction of a second, though it was unnoticed by his aunt, before answering.

"I'm good! Ging is so cool! He's the greatest hunter ever!" Mito frowned, part of her hurt by hearing how happy Gon was with his father. She shook it off and smiled again.

"That's good to hear, sweetie. Listen, I know that you're having fun. But I have a favor to ask of you."

"What is it?" She could hear the worry in his voice and she decided to cut to the chase.

"I want you to come home right away."

"Why? Is everything okay? Did something happen?" The boy was panicking on the other end and Mito sighed.

"Killua's here." Gon was silent for once, not knowing what to say, so Mito continued, "He came to drop off his sister but I managed to convince him to stay for a few days. Something isn't right, Gon. He won't tell me what's going on, only that Alluka isn't safe with him. I'm worried about him. Maybe he'll tell you if you're here." The line was silent and Mito prayed that Gon would come back. She wasn't sure that she could keep Killua from leaving without his help.

"I'm on my way."

"Good. Please get here soon. And be safe." The woman felt as if a weight was lifted off of her shoulders, knowing that Gon might be able to make this right.

"I will. And Mito-san?" There's a strange tone to his voice that caused Mito to frown. He sounded almost monotone, something that she wasn't used to.

"Yes?"

"…Don't tell him that I'm coming."

The green and black-haired hunter hung up his phone, a troubled look on his face. Killua tried leaving Alluka at Mito-san's doorstep? It didn't make sense. The whole reason that the two of them had separated was so Killua could protect his sister. Now he's just leaving her somewhere for someone else to take care of? He gritted his teeth. To be honest, it ticked him off. What was the point in them separating then? Did he care so little about his friends and sister to just abandon them both?

"Gon? Is something wrong?" He looked up at his friends across the table of the diner they were currently at. Kurapika and Leorio looked at him concerned.

"Killua's on Whale Island." He responded to the Kurapika, a frown evident on his face. The two hunters across from him looked confused.

"Why's he there? Did something happen?" Leorio questioned.

"I think so. We need to leave as soon as possible." The boy wore a serious look. It irked him that he didn't know what would cause his best friend to behave so oddly. It didn't help that the former assassin hadn't returned any of his calls the past few weeks.

"Well let's go then. We shouldn't waste any time. I'll get our tickets." Kurapika gets up and leaves the room, dialing a number into his phone.

"Don't worry, Gon. I'm sure he's fine." Gon wasn't sure whether that was comforting or not. Sure, he didn't want Killua or Alluka to be hurt, but if they were fine, that meant that Killua had just given up on something important. Something that was worth leaving him for.

…

It had been three days since Killua and Alluka arrived on Whale Island before Gon arrived. Killua was sleeping while Alluka sat at the breakfast table with Mito and Abe. It was a quiet morning and Mito was about to go wake Killua up when a knock on the door was heard.

"I'll get it!" Alluka was quick to run to the door, flinging it open. Her eyes brightened and she grinned excitedly, "Gon! What are you doing here?"

"Mito-san called me. It's good to see you again, Alluka!" The boy in question smiled at her before motioning to the hunters behind him, "These are my friends, Leorio and Kurapika."

"It's nice to meet you! Killua's told me about you." Warning signs flashed in Gon's mind, noting that Alluka had called her brother "Killua," rather than "big brother" as she always did.

"It's nice to meet you too, Alluka." Kurapika smiled politely as Leorio grinned.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet someone related to Killua who actually seems normal." His comment received an elbow to the ribs from the blond and Alluka simply giggled.

"Where is Killua, anyway?" Gon asked, looking over the girl's shoulder. She frowned and opened the door wider, walking back into the house.

"He's still sleeping." The three followed her and Gon visibly brightened seeing Mito and Abe, running over to them.

"Mito-san! Abe-san!" He hugged them both happily.

"You've grown so much! Is my little boy in there?" Mito smiled, pulling back from the hug and Gon grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah, I've just been training a lot!" Abe smiled at her great-grandson and led him to the table.

"Why don't you and your friends make yourselves comfortable. We were just starting to have breakfast. I'll get you some plates." She walked to the kitchen to fetch the plates and utensils.

"Thanks, Abe-san!" Gon said, sitting down by Alluka. Leorio and Kurapika followed suit, Leorio sitting to the left of Gon and Kurapika sitting across from Leorio.

"Yes, thank you for your kindness." Kurapika bowed slightly and Leorio nodded in agreement. Mito waved them off, a smile on her face.

"Don't you be so formal. Any friend of Gon's is always welcome here. Although I wish I had known that you were coming." She sat down across from Alluka and sent a pointed glance towards Gon who rubbed the back of his head, laughing nervously.

"Sorry, Mito-san. I hadn't really thought of it."

"It's alright. Every friend helps right now." She looked towards the closed door of Gon's room, worry etched onto her face. "I just wish I knew what was going on."

"He still hasn't said anything?" Leorio asked before thanking Abe as she passed out the plates and silverware. Mito shook her head, frowning, before returning her gaze to the others seated at table.

"In fact, he's barely said anything at all since he got here. It's strange." Gon frowned and looked at Alluka who'd been quietly picking at her food.

"Alluka? What happened? What's going on?" Gon asked quietly, trying desperately to keep the impatience from his voice. She shook her head. "Alluka-"

"He said not to tell." The occupants of the table froze at this new information.

"Who? Killua?" She nodded and Gon could feel himself growing more annoyed, "Why?" She shook her head, silently.

"Alluka, sweetie, it's okay. You can tell us." Mito reached a hand across the table to rest it on the girl's shoulder. Alluka frowned and hesitated before finally whispering her reply.

"Big brother killed people…" Everyone tensed, the majority out of shock, Gon out of anger. He killed someone- no, multiple people? And by the look on the poor girl's face, they were innocent. Or at least not deserving of the death penalty. Gon stood up quickly leaving the table and walking toward his room.

"Gon, no-" Mito tried to stop him, though at that moment, the door opened. A groggy Killua emerged, rubbing his eyes, ready to utter a 'good morning' before he looked up and noticed with a jolt that Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon were all present- Gon looking very very angry.

"G-Guys, what are you doing here?" He tried to sound nonchalant, the stutter betraying him. He knew that there was no way of backing out of it. Gon would want to know why he was there. He would want to know-

"You killed people?" Gon all but screeched, fury evident in his features. Killua's eyes widened and he looked at Alluka in shock.

"You told them?" The girl hid behind Leorio, fear in her eyes and Killua flinched, "N-No, Alluka. I'm not going to hurt you!" Gon stepped towards him, those usually lively chocolate eyes set into a cold glare rivaling the one he gave Pitou.

"What did you do, Killua? Who did you kill?" Killua took a step back, feeling the weight of what he'd done fall on him.

"I-I didn't..I mean, I didn't mean to.."

"Gon, calm down!" Kurapika yelled at the boy, seeing the way that Killua was reacting.

"Answer me, Killua. What. Did. You. Do?" Killua flinched away from his friend. Mito had had enough and stepped in between the two boys, looking sternly at Gon.

"That's enough, Gon. You aren't helping by getting all worked up." Gon huffed and looked to the side as Mito placed her hands on Killua's shoulders. "Now, Killua, it's okay. You can tell us what happened, sweetheart."

Killua wanted to trust her. He wanted to believe that it really was okay. But he knew better. He knew that Gon would be disappointed in him, that he could fall back into his assassin habits so easily. He remembered the terrified looks of Leorio and Kurapika when he'd ripped out that prisoner's heart all that time ago during the exam. If they knew that he was still killing, that he was still a murderer, they may not want to be his friend anymore. So he lowered his head, shaking it slowly from left to right. Mito sighed but dropped her hands from his shoulders.

"Well," She tried to sound optimistic despite the tension, "Why don't we finish eating? Killua, you should eat something too, sweetheart." She walked back to the table, taking her seat without waiting for anyone as if her decision was final.

The boys and Alluka returned to their spots at table- Leorio and Kurapika across from one another, Gon and Killua to their right across from one another, and Mito and Alluka to their right. Abe sat at one end of the table, watching with interest. Everyone felt the tension in the air, so thick that it could have been cut with a blade. Killua kept his eyes on his plate as he ate, careful not to look up at the woman next to him or the boy across from him.

"So, Gon. How's Ging? Have the two of you enjoyed catching up?" Mito tried creating some sort of small talk, ignoring the tension and taking the heat off of Killua. He couldn't help but to respect her for that- even if she was most likely the reason that his motley crew of friends just so happened to show up when he was still there. Unfortunately, it was the wrong topic.

"You mean the asshole?" Leorio muttered, earning a kick to the shin under the table by Kurapika.

Gon glared at the older teen next to him and Killua choked back a laugh, still not looking up from his plate. He respected Gon for going to such great lengths to find his father, but to Killua he just seemed like a dead-beat who kept finding ways to avoid taking care of his son. Not that he ever told Gon that. Gon turned his glare to the boy across from him.

"What do you think of him, Killua?" There was warning in his voice. That if he gave the wrong answer, the boy would go off on him.

"Dunno. Never met him." And don't care to. Killua sounded nonchalant, still staring at his plate as he ate.

"I know. But you still must have some sort of opinion of him. So, what do you think? What do you think of Ging?" Killua had three options: lie, avoid the question all together, or tell the truth. Lying was beginning to take up too much energy and, even without looking at Gon, he knew that he wore that determined look of his, meaning that there was no avoiding this. Fuck it. Killua finally brought his eyes back to Gon's, his own eyes were guarded with traces of anger in them.

"I think that you wasted your time looking for him." Gon blinked in shock, clearly not expecting him to actually be so blunt. After the initial shock, slow-building anger began to set in his features.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Killua met his glare, his own challenge hidden in them, "I think that it was nothing but a waste of time looking for him. I mean he ditched you. He completely threw you away, not because he wanted to be a hunter. But because he just didn't want you." He saw a flash of hurt in those angry eyes and he almost regretted it. Almost.

"Killua! How could you say something so cruel? Apologize." Mito said but Killua made no move to say anything, just holding his friend's gaze.

"Take it back." Came Gon's quiet reply.

"Why? You know it's true. He put obstacle after obstacle between you and him. He never wanted to meet you. He made sure that you would never find him. I mean, face it. You never would have found him if it wasn't for me." The hurt in Gon's eyes was immediately replaced with more anger.

"I could have found him without you!" Killua laughed but it was bitter, without a trace of humor.

"Right, sure you could have. If I hadn't been around, you'd still be looking for Greed Island. Ha, I bet you wouldn't even know what Greed Island even is. You needed me to find him."

"Boys, stop it. Both of you." Mito was stern, glaring at the two of them in only the way that a mother could. The two boys ignored her orders, glaring daggers at each other.

"Right, like I could need someone like you. A murderer who's so willing to throw away his family and friends." Gon's voice was quiet and that was what hurt Killua the most. Not the accusation. Not the fact that Gon didn't need him. It was the sincerity in his voice that crushed him.

"Gon!" This time is was Leorio to speak up, "Cut it out. You guys are friends. Don't say stuff like that!" But Gon held his hateful gaze with Killua's now fragile one. It was a few moments before the white-haired boy was able to speak, too taken aback by Gon's words. When he finally did, his voice was quiet and shaking, tears stung his eyes and his fists were clenched stubbornly as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

"You think I threw away our friendship? You think I ruined whatever friendship we had? If you want to know a thing or two about throwing friendships away, take a look in the mirror. Mister I'm-Going-To-Avenge-Kite-No-Matter-What-Happens. Mister This-Has-Nothing-To-Do-With-You. Mister I'm-Just-Going-To-Throw-Everything-Away-To-Kill-Pitou. Mister I-Don't-Care-How-It-Affects-My-Best-Friend. Mister Let's-Just-See-How-Many-Ways-We-Can-Shatter-Killua's-Heart! Well let me tell you something, Gon. We haven't been friends for a long time. You made that abundantly clear in the NGL. You don't want me, so do me a favor and stop pretending like you do." The burning tears leaked down his cheeks without his consent and Gon stared at him in shock, all traces of anger gone. "Do you think it was easy watching you destroy yourself? Watching you throw everything, everything, away? Because it wasn't. Do you think it was easy knowing that I meant so little to you? And yet I still still got Alluka to heal you. I still protected you. Even when you treated me like nothing. I didn't throw anything away, Gon. You did." Killua was a mess, not used to breaking down in front of anyone, let alone Gon or his other friends. He didn't like feeling so weak. "And I'm not throwing Alluka away, either. I brought her here so she would be safe. Because I screwed up and I made a mistake and she doesn't want to be with me and…and I just want her to be happy. Why is that such a bad thing, Gon? Why is it that no matter what I do, I get hurt? Why is it that I can't have friends or a normal family? Why can't I be loved for once in my life?" Tears flowed freely down his face and he didn't have the energy or motivation to bother to try wiping them.

Before anyone could say anything, Killua clumsily got up and ran out of the room, feeling embarrassed and vulnerable. He blocked everything out- the yells of his friends and his sister, the rough feeling of the earth digging into his calloused feet as he ran, the light rain that was now falling. He ran until he was panting and gasping, trying to breathe through his unsteady heartbeat and the tears and mucus clogging his senses. He sank down into the mud, hugging himself, making his body as small as possible. And he cried. He cried until there was nothing left to cry. Until there were nothing but whimpers leaving his throat.

Inside the house, everyone was in shock. None of them had seen the former assassin break down like that before. In fact, none of them had ever really seen him cry before. Gon felt absolutely horrible, knowing that he'd broken his best friend's heart and said things that he hadn't meant. Beside him Alluka was whimpering, blaming herself as well. She knew that her brother wasn't a bad person and that he'd only been protecting her. She had never meant to hurt him. Leorio and Kurapika, once over the initial shock of what had happened, were still more than confused.

"Gon… what happened between you two?" Kurapika finally spoke up. Gon didn't know how to answer this. Or rather, he didn't want to. Leorio, sensing this, stood up and pointed at him.

"It doesn't matter what happened. You have to fix this." Mito nodded as Gon hung his head in shame.

"He's right. Something happened, but that's in the past now. What matters is mending your friendship. You need to talk to him." Mito's voice was gentle, but her eyes told Gon that if he bothered to try to worm his way out of it, he would suffer the consequences. He quickly nodded, and hesitated before getting up and forcing himself out the door.

"Killua!" He yelled through the rain, which had picked up a great deal. He held a hand over his eyes to shield them from the drops rolling over his forehead and started running. He managed to pick up his friend's scent, though it was faint from the rain. In truth, he had no idea what he'd say when he found him. He would probably just end up making it up as he went. But he had to try something.

….

It took Gon about twenty minutes to find Killua, huddled under a tree and sitting in the mud. By then it was only a slight drizzle, enough to force his upright hair down and in his face, but not falling hard enough to impede on his vision or ability to talk. He frowned, seeing the boy in front of him, curled into a tight ball, hiding his face. He hadn't seemed to notice him yet, or was choosing to ignore him. Either way, Gon had still yet to have thought of anything to say. He knew that starting the conversation out with an "I'm sorry" was out of the question since he'd screwed up so badly. Maybe helping out his ego by saying he was right? Making small talk? Trying to make him laugh? None of that seemed appropriate. Finally, he took a breath and decided to blurt out whatever came to his mind.

"Ging ditched me again." Well that was unexpected. He voice sounded loud in the quiet rain and he saw Killua flinch, still not lifting his head. He took that as a sign to keep going. "I found out after you left that I can't use Nen anymore. When Ging realized… he sent me home. He told me that it wouldn't be a good idea to hang around him and that I should go back to Whale Island." Gon gave a small laugh, though it sounded more sad than humor-filled, "I've been putting it off because I didn't want to face Mito-san since she tried really hard to warn me about him. So I met up with Leorio and Kurapika. And I tried to meet up with you, but you ignored my calls and texts… Anyway…" Gon frowned mumbling quietly, his voice laced with defeat, "You were right. Ging didn't want to be my dad. I think I kind of knew it all along. I just didn't want to believe it."

"I'm sorry, Gon." Gon who had been looking down, snapped his head up to face Killua. He was met with blue eyes filled with sadness. The boy in green blinked in confusion.

"You're sorry? That makes no sense! I was the one who was stupid and screwed up. Why are you apologizing?" Killua shrugged, the same sad look in his eyes.

"I just am. You worked so hard to find him. It's not right that he abandoned you again." Gon frowned, looking down.

"But you were wrong about one thing, Killua." He said quietly but with conviction. The hunter in front of him perked up, confused.

"About what?" Gon's eyes met his with fiery determination.

"I didn't waste my time looking for him. Because in the two years I was searching the world for Ging, I got to be your friend." Killua's eyes widened, staring at his friend in shock. Gon continued, determined to show Killua how much he cared about him, despite what he had said before. "It wasn't a waste because I was with you. I don't want to give up being your friend, Killua. I'm sorry that I made you think that. Because I love being your friend and you're really important to me and I don't want you ever to forget that, okay?" Killua didn't respond and just stared at Gon dumbly, worrying the older boy. "Ne, Killua?" Slowly, the sitting hunter's face began to turn bright red before he looked away quickly.

"I-Idiot! Wh-What's your problem, saying stuff like that? It's embarrassing…" Gon grinned and started laughing, hard. Much to Killua's display. "Shut up!"

Gon only laughed harder, the flustered look on Killua's face was hysterical to him- not to mention, Gon was just relieved that Killua didn't appear upset anymore. Killua scowled and tackled the laughing boy, causing him to lose his balance, falling into the mud. The dirty liquid splattered all over the two- leaving both covered in brown, laughing at each other. Both of them felt as if a weight was lifted off of them. Killua had finally confronted Gon about the hurt he was feeling while Gon was back with his best friend, the pressures of finding his dad gone. It was just the two of them again, being kids with not a care in the world. When they had finally stopped laughing, they tried to stand only to slip back in the mud and start laughing all over again. After another half hour, they laid in the mud, the rain dying down to a sprinkle. Gon looked at Killua who had his eyes closed.

"Killua, do you have to leave?" Killua looked over at his frowning friend, the smile slowly falling from his lips.

"It's probably for the best." He looked back up toward the sky, squinting at the raindrops still falling, "Alluka doesn't really want me around."

"…What exactly happened?" Gon frowned, not understanding why his best friend was so sad. Killua was silent for a few moments before he sighed.

"Alluka wanted to go to a park. There was one in the town we were staying in with a playground. She wanted to go on the swings. There were these kids there. I wasn't really paying attention at first, so I don't know what started it, but they were making fun of her. I told them to stop but they wouldn't. And they were making her cry." Killua frowned, a sad look overtaking his eyes. "Their parents were just standing there, letting it happen. And they had the nerve to yell at me when I called them out for not intervening." He got silent again and Gon was patient, sensing that it was difficult for his friend. Finally, Killua whispered, "One of the boys pushed Alluka down and I snapped. I don't even remember doing it. By the time the time I came to my senses, they were- they were dead. And Alluka was crying, looking at me like I was a monster." He closed his eyes, his lips trembling, "Maybe I am…"

"You aren't, Killua. You just wanted to protect your little sister."

"I killed them, Gon! That's not normal!" He sat up, holding his head. Gon sat up as well, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah but… It's not your fault. You're trying. I mean your family raised you to kill, so I think you're doing really well considering." He frowned when Killua flinched, "You're trying, Killua. You're going to keep getting better. You just have to keep working on it. I bet it isn't easy going against everything your family taught you." Killua slowly looked back to Gon, sadness but gratefulness in his eyes.

"Thank you, Gon…" Gon gave him a bright smile.

"You don't need to thank me. We're friends, after all." He moved to where he was sitting in front of his friend, "But that's why you need to stay here. We need each other!" Killua flushed again, jumping up and walking off.

"Quit doing that!"

"Killua!" Gon whined getting up and stumbling after him through the mud, "I'm just telling you the truth! You're my best friend!" Killua waved him off, his face still flushed.

"Stop embarrassing me!"

"Why are you embarrassed? I'm being honest!" Killua groaned, and Gon giggled. "Though it is fun making you all flustered."

"Man, that's just cold." Killua muttered, his bare feet slopping in the mud as they walked. Gon grinned sheepishly beside him.

"By the way, Mito-san's gonna be mad if you track mud in the house. You should have worn shoes." Killua stared at him incredulous.

"'We're both covered from head to toe! Besides, I wasn't exactly thinking about shoes." He crossed his arms. Gon shrugged, that grin still on his face and Killua rolled his eyes.

…..

"A-Ah! Cold!"

"Mito-san! This isn't fair!"

The two boys whined, shivering as Mito dumped cold water on them. They were standing outside in their boxers, fidgeting to try to stay warm. An angry looking Mito stood over them, holding an empty bucket threatingly.

"I'm glad that you two worked things out. But you aren't bringing mud into my house." She turned back to the faucet to fill up the bucket again, much to Gon's horror.

"F-Freaking slave-driver…" Killua muttered before another bucket of water is chucked at his face. He hopped from one foot to the other, his teeth chattering. Mito glowered at him.

"What was that, young man?" Killua shuttered,

"I-I'm sorry!" He muttered quickly, trying to avoid another wave of ice cold water being throw at him. Gon stifled a laugh earning him a glare.

"That's what I thought. Now go inside and take a bath. I want to talk to you both afterwards." Mito huffed before passing them each a towel.

The boys looked at each other before wrapping the towels around themselves and shuffled into the house. Inside the house, Leorio and Kurapika sat at the table, putting together a puzzle with Alluka. They looked up when the boys walked in and looked like they were trying not to laugh. Even Alluka openly giggled. Killua scowled at them, cheeks pink, and Gon pushed him towards the bathroom quickly. As soon as the door was closed, Killua threw his towel on the ground

"I'll wipe that smug look off their faces…" He muttered. Gon just shook his head, giggling as he turned on the water.

"You do look pretty funny, though." Killua rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. You look funny." When Gon stood back up, giving him a funny look, Killua burst out laughing. "You really do, though! Just look! Your hair's all frizzy!" Gon's cheeks burned.

"Yeah, well… You look like a drowned cat!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Boys! You better be in the bath!" Gon and Killua jumped and quickly stripped, getting in the tub, panicked looks on their faces.

"Yes, Mito-san!"

…

After the two hunters emerged from the bathroom, everyone sat down at the table for lunch. It was silent again, only this time the atmosphere wasn't as tense. Gon and Killua stole amused glances at each other whenever Mito wasn't looking. Kurapika and Leorio simply shook their heads, enjoying the boys' happiness. Alluka caught her brother's eye and grinned at him, Killua returning it easily, grateful that he seemed to have been forgiven (though he still would definitely need to speak with her later).

"Boys, I need to talk with you." Mito finally said after a few minutes of quiet eating. They looked up at her expectantly, wondering cautiously what was to come. Gon was the one who chose to respond.

"Yes, Mito-san?" She looked from one to the other seriously.

"I don't know what happened between you two before. And I don't know what happened with Alluka and Killua. I don't really care to because I believe the past is in the past and there's no sense dwelling on it. That being said, am I correct in assuming that everything's alright now?" Both boys looked at each other before nodding. Mito smiled softly. "Good. If that's the case, then you shouldn't have a problem with what I'm about to say, Killua." The white-haired boy blinked in response, slightly worried about what she would tell him. "Killua, you're staying here and that's final. All of you kids are. I don't care whether you boys are hunters or not. You're still just children and need adult supervision. And Alluka needs a woman to raise her. I'm sure that you're doing a great job looking after her, Killua. But that's just the bottom line. There's only so much that you can do on your own. So I'm not about to let either of you three leave this island, got it?"

Killua looked at her in shock, his mouth opening and closing. He tried to think of what to say. To tell her that it wasn't necessary, that he could look after himself. He wasn't a baby. But no matter how much he wanted to tell her that, nothing came out. In truth, he was touched. No one had ever given him an order like that before- at least, not out of love. Sure, his mother had told him repeatedly not to leave Kukuroo Mountain. But it was only because of her controlling nature, wanting him to be a murderer to take over the family business. Illumi also told him not to leave, likely for the same reasons. But this woman, Mito, was ordering him not to leave Whale Island out of love. She actually wanted to take care of him. He finally resigned to simply nodding.

"YAY! Big brother is staying!" Alluka clapped happily, and Killua couldn't help but smile.

"Well now that that's settled," Leorio stretched, getting up from his seat, "I should be heading out. I took off work and rushed over here in case you needed me but it looks like everything's fine, eh Kid?" Killua's eyes widened looking at the older teen.

"Really? Y-You came all this way just to help me?" Leorio scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, well, don't make a habit of pulling stupid crap alright? I'm your friend so of course I'm going to be there for you if you need me. But I can't keep taking off work like this." Leorio tried to sound nonchalant, thought he smiled softly at the boy. Killua flushed and looked to the side.

"Th-Thank you…Really…"

"It's fine. Like I said, you're my friend. It's what friends do." He waved a hand dismissively, walking towards the door. "At any rate, I need to head out before the next ship leaves. I'll see you guys around."

"Bye, Leorio!" Gon and Alluka both yelled, waving.

"Thank you so much for coming, Leorio. You're welcome anytime." Mito smiled warmly at him as he opened the door. He looked back smiling back.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Look after those kids. They're a handful." Killua scowled.

"Who are you calling a handful!" Leorio rolled his eyes and waved before leaving. Kurapika started to get up as well.

"I suppose I should leave as well." He smiled at Killua and Gon.

"I'm glad that everything's okay." He ruffled the former assassin's hair laughing at the scowl he gave him in response. "As Leorio said, we're always there for each other. I'm always a phone call away."

"Yeah, yeah." The boy waved him off before muttering, "Thank you, though, Kurapika. I, um, appreciate it." The blond smiled warmly at him.

"Um! Question!" Gon stood up quickly with his hand in the air looking at Kurapika. Kurapika raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yes?"

"Aren't you only a little older than Killua and I?" Kurapika blinked in surprise and Killua gave his best friend a blank expression. What's this idiot getting at?

"Yes. I thought you already knew that." Gon looked lost in thought before snapping his fingers.

"Then you're a kid too!" His two friends slammed their faces on the table.

"Your logic is flawless, Gon." Killua muttered, exasperated.

"Since you're still a kid too, doesn't that mean he needs to stay here with us?"

"Huh?" Killua stared at him in a loss for words. Kurapika finally looked up at Gon, looking confused. Gon ignored them both, looking at Mito excitedly.

"Mito-san! That's right, isn't it? He's unsupervised too!" Killua sweatdropped, trying to wrap his head around his friend's way of thinking. Eh? They don't even have room for him! Hell, they don't have room for me either!

"I suppose you are right." Mito finally said after some consideration. She turned to Kurapika. "If you'd like to stay, you're more than welcome to. We'll have to figure out a living arrangement since our home is so small. But I can't in good conscience leave to you wander the streets alone."

"Huh?!" KIllua looked around the table seeing Gon and Alluka excited and seeing Kurapika blinking at her dumbly. I wonder if that's how I looked.

"I couldn't impose on you like that. And I still have things that I need to do." Like finding my clan's eyes. Mito simply smiled back at him.

"Then do what you need to do. But please come back when you can. I would love it if you could stay with us." Kurapika smiled at her and began to get up, walking to the door after bowing.

"Thank you very much. I promise that I'll come back once I finish. It was nice seeing you all."

"Bye, Kurapika!"

"It was nice meeting you!"

"Later."

Once the blond was gone, Gon looked at Killua, giggling. He raised an eyebrow in response, tilting his head to the side.

"What's so funny?" Gon smiled brightly at his friend.

"Now that you're living here, it's kinda like we're brothers, huh?" Killua's eyes widened. Gon looked at Alluka, throwing an arm around her, "And you're like my sister!"

"Idiot, that's not how families work!" Killua yelled, though in truth he liked the idea. "Besides, we basically lived together for two years. It's not like anything's changed. We're just living here now." Gon put a finger on his chin.

"Oh! So we were already like brothers!" Killua groaned in response.

"Again, that's not how it works!"

Mito smiled at the two, feeling happier than she'd felt in years. Not only did she now have Gon back at home, but now she had Killua and Alluka living there as well. Watching the two bickering and Alluka giggling at them, she couldn't help but feel content.

A/N: Thanks for reviewing! Since I got a few requests to continue the story, I decided to make a bonus chapter. Let me know if you like the direction it's going and would like me to make this more of a series!

Also! Don't forget to request prompts! I'm chomping at the bit to write more fanfics :D – カービーさん

…

Return to Whale Island – Mommy Mito

…

Killua Zoldyck had never had a normal family. He wasn't even sure what normal was when talking about family dynamics. He knew that there was supposed to be love. He knew that there was support. He knew that family actually enjoyed being together outside of going on assassination assignments… Of course, normal families didn't assassinate anyone. So already, Killua had been at a distinct disadvantage when it came to normalcy. The only family bonding he was familiar with consisted of torture (with the excuse of making him stronger) or teaching him how to kill in the most effective ways.

But even though Killua lacked what would be considered the average family unit, that didn't mean that he didn't dream of having one. He didn't exactly know what he was wishing, what he was yearning for. He simply knew that he was missing out on something and that it wasn't fair.

The only examples of true families that he'd seen were ones that he'd seen on TV. Dads who would teach their sons to play sports- not where the vital points to strike were. Big brothers who would help their younger brothers with homework- not telling him whether or not an enemy was too strong to kill. Grandparents who would babysit their grandkids and bake cookies and tell stories- ...okay so grandpa was at least somewhat like that. But his stories consisted mainly of tales of his previous jobs, and Killua wasn't sure that the man even knew how to operate an oven. Though the thing that Killua found himself dreaming of most- more than a house in a neighborhood with a white picket fence, more than being able to go to school with kids his own age, more than family road trips and birthday parties and sleepovers- was a mother. An actual mother, who didn't see torture as a form of punishment and who didn't see killing as an admirable action. He dreamed of a mother who would tuck him in at night, pack him lunches, kiss him on the cheek, worry about his injuries. He wanted a mother who would hold him as he cried and would welcome him home and tell him that he did a good job. A mother who would be proud of him as a son, not as an assassin. He wanted all the cheesy stereotypes that he saw in movies- sweet, doting, gushing with so much happiness that it would make him sick.

Mito was not these things. Well, Killua had to admit, she was some of them. A decent amount of them, actually. In fact, it wasn't that she wasn't those things. It was that she was more than just what he wanted in a mother. She was all the nagging that his birth mother was, but with all the love that he so desired. With the tucking him in at night, came the annoyed yells for the boys to "be quiet and go to sleep." With the fretting over the slightest bruise, came the scolding to be more careful. With the praise for doing well on homework, there was also the accompanying words to try harder. And Killua realized that he was okay with the negatives, as long as they were filled with love. Not the ulterior motives that his birth mother had had.

Yes, for the first time in the fifteen years of Killua's life, the former assassin felt that he could finally let his guard down. He felt safe in the comfort of a family. He had Gon's great-grandmother, Abe, to satisfy the grandparent role- baking desserts and doting on him, pinching his cheeks (much to his embarrassment), telling him stories of when she was his age. He had Gon to satisfy the role of a brother, something he had finally learned to admit- they went on adventures, he taught him things that he had learned on the island growing up, he teased him and always kept him laughing. He had Mito to fill the mother role that he needed so badly in his life. And, of course, he had Alluka who had learned to be her own person while still filling the role of his sister, away from their toxic upbringing- she still followed him everywhere and tried to tag along on adventures, she helped the women in the kitchen and played with dolls (insistently trying to get the boys to play "house"), she even learned to better co-exist with and to control Nanika. For the two Zoldyck children on Whale Island, life was finally what they had always dreamed of.

…

"All done, Mito-san!" Alluka chirped from her seat at the table, putting down her pencil. The three kids had been working on school work that Mito had insisted that they do. Killua had complained, telling her that he already knew anything that could possibly taught in school, though he'd mainly said this only to puff up his own ego. Mito didn't buy it and all but held the boy down in his seat until he conceded to working on whatever workbook pages she gave him. As it turned out, Killua struggled more with his work than Gon did, much to his dismay and Gon's pleasure. The two boys stared at Alluka in shock as she held up her finished packet of papers. How the hell is she already finished? Killua looked down at his own packet, barely half-finished.

"Alright, hand it over. Let's take a look." Mito smiled, walking over to the girl. Killua held his breath as he always did when Mito demanded something of Alluka. Though, as usual, Nanika never made an appearance and Alluka simply handed over her work, eagerly awaiting the woman's approval. Mito flipped through the pages and smiled brightly. "Very good, Alluka! You've gotten everything correct!" Gon and Killua gaped at her.

"Huh?!" But…But she always acts like such an airhead! Alluka looked over at them and actually looked smug. Killua narrowed his eyes at her. So much for being innocent.

"Alright, boys. How are you doing?" She walked over to the two of them looking over the work they'd done so far. She frowned looking at Gon's packet. "Gon, you've gotten almost everything wrong! What have you been doing all this time?" Mito scolded him as he shrank back in his seat.

"But, Mito-san! It's hard!" Gon whined, earning a stern glare from the woman beside him.

"Well that's what happens when you go off to become a hunter instead of focusing on your studies. You'll stay here until you finish, young man." Gon groaned, throwing his forehead on the table. Killua would have rolled his eyes at how overly dramatic his friend was being if it were not for the fact that Mito would be looking over his work next. She picked up the packet, leafing through the pages, and Killua found himself looking down to avoid her disapproving look.

"Okay, so maybe I don't know everything…" He mumbled, cheeks burning in embarrassment for doing so poorly. He flinched feeling a hand ruffling his snowy hair. He hesitantly looked up at her, being met with a stern but loving gaze.

"No, you don't. But you know more than you think." The boy looked up at her puzzled and she smiled brightly at him, "You got most of your answers correct, Killua. You just need a little practice." She handed the packet back to him, a stern look replacing her bright features, "Now, stay here with Gon until you two finish. Then I want you both studying." Killua wanted to complain, but he couldn't force any words to leave his mouth as he looked at her.

Killua had never had this feeling before. He had never had such an intense sense of pride over something as trivial as being able to answer some math equations correctly. Though, he knew it had nothing to do with school work- it had to do with that patient warming smile on Mito's face. He was prideful that he was able to make her smile like that. It made him feel as if he had done something right. Something that was actually positive. Something that was constructive. And despite the fact that he had gotten answers wrong, there was something about that stern look that appeared on her face that motivated him to work harder. He wanted her to know that she wasn't wasting her time with him. He wanted her to know that he was worth it. She had turned around and begun walking back toward the kitchen counter when Killua spoke up, the determination leaking from his lips.

"Yes, Mito-san!" Her eyes widened a bit and she turned around, smiling as she watched him hunched over his paper working diligently. Gon had looked up at his friend's words as well and, determined not to be shown up, started working as well.

….

Killua had nightmares.

Of course, this wasn't something that was new to him. He'd always been plagued with the wretched things ever since he was a child. When he was young, before he had begun his assassin training, the nightmares had been of the boogieman or of losing his family or of the monster that lurked under his bed. Back then, he would wake up crying before getting up his nerve to tiptoe to his eldest brother's room. Back then, Illumi was his Aniki, his favorite brother, the one who protected him from the monsters that haunted his dreams. Little Killua would knock on Illumi's door, quietly, as if he was trying not to disturb him, despite his fears. He would only ever go in if his brother called for him, which he always did. Illumi would always scoot over, allowing his baby brother to crawl in beside him, before wrapping an arm and blanket around him, sheltering him from whatever fears that had brought him there. Back then, when Killua's only fears were fictional monsters, his world had seemed so big- boy, was he in for a rude awakening.

After he started his training, various forms of gruesome torture that his family dished out among other things, the nightmares only got worse. Before, they had been mostly far and in between. Before, they had all been figments of his childish imagination. But after his training had begun, the dreams increased, this time filled with terrifying images blood and gore and lightning and acid. This time instead of waking up when the monster caught him, this time he had felt pain. The pain followed him into his dreams and that was what terrified him the most. He had started wandering into Illumi's room less and less, partially because he didn't want to seem like a baby, partially because there were times when Illumi partook in the torture. Most of the time, Killua had opted to lay in bed, drenched in sweat, until he cried himself back to sleep, holding his breath at the slightest of noises.

But if Killua had thought that his nightmares were bad before, they were downright horrifying once the real training began. When his parents had deemed him ready, Killua was given permission to go on one of Illumi's "special missions." That was what his family had called their assignments in order to peak the younger children's interests. It worked, and Killua was beyond thrilled with the prospect of helping his Aniki out. What he hadn't expected was watching him slit the throat of three men. Right in front of him. Killua had broken down, pale white and shaking, keeping a safe distance from his beloved brother. He cried the whole way home. He had begun avoiding Illumi after that, even daring to protest to his parents when he was told to accompany his brother on an assignment (they had given up the pretense after Killua's meltdown). After this, Killua's dreams were much more disturbing- filled with countless murders by Illumi's hand. Blood would be spilled as Killua screamed for his brother to stop. These dreams would leave Killua trembling in bed until morning light reached his eyes.

The worst yet came when Killua became the murderer. He hadn't wanted to do it. In fact, he'd failed quite a few times- Illumi having to kill the target instead when Killua would freeze, almost getting himself killed in the process. But Killua finally did it. Illumi had threatened to kill the elderly man in an excruciating manner if his little brother failed one more time. He would make the man suffer before his death. Killua didn't want blood on his hands, but he also didn't want any undo suffering on his conscious either. The murder was sloppy, he'd missed the vital point in his jugular by a few centimeters with his sharp nails. He panicked hearing the gurgling and stabbed him again. Twice. All the while, tears were streaming down his face and he kept saying "I'm sorry." He cried the entire way home while Illumi complimented him saying how proud of him he was. That night Killua had begun having new nightmares- ones where he was the one murdering innocent people. He would wake up screaming until his voice was hoarse. This continued until finally, one night, Illumi came into his room and slapped him hard across the face. "Crying is weak, Killua. This is who you are. Accept it." From that night on he trained himself to cry without making a sound.

Surprisingly, though, the nightmares after he met Gon were what scared him the most. They scared him because all of them were different, new, but with the same end results. Gon would be dead. Alluka would be dead. Kurapika, Leorio- all dead. Sometimes there would be no death at all. Sometimes it would be Gon leaving him. Illumi taking Alluka away from him. Flashbacks of Gon fighting Pitou, along with the aftermath that it brought. These types of dreams started after he first met his friends at the Hunter Exam. He wasn't used to interacting with people outside of his family or his targets, so it threw him into mental and emotional turmoil. Turmoil that was intensified when they had actually become friends. But Killua still suffered in silence, careful to keep his sobs and whimpers to a bare minimum- especially whenever he and Gon shared a room. He was sure that he had slipped up from time to time. He was positive of it. Gon must have heard his cries some nights during their travels throughout the two years that they travelled together. But the boy never uttered a word- and Killua was grateful for it. It meant that Killua could keep his fears to himself. It meant that he could ignore them. And that, he decided, meant that he was safe. Because if he didn't speak of his nightmares, they wouldn't solidify.

But Killua let his guard down. He wasn't sure how he'd managed to let it happen. Maybe it was the comfort of Whale Island. Maybe it was the idea that he was finally loved beyond doubt. Or maybe it was that he actually felt safe enough to let his guard down. Either way, he let his training slip. Either way, the silence that he'd worked for years to build, was broken.

"N-No! P-Please!" Mito ran out of her room, being woken up by a cry, dripping with pure terror. Her eyes scanned the darkness of the living room before reaching to turn on a lamp. What was illuminated was a sight that caused to heart to squeeze in her chest: Killua was tossing and turning on the couch, eyes contorted in a pained expression and sweat dripping from his skin. Whimpers would leave his throat as he struggled with some invisible force. Mito heard feet padding on the floor and looked up to see a groggy looking Gon wearing a panicked expression before settling on his sleeping friend. "S-Stop! D-Don't-" Killua yelled in his sleep, strangled cries leaving his chapped lips.

"Killua, wake up!" Gon sprang into action, running to the boy's side, shaking him desperately. Mito was quick to follow, stroking the white locks of his hair soothingly.

"Gon, honey, don't be so forceful!" Her voice was gentle, laced with worry, aiming to calm the sleeping boy down rather than jerking him back into consciousness, "Shh, sweetheart, it's okay. You're safe."

Killua had been flinching away from the slightest touch, fighting Gon without even realizing it. However, once he felt a hand in his hair, rubbing rhythmic circles into his scalp, his body began to relax. Soft whimpers still left his mouth as he shifted restlessly. Mito had had twelve years of practice with this, having run through the same routine with Gon through his many nightmares. Sometimes Gon would wake up and curl into her warmth seeking comfort. Other times, the boy would calm down in his sleep and wouldn't remember a thing when he awoke. Now, he watched Mito's actions, mesmerized as he watched his friend start to calm down.

"That's it, Killua. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you." She moved her fingers from his hair to stroke the side of his face softly, the soft pads of her fingers barely grazing the smooth skin of his cheek. In his sleep, he leaned ever so slightly into her touch and a smile graced her lips as she continued her gentle movement along his skin.

"You're amazing, Mito-san." Gon whispered in awe. He'd never seen his friend look so calm before, so innocent looking. Mito smiled in response, turning her eyes to his.

"I had a lot of practice." She whispered back, hidden her eyes was a spark of mischief as she teased Gon.

"I didn't have that many nightmares…" He pouted and she laughed quietly. He stifled a yawn, not wanting to leave his best friend to go back to bed. A part of him blamed himself for Killua's state. After all, he had left him to sleep on the couch, not wanting to disturb his slumber. Mito seemed to sense his reluctance to leave because she ruffled his hair with her free hand.

"Why don't you get some more sleep, Gon? I'll stay here with Killua a little bit longer." Gon frowned, still feeling guilty.

"Are you sure? You need sleep too…" She shook her head, a soft smile resting on her lips.

"Go ahead. I'm alright here. Besides, I like being able to take care of you kids. I don't get to do things like this very often anymore." She smiled at him before turning back to the sleeping boy on the couch. She didn't like seeing Killua suffering by any means, but it made her feel useful in a way, being able to comfort him in his anguish. Even if he wouldn't remember it in the morning. Gon seemed to understand and returned the smile before sleepily getting up, making his way back to his room.

"Good night, Mito-san."

"Good night, sweetheart." When the door closed, she continued to run her thumb up and down the former assassin's cheek, humming a lullaby quietly. It wasn't until she heard his breath even out completely before she let herself drift off to sleep, still sitting on the floor, protecting him from any dangers he was fighting in his sleep.

That was how Killua found her when he opened his eyes the next morning. His face burned where his head rested on her hand. He'd questioned her profusely about why she'd been out there but she simply smiled and said that she was doing a "mother's job." Whatever that meant. Hours later, when he was fishing with Gon, Gon spoke up, sounding as nonchalant as ever.

"Ne, Killua. You had a really nightmare last night." He had a frown on his face, despite the upbeat tone of his voice. "You were yelling and stuff. You really had us worried."

"Us?" Killua sounded cautious. He'd already suspected that Gon had been aware of his restless sleeping habits. But that was because they shared a room. This time he was in a completely different room which meant that he must have been loud.

"Mito-san and I." Gon kept looking ahead, the frown still present on his face, "She got you to calm down after a while. But she ended up staying up with you all night."

Killua felt his eyes widen and his cheeks begin to burn. She was out there all night? Questions began to flood his mind. Why would she go through that trouble? How did she manage to calm him down? Why did she continue to stay after he was calm? None of it made sense to him, yet they seemed like too stupid of questions to ask his friend. Then he remembered her words from that morning.

"I was just doing a mother's job."

….

Killua had never really been sick before. Not once in his life. He'd gotten food poisoning a few times, the common cold here and there. He'd suffered from allergies (which had made some of his previous assignments almost unbearable). But never had he been bed-ridden with something like the flu. He took a great deal of pride in his seemingly invincible immune system. But, oh, had he overestimated it. It seemed that Whale Island was insistent on giving him every bit the normal life he'd always wanted, complete with the parts that he would have never have wished upon anyone in a million years. He would never have wished this upon even his greatest enemies.

Because, after fifteen years of life, the poison immune former assassin, the boy whose very aura was pure electricity, the hunter who'd covered the ends of the earth… was heaving the contents of his stomach into the porcelain toilet bowl of his, Gon, and Alluka's shared bathroom at three in the morning.

"Big Brother?" Alluka rubbed her eyes sleepily, watching from the doorway, her blue eyes shining with worry. Killua tensed, trying with every fiber of his being to calm his lurching stomach long enough to pull a reassuring smile on his face for his sister. His attempts failed miserably and he'd somehow managed to look even more miserable.

"I'm okay, Alluka. Perfectly f-" The remaining contents of his stomach churned and he barely managed to turn back to the toilet before heaving again. He winced at the sound, knowing how pathetic he must have sounded to the girl behind him who had taken to rubbing circles on his back.

"Mito-san! Gon! Big Brother's sick!" She yelled over her shoulder, the volume of her voice causing the boy hunched over to flinch. He wanted to deny it, to scold her for saying something so stupid. But his stomach gurgled dangerously and his head felt hot and he wanted nothing more than to stop throwing up. He managed to pull himself together, resting his forehead on the cool seat when Gon and Mito came rushing in.

"Killua? What's the matter?" Mito came over immediately, crouching next to him and reaching over to flush whatever had previously been in Killua's stomach. She felt his damp forehead, gasping. "You're burning up! Let's get you back to bed."

Killua's body protested every movement, no matter how slight. As Mito and Gon helped him to stand, he felt as if the small bathroom was spinning, leaving him without a floor to stand on. His head was spinning, causing his stomach to slosh uncomfortably. His body felt heavy and weak, feet barely moving where they told him to as the two people on either side of him supported nearly all of his weight. It seemed like hours had passed during their trek back to the bedroom, though it had likely only been a few minutes, before Mito and Gon managed to get Killua back under the covers. He was silently grateful that Mito had insisted on getting him his own bed, despite the fact that the room really was too small for two beds. It had seemed a little pointless before, but now he was thankful for the lack of body heat under the covers with him.

"I've never seen you sick before." Gon frowned, standing next to the bed, "Is there anything I can do?" Killua shook his shead, the slight movement causing his head to pound painfully.

"Not sick. I just…ate something bad." Though his aching body told him otherwise. Mito frowned disapprovingly.

"You are most definitely sick, Killua, whether you care to admit it or not." She turned to Gon, "Gon, could you get a wet cloth? Cool, please. Also a glass of ice water. He probably won't be able to keep it down, but we need to keep him hydrated."

"Yes, Mito-san!" Gon nodded and quickly ran out of the room while Killua closed his eyes, trying to will his headache away. He sighed happily when he felt a cold, wet cloth on his forehead, relaxing into his pillow a little easier.

"Killua, sweetie?" He forced his heavy eyelids open to notice that Gon and Alluka were both gone. Must have fallen asleep… "I brought a waste bin over so if you need to get sick, you don't need to go all the way to the bathroom. Gon's going to sleep on the couch so he doesn't get sick, too." The boy barely managed a nod, his entire body sore. He felt a strangely familiar sensation of fingers stroking his hair and his eyes were closed again before he knew it.

It was a few days before Killua got even remotely better. Even then, he was only barely able to keep down a few sips of water and saltine crackers. He decided that his body was making up for the fact that he'd never had to suffer through the flu previously. Maybe this was bad karma for tormenting Milluki when he had mono. Either way, he was not amused in the slightest. Though he would admit, only to himself, that he loved Mito doting over him. She seemed to hover over him constantly, either getting him things or simply stroking his hair- an action that had embarrassed him at first, but that he was gradually becoming rather fond of.

"Big Brother! Nanika and I made you a 'get well' card!" Killua was propped up in bed, sipping small spoonfuls of soup Mito had made. He smiled softly at his sister as she ran to his side, handing him a drawing of… well, actually he had no clue of what it was supposed to be. But it was colorful and he could tell she put a lot of effort into it. He beamed at her, putting it on the nightstand.

"Thank you both so much. I feel better already." Alluka brightened, clapping her hands happily.

"Yay! I'm so glad! I miss playing with you, Big Brother." He ruffled her hair, glad to finally be past the stages of being contagious.

"I've missed playing with you too. I promise that we'll do something really fun as soon as I'm better, kay?"

"Kay! But get better first, kay, Big Brother? I don't like you being sick." She pouted and Killua couldn't help but grin at her, saluting.

"Yes, ma'am!" The girl giggled and ran out of the room.

Killua frowned, getting bored from sitting alone. He knew that Mito meant well keeping him closed off so he could recover in peace. But he wasn't contagious anymore and staring at the same walls was starting to annoy him. After finishing his soup he stretched, taking a cautious step out of bed. Once he was sure he wouldn't stumble and fall on his face, he took his empty bowl along with an empty water glass and walked out to the kitchen to set them in the sink.

"Killua! You're up!" Gon grinned at him from the table. Killua grinned back, walking over to him. Gon had snuck back into his room several times to hang out with his friend, only to be chased out by an angry Mito, scolding him about getting sick and letting Killua rest.

"Yeah, I got sick of being in there. Where's Mito-san?" He asked, taking a seat and taking an experimental bite of an apple from the fruit bowl.

"She's doing the laundry outside. I think Alluka and Abe-san are helping her. So you probably have a half hour before she chases you back in." Killua groaned, putting his head on the table.

"No. I'm not going back in there. It's boring and it just makes me feel even more sick than I already am." Gon laughed at his friend, finishing his sandwich.

"Good luck telling her that. Mito-san is stubborn."

"I guess it runs in the family, then." The white-haired boy muttered, earning another laugh from him.

"…Killua, what do you think you're doing out of bed?" Both boys froze, hearing the warning in Mito's voice.

"Mito-san, I-" Killua looked up at her only to be cut off.

"Back to bed. Now." The whine slipped from his lips before he could stop it and she crossed her arms. "Don't you give me attitude. You're sick and you need your rest."

"But I'm tired of being in bed all day! And I just feel sicker being in there…" Killua actually pouted and Gon couldn't fight the laughter bubbling up past his lips. He'd never seen his friend so… so… like him. Mito wasn't having any of it, though.

"No, buts, young man. Bed. Now. Don't make me repeat myself." Killua hung his head, muttering curses under his breath as he dragged his feet back to the bedroom. He threw himself onto the unmade bed, groaning into the pillows.

Mito stood in the doorway, her arms crossed as she leaned against the post watching him. A soft smile formed on her lips as she shook her head. She had built up an undeniable affection for the boy, thinking of him as a son, feeling great compassion for him. She remembered Gon telling her in the past that Killua hadn't had a normal upbringing. That his family didn't love him like a family should and she could only assume that Alluka was treated very much the same. This was one of the main reasons that Mito went out of her way so much to make the two feel at home. She was determined to give them the childhood that they had been robbed of. She was determined to be the mother that they needed. And, as she looked at him sprawled out on his bed, she felt her resolve caving.

"Alright, fine. You can go out on the couch. But no video games and no rough-housing, do I make myself clear?" Mito tried to keep the smile out of her voice, she really did. She tried to sound stern. But when Killua flew up off of the bed, looking excitedly at her, she couldn't stop the smile breaking out onto her face.

"I promise I'll be good!" He ran past her before stopping and hugging her quickly, keeping his head down. She laughed lightly as she noticed the slight blush on her cheeks.

"What's this for?" She smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around him. The boy pulled back, looking flustered.

"For taking care of me. Thank you, Mito-san." Her eyes widened and she watched him leave the room to sit next to Gon on the couch. She smiled, her heart swollen with love, as she looked at them.

…..

"You kids better be going to bed soon! It's past midnight!" Mito walked out of her bedroom, still hearing the television blaring the sounds of cartoons. "Boys-" She stopped when she saw Alluka curled up on the floor, sleeping soundly. She turned to the couch and stifled a laugh, seeing the two boys peacefully resting. They were still somewhat seated, Killua's head on Gon's shoulder while Gon had managed to bury his face in Killua's hair.

Mito quietly retrieved a blanket from Alluka's room, draping it over her sleeping form, before placing a soft kiss on the girl's forehead. She then went to Gon and Killua's room, grabbing a blanket as well. She gently laid the blanket over them, kissing their foreheads as well. She turned off the lamp and the television before walking towards her room.

"Good night, Mito-san." She froze, hearing the groggy voice. She turned back to look at Killua who'd already begun drifting back to a calm slumber.

"Good night, Killua. Sweet dreams." She smiled before closing her door.