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Killua wasn’t expecting their Worlds to merge on a random summer day in the middle of June.
Worlds colliding wasn’t all that unnatural of a phenomenon. It was a common thing, in fact; Worlds crossed and collided at many points throughout the year, be it on a brisk spring day or deep in the middle of the winter, with ice coating rooftops and snow blanketing the ground. These collisions were predictable, however. They happened within the same times of the year, every year, like seasons. Though the length of time in which two or more Worlds merged was unknown.
And that was the exact reason why Killua’s head snapped up when he felt that tingling under his skin, a pressure in his skull, and the dull roaring somewhere off in the distance. He was bolting away from the market stand a second later, ignoring the cries of Alluka and the jewelry handler alike. All he could hear was the pounding of his sandals on hot brick and the heavy thudding of his heart against his ribcage.
Gon’s World wasn’t supposed to collide with his for another week. And yet, there was no denying that familiar tug of his heart. Gon was here. And Killua wasn’t going to miss a second of the short, precious time with the man he loved.
Killua flew down the sandstone steps as sweat began to build on his forehead. It was a hot day, with blinding sun and blue skies that stretched on for miles. He could feel warm rays burning his skin with every passing minute.
But none of that mattered—the only thing Killua cared about right now was Gon, and to get to Gon he had to find the Portal connecting their Worlds.
Killua made it down the steps in record time and quickly twisted around. There, to his right, he felt the sharp pull that only belonged to Gon. He took off running again, this time sprinting towards the ancient ruins at the bottom of the hill.
He shouldn’t be surprised, really. The ruins were full of old magic, and Worlds tended to cluster in places like that. Magic was what flowed between Worlds, was what connected them. Just like the magic Killua and Gon had used to tie their souls together and find each other whenever their Worlds met.
Breathing heavy, Killua followed that invisible yet irrefutable pull towards Gon’s soul through crumbling corridors and empty caverns. His footsteps echoed in the wide spaces while goosebumps rose on his arms. The breeze was much colder here, blocked from the sun’s blistering light. Water from underground piled in puddles and pools in random rooms, only adding to the cool temperature of the air.
“AH—!”
Killua gasped and grabbed onto a pillar just before accidentally running off a ledge. The hallway he’d been sprinting down had reached an abrupt end, opening up into a large room with arching ceilings. Or, it would have had arching ceilings thousands of years ago; whatever ceiling that had once existed had long since been worn away by sun and storms and ferocious winds.
Killua squinted through sunlight pouring in from the opening above him, chest still heaving in an effort to catch his breath. He’d been so eager to get to Gon that he hadn’t been paying attention to the sudden opening in front of him. Now that he was actually looking around, he could see remnants of a railing that would’ve prevented his fall in ancient times.
Killua slowly let go of the stone pillar that had saved his life. He cautiously looked over the edge to see a large pool of blue-green water several floors below.
There must’ve been a flood, Killua thought with a deep frown. This place had probably been a throne room or a grand hall in its day. But then all the First Gods had died and new ones came to take their place, ushering in new heroes and throwing out any of the old worshipers. All previous places of prayer and glory had been wiped out in the Second Gods’ wrath. Now this ancient capital had been turned into a common marketplace of little significance.
And now Killua’s World was on its Third wave of Gods. But Killua could care less about that right now.
His soul connection was telling him that Gon was right here—somewhere close to this pool of water...or maybe he was on one of balconies looking down at it, like Killua? Gon’s World was full of islands so the Portal connecting their Worlds usually opened somewhere close to water—
Bubbles rose to the pool’s gem-like surface. Killua’s heart lurched at the sight, then began to pump faster in giddy anticipation. Killua was holding his breath as he dared to lean even further over the ledge.
This is it, Killua’s soul told him excitedly. Gon was here.
He called loudly, “Gon? Gon—are you...are you there?”
Something moved in the water. Killua’s eyes grew large when a figure appeared in the waves, quickly growing large as it rushed towards the open air.
A head broke through the surface with a choked gasp. Killua’s throat constricted at the sight of messy dark hair and shimmering wet skin the color of bronze. The man shook his head to throw his hair out of his face and round eyes, and then he was twisting around in the clear water, obviously looking for something.
“Killua?!” the man yelled and every nerve in Killua’s body sparked at the sound of his own name in that all-too-wonderful voice.
“Gon!” Killua cried back, tone full of bursting joy, and the man connected to his very soul looked up.
Happiness broke across Gon’s face like the sun the moment his gold eyes met Killua’s crystal blue. A huge smile grew on his lips, his grin so wide it looked like it hurt, and Gon called up to him with a voice of pure euphoria, “KILLUA! I’m so—”
Killua didn’t hear the rest of Gon’s exclamation. He’d thrown himself over the ledge, and was diving through the cooled air fast enough for it to whistle in his ears. He zoomed towards Gon, landing in the deep pool seconds after he’d made his jump.
The water was cold, even with sunlight pouring down onto it from the gaping hole in the ceiling. But the broad hands that grabbed at his biceps were more than enough to warm him, and then Killua was being pulled upwards before his feet could even touch the pool’s bottom.
Killua sucked in a large breath as his head popped through the water’s surface. As he panted for air, lungs shuddering, he heard Gon’s loud and enthusiastic shout—
“—llua, Killua! It’s really you, I can’t believe you’re really here!”
Killua blinked water out of his eyes to find Gon Freecss beaming back at him. The gold freckles on his soulmate’s cheeks popped out on his tanned cheeks, the light markings scattered across his face like unnamed constellations. Killua was reaching out to cup Gon’s jaw before he could stop himself, and Gon’s smile grew impossibly wider.
“Gon,” Killua whispered as his heart and soul swelled with a bubbling warmth.
“Killua...” Gon practically purred back.
The surge of emotions that rose within Killua couldn’t be contained. He pulled Gon’s face towards him and smashed their mouths together roughly, his blue eyes screwed shut as his nails dug into Gon’s skin.
The surprised but happy hum of Gon’s lips told Killua that Gon really didn’t mind the abruptness of Killua’s movements. Gon’s arms encircled his waist and crushed Killua to him so tightly that it was hard to breathe. Breathing was the last thing on Killua’s mind, however; how long had it been since he and Gon last saw each other? Since they last kissed like this and their souls collided like their two Worlds?
The answer was always the same: it was too long, and their time together was never enough. And that was why they had to make the best of every minute their paths crossed and crashed into each other.
Gon was kissing Killua back enthusiastically now, the corners of his lips curled like he couldn’t hold back his smile. Killua could feel Gon’s eagerness to be close to him with every roll of his tongue against Killua’s, the way Gon refused to pull back from Killua’s lips even when Killua’s lungs burned and his head spun.
“—G-Gon!” Killua gasped between heavy kisses. He couldn’t get another word in before Gon’s hot mouth was chasing after his, calloused palms burning where they pressed against his spine.
It was always like this, his and Gon’s desperation to be as close as possible merging into an all consuming desire that left Killua drowning. Gon was everywhere and everything, his coarse and soaked spikes between Killua’s fingers and his warm skin sliding against his own, those strong arms encircling Killua in a cage he never wanted to leave.
Killua let out a low whine when Gon finally pulled back, but that sound of complaint turned into breathless laughter as Gon angled his head to press needy kisses along the line of his jaw.
“Ah—ahhh,” Killua groaned when Gon added a bit of teeth to his kisses. Killua grinned, knowing full well that there would be a trail of red marks on his skin tomorrow, and kept a secure grip on Gon’s watered down spikes. “Missed me, h-huh?”
There was a rumble from deep in Gon’s chest. Killua felt the vibration through Gon’s mouth where it pressed against the curve of his jaw, all the way to his bones—
“Do you even have to ask that?” Gon mumbled and kissed Killua’s wet neck softly. Killua’s heart twisted and he struggled to breathe normally. Gon always knew just how to make him feel good and gods did he love him for it.
Gon leaned away, this time to look Killua in the eyes. A gentle smile caused Gon’s lips to curl and Killua hummed when Gon’s fingers brushed his dripping bangs out of his face. Gon confessed, “I always miss you, Killua. I wish—”
“I know,” Killua cut him off quickly. Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it! “I know. Me too. But we can’t. We just—” He clung to Gon body tighter, brows furrowing, “—we only have now, Gon. If you stay in my World for too long, you’ll die. And I won’t let you wither away before my eyes. I can’t, Gon.”
“I get it,” Gon said quietly. Killua could feel his fingers digging into his back, his grip on Killua borderline painful. “I couldn’t watch you die, either. Not again.”
“We have these moments,” Killua said, trying to convince himself as much as he was Gon. “They have to be enough.”
“Oh, Killua.” Gon let out a sigh that made Killua’s stomach twist. “It’s more than enough—you, you’re everything to me. That’s why, when I felt the Portal opening—”
“—you ran,” Killua finished for him with a nod. Their foreheads bumped, but neither moved back or let go. Any space between them was too much. “I ran, too. As soon as I felt you, I couldn’t stop—”
“Had to be with you,” Gon said, his breathing growing unsteady once more. “It was the same for me. I couldn’t—couldn’t wait, I had to be with you, even if it was only for a few minutes—!”
He was pushing his mouth back against Killua’s in the next sentence. This time Gon’s kisses were fervent, frenzied. Killua kissed back messily, just trying to keep up with Gon’s rough movements and show him how badly he needed this, too. He wanted Gon more than anything and every nerve in his body ached with his desire for the other man.
He dug one hand into Gon’s soaked spikes, not even noticing or caring when Gon started to walk through the water, pulling Killua with him. Killua was one-hundred percent focused on Gon and Gon only: his growls and warm skin and perfect lips and tongue...
Killua’s back hit stone, and he made a muffled sound of surprise against Gon’s mouth. He let out a high-pitched squeak when Gon lifted him into the air and set him down to sit on the stone rim of the pool, leaving Gon in the water between Killua’s legs.
Gon smiled up at him pleasantly, removing Killua’s hand from his hair to press a light kiss on the blue veins at Killua’s wrist.
Killua’s breathing hitched, and Gon’s gold irises flickered to Killua’s face. He smirked against Killua’s skin and, oh, how Killua wished he could be mad at Gon for laughing at Killua’s painfully obvious reaction to his simple kiss.
But he couldn’t. He had stopped trying to hide Gon’s effect on him a long time ago, and he didn’t plan on going back now.
“This okay?” Gon asked as he turned Killua’s hand over to lace their fingers together.
Killua’s cheeks grew hot under Gon’s dark, intense gaze. “You know it is.”
Gon hummed, this time sounding distracted. His eyes dragged over Killua’s body, slow and hungry, and for the first time Killua realized what Gon was seeing:
Killua’s dripping clothes clung to every inch of his body, leaving nothing to the imagination. His pale skin glowed under the bright sunlight, unblemished and smooth except for the Gon’s bite marks at his neck and jaw. And his eyes—Killua knew his own pupils were blown just as wide as Gon’s. He wanted Gon just as badly as Gon wanted him, after all.
Gon slid his free hand over Killua’s knee, simultaneously squeezing their interlocked hands. Killua shuddered and Gon’s grip tightened even more.
“Mind if I take this off you?” Gon toyed with them hem of Killua’s shirt.
Killua leaned forward, crouching over Gon until their foreheads brushed and Gon had no choice but to stare directly at him.
“Not at all,” Killua whispered against Gon’s parted lips. “Do your worst, Gon Freecss.”
He kissed Gon then, hard enough to bruise, and Gon let go of his hand to grab the back of Killua’s neck instead. To hold Killua there. Killua’s back twinged at the awkward pose but the swirling, pulsing yearning in his gut was more than worth any pain.
Gon wasted no time. He only pulled back long enough to yank Killua’s wet shirt off him, and then he was back kissing Killua intently. Killua laughed against his lips when Gon’s hands pulled his body forward, their hips meeting.
Killua hissed lowly at the contact. He was panting a bit now but Gon wasn’t giving him any chance to recover his breath. Gon kept his hands on the curve of Killua’s waist while is mouth trailed across the planes of skin on Killua’s chest. He was kissing and sucking and biting and— gods —it all made Killua feel so incredibly good, the kind of good he could only feel with Gon.
Gon made Killua feel all sorts of things, really. He painted Killua’s World in shades of colors Killua never knew existed, breathed life and joy and wonder into Killua with every press of their lips. Killua was happiest with Gon at his side. He only wished he could keep him there.
“H-How long do we have?” Killua choked out and Gon paused.
“Not long, I think.” Gon scowled. “Our Worlds collided too early, I think they’re going to drift apart again and then crash together during their usual cycle —”
“—sometime next week?” Killua said, still struggling to breathe normally, and Gon nodded slowly. “Okay. That’s—that’s not too bad. We’ll see each other again soon, then.”
“Yeah. But—” Gon ran the tips of his fingers up Killua’s bare side, forcing him to arch his back and moan until Gon a wicked grin spread across his lips, “—I wanna make the most of the time we have now. You don’t have anywhere you need to be, right?”
“No, not at all.” Killua managed to choke out.
Gon’s eyes were sparkling now. “The God of Lightning doesn’t have any important duties to attend to?”
“I’m the third generation of Gods,” Killua retorted, digging his nails into the tips of Gon’s shoulders painfully. “It’s not that impressive. There’s been two Gods of Lightning before me, and they were probably way more powerful than me.”
“Well I think it’s amazing,” Gon said sincerely and a hot blush blossomed under Killua’s cheeks. Gon’s gold eyes flashed, like he was daring Killua to challenge him. “Even if you weren’t a God of anything, I’d still think you were amazing.”
“Oh, y-yeah?” Killua bit his lip as Gon leaned in and nipped at his collarbone. “What do you know? You d-don’t even— hnnnnggg —believe in stuff like Gods. You don’t have them in your World.”
“Maybe not...” Gon looked up at him again and the intensity of his gaze stole the remaining air from Killua’s lungs. “But I believe in us, so. I think that counts for something.”
Then Gon kissed Killua on the lips, and Killua melted into his arms.