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i. forehead kisses
Killua has always been a light sleeper.
Sure, it was likely due to his gruesome assassin training that he was succumbed to since he was able to walk (which was far younger than most kids), but even then, he liked to believe that he was a light sleeper by nature. Sometimes it was incredibly annoying, like when Gon decides to have a bathroom break in the middle of the night and his rustling wakes him up, or when he’s about to drift off and a random noise from the city jolts him awake once more. That was the worst, honestly.
But it wasn’t all bad, and he was grateful that he had the ability nonetheless. It helped with Hunter jobs mostly, but occasionally, it was the reason he didn’t miss out on many memories. That sounds odd, right? How can one make memories when they’re supposed to be asleep? Well, Killua believed the same thing until one specific morning.
Lord knows what day it was, but he and Gon had the day off, so it allowed them to have a later rise than they usually did (which is still early by Killua’s standards). Unfortunately for Killua, Gon was an early riser, which often made Killua one too, since Gon’s morning activities would startle him awake.
This morning was no different than the others; Gon would wake up first, get ready, and leave the room to start breakfast. Killua always took a few extra minutes before he finally decided to open his eyes because screw early mornings. It was comical, really. That they had such a domestic, repetitive routine down. But honestly, Killua wouldn’t change it for the world.
It grounded him, gave him a reason to continue moving forward each day, face new challenges at every corner in his life. And most importantly: it made Gon happy, and if Gon was happy, so was Killua. Gon’s happiness, just like his smile, was extremely contagious. For the most part, Killua adored it, but every so often it irritated him because it was impossible to stay mad at Gon when he had such a dopey smile on his face.
But today, things were different. It started off the same as always; Gon woke up at his typical time, and Killua following soon after when he heard the movement from the other side of the room.
Killua always enjoyed this part the most, particularly because he could hear Gon being his fully authentic self, not knowing that Killua was listening to him. He doubted Gon was any different by himself, but you get the point.
Gon got ready at his average pace; got dressed in his typical green clothes first, then he entered the bathroom connected to their bedroom and brushed his teeth, and finally, he would leave the room, closing the door gently behind him, so he wouldn’t wake up Killua. Little did he know (or maybe he did, who knows?) that Killua was always, always awake, and just loved to bask in the sound of his best friend (?) getting ready for the day.
But this is where the repetitive routine changed because before Killua knew what was happening, he could sense the presence of Gon standing next to him. This was new, but also quite frightening. Why was he over here? He was never over here.
Killua would have been lost in his thoughts longer if it wasn’t for the faint feeling of something soft and warm touching his forehead. Wait, was that Gon’s lips?
Yep, it is undoubtedly Gon’s lips. Before Killua could even fully register his thoughts of ‘Gon is kissing my forehead right now’, Gon was already pulling away, and God, did he miss the warmth already.
The whole experience filled Killua’s stomach with something chaotic, like a bird trying to escape the cage it was locked in. And even now, with his years of training and experience, he couldn’t stop his heart from speeding up to the realization of what just happened. He also knew from the way his face felt on fire that he was blushing, so thank you, universe.
The warm feeling appeared once again, this time near the lobe of Killua’s ear, and for a second, he thought Gon was going to go in for another kiss, but instead, he did something way less pleasing.
“Leorio taught me how to tell when someone is pretending to be asleep, Killua,” Gon whispered right into Killua’s ear. It took everything he had in him and more not to show a visual reaction, or even shiver at the warm breeze of Gon’s freshly minty breath. He laid completely still, simply pretending to be asleep like he always did.
Gon must have been unsatisfied with Killua’s reaction, as a small, quiet huff was made from Gon’s general area. Thank the Gods, he was in the clear.
Killua was definitely not in the clear.
Once again, Gon’s soft lips made contact with Killua’s (what he felt to be burning) forehead. What did he do to deserve this torture?? Killua could feel Gon smirk against his forehead, and wow, he was an asshole, wasn’t he?
“Meet me downstairs when you’re ready, so we can make breakfast,” Gon mumbled before finally leaving the room, the door closing softly behind him. Just like it always did.
When Killua heard the click of the door shutting, he let out a breath that was held deep in his lungs.
Yeah, Gon was a major asshole, but Killua adored him regardless.
ii. hand kisses
Killua prided himself on the fact that he was strong. He was a prodigy, one of a kind. He liked knowing he was overly powerful and brimming with potential. So, how he ended up living a domestic life with Gon? He wasn’t sure.
It’s true that they still had plenty of adventure in their life. They went on Hunter jobs frequently to keep a steady income, and they never lacked the thrill of a good fight. The two of them were both skilled Hunters, for God’s sake! But against those odds, they still somehow lived in this quaint, little apartment with some crappy rooftop garden.
They lived on the outskirts of Yorknew City, only a ten-minute drive from Leorio and Kurapika’s own apartment. Their space included two bed and two bath, which was arguably just enough space for him, Gon, and Alluka to live comfortably. He and Gon shared a room, obviously, but the two still had their own separate beds. The duo often teetering between the lines of platonic and more.
Killua, as much as he tried to deny it, was head over heels for Gon. He’d do anything for him if he asked. Would move mountains if Gon requested that of him with his signature coy smile.
As for Gon… Killua wasn’t really sure. Gon seemed to treat everyone the same, and even being nineteen years old, Killua couldn’t confidently say Gon had ever liked somebody. He kind of just existed. But lately, Killua was feeling something more, something that he hoped was real and not just some cruel trick his imagination was playing on him.
Call him a hopeful sap, but the way Gon kissed his forehead felt like an indication that Gon wanted, felt more . Killua never thought that he was the type to lead something, let alone the direction of a relationship. His fear of doing too much and scaring Gon would crush his heart entirely. Besides Alluka, Gon was Killua’s light, his source of oxygen. He saw no point in living for himself if Gon wasn’t there by his side. He was entirely, effortlessly devoted to the incarnation of sunshine, and he was okay with that.
The times he was reminded of that the most, however, was when he watched Gon on their rooftop during the sunset.
Gon adored anything to do with nature. He cared for animals, bugs, and all types of plants. It was just part of who he was, so it was no surprise to Killua that Gon loved to garden.
The garden that sat on their apartment roof was communal, though Gon nurtured it more than anybody. It was a variety of things, ranging from cucumbers to different types of flowers; daisies were Gon’s personal favourite.
If the duo wasn’t doing a Hunter job, they would be found in their little garden, Killua with his latest book (it took him a while to get into them, but since a few months ago he had been hooked), and Gon with his calloused hands in the dirt. It had become a comfortable routine for them to settle into, one they often did during the rise and fall of the sun.
It was during those moments, Killua thought, that Gon looked the most beautiful. The soft sunlight would glow flawlessly on his defined cheeks, his chestnut eyes lighting up brightly in the shine of the sun. He would look up from his work in the garden to glance at Killua, who was almost always caught staring at the boy, though Gon never seemed to mind. And as if he knew what Killua was thinking, Gon would then give him the most blinding smile Killua had ever witnessed.
Killua was always mesmerized by his best friend.
This night in particular wasn’t any different. The sun was slowly setting over the horizon, and the familiar sound of cars honking was heard from the apartment rooftop. Killua was in his usual spot, a comfortable ledge near the box of the small garden, while he quietly listened to Gon’s rambling and the sound of fresh soil moving through the boy’s hands.
Killua’s current book was an alleged classic, a challenge he had succumbed to. He instantly found himself engulfed in the plot of the book, seldomly putting it down unless Gon wanted his undivided attention, which seemed to be always. Gon, on the other hand, was doing his regular round of the garden, watering the plants, fiddling with the soil, and picking any vegetables the duo needed for their meals with care. It was an inevitable outcome, Killua believed. As someone who spent most of their life on an island, he wasn’t surprised that Gon took up gardening as a hobby.
Killua sat quietly on his makeshift seat as he listened to Gon ramble, every so often contributing to the conversation. His primary focus, however, was on the book in his hands. He was so incredibly enraptured by it that he hadn’t even noticed when Gon approached him quietly.
He didn’t notice when Gon sat down next to him, how both their thighs were touching slightly.
Didn’t realize that Gon’s hand touched his, the dirt ridden palms gently connecting with his nimble fingers.
Didn’t detect when Gon’s soft lips touched his hand. Wait, what?
Killua snapped his head towards the target of his attention, and was met with the soft glow of Gon’s amber eyes, a shy smile present on his face. Killua’s eyes traced over Gon’s face, the setting sun rays turning him into a pure ball of sunlight. His eyes trailed down past his lips and towards Gon’s hand, where his own was resting in it.
Their hands fit together like lost puzzle pieces, and he couldn’t ignore how soft Gon’s supposedly rough fingers really were. He watched as the gentle hold of Gon’s grip tightened ever so slightly as his dorsal tingled from the previous contact.
Killua smiled gently as his eyes once again made contact with Gon’s.
“Was that the only way you could get my attention?” he asked quietly, not willing to break the delicate bubble that protected them from the rest of the universe.
“It was my favourite option,” Gon mumbled back, struggling to keep eye contact with the blue-eyed boy.
Killua smiled again, this time brighter. He cared about Gon so much, and it was moments like these that he was reminded that the feelings were returned, at least to some extent.
“I think… it was my favourite too,” Killua said, rotating their hands so Gon’s were faced upwards. And without thinking, he returned the gesture. He placed his lips on Gon’s hand, and smiled into it when he heard a startled sound emit from the boy.
“H-hey— you didn’t have to do it back,” Gon choked as he blushed furiously.
Killua smiled again, an action he realized he had been doing a lot recently. “It’s only fair, you made me lose my book page after you surprised me,” Killua replied as he pointed toward the closed book that laid idly on the floor.
“Heh, sorry about that, Killua,” Gon apologized as he picked up the fallen book from off the ground.
“It’s fine,” Killua huffed, “now let’s go inside, I’m starving.”
“Yeah, food sounds good right about now,” Gon laughed freely as he pulled Killua up from his spot, their hands still intertwined.
And as they walked down the narrow staircase leading to their door, Gon couldn’t help himself as he lifted their interwoven hands and placed another chaste kiss on them.
iii. cheek kisses
A few days later found the duo preparing for another Hunter job a few cities over. They were tasked with taking down some criminal who had been causing disruptions all over the city. The two of them had been off the previous week, so Killua couldn’t help but itch for a good fight, and he knew Gon felt the same.
Since the job was out of town, it required a couple of days of preparation to ensure that they didn’t miss anything. Even though they were young adults now, Gon was still a kid deep down, and that came with him often forgetting a thing or two when packing. Fortunately, they didn’t need much for this mission, as they assumed it would be an easy take down, so they opted to pack lightly.
Killua, who currently had a sticky-note list in his hand, was in the dining room with Alluka. Gon, on the other hand, was in their bedroom searching for something in his closet he wanted to bring. The two siblings sat in a comfortable silence, safe for the quiet hums Killua would make every so often when he was thinking.
Alluka wasn’t providing much help to the packing, opting to just watch her brother and his friend (who he was clearly in love with) pack their bags.
After becoming an adult, learning Nen, and understanding more about the outside world, both Zoldycks had felt more comfortable with the younger staying home for minor periods of time. Though that never stopped Killua from worrying, since his family was still alive and kicking.
Alluka had become a strong fighter, courtesy of having two professional Hunters constantly watching over and training her. At some points, it was overbearing, as any younger sibling would feel after being smothered in protection, but she loved the two of them endlessly.
So, they were both content with Alluka staying home for a few days while the two departed for a much anticipated job (seriously , they really needed an adrenaline boost).
The two sat in silence as Killua continued reading through the list. They were only missing a few things, coincidently, so he’d have to run out later to grab them from the store. The stillness was broken only a moment later, though, when Alluka spoke up for the first time since entering the room.
“So, big brother, what’s going on between you and Gon? You seem extra in love than usual,” Alluka asked casually, lifting her blue eyes to meet her brother’s.
“I— what? What are you talking about, Alluka? Gon, he isn’t— he doesn’t love me like that, okay? There’s nothing going on between us!” Killua exclaimed, his face turning a brilliant shade of red.
Killua couldn’t be bothered to deny his feelings towards his friend, as it was a futile battle to fight. As much as he hated to admit it, he displayed his feelings about Gon way too openly, to the point that he was surprised that Gon hadn’t caught on. Gon, he still wasn’t sure about, unfortunately, but the two had been getting closer, not just emotionally, but physically too.
Their sparse kisses on heads and hands, the much too close to be considered platonic cuddling when watching their favourite movies or shows. And there were even a few occasions where they shared a bed, too content wrapped in the other's warmth to want to return to their own bed.
But still, Killua was unsure. Was this just how Gon was when he became closer with somebody, or was this a hint that he wanted something more?
“Big brother, you must think I’m blind if you believe that Gon doesn’t love you. He’s always with you, and neither me nor Nanika can deny how touchy you both have gotten lately,” Alluka offered, rolling her eyes at her brother’s blatant denial of Gon’s obvious feelings.
“It’s not like that, Alluka! He’s just like that somet—” before Killua could finish his second attempt at denial, Gon waltzed into the door frame, a bright smile that never seemed to fade on his freckled face.
“Hey, Killua! Alluka and Nanika!” Gon greeted. “I’m running out to the store to get a few things for the job, did you want me to grab anything?”
“Oh— yeah, would you mind grabbing the remaining things off this list for me?” Killua asked, handing Gon his sticky note full of bullet points.
“Yeah, sure! I’ll be back in an hour or so. Bye, guys!” Gon smiled. And if he had heard the earlier conversation, Gon retaliated accordingly. He leaned over into Killua’s space, and Killua tensed briefly as he felt Gon’s warm breath tickle his face.
And in a moment that didn’t last more than two seconds, Gon pressed his chapped lips onto Killua’s still blushed cheek and strolled out the door.
It wasn’t until Killua heard the door click shut that he released the breath he was holding.
“Nothing going on, my ass!” Alluka remarked.
“Alluka!” Killua hissed at the vulgar language of his younger sister.
“You’re both so oblivious that it makes me sick,” Alluka gagged. “Just wait till Kurapika and Leorio hear about this.”
“You tell either of them and you’re dead, you hear me—”
“Anddd the text is already sent. I’ll be having a very amusing conversation later. Thanks, big brother!” the dark-haired girl laughed as she walked out the doorway of the living room and into the kitchen.
“Alluka!”
iv. head kisses
The mission in hindsight was simple: locate disruption, approach the creator, and take them down. Nothing more, nothing less. It was supposed to be easy, they were told, until they couldn’t even complete the first step.
The fight that they were waiting for was unable to come ahead because it wasn’t a mutual feeling. Whoever this person was just wanted to unleash chaos and ignore all other consequences, and it pissed Killua off. Because seriously, if you’re instigating a fight, you gotta at least stay when things heat up!
The duo, who had established themselves as a working partnership, spent two days just trying to keep track of the guy, and with each passing hour, Killua could feel his blood pressure raising higher and higher. He was an ex assassin for God’s sake, why was this guy so annoying to catch?
It was on the third day that Gon finally established a plan.
“Hey, Killua, I think I know what his Nen might be,” Gon said, looking up from the collection of graphs and charts on their hotel table.
Killua walked over nonchalantly with his favourite flavour of lollipop (watermelon) dancing between his fingers. “What is it?” he asked.
“It has to be some sort of teleportation power, similar to Mr. Knov! Notice how he only pops up in these areas since we’ve been chasing him? My bet is that he moves between these swiftly to cause mayhem while also staying unreachable from people like us,” Gon suggested, his fingers touching his chin while he talked, an endearing habit Killua loved.
“So if that’s the case, we just gotta push him in the opposite direction and force his hand!” Killua replied, snapping his fingers at their newest plan.
“It makes sense, right?” Gon asked.
“Oh yeah, definitely. I think it’ll work,” Killua answered. “Let’s start it tomorrow, I wanna wrap this up and go home.”
The next day, the two of them were back out on the streets of the city. Killua was really starting to feel fired up, now that they had a solid plan in mind.
When the first sighting of the wanted person occurred, Gon called out, “you remember the spots I highlighted?”
“Of course I do, I reviewed them all last night and this morning. Now, first one to corner ‘em wins,” Killua challenged, lighting up at the sight of Gon’s competitive gaze.
“You’re on!”
The two set off in different directions, both having different approaches of how to keep the criminal away from the designated areas.
Killua opted to wait by one of the supposed passageways, while Gon chose to directly chase them. An easy victory for me , he thought.
Just like Gon’s theory indicated, Killua watched as the mysterious escapee popped into thin air, thinking they were in the clear. Unfortunately for them, a fight thirsty Hunter was slowly stalking behind them.
Killua followed closely as he watched them wander through the alleyways of the outskirts of the city. And when he was satisfied with a certain route they took, he messaged Gon his location and jumped down to greet the unsuspecting criminal.
They nearly jumped when Killua made his presence known, and called “you can’t hide forever, can you?”
As they stood scared, looking around for exits, Killua couldn’t help but scoff. “You’re clearly not a Hunter, since you run away too much. I am curious as to how you learned Nen though.”
Before they could answer his question, Gon jumped down from above them, situating himself on the other side of the criminal, leaving them nowhere to go but up. And unfortunately for them, the duo were known by many of their friends for their Nen-induced jumps.
The fight was anticlimactic to say the least. All it really took was a few punches and the guy was out cold, leaving both boys with mixed feelings.
“Awh, man, I was really hoping there’d be a better fight than this! We should really stop accepting these jobs when we know it’ll end like this,” Gon complained as he slouched against the wall.
“You’re the one who accepted the offer, idiot,” Killua claimed, smiling as he saw a pout form on his friend’s face.
“I know, I just thought it would be different this time,” he expressed, pushing himself off the wall and over towards where Killua was standing.
Killua stood with his arms crossed, looking over the sleeping body of the criminal they caught as Gon made his way towards him, and brought him into a side hug; another type of affection that was new to them.
Without another word, Gon brought his lips into the fluff of Killua’s silver hair and pressed a chaste kiss atop his head. Instinctly, Killua leaned into it, and he couldn’t help the blush that spread over his face. He could really get used to this.
“You did good today, Killua,” Gon whispered. “Now let’s go home, I’m exhausted!”
Home.
“Yeah, home sounds good right about now.”
v. mouth kisses
Finally being back in their home, their bed , was comforting. Though they were only gone for a few days, each night that Killua wasn’t in his bed (or Gon’s) felt incredibly long, and he, of course, was worried about Alluka, no matter how strong she had become.
So being home from that terribly long and boring excursion was a blessing, and Killua knew he would seriously consider kicking Gon if that bastard accepted any more unnecessary missions. Sure, they were only young, but after having a Hunter license for seven years, and fighting against killer ants, you kinda lose the title of rookie.
Alluka, of course, was ecstatic to have them back, and even invited their parents Leorio and Kurapika over for dinner and a game night. It was nights like these that Killua found himself the happiest. As Leorio would make some dumb joke causing the immature Alluka and Gon to laugh, while leaving Kurapika (who was still trying to understand pop culture) awfully confused.
Killua often felt himself breathless when he thought about his life, and how he was able to find such a wonderful family. There was never a dull moment when they were united, and if he saw the two eldest of the group as possible parental figures, then that was no one’s business but his own. He was grateful that he got to live with his two favourite people, and for the opportunity’s each day brought them. It sounded so corny, he knew, but just being around them made his heart swell.
A few hours had passed since Kurapika and Leorio departed for their apartment, and Killua had found himself snuggled up in Gon’s bed while the two of them watched some old movie on Gon’s laptop that was seriously outdated. Why he didn’t buy a new one with the absurd amount of money they had? Nobody would ever know, but Gon’s use of ancient technology only gave Killua more material to tease him with.
Killua couldn’t tell you what movie they were watching, as he was far too focused on Gon. He loved studying the features of Gon; how his mouth quirked when he found something funny, the way his nose and eyebrows scrunched when he witnessed something distasteful. And Killua’s favourite: the pure light that shown in his eyes as he absorbed every part of the film. He watched it like it was the most captivating thing in the world, meaning that it must have been a decent movie if it kept Gon’s attention span.
He wasn’t sure how long he was staring, but as the screen faded into the credits, Gon turned to face Killua, his nose inches away from the other. When had they gotten this close?
The room had gotten a bit darker due to the the black screen, but Killua’s gaze remained solely on Gon. It didn’t matter where they were or what they were doing, Gon would always be his favourite thing to look at.
“Did you enjoy the movie, Killua?” Gon asked softly, his eyes refusing to waiver.
“Yeah.”
“What was your favourite part?”
“Yeah.”
“Who was your favourite character?”
“Yeah.”
“I think I’m in love with you.”
“Yeah. Wait, what?” Killua asked dumbfounded as he snapped out of the lovey-like trance he was in. “You— what?”
“I think I love you,” Gon repeated, more confidently than the last time. “Do you… love me?”
“Yeah,” Killua replied as he felt his heart soar.
“You’re not just saying that, are you?” Gon asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
“No, stupid. I… I love you too. Have for a while now,” Killua whispered, and he adored the way Gon’s ears grew red from the confession.
“Does this mean we can be boyfriends?” Gon suggested, perking up as he awaited Killua’s reply.
“I’d really like that,” Killua responded immediately, almost feeling embarrassed by how quick he was to answer.
“One more question,” Gon said.
“Yes?”
“Can I kiss you?” Gon asked quietly, as if the bubble that coated each one of their intimate moments had returned, and he was determined to keep it whole.
“You’ve been doing that all week,” Killua teased playfully.
A small pout formed on Gon’s lips before it bloomed into a breathtaking smile. And slowly but surely, Gon moved closer towards Killua, until their noses were brushing, and their breaths were mingling.
The movie was long over by now, and if either of them had looked over, the home screen of the movie platform would be in view. The light of the dimmed screen was their only light source, and Killua half contemplated turning on their bedside lamp.
But before he could come to a decision, he watched, felt as Gon’s lips brushed his, and in response, he sucked in a breath. They were so close, yet not close enough if either of them were asked. In the moment of pure bliss where all they did was stare at the other, Killua couldn’t help but think back to their previous kisses. How each one, gentle and chaste, had led them to this very moment; a moment with Gon that he knew he would never forget for as long as he lived.
“Can I?” Gon asked again, more desperate than before.
Killua had only lowered his head in a half nod before his lips connected with Gon’s, the warmth of his mouth igniting a flame in his chest. This was… so much more different than all the other times, and though that might sound obvious because this was on the lips, it was so much more than that. The way he held himself, the overall feeling was so incredibly different, yet so right at the same time it was making his head spin.
He kissed back instantly, letting his lips intertwine with Gon’s as they kept a slow, languid pace. He couldn’t help but sigh into the relaxing form of pressure on his mouth as they kissed leisurely under the dim lighting of the old computer screen.
Everything at that moment just felt so incredibly perfect, and Killua failed to stop himself from melting on the spot when he felt Gon’s hands travel towards his cheeks, cupping them in his delicate, callused palms. In return, Killua slid his fingers into Gon’s spiky locks, and he found himself smiling into the kiss when he felt the pleasant hum Gon released in response.
They pulled away gently, just as the kiss was, and the tender, amazed look on Gon’s face almost brought Killua to tears. He loved him so much, and now, he had him just how he wanted him since they were thirteen.
“You make me so happy,” Gon whispered as he tenderly rubbed his thumb along Killua’s flushed cheekbone.
“The feeling’s mutual,” Killua replied, bringing their mouths into another kiss, albeit much briefer than the last.
Even though they had each and every day for the rest of their lives to be like this, Killua still didn’t believe that they had enough time. There was so much love and adoration towards this boy that it would take hundreds of lifetimes for him to display it all in full.
But for now, he had this and Gon. And deep down, he knew it was enough.