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Gon loved hills. Most of all Gon loved to run down hills - huge hills, small hills, any kind of hill. She loved the thrill of running down a slope at such a pace you could easily fall head over heels and end up tumbling to the bottom. The thrumming of her heart, the grass between her toes. Adrenaline, bliss.
Since it was one of Gon’s favourite activities it only made sense to share it with Killua, his best friend.
So there they both were, at the top of what Gon deemed the Best Hill on Whale Island. The slope was located in a forest clearing where wild flowers grew up tall and tickled their knees, surrounded in all directions by towering trees.
“So .. we just run?” asked Killua, looking to Gon, whose face was lit with a huge smile.
“We just run!” confirmed Gon enthusiastically. He jumped gently from one foot to the other, bare feet dirty and damp with dew.
“Oka-” before Killua could finish the small word Gon had grabbed aer arm and they were running.
“Run, Killua! Run!!” screamed Gon gleefully, sunny giggles being carried on the soft breeze.
Killua sure was running, fast and free. Everything was a blur of bright greens, rich browns and Gon - Gon running up ahead, freckled hand still clasped onto Killua’s wrist. Brilliant and joyful.
A loud “Whooo-hoooo!!” ripped from Killua’s throat and ae was laughing along with Gon. It was a great feeling. The wind was like soft fingers running through his pale hair, the earth springy under foot - It felt like he could take off at any moment, one huge leap and he would be walking through the clouds. Gon’s yellow sundress was flared out behind them and they were looking towards the clear blue sky, crying out like a bird on a spring morning.
Suddenly Killua was being pulled to the ground by Gon and rolling on aer side, plants brushing aer cheeks with fragrant kisses and aer stomach aching with laughter.
A few more spins and Killua was at the bottom of the hill, breathing hard and teary eyed with glee. Ae planted both hands on the ground and stood steadily, scanning aer surroundings for Gon. It didn’t take long before his friend was leaping up from among the flowers and shouting for him.
“Killuaaa!!” Gon called out to him breathlessly, “Wasn’t that great?”
She closed the short distance between them and grabbed Killua’s hands, she showed him a wonky grin.
“It was pretty great,” Killua agreed enthusiastically, idly squishing his friend’s hands and returning a large smile. “Should we go again?”
Gon didn’t answer the question but let out a little gasp. He held up Killua’s hands for aer to see the palms. Oh - little streams of blood were trailing over his skin, as if someone had painted scarlet lightning strikes across a pale canvas.
“You must have rolled in some brambles!” Gon explained, eyes squinting as they examined their friend’s hands.
“Brambles?” Killua inquired, tilting his head in confusion.
“Thorns…” Gon pointed behind Killua and sure enough, there grew spiky tangles of bushes. “You don’t call them “brambles” elsewhere?”
“Oh!” Killua thought for a little… ae couldn’t recall ever hearing the term before now. “I don’t think so. But I like it - brambles, it’s a nice word.”
“Hmph, well it may be a nice word but the thorns have made you bleed, Killua!”
“It’s okay,” he reassured. “It doesn’t hurt, Gon. Let’s go back to the top?”
“Hmm… Good idea, it’s brighter up there. I can patch you up better!”
Killua laughed gently, “I told you, it’s nothing.”
“Then if it’s nothing, you’ll not make a fuss and let me take a look!” Gon retorted, sticking out her tongue and running back to the top of the hill. Killua sighed and followed, smiling at the twigs tangled into the back of the other’s wild black hair.
Gon fanned out his sundress and dropped down to the ground at the top of the hill and Killua sat opposite. Big brown eyes stared until Killua’s hands were presented plam up to the tanned individual, with a roll of Killua’s own blue eyes.
“Mito-san always makes my clothes with pockets!” Gon stated happily as they pulled a white cloth and a handful of plasters from the pockets of their dress.
Gon spat liberally onto the white cloth and failed to notice - or ignored - the way his friend’s nose wrinkled with distaste. Gently the damp cloth wiped at Killua’s hands and the dirt and blood disappeared.
The dark haired child leaned in close and inspected the now mostly clean skin.
“There’s thorns still in your skin! I told you I needed to take a look!” Gon explained, shaking his head gently.
“Okay, okay. But really, it doesn’t hurt,” Killua retorted, pouting.
“Blah, blaah,” mocked Gon.
Gon’s pink tongue peeked between her teeth and her dark eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she went about removing the thorns in Killua’s skin. Her dirty fingernails pinched the little points and pulled them one by one from the white haired child’s hands in no time. She took two of the plasters and placed them over the deeper punctures.
“All done!” Gon declared with a giggle.
“Thank yo- Wah!!” Killua was caught off guard when the other child placed two little kisses on aer left hand, ae pulled both hands away and covered aer quickly heating face.
“Hey! I wasn’t finished!” Gon retorted, attempting to pull aer hands back.
“Why are you doing that for?!”
“What?” Gon asked, brown eyes wide and lips forming an ‘O’.
“K-kissin’!!” Killua chokes out. “You’re always doing weird things!”
“Well... Mito-san always does it for me when I get hurt, she says kisses heal,” Gon explained, voice gentle. “I thought others did it too..”
“No one ever did it for me..” Killua said, face turning to the ground, a hint of a bitterness in aer tone.
“I can always do it for you now!” Gon suggested excitedly, Killua could see his freckled cheeks glowing pink from the corner of aer eye.
“I … I wouldn’t mind that,” said the second child, his voice almost a whisper.
“Me either,” said Gon decisively.
Killua made eye contact with Gon once again and held aer right hand out to aer best friend. Gon smiled widely and kissed the patched up palm tenderly.