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A warm breeze filtered through an open window above the kitchen sink as Noko scrubbed spaghetti sauce off a dinner plate, the scent of blooming hibiscus mixing with fresh soap and clearing out the smell of cooked food. The little ones were outside, chasing each other through unattended grass and enjoying the last few rays of sunshine before they’d get called in for bathtime and, eventually, bed.
It was nice, this little life. Everything she’d ever hoped for, to start a family and give children the same experiences she had growing up on Whale Island, spreading deep roots even deeper. Marrying a local had simply been a bonus–an unexpected one at that, considering the lack of options. With the only boy her age gone for several years, without a hope of returning, Noko had once thought she would need to leave this place to find love.
Fate made her lucky. Despite the doubt the entire island held that the son of Ging Freecs would ever return, he had. Despite even more doubt he would give her more than two seconds of attention (much like when they were children), he had. Funny to think it may never have happened had she not offered to help him through his neglected school work.
That’s how love works, though, that’s what grandma always said. It happens unexpectedly and in the mundane.
And now, she had a beautiful home on the cliffs of Whale Island, a beautiful view no matter which window she was looking out of, far enough away from the docks to avoid the fishy smell but close enough to make an easy walk to the town. She had two beautiful children, who had everything they could ever want. She had a gorgeous husband who worked an exciting, well-paying job and never failed to bring home a special gift every time he managed to visit home.
These were the things she reminded herself on the lonely days, when it had been over twelve months since his return home and cell signal was patchy, causing her phone calls to go unanswered for over a month. Sometimes Noko found herself zoning out in the middle of a chore, wondering what he was doing and who he was with; if he missed her.
But of course he missed her. It was nothing but a little bit of gloom hanging over her head–a symptom of her nearing period, maybe–that had her thinking such silly thoughts. Out of everyone in the world, Gon chose her. Gon met an unimaginable amount of people on his journeys through countries Noko could hardly wrap her brain around even after viewing the pictures Gon sent her. And he still chose her.
Who cared if Jana, the butcher’s wife, liked to make underhanded comments about how hard it must be for a man to go so long without the loving embrace of their wedding bed? Jana knew nothing. Gon had never been a highly sexual person; he respected Noko, and beside of which, every time they had sex she managed to get pregnant. They were not exactly dying for more kids at the moment, so no, Gon wasn’t missing those things. Even if Noko had real cause for concern, she knew nothing would happen considering Gon was always in the company of his best friend.
Several weeks had passed since Noko spoke to Gon, so when the green ‘Call Accepted’ lit up her phone screen, her heart skipped in anticipation.
“Hi babe!” The words were out before the grainy image fully cleared, showing Gon’s bright, wide smile, half of it smooshed with his cheek pressed against a black pillow. “I miss you! Where are you right now?”
“Hi Noko,” Gon said, his voice cutting in and out a little bit before the photo finally stabilized enough to see the freckles dotting the bridge of his nose. “I’m sorry it’s been a while, we’re finally somewhere with cell signal. Subo is beautiful! I’ll send you some pictures.”
The phone vibrated, a message stating ‘Gon sent 26 photos’ flashing on the top of the screen.
“Oh wow, did you just take all these today?”
Gon’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “No, these are from the past three weeks!”
“Oh!” Noko said, pushing out a small chuckle. “You’ve been there a few weeks already.”
“Yeah!” Gon smiled big again, and Noko softened. “Killua and I have been so busy since we got in. He just had to go on several shopping sprees.” Gon’s head turned upward, his tongue poking out, and a pale hand entered the frame to smother his face.
“You didn’t have to go with me, doofus,” a familiar, slightly raspy, deep voice said. It sounded close to the camera.
“Is Killua there?” Noko asked with a polite smile.
“Of course!” Angling the camera further away from his face, Noko realized it wasn’t a pillow Gon was laying on, it was Killua’s chest. Killua’s scowl entered the frame, his piercing blue eyes looking into the lens briefly before he determinately turned the camera back to Gon’s face.
“Keep the camera on yourself, idiot.”
“Hi Killua,” Noko said, injecting every ounce of pleasantry into her voice. The man had never been known for his warmth, but she always tried anyway. The only women she’d ever seen Killua act sweetly to was his sister and Mito. It was just as well, anyway; at least it meant no women would be hanging around the two of them. Not with Killua there to scare them all off.
“Sup.”
“Killua, be polite,” Gon hissed, but it was said with a teasing smile.
“Uh huh,” Killua responded with enough apathy to give the impression he’d stopped listening several minutes ago.
Turning a knowing look on Noko, Gon rolled his eyes playfully, as if to say, ‘Isn’t he so silly?’
“Anyway, we both know I have to be there when you go shopping, because Killua can’t make a fashion decision without sending me a photo anyway,” Gon said smugly.
He wasn’t exaggerating; it was a curiosity Noko had witnessed several times whenever Gon visited Whale Island on his own. His phone pings practically non stop with photo texts whenever they’re apart.
It never made a whole lot of sense to Noko considering Gon wasn’t the most fashion forward guy, but eventually she came to the assumption Killua simply couldn’t make decisions on his own. Honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised if the man had severe separation anxiety, despite his demeanor constantly giving off nothing less than unbothered.
“You want me to send you those photos,” Killua said, voice dipping suggestively, and Noko let out a startled laugh. Their little 'bromantic flirtations' always managed to catch her off guard, no matter how often she witnessed it. Watching straight men be silly in that way was so amusing.
Gon turned to look up at Killua, his face out of frame. “Mm, that’s true.”
“So quit complaining, or I might have to stop sending them.”
“Nooo,” Gon whined, the camera shaking and turning off to the side as he squirmed—to get closer to Killua, somehow? “I need more for my collection!”
A loud laugh shook the camera some more. “Your collection? You’re such a freak, Gon. Let me see that ‘collection’.”
The video jerked around violently before completely going dark, audio muffling and scratching as if it was being dragged across fabric.
“No, stop! I’m on a video call, Killua!”
“Don’t care. Gimme that phone.”
“No, you’ll try to delete them all!”
“No I won’t,” Killua said in a fakely innocent tone.
“Gon, I’ll try calling again later,” Noko said, forcing out a laugh.
“Yes you will!” Gon wailed, seemingly distracted and unable to hear Noko. “I can tell by the look on your face.”
Killua snickered. “Just show me the album, Gon.”
“Bye babe!” Noko tried shouting it this time.
“Oh, bye Noko!”
The call ended and Noko shook her head with a smile, deciding it was a great evening to drink wine and watch The Bachelor and be thankful she was here in this beautiful, cozy home and not somewhere across the world going on shopping trips with Gon’s strange best friend.