It Lives | HunterxHunter

i looked 'round (and i knew there was no turning back)

"I am going to become the best Hunter in the world," Gon declared with unwavering determination, his eyes ablaze with resolve. The two stood on the deck of the ship, bathed in the golden glow of the sun as Whale Island gradually faded into the distance behind them.

"How about you, [Name]?" Gon inquired, his gaze fixed earnestly on them.

They blinked and a small tiny frown was on their face. Gon noticed and he looked a bit taken aback by how sad they looked, he could also smell the sadness rolling off them in waves.

"I-I really don't know. I am hoping that by taking the Hunter exam, I could find it," [Name] confessed softly, their voice tinged with uncertainty. Yet, amidst the shadows of doubt in their eyes, Gon saw a glimmer of determination that mirrored his own.

Gon's smile brightened, a beacon of reassurance in the midst of [Name]'s inner feelings, which made them turn their frown into a smile. "Don't worry, I am sure you will, [Name]! If not, I can help you!"

Hope flickered to life within [Name] at Gon's optimism. They never experience so much encouragement in their life. "Would you really?!"

Gon nodded eagerly, his enthusiasm infectious. "You betcha!"

They exchanged grateful smiles with Gon, their heart warmed by his kindness. "Thank you, Gon," [Name] whispered, a genuine appreciation evident in their voice.

Their moment of gratitude was interrupted by the intrusion of a gruff male voice. "Kids these days, don't respect us," one of the men remarked, his tone dripping with condescension.

"Every year, there are millions of skilled applicants for the Hunter exam," another chimed in, his disdainful gaze fixated on [Name] and Gon. "But only a handful are selected. Don't say stuff that you can't back up, kids."

The men's laughter echoed around them, igniting a flicker of anger within [Name]. They clenched their fists, their fingers twitched with the urge to retaliate by summoning their Shikigami. They watched as Gon walked forward, ignoring the adult's words which they followed him closely behind.

"It's okay, [Name]..." Gon's voice was a soothing voice, offering comfort and support, with a tiny smile thrown at them.

[Name]'s eyes widened in surprise as Gon seemed to pick up on their reaction to the adults' comments. A faint flush of embarrassment tinged their cheeks, but they quickly masked it with a stubborn harrumph, still their fingers itching with the desire to summon one of their Shikigami. Orochi seemed like the perfect solution to teach these disrespectful men a lesson. However, they have a feeling Orochi would throw the adults up, and they didn't want to put their snake through that even though it was a shadow.

Gon smiled at the sight of a pouting [Name], but shouting caught the two's attention. With a shared glance, they turned their attention away from the irritating men.

"What are you doing, Katsuo?!"

Curiosity piqued, [Name] and Gon leaned over the railing, their eyes widening as they took in the scene below. A man with fiery red hair lay sprawled on the floor with a crate and scattered green apples, while two other adults berated him with harsh words.

"At this rate, you'll never make a decent sailor," one of the men sneered, his tone dripping with disdain as he held his broom mockingly. With a swift kick to the man's behind, they watched as the red-haired individual struggled to regain his footing, his expression a mixture of frustration and embarrassment.

"Those assholes..!" [Name] muttered through clenched teeth, their anger simmering just beneath the surface. Beside them, Gon nodded in silent agreement, his expression stern as he cast a disapproving glance at the two men who had been laughing at the younger sailor's expense, even though he would've preferred them not cursing a lot.