The X Sickness X Within (KilluGon)

Chapter 4

A knock sounded loudly at the door. Gon was making food so Killua pulled himself off the couch and looked out of the eye hole in the door. Leorio stood outside holding a small suit case and glancing at his watch as he tapped his foot impatiently. He wore his usual indigo suit- does he have five pairs of the same suit or something? – And his weird eye glasses were hanging halfway down his nose.

Same old man. Impatient as ever.

Killua was tempted to just stand there and wait until Leorio pounded his fist on the door again- you know, just for fun- But Gon came up and grabbed the door knob before he could stop him.

"Gonnnn..." He whined. In response all he received was a huge grin before Gon invited Leorio in. The first thing that the doctor did was look Killua up and down. Taking in the dark circles under his eyes, pajamas, and unruly hair.

"Looks like you've had a rough week." Leorio stated.

"Make that a rough month," Killua said quietly.

"I'm making sushi," Gon told Leorio.

"You mean that stuff that the Gourmet hunter had us make? Why?" Killua questioned.

"Well I looked up the recipe online and it's actually really easy to make."

"Really I *COUGH, COUGH* didn't... *COUGH* realize... *COUGH, COUGH, COUGH*..." Killua waved his hand to signal that he was done talking and bent double as his lungs heaved. He made his way to the bathroom and spit his coughed up blood in the toilet.

I've never seen cancer before, but I really hope I don't have to see it again. It looks brutal. Leorio thought to himself.

Gon left Leorio standing alone to go and comfort Killua, who had finished hacking up blood and was readying his overused tooth brush for a scrubbing.

Poor Gon, he must be so worried. I will have to make sure that I get this over with swiftly and precisely. With the help of a little nen of course... Is something burning?

"GAH!"

Leorio looked into the kitchen to see a pot full of rice catch on fire. Dark smoke began to fume out of the pot in huge clouds. Leorio ran to the pot and tapped it off the stove trying not to burn himself in the process.

"GON! KILLUA!"

Leorio managed to dump the pot in the sink and turn the water on right before the smoke alarm began wailing. He abandoned the pot for the fire alarm as Gon came rushing in. Behind him Killua made his way a bit slower, tooth brush still in his mouth.

The fire alarm screeched obnoxiously loud, but it only managed to get out seven beeps before Leorio, in a fit of frustration, smashed it into silence. Gon smothered the fire and turned off the water while Killua smiled at the comical situation behind them and removed the tooth cleaner from his mouth

"What did you have in that pot!? Gasoline rice!" Leorio shouted.

"No," Gon rubbed the back of his neck as an embarrassed blush spread across his face and a goofy smile broke out. "I guess I forgot to add the water before I turned the oven on."

"Forgot... the water?" Killua and Leorio said simultaneously.

"How do you forget the water!?" Leorio asked.

"I don't know, you just do?"

Leorio and Killua sighed. Only Gon would manage to forget the water when trying to boil rice. It was no use trying to figure out what went wrong in that brain of his.

Well, I guess we're having take-out tonight. Thought Killua.

After they cleared everything up with the landlady- who had almost evacuated the entire building- Gon grabbed some take-out from the noddle place a block down. Egg rolls and ramen were passed around as everyone found a seat. Killua and Gon took the couch while Leorio took the only chair. He would be staying at the apartment instead of paying for a hotel.

"How long have you had the cancer?"

"A month." Killua said simply. It didn't really bother him to talk about it anymore. He had accepted the facts of cancer.

"Oh, okay... You ready for tomorrow?" Leorio asked. This question Killua did not answer. He mixed his ramen around in its little container. He didn't know how he felt about people slicing him open and removing things from his body, but he supposed it was better than dying.

"Hey Leorio," Gon said, changing the subject to give Killua a break. "Were you able to get in touch with Kurapika?"

"Oh yeah! He said that he was still hunting down the rest of the phantom brigade. He's already taken care of five of them. He said that the one he was chasing now was is an expert at hiding, running, and trapping. Then there was a beeping noise and he told me that a lead just came up and he had to go."

"Oh wow. Five? He has really put a dent in their little group." Killua said.

"I hope that he was able to find more of the Kurta eyes." Gon said. The conversation continued deep into the night, touching topics like Ging, going on missions, and healing. Killua was the first to go. After a brutal attack on his lungs Gon made him some soothing tea, which he downed in one shot, then headed off to his room.

Leorio and Gon talked a bit longer but jet-lag finally kicked in and Leorio found it hard to keep his eyes open. Leorio would be sleeping on the couch, even though Gon had offered him his room. He gathered up the blankets and pillows given to him by Gon and fell asleep swiftly.

Gon fell onto his bed and sighed at the soft coziness of the blankets.

Everything is going to be fine tomorrow. Leorio will heal Killua and then we can go on missions again. Just like before.

Gon drifted into unconsciousness.

-----

Leorio had left earlier that morning to get everything ready at the hospital. Gon packed a small bag since he would be at the hospital all day and yelled to Killua to get up. He finished packing and called again to Killua. No response sounded behind the closed door except coughing.

Gon threw his bag over his shoulder and pounded on Killua's door.

"Hey we have to go! We're gonna be late!" moaning sounded on the other side of the door. Gon took that as a 'come in' and opened the door.

Killua was hanging halfway off the side of his low mattress, face on the floor in front of a small pool of blood. Blood ran out of Killua's nose and in a thin trickle out of his mouth.

"Hurts." Killua said weakly, then coughed up more blood. Gon was by his side immediately. He pat his back as coughed up more blood than he should lose. He stopped and started to fall. Gon grabbed his friend before he fell in the puddle and gently put him back on the mattress.

"Hey Killua! Killua!"

"Help, me..." Killua's blue eyes cracked open weakly.

"Gon... I'm so... scared."

Killua just admitted he was scared. He needs a doctor now.

"Gon, don't leave." Killua weakly grabbed Gon's hand but he didn't have the strength to keep it there and it began to fall away. Gon grabbed it and held tight.

"Killua I will always be by your side. Always." A weak smile cracked across his chapped lips and Killua fell into unconsciousness.