(A bit of shounen ai reference for you guys, yeah ^^)
For the second time, Aki woke up beside Killua in bed.
Aki groaned. She didn't want to think about Killua first thing in the morning. However, as last night's (or rather, early morning's) events played in her mind, she couldn't help but think about him.
Especially with their hands were still clasped together.
Aki pried Killua's fingers off hers. Gently, she escaped from his (or Gon's) bed. With a sigh, she started her day with her usual workout routine.
As usual, Aki's mind was made busy with her thoughts. She wondered about Hazel and that thief; about Killua's change in behavior; and Gon's reaction at the mention of Shinikage. But, none of them struck a chord. Her thoughts led her to a dead end. Aki supposed that investigating about Killua's new behaviour should come first.
After her workout, she took a bath. By the time that Gon and Killua stirred awake, Aki had already brought breakfast from a nearby pancake house.
"Morning." Aki greeted, already eating her piece of blueberry pancake.
"Aki! You came back!" Gon exclaimed, jumping from the bed. He made his way to Aki.
The girl flashed a lopsided smile. "Of course, I did."
Killua got out of bed too, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. For the first time, Mr. I-can-go-without-sleep-for-three-days-straight felt like he could sleep a bit more.
"Morning..." Killua mumbled in reply to Aki's greetings. He swopped behind Aki, taking a bite out of Aki's pancake. "Yum." Killua munched on it, eyes narrowed from sleep.
Gon's mouth dropped. He eyed Killua then Aki.
"What happened?" Finally, Gon asked. Killua continued to munch from Aki's food—indirectly kissing her. Aki suddenly felt a bit conscious.
"I dunno... when I came back, he was suddenly like this?" Aki replied, gesturing to Killua's hand that found its way woven to Aki's. If possible, Gon's jaw dropped further.
Gon chuckled. "Killua, are you awake?" Gon asked in a teasing tone, waving a hand in front of Killua's face. Killua slapped the hand away.
"Of course, I am. Idiot." Killua replied in his usual manner and tone. Gon and Aki shared a look.
"You're holding my hand again." Aki pointed out, waving their clasped hands in front of Killua.
"Hmm, yeah." Killua mumbled, grinning.
"This is not Killua." Gon found himself saying. As much as he shipped Killua with Aki, he knew this person was definitely not his best friend.
"Agreed."
"Hm? What's wrong?" Killua asked, glancing between Aki and Gon in confusion.
"You are, old man. Did you finally reach the age of dementia?" Aki jested, testing Killua's reaction.
"Don't be silly. I can still remember yesterday, you know." Killua waved off, hand squeezing Aki's with a small smile.
"Okay, definitely creepy." Gon stated, horrorstruck with Killua's actions. "What happened? Did you bring home a ghost or something?" The question was meant for Aki, but Killua answered.
"No, he didn't. I'm still me, okay?" Killua huffed, at the same time rubbing circles with his thumb on Aki's hand.
"No shit, Sherlock." Aki cursed sardonically.
"Anyway, we're gonna go meet Leorio and Kurapika today so, hurry up Gon." Killua reminded before heading to the bathroom to take a bath.
Aki and Gon shared another look.
As Killua took a bath, Gon filled in Aki about their other friends, Leorio and Kurapika. He also filled her in on what they learned about Greed Island so far. They chose not to discuss Killua's... sudden change. It was too weird. After preparing, they departed the hotel.
Aki wasn't even shocked anymore when Killua's hand automatically intertwined with hers. She let it be. Despite the stares they got, Killua didn't react like he usually did—which was to say, a blushing mess.
Gon only stared, half-amused, half-worried with Killua's new mannerism. Nevertheless, they wove through the street filled with people without much problem.
Killua then started to explain how the venue wasn't the actual auction site. And he did so in classic 'Killua-style', overloading Aki and Gon with new information. Aki barely listened to him talk.
She was more concerned with how the crowd seems to be staring at her and Killua's intertwined hands. Aki felt self-conscious from the stares. It had a different feel from the stares she got back from the port. These stares felt... hostile.
Aki's mind wandered to the numerous BL comics that she read. She wondered sparingly if this was how gay couples felt—with the not-so-subtle discrimination from each stare, boring holes in her soul.
Aki knew she shouldn't care. She was a girl, for crying out loud. It shouldn't bother her. But it did. She tried to shake it off, back to ignoring the stares, the same way Killua does.
It wasn't long before the conversation went to Gon and Killua's friends, Kurapika and Leorio, who Aki have yet to meet. Aki paid more attention.
"Do you think Kurapika and Leorio will show up?" Killua asked, a little worried.
"They promised to meet us here. I'm sure they'll come." Gon assured, a smile on his face. "I can't wait for you to meet them, Aki!"
Aki nodded, getting a little nervous. "Sure." She muttered.
"Oh right, they might try to contact us." Killua brought out his phone, checking for new messages. None. Killua looked at Aki, remembering yesterday's events.
"That's right... Aki, you've never told me your number." Killua pointed out casually. "Give it to me." He demanded.
Gon's mouth dropped for the third time, shocked at Killua's straightforwardness.
Aki shrugged. "I don't have one."
Killua frowned at her, staring with musing eyes.
"Ah! That's right, I don't have a phone too..." Gon stated sheepishly, trying to dissipate the awkwardness. Killua hummed, his gaze still pinned on Aki.
"... Why are you looking at me like that?" Aki snapped, pushing Killua's face to the other side. Killua bit his lip, but he did shift his attention to Gon.
"Well, we should get a phone for you guys. It's standard Hunter gear!" Killua suggested. And that brought them to the nearest handy phone shop.
"Welcome!" The shop owner greeted. Immediately, he went to advertise a phone he was already holding. "This one's great! It's the hottest current model! Super-thin and no bigger than a credit card—"
"Don't bother." A new voice joined in. "That feature doesn't work in many countries, and it isn't even waterproof. That model is for people who only make calls." The man informed with a smirk. Aki narrowed her eyes at the old man.
"Leorio!" Gon exclaimed in surprise and ecstasy.
"Yo!" Leorio greeted Gon with a mock salute. Immediately, Aki's attention was on him.
This is the friend? Aki thought to herself. The man was tall, wearing a suit and carrying a file case. If it weren't for his glasses, and stubby sideburns, he would've looked younger.
The man walked closer to the stand of phones, appraising each one.
"If you're looking for a phone, I would recommend this Beetle 07. It's a little heavy and pricey, but it includes a translator for the two hundred languages used worldwide. Plus, it's sturdy." Leorio informed, picking up a phone that looked like a lady bug.
"Really?" Killua asked, obviously excited. "Let's go with this one!" He picked up one.
"Wait, you're gonna buy one too? Don't you already have one?" Aki asked, pointing to Killua's mobile phone.
Killua shrugged. "Why not?"
It was only then that Leorio noticed the new addition to Gon and Killua's duo.
"And who's this new kid with you guys?" Leorio asked, eyes trained to Aki's. The dark-haired girl straightened her back, trying to appear taller.
"I'm Aki Uchiha, and I'm not a kid." She replied.
"Sure you are." Leorio said, eyebrows furrowing. The man also took note of how her hand was clasped in Killua's. His eyed Aki and Killua curiously.
"What's with the hands?" Leorio asked, pointing at their hands. "Am I missing something here?"
Aki immediately felt self-conscious. She tried to tug her hand out of Killlua's grip. But, Killua made sure their hands stayed together.
"Well..." Gon started, smiling sheepishly.
¤¤♡¤¤♡¤¤
After they got their phones, the group chose to eat in a nearby café. Right now, Gon was explaining their situation to Leorio.
"Say that again?" Leorio exclaimed, dubious of what he just heard.
"I said, Aki is Hisoka's adopted kid. We met him at the Heaven's Arena and he ended up tagging along with us."
"I heard that." Leorio hissed. "But, what you said at the last part!"
"Oh... you mean about Aki and Killua?" Gon asked. "Well, as you can see, Killua's being weird. He's been stuck by Aki's side all morning, holding his hand..." The brunet stated, half-smiling, half-frowning (if that was even possible).
"THE Killua? Mr. I-came-from-a-family-of-assassins-so-I-don't-know-how-to-be-friends-with-someone? Really? He's being Mr. Romantic now?"
"Hey, I'm right here." Killua rolled his eyes at Leorio's definition of him.
Aki snickered. "He's not wrong though."
Killua pouted. "... Don't tease." He mumbled under his breath, caressing Aki's hand.
Leorio's mouth dropped. Killua was obviously smitten, like a pup smooching his human. A bubble of laughter escaped Leorio's lips, which turned into boisterous guffaws. He couldn't help it.
"Who would've thought that it would be this easy to subdue a Zoldyck?" Leorio joked in between chortles.
"I am not subdued." Killua growled, tempted to hit the older.
"Sure you are!" Leorio shot back, still laughing. After a while, his laughter died down.
"On a more serious note though, when did he started to act weird?" Leorio asked, fighting the smile on his lips.
"Well, it started when I came back to them after retrieving my stolen bag." Aki frowned at the reminder. "We went out for food... then suddenly he was all touchy and—and, caring? I dunno, he just wasn't himself."
"I'm still here. And no, there's nothing wrong with me. I meant what I said last night." Killua defended. Leorio let out another series of laughs, banging the table with his palm. Killua gave the man the stink eye, warning him.
Leorio brought his hands up in defense. "Okay, okay... I'll stop laughing." He cleared his throat.
"Actually, I think it started last night around 9 PM? He was acting a little gung-ho about Aki then..." Gon cut in.
"What? I wasn't. I was just worried, honestly." Killua defended. Leorio looked the light-haired boy funny.
"Okay, you definitely are not acting like yourself. I don't think I've ever heard you say 'worried' and 'honestly' in one sentence." Leorio deadpanned.
Aki nodded solemnly. "I think so too..."
"Hey!!" Killua complained.
"What happened before 9 PM? Anything that comes to mind?" Leorio asked, systematically trying to solve the mystery of Killua's change in behavior.
"Nothing really... We were trying to find Aki so we split up. Then Killua managed to uncover a fraud stall... and we met up again. Hmm... I think that's just about it?" Gon mused, stroking his chin in thought.
Leorio hummed. "How about you Killua? Feel anything weird?"
"No... not really." Killua stated, shaking his head. "In fact, I feel better. Unburdened. I wonder though..." He trailed off, looking at Aki.
Leorio followed his gaze and looked at Aki too.
"Don't look at me, I didn't do anything." Aki supplied. They were stuck at a dead end.
"... Maybe Aki really did bring back a ghost." Gon tried to joke, easing the tension created by the momentary silence.
Aki scoffed. "Or maybe Killua's just being true to his feelings." She joked, nudging the light-haired boy.
That got the whole group laughing (snickering in Aki's case), except for Killua who frowned.
"Not funny guys." He groaned, wiping a hand to his face in exhaustion.
"Sorry Killua, it's just—I didn't peg you for the type to have romantic feelings." Leorio admitted.
"But, in all honesty, it is a problem. The change is too sudden for it to be natural. We don't know what caused this change so... we don't know if it's gonna end with just handholding." The man added. The mood turned sullen, and for the first time, Killua felt like there was something wrong with him.
He tried to think back on what could have caused it... but, whenever he did, he just saw Aki's face.
Memories flooded in his mind: Aki smirking; 'His' long eyelashes, fair skin, and supple lips; the first time they hugged; that moment in the bleachers, with him pinning Aki down; the first time they slept in one bed; Aki's hair on 'his' face; Aki in his shirt; Aki's hair on a bun; Aki wearing that clip—
That clip.
Killua's eyes darted to Aki's mien, looking for the pin. It wasn't there. Suddenly, he remembered how he tucked the thing in his pocket—in his yesterday pants' pocket. Yet somehow, when Killua's hand patted his pockets, he found the white clip there.
The light-haired boy stood up, knocking his chair down at the force of his movements.
"The clip!"
(Surprise, surprise~
Anyway, Leorio is finally in the story!! Phew, I don't really know if I was able to capture his character well in what I wrote so far haha. I always thought that he's like an older brother to Gon and Killua so I tried to show that here. Bless his soul, I think he's an overgrown cinnamon tho.)
~ End of #23 ~