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Killua waits anxiously, his arms crossed and fingers tapping against his bicep as he leaned against the willow tree in the center of town. It was getting dark, and people were beginning to turn in for the night; the townspeople and tourists both, so Gon and him would have their privacy.
The willow tree itself was quite beautiful, its leaves stretched out far enough from the trunk that there was a wide enough area to almost be as big as a small house. Killua was completely secluded, what remaining sunlight that was left only breaking through the branches when wind caught the tree in a gentle sway, rustling its leaves.
After nearly six years of being apart, Killua believes he has a right to being as nervous as he was. What would Gon look like? Would Killua still be taller than him? Was he still the same, childish and overall kind boy he’d known when they were twelve years old? Killua hoped so. Of course, even if Gon had changed, Killua would love him all the same.
Killua himself had changed, obviously, nearly a whole foot taller than when he and Gon last saw one another, his voice surprisingly only a bit deeper, and his nen abilities probably one-hundred times stronger. His hair was the same, save for the inch or two he’d decided to keep grown out, which proved to be annoying from being in his eyes all the time.
Over the years, Killua had realized his feelings for Gon were something much deeper than what he’d originally thought. When they were younger, Killua only thought that was how friends were supposed to feel for one another, because of course, he didn’t know any better. But when spending time apart from Gon, and meeting new people and making new friends, he’d slowly begun to understand these feelings he felt for his best friend weren’t typically felt amongst friends.
The question now was whether these feelings were mutual or not.
When the willow’s leaves suddenly parted, Killua’s breathing stopped, but when he saw that it was just Alluka, he relaxed.
“Take a deep breath,” Alluka smiled kindly at Killua, approaching him slowly, “I’m sure he’s just as nervous as you are.”
“Alluka,” Killua said, “You know—”
“I do, Killua. It’s been almost six years since you two have spoken face to face," she smiled gently, "And since then, the true nature of your feelings have come to light.”
Right, because since Alluka has gotten older, she’d dropped the whole “Big Brother” ordeal and just called Killua by his name. He isn’t used to it yet.
“When did you become so wise?” Killua teased, smiling.
“I take after my big brother,” Alluka said as she reached out and ruffled Killua’s hair.
Leaves rustle, and Killua stops just short of snapping at Alluka for messing with his hair, opting instead to see who’d intruded on the willow tree’s space. His eyes meet with a familiar pair of hazel ones, and the air in his lungs gets caught in his throat.
“Alluka,” Gon says, and his voice is only a little deeper, so Killua recognizes the childish tone in his voice, “You’ve grown.”
Gon stands taller, and he’s gained muscle in his arms, but he still maintained that lean build he had even when they were younger. His clothes have changed as well, swapping out those horrendous shorts for a pair of roughed up army pants, but it seemed he no longer had his green jacket, a white muscle shirt in its place instead. It probably didn’t fit him anymore. He also had a scar on his left arm that Killua didn’t remember being there before, starting at his wrist and reaching all the way up to the top of his shoulder.
One thing that was the same, however, was his smile, still as kind and warm as ever.
“It has been six years,” Alluka smiled, stepping away from Killua, who was still frozen in place, “You and I can catch up later, but for now,” she glanced back at Killua, “I’ll leave you two alone.”
She slightly bowed for Gon before exiting through the leaves, leaving the two of them alone. Gon watched her leave before his eyes cast down at the grass at his feet.
“Gon,” Killua mumbled, and Gon lifted his head, tears bubbling up at the corners of his eyes.
He wasted no time, sprinting for Killua and slamming himself into his arms at such a force they fell back against the tree trunk, and Killua found that he was still taller than Gon by a significant amount. Killua was stunned only for a moment, but he was quick to wrap his arms around Gon as equally tight, pressing his face into his hair.
“I missed you so much, Killua.”
And at the sound of Gon speaking his name, tears fell from Killua’s eyes as well, soaking his cheeks and running down his neck.
“I missed you too.”
Gon pulled away, only keeping himself at half an arm’s length as he laughed, “You’ve gotten taller.”
Killua laughed as well, “So have you.”
Gon punched him in the arm, startling Killua, “You’re still taller than me, though!”
Killua rubbed his arm, because that certainly had some strength behind it, “We haven’t seen each other in six years and that’s what you’re worried about?” Killua asked exasperated.
Gon ignored him, and just smiled, “What have you and Alluka been up to, then?”
“Well, I’d have to say our biggest accomplishment is we’ve made peace with our family, finally, but other than that, we’ve kind of just been traveling around the world, taking up missions as Hunters— oh, right! Alluka got her Hunter’s license.”
“That’s amazing!” Gon said excitedly, “So you two are just living the life then, huh?”
Killua shrugged, pulling away from Gon completely, “I’d say so. What’ve you been doing?”
“Mostly just traveling around with Ging, like you and Alluka. Him and I parted ways a year or two ago, though, so I’m with Kite and his team now.”
Killua hummed, “I see your sense of fashion hasn’t changed.”
“Wh— What’s that supposed to mean?” Gon shouted.
Killua just laughed, bringing Gon into another hug, “I’ve… I’ve missed you so much, Gon.”
Gon hugged him back, pressing his face into Killua’s shoulder, “I’ve missed you too.”
They sat on the grass under the willow tree, talking on and on for hours , letting the time pass them by, the final light of the sun setting and being replaced by the moon.
Gon did most of the talking, unsurprisingly, and it was comforting to Killua that things hadn’t changed between them. So he listened, and he listened, listened to every story Gon had to tell with every detail he could remember, never interrupting him once. Eventually, and he doesn’t remember how they ended up this way, Killua’s head ended up in Gon’s lap, and Gon ran his fingers through Killua’s hair as he continued to ramble on.
Killua almost fell asleep, until he felt Gon’s hand stop, and his eyes opened to find Gon staring down at him, frowning. Panic shot through Killua, and his eyebrows furrowed out of worry, quickly sitting up to see Gon’s eyes more clearly.
“What is it? Are you okay? Whatever it is, I’ll take care of it.”
Gon shook his head, “We missed out on so much time together. I-it’s nothing, it just makes me a little… sad, I guess,” he chuckled half-heartedly. “What… What do you wanna do?”
“What do I wanna do?” Killua repeated, raising an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, we agreed to meet up here, but we didn’t talk about… after. What are we gonna do after tonight? I… don’t want to separate again.”
Killua sat and thought long and hard about what Gon was saying, because this was important. It would determine where they would go from here— whether they would part ways, and likely for another six years or so, or they would continue on their paths through life together.
Killua didn’t want to separate either, of course. He loved Gon, all around, and it would break his heart seeing him leave again.
Killua shrugged, “Alright, let’s just not separate then. If I don’t want to, and you don’t want to, then what’s stopping us?”
Gon bit his lip, “I’ll miss Kite and team, though.”
“Oh,” Killua shook his head, his gaze dropping to his lap where he was wringing his hands together, “O-of course, right. I’m sorry.”
Gon took Killua’s face in his hands, forcing him to look him in the eyes, “No, no! I want to stay with you, Killua. That’s not what I meant,” he chuckled, “If you and Alluka will have me.”
Killua took Gon’s hands into his, “Gon, before you make that decision, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Gon’s eyebrows furrowed, “What is it?”
Killua immediately regretted opening his dumb, fucking mouth. Why say anything at all? Why ruin a good thing? But, Killua knew Gon respected honesty above all else, and he would want Killua to be honest with him. Besides, Killua wouldn’t be able to keep his feelings a secret much longer anyway. Even if Gon decided it would be best they really did part ways, at least he was true to their friendship.
And hey, maybe these feelings were mutual? Killua highly doubted it.
“I’m in love with you, Gon. I felt I should tell you before you decide on whether or not you truly want to stay, in case that maybe you were uncomfortable about my feelings for you.”
Gon sat quietly for a long while, staring at Killua with an unreadable expression, which was terrifying, because Gon was the most expressive person Killua knew. But then, he raised an eyebrow, a sign that he was thoroughly confused.
“Why would that make me uncomfortable?”
“What?” Killua said, “Well, I don’t know— you don’t find it weird, like, at all?”
“Why would I find it weird?”
Killua grumbled, crossing his arms, “I don’t know!”
Gon smiled gently, “You’re being serious?”
“Yeah, I’m being serious! It’s been killing me since I realized I’ve been in love with someone who wore green booty shorts. Me, of all people! I can’t believe I didn’t try and burn your clothes back when we were younger. The NGL outfit wasn’t bad, though.”
“They were not booty shorts!”
“They were so booty shorts.”
Gon huffed, “How long?”
Killua tensed, “What?”
“How long have you been in love with me?”
“God, I’d go as far as to say from day one.”
“Damn,” Gon mumbled, “Longer than me then.”
“I’m sorry,” Killua said, “Longer than what now?”
Gon smiled, and it was one of those smiles that had the power to make Killua fall to his knees, and he would, if he wasn’t already sitting down. “I’m in love with you too, Killua.”
“You— Gon, you—” Killua began to feel himself cry, and he watched panic wash across Gon’s face.
“Killua!” Gon fell into Killua and held him tightly, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to make you cry! Please don’t cry!”
Killua shook his head, placing his hands on Gon's shoulders and pushing him away so he could look him in the eyes, “It’s alright, it’s okay; this— this is a good thing, I think. Maybe I’m just overwhelmed. I never thought—”
Gon nodded, “I know. I understand.”
Killua took Gon back into his arms, holding him and curling his fingers into the back of Gon’s shirt.
He was about to say something stupid. He could feel it.
“Gon?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to marry you.”
Gon didn’t respond at first, then, “Okay. I’ll marry you, Killua.”
Killua laughed, “That easily? No hesitation?”
“I can’t see myself spending the rest of my life with anyone else except you, Killua.”
Killua loved the way Gon said his name.