It's Nerf or Nothing

[6] Sorry Bout That

Killua drops his backpack on the classroom floor next to Gon who has the palm of his hand placed under his chin, tapping his pen on the table in an apprehensive manner.

Gon turns his head slightly towards Killua's direction, "Oh, hey."

"Hi."

"Oh yeah, uh. Sorry 'bout yesterday I..." Gon's voice softens.

Killua's eyes narrow as he breaks into a rowdy laugh. "Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?" he scoffs as he leans back in his chair, putting his hands behind the back of his head.

You sure acted like you cared yesterday. Gon frowned and positioned his body forward in his seat. Professor Bisky walked into the classroom, demanding the students to take a seat next to their partners so they can work together on creating the game. Gon turned around once more and hesitantly, he asked Killua what type of game he wanted to create.

"Just something with a shit ton of guns and swords," Killua states as he gives a cynical smile.

"OK... we can work with that. Can you code?"

"You can't?" Killua asks in disbelief, eyebrows raised.

"Uh, I mean, I took a class on it during my freshman year in high school but I didn't really do the work," Gon awkwardly laughs, scratching his nape.

Killua rolls his eyes. "Alright, I'll code the game but you gotta give me some ideas."

"Do you know how we can interpret swords into the game though? I'm used to making games with just guns."

"I mean, I do have some experience with swords," Killua gives a lopsided grin.

"Woah, really? That's so fucking sick."

"What can I say? I'm badass," Killua closes his eyes, leaning back on his chair with a self-satisfied grin.

Gon gives a genuine, whole-hearted smile and takes the school-issued laptop from his dark-green Jansport backpack out, setting it on top of his desk with a quiet thump. He opens the lid of his laptop to the picture of a dog, his dog. Killua peeks over to the background photo of a Karelo-Finnish Laika laying on the grass with its tongue drooped out of its mouth.

"Is that your dog?" Killua questions while shifting his eyes forward to sign into his laptop.

"Yeah, she was, back in Whale Island." Gon gives a half-smile, eyes the shape of moon crescents, although his eyes are filled with a smidgeon of sorrowfulness. "I had to leave her behind for university."

There is a pregnant pause before Killua's mouth forms an "O" shape as Gon's leg starts to vibrate aggressively, in a panic at the awkwardness filling the air between them.

"Holy shit, man. That sucks," Killua finally says, his mouse clicking vigorously on the computer program he has downloaded. Killua's eyebrows then furrow in disbelief and vexation. "How are we supposed to create a game within 3 weeks? That's impossible. Absolute bullshit, I say!"

"I mean, we can always ask for extra time," Gon states although it sounds more like a question than a statement.

"Dude. This is a university not fucking middle school! We gotta come up with something today," Killua groans in distress. "We don't even have a god damn sprite yet."

"Alright, how 'bout we just start with the layout of the game first? Then we can figure out how we wanna design the sprites and shit."

Killua's lips press into a thin line and eventually, he nods and straightens himself in his seat before he leans forward and adjusts his eyes to the brightness of the screen.

--

Killua waits in line in the busy cafe on his university campus. He orders black coffee and sits at one of the small, 2-person tables waiting for his order. The empty chair opposite of him is pulled, the legs of the chair screeching irritatingly across the wooden floor. The screeching comes to an end moments later with someone taking a seat, and that someone is no other than Gon-fucking-Freecss. Killua gives a hostile glare toward him while Gon simply winks.

"Black coffee for Killua," a woman says into the loudspeaker. Killua snaps his head up, sits up, and shoves his hands into his pockets, walking toward the counter where his drink sits aimlessly still, making Killua's mouth water. He only takes his right hand out of his pocket to take hold of the cup of coffee.

Seconds later, the same woman says "black coffee for Gon," which causes Killua to glare at Gon once again. Killua walks to the table and sits down, taking a sip of his coffee.

Gon comes back to the table with his coffee and situates himself, giving Killua a toothy grin.

"We have the same order," Gon says ecstatically. Killua rolls his eyes and Gon continues. "What can I say? Maybe we're meant to be," Gon says with a smug expression.

"Don't say stupid shit like that, idiot," Killua hisses, his cheeks darkening. Gon snickers and takes a small sip of his coffee, the bitter taste dissipating across his tongue.

"Whatever you say, Killua."