A starlit break with an assassin

Chapter 12- Change

'Something's changed between us.'

That's what Killua thought that night, cuddled up with his blankets in his otherwise empty bed. 

Gon had gotten up to get a drink of water a while ago; he could have been concerned, but he knew Gon would be fine.

He never realized that someone could be both so wrong and right at the same time.

He fell asleep to the lull of the night, still waiting for Gon.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, Gon had indeed forgotten about his drink, but it wasn't like he got distracted, more so that he got forcefully derailed.

Illumi had pulled Gon over to his room to have a private 'conversation' with him.

"What do you need?" Gon asked Illumi, still not fully comfortable around him.

"Nothing much." Illumi lied, staring at Gon and nonchalantly starting to use his hypnotic nen.

"Okay well then can I go?" Gon asked cautiously as Illumi grabbed his arm.

"No. You will become a trained assassin and work with my brother to commit paid homicide. You will develop a deep trusting bond with him, but nothing romantic or sexual. Understood?" Illumi said, hypnotizing Gon.

"Y-" Gon tried to fight the powerful feeling of obedience and weakness that was washing over him, "Yes."

"Very good." Illumi said, dropping Gon's arm. "Go get a drink of water then go back to bed, speak nothing of this to Killu."

With a nod Gon walked off.

~~~~~

Killu, with his newfound confidence, placed a kiss on Gon's cheek to wake him up. Gon stared blankly at him and wiped it off in return.

Killu hesitated, 'He, he wiped it off? Did he forget yesterday? Was he faking it? Why is he acting differently? I thought we had something. Did I try to move along too fast?' He ended up stepping back and apologizing.

"It's okay." Said Gon without much expression. "Let's go to breakfast before we're late though."

"Oh, okay. For a second there I thought you were mad at me." Killua said half sarcastically.

Killu was upset that Gon was hiding his emotions. If he ever had them, that is. Killua felt his eyes water from his foolishness. He should have been slower and more gentle. He was so stupid.

The two boys got ready in silence and walked down to the dining hall together.

"Sorry," Killua mumbled to Gon.

"You have nothing to apologize for," Gon assured him. Just as blank as he had been the entire morning.

'Something about Gon is definitely off,' Killua noted.

At breakfast, however, all seemed normal, besides one key thing. Instead of sitting in the seat he had sat in the entire visit, Gon sat next to Illumi, someone who freaked him out.

'Yep that doesn't make any sense.' Killua thought, clearly aware something was amiss.

Killu sat on Gon's other side, accompanied by Xeno.

'Another weird thing, grandpa rarely comes to breakfast unless something big is happening; and it seems like something is, and I'm just the last to know.' Killu noticed.

Breakfast was completely silent for the first half of it, until, suddenly, Xeno cleared his throat.

"Today," He announced, glancing at Gon and Killua not-so-subtly. "Is the day that the Zoldyck family welcomes Gon into its numbers and teaches him the ways of assassination."

There were a few rounds of quiet clapping around the table in response to this.

"What?! No way in hell am I letting you do that!" Killua yelled at Xeno, standing up.

"It's not your choice to make, grandson, it is Gon's." Xeno said calmly, making Killua sit back down slowly.

Killua looked at Gon, eyes begging for him to deny the request and say he'd rather not, but that wasn't what happened. Gon looked Killu dead in the eyes and informed the family he would be happy to become an assassin.

Illumi smirked as Killua glared at everyone in general.

The rest of breakfast was as silent as the beginning of it, but this time the tensions were much higher.

'Your training will begin tomorrow, and though I doubt it, Killu will be permitted to join if he wants to.' The words played in his head. Did he want to attend? No. Was he willing to do it for Gon? Yes.

"My answer is yes. I will be attending assassination training with Gon." Killua said before slamming his plate down on the table, grabbing Gon's arm, and dragging his friend up the stairs.

"I'm excited for training." Gon told Killua semi enthusiastically when they had arrived in Killu's room.

"Well you shouldn't be." Killua warned, "That's a stupid mistake. They are going to torture you and do inhumane things to you, Everything they did to me and more is to be expected. Don't be stupid."

Gon sat and thought until smoke was billowing out of his ears. I just wanted to be more like you, Killu. To go through what you did, and live how you did, you inspire me, and so I'm not sorry."

Red crept up Killua's face and ears until he looked like a tomato.

"Shut up, baka." He said, smiling for the first time all day.

Gon hugged Killua in return. "No thanks, Killua."

'Well I guess he's fine, then. Just a little tired.' Killua thought to himself in relief.

"Training begins tomorrow, so with all due respect, you should spend as much of today sleeping as possible, because you need energy to start training, and you probably won't get too much of it once tomorrow starts." Killu said blandly, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Okay then." Gon said in his once again monotone voice.