freecshow | companion boarding school AU for alex

companion boarding school AU for alex

[When Gon had first been taken to the Zoldyck Boarding Academy, Gon was, least to say, not pleased. in fact, he was literally dragged in kicking and screaming.

Gon knew about Companions, of course. everyone did. it was a respectable, lofty position, and close to no one was truly qualified for the job—one of the wealthiest positions one could get in the world. It required more than beauty and skill in sex (though both could not be done without)—it required culture. A full and well-rounded education; from academia; to the arts; the world itself; politics; psychology... The last of which the most important. It required you to be able to read people very well, to know of their wants without the client not having to name them unless they fancied doing so... and most importantly, to stay safe. That was why self defense and martial training was required as well—to keep the body healthy, and to keep the student, and later, Companion, safe. And there was a coveted grace to fighting well, just as there was to dancing. All required teachings.

And for the most part, people weren't verklempt of the opportunity to attend a school as lofty as this one. Of an already immeasurably elite career class, this school was the best of the best. Elite among elite. Unfathomable riches to attend.

Most of all, unfortunately, to be a five star Companion—one had to start young. And because of that, it was rare that anyone attended the Zoldyck school older than the age of 13; they didn't keep anyone past the age of 21 (or very rarely), and they also didn't believe in putting time into what they would perceive to be failures. It was constant education, starting with basic sexual and psychological education for the youngest, into more advanced sexual and psychological theory. The beginning practice age for the physical application of these years of studying was 15.

Which was the age that Gon is when he was gracelessly thrust into all this.

Having been searching for his father, traveling with a wealthy natural scientist named Kite in part to pursue his passion but also in pursuit of finding his father (to whom Kite had a distant connection), Gon was abruptly and forcibly taken from his charge. Because of their boundless wealth and power, the Zoldyck's assumed legal custody of Gon through their business estate, and even Kite hadn't the funds—much less the power— to stop it. Much less did Gon's adoptive mother, when she soon after got the news from Kite.

Apparently, that father Gon had been in pursuit of, Ging Freecss, had landed Gon, who was so out of place, into this situation. He'd maneuvered some fast-thinking on the Zoldyck's, which was 1) impossible and 2) impossible to take kindly. But Ging was elusive even to their powers that were, so this was the best compromise. A hostage situation, Gon at first surmised, thinking the Zoldyck's would be in for a sorry surprise when they found Ging would be too indifferent to pay of the ransom if the news even found him...

But five steps ahead of Gon, it seemed the Zoldyck's had already thought of that. Instead, they were content to simply keep Gon. And to train him from the ground up, with extra attention (read: force) to get him up to snuff, years behind as he was. And when he was a fledged Companion, he would work to pay his debt... and unless he could gain the cryptid illusory slipperiness of his father without working another 15 years to get it, Gon would likely not be able to escape them.

But that didn't mean he didn't try, one or nine times. And he'd been apprehended every time, to the point where Gon got a bit of a buzz of a reputation. First of all, it was strange that he was brought here at practicing age, without base education through his pre-adolescence—not completely unheard of, but rare enough to basically be a tall tale on its own, but second of all, Gon was wild. From biting his instructors to trying to climb out windows, he quickly gained the reputation of being an animal. Feral Freecss, a proper progeny to his father's reputation among those who even knew of him.

After a couple of weeks, Gon seemed to resign himself (unhappily) to his strange fate. It wasn't that he had any disrespect for the job, or aversion to sex itself—but he never thought any of those things would occur on terms that weren't his own, nor was it even a thing he really had interest in. And there he was, being cram-coursed on how to expertly execute sex acts, flushing and scowling with mortification every time and sinking petulantly in his seat.

Worse, there was the mandatory...well. It had to start somewhere, didn't it? Students usually had a few months of break-in eventually tied with practice, with a practiced Companion. The Companion wasn't usually someone who worked for the school, but alumni, typically. Gon had been enlisted a Comfort Companion given his ornery nature, and he hated how effective of a choice that'd been. He was assigned a woman too sweet to berate or to take his anger and discomfort out on—and students were given generous time with their firsts. Gon had an entire evening and morning, from sunset to sunrise.

Most of their time together had been the woman laying beside him as Gon crossed his arms and crossly scowled at the lavish drapery that decorated the canopy of the bed, all done in sagging, expensive and imported throws and shawls. The woman, on her belly, had talked to him quite candidly about the business, her own experiences... and Gon hated that he knew it was her job, but that she was successfully plying him, putting him at ease. He eventually opened up, asking her questions about her specialty class, and found he didn't totally disagree with it. He didn't disagree with the job at all, but complained at length about the Zoldycks. She explained he'd be set for life, and Gon shot back tiredly he already was.

He was happy, or so he thought. He was pretty sure he was.

Eventually, she got through to him enough to sort of cuddle, which his body responded to naturally—given his climate, Gon hadn't been all too pressed or enthusiastic about relieving his morning needs, so her bare body had quickly awoken its neediness. Her touches were as gentle as her voice, but shockingly efficient—it wasn't long before she'd brought him along to orgasm with a careful, skillful hand, and by then, Gon was ready. They did a lot of different things, took breaks to chat, hydrate and snack on annoyingly pretentious hors devours... and by the end of it, when she jokingly asked him if it was so bad, Gon had simply blinked and told her "no," as if much to his own surprise.

He then realized all he really needed was someone to spend some time with. Some human contact, some understanding. This entire school was full of incredibly rich, incredibly callous people who'd been probably primed for this for far longer than their enrollment... and this was the first time someone had just talked to him, earnestly coaxing out his feelings, and providing some...

Well, comfort.

Gon felt sort of dazed, after that—he'd never anticipated he'd lose his virginity that way, but then supposed he didn't really know how he would have lost it anyway, or if he actually cared. He was just the type of person that when something was taken out of his control that he'd be angry about it, regardless of what would have happened otherwise.

But, decidedly, he felt less... pissed off. Getting laid would often do that for a teenaged boy. And while he still was a little resentful, he realized that had little to do with the staff, or his classmates... so having exhausted all other attempts, Gon decided to put his head down and... er, well, put his head down. In other ways.

Companions in training were required to fill out a basic questionnaire before their first time; to name their type, and their orientation... Gon, not knowing shit about fuck, had simply written in "I don't really care" and selected "heterosexual." The type of Companion assigned to them for their "deflowering" (for lack of a better term here) was up to the Academy itself, and usually a flawless choice. Students were of course allowed to update their dossiers as they learned more about their own preferences through their practices; they could rescind their sexual preference for another, or update their types, or their hard nos. Based on his experience with that woman, Gon decided he'd study Comfort. And then there were more than a few bodies after that, all for the purpose of testing Gon on his material he was catching up on. They in part instructed him as well, and all actually had glowing reviews for Gon—even citing that they'd be happy to work with him again, when permitted.

Indeed, once Gon finally decided to put his mind to it, he was... well, a good lay. When it came to tactile things, like dance, martial practice or sex, it seemed Gon was a quick learner—excelling ahead of even his more veteran, gold star peers. But everything else required a lot of work—Gon was basically the Academy's version of a jock, and only had such success in sex and bonding because of his innate charisma, understanding of romance, and animal instinct—which he already had a reputation for, much to his embarrassment. The more worldly aspect of being a Companion was where Gon dragged far behind—at least, outside of natural sciences and all things pertaining. So if he got a client who cared about that kind of thing or wanted to have a hearty spar before their main event, he'd be a dream come true. That was about it.

Not for a lack of trying, though. Even now, Gon is studying—he's been eating his lunch while having his head sort of stuffed in a book, trying to grind some history text into his brain that simply does not want to go in. Other students seem intrigued by Gon, and he's even made a few friends... But for right now, he's sitting alone—and it's clearly on purpose, sequestered off to some corner of one of the many ornate courtyards of the school, scrunched up at the corner of some bench beneath the shade of some wax-leafed tree.

Gon's hope was to get so good at this stuff he could just graduate early, work hard to pay off the debt, or escape once he was working formally... but proper, normal schooling was way harder than finding the way to give someone have a good orgasm.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Killua watches the new kid as he studies, casually tossing and catching an apple. Gon Freecs has become a subject of interest to him over the recent weeks, going from the bottom in everything to getting dangerously close to encroaching upon Killua's treasured top spot in... well, everything, if he's being honest.

Ever since transferring into the academy upon deciding he no longer desired to be an assassin - much to his family's initial despair - he'd been top of the charts in any subject he deigned worthy of his attention. Schoolwork came easily to him, having been privately tutored by only the best when still at home. The physical classes helped stave off the boredom from everything else, plus his natural competitive streak came out in spades when faced with the possibility of not being the best.

So Gon's sudden rise has simultaneously piqued his interest as well as ruffled his carefully smoothed feathers. Who is this boy, the one that had earned the nickname 'Feral Freecs' when he first showed up? Is that what made him desirable? Is he like an animal in every way?

And yet... and yet. For all the quick ascent in tactile subjects, he sure seems to struggle with anything requiring a more cognitive approach. Of course Killua's aware that not everyone can be as great as himself, but come on - some of this is just base memorization. It's not that hard.

It's tough for him to parse if the voice nudging him to approach Gon is because he wants to mess with him or help him. They're in different specialties so it's not like Gon is actually a threat to Killua's position - not truly - so helping him out isn't risking anything. Then again, fucking around with people is what keeps his days from turning into the dull monotony they threaten to become.

It's also one of the reasons he doesn't have many friends - beyond, oh, being the son of the owners of this place - but eh. He's long buried that particular desire.

Running a hand through his fluffy white hair, Killua meanders up to the bench, not bothering to disguise his approach at all. Beyond the obvious, he's admittedly curious how the newcomer will react to his presence. Does he know who he is? Has he figured that out yet? They share a few general education classes and Killua doesn't exactly bother to be a model student.

If not for being a Zoldyck, he'd probably have been expelled long ago for his mouth. But that's unimportant.

On top of that, Killua knows how to dress to emphasize his best features. The school didn't have to teach him fashion. He's aware that he can cause others to choke on their breath at the sight of him. Today may not be his most killer outfit, but he knows he's still hot in his fishnet shirt and tight jeans, eyeliner winged out to make him look even more feline.

He drops onto the bench, leaning against the back and taking a noisy bite out of his apple.]

Careful, [he says with a smirk, head cocked to the side.] We wouldn't want your brain to melt out of your ears, Freecs.

[Gon certainly knew of Killua Zoldyck. How could he not? People talked shit on Gon's rotten attitude when he first was tossed into the school, but for Killua, it seemed to be a lifestyle—even if overall he was generally less rowdy compared to Gon's initial...acclimation. Gon knew that Killua was also a Dom specialty type, encompassing its smaller genres, similar to how Gon was the same with his Comfort specialty type. Which suited him, Gon thought, but not in a particularly flattering way.

Still, Gon was pretty neutral about Killua, over all—seeing him from across the room used to make Gon's brows involuntarily crease with fury, his jaw clenched, purely by association to the name... but it wasn't like Killua threw his ass in here. Gon had never been confrontational to Killua, nor been too blatant about his cross staring, so once Gon forgave the staff, he basically forgave Killua as well. It was merely a classic example of his temper getting away from him. So Gon came out the other side as being indifferent, though the heir's name was often buzzing in his ears. The school seemed quite infatuated with Killua's general air of controversy—just as they were to Gon's.

But they'd never really interacted. Gon couldn't help but feel curious about him, given everything—his reputation, his status, his bad attitude... Not something Gon should have found endearing, but at least he wasn't the only one who seemed a little on edge in the school. For Killua, he may have been a spoiled little shithead, but Gon liked to think there was a chance that Killua was, in a way, stuck here just as unwillingly as Gon was, and a bad attitude manifested as a result. Gon was an intuitive, emotional person as it was—and his Comfort schooling only honed that, training him to seek where people needed it. It was all baseless hypothesizing, but not unreasonable, Gon thought; despite how he struggled with academics, he wasn't stupid. Not really. But he liked to run with that assumption to his advantage. It made sense—the pressure of being an heir to such a school... If you weren't interested in Companion work, it was probably tough titties. And Gon had heard the unsavory rumors of the patriarchal ancestry of the Zoldyck name...

No winning, really.

But, again. Baseless conjecture.

When Killua sits beside him, Gon blinks, taking in his appearance. He's surprised, but supposes it might have been inevitable; Gon's aware of the ruckus he's caused, and it is Killua's family's school. Up close, it's even more apparent—the Zoldyck's didn't have a knack for bedside manner, apparently, but they did have a reputation for their beauty. Killua was a slight thing, taller than Gon, and cut, his flesh looking light taut marble beneath the too-flirty mesh of his shirt. Which, jeez—Gon supposed he was leaning into the aesthetic of his Companion class, maybe, and it certainly drew the eye. Gon was more distracted by his silvery, voluminous hair; it looked soft, and from here, Gon could smell an expensive but delicate cologne. Killua's eyes were sharp to match his attitude, and Gon felt bewildered by the presence of makeup.

It wasn't that uncommon, really—Gon had seen boys in makeup before, and it wasn't that strange. But it was especially common in this school.

To Killua's comment, Gon's expression fixes in a scowl. What's Killua's angle? Gon wonders (worries) if for a moment he might be flirting, but then decides... Killua might just be like that. As many people in this facility were. So is he just taunting him?? Is Gon just being defensive?

He huffs from his nose, shoving his face back into his book.]

Not my fault I have extra coursework. [Permanently, basically.] This school is brutal as it is, and they're trying to cram 2 years of school I wasn't here for into the first two years of school I'm here while working at my given year!!

[Gon feels like it's actually just a drawn out, sadistic murder plot. They're gonna kill him by making him study too much.]

[Killua raises a single eyebrow at the annoyed response. That. That wasn't the reaction he'd been aiming for. In fact, not a single bit of what he'd been expecting happened. He leans in a little closer, squinting at Gon's face and trying to read between the lines. It's unusual for someone to take him by surprise; over a decade of assassin training combined with the psychology from this school has made sure of his ability to read people. So why didn't Gon bite?

He supposes it is true that Gon's working to catch up, but even so - he couldn't be that far behind, right? Most of this stuff would've been covered at a regular school.

Er. Well. He thinks, at least. Not that Killua really has any true experience with what 'regular' or 'normal' would be.]

I don't think it's that hard, [he finally says, shifting back against the bench and away from Gon, letting his eyes flutter closed and tilting his head up into the sunlight filtering through the leaves.] My tutors worked me twice as hard as this. Didn't you learn anything in public school?

[And yeah, maybe Killua knows he's coming off a bit rude. So what? It's what he's known for, after all. If Gon can't take it, well, then he's just another disappointment in a long line of them.]

You're already mistaken for thinking I went to public school, [Gon grumbles, then scowls towards Killua. it's not that he really cares—this isn't the thing he genuinely has a chip on his shoulder about, or anything. Gon doesn't regret his schooling with Mito even slightly! but it's annoying how people from so many people from so many sides keep insisting they know jack shit about him while simultaneously being so wrong.]

I went to homeschool. I'm from a tiny fishing island, [Gon sighs irately, sinking against his palm in a slouch, his cheek smooshing from the movement.]

You probably have enough wealth and stuff for nothing to be all that hard.

[Well, that had quite the bite to it. Seems Killua hit a nerve.

Too bad it's mutual, what with that last comment rankling him to his core.]

A tiny fishing island. No wonder you're feral.

[okay. Gon knows this isn't Killua's problem. it's not his fault. but Gon is also pretty sick of only seeming to be understood by comfort class Companions (alumni, too—the students aren't there yet), and it's hard not to be tetchy about this situation.

so he scowls at Killua, snapping his book shut.]

I'm feral because your family coerced me into a trade and lifestyle I don't wanna do!

[Ah. A good point, and one that strikes a bit too close to home. Killua tenses up, grip going dangerously tight on the apple as he swivels his head to cast a withering look at Gon.

His family. It's always his family that's the problem isn't it? Whether in his life or someone else's, it seems like they always have their viscera-soaked hands in whatever the current issue is. Nightmares, the lot of them (except Alluka of course, but she's hardly the one Gon is referencing). Nightmares he's stuck with until he can graduate and earn enough money to free himself of their grasp. Nightmares destined to follow him the rest of his life because he can't escape the truth of his blood.

He presses his lips into a thin line for a moment before taking an aggressive bite out of the bruising fruit. Regardless of his current predicament, assassin training does come in handy when he focuses on calming himself. Slow his breaths. Smooth out the creases of anger on his face.]

Yeah, well, get in line, [he finally says in a voice far too clipped for his liking. He's out of practice, apparently. None of the idiots here ever manage to truly rile him up anymore.] It wouldn't be the Zoldycks if they didn't ruin at least one person's life every day.

[Never mind the fact that life is usually mine, he thinks with no small amount of vitriol. Gon doesn't need to know that.]

[Gon does catch the flash of anger that wrinkles the fine features of Killua's fair face, and it catches his interest—and there's no lying about it, Gon finds it a little bit vindicating, too. Killua was smug, and of lofty position—and like it or not, the representative heir. not that it was productive in the slightest, but Gon isn't above being petty, from time to time, hard-headed and proud as he is.

but what's more interesting is that Killua sounds...almost agitated around the name of his own family in his mouth, disparaging them that way. Killua didn't sound proud, and his face belies this as well.

all the same, Gon doesn't take kindly to being told to get in line. his intrigue and his frustration mix, and he thuds the book down on the surface of the table.

Gon's intentions are forming, now.]

Is there a reason you came over here, or are you just trying to piss me off?

Cuz it's working, and I've been needing to let off some steam.

[Gon's...implications are pretty clear.]

[Ah, hell. Killua did it again. Granted, he didn't wander over here with the most amiable of intentions but he also hadn't meant to piss off the kid. Just another day in his life, he supposes, where even when he's not trying to pick a fight, he manages to anyway.

His eyes follow the book's path and subsequent rough landing on the table, raising a dispassionate brow at the not-so-subtle challenge. No, this wasn't his intentions. The more he thinks about it, the more clear they become: he had actually wanted to offer to help him study. Whether out of curiosity, boredom, or the weird nudge he's now noticing to right a wrong his family made, it didn't matter.

Oh boy. That. Well. Hmm. It'll be a miracle if Gon accepts such an offer now.

But is he aware of Killua's past? Does he know that he was an assassin for roughly ten years before becoming a companion? If he does and he's still proposing a fight, then he truly is more stupid than Killua imagined.

He chuckles darkly, lifting his chin to meet Gon's challenging gaze.] And you think fighting me is the best way to do that, huh. [Killua's smile is pointed, razor edged and his gaze sharpens, danger flashing in his eyes like a storm in the ocean. Gon's the top of his class in fighting. That fact alone doesn't necessarily mean he'll prove challenging - Killua is, after all, more than a match for those aging out of the program, let alone those his own age - but he admits curiosity, especially considering Gon's island upbringing.]

You sure that's the wisest move, fighting a former assassin? [He leans in closer, jabbing a finger into Gon's forehead, hard, with a sneer.] And here I was considering helping your idiotic ass, but if you're looking for a fight... [Killua jumps to his feet, shoving his hands in his pockets with a nonchalance long mastered to put people on their guard, eyes gleaming with unbridled mirth.] Then let's fight, Freecs. Show me what you got.

[Oh.... right. Gon had heard the rumors. Apparently, they were true. Shit. Well, as long as Killua doesn't kill him, Gon thinks it'll be fine—because it's not about winning. It's about giving this guy a piece of his mind. Even if he loses, Killua will know that Gon means what he says, anyway. And besides having some aggression he's eager to outlet, Gon's curious to see how far he can last against the prodigal heir, anyway.

When Gon's forehead is jabbed like that, any logical thought process behind his decisions (what few there were to be had) go flying out the window, anyways. Enraged immediately, Gon swats Killua's hand out of his face, expression drawn up in a snarl—though it does drop in severity almost as immediately as it occurs, surprised to hear Killua was planning to...

...help him?

He was just saying that to cover his own ass, right? Killua wasn't that kind of person. Or maybe—

No, he'd think about that later! Wordlessly, Gon stands when Killua leaps into action... and he springs into the fight pretty immediately, launched from the tension in his calves off the flats of his feet, fist already in swing—it's a blunt start, but Gon figures it's gotta get rolling somehow.

And as expected, Killua is quick. He easily maneuvers away from all of Gon's attempted blows, and worse, counters them easily. At one such instance, Killua had snapped the sharp side of his hand against the back side of Gon's neck, which should have effectively rendered Gon immobile—but he somehow pushed through it, though he was initially a bit stiff through it. It had left him even more hindered, susceptible to Killua's relentless, rapid blows.

But thankfully, through some deliberate misleading, Gon managed to grasp Killua's arm after he let a painful, should-have-been finishing blow connect—and mimicked it, striking the tense plank of Killua's abdomen deep against his solar plexus. Using the tilt of his own broader, sturdy body, Gon had then managed to block Killua from catching Gon's hand to stop him from connecting the hit—

But ultimately, Gon now sags heavily against Killua after connecting the hard, heavy strike. His exhaustion and pain catches up to him all at once the second he's satisfied—all he'd wanted was to connect a good hit on Killua, though he's a bit remiss he couldn't get his face.

Gon's vision blurs a little bit, his lids going heavy, gaze unfocused as his posture slacks in dead weight. His labored breathing slows, face pounding, looking rightly quite smacked about, and it's clear Gon is definitely nodding the fuck out.]

Haha, got you...

Edited 2020-10-09 23:07 (UTC)

[Killua hisses in surprise when Gon manages to land the hit, tensing his abs in time to stop the blow from doing any real damage. He'd been correct in his assumption that fighting Gon would prove interesting. What he hadn't expected was how quick of a learner Gon was, or how he'd somehow managed to push through the blow to the back of the neck that usually caused any sparring to come to an abrupt end. A challenge and not an unwelcome one, at that. It got his blood pumping and adrenaline flowing much quicker than the usual fights.

Yet as soon as Gon makes that connection it seems like he's done, his weight suddenly heavy against Killua's side. Killua's arms go up automatically, pausing the second before making contact. What is he doing? He doesn't need to hold up this idiot-

Then the pressure of Gon's body against his increases into nearly dead weight and he's grasping hold of him, sliding one arm under Gon's pits and around his back. His free hand grabs hold of Gon's other arm and yeah, perhaps he's digging his nails into the skin in a way that, frankly, isn't necessary, but what the fuck? This kid is about to fall asleep standing up and slumped against him.]

Yeah. Congrats. You managed to hit me, [he responds dryly, but he can't deny that he's actually... rather charmed by it all. Something about this big oaf is endearing, and causing Killua to want to get to know him better.

How fucking rude.]

Yo. If you pass out, I'm gonna drop your sorry ass on the grass. Don't think I won't. [The words lack the usual bite and he grinds his teeth, annoyed at himself.] Tch. I'm not your babysitter.

Then I guess you better drop me, [Gon slurs (just a bit) groggily, then laughs. He rolls his tongue in his mouth and tastes a bit of blood against his teeth, unsure of it's from internal damage or from one of the blows to his face.]

I just lost all my strength, so there's nothing I can do...

[And he lost, so he may as well get his ass dropped. Dang. He was gonna really fall behind now. Curse his hot temper. But maybe if he could get Killua to toss his book at his face, he could just lay there and read until he felt strong enough to get up again... But focusing with this headache would certainly be a feat.

How fun, though. Despite how he's beat, and dreading falling behind again, Gon's thrilled. It's not enough to get him moving, but adrenaline happily thrums through his sore, tired body. There's endorphins chasing the pain, and the smarting from all the blows are satisfying. Indeed, that aggressive energy feels finally exercised—all in the span of what, 5 minutes?

Gon's head rolls to the side a bit, his speech slurring a little again.]

I like your cologne...

[Killua's face flames red at the unexpected comment.] That's weird, [he grumbles, letting go of Gon's arm to shove his head away.] I just kicked your ass, don't be sniffing me like an animal. Sheesh.

[Glancing at the bench they'd originally been sitting at, Killua's eyes flick between it, the boy leaning against him, and the grass before letting out a long-suffering sigh. Deep down he knows the reason Gon got so riled up likely has to do with Killua's family and the unfortunate association he can't escape from. It's a very valid reason to be upset, and one Killua wouldn't ever begrudge him having. After all, he can relate more than he'd prefer to admit.

He begins to drag Gon back to the bench. Maybe if he sets him there, he'll at least return to studying rather than larking about on the ground.]

[That gets another tired laugh.]

What do you mean...? I'm already right here, of course I'm gonna end up smelling you even if I don't mean to.

[Gon is surprised when Killua begins to drag him back towards the bench, tired eyes blinking unevenly back open, then he glances at Killua. He holds that gaze, seeing the bashful, radiant flush, unusually soft on the heir's face. Blinking a bit more alertly, Gon's gears manage to turn a little despite his addled head (for god's sake, he was already cooking his brains before he got his skull rattled about like that).]

Killua...

[This is what makes Gon consider that Killua had been serious after all, about intending to help him—that Killua hadn't been picking a fight. That was all Gon.]

You really were gonna help me...

Geez. I misunderstood you. At least I got what I deserved, I guess.

[Killua snorts derisively.] Yeah, dummy. [He drops Gon onto the bench roughly, letting go and bending down to pick up his discarded apple from where it had fallen on the ground. Mmm. Maybe he shouldn't eat that anymore.

He sets it next to Gon's book and shrugs, purposefully avoiding looking at the other boy. He should... apologize for being an asshole, probably. It's not like the blame solely rests on Gon. Killua knows when he's poking and prodding more than he should.] Maybe don't go picking fights with someone trying to be nice. [No, that's, that's not quite right.

Damn it. Why does being nice have to be so stupidly difficult? He sighs, raising his arms and clasping his hands behind his head.] Listen. I don't know how much help it'll be but maybe I can offer some pointers on how to remember facts. Or something. Don't expect too much though.[A smirk crawls over his face and he snickers.] After all, I'm clearly only good at things because - what was it you said? I have enough wealth and stuff so things aren't hard?

[Gon laughs, and winces, resting against the table heavily. He seems to be able to prop himself up on his elbows, but his head is a bit heavy.]

To be fair, you didn't make it obvious you were trying to be nice...

[And it wasn't something Killua had a reputation for. But Gon should know better than anybody not to judge based on that kind of thing. To Killua's last bit of ribbing, Gon laughs again, rubbing the back of his head weakly.]

Well, you could afford a good tutor if you needed one. But I'm not saying anything like you don't have innate talents; that much is obvious...

Sorry for saying stuff like that, [Gon adds, rubbing some clotting blood in a smear with the back of his hand from beneath his nose.] It's not fair for me to lash out just cuz you're the heir.

I haven't had anyplace good to put my anger...

[Gon definitely got in trouble for accidentally going too hard at someone during a spar, last week—he'd gotten a bit too into it, and forgotten himself.]

If you're really willing to help me out, I'd really appreciate it, actually...

Edited 2020-10-10 01:38 (UTC)

[No place to put his anger, huh. Killua faces Gon again, gazing at him thoughtfully.] My parents could afford to hire a tutor if I needed one, [he corrects firmly, though not unkindly. It's a small distinction, but one he feels matters.] But they wouldn't. They'd probably just make me be an assassin again.

[He quiets, chewing on his lip and looking at his lap, feeling small and helpless at the very idea of that. True, his competitiveness and previous education makes it so he doesn't have to try hard, but he's very mindful of his grades. It took a lot of convincing to get his father to let him be a companion, especially since he'd been an unfortunately talented killer. But this is less awful, decidedly. He can make a living through sex and save up enough money to rescue his sister. It certainly makes him feel less dirty than when his hands are covered in someone else's blood.

Another sigh and then he corrects his posture, face smoothing over into a bored neutral expression.] Anyway, yeah, I'll help you. And because you're not entirely hopeless on the field, I'll even let you fight me when you want.

[Gon makes a thoughtful hum as Killua goes quiet, watching him discreetly as he fusses his lip. Gon is beat enough that it might not be totally noticeable that Gon's watching him closely, nor with an ounce of cognizant reading—but even prior to this training, which he hasn't had much of yet as it is anyway, Gon's always been an intuitive person. Nothing is exchanged between them verbally, but Gon feels understanding creep through him anyway.

Gon beams, then.]

Really??

Thank you! To both.

[A mirthy little bubble of laughter flutters through Gon.]

I think it's gonna be really fun, Killua.

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a thousand years late cuz it took me forever to find this again somehow

Re: a thousand years late cuz it took me forever to find this again somehow