Guardian Angel | Hunter x Hunter

ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥 𝟙 | ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝔹𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤

Bleary golden-brown eyes blinked open as birds merrily chirped overhead, waking Yuto from his nap. He sat up with a small groan, his back popping loudly as he began to stretch out his stiff body. Jeez, how long had he been asleep? Surely it hadnt been that long.

Though he was still tired and longed to lay back down, he knew he had things to do. Glancing over to his left, a small smile grew on his face at the sight of a small bowl on the ground next to his moth-bitten futon. Etsu had already woken up, it seemed. Yuto gently picked up the small bowl of rice and placed it in his lap before he swiftly began to eat. 

He finished the small portion rather quickly, a small sigh leaving him as he gazed down at the now-empty bowl. It didnt nearly fill him up, but he was used to that. They just barely scraped by with the little income they made from their various jobs, and it seemed they would stay that way for the indefinite future. 

The sound footsteps coming towards him room brought him out of his thoughts, the door swinging open only moments later. A loud creak broke the silence that had settled upon the area, soon followed by a small chuckle.

"Do you want more? You could've just asked, y'know." Etsu teased, snickering behind her hand.

Yuto quietly began to laugh along with her, his cheeks slightly flushed in embarrassment.

"Im fine, really" he lied, rubbing the back of his head, "How about you? Have you eaten yet?"

The tan-skinned girl shot him a suspicious look, not buying his response. He always seemed to ignore his own hunger just to make sure she got her fill, and it did make her feel a bit guilty. A frown placed itself on her lips, vibrant blue eyes narrowing at Yuto.

"Stop lying to me, you know I dont fall for it anymore"  She crossed her arms over her white t-shirt, "And yes, I've already eaten. Theres still some rice left, if you want it"

Yuto went silent, instead just lightly shaking his head and averting his gaze. He didnt need it, he was fine. 

The two fell into silence, neither of them saying a word for several moments. Etsu went over and took a seat next to her half-brother, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. 

"Todays the day, huh? We're finally getting a chance to turn our life around! I dont know whether to feel excited or nervous, honestly" Etsu's face brightened as she spoke, a sheepish smile growing on her face.

Yuto met her hopeful gaze, his expression slightly unsure. He wasnt exactly thrilled to risk his life in the exam, but surely it would be worth it in the end? Well, if they survived, that is. Still, Etsu seemed happy about it, and he didnt want to dampen her excitement.

"Right, lets do our best" he responded, forcing a smile that she easily saw through.

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"Wow, what a view!" Etsu exclaimed, staring at the vast, open sea in awe. 

Her calloused hands gripped onto the railing surrounding the outside of the ship. The wind whipped her hair around, sometimes causing it to smack her in the face (which Yuto secretly found quite amusing). Frustrated huffs sounded from the girl each time she lifted a hand to brush the stray stands back into place.

Meanwhile, Yuto struggled to stifle his laughter, his face turning red as he forced himself to stay quiet. His own hair was pulled back into a ponytail, so he didnt really have to deal with the same issue as his dear sister.

Normal guests and hunter-examinees alike yammered amongst themselves as the ship finally set off, some of them rushing to the railing and shouting farewells to their family and friends. 

The two siblings simply averted their gaze from the sight, sharing comforting smiles with each other. They were well acquainted with feeling alienated from others, but it hit Yuto just a bit harder. Etsu had never known anything other that this, but her half-brother could still remember what it was like to have a whole family. 

She assumed she was almost lucky, in some weird way. Since she had no parents to remember, she had nothing to miss.

Still, she often found herself wondering what it would be like to be with her parents, even if Yuto insisted they were better off without them.

As the shore faded into the distance, Yuto leaned back against the railings and deeply inhaled, breathing in the salty air. Seagulls squawked overhead, sometimes swooping down to land on the mast of the ship. Some people shot cautious glances up at the birds, hiding away their food so it wouldnt be taken. 

For about an hour or two, the ship was pretty smooth-sailing. The sky was for the most-part clear, the sun shining brightly down on them. 

No one even suspected that a storm was brewing.

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Hello everyone! I hope you like the first chapter <3

This isnt my first time writing a fanfiction, but it is my first time writing a hunter x hunter one. Any and all tips would be greatly appreciated!