ꜱᴛᴜᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ- ᴋɪʟʟᴜᴀ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ [OLD]

18- 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦'𝘴 𝘹 𝘍𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭

We walked to the festival, surrounded by the sounds of the city. The lanterns and the moonlight illuminated Killua's pale face, making me smile. We held hands and I hummed as we walked up and down the busy streets of Yorknew. We had barely been alone lately, so the change made me happy.

"Hey, Kil?" I looked up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Why, of all people, did you choose to reveal yourself to me?" I smiled.

"Hm? What's that mean?"

"Well, in the bush. It was almost a year ago when we first met. Crazy, isn't it?" I chuckled.

"I revealed myself because you found me." He laughed, looking up at the stars. "To be completely honest, I didn't see you. You saw me."

"Wait...seriously?" I looked up at him. He nodded, blushing a bit. "Guess I'm sharper than I thought I was." I giggled.

"You're really smart, you know that? Don't downplay yourself like that." Killua wore a small smile while wrapping his arm around my waist. 

"Can't help it," I whined.

"Well, I'll help you with it, okay lovey?" He smiled.

"Hehe, okay." I giggled at the nickname, feeling overwhelmed with love. "Oh, there's the festival!" I cheered,  grabbing Killua's hand and rushing to the plaza.

Dancers stood in the middle of a square lit by 4 lanterns in each corner while loud, festive music blared from the stage, where a band of about 6 people stood. I nodded my head along to the beat and smiled.

"Killua, we should go dance!" I cheered.

"I don't dance. Sorry, sweetheart." He sighed, pulling his hand back.

"Awe, don't be like that." I frowned, putting my hands on my hips out of pure frustration. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to find someone else to dance with me." I scoffed, as I passed a poster stuck on the square's bulletin board that read 'the valentines festival; the gathering of lovers', making me smirk a bit.

"Hey, wait! You can't go off talking to strangers like that!" He huffed, running after me. "Y-You could get lost or something, dummy."

"Yeah, yeah. Are you gonna dance with me or not?" I chuckled.

"Fine, whatever." He giggled, holding my hand. 

"Do you know what song this is?" I asked, walking him to the dance floor.

"Für Elise." He replied. "Beethoven I think."

"Oh, that's nice." I smiled when he put his hand on my waist and I put my hand on his shoulder. "Are you a classical nerd?" I giggled.

"Psh, no." He scoffed.

"Oh, you definitely are. I didn't know that about you!" I grinned.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." He winked as we spun around.

"You're such a dork." I chuckled.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He rolled his eyes playfully. "You're a bigger dork than I am."

"Awe, you don't like it?" I fake whined. "So sad," I smirked as he dipped me down. He lifted me back up as we continued to spin around.

"If you keep making remarks like that, I'll have to find some way to shut you up." He whispered into my ear.

"Like what, hm?" I shot back. "If you kiss me again, you'll just give me what I want."

"You little devil." He chuckled lowly. 

"It's just part of my charm, I suppose." I laughed.

"And you're lucky it is." He kissed my nose and smiled. I just danced and enjoyed the moment.

"Y/n, Killua!" I heard Gon shout, running up to the two of us through the crowded plaza. "It's Quinn! They're awake again...But something's happening." He sighed.

"What? Are they okay?" I exclaimed, letting go of Killua.

"Is it the hanahaki? Is it acting up again?" Killua exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Mhm! But they're all out of medicine!" Gon replied worriedly.

"Fuck." I gasped, rushing back to our hotel, Killua and Gon following close behind. "Did Leorio somehow have meds for them?" I asked Gon hurriedly.

"No! Since the disease isn't very common, he didn't think to pack any!" The ebony-haired male panted.

"Damn it!" I yelled, rushing into the hotel lobby and running up the stairs to our room. "Quinn!" I shouted, slamming open the door. I saw them on one of the beds in the hotel, twitching and writhing in pain. "Are you okay?" I rushed to their side.

"Ah, Y/n." They chuckled weakly. "How are you?" They smiled at me, pain and fear in their eyes.

"What happened? Are you okay?" I leaned forward, grasping their hand.

"Mhm, just don't feel so good." They coughed.

"Don't feel so good? Quinn, there are flowers coming out of you!" I cried. "We gotta get you to the hospital, quick!"

"No, it's okay." They smiled weakly. "I'm just going to die here. I've accepted that." They gurgled up more blood.

"Quinn, don't die on Y/n!" Killua shouted. "Don't die on me!"

"Die...On you?" Quinn repeated weakly. "Heh, You really do care, don't you, cat boy?" They shut their eyes.

"Quinn?! Quinn, wake up!" I shook them. "Take them to the hospital, now," I demanded in a low voice, holding their unconscious body close to my chest.

"Y/n, it's such a far drive, I don't think we can make it in time." Leorio stepped in closer and sighed.

"I said now, damn it!" I shouted. "Does that mean nothing to you? Does Quinn mean nothing to you, Leorio?" I turned towards him, holding onto their head gently. He seemed shocked but nodded.

"Let's go hail a taxi." He sighed. I held Quinn's limp body and walked outside the hotel. A taxi stopped almost immediately upon seeing their body.

"Where ya headed?" The driver asked in a gruff voice once we all hopped in.

"The hospital, dipshit!" I yelled. "Go, now!" I huffed.

"All right, All right!" He frowned, stepping on the gas.

I held onto Quinn tightly, resting their head on my lap. I looked down at their sleeping face and silently sobbed, afraid of the future, and incredibly ashamed of the past.

"You gotta live. For me. For you. For anyone. Just please, live." I sniffled. "Just live."