ꜱᴛᴜᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ- ᴋɪʟʟᴜᴀ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ [OLD]

24-𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘹 𝘌𝘯𝘥?

Heyy so uh...It's Ghost again. Kinda thinking of just discontinuing the book. I just feel like no one really cares abt it like how they once did. If I do discontinue it, I'll probs end it at the Yorknew arc in a nice little ribbon for you guys. I don't wanna leave it unfinished either. Either that or I'll take a break. So depending on how this chapter goes, this may be the last one. Sorry. It's been fun, but sometimes updating feels like a chore with no reward.

~~

After devising a plan to practically scam our way through Yorknew's system, we went out and started to follow through. We arm wrestled for a bit, but I decided to just wander around by myself for a little. I had realized how little alone time I had gotten over the past few months, which made me a bit nervous, for whatever reason. I snuck around alleyways, which had all grown familiar to me over the years.

Someone covered their hands over my eyes, and my first natural instinct was to kick them in their groin. "Ouch!" Quinn groaned. "Jesus Christ, Y/n!" they winced.

"Sorry! I thought you were a stranger!" I frowned. "You okay?" I walked closer.

"Fine." They smiled at me. "You sure know how to pack a punch, don't you?" They chuckled.

"I used aura." I chuckled.

"Ah that nen stuff? We have guns and knives, so I don't see why you need it. Looks cool though." They shrugged.

"Thanks." I nodded. "So, when did you get back? Gon's been missing you."

"I know. Um...truth is, I don't exactly have...a job-job yet. I'm working with an employer, that doesn't pay me." Their shoulders raised.

"Well, that's dumb." I snorted. "Why not get paid?"

"Well, cuz...It's not with money." They frowned. "It's information."

"Huh? You're not making any sense." I cocked an eyebrow.

"Well...You know the phantom troupe, right? You know, the guys who killed Kurapika's family?" They asked.

"Yeah! Wait...don't tell me..." I looked at them. They just nodded. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, I'm serious." They frowned. "I know it's bad, but I'm doing it to gain information."

"Why?" I scratched my arm nervously.

"For Kurapika. I owe him one, so...I just wanna help. I know it's bad, but I just...I need to." They frowned.

"I guess I understand that." I looked at the cobbled ground. "But...be safe. It's a group made of thieves and murderers. I don't want you getting hurt." I grabbed their hands.

"I won't. You worry too much about me." They smirked.

"Yeah, yeah. I guess I've grown a bit attached." I smiled.

"Well, who couldn't?" They chuckled, running their hands through their hair.

Suddenly, their eyes got wide and their mouth hung open.

"We don't like traitors..." I small man said from behind them, before walking away. They looked down, and they had a wound, blood spewing out of their chest.

This was it.

They were dying.

"Ahah...Oh...Look at that." They chuckled dryly. "I...I didn't think that this would happen. Guess you uh...you can't get off scot-free with these things, can you?" They began to weep. "Fuck."

"Quinn!" I yelled, rushing to their side. I held their falling body in my arms. "What do I...What do I do? Should I call the hospital? The ER?" I began to sniffle a bit myself too.

"Ah, no. No, don't do that." They said, struggling to breathe. "I think...this has been a long time coming, to be honest."

"No. No, don't say that." I sobbed more.

"Hey, it's okay. Now, you and Killua can finally be happy together. Right? That's...That's what you wanted. Um, tell Gon I love him." They winced as they tried to sit up. "And tell Leorio, that despite his temper, he's a real sweet guy."

"Stop, don't talk like that! You're not dying. You can't be." I sobbed.

"Starlight." They hummed. "Y/n." They grabbed my face with their pale hand. Their tearful eyes were illuminated by the moonlight. "Don't cry. You know I hate seeing you cry." They sniffed. "So my final wish is for a big smile from you. Just one."

"I can't. You're about to die." I wiped up tears.

"And? One more smile. Please." They begged. "Hm...blood is really warm. Like a blankie. I wish I had one right now."

"We can get you one in the hospital." I cried.

"No, no." They laughed. "Too many hospital visits in my life. It's done now. I'm all done. And that's okay." They buried their face in my chest. "When you leave, leave my body here. I don't want to be touched when my soul leaves. Just leave me here, okay?"

"You won't die. You can't!" I sniffled.

"But I am dying. I'm almost there." They replied. "I'm gonna go find my dad now. I love you. Good ni-" They were cut off by the light of life leaving their eyes of two different colors.

"Quinn?" I called. "Quinn?" I asked louder, shaking them. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" No response. "Goodbye, old friend. Rest soundly. I'll join you someday." I gave them a peck on the forehead, before running off to find the others. My clothes were stained in blood, but I didn't care.

I found them wandering the streets. I assumed that they were done with their arm wrestling.

"Killua." I tapped his shoulder.

"Oh, finally! Where were you?" He grinned, squeezing me close to him. I didn't hug back.

"Hey. It's over, okay?" I replied, my shoulders raising from stress.

"What?" He pulled back.

"We're breaking up." I answered. "Well, I'm gonna go. Bye." I waved, running away before tears could fall.

I left that life behind me. It's not like I could've gone back. I was done. It was all over then. It had been a few years since Gon, Killua, and my endeavors. We were all around 18 or 19 now. They all texted occasionally, but I never answered. I couldn't. They all tried calling that night, but I didn't dare pick up. I needed to run. That was all I knew. I had given up on my free life. I was just a kid with nothing, and I had to get realistic again.

It was done.

As Quinn's life left, mine was left behind.