knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

Warmth

As the days dragged on, the distance between Killua and Gon continued to grow. Gon was often away on missions with the knights, his presence in the palace becoming more and more infrequent. And even when he was there, their time together was limited, stolen moments hidden away from the watchful eyes of the court.

Killua's heart ached with every passing day, the weight of their separation pressing down on him like an invisible chain. He missed Gon—missed the way they used to talk, laugh, and fight side by side. But now, everything felt different. The closeness they had once shared was being eroded by the demands of their roles, by the queen's ever-tightening grip on both of them.

One evening, after another long day of royal duties and court politics, Killua sat alone in his chambers, staring at the letter he had received earlier that day. It was from Gon—a brief note explaining that he had been sent on another mission, one that would keep him away from the palace for at least two weeks.

Two weeks without seeing Gon. Two weeks of silence.

Killua crumpled the letter in his hand, his heart pounding with frustration and sadness. He had known this was coming—he had known that Gon's promotion would mean less time together, less freedom to be by each other's sides. But knowing it didn't make it any easier to bear.

The door to his chambers creaked open, and Killua didn't even bother looking up. He already knew it wasn't Gon. It was one of his personal guards, come to remind him of some pointless meeting or responsibility that meant nothing to him anymore.

But when the figure stepped inside, Killua's breath caught in his throat. It wasn't one of the guards, nor a servant come to deliver some trivial message.

It was Gon.

For a moment, Killua thought he might be imagining things. Gon wasn't supposed to be here—not tonight, not after the letter. But there he stood, his face tired but determined, his presence filling the room with an undeniable warmth that Killua had been desperately missing.

"Gon?" Killua's voice was barely a whisper, his surprise evident.

Gon gave him a small smile as he stepped fully into the room, closing the door softly behind him. "I came back early. I... couldn't stand being away, not right now."

Killua's heart raced as he stood from his seat, the crumpled letter forgotten in his hand. The sight of Gon standing there, after days of being apart, filled him with a surge of emotion that he could barely contain. Relief, anger, sadness—they all swirled together, and for a moment, Killua wasn't sure what to say.

"I got your letter," Killua finally managed, his voice low. "I thought... I thought you weren't coming back for two weeks."

Gon sighed, stepping closer to Killua until they were standing just a few feet apart. "I wasn't supposed to. But I couldn't stop thinking about you. About how things have been."

Killua's chest tightened, the ache he had been carrying for so long suddenly bubbling to the surface. "Things haven't been good," he admitted quietly. His voice cracked, betraying the frustration and loneliness that had been gnawing at him. "Everything's falling apart, Gon. I don't know what to do anymore."

Gon's expression softened, and he reached out, gently placing a hand on Killua's arm. "I know. I hate how things have been. I hate that they promoted me just to keep me away from you. It's all part of her plan—your mother's trying to keep us apart."

"I know," Killua muttered, his gaze dropping to the floor. His fists clenched, the frustration simmering just beneath the surface. "She's trying to break me. And it's working."