knight's Royal Duty || Gonkillu ||

Take it slow

That night, after sneaking out to meet Gon once again in one of the hidden chambers beneath the palace, the weight of his mother's words still lingered heavily on Killua's mind. The queen's threats, her icy warnings, had left him shaken, more so than he was willing to admit. He paced the small room, his heart racing, the anxiety gnawing at him with every step.

Gon sat on a low stone ledge, watching Killua with a concerned expression. His usual carefree demeanor had been replaced by something more serious, more cautious. He could sense the tension in Killua's movements, the way his shoulders were stiff with worry.

"We can't keep doing this," Killua said suddenly, his voice cracking under the strain. He stopped pacing, running a hand through his white hair in frustration. "She's not going to let this go, Gon. She's going to push the marriage through, and if we keep sneaking around like this, it's only going to make things worse."

Gon frowned, leaning forward slightly. "What happened?"

Killua clenched his fists, trying to hold back the surge of emotion that threatened to spill over. "She knows, Gon. Or at least, she suspects. She warned me to stay away from you. She's using you to control me."

Gon's eyes darkened with concern, but he didn't interrupt. He let Killua speak, sensing that he needed to let it out.

"She made it clear," Killua continued, his voice quieter now, almost trembling. "If I don't go through with this marriage, she'll make sure you're punished. She'll hurt you just to make a point. And I... I can't let that happen."

Gon stood up then, his expression serious. He crossed the room to stand in front of Killua, his hand resting on Killua's shoulder. "I won't let her hurt you, Killua. But you have to think about what you're saying."

Killua's heart raced, his chest tightening with the realization of how cornered they both were. "I don't know what to do, Gon. I don't know how to fight her."

Gon's eyes softened, but there was a deeper worry behind them. His voice was steady, but the question he asked hit Killua harder than he expected. "Killua, what happens if she finds out about us? Really finds out?"

Killua's breath hitched. He hadn't let himself think that far ahead, but the weight of Gon's question sent a wave of cold dread through him. If she finds out.

"There's going to be tons of conflict," Gon continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "Between the court, between the nobles... she'll use it against you. Against us. She'll turn it into a weapon, and it won't just be about us anymore. It'll be about the entire kingdom."

Killua felt the blood drain from his face as the full gravity of what Gon was saying sank in. He had always known that his mother was ruthless, that she would do anything to secure her power. But if she found out about him and Gon—about the love they had been trying to keep hidden—it would give her all the leverage she needed.

"She'd make me the villain," Killua whispered, his voice barely audible. "She'd say I betrayed the kingdom, that I was reckless. She'd twist everything to make it seem like I was a threat to the crown."

Gon nodded, his expression grim. "Exactly. And the court? They'd turn against you. They're too afraid of her to do anything else."

Killua's head spun with the weight of Gon's words. He knew Gon was right. If the queen discovered the truth about them, she wouldn't hesitate to destroy everything they had worked so hard to protect. She would turn their love into a weapon and use it to control them both.

"But what can we do?" Killua asked, his voice cracking under the strain of it all. "If we keep sneaking around, she'll find out eventually. I don't want to lose you, Gon. But I don't see a way out of this."

Gon let out a long breath, his hand still resting on Killua's shoulder, grounding him. "I don't have all the answers, Killua. But I know one thing—if we keep sneaking around like this, we're putting both of us at risk. And if she finds out on her terms, we'll be playing right into her hands."

Killua swallowed hard, his throat tight with fear and frustration. "I don't want to give up on us."

"And you won't," Gon said firmly, his voice filled with conviction. "But we need to be smart. We need to think about what's best, not just for us, but for the kingdom. You're the prince, Killua. They look to you for leadership, even if they're too afraid to admit it."

Killua looked down, his heart aching. He hated the thought of hiding—of pretending that everything was fine when the world around him was crumbling. But Gon was right. If they didn't handle this carefully, everything could fall apart. And worse, the queen would have all the power.

"So what do we do?" Killua asked quietly, looking up at Gon, his eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear.

Gon's expression softened, and he stepped closer, his hand gently brushing against Killua's cheek. "We take it one step at a time. We don't let her win. But we're careful. We don't give her any more reasons to hurt us."

Killua's breath hitched at the tenderness in Gon's touch, at the warmth in his eyes that had always made him feel safe, even in the darkest moments.

"Killua," Gon said softly, his voice steady but filled with emotion, "I'm not going anywhere. We'll figure this out. But we need to be smart. I don't want you to get hurt. And I won't let her destroy us."

Killua nodded slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. "Okay," he whispered. "We'll be careful."

Gon smiled faintly, his eyes filled with that quiet determination that Killua had always admired. "We'll find a way. Together."

Killua closed his eyes for a moment, leaning into Gon's touch. He knew the road ahead was uncertain, that the danger was real.