Falling For You

The Manipulator

Killua stood frozen with fear, sweat protruding on his brow as he started to shake.

Gon noticed the immediate fear that overtook Killua and he'd stared narrow-eyed at the perpetrator. In which this case, it was the dark eyed male standing in front of them.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice wavering dangerously, causing Killua to jolt up and turn towards him, wide eyed and fearful.

"Gon, I told you to-"

"Killu."

Cutting him off, Illumi took a few steps forward until he was only a few feet away, his dark eyes shifting from the pale boy to the tan one beside him. "Who is this?"

  "I'm Gon. Gon Freecss." Voice hard, Gon didn't even flinch beneath his dark gaze.

  Illumi says nothing and just turns away, as if he were nothing more than a troublesome fly that didn't even deserve a second glance.

  "Killu. Mother and father are inside waiting for you. They're not pleased."

  Swallowing hard, Killua spoke out tentatively, his voice taking on a note of submission, something Gon has never heard. "I'm coming." With that, he began to head down the pebble-stone path that led to the antique front door, without even a glance in Gon's direction.

  "Killua." The tan boy calls out desperately to his best friend, the one he had fallen for, willing him to turn around.

  Pause. "Go home Gon."

  Those three words were enough to shatter Gon's heart. Taking a few steps back, he watches with dismay as Killua disappears into the house, followed by Illumi, who now glances over his shoulder at Gon, his face unreadable, before shutting the door behind them.

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  Back home, Gon was sobbing into his pillow. After what seemed like a million texts being sent to Killua's phone, he still hadn't received a response back from the pale boy.

  That was Illumi? He thought tearfully, recalling briefly how Killua mentioned him. But what the pale boy didn't mention was how intense he was, so much so, that Killua obeyed his every word without a second thought. Why?

  Sitting up, Gon wiped at his eyes, determined to get to the bottom of this, whatever it was.

  Thoughts shifting back to his encounter with Illumi, he tried to think of every possible thing the tall stoic male did to make Killua succumb to him without a word.

  And he then realized he didn't do anything. He simply voiced out a command, and Killua complied. Amber orbs narrowing, he then remembered the aura that seemed to surround Illumi, though he had been so occupied looking at Killua and worrying about his state, that he didn't notice it. Until now.

  What was that? He thought. Why is he surrounded by such darkness?

  Gon couldn't fathom it. There was nothing he could think of from the top of his head, that would involve such an aura to be put to work.

  Unless...

  Fingers moving up to grasp at his chin thoughtfully, Gon suddenly thought of a possible endeavor that would require such a person as Illumi.

  Underground work.

  He didn't know much about it, but he's heard of thugs who would request the assistance of those who were willing. Killua's family had to be a part of that. There was nothing else he could think of.

  Deep in his thoughts, he almost didn't hear the soft beep from his phone, that was sitting on his bedside table.

  It was a text from Killua.

  Killua 💙: Jesus Gon, 115 messages?

  Gon: Wow. I hadn't realized I had sent so many, but...I was worried about you...

  Killua 💙: I told you, it's nothing I can't handle.

  Gon: It sure didn't seem that way

  Killua 💙: Please don't start Gon

  Killua 💙: I miss you

  That last text from Killua was enough to keep Gon staring at his screen for a good five minutes before he willed his fingers across it to respond.

  Gon: I miss you too, Killua

  His formally shattered heart that he had received from Killua's cold "go home Gon" slowly pieced itself back together with those three simple words, "I miss you". It was enough to assure Gon that Killua indeed didn't mean to hurt him. He had just been under the influence of Illumi. Because that's what Gon decided it was.

  Under the influence.

  In other words...manipulation. Illumi was manipulative and on a seemingly weak spirit like Killua, it worked immensely.

  That's when Gon realized that not only did Killua need protection from Retz, but also from his family, whoever they were.

  But who they were didn't matter. They hurt Killua. Controlled him. That alone made Gon's blood boil and determination flow through him.

  Killua 💙: I'll see you tomorrow. They'll be gone by morning

  Heart clenching, Gon only managed to respond with an okay before setting his phone aside. A shower. That's what he need to calm down from the anger that seemed to want to come out. He couldn't afford to let it out. Not just yet.

  Standing beneath the hot stream of water, he willed his body to relax, relief spreading over him when it complied with his wishes. Taking a deep breathe, he shuts the water off before stepping out to dry off.

  "Gon! I'm home!" His Aunt Mito's voice would flow to him from down the stairs.

  Wiping the steam from his mirror, he stared at his reflection, disappointed to see a baby face staring back at him. He sometimes forgot that he was sixteen because of his childish looking face and that society thought children couldn't do much.

  But this was his time to prove them wrong.

  "Retz and Illumi." He growled under his breathe. "I hope you're prepared for a storm because it's coming for you."