No Filter x Serial Dating

Daddy Issues? It's More Likely Than You Think

"Hey, this is Gon."

Killua slumped onto the bed. He stared at the wall across from him. That momentary existential crisis had knocked the breath out of him—he couldn't recover that quickly. He put a hand to his forehead as he heard Gon's voice in his ear again, hesitant and quiet, "Killua?"

Killua cleared his throat and rasped out, "Yeah. Yeah, it's me."

"Killua!" Gon screamed so loud he had to tug the phone away with a wince. "Killua, I—! I'm so sorry—I'm so fucking sorry, please don't be mad at me anymore. I don't like it when you're mad at me—"

"Gon, shut up," Killua said, voice shaking. The silence that ensued reminded him that he could barely talk as it was. He folded over his knees, his elbow on his leg, heart pounding in his chest. "When you—When you didn't p-pick up right away I thought—Never mind."

"No, tell me."

Killua plucked together his resolve from where it had shattered at his feet. He cleared his throat and said, "I thought you gave up waiting for me to call."

"You could've called months from now and I'd still be waiting for it," he said. Killua opened his mouth to say something, but it wavered with his quivering lips. He put his closed fist to his mouth as Gon said, "But I mean, by then you'd be back on campus. I'd hunt you down."

Killua laughed. He smiled against his fingers and said, "Oh," because he felt like the pieces of his resolve were haphazardly strewn together with Scotch tape, teetering on the edge of combustion.

"Killua," Gon said, and fuck it if Killua wasn't already tearing up, "I really like you. Like like you. I'd say the word but I don't know if either of us are ready for that."

"Y-Yeah," Killua whispered.

"I don't want us to end just 'cause I'm an idiot. But I know you deserve someone smarter than me and more—more—"

"Don't tell me what I deserve," Killua said.

"Right, sorry—"

"Stop apologizing, idiot," Killua huffed. He rubbed his hand up the side of his face and to his forehead. "I- I already forgive you."

"Then will you come back to Sigma?"

Killua bit his lip. If he comeback now, Gon would be gone anyway. Bowl Week started tomorrow. Gon probably had his bags packed and his tickets printed. But... he'd get to work. He'd work for the long shifts and build his savings through January.

But if he stayed here, in San Diego, Killua could have a real vacation. He'd get to hang out with Zushi, and the two of them could start apartment hunting and scheduling tours.

"I-I don't know," he confessed. "I'll look at ticket prices—"

"I'll pay for your bus," Gon promised. "If you leave now I could see you before I have to go—"

"I'll look at tickets for after New Years," Killua said. "I dropped fifty bucks on the tickets here. I might as well enjoy it."

"Right, sorry. Yeah, you should hang with Zushi Roll and I'll just—I'll wait for you to come back," Gon said.

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"Yeah, that sounds good."

"I'll still pay for your ticket back," Gon said, and Killua had a feeling it was so that Gon would know the exact time Killua's bus would come in.