Backstitch [HxH]

X Nine X

     "So how'd the 'Cake e gura' strategy you pulled end us up here?"

     I mumble something under my breath.

     "What was that? I couldn't hear you." Leorio taunts.

     "I said it's 'Kakeguri!'" I snap. Leorio's gotten salty at the fact I lost my match. Not like he would have won it he went either, yet here we are. "As for me fucking up. I'm sorry. I'm also upset about being here." I'm sitting on one of the couches, hugging my legs. The five of us were sent to a room to wait out 50 hours I had lost during my match against the gambler. The room is pretty small, but it'd have to do. It had couches and chairs. Along with those it has books and a television for entertainment. As for food, there's only coffee, tea, and crackers.

     It's been around a day and I've started to go crazy. Even though there's a tv in this room, there's no wifi. I've resorted to watching clips and videos I've saved over and over again, along with playing bad mobile games I've downloaded as a joke. Gon had been repeatedly staring over my shoulder until I showed him how to play subway surfers. Killua eventually snatched it after Gon kept losing. He got super excited when he saw the hoverboards.

It's my turn on the tv, so I browsed to see what's on it. It's just basic cable and such. Except there's a streaming platform. Opening it up I'm greeted by a feature screen and genres. I search up anime, and to my surprise, there's quite a few. Clicking on one I hear the opening theme. "Like an angel with cruel and merciless intent," The familiar opening fill the room. I quickly turn the volume down before the music peaks. I quickly become engulfed in the world before me.

~+~

    "Is... she going to be ok?" Leorio asks. "She's been watching tv for 8 hours now."

    "I wouldn't worry about it," Killua responds.

    "What makes you say that?"

    "She's probably an otaku. Or whatever you call them."

    "And... that's supposed to explain her behavior?"

    "In a way I guess. My brothers an otaku, but all he does is sit in his room. He's obsessed with anime and junk like that. He's got shelves and shelves of that crap. He's able to go a whole week watching shows. It's just a guess, but she's probably a less extreme fan." Killua explains tiredly.

    "You sure know a lot about it..."

"Like I said, my brother is one too. It's all he ever talks about when he leaves his room. If he does." Killua hops off the couch, "I'd probably know what she's watching just from his rambling."

"Whatcha watching?"

I'm pretty sure I jumped a meter in the air just from Killua's scare. "Holy shit!" Killua and Leorio both start laughing at my misfortune. My hearts racing and my breathing heavy. "What the hell was that for?!" I turn around and hit Killua with a pillow. That initiates a pillow fight. Throwing pillows I manage to hit Gon who then joins in. Soon all five of us are jumping and dodging pillows. After dodging one kurapika threw from my right another pillow hits me from my left. That was an unnaturally tough throw. Ruining my balance I fall and hit my head on the coffee table.

     "Holy shit you killed her!" I can hear Killua shout.

    "I- I did not!" This time it's Leorio's voice I hear before everyone goes black.

~+~

    I wake up on one of the couches. "Aah!" I sharp pain shots through the side of my head causing me to immediately lay back down. "What the fuc-"

    "Oh my god I thought I killed you!" Leorio's kneeling beside me holding a bag of ice. He instructs me to lift my head and I do. He places the makeshift ice pack against my neck, causing me to flinch.
"C-cold!"

"S-sorry!" Leorio retracts at sudden movement. I sit up and read the room. Gon's standing over Leorio's shoulders. Kurapika's still reading, and Killua's fidgeting with his skateboard. I look to the timer panel. It reads 00:30. "Holy shit! Times almost up!"

    "Guess you needed the sleep." Kurapika notes.

    "Guess I did. Not sure when I'll be able to get more though." I sweat drop as I sit up.

    I get up and grab my bag which Leorio had set beside the couch. I slowly unpack my bag, making sure I have everything. "Phone, check. Charger, check. Earbuds and earbud case, check. Various defense items, check. Clothes, check. Drinks, check. Snackies, check. That nasty motherfucker's juice, check."

    "Wow Y/n, you sure have a lot of things in your bag! How do you fit it it all in there?" Gon asks curiously.

    "Did you really just call your snacks 'snackies?'"Killua teases.

    "Just shut the hell up for once, will you?!" I send a chocolate candy flying towards him. It hits his head and falls into his palm. Stars shine in his eye as he greedily pops the candy into his mouth, not even bothering to take the paper wrapper off. "Gon come here. I'll show you how I pack my bag." I begin packing my bag, instructing him with each step. "The flat stuff goes in this pocket. I pack the heavier stuff on the bottom so the lighter stuff goes on top and doesn't get crushed."

Gon takes my advice eagerly and starts to unpack and repack his own backpack. I stand up and stretch. My foot feels slightly better now that it had proper ice on it. My head still hurts but I think I'll live. I head to the restroom to clean myself up.

    Returning the timer panel reads 00:10 I grab my boots and start putting them on. By the time I'm done adjusting the straps the panel reads 00:001. I can hear the door unlock. The five of us continue to make our way down Trick tower.

~+~

"Kurapika, #404 is the 20th to pass. Killua, #99, js the 21st to pass. Gon, #405 is the twenty second to pass. Total time elapsed: 71 hours and 59 minutes. 30 seconds remain." I can hear the boys arrive announced on the speakers.

Tiredly exiting the tunnel I'm greeted with an announcement of my own. "Y/n, #342 is the 23rd to pass. Leorio, #403 is the 24th to pass. Time elapsed: 71 hours, 59 minutes."

"I have arrived," I quietly announce to no one in particular.

"So have I." Leorio adds.

"I'm just glad we all made it." I'm sure we all agree with that. "And it's thanks to gon!" I give Gon's hair a playful ruffle, and he lights up as I do so.

"The third phase of the Hunter Exam is over. 24 applicants have passed." One of the many doors slide open. The light coming from the door lights up the room. Finally. We're getting out of here.

~+~

Word count: 1.1k