#east gorteau

[llycaons]

this scene makes me want to wail and scream and throw up

#but also....seriously? you were okay with millions of east gorteau people being murdered but komugi is where you draw the line? #I mean I get it but considering what netero is about to inflict on the world it seems a likke ironic #hxh rewatch

[callmerainman]

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 | 𝐊𝐧𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

fandom. Hunter X Hunter

pairing. Knuckle Bine x hunter!fem!Reader

spoilers!. huge Chimera Ant Arc spoilers

plot. the night before the final fight against King Meruem in the palace of East Gorteau, you decide it’s time to confess your love to none other than your friend and Hunter companion, the oblivious Knuckle Bine. Because you can’t sleep, and cause maybe you’ll never have another chance to tell him. But instead, Knuckle makes you promise something: to put the World before him tomorrow. Will you respect his wishes?

word count. 3,6k

prompts. Chimera Ant Arc, aftermath of the Chimera Ant Arc final battle, Reader is also a Hunter and Morel apprentice, secretly in love, love confessions, awkward romance, Knuckle is dense, kissing, making out, getting together.

You like many things about Knuckle.

In the beginning he didn't give you a good impression. You both got close to each other after you got taken under the protective wing of Morel, who instructed you along with Shoot. Shoot is a quieter type, really silent, but getting along with him was smooth and easy. With Knuckle it was a whole other story. During your first missions together he always raised doubts about the tactics you proposed, on the other hand you did the same with him. If you said A, he would say B. If he wanted to go right, you wanted to go left. And this would always end up in yelling, staring contests and headbutting. You understood some things about Knuckle: he was hot-headed, impulsive, loud and a braggart. But he was also kind. No matter how many times he shouted against you, he never did it for personal hatred. It was for genuine interest in helping people in need, and to make sure that the mission was successful. He never insulted you with more than a superficial "idiot", and from his eyes you always understood that he didn't really mean it and that he didn't want to offend your intelligence. Even Knuckle soon realized how kind you were, and how much you took care of things and people you cared about. He respected it. You two learned how to trust one another and make a better team, much to Shoot's and Morel's relief, who honestly couldn't take it anymore. Your fights decreased, replaced by an unconditional affection and a unbreakable loyalty. And from your part, even love. People would often ask if you and Knuckle were a couple. And every time both you and him would answer with a ferocious "OF COURSE NOT!". Knuckle's cheeks and ears would get hot, and you would feel your stomach erupt in warmth from embarrassment. You couldn't look at each other in the face.

His hair, first of all. They were his trademark. Always styled in a pompadour, they were really popular between high school thugs. Knuckle told you that he even formed a gang when he was a student, and that it was the most feared inside the school. To be honest, you were really sure that it was just a very normal group of friends who loved to slack off, and that he told you that just to sound tough. You like the stress lines under his eyes, which give him a serious look just how he wanted it. And you appreciate his ears, which become red and hot when he loses his shit or when he's embarrassed, two moods he constantly swings between.He has a pretty body, toned and muscular thanks to his intensive workouts and his inclination towards the art and use of Nen.And you like that he takes care of stray dogs, and the way he cries so easily out of sympathy and emotion. He's a sweet guy who gets moved to tears so often even though he hides it behind a tough-guy armor. You like more things about him than you can count.

One time, while patrolling alone with Morel and Shoot during a mission, you dared to question them about all of this.

"I wonder why people always ask me and Knuckle if we're a couple. For example, why not me and you, Shoot?"

If only Shoot had eyebrows, he would have raised them all the way up his hairline. So his hooded eyes were just comically wide. Morel, on the other hand, erupted in a loud, gigantic laugh that made you jump in surprise. A laugh so hard that he had to hold onto his pipe. You stopped, putting your hands on your hips.

"C'mon, what are you laughing at!" you pouted.

"Are you really asking why people think that you and that idiot are couple?!" Morel choked between laughter "you with the shiny eyes every time you stare at him? Who drools when he takes off his jacket during combat? Who plays with her hair like schoolgirl when we get out for drinks and he offers you a beer? You gotta be kidding me!"

And he proceeded to keep laughing again. Meanwhile, your face caught on fire. You smacked both hands on your mouth, shaking your head vigorously.

"I never stared at him!" you tried to object.

"If I may intrude" Shoot intervened, shyly "you stare at him a lot"

"That's not possible..." you whispered.

You wanted to threaten your own mentor to stop laughing, because what Morel said wasn't true at all. You didn't like Knuckle that way. But you just couldn't protest. Morel was right. You did really like Knuckle that way!

"Fuck, I like Knuckle! How could it be...and most importantly, what do I do!" you exclaimed, fisting your hair in your hands out of panic.

Morel sighed, puffing some smoke in the process. Then, he showed off one of the big grins of his.

"Boys are complicated, dearie, so I suggest we all get drunk tonight"

"Sounds like a great idea" you replied.

The step from liking to loving was really short. It was so easy to fall in love with Knuckle once you understood that you had feelings for him. Even though you kept fighting now and then, and you still called each other idiots. He cared about immensly, and you cared about him. Everything culminated one night after you promised to protect each other with your own lives. Morel took you out to drink as usual, and maybe you and him were a bit drunk.

"If the situation ever requires it, I'll give up my life for you, (Y/N)" Knuckle said.

Yeah, you did drink, and you were waiting for a taxi outside the bar you usually spent your free time in. But the way his eyes looked into you as he said that was so damn serious. And you, to such a determined and kind gaze, could answer with a stare just as serious.

"And I'll do the same for you, Knuckle"

Night before the selection

It's a quiet night. Clear, silent. You and your teammates would appreciate it more if only there wasn't this uneasiness in the air. Tomorrow the King of Chimera Ants, Meruem, will begin the selection, which will kill millions of people in no time. You, Knuckle, Morel and Shoot were selected to go to the NGL region to get rid of the menace. It's, without the shadow of a doubt, the most dangerous mission you've ever dealt with, you understood it during your fights against the Ants. And facing the Royal Guards will be way worse. Both you and Knuckle risked a lot, and if you ever had to die one day, you feel like it would be tomorrow. And you still didn't tell Knuckle that you love him. What if this is the last good moment to tell him? Tomorrow you won't have time for sure, and maybe not even after, because you're not sure that there'll be an after tomorrow. The thought creeps you out and prevents you from sleeping and gathering energies. You tried to sleep on the floor of the small abandoned chalet where you and and your squad are resting. But the fact that Gon and Killua keep doing push-ups doesn't really help. With a nervous sigh, you get up. You exit the chalet, taking a big breath of fresh air. You were feeling like suffocating before. The air is cold just right. And stars are really beautiful in NGL, without any artificial light the night sky is a whole other story. This could be your last chance to see so many pretty stars, because you're pretty sure that tomorrow you won't have any time to raise your nose up. An imperceptible sound of chattering makes his way towards your ears. You turn around to see if you have company, but there's no one. A small leaf lands on your nose, and you look upwards. Shoot and Knuckle are discussing something on top of a tall tree, you can't hear what they're saying but the concern in their voices is evident. Knowing that you aren't the only one uncomfortable relieves you, so you decide to climb up the tree and reach them.

"Trouble sleeping?"

As soon as Knuckle sees you, he jumps. And Shoot flushes red in a matter of seconds, sweating profusely. You raise a curious brow.

"What's going on? Did I interrupt something?" you ask, concerned.

Even Knuckle's cheeks become a blushing mess, his lips pressed tightly against each other and his muscular body stiff under his white jacket.

"No it's just..." Knuckle says, almost stuttering "y-you...YOU HAVE SOME NASTY EYEBAGS!"

Knuckle points a finger right to your face, and Shoot covers his face with his hand.

You're absolutely not convincing...he thinks.

But Knuckle still manages to make you mad as fuck, and you grit your teeth.

"That ain't true! It's just that I can't sleep tonight!" you protest, raising two fists in front of the Beast Hunter.

"I think I'll leave you two alone" Shoot whispers, and with only a jump he gets down the tall tree.

"Shoot, wait!" you exclaim.

Having his company would have reassured you, since he was just as anxious as you. You're always surrounded by impulsive Hunters without any sense of danger, who understands you better than him?

"But for real, are you okay?"

It was Knuckle who talked, who's voice got softer. He's looking at you with apprehension, the stress lines under his eyes frowning. You relax your gaze too as you meet his eyes.

"Not really" you sigh, and you sit right next to him on the tree branch, your feet swinging in the darkness beneath it.

"Nervous for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we went on so many missions before this one without loosing once. But we aren't invincible, and this is a really big menace. I'm worried that we might not make it"

You were so scared of never getting to tell him that you love him. Maybe you should do it now. Knuckle doesn't say anything. It's true, by this hour tomorrow he could have already lost you. The thought terrifies him. He had already faced 5000 battles without losing one, but nothing can guarantee him that you'll be with him after tomorrow. He presses his lips together and looks down. You can't stand his eyes either.

"You're right, this time we can't be so certain" he murmures "I'm sorry, (Y/N), I can't make you feel better"

You have to tell him now.

"Knuckle, there's something I have to sa-"

"Wait, (Y/N), I have to tell you something too" Knuckle interrupts you. He has never done this, he always respected your words, even when he didn't agree.

You hold your breath, gripping your clothes between your fingers.

"What?" you ask with half a voice.

Knuckle finally looks at you, serious. He reaches for you with his hand and softly grazes your face so that you can look at him. You hope he doesn't feel it getting warmer under his touch, because you feel that way in response of his unexpected gesture. You just know that your pupils are dilated now. You're drowning in his eyes, always so furious yet kind. After making sure that you're looking in his eyes, he lets his hand fall from your face slowly.

"I..." Knuckle opens his mouth, but it seems like words are stuck in his throat. He never had trouble talking, why now?

For a moment it seems like Knuckle's stumbling on his own words.

"I..." ha takes a deep breath, before shaking his head "made you a promise, one night in front of our bar"

You look at him intently.

"And I know that I was very drunk, but I always took it seriously. And I know you did the same"

You didn't expect him to talk about your promise. Instinctively, you scoot closer to him making your body scratch against the bark of the branch.

"Of course I took it seriously" you say.

"But I gotta ask you to break it”

You spread your eyes open. Knuckle gets close to you too and lays his hand on your shoulder. A shiver goes down your spine.

"Knuckle I can't"

"But you have to, because this isn't just a mission, you just said it yourself. This is about saving the world, and promises can't count anymore. Except for this one"

"Which one?"

Slowly your hand trailed up your own shoulder to touch Knuckle's, caressing his fingers. Usually the embarrassment would be too much to handle. Your physical touch was always playful or angry, never intimate. But you don't have time to be embarrassed.

"Tomorrow you have to prioritize the mission, not me. Even if I'll be on the verge of death, you have to put our duty first, not me. I know that this goes against what we always said to each other, but please respect it. If the situation ever requires it, put the world before me"

Your fingers tighten around his hand harder. You feel yourself tearing up but you repress them. You grit your teeth and tremble. You start to really fear how you'll feel tomorrow if this is your reaction at just the idea of losing Knuckle. Would you ever take it?

"Alright, I'll do it"

Knuckle is surprised, but pleasantly. He really didn't want to fight with you tonight.

"But only if you'll do the same with me. If the situation requires it, choose the world and not me"

Knuckle holds your hand on your shoulders. He frowns. He always does it when he's conflicted. Then, he nods with determination in front of your eyes.

"Alright, I promise"

"Then I promise too"

Too focused on holding your hands, none of you noticed the free ones crossing their fingers behind your backs.

Dawn after the fight of East Gorteau

You broke your promise with Knuckle and Knuckle did the same for you. You woke up next to Ikalgo in a warehouse under East Gorteau's palace, where Meruem lived. The octopus explained to you that it was over, that the King was poisoned and was spending his last moments with Komugi, the girl you had in custody hours ago. You won. You're covered in wounds, but still able to stand up. You ended up like this while fighting against Youpi, throwing yourself in defense of Knuckle who fell in his trap. Your weapons were reduced to dust by the Royal Guard, but you were able to blind some of his eyes. However, the fight made both you and your Nen unable to fight. Your Nen was proven really effective against Royal Guards, so giving it up was a loss for your team and for the chances of saving humanity. You broke your promise. Knuckle did the same for you when Youpi threatened not only to kill Morel, but also yourself if he didn't deactivate Potclean. And so Knuckle did. You both broke the promise that you never intended to keep. After the fight you collapsed from tiredness and loss of blood. You had a brief and confused memory of Knuckle taking you in his arms before laying you down in a safe place. When you woke up, Ikalgo was next to you and told you the news.

"Where's Knuckle? Is he okay?!" you blurt out.

Ikalgo nods "The King knocked him out along with Meleoron, but he's fine. He should still be at one of the palaces towers"

Using your last energies, you stand up. Ikalgo cured all your wounds but scratches and cuts are still visible. Some scars will never go away.

"(Y/N)! Are you sure?" Ikalgo asks, concerned.

"Yeah, I'll go get him. Can you take me to him? There are some things that still haven't said to him and I thought I would never be able to"

Ikalgo, seeing your sincere and tired smile, nods. He takes you under one of his tentacles, supporting your body until you arrive in front of the room where Knuckle was laying down unconscious. You stand in the room. Sunlight beams through the window and delicately touch his sculpted body, his face still frowned in determination despite his loss of senses. You smile again, calm, before looking at Ikalgo. You exchange looks of understanding, then he trots towards Meleoron and takes away his sleeping but unscathed body.

It's just you and Knuckle now.

You get close to his body slowly, ruins crankling under your feet. You crouch down in front of him, sitting on your legs. You reach for his hair and start caressing them slowly. You almost don't want to wake him up, even though it's a tormented sleep caused by violence.

"Knuckle, it's me, (Y/N)"

His back rises as if he had been underwater for so long. He groans deeply before using all his energy to roll on his back. Now he's facing upwards, his gaze looking up at your calm and sweet smile. Knuckle squeezes and opens his eyes slowly, welcomed by your face. A small smile extends on his own face in response.

"(Y/N)..." he slurs, his voice raspy "you're alive...did we win?"

Carefully, you take Knuckle's head between your hands and slowly place it on your lap. He lets you do so without daring to protest.

"Yeah, we won. The King was poisoned and is spending his last hours in peace. It's over" you answer.

You gently start to caress his pompadour, now messy. Your delicate strokes go in tandem with your tired breaths.

"Great, but...I broke the promise" Knuckle goes on, a bit mortified.

"I did it too, it doesn't matter, I would do it again" you reply as you keep touching him.

You never had such an intimate moment, such a gentle touch under sun rays. You've never been so happy to see the sun rising.

"Knuckle, there's something I have to tell yo-"

"I'm in love with you"

You jump in surprise and spread your eyes open. For a moment you believe that he's just being delirious because of tiredness. But then you get lost in his gaze. Knuckle's face, always so angry and tough, completely melted in a tender and meek smile, kissed by the sun, pacified. You stop stroking his hair for a sec.

"What?"

"I'm in love with you, I really mean it. Tonight I realized how precarious the world is and that I couldn't afford to just not tell you" Knuckle says, in a whisper.

Your eyebrows arch upwards and a moved smile sprawls across your wounded face.

"I love you too, Knuckle"

Knuckle's reaction is similar to yours. Mouth slightly parted, a small inhale of surprise. It's really sweet. He didn't expect you to reciprocate, he didn't expect nothing from you in fact.

"(Y/N)..."

"I love you even though I always fight with you, even if you're hot-headed, stubborn, a braggart and with a weird haircut. But I love the way you care about others even when you deny it, and the way you cry for them. I love your haircut too, by the way. I just want to give you back the kindness you give to me and other people"

Your hands touches him again, this time caressing his cheek. Knuckle doesn't know what to say, words dying in his throat. You get lost in his eyes once again, then you snap out of it and your cheeks get hot.

"Ah-ehm, sorry...um...I wanted to say these things last night on the tree but I chickened out " you stutter awkwardly.

Knuckle breaks the silence with a laugh that echoes through the chamber.

"Hey, what are you laughing at?" you ask, scowling.

"It's funny, I wanted to confess too last night. Me and Shoot were talking about that, and that's why you scared us when you appeared out of nowhere. Ah, I don't even know why I told him!"

You chuckle "Maybe because you care about him a lot"

"That's not true, take that back!" Knuckle shouts, pointing a finger in your face.

Knuckle's face becomes a blushing mess, and you let yourself go in a laugh because Knuckle is always the same. Incapable of hiding his kindness and his affection towards other people. The finger aiming at your face touches your cheek, then under the eye, next thing you know his entire hand is encapsulating your cheek.

"Come over here..."

Without even realising it, you bend over Knuckle and you kiss. You often asked youself how kissing Knuckle would feel like, and this exactly corresponds to the idea. So delicate, but passionate. Knuckle's lips move on yours and you reciprocate immediately, closing your eyes. You press your mouth against his, it's warm like a hug of someone coming back from war. Warm like someone who couldn't wait anymore to say I love you. When you rise up you press your lips together, trying to suppress a smile, but unsuccessfully. You're sure that your face is a mess, just like Knuckle's which is really hot red.

"Wow..." you whisper.

"Yeah, wow..." Knuckle murmurs, dumbfounded.

You look down at him again "What do you say if we wait for Morel and Shoot to get better, then we all go out to get drunk to celebrate, then we go make love in my apartment?"

"Hell yeah"

Knuckle gathers some energies to hoist himself on his elbows and sit up. You help him stand up, but you have to support each other under your arms because both of you are too tired. You start to walk out the room.

"And after that you'll be my girlfriend?" Knuckle asks.

"I'm pretty sure that I already am"

Suddenly, you hear some sniffling echoing through the empty palace alley. You turn around.

"Are you seriously crying right now? For real?" you ask, startled.

"Shut up! I'm not!'

"Yeah you are, idiot!"

"Don't you dare tell this to anyone, or..."

"Or?"

"I don't know, I can't do anything to you you're my girlfriend now!"

#knuckle bine #hunter x hunter #Hunter reader #ao3 writer #knuckle bine x reader #knuckle hxh #knuckle #morel mackernasey #shoot mcmahon #fem reader #knuckle x reader #one shot #ao3 fanfic #fanfiction #fanfic #reader insert #writers on tumblr #x reader

[ponzusauce]

Gon is innocent but not oblivious and I think a lot of people conflate these things. I think it's important to make a differentiation here because it explains a lot about Gon's character.

Gon frequently demonstrates that he's acutely aware of how the people around him feel, about both himself and about other things, showing that he definitely isn't oblivious. He's innocent because, although he's aware of the existence of those feelings, he isn't necessarily aware of their implications or the context around them.

Just a few examples of Gon being perceptive of other peoples' feelings:

He has the awareness to be able to defuse the bomb that is Palm when she's upset that she can't go to East Gorteau

He tells Meleoron that Killua will probably be opposed to working with a new ally at first but will give in to him, which shows awareness of Killua's feelings

In the Election Arc, he demonstrates his understanding that Leorio wants to be a doctor more than anything, and isn't dazzled by the prospect of him being the Chairman of the Hunter Association, which is why he doesn't hesitate to say that Pariston should be the one to win the election

I think there's a possibility that Gon realized how much Killua loved him before even Killua came to realize his own feelings (evidenced by what he said during the dodgeball scene) - but I also think it's likely that he didn't realize that these feelings were more than close friendship in nature (or that they could be more than friendship), especially considering how little experience with friendship and other people his age he has.

And yes - he is impulsive and this leads him to hurt people (Killua), but this doesn't mean that he isn't aware (a prime example of this is that he is fully aware that he said hurtful things to Killua during CAA). He's young and, as of CAA, hasn't reached the age/point in his character development where he's capable of connecting his actions to their effects.

#hunter x hunter #gon freecss #gon #killua zoldyck #killugon #hxh #hxh gon #gon hxh #killua hxh #killua #hxh meta

[crusty-chronicles]

The Moon and Sun (Big Sib Reader x Gon/Killua)

Ch 9: The Woes of Traveling

Synopsis: While waiting for the airship that would take you to the NGL, you spend some very much needed time with the boys. Showing them a little more about your ability, until you get into a slight disagreement with a certain silver haired hunter. But he has a knack for calming you down and regaining your favor.

-------------------

While the boys continued to hound you with questions, Spin used the observations you gave to help narrow down the search. She concluded that the most likely location of the Chimera Ant would be somewhere along the Balsa Islands. (Of which you were not familiar with)

"Unfortunately that includes the Mitene Union," Kite had added.

Unfortunately?

"Oh! Where the NGL Autonomous Region is," Banana clarified.

"Yes, and that's not to mention East Gorteau. No chance of getting information out of those two countries."

You frowned at that. And before you could question Kite about it, Killua decided to ask one of his own.

"What's the NGL?"

"NGL's an acronym that stands for Neo-Green Life." Banana started to explain.

"It's a country founded by people who reject modern technology. Choosing instead to live in nature." Stick finished.

Bingo

"Then we should check there first. No technology means it's the most vulnerable. News of a giant ant wouldn't spread as fast and it'd take a while for them to get help," You speculated.

Plus, it was better to get a place like that out of the way if the ant wasn't there.

The only issue was, places like that tended to be sticklers to their own rules. No exceptions.

"You've got a point, let me pull it up real quick," Spin said as she typed away. A few moments later, a map of the country was pulled up. All of you crowded around the computer to see.

"They primarily communicate by mail, and primary travel is by horseback Anyone who brings technology into the country could be executed."

And there it was.

Spin explained how there had been a situation with a small television crew. They were caught with equipment, and one was executed. The rest are still in jail to this day.

If you were being honest, you didn't really like the primitive societies. Having grown up in one yourself. You could understand them being upset from the disregard to their culture, but death? You found it hard to believe such a small offense would call for such a brutal punishment.

"Let's agree and assume for now the Chimera Ant washed ashore there. How would the NGL's citizenry react?" Kite's question hung in the air for a second.

If they rejected modern technology, then they'd probably reject modern help. It also depended on how primitive they were. They could've believed the ant was sent by god or something. Or that it was fate/destiny whatever may happen.

Then there was that aspect of government, if they even had one. Big Wigs tended not to give a damn about the people under them as long as it didn't affect them directly. So the off chance that the ant was already there and eating people....

"They probably wouldn't do anything, and it's not like they could anyways. No tech, no weapons," you answered.

Kite nodded.

"True. When a deadly epidemic spread through the area, they refused international medical aid. Because they preferred to let nature run its grisly course instead."

You wanted to be respectful, but it was getting harder the more you learned about this place. Why would you let yourself die, your family die just to enforce a belief that didn't matter.

It was selfish. But you figured that had more to do with the makeshift government than the people.

"Your point about communication is also correct," Kite continued.

"Even if they tried to contact the outside world, it would be too late by the time word arrived. So if the arm that was discovered did belong to the Chimera Ant queen, then it's entirely possible that she's already begun constructing her nest."

Goddamnit

----------------------------

You weren't too thrilled to be going on this trip. After purchasing tickets that would get you there, you found out a little more about the NGL than you would have liked.

Mainly, the rumors about drugs being manufactured there.

The last thing you needed to deal with was coked up ants. Especially if the boys were the ones fighting them. But there really wasn't anything you could do about it. You'd already given your word that you'd help find the Chimera Ant queen.

So here you are, wandering around the airport in the hopes to pass time. At least you had some decent company.

"Hey, Y/n?" Gon called. You stopped walking and looked down at him.

"Hmm?"

The other boy backtracked towards you when he realized you weren't behind him anymore.

"What made you decide to make your ability tracking?"

You tensed up slightly at the question. You should've guessed it would have been brought up so soon. You momentarily debated another half-truth but decided against it. You let out a tired sigh before answering.

He was too curious for his own good.

"Circumstances called for it, in a sense. It wasn't really my choice if I'm being honest. Just something I had to do."

To be fair, you could have developed a fighting ability as well, but it wasn't something you had been focused on at the time.

"What circumstances?"

"That's a story for another time, kay?" You lightly elbowed him. He pouted but dropped it.

"How young were you when you developed it?" This time it was Killua who asked. He seemed a little hesitant to, probably due to your reaction the last time he pried for information.

You were such an ass for that.

"Let's see," you thought back on it for a sec.

"Around four. It was fully developed by five."

"What!?!?"

You wanted to laugh at the bugged-out expression they both wore.

"There's no way! That's like how Killua was dropped off at Heaven's Arena as a baby!"

"Yeah but I didn't even know about nen until now! How did you figure it out at four!?!?"

Heaven's Arena? Like the place where people fought for money? God they were so reckless. First Chrollo, now this? You didn't think they'd ever run out of ways to surprise you. (For the worst that is)

You put your hands up before they could start shaking you again.

"Hey, hold on. I didn't just wake up one day and decide to use nen. It's thanks to the people I was with that pushed me there. And no, I will not be answering anymore questions today. Please and thank you."

You could feel the disappointment from both auras. See the grumpy frowns on their faces. And instantly your resolve broke.

God what was wrong with you. You were becoming too damn soft.

"How 'bout I show you two something cool instead. Fair?" You offered. They both beamed up at you.

Fakers.

"Let's find somewhere to sit first, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Fine, but it better be cool."

You spotted a bench a little ways away. You were grateful it was empty. You didn't think you could tolerate being squished together like sardines again.

It was also right next to-

You couldn't stop the gasp that left your mouth. Nor the way your eyes immediately lit up with stars. The boys sent you questioning stares and followed your line of vision.

A small snack shack with cookies on the display.

And as quickly as your delighted expression came, it also left. You shook your head and continued to your destination.

Killua looked over to Gon. They nodded to each other in agreement.

"I'll be right back. Go ahead and show Gon first," Killua called as he dashed past you.

You tilted your head in confusion. They were plotting something, weren't they? Goblins, the both of them. But you decided to let it go.

So long as it didn't lead to any trouble.

You sat down on the rickety old bench and patted the spot next to you. Gon complied, anticipation radiating off of him.

"You wanna know how I see the world?" Well, how you saw people more like it. But you thought the way you asked was a little cheesier. It fit with the vibe you were going for.

The softness

"Yeah! I wanna be able to see people's auras like you! It sounds fun!" You laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Wait! Are you gonna train me!?!?" He beamed up brighter at you.

"No, that'll be a while from now. I said I was gonna show you something cool, and training you to see them would take months." You clarified with a genuine smile.

The boy deflated slightly, but was all smiles again as he saw you make circle shapes with your hands and coat them with nen.

Like glasses.

Oh

He understood now.

You moved your hands to his eyes and waited for his reaction.

What he could see was everything. Little outlines of aura trailing every person. Sparks of emotion that seemed clearer to read. And the field of vision went further than he was used to seeing.

It was pretty cool. And useful. No wonder you had been able to find him so easily on Greed Island.

Your hands moved away at the feeling of Killua's presence.

"Took you long enough, gremlin."

He scooched on the other side of you.

"Yeah, well the line was long okay."

Before you could question him about it, a small bag was placed in your lap. You picked it up to inspect and let out another gasp.

The choked sound earning a laugh from the duo on either side of you.

Your eyes closed and you cupped your face to stop the warmth from spreading. Little delighted squeaks as you realized what it was.

A little baggie of chocolate chip cookies.

They had never seen you beam at something before. Never seen a smile so pure and bright from you. Like whatever had been weighing you down before was temporarily gone.

Not even when you had been talking with Kite were you this happy.

You snapped from your delighted daze after a few seconds.

"Oh right, let me show you the thing," you said as you clutched the bag close to you. Like it was made of the most precious material in the world.

Killua's face scrunched in confusion at your words. Then turned into shock as you once again made glasses with your hands and lifted them to his eyes.

Like Gon, he could see everything. The auras, the emotions, and much to his delight-the strength of everyone. So this was how you detected Binolt. Pretty handy. Maybe he could bribe you with candy to teach them how to see like you.

Which begs the question...

"Can we see your aura?"

You thought about it for a minute and inevitably gave in. Mourning the loss of setting your cookies down to do so.

"Sure, just don't get all scared." It was meant to lighten the mood, but a small part of you really meant it. You weren't trained to read yourself, so you didn't have any clue what they would see. You just hoped it wasn't bad.

You kneeled in front of them, one hand for each eye. You coated the space with your nen and waited.

The first thing they noticed was how faint your aura was. Like you were suppressing it. The next thing was your emotions. Nervousness, exhaustion, and that spark of uncontainable joy from before. Which made sense considering the events that just transpired.

But it was the ones buried under them that were concerning.

Guilt, fear, and regret.

A silent agreement was made not to mention those. Not to press you on them. Whatever caused you to feel that way, you'd tell them when you were ready.

You moved your hands away all too soon.

"Soooo, was that or wasn't that the coolest thing you've ever seen?" You stood up with mock confidence, unnerved by the worry now radiating off of them.

"It was okay, not as cool as the visualization thingy." Killua's quip had the mood lightening slightly.

"Well beggars can't be choosers, gremlin." The worry was gone.

"I can still return these," he said lifting up the small bag.

Your eyes widened in dispair.

"Nononono!!!! Please, my precious little Moon Star don't do it!!!! I'll die! I won't be able to go on without them!"

Killua ignored your light attempts to get the bag back, instead smiling smugly at Gon.

"I've got a cooler nickname than you now," he mouthed.

The boy in green puffed out his cheeks.

"No you don't!"

"Yeah I do!" The small assassin verbalized.

"Don't!"

"Do!"

"Don't!"

And while Killua was distracted, you made a fast grab, successfully taking the bag away. He didn't notice as he continued to argue with his best friend.

That was until both of them heard a crunch followed by another excited squeak. They peaked over the bench to see you happily munching away on a cookie.

"Stealer," Killua huffed out.

Gon nudged his shoulder.

"Leave them." He scolded.

It was quite comical to see someone with such a rough exterior go so soft over a few sweets. And the fact that you would growl if they tried to reach for one just to tease you.

It was almost enough to make the three of you forget about the situation at hand.

Almost.

You'd felt Kite's aura approach, then stop. A feeling of hesitance replacing the calm.

And in truth he was a little hesitant. The three of you looked so peaceful. So happy.

Like a little family.

It'd be a damn shame if something happened to it.

All the more reason he should confirm you all knew what you were getting yourselves into. This job would be dangerous. And it just might ruin the peace you had created with each other.

So he'd let the three of you have your moment. Hopefully not the last one if things went according to plan.

With that he continued on to your small group.

-------------------

Your head snapped up at the sound of footsteps approaching. Realizing it was Kite, you relaxed. Seems he was gonna talk to the three of you after all.

"It may be too late to ask this, but are you all sure you want to come along?" His voice immediately catching the boys' attention.

The question was genuine, but a little redundant to ask.

You all were still here, weren't you?

And these boys were the furthest thing from cowards.

But you supposed from an outsider looking in, things would look different. An emotionally and physically drained adult chasing around two hyperactive kids. You probably would have been concerned too.

Their answer was immediate and you wouldn't have expected anything else.

"Of course."

"You weren't kidding about the 'late' part, huh?"

There was momentary shock from Kite's aura. Then eyes fell on you expectantly.

"What? I thought I was in this by default. Can't exactly track an ant without a tracker, you know?"

Unwavering determination from the three of you. Safe to assume where one went, the other two would follow. Still, Kite needed to make sure you all knew of the potential risks entering the NGL. That the three of you would be prepared for it.

"As you know, we have no idea what the situation is inside the NGL. There may very well be a swarm of giant Chimera Ants already hunting humans down. And if that does indeed turn out to be the case, then my priority will be saving them."

Kite's gaze lingered on his team. A surge of protectiveness radiating off him. You could respect that. You could relate to that.

"Be aware that I may not be able to help you three. If you're going to join us, you must be able to protect yourselves."

And again your boys had answered without hesitation.

"Right, I got it!"

"We'll be okay."

Surprisingly, you weren't pushed for an answer. And it may or may not have to do with the fact that he had seen your strength the day he met you. Your speed that rivaled his and was probably even faster. Your strong will to protect those boys.

You'd already proven enough of your capabilities.

Too bad he was unaware it was purely for defense.

"...And if it happens to be me who finds himself in danger, then leave me there. You got it?"

An uncomfortable tension filled the air. Unease in Gon and Killua's auras. And yours too.

"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE! PLEASE! DON'T LEAVE ME!"

"Shut the hell up, would you?" Your tone was harsh and all the previous joy gone. Instead replaced by agitation. The change in mood was very much unexpected.

Not good. You were scary when you were angry. Especially since you seemed to be getting along well with Kite before.

"You don't leave your friends to die if you know you can save them. Whether you want the help or not, I don't give a damn. If that upsets you then you can shove it. But I will not have you instilling bad morals onto my brothers. End of discussion." Your eyes were colder than they had been. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what it was in them.

But it wasn't hate, wasn't exactly anger. The closest to it was disappointment. Like you were scolding him over something that seemed like common knowledge. Before he could properly explain to you what he meant, you had already gotten up and left for the airship. The two boys trailing behind you, casting an apologetic glance his way as they passed him.

A bear and its cubs.

Kite had to remember to pick his words better addressing those boys. He supposed it was sweet in a way, how serious you took raising them. It let him know they would be safe with you.

It was just dealing with your troublesome temper that would be a pain. (Good thing he was very experienced in that area.)

If you and Ging ever did meet, the two of you would probably kill each other.

-----------------

You'd never been on an airship before. Usually when you had to get somewhere, you'd walk. There was the occasional hitchhike, but you never had the proper money to afford decent travel.

And this was nice. Very nice.

The city lights below you and the sunset unobscured. It was calming. Something you really needed right now.

You hadn't meant to snap, but there were just some things that would inevitably set you off. It was nobody's fault but your own for not conveying them. Still, you weren't too fond of somebody telling your boys to leave their friends when things got rough. No matter how much you liked him.

It wasn't because you thought it would make them cowards. God no, you always reminded them not to pick stupid fights. You just didn't want them to regret running away.

Survivor's guilt was a bitch.

It was not something two twelve-year-old little boys should have to deal with.

You glanced over at them. They were looking out of the window, expressions somber. You could feel nervousness, but you'd give anything to know what they were actually thinking about.

Should you say something?

You were never good at comforting people.

But you didn't like the quiet. Not anymore.

"You two okay?" Were you being awkward right now? Yes, yes you were. But you were trying, that had to count for something, right?"

A moment of silence that seemed to stretch on for eternity.

"You called us your brothers." There was a twinkle in Gon's eye as he said it. It was hopeful.

Then it disappeared as Killua thwacked the back of his head.

"Idiot! Was that the only thing you've been thinking about!?!?"

"Well no, but it's still pretty important!!! They've never called us that before!!!"

"Yeah but we can focus on that later!"

Before you knew it, you were laughing at their shenanigans. You'd been worried over nothing. They were fine. Stupid, but fine.

"Hey! Just whaddya' think you're laughing about!" Killua pointed an accusatory finger at you, face red from embarrassment. You did your best to stifle your giggles before answering.

"Nothing. You two are just goobers is all."

"Ew, what're you fifty? You sound like a senior citizen. You look like one too with those bags under your eyes."

You let out a fake noise of offense.

"Yeah? And what, does that make you Ben Franklin, you little eel."

His embarrassment worsened as Gon laughed at your comment.

"I forgot about that! He is an eel!"

Killua huffed and crossed his arms.

"Can't believe you turned my own best friend against me. Not very big sibling behavior."

You shook your head in amusement. What a day you were having. At least it would end on a high note.

"Oh, Y/n," Gon called.

You turned your head to give him your attention.

"Thank you for earlier."

Your face scrunched in confusion.

"For what?"

"You remember what Kite said before we left? That we should escape without him if he's in danger?"

"Yes?" What did you do that deserved thanks? If anything, you were just being a snippy bitch.

"I wanted to thank you for what you said. That friends don't leave each other behind. I don't think me and Killua would have been able to put that into words. Well, more like say it directly. So thank you."

"Yeah, he didn't make it sound like it was a choice. So I guess I appreciate that you gave us one," Killua added.

You didn't know what to do with this. The gratitude for something you thought was common sense. It wasn't like you'd made some heroic speech on the power of friendship. You just talked from experience.

So you did the only thing you could think of and flicked their foreheads.

"You goblins. Don't thank me for something small like that. I'm the Big Sib, remember? I can't just let someone be teaching you bad habits. What kind of example would I be setting if I agreed to let you run away with your tail between your legs?"

The resounding laughter from both of them had your face going warm.

"Hey! I don't recall saying anything funny! So quit it!"

"It's just-" Gon started before getting cut off by a wheeze.

"You're being so serious over a 'thank you'. You know, you're acting more like a parent right now!" Killua hung off of Gon to steady himself.

Your face went a darker shade.

"I'm nobody's parent! I barely agreed to be your sibling!" You turned to leave, trying not to fluster yourself further.

"Waitwaitwait!" A small grab on your wrist.

"You never let me finish talking." It was Gon who seemed to have collected himself at last.

"You said thank you, sounds like you finished to me."

He shook his head.

"I didn't. That was only part of it. Please sit down and listen." And there were the puppy dog eyes. You hated yourself for how easily you gave in every time.

"Fine. Not like I wanted to nap or anything." You gave his hair a ruffle before sitting on yet another rickety bench, Killua next to you.

"Okay, there's something that I've been thinking about. I want your honest opinion. Do you really think Kite, a guy Ging respects, can ever actually be in that much danger? He said to leave if things got bad, but how bad could they really get if he's so strong?"

Technically, the one friend of Ging's you'd met was a titan. So the odds of Kite being in trouble seemed slim. Then again, you still didn't know how strong these ants would be.

"People slip up. They get tired. Reckless when protecting something important. No matter how strong or respected someone is, there will always be a weakness. And because this is an enemy we've never faced, it's hard to predict what will happen. We can just hope for the best."

So many damn factors could determine a fight. No matter how skilled someone was, one small mistake was all it took.

You wished you didn't know why he had asked that, but you did. And it was because he was considering Kite's words in full. Mulling over what would be the right decision to do. Honor his wishes, or agree with you.

Then there was that familiar spark of determination. And you knew the words that would accompany it would be said with so much certainty, there would be no room to argue.

"I don't know the reason Ging brought me and Kite together, and maybe I never will...But I won't just give up. It doesn't matter what's going on here, I just don't wanna disappoint him, you know?"

You decided then and there that Ging Freecs was the worst person in the world. Gon, who had never even met him, was worried about his approval. The man who had dropped him off at his cousin's and told one of his best buddies to fight him full force. That was the one he didn't want to disappoint.

This kid, who had always felt like he failed when he couldn't accomplish something, didn't deserve that. Didn't deserve to have his self-worth be determined by a man who wasn't there.

So yes, you decided you officially hated Ging. And if you ever met him, you'd be sure to knock him down a peg or two.

"Or me. I couldn't forgive myself either. I won't run away. That's what I've decided. I won't leave my friend to die, not if I can save him." Gon's voice snapped you from your thoughts.

And after processing what he said, you felt a surge of pride. Such a good kid who was cursed with an ass of a father.

"Atta boy." At your praise, he ducked his head down, a feeling of bashfulness overtaking his aura.

"And you? What've you decided, gremlin?" You nudged the boy next to you.

"Don't know. I guess I'd just think about it when the time comes," Killua answered.

"Really? What if it was one of us?" You were being a little mean, pressing him like that. But no matter his answer, it wouldn't change a thing. You'd die to keep these boys alive. And you probably would.

"Well, if it's you two, I'll try my best. But anyone else, it just depends. I don't do these hypotheticals, okay!?!?"

You patted his head, much to his dismay.

"Then let's all agree on something. We look out for each other there, okay? Do what we can, so the rest can do what we can't. And don't be scared to ask for help. I know you two are stubborn, but please be careful."

Were you making another promise?

They nodded, hands reaching towards yours to shake on it.

You were about to make yourself comfortable to start napping when your eyes caught a flash of silver. A familiar calming aura approaching, then it stopped.

You stood up to get a better vantage point and sure enough, there he was. Perhaps he had caught the last part of your conversation with the boys and stopped himself from interrupting.

He noticed you a few seconds later. You were still very much agitated by his previous statement, but you weren't about to be an even bigger ass over that.

He did buy the three of you tickets to come along. And he did double check with the three of you before boarding.

Goddamnit, you couldn't even properly hold a grudge now.

So with the boys distracted with each other, you started up another silent conversation.

'You wanna talk or something? Away from the boys though. You've gotta earn that privilege again.'

Was that relief you were sensing?

'I was hoping to talk to you in private, if that's ok with you?'

You looked back over to the two boys who were currently arguing over dibs for training with you first. Dummies.

You turned back towards Kite and nodded.

"I'll be back, don't do anything that gets me in trouble."

A protest of 'hey's' as you left to follow the taller male. Which wasn't far. The airship was spacious but not big. You two stopped a little ways around the bend.

Your arms were crossed and your stare was expectant. He really did prefer it when you weren't mad. The way you looked a few moments ago. But even though you were upset, you were not an unreasonable person. He'd seen that firsthand himself.

The uncomfortable tension was back. But you'd disrupted it soon after. For better or worse, neither of you could tell.

"This the part where you apologize for traumatizing my boys by asking them to leave you to die?" You may have been exaggerating. But damnit, they shouldn't have to think about things like that.

Your dramatics were expected and like before, Kite would bite back.

"Is this the part where you tell me to screw my explanation?" It was slightly teasing, but completely dispelled your previous agitation.

Your eyes widened, not expecting his response. However, you rebounded quickly.

"If it sucks, then yes. But if you've got a good one I'd love to hear it."

The air became thicker as his expression turned serious.

"You care about those boys, don't you?" You both knew the answer to that very well. Nevertheless, you nodded to confirm.

"Then it's your duty to keep them safe. If I'm in a fight I can't win, what hope to they have?"

And before you could protest on their behalf, he continued.

"They would be putting themselves in a danger they can't beat. Letting emotions get in the way and making mistakes they shouldn't. Good intentions or not, they'd only end up getting in the way. It's your responsibility to take them out of that situation. To protect them."

The same song and dance as before. He was right and you'd jumped the gun a little too soon. The rational part of your brain listening to his words and knowing he was right. But....

"That's not the issue. Trust me, I'm gonna make sure nothing happens to them, even if it kills me. But you don't know what you're talking about asking them to run away. It's not just about doing what's morally right. It's the affect it's going to have."

Affect? Now he was the one a little at loss for words.

"What do you mean?"

You hesitated for a second. Dread and guilt bubbling to the surface.

"As someone who has had to make that choice...I made the wrong one. I don't want them making the wrong one too. It's not something that goes away, the guilt. It festers and grows and it just..." You shook your head, trying to rid away everything negative.

"You don't know what you're asking of them. If there's a chance, even a small one that everybody comes out okay, then we'll make it happen."

Oh

So that was why you were mad.

It made sense now. All of it actually. And when you put it like that, it was hard to argue with. But there was still that image of the happy family broken because one of you had gone back.

You needed to know that. You needed to see past those feelings to understand that. Maybe it was asking too much of you, but this was an important job. One he and his team could not mess up.

"What if you can't? What if it's too late to save someone and you know it? Would you still foolishly try?" It was cruel, but there wasn't a nicer way to put it.

You looked down then. Like you felt defeated. And for a brief moment he thought he knew what your answer would be. He was wrong.

"No...I wouldn't have." He thought the conversation would have ended there, but it didn't. And why it didn't made him respect you all the more.

"But things have changed for me. They've changed me. And even though I know it's a fool's game," Your hands had clenched.

"I would do it in a heartbeat. But if you're so adamant about this, then I want you to make me a promise in exchange."

You didn't agree with him, but you had agreed to follow through in his wishes. It was only fair he do the same.

"Promise that if I have to fight to give them time, you'll get them out of there. You'll keep them safe for me. If I need to die, then make sure they live." Your eyes met Kite's. He would never tire seeing your resolve, but now there was something softer mixed in. Vulnerable.

"I know they can be a handful, but they'll grow on you." He didn't need you to try and convince him to agree. He'd already decided the second you proposed it. Still, you loved your little family and wanted to ensure they would be safe.

A breath of fresh air compared to some of the other hunters he had met. (Even if you weren't exactly one.)

You extended your hand towards his. He took it, noticing a small amount of aura coating it.

"I swear on my nen, that if I know you can't be saved, we'll run."

It was a curse. No a condition. He had never met someone who bet their nen on their word. But your resolve was absolute, not worried about the potential ramifications of your actions. You were serious about keeping your promise.

A spark of something akin to admiration was felt. You stood strong and unmoving and it was having an affect on him.

It wasn't hard to see why both boys looked up to you so much.

You'd place a condition on your nen to keep your promise. So he would too. As a show of good faith. A show of trust.

"I swear on my nen, as well. If something should happen to you, I'll take care of Gon and Killua in your place." His own aura coated his palm.

You looked up at him in shock. Did he have any idea what he was about to do? That this was permanent until the conditions had been met or null?

"You know what happens if you break it, right? This isn't something to take lightly. It's binding." You warned. But Kite looked unfazed by your words, aura a familiar calm.

"I know. Does it make you uncomfortable that I'm willing to meet your stakes?" It was a genuine question. He assumed you would have been happy. Maybe a snarky comment here and there, but not surprised. Was this another boundary he was unaware of?

"No. I just wanted to make sure." You finally shook on it, a feeling of your nen exchanging with his before it was over.

Why had he done that? Why had he put a condition on himself? Just because you did it??? You didn't get it. Promises were important to you, and now a promise like this? Where both parties had agreed to give something up in case it was broken... Where stakes were mutual...

No

You knew why

And it had your slowed heart beating in overdrive inside your chest.

"You're.... You're a good person. For meeting me halfway on this. Thank you, Kite." Your tone was the softest it had been with him. There was gratitude yes, but there was something else. It was almost intimate.

And when you said his name like that, with such fondness, it made him want to keep you around. Just to hear it said in the same way again.

A tongue for a dagger with a heart of gold. That's what you were. A smart ass with a big heart, especially with those two boys.

Maybe he would invite you to stay when this was all over.

----------------

Unbeknownst to the two of you, pairs of eyes watched the exchange from afar. Both of them trying to wrap their heads around what you just did.

You shook hands coated in nen and that was it. But why? They couldn't figure it out. From where they were, they couldn't really hear you all that well.

But one of them could read lips, and what he deciphered shocked him in a way that was terrifying.

Because what Killua had just witnessed was you willing to give up your nen, what made you you, for their safety. That you would give up your life to make sure he and Gon got out safe.

What the hell was wrong with you!?!? Doing something so stupid over something that wouldn't happen!!!! You'd made a big deal about not running away a few minutes ago, so what was the-

Your wording.

There was an 'if'. If you know you can save them.

'But if you couldn't' was what you bet your nen on.

And it brought the earlier conversation to full light. What he would do if you and Gon were just in danger. Without knowing if saving either of you was an option.

Would you hate him if he decided to run?

He knew Gon wouldn't leave you, that he wouldn't have even entertained the thought. But it wasn't as cut and dry for Killua.

It had been instilled in him to flee from battles he could not win. To run and save his own life.

And what if that actually happened? Would the two of you stay?

Would either of you forgive him?

Would you still think of him as your little brother? A killer turned coward?

You never stayed mad or upset with him. And Gon always believed the best in him.

"One day you'll betray your friends and then you'll kill them." He froze at the sound of Illumi's voice. His words were still engraved in his mind.

"You don't leave your friends to die if you can save them." But so were yours.

"You're no good."

"Okay, I'll admit it. That was pretty unexpected. And cool."

"You're weak."

"Just try a little harder and you'll have it down."

"Foolish little brother."

"He's cautious and knows how to pick his battles. And despite the shit his family's put him through, he's still a good kid."

His brother had taught him everything he's ever known, and a part of him was grateful for that.

But you and Gon had shown him a different way. A way built on trust rather to than fear. And out of the voices battling in his head, yours was the one he would rather listen to. The better one.

The one that made him feel safe.

He would try for you.

Try to be a good person for you and Gon.

Try to save the two of you if anything happened.

-----------------------------------

Not so Fun Fact #10: Y/n's Hemophobia stems from being exposed to too much at a young age.

Not so Fun Fact #11: Y/n became homeless at the age of 8

MASTERLIST

Tags: @fandomhoe101

-------------------------------------

An: Me??? Making a small filler chapter 😱😱😱 Yes, now let me stall for Kite's life. Kite my beloved, I apologize for what I'm about to do to you next chapter.😞😞😞 Gon and Killua my scrunkies, I also apologize for what I'm about to do to you the following chapter after that😞😞😞 (Or maybe through the power of procrastination I can stall the angst for one more chapter.)

#hxh #hunter x hunter #hxh x reader #hunter x hunter x reader #hxh x y/n #hunter x hunter x y/n #gon x reader #killua x reader #mayhaps a kite x reader??? #big sib reader #older reader #found family #x reader #platonic

[subdee]

There seems to be a consensus that Gon wasted his life/potential for meaningless revenge, but was it? I keep wondering if CA was HxH equivalent of the Kobayshi Maru (Aka the Trolley Problem). Pitou was, of all the RG, probably the most capable in terms of balanced nen users. What would’ve happened if Gon had listened to reason? And let adults handle it? Or let Killua accompany him? Not used a nen contract? How many additional casualties would there have been? Was it really meaningless sacrifice?

Hi anon! Thanks for the ask! I don't know if you're the same anon from before, but this is another great question!

I think Gon's choices in the CA arc are tragic, which is different from saying they are meaningless.

*It's a tragedy that a thirteen-year-old kid felt so guilty for "causing" an adult mentor's death that he could come to the conclusion "I'm OK if it all ends after this" (the wording on his nen contract) because he wanted revenge on Pitou / to punish himself so badly.

*It's a tragedy that his best friend (Killua) could sense that he would probably do something gonzo and, in the worst case scenario, it would be a "double suicide" (indicating he did know Gon might throw his life away) AND YET even knowing this, he didn't feel it was his place to step in and stop it.

*It's a tragedy that Netero, Morel and Knov all knew that Gon was revenge-crazed and emotional, but they were so desperate for manpower (in the moment) that they didn't look too hard at his motives, or try too hard to stop him from coming along

*And it's a tragedy that Gon (and Killua) had the most potential for nen of anyone Wing had ever taught, but Gon used all of that potential up at once - although as Ging says, he should have died, so he should actually be happy about the outcome.

So I think when people say "meaningless" what they're really talking about is that sense of tragedy - both the tragedy that Gon almost lost his life, and the tragedy that he was willing to go that far in the first place. It's more the sense of how much was lost than that it was lost for no reason, probably along with the fact that Kite like... was alive... the whole time....

But meaningless is something different, because just as you said, what Gon did really was necessary to stop the ants. You know? The way the story is written, the RG and Meruem are so powerful that it's kind of implied that stopping them will need a miracle - all the pieces need to fall into place just so. What Gon did is a part of the puzzle so, therefore, what Gon did was necessary, and without him there they wouldn't have succeeded.

(Or maybe they would have, but that would have needed another, different kind of miracle - or maybe for Netero to be less selfish and set off that bomb sooner!)

There are two kinds of tragedy, by the way: in classic tragedy, like for instance in Greek tragedies, the tragedy is that the outcome couldn't have been any different from what it was. Because of Gon's reckless nature, because of how the story has been progressing so far where he's done increasingly more reckless things and never had to really deal with the consequences, therefore this final reckless decision was inevitable and that's tragic.

Or, in the more modern version of a tragedy, the tragedy is that things could have gone differently. Gon didn't have to give up his life to stop Pitou, he could have been stopped much earlier. And I've written about this before, but the point where this could have happened wasn't once the palace invasion team was already in East Gorteau, split up to sneak in.

Instead it would have been about a month earlier, when Gon and Killua first escape from Pitou.... Because on the one hand, Netero, Morel and Knov decided that Gon and Killua were old enough for the mission; and on the other hand, they didn't take Killua's account of the RG's power level seriously enough to call in more serious backup, when they still had the chance.

So I think the tragedy, the "meaninglessness," really happens there.

But, on the other hand - I mean, who really would have had the power to stop Pitou anyway? Gon after the nen contract is as powerful as any Hunter in the association. Who can even say if, after calling in the supposed "serious" backup, things would have gone any differently?

Actually it's even darker if you think about it - Knov and Morel essentially agree to let Gon and Killua come along because they underestimate the enemy, the same reason Kite let them come along.

But Netero knows Killua a lot better, and I don't think he disbelieves Killua at all. I think he knows the other reason the invasion team is small - to keep extra people from being caught in the blast if he has to use the rose bomb, in case the plan to use Zeno's power to separate the king and the RGs doesn't come off correctly.

I think he's swayed by Gon's determination - and Killua's, by extension - and he takes the Hunter approach of letting Hunters decide for themselves what they're Hunting, without stepping in to coddle or regulate. (HxH is a bit libertarian like that, in its outlook). And he does that knowing full well they could be blasted to smithereens. That's why in election arc, there's so much talk about reforming the Hunter Association to be less in Netero's (crazy) image.

But anyway, getting back to your question... no, I don't think what Gon did was meaningless at all. "Revenge has meaning, but you won't feel better after you get it" is a slightly different meaning from "revenge is meaningless" and "revenge is meaningless" is a cliche anyway, which isn't really how the writing in HxH works.

#hxh #hxh meta #hope this makes sense baby just went down for the night and there's company over #anon #reply #thanks for the ask #mwah!

[autistic-shaiapouf]

It's Always Sunny In East Gorteau

Bonus:

#hxh #neferpitou #shaiapouf #menthuthuyoupi #meruem #this is akin to a magnum opus i believe; these were so fun kdjdkd i would absolutely do more screenshots like this #hoatm draws

[dyingroses]

Zeno coming back from East Gorteau

Zeno: What did I miss? Maha: Silva and Kikyo had like two more kids Zeno: What?! I've only been gone for a year! Maha: They've been fucking

#zeno zoldyck #maha zoldyck #silva zoldyck #kikyo zoldyck #hunter x hunter #hxh #hxh 2011 #hunter hunter #the zoldyck family #post #incorrect quotes #incorrect hunter x hunter quotes #incorrect hxh quotes #kalluto zoldyck #alluka zoldyck #dyingroses #source: vine #vines #vine #rip vine

[ging-pegger]

Ok heres a wild one : Pouf falling in love with a human

OH MY GOD I FUCKING LOVE YOU FOR THIS i think about this often, my toxic trait is thinking i would be his exception LMAO so here, ill give it my all ♡ i reccomend listening to elegy of the dynast while reading this ♡ warnings: mild gore, a bit of a stray from canon word count: 774 (a little short i know, i apologize)

inside the royal palace of east gorteau, a beautiful yet melancholic song echoed throughout, being played on a violin.

a tall and lanky figure danced throughout the room as he played, his shadow flickered on the wall as he moved, his thoughts were running a mile a minute, and he was overwhelmed by an emotion he didn't know the name of.

at the conclusion of his melody, he sat the violin against the wall, and left the bow beside it. out of frustration he pushed open the double doors and stepped out onto the balcony, the drapes now fluttered in the wind which rushed into the palace via the open doors.

he leaned against the guard rail, looking out to the empty palace yard. no matter what he did the thought of this mysterious human consumed him.

earlier, he had been making his rounds around the palace and surrounding territory when he had seen a human lingering in the nearby wooded area.

he should have notified the king, perhaps even killed this tresspasser, but he didnt. Instead, he found himself lingering above, watching their every move, becoming infatuated with them. they consumed his brain. he knew they were an enemy, but he was so taken by their beauty.

weeks later and this human still flooded shaiapouf's thoughts. everything he did he wondered when or if he would see them again, whether or not they would be fearful of him, or if they were a human whom wanted to cause harm to him and the king.

however when he least expected it, that face reappeared again.

shaiapouf had once more been playing his violin, he had been neglegent to the palace, and was caught unawares by unknown intruders in the palace, once his attention had been brought back out from his fantasies by the same human he had seen prior, he could hear what sounded to be youpi fighting with unknown entities on the stairwell.

shaiapouf froze, looking into your eyes. they looked malicious and homicidal, he recognized that look. it was in the eye of the king when he killed that child weeks ago.

you had been sent to the NGL with knov and morel by the hunter's association to eradicate the chimera ants. you were not a beast hunter, the preservation of species did not matter to you, in fact, after hearing the heinous acts made by these monsters, you could care less about them entirely.

you had been hoping to find the king, but had stumbled upon one that seemed to be a royal guard, there was no doubt this ant was not fit to be cutthroat, or at least in your eyes.

"where is your king?" you knew he wasn't likely to give up this information so easily, but it was worth a try anyhow.

"i'm afraid i can't volunteer that information to you." shaiapouf felt something inside him shatter, he knew it was too good to be true.

he had hoped that just maybe, the human he found could be as special to him as komugi was to the king. but it was nothing like that. you wanted to kill his king, and he was now faced with a dilemma.

protect his king, or try to form a relationship with this human he knew so little about?

he had made up his mind, he was not going to let you harm the king, his beloved, generous king. no harm would come to him while he wast there, it was his soul purpose.

what he would give to get to know you inside and out, know the compassion and the flaws of human nature, but it was simple. he was born to protect his king, and he would do so until his dying breath.

however unfortunately for him that would be soon, he charged at you, and everything went into autopilot from that point forward until eventually a gutwrenching sound of tearing flesh.

a blue viscous liquid sprayed everywhere , covering every surface in the room, and from afar he could see his body laying on the floor, chest flush with the cement.

he had been decapitated...

his body had been severed from his head.

that blue liquid was his blood. it was different than the blood he had seen come from humans, it didnt smell sweet to him. It made him sick, well if he could have felt sick, he would have.

in that moment he wished that within his species that death came immediately. he envied humans, yet at the same exact time , cursed them.

how could something so captivating and beautiful cause such destruction and harm to his body?

#cherry.txt #this is so bad #i wasn't sure how to articulate it #i hope this doesnt seemrushed #anyways #shaiapouf hxh #shaiapouf #chimera ant #chimera ant arc #Shaiapouf x reader #hxh spoilers #hxh #hunter x hunter

[audleyhxh]

Reading the latest hxh chapters got me so excited ❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤What if Tsudonke met Safra and wanted an autograph. Set in the future on the black whale but no spoilers because nothing is set that far in stone. Purely fun what if 💙

----

…So she is a Spider. Short like Feitan, is she Machi? No, not her. Wait those gloves…that means...no way that's her? The Safra? Their bomber? I've gotta get a single board for her.

At the moment, she's standing at the wall, arms crossed, looking a little bored. She hadn't spoken to him and he only heard her voice once when she said something to Nobunaga, Feitan, and Phinks (a remark which made the latter groan).

Is now the right time? Should I lead into asking from talking to her casually?

Tsudonke bucks up the courage. He crosses the four paces to her. Bowing his head, he produces a white signboard in one hand and a thick permanent marker in the other.

“Can I get your autograph? I mean...not a big deal or anything but it would be cool. I want to ask all the Spiders," he says in one breath.

Safra processes the request, staring at him for a long time as if she's counting his freckles. She seems taken off guard by his request but at least not upset by it. She doesn't uncross her arms to receive the board.

“You probably don’t want to waste your limited signboards getting mine. I haven't been a Spider for a very long time. My time with them is ancient history. Besides, you probably know Spiders because of Yorknew, which I was not involved in.”

“But you were there for the East Gorteau heist. You stole from a head honcho Mob boss long before Yorknew and made him forget about it. You stole the Syr Darya. Can I say that again? You stole a river."

“Wallahae, wow," she says, slipping into Gortese and Tsudonke has to fight his facial muscles to keep his expression neutral. "You really know your stuff. You even know about East Gorteau. Many blacklist hunters have never heard of my first heist.”

THAT WAS YOUR FIRST??

He clears his throat, dignified in his manners. "Also," he says. "You were also the first refugee to escape by walking through the DMZ~"

“I wasn’t the first,” she says, cutting him off. “My father was. I had to spend a few years in a gulag before I could escape.”

That’s…so cool ❤

Safra uncrosses her arms. "Alright, fork it over. I'll sign."

With sweaty palms, Tsudonke hands her the board and marker.

"What was your name?"

"Tsudonke," he says.

"Just curious, which of the Spiders have you gotten an autograph from yet? Well, maybe don't mention it to them you got mine first."

#hunter x hunter #phantom troupe #hxh oc #what if #gowildhxh

[minimalaifu]

East Gorteau Dancers in Hunter x Hunter! :D this is myy entry for Huntress Zine :D and edited version! it’s too late to send this version ;~;

#hunter x hunter #hunter x hunter 2011 #hxh #my art #huntress zine

[timeskip]

I don't usually make fic recs but I HAVE to rec neverwherever's HxH fics. TERRIBLY underrated in terms of kudos/hits vs how good they are but they changed my life. I haven't read all of them but all the ones I've read are huge bangers.

Specific recs:

the center cannot hold - (18k words but it's worth it I swear) Holds the title of My Favorite HxH Fic. PLEASE read it if you like angst and the horrible sinking feeling in your chest that chimera ant arc gives you. About Killua watching Gon spiral during the days between losing to Knuckle and going into East Gorteau. One of the best fanfics I've ever read Ever.

come down from the mountain - (2.9k) shorter than the center cannot hold but rips my heart out all the same. Obsessed with this paragraph specifically:

triptych - (2.9k) ROYAL GUARDS ROYAL GUARDS ROYAL GUARDS. I love the way their devotion is written, and Meruem's devotion to Komugi <3

i am never without it - (4.9k) Killua traveling post-canon and his emotions for Gon and aaaaa it's so lovely

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V3 1

Vinland Saga S2 - The original OP and ED singers came back for the new OP and ED, so you know shit's going to get real. But not quite at this episode, where things are kept laid back and focused on the cast back at Ketil's farm, with the underlining drama coming from a slave from some other farm who's now on the loose. And that guy shows up at the end, declaring himself to be Arnheid's husband!

Hunter x Hunter - Upon landing in East Gorteau, Gon and Killua split up and Gon finds himself in a fight with the Ant Army's own Scowl and Batso all while Meleoron observes the fight undetected. On the side there was some political talk about high ranking Hunters who have interest in exploiting the conflict with the Ants as means of unseating Netero as Chairman, and I love how the dictator of East Gorteau who declares martial law towards the end is simply named "Diego", with no last name given, and is publicly recognized as such.

SHUFFLE! - A couple minutes into the premiere, I wasn't sure this show was working for me. Aside from good dubover voice acting from the likes of Jerry Jewell and Carrie Savage, and a really good joke involving the "KKK" group ("not the mean guys in the white sheets!"), it was so typical high school romcom/harem anime/VN in a way that could get wince-inducing. Then, out of fucking nowhere, it's established that this a world where gods and demons just...exist and intermingle with humans in a society that's interlinked with the divine spiritual realm ever since it opened up on Earth. They just drop it in so casually, and then introducing two new girls leads to the next big reveal for the ongoing premise: the King of Gods and King of Devils have chosen this one guy to be wed to one of their daughters, so he has the choice whether he wants to become the next King of Gods or the next King of Devils depending on who he marries. What!? Oh, and the girls are neighbors to this guy and his pseudo-sister 'cause of course, gotta have that set-up! So now this is looking like fun!

Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works - Two straight episodes where it was hard for me to look away for even a second, as what was transpiring was just so interesting. I remember this part from the movie, where Shinji holds Rin captive, Kirei reveals he's still alive and was Lancer's master all along, and that he killed Rin's father in the previous Holy Grail War. He makes Lancer kill himself, but he doesn't die until after killing Kirei and scaring Shinji away. As this feels like a proper sequel to Fate Zero, it feels good to see Kirei finally bite the dust after his murder of Tokiomi is paid off, but a bit strange that there's no such payoff for his animosity with Kiritsugu, as him being his killer will not be revealed here: Shirou will never know. Speaking of, despite his valiant effort, Shirou gets the crap beaten out of him by Archer, all while getting to see into his head and learn his backstory, where all of his heroic ideals ultimately led him. Archer's very existence challenges Shirou every bit as Archer's words rebuking his beliefs in purity and justice do, and it's ironically helping Shirou grow as a person. He accepts Archer as his "Bad End" that he will strive to avoid, for even if Archer is right about everything, Shirou would rather be wrong but true to himself and what his experience with Kiritsugu taught him to believe in than right but jaded and detached from any sort of bonds with the people most precious to him and the rest of humanity. And so the fight goes on!

KonoSuba - Again, they had me in the first half, not gonna lie. I knew this was a comedic, subversive lampooning of the Isekai subgenre (which needs to be trashed and incinerated already) as oppposed to the more seriously deconstructive and thematically rich Re:ZERO, but the MC starts out seeming just like Subaru Natsuki: a gamer geek, a shut-in NEET, kind of a dingus with a swell-headed attitude at times, he's even wearing a fucking track suit! And he dies in the cliche "jumping in the way of an oncoming vehicle to save a kid" way, except it turns out to have been meaningless since the vehicle in question was a slow moving tractor that would've stopped for the kid anyway. By the time we meet Aqua and get some relentlessly mean-spirited ribbing of Kazuma by her, you start to get a clearer picture of what kind of show this is to be. And Kazuma, just to be a petty bitch, decides to drag Aqua with him to the world he's to live his next life in, much to the goddess' protests and panic attacks. So this new "hero" is a complete cretin and Aqua is a largely useless, self-centered bitch. And together, they are freaking hilarious and their antics have won me over already. Onward to your adventure, you glorious losers!

Symphogear AXZ - Before starting on the final season, I had to see this last one's set of shorts, which were as cute and fun as expected.

Eureka Seven - I've arrived at that part in the show where Renton, on the lam and with nowhere in particular to go, has been unofficially adopted by Charles and Ray, staying aboard their aircraft, assisting them with their LFOs, and eating the delicious food they provide. It's so interesting that these two provide a warmer, more comforting environment to Renton than Gekko State ever did, are even friendlier and more understanding of him, and Charles even looks like he could pass for Renton's dad on top of being an infinitely better, non-abusive father figure than Holland. So there's going to be some drama when Renton finds out these two are under a contract by the Military. And speaking of, Dominic is seen arriving at some abandoned looking site at the episode's closing minute(s). What are you up to now, Dom?

Gintama - Only seven words: Odd Jobs Gin Is Back In Business!

#Anime Update V3 #Anime Update

[perennial-wave]

finishing my chimera ant rewatch… crazy that East Gorteau is basically colonized by various imperial countries? & the NGL is turned over to the Hunter Association to govern?? the power grabs

#hxh spoilers #chimera ant arc #hxh

[ponzusauce]

man I just wanna know what happens to all of those dogs that knuckle feeds, like do they get new homes or does he take them all home from east gorteau or do they just kinda roam around or what

#hunter x hunter #knuckle bine #knuckle hxh #knuckle #hxh #shitpost #hxh meta

[halt-kun]

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 216 - Republic of east Gorteau

Well I'm far from consistent with this liveblog but I'll do some more today

I miss HxH

Togashi is back on board but if it's like last time we can probably expect a return in a minimum of 3-4 months

The serialization return official announcement is usually one month before when they announce the volume release too

Anyway I'm sad I still have yet to come through the date with Palm, it's definitely one of the moment I have a hard time dealing with

Gon doesn't feel good

it's normal he failed to meet his own expectations

feels inadequate

Killua doesn't seem to be feeling bad when actually he's mentally preparing to leave Gon, poor boy

HUG THEM

I still love the sapphic vibe of Spin there

You're right, you entrusted someone stronger than you with your mission and they'll definitely succeed Gon

Trust in them, you don't have to do everything by yourself

That's probably what he would do indeed

but you're also in denial

which is understandable

I'd definitely be a hunter working in conservation

I may be a biologist who works mostly on computers and rarely goes on the field and I'm not a good naturalist BUT if I were a hunter I'd do that

Kite is so good too

helping some little kids protect a place they hold dear with an emblematic endemic species

I'm sure there is more species specific to this place, such as bugs, fishes, plants, fungi,...

That must also be a biodiversity mine (not sure this translate well in english, in french, a mine can also just mean a place rich in something even if it's not exploited.)

We'll all be alive and go there

and drink tea and bake cake

Well

at least it was fast and painless

Cheetu is out of NGL

all the ants are basically amish, they're not used to any technology and big cities

You might have become a fish out of water Cheetu

You'll soon realize that information and responses can be way faster when you have a lot of testimony on the internet

Just install tinder and uber eat, eat a few french tacos

That guy just ate a whale

in how many days ?????

that's too much

does he need that everyday ? Kill him now, it's hopeless we can't help him

Some of these we'll never see again, Crocodile and Mantis looking guy

WOW

pretty panel

this palace is so nostalgic for me now

we spend so much time in there it's like I go back home everytime I see it

NO COSTUMES

THAT'S NOT COSTUMES

well too late they're mincemeat

Bad King

Diego is a furry

that's light furry but still furry

It's weird that this guy reminds me of someone, but I can't really like be sure about it like it's some guy, that might exist

It's quite funny that Togashi split North Korea into East Gorteau and NGL

A fool

you should be less confident

Well bye bye Mr Steak

Knuckle and Shoot must have encountered Kite

Well I'll probably do another chapter later but I have to hang my clothes to dry

#hxh c216 #hxh manga #hxh liveblog

[llycaons]

a lot of hxh places (and names) are heavily and obviously inspired by real places (east gorteau, kakin empire), but some of them don't fall into any area or language easily identifiable to the audience and have no parallel in real life. that's how aurdwynn is. some of the names sound welsh or english or russian or chinese. some of them are completely unique. the geography could be almost anywhere around a northern forest/plains ecosystem, but theres also olive trees. and the naming conventions/use of chopsticks are eastern asian as well. its really neat

#baru lb