Gon folded his arms over the gated edge of Killua's hospital bed. He resisted the urge to play with the wrinkles in the bed sheets since Killua had already slapped his hands away once, and the pulse oximeter really hurt to get slapped with.

Killua folded his arms, annoyed, and said, "I don't see why you're here. I'll be discharged soon anyway."

"But you have a concussion— "

"I have a headache— "

"Yeah, but that's a symptom of a concussion—"

Killua rolled his eyes, slapping his hands down with a huff. He was dressed in nothing but a hospital gown, which was for the better considering... what he arrived in. After dropping him and Kurapika off, Gon had whisked to their apartment under the guise of "going to the store to buy clothes for Killua".

It was one thing to cross the boundary of Killua's work life, and another thing to collide Killua's work life with their apartment situation.

But also, on the top of getting Killua clothes, Gon could never take back that experience for the life of him. He came to the conclusion that day about Killua's roommates checklist: That Killua had insisted they stay out of each others' rooms for the sake of Killua's closet, which had a section of lingerie that Gon stared at for a solid two minutes before realizing what he was doing, where he was, and where he had to go.

And, so, Gon was now simply waiting for Killua to be freed from the San Francisco clinic's clutches. Gon tapped his fingers on the metal ledge and said, "Anyway, I don't mind driving. I'd rather drive you than have you go on public transit after you fainted like that."

"I had low blood sugar, you asshole. You see my blood sugar now? It's sweet and spicy," Killua said, pointing to the IV in his arm.

"Just because you're sweet and spicy now doesn't mean you will be later ," Gon insisted.

Of course, there was no way for Gon to know the specifics, but given the little clues Killua had given him, the cause of Killua's fainting spell wasn't brain damage, necessarily—it was a mix of malnourishment, sleep deprivation, and over exertion.

Bottom line: Overworking.

And for a while there, but he and Kurapika thought Killua suffered a traumatic brain injury.

"You're mumbling," Killua said, scowling at him.

Gon squeaked, perking straight up. "S-Sorry! I was just thinking about Kurapika. I feel bad for startling him tonight," he confessed. He couldn't take back the fact that he had, in fact, barged into Killua's work, nor could he regret it—he was glad that he knew now—but as for Kurapika... He regretted dragging the guy into it, too. Kurapika had said his work was private, and Gon should have respected that.

Killua scoffed and said, "He'll get over it. Is he the one who told you where I work?"

Gon startled, gasping, "What? No! I, um, I recognized your tattoo. This morning."

Killua squinted at him. His tattoo? He didn't have a tattoo.

Oh, fuck , he realized, reaching a hand to cover his eyes.

Gon looked at his lap and said, "You didn't have one before, so... I thought it was weird. You know, that time I was brushing my teeth and you..."

"Don't. Finish that sentence," Killua groaned. He rubbed both hands over his face. The pulse oximeter clapped against his forehead. A few seconds of painful silence passed. Five seconds felt like five minutes as Gon sat and picked at a hangnail on his thumb.

And then, Killua spoke, muffled through his hands. "Could you do me a favor."

Gon leapt in his seat. "Y-Yes! Anything!"

Killua pried his hands off of his face, gesturing sharply. " Don't tell anyone about where I work. I fucking mean it. It's one thing for you to bring your stupid friends over, but the club— "

"I-I won't! And that was just a one-time thing with my friends. It won't happen again, I promise," Gon said.

Killua dropped his hands to his lap with a sigh. It pulled the tension from his shoulders, and Gon withered a little from the guilt of having put Killua through that.

The door to the room slid open. Gon perked up as the doctor pulled at the curtain shielding the door, only to come to the quick realization that this woman was not, in fact, Killua's doctor.

Killua's heart stopped in his chest.

The woman was dressed smart in a simple pantsuit and pointed heels. She looked like the love interest in a James Bond movie with clevage that went to Kingdom Come. Gon couldn't stop staring at them and thinking, God, I'm so glad that I'm already flat-chested. I couldn't image squashing those puppies down .

Just beneath the flat edge of her bangs sat a scowl. A scowl so profound and oddly familiar that Gon felt himself withering with guilt for staring at her honkers.

"A-Alluka..." Killua started, pained.

The woman marched over, and with every step she took, both Killua and Gon tried unsuccessfully to back away in their seats. Killua pulled the sheets on the bed up over his chest as Alluka came to stand directly beside him.

She stared him down.

Alluka? Gon wondered. He didn't know anyone named Alluka, and she looked too professional to play a part in the club scene.

She wound a fist back and punched Killua square in the gut.

Killua whithered with a raspy, " Oh, fucking hell... " as Alluka checked to make sure she didn't chip a nail.

Gon's jaw dropped as Alluka spoke at last. "Serves you right, you little shit."

Killua tipped onto his side, grunting and clutching at his stomach. "What're you doing here?"

"In case you forgot, I'm your emergency contact," she said. Killua put his hands over his face. "And it's a goddamn miracle you wound up in the hospital! I don't know how else I woulda got your address, mister!"

Killua's eyes widened. He looked to Gon, who squeaked in raw, unadulterated terror. "Th-They asked for it at the front desk..." he confessed, wincing.

"I was worried sick!" Alluka cried, throwing her arms out frantically. "Anyone would have a hernia if their little brother vanished in the dead of the night!"

"That doesn't give you permission to barge in here and—" Killua broke off, coughing into his elbow. Alluka turned to Gon and gestured to Killua, as if to say, " You see what running away does to a man? "

Gon was too busy staring at her and thinking, This woman is related to Killua. I guess beauty does run in the family .

Alluka yanked over a chair and sat backwards on it, her arms perched on the backrest, and her eyes honed in on Killua. Gon swallowed hard. He now knew where he recognized that glare.

She gave a great big huff before propping her chin on her hand and pouting. She looked dejectedly down at the sheets and said, "I was really worried, Killua."

Gon realized then that this was a private conversation that he should not be a part of. He slid awkwardly out of his seat and grabbed his bag as he said, "I should... go... I'll be out in the lobby—"

"Oh! Give me ten seconds and I'll go with you," Alluka said, and Gon was so intrigued by it that he agreed despite the awful glare Killua was giving him.

Gon hurried out to wait in the hall. Killua cast his glare after him before drawing his attention back to Alluka's softened expression. Her long brown hair was pulled over one shoulder, and she looked... relieved .

One thing Killua hated about leaving was that he had to leave her behind, too.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Killua said.

"Mmhm, better be," Alluka said, smiling. "And you better believe I'll be visiting you soon. The least I can do is make sure you aren't living in a warehouse without the owner's permission."

"Ha-ha, very funny," Killua said, voice as dry as the desert.

Alluka pushed to her feet and, looping one leg over the chair, swung it back to the position it was previously found. She reached over and ruffled Killua's head, much to his distaste, and went off to find Gon. Killua fixed his hair back, scowling all the while, and watched his sister leave with a sour sensation settling in the pit of his stomach.

Gon waited out in the hall for movement to occur at the entrance to Killua's room. When it did, he perked up at the sight of Alluka stepping past the curtain. She offered a bright smile that had Gon swooning a little. He may have been gay, but he could appreciate a nice smile when he saw one.

Alluka shut the door like a doting mother ensuring that her child wouldn't wake to the sound of the door closing. As she stepped over, her heels clicked across the tiles and she sighed, tossing her long, flowing brown hair over her shoulder. She walked straight past Gon and said, "Come along—I heard they've got excellent food at the cafeteria."

"Really?" Gon said, snapping back into motion. "Killua said it tasted awful."

Alluka examined her nails and said, flippantly, "Yes, well, Killua hates everything. Nothing new there. We already knew he was an edgelord."

Gon laughed and said, "Wow, so I guess you two are siblings. No one I know would say that about Killua."

Alluka turned to him, fascination turning her face bright. "Oh? And who do you know that would say otherwise?"

Gon rolled his eyes and said, "Our whole class, practically. Maybe even our whole major . He's kind of a legend to them."

"But... not you."

Well, living with the guy has sort of soiled my image of him... Gon thought, rubbing a finger to his cheek. He winced a little, smiling sheepishly. "Not really. We're just sort of... friends."

"Friends," Alluka repeated. After a moment of walking in silence, she looked to her feet and clasped her hands behind her. Her smile was just as soft as her voice as she said, "I'm glad he's made a friend. Friends are... precious."

She tapped the elevator button and together, they waited, and Gon's conscience dampened with guilt. He wouldn't consider him and Killua friends, but it seemed like an appropriate lie to prevent Alluka from knowing that they lived together.

But Alluka's concern pitched Gon into another dilemma—a dilemma that surrounded the mysterious aura that enshrouded his roommate. After that night, Gon was starting to sift through that fog and, upon doing so, found some clarity. However, Alluka's intrusion certainly muddled it back up.

Does he not have friends? Gon thought, lips pursed as they entered the elevator. He never did see Killua talk to anyone other than Kurapika. Gon shook his head. Of course he has friends. Kurapika's his friend!

The real question was now: Did Killua have any other friends? And this was the question that concerned Gon the most. He knew what it was like to not have friends, and it was because of this that he cherished Zushi's instantaneous befriendment. If it weren't for Zushi, Gon might still be sitting alone at every lecture, but now he had Knuckle and Uvogin as well.

"I'm glad he has someone to look after him if it isn't me or Canary," Alluka said.

Gon froze on the very edge of the cafeteria archway. His brain flew itself all the way back to Killua's bedroom. Alluka glanced back at him as he stammered, "C-Canary?"

Alluka nodded. "My wife," she said.

Oh dear Lord in Heaven above , Gon thought, a hand to his forehead. Alluka went on ahead to investigate the food as Gon's brain imploded because Killua did not, in fact, have a bird fettish.

He just had a dream about... kissing his sister's wife.

Does Canary know? Gon thought, and the idea that she did know only made the situation worse. What if they're having an affair? he thought in a panic, a hand over his rapidly beating heart. He thought he might throw up.

Living with Killua Zoldyck was certainly a detriment to his heart.

_____

"Allu...ka...Zold...yck... Ah, there you are," Gon hummed in the quiet of the hospital waiting room. Alluka was visiting Killua again before the doctors could release him—it was likely the only chance she had to talk to him before he slipped through the cracks of society again.

It also gave Gon a chance to search for Alluka in hopes of finding something about Canary, and possibly Killua in the process.

Alluka's Facebook page was headed by a photo of her and a woman with a well-kept afro the size of Jupiter. She reminded Gon of the 70s, but with the class of a modern day business professional. Gon clicked into the photo and checked the tags—the woman was, in fact, Canary Zoldyck, and the ring on her hand that held onto Alluka's shoulder confirmed everything Alluka had said.

Gon was able to click onto her page with ease, but Canary's profile was sparse, and even the photos Alluka posted of the two of them were few and far between. Gon's brow furrowed in concentration as he scrolled through Canary's timeline—at least, what was available to him. There was an older picture of the two of them at a fancy restaurant with some bland-looking gentlemen. A business dinner.

While there weren't many pictures of Canary, there were plenty of photos of Alluka. Alluka on a cruise ship. Alluka in Times Square. Alluka hiking.

Maybe Canary has a high-profile job? Gon thought, because clearly, Alluka wasn't worried about posting pictures of herself. Gon put a hand to his lips, scowling. Or what if their marriage is failing and Alluka's distain for Canary prevents her from posting pictures of her wife —

No, that was too much of a stretch.

The image of the faceless woman waking Killua with a kiss came to mind, only this time, it was Canary dressed in a silk gown, leaning over Killua...

Unless she knows about the affair! Gon cried internally, throwing his arms over his face in horror.

"Hey."

Gon screamed and nearly chucked his phone across the foyer. He twisted around, slapping his phone to his legs so that Killua wouldn't see the pictures of Alluka and Canary on his screen.

Killua rose an unimpressed eyebrow at him. He was dressed in the sweatpants and sweatshirt Gon had snatched from Killua's closet, and his extra clothes from his work duffle were strewn over his shoulder.

Gon scrambled to his feet and completely dropped his phone in the process. It smacked onto the carpet, face-up, and Killua looked down at the photo on the screen. He rose his other eyebrow and looked up at Gon.

"Really?" Killua said. "You facebook friends with my sister now?"

"N-No! I was just—" Investigating your relationship with Canary , he thought, and came damn near close to saying it aloud.

Killua rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Gon looked nervously around the foyer and asked, "Where... is your sister?"

"She left." Gon let out a sigh of relief. Killua started walking away, so Gon chased after him, jogging to catch up. They exited through the sliding doors and, out on the curb along the edge of the parking garage, Gon cleared his throat.

"Alluka seems nice," Gon said.

Killua sighed, putting his hands in his pant pockets. His hair looked yellow under the parking garage's tungsten lights. "Yeah, she is," he said, voice dry.

Gon rose an eyebrow. "You don't sound very enthusiastic about that. Did something happen with you two?" Internally, Gon was chanting, Please tell me! Please tell me about the affair!

But alas, Killua would never give in that easily. "Not really. I just didn't... like living with them."

"With who?"

Killua groaned and said, "Do you mind? I have a headache and I don't know where the fuck your car is."

Gon startled back into motion. "Oh! Right, it's this way," he said, about to jog across the parking lot.

Killua grabbed him by the arm and yanked him back. He staggered out of the path of a car's headlights cruising over the pavement. Gon stumbled a little as Killua let go of him and said, "Watch where you're going."

Gon stared after the car. That could have been him with a concussion instead of Killua. "R-Right, sorry. This way," he said, and looked both ways before crossing the parking garage.

As soon as they were settled and seated in Gon's car, Gon started up the engine and it purred to life in a similar fashion to Killua's stomach growling with hunger. Gon glanced at him, and Killua put a hand over his stomach with a scowl.

"Didn't they feed you?" Gon said.

"Yeah, but hospital food is shit," Killua said.

Gon laughed and put a hand against the back of the passenger's seat as he looked back to ensure the coast was clear. He pulled out of the parking spot, saying, "Well, I have a lot of food left over from this week. If you want any of it, help yourself."

Out of the corner of his eye, Killua glanced at Gon for a moment in hesitant curiosity. Sure, they made plans not to share, but... he couldn't argue against Gon's want to share.

As long as it wasn't Killua's food, he was fine sharing.

Killua sniffed, resituated himself in his seat, and said, "I might take you up on that offer."

When they returned home, it was nearly three in the morning. Gon reminded Killua of his promise to leave food in the fridge for him, and Killua rolled his eyes at it. He slipped his boots off and went to the bathroom where he could properly remove his makeup from that night. He softened his mascara and foundation with a towelette and relaxed underneath the cool, refreshing texture on his skin.

Gon skipped his night routine and went straight to his room to faceplant on the mattress and conk out for the night. It was due to this that he didn't see Killua emerge from the bathroom, check to make sure the close was clear, and then pull some of Gon's leftovers from the second shelf in the fridge.

Killua took the leftovers with him to the kotatsu where he huddled under the comforter, folded over the table, and ate until exhaustion lulled him to sleep. He would just get up... in a bit... and clean up his dishes soon... Maybe in the morning...

In the morning, Gon woke up to Killua's alarm going off in the other room.

He startled with a curse, only to sigh when he realized that he had about twenty minutes before his own alarm would go off, so it made sense just to get it over with . Gon threw his sheets aside and rolled off of his mattress.

He opened his bedroom door with a yawn. He rubbed at his eyes as he shuffled over to the edge of the steps leading down to the main living area. There, he paused, his hand lowering from his eyes as he watched the image of Killua with his cheek on the kotatsu tabletop, his arms folded ver his face so all Gon could see was his mess of white hair.

Killua's alarm was still blaring behind his closed bedroom door, so Gon padded down the steps and wandered over to the kotatsu to wake him on his own. Gon gave Killua's shoulder a little shake, and when that did nothing, Gon took Killua by the wrist and started slapping his limp hand on Killua's head.