🏈🤼‍♂️ added you!

10:15 Pancakes taste so good when you're hungover

10:16 This is not a universal thing, but yes, agreed

10:16 Also how did you get my snapchat?

10:17 Zushi Roll 🍣😌

10:18 Good to know Zushi is not above betrayal

10:19 If you hurt my dear sweet Zushi Roll, there will be hell to pay 😠👊

10:22 You're so fuckin extra dude

10:22 You should come to Ren

10:24 Like... for brunch or just in general?

10:24 Both :)

10:26 I'll think about it

10:27 D:

10:28 The Ren dining hall makes me feel inferior

10:29 Why?? I didn't realize there was a dining hall power dynamic

10:30 Oh yeah. Ren is basically the King of the Dining Halls

10:31 It exists to remind me of my poor diet decisions you know?

10:32 But we have pancakes too D: We are normal D:

10:33 :T

10:34 D:

10:35 I will literally gut you if you make that face again

10:36 Gut me, huh?

10:37 Will you torture me too? Maybe with a whip or something?

10:37 With knives.

10:37 Hot wax, maybe? :D

10:38 Only knives.

10:38 And public humiliation

10:39 O Great Killua, have thou no mercy?

10:40 That isn't how you use 'thou', you heathen

10:41 Teach me your ways ;)

10:41 And spank me when I get wrong

10:48 Was that too far

10:50 Call from 🔪

illua paced his dorm room as the ringer went on. He pinched his thumb nail between his teeth, eyes wide and drifting from the window to the door, the window to the door. Just as he thought the call would end, the ringer was replaced by a bubble popping up on screen with an audio spectrum spiking to the sound of Gon's voice saying, "Do my ears deceive me? Is thee Killua Zoldyck calling me?"

"You piece of shit," Killua said, laughing.

"Gentle, gentle. My poor head is pounding," Gon said. Killua rolled his eyes. He could practically hear the smirk in Gon's voice, and then that cheeky little wink as he added, "No regrets, though."

"Oh really?"

"Oh yeah. I hope last night was as great for you as it was for me...? Possibly?" he said.

Killua bit his lip and nodded to himself, dropping down onto the edge of his futon. He put a hand through his hair as he said, "Yeah. Yeah, it was good."

"Just good? Do I have to make it better?" Gon said with a sigh. Killua shivered at the sound, his fingers knotting in his hair. "Would you let me make it better this time? Or do you have to go find my dear, sweet Zushi Roll?"

Killua laughed and said, "Yeah, right. Are you saying all of this with Zushi right next to you?" He wouldn't have been surprised.

"Nah. We stayed the night at Sigma Alpha, planning on leaving soon. Zushi's mid-argument with some of my teammates," Gon said.

"Nothing serious, I hope."

"No, just something to do with logic or something or other that they don't have," he said. If Killua smiled any wider, his face would split in half. "Just me, the frat bathroom, and your voice in my ear."

"You make that sound like paradise," Killua breathed into the phone, biting his lip at the sound of Gon groaning on the other end of the phone. He remembered what Gon had said the night before that completely unraveled him. He had a parody of it on the tip of his tongue, so, in the most sultry voice he could manage, he whispered, "What do you want to hear?"

His body was on fire, shaking with adrenaline. As if phone calls weren't already nerve wracking, there he was, leveling up from sexting to straight up phone sex like an absolute champ. At this rate, he'd be dancing at the same level of Gon with his ridiculous serial monogamy.

Killua bit his thumbnail again as he listened to Gon's breath through the line. "God, anything. I don't care."

"Do you... want to hear about my day?" Killua teased.

"Skip the intro," Gon said, like Killua was a goddamn Netflix special.

"Do you wanna... go for a walk?" Killua said in that ridiculous preppy voice people used on dogs.

He didn't have time to be frustrated with his nonexistent filter because in the next moment, Gon was cursing him out, whining, "That's not funny! Fuck, okay, maybe it is funny, but fuck you, Killua!"

"Okay! Okay, sorry. I couldn't help it," Killua insisted. "Ignore that. Ignore me. Let's just forget that ever happened."

"That just reminds me of when you told me there were other ways to get sore."

Killua's cheeks colored bright red. He slapped a hand to his face and groaned. "We don't talk about that in this household," Killua said, strained and in pain.

Gon chuckled on the other end of the line. "Fine, we won't talk about what blissful ways you could make me sore."

"Agreed. Not a topic of discussion today," Killua said, flopping back on his futon. He cleared his throat and held the phone up to his mouth.

"But, uh... If we can go back to the intro," Gon said, softly. "I would like to hear about your day. What're you doing today?"

"You," Killua said, once again, his filter off orbiting Earth and not being where it was supposed to be. He nearly dropped his phone on his face when Gon's response came in the form of a moan of ecstasy akin to the groan Gon made in the frat basement just the night before. "You heard nothing," Killua hissed.

"It's fine. Just get it out, I don't care," Gon said. "Lay it on me."

"Freecss—"

"Lay it on me in a nice, thick layer of pure, unadulterated whip cream. Lick it off of me, I beg you," Gon said.

"Don't tell this tongue what to do," Killua said, sitting up. "I lick when and what I want, excuse you."

"Oh yeah? Prove it. I can take it."

Killua let out a startled laugh. He shook his head, perching his chin on his knee as he said, "You're unreal, Freecss. Goodbye."

"If you lick me, I'll lick you. It's only fair—"

"I said goodbye, Freecss," Killua said before ending the call. He threw his phone across the room and onto his bed before flopping back down onto the futon with a groan.

It took more effort than usual to dissolve into his school work, and he blamed it on the residual effects of the party. He spent all night dancing among... other activities... which left his entire body sore as shit. When he stood up, he almost didn't want to drag his sorry ass to the dining hall, but the throbbing in his temple told him that he needed nourishment.

Overall, though, he spent his Sunday at Hatsu without a reason to leave. Evening came and went without a call from Gon, so Killua assumed their potential gym date was canceled. Still, that didn't stop Killua's concentration from breaking every thirty minute interval to check his phone for messages.

Do gym buddies even make out? he wondered, sighing. He tapped his pencil to his lip, his attention branching far, far away from his term paper. Am I qualified to be Gon's gym buddy? Surely making out cuts me from the running. He never even wanted to go to the gym until now, so what did it matter? If Gon didn't want to be gym buddies anymore after last night, then Killua could deal with that. It wasn't like he was the one looking for a gym buddy.

Killua watched the words and numbers on his screen blur into oblivion. He wanted to feel more than just the ghost of Gon's lips on his own. The memory of it wasn't enough, but there was no way he could forget it.

Killua thought about it through the night and into the morning and past the start of his shift at Starbucks. It kept him awake, albeit not focused, so work wasn't as spot on as it usually was. He felt stuck in muck and that muck was dubbed Gon Freecss trash and he was chest deep in that shit. It would take more than a cold shower just to wash it off. He could be found spacing out at the Pike's Place coffee machine nearly overflowing a dozen different coffee mugs.

In the midst of one such mug, a familiar voice sounded behind him saying, "—also take a... triple shot latte, no foam, please. Thanks!"

Killua startled at the sound. He turned, coffee swishing in the cup, and caught sight of Freecss in line taking his card back from the cashier with a charming smile. Gon glanced at Killua then, and that charming smile brightened tenfold.

Killua hastily finished filling up the cup and brought it to the pick up counter. He called out the name before leaning over to Gon and saying, "What're you doing here?"

"I always come here," Gon said.

Killua closed his eyes, thinking, Duh, of course. "I-I mean, what're you doing today?"

"You... literally have my schedule."

"Humor me, dammit," Killua said.

Gon laughed. He folded his forearms on the high countertop and smiled like it was his day job and he loved it. "I'm just studying some art today."

"Really," Killua droned, less impressed.

"Yeah, you," Gon said.

"Oh. That was a shitty pickup line," he said.

"You just don't have taste."

"According to you, I have excellent taste in Noods," Killua said. Gon's smile widened, his eyes sliding away from Killua and to Killua's coworker, who stared between them with a look of alarm. Killua's face turned red. "Noodles & Company! Not—never mind," he said with a dejected sigh.

He turned back to Gon to say, "What are you majoring in, anyway?"

"Physical therapy," he said.

Killua laughed and said, "I'm serious."

Gon sighed. "Yeah, you're right. It's been decided that I couldn't get into physical therapy school even if I didn't devote all my time to sports. So I'm just in the general exploratory studies course here."

Killua hummed because he really didn't have a thing to say about that. He supposed it was normal for athletes—especially ones as stellar as Gon Freecss—to funnel all of their energy into their designated sports. Gon was no different. Focusing too heavily on school would only be detrimental to his athletic career, and doing poorly in classes would screw football over as well. An even balance meant that meat-headed athletes at Yorknew tended to major in general studies for the soul purpose of playing football.

"You probably... cover a wide range of topics then, huh?" Killua said. He moved to the far end of the espresso machine, and Gon slid over to follow him. He checked the order on the cup receipt and pulled a shot of espresso and stuck the filter into the machine. He cranked the handle tight and slid a shot glass underneath before flipping the switch.

"Yeah... I don't really like to talk about school," he confessed, only to backtrack quickly. "But I mean, I'd love to listen to what your classes are like! And what you're doing in your major. It's probably more interesting."

"It's really not," Killua grimaced. "Mostly paying copious amounts of money for competitive suffering. There's only fifty slots in mine and Zushi's OChem class for an 'A'. A hundred seventy five slots for a passing grade, which means that nearly half of the class fails."

"You're kidding," Gon said, shocked. Killua nodded, tipping the espresso shots into the cup. He steamed the milk and poured it in as Gon watched. When that was done, he slid it onto the counter beside the one his coworker made and read off the receipts.

They both said 'Gon'.

Killua frowned at them before looking up to where Gon smiled sweetly at him. He picked up the drinks and said, "Thanks! I'll see you after class!"

"Y-Yeah, sure," Killua said, staring after Gon as the guy went to the exit. Killua continued to watch as Gon put his back to the door and pushed it open, spinning out with a flourish. He held out the cup to someone who rose from the bench outside.

Killua wondered if he should have done a better job cleaning those windows, because he really could not believe his eyes. What were the odds that Gon would bring his date from last Wednesday back?

After they had made out in Knuckle Bine's bedroom? If that wasn't a bonding moment, Killua didn't know what was.

The blonde haired, round glasses guy smiled through the storefront window like he knew Killua was watching. If he knew Killua was watching, though, then he must be aware of the murderous look on his face, plotting a murder. Rationally, he knew he couldn't be angry at the stranger, so it all funneled to the football idiot walking out of sight.

It was enough to get Killua's brain back on track, though.

He silently fumed through the rest of work and on his way to class. He wanted to make petty excuses, saying, "Oh, but we aren't technically dating so he can do whatever he wants," but they just made him feel like shit for not doing a damn thing. "Was I supposed to make it clear?"

He grew so frustrated and angry that he took a breather outside of the OChem laboratory facility. He paced the front of the building until he effectively intercepted Kurapika on their way in.

"Oh, Killua—if you linger out here any longer you're gonna miss the start of class," they said.

Killua grabbed them by the shoulders and said, "I'm panicking and I can't let Zushi know."

"Why? Is it boy trouble? Ooh, count me in. What's happening? Catch me up," Kurapika demanded.

Killua gestured to the building.

Kurapika waved a dismissive hand. "Class doesn't start without me so fuck that. Out with it, man."

And, so, Killua admitted to the make out session, the almost-but-not-quite phone sex, down to that morning when Freecss bought drinks for two. By then they were outside of the lab room door and Killua could see Zushi fiddling away at his phone, distracted. The commotion in the room drowned out Kurapika's voice, though, so there was no way for Zushi to hear it.

"Well, he's a bitch and you deserve better," Kurapika decided with a firm nod.

"You think everyone's a bitch, though," Killua argued.

"He's the biggest bitch of them all."

"Gee, thanks," he sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at the room before saying, "I just don't know how to, like, softly break up with him. I mean, as gym buddies. We aren't dating, I can't reiterate that enough. But I don't think I can be gym buddies with someone who stuck their tongue in my mouth anyway."

Kurapika nodded in understanding. "Yeah, that sounds distracting. In any case, it'll deter him from coming back to Starbucks. Maybe you won't have to see him again? So don't worry on a gentle..." They made a breaking motion with their two hands before crossing the threshold with a smile, effectively bringing the classroom shenanigans to a screeching halt.

Killua hurried to join Zushi at the lab table. He smiled at Zushi as he sat down, swinging his backpack to the ground. As lab commenced, Killua couldn't help but study Zushi's profile and wonder if his best friend had the self control to keep this knowledge to himself.

But he's roommates with the guy. I don't want their bro relationship to sour just because I'd punch Freecss for one corn chip.

Killua ignored the tension in his shoulders and let out a sigh. He'd make it through this, eventually, and explain himself to Zushi afterwards. It wasn't long after that anxiety came swooping in like a hawk going in for the kill.

He might not ruin Zushi's relationship with Freecss, but what if... Zushi chose Freecss over Killua?

"Hey, Zushi?" Killua said as they left the building after lab. Zushi hummed thoughtfully to let Killua know he was listening. "Are you and Freecss, like... close at all?"

"Define 'close'."

"Like, would you room with him next year."

"Nah, I don't think so. There's nothing wrong with him, and he's not a slob or anything, but he's gonna be living at Sigma Alpha and I was thinking of maybe... rooming with you?" he said. It wasn't what Killua expected out of this conversation, but he supposed he set himself up for it.

Killua's steps stuttered to a halt. Zushi turned back to him in a panic, saying, "But we don't have to! I mean, just an idea. If we get an apartment together, it'd be cheaper, but if we both get enough scholarships to cover the housing cost, or maybe become RAs—"

"I'd... really like to room with you, too," Killua confessed. Zushi let out a relieved sigh and slumped back, throwing his arms in the air. Killua almost worried that Zushi would tip back and straight over the concrete ledge overlooking the river.

He reached out as if to stop Zushi from going to far, only to jump when Zushi shouted, "ROOMMATES FOR LIFE!"

"We aren't getting married, Jesus," Killua cried, floundering to shut Zushi up. He slapped a hand over his friend's mouth as some students passed and gave them weird looks. Killua smiled apologetically to them before turning a glare onto Zushi.

Zushi smiled as he put his arms around Killua and said, "If I wasn't straight, I'd propose right here and now."

"On your knees then, coward," Killua said as Zushi's hair tickled his cheek.

They continued walking, Zushi's arm around Killua's shoulders, and Killua's hand on Zushi's back. "Speaking of being on your knees—How was it at the party?" Zushi asked.

Killua rolled his eyes and said, "Nothing happened. And I'm serious about that—nothing happened."

"Uh-huh, sure, so that's why Gon's got your name on every party list now," Zushi laughed.

Killua bristled. This was news to him. "It's... probably just 'cause I'm OK at dancing. If I wanted to dance, I'd just call up Machi."

Zushi rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, that's it."

Killua scuffed his shoe on a pebble, frowning at the ground. "What do you mean by... 'every party list'?"

"Sigma Alpha has a party this Thursday since they're leaving for an out of state game on Friday. And then on Saturday the game day party is at the Republic," Zushi explained.

The Republic was an apartment complex off of Frat Row, just east of campus. The apartments were brand-spanking-new and expensive as all Hell, which meant that wealthy party goers tended to sign leases there. On game day mornings, they set up tailgates in the central parking lot and hired a DJ to blast throwback tunes.

Killua only knew about it because he could hear Fall Out Boy all the way from Hatsu Hall at eight on a Saturday morning.

"I don't know," Killua sighed. "My paper's due next week and we've got an exam coming up in OChem..."

"We'll get it done," Zushi promised. "But it was really fun with you there. Usually I don't know who to talk to if I go to those things so I just sort of stopped at the start of the semester."

"I'll think about it," Killua lied.