“Hey Alluka, why the long face?” Killua asked.
Alluka was in front of an ice-cream and sad. That was an unusual combination. She sighed and played with her ice-cream from the tip of her spoon. “It’s the lady at the counter, when I ordered the ice-creams…”
Killua almost jumped from his seat : “What? She has been rude to you? Was she cold? Were you uncomfortable? I know you’re working to be less shy in front of strangers after all the years you spent locked in and I’m so proud of you but if you’re not ready or if it was too much to order alone or if you need support you just ask me and I’ll…”
“Onii-chan!” laughed Alluka, waving her hands in a calming gesture. “It’s okay! Just breathe! It’s just… what she said when she handed me the ice-creams. ‘Here for you and your friend!’ she said. And… I know we look like friends. We’re nothing alike. I just… wished we looked more like a family. That’s all,” she muttered, finally eating a spoonful of ice-cream.
“If it’s only this, we can fix that! We could… you could cut your hair, as short as mine!”
Alluka’s hands flew to her head, in a protecting move : “Never!”
“Or I can wear headbands like yours!”
“Oh yes, you’ll look so cute!”
“Or we could dye our hair!”
“Too complicated,” said Alluka, wrinkling her nose.
“Not really,” said Killua, producing his phone. “I saw Bisky doing. Never tell her I told you she hides her white hairs, please,” he grimaced. “She’ll beat the sh… the hell out of me. I’m sure there is a tuto somewhere explaining how to do.” He typed quickly. “Actually, there are 734.”
“Let’s watch them all!” said Alluka, putting her seat next to Killua’s.
They didn’t watch them all, but they watched many, frowning at surpring results, and laughing at plain failures. Alluka wasn’t sad anymore, and she ate her ice-cream with pleasure.
The day after, Killua had to run some errands in town. He didn’t want Alluka to come with him, and she didn’t insist. Killua understood why: she was still getting a bit nervous in crowded spaces.
When he came back home, the little house they rented was filled with a chemical smell. Alluka ran to him from the bathroom.
“Onii-chan!” said Alluka excitedly. “I dyed my hair to match yours! How do I look?”
Killua looked at his sister, his mouth gaping in surprise, slowly stretching into a smile. “Like a mermaid. Like the moon! You are magnificent!”
Alluka twirled, her silver hair floating around her. Then she put her arms around Killua’s neck, and kissed him on the cheek : “You look good with black hair, too!”
