Itās summertime and there are still a few left who didnāt get gifts. Ā They were given to several volunteers, on more than one occasion. Ā
You can stop waiting now. Ā I apologize. Ā I cannot make it happen for you.
-Mod G
To: TaePika (https://taepika.tumblr.com)
From: Pom(https://killuz.tumblr.com)
Message: i wish i could have made you something a lot better to make up for the present you didn't get last christmas, still, hope you like it. <(` ^ Ā“ ")
To: CeeCee @xionbooty
From: @kuuuroo
Message: hello!!!! I hope u like this leopika!!! *dćļ¾ļ½„*:.ļ½”..ļ½”.:*d'(*ļ¾ā½ļ¾*)'d*:.ļ½”. .ļ½”.:*dćļ¾ļ½„*
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
To: @christmascronus
From: Mercedes
Message: Happy Spring! I think I tried sending this to you back in December, but at least now I know you got it! :DĀ
to: cjmaree
from: ultxars
message: I really, really hope you enjoy this little ficlet! I hope you have a lovely christmas and this was so much fun i loved doing this! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! xx
i
Killua arrives at Whale Island with no clue, but to follow Gon along to help him with Greed Island. He doesnāt think he ever wants to leave.
ii.
They go out away from Mito-sanās home and out towards the beach. āKillua,ā Gon says with a big grin on his face. āHave you ever swam before?ā Killuaās grin reflects Gonās as he nods his head. āYeah.ā They change out of their regular clothes and go atop the cliff and jump from vine to vine, and then splash themselves n the water.
Killuaās never laughed harder in his life when he saw Gonās vine break: āOh noāā is all he could make out. Killuaās laugh echoes joyfully across the beach.
iii.
āKillua, have you ever wanted to see if thereās other cool stuff in the ocean; like sea creatures, or monsters or something?ā Gon shifts hands as he lays back, looking up at the night sky, a million stars shining the brightest; the water reflecting the stars.
āI guess, itād be fun, just to see whatās out there,ā Killua agrees, taking a bite out of his chocolate robot.
āHm, we should do that one day,ā
āYeah we should.ā Killua speaks thoughtfully, looking at Gon while his eyes are trained across the ocean.
iv.
āKillua, have you ever fished before?ā Gon asks one day while his stay at Mito-sanās; heās munching away on some food, and he grins at Killua from across the table. āIāll teach you how if you donāt know!ā He says, excitement in his voice, and Killua grins back. āLetās do it!ā They race out the door in unison, going towards the forest, and Mito-san hollers at them.
āBe careful you two!ā
v.
They fish for about five hours that day, Gon teaching him how to use the fishing hook and grabbing a lot of gameāKillua has done almost everything heās dreamed of since meeting Gonāhe has the freedom, the ability to do what he wants without a careful eye to his moves or having more kills on his countāhe never really gets to do whatever he wants or has much of a choice, being raised in a family full of assassins.
āHey, Killuaāā Gon says aloud in his singsong voice, smiling at Killua. āDo you like it here?ā Killua eyes Gon carefully. He does, he really does love it hereāMito-san is incredibly nice and Abe, Gonās grandmother, always tells them stories of how other young men embark on journeys at young ages like they did.
These young men apparently always try and go to make names for themselvesābut for Killua, he just wants to become a Hunter in order to leave home, to prove that he can become something other than an assassin.
Meeting Gon is truly a chance encounterāhe wouldnāt trade it for the world, so Killuaās answer is simple.
āYeahāā he glances towards the waves. āI do.ā
vi.
āKillua,ā Mito-san asks him one day; heās finishing up his food and chewing slowly.
āI just wanted to tell you, thank you for befriending Gon. Iām glad he met someone like youāand also, youāre welcome here anytime, even if Gonās not here.ā She smiles kindly down at him and Abe gives him a nod. Killua smiles back at them, a strange feeling engulfing him.
āThank you.ā
vii.
Killua and Gon camp out near the cliff by the seaāthey hope to catch some fishes and watch the stars togetherāletting Killua indulge in the nature around him. Heās seen lots of other cool things back at the Zoldyck Mansion, but they lack something. Killua doesnāt know exactly what he feels it is, but he knows it isnāt anything as good as Whale Island is.
Whale Island is an experience on its ownāwith the air you could breathe and the sea wind that licks at your skin with its cool breeze.
Itās definitely not like the air back at the Mansion that makes you feel like you could suffocate at any moment.
Killua is glad that he is free from the reigns of his mother.
āKillua?ā
Killua glances back at Gon, who is looking up at the stars and he catches him off guard by what he says next.
āIn my next life, I want to be me and meet you again.ā Killuaās face flares a shade of crimson and he looks away. āIdiot,ā is all he grumbles out.
vii.
Killua wishes he could stay here forever, the sun kissing his skin and the push and pull of the wavesāthe blue hues of the ocean constantly changing. Whale Island will be hard to leave, and he doesnāt think he could ever truly let it go. He wants to stay here forever with his best friend at his side.
Perhaps if Killua was born here instead of being born back at the Mansion, would he had grown up to be more like Gon? Would he be carefree with careless smiles, laughing away with a childlike splendor just as easily? The only time he ever feels this way is when heās with Gon and Gon alone.
He scrunches his nose and goes back to the fire pit.
āWhat do you want to do today?ā Gon asks him.
Killua shrugs. āItās an island, what else is there to do?ā Gonās eyes light up immediately.
āWe can go to the Harbor and see the market! Iāll go ask Mito-san if she wants anything from their for dinner!ā He chirps, racing back to the small cottage.
Killua follows after him and is glad that Gon keeps him on his toes.
ix.
They go to the farmersā market and seek out all types of different food; seafood, bread, pastriesāevery type of food Killua could think of is there. Pottery and crafts are sold there as wellāhe goes near a small booth at the back, and picks up a seashell. Itās small and pale, but with a tinge of blue gently painted over. Gon peers over to see what Killua is holding and smiles broadly.
āThat reminds me of you, Killua!ā Killuaās cheeks paint a nice shade of pink after Gonās sudden statement. Must he always be so outspoken?
āYou should get it and keep it with you! Here, Iāll buy you it,ā Gon readies out his jenny, but Killua stops him. āGon, you donāt have to do thatāā Gon cuts him off and is already handing his jenny over to the register. Killua splutters. They walk back to Mito-sanās, chattering away. āI want you to keep the seashell so you can always remember Whale Island,ā says Gon. Killua blinks owlishly and smooths his hand over the small seashell.
āYeah,ā he whispers. āIāll always remember.ā
x.
He departs Whale Island with Gon and waves goodbyes to Mito-san, committing his experience to memory. He clutches the seashell tightly in his pocket.
He doesnāt know when heāll return to Whale Island with Gon, but he does hope to return when the time is right.
āCome on, Killua!ā Gon hollers at him to hurry up. Killuaās grin widens and he races up to where Gon is, Gon hoots at Killua while he chases after him. Killuaās seashell clinks against his leg; the lightness of it being barely felt.
xi.
Years later, after the departure between Killua and Gon back at the World Tree, Killua takes Alluka to where Whale Island is. She howls with laughter at the miles the sea stretches across and the bustling of the people at the busy markets.
He sees the small booth that was once there when Gon had gotten him the seashellāhe still carries it with him in his backpack, and he goes to the man that seems to recognize him after all this time.
āItās been awhile, hasnāt it?ā He tells him. Killua nods. āYeah, long time no see.ā A vibrant pink catches Killuaās eyes and his eyes fall on a seashell thatās almost similar to the blue one he has. āThat one was found this morningāitās only 20 jenny for each,ā Killua eyes it along with a pale green one next to it.
āIāll buy them both.ā He pulls out his money and hands it over to the man, and he hands the pink seashell to Alluka. She smiles gleefully and hugs him tightly. Ā
āIt reminds me of you,ā Killua tells her.
xii.
He visits Mito-san that afternoon, and she is stunned to see him. She has received a letter from Gon who is away on adventures. Mito-san is surprised that Killua didnāt go with him. He introduces Alluka to her and they eat dinner together, reminiscing the time they visited the World Tree together, with Alluka easily warming her way into the hearts of Mito-san and Abe.
Killua leaves that evening. Just as heās ready to exit, he stops at the door. āKillua?ā Mito-san sounds concerned, and Killua hands her the green seashell. āOh? Whatās this for?ā She questions, eyebrows scrunching in interest. āItās for you and Gon, it reminds me of you two.ā He has his head hung low in an attempt to hide the forlorn expression he wears upon the mention of Gon as well as the small blush spreading across his cheeks, Alluka notices and giggles softly, clutching her brotherās hand. Mito-san smiles kindly at the both of them and she embraces them tightly.
āThank you, Killua, Alluka. Thank you.ā Mito-san sniffles lightly, and wipes a tear that escapes an eye. Killua nods and waves at him from behind, Alluka is at his side jumping and shouting āthank youā and āit was a pleasure to meet you, Mito-san, Abe-san!ā. Mito waves them a final goodbye.
Killua leaves Whale Island, with an intention to return one day, but maybe with Gon by his side again when that time comes.
Next year, if you guys are still planing on doing the hxh secret santa again even after all this, shouldn't you all at least keep track of who submits and who doesn't instead of having to be asking people 'who still hasn't gotten a gift' after 3 months later?? Specially since you guys made people send the gifts directly to you guys.
The problem here is that neither Mod G nor I have the complete list of who was supposed to gift to who. And like Mod G said, the main mod (M) has been out of contact for a period of time, and only they have the entire list. However, we will keep this in mind! Thank you for your suggestion.