#ticklish!killua

Killua was currently fleeing for his life from Gon. All because he just had to prank him! They were on either side of the couch, locked in position. If Killua moved one way, Gon would just intercept him. Killua nervously smiled, “C-C’mon Gon, it was just a prank, can’t we talk about this?” Gon looked back at him with a mischievous smile, all soaking wet from the earlier prank, “Sure we can talk, but after I get revenge.” Gon suddenly launched himself over the couch, tackling Killua to the floor.

They wrestled for a bit before Gon ended up on top…but by underhanded means is what Killua would say. Gon had used a hand to tickle under his arm which caused him to lose. “Are you sorry yet?” Killua shook his head and stuck his tongue out. Killua suddenly burst into laughter when Gon had used his hands to attack Killua’s sides. “Nohoho! Gohohon, thahahat’s nohohot fahahair!” Gon snickered, “You deserve this for dumping that bucket of cold water on my head!”

“IHIHIT WAHAS OHOHONLY HAHALF AHA BUHUHUCKEHET!” Killua shrieked out, as Gon switched to his hips, which were significantly worse than his sides. “GOHOHON THAHAHAT’S SOHOHO MEHEHEAN!” Gon’s fingers pinched lightly at Killua’s hips, “Well dumping that bucket of cold water on my head was pretty mean too, I think this is being nicer than that!” Killua shook his head from side to side, “IHIHIT’S NOHOHOHOT! IHIHIT’S SOHOHO MUHUCH WOHOHORSE!”

Gon chuckled, “Do you regret your actions yet?” He said this while slowing his fingers down to tracing. Killua simply breathed for a few seconds and then shook his head, defiantly, “It’s gonna take a lot more thahahan THAHAHAT WAHAHAIT NOHOHOHO!” Killua shrieked as his hips were the target once more. Gon shook his head, “You just don’t know when to give up, do you?” Killua’s shrieks of laughter were loud and boisterous, but also incredibly cute and endearing.

At the end of the day, Killua knew that he was loved by Leorio the same as Gon was. But sometimes… No- that’s stupid, he’s not- He’s not jealous or anything.

…Is he?

No, that’s silly. He’s never been one to care about affection, given his background and all.

And yet… why did he feel so pouty after seeing the two interacts?

Of course, he never let it show. He wouldn’t anyone to catch on or anyth-

“You alright, kiddo?” Kurapika inquired, squatting down to the younger’s level.

“I- what?” The boy blinked. “O-oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

The blonde grinned patiently. “Killua…”

“I said I’m good!” Killua crossed his arms with a slight pout, turning away from his friend.

Kurapika sighed as he stood upright once again. “Alright, don’t tell me then. If you need me, you know where I’ll be.”

The white-haired boy slowly turned back around toward the older male. “W-Wait.”

A smile crept into Kurapika’s features. “Hmm?”

“Promise you won’t… you know, tell?”

“I promise I won’t… you know, tell.”

And so the young boy began to spill his woes and worries with great hesitation, fearing that Kurapika would spill the beans to Leorio.

The Kurta would’ve been lying if he said he wasn’t worried. It took all of his power to not reach out and squeeze the boy in the tightest hug he’s ever given. The blonde listened to every word with great focus, heart breaking at every line. Had he really felt so neglected by Leorio?

When Killua had finished pouring his heart out, his face flushed as he looked away. A squeak left him as Kurapika gently pulled him into a hug.

“Would it be okay if I spoke with Leorio?” The Kurta whispered in inquiry.

“N-No it’s not important…”

“Killua, please. Just let me-“

“I said no!” The white-haired boy roared as he turn and ran to his room, slamming his door shut. Kurapika closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Two hands gently graced the blonde’s shoulders, thumbs rubbing gently. The chain user sighed.

“I’ll talk to him,” Leorio’s voice whispered, giving a small squeeze. He was met by his lover’s head falling backwards into his chest.

The blonde sighed once again, muttering. “Just be kind to him… it took a miracle to get him to open up.”

“Alright. Go check on Gon; I’ll take care of this.”

The two carefully stepped through the dark hallway , eventually turning in separate directions at the split. Leorio gently tapped on Killua’s door, a muffled “go away” came in response.

“Killua…” the brunette rested his forehead against the wooden door. “I just want to talk with you.”

“Don’t you want to talk to your f-favorite son, G-Gon?”

The medic’s heart broke in two, breath hitching. “Kil-“

A choked gasp left the boy. “I TOLD YOU ALREADY TO NOT CALL ME THAT!”

“God- right, right. I’m sorry. I just-“ Leorio’s mouth stuttered in movement, failing to find the right words. “I w-want to f-fix this. Please, let me in.”

After a good amount of silent seconds, the door opened very slightly to reveal a puffy-eyed Killua with his chest heaving. Leorio dropped to his knees and instantly pulled the boy into his embrace.

Kicking the door shut with his heel, Leorio cradled the little guy’s head against his shoulder, shushing the boy’s blossoming hysterics.

“I’m so sorry that I made you feel this way… I never wanted you to feel anything else but fully loved. When Kurapika and I took you two in, we didn’t-“ a hitch of the older male’s breath indicated a valiant effort to fight tears himself. “I didn’t- I still don’t- I don’t have all of the answers, and I want more than anything to have them.”

He was met with silent, albeit the sound of the ex- assassin’s heaving sobs.

“You know I love you so much, Killua. Taking you in was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I stand by that statement. I’m so sorry that I made you feel neglected… or-or feel like I don’t like you enough, or that I don’t love you anymore.“

“BUT YOU DID! You d-did! And y-you know how l-l-long it took me t-to trust everyone. I-I wasn’t loved by m-my family a-as a kid, Leorio. Do y-you know how it f-feels to think I lost the o-only person who really loves you?”

“I don’t, I really don’t kiddo. I can’t tell you I relate, or that I understand, because I don’t. But I’m here in this moment, and you are my family now. And I will love you until my dying breath…” the older man wiped his eyes, “Even if you do waste all of the soap in the bathroom.”

The white-haired boy let out a watery chuckle. “You don’t understand the art of potion making.”

Leorio smiled widely, “There’s my happy guy.”

“Happy is a stretch… you got one smile outta me.”

“Oh yeah?” The medic pulled Killua out of the hug and held him by his shoulders, “You want me to get more smiles outta ya’?”

“You could try, not much you can do.” He grinned.

One hand moved from Killua’s shoulder and wiggled its fingers in front of the boy. His eyes widened. “I’m not ticklish.”

“I beg to differ.” The brunette teased.

With a battle cry, Leorio pulled Killua into his lap and attacked his tummy and sides, prodding and squeezing at the boy’s torso.

Killua squeezed his eyes shut to keep his giggles at bay.

“Ohhh, now none of that! If there’s anything we do in this house, it’s laugh!”

A quick pinch to the rib led the boy to yelp and break out into laughter. The medic smiled evilly at him.

“Ohhhh! I thought someone wasn’t ticklish!”

“Ihihihim nahahahat! Thihihihis ihihihis juhuhust- hyeahahaha!”

Leorio looked at Killua with fondness, continuing to help the little guy get his giggles out. From now on, he should tickle the boys every day, he thinks. After all…

Killua is his son now, and he’s never letting go.

'Gon, you are light.'

Killua Zoldyck firmly believed these words to be true, a statement with the solidity of the testing gates that kept his childhood self from the world outside.

'But sometimes you burn so brightly that I must look away.'

Killua had been scared, scared of the inevitable. That one day, the bright light would be set ablaze and a mess would be made, leaving the boy to pick up the shattered pieces from the bottoms of the Earth.

'Still, please allow me to stay by your side.'

He just didn't care. He let the mess be made and scoured the ends of the Earth for pieces, coming out of it sith a family member he could stand and a best friend who was alive.

Killua rightfully thought nothing could phase him anymore. So why was it that Gon Freecs managed to make him care?

The silver-haired boy thought about it during his separation from his aforementioned best friend, coming to an unfortunately undisputable conclusion.

He was in love. With his best friend. With his male best friend. His family expected him to love a woman and make an heir, yet he was in love with his male best friend who hated them with a burning passion.

Honestly, that was the best part for him. Screw those old farts, the bloodline could end with him. Alluka was uncomfortable with intimacy(All thanks to them), Ilumi was madly in love with Hisoka, Kalluto didn't give two shits about them anymore and Milluki was well... Women didn't really like men who hugged their anime body-pillows all day.

Gon, on the other hand, was dense as rocks and seemed to think of him as nothing more than a friend, making Killua feel too much like every shoujo anime heroine(Milluki rambled his ass off about shoujo anime, something about how hot the girls looked in superhero costumes) for comfort. Eh, he'd just deny his crush on Gon. That always went well in the animes, right?

Wrong. It did not go well. His masterfully crafted plans of the past were weak in the face of his teenage hormones, resulting in his current plan being the dumbest plan ever.

Gon asked him one question, one question, that made it all fall apart. It was an incredibly stupid question for an incredibly stupid light of his life, yet it still tripped him up.

"So, Killua, I already told you about how I kindaaa liked Palm. How about you? Got any crushes?"

Goddammit.

"N-No, I don't like anyone. What even made you think that, huh?" Okay, so maybe Killua got a bit defensive about the topic for someone with "Crazy anti-lie detector skills"(Leorio's words, not his) but in his defense, it was the hormones fault. He blamed the stupid hormones for everything, including that one time the chocolate in his choco-robos fell down the drain.

"Hehe, you're lying~" Gon sing-songed, the poor boy oblivious to the incredibly obvious truth that his friend was trying to cover.

"No I'm not, what's your proof, huh?" The ex-assassin screeched, shaking Gon by the shirt.

"Your face gets all red when you lie, Killua. Although, for some reason that only happens when you lie to me," the Green-haired boy remarked confusedly. The slight pout on his face did not help Killua's blush.

Dammit, he's an idiot, but he's a cute idiot!

"Whatever, since you don't wanna tell me why," Gon hmph-ed, making the young Zoldyck wish he could take a picture and save it in one of those photo albums most moms had for their kids, "Don't think I'll give your little crush the same treatment though. You made me confess, so I'm gonna make you confess!"

Killua takes on a cat-like grin at that, "Oh yeah," he says with mock-innocence, "I remember that. Let me see, I think..."

"Oh yeah! I think I tickled it out of you! And you broke after, I'd say, around 2 minutes?"

"Don't change the subject! And it isn't that funny, you know!" Gon says embarrassedly.

"Really? Nahame one thing that's funnier," the transmuter grins like a cheshire, distracted from his embarrassment at the prospect of Gon's suffering.

"Hmm," Gon thinks for a while, finally coming up with an answer, "I think it's funnier when you're on the receiving end."

Silence for around three seconds. Then, Killua bursts out laughing.

"Ihit- Ihit tohohok yohou thahat lohong toho cohome uhup wihith thahat ahanswer?"

"Hey, not all of us are super smart, you know! Besides, you won't be laughing when I get to make you fess up! Well, you'll probably laugh, but you'll try not to!"

The blue-eyed boy narrows his eyes. Tickle fights are incredibly serious, after all, winning them is a matter of pride.

"And what makes you think you can beat me?" He asks, activating Gyo in case Gon's learned a thing or two from Hisoka's constant rambling about bungee gum.

"Simple, I'm wayyy stronger. Using your Godspeed to beat me would be a violation of the unspoken rules," the hazel-eyed hunter says sagely, as if he is talking about an actual duel.

"Psh, Yeah right- Hey! What the heck was that for?" Gon suddenly tackles Killua, sitting on his knees without a care in the world.

"I just wanted to prove I could do it, that's all. But hey, we're this far, so..." He pokes his best friend in the stomach, eliciting a squeal.

"Confess, Killua Zoldyck, or be subjected to torture that your asshole parents could never dream of, the one weakness of the experienced hunter, the-"

"Cut the crap and say the stupid word so I don't have to already, Moron!"

"Sorry, I'm too stupid to say it, Killua! I guess you're gonna have to say it," The green-haired boy swipes a finger across his friends digits in a move of pure pettiness.

"G-Gon!"

"Looks like I can finish my speech now, huh? What was I about to say? Hmm," he frowns, "Dang it, I forgot. The speech was really cool, Killua, and you wasted it!"

"Of course I did! Do you even know how stupid you sound? Forget about mock-seriousness, you couldn't even impress a bunch of kindergarteners with a box of chocolates in your ha- Ahck!" Gon stopped his tirade by poking at his left armpit.

"You never let me have any fun, you know. I know I sound stupid, but at least I won't sound half as stupid as you do trying to hold in! Why do you even do that in the first place? Your laugh's really cute! And before you call me a moron, know that I'm quite literally holding you hostage, " the Porcupine-head nods smugly, reeking of self-satisfaction.

"A h-hostage situation won't stop me from being hon-" The young Zoldyck let out an honest to God squeal as Gon poked at his bottom rib.

"But I don't know that, cause I'm stupid!" Gon hmphed, "Anyways, enough being nice. Fess up, Killua, or I'll be forced to play dirty."

"Yohou wihish, lohose- AHCK! GOHOHON!" Gon once again cuts off his best friend, this time by scribbling the ribs instead of poking them.

"I warned you, you know. I didn't want it to come to this," That was a lie. They both knew Gon greatly enjoyed these things because tickling was one of the few pranks Gon could pull off better than Kilua. This was because tickling itself was deemed irrelevant by the latter's family, leading to a twelve-year experience gap.

"N-NOHOT THEHERE!"

"Not where?" Gon asks smugly.

"YOHOU KNOHOW WHEHERE!"

"No I don't, because I'm stupid!" Gon humphs, blowing a nice, big, raspberry on Killua's bottom rib.

"AHCK!- I-IHIHI G- *snort* GIHIHIVE!"

"Really? Already? Did you grow more ticklish or did I just get better?" Gon ponders, staring down at his own hands.

After a while, Killua grows impatient and manipulates his hands into a more muscular form, shoving Gon off.

"You could've done that all along?" Gon inquires, eyes filled with awe rather than fear. Killua, on the other hand, realizes exactly how prone he truly was to underestimating himself. He'd started learning that technique since he was 2, dammit!

"I could've done that all along," his voice is distinctly unimpressed, for he himself is having some regrets.

"You've gotta teach me someday, Killua! Anyways, who's the lucky person?"

The electromancer hesitates, ultimately deciding to answer.

Gon deserves to know the truth.

"You are, Gon." It's almost completely inaudible to the ordinary ear, yet Gon can hear it just fine.

"You're not just joking?" The hunter's expression is three parts awe, one part suspicion.

Killua is too embarrassed to do anything but shake his head. Gon, on the other hand, seems unaffected.

"Nice! I love you too, like in the romantic way. I thought you were the type to like emo kids or something like that though, so I never told you!"

"Idiot!" Killua punches Gon square on the head, "You can't just say stuff like that, it's embarrassing!"

"Oww," Gon complains, "Sorry. I didn't know people like you existed who get embarrassed at everything. So, what do we do now?"

The silver-haired boy has no clue,he didn't even think he'd get this far.

"In the shit that Piggy watches, they usually kiss, meaning that we shouldn't do that. I think the best way to go from here would be eating choco-robos and trying to tell Alluka and Nanika," he says, grabbing a choco-robo from his front pocket.

"Oh, and of course-"

"Yeah yeah, you'll get vengeance later, " Gon grumbles.

"Correction, " Killua grins in his usual smug manner, "ill be getting my vengeance now."

"W-wait, Killua, can't we talk about thihi-ACK!"

“Waaaaah! I’m so bored!” Gon whined, flopping against the couch with his arms sprawled out.

“Well…” Killua began, eyebrows knit in concentration, “What if we…? Hmmm…”

The two kids were at a loss. What could they do?

“Ooh! I’ve got it!” Gon chimed, sitting up, alert, and criss-crossed. “I’ll tell you some jokes!”

“Oh yeah that’ll be great. Let’s see if you can actually get me to laugh.” Killua accentuated his response with an eyeroll.

“Oh I’m totally in on this.” Leorio butted his way into the conversation, “Kurapika, you game?”

The blonde boy looked up from his book, “Sure.”

The four friends, and Tonpa, sat in a circle. They all prepared their best jokes to tell Killua, in attempts to get him to laugh.

“Me first!” Gon cooed, “What do you call a fish with no eyes?”

“I don’t know. What?”

“A fsh!” He cried, smile wide and bright.

Killua peered at him, through his brow line, with pursed lips. “Soooo funny, Gon.”

“Awww! That one usually gets a chuckle out of me.” The greenette replied, biting the inside of his cheek.

“I’ll go next.” Kurapika said with a tinge of excitement.

“Go for it.” Killua said with a smug grin.

“What do you get when you cross a mosquito and a mountain climber?” He began, “Nothing. You can’t cross a vector and a scalar.”

Killua cocked his head to the side with an ajar mouth, “Wh- I don’t even know what you just said.”

“Hey, Kurapika.” Leorio whispered, his hand covering his mouth, “What the hell was that?”

“Man. Tough crowd.” Tonpa muttered with a snicker.

“Alright, let’s see if this one lands on ya, Kid.” Leorio stated proudly, “This one’s a big hit among my college friends. We’re you born in September, Killua?”

“N-“

“My Aunt Mito is!” Gon cooed, raising his hand in excitement.

Leorio grinned, “Guess your grandparents started the New Year off with a bang.”

Kurapika and Tonpa both snorted loudly, while poor Killua’s pale face flushed a bashful red.

“What’s so funny?” Gon whined, “Killua…? Are you blushing?”

“No!” The white haired boy came to his own defense, “Just warm in here!”

“Oh yeah?” He teased, elbowing his shoulder.

“N-None of you made me laugh, so you lose and I win!” He tried to hastily change the topic, ignoring Tonpa fist bumping Leorio.

“We lost, huh?” Gon asked with a tinge of menace lacing his voice.

“Yeah! Fair and square!”

The green haired boy grinned from ear to ear, pouncing on his best friend, sitting on his waist, and immediately digging his fingers into the latter’s stomach.

“Guess I’ll have to take one for the team, and make us win!” He chirped.

“AGH- Gohohohon! Wahahahait!” Killua erupted into bubbly giggles, pushing at Gon’s face vainly.

“Why wait?! We wanna win!” The greenette interjected, squeezing gently at the trapped boy’s ribs.

“NGH- stahahahap!”

“Look, Leorio, Kurapika! We’re winning! I made him laugh!”

The trio of the older prospective hunters looked upon the scene in front of them, having ignored it to talk about Leorio’s epic joke.

“Hah! Nice work, Gon!” Leorio cheered, “You gotta really get him laughing though, try under his arms!”

“Nononono Gohohohon! Hehehehe’s lyhihi-HIHIHING!”

Gon had snuck his wiggling fingers up underneath Killua’s arms, by Leorio’s recommendation.

“He doesn’t seem to be lying, Killua!”

“LEOHOHOHRIHIHOHOHO IHIHIHIM GOHOHOHNNAHAHA KIHIHIHILL YOU!”

The man tensed for a minute. Killua did come from that kind of family. But, he ultimately relaxed as he saw the cutest scene in front of him.

The boy’s face had never looked this happy. Yeah, he chuckled a few times from Gon doing something dumb. But this kind of shear joy? Leorio found it precious; Kurapika probably did too, he deduced.

“CMOHOHOHON GOHOHOHON!” Killua halted trying to fight back, not wanting to hurt his new friend. So he threw his head back, and opted for covering his supremely red face with his hands.

“Aww he’s blushing again!” The greenette cooed to his friends, and Tonpa, “Isn’t this what got you in this whole mess in the first place, Killua?”

He has to admit, all of the “training” his dad put him through really helped him keep his tolerance for Gon’s antics high.

Doesn’t make things any less embarrassing, though.

Killua whined into his hands, unable to formulate the right words.

“That’s so cute!” Gon chimed, “Big, Bad, Killua! He can take down a serial killer in one fail swoop, but he can’t handle being tickled!”

“OKAHAHAHAY GOHOHOHON ENOHOHOUGH TEHEHEASIHIHING MEHEHE!”

Gon changed pace and decided to swivel around on Killua’s waist, facing the other wall. He began to squeeze at the white haired boy’s knees.

“WAITWAITWAITWAHAHAHAIHIHIT! GOHOHOHON! NAHAHAT THEHEHEHERE!”

“Oooh! I found his tickle spot!” The latter sing-songed.

“GOHOHON! PLEHEHEHEHEASEHEHEHE! STAHAHAHAP!”

Intoxicated by his best friend’s laughter, Killua’s pleads fell deafly upon his attacker’s ears.

“Okay, Gon. He’s telling you to stop now.” Kurapika interjected.

“Yeah, buddy. Get off him now, okay? Killua can-“

In a Flash, Gon’s eyes widened as he felt fingers dig into his stomach from behind. He cried out in shock and fell backwards in peals of thick laughter.

“-Can take care of himself apparently…” Leorio finished his prior sentence.

“Well now what?” Kurapika asked.

“Let ‘em go.” Tonpa answered, “Passes more time for us to see who wins their little war.”

Meanwhile, Gon is absolutely in stitches.

“HOHOHOHOW’D YOHOHOHOU MAHAHANAGEHEHE TOHOHO FIHIHIHND MY SPOHOHOT?!”

“It’s simple really.” Killua chimed, drilling in a tad bit harder, “When some tickles you, they go for their own tickle spot first.”

The poor boy threw his head in his hands at his stupidity.

“Look who’s blushing now!”

Eventually, the winner of the war was in fact Killua. But, Gon did have his shining moments of almost making his best friend concede. The crushing blow was when the white haired boy decided to dip into his friend’s belly button.

After that, they managed to drag Leorio down with them!

But, he only turned the tables, destroying them both after a mere minute of being tickled.

Kurapika on the other hands was not so lucky…

Leorio found a stupidly ticklish spot right where his ribs and underarms meet. He just wouldn’t leave it alone!

So, in the end, all of the friends had participated in the war, with Killua as a clear victor.

Except Tonpa. Fuck you, Tonpa.

❣︎ 𝑉𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑒’𝑠 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑐𝑜𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑡 ❣︎