DID YOU KNOW KILLUA'S AN ASSASSIN???

[gonfreaky]

Heropa was new and new meant exciting-a complete fountain of places to explore. Alleyways, nooks and crannies, hidden storefronts and cellars-Gon had spent the past few weeks as much as he could as often as he could and only now was he running dry. The city was still exciting, sure, but in a different way. No longer were the streets so unknown. The time for his self-amusement had come to an end.

Which really only left him with one thing to do.

When they had first arrived, they had been given jobs. Gon had lucked out. His job was outside the city, on a nature reserve as a "Part-time Junior Ranger" where his job was simply to walk the trails and occasionally lead school groups. He liked it. Definitely liked it a fair amount more than Killua enjoyed his job inside the city, working part-time as a nail filer at "Nailz 2 Die 4". Gon didn't really understand what the place did-grooming to that extent was a luxury he had never been exposed to back on Whale Island-but the storefront had a big window and really? That was all that mattered.

After a short jog across building tops, he trots over to the store, spotting Killua inside easily. Grinning impishly, he knocked on the glass, pressing his face against it when Killus didn't respond to an adequate degree. Slowly, he pressed his cheeks against it, sticking out his tongue, bulging his eyes, even pressing his palms against the glass. All the while groaning out Killua's name in a sickly voice loud enough to creep through the window.

Comments

new characters are so hard

[gonstop]

This was some kind of hell.

Gon had it easy with some outdoor job, walking around on trails and leading people on tours through the reserve. Animals, plants, the general outdoors, and general freedom. Of course there had to be rules to follow, but there was no way it could be anything like he was dealing with here! The woman in charge was some hag who constantly yelled at him for how he did things, criticizing his work and giving him lame chores whenever he mouthed off. Damn it...

Even with the customers, it was boring. Boring, boring, boooooring! The lady he was helping now was practically asleep after rambling her mouth off for ages about what she wanted done and how she wanted it done. Now she was reclined in the chair, eyes closed and fingers delicately spread in Killua's palm as he filed away.

The knock at the glass causes him to jump slightly in place, the hand with the nail filer slipping and nearly hacking a good, smooth chunk of her nail off in the process. Luckily, he saves it with a jerk upwards of his arm. Luckily, the customer doesn't seem to notice, and as he brings his hand down immediately to resume his job, his shoulders bunch together and he does his head with a glare at Gon as the display continues.

Idiot!! What was he doing over here while he was busy with this?! If his boss saw this, he'd be scrubbing the floors and picking up nail clippings for weeks!

His free hand raises a finger to his lips in silent yet harsh demand, and he nods with his head to try and sign vaguely to Gon. What are you doing?! Get out of here, you're going to get me in trouble!

i feel you man

[gonfreaky]

Oh! Killua saw him! Finally. Giddy at recognition, Gon perks up and straightens. Rocking back on his heels, he clasps his hands behind his back and grins-big and toothy-before shaking his head.

No.

There's nothing else for him to do! Well, there was, but they were things he didn't want to do alone. Not when Killua could take part in some of the fun! He was being selfless here, really. Pointing at Killua through the window, he wraps his arms around himself and pretends to shiver. You're so cold! Then smiles again, to show that he's joking.

A moment later and he's leaning towards the window again, pointing at Killua, then himself, then jogging in place before pointing down the street. Let's go somewhere! A wave of the hand. Come on!

[gonstop]

Honestly, he expected it to be this difficult. He only wished it wasn't. Reacting solely with a deadpan stare at first, he continues filing the woman's nails, moving on to the next one slowly. He attempts to direct his gaze elsewhere-- at the nails, around the shop, at the ceiling, before Gon's continued staring gets on his nerves and he glares back suddenly.

Raising the hand with the nail file again, he points down at his work firmly, mouthing his words: I'm bu-sy!

As nice as getting away from here did sound... He'd have to come back eventually when he owed somewhere, and he'd rather not deal with the hag's punishment or her yelling.

[gonfreaky]

Such a definitive answer makes Gon wilt in his enthusiasm. Pouting lightly, he sags in his position, pressing his forehead against the glass while he thinks. The answer is simple but Gon takes awhile to get around to it, too hung up on the plans he had formed that he was now forced to cancel. Work was important and if Killua couldn't get away from it...

The answer forms and he perks up, smiling at Killua reassuringly. Yes, this plan was good. Still smiling, Gon marches to the door, pushing it open and beaming when he steps inside.

"Killua! Do my feet too." He says loudly, grinning broad and proud while his hands slip under the strap of his backpack.

[gonstop]

And to think he was almost done. His actions were sped along a little too much thanks to Gon, but it meant that he was on the last fingernail by the time he decided to just come on in. He goes stiff, filing away even faster and trying to focus entirely on the nail in the hopes that Gon will be quiet, or change his mind, or something...

But those words break the silence and his temper. Lifting the file up and away from the nail, he snaps it in half in his irritation, stomping into an aggressive pose as he points angrily at his friend.

"What are you doing?! You can't just storm in here and say that! That's not how it works, I already have a customer!! Do you want me to get fired?!"

Well. Gon's words hadn't actually upset the customer, but Killua's yelling makes her eyes open as she sits up in confusion and offended surprise.

[gonfreaky]

Gon opens his mouth to speak, but the customer's surprise and confusion cuts him short. Out of either politeness, concern, or both, he turns his attention to her first, trotting over to her side and easing her back down in the seat. Hesitant at first, she slowly follows his lead after he gives her a reassuring smile, settling back down without making a complaint. It's only when she's absorbed in her magazine once again that Gon turns to Killua with some confusion of his own.

"Huh? Why not? I can wait. I have money too. This is a store, right?" He turns as he speaks, glancing around the salon with his arms folded behind his head. Yup, he sees nothing that confirms that he isn't true. With a slight frown, he looks back down at Killua. "Won't you be fired for yelling?"

[gonstop]

He opens his mouth to retort, but the point Gon makes is unavoidable. Closing it again with a quiet click of his tongue, he leans over to toss the broken nail file away, grabbing a new one.

"Fine, fine! Just sit down. I'll get to you in a second."

He was almost done with this woman, anyway. And so, hoping that Gon will listen to at least that much, he returns his attention to her nails, finishing up and assuring that they're done just as she asked before amping up the innocent politeness to his tone and pretending he hadn't just bossed Gon into a chair.

"Alright, all done! ...We thank you for your purchase and hope you have a killer day!" His nervous, shaky and forced smile is almost painful as the lady gives him a suspicious look and Gon a kind wave with her newly fixed-up nails before she heads out. Almost immediately, Killua sighs and lets his shoulders sink.

That could have gone a lot worse. He guesses his boss was in the back listening to her music, again...

Turning on his heels, he shoves one hand into his pocket, the other waving the nail file at Gon. "Oi, why do I have to do your feet? Pick something easier!"

[gonfreaky]

Giving the woman an equally pleasant wave on her way out, Gon smiles, glad to finally be alone in the store with his friend. With no one else around they could have some real fun. Nothing that would destroy the store, of course, but what was so wrong with going on a little break? Gon would even pay for it, even if he didn't have that much...

Still, his hopes are dashed when Killua turns his grumpy look at him. Before realizing what was said, Gon scowls.

"What's hard about feet? There's only five. That's the same as hands!" Gon leans forward in his chair before feeling that too dull for their current argument. He stands in a huff, frowning further before blinking in realization. Hands falling to his sides, he tilts his head slightly, gaze turning quizzical.

"Oh. Do you not know how to do it?" It was one of the services of the store but maybe Killua wasn't skilled enough for it? It was an odd thought. Gon had honestly gotten used to Killua being good at everything. Or, well-he thinks back to that stiff smile and his suspicious customer-most things. He shrugs it off for now, smiling again at Killua. "It's ok! You can practice on me."

[gonstop]

At implying that he may not be knowledgeable enough to file nails, Killua's body stiffens and he waves the nail file more aggressively. "What-- don't be stupid! Of course I can do it!"

Was he seriously thinking it was an issue of skill or practice?! Grumbling grumpily under his breath, he ducks to pull off Gon's boots in two quick movements, raising himself and gently shoving him back into the chair with a free palm to his chest.

"I'll make even your nails look presentable. But you're not going to be showing your feet anywhere, anyway..." Why was he doing this again? Pride, probably. But fine, that's a good enough reason as any! He kicks back the chair in a reclined position so he can pull up a stool for himself and clean off Gon's feet first. (Ugh.) He spins the nail file before tucking it aside, and then grabs a cloth that he damps lightly before scrubbing at those toes with fierce determination that shows on his face. (And maybe he's being extra rough.)

I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ICON FOR THIS

[gonfreaky]

"Huh?" Gon pushes his lips out in an extreme pout, staring down at his toes once Killua's shoved him into the seat. Wriggling them in thought, he looks to Killua, hurt. "What's wrong with my nails?"

The answer was everything. Wild child that he was, Gon spent the majority of his free time either bouncing around their new city or crawling barefoot in the parks. His toes and the bottom of his foot were covered so completely in dirt that it was hard to see the skin underneath. So well-worn were his feet that the dirt and grime from his adventures had simply become a part of his skin. His toenails were trimmed by natural occurrences, jutting out and jagged in their cut.

It all seemed perfectly normal to him. Devoid of any excessive luxury on Whale Island, the state of his feet seemed normal. A sign of hard work and good fun. Killua was just being nit-picky.

Gon wriggles his toes again before letting out a surprised shout when the chair goes down. "Hey!" He starts up, rubbing the back of his hair where chair and head had collided. His sour expression falls off when he sees Killua get rid of the nail file and all protest gets stopped by his curiosity as he watches Killua work.

"What's that fo-" He's cut off. The towel rubs against a particularly sensitive part of his foot and a giggle bursts out. Looks like someone's ticklish.

SOKAY

[gonstop]

Oh.

Well that changed things completely. If Gon was ticklish, there's no way he was going to forfeit just because of some messy feet! In fact, he plans on doing the opposite. He smirks wryly, Leaning forward in his seat and wrapping his other arm more firmly around Gon's ankles as he secures them, beginning to scrub with that cloth even more aggressively.

Take that, Gon! The moment he gets more of a reaction, he cackles along with it, scrubbing more and taking joy out of this victory for the time being.

[gonfreaky]

"Killua!" The shout comes out muffled through bubbling laughter. Kicking his feet wildly, Gon tries to throw off the towel but the grip on his ankle is too tight. He takes to shoving instead, pushing his hands in Killua's face and practically toppling out of the chair in the process. It works to his advantage though, the momentum tipping them both onto the ground with himself on top. Grinning mischievously, he tries to take the towel away, hoping to grind it in Killua's face. If that doesn't work, he'll resort to taking some of the water from the foot basin at he bottom of the chair, splashing it onto him with a victorious smirk.

[gonstop]

"Hahaha-- augh!"

Right in the middle of laughing at his success in avoiding that towel, the splash of water comes. The attack buys Gon some time to wriggle free of his grip on his ankles, but he's hardly free for long before he's tackling Gon full-out, using that same cloth to try and shove in his face.

"No way I'm losing! This-- is-- yours!"