a/n: Here's 7k of pure fluff! One more chapter after this I think.

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The next day, Killua woke up to a seemingly empty apartment. This time, however, he reconsidered the state of Gon's bedroom door: it was closed. The only times Gon ever closed his bedroom door were when he was sleeping.

Killua checked the clock over the stove. It was early enough for him to make it to class, but just to be certain...

After dressing and brushing his teeth, Killua wandered up to Gon's bedroom door and knocked twice, his shoulder pressed to the wood. "Gon? You coming to class?"

The silence that followed had Killua second-guessing it. Maybe Gon did get a head start, in which case, Killua was just standing around and missing his bus for nothing. But then, he heard it—the muffled sound of sheets rustling. Killua sucked in a deep breath and sighed. Gon was awake, but at what cost? Yet another day of classes meant traversing campus and, possibly, crossing paths with the idiot from his community college.

"I'm gonna come in, okay?" Killua said, just before turning the doorknob.

He pushed Gon's door open, stepping over the threshold as he did. Gon's room was no different from every other time Killua had seen it, albeit, slightly more messy than usual. Gon's two guitars were on their stands in the corner of the room, and his desk was cluttered with books and papers.

A mound of blankets was on the bed, and as Killua approached it, he caught sight of Gon's spiky black hair just barely peeking out against the pillow. When he stood there and said nothing, the nerves from the silence prompted Gon to look up at him, untucking his face from the covers.

"I don't wanna," Gon whined, turning over and away from Killua. "I'll get notes from Zushi."

Killua crossed his arms and resisted the urge to sigh. He knew what it felt like to not have the motivation, energy, or strength to go to school. All of Killua's high school years could be categorized by these three lacking factors. Even still, he couldn't relate to fear of going to class. He was never afraid of anyone in his hometown.

Except, possibly, his siblings.

Killua crouched down in front of Gon's bed, his elbows resting on his knees. Gon didn't move. He only moved when Killua pushed a hand into the mattress to level himself over the covers and onto the bed.

Killua rolled onto his back with a groan. His muscles still ached from work the previous night—particularly his shoulders and biceps that relaxed, just a fraction, into Gon's mattress.

Gon glanced at him from over his shoulder. "What're you doing?" he asked.

Killua clasped his hands over his stomach, his eyes on the ceiling. "I'm gonna miss my bus. Which means I'll probably miss the first half of class."

Gon groaned, moaning, " Killua... " in distress. He nestled his face into the pillow and dragged the blankets over his head.

"What? I'm just being honest. So what if I miss a day?" Killua said, and while that was true, he knew it was all just a ploy to get Gon out of bed. If Gon wouldn't get out of bed for himself, he'd get out of bed to drive them both to campus.

"You can't miss a day..." Gon groaned, wiggling under the covers. He pushed his knees up, bum in the air, and propped his hands up. He frowned, swathed in the blankets like robes and a hood.

They looked at one another, and Killua couldn't help but snicker. The lighting from the window gave Gon a ridiculously angelic glow, and that goddamn pout looked too kissable to ignore.

Killua rose up on one elbow, reaching for Gon with his other hand. " Or ," he started, lunging up to tackle Gon to the side. Gon let out a startled shriek as Killua said, "We can just stay here all morning— Ah! Fuck—"

He laughed as the blankets tangled around him, and Gon yelped. Killua rolled onto his back with Gon ensnared in his arms. Gon thrashed, his limbs in the air, until he shed the blanket—aside from what Killua's arms caught hold of from around Gon's stomach.

Killua brought his feet up, knees up, and sat up. Gon slumped between Killua's legs, his back to Killua's chest, and rubbed his hands over his face.

Well, that's certainly one way to wake up , Gon thought, now thoroughly alive. It was odd to have Killua in his room, but it was comforting and not unwelcome by any means. Still, he felt jittery at the proximity. They were just barely together and it felt like Gon was crossing every single Private Property boundary line.

He leant forward, just to put a gap between his back and Killua's chest as Killua propped his wrist on his raised elbow and said, "If we go now we could get coffee before class."

"That... sounds nice," Gon confessed, quietly.

He wrapped his arms around his raised knees, fully aware that he could feel Killua's legs on either side of him. After a moment, the weight of Killua's head pressed between Gon's shoulder blades, and a shiver scurried up Gon's spine.

"K-Killua," he stammered, blushing profusely.

Killua closed his eyes and hummed, "What?"

"What're you doing?"

Killua straightened a bit, his forehead leaving Gon's back as he asked, "Is this okay?" And the moment he did, they both grimaced as they remembered the roommate agreement, and the fact that Killua had broken one of the rules. "We should probably talk about boundaries," he said.

"I don't—! It's not that. I don't mind you being in my room," Gon said, twisting around. Killua's knees fell to the side as he relaxed back on his hands. Gon's eyes met his as he said, "Really. I don't mind."

Killua knew it was naïve of Gon to say that, no matter how genuine it felt. Perhaps it was the sincerity of it that made it so naïve. And sure, Killua had never seriously dated anyone before, but he knew what his boundaries were and that he could very easily take advantage of Gon's naïveté.

Killua tipped his head to the side and said, "Okay, but I still think we should keep some walls up. And also get coffee because class starts in half an hour."

"R-Right!" Gon squeaked, jolting forward. He barrel-rolled over Killua's leg and spun off of the bed, his feet hitting the floor at a half-sprint for the door.

Behind him, Killua propped his chin up on his hand, his elbow on his knee, and resisted the urge to laugh. He recovered by the time Gon was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, and with sore arms, pushed himself off of Gon's bed and to his feet. He picked through Gon's clothes and rediscovered an outfit they had picked out when they went shopping all those weeks ago. He wandered into the living room to grab his backpack and held the clothes out to Gon when the kid came running out, this way and that, gathering his things for class.

They were out the door in under five minutes. As they walked to Gon's car, Killua caught Gon frowning, his forehead wrinkled. Killua corrected himself, "By 'walls' I don't mean, like, prison walls. I mean more like guardrails."

"Oh. Okay," Gon said, rubbing at the side of his face. He tossed his backpack into the back seat and said, "I guess I've just never done this before."

"Me neither," Killua said, and when Gon mentally slapped himself for forgetting, Killua added, "I grew up with four siblings though and know that if I leave my door open, someone's going to steal something."

"I wouldn't—! I would never steal anything!" Gon cried.

Killua rolled his eyes, dropping into the passenger's seat. "I know that. That was an extreme scenario. The point being: You deserve your privacy and I deserve my privacy, so I think asking permission is the least we can do for each other. And I'd be okay just foregoing permission and settling on invite-only."

"O-Okay, yeah, that sounds good," Gon said. He pulled the car out of the parking lot and in the direction of Bisky's coffee shop. "Have you... ever shared a bed with someone?"

"Just for sleeping?" Killua asked.

Gon looked at him sharply, eyes wide, and Killua rose an eyebrow at him. "What—! What else would I mean by that?!" Gon squeaked.

Killua blushed and stammered, "E-Eyes on the road! Christ!"

They made it to the coffee shop—barely—as Gon came to terms with the fact that Killua had, seemingly, slept with other people. He wasn't sure why that came as a surprise to him. Of course people could sleep together and not date! What was he, a prude?

Killua held the door to the shop open for him as he said, eyes off to the side, "Don't... make a big deal out of it. Dating is way different than a single one-night stand."

"I'm just... surprised. We're barely college students and you've already—" Gon started, only to stop at the glare on Killua's face. "S-Sorry!" he said, voice cracking.

"It's fine," Killua sighed. He looked away, only to glance back at Gon, who was a blushing mess in the line for the cash register. His heart twisted in his chest, and before he could fully comprehend it, he reached a hand out to Gon and nudged his arm. "Hey, take my hand."

Gon looked down at it. Hesitantly, he clasped onto it, and Killua linked their fingers together and shook them in front of Gon's face, startling him. "I've never done this bullshit. This is new for both of us."

"O-Okay," he said.

At the cash register, Gon ordered his matcha and before he could end it there, Killua asked for a mocha. The cashier rang them up and Gon looked down at their joined hands and said, "I need my hand to get my wallet."

Killua had his phone out and held it up to the scanner. "No you don't," he teased. The cashier cleared the payment and Killua waved his phone in Gon's face, saying, "The wonders of Apple Pay."

"I can pay you back," Gon said.

"No, I don't mind."

"Then I'll pay for the next one?"

They looked at each other as they stood at the end of the counter where Bisky was pulling shots of espresso for their drinks. Killua rose an eyebrow when he caught her grinning at them, and Gon giggled, smiling so wide his eyes squinted.

"Hey, Bisky," Gon said.

"Hey, hot shot. You still on for Wednesday next week?" she asked, and Gon confirmed it. When she slid the mocha across the counter, Killua took it and squinted at her when she winked at him.

They continued on their way after obtaining The Goods (the matcha). Campus was packed with students trying to get to class, and so the parking structure a complete shitshow to navigate. On the third floor, they snagged a spot and were quick to vacate the premises under the ticking clock that inched closer and closer to the start of lecture.

Gon groaned as he cradled his cup in front of him and said, "I guess I'll be ' that person' who comes in five minutes late with Starbucks."

"You forget this is my second semester here," Killua said, tugging Gon by the arm towards a dormitory. "Which means I know all the shortcuts. Follow me."

They skirted around the back of the dorm and around the garden behind a lecture hall. They walked over the grassy hill and came to the side of the lecture hall building, precisely where a side entrance was that Gon had never seen before. It looked vaguely like an emergency exit, but when Killua nudged it open, the alarm didn't blare.

Gon stood in the entrance, dumbfounded. He had no clue where to go from there, so Killua took the lead, and Gon trailed just behind him, his hand extended to keep hold of Killua's fingers.

When they strolled through the open lecture hall door, Professor Isaac was present, and the majority of the class was already seated. Gon startled at the way everyone's eyes seemed to gravitate towards Killua—but not just Killua, though. Their hands were still linked together, and Gon was still trailing just behind Killua's shoulder, eyes widening at the attention.

Killua, likewise, stilled for a fraction of a second. He looked back at Gon as he took to the stairs. Gon startled forward because, oh, right, they had to take their seats. When they reached the fourth row, Killua stepped to the side to let Gon hurry to claim the seat beside Zushi. When he sat, he didn't expect to hear Killua's backpack hit the ground next to him, or even hear Killua sit beside him.

Zushi and Knuckle seemed just as shocked. They leant over to stare at Killua, who reclined back in his seat, arms crossed, and looked indifferently ahead. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Gon, Zushi, and Knuckle staring at him, though.

Killua stretched an arm back and dropped it over the back of Gon's chair, the look on his face saying, " Problem? " He met Gon's eyes then, and Gon looked sharply away, a fraction of a smile tugging at his lips.

Class went on as normal, and when it ended, Gon felt warm from his head down, tingling with the sensation of Killua's arm behind him. He pulled away, though, to vacate the seats so they wouldn't waste Zushi and Knuckles' time.

"I'm gonna be performing again next Wednesday if you guys wanna come," Gon said as they all made their way down the steps.

"Will it be as chaotic as last time?" Zushi deadpanned, and Knuckle snorted.

"N-No! I don't think—I don't have any other drama, I swear!" Gon cried, fists clenched at his sides.

Zushi snickered at him, and Knuckle ruffled his hair. Gon wrinkled up his nose at them as Killua came to stand beside him, his hands in the pockets of his sweatshirt. Zushi's smirk softened into a faint, yet fond smile as he said, "I'm glad you two worked out."

Gon's throat tightened before he could stop it, and the look on his face was obvious enough to startle Zushi into yelping, "Don't—! There's no need to cry about it! Gon!"

Gon sucked in a deep breath, the tension behind his eyes making it feel like he had a disgusting head cold. "I'm fine. I'm just happy," he said. It was more than just a relief to hear that Zushi was okay with his relationship.

"Such a sap, Freecss," Knuckle said, and Gon laughed, rubbing a hand over his dry eyes. "I was wondering how long you'd stay single. First Tinder, now this?"

Zushi elbowed him in the side and Killua grinned when he caught sight of Gon blushing. Gon reached back to reshape his hair as Killua said, "I don't know how long I would've stood for your Tinder phase."

Zushi gasped with a laugh, clapping his hands. Knuckle covered a hand over his face and said, "Oh shit— "

He was cut off by a scream down the hall. Knuckle flinched and Gon jumped, startled, as a beast of a man came barreling down the hall and crashed straight into Knuckle. Knuckle staggered under the full weight of Uvogin, who rubbed his unshaven cheek against Knuckle's face.

"Oh, God! It's like sandpaper ," Knuckle cried, shoving a hand into Uvo's shoulder to pry him off.

Zushi threw his head back and groaned. "Enough with the PDA . You two are ridiculous."

"Ri-dick-ulous," Uvo corrected, swinging to the side with an arm still slung around Knuckle's shoulders.

"It's not PDA," Knuckle said, glaring at Zushi.

Zushi half-covered his mouth so only Killua and Gon could see him whisper, "It's PDA. "

Killua dropped an arm around Gon's shoulders. Gon jumped, eyes wide and cheeks bright red as Killua grinned and said, "Does this count?"

"Yeah, but it's lower on the spectrum," Zushi said.

Uvo slapped a hand on Knuckle's chest, and Knuckle grunted, the breath knocked out of him. "How about this," Uvo said, giving Knuckle's chest a few affectionate pats.

Zushi put his hands on his hips. "We aren't having a PDA contest here—"

Gon was abundantly aware of some of their peers down the hall watching and recording. That, however, flew out the window the second Killua planted a kiss on his temple and grinned, saying, "And how about that?"

"We aren't kissing," Knuckle droned, and put a hand up to block Uvo's kissy lips from panting one on his cheek.

"A PDA contest?" a familiar voice sounded from behind them. Gon straightened sharply, looking back to where Ikalgo walked up between him and Zushi.

Zushi pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "I'm surrounded by idiots."

"What're you doing here?" Gon asked. He lowered his arm around Killua's torso, his fingers clutching the fabric of Killua's sweatshirt. Everyone he hugged felt different , and Killua followed the trend. He would have been all skin and bones if it weren't for his profession, which gave him a density that Gon could latch onto without feeling like his aggressive affection would snap Killua in two.

Killua pointed to Gon's arm and said, "Where does this land on the spectrum?"

"Disgustingly cute," Zushi seethed through clenched teeth. "I've got no one to compete with."

Gon scowled at Killua and said, "We aren't competing. I just feel like I gotta put my arm somewhere when yours is around my shoulders."

Before Killua could respond, Ikalgo asked, "Does dancing count?"

Zushi shrugged, indifferent. "Depends. Obviously if Knuckle and Uvo start grinding, I'd count that pretty high on the spectrum." Knuckle put a hand to his chest in offense, and it landed directly over the one Uvo still had slapped over his shirt.

Ikalgo hummed and said, "I was sort of thinking something more like this—can I see your hand?"

Zushi looked down and rose it up, only to squeak in alarm when Ikalgo lifted it up and, with a light tap on Zushi's shoulder, spun him like they were in the middle of a ballet studio. Zushi's sneakers squeaked on the tiles just before the dramatic dip, at which point Ikalgo asked, "Is this on the spectrum?"

Gon clapped eagerly and Uvo whistled. Ikalgo popped Zushi back up, and Zushi staggered, spun, and gathered his footing with a hoarse, "Yeah. Yup, any form of dipping. Definitely... on the spectrum somewhere. Mhm."

All of the talk about dancing had Gon thinking, Killua's good at dancing . He looked over at Killua as Uvo slapped Zushi on the shoulder and said, "You're on the board now! Nice!"

The hallway had long since cleared up by the time they were ever interrupted by another person, and by then, Uvo had tried to dip Knuckle twice whilst Ikalgo demonstrated using Zushi as a stunned, flustered dummy.

Retz took one step out of the lecture hall with Professor Isaac several paces behind her. She froze at the sight of Knuckle's face upside-down where he was unwillingly dipped by Uvo. Uvo looked up as Retz said, "Uh... What's going on?"

Knuckle's foot slipped and he went down with a shout. Uvo grimaced as Professor Isaac slipped past and said, "Ah, to be young again."

"Sorry professor," Knuckle grunted from the floor, rolling onto his side.

The group of them watched their professor leave and waited until he was out of earshot to say a word. When the door shut, Retz stepped over Knuckle's limp body and went to Gon and Killua.

"Gon, I was hoping to get your address for this weekend," she said.

This weekend? he thought, confused. It took a moment for his brain to catch up to the situation, and the deadline on their group essay. "Oh! Right, of course," Gon said and proceeded to scramble to dig out a pen and paper from his backpack.