Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter X Hunter.

How To Catch Your Son's Birthday Present

Chapter 1

'Brat' was the first word that came to mind the moment Ging laid eyes on his sons one and only best friend. With the way he stood tall and proud a step in front of his companion, and the way the bored expression in his face clearly said 'I know you've been following this whole time now what do you want'...Yeah...He was most definitely a brat.

He silently compared all the things his son had said to him ever since they'd started traveling together. There was the messy white hair he'd mentioned a little longer than how Gon had described. The pale skin and somehow deceptively frail overall appearance if you didn't count the the cocky way he stood that was more than backed up by a tinge of danger. Check to the color Gon had mentioned that the other would most likely be wearing...uncheck to everything else he'd heard that by the looks of it, were most likely not true.

Ging couldn't see how a brat like that was smart and funny, loyal and friendly and the 'best-est best friend' his son could ever have in the world.

He also absently noted that he maybe just be about as tall as his son, not counting the spiky black hair that made the other deceptively taller, while he stood there in front of the kid who was taking his time in giving him a once over. Gon had said the brat had been taller by a few inches before. When the blue eyes were done and the kid slightly relaxed his stance, Ging found himself staring right at the other. They were five feet away.

"Aren't you supposed to be traveling with Gon?" The brat asked and unconsciously patted the little girl beside him who giggled in delight.

The right question is if Gon is still traveling with me but whatever, Ging shrugged, dismissed the fact that the brat knew him without even asking, and went right down to business. "Do you know when Gon's birthday is?" He asked back. The brat rolled his eyes.

Brat.

"It's in a week. I sent our present two days ago." He gestured to the girl beside him with the softest look in his eyes, then gave Ging an accusing deadpan expression. "Aren't you supposed to know what he want by now?" He asked dismissively and pocketed his hands.

...Definitely a brat, Ging thought. Cause really, he did know what his kid wanted. Or more specifically who he wanted as his birthday. He'd known ever since the third day they'd traveled together after Gon had been talking about Killua Killua Killua nonstop for the duration of their stay in that tiny town with the giant tree. They'd been there for a week and a half. And casually saying "I want you to bring Killua on my birthday" was just like saying "I want Killua to be my birthday present". Only more subtle...in a sense.

That had been one week ago, and Ging had to give the brat some credit for being able to outrun him that long.

Actually, the only reason he caught up was because the brat had decided to stop and see who it was that was following him. Now here they were standing just a little outside of Dolle Harbor. Ging could see a familiar small hut up ahead. For now though, he had to get back to the task at hand. How was he suppose to get the brat to come with him again? Ging scratched at his head and went to ask the question directly.

"Gon said he wanted you to come to his birthday." Ging said. The little girl shifted with a light giggle and clutched at the brats shoulder.

"I heard from the TV person that you're not supposed to talk to strangers. What does Oni-chan think?" The girl supplied, all smiles and sunshine. She was most likely the sister Gon mentioned a few times, though not in great detail. The brat seemed to be thinking something disturbing because he was scrunching his face. Ging caught the grouchily grumbled words of his Aniki teaching him to kill the strangers who tried to talk to him.

"Um. He's Gon's dad see? So he isn't exactly a stranger..." The brat said. "Anyway, I promised Alluka we'd visit the Kiriko to say hi. We already had to postpone this trip cause we were forced to run around in circles since we were being chased." This one was pointedly directed at Ging. "We'll still come of course. Just tell me where you guys are staying and we'll be there in three days. See ya." The brat turned and waved before ushering his younger sister with him to the Hut.

That was no good.

"You have to come with me." Ging said, but then paused and scratched his head. "Acutally, Gon said I had to bring you to him." He made a face. Since when was he his sons delivery man? Actually, since when was Gon so manipulative? He thought and glanced at the brat who was now sporting an annoyingly cheeky grin.

Brat.

"Really~?" He drawled. "I'll be coming over since it's what Gon wants. But I'm not going anywhere with you- o-oi, Alluka." The brat suddenly said when the girl started skipping her way to his direction. He tried to grab for her but didn't put to much effort in the action. Ging was pretty sure it wasn't a feet to do. Well, not for the brat. The girl stopped walking when she was directly in front of him. And the sparkly, expectant look in her eyes was making his eyes hurt.

"Hey mister, whats your name?"

Ging shrugged his sholders and answered. "It's Ging."

"Alluka-"

"Tell me about the stuff Gon has been saying about Oni-chan!" The little girl suddenly interrupted and started to jamp in excitement. Since the girls interference seemed to have disrupted the brats' composure (the brat was looking really uneasy now), Ging went along and said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Well, Gon said they both always took baths together..."

"Wh-Hey!"

"And that they were almost never separated after they'd become close." Ging said and listed out a few more things like this and that that caused the brat to stutter and turned red.

"Th-that idiot! Just how much did he tell you?!" The brat said indignantly and pointed an accusing finger at him. The girl was laughing delightedly in the background, and he shrugged.

"Just about everything I think." Ging said absentmindedly.

That's when he remembered something and brought a fist down on his other palm. He purposefully ignored the brat and looked at his sister instead.

"Oh yeah. We also went to the Kiriko eight months ago..." Ging started. "They were talking for ages. I'm pretty sure the Kiriko mention something about a kid named Killua passing by to take the Hunter Exam." He glanced down at the tomato red and utterly embarrassed brat and broke into his own grin. "They said you had Gons scent on you. Did you know that that only happens when-" Ging stopped when he suddenly found himself talking to thin air. The girl besode her who was there a second ago was gone too.

"Ging-saaaan!" He turned around when he found the brat and the girl nearly a mountain away from him. The girl was waving her hand to get his attention. Ging whistled.

Impressive.

For a brat.

"Thanks for telling me! But you know, if you really wanted Oni-chan to come with you, you should've just gone for chocolate!" The girl said and...just waved. Then they both disappeared.

Ging was left to scratch at his head since he only just remembered he was supposed to be bringing the brat with him and not scaring him away. And the candy...why didn't he think of that?

Well shit...back to phase one, Ging thought.

That brat.

TBC?

A/N: Awkward much? Yeah, I don't think Killua and Ging would get along at all.