Rivalry Ch 1 (Killua x Reader)

A breath in. A breath out. Eyelids slowly lowered. Slowly opened.

I am the dirt, the grass, the wind. What flows in me flows out, what flows out flows in. Be still but active, firm but relaxed, you repeated in your mind, the mantra that you had memorized since your birth.

With one more drawn out exhale, you focused your gaze in the scope of your rifle, concentrating on your vision. According to the information you received from the Don for your mission, your target was to return through the front gates of his estate in 6 ½ minutes. Opening the testing gate would take him 4 seconds, give and take a quarter—plenty of time for you to pull the trigger.

As you waited for the long minutes to tick by, your mind drifted to two months’ past.

/\/\/\/\/\

You licked your chapped lips and shifted your hips, resisting a sigh. Your target, the don of the Orco family had just a pint too much to drink, resulting in his stumbling and swaying as he stalked down the alley way, flanked by his escorts. One would usually assume that the assassination of an incapacitated individual would be easier than that of one aware of their surroundings. However, as a member of the profession, especially as a sniping specialist, you would quickly explain otherwise: how was one to predict the movement and trajectory of an illogical, rambling idiot?

You clicked your tongue in irritation as the fat pig of a man shifted once again out of your crosshairs. This assassination had taken much too long. Any longer and my eyes would have to be Reset, you groaned internally.

Your finger pecked at the trigger, agitated as your vision became blurred, pulling out of focus. Ah, time’s up.

Rapidly, you snapped your eyes shut and jerked them open—only to stare through your scope in disbelief. Within that split second, a young boy stood at the spot where the Don and his escorts were fumbling about, kicking the fallen body of one of the escorts. With a flick of his wrist he shook off the crimson droplets that coated his fingers.

Did he…kill them?! Incomprehension swept over you. Where did he come from? Why didn’t I See him at all?

Another, more pressing thought. How the hell am I gonna get my pay?!

But what sent shivers down your spine was when he turned to you, and smirked in a feline manner, as if peering directly through your scope—located more than a mile away.

/\/\/\/\/\

Ever since, that boy has interfered with almost all your jobs, frustrating you to no end. The only upside was that your employers knew no better, most of the time still shelling out what they had promised when you reported back.

You had only learned his name recently, from your current client: Killua Zoldyck, a member of the famed Zoldyck family of assassins. Even more surprising, he was only around your age. Apparently he had assassinated someone in the family and the Don of the group wanted revenge. Vanetti? Was that the name of your client again?

The appearance of that tuft of white hair snapped you out of your reflection. An eyebrow twitched. Look at him! All smug and conceited! Hands in pockets! He’s infuriating! But that’s it; it all ends today.

“What the hell are you smirking about?” a bored voice demanded from beside you.

You whirled only to come face to face with a fluff of white and a pair of piercing blue eyes. A second of utter silence and he squatted as stared at you, chin on hand. You at him.

“Ki-Killua?!”

“Yeah, that’s my name. What the hell are you doing all the way out here?”

Finally regaining some of your sense and reason, you screamed. “How the hell did YOU get HERE?!”

He shrugged. “I jumped.”

“THIS IS A MILE AWAY!”

“So? You can see that far right? I can jump that far. No biggie.” He flapped his hand flippantly. “And, I was your target right?” His eyes narrowed. “I’m not gonna go down that easily, ya know.”

Collapsing onto the ground, you groaned into your hands. “What kind of assassin am I anyways if my target finds me? And just how many of my jobs do you want to mess up anyways?”

“Oh, those!” Killua grinned. “Naaaah, most of those were just for fun. You made some really interesting faces every time I finished off whoever for you.”

You grimaced, eliciting a laugh from the boy in front of you.

“Ah look! See? I told ya!” Shifting his hands to his pockets again, he stood up. “Hey, you’re pretty interesting. Why don’t you come over to my house?”

His house, huh? Maybe his guard will be down since he’s at home? And 3.5 million Jenny…

You shrugged in what you hoped was a nonchalant manner. “Sure, don’t see why not.”

/\/\/\/\/\

The manor was more of fortress than a manor—a sullen atmosphere, dark corridors, and stone. So much stone.

“-and so that guy, like, started running and it was hilarious –oh, hey big brother.” You looked up from your feet at your companion’s sudden change in tone.

“Oh, hello Kil.”

Those eyes.

“Who is this with you?”

So…empty…

“You know, you shouldn’t have brought anyone home without permission.”

I…don’t like it.

“So what? I can do what I want!” Killua snapped.

“You should at least head over to Father with her. He is expecting you. And you, what is your name?”

You flinched instinctively and peeked up at the figure in front of you. Long black hair, green attire, and those eyes.

“Your name, if you don’t mind.” A demand.

“[n-name]…” you muttered.

“I see. Very nice to meet you, [name]. I’m Illumi, Killua older’s brother.”

You nodded stiffly, holding back the shivers and chills as his frigid voice coated your nerves.

“Now then, both of you, go on and go talk to Father. Shoo shoo.”

“Yeah yeah yeah.”

As you passed by he whispered. “Be careful. Kil is a kill-er.”

…was that a joke…?

Somehow it wasn’t very funny.