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1.
The loss was a hard one on everyone. Faking the deaths of the Troupe to lighten the load of the mafia’s eyes was not much easier. But as promised, in Uvogin’s name, hell was rained down. It was even worse now that Pakunoda was gone along with the Boss. But life had its own needs and Nobunaga found himself focused on helping the Boss first.
His grief always worked best when targeted at something.
Skeleton very briefly slipped his mind during the original fallout. He remembered the call that at least told them Uvo was confirmed dead. He remembered the sound of their sobs over the phone, felt like he could hear their scream from miles away. But the Spider was the most important thing, and they soon slipped between his fingers for the days that followed.
Until they didn’t, until everything had fumbled apart, and Greed Island sounded like a fair prospect. And then Skeleton Key came to mind.
He ended up in their hotel room, the door easy to unlock with the right bit of force after his ignored knock. Soundlessly, he moved through the room to the balcony.
“I don’t expect anyone of the Troupe to come talking to me after. I know how they work, and I don’t expect their loyalty. But it would be nice, having people who get it.” Their voice is soft in the air. His hand fell to his sword. He could not accept Skeleton putting the Spider more at risk by sharing their connection now. He relaxed when he realized there was no other nen but their own on the balcony.
Skeleton sat in the open space alone, their head tilted up toward the sky.
“Maybe I was wrong.” They continued into the air; their eyes never moved from the glowing sign of the moon. The flash of their nen was sudden and as expected his own met the action, the brush of nen on nen felt like a harsh wind. His senses suddenly swarmed by everything within his bubble as they forced his nen to activate.
There is too much comfort in how they sit. He briefly wondered if this was a bad sign how they did not move to guard their back to someone who could very well be there to clean up a loose end. His hand does not come to the hilt of his sword. He does not look up at the moon as it laughs before them. He knew Skeleton had figured who he was, but he decided all the same to leave without a word.
They could talk to the moon all they wanted.
2.
Skeleton had been back in Greed Island for a while now. Hiding in plain sight as they avoided even their fellow Game Masters. Elena said they did not look good when they arrived. By the time Razor had come face to face with them, it seemed much had changed.
On their belt was Skeleton’s Key, an almost long-lost relic of the game itself, a bracelet had made sat on their wrist, and they looked like the world itself had come to gut them. They held themself with a new confidence, but they spoke lowly. There was something in their eyes that Razor could not place. But he was soon distracted by Gon and the battle Ging had prewarned of. Skeleton slipped to the back of his mind once more until after he was beat.
Then he had walked up into the tower that would be where the players had gotten Strip of Beach and as he headed up the stairs, he heard their voice.
“I already talked to you about reconnecting with Gon and his new friends. But after today, I just know you would have liked one another.” They spoke contently into the wind around them. Their voice confident in just how loud they were speaking.
“He managed to beat Razor, nearly lost himself to do it, but wow, Uvo, you would have been impressed. I think you would have liked Razor too, you’re both bullheaded enough.” Their laugh was wet and slipped into what could only be a sob. The tears echoed off stone and Razor argued with himself on if he should show himself. From his angle, Skeleton’s head was bent into their hands, shoulders shaking.
The moonlight almost seemed gentle through the wide window. It caressed their profile, illuminating the tear tracks. Razor looked down and felt what could only be pity. Not for Skeleton Key, but for whomever they had lost.
Another person in the world that had not had the chance to have years with someone as good as them.
He left Skeleton and the moon their privacy and headed back down to the gym.
3.
The trip to the NGL was not a difficult one. There was a kind of acceptance that came with the travel and the nights spent on the road together. Perhaps there was some sweetness to the trip too, as it meant he could catch up with Skeleton as well. The talk very rarely put said person at the center, as they frequently told stories of those around them. Kite was sure that he could explain nearly every person that Skeleton had crossed paths with. They were what appeared to be a perfectly open book and that made Kite extremely suspicious, though the boys did not seem to want to share what they might know.
Skeleton every night would vanish for well over an hour but would be sleeping right where they promised by morning.
Kite should have listened to his gut; he should not have followed them for a moment.
“We’re going to the NGL, I have a bad feeling about this.”
A single set of footprints led to a tree with scuff marks at the base. He looked up and saw Skeleton among the branches. Their voice had stopped upon his approach.
Skeleton slipped from the branch as soon as he came to the trunk. They landed neatly to his side. The moon winked through the leaves, but the air was exceptionally still.
“Who were you talking to?” Kite asked, flat.
“Oh, just the moon, Kite. Had to get my thoughts straight.” They already were heading back in the same direction, and Kite was quick to follow. A single glance of his shoulder brought his eyes to the large moon that now shone down above them. He had always seen the moon as impartial, but now, Kite’s skin crawled. The moon could not be passing judgement, nor was it watching. He was sure of it.
4.
Skeleton Key was a nice enough person. They were friends with Bell and that at least inspired something like trust in Knuckle. But since Gon and Killua returned and spoke about Kite, Skeleton was far quieter.
As they acted like someone not on Gon and Killua’s side nor Knuckle and Shoot’s side, they spoke the most comfortably with all sides. As comfortable as they could be anyway. Especially when Bell was not around, Knuckle noticed how quiet Skeleton often went. How their eyes would focus on somewhere far away at random intervals.
Knuckle felt exceptionally stupid when he stumbled upon Skeleton in the park, on a bench bathed in moonlight. They were curled up, hands in their hair, shaking. He froze up and hid behind a nearby tree. There were rambling into free space.
“Kite’s gone, you’re gone, Gon is going to try and fight for Kite. I’m going to keep losing people. Uvo, what do I do? How do I keep everyone alive? What the fuck am I saying, I couldn’t keep you alive.” The spiral was clear cut and into open air. They were hiccupping through sobs as the moon watched on.
“I’m so so sorry, Uvo. I’m sorry.” The repetition went on, matching the stars in how endless they felt. Knuckle stayed right where he was, frozen behind a tree, hand up over his mouth.
His own tears skimmed and beaded along his hand; eyes focused now on the trees around him. Gon was a sweet kid, a good one. One that Knuckle saw a lot of potential in. But there is a moment of true seriousness.
Gon could not go to the NGL, he had to make sure that they handled it before he had to go in.
If just for Skeleton and their monologues to the moon.
Knuckle was sure that Skeleton got back to their bed before Knuckle even made the move to head home. He approached the now empty bench and looked up at the moon.
He gave a single firm nod and headed home. Tomorrow, he would make sure that Gon did not go into NGL.
5.
This whole election shit had been interesting for about two hours, but now, Ging had figured out where it might lead. He was not interested in seeing the end of it, nor was he excited that so many people were here, and they all kept Talking.
He took note that he could never fully escape Skeleton’s eyes. Their judgmental gaze dug under his skin, scraped at the nervousness that made nerves alight. He could never just blend in or run off with them around. That was, until Gon had returned. The moment that blast of nen shook him, he felt that endless gaze vanish for just a moment.
Since Gon had entered, had spoken, and then proceeded to run off, Ging did not feel those eyes on him at all.
After pummeling half the hunters in the world, Ging had taken a walk. Waiting for Gon was boring and at least he left a note, but just as he had always preached. On his walk, he had caught the edge of a voice.
“Gon survived.” Ging startled, as if Skeleton had called him by name and expected a full talk. But even with his lack of reaction, they continued.
“I’m, I’m so relieved.” They whispered, voice cracking a bit. And then they laughed. Light as ever, breathy in a kind of freeness that Ging assumed could not be given if he was who they spoke with.
“Kite’a alive too, in a way. So, I didn’t lose anyone else. Maybe whatever fucked up universe has decided taking you was enough.” There is a thoughtfulness in their voice, Ging shifted on his feet, stepping back.
“I miss you.” They whispered into the air; head tilted up toward the moon. But they were smiling.
Ging quickly picked up pace. He needed to climb the World Tree, not interact with a sad Skeleton, anything but that.
+1
Whale Island was always fun to come back to! Aunt Mito was happy to see them, and even though she hid it, was glad to see Ta Skeleton too. But on the island, while Gon helped his aunt, Skeleton slipped away a little more. They came for dinner every other day as asked and sat with Gon to train everyday though often Gon had to find them to do so.
But after one dinner, he told Aunt Mito that he would be going with Skeleton that night. A fact that he had not shared with Skeleton just yet. With a sigh and a nod, Gon smiled and took his leave with his small pack on his back.
Tracking Skeleton had become one of his training methods. The chance to feel how their nen rested on the earth behind them, as if they had so much it would be impossible not to leave a trace behind them. The feeling of it became stronger as they went, the moon being exceptionally bright at least helped him move faster to catch up.
The way the foliage sat was illuminated by the light, the path clear and direct.
Skeleton sat on a log, a small fire already going. They were not speaking yet. Their head tilted up toward the moon. It shone in the reflection of their eyes as Gon approached and dropped his pack.
“Does Mito know where you are?” They asked him, not looking from the moon.
“Yeah, with you!” he crowed with a bright smile. They offered a weak laugh.
“And if I sent you home?” they asked, eyes finally coming to look at him directly.
“You can’t make me.” He threw back, sticking his tongue out.
“Fair enough, why did you come with me?” they allowed as they shifted over on the log. Gon dropped down into the newly opened space.
“Because you talk to the moon by yourself all the time.” He said as he looked up at the moon. It seemed normal enough. Pretty as the moon often was, but it was far from full on this night, though there was no clouds. The stars, in Gon’s opinion, were prettier. There is a gap in their conversation, some time wasted between them as Skeleton processed what Gon said.
They knew it was a badly held secret, Gon and Killua had been travelling with them on and off for a bit now. And Skeleton never really tried to be as hidden as they could for it.
“I guess I do. Makes me feel better.” They finally said after some space.
Gon suddenly threw his hand up in a broad wave. Skeleton laughed.
“What are you doing?” they caught his arm and pulled him to stop the sharp waving, their smile was easy.
“Saying hi! To the moon! You’re the one that taught me that was polite, Ta.” He noted with a deep nod to them. But he was smiling right back at them.
“You’re right, maybe I should introduce you two huh? I’ve talked about you enough.” They said, smiling still as they looked up the moon once more. They wrapped an arm tight around Gon’s shoulders, giving him a half hug.
“Uvo, this is Gon. Uvo is… was someone incredibly special to me,” they said gently, taking a deep breath on the space.
Gon smiled up at the moon.
“Well, hey, Uvo, it’s nice to meet you!” Talking to the moon was a little odd, but with their Ta beside him and their mingled laughter in the air, the moon seemed to shine brighter. Gon was just glad his Ta did not have to be talking to the moon alone at least for one night.