[ Killua catches the look, and it makes his heart ache. But before he can say anything else, Gon is moving forward.
Gon's arms are wrapping around him. Holding on tight. Squeezing as though he's afraid that, when he lets go, Killua might have vanished again.
He knows.
And, as much as it hurts, he understands.
Slowly, Killua raises his own arms, wrapping them around Gon in turn. His palms press against Gon's back and shoulder. And then, his eyes close, head leaning forward slightly, face tucked against Gon's dark hair.
In the silence between them, birds trill in the tree above, leaves rustling, the wash of muffled voices like waves crashing on a far-off beach. And Killua's heart beats fast, thundering in his ears.
He squeezes too.
Then, slowly, surprisingly gently, he begins to pull back. As his arms fall away from Gon, the touch lingers, fingertips gliding down his shoulders to the backs of his upper arms, brushing his elbows as Killua takes a small step back.
He offers a faint smile. He doesn't ask, doesn't scold Gon, doesn't try to bring up what just happened or what it meant. That's something to unpack, at length, later in the silence of his own thoughts by himself. ]
I'll see you later, okay?
[ Despite everything, it's a promise he means whole-heartedly. ]
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Gon's arms are wrapping around him. Holding on tight. Squeezing as though he's afraid that, when he lets go, Killua might have vanished again.
He knows.
And, as much as it hurts, he understands.
Slowly, Killua raises his own arms, wrapping them around Gon in turn. His palms press against Gon's back and shoulder. And then, his eyes close, head leaning forward slightly, face tucked against Gon's dark hair.
In the silence between them, birds trill in the tree above, leaves rustling, the wash of muffled voices like waves crashing on a far-off beach. And Killua's heart beats fast, thundering in his ears.
He squeezes too.
Then, slowly, surprisingly gently, he begins to pull back. As his arms fall away from Gon, the touch lingers, fingertips gliding down his shoulders to the backs of his upper arms, brushing his elbows as Killua takes a small step back.
He offers a faint smile. He doesn't ask, doesn't scold Gon, doesn't try to bring up what just happened or what it meant. That's something to unpack, at length, later in the silence of his own thoughts by himself. ]
I'll see you later, okay?
[ Despite everything, it's a promise he means whole-heartedly. ]