summary: Two long years have aged Gon's features just slightly, cheekbones more defined and the hint of a beard on his face. (Or: Killua sees Gon for the first time after they separated.)

a/n: i suddenly got strong hxh feels today. wrote this in like half an hour so feel free to tell me how bad it is. man, i miss this show so much. here is a long-overdue reunion type fic. sort of. not really.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunter X Hunter.

Departure

Killua sees him on a random day in the middle of a random street.

It's Gon's laugh that he hears first, before anything else. The sound is deeper than he remembered it to be but just as cheerful and bright as the one in his fondest memories. Killua spins around almost on instinct, whirls to look behind him so fast that he didn't give himself the chance to resist turning, and there he is with his spikey brown hair and twinkling eyes and everything good that Killua knows.

He's talking to a group of strangers who are listening attentively to his words and he still has that charm, Killua observes, the positively alluring aura that draws people in.

Two long years have aged Gon's features just slightly, cheekbones more defined and the hint of a beard on his face. It's almost mesmerizing, the white-haired boy thinks, how despite the little changes Gon still feels so familiar that something in his heart shakes at the sight of the boy who took on the world with him, even from all the way across the street.

Even now, still, he has the urge to run over to his old friend and sling an arm around the island boy's shoulders. He wants to say yo, long time no see, wants to say how have you been, let's catch up, wants to shout Gon's name because he doesn't remember the last time he said it aloud, because he doesn't know what the word sounds like coming from his own mouth anymore.

But that name is not for him to shout anymore. He might never have the privilege of calling out that name every again. It wouldn't fill in the gaps between the two of them over the past years and Killua wouldn't know what to do afterwards because none of it would be enough.

It might not be enough but it could be a start, if Gon lets it. If Killua lets it.

The thought of re-establishing an old friendship has the white-haired boy opening his mouth, feet pivoting toward Gon's direction. He thinks of sharing drinks and sharing laughs, thinks of late-night pillow fights where they could finally be boys in an adult-driven world and exploring different countries with a companion he trusts like no other, thinks of all of that and stops and—realizes.

Realizes that if he walks over there to Gon right now and they exchange stories on the last two years, there will still undeniably be a barrier separating them from being as close as they were before. New experiences and the distance apart from each other for so long—catching up won't be as simple as a quick chat in a coffee shop.

It will never be quite the same between the two of them. And it's no one's fault, really.

But it's enough to make Killua's step falter, to make him bite his lip and shove his hands into his pockets and re-evaluate his options. It's enough for Gon to wave goodbye to the people he had been talking to with an easy smile on his face that makes Killua's heart ache and walk further down the street, further away from the white-haired boy.

Killua watches him go and wonders if he'll ever be able to fall in step beside Gon again.

a/n: i love killua so much and i love gon and asdfljdoleds

i haven't been very active on here lately, i know. it's because i've gotten into kpop and i've been writing a lot of fics for bts. if you know them, pls talk to me about them because they're pretty great and they've actually ruined my life these past few months