Killua flinched at the sound of the floorboard creaking.

"Killua?" Gon whispered from the darkness. He sat up in bed. "Where are you going?"

"Go back to sleep," the young boy reassured him.

Gon threw off his covers. "I'm going with you."

Killua stepped into the shadows so that the moonlight filtering in through the window didn't expose his tears. "No, Gon. Not this time."

"Eh?" His eyes widened in innocence. "I don't understand, Killua."

"You need to find Ging," he explained, struggling to hide his emotions. He sidestepped towards the bedroom door. "And I need to get a life of my own."

"But Killua, you are my life."

A blush spread like wildfire across his cheeks. "You know I hate it when you say stuff like that."

"But it's true," Gon insisted. "Please don't leave. I can't find him without you."

"I have potential, Gon. I have the potential to be one of the best pro-Hunters there ever was." He hid his tear-rimmed eyes before adding, "But not if I have you by my side. You're holding me back."

There was a moment of deafening silence.

Killua was shocked to see a smile light up Gon's face. "You are my best friend. If being on your own will make you happy, I promise not to follow you." The fire in his eyes dimmed. "No matter how badly I might want to."

Killua honestly couldn't believe Gon had bought his lie. After all, he was leaving because it was him holding Gon back. Not the other way around. "Thank you, Gon. And good luck on finding your dad." He quickly wiped at his eyes. "Maybe I will see you again someday."

Gon cocked his head to the side. "Oh, I have no doubt about that."

Killua resisted the urge to turn around. "And why is that?"

"Because you are the moon." Although he couldn't see it, Killua could hear his smile. "You won't be able to hide from me forever. The sun has to go down eventually."

Terrified that he wouldn't be able to hear another word without breaking down completely, Killua turned off his emotions and disappeared from the room.

He disappeared with the intention of never coming back.