A/N: This story is mostly A/U, but at the same time it's dealing with reincarnation so the usual universe is connected to it. This first part is the prologue, and of course it has to be sad because it is a reincarnation story :'( I'm rating this M just to be on the safe side, because the characters are all going to be aged up and it's the military, so it's going to be darker. There will probably be gore later on, and implied sexual abuse (for minor characters), but if I do decide to do any sex scenes I'll probably just do a fade to black/timeskip.

About the title: The Purple Heart award is an award given to those wounded or killed while serving with the military. A purple heart also means forbidden love.

"Do you think… we'll see each other… in the next life?"

Killua clutched Gon's body to his chest, shaking. Too much. Gon had used up too much of his Nen, and this time there was no coming back. Alluka couldn't even fix this. Killua held Gon tighter, blood seeping into his shirt. They'd been stupid. They'd been so unbelievably stupid that Killua wanted to go back in time and rip his past self's heart from his chest. Maybe then Gon wouldn't have been forced to use everything to save him.

"Why did you do it, Gon? WHY?!"

The laugh that bubbled past Gon's lips was accompanied by blood, which trickled from his mouth and dripped to the ground. The cracked ground absorbed it thirstily, as if the taste of an innocent's lifeblood was the most exquisite drink it had ever had the pleasure of sampling.

"Just happy… you're okay."

Killua bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, as he bowed his head to Gon's chest and wept. He felt a weak, trembling hand rest on his head, and his weeping grew louder. Gon was dying. No, that wasn't even right. Gon was already dead. He was already dead but his bright soul was still inside of his broken body, staying for just a minute more to assure Killua it was alright.

"Don't leave me, Gon. Please, please, I can't live without you. You're my light."

He didn't care if it was selfish, he'd give everyone's lives just to save this one in front of him. A world without Gon was a world that wasn't even worth living in. Before he'd met the boy he now considered his soulmate, he'd been nothing but a shadow of a person. Since he'd truly become human, there was no way he could go back to what he had been.

"It's okay… I know… we'll meet… again…"

Gon's voice faded and the hand that had rested on Killua's head slipped off, landing on the ground with a soft thump. Killua leaned back, looking at Gon's final smile in horror. No. No, no, no. Not like this. He couldn't lose Gon like this. He threw back his head and howled, long, chilling and sorrowful. No. No. Stop. You can't leave. You…

His thought was cut off abruptly by a strange pressure in his chest. He looked down, his eyes wide and disbelieving, to see a thick spear piercing his chest. His mouth opened and closed, then he fell, toppling over to land beside Gon on the dusty earth. Oh. They hadn't managed to kill the last Chimera Ant after all. He turned his head slightly and saw it, bleeding profusely and obviously on its last breath. It must've summoned everything it had to throw the spear. Well, fine. If Gon was dead…

He turned his head a fraction the other way, reaching out with shaking fingertips to rest his hand on Gon's rapidly cooling cheek. Everyone had been lost in this fight. Everyone on their side, and everyone on the other side. How stupid. It was all pointless in that case.

A tingling numbness spread through Killua's body and his hand went limp on Gon's cheek. He smiled a little, tears tracking down his face. The ground drank the tears as well.

"Okay… I promise… this time I'll… protect you…"

He was so very tired. He closed his eyes, feeling a wave of peace and well-being wash over him.

Alright, Gon... Our souls are connected so I know we'll see each other again. This time, I promise you won't have to cry for me. This time, I'll be your light.