"Come on, Killua!"

Gon takes the first step up onto the jagged sideways tiles of the roof, making his way down a few more steady steps. He stops and turns, grinning and offering out a hand for Killua.

Killua freezes, and not because of the chilly rush of air that makes him tuck his chin down closer to the edge of the cloth of his turtleneck or shove his fingers deeper into pockets. His face flushes, and he quickly makes it a point to breezily walk past the offered hand, to which Gon frowns but quickly cheers back up, rushing onward.

"Look, the stars are so pretty! They remind me of you!"

Gon gestures up to the sky, a wide-eyed expression and cheeks pinched up into a grin, continuing to wave his arms around enthusiastically.

Killua splutters, pink searing through his cheeks, and he stumbles forward, his usually graceful footwork a mess, as the edge of his purple boot gets caught beneath a tile of the roof, his eyes stuck wide open, and lips parted slightly.

Killua's mind goes blank for a second, and he expects to eat a whole mouthful of clay, and lingering dirt, gum, and who knows what else. He expects for knees to scrape against the tile or that he might just possibly fall off the roof entirely as he careens forward. Instead, he gets a mouthful of green and warmth, strong hands holding on to his shoulders.

His knees are bent awkwardly from trying to not buckle beneath him due to the uneven structure of the roof, his nose buried in Gon's chest, his fingernails clutching the fabric near his friend's shoulders.

"I never knew you were so clumsy."

He doesn't need to see Gon's face to know he's grinning. He can feel the way his chest reverberates in a peal of sing-song-like laughter that makes Killua's stomach jump up into his throat.

And he squawks in protest, fingers burying deeper into Gon's jacket. Stupid Gon! He is not clumsy! He could cross and walk over rooftops in his sleep! It was just! Why did he always have to say such embarrassing things so bluntly! He has no idea what he's actually saying!

Killua can feel the pounding of his heart in his chest. His face feels like it is on fire, in both annoyance and embarrassment, and he tries to pull away, mouth pulled down into a scowl and eyebrows pinching together, his nose scrunching up.

"... It's because you said something so embarrassing..."

Killua would have tugged his fingers away from Gon long ago had it not been for the fact that he doesn't want to take a nosedive off the roof. His leg muscles straining from the position they were in, not helping.

Gon dares to look at him with a completely innocent grin, pearly whites showing, eyes as wide and full of light as usual.

Killua tugs his hands away, shuffling his feet to try and gain a proper footing on the roof. Still, Gon doesn't release his grip, simply moving his hands down from Killua's shoulders to his forearms, trying to steady the other boy.

He was sort of worried about Killua, with the way red dotted across his pale skin, blooming in his cheeks. Tinting the edges of his ears, he was afraid if he let go, Killua might pass out.

"Will you take my hand now?"

Killua can't bring himself to look up, eyes shakily focusing on the now scuff mark staining his shoe; it was so hard to concentrate on anything but calming the rapid beating of his heart. Especially since he can feel the warmth of Gon's fingertips through his sleeves.

"Stupid." He mutters, drawing his hands into his pockets, feeling Gon's hands drop with his movement. His fingers pick mindlessly at little pieces of lint, eyelashes drawing over pools of blue, lips pulling together. It was easier to try and regain his composure in the darkness.

"I don't need your help walking across a roof." His words come out in a breathy whisper, shoulders slumping down.

"Mmm..."

He can hear the contemplation in Gon's voice, light and airy, yet holding a deeper rumble as if he's overthinking something and concerned.

"You say that but you would have fallen if I hadn't caught you..."

"I already told you, Gon, that was because of-" Killua stops, letting out a sigh. "Look, I'm a former assassin, okay, I can handle this fine."

Gon stares at Killua, eyebrows tugging down thoughtfully, head tilting to the side ever so slightly.

Killua says that, but why was there a hint of sadness in his voice?

"Mmmmmmm..."

Killua slowly peels his eyes open, a low exhale leaving his lips, worried Gon was thinking too much again with how long he was holding out that note, ready to snap him out of his steam-filled daze if he needed.

Gon's honey gaze meets his ocean blue, determined, the opposite of his exasperated look.

"Can you trust me?"

The silver-haired boy raises an eyebrow, a look of concern flashing over his face. Was Gon about to do something stupid again?

"...Why?"

He says it slowly boring a hole into Gon, trying to figure out his motives, so he can be ready to stop him the moment he does something far too stupid.

Gon offers his hand again, and Killua lets out a resigned huff of air, trying to calm his beating heart before pale slim fingers reach out and meet Gon's calloused ones. Gon pulls him forward slowly, and he follows the other to the edge of the rooftop, biting down on his lower lip nervously.

Gon plops down, letting his feet hang over the edge. At the same time, Killua stares stuck between wanting to join him and standing there awkwardly, hand still hanging slightly outward, even though Gon had long since relinquished his grip.

Killua eventually sinks down, closing in on himself again, arms tucked underneath each other and legs drawn up.

"I meant it!"

Killua looks over, confusion clouding his eyes and teeth continuously gnawing at his lip until he can taste blood.

"I meant it! The stars! They remind me of you!"

Killua almost chokes on the air, turning his head away to try and hide how his skin burns, mumbling things under his breath, into the crook of his arm.

"Stupid! How can you always say such embarrassing things?"

"Because it's not embarrassing! It's true!"

That's not true… at all… stupid Gon. Still…

Killua smiles softly, lifting his head out of his arm, looking up. Gon stands up in a flash, walking over and sitting closer to Killua, grinning.

"Since you're so clumsy, I'll have to make sure to look after you!"

"Wh-what?! I am not!"

"But you almost fell! So I'll look after you!"

They both have a glaring staring contest before Gon starts laughing, Killua quickly following him, any ghost of a smile upon his lips now natural and just as bright as Gon's.

Thank you, Gon...