As Shadows Fall
By SMYGO4EVA

Kill him...

Illumi's words wrapped themselves around Killua's mind. He knew they would come to the slaughter and Killua does what he can to protect what remains of his sanity.

"Shut up, Illumi." He whispered, his voice low and growling, his teeth grit. "I am no longer here."

Killua was left untouched by his family, who try to desperately reach for him. His mother weeping into her gloves, his father's cold indifferent glare, Milluki standoffishly crossing his arms, and Illumi's long arms reaching out, his hands like claws.

"Get away, Illumi, get away." Killua insisted, feeling his brother's hands on his shoulder, nails digging in, blood spreading onto his grey shirt.

Kill him.

Gon, his kind and goofy smile, his curious, twinkling eyes, his embraceā€¦.

"I can't kill him, I can't kill Gon, he's my friend, I can't!"

You have no friends, you will kill him.

"No."

Kill him.

"NO!" Killua shouted at the top of his lungs, releasing all that he felt, everything spinning and coalescing into nothing. Illumi's grip on him vanished. His mother, father, and Milluki vanished into thin air.

His chest was caught in a vice. He felt himself fall, his eyes unfocused, his world went black.

He opened his eyes, and he breathed out, squinting his red-rimmed eyes; he was in a bedroom, and he turned, seeing Gon sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware, right beside him.

"I'm here, I'm right here." Killua whispered to himself, relief replacing the vestiges of fear inside him.

He then slipped under the warm covers, eager for sleep once again.