Aki (A Naruto/HxH Crossover Fan Fiction)

Ethereal (Special Chapter)

(What would it be like to wake up and realize it was all but a dream?)

Aki was startled awake when a cold hand pressed against her cheek. 

"What?" She squinted, appraising the blurry visage in front of her. As her eyes slowly regained their focus, she was surprised to see none other than Killua looking at her with a mischievous grin.

"Killua?" Aki groaned, slapping the boy's hand away. "What are you doing?"

Killua didn't say anything. Instead, he rested one of his hands on top of Aki's shoulder. The boy leaned down, towering over Aki. In that moment, any hint of sleep left Aki's mind. Yet at the same time, Aki couldn't quite focus on her surroundings.

All she could focus on was the sound of heart picking up pace.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

 At one point she wondered why the ground beneath her seemed to tremor at the beat of her own heart. To add to her confusion, Killua suddenly shoved his face into hers, too close for comfort.

"Hey." Aki called out, warning Killua. She frowned, displeased with the sudden closeness, and yet unwilling to back down from Killua's provocation. Reaching out, she took hold of Killua's silver hair and tugged at it. 

How do you like that? Aki thought to herself, smirking. 

Contrary to her expectations, Killua didn't back down. Instead, the boy smiled coyly. 

"What are you—" Aki was cut off by Killua's abrupt actions. Their lips crashed into one another's. Unlike their previous exchanges, this one was rough. Teeth clashed against teeth as Killua showed his inexperience by attempting to lead the kiss.

Aki coughed and pulled away for an explanation. However, Killua was quick to bring their faces together in a fervent kiss. He held her cheeks in his cold hands, trembling. And then, Aki felt it—the warm droplets of water that trailed from her cheeks.

Confused, Aki couldn't help but open her eyes and peek above the light-haired boy. And there she saw the most heart-wrenching expression on Killua's face. His brows were furrowed together as tears fell like waterfalls from his eyes. 

Eventually, Aki could taste the salty tears that rolled from Killua's cheeks to hers, and to their entangled lips. But Aki couldn't pull away. She didn't have the heart to.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Killua pulled their lips apart. He kept his forehead on hers, sobbing silently.

"Come back to me, Aki." Killua's voice sounded ethereal, like he belonged to a different dimension. Confused, Aki reached out to caress Killua's cheeks and wiped away the tears that continued to fall from his eyes.

"Shh... I'm here." She hushed, trying to reassure him. However, her words only seemed to tear Killua's remaining walls as he began to cry even harder.

"Aki—!" He sobbed against her shoulder. Surprised by his actions, Aki could only pat his back as Killua's tears wet her shirt. As she looked up from Killua, only then did she notice something odd.

Her hands... were not there. 

Shocked, Aki brought her hands closer. She studied the white wispy, smoke-like substance that substituted her hands. And then, she looked down on Killua and she was shocked by what she saw.

It was her body, lying lifelessly on Killua's arms.

Suddenly, she was pushed away from the boy by an invisible force. 

"Killua!" Aki yelled to get his attention. However, the light-haired boy didn't take notice of her. From the darkness, a shadowy silhouette emerged.

It's time.

The voice echoed in her head.

"What time?"

The debt had been paid with your blood. I gave you time as you wished. Now, it's time to go back.

"Go back where?"

Back to where you came from.

Aki felt it before she could even protest. It was that pull—that irresistible pull against her very soul. Slowly, she felt her consciousness drifting farther and farther away from the light. Until the sight of Killua caressing her lifeless body became a distant blur.