"Baka—stop it, seriously… it’s quite embarrassing." His words faltered, revealing a rare crack in his otherwise unshakeable demeanor. A flush crept across his cheeks, his gaze stubbornly glued to the floor, feigning indifference to your hand resting on his head, though both of you were acutely aware of the truth.

With a awkward smile, you retracted your hand, allowing him to escape the fluster he was so desperately trying to conceal. Your kitten, sensing the change in atmosphere, leapt into your lap, purring with triumph. You offered it a gentle pat, your fingers brushing its head in a moment of absent affection.

However, Killua reacted more swiftly than you anticipated. His hand wrapped around your wrist, not forcefully, but with a sense of purpose, and drew your touch away from the cat. Then, guiding it back to his hair, he murmured in a low tone, "Don’t give it what belongs to me."

He still avoided your gaze, yet his actions revealed his true feelings—jealous, awkward, and quietly longing. The boy who once shied away from intimacy now sought it in the only manner he understood: a touch, shared in silence.