Everything's gonna be alright

The Hotel

The ride on the private jet was quiet. Kurapika wasn't mad at the children, he was just so incredibly fucking worried about his husband who wasn't answering his phone.

Melody brought them snacks to ease the tension; pretzels and fruit gummies. But what Kurapika needed was a drink. His hair was going to be shock-white from stress before this was all over.

"We'll be landing soon. Does anyone need to use the bathroom before we go?" Melody asked gently.

Gon raised his hand quietly, and Melody showed him to the jet's restroom area. Killua was left alone with his dad. There were so many things he wanted to say, but so many things that he couldn't.

Open the emergency door. Illumi taunted him. The door has instructions. This will be the easiest kill.

Killua promptly buckled his seat belt. Use the seat belt to strangle your father. He tightened the straps so it wouldn't budge.

He still felt sick. Seeing his brother had intensified his intrusive thoughts to an almost constant buzz in his head. Physically, his body was still going through aftershocks of almost freezing to death.

"I don't know if I should be angry with you or not." Kurapika said, still tapping his chin idly. "What you did was really bad, and acting out like that is not something we tolerate in our family." He let out a long sigh. "But I think you've already suffered the consequences of your decision, and I trust you understand why we have those rules now."

Killua nodded.

"I'm so happy you're alive." Kurapika whispered, tears filling his eyes again. "I love you so dang much, you know that?"

Killua nodded again, then unbuckled (unbuckled) so he could go sit by his dad. He lifted the armrest between the chairs, then held his son close against his side, smoothing down his wild hair and resting his cheek and against his head.

Gon came back and sat down across from them, and Melody went to the cockpit to check their arrival time.

The landing was smooth. Getting out of the airport went smoothly. Everything was going according to plan. That is, of course, until they got to the hotel.

Kurapika had an Uber follow the address that Leorio had sent him, and soon they pulled into the parking lot to see the hotel had gone up in flames.

Fire trucks and ambulances were blocking the view of the entrance. As soon as the car stopped, Kurapika leaped out and sprinted past the line of emergency vehicles.

Melody had stayed at the airport, so Gon and Killua were left alone in the car, petrified as they watched a four-star hotel burn.

Kurapika was searching frantically through the tenants, looking everyone in the face, trying to recognize his husband even if he was wearing a disguise. Then he realized that he would be holding Alluka, and they were probably taking shelter somewhere quiet.

Dashing across the road, he checked on the sidewalks and inside shops. Everyone stared at him like he was crazy. He searched parking lots and diners, and even asked a neighboring hotel if they had anyone check in that fit Leorio's description.

Kurapika was running out of a cafe when he bumped into something tall. For an instant he thought it might be his husband, but that fantasy was quickly dashed to pieces when the figure grabbed him by the throat.

—

"Gon, are you doing alright?"

Killua put a hand on his friend's shoulder. Gon couldn't help blaming himself for everything. Did Aunt Mito set a hotel on fire? This couldn't have been her, she's nice!

Killua watched out the window as more people came to spectate. Cars were slowly crawling down the road, honking now and again to speed traffic along. The passing headlights flashed inside the car, illuminating the boys and their surroundings, then plunging them into darkness.

Until one particular set of headlights stayed. Killua looked forward to see headlights rapidly approaching.

"It's coming right at us!" Killua yelled, then grabbed Gon. He only had time to hold on before the car struck their idling vehicle.

The car was blasted backwards, then suddenly they were weightless. Lights and images spun randomly outside the windows. We've flipped! The car landed hard on its head, spinning a good distance before slamming to a stop against a telephone pole.

Killua's ears were ringing. Although they were both buckled in, Killua had hit his head pretty hard, and the seatbelt had dug tightly into his skin.

Gon was frantically thrashing about, trying to free himself from his seatbelt. Finally he fell, then scrambled over to free Killua. Killua barely registered the pain of glass underneath him when he fell to the floor.

Gon was crying, holding a broken arm close to his body. Killua's ears were still ringing. They were sitting on the sidewalk. Where is my dad?

Someone came to help them. Gon started thrashing around when the mystery person picked him up by the collar of his shirt. Killua followed numbly as someone grabbed his arm and tugged him away.

Wake up. Illumi's voice pierced through his daze, and broke the spell. Killua could hear again, and his vision was sharp. He yanked his arm away, and jumped to punch his attacker in the face. Gon slumped to the ground once the assailant was downed, and Killua hauled him up by his good arm.

"We need to find a hospital. They can reset that bone." Killua tried to tell Gon, but Gon was still crying terribly because it hurt.

The boys hobbled away from the crime scene, around a corner and down a road. Luckily there was a hospital right there, and the boys made their way inside.

A single set of sliding doors. A hospital between business buildings rather than surrounded by parking lots. The word Hospital emblazoned above the entrance. Seemed legit.

As soon as the glass doors slid shut behind them, Killua realized their mistake. This was most definitely a trap.