Death's Door // COMPLETED ✔

I Like What You've Done To The Place

Illumi's flat was on the upper side of Lincoln Square with a view far from Central Park and closer to the Hudson. It was nice.

A little too nice, in Killua's opinion. As far as he was aware, rent in that area was insane to even fathom. It was bridging on the Upper West Side where the subject of Killua's morbid curiosity lay: wherever the hell Alluka was living these days.

Which meant it wasn't a far walk at all from Alluka's place to Illumi's brownstone, and this was where she greeted them without warning.

Alluka popped up to her feet at the sight of them exiting the bus. Gon's sneakers hit the pavement just as Alluka cried, "You shouldn't be here! Why bring Gon?!"

"You are hiding something, aren't you?" Killua accused, voice raising to match hers.

"Hey, guys," Gon tried to reason, but they were already at each other's throats.

"What could you possibly have to discuss with Illumi? He's feeling shitty enough these days as it is!" Alluka said, slapping her purse against Killua's chest.

"Shitty?" Killua laughed. "It's not like he's got a perfect job living in a perfect neighborhood in perfect fucking New York—"

"Have you ever even taken a look at Illumi and thought maybe he isn't doing so hot? No, you wouldn't. Because you're too focused on—"

"On what? Selling drugs?" Killua teased.

Gon wedged an arm between them and separated them. "Hey now, relax. We're just visiting," Gon said with a bright smile.

He just got slapped in the chest for it.

"You shouldn't be here." With slightly more composure, she added, tersely, "You'll meet the family on a holiday. Illumi just needs... time. To process."

"Process what, the stick up his ass?" Killua droned.

Alluka stomped her foot a little, heel clicking incessantly against the sidewalk. She slammed her shoe down with force and grabbed Killua by the arm. "Killua. A minute, please."

Killua rolled his eyes, mouthed an apology to Gon, and followed after his sister. It didn't matter how far they went. They were shouting within the minute.

"Why would you bring him here?" Alluka hissed. "You've known him for, like, a week! And you hate Illumi, why are you introducing them?"

"It's not like that," Killua insisted.

Alluka crossed her arms, irritated, and huffed, "Is this about you being gay?"

Killua blinked. "What?"

"Because Illumi's... you know. A little fruity," she said, eyes flitting everywhere but Killua's. "But why go to Illumi for therapy?! You two have never been close!"

"Yeah, 'cause he's a fucking asshole!"

"See! My point exactly! He doesn't need your level of sass right now!"

"What's the fucking deal with him? What's the fucking deal with you! Why's it matter to you what I've got to say to him—"

"It's complicated! You don't get it!"

"Get what, pray, tell! And say it slowly because apparently we're speaking two different fucking languages here—"

Alluka shrieked like Killua just pulled her hair. "You're—! You and Gon are the last people Illumi needs to see right now when he's going through a breakup!"