Death's Door // COMPLETED ✔

Can You Tell The Author Has Never Been To Jail

If Gon thought he and Illumi had a smooth time dealing with the police the first time, nothing could have prepared him for the disaster that confronted them on the Central Park sidewalk the moment the police arrived on the scene.

By the time the coroner arrived to certify Illumi's death, Gon and Killua were vacated from the premises and put in custody.

This did not happen the first time, Gon thought, sitting beside Killua in the back of the squad car. It was the first time Gon had ever been handcuffed.

Killua had his head tipped against the window. Tear tracks had turned his pink cheeks glossy and he hadn't looked at Gon once. In fact, he turned his head further into the window to avoid Gon seeing him at all.

Respecting his privacy, Gon looked away, chewing at the inside of his lip.

"You're allowed three phone calls," the officer told them as they were being processed at the station.

Gon swallowed hard. He looked once again to Killua, whose eyes hadn't yet raised from the ground. After a beat of awkward silence, Gon admitted, "I... don't have any family to call..."

The officer shrugged. "What about you, kid?"

Killua had looked up to stare at Gon, fleetingly, before stammering, "I, um, I should probably call my sister."

The officer gestured with his thumb for them to follow. At the booths, Gon was waved ahead. He stalled, just a moment, but the officer was insistent. "Killua," he said.

Killua glanced away from the phone as he pulled it from the hanger. Their eyes met, and it was all Gon could do to keep his voice steady.

"Ask Alluka if Meruem's still with her?" he said.

Killua's eyes flitted away and back again. He nodded. All the way down the hall, Gon couldn't resist looking back as Killua dialed and put the phone to his ear, wrists pressed together by the cuffs.

It took a second after Alluka answered for Killua to say anything. His eyes stung, cheeks tight from the tears. "H-Hey. Hi," he said.

"Where are you?" Alluka asked. "I—I want to see you."

Killua winced, glancing back at the officer. He turned fully to rest his back against the booth and say, "I'm... kind of at the station."

"Station?" Her gasp hitched against a laugh. "Oh my God, you got arrested?"

Killua shut his tired eyes. "It's not funny."

"It's so funny."

"Illumi died," Killua hissed. On any other day, he might have found the circumstances hilarious if not unfortunate. Now, all he wanted to do was crawl under his sheets and pretend none of it happened. "He just collapsed."

"I, um. Okay, that's not funny. Am I able to come get you or...?"

"The officer said they're just checking the security footage and waiting on the autopsy. They're keeping Gon and I overnight."

"Gon's with you?" Alluka squeaked. "Oh. We can talk about it later. I'll pick you up."

"Are you—" Killua took a deep breath. Though he quieted his voice, and though he knew he was being recorded anyway, Killua took to a whisper. "Are you still with Meruem at the apartment?"

Alluka's breath hitched, crackling over the line. "We can talk later. Call me when you're released?"

Killua scoffed. "What, you aren't gonna pay my bail?"