Chapter Text
"Maybe this'll be good for you, you'll see." Kalluto said, hand on Killua's shoulder. Killua appreciated that his younger brother was trying to be assuring, but there was no bright side to this.
"At least you'll be far away from mom and dad." His sister, Alluka said. Okay, maybe there was a bright side. Leave it to her to find it.
"Thanks, guys." Killua sighed. "I'll see you on visitation day. Love you."
Killua hugged his younger siblings goodbye, as the transport bus arrived. He grabbed his bags, boarding, and took a window seat towards the back so he could watch his siblings as the bus left.
Once he couldn't see them anymore, he faced the front and leaned his head back. He took a deep breath, and let it go. 'Maybe this'll be good for you'. Killua repeated to himself. 'You'll see'.
The bus was mostly empty. A few kids and teenagers were scattered. No one sat close to anyone else. It was eerily silent, which didn't help the knot forming in Killua's gut. He had no idea what to expect.
Soon enough the transport arrived at the facility Killua had been admitted to by his parents. The tall, barbed fences and iron gates made it look like a dreary military base.
The facility itself was rather expansive. Several buildings, some taller and some wider. All painted the same lackluster dark gray.
The bus stopped at the front door to one of the buildings. "Load off." The driver instructed.
Killua and the others all followed orders, getting out of the vehicle. A doctor-looking lady waited for them all outside.
"Greetings," She smiled. "Welcome to HMDYF, the Home For Mentally Distorted Youths Facility. Your new home until you're dismissed. I'm Doctor Krueger, though you may call me Bisky."
'Great', Killua thought. She had the same last name as a fictional horror character. Totally not a red flag.
The seven of them followed her inside. "I'll distribute assigned room keys to you all. Every supervisor has a master key, however, to ensure that you're not doing anything you're not supposed to behind closed doors. Unless you are changing your clothes or showering, we ask that you keep your doors open. Try not to stay isolated in your rooms too often. Associate with your peers and try to enjoy your stay."
'Fat chance of that', Killua thought bitterly. He was only here cause his parents found out he was gay. And that he... harmed himself. On a regular basis. He'll put in some good behavior and be out in no time. And prove to his parents that being gay doesn't mean he's a fucking mental case.
Entering the lobby, the place reminded him of a children's hospital. The way everything was designed and structured. It was something like a cross between a motel and a children's hospital. Only everyone here were nutjobs in one way or another.
"Hand over your luggage to one of these ladies here," Krueger directed them. "Please understand, we have to ensure none of you are carrying harmful substances or items."
Killua grumbled. 'Should've seen that coming', he thought, turning over his suitcase and backpack to a woman with dark pink hair. She went through it, and uncovered his razor blade. 'Well, off to a great start, jackass', Killua told himself sarcastically as the woman set the blade in a tote.
His luggage was handed back to him, and Killua recieved his room key. Room 099. How many fucking rooms were there, anyways?
He set his bags down, and flopped onto the bed. At least they didn't take his phone away. Yet. They said lights out at 10pm, and all devices had to be turned over at night. Aside from the computers. Each room had a computer in it for tenants to use, and they automatically shut down at 10pm.
Killua groaned. At least he had a password on his phone. He did not need them taking a peak at his browser history or image gallery. Not that it was anything lewd or whatever. Just a lot of weeb and fanatic crap that these high and mighty caretakers might look down on.
There was a knock at the door. Killua didn't want to answer, but he also wanted to build a good reputation and get out of there. So he went over to the door and opened it.
Standing there was a boy younger than him. Short, with brown hair and thick eyebrows. "U-uhm-"
"What do you want?" Killua asked, impatient. He didn't realize how icy and cold his tone was.
The kid flinched. "We're d-doing card games in th-the entertainment r-room. So w-we can all get to know each other. Th-the supervisor a-asked me to get you." He explained, trembling.
Killua huffed, 'sounds boring'. But nonetheless, he followed to kid out. They walked through the lobby, and through some hallways before being lead into a large room with tables and chairs set up.
Most patients were playing games at the tables, or talking. But there was one guy, alone in one of the corners. At a table all to himself. The dark circles under his eyes and his dead stare at the white table sent chills down Killua's spine. Killua looked away, not wanting the guy to notice him.
"Hello there, Killua." The supervisor smiled at him. "Go ahead and sit at any table you like. Maybe make some friends."
"Who's that?" Killua asked, not looking at the guy in the corner. But she knew who he was talking about.
"Ah, that would be Gon. He's been a patient here for the last ten years." She explained. "You can go say hi if you like. He won't bite, unlike some of the kids here." She giggled.
Killua didn't find that reassuring.
Seeing as everyone else here was far too lively for Killua's liking, he did just that. He walked over to the table in the corner. He silently took a seat, opening his phone instead of trying to start up a conversation.
Though he felt Gon's eyes look up at him. "...What're you doing here?"
"Me?" Killua asked. "What am I doing at this facility, or at this table?"
The boy's stare was intense, and Killua was regretting sitting there. 'Those hazel eyes could set the room on fire with a glare', Killua thought. Killua noticed that Gon had tan, olive like skin splattered with freckles, and messy dark raven hair. Really messy.
Since Gon didn't reply, Killua shrugged. "Tried to kill myself, that's all. Parents shipped me off here. That old hag over there suggested I come say hi. So uh, hello."
Gon hummed, but didn't respond. He just went back to staring at the table.
"Not exactly a conversationalist, huh?" Killua asked with a chuckle. Gon's eyes flicked back up to him, and Killua swallowed a lump in his throat. "So uh, what's your deal?"
"My deal?" Gon asked.
"I told you why I'm here." Killua said. Gon's tone was unsettling, Killua felt he should probably just shut up. His conscience had alarms going off that there's something dangerous about this guy. But Killua wasn't just going to start listening to that voice in the back of his head right now. It didn't end so well the last time.
"..." Gon went back to staring at the table.
"The table must be pretty fascinating." Killua scoffed. "You trying to burn a hole through it or something?"
Gon looked up and glared at him. 'Shit', Killua thought. That gaze really could set a person on fire. Killua could feel himself heating up. Or maybe his mind was playing tricks on him.
"..." Gon looked down at the table yet again.
Da fuq?
Killua decided to just do something on his phone and do his best to ignore the creep. But as he texted his younger siblings, he felt Gon's eyes on him several times. It was uncomfortable. 'This guy has got to be a psycho', Killua thought.
"How's it going over here, boys?" Killua jumped out of his skin. The supervisor, Miss Krueger, smiled down at him. "It seems awfully quiet over here."
"Blame him." Killua pointed to Gon. "How am I supposed to hold a conversation with this guy?"
Miss Krueger looked over at Gon, who met her gaze with dead eyes. "Gon," She said sternly. "I'm sure you'll get along if you just talk. It's been a while since someone's tried to talk to you. Why don't you give it a shot?"
Her passive-aggressive smile seemed to have the same affect on both Killua and Gon. It sent chills. "...Okay, Bisky."
Bisky nodded, and walked away.
"...What's your name?" Gon asked.
'Wow, a conversation starter. Who knew he had it in him?' Killua thought. "The name's Killua."
"Killua..." Gon tested the sound of it. "That's a weird name..."
"Well, Gon isn't exactly common either." Killua scoffed. "What's with the obsession over the table?"
"...It's too lively in here." Gon explained. "It hurts my head when there's a lot going on... helps to stare at something that's inanimate."
"Yeah... I don't really like busy places either." Killua looked around. Yup, everyone was lively as hell. Some kid was dancing on the tables, running from an irritated Miss Krueger. When Killua looked back over to Gon, he was staring at the table again. "So, what do you do around here?"
"I don't know..." Gon said, staring at Killua's hand. At least it was something other than the table, but Killua felt uneasy being stared at. Was there something wrong with his hands? Gon asked, "Do you... play any instruments..? Or are you an artist?"
Killua blinked. Not what he expected. "...Yeah. I play guitar. And I sketch sometimes but it's not exactly something I'm great at. Could you tell?"
"Scars on your hands. Not from self harm. Most likely from a stringed instrument. Or, perhaps, sculpting and other artistic tools. Maybe woodcraft." Gon explained. "You must play guitar a lot."
"Uh, yeah. I do." Killua nodded.
"Did you bring one with you?" Gon asked.
"Yeah." Killua confirmed. "Wanna... come to my room and hear me play sometime?" He asked awkwardly.
"...I don't know." Gon shifted his position, looking back down at the dingy white table once again. "...I don't like... leaving my room... too many people everywhere... everything's too colorful... and bright..."
"I could... bring it over to your room then?" Killua offered. If he was going to get along with anyone here, it might as well be Gon. He seemed the least likely to be overly annoying. He seemed chill. If not chillingly creepy. But maybe Killua misjudged him. He didn't actually seem all that bad. Just didn't have great social manners.
"Maybe." Gon said simply.
"What room are you in?" Killua asked.
"...405." Gon answered. He seemed hesitant to reveal that. "Fifth door on the fourth floor... well, technically the fifth floor... since the floor we're on is considered floor zero..."
'Holy shit that's a lot of rooms...' "How many people is this place even designed for...?"
"Max patient capacity is seven hundred..." Gon answered, fidgeting with his fingers. "They've never had to put anyone above the fourth-... fifth, floor though... At least... not while I've been here..."
"Hm..." Killua looked around. "You know, you still haven't said why you're h-"
"Gon?" Another doctor-looking lady, not Miss Krueger, walked up to the table. "It's nine o'clock. Let's walk over to my office."
Gon stood up, now staring at the floor. For a moment though, his eyes met Killua's. "Bye." Gon said simply, before leaving with her.