Chapter Text
When the tarnished bell rings, the students jump up, shoving back squeaky plastic seats. They run on creaky wooden floors, a flurry of feet and dust. Doors with peeling paint stand by as worn sneakers race down the steps. The air outside is warm as always, the sun's love warm upon their skin. One boy in particular whoops with joy, racing ahead of the small pack of stampeding teens. He runs and runs until he can no longer smell the roads. No more artificial smells of markers, but the incomparable air of the forest greets him. The breeze plays with him. He charges through dirt and leaves, leaping nimbly upon the rocks.
"Kon!" He cries joyfully. "I'm free! Can you believe it? Finally!"
He runs along the foxbear, and laughs as the birds sing above.
When the sun starts to lower, he turns towards his home, resolving to go fishing tomorrow.
It'll be great.
When Gon returns, the smell of warm bread greets him from the window. Inside, fresh mangoes sit out, along with a steaming pot of Grandma Abe's favorite tea. Surprisingly, dinner isn't cooking, though.
"Aunt Mito?" Gon calls. "Do you need me to help with the food? I'm sorry, it was the last day of school, and I went to play."
"Gon!" His aunt appears, hair unusually disheveled. "Come up here."
"What's up?" He asks, mood dampening at the way his aunt clenches a paper in her hand.
"Sit." She says calmly but her posture is tense.
"Is something wrong? I got the fish this morning like you said. I even woke up early before school - "
"Gon, we need to talk." She sighs. "A man named Silva Zoldyck bought the island."
"What? He can't! This is our home!" Gon snorts. "You can't just - "
"The Zoldycks are wealthier than this entire island's economy." His aunt shakes her head.
"Tourism was good this year - "
"That doesn't matter." His aunt snaps before her shoulders slump. "None of that matters. It's already done. He's going to make this into a resort."
"What does that mean for us?"
"The school is going to be shut down, we already know that." Aunt Mito groans. "The Zoldyck corporation released their early plans."
"Good riddance." Gon rolls his eyes.
"Gon, please." Aunt Mito slaps the wood desk before looking up apologetically. "I'm so sorry, dear. It's just...you need to go to school, Gon."
"Or I could just become a fisherman or something." Gon pleads. "Aunt Mito, I hate school and school hates me."
"Gon, you need an education." His aunt argues and normally Gon would push back, but his aunt's breathing is starting to get heavier and he quiets.
"They own everything now." Aunt Mito sits at the desk, knuckles white as she grips the corner. "The beaches included. They'll control the fishing, all the resources. Gon, you deserve better than this - "
"I don't want better than this, whatever that means." Gon snaps this time.
"Well, I don't want you to spend your life being treated poorly as a bottom of the barrel contractor for the Zoldyck corporation." His aunt stands, her features sterner than he's ever seen her. "Because that is what will happen. You will be forced to fish for them, and I already know you will not be properly compensated for it."
"How do you know?"
"The Zoldycks are ruthless." Aunt Mito stresses. "All corporations have their issues, but I've been listening to Silva Zoldyck's interviews after hearing the news...he's not a good man. I just know it."
"We have to try." Gon whispers. "This is our home. "
"Maybe someday you can come back." Aunt Mito shrugs weakly. "But Gon, we need to give you opportunities, chances. You need to finish school. Honestly, just the fact that they're going to shut down the only high school on the island for a resort says enough about them...giving the local kids no choice but a future working for the Zoldycks."
"Wait." Everything is cold all of a sudden. "You said I come back. What about you?"
"I'll stay as long as I can, try to keep the house." Aunt Mito says. "I'll see what I can do, work something out, anything. I don't want us to lose our home either, Gon. But I can't let you stay here when I can give you all the chances I can."
"But...what chances? You're...you're all I have right now." Gon admits. He'd always dreamed of meeting his father, but it's been fourteen years and that hasn't happened yet.
Aunt Mito gives him a tight smile. "You're going to live with your dad."
"Wait, really?" Gon leaps up, heart racing. "Wow! Maybe this won't be so bad. I mean, I'm still worried about Whale Island, but I'm gonna meet my dad! That'll be great!"
"It's something." Aunt Mito concedes and Gon ignores the lack of excitement on her part.
"I'm going to miss you, Aunt Mito." Gon hugs his aunt, and waves to the townspeople behind him.
"Call me when you get there." She whispers as she holds him tight.
He hugs Grandma Abe next. She smiles gently at him. "Be good, but not too good."
"Grandma Abe?" Gon asks in scandalized humor.
"Your father had it coming, giving me all that trouble growing up." Grandma Abe shakes her head fondly.
Gon laughs but quiets as he sees his aunt's jaw tighten.
Finally, she speaks carefully. "Gon...things may not be as you expect, just be aware of that, okay?"
"My dad wants to see me, which is something I never could have hoped for." Gon tells her cheerfully. "My expectations have already been surpassed."
She gives him a small smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
"Hey, I need to make this ship. I love you guys!" Gon hugs them both one last time, before boarding.
The ride is long, and Gon sighs as he pulls his green jacket tighter after hours of chilly air.
Eventually, he peers through the thick plastic window and he sees a soaring skyline, all sharp edges and glittering lights. Nearby, a women nearby sighs.
"Home sweet home." She says sarcastically. "You always know when the smog comes and the stars go."
When Gon looks again, he realizes she's right.
"Yorknew City in half an hour." A voice drones somewhere.
Gon sits up straighter, and watches as the light floods the sky even late at night. When the boat pulls in, he gathers his bags. Aunt Mito said he would know his father when he saw him.
But when he gets off the boat, there's so many people. He doesn't recognize anyone. It's loud, with both voices, music, and cars. So many cars. He's never smelled so much exhaust in his life. The lights are so bright, and he winces.
"Gon! Are you Gon?"
He whirls around and sees nobody familiar. But there's a person, blond hair and grey eyes, staring right at him.
A sign with his name on it.
"I don't recognize you." He says weakly.
"I know." The person says with an awkward smile.
The name tag says Kurapika and under it, He/They.
"I'm Kurapika." The blond points at his nametag. "I use he and they pronouns. I work at your father's building staff. I'm here to pick you up. He...he's not available now. Here - "
Kurapika shows him a photo of a man in his mid-thirties. But Gon knows him.
His aunt and grandma had no photos of his father since his father was a teen but Gon knows this man is his father. He looks like an older version of Gon himself.
"Okay." He says softly.
"I know this is really different from what you're used to." Kurapika says softly, a sympathetic smile playing at the lips. "I had to move around at a young age too so I get it, if you want to talk about it."
As they get in the car, Gon shifts. "You seem young still. Older than me, obviously, but young."
Kurapika gives a bittersweet smile.
The drive to the building is nice, Gon supposes. Kurapika explains what they see while driving and Gon likes them. Kurapika is calm and a bit crisp but kind, that's for sure. Gon trusts Kurapika.
"Would you like to eat anything?" Kurapika asks as they pass a places with a bright burger sign, the outline glowing.
"Okay?" Gon says shyly.
"Anything you like?" Kurapika asks.
"Fish."
What Kurapika gives him is weird, a square shaped thing wrapped in foil. There's also a greasy paper box filled with fries. Gon recognizes them, a lot of the restaurants had those for tourists. There's also a tall paper cup that's wet and cold and the liquid inside is so, so sweet.
When Gon unwraps the foil, he sees two mushy slabs of bread with fried fish inside.
It's greasy. Everything is so, so greasy. And it's either really salty or really sweet.
"It's okay if you do not like it." Kurapika laughs as Gon startles. "I am not a big fan of fast food myself. But you have had a long trip and I thought you may want something to eat."
"Thanks." Gon says sincerely. "I have some money - "
"No, it is fine. This stuff is very cheap." Kurapika shrugs, shoulders moving in the driver's seat.
When the car leaves the street, they go into a parking garage.
"I've only seen these in movies." Gon admits, blushing.
"Oh you will get bored of these real quick." Kurapika laughs easily. "Come."
They go into an elevator and Kurapika waves his card.
The space they exit into is also something Gon has only seen in movies. It's a beautiful spaces, with flowers and marble floors. The lights are bright and white, and there's a sleek black counter with screens.
"Wait, this is where Ging lives?" Gon asks in surprise. "He's rich?"
"He does well for himself." Kurapika says politely. " I heard he made a very popular video game years ago. He does high profile work as an archaeologist now. Interesting man."
"That's my dad." Gon says proudly.
Kurapika smiles but it doesn't quite reach his eyes.
"Let us see if he is back yet." Kurapika sighs, checking their watch.
Gon knocks on the door tentatively and a voice calls out, "Got the kid?"
"It's me...dad." Gon answers, heart racing.
"Ah, shit." He hears the man mutter, and Kurapika sighs again.
The door swings open, and he sees his father.
"I...ah.." Gon had planned this for years, yet the words fail him now.
"Hey, kid." Ging looks no better, scratching at his neck.
"Shall I leave you two?" Kurapika asks crisply.
"Yeah, thanks dude." Ging waves a hand.
Kurapika nods simply but gives Gon a kind smile before leaving.
"You eat yet, kid?" Ging asks.
"Yep! Kurapika got me something on the way. My name is Gon, by the way!" Gon says helpfully.
"I know that." Ging mutters. "I named ya."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Ging's place is nice, if not particularly clean. It's not as big as a house, of course. But it's larger than the apartments Gon has read about in books - yes Aunt Mito, he did really read those books.
Right! Aunt Mito.
"Hey, I'm gonna call Aunt Mito." He tells his dad.
"Yeah, yeah. Your room is down the hall, the door that's open." Ging shrugs and ambles away.
It's a bit underwhelming but Gon tries not to let it bother him.
"Gon!" His aunt cries after the first ring.
"Hi Aunt Mito, I made it. Uh...dad went somewhere, but he's in the apartment!"
He thinks his aunt snorts but she clears her throat and speaks. "Well I am glad you are safe and well. Have you eaten?"
"Yes! A kind staff at the building picked me up because Dad was busy and got me some food!"
"Well that's very nice of them indeed. Enjoy your summer sweetheart. I sent any paperwork needed to your father for schooling, but if you need any help, let me know of course. I will be in communication with him as well, as much as possible."
"Got it! Thanks Aunt Mito!"
"Are you tired, Gon? I don't want to hold you up too late."
"I'm gonna check out my room!"
His room is nice, green like he likes it. There's polished wooden furniture and a fluffy rug that reminds him of dirt. It may be weird, but it's comforting to Gon. His bedding has a quilt that Grandma Abe definitely made. There's also a homemade stuffed foxbear.
"You like it kid?" He sees his father in the doorway.
"Yeah, it reminds me of the forest in Whale Island." Gon smiles.
Ging shrugs. "My favorite place there. Your aunt said you liked it too."
"I loved it!" Gon chirps but his father's already moved on while he was taking his clothes out of his bag.
Part of him wants to ask...if Ging loved it so much, why did he leave? But it makes him happier to think about how his father set this room up for him, so he thinks about that.