Killua sat alone in an empty room. Well, mostly empty. There was a bed, but that was about it. Honestly, Killua probably would’ve preferred a prison cell. At least then it would’ve had more color. Kalluto shifted beside him on the bed, still sleeping. Killua turned his eyes to his little brother, smiling down at his sleeping figure. At least I get more time with Kalluto. His smile slowly faded as the worry set in. They know the gist of our past now, which means he’ll probably never get to live a normal life here. The thought saddened him, although realistically Killua knew deep down that never could’ve been a reality anyway.
It was honestly a miracle Killua didn’t get expelled for what he did, but he was grateful. Does it even matter anymore though? Killua thought, biting his lip harshly. I doubt anyone in class 1-A will treat me the same after all that. Killua didn’t care about actually being a hero. The only reason he’d grown so attached to that life, was because he was beginning to form bonds. I don’t need them though. I have Gon! Killua assured himself. That thought didn’t bring him as much comfort as he thought it would surprisingly. It still filled him with a sense of loss. Killua hadn’t realized just how much he’d begun to care about his classmates.
“Big brother?”
Killua was snapped out of his worries as he glanced down at Kalluto, who was staring up at him with bleary eyes. He rested a hand on his little brother’s back. “Good morning Kalluto.” He said softly, offering him a warm smile. To his surprise, Kalluto barely looked at him as he sat up. “I can’t believe we’re gonna be in here for a whole week. So irritating..” Killua frowned, a bit confused. But maybe he just needs his space? That didn’t seem right though, Kalluto always wanted to be closer to him, especially when he was upset. “Yeah, it really is. But hey! On the bright side, I don’t have to go to school for a week.” He said with a chuckle, leaning backwards against the wall.
“…”
Killua’s frown returned as Kalluto didn’t respond. He was pretty good at interpreting when Kalluto was upset, although he couldn’t think of a single reason why he would be in this situation. “Kalluto..?” Kalluto shifted a little but didn’t look up. “Yes, brother?” He replied, in a soft voice. Killua placed a gentle hand on his back. “What’s got you in such a mood? You know you can talk to me about anything right?” Kalluto hesitated, before looking down. “I had to go through this physical examination thing,” he said slowly. Oh yeah, I had to do one of those as well. Killua thought.
“After I was done, I had to take my shirt off to get put in these new clothes. And when the lady examining me saw my scars she said something about how horrid they looked.”
Killua stiffened a little. Scars? Thinking of his childhood, Killua guessed it made sense. Kalluto wasn’t trained as roughly as he was, but he still went through some of the same endurance training he’d had most likely. Killua felt his heart twist as his little brother finally looked at him, and his eyes were watery. “I didn’t realize….they were something to be so ashamed of. Am I really that horrible to look at?” Killua gritted his teeth, pulling Kalluto into a gentle hug. “No Kalluto, you aren’t. I know it might feel that way, but people are just…shocked. You know? Because it’s not normal.”
Kalluto hugged him back, eyes downcast. Killua could only imagine how horrible he’d felt after that interaction. He’s still so emotionally vulnerable. How do I fix this… Killua slowly let go of Kalluto, taking in a deep breath. “Hey Kalluto, can I see the scars you’re talking about for a moment?” Kalluto hesitated, looking unsure for a moment. He slowly tugged his shirt off, exposing his back to him. Killua bit the inside of his cheek as his eyes ran down Kalluto’s back. He felt a moment of relief at how few marks there were, which meant he’d gone through significantly less physical pain than Killua. He had a few jagged scars along his spine, a long arcing one on his left shoulder, plus a couple of smaller ones.
“Does it really look that bad?”
Kalluto mumbled, face buried into his knees. Killua shook his head, placing a gentle hand on his little brother’s back. “No, Kalluto. Listen, I get why you might feel insecure. But there’s nothing to worry about.” He reassured his brother softly. Kalluto glanced over at Killua, seeming as if he wanted to believe him but couldn’t bring himself to. Killua hummed, then made a decision. “I have scars too, you know.” Killua pulled off his own shirt, hoping that it would ease Kalluto’s insecurities. Kalluto’s eyes widened in shock as he took in Killua’s own scars, which were much more plentiful. They covered nearly his entire back and shoulders. “See? You don’t have to feel ashamed.”
~~~~~~~~~Aizawa’s PoV~~~~~~~~~
Shota stood frozen for a moment in the camera room, completely taken aback by the scene he was witnessing. He’d previously been overcome with suspicion, feeling the overwhelming urge to see what the brothers were talking about after they’d both been exposed as villains. Shota felt something in him break as he watched Kalluto cry into Killua’s arms, the moment so overwhelmingly sad. Those children aren’t evil. They’ve been mistreated… He realized, hand clenching into a fist. He might’ve only known Killua for a year and a half, and Kalluto for even less, but he felt a sudden weight of responsibility on his shoulders as he thought back to all of those subtle hints Killua had dropped throughout the time the pro had known him.
“You’d be surprised at what the human body is capable of when you push it far enough.”
“Why is it that every time things start going right and I start feeling happy, some dickhead comes along and ruins it!”
“I don’t have any goals, dreams, desires. I wasn’t raised that way.”
“What he needs is to get the love and affection he never had as a kid.”
Shota made a vow that moment, as he slowly turned away from the cameras. Killua, Kalluto. I will never let your parents hurt you again. He thought. That I promise.
1061 words
To Be Continued…
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