i'm always right but what's your perception?

[shooteverything]

[ detention in the bio classroom isn't as bad as it could be. at least there's stuff to look at. heine's gaze trails over the dusty blackboard, the sun coming in through the window, and the old raccoon specimen in a glass case on a high shelf. the sun isn't actually that appealing; he burns too easy to enjoy it.

so: staying inside and cleaning the classroom as punishment is an all right option, all things considered. heine picks up a rag with two fingers from the countertop to hold it under the tap, ready to get started and do a just-barely adequate job so that the teacher won't get on his ass.

there's supposed to be someone else coming in. he glances toward the doorway, checking to see if they've arrived yet. if they're unwelcome company, he can either intimidate them into cleaning by themselves or, worst case scenario, kick them out and just do it alone. ]

Comments

[shooteverything]

It's fine.

[ heine scrubs a hand through his hair fruitlessly and picks up a jacket and his wallet from the desk. ] It's close enough to walk. Let's go.

[ out of the apartment they go! heine doesn't seem inclined toward talking, though that might just be because he's still tired. ]

[killectric]

...Okay. [He wasn't going to buy him clothes, was he? No way...

Heine probably just didn't want to leave him in his apartment alone, so he was making him tag along. Not that Killua minded, since he barely ever got to go to the mall.]

[shooteverything]

[ though heine doesn't really care about fashion, he's not going to have killua stay in those clothes. it'd be too much trouble, and lead to awkward questions if anybody saw him.

heine's silent on the walk over to the mall. it's still early, and not too busy. coming to a stop at the directory of stores, heine jerks a thumb at the listing. ]

I don't know what you want, so pick a store.

[killectric]

Eh?! [Killua looks over, shocked and jaw dropping.] What do you mean what I want?!

[shooteverything]

Huh? [ heine squints at him for a moment. ] I don't need anything. You don't have any clothes, right? So...

[ waves a hand at the store directory again. ]

[killectric]

Ah... [Killua turns away in a huff, blushing and with his lips pursed tight. Heine must think he's a real charity case! Buying him clothes too...

Begrudgingly, he points at a store that sounds cool.]

[shooteverything]

[ heine finds it on the map after a moment. ]

That way. [ mall exploration with company is always weird for heine, because he tries to avoid shopping. but it's a necessity, and he sets killua loose into the store with only one warning: ] Don't get lost.

[ oh yeah, and: ] I've got fifty bucks on me.

[ but mostly, don't get lost. ]

[killectric]

There's only one exit, how could I get lost? [Heine he's not a child. He's 14 whole years old. Muttering as he wanders off, Killua gets to work.] Stupid...

[Twenty minutes later he's back with an armful of 90s fashion. A few t-shirts, a plaid button-down, a pair of denim shorts...and of course, a skateboard.

Because he budgeted for it.] Okay, I'm done.

[shooteverything]

[ heine has been hanging by the entrance, staring at a rack of t-shirts and playing on his phone. he looks over quickly when killua returns, and... wow. really. a skateboard and yo-yos don't really make him seem that mature, but whatever.

he reaches out to take the clothes and go to the checkout. it's past breakfast-time by now, but heine doesn't eat much anyway. and he's no fun to go to a mall with. ]

[killectric]

[Killua follows Heine to check out, grinning a little as the items are rung up. There's a small mirror for trying sunglasses on by the counter that he plays around with, making faces and trying on a few shades. Until he freezes, spotting a familiar figure walking by in the reflection.

In an instant Killua is gone and hidden himself inside a circular clothing rack.]

[shooteverything]

[ heine doesn't look around while the cashier rings things up, so when he's given a bag and turns around, he's surprised to see that killua isn't there. ]

Hey...

[ looking around, he doesn't see the kid immediately. ]

Killua?

[killectric]

[From within a clothing rack, some familiar pale legs and purple shoes poke out at the bottom...] Shhh!

[shooteverything]

[ dude wtf. ]

What are you doing?

[ you're embarrassing him!! ...not really. heine doesn't care; swinging the bag from one hand and the skateboard from the other, he comes closer to the clothing rack. ]

[killectric]

[Killua parts the way in front of him, hangers clacking as he peeked through.]

...My brother's here.

[shooteverything]

Is he looking for you?

[ heine holds out a hand to hold the clothes out of the way. ]

Are you sure it was him?

[killectric]

I don't know, but it was definitely him. [Killua points towards the doors, and then in the direction he saw his brother walking.]

He walked right past us, I saw it in the mirror.

[shooteverything]

[ heine glances in the direction that killua indicates. ]

Looks like he's gone. C'mon.

[killectric]

[Killua seems tense, but after checking if the coast was clear himself he finally stepped out.]

We gotta get out of here fast.

[He hurries to the door, looking either way before rushing in the opposite direction.]

[shooteverything]

Okay, okay. [ heine goes after killua, trying to look less suspicious, at least. no one seems to be following them, and heine goes at a faster walk as they exit the mall. ]

I have to buy groceries, by the way.

[ so don't go too fast! ]

[killectric]

[Nyooom, Killua is booking it. It's only once they're out of the mall that he stops to breath, hands on his knees and coughing, nose dripping just before he sneezes. He wipes his nose on his sleeve and looks up, face red.]

Okay... I think we lost him. Let's go.

[shooteverything]

[ heine makes a mental note to buy some boxes of tissues at the grocery store. ]

What does he look like? [ actually: ] What does the rest of your family look like?

[killectric]

Creepy. [Killua says, and seems content to leave it at just that--but eventually adds more after sorting out his sniffles and catching his breath.]

He's really tall and skinny, with long black hair. My dad's really tall too, but he's built like a pro-wrestler and has long white hair. The rest of my family doesn't really go out much, so I don't think we have to worry about them...except maybe grandpa Zeno.

[shooteverything]

[ so the hair thing isn't genetic? heine tries to remember what killua's saying about his family, in case he sees anyone matching that description. ]

Okay. [ heine makes a turn down the street to a grocery store. ] What's your grandpa look like?

[killectric]

Old and hunched over.

[Killua is so very helpful. While they walk he reaches over to swipe the skateboard from Heine, flipping it under his feet mid-step and then rolling along beside him.]

WRONG ACCOUNT LMAO

[shooteverything]

[ well... that could be any grandpa, but heine lets it pass because he's more distracted by killua taking the skateboard. he sighs but lets that go. he doesn't really like shopping, and he guesses that having another person in the house means he'll need to buy more. ]

Okay, just don't run off.

[ he starts with buying pasta and deli meat, and sandwich bread. he's not good at cooking, ok. ]