All My White Lies | bnha

twenty-six | mama's boy

THE HOUSE LOOKED GRIM. Its frost-kissed windows had a slight glimmer to them, but it simply looked like built-up tears waiting to spill onto its walls. The driveway was empty, free of life, free of clutter, full of space. However, I knew my father was home, he always was on Saturdays.

I could see my mother through the windows as she opened one of the curtains up above, at the house's biggest eye to look down at me. Her lips had thinned and so had her figure as if something was eating her from the inside. "I'm coming with you," Nejire stood behind me, hand clutching onto mine encouragingly.

At first, when she had laced our fingers together, I had been tempted to pull away, but she refused to let go. She clung onto me, grip held tight against my own in an unsure effort to comfort the both of us. "I don't know how she'll react towards you, Nejire," I warned, glancing back at the periwinkle-haired girl.

Her glare met mine, a look of pure unwithering determination that I knew I didn't stand a chance against. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. "I'm going. Final answer," I swallowed my argument, nodding meekly as I stepped towards the front door. Before I could get any closer, it swung on its own.

I could smell the faint scents of my mother's cooking, my dad's bitter coffee, and the annoying cleaning solution she always used. Everything smelt the same, but the house felt so different. As if everything in it had died, had been chewed up and spat out all within its walls.

Even my mom looked that way. Her skin was gaunt across her figure, stretched thin as if the weight losses of her son had somehow torn away a part of her too. "I see you're not dead," Her voice was smooth, far from the rasp it used to be, but it lacked the aggressiveness from the past.

It sounded defeated but lilting all the same. She eyed Nejire briefly as well but at least had the decency to push off the doorframe and let us inside. She huffed challengingly, making way for the both of us, just enough to take our shoes off. Nejire only let go then to hold onto the wall but as soon as she had her sneakers off, her hand was with mine again.

"I need to ask about your quirk. Dad too," I supplied pathetically, watching her lead us toward the dining room, one meant for a full family or a big party, but it lacked both. That room had died too. Dull in color, dim in lights, lifeless in all aspects even with the people that occupied its chairs.

"Can't your principa—"

"—I'll be quick. Please,"

My mother said nothing, lips pursed in a stone-cold silence. "You think you're a hero now?" The sentence caught me off guard and I turned to look up at her. She leaned against the wall, practically pasting herself against its corners as she looked down at me. "That because of your status, you can suddenly crawl back when you please?"

Nejire gritted her teeth. "Mrs. L/n—"

"—and you had to bring your friend? Dragging a poor, innocent girl into this," Her eyes turned sharp. "I bet she was one of the ones who brainwashed you at that death wish they call a school." I sharply inhaled, looking back at Nejire who was frozen in her spot, both out of anger and concern.

I could see the questions swarming her mind and I squeezed her hand in comfort. "Five—no, ten minutes. That's all I need. Just ten minutes of your time and I'll be out of here again. Just your quirks, that's it." My mother parted her lips to say something nasty again but was stopped by my father.

His monotone voice rang out, hidden behind the red book he always held. "M/n," He called faintly. "Let's just give the boy what he wants." I felt my heart pang and I swallowed harshly. The boy? He talks about me like I'm not his son anymore. Nejire's gaze softened and I felt her reach up, squeezing my shoulder before letting her grip fall again.