blossoming.

higanbana

the front door clicked shut and issei dropped his keys in the little bowl on the hallway cupboard. he took off his shoes, carelessly shoving them into the shoe cabinet. a little scolding for that from his mother wouldn't be enough to bring him down today. all the while, he hummed along to the song blasting through his earphones. out of the corner of his eye he spotted a large duffel bag, but he didn't pay that much attention to it. he grinned widely, his mind filled with the memories of the day with takahiro - his boyfriend of just about two weeks and best friend of 13 years - as he shuffled up the stairs. 

he had barely set foot on the top floor, when issei was almost taken down by a 13 year old whirlwind - his younger sister etsuko. her hug lasted longer than usual, and issei turned off his music. he kind of wished he hadn't. his sister's sobs were heartbreaking. his smile faded and he crouched down to look into etsuko's eyes. he took her face in his hands, brushing a loose strand of her tangled, dark hair behind her ear. "what's wrong, huh?" issei asked softly. etsuko threw her arms around his neck, her body shaking as she struggled to speak. but issei understood. mum said you'd have to leave, because you did something horrible. he froze, his breath hitching. "etsuko, go downstairs and listen to some loud music or go over to fumiko's place, okay?" etsuko nodded feebly, slowly taking a step back and wiping her face with the back of her hand. "gross." issei rummaged around his bag, finding a pack of tissues and throwing it at etsuko. "clean your nose," he said, faking laughter. she giggled along. "sorry, issei-nii."

issei waited until he heard the front for closing before he started looking for his mother. he found her in his room, taking apart his entire closet. "mum, what the fuck is this about me having to leave?" she turned around, her once neat bun almost falling apart, eyes blood shot and cheeks puffy. "how could you do this to us, issei?", she screamed. her voice was hoarse, issei noticed. "i have no idea what you're talking about." he lied. he knew what she meant. but oh, issei was praying that he was mistaken. "you and that- that other boy, holding hands. issei, that is disgusting and wrong. i can no longer call you my son and i want you to leave immediately," she took a deep breath, "and don't you dare come back home. your clothes are downstairs." issei felt like he was falling, waiting for the impact. the impact came when his mother shoved him out of the house, threw his shoes at him and locked the door. and in that moment he realised that he had nowhere to go.