@excellent-no1fan spotted a cleric with the #eeduplet

estrangement part i.

It was on his fifteenth summer that he entertained the thought of seriously packing his things up to leave his home. His arms were on auto-pilot, years of routine practice were performed as his mind went over the recent cause of this action.

Just a few hours ago, he held a fragment of his childhood treasure being smashed to pieces. It was jarring how much it made his stomach churn as he listened to his father's usual tirade while staring at the broken pieces of a colorful figurine. He became dazed, his ears were ringing as sounds became more blurred. His fists were on a repeat: clench, unclench, clench, unclench.

When his father demanded of his attention, he turned his eyes on him, seemingly focused but Ye Qiu can only remember his father opening his mouth, wildly gesturing his hands and at some point, clasping his shoulder in an oppressing manner.

His father left right after that, leaving him in front of their living room, alone and unsurprisingly numb. He knew this cycle; he and his brother had been subjected to it for years. He doesn't know why this was different right now but it was. In the past, he would have just groaned in frustration and wait for his brother so that he can grumble and complain. Afterward, they would be sitting on his bed, back-to-back with them silently reading or in Ye Xiu's case, playing games in a purposeful, lowered volume. It was comforting and soon, he would calm down and forget all about it. So, what's different right now?

Silence responded to his question, and he stood there waiting but not knowing what for. He barely even just snapped out of it when a home assistant called for his name, if not for that person kneeling down to retrieve the bits of the transformer (which is right where he was looking to), he doubts he would have moved.

It surprised both him and the lady when he grasped the hand that would have landed on the pieces. She asked him what is wrong. That's what he wanted to know too! She was ordered to get rid of it, he's sure of it. He should abide by his father's wishes, discard distractions as it will only destroy his focus. He lowered himself on the floor and picked the parts. She did not ask why, and what he's going to do. He's still not out of it. He was being rude, completely different from the perfect young master image that his father wanted them to emulate. He could care less. He was silent the whole time and when his palm was full and some of it kept on falling down, the woman offered a small box and left.

The next thing he remembered; he was already packing his things up. Clothes after clothes, books after books until the luggage was all filled up. Not yet zipping his bag, his hands felt for the transformer pieces. It was already shattered, would only uselessly weigh and yet he found himself removing his clothes to make room for it.

It was then when his brother, Ye Xiu, came in without knocking with a cheery voice, letting him know that his brother had not encountered a scolding like his. He should be flustered, flailing his arms while trying to hide his things behind as if he had done something wrong but he did none of that. Just stared at his brother, pleading with his eyes to tell him what is wrong with himself.

Ye Xiu was noticeably confused, asked him if they're going somewhere. His brother sat on the shrivel chair inside his room while he's still at the same exact place. A frown started marring, Ye Xiu's then pulled him down.

"What's wrong with you today, Xiao Qiu?" Ye Xiu tried to test the waters, suddenly feeling unnervingly uncomfortable seeing his usually sprightly brother subdued. Seeing him without bouncing up on his feet and complaining about being called xiao, Ye Xiu let out a soft, Ah and then Ye Xiu slid down to the floor and hugged him.

"He finally did it, didn't he?" What he meant, Ye Qiu can only wonder. Distantly, he thought he knows but at the moment he's trying to hold himself together. "To you this time..."