The Bright Colours of Misery [COMPLETED]

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈 -love, panic-

By the time Heidi turned twelve, the bullying had stopped. Her powerful slap had been enough, but not  enough to cure her self-esteem issues, or mend her parents' relationship. She had a long way to go still and so did her family. Walter was thinking of moving away, Heidi heard him talk about it with Wilma. It made sense, he was 23 after all, but the thought of him leaving felt so strange and unfamiliar. My human wondered if they'd even get by without him, especially after he mentioned concerns about it himself. Dinner had been awkward for some time now, since Alfred and Trudy didn't bother to speak with each other and no one had anything special to tell. The children went to school, came back, did some things with the BDM, and then went back home, it was all quite repetitive, until one day in early March when Walter finally decided he had to explain his plans to his parents. They were all eating the same soup as they had the day before, and the day before that, slurping from their spoons quietly.

"Could I say something?" He started carefully. It was new for him to ask for permission and just showed how truly tense this household was. Frieda and Heidi shot each other some shocked glances.
Trudy nodded. "Of course,"
"We have to ask for permission now?" Alfred chuckled, looking around the table. Trudy rolled her eyes.

Wilma muttered something to Walter angrily looking at her father.

"What did you say, young lady?" He asked, leaning over the table to get as close to her as possible, his wide empty eyes seeming to stare into her soul, Trudy had to pull him back into his chair, Heidi looked away, his demeanour made her uncomfortable.

He kept staring at Wilma, until she took a deep breath.

"I sarcastically said," She started. "I wonder why."

His eyes narrowed. "And what do you mean by that? '' He inquired with a tone that sent shivers down Heidi's spine.

"Calm down alfred." Trudy warned in a low tone.

"You know exactly what I mean by that." Wilma answered close thereafter.

"I don't, i don't understand-" Manfred started innocently, looking at Frieda and then at his mother frantically.

"She means that it's papa's fault." Gisela said almost instantly with a bitter tone.

"Gisela!" Trudy gasped.

"What? it's true!"
No one countered that, Alfred grunted and silence took a hold of the family again.

Heidi's eyes wandered to her sisters, Frieda looked tired, Gisela looked angry and Wilma looked...all of the above, both angry and tired as usual. Heidi saw her fists clench under the table as her father's eyes met hers again.

Trudy eventually cleared her throat.

"What did you want to say, walter?" She asked, forcing a small smile.

He sighed.

"I'm moving out." He stated he wouldn't ask for any permissions anymore. Trudy wiped her mouth with a napkin and nodded. Once she looked back up at her son her eyes were glistening filled with unshed tears.

"Where to?" She asked, her forced smile twitching.

"Either, here, just a few blocks away," He hesitated. "Or Heidelberg, some friend is willing to let me stay at his house for a bit before I find something."

"That's far away," She commented. "Heidelberg."

"Not that far," Wilma reasoned, looking over at Walter with a strange look.

Heidi stared at her, confused for a moment until she realised something.

Walter would never ask for permission to leave, he had every right to leave. Wilma was the one he was going to ask about. He was testing the waters.