Inversion
Theme #4 - A Jumbled Up Mess

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Through the door, the words were a string of tangled, angry sounds; Ritsuka couldn't make head nor tail of them. But they were angry, and he knew what he'd find inside.

He kicked off his shoes and cautiously pulled open the front door. Luckily, none of the voices paused in notice of his entrance. He lingered in the foyer, afraid to move on into the kitchen, where the argument seemed to be located.

Naturally, it was Mother doing the screaming. Just under it, he could hear Seimei's calm, smooth voice (that calmed his nerves a little; if Seimei was here, then no matter how angry mother was, he was safe) parrying Mother's shrieks. There was something in Seimei's voice, though -- dangerous and cold. Something Ritsuka hadn't heard before, that made the hair stand up on the back of his neck as he listened through the wall, unwilling to show himself while mother was having a fit. He wondered if Seimei's face would have its usual imperturbable expression, or if that deadly, hard edge of ice would show up in his eyes or the wide set of his mouth.

Ritsuka flinched back and had to steel himself not to run either away or to Seimei's side when he heard the sound of a plate exploding against the wall.

And then the strangest part of all struck him: Mother was yelling at Seimei. Her golden child, her favorite son, as far as she was concerned her only son left. She was angry at him. Wasn't that impossible? Awe donned on Ritsuka's mind as the words took shape and meaning. Even filtered through the wall as they were, he could undertand just who was saying what.

"I can see it on your face right now!" The sound of someone spitting in contempt. Mother continued, "You're lying! You're lying and they all believe it! It makes me sick!"

She must be having a very bad fit today, if she was saying things like that to Seimei.

"Mother," Seimei's voice cut in softly, "you are mistaken. Ritsuka is my brother. Of course I haven't -- " And Mother cut him off, wailing. Ritsuka could almost see her in his mind's eye, hair whipping side-to-side as she shook her head, backing away, pupils dilated with unhealthy adrenaline.

"Stop lying! You're as bad as that demon child! Or has he corrupted you? Is that it?"

"Ritsuka is innocent in this, mother." The biting edge in his voice got sharper.

"Ugh! You disgust me! Do you think I'm blind? Do I seem stupid to you? I can see the way you touch him! I see how your hand lingers on his leg, how you're always stroking his hair! It's just...I just don't want to believe it! Tell me if it's some demon spell he's cast! Just tell me, Seimei! I'll forgive you, and I know Ritsuka will too when he comes back to us..."

The hysterical screaming trailed off into sobs.

On the opposite side of the wall, Ritsuka's eyes widened. How could she suggest such a thing? Seimei -- Seimei wasn't -- he'd never --! Just the though of it made Ritsuka's stomach do little flips. He should go in, go to Seimei, defend him -- But wouldn't that just make Mother more angry? He froze, not knowing what to do.

"Misaki, consider what you're saying!" came Father's voice. Ritsuka peered shakily around the dividing wall in time to see the man shoot Seimei a hollowly apologetic look as he took Mother by the wrists. "You need to rest, dear."

"Mother, please take back what you've said," Seimei requested mildly as Mother was led from the room, still crying quietly. Seimei's head turned to where Ritsuka stood half inside the doorway.

"Seimei!" choked Ritsuka, running to his brother and burrying his face in the calmingly familiar scent of Seimei's chest.

"Shh," soothed Seimei gently, running a hand down Ritsuka's back (how could mother mistake such an innocent touch?). "I'm sorry you had to hear that, Ritsuka"

"It's not true. Why doesn't she see, Seimei? Those horrible things she said..." Ritsuka shook a little. Seimei kissed the tops of his ears. "Hey, I think it's best we get out of the house for a while. Do you want to go to the park?"

Tearfully, Ritsuka nodded.

Somehow, he knew Mother would forget about it by tomorrow -- it was Seimei, after all.