[ CALLISTO VIANI ] [ @nasiya ]

I'M FALLING APART AGAIN
AND I CAN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE AMENDS

rain tapped against the window, a soothing sound that lulled the pastel haired florist into a state of deep relaxation. the artificial lights cast the shop in a harsh light, so with careful steps, he meandered over to the glass door, flipping the sign and waving at the passing mother and her two children. the children shouted gleefully and attempted to run toward the store; however, their mother caught them, dragging them back to her side and scolding them in a sharp tone—which belayed her worry and painted her in the familiar colors of motherhood. callisto’s smile vanished as he watched them disappear down the street, the rain and darkness of the day shrouding and obscuring their figures from sight. rainy days reminded him of his mother and her bitter retorts. with his hand pressed against the cool glass, he managed to maintain his connection to reality, steering clear of the pitfall known as his memories. the fair haired male wondered if she would have accepted him or if she would continue to berate him for his failures. petal pink lips quirked into a morose smile while he let his hand fall away from the door, unable to continue lingering. amethyst hued eyes spotted the other vendors, watching as they hurried to shoo away final customers and smiling politely at anyone who passed. few people needed flowers on rainy days.

with a final wave, he pivoted to face his shop. a burst of color greeted his gaze, and his smile faded, replaced by a barely perceivable upturn of his lips. callisto adored the flowers and tended to each plant with careful hands. the soft thud of his steps echoed in the silent shop as he approached the light switch, flicking each down and watching as the artificial light vanished. faint light filtered in from outside, the remaining vestiges from the brilliant morning light. when he awoke, the sun had been smiling brilliantly upon the world, shining her light upon the earth and gifting everyone with her joyous grin; however, as the hours passed, dark clouds appeared in the sky, amassing and covering the sun. when the pale blue of the endless sky vanished, the pastel haired shop owner waited in anticipation. it took several minutes before the deluge began, yet in the past hour, it had yet to display signs of relenting. soft laughter escaped him as he draped his body over the counter, utilizing the stable surface as his primary support. soft humming sounded from him to match the drumming of the rain as the rain carried him away toward a half-conscious state of mind, yet frantic knocking upon the glass door roused him, shocking him into an upright position.

trembling hands wrapped around his waist as his gaze shifted to the door, a dark shadow hovering near the locked object and the image spurring the florist into action. with a deep breath, he bent down, unearthing the key. his fingers tightened around the object, and upon squaring his shoulders and taking a steadying breath, he traversed the distance between himself and his unexpected visitor. the key easily slipped into the lock, which released an echoing click as the key turned. his fingers quaked as he wrapped a hand around the door knob, slowly opening the door and wincing due to the rain’s sudden increase in volume. with his free hand, he beckoned the visitor inside, slamming the door shut behind the hulking form and then twisting the key in an effort to lock the door once again—mentally praying for no further incidents or unannounced visitors. pale purple tinted eyes locked with sapphire ones as he tilted his head up. a nervous blush spread across his pale cheeks while his hands fluttered uselessly down to his sides. cah—can i get you a towel… sah—sir? the words escaped him in a faint whisper though his body was already moving toward the hidden stairs, which lead to his apartment.