The Bond

Ch 32

"Bold."/"Bold italic" : animatronic is talking/animatronic is talking in mind

"Normal."/"Normal italic." : human is talking/human is talking in mind

=o^o=

If today were also counted, it seemed like it had been exactly one week since he had been unable to fall asleep. The bags under his eyes popped up again and Michael was upset about it—he wanted to sleep, but he was afraid of the same nightmare. Every time he accidentally fell asleep, a few minutes later he would wake up as if startled, and he would give up.

Michael regretted the sleeping pills he left at his house in another city.

Another thing that Michael regrets is; His patience was slowly being eroded because Ennard often irritated him at every opportunity.

"The circle is so ugly."

"Shut up." Michael grumbled at Ennard's comments about the sketch of a person he'd drawn on unused paper. "I don't have the painting tool, if you want to lend me that round nose of yours then I will be grateful."

Ennard raised his eyebrows up and simultaneously covered his red nose as if Michael could snatch it at any moment. "Why are its eyes different sizes?" Even so, he still commented.

"Because it's such a hard thing to draw!" Michael snarled in annoyance. "Why don't you just shut up or do something else?"

"No."

The corner of Michael's eyes twitched. "Why?"

"Because you will be alone and lonely." Ennard's answer sounded innocent, but at the same time it was sarcastic. "And I feel pity."

And that's, an insult.

"I don't need your pity," Michael replied angrily, he pushed Ennard's face close to his with both hands until Ennard finally distanced them. "I prefer to be alone, I don't need someone to accompany me," Michael said confidently, Ennard tilted his head. "I'm used to it anyway."

"Pathetic."

"You—why are you so annoying?!" Michael snapped in exasperation, one word of Ennard's comment was really annoying to him.

The animatronic in front of him snorted. "You say that just to cheer yourself up, but you want someone to stay by your side and care for you just the way you are."

Michael really hated how Ennard was always right.

"Then what can I do?" Michael put away the paper and pencil he had used carelessly, due to being too emotional. "I had to get used to it!" He groaned, finally laying down on the wooden floor, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. "They always leave me in the end."

"I guess I'm just your imagination because you've been lonely for too long."

A grunt is heard. "I hope so too," laughed Michael. "But you're real. The incident was real. The scooper is real. Everything is real. If this is just a dream, I want to be woken up as soon as possible."

Michael winced in pain right after Ennard had slapped him on the cheek with the wires running from the animatronic himself.

Ennard nodded. "It's proven that it wasn't a dream."

"You are such a jerk," Michael growled in annoyance, stroking his cheek that hurt from the slap. "If this is real, I want to dream as soon as possible and your presence will disappear from my sight."

"You're having insomnia, don't expect too much."

"Stop being annoying!" With anger Michael turned away from Ennard and turned his back to Ennard, he puffed his cheeks pouting. "I can try to sleep and when I wake up, you'll be out of here!"

Ennard rolled his eyes. "You will miss me."

"No." Michael stuck his tongue out at Ennard before turning away again. "I won't miss you."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes!"

"Yeah, sure, go to sleep then."

Michael looked at Ennard skeptically. "I would, but ..." He didn't continue, his eyes showing that he was starting to hesitate.

"Nothing will happen."

Michael's eyes rolled upwards feeling the top of his head being lightly tapped by Ennard—Ennard's wires, the animatronic wouldn't move his hand to do such a pointless thing (at least that's what Michael thought). "You can't guarantee that," Michael said.

Ennard shrugged. "I can. You close your eyes, imagine fun things, then you'll fall asleep and finally have a sweet dream without me in it."

"It sounds easy to say," Michael pouted softly, finally turning away from Ennard again. He used his arm as a headrest, and then closed his eyes. "I can't."

"You just close your eyes for a second, you fool."

"But I really can't!" Michael said loudly and full of anxiety, he got up from his lying position to face Ennard.

However, Ennard pressed his face to lie back down on the floor.

"Just imagine I won't be with you this morning when you wake up and that's enough to make you have a sweet dream. Sleep now."

Those words made Michael feel a little scared.

Michael glanced at Ennard out of the corner of his eye doubtfully, a moment later he looked down at the wooden floor. Using his arm again for a headrest, Michael began to close his eyes. Even so, he didn't imagine what Ennard had just said, he preferred to think of something more pleasant—trying not to be distracted by Ennard's words.

A few minutes passed in silence, Michael opened his eyes halfway. "Enn?"

"You haven't slept yet?"

Ennard was still with him.

"Stay here."

"See, I was right, wasn't I? You're lonely."

"Fuck you."

It seemed like it was a wrong thing to say that to Ennard.

Michael snorted in annoyance, finally deciding to go back on his words and no longer caring if Ennard stayed with him or not. He will sleep.