The Bond

Ch 53

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

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

=o^o=

"Can we be friends?"

"No."

The corner of Michael's mouth curled downwards instantly.

Even so, he still followed Ennard who headed towards the living room to take a look at the endoskeleton again. Totally untouched. "Why not?" Michael asked.

"You're annoying."

Michael puffed out his cheeks. "You're annoying too!" He pointed right at Ennard's face. "But I'm kind, and Ennard is lonely, that's why I want to be friends with Ennard. Because I'm kind."

"You said that twice, idiot." Ennard rolled his eyes lazily and his cord moved to pick up the blueprint that was on the floor. "You're also lonely and you have the audacity to called me that."

"I'm not lonely," Michael replied proudly, Ennard glanced up. "Not anymore! Because Lucy is now my friend." Michael smiled widely.

Ennard frowned deeply. "Whatever."

"So can we be friends now?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I won't change my answer."

Michael groaned in annoyance. "Come on!" He jumped onto the sofa to match his height with Ennard who remained busy with the blueprints, not even looking at himself for the slightest. "We can be close friends! You and me!" Michael said excitedly, Ennard wasn't interested at all.

"You have a slanted brain, Afton."

"Hey," Michael retorted, feeling offended. "You said I was lonely too, but you were lonely too. We can be friends who are equally lonely!" Michael was still adamant, he stepped onto the table unconcerned despite Ennard seemed surprised about what he was doing.

The animatronic immediately secured the skeleton near Michael's feet so that nothing untoward happened. "Why are you so stubborn?" Ennard asked, very confused.

The eldest Afton crossed his arms, looking at Ennard with knitted brows. "Because," he paused for a moment as if searching for the right answer, "because I want to." Michael frowned, his voice sounding doubtful, why would he want to be friends with Ennard?

"Tell me your reason."

"Do I need a particular reason why I want to be friends with you?"

"Yes."

Michael looked at Ennard who was walking away from the living room into one of the bedrooms. "But I don't have any!" Michael called out, jumping off the table and back following Ennard.

"Then no."

Before Michael could enter, Ennard closed the bedroom door right in Michael's face. Michael pursed his lips and stared intently at the door in front of him as if it could open on its own because of his gaze. He called for Ennard, but Ennard didn't answer at all. Even if he cut off the name of the animatronic—which usually always manages to get his attention.

"Enn!" Michael exclaimed once more, his knocking on the door growing barbaric and impatient. "Ennard!" Michael puffed out his cheeks in annoyance, Ennard didn't pay any heed.

He sighed and leaned his back against the door. Ennard had brought up the particular reason earlier, Michael began to think about what reason he should say. For some reason he wanted to get closer to Ennard.

Maybe Ennard was right if his brain was skewed and he would lose his mind.

Michael sighed for so many times, he was still thinking hard to find the right reason to be friends with Ennard. Pure friends. Ennard could have thought he had ulterior motives, after all they were enemies, right? It seems so.

Before long, the door opened and Michael gasped in surprise as he stumbled backwards. His back ached, he whimpered.

"Is that hurt, Afton?"

He opened his tightly closed eyes only to find Ennard's mocking face in his human form. Michael gritted his teeth, annoyed. However, Ennard's eyes caught Michael's attention. It was like being immersed in a different world every time he looked into Ennard's bicolored eyes, enough to make him astonished every time.

"Because," Michael broke out suddenly, "you're cool."

Ennard raised both eyebrows and his eyes widened instantly, his lips parted slightly. "What do you mean?"

Michael blinked, he said that subconsciously, his cheeks starting to turn red. But he continued his answer anyway. "Because you look cool, okay?!" Michael immediately rose from the floor quickly. "You throw away your exorbitant ego when we were at the supermarket and compare it to your old self, you changed and I start to feel comfortable and I want to be close to you! And although it's actually a little scary because you've changed but to me it's unbelievable and awesome and actually again—back to the supermarket thing—I was so surprised you apologized and this joy suddenly welled up inside of me and then I—"

Michael gaped when Ennard suddenly pushed him out of the room before quickly shut the door in his face again. Michael pursed his lips and tilted his head, Ennard asked him for a specific reason earlier—did he be too specific?

"Enn!" Michael banged on the door again in annoyance, his cheeks puffed out. "Ennard!"

"Shut up!"

Ennard's exclamation from behind the door made Michael squint in disbelief. "Why did you tell me to shut up?!" Michael shouted back in annoyance. "You yourself told me to tell you a particular excuse and then you just kicked me out? Before I even finished talking!" Michael quickened his knock on the wooden door. "Ennard!"

Ennard paid no heed to Michael at all.

Though behind a door that might have been damaged by Michael, Ennard covered half of his perfectly flushed face. His heart was beating too fast.

What's with that Afton?

So irritating.