The Bond

EXTRA 17

-2023-

"Michael?" Ennard called softly as he entered their room hesitantly.

They used to go to public parks for a date, take a walk together and buy ice cream or just try drinks in a cafe as usual. But that moment was a little different this week, there was someone who showed interest in him and he knew Michael was trying to stay polite even though it was obvious Michael seemed disrupted, irritated. After they got home Michael just kept quiet as if he was thinking about something and it had been two days since he hadn't spoken.

When he entered the room, he found no one there. Ennard gave a small 'huh', he was pretty sure Michael came in here earlier—or maybe Michael had left without him knowing. Ennard checked the bathroom, Michael wasn't there either.

"Mike?"

"Yeah?"

He almost let out a scream at the respond right behind him, sending him taking a few steps backwards, wide-eyed as he found Michael tilting his head in confusion. "What?" Michael asked again, he sounded innocent.

"Nothing ... where were you from?" Ennard asked back while calming himself down.

"I was going out for a bit." Michael flashed a faint smile, and Ennard could feel it again—that odd air of serenity that Michael was showing right now. This had happened countless times, more than a finger count.

"Where?"

"Only looking for meat." Michael shrugged. "So, do you want some beef stew? I can make it for you," he continued, smiling again.

Ennard was silent for a moment. "Sure."

Michael seemed to return to his usual self and nodded happily, before exiting the room excitedly. Ennard watched him leave closely, before he let out a low breath. He didn't what Michael was hiding, but his gut says that it is a big secret that Michael has. He felt concerned, but he didn't see anything negative from it at all. He followed Michael into the kitchen.

The eldest Afton was humming happily while preparing the ingredients, Ennard could see that the meat had been neatly chopped and placed in the bowl. Ennard was still watching Michael's movements, there was a strange smell from Michael that he noticed, it was like an unsimilar perfume he had never smelled was mixed in with something strange.

This is weird.

"Mike."

"Yes?"

"Did you meet someone?" Ennard saw how Michael suddenly froze in place, now his gaze sharpened as he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Michael's answer.

"Yes ...," Ennard narrowed his eyes at Michael's answer, even though Michael just smiled broadly afterwards, "don't worry, I only love you, only you, you and you only."

There had been several times that he had caught Michael becoming possessive of him, even though they had never talked about it, he knew that Michael knew that he knew the possessive and obsessive side of him. He wasn't complaining, for him, it was quite pleasant knowing that Michael really did love him ... even if it was a little odd at times in his way of conveying his feelings.

He exhaled slowly again, Michael returned to cooking happily after he showed the reaction that he believed his answer. "I'm going to go get the old blueprints in the attic," Ennard said as he got up, Michael just glancing out of the corner of his eye.

Ennard headed down the second-floor corridor and looked up, then he lowered the folded ladder in the ceiling so he could lead up to the attic. Ennard climbed the steps carefully, the house was an old house and some parts need to be renovated. They were waiting for the right time to renovate the whole house together to make it look even more new. Halfway up the attic, Ennard stopped; this smell again. The scent he smelled from Michael was other than the perfume. Now he could smell it clearly ... blood.

It was the rancid smell of fresh blood.

He quickened his steps towards the attic, did something happen in this place? He didn't want Michael to hurt himself again if that was the case. Ennard sniffed the air again to determine where it was coming from, then immediately headed for its source.

The boxes stood up and piled up in a corner of the attic as if hiding something, only after he put them away did he see the figure; he knew that person, the one who said they had an interest in him, lying there. They were still alive, but had lost a lot of blood ... as well as some of their flesh? Their tongue was cut out, probably to prevent them from screaming for help. An extremely horrifying sight, their eyes stared into his eyes with shock that radiated intense horror.

If to say surprised, he wasn't actually as surprised as when Michael surprised him earlier, but it still stunned him.

Michael did act very strange at certain times.

This may have been one of those moments that left him speechless, but did he feel terrified over this?

Not at all.

If Michael was really doing this, then he was acting according to his possessiveness towards him, a sign that he only wants him and him alone, no one else. Ennard began to think that he was getting crazier knowing that Michael was willing to go mad in order to still keep himself as his. This was certainly a huge, problematic sign of a partner—but who cares about logic?

Logic didn't exist in their dictionary.

The corners of his lips slowly pulled upwards, his heart seemed to be cheering from the satisfaction of knowing it.

"Ennard."

He turned back, and found Michael already standing not far from him with an indecipherable stare, before he tilted his head. Michael seemed to be waiting for what he would say, looking worried, but not looking apologetic nor regretting about what he had done.

Ennard was silent for a few moments, before he said in calm tone; "I have a sudden craving for steak."

A wide, insane grin spread across Michael's face.

"Sure."

They both are crazy about each other.