The Bond

Noah [4]

He tapped his fingers on the dining table with his blank gaze fixed on the cup of tea in front of him. His mind was still thinking about what had happened since yesterday, he still couldn't digest the information in his brain at all, it just kept going round and round in his mind, as if a part of him was denying what his husband had told him.

It felt like he didn't know how to react, should he feel angry? He was indeed shocked, still couldn't believe it to this day.

Even so, maybe he felt annoyed because he felt being lied.

Michael exhaled slowly, he really didn't know what to do right now. What should he do? It wasn't like he could just accept it straight away. It was difficult for him to truly accept this fact, or at least try to accept that it was not Ennard's own boasting.

Maybe just a strange dream?

He hoped.

The eldest Afton pinched the bridge of his nose, his head felt dizzy thinking about all this. He immediately took a sip of his tea to try to think more clearly, then he remembered what his father had said yesterday. So, this was the meaning of William's words, hoping that his feelings won't change whatever happens to Ennard. He replied that it won't change no matter what happens, however, with the revelation, he began to doubt his own words.

His mouth was pressed tightly as his forehead furrowed deeper—no, he couldn't possibly stop loving his husband just because of this ... could he?

"Damn it," Michael muttered in despair while biting his lower lip hard, he was really confused.

"Michael? Are you okay?"

Michael turned to the side and found his youngest brother looking at him worriedly. His gaze softened, Michael plastered a warm smile on his face before he rubbed the top of Chris' head gently. "Of course," Michael answered as his hand moved to stroke the side of Chris' face. "Don't worry."

The boy looked skeptical, just as he had expected. "Really?"

"Yes." Michael laughed softly.

"Really really?"

"Yes yes."

Chris narrowed his blue eyes at Michael for a moment, then he seemed skeptical again but seemed to decide not to question him further, instead he pulled a chair so he could sit close to Michael and then took an apple from the bowl of fruit in the table. "You know, Mikey," Chris said briefly then took a bite of his apple. "I cwould fwel somethwing fwom Ennward."

"Swallow what's in your mouth first, Chris."

He swallowed it quickly and stared at Michael. "I could feel something from Ennard," Chris finally said in a clearer voice, Michael raised his eyebrows in interest—he now knew that Ennard wasn't just an A.I., so he wanted to know what Chris felt from his husband. "I have felt it from the start, since we met again. I could detect the presence of a soul on him, attached as tightly as the souls of my friends to the animatronics."

Michael cradled his chin in his left hand while his right hand wiped the apple stain near Chris's lips and let out a small 'hmm'. "You can do it?"

"I'm an angel!" Chris replied cheerfully, sounding proud. "Of course I can." He smiled broadly at his brother for a moment, then Chris calmed down for a moment. "I thought you already knew so I didn't say anything about it until now, but I really wanted to make sure again—is that true, Mikey?"

There was no answer from Michael other than a sigh and he glanced away quickly. After two minutes he spoke again. "Who knows."

Chris tilted his head and noticed Michael's strange behavior. He was about to say something but decided against it and closed his mouth again. Chris folded his hands on the table with his gaze still fixed on Michael, trying to reorganize the questions in his head. Then his attention was diverted when another man stepped towards the dining room; it was their father. Michael's attention also moved and was focused on William.