The Bond

Ch 75

He hadn't been completely honest about the first time he was in the hospital, but of course he had to pretend. A memory flashed when his arm was fractured at that time. Ennard snorted and turned toward the parking lot, Michael's upper body was nowhere to be seen—only his legs shot up into the car window; he was lying down on the seat.

For several minutes Ennard continued to stare, involuntarily lost in his own thoughts slowly. Since when did he feel guilty towards Michael? Since when did he care about Michael? Since when did he start to like Michael's existence?

Since when had he changed because of Michael?

The questions bothered him. He was very aware of the change in himself. Back then, he wasn't like this. He was heartless, he was indifferent, he didn't talk a lot.

Only because he saw that lonely figure in the eldest Afton.

Damn it, it feels like he could hate himself.

Ennard pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly, then decided to leave all these thoughts behind and looked down the hospital hallway—he had seen Lucy move from the room near the reception and waiting room to another room which required walking further inside the hospital. Presumably he hoped Lucy's injuries weren't too bad, after all they owe her.

The movement of someone sitting on the opposite side caught Ennard's attention, he turned his head and his two-coloured eyes straight away widened.

It was only their first day back and he had already met Mark.

Immediately Ennard looked away so they wouldn't meet each other's eyes. Of course, Mark wouldn't recognize him in this form, but it was better to stay out of trouble. He didn't expect to meet this man at all—why did Mark come to the hospital so early? Was he one of the workers here?

Heh, no way, Ennard laughed at his own conjecture in his mind.

But now the atmosphere was tense for him. He began to worry, many times he looked between the hospital aisle and the parking lot, the important thing is not looking ahead. Ennard was uneasy, he couldn't stay stuck in this state for long. Instead of accidentally exchanging glances with Mark (because that was a very likely thing to happen) he decided to get up and head to the receptionist, asking about Lucy's whereabouts.

After getting the answer, Ennard immediately left. He knows the ins and outs of this hospital, it wasn't difficult to find the room referred to by the nurse manning the reception desk. When he was about to reach for the doorknob, someone had opened it first from the other side and Ennard was faced with two nurses carrying a medical ward. Lucy sat in the ward.

"Oh, Ennard," Lucy said.

"Are you an acquaintance of the patient?" one of the nurses asked him, and Ennard nodded. "The patient has to be hospitalized for a few days because of her injuries, you can visit after we escort her to the prepared room."

Lucy smiled awkwardly. "Yeah," she said. "I don't really want to either, but they insisted."

Ennard was silent for a while, he was looking for the correct reply because his brain seemed to stop working after meeting Michael's old friend. "Then ... we might as well go back to his house and then meet you later."

"Sure." Lucy nodded, before she asked the nurse closest to her to give Ennard the car key. "See you."

Only a nod that Ennard gave, then he watched as Lucy was taken away. He just stepped out of his place now that Lucy's figure was no longer visible. Ennard quickly walked over, Mark wasn't there when he passed the waiting room. He couldn't recognize people wrong, because he perfectly remembered the position of Mark's mole just below his right eye.

Things were starting to get busy, Ennard now decided to run towards their car and got there in less than two minutes. Ennard tapped on the car window to get Michael's attention who was laying while reading a comic—since when did Michael bring a comic?

"Enn!" Michael said shocked and rolled down the car window. "How is Lucy? Where is she? Why are you alone? What about Lucy? You look in hurry too, what happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Michael's barrage of questions made him dizzy. "Dawson has to be hospitalized for a few days so let's go back to your house now." Ennard throws the car key to Michael who catches them by reflect. Ennard circled the car and opened the door to sit in the front passenger's seat while Michael moved easily from the rear passenger seat to the driver's seat. "Also, wear this."

Ennard used his wire to grab a hat that was in the back of the car and put it on Michael's head as he closed the car door. Michael raised both eyebrows and adjusted the hat's position briefly, before being surprised when Ennard also put on a mask for him without a slightest warning.

"Let's go now, we can visit Dawson later." Ennard folded his arms across his chest and closed his eyes as he leaned his back against the back of the chair.

Michael stared at Ennard for a moment, then glanced forward and started the engine.

Home sweet home.