The Shrink Program

Chapter 172

Oh, yea... Hurting Alan makes Alex go nano-ninja... Of course, Vain has a legitimate reason to inflict bodily harm...

"Perhaps, but why risk failure?" Vain held my cage out to the smaller Floid sibling. "Go ahead."

... Yea right.

The small child turned his gaze to me...that intense gaze giving me the creeps despite my best efforts.

Alex didn't try to take the cage from Vain. Instead, sliding his fingers through the bars of my cage, moving with exaggerated control.

I backed away as he slowly gripped the metal... And pulled the bars apart.

The metal groaned as it was carefully bent out of shape... Alex taking his time to make sure he didn't exert more force than necessary.

The moment the gap was wide enough for me to get through Alex retreat, actually taking a step away from me to make sure we wouldn't touch.

I didn't blame him for not wanting to touch me... More than a little uncomfortable with the idea myself.

Vain turned my cage, angling it so that he could place his hand before the newly made exit.

Staring at the waiting palm... I was surprised by how nervous I felt.

While being trapped in the cage, I hadn't noticed how... safe it made me feel to have a barrier between me and people's hands...

Since the last time, someone had held me...

But there was chocolate out there.

"Can I have that Chocolate now?" I climbed out of the cage into Vain's hand, crushing my insecurities with hunger.

There was doubt in my mind that Vain had noticed my hesitance, but he said nothing as he bent to abandon the cage on the ground.

"Of course!" Alan answered my question, moving into my field of vision and delivering the small confectionery into my eager hands.

Wary of being toyed with again, I snatched it up as quickly as possible, staring in awe at my prize for sacrificing my dignity.

Where the chocolate had looked tiny between Alan's fingers, the red wrapped heart was almost as big as my head.

And it was mine. All mine.

I knelt down, hands shaking as I delicately pulled the red foil away, revealing the chocolate heart nestled inside...

It was beautiful.

But... Was now really an appropriate time to award myself? We were sort of in the middle of something here.

Eyes more than a little watery, I looked up at Vain to make sure that this was okay. That I had permission to let down my guard... for a small moment... and just enjoy this.

To have a break.

Vain observed me calmly... Before giving a small nod.

I smiled... the happiest smile in what felt like forever.

Vain averted his gaze at the sight, but I paid it little mind as my hungry gaze zeroed in on the sweet chocolate before me.

The thing was huge, and I would have to tear into its soft flesh with my bare hands to devour it.

This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Not in my hand Maddison," Vain warned before I could completely go wild animal. He was looking at me a little gingerly as if expecting me to start growling and tearing into the chocolate with my teeth alone.