"Bold."/"Bold italic" : animatronic is talking/animatronic is talking in mind
"Normal."/"Normal italic." : human is talking/human is talking in mind
=o^o=
"Ennard!"
"What?"
"Let's go shopping or I'll confiscate your soda."
Long story short, that's how he now ends up at the supermarket with Michael.
Ennard lazily looked at Michael who was busy picking out the array of snacks. This was the first time he had stepped out of the house using an illusion disc. Michael had to fix it so that the wires that were still sticking out of his body when in human form could also be removed, although the iron streak on his face was still there but he could cover it with his bangs.
"Do you really have to make me try all the food?" Ennard asked Michael boredly. "Yesterday you made me eat sandwiches."
"Sandwiches aren't enough," Michael replied as he waved his hand, he didn't look at Ennard at all. "You should try other foods to have more variety on your tongue!" he continued excitedly, finally turning to Ennard with a broad smile.
It seemed that Michael was more enthusiastic than Ennard about Ennard's transformation than Ennard himself.
"You'll spend your money on it."
"Lucy said I was given one chance to take anything without paying for helping them a few weeks ago." Michael grinned happily, then put a packet of potato chips into the basket.
Ennard looked at Michael with furrowed brows, then let out a small breath; it seemed he had no choice but to comply with the eldest Afton's wish.
"Besides now I can't eat either, so it will be your job to represent me in eating something."
Ennard immediately shifted his attention from the refrigerator across the snack rack to Michael as soon as Michael said this. Ennard's lips parted slightly, he was momentarily astonished. Michael looked relaxed and didn't really heed what he said earlier, but Ennard lowered his gaze silently as his brow furrowed deeply.
This was the first time out of the many people he had killed, he felt guilty towards Michael.
"Benedict I—"
"Oh, Ennard, look! Jelly!" Michael interrupted his words excitedly while showing him a packet of jelly. "You should try this too," he said, then put the jelly in the basket.
Ennard raised his eyebrows, he just nodded. After that Ennard took a small breath. "Benedict—"
However, Michael interrupted him again. "There's a sponge cake too." Michael stared at the cake display beside the snack rack with sparkling eyes. "Cheese or chocolate flavour, hmm. Which do you prefer, Enn?" He glanced at the animatronic for a moment. "Or we can just buy the basic ingredients for the pancakes ... I can make them for you."
"That's up to you," Ennard replied with a sigh. "Afton, listen—"
"They added yogurt here!"
Ennard looked at Michael who for the third time cut off his words and pulled himself up to look at the contents of the supermarket refrigerator in disbelief. "Af—"
"Ooh look at the pudding—"
"Michael!"
Michael blinked in surprise and looked at Ennard in confusion after hearing Ennard say his first name for the first time. Even so Ennard looked irritated, he tilted his head curiously.
"Could you stop being chatty for a second and let me talk?" Ennard said in annoyance.
It wasn't long before Michael shrugged his shoulders slowly. "Sure," Michael replied. "But by the way you just called me with—"
This time it was Ennard who interrupted Michael's words. "That's not the point."
Michael grinned. "Sorry," he said. "I do talk a lot when I feel comfortable around someone," he added casually, looking at Ennard with a smile before he looked down at the rows of drinks. "So, what do you want to say?"
For a moment, Ennard was silent. Michael was completely unaware that his words had stunned Ennard, and the red-haired man's face was flushed.
It didn't take too long for Ennard to come to his senses and clear his throat. "You know ...," Ennard paused. "I'm not good at small talk—"
"I know it."
"Can't you just shut the fuck up?"
Michael almost laughed, not long after that he made a 'peace' sign with his fingers to Ennard.
Ennard took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to relieve his irritation before speaking. Ennard stared at the cold drink in front of him, he pursed his lips together. Great doubts prevented him from telling Michael that, as well as his ego. "Sorry."
His word was too low, almost a whisper. But somehow Michael could hear it.
"Are you sick?" Michael asked Ennard worriedly, while Ennard frowned. "You must be sick, it seems the illusion disc I created was too much—"
"I'm not sick."
"The Ennard I know wouldn't lower his ego at all even to apologize for no apparent reason. You're not Ennard."
Ennard looked like he wanted to strangle Michael right now.
"I'm serious," Ennard said quietly, looking down after seeing Michael who was now widening his eyes. "I—I feel," Ennard stopped his words again, he hesitated to continue and it could be seen from his mouth that was opening and closing as if trying to find the right words. In the end Ennard banged his head lightly against the refrigerator's glass door in frustration. "Just forget it."
Even so, Michael knew what Ennard might mean and tried to tell him. It made Michael feel a little surprised, he didn't expect Ennard to say such words. His feeling was warm.
When Ennard dared to look at Michael, the first thing that amazed him was Michael's sweet smile.
Michael looked genuinely pleased.
They stared at each other, Ennard felt awkward because Michael didn't say anything while on the other hand Michael was too happy to be confused about what to reply.
"Hey Mike!"
Someone's shout successfully made them break their eye contact to look at the source of the sound. Michael's smile widened to find Lucy running towards them, while Ennard immediately furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes intently at the girl.
"Lucy! Hey," Michael greeted Lucy back. "Shouldn't you be working?"
"Yes," answered Lucy. "But I happened to see you, so why not." Lucy smiled softly, it wasn't long before she realized Ennard was near Michael. "Oh, who is he, Mike? Is he with you?" Lucy whispered to Michael.
Michael raised his eyebrows and glanced at Ennard, to which Ennard snorted. "Yeah, he's—my friend, Ennard," Michael answered a little doubtfully.
The girl nodded in understanding. "Just friends?"
"Yeah ...?"
"But your stares were romantic," Lucy said and giggled, successfully making them both choke on their own spit.
Michael's face immediately turned red. "W-what do you mean?!"
Lucy was grinning. "Come on, I know that look," she teased, making Michael blush even more and Ennard covered half his face with the back of his hand as he looked the other way.
"You read too many romantic novels."
"Nope." Lucy stuck her tongue at Michael. "I often look at my girlfriend like that," she said quietly, then she shrugged her shoulders. "After that she had an affair with another man. Well, her loss." Lucy gave Michael a big smile, and Michael looked at Lucy with an empathetic look for a moment.
"I know how you feel," Michael said before patting Lucy on the shoulder to encourage her.
"Lucy!"
Lucy and Michael turned their heads, Ennard decided not to care and looked at the sodas in front of him. Michael's brow raised as he realized it was Mary walking towards them. That one friend of Lucy was so annoying.
"Hurry back to work," Mary said to Lucy, though after that she looked at Michael with a look as if Michael were a little dirt stuck to her clothes.
"Soon," answered Lucy.
Michael immediately replied to Lucy's answer. "You better get to work, Ennard and I are in a bit of a hurry anyway so we have to go back and get some more stuff." Michael glanced at Ennard who had been putting lots of soda in the basket for some time and looked back at the drinks lined up in the fridge.
Lucy looked reluctant for a moment. "Fine," she said. "By the way, don't pay for that—"
"Because you gave me a full discount, I know," Michael continued Lucy before grinning, shortly after that he thanked Lucy.
"Then see you later Mike!" Lucy said excitedly, Michael nodded. She walked away, but after a few steps Lucy stopped, she realized something. Lucy glanced back. "Mary, what are you doing? Let's get back to work."
Michael glanced at Mary who was surprised to hear Lucy's words, after which Mary immediately followed Lucy.
Meanwhile, Michael's eyes widened.
Was she blushing after she stared at his Ennard?