"Bold."/"Bold italic" : animatronic is talking/animatronic is talking in mind
"Normal."/"Normal italic." : human is talking/human is talking in mind
=o^o=
"I have a question."
"What?"
"Why did you refer Thomas as a 'thing' a few days ago?" Michael looked at Ennard with a deep frown, while that made Ennard raise his eyebrows upwards—didn't expect the question.
Ennard shrugged his shoulders. "Can't I?"
Michael exhaled. "He's a human, Ennard. You can't just think of him as an inanimate object."
"You always refer to me as a living person, I can't refer to him as a thing?"
"No—" Michael frowned and stopped himself. "The point isn't—it's not like that—I mean you can't—you know? Nevermind."
A faint smile appeared on Ennard's face as Michael chose to give up rather than argue with him again. But then he felt a spark of irritation remembering the blonde-haired man again, someone who had been with them to this city. From how Thomas patted Michael's head and Michael smiled broadly at Thomas. That was annoying. Ennard gritted his teeth silently, before glancing at Michael who stepped beside him humming happily.
They decided to go out that afternoon—actually he agreed to go because Michael was constantly bothering and nagging him—just walking around the area and getting some ice cream.
"You seem to hate Thomas." Michael stared at Ennard in boredom.
"Stop bringing up Zachary."
"Why? Are you jealous?"
Ennard snorted. "No, why would I be jealous?" he grumbled indignantly. "There are more important things to worry about than Zachary, you're clearly ignoring that yourself."
"So you really are worried about Lulu!"
"No!" Ennard replied quickly and embarrassedly, while Michael laughed heartily.
The brown-haired man giggled, then drew closer to Ennard—this time Ennard moved away in exasperation, and the closer he got the further Ennard pulled away from him. He puffed out his cheeks in annoyance. "I hope Lucy's okay," Michael mumbled while kicking small pebbles on the pavement. Michael lifted his face and looked at the setting sun. "Seems like we should head back now."
The red eye darted around for a moment, staring around warily. They walked on, he didn't speak anymore and just let Michael chatter next to him about random things. He had an unpleasant premonition. This city wasn't a big city, in the area they lived also rarely had so many people. After the sun had set, things would be completely quiet and still, so they had to get to their residence on time. Although the crime rate wasn't high, they still have to be careful.
Michael gave a small groan when he accidentally bumped into Ennard's back because Ennard suddenly stopped. He rubbed his forehead lightly, then glared at Ennard in confusion. "What's wrong, Enn?"
"It looks like we've been followed."
He flabbergasted, then looked back but there was no one. "Maybe you're just being paranoid," Michael said with a chuckle, though he now hesitated and looked around again and again. "Come on, don't scare me like that, Enn." Michael started to sound worried, he drew closer to Ennard quickly before being startled Ennard grabbed him by the wrist tightly and pulled him to continue walking. "Ennard?"
Ennard remained silent, he stared back as he was still pulling Michael. He activated his tracking system, sharpened his hearing and cleared his sight as his black eye turned amber. "Through this way."
Michael let Ennard lead him in the opposite direction from where they lived. He looked at the trees all around him, he recognized this path—the shortcut to Lucy's apartment. He looked at Ennard worriedly, Ennard was still watching behind them and he couldn't bring himself to turn his head in the same direction.
Then he heard a gunshot as Ennard pulled him hastily for cover behind a tree. "Shit." He heard Ennard's low voice. "They're here."
"The scientists?"
"At least no sign of Clark."
"That still isn't a good thing."
Ennard looked at Michael while raising his eyebrows. "Still pretty good news, that bitch is so annoying."
Michael was silent for a moment, then peeked behind the tree. "You're right." He turned to Ennard again and exchanged glances with the man, they were standing facing each other too close. Ennard held his shoulders gently before going down to stroke his arms, making him shiver a little for a moment but that made him feel calmer, even though his face was now heating up. "So, what should we do now?"
"Run."
"How fun."
The sound of gunfire was heard again and the tree under which they had taken cover shook slightly. Ennard grabbed his hand and they ran off quickly, now hearing footsteps behind them—not many people, maybe only three, fewer than before. He felt scared, also tired because he had been a fugitive for these scientists. Why didn't they just give up? This was very sickening for him.
They no longer even follow the path to try to escape, but through the thickets. Ennard still gripped his wrist tightly, as if he didn't want to lose him.
He seemed to be panting. "I don't want to live like this," he complained, Ennard just glanced at him. "They never know when to stop."
"Complaining won't fix things, keep running."
"But, Enn, this is all tiring!" Michael knit his eyebrows together and pursed his lips together. Michael let out a small yelp as fragments of Ennard's wires appeared from the corner of his eye after he heard another shot. "Ennard you don't have to protect me like that!" he cried to the red-haired man. "You'll only hurt yourself!"
"And let them get you?" Ennard sharpened his gaze on Michael. "Don't be stupid, Michael, they're after you."
Michael was astonished. "Did you just call me—"
"Keep running."
Michael screaked again at the strong wind created by the missed bullet right beside his ear and he sped up his run. Now that this situation was less scary for him, hearing Ennard call him by his first name made him feel even happier. He smiled, Ennard didn't look at him at all. Maybe he was crazy, in such a serious situation he was actually carried away by the feeling of joy because his murderer said his first name.
He glanced back for a moment, the scientists were getting farther and farther behind considering that Ennard really took the hard way quickly, as if Ennard knew this place very well and memorized every inch of the area. Michael looking at Ennard again and found Ennard glancing at him.
"You're weird, we're being chased and you're smiling like an idiot over a trifle."
Michael grinned, he laughed. "Is there a problem with that?"
"There is."
"Come on, being chased like this is adrenaline pumping too and it's a bit of fun—"
"I like you."
All he knew after that was that he had tripped over his own feet and stumbled forward, sending Ennard tumbling along as he was still clutching his wrist.
Ennard groaned in pain. "What the hell was that about?!"
But Michael was dumbfounded, jaw dropping and he stared at Ennard in disbelief, completely ignoring the ache in his body from falling to the gravel ground. Did his ears hear something that wasn't right because of the loud gunshots or did he hear something that didn't make sense for Ennard to say at all? Michael felt his cheeks heat up, still staring at Ennard with wide eyes and pounding chest. Ennard was still grumbling, but as soon as the man exchanged glances with him, his face flushed red.
So Ennard did say that, that he liked him.
Was it possible for that to happen? Michael wondered, but before he could speak Ennard pulled him to his feet quickly and told him to run again. Now his mind was flying, his feelings were floating in happiness. This mustn't be real, he kept repeating in his mind.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
His smile widened, Michael had to hold it in and a chuckle escaped his mouth. He couldn't believe this, his feelings welling up.
"Why?"
"Because you're the stupidest person I've ever met."
They took the road to the left and immediately shot towards the residential area, the scientists certainly would not have dared to chase them there. So, they continued their run to the house and jumped over the fence. Once they went inside and locked the door twice, they paused for a moment because they were panting from running. Then, Michael raised his gaze to Ennard, who was looking back at him.
Then Michael broke into laughter.
Ennard frowned. "What's so funny?" A blush reappeared on his cheeks remembering what he had just said to the eldest Afton earlier.
"This morning I spilled coffee all over my shirt, then I can't find any pencils to draw with, and we go out this afternoon and got some ice cream, those pesky scientists come after us again and you say you like me!" Michael couldn't stop laughing, his laughter so loud that he had to bend his body a little, as if feeling really tickled.
Ennard narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips together, Michael now sounded like he was taking it as a joke made in a serious situation. This at least made him feel hurt. He had been in a dilemma for a long time and was confused about how to react to his feelings, tormented by his own thoughts so that he had to repeatedly sort out what was logical and right from what didn't make sense but his selfish heart wanted it.
His eyebrows knit together, he was about to avert his eyes when his collar was pulled back and Michael pressed their lips together.
This time he gaped in disbelief, his eyes widening at Michael who smiled sweetly with warm gazes. "What's with that face of yours?" Michael said while wrapping his arms around his neck, making him gasp slightly and hesitantly wrap his arms around Michael's waist. Michael still maintained his smile as their foreheads touched. "I like you too."
The burning sensation immediately assaulted his cheeks, his nervousness skyrocketed and his heart was beating too fast, and he accidentally let go of his grip causing Michael to fall backwards again. Ennard gave a startled shock, before crouching down in panic. "I—I didn't mean to," he squeaked and stuttered a bit. "Are you okay?"
Michael only laughed again, he pulled Ennard closer to him. "You're so adorable." Michael giggled, before he cupped the sides of Ennard's face and led them back into a sweet kiss.
This time he wasn't too surprised, even though it still felt weird for their lips touching, but he liked it. Like there was another burden that was now gone from his mind. Ennard closed his eyes and decided to enjoy it, his arms wrapped around Michael's waist again after he took him to sit on his lap, Michael wrapped his arms around his neck and pressed the back of his head to deepen their kiss. Letting his heart win might not be so bad after all.
Maybe they're both just crazy.