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.
"Father," Michael said slowly, he quickly shifted his gaze at his younger brother. "Chris, can you leave us for a moment?"
"Oh, of course." Chris didn't ask any further and immediately teleported.
Meanwhile, William, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow when he saw that his eldest son seemed to want to discuss something very personal with him until the point he asked the youngest to leave the two of them alone. William pulled a chair to sit opposite Michael and grabbed an orange from the fruit bowl. Michael still hadn't said anything as he peeled off the orange peel, but he knew he was just preparing himself to talk about whatever was on his mind. His gaze occasionally landed on Michael before turning to the orange in his hand.
"Father."
Michael started to speak, he nodded slightly in response that he was listening.
"You know that Ennard is not just an A.I."
William stopped peeling the orange peel, his eyes glanced at Michael who was staring straight at him. "Yes," William replied calmly, he ate the orange slice in his hand.
"You know that Ennard is possessed."
"Correct."
"You know Noah Carter is him."
"Mhm."
"And you didn't tell me?" Michael narrowed his eyes sharply at his father who was still eating the orange slices, still looking calm even though he felt the exasperation inside him slowly overflowing. "Father," he called again to get William's attention.
For a few moments the man in front of him didn't say anything, before he let out a heavy breath and put the half-eaten orange on the table. William looked Michael straight in the eye, he supported his chin using the back of his hands while his elbows rested on the table. "Mike," he said. "I just found out about that yesterday," he continued quietly. "Actually, Glitchtrap knew that all along." He was silent again for a moment. "Ennard told you himself or Glitchtrap?"
"Ennard." Michael snorted and leaned his back against the head of the wooden chair, he crossed his arms in front of him. "With the form of his own soul."
"Oh," William was astonished for a moment, "wow."
They both remained silent after that. Michael felt his feelings raging at the moment, while William just watched his son's movements. It could be clearly seen that Michael was furious right now, but was holding himself back from exploding. He couldn't blame Michael, he had felt the same way at that time although in a slightly different situation. He stood up to go to the refrigerator and opened the refrigerator door slowly, taking out a can of cold coffee. He opened the can while leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping the contents briefly while his gaze was often fixed on Michael.
William shook the can in his hand gently, then moved closer to Michael. He placed the coffee can near Michael's tea cup as he sat beside him, William patted Michael's shoulder lightly. "I know it's surprising, Michael, but how do you feel now?"
"For years I was lied to right to my own face!" Michael gritted his teeth in irritation, he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I really don't believe it."
"I understand how you feel right now," William said, trying to calm the eldest. Glitchtrap also lied for decades to him even though the situation was slightly different, so he told the truth. "Try to calm down, Mike. Have you talked about it again with Noah? Where is he now?"
"Our bedroom." Michael pressed his lips tightly together, he didn't know what to do. There was still denial inside him, and the other half was annoyance at realizing that his husband was a young man who was close to his father in the past and he hadn't received such treatment before.
He knew that it was only in the past, and William himself was now trying to make it up to him, to the three of them. However, still. Even so, there was a small part of him that really felt a great dilemma, maybe Ennard, or Noah? At that time he didn't know their situation. He couldn't continue to dwell on the past, his mind was reminded again by his husband's words many years ago that he shouldn't be attached by the past and prioritize the present and future more. Michael exhaled heavily, he rubbed his face in desperation.
"I don't know what to do, Father," he whispered in bitter, confused by his own feelings. Currently it seemed as if there were two sides in him at war.
"Follow what you think is right, Michael."
"You said yourself that whatever happens to Ennard, try not to change my feelings."
William sighed. "I did say that, but I never forced you not to change your feelings, I have no right and authority over that because those are your own feelings and I certainly don't want to command and control your life." William took another sip of his coffee before he folded his arms in front of his chest as he looked forward. "Whatever you feel right now is valid, but I would just ask that you clear your mind first before deciding anything."
"Why? You really like Noah Carter?"
The man raised his eyebrows at Michael. "Not because of that, Michael," he replied calmly, Michael exhaled and glanced away from him. "I don't want you to make a hasty decision because you're overcome by emotion."
Michael mumbled incoherently, he recalled what happened at that moment when he said something out of sheer anger at an argument he had with his husband and it ended badly, leaving them decades apart. Michael exhaled again. "You're right," he said quietly. "Sorry, Father, I just ..." He couldn't finish his sentence, making him groan in exasperation and pull at his hair in frustration.
William rubbed Michael's back gently. "I understand, I understand Michael, it's okay," he said, still trying to calm his oldest son's nerves. "Take as long as you can, this is indeed difficult to understand and accept."
He tried to take a deep breath and exhaled slowly, Michael slowly stared at William. "That Noah ... how is he?"
A faint smile appeared on William's face. "You want to know what he was like?"
Michael nodded slowly.
"Okay."
=o^o=
He stared at the white ceiling blankly, his mind drifting to the middle of nowhere since yesterday. There was a slight feeling of regret inside him, feeling regretful because he had confessed the little secret he had kept for decades from his own husband. Michael's reaction was quite a clear answer for him, that Michael was probably angry because he had been lied to. Moreover, for decades? Who wouldn't be angry if that happened to them? By the people they love, even.
From yesterday to this day he didn't come out of the room at all, he didn't know what to do, or what he should say if he crossed paths with Michael. He wanted to give Michael some time alone, allowing Michael to decide what should happen between them now.
He really understood if Michael wanted to end this all.
His red eyes closed tightly as his body sank further into the warm water in the bathtub. He kept thinking about this non-stop, couldn't even sleep—he had been planning to confess his secret to Michael. He had indeed planned to be honest with Michael, to tell Michael everything. With that, he was also prepared for the consequences, a huge possibility that could happen. He had expected how Michael would respond to this. If he was lucky enough, Michael might accept it.
His body sank again until his head was submerged in the water for a few moments before he resurfaced. This dizziness was too painful and no matter how long he soaked in warm water since yesterday, his body kept shivering. He looked up at the ceiling again, his chest felt tight and suffocated as he thought about the worst possible thing that would happen after this. He knew Michael inside and out, he knew exactly what Michael might do.
Damn it.
His head hurt even more thinking about all that, the water started to cool down and the subtle change in temperature immediately made his body feel like it was frozen by ice. He straightened up and grabbed the faucet and turned it, hot water immediately poured out of the jet—showering him. For a moment he felt better again, he tried to relax again. However, something flowed down from his nose. A thick, iron-smelling liquid that left red spots on the sleeves of his shirt when he tried to wiped it away. His forehead furrowed deeply, this body was too weak, he hated it.
He hated it so much, he hated everything about him, about his past. These red eyes, this weak form, all the stories he had left behind.
Then he started to think, he shouldn't have told Michael.
He should've kept this a secret, he should've never admitted it to his husband, he should've no longer used this form anymore, he should've just left everything about Noah Carter behind. Damn it, what a dumbass, he regrets everything now, he regrets his decision. Oh how he hated himself. He really messed everything up, he should just be living his perfect life right now, why reveal this pathetic soul?
Noah closed his eyes tightly, his head ached, his consciousness slowly faded away again.