Chapter178ElicitSympathy
SecingApollo’sdistresswaslikeaneedleprickingMilly’s<b>heart</b>.
Shewasabouttoreassurehimwithgentlewordsbutchosetoswallowthem,eptingthesituationwitharesignedsigh.
Forgetit.Afterall,he’sstichild;therewasnorush.
Therewasplentyoftimetoteachhim.
Plus,hehadjustbeenrescuedandwasstillfragile.Itwouldbecrueltobetooste
withhimnow.
Softening,MillyreachedoutandgentlygraspedApollo’sarm.ShelookedatGeorgeandmadeadecision.“I’llstaywithhimtonight.He’sclearlyfeelingveryinsecure,andit’snotrighttoleavehimalonelike<b>this</b>.Hecantakethebed,andI’llsleeponthefloor.
Apolloseemedtograspthatshewasnotabandoninghimandrxedalittle,tiltinghisheadashisbigeyesglistened.“Ah….
Yet,assoonasshespoke,acolddraftmadeMillyshiver.
It’snotevenfallyet;whydoes<i>it</i>feelsochilly?Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.
“He’sanexperimentalsubject;he’snotasdelicateasyouthink.Ifyou’resettingrulesforhim,thefirstoneshouldbeforyou<b>not</b>tobreakthemyourself.
“Doyouwanthimtoremainalienatedfromsociety,foreverjustanexperimentalsubjectandnotarealperson?”
George’sgazewaspiercingashespokeinacalmbutfirmvoice,tingedwithanicyresolve.
“Buthe’sstillsoyoung;isn’tthistooharsh?”
“Ifyoudon’tstandfirmnow,it’llenduphurtinghimmoreinthelongrun.”
Millybitherlip,grapplingwiththesituation.
George’sargumentwapelling.TrainingApollowasakintoraisingachild;failingtoinstilldisciplinenowcouldleadtoregrets.
Sinceshehaddecidedtobringhimback,itwasherdutytoensureheadaptedproperlytosociety.Anyleniencynowcouldharmhisfuture–atrulycrueloueforsomeonesoinnocent.
Witharesoluteheart,shegentlyreleasedApollo’sarm,firmlygraspinghishandinstead.Lookingintohiseyeswithasternexpression,sheinstructed,‘Apollo,tonightyou’restayingwithanotherboy.Iwillseeyouinthemorning.”
Afterspeaking,sheavoidedhisgaze,afraidherresolvemightwaver.Then,sheturnedandwalkedbriskly
<b>away</b>.
Behindher,Apollowasvisiblyconfusedandfrightened.Ashewatchedherdepart,panicsurgedwithinhim,andheattemptedtofollow,cryingoutindistress,“<b>Ah</b>!”
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Shecouldnot affordtosoftenherstance–no,notatall.
Downstairs,Apollo’scriesgrewlouder.
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Reachingthedoor,Milly’shandstrembled.Withaheavyheart,sheforcedherselftoopenit.Then,withaloud“bang,”shesilencedthesadwailsoutside.
Downstairs,GeorgeimmediatelyletgoofApollo’swristafterhearing thedoorclose.
Theunfamiliartouchhadmadehimuneasy,promptinghim tograbmediclcohndwipesfromthetableandbegincleaninghishandsvigorously.
Onlywhenhispalmsturned<b>red</b><b>,</b>andstankofalcoholdidhisexpressionsoftenslightly.
“You’resharperthanIexpected,”Georgeremarked,observingApolloclosely.“Thoughyoudon’tunderstandwordswell,youresponddistinctlyto<b>emotions</b>.So,you’renotentirelycutofffromunication,areyou,Apollo?”
Georgesettledintothesofa,hisintensegazelockedonApollo,whostoodcautiouslytotheside.
Apollo’sdemeanourhadshifted;gonewasanytraceofhispreviousdistress,recedbyaguardedandcoldexpressionakintotheoneheworewhileconfinedinthecage.
AsGeorgespoke,Apolloturnedtowardshim,anicychillsurroundinghim,astarkcontrastto hisearliervulnerabilitynexttoMilly.Henowresembledafiendstraightoutofhell.
ApollobrieflymetGeorge’seyesbutmadenomoveto engagefurther,insteadstartingtowalkupstairs.
Apiercing questionabruptlystoppedhisstridefrombehind,“Do youwanthertodespiseyou?”
Apollofroze,unable<b>to</b>moveforward.
“Ahr?”
George’slipscurledslightlyasheunderstoodthesituation,hiseyesshadowyandinscrutable.
HehadquicklydiscernedthatApollo,despitehisinabilitytprehendspoken<bnguage</b>,washighlyadeptatreadingemotions,whichexinedhisrapidresponsetoMilly’sdispleasure.
Moreover,ifApollotrulckeprehension,hewouldlikelyhavealreadytriedtoannihteeveryhumanwithinsight.Yet,hiscurrentcalmsuggestedheunderstoodMilly’sprohibitionagainstkilling<b>,</b>andhewasrestraininghimself,fearfulofherdisdain.
Theexpressionsofconfusion,distress<b>,</b>andinjuryhehadpreviouslyshownwereprobablyjusttacticstoelicitMilly’ssympathy…
ThisrevtionshowedApollotobenotonlyintelligentbutalsopossessive.
Millyheldasignificantceinhisheart,andhipliancewassteadfast,reducing thelikelihoodofanybetrayal.
George raisedhiseyestoApollo,wholookedbackwithanintensereandsmiledslightly.“Nowthatyouunderstandme,I’llbeclear:Millywantsyoutobeanormalhuman.Sheconsidersyouabrother,soyourtaskistoprotecther,andnot letherdown.Forothermatters,Iwon’tgetinvolved,andyoudon’tneedtoobeyme.”
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Themanwalkedovertotheboyandloomedoverhim,hisheightandaurpletelydominatingAbruptly,hegrabbedtheboy’snecktightly,ashofmenaceinhiseyes.
“Remember,sinceIcanbuyyou,Icanalsofindathousandwaystodestroyyou.Betrayher,andIwouldn’tmindaddinganotherunidentifiedbodytothisworld.”
Hismove<b>was</b>soswiftandoppressivethatApollowascaughtoffguarddespite<b>his</b>enhancedabilitiesandstaggeredback,gaspinghoarsely.
BeforeApollocouldreactfurther,thegriponhisneck<b>was</b>suddenlyreleased.
George,expressionless,wipedhishands,hisexpressionofdisgustreappearingasheturnedtogoupstairs.“Iwillsendsomeocleanyouupinawhile.”
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