Fall From Grace | ENHYPEN

XXVI

"And here I thought you knew better than picking up a fight with someone who trained under my wing" Tyrone pushed the cotton ball harder on Michaelis's skin earning a yelp from the poor boy.

"I told you this is stupid, Ian" Tyrone looked at Ian who was still rethinking his life choices at the corner of the autoshop.

Hendryx was sent to check up on the young men few minutes ago, after he sensed that something is wrong with the seven. When he entered the room, he saw all of them, seated away from each other, with Michaelis on the floor on the verge of his consciousness. 

"Shut up. You used to be worse than them" Ian grumbled under his breath. 

"Just finished checking up on Jaxen. Man, that kid is definitely something else." Hendryx arrived from the bunker entrance, wiping up the imaginary sweat that he accumulated from talking to the youngest member of the team.

"How is he? Is he still crying? Can I go to him? I need to apologize to him" Michaelis stood up, rambling continuously until Tyrron pushed him back to take a seat.

"Give the kid a break, loverboy. Don't you get the concept of space?" Tyrron rolled his eye and purposely dabbed the alcohol wipes on one of his open wounds earning another yelp from Michaelis.

"He told me he never knew he had a sister, at least a hundred times. I'm honestly starting to believe he never knew he had a sister." Hendryx plopped himself on one of the couches and rested his head on the backrest. This is why he prefers cars than people.

"That's because they never had a sister" Michaelis softly spoke.

They all looked at him confusingly.

Tyrron used to be Max's trainer, and he managed to meet the girl at least a handful of times. There's no way he just imagined that.

"I grew up with the both of them. I spent most of my childhood life inside their home, and never once I met their 'sister'. She's only seen when there's a gala or an event inside the mansion, or anything that Ezekiel would be hosting." Tyrron looked back to the times that he saw the young girl.

First was when he was at one of the parties that Ezekiel hosted, one was during Florence Hawthorne's 38th birthday celebration, and once when he was waiting for Max for their training session.

Which was after the celebration of the Hawthorne's Anniversary.

No one dared to break the silence after hearing what Michaelis said. Tyrron was confused, Yyan and Hendryx as well, and Michaelis just lowered his head.

"Let's just drop the topic. It's their family, therefore their business" Tyrron cleared his throat and went back to finishing what he was doing in the first place.

After a few minutes of dressing Michaelis's wounds, Tyrron threw the dirty cottons and bloody bandages away. "You're all done" he said and stood up, grabbing his pack of cigarettes and left the room.

"Let's get you back to the bunker" Hendryx stood up and ushered Michaelis to do as well, but the young man just remained seated. 

"I- I, Can I get a breather? I'll be right back" Michaelis left the shack and went out to the yard where they would usually practice and spar.

What he needs right now is some peace and quiet, and probably the strongest liquor that ever existed.

His mind is a mess. Somehow, he managed to fuck up every good thing that has ever came to him. First, breaking Ian's trust. And now, damaging whatever companionship he had with Max.

It seems like everything the people around him tries to build up something, he just goes and destroy it all. 

"Want a hit?" Michaelis flinched when he heard a voice beside him.

He looked and saw Tyrone lighting up a stick and exhaling the first smoke out.

He shook his head and went to look at the starry sky. But staring at the faraway don't do it the same for him anymore. When he was young, whenever he was sad, staring at the night sky would be enough to calm his thoughts down.

Maybe he grew out of it too, like a lot of things he used to do when he was young.

He hated growing up. He can't play out in the sun anymore, or dance silly under the pouring rain, or laugh at stupid things like he used to do.

But at the same time, he hated being a kid. Michaelis is at that age where you are old enough to be considered as a kid but weren't old enough to be taken seriously.

"How about this?" he looked back and saw Tyrone offering a silver flask filled with unknown.

"It's not one of those expensive shits you're used to, but it'll do the trick- hey slow down kid!" Michaelis grabbed the flask from him and took a long swig, ignoring the warm sharp liquid flowing down his throat.

"Goddamn, that was awful" Michaelis coughed when he handed the empty flask back to the older man.

"It was supposed to be a sip, not a chug. Idiot" Tyrone chuckled but closed the flask anyways. He knew Michaelis needs more than a flask, but that's all he could afford. Beggars can't be choosers. 

"So, what's on your mind?" Tyrone asks as he flick away the dying embers of his cigarette to the ground.

"Just some stuff." Michaelis replied softly.

"Hm. That 'stuff' will consume you, before you even know it. Based on own experiences." Tyrone said, not looking away from the empty scenery in front of them. He was never good with these kinds of things; it was more of an Ian forte.

"But what if it already did?" The young man genuinely asks. He was confused; currently standing on crossroads, not knowing which path to enter. He wanted the best for everyone, even if it meant hurting himself at the end.

Michaelis Onyx Oleandre is anything but selfish.

"Do you regret exposing Max like that to your friends?" Tyrone asks.

"Honestly... I don't know" Michaelis softly replied and sighs.

"I wanted to know the truth. I wanted to prove myself wrong. I was tempted by my own thoughts I forgot about the safety of the people around me. Including you, Hendryx and Ian" 

"Eh, that's life" Tyrone just shrugged and threw away the remnants of his cigarette.

Michaelis just looked at him dead in the eye.

"You don't know how to comfort people, don't you?" He asks the man.

"Nope" Tyrone just innocently grinned.

"If you were talking to anyone from the six boys inside you could've had your ass handed to you" Tyrone just smirked and stood up, removing the dirt and soil from his pants.

"I'd like to see them try" He replied.