Enoch O'Connor X Reader

Chapter 4: Broken

"I can't reach it," Hugh yells down from on top of Millard's invisible shoulders. "It's too far up!"

"Can't you reach a bit farther?" Millard shouts back up, trying to think of more ideas of how to get his ball back down from the tree branch above.

"I'd stretch my arms right off I did!"

"Well.. Perhaps we should ask Emma?"

"She's off with Jake again. I bet they won't be back for a while," Hugh says with a coy smile.

Hugh twists his head to the side and sees me. Millard follows Hugh's eyes.

"Why don't you help us before my shoulders break off?" Millard says,  annoyance in his voice.

"What am I supposed to do? Telepathically ask the ball if it could come down from the tree?" I had been standing there only a moment or two when I noticed the trouble they seemed to be having.

"Perhaps you could go get Enoch to have one of his homunculus go up there and get it?"

I pause, contemplating whether or not I should show my eagerness.

"Very well. I'll be back in a moment."

I swiftly walk back to the mansion, trying to make it seem like I'm in a hurry to help the two young boys, when I'm really just wanting to be with Enoch. I don't know exactly why I'm drawn to him so much- perhaps it's his attitude.. his looks.. a combination of both.. maybe it's just the fact that he's the only guy who's actually available? No, I'm betting on the first two choices.

I run my hands down the ridges of his familiar door. As I knock, I feel the flittering of a few tiny butterflies in my stomach. "Enoch?"

Silence.

"Enoch, I know that you're in there."

Still nothing.

I open my mouth to speak, but I am cut off by the knob turning, the hinges of the door squeaking, and the creak of.. small footsteps? I see no head to greet me once the door opens, and half expecting Millard to say something, but my logic overrides any possibility of that. I look down, and I am met with one of Enoch's puppets.

"Hello..?" I say.

I look up to search for Enoch's location, but I don't see him. I feel like if I say his name once more he might get annoyed, which I don't doubt he isn't already.

"Looking for me?" I hear a voice say.

Enoch stands a few feet away behind one of his shelves full of organs. He seems to be a bit more depressed than usual.

"Oh, well, yes, actually."

"Go on, then. I'm not really busy at the moment. What is it you need this time?"

"Enoch, I-"

I sigh.

"Look, I'm really sorry how I only come to you when I need something.. I'd like to talk to you more often, be there for you and such.. but.. to be quite frank, I've always been too nervous to do so.." I trail off.

Enoch doesn't say a word.

I sit there for a few moments in the awkward silence until Enoch begins to speak.

"Who would want to be with me?"

"Enoch.."

"Nobody would ever want to come close to me. Why should they? You're no different.."

He begins to place some of his jars back on the shelf as I formulate how I should respond.

"That's not true-"