The Small Ghost

XXVIII

Phantom shrieked as Sir spun him around, weakly hitting the man's back in request to be let down. Phantom giggled as the office became more solid and less of a blur and he was let down. He grinned wildly as Sir ruffled his hair, almost skipping over to the couch. 

He didn't understand. 

Why was Sir being so nice? The question kept coming back no matter how many times he tried to push it away and focus on the pure fun he was having at the cursed GIW. The warm hugs and teasing smiles that he missed so much it left a physical ache. He even had the courage to put Sir in a light similar to his own father's, though he was glad the man didn't call on his slip up. He couldn't figure the sudden turn of events. Something must've changed between the time he was taken from the Mountain and the first time Sir let him sit here. 

Phantom sneaked a glance at the man, only to be caught off guard when he saw his face. Sir was smirking at something on the desk, but his eyes had a faraway look. He shivered, quickly looking away as he fingered the freshly cleaned hoodie. It lost the smell of Robin, the last thing that tied him to the team, when it went through the wash. He didn't know if he should care or not, but he knew he could dwell on the matter no longer. 

Phantom put his unease to rest by shoving it deep down and locking it up. He shook his head and plastered on a smile. He didn't need to think; Sir was here and now was a time for fun. 

"S-Sir, if I may, c-could I sleep here again tonight?" Phantom squeaked when the man looked up, a lazy grin on his face. "I-It's just that the couch is more-more comfortable. I'm not trying to sound ungrateful, I-I just, I'm sorry...I just wanted to ask," he tapered off as he stared at a spot on the couch. 

"Of course," Sir beamed. "You don't even have to ask."

Phantom's felt his lip wobble and he rushed to cover his mouth as he shoulders shook with his silent sobs. He smiled weakly behind his hand, sniffling as tears streamed down his cheeks and dripped onto his jeans. Sir clucked, serenely watching the boy as he cried. Phantom hid his face, trying to hide his embarrassment as his cheeks flamed. 

"I'm sorry, sir," he said, meek. 

"It's fine, though I hope you were crying in joy rather than sadness." Phantom nodded quickly, chiding himself for making Sir doubt himself. "I'm glad."

Phantom's eyes flicked to the door when it opened, standing at attention when a scientist walked in. The man barely looked at him as he flicked a surprisingly large needle. Phantom's eyes pooled, his mouth almost gaping as he looked to Sir to confirm this was, indeed, a routine blood test. Sir merely nodded, waving him away as he busied himself with work. 

Phantom gulped as the man drew nearer, relaxing the muscles he wished he could tense tightly. The man wiped down an area of his arm with an antiseptic wipe that made him bite back the instinct to gag. He wasn't allowed to break rules when others were around or it'd look bad on Sir's part, he knew that. His green eyes blinked slowly as the needle ruptured the surface of the skin and he held back a whimper as it went further in. He felt dizzy as the contents of the syringe emptied in his bloodstream, almost buckling his knees with the sudden fatigue that washed over him. 

The needle slid out with a disgusting pop, a tiny trail of green and red blood trickling down his arm as the scientist pulled out another needle. He wiped down an area on his left arm, allowing his right to rest. Phantom was so focused on the path of the blood to help him stand that he didn't even feel the needle puncture him. He very nearly fell down when the scientist finally left, and he had to carefully maneuver himself to not aggravate his sore arms.

"S-Sir," he croaked, trying to speak past his cotton mouth, "can I go to my cell-room for a second?"

"What the hell is a 'cell-room'?" Sir snapped. Phantom tensed. He knew the other shoe would drop soon; Sir could never grow to like him in such a short amount of time. The boy's breath hitched when Sir walked near him and he had to keep himself from backing into the wall. "I didn't mean to yell. This paperwork is very tedious." Phantom merely nodded, hugging himself as he looked at the door again. "Yes, yes, you may leave. Will you return?"