Social Order

Part 11

The next morning, Sean opened his eyes to the sounds of Mark talking in the living room. He vaguely recalled his dream now, but hearing Mark's voice made him blush. Sitting up, he ran a hand through his hair and tried to think about anyone or anything else. Carefully slipping from the bed, Sean tested if he could stand up without feeling sick. Other than being really lightheaded, he felt alright enough to walk to his door. Opening it just a crack, he leaned on the doorframe for support and peeked out. Mark was dressed in his white uniform, pacing the length of the room as he spoke into an earpiece heatedly. "I don't care if you've tested it a thousand times! Did you ever consider the effects for long term?!" Sean couldn't hear the response, but he watched Mark stop in his tracks to growl out darkly. "Matthew, so help me... I'll drive over there and kick your ass! I didn't say your math was wrong! I'm simply saying that the antidote you gave me isn't working!" Sean placed his hand absently against his collarbone. Rubbing along the base of his neck, he let that sink in. Had Mark been secretly drugging his food? Sean's eyes went to the empty dog bowl of soup from last night. Was that why he kept pressuring him to eat it?

Sean started to run his hand up his neck as a kind of comfort, when his fingers touched the steel collar. Curling his fingers around it, he tugged on it to no avail. It was still locked in place. Lowering his hand in defeat, he jumped in surprise as Mark slammed his hands on the table and yelled out in frustration. "Don't tell me to be patient! You designed this crap and I expect you to know how to remove it!" Mark suddenly removed his earpiece and threw it across the room, causing it to shatter upon its impact with the wall. From the kitchen, Amy timidly asked him. "What did he say?" Mark leaned over the dining table, muttering out through clenched teeth. "The little shit hung up on me... but he 'thinks' that Sean will be fine. Everything is tests and theories with him. He can't just give me a straight fucking answer. I don't understand why Mother felt the need to make him. He's a pain in my ass!" Amy chuckled very lightly, picking up a cup of coffee to take to him.

Mark straightened up to accept it from her, asking a bit nicer. "What are you laughing about?" Amy brushed her hair back over her shoulder, grinning brightly as she sweetly told him. "Nothing. I've just never seen you get so worked up about a pet before. You and Matthew have never seen eye to eye... but you've never criticized his work. What sets Sean apart from your other pets?" Mark looked into his coffee cup, before answering distantly. "He's not afraid of me." Amy shrugged, innocently saying aloud with a smile. "I'm not afraid of you." Mark smirked, chuckling to himself as he looked up at her to say warmly. "And I'm grateful for that, Peebles." Amy brushed her hair behind her ear with a blush, telling him casually. "I have Sean's smoothie ready. Shall I take it to him?" Mark sipped his coffee, before answering just as casually. "No. I'll take it to him myself." Sean opened his door wider, stating out lightly. "Or I can get it myself?" Mark slowly turned to look at him with a cool expression. Amy gave him a polite bow, allowing Mark to tell him nicely. "Good morning. Feeling any better?"

Sean nodded, slowly making his way carefully to the table. Grabbing the back of a chair for support as a wave of weightlessness hit him, he leaned down and admitted a little worried. "I feel really weak though..." Mark set down his cup and moved up to his side. Sean leaned away from him a bit, wincing as Mark's hand took ahold of his arm. He hadn't gotten over Mark's touches from the night before. Mark put the knuckles of his free hand to his forehead, telling him calmly. "You'll be ok if we can get you to keep down your food." Amy brought a tin cup over with a thick pink liquid inside it. Sean looked at it, then asked her curiously. "What is this?" Amy grinned, promptly replying. "I think you'll like it. It is a banana, strawberry, and peanut butter smoothie." Mark looked from the smoothie to Amy, asking enviously. "You've never made this for me." Amy giggled to herself, answering with a little shrug. "You never told me to make you one. Would you like one?"