Chained Puppet

Pancakes and Panic

Anti sat in a chair at the dining room table. Chase was finishing up their breakfast and everyone was just awkwardly standing around waiting for something to happen.

Except for Jackie. Jackie was pouting upstairs in his room staying away from Anti like Chase told him to.

Evidently the silence was agonizing so Henrik finally sat next to Anti, "Let me see your burns. Might be time after breakfast to change the bandages"

Anti gave him his arms without a fight, letting the doc do as he pleased. Jameson watched with a small smile, 'Always have to be working'

Henrik waved him off, seeing his hand moments from the corner of his eyes. Anti couldn't tell what he signed but he knew it was something playful judging by the response.

"When will police or whatever find out what caused the fire you think?" Chase took out some plates and served up some pancakes for them.

Anti was curious but even more so about the food in front of him and he licked his lips. But Henrik was still messing with his arms, slowly putting the bandages back on.

"I do not know" was the doctor's response, "That's Jackie's area of expertise. Might take a few days though. Maybe a little over a week?" he shrugged.

Anti bit his lip, "Wonder if I hurt someone . . . . "

Chase placed the syrup in front of him, "Probably. But don't worry about it right now."

Henrik finished putting the gauze back on but Anti still waited, "How can't I? You all have told me I've tried to kill you all and hurt you. . . . that's bad enough and then this happens. Who wanted me dead so bad they tried to set me on fire?"

"You probably won't like the answer" Marvin snorted to himself.

"Not helping, Marv" Chase chastised him and turned back to Anti, "Eat up. Doubt you've been eating anything good anyway. You need it. Fooking skin and bones"

Anti wrinkled his nose at the remark but started to eat anyways. He grew full fast but Henrik and Chase kept pestering him to eat more.

When finished, Chase took his plate and Henrik asked for him to follow him. Trotting close behind the doctor, he followed him to a room across the hall from the living room that appeared to look like a mini doctor's office with all sorts of tools and supplies necessary.

"Sometimes I like to take my work home with me" Henrik justified, seeing Anti's strange look, "Come here. I'll put more cream on your vounds and put new bandages on."

"Why couldn't you have just done it before breakfast?"

"Food was more important for you at that moment"

"Do they hate me, too, you think? Like Jackie does?"

Henrik hummed and thought carefully, chuckling lightly to try and play it off, "Don't be silly. Chase made you pancakes, yes?"

"He already was."

"They do not hate you, Anti. Stop worrying"

"Don't lie. Do you hate me?"

Henrik grunted nervously, "You have to understand zhat this is very hard for everyone involved. It's not so easy at the moment going through zhis and not just for you"

"Hm" Anti sighed, "I'll take that as a yes"

The doctor blinked but couldn't really find anything to say to that. Anti was his patient right now, yes. . . . but he was also the enemy.. . . That didn't even remember what he did to them.