Photograph | Mammon

Thirteen

"It only took you 20 years to finally add colour" He smugly stated as she started to pack away the oil paints.

"Shut up!" She replied slightly defensively, "I'd like to see you try to do this"

"It feels like you're dragging this out so that I stay with you longer"

"You say that as if you'll leave me before I go"

"You don't know that~"

"I think I do know" at her words they momentarily lock eyes. The ephemerality of this bond will randomly hit them at moments like this.

The door opening disturbs the silence.

"Milo!" She cheerfully exclaims, "the one and only—ah! It's Mark!"

Mammon turned around in confusion before recalling that he was in fact Mark. "Y-yeah"

Milo looked at him up and down, "You look quite strong--"

"Pfft—you do realise it's not April yet, right?"

"You-- I am strong!"

"Even if you are you don't look strong"

"You--"

Milo clapped his hands loudly. The both of them were taken aback by the sound. Maybe it was the sheer size of his hands being able to capture a bigger amount of air but it was abnormally loud.

"You two lovers can bicker when I'm not here—Mark, mind helping me with some boxes?"

"you may go" she stated as Mammon looked over at her.

While standing up he suddenly paused, why did he look at her for permission? Was he seriously being controlled by this pathetic human?

As he looked back up at her she had an evil grin. "You are not in control!"

"Thank you so much Mark!" Before he could respond Milo effortlessly spun him around in his bulky arms. As the big man put him down he could not deny his racing heart. His big arms were a strange comfort.

"Do you like desserts?"

"...that's very vague"

"Haha, I suppose so, how about chocolate chip cookies?"

"Yes--"

"Perfect! Wait right here!"

As the door closed Mammon scanned the room. The table had a gold plaque labelled 'Dr. S Marino'.

The light from the nameplate reflected onto a picture frame. Looking closer it was Doctor Stephen... with her brother, Jonah. In the photo, they had their arms linked while in suits. He then recalled that she mentioned them being close friends.

"Sorry for the wait!" Milo cheerfully exclaimed while the gloomy Stephen followed after him. His gloomy expression quickly scowled at the sight of Mammon holding that photo.

He grabbed the picture frame. "don't touch what isn't yours, and stop bringing strangers into my office Nurse Nez!"

"Wait, Steph--" Milo's words got cut off my the doctor slamming the door.

Milo sighed as he handed Mammon the small box with cookies. "Sorry about Stephen..."

"N-no, I shouldn't have touched his stuff"

"He's awfully sensitive about that photo, when I was new here I cleaned his picture frame and he yelled at me too—so don't take it to heart, okay?"

Mammon did have a slight furrowed brow, not from Stephen's reaction but from wondering what his relation to her brother was.