Sweats started to form on Hayden's forehead. Ardem and his father was staring intently at him. One was pissed because he dropped him and the other one was giving him looks full of questions.
He signaled the kitty to be quiet. But of course, Ardem didn't get his signal at all. Instead it questioned him one more time. (Why did you drop me? Have you finally lost it kid? You dare drop this almighty dragon? I will kill you with my kick!), and started to assault his foot using its tiny paws.
"What's the meaning of this?"
His head was thinking of a way to get out of this fucked up situation. But he can't just propose the fact that Ardem is a dragon. That'll just make the situation worse!
"You see- I.. Uh... This, how should I explain this.." it was quite natural that he was out of words. He just couldn't utter a single lie because he really couldn't explain such phenomenon! Unless, he wanted to be labelled crazy.
"Did you just apologize to me?"
"Yes, di-- Huh??"
Hayden couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion. Did he hear his question wrong? Wasn't he asking about how the cat could talk?
"I see.." He was even more confused seeing his father trying to hide the fact the he was touched.
"Father--"
"You've finally realized your mistakes after refusing not to go out of your room for 3 days?" His jaw dropped from what he heard. 3 days? No wonder his stomach won't stop grumbling!
He can't gauge why his dad can't hear Ardem's voice, but this situation works in his favor! He would be an idiot if he wouldn't take this chance to raise his father's favorability of him!
"Yes father, I actually thought about it a lot. And I think my past actions were unforgivable. But I would like to take this opportunity to gain your trust. I know this will sound stupid, but I'm done being just a lazy bum. I promise, I'll be a better son, for you and for mom. And of course for the Greys." Although he told all that with a straight face, he can't hide how he was blushing from embarrassment.
What he said was a lie though. How could he change his mind in just a few days? If it were him before the arrival of the UG he wouldn't even thought of acting like this in front of his father nor in front of anybody else!
But for the sake of changing his future, he needed to do this.
(Wow, you could pass as an actor, kid.)
'Wow please shut up..' Maybe because his mind was back in his 18s he still had the influence of his past arrogant attitude.
(I can hear you, you know?!)
But he didnt say any-- oh.. He can read his thoughts?! That would be convenient! But troublesome at the same time.
"I admire your courage, but even if you're my son, I can't give my full trust to you overnight. You have to do your best to earn it.. and I know you can."
(Yuck. Why is his cheeks so red? A tsundere?)
'Hey, where did you learn to talk like that?'
(In your memories.) It doesn't even surprise him anymore. Ardem can read his thoughts, so he already predicted that he had access to his memories. He'll just silently hope that he would never find his embarassing moments in there. That would suck.
He nodded his head, "I got it father.. but before that.. Can I request a hug from you?"
(A big yuck for you too.)
'Just shut up! I'm doing this for my sake! Okay?!' His veins popped from Ardem's constant teasing. He did a good job holding himself back and keeping his smiling face.
He wouldn't want to ruin this moment.
Having an arrogant attitude before, he didn't even experience this basic intimacy towards family. He was really regretting it when all of them died. Now that he had a chance to do this, he won't let it get away!
His father's lips curved up a little. He didn't say anything and just pulled Hayden for a hug.
For a moment, Hayden felt warm, it was a miracle that he managed to held back from his urge to cry.
Ardem just snickered at the scene in front of him.
After their hug ended, his father pushed him slightly, "Are you done? Now get out. I'm a busy man. I still have lots of things to do." Alexander fixed his tie and sat back to his chair like nothing happened. He didn't even glanced back at him, but Hayden didn't mind. He carried the tiny kitten in his hand and just bowed to show his respect, before leaving the room.
After the door closed, his father let out a big sigh. 'Did my son finally let go of his guilt? That boy, he didn't have to blame himself for the death of his brother. I was the one who was supposed to be blamed but he took it all for himself.' He sighed again.
He was almost out of reasons to keep his son from getting tossed out. The other Greys always complained to him about Hayden's arrogant behaviour and constant bullying to other staffs and even his cousins. There was no passing week, that he receives no complaints.To add some fuel to the fire, Hayden acted like a total lazy idiot who was just spending away their money. That's why they badly demanded for Hayden to be kicked out of the family.
But how could he do that? He could remember him being so adorable when he was a kid. Maybe if it weren't for that incident, he wouldn't have that attitude, so he thought.
Now that Hayden promised that he would gain his trust, he wondered how the other Greys would take his actions. 'They would be shocked as I am for sure.'
--
Ardem desperately struggled to get out from Hayden's grasps. He was wiggling around. Some staffs and personnels stared at them as they headed to the building's gym. They didn't have the courage to talk to him.
They fully know of his bad temper, they're afraid that they might face his wrath again or worse, get fired!
(Hey! This is kidnapping! Where are you taking me? You! Why are you all just staring at someone being abducted?! Kick this bastard away from meee!)
It was a loud bickering from Hayden's perspective but from other's point of view, the poor kitten was just pitifully growling.
"Quit it, from my observation they can't hear your voice. They just hear your noisy meowing."
(M-Meowing? This!? S... Such disrespect!)
He was indeed right. Only he can hear Ardem's voice. Both their souls were bound together so only he could have the ability to understand him.. For now.
And then there was his sudden appearance after he touched the tattoo. The pain he felt in his neck before he died must have some kind of connection to this.
If he was to guess, the failed procedure resulted in the linking of their souls. So when he 'accidentally' sent Hayden back to the past, his soul also followed along with his. And Ardem must've used almost all of his power to turn back time.
After all, it was completely against the law of the universe to Reverse the time. That's why even if it was just for a mere 25 years, he was left powerless. The powers he gathered in his lifetime was completely exhausted.
As for his cat like form-- only one explanation was what he could come up with, Ardem manifested in this feline animal because of his love for cats...
His theories were all spot on. It'll take time for Ardem to gather his strength back to its original state. That's why he had taken this temporary form.
This were his thoughts while walking.
When he arrived at the gym, the little furry ball hid in the corner of the room to sulk. He was outstrengthed by a weaker race than him. It damaged his pride.
Hayden just let him be. He had a goal to achieve after all. He took off his shirt and replaced it with a white sando. He did a light stretching first before getting on the treadmill, setting the speed from the lowest until he gradually increases it little by little.
--
A few hours later, he drank water from the bottle that he brought with him to satisfy his thirst. He tried all sets of exercising equipments in the gym that he had known in his past life. He knows that he is far from catching up to his old body but he can't help but be proud of himself.
As expected, his body really needs to catch up as soon as possible, with this shitty stamina, it'll be impossible for him to surpass others.
But before that.. "Ardem, why don't you stop sulking and come here?"
(....)
"Come on stop sulking, I'll let you try our yummy dishes later on." it's ear twitched and it's tail wagged, seems like the word yummy caught Ardem's attention.
(Who's sulking? ME? KU HA HA HA! Are you insulting me?) he started to walk towards him. He appeared to have forgotten what happened earlier. (You must serve me the Golden Fried Chicken then! )
He laughed a bit about his declaration. "Alright alright I'll feed you Chicken later" they were both grinning at each other like dolts.
"Anyway, how old were you when you were trapped in that temple?"
(Hmm I probably lived more than a million years before I was sealed there because they can't handle how great and powerful of a dragon I am! )
He was quite old in Hayden's standpoint but for the dragons who lived for billions, trillions of years or more.. He was just a child.
His childish attitude now makes sense.
He felt pity towards him, he probably would go mad if he were trapped there for a billion years. Just imagining it, made him shiver.
So he just let him brag all he want.
And he was glad that they were already on the 'friendly' terms. He was not comfortable talking so formally towards him ealier. Not now that he had seen how idio-- childish Ardem is.
They were both talking about things when a voice greeted him, "Yo! Hayden, you didn't show up for 3 days, what happened?" a man with a blonde hair like him was standing near the entrance of the gym.
He was shorter than an average teenager and had slightly muscular figure that doesn't suit his height.
Right, he remember this guy. How can he not? It was his annoying cousin, Reynan Cudillo-'Grey'. He was not in the official register of The Grey family because he was the bastard son of father's brother, Oliver Grey. Normally, he shouldn't be accepted to the family, if it weren't for his outstanding achievements and social skills!
And mind you, they could never get along!
Whenever he got the chance, he would constantly annoy the hell outta him. He would follow him around asks bunch of nonsense things. Sometimes he would pry into his private life.
In the past he didn't like him because of how he was so accepted in the family but he was not. He was totally embarassed thinking about it now because it was his own fault for being stupid that the Grey rejected him. But, he still didn't like him even now!
He already tried to shake him off many times. But he wasn't affected by his beatings at all! In the end he would be the villain, adding his cruelness deed to his already notorious reputation.
"Did you know? Our cousins wondered if you already died in your room but I'm glad to see you right now! The others were disappointed though, because they wanted you dead!" and now, he laughed all by himself.
That carefree attitude was what he hated the most. Although he was well liked by his other cousins, he wasn't the same! He doesn't want to get close to him, even by a meter!
Hayden groaned and stood up from where he was sitting, he picked up his things and directly walked towards the exit. Ardem just followed him from behind, his thoughts were all clouded with Fried chicken.
(Ehe he he he chicken~)
"Where are you going? Can I come?" Hayden wanted to wipe that smile off his face. If he could just beat the shit out of him again right now, he would do so. But he had a promise to fulfill so.. He held himself.
"Oh my god! This is such a cute kitty! It look.. Different!" He looked back and seen that Reynan was already lifting Ardem up in the air. "Is it a girl?"
(!!!)
He tried to peek on his private area. "Oh.. It has.. nothing? Is it neutered?"
(THIS!?! SUCH EMBARASSMENT!)
Using the energies that Ardem gathered earlier while he was sulking, he freed himself from Reynan's grasp and forcefully kicked him right in the face!
Hayden saw how the tiny paws of the kitten connected to the poor guy's cheeks. His saliva showered everywhere as his face got planted on the floor.
"Pff---" Hayden laughed hard after seeing Reynan's condition.
'Oh god, It's like I saw it in slow motion. So funny!'
While he was laughing his ass off, the tiny cat continued to punched the poor guy, but with his gathered energy gone, it hardly inflicted any damage. Now he was pissed even more.
When Reynan finally recovered, he lifted his face up and saw the cat, punching |?|him in the face. He couldn't comprehend what just happened.
And..
(MEOOOOW MEOOOOOOW!)
was all he could understand.