Chapter 24: The Doll Spending A Day with her Brother-in-Law (Part 1)

"No!" Freiheit crossed his arms, pouting insolently, just like a child. "I want to spend time with Eternity!"

"But you literally offered to buy the ingredients–"

"That's before you said you're gonna buy them!" Freiheit said. "If a single person can do it alone, why must I come along?"

Evan made a face as if contemplating the logic in Freiheit's words.

"Moral support?" Eternity suggested.

"Oh, Eternity." Freiheit shook his head, laughing softly. "Just like how women like to go to the powder room in packs, right?"

Eternity frowned.

"That's sexist," Evan pointed out.

"That's hilarious coming from you." Freiheit rolled his eyes.

"True," Evan and Eternity agreed at the same time.

The couple looked into each other's eyes, a blush tinting their cheeks as they did so. Freiheit animatedly gagged. This earned him a whack on the back of the head from Evan.

"Ow!" Freiheit winced, touching the back of his head.

Eternity chuckled, patting the poor man on the shoulders.

"I would also love to spend time with Mister Freiheit," she said, causing Evan to gawk while Freiheit clasped his hands together in delight.

"See!" Freiheit exclaimed as if he were making a point, the point being none. "Though, Eternity, you can just call me Freiheit. No 'mister'."

Eternity's doe-green eyes widened, and she beamed at Freiheit. Freiheit would've swooned at how adorable she was if only Evan wasn't watching him.

"I would like to get to know him better," Eternity continued.

"I would like to get to know you better, too." Freiheit winked at her flirtatiously.

"Do you want to die?" Evan smiled threateningly.

"No, sir," Freiheit immediately answered, giving Eternity a huge amount of space.

"Good," Evan said with a loud huff. He then turned to Eternity, his voice turning soft again. "You know I can't leave Freiheit with you. He'll take advantage of you the moment I set foot outside this apartment."

"You wound me, brother," Freiheit moaned overdramatically. "Oh, you wound me."

"Shut up."

Eternity pouted, looking at Evan with her pleading green eyes. It immediately made Evan's icy-cold heart melt into a puddle.

"Please give Freiheit more credit," she said. "I don't think Freiheit is a bad person." She paused. "Very flirtatious, perhaps. But not a bad person," she added belatedly.

Freiheit looked at her as if he wasn't sure he should be offended or in awe of her for vouching for him.

Evan seemed conflicted. "I trust you, but not Freiheit."

"Why so?" she asked confusedly. "I thought you had a strong bond with him."

"Yeah!" Freiheit exclaimed. "I thought we were best friends!"

"We are," Evan said, although he immediately cringed soon after it escaped his mouth. "But I don't trust him around women."

"How rude!" Freiheit puffed his chest like a pigeon. "I would never touch a woman without their consent!"

"Freiheit," Evan deadpanned. "Please don't fuck with me. You will literally bang our sister if the circumstance permits."

Freiheit didn't say anything. Instead, an uncharacteristic blush colored his face.

"Please, Evan," Eternity pleaded, holding Evan's hands firmly. "If you want me to become a well-rounded doll, you would allow my social world to expand and not revolve around you. I want to socialize with many people."

She gestured at Freiheit.

"Who else would be a better candidate to be my first friend than him?"

"You don't need more friends," Evan rumbled. "I should be enough."

Freiheit suddenly whistled to the tune of 'Toxic' by Britney Spears.

Evan glared at him.

"Please?" Eternity begged once more.

Evan made a deep sigh and was silent for a few seconds. After a while, he gave in.

"Fine." This caused both Eternity and Freiheit to jump on their seats with glee. "But promise me, if he does something to you, feel free to stab him with a knife. We can hide the body later."

"You're so scary, brother." Freiheit's sweat dropped, laughing wearily.

"I'm not joking."

The blood on Freiheit's face ran dry.

"I'm warning you," Evan threatened, jabbing a finger at Freiheit's chest. "If you attempt, even just an attempt, to do anything to Eternity—"

"She will stab me to death, I know, I know." Freiheit sighed, waving him off dismissively. He then turned to the doll, smiling widely at her. "But you won't do that to me, right, Eternity?"

"I will," Eternity replied without a hint of menace.

Maybe it's the lack thereof that scared Freiheit, causing the grin on his face to disappear almost immediately. This made Evan smirk proudly at his doll.

"You're such a good girl." Evan patted her affectionately on the head, ruffling her bright red hair.

Eternity literally purred.

"You two scare me," Freiheit shuddered. "Anyway, enough PDA, the both of you! Shouldn't you be taking your leave, Evan?"

"Ah, right," Evan said, a hint of sadness in his voice because he was forced to stop flirting with Eternity. He cupped Eternity's cheeks, leaning down to her level so much that he had to bend his legs due to their notable height difference. "Be good for me, okay?"

Eternity nodded earnestly.

All three of them were currently standing in front of the apartment's doorsteps. Evan was holding the doorknob, preparing to leave, while the two were planning to send him off as if he were going on a faraway journey instead of the supermarket.

"I'll be taking my leave then," Evan announced, twisting the door handle. "Freiheit." He gave his brother a quick glance.

"Evanescence," Freiheit nodded in acknowledgment.

"Fuck you!" Evan glared.

Eternity's green eyes darted from Evan to Freiheit, wondering what this weird exchange was. Evan must've noticed her curious eyes, for he mouthed, 'It's nothing' to her.

She could merely nod, fully trusting her boyfriend. Evan made one last long look at Eternity before heading out the door.

Once the door made a 'click' sound, signaling that Evan was gone, Freiheit turned his gaze sinisterly to Eternity. He opened his mouth to say something, but Eternity effectively cut him off.

"I can and will stab you, Freiheit."

Freiheit raised both of his hands, accepting defeat. "Please don't."

"As long as you don't do anything funny!" She smiled sweetly at him.

It was making him shiver in fright.