Tear In My Heart (COMPLETE)

Chapter Eight

I'm Driving, Here I Sit

Cursing My Government

For Not Using My Taxes

To Fill Holes With More Cement!

He awoke to soft murmurs and the sounds of machines whirring around him. Tim breathed in deeply, a hand smoothing over his forehead as he moved to sit up - but was stopped mid way by a gentle hand that pushed him back onto the bed he quickly realized he was laying on. It wasn't like he could say no, his body weak from the earlier excursion and --

Tim again went to move from the bed again in a slight panic; and again he was gently pushed back down onto the bed. The soft murmurs continued around him for another moment before he could hear someone walking away, with someone else moving a chair beside him to sit down. Brown eyes blinked over slowly to reveal the still dim room of their makeshift medical wing. The sound of a chair shifting around came to his ears again, and suddenly Brian was leaning over him, ripping off his own face mask as he looked down at him with obvious concern and relief.

"Hey," he spoke softly, pressing a soft kiss against Tim's forehead as one of his tired arms reached to gently grasp around the back of the other's neck as if to make sure the other was still there. "How you feelin'?"

"Sore," was Tim's grumbled reply. "How long have I been out?"

"A couple of hours," Brian hummed, hand moving to where Tim's free one went to rub his forehead, causing the raven haired man to sigh. "You should be alright, though. Nothing bad besides some bruising."

"An'.... And the kid?" Tim asked after a brief pause, realizing he didn't see Toby lying in the immediate vicinity.

"Smiley's got him in his own little room, for now," Brian informed. "He'll be fine, but he lost a lot of blood from wherever he got shot to here. He just needs rest, is all. Like you. He said you must have run yourself ragged, carrying him that far. Did you even stop to rest?"

Brian's other free hand moved through Tim's hair gently, gliding through it and earning a hum in response as Tim felt himself begin to relax again.

"Not like I had a choice to," Tim muttered, eyes temporarily fluttering shut. "Kid probably wouldn't have made it if I didn't book it when I realized he was shot. Couldn't risk taking him to an actual hospital, either."

Brian seemed to pause for a moment, before nodding in understanding. His hand on the other's forehead rested now on one of Tim's hands; the one in his hair pausing yet not removing itself from the blackened locks.

"You should get some rest," Brian muttered, placing another gentle kiss atop the other's forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

A hand gently grasped the one around Brian's neck and drew them back to the bed, a gentle smile placed upon the dirty blonde's lips as it folded around Tim's hand, almost refusing to let go. A smile, although tired, rose on Tim's lips then; chest rising and falling slowly as he relaxed himself.

"Love you," came the raspy voice that exited the raven haired man's throat, sounding sore and tired as his body laxed and began to lull itself to sleep.

"Love you, too, Tim," was the last thing Tim heard as he was lulled into sleep, another gentle kiss being placed on his forehead as he soon found himself deep in his dreams.

***

It took Toby one day before Smiley allowed him out of his makeshift hospital wing, however before Smiley left for his own duties (he'd only been visiting at the time of Tim's arrival, which many had counted as overly lucky; but none could complain) elsewhere. However, the teen was ordered to rest for a week or two before being allowed back onto duty. So, naturally, Toby had spent the majority of his time in the Proxy's shared room if not the kitchen to eat or living room to lull himself to sleep with marathons of shows and movies flashing on the television.

While the ticking teen could be annoying when stuffed together with the other two Proxy's, it made it easier to tend to him when needed. While Brian remembered minimal from his time getting his nursing degree in college, the young man had opted to aid Dr Smiles and Nurse Ann when possible so he could do his best to relearn what he had lost (to an extent, of course; he didn't actually want to kill anyone with the knowledge he was given) as so he could help when any of the other monsters, as well as his boyfriend and fellow Proxy, when they were injured without worrying about calling Smiley or Ann. It made things easier on everyone, honestly.

It was dark as Tim stumbled from the hallway bathroom, maskeless and unafraid of anyone seeing his face as it was highly unlikely he'd run into anyone at this hour, and stumbled in boxers and a t- shirt back towards his room. The sounds of ticking emitted from the room as he quietly entered and shut the door behind him, the sound a mix of their wall clock and the ticking teen as he lay in his single bed against the far wall, back facing the door as Tim entered and trotted back towards his own shared bed with Brian. They'd come back from a mission that day, and all Tim wanted was to be lulled back into dreamland. So he slid silently into bed, shuffling under the covers and causing the still sleeping Brian, who lay in the middle of the bed (having moved when Tim finally pried himself from his lover to relieve his bladder) to almost instinctively roll from his back onto his side and wrap his arms around Tim's bulky frame with his head nuzzling into the other's chest with incoherent muttering.

Tim smiled down at the other man, fingers instantly ruffling through dirty blond locks as Brian relaxed once more with an almost content sigh. Even with their world being the hellish nightmare that it was, it was nice to have someone with you through it all. And it was especially nice to know that that person was your boyfriend. God, Tim wasn't sure what he'd do without the other at this point. Probably become a mindless zombie or something.

"M-Masky?" stuttered Toby suddenly, the sounds of movement and springs creaking coming from his bed and jolting Tim from his thoughts. "Y-you st-still aw-awake?"

Tim grunted, but supposed he should at least respond. He didn't want to wake Brian from his own deep slumber if Toby needed help, so figured he could at least aid the teen in whatever he needed and fall asleep soon after. Brown eyes shifted towards the brunette, who had rolled over to face him in his bed. Small, occasional twitches and ticks ravaged Toby's body, blankets rustling along every so often but not enough to disturb the other two.

"Yeah," Tim grunted in reply, shifting slightly himself to better look at the other. Brian shifted in Tim's arm, Brian's face nuzzling into the larger chest instinctively. It almost made Tim coo, honestly. "What'd'ya need?"

Toby seemed to fidget, eyes darting down to his mattress as if in thought. His ticking seemed to grow more frequent, meaning he was likely feeling nervous or something. It was rare to see Toby in such a manner, seeming nervous and fidgety. He was generally boisterous and outgoing and quite annoying. So seeing him like this was almost - amusing in a way.

"Uhm, I-I just," Toby breathed, still looking at his mattress as if it was the only thing in the world. It took a long moment of even more fidgeting and Tim waiting patiently before Toby made eye contact once more. "I-I ju-just wanted to s-say thanks," he practically breathed through scarred lips,"fo-for helping me li-like you did. Sm-Smiley said I-I would've di-died if you hadn't br-brought me back he-here. An-and I know you hate me and all, so i-it means a lot. Re-really."

"Don't sweat it," came Tim's reply. "You'd.... Do the same for me. So don't worry about it." Toby hummed in what sounded like agreement, face softening. "Now get back to sleep, yeah?" Tim yawned as he went on.

"I gu-guess," Toby ticked, shuffling around in his bed. "Th-thanks. Ni-night, Masky."

"Tim."

"Hm?" Toby asked, head turning his head back to Tim now sleepily.

"Call me Tim."

Toby's eyes widened in momentary shock, before a smile was plastered onto his scarred lips.

"Al-alright. Night, Tim."

"Night, Tobes."

As Tim began to relax himself back into slumber, he completely missed the smile that had some odd meaning behind it as Toby rolled over with a content sigh, following shortly into dreamland.

(Three chapters in one go. Ya'll are welcome lmao. )