𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲~ Toge Inumaki

Chapter 23

"Toge?"

I quietly called out to him as I watched him get up from his kneeling position. He was a few inches away from the door and so was I.

My chains rattled as I shifted my position to get closer to him.

"Toge?? What are you doing here?" I questioned in confusion as I looked at the boy who was burying his face in his hands, quietly sobbing.

I tried getting closer but the chain restricted my movement, forcing me to fall back. He was just standing there, crying. His clothes looked ripped and something was dripping from his elbows, splattering on the floor causing the same sound I heard earlier.

"Are you okay?? What's happening?? Why are you here? Why are you crying?!" The words struggled to come out of my mouth because of the rope that muffled my speech.

He removed his hands from his face and started walking towards the door. His face was pale and blood was now visible, dripping from his mouth and hands. His face was in distress and he was attempting to say something in a cracked voice.

His pace was increasing as he tried to make his way to the door. He had now been running but it seemed as though he could never actually reach the end of the door. I winced through the pain of the shackles pinching on my ankles as I tried getting closer to the door.

"Help"

I heard his distant voice echoing around the dark abyss. Shakiness and fear were detected in his tone as it pierced my ears.

"I'm here! Just grab my hand!" I yelled as I stretched out my hand so that he could take it for support. Though my chained feet were holding me down, my hands were willing to take the unpredictable risk of helping him.

He was finally getting closer to the door and his full appearance was now in view. His clothes was indeed tattered and blood trickled down his chin. His seal had disappeared from the sides of his mouth and he was oddly limping.

Our hands brushed against each other before I got a tight grip of it. I tried to pull him through the door but there was some invisible force pulling him back deeper into the darkness that lurked behind the red door. My grip got even tighter when I noticed the expression on his face change from assurance to fear once more. Our grip slowly loosened as it's force was too great for the both of us to handle. He was getting pulled back into the other side of the door and our hands were slowly sliding out of one another's grip.

"Just...hold on!" I said as I my eyes got teary. His hand was slowly slipping away from my reach. His face was washed with fear and he had this look like he was pleading for help. The force only got stronger and our contact was limited. I was now holding onto his thumb as I tried to pull him through but the chains on my feet didn't allow me to step any closer.

"Toge!! Nooo!" I helplessly cried when I couldn't hold out anymore. He was pulled into the darkness and the last word he muttered was in a distressful tone.

"Save me, please."

The door slammed shut and the entire place went completely dark. My eyes shot open and I realized I was crying because my pillow was damp. I looked around my room in relief, my eyes were adjusting to the dimly lit room. When I looked to my side, I felt the warm touch of something against my hand. When I had fully turned my attention to the side of me, I screamed.

"Toge?!?!" He was abruptly awoken from his sleep and because of my actions he fell to the floor in surprise. I wiped the tears from my eyes and grabbed onto his hand to help him up. We were both in a daze as we adjusted to the situation that beheld us. When I pulled him up I didn't wanted to let go because I remembered the horrible dream. Would he fall out of my reach again? If he's ever in trouble, will I not be able to save him?

He was now sitting like how he was before, his lower body was on the floor but his head rested on the bed beside me. He observed my sleepy but frightened face then placed his other hand over our interlocked hands. He was slowly and gently patting it as we made eye contact.

"It's okay, it's just a dream." He softly said as he continued to caress my hand.

"But you were there....and it felt so real. I- I couldn't save you." I couldn't look at him because I was reminded of how scared he was and how I failed to save him.

"I'm here now. It's okay, just try not to think about it." His voice was somewhat soothing which helped me calm down.

"Did you...like get teleported again? Is that how you're here?" -y/n

He nodded his head then spoke. "I get this feeling like you need help or comfort then I just get summoned to wherever you are" , he said vaguely.

"I'm sorry for scaring you and I'm also sorry for bothering you in general. I don't know why this is happening to you. -y/n

He just shook it off and just continued to stare at me like I was some sort of jewel. He leaned closer to my face then raised his hand to my cheek, wiping off the last bit of tears that were left. My mom came banging on the door the same time, interrupting us. The door swung open and she stood at the beginning of the door, her shadow casting a menacing figure into the room.

"Y/N ARE YOU OKA-" she suddenly stopped when she saw Toge's hand by my face. I quickly pushed it away and sat up properly in my bed as I faced her.

"Oooh" she said with a slight smirk. "Am I interrupting something?" She said as she gave both of us an odd grin. She began to back away but I quickly stood up.

"Uhh no no! You aren't interrupting anything! I was just having a bad dream...yeah that's all." -Y/n

Toge stood up also and stepped forward. "I should go....." he shyly said as he evaded eye contact with any of us. He walked out of the room with my mom and they both went their separate ways and I was left still standing in my room. A part of me didn't want him to leave—

Am I falling for this cheeky bastard?