Partners In Crime (Ticciwork fanfic) [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 14: Migraine

Clockwork had a problem with headaches.

Ever since the failed operation that permanently ruined Clockwork's chances of ever being normal, she got headaches rather frequently.

But rather than a mild ache that might make someone slightly grumpy, Clockwork's headaches hurt.

If she were lucky, it only felt like someone was driving needles through her skull, and she only needed to lie low and not try to read or do anything that required extreme brain activity.

But Clockwork was rarely lucky.

The pain pulsing through her head was so extreme she couldn't see if she tried opening her eyes; there was only a blurry haze of colors and shapes. It almost felt like a toddler was inside of her head throwing a fit, punching the inside of her eyeballs and throwing various sharp objects at the cavity of her skull.

She had her arms tightly wrapped around her head, trying to block out the sounds of the world around her. It was only 8:15 in the morning, no one was doing much yet, but they would start waking up soon.

She was trying really hard to steady her breathing, but it wasn't working. It would only come out in sharp, quick gasps as the inner toddler started hammering ice picks into the floor. Her eyelids felt laden with tears that she hadn't let pass; eventually they'd overflow.

"Clockwork?" It was Toby's voice, and it wasn't even loud, but it still made Clockwork flinch. She grinded her teeth, trying to force the tears back where they came from. He slid slowly into the seat across from her, carefully, like he wasn't sure whether to talk to her or not. "You okay?" He'd dropped his voice now, and suddenly Clockwork was extremely grateful for him.

The pain was too extreme for her to form a full sentence without crying, so she only said a single word to him. "Headache."

It was a terrible understatement, but Toby seemed to understand. He didn't say anything else to her.

Clockwork lowered her head onto the table and closed her eyes tighter than they had been before in order to keep the tears back. She was shaking against her will, her breathing refusing to calm down.

She could sense a bit of warmth hover over her arm for a moment, but it retreated quickly. Part of the feverish hole of her mind that was still sane wondered if Toby had reached out for her, but it was swallowed up in pain and she forgot.

An indescribable amount of pressure exploded in her head and she gasped and instinctively drew her arms closer to herself. The toddler must have been listening to music really loudly because her ears were ringing, but the sound kept fading in and out, so it only increased the agony.

"Hey, Toby." Clockwork didn't recognize the voice from across the room, though it did sound vaguely familiar. "What's wrong with..." Whoever it was trailed off and fell silent. There was a click of claws on hardwood and the door opened and closed, though slowly and softly, which Clockwork was extremely grateful for.

"Do you need some water or something?" Toby asked softly, his voice as low as possible. Clockwork could barely shake her head. Water wouldn't help, anyway. Toby sighed miserably. Clockwork wanted to apologize for being so...what?...but she couldn't speak without bursting into tears, and what was she supposed to say?

Sorry, Toby, my head is exploding, please forgive my gasps of extreme pain as I try to refrain from stabbing myself to end it all.

"Clockwork." Toby whispered. She didn't - she couldn't - answer him. She felt him touch her arm and flinched in surprise. "Clockwork, you're not okay."