𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥 (Ticci Toby x Male Reader)

𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐓

The summer evening air was cooled by a swift storm that raged through the town. The town was small and quiet. Nothing much happened—except for all the missing people—but over the years, those numbers have lessened dramatically.

I sat on my living room couch. The room was dark, with the only light being the laptop screen in front of my eyes. I was stuck on what to write for the final chapter. Though writing was something I did for fun, I couldn't live knowing I hadn't finished a good story.

The rain clattered on the roof of the house. I shifted in my seat, trying to come up with something—anything. I tapped my fingers on the side of my laptop, watching the cursor blink as nothing was written on the document.

It is difficult to write about romance nowadays. I struggled to create a new idea that wasn't already taken. To end on a sad note would have left me in tears, but a happy ending would make me want more.

It almost felt wrong to write the last chapter of anything. The last sentence needed to wrap up the story like a bow on top of a present, and making a mistake wasn't allowed.

My hands hovered over the keys, staring at the screen before taking in a large breath and closing the laptop. I stood up from the couch, opening the blinds to the window. As I gazed out to the stormy streets, watching the sky's drizzle down on Colorado, I felt something stir in me.

I was stuck in a daze of realizations. I wanted to be a part of a story like that. A romance that was unattainable in this reality.

I rubbed my eyes but ended up pinching the bridge of my nose. A melancholy feeling lingered in my heart, mourning for something I never had and never will have.

I slowly stepped away from the window, desperately needing to take my mind off such things. I took the TV remote from the kitchen table, turning the TV on and cranking up the volume.

Being left alone with my thoughts was a nightmare.

I went to the kitchen, where I got a bag of chips for comfort and started to eat them. My eyes were trained on the TV, but it seemed like every show that was on was about romance. After a while, I sighed internally, turning off the TV and tossing the remote to the other side of the couch.

The rain took over the sound of everything, like a hum of white noise. I looked back out the window before wrapping up the chips and going to the door. I threw on a coat and flipped up the hood before deciding I didn't need it.

I left my house, walking down the driveway and to the sidewalk. The rain hammered down on me. It soaked my hair and shoulders, but the cold rain against my skin felt comforting in a way. I held my hands out, catching droplets in my warm palms.

There was nothing better to do anyway.

I took a deep breath of the fresh air, feeling the water drip down my face and neck. The sidewalk led to a crosswalk where the light was green, but there wasn't a car in sight. I crossed the road, regardless of the warning on the other side.

I walked around the block, feeling the rain drench my entire being. When I ended up back at my house, I went inside, kicking off my shoes at the doorstep. The air-conditioned room made my body shiver slightly. I walked back to my room, selected a change of clothes, and went to the bathroom.

My house wasn't terrible to live in, but it was lonely. I rarely had friends over or even talked to them, but I don't know why. The isolation was tearing at my soul.

I hung the wet clothes over the sink to dry while I showered. A warm shower wasn't bad; it was relaxing, but I made sure to hurry. I didn't like shower thoughts.

I stepped out of the shower, patting my skin dry and putting my dry clothes on. I sighed at the mirror that cast my reflection and fixed my damp hair to look okay.

I walked out of the bathroom, flipping off the lights to put the house back into darkness. The rain was slowly clearing up outside. I looked back at the laptop that was waiting patiently on the coffee table.

I sat back on the couch, opening the laptop and staring at the chapter's title.

DISAPPEAR.

I cupped my chin in my palm, resting my elbow on my knee. I tapped my finger on the side of my face, thinking before an idea came to mind. It would be the ribbon to connect the story. My hands grazed the keys.

Thump.

My head snapped around to look out the window, my hands freezing above the keyboard. I gulped, looking around the rain-streaked glass. A small tuft of brown hair was peeking out of the bottom of the window sill.

I felt a spike of adrenaline through my heart. I couldn't tell if it was just a wild animal or a human. I slowly closed my laptop, warily creeping over to the window, but not close enough to see anything. I stepped over to the door, slowly twisting the knob and cracking it just enough to see outside.

There was a man huddled in the corner of the front porch. The man was hunched into a ball, twitching occasionally. He was drenched in rain, in a similar way that I was before. His brown, shoulder-length hair was dripping rain, and his chest was heaving. What worried me was the fact that he was wearing a muzzle over his nose and mouth and a straitjacket that bound his arms across his stomach. He appeared to be injured, but he had some bandages around his skull and over his left eye.

The man noticed me out of the corner of his eye, and he started to mutter to himself. He got to his feet but stayed in a squatting position. My eyes widened. He had to be an escaped patient—a dangerous one at that.

My grip on the door handle increased, and I stepped back a little into my house, not knowing what to do. I felt around my pockets for my phone, only to realize it was back in the house. I didn't want to go back inside and risk the chance of the man running off. It could be dangerous and my fault.

I cleared my throat.

"Who are you?" I asked, my tone wavering between caution and fear as I spoke.

The man stared at me, his manic eyes scanning me up and down. He was trembling slightly, muttering something that wasn't audible from behind his muzzle. The water dripped from his hair, soaking his bandages and face. It was pitiful to see, and it made me second-guess my thoughts about calling the authorities. I could see the dark bags under his eyes, and it made my heart hurt more.

My face softened, and I glanced out at the drizzle on the streets.

"Are you cold?" I asked, looking at his trembling form.

He stared back at me, but I figured he just wasn't much of a talker. I bit my tongue, looking around outside. It was nearing nighttime, so no one was out. I took a step back, opening the door to my home a little more. I had a feeling I would regret my next words.

"Would you like to come inside?"

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