𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥 (Ticci Toby x Male Reader)

✩🂱 𝕄𝕚𝕤𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕚 🂱✩

After I handed the old man the second half of the money, I checked over the new windshield.

"Looks good to me," I smiled, patting the glass to test the sturdiness.

The old man gave me a slight nod and tucked the cash into his pocket. I opened the driver's door, but then paused.

Where the hell is he? I thought, looking back to the lounge door. I went back to the lounge before going toward the bathrooms where Toby was around an hour ago.

I knocked and opened the door. It was just an average men's bathroom—a few sinks and a few stalls along with the urinals. I looked under the stall doors to see which one Toby was in, but he wasn't there.

"Toby?" I called out, tucking my hands into my pockets.

"What?" replied a small voice from the furthest stall. I walked over, noticing the door wasn't locked, and pushed it open.

Toby was sitting on the toilet, not using it, but with his arms wrapped around his legs and his knees to his chest. I raised my eyebrows, but I wasn't very surprised.

"What are you still doing in here?" I asked, tilting my head ever so slightly.

Toby shifted, his eyes meeting mine.

"I was about to walk out of the bathroom, but I got a really bad hallucination." He answered timidly, as if fearing that I would see him any different because of his schizophrenia.

My gaze softened, and I sighed, gesturing for him to stand up.

"We can talk about it in the car if you want, but right now, we need to leave." I said, gently clasping Toby's hand with mine. "I'm sure the others have realized that they were missing already and are on a manhunt."

Toby squeezed my hand firmly, standing up.

I guided him out of the bathroom, savoring the difference between our skin. While his was worn and calloused, mine was softer, and it molded with his hand—a perfect fit.

I brought him to the car, and he got in the back, and I sat in the driver's seat. I didn't bother to put my seatbelt on, and the same for Toby. I gave the old mechanic one last nod before backing out of the garage and heading back onto the road again.

It was quiet for a moment, then I spoke up.

"What did you see?" I asked, my fingers tapping on the wheel as I stared ahead.

Toby looked up at me before leaning his head against the window and twiddling with the hem of his shirt. His eyes unfocused, and his hands trembled.

"Someone familiar." He murmured, gazing outside as they made it to a more rural area, a land covered in tall, tan grasses that swayed in the wind.

I glanced at him through the mirror. I had a sinking feeling in my gut, a mix of pity and morbid curiosity.

"Who?" I asked quietly, hoping and praying that my simple question wouldn't trigger a breakdown.

"My life before Slenderman is blurry," he said softly. "I know she was important, but when I see her..." His face scrunched up in disgust.

"When I see her, her body's all bloody and mangled." Toby continued, rubbing his eyes as if he were trying to clear away the memory. "And she just stares at me," he muttered, looking paler than normal.

My face grew to share the same look of displeasure, and I reached my hand back, gently patting his knee.

"She's not real, or not any more at least." I said, not really knowing what else to say.

Toby's eyes looked to the passenger seat before his face lit it in realization.

"That's why I hate the front seat," he said, staring at the seat in front of him before looking at me.

I raised my eyebrows, trying not to become too distracted from the road. I tried to put the puzzle pieces together myself, but it was a bit difficult without the context.

Toby looked at me before sitting on his knees and leaning over into the front part of the car.

"I remember..." He said quietly before looking out the windshield.

I could almost see all the images flashing through Toby's mind, and I wanted to know what he was seeing more than ever.

"What are you remembering?" I asked, a hint of a smile forming on my face.

"My sister, the person I've been hallucinating, is my sister..." Toby said. With each word, he slouched more into the back seat, seeming distraught.

My smile faded away, and it clicked in my mind.

"Car crash?" I presumed, my hands tightening on the steering wheel.

Toby went quiet, blankly staring straight ahead. I assumed he was disassociating, which made my stomach churn with sympathy. This poor boy has been through so much.

I decided to let his brain do it's thing, occasionally glancing back to make sure he was okay. After a few hours, we made it out of Kansas and into Missouri. It would take only a little longer to get to Chicago.

Toby had fallen asleep in the backseat, and even though it was day, I figured it would be good to let the insomniac get his rest.

Toby's POV:

I could feel myself sinking into the cold ground. My head started to throb, and I couldn't breathe, like I was suffocating. My face went purple and red as my lungs screamed for air. My body trembled as I struggled to get any oxygen through my mouthguard, and I clawed at my face, helplessly flailing as my world faded to a pale gray.

My eyes snapped open, and I took in a sharp breath. A cold sweat encased my body and I trembled. I tried to steady my breath, willing a hand over my face as I regained my bearings. The more I thought about the dream, the less I could remember, until it was fully gone.

I looked around, only to realize the car wasn't moving and that it was dark outside. I sat up, rubbing the back of my head with a small frown.

"Y/N?" I mumbled, glancing around the front seats. He wasn't there, and my system flooded with panic.

Click.

My head snapped over, looking out the window, and I was filled with relief. Y/N was standing outside, pumping gas. I smiled softly, a fuzzy feeling in my chest as I realized I wasn't abandoned.

Y/N put the gas nozzle back into the machine, and I squinted, realizing just how bright the gas station lights were.

Y/N walked back to the drivers seat, opening the door and sitting back inside. The faint stench of gasoline welcomed itself into the car, but I didn't mind the familiar scent.

Y/N smiled when he looked back at me through the mirror. He turned on the ignition.

"We're going to a hotel for the night." Y/N said. "It's only a few miles away, and I need a break from sleeping in a cramped car."

I nodded in agreement, relaxing at the thought of being in a comfortable bed. I stretched out from my little nap, feeling like I could go for another.

The car drove out of the gas station and onto the road. It seemed like on the bustling outskirts of the city, there were people driving home from work or traveling, but most of the fast-food restaurants were still open.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the tall hotel. I couldn't remember the last time that I had been to one, but now that I had that chance to be at one with Y/N.

Y/N parked the car at the back of the lot before checking the time. He looked back at me with a smirk.

"If we check in quick, we might be able to make it to the pool." He said with an underlying mischevious tone.

A swam if butterflies attacked my stomach, as my brain flickered with the image of him shirtless. I've seen Y/N shirtless before, but I had a feeling this time would be different.

(AMONG US ඞ)