Inner Demons 》Ticci Toby x Reader《 Savior Book 2

Chapter 5

You stood in front of the door that lead to your old room and the mysterious, but strangely familiar man and took a deep breath. For some reason, you felt nervous. You hadn't yet told Toby that you recognized the man in fear that it would upset him, but you couldn't ignore his questioning stares any longer.

"Want me come in with you?" Toby asked quietly from your side. Your confession caught in your throat and all you could do to respond was shake your head. You felt like this was something you had to do on your own. You swallowed your guilt and settled for telling him later. With a trembling hand, you opened the door and stepped through the threshold. You cast one last smile at your frowning partner and closed the door behind you, sealing yourself inside with the red-eyed man. 

He was sitting up with pillows stuffed behind him. With arms crossed over his chest, he watched you with glowing eyes that seemed to look through you as you took a seat at the foot of the bed, as far away from him as the baseboard would allow. He opened his mouth to speak, but you cut him off.

"Why will you only speak to me?"

"Because," the man shrugged, "You're the only memory I have left."

"What are you talking about?" You snapped, ignoring the hair standing up on your neck.

"The only thing I remember besides wandering around the woods is your name and face."

"What's your name?" You felt the urge to run.

"I don't remember," he shrugged.

"Then what are we supposed to call you?" 

He paused for a moment, tapping his chin with his index finger. "Zero."

"What?"

"Call me Zero. Painfully appropriate, isn't it?"

"May I ask what memory of me you have?" You asked after a moment.

"Well," he replied quietly, almost as if the question had made him nervous, "I remember a dimly lit room with a metal table and chair. I asked you to sit, and you did. Then I turned the light off and..."

"And you kiss me," you finished, the blood in your veins turning cold.

"You remember?" He whispered. You didn't stay to hear whatever else he had to say. Leaping from the bed, you swung open the door to find Jeff, BEN, and Toby standing before you, bearing surprised expressions. They'd been listening to the conversation. You pushed past them and made for the stairs. As you rounded the corner and cast a quick look at the hall, you saw Jeff and BEN trailing after you. But Toby was fixed in front of the door, staring after you, unmoving.

~~~

You sat at the edge of the woods, hugging your knees to your chest. Jeff and BEN had followed you as far as the back door, but after you'd slammed it shut behind you, it hadn't opened again. A cold wind rushed through the leaves and washed over your face, dousing your body in an icy chill. You shivered and made no attempt to prevent it. 

Your mind wandered to Zero. You'd known as soon as you'd seen him that he was the man from the reoccurring dream you'd been having since you'd narrowly escaped death at Dr. Smiley's hands. Three day's after you'd first had the dream, you'd received a letter from Dr. Smiley that had explained you and Toby's passive attitude towards him when you'd left. He admitted to drugging the both of you with something he called "Smile Gas", which he had released into the air soon after Toby had arrived, that made the two of you more "susceptible" to his actions and words. Towards the end of the letter, he'd hinted that he knew something about the dreams, but never explained.

"It's a little cold out here, isn't it?" A familiar voice called from behind you. He dropped one of his jackets around your shoulders and sat down beside you, staring out at the woods.

"I'm sorry," you and Toby said in unison.

"What are you sorry for?" You frowned.

"I should have come after you as soon as you left," he sighed, running a hand through his messy brown hair.

"You had no obligation to."

"I'm your husband. It's in my job description to chase you to the ends of the earth."

"I don't remember agreeing to that in the vows," you smiled weakly.

"It was an implied thing," he shrugged and dropped his arm around your waist, pulling you into his side. You rested your head on his shoulder and sighed.

"I thought they were just dreams," you whispered after a moment.

"They are just dreams," Toby said firmly.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you it was him."

"I think I knew it too, I just didn't want to believe it."

"I'm so sorry," you declared again. For some reason, you began to cry. You weren't sure if it was because you felt guilty or if it was because of his unwavering trust in you, but you buried your face in his chest nonetheless. He rubbed the small of your back gently and rested his lips on the top of your head.

"Come on inside," he said after a moment. "You haven't had breakfast yet."

"Oh yeah," you sniffled and wiped your eyes, "I'm starving."

"When are you not?" Toby chuckled and extended a hand to help you to your feet. You took it gladly and held his hand as the two of you returned to the mansion.

A little short, but whatever bruh.