Closer - TICCIMASK

Chapter Two

Toby grunted as he struggled to get his cloth cover to stay over his mouth.

"God DAMMIT!" he shouted, finally giving up and tearing the cloth off of his face and throwing it to the side.

"Fuck it!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up and turning on his heel to walk out of the bathroom. "Fuck it! Just fuck it all!"

"Yo, Toby, you okay?" BEN asked, popping his head out of his room as Toby stomped down the hall towards the stairs.

"Just peachy," Toby growled in reply.

"Dude, just eat a Snickers." With that, BEN popped back into his room and shut his door.

Toby grumbled to himself as he walked downstairs to the first floor and headed straight for the basement where he hid his stash of pills. They weren't used for getting high or anything like that, they were actually over-the-counter prescription pills that he took for his bipolar disorder. He twisted the cap off and shook two of the small, white pills into his hand. Tipping his head back, he put his hand up to his mouth and let the pills fall in. Since he didn't have any water with him, he just used his spit to swallow the pills.

"Oh wow, good job. It's nice to know that your spit glands work so well."

Toby spun around and saw Jason as he was stepping out from under the stairs. He had a large grin on his face and his sharp teeth gleamed in the dim light.

"What are you doing down here?" Toby asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and feeling for his small switchblade.

"I'm allowed to be down here, Toby," Jason replied, putting his hands behind his back and stepping closer. "I live here too, you know."

Toby snorted. "Of course I know that. But why are you down here? There's no reason for you to be."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do. It isn't your day to do laundry, you don't have weapon duty, and you know that there's enough sharpening blocks down here for everyone, so there's no need for you to count them."

Jason grinned. "You're getting too smart for your own good."

"Yeah? Well I'm surprised you noticed. Honestly, I'm surprised you notice anything anymore, since your brain cells are slowly dying off in that wooden horse you call a 'brain'."

The older man's features changed and suddenly Toby found himself pinned against the wall, Jason's left arm across his neck, nearly crushing his windpipe, and his right hand tightly gripping his hair. Toby began ticking and just as Jason was about to say something, he was stopped by the basement door slamming open.

"Honestly, the two of you need to learn to pick your fights when you don't have shit to do," Masky sighed as he stepped down into the basement.

"This doesn't concern you," Jason snarled as he looked away from Toby, giving the teen the advantage to ball his hand into a fist and bring it up, punching Jason in the side of his face.

Jason released Toby and flew backwards, grabbing his jaw and screaming.

"THE LITTLE SHIT JUST PUNCHED ME!"

"Calm down, I didn't even hit you that hard," Toby sighed, feeling his body relax as he felt his pills kick in.

"YOU NEARLY BROKE MY FUCKING JAW!"

"Stop being such a drama queen."

"Hey, did Toby punch Jason?" BEN shouted down from where he was at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, I did!" Toby shouted back and he heard BEN let out a loud cheer.

He walked over with his hands in his pockets and looked up to see BEN turn around and run out of the basement, a grin on his face.

"JEFF, YOU OWE ME 15 BUCKS, YOU DOUCHE!"

Toby snickered and turned his head side to side, cracking his neck.

"Well this has been nice, but I have some stuff I gotta do, sooo... Later."

Toby slipped past Masky and made his way upstairs to the bathroom where he grabbed his cover and easily slipped it on over his mouth. Turning around, he yelped and jumped back. In front of him was Masky; he nearly gave the young brunette a heart attack.

"Jeez, Masky. A bit creepy today, huh?" Toby asked, playing off his shock as he straightened up.

"Shut it, Rogers," Masky growled. "You know that what went down in the basement today was uncalled for."

"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows!"

Masky's eyes were narrowed behind his mask as he watched Toby make his way out of the room.

"Peace." That was all he said before disappearing down the hall.

"Fucking kid always gettin' into trouble..." Masky muttered to himself. "Gonna get himself killed one day..."

He made his way out into the hall and practically stormed into the kitchen, making BEN choke on his mouthful of chips.

"Shit- Hey, Masky!"

Jeff, who was standing by the counter, chuckled.

"Calm down, BEN. I'm not Hoodie," Masky said with a sigh.

The elf snickered. "Wow. You're gettin' bold."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Who the hell pissed in your coffee?" Jeff asked, leaning on the counter.

"Your mother's lesbian lover!" Toby shouted as he walked by the kitchen and made his way into the living room.

Masky grumbled a few things under his breath as he poured himself a cup of coffee and Jeff and BEN snickered.

"Woods, Logan, get the fuck out to the training fields."

"What!?" Jeff shouted.

"Training week isn't for another two goddamn months!" BEN argued.

"I know," Masky replied, sipping his coffee as he made his way out of the kitchen. "But I don't really give a damn."

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Oh....look.......I updated something.

I'M BACK

I'M TIRED

I'VE BEEN UP SINCE GOD KNOWS WHEN

And I hope you're happy with this chapter.