The Possepticeye (Sequel to Beneath the Mask)

Trust

"No...no, no!"

Chase woke up from his nap with Robbie at the sound of panicked shouting, the male sitting up from the floor to look around him while JJ pushed off of the wall he was leaning against to check on Marvin.

"Vhat?" Schneep groaned groggily as he re-entered the room with a cup of coffee in hand, his expression shifting from irritation to mild concern when he saw Marvin thrashing side to side in his bed.

"Marvin, you need to vake up!" Schneep shouted, roughly shaking the magician's shoulder to snap him out of his nightmare.

Marvin was muttering incoherently as he fell deathly still, his breathing labored as Schneep made sure his wound didn't re-open.

"The hell's happening with him?" Chase yawned as he stood up, careful not to wake up Robbie since he was curled up asleep on the floor acting as Chase's pillow.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Marvin sobbed quietly in his unconscious state, Chase exchanging a look with Schneep before slapping Marvin hard in the face to wake him up.

Marvin's eyes flew open as he abruptly bolted upright into a sitting position, his head hitting Schneep's.

"Ow!" Marvin and Schneep exclaimed in unison, the German wincing as he held his throbbing head in his uninjured hand while the magician fell back onto the pillow.

"Good morning sleeping beauty." Chase spoke up casually, holding Marvin's wand in his hand.

"I need that, please!" Marvin pleaded frantically, sitting up once more as his eyes shone with desperation.

"And we should trust you why?" Chase shot back warily, holding each end of the wand with his thumbs pressing down on the middle to make the wand bend slightly.

"I wanted to be a magician to make people believe that the world isn't just a dark reality, but I forgot my purpose when I-"

Marvin abruptly broke off as he closed his eyes for a brief second, his expression pained as he took a shaky breath.

"When your magic went wrong and made you have that mask ?" Chase prompted, Marvin shaking his head as he looked at the male.

"No...when I killed him." Marvin admitted, gesturing at Robbie's sleeping form on the floor.

"It was after I had just gotten my magic. I was just so power hungry that I overestimated what I could do and killed the one person that cared about my show." Marvin continued, JJ shooting the magician a confused frown.

"Vhy did you bring Robbie to life just to use him as a puppet and torture him?" Schneep chimed in.

"Anti made me do it since he thought Robbie would kill Jack, then I would torture Robbie because he had to be disciplined. I tried other tactics, but Robbie wouldn't listen to reason since he was still acting on primal instincts." Marvin explained grimly.

"And this makes me want to trust you because...?" Chase trailed off, impatiently waiting for an answer as he put more pressure on the middle of the wand.

"I can help fight Anti, I've worked with him and know how he thinks." Marvin reasoned, his eyes wide as he watched Chase bend the wand further.

Chase hesitated as he looked between JJ and Schneep, rolling his eyes with a sigh of defeat as he handed Marvin his wand.

"Fine. If you try anything though, I won't hesitate to shoot you." Chase threatened, Marvin nodding as he protectively held his wand close to his chest.

"Thanks. I guess I should start by repaying you for saving my life." Marvin remarked, a swirl of green magic swirling out of his wand before circling around Schneep and healing his injuries.

"Zhat is incredible." Schneep breathed in awe as he removed the sling, no remnants left of the gunshot wound in his shoulder or the gash in his side.

JJ waved his arms to get Marvin's attention, holding out his broken hands with a hopeful expression.

"Of course, and I'll do something else for ya." Marvin smirked as he used his wand once more, Schneep helping JJ remove the mute's casts so he could use his hands.

Thank you! JJ signed, the dapper nodding in appreciation.

"If you're grateful, then tell me using your voice." Marvin replied, his eyes gleaming with amusement as JJ swallowed hard before opening his mouth.

"Thank you."

JJ's eyes widened at the sound of his own lilting Irish voice even though it was quiet and hoarse, Schneep looking just as amazed.

"I've never been able to find a vay to return his voice, how did you do it?" Schneep demanded, Robbie finally waking up from his sleep.

"Simple," Marvin countered as his eyes started to flutter shut, the magician drained.

"It's magic."