Why Me? |EDDSWORLD X READER |FF| HIATUS

{Chapter 58|Traits}

"Tom...?? H-hey, what's gotten into—"

"STEP BACK, MATT. DON'T YOU DARE GET ANY CLOSER TO ME!" Tom yells, falling down to his knees. The atmosphere around him began to glow purple, vision slowly becoming inverted.

...It was painful.

"I'm gonna go call mom and dad. Th-they might know what to do...Tom, please hold on!" Edd hurriedly rushes off. Not knowing what else to do, Matt follows, giving one last concerned glance at Tom.

"Ah...fuck." Tom winces in pain. His horns and tails were suddenly becoming more and more visible.

Tord was worried yet astonished by the phenomenon. He had heard about Tom's outbursts before back at the orphanage, but he never saw it in person.

"...Look, I have never seen you like this in person before, but shouldn't you be knocked out by now? You'd be experiencing the less pain and—"

"Just stop, Tord! I don't want to hear another word! I just—I can't!"

Tom hated to admit that he did make a valid point. This shouldn't be happening. He should've been knocked unconscious before he even knows that he transformed. Why is he aware of his surroundings? Why does he have to be conscious throughout the entire process?! Why is it coming back? After regressing it for so long, why is it coming back now?!?

He sees the door open once more and two feminine figures emerge from it. Both him and Tord turn around in shock, the girls' faces were coated with shock and fear. "W-what...what happened...?" Ell asks, her voice was wrapped with uneasiness and you were clutching onto her arm tightly.

Seeing that look on your face, knowing exactly why it's like that, hurt Tom deeply. He hung his head down in shame. You seeing him like this, was all too unbearable on top of the non-stop pain he was feeling throughout his body.

He couldn't look at you, not with that look on your face. You'd seen the worst of him. You wouldn't accept him now. Knowing this side of him. Definitely not now, not never, not in a million ye—

"(Y-Y/N)?! Hey, what are you—!!" Tord's voice was full of panic when he sees you suddenly rushing up to the half transformed monster.

Tom was covered with your embrace, his head laid on your chest as you supported the both of you on the ground.
His senses were getting weaker by the minute but somehow, someway, he was still able to feel your warmth and smell your scent. It was as if it overpowered everything else. Even the pain subsided for a moment.

But realization hit him once he heard your heartbeat. It was beating fast. Too fast. He knew instantly that was because you were scared, yet here you were, holding him in your chest like it was normal.

You're not comfortable at all.

"I-Idiot! St-stop, stop it, stop it. I don't want to hurt you, (Y/N)!! Please let go of me!" Due to his weakened senses, he wasn't able to pry you off him like he usually would.

You were persistent.

"I know this hurts, but please you have to relax and let me comfort you." You said softly, your breath shaky. He ignored this and keeps trying to get out of your grasps. You didn't say anything as you held on to him even tighter.

Eventually, tears starting to fall down the male's face and finally, he wrapped his arms around you too.

"I...I just...I want to be numb. I don't want to feel anything..." He sobs into your shirt.

"I know, Tom." You give a telling glance at the other two people in the room, signaling that you might want some privacy. Tord opened his mouth, probably to object, but was dragged away by Ell by the hood. Before stepping out, she gave you a look that says, "We're outside if anything happens" and you give her a simple nod in reply.