Partners In Crime (Ticciwork fanfic) [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 8: Time's Up

"Hello, Clocky."

Clockwork's blood ran cold. She didn't move a muscle as Hoody sat down calmly in the chair diagonal to her and picked up the newspaper. She stared at him, waiting for him to whip out his gun and shoot her then and there.

"I don't like it when you call me that." Clockwork muttered, not wanting to sound afraid but she couldn't get her voice any louder.

"Hmm." Hoody seemed interested in something in the paper and didn't answer her. Clockwork looked away. She listened to the clocks tick away, still not together, and tried to ignore the headache it gave her.

Cli-Tick. Cli-Tock. Cli-Tick. Cli-Tock.

"Good morning." Toby said as he walked into the room. He didn't sound very excited. Clockwork looked up.

He walked over to the table and leaned against it, peering over Hoody's shoulder. Even behind his goggles Clockwork could see the deadness in his eyes. He wasn't really reading the words in front of him.

"Are you okay?" She felt compelled to ask. He sighed and dropped into the seat in front of her.

"I'm fine..." He did not sound fine at all. He leaned his head into his hands, his elbows on the table, and closed his eyes. Hoody glanced at him - maybe a little bit concerned - but he didn't say anything.

Clockwork sighed. She wished he could be the fun exciting Toby he was supposed to be and make her feel better that she was probably going to die today. Or at least talk to Hoody like he said he would.

Cli-Tick. Cli-Tock. Cli-Tick. Cli-Tock. Cli-Tick-

Clockwork shot to her feet fast enough to knock the chair down behind her. She stormed into the living room and tore the clock off the wall. She'd already slammed it on the table and popped the back off before she noticed everyone staring at her. She blushed, embarrassed.

"They're not the same!" She cried. Toby looked at her for a moment, wide eyed, but then he burst into laughter. Clockwork felt herself smile and suddenly she was laughing too. Hoody sighed to himself and shook his head, but Clockwork knew he must have smiled.

"You're so weird."

"And you're any different?" Clockwork retorted. She pulled the clock apart in a few seconds.

"I don't rip clocks off of walls and take them apart."

"I don't wear a face mask all the time."

"I don't have a clock in my eye."

"I don't hang around with a super tall freak named Slender."

"Hey." Hoody said dangerously. Toby winced.

The laughter in Clockwork's chest died. She focused on the clock in front of her instead. Here she was again, saying all the wrong things at exactly the wrong time. This was why she didn't belong anywhere, not the Haze or anything else. She was just terrible at making friends. Or keeping them, for that matter.

She had murdered her family, after all. No wonder Hoody already wanted to kill her. Long term relationships didn't seem to be her thing.

Clockwork's hand slipped and she cut herself on the edge of the clock. She yelped and drew her hand back.

"You okay?" Toby asked.

"Fine." She growled. She ignored the pain and finished putting the clock back together, careful not to get any blood into it.

When she was finished she marched back into the living room and stuck it angrily back onto the wall. Then without a word she walked out the front door and onto the porch.