Partners In Crime (Ticciwork fanfic) [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 31: Go to sleep

"I'm getting you that giraffe."

"You are not!"

Toby picked up the stuffed animal from the pedestal and squeezed it. "It's so soft I might get it for myself."

"Really?" Clockwork took the giraffe from him and gasped. It was by far the softest stuffed creature she had ever touched. "Oh my gosh..."

"Amiright?" He took the toy back and put it back on the pedestal. "I should name it Charlie." He poked it in its fuzzy brown nose.

"You have an obsession over that raptor now, don't you?"

"Is my middle name Erin?" He pushed the door to the Build-a-Bear open with his back and stood there until Clockwork was outside into the fading twilight. The door made a slight groaning noise as it closed over the nearly-empty shop.

"I don't know." said Clockwork truthfully.

Toby stepped up next to her and heaved a sigh. "It is, actually." He shrugged, turning left and heading down the walkway, in and out the yellowish light of the street lamps. Clockwork fell into step next to him and put her hood up against the almost frosty air. The sky was deep indigo-blue color, and after the sun had disappeared behind the roofs of the buildings, it had gotten very cold.

"I like the name Erin." Clockwork said. They stopped at an intersection and watched the cars whizz past, off on a late-night dinner, or maybe a movie, like the one she and Toby had finished about an hour ago. They had planned to go home right away, but the exciting lights and colors of the city were too distracting, and they had stuck around to go window shopping once more. They'd entered a store or two, but kept a low profile, in case someone remembered them or noticed the clock replacing Clockwork's left eye.

"It means Ireland." Toby snorted, pressing the walk button with his elbow. "I think it was my dad's idea." Something dark flickered behind his eyes, as the walk sign came to life and they headed across the street.

"I'm just Clockwork." She said.

"I figured." He nudged her. "Clocky for short."

Clockwork rolled her eyes. He'd been calling her Clocky all night, and she figured telling him not to wasn't going to work anymore, so she just let him. Deep down inside she had always liked it, anyway.

Suddenly a loud sound from an alley startled Clockwork so much she actually screamed. Toby flinched, hand darting towards his ax, and studied the darkness carefully. The lid of a trashcan was on the ground, trembling slightly. Clockwork closed her hand around her knife and strained to see into the thick shadows, but her night vision was terrible; especially with only one eye.

Something moved near the trashcan lid and Clockwork braced herself, but when it came into the light it was only a cat, with wide orangey eyes. It meowed at them.

Toby relaxed. He let out a huge breath and let his arm hang limp. "C'mon Clocky." He put his hand on her shoulder and steered her back on their way. "We should get back, my nerves are already jumpy."

Clockwork craned around to see into the alley again, still not convinced. How did a cat that small move that big of a trashcan lid?

"Toby, wait." Clockwork stepped away from him and he stopped. "Are you sure?"

"It was just a cat." He glanced into the alley as well, following her gaze. "There's probably a bunch of little critters living in there. Don't worry about it."

Clockwork reluctantly moved away from the alley and Toby did one last check of the dark space before he jogged after her. They walked in silence through a few more intersections, then Clockwork finally built up the courage to ask something that had been bothering her.