Partners In Crime (Ticciwork fanfic) [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 39: Offenderman

Clockwork came downstairs at 8 o'clock after a restless night of sleep and was about to enter the living room when Slenderman's frustrated voice stopped her:

"He's impossible to work with!" He was hissing. Clockwork could hear him pacing between the kitchen and the living room. She crept farther down the hallway and leaned against the wall to listen.

"Toby is a rebellious spirit." Hoody's voice responded, a tinge of frustration behind his tone. "Besides, you'll run him to the ground if you keep like this! He hasn't had a full night's sleep in weeks; haven't you noticed all the sugar he's eating? He's doing it in hopes it'll keep him functional long enough to do whatever wild goose chase you send him on next!"

"He used to do anything I said!" Slenderman snapped. "I saved his life - the idiot would have burned to death if I hadn't intervened; he owes me."

"It's been two years." Hoody said, his voice getting quieter. "He's changed." His voice dropped even lower and Clockwork had to strain to hear; "He's gotten better; I recall you locking him in the basement when he lost control...?" Slenderman didn't answer. "You don't have to do that anymore, and he remembers his past much better now."

"It only makes him more defiant." Slenderman snarled. "I should have erased everything again once it started to come back..."

"Would that really fix anything?" Hoody argued. "He needed something to ground himself on; the blank spaces were driving him crazy!"

Slenderman only growled. For a long time there was silence except for the steady pace of Slenderman's footsteps and the tick of the clock in the living room. Clockwork suddenly felt paranoid Slenderman would hear the soft click of her own; it seemed louder than usual.

"And he was so lonely..." Hoody murmured. "Before Clockwork showed up..."

"HER!" Slenderman exploded. Clockwork flinched. "I told him not to be around her, I knew he'd end up just like Masky!"

"This isn't about Masky!"

"It has the same aftermath!" Slenderman cried. "Masky always put Ann first! He forgot where his loyalties lay!"

"That's not true!"

"And it destroyed him when she was killed - he's bitter now; he's almost as bad as Toby!"

"It destroyed me too!" Hoody suddenly exploded. Slenderman fell silent. "And maybe," He added, his voice suddenly shaky. "If you hadn't locked Masky away from her, he could have been there, and he could have saved her..." He faltered.

"Or whatever it was could have killed Masky, too." Slenderman muttered, but the fire had died in his tone.

Hoody took a shaky breath, like he was trying to control himself. "I f-found her inside the tunnel... they clawed open her chest, Slenderman... her heart was gone..."

They fell into silence again. Clockwork suddenly noticed hot tears were flowing down her face.

The same aftermath.

"Does Masky know...?" Slenderman asked softly after what felt like an eternity.

"No... No one knows..."

"...don't tell them." Clockwork heard footsteps approach the hallway. A jolt went through her and her blood ran cold. She shot to her feet and sprinted into the bathroom, darting into the space between the door and the wall and ducking into the shadows. Her heart raced and she tried to keep her shallow breathing quiet as she watched Slenderman's silhouette appear in the hallway through the tiny crack. She swallowed - he could have seen her, or seen the door move slightly when she'd brushed behind it.