Because of You (TicciMask)

Chapter 20

(This amazing chapter was written by the awesome ChaoticDreamers! Stay awesome!!)

The night was silent. The usual loud ambiance of the house was resulted to a hushed tone. Everyone was either out on a mission, or in their beds fast asleep.

Toby was one of those who was in his bed fast asleep upstairs, dreaming about his first date with Masky. It was a week ago, but the memory still played is his mind as if it were yesterday. Everything was perfect in the dream [much like the day itself] all besides this annoying tapping sound that repeatedly made itself known. At first, this sound was hardly heard behind the dreams music, making Toby falsely believe it was simply apart of the dream. But now it's even louder than the music.

Tap. Tap. TAP.

Toby was awoken from his dreamland. Momentarily frustrated by being pulled away from a rare good dream, he huffed and sat up in his bed, back popping as he does so. His eyelids still heavy from sleep, he turned onto his side to attempt to return to his dream, before he heard a familiar tapping sound. His tired eyes turned into curious ones as he looked up towards the sound. His window. Rising from his bed, careful not to step on any of the creaky floor boards to prevent waking up any light sleepers, and makes his way and makes his way silently towards his window. Pushing back the tattered curtains, he looks out and finds the source of the sound.

Masky was below his window throwing pebbles, his goal to wake up Toby, which he succeeded in. Toby pulled open his window and stared down at Masky baffled. 'What are you doing?' he mouths.

His only response was a smirk from Masky and a wave to motion him to jump down.

Toby stared down at the second story drop. 'Yeah, sure. If I wanted to break my ankles.' he thought to himself.

On cue, Masky held out his arms to catch Toby. This momentarily put Toby back. 'I guess that does work.' He knew he didn't weigh much and that they were all trained to carry (mostly drag) bodies. So he could catch him, right? No matter, Toby places his foot into the windowsill for leverage. Swinging his other leg around, he jumps down from his bedroom below.

Expecting this pressure of hitting the hard ground, he felt his body be stopped and cradled close to somebody. Toby opens his eyes (that he didn't even realize he had closed) to find Masky's unmasked face smirking down at him. "You doing okay there my little damsel?" he teases playfully in note that he was carrying Toby bridal-style in his arms now.

Toby rolled his eyes in response and nudged him with his elbow, "I c-could've walked out the back do-or, you know."

Masky started to walk towards the woods, still holding Toby in his arms as he chuckled to himself, "Sure, if you wanted to wake the entire house up with those dang floors." He smirks at him.

Toby returns the smirk with his own, staring up at the man who was holding him. Holding him... Wait! He was still being carried. His cheeks flush as he looks up at Masky." Y-You're still carrying me." 'Thanks twitch for making me sound like a stuttering shy school girl.'

"Eh, I don't mind. You're lighter than a feather anyways." He proved his point by lifting Toby up closer to him with ease before back down to his original position, "But the path gets uneven and crowded with branches here, I think it'll be easier to walk one at a time instead of me smashing your head against every branch on my right side." With that, Masky slowed to a stop to set Toby down onto his feet.

"Where are we g-going anyways?" Toby asked, brushing himself off as his neck popped.

"You'll see," Masky hums his response, reaching back to take Toby's hand and lead him the rest of the way.

He wasn't lying about the pathway getting rougher and full of protruding branches from either side. It was a narrow path, to prevent getting hooked on or poked by the branches, they had to walk in a straight line rather than side by side. Even still, the two men managed to get twigs and leaves into their hair.

"Are we almost there-" Toby was cut off by the most beautiful sight he's seen. After twenty minutes of being scratched and prodded by long branches and nearly tripping over one another while only having the full moon to guide them, the wait was certainly worth it.

In front of them was a large shimmering lake. The clear blue water seemed to glow thanks to the white light of the full moon above them. The sound of soft waves occasionally hitting the shore, the soft cool breeze that hot their cheeks and ran through their hair, and the atmosphere full of the sounds of crickets, frogs, and the occasional barn owl. Everything was breathtaking, and it showed on Toby's amazed face. He felt a squeeze on his hand as he pulled his eyes away from the sight to meet the eyes of his partner standing besides him.

A warm smile couldn't help but form over Masky's lips while watching Toby's face cha he to an awestruck one. The way his eyes sparkled with amazement and shined due to the moonlight made his heart race faster and and his grip tighten on his hand. When his head turned to look up at him, his eyes were met with his own. Time seemed to stand still. Simultaneously, the two felt their cheeks heat up. Masky broke the silence first.

"I... Wanted to take you somewhere special for our second date. Without those losers," - Ben and Jeff- "pushing for questions. He reached a hand up to kill a stray twig put of Toby's hair. An amused smile formed his lips sewing the boy get flustered by that alone. With one hand holding his, Masky moved his other hand to ever so gently cup Toby's cheek. Hearing his own heartbeat in his ears, he lifts Toby's face up gently while leaning his own down to his level.

Both of their eyes closed as their lips brushed over one anothers. Both shy and hearts beating out of their chest. Both of their cheeks more red than tomatoes. One experienced, the other shyly trying to work in hod mind what was happening right now. Masky simply smiled softly in the kiss as he felt the twitching boy finally relax and melt into the kiss

Now this, was way more breathtaking than the view.

(Once again, a huge thanks to ChaoticDreamers for writing this. It's absolutely amazing!!)