The Broken Toy

Together

Marvin's life had changed a lot. He suddenly had a family. A home. Safety. But the effects of two years of torture would linger forever. As would the scars.

He still had the burns. They wouldn't heal. Even with his newly freed magic. They were too old, too much a part of him, too permanent. He had, however, abandoned the mask Anti had given him. Opting instead, for a messily coloured one that Chase had bought for him.

He still had the nightmares. The ones that filled his mind with fire and pain. That brought Anti, lunging toward him, cackling madly. The ones that left him in a cold sweat, unable to fall back asleep. The ones that caused him to curl up on the floor of Schneeps room. Breathing slowly and reminding himself that he was safe.

He still panicked when doors slammed. When pots clanged together, to loud to be ignored. When one of the houses many electronics glitched. He panicked when memories resurfaced.

He was grateful that his new family left his past alone. Schneep had asked to see his scars only once. And after Marvin's refusal, he hadn't insisted. Instead, he had shown Marvin were the family kept their first aid kit and told him it was always at his disposal.

Jackie had questioned the two escapees on Anti's hideout, but neither could remember where it was. Jamie wrapped both of them in warm hugs whenever they started to shake. Memories overwhelming their senses. Chase had spent ages getting them settled into the house, and making sure Marvin felt at home.

Ten days after his arrival, Marvin already felt safer than he ever had.

He was pacing in Chase's recording room. An internal debate was raging in his mind. Absently he reached up, rubbing his fingers over the cat ears that crowned his mask. He trusted his new family. And he wanted to, in some capacity, prove his trust. But no matter how hard he thought, only one option remained at the center of his whirling mind.

There were other options, of course. None of them were things he could do. And even this one wasn't necessarily a possibility.

They would ask questions, he knew that. JJ would hug him. It was entirely possible that he would refuse to let go. Schneep would want to treat the wounds. Marvin wouldn't let him, they were a memory he wasn't ready to lose. Jackie would want to know where they came from. A question Marvin wouldn't answer. And Chase? Chase would run a hand through his hair and tell Marvin that he was proud of his bravery. He wouldn't ask why. He would just know.

Maybe they would all just know.

Marvin sighed and stopped pacing the carpet. It was an action that he couldn't take back. And he knew it. He knew it very well.

Carefully, he reached up. Lifting the elastic over his clean, newly dyed, hair. He had missed the green. Gently he pulled the mask away from his face and examined it, much the same way he had examined his first. Except that this time, the markings were familiar.

Green inner ears. Red nose and whiskers. Black rimmed eyes. And of course, the four card suits, positioned neatly in the center of the forehead. Chase had said that he was a magician. And that a magician needed all four suits.

Marvin smiled softly. Running his finger over the markings one last time. Slowly he turned and hung the mask on the corner of a whiteboard. A whiteboard covered in names.

It looked lonely. Hanging by itself. But Marvin left it there. He would come back for it later. He placed a hand on the doorknob and prepared to shock his new family.

Things would be rough for a long time. But he wouldn't be alone. He had a new world, a new life, and most importantly, a family. Marvin knew that, no matter what happened, they would always be together.

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And just like that we're done. Wow. I've never finished a book before. To be honest, it's rather anticlimactic. I'll miss it. For a random story idea, this has been a pretty big part of my life, for just under a month now. I'll keep writing TBOTE soon, so be ready for that. And.... ya. I love my smol cat boy. He's the best. Have a superb rest of your day :)

- Silver