Chapter IV

Please! Please! I don't want to forget about you! Please...I don't want to.

I'm sorry.

°°°

3 weeks later...

In just a few weeks now. He'll turn 16. So why isn't he happy?

He sighed. Once more. And rested his arms at the railings of the balcony. As an early gift, his mother granted his wish.

But what is the purpose of it now? Now that the killer won't be back? Now that the killer broke him once more?

He frowned. And shook his head. His mind is getting hazy again.

The last time he saw the killer, it was also the time he started forgetting little things.

At first, he wasn't bothered. It was just small stuff he forgets but remembers in the end. But as days passed by, he kept on forgetting the names of those he was close. And the face or the voice of the killer he loves is slowly fading. And he was scared.

But he knows it was for the best.

"Toby!" The teen looked turned around and saw his sister, with a frantic look

"What happened?! Are you alright?" Her sister quickly trudge her way to her brother

With a clean clothe tightly being gripped by the unexpected visitor, she quickly wiped the blood away. And it surprised Toby again.

Nosebleed. He's having another one again. It's been reoccurring to him again and again, headache, nausea, nosebleed, and he felt like he was about to collapse.

He's getting less sleep because of what was happening to him. He kept seeing a tall figure, even if no one sees it.

But whenever he wakes up from his slumber, he felt like he doesn't remember anything. And it was getting worse. So he tried not to sleep. He was scared.

"Just hold it for a while, ok? I'll go get the first aid." His sister rushed outside, calling their mother for help

He knew that his father would hear it as well, and he doesn't want anyone barging in his room so he went to the door and locked it. He knows it'll make things worse, but for now, he wants a time for himself.

It was getting dark anyway, so he thought, it doesn't matter now.

And strangely, the bleeding stopped. He threw the bloody clothe at the garbage bin and went to the balcony again. He felt calm and comfortable and he knows that no matter how many times he denies, he's still waiting.

Waiting for the killer he loves to come back. He gently caressed the metal object the killer gave him as a gift. It was a dog tag, with the name of the killer and his.

He would feel happy because of the gift. But he still feels the lingering pain the killer gave him as well.

"Yo-You're so u-u-unfair, Tim." He muttered with a dry chuckle and wore the tag around his wrist

"Kept o-on hurting me-e," He looked up at the dark sky, "Yet I still love you." He never knew he'd actually feel it, love, he thought he would never feel it

He considered himself a freak. Because of his disorders and his family. He believed the words his bullies said. Because he knows it's true. With a defeated sigh, he went back inside, and maybe this time he'll sleep.

3 days later...

It was hell for Masky.

To look from afar.

Not because he wants to. He was ordered to.

By Slenderman.

He frowns as he saw the lights go out from Toby's room. He knew it was dangerous to go up close. But he wants to see the boy a bit closer. He wants to see the person he loves.

With a hesitated step, he went forward. Lunge himself to a tree and went towards Toby's balcony. He knows it was dangerous. He thought the teen was already alseep. But as if his world shattered to pieces when he heard the teen sobs.

'What happened? What's wrong? Who made you cry? Who hurt you?' Masky's mind was filled with questions

Questions he badly wants to be answered. As he wants to comfort the teenage boy.

He took a step closer, noticed that the balcony door was opened and the curtains were being swayed by the cold breeze of the night. He took another step. And another. And another.

Until he didn't noticed that he was already showing himself to the boy. And his heart broke, seeing the teen at the side of the bed clutching his chest and his hand at his hair gripping it tightly. Eyes filled with fear and sadness as tears came rushing down his cheeks, his figure shaking and his sobs making it worse.

He was broken. He broke him. He was indeed a killer.

And as if time stopped. The sobs stopped. And Masky knows he has to go. But this time, he didn't.

"Toby..."

He couldn't finish his sentence as the teen looked at him with teary eyes and without having any second thoughts, he rushed towards the killer and hugged him tight.

He was scared. He was alone. He was cold. But everything changed when the killer came.

The sudden force made the two to fall down, with the teen to be at the killer's arms as his hands gripped the jacket of the killer as he cried even more.

"P-Please..." He muttered

And that voice alone made things worse for the killer. It was heartbreaking to hear. It was filled with pain and agony. It wasn't the same voice he had heard long ago.

"Pl-Please..." Another one

Masky's arms were just holding the teen, as if he just wants to make sure the boy would be safe.

"Toby. What's–!"

"Please! Please! I d-don't want to forget about y-you! Please...I d-don't want to. Tim! I d-don't want to f-forget our times together! I d-don't w-want to forget y-y-you! Please! I d-d-don't want to..." Toby finally had enough and begged

The past days were hell for the boy. Slowly. One by one. No names were clear to him. And the voices came to life inside his head. Telling him to die, to suffer, to give up.

And Masky only felt stupid for being frozen at his spot. As Toby was suffering and begging for him not to be forgotten.

So the killer only hugged the crying boy in return, he buried his face at the messy hair of the boy and muttered words. Words that Toby knew, that it was time to give up.

"I'm sorry."

He felt more tears come down. He felt broken again. He felt his heart becoming an ash. He was broken because of the killer who's embracing him.

Masky's hug tightened as he felt the grip of his love to tighten. He broke him again.

As minutes passed by. Toby's slowly calming down. As Masky's warmth seems to reassure him that everything will be fine in the end.

"Timmy." The boy muttered

"I-I-I'm tired."

"Then rest, Toby."

"P-Please stay. I'm s-scared."

Silence was the only thing that existed. As Toby felt giving up, his eyes slowly closing as he felt his grip slowly letting go.

He thought he'll be sleeping alone, in his cold room. But he felt his body to be lifted and he tried to open his eyes, but too tired to even do so. He felt the cold yet soft mattress and for the first time, his felt warmth as the killer lay down beside him as he snaked his arms around the boy, securing him from any danger.

"Rest." That was the last word he heard and he finally slept, for the first time, he didn't have any nightmares, he didn't have any voices taunting him, just a peaceful night with the person he loves

But Masky knows it'll end soon. So he took his moment while he still have it. He kissed the forehead of the teen and buried his face the messy mop of hair, he smiled and thought.

'I wish we can have this kind of moment again and again.'

A week later...

Months passed by.

The young boy never saw the two killers. Especially the man he loves. That night, when the night turned to morning, he woke up only to be alone.

He thought it was just an impossible dream. A dream that never happened and will never happen. It was nighttime again. He's getting used to getting less sleep as he weakly smiled as he noticed that there are no stars to brighten his room, no moon that will reassure him, and no killer to love him.

Until one night, he couldn't sleep at all. So he opened the balcony door and leaned at the bars. Smiling as the cold breeze hits gently as he knows that he is not alone tonight.

"L-Long time n-no see, Timmy." He was already 16, and he didn't have to move his head to see a man just near him

The man he loves, seating at the steel bars of his balcony, his mask at the side of his head with a tired smile. He went forward to the young boy, but stopped, because this young boy is his target now. A potential proxy. And he still hates the fact that he was the one to see the person he loves to suffer.

But that did not stop the young boy, he turned his body and took a step forward.

And quickly hugging the killer in front of him. He misses the man who made him smile, the man who's right in front of him right now.

As his arms slowly snaked its way to the killer's neck, he tilted his head as his body is slowly coming closer to the other and closed his eyes. Warmth slowly coming in between them.

As the curtains sways, covering the two from being seen inside the room of the young boy, there they created a memory that they can never forget.

The killer's eyes went wide. But he closed his eyes as he tilted his head and hug the young boy who he loves so much.

Because both of them knows now, it'll be impossible to avoid the upcoming punishment. And at that moment, Masky remembered what Jeff had told him before going to see Toby.

°°°

"Hey." He was about to ignore the voice but stopped at what the owner of the voice said next

"You know you're breaking the rule, right?"

He turned around. Glared at the killer who's carved smile seems to be resembling a smirk.

"What the hell are you talking about?" He sneered at the killer

"You love him." It wasn't a question, "And you're breaking each other along with the rule." He added and turn around, because he also have a mission to finish

"Are you ready for your punishment? Maybe you are, but let's hope you won't be tortured at the other's punishment." He said one last time before going

He stood there motionless. He contemplated whether to go watch the young boy again or to just stay and let Hoodie take his place for tonight.

°°°

The warmth ended and Toby rested his head at the crook of Masky's neck. He gave a tired smile and spoke.

"I k-know something b-bad will happen. But p-please, Timmy. P-Please promise me." He muttered, already weak from the pain he's feeling again

Masky only hugged the boy in return and kissed his temple.

"Please promise m-me you w-won't forget me." He hardly heard what the boy said but smiled as he finally caught on

"The least thing I will do is to forget you, Toby."

"If this is my punishment. I'll gladly accept it. Just seeing him in front of me is enough."

°°°

That was the last time they saw each other. The following events were Toby's sister dying in a crash but only Toby to survive, the house where slowly his sanity had left him, and finally where he killed his father. He had set his own home in fire, making a little prank to show everyone that he died, he ran away and the first place he had thought was the woods.

Sirens of the police were heard, as he ran to the woods to escape. His eyes were blank, his heart was hallow, his mind was darkened with evil thoughts. As he stopped when he felt a pounding feeling of his head and knelt down, he was feeling tired.

He was about to run again as he heard the voices of the police. But as he was about to closed his eyes, he saw a tall figure coming towards him.

"Well done, my child." And the darkness had conquered him once more

°°°

Everyone were in the living room. Ready to welcome the new proxy and killer to be one of them. But only Masky was the only one who wasn't. He doesn't want the person he loves to become a killer, a monster.

"Everyone, be quiet. He's coming." Hoodie said as everyone fell upon a deafening silence

Jeff stood beside Clockwork and Ben, as his hands inside his hoodie's pocket and looked at the two proxies.

"Better ready yourselves then." He said and looked at the door with a smirk

Before the two can even say something, the doors opened. It revealed a tall faceless figure, wearing a suit and tie as he carried a teen in his arms. A teen who wore a hoodie with stripes at the sleeves, goggles placed on top of his head, a mask hanging at his neck, and a pair of hatches at his waist.

Masky couldn't think right. What happened. Why is Toby's clothes seems to be covered in ash and he smells smoke coming to the teen.

"My children, I am glad that all of you are here to greet him but as all of you can see. He is in need of medical attention and rest, all of you can go back to your rooms and Eyeless Jack," The blue masked killer went forward and Slenderman gave him the unconscious boy

"Take care of him as I will call on Dr. Smiley and Nurse Ann to aid you." The blue masked killer nodded and took the sleeping boy to the room Jane and Sally had cleaned

It was a room just a few doors away from Masky. As EJ lay Toby down the bed, the door opened and revealed a killer with a mask of frown.

"He'll be fine. Just in case you'll be asking." EJ said and took the first aid at the drawer and treated the small wounds of the boy

"I heard that Slenderman took away his memories of his past. Would you let Masky get in here?" The blue masked killer asked without looking away from the his current work

"Probably. He'll be waking up again." Hoodie said and walked out

"That will be torture." EJ muttered as Jeff told him and Ben about the boy and his relationship to the strongest proxy

When EJ took Toby to one of the unused rooms, Masky quickly went inside his room the moment everyone started doing their own stuff. Feeling defeated and trying to think and process on what just happened.

"He's a killer now. A proxy. I'll be working with him. But he doesn't remember me. Damn it." He muttered as he leans on his door as he rested his hand on his face with a groan

He hates this feeling. He hates how it makes him feeling weak and vulnerable to Toby. Before he can make a decision, a knock on his door was heard. He was thinking of just ignoring whoever was outside but stopped.

"You better be there with him. That will be the last time he would be remembering you or Hoodie." Jeff said and before he can walk out, the door of Masky's flew open and he saw Masky but without his mask

Jeff only looked at him with a glare and spoke.

"If you don't want any regrets and shit like that, you better be in that room," And he pointed a room at his right, "no one's in there so go inside and talk to him, you masked bastard. Before he sleeps again because when he does," Jeff quickly grab Masky's jacket by its collar, "He won't remember anymore." He said with an irritated tone

He took a step closer and muttered something before going back to his room.

"History will repeat itself."

And with that, he dashed towards the room. Not caring about the other killers looking at him with wide eyes or confused stares. As he reached the door, he didn't hesitate to open the door as he tries to capture his breath. His heart was beating fast, his eyes were looking at the boy, and he felt like he was splashed with a bucket of cold water as he saw his love seating with a weak posture.

He was fighting the sleep to come and get him. His eyes were half lidded, his lips were open as he took deep breaths, his nails scratching his other arm to wake himself up. And when he heard the door open so suddenly, he looked at his side and saw the man he still loves.

He weakly smiled at him, his eyes were slowly blinking as he tried not to sleep. And it broke Masky's heart as he saw how he was still fighting, just for the two of them to have their moment.

Masky didn't thought twice and went towards Toby. As Toby tried to stand up but fail, Masky went to his side and hugged him. Both of them at the floor now and Toby finally let go of the tears he was holding in the moment he woke up.

"T-Timmy." He weakly spoke

"I'm s-s-scared."

And it made Masky to feel the pain again. He doesn't want to feel this. He doesn't want his love to suffer. But what can he do but to listen.

"I don't want to f-forget you. I just want to stay w-with you...b-but I'm already f-feeling tired." He stuttered as he tried to calm himself

Masky only hugged him tight as he kissed Toby's cheek. Toby only smiled and finally, he finally decided that he will tell him. Tell him he loves him.

"Timmy! Ah no...M-Masky!" Toby tried to give energy to his voice

"What is it...T-Toby?" He never thought he'd actually stutter just to stop himself from crying

"I love you. Pl-Please don't fo-forget that."

"I...rest now Toby." Masky regretted not saying those three words in return. But he decided that they weren't meant to be for each other

The older proxy's eyes went wide as he felt the cold palm of his love touched his cheek. It felt strange to him, it felt like it wasn't Toby who was touching his cheek. And Toby gave a weak smile, a smile that he forced to hold happiness, a smile that broke Masky's heart once more.

"...let's make n-new memories...M-Masky." That was the last words he told, as his eyes finally closed, his hand now leaving his cheek and he finally slept

Masky knows that the tears are already rushing down. As he held the sleeping figure close to him, he had let his own tears drop at Toby's shoulder as he whispers his response. But it was all too late.

"I love you. I love you. I love you." He muttered again and again, as he knew it was all too late

It was too late to let the younger proxy to know.

It was too late to tell.

And it was too late to even confess.

As he calmed down. He gave a weak smile and carried the sleeping proxy to his bed, kissed his lips for a moment as his tears rolled down again and landed on Toby's cheek, and stood up as he left. Not caring that Hoodie was there, watching in grief.

The next morning. Everyone are waiting at the living room, all excited to meet the young proxy properly. All except for the three; Masky, Hoodie, and Jeff. EJ and Ben can feel their tension as they sigh. Both killers know what happened last night.

The young proxy warily walked down the stair, his hair still a mess as his pale skin glistened at the morning light, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and followed Nurse Ann downstairs.

"Go introduce yourself, sweety." She said before going back to her own place

He looked around and slowly went to the living room. As he went inside, eyes wide as he saw strange faces and figures. But when his eyes landed to Masky, feeling as if he knows that man. So he took a small step closer to the killers but his eyes still on Masky.

"W-Who...are you?" He asked with his head tilted

And it hurt Masky. Hoodie only looked at him in pity but dare not to say a word.

"...my name is Masky." He said with no emotion

"Oh. That's a w-weird n-name." He stuttered but introduced himself in the end, the other killers had offered him a tour and he gladly accepted

But there were certain killers who gave a frown. Jeff, Ben, EJ, Hoodie, and Masky all looked at the scene with a frown. As they remembered what they have talked about last night at Slenderman's office.

°°°

"My mind will not change. Unless any of you will tell me a reason why." Slenderman said as he didn't even looked up at his work

"This is so unfair!" Ben exclaimed, he knows little about Toby but he knows it was not fair for the two to be punished

"All they did was to love each other!" EJ even exclaimed, as he would sometimes follow Jeff to see the outcome of the forbidden love story of Masky and Toby

"My dear children, all of you must learn that they are no easy way to love. Now go back to your rooms and rest, Toby will introduce himself tomorrow morning."

They all stood in silence. Hoodie feeling disappointed and Jeff to feel annoyed. But Masky only nodded and was the first one to go out.

"Yes sir." With a defeated voice, they all went out

And every since then. Masky had treated Toby with annoyance and had tried to distance himself, not realizing how much pain it brought to the young proxy.

....