Praying for a sinner || Ticci Toby x Reader

YOUR POV

"The walls breathe. No, they do not. They shift. No, not walls—skin, stretched over bones of something older than time. Older than I. I had fingers once, didn't I? Fingers to count the days, but the days won't count. They unravel like thread, and I am the needle, stabbing, stitching, lost in the seam. The abyss hums, a lullaby with no mother. Did I have a mother? Once? Before the teeth? Teeth, teeth, teeth—gods, they whisper in them. Do not listen. But I must. The dark is laughing. No, I am laughing. No, the walls are laughing—no, they do not laugh. They breathe. No, they do not."

TOBYS POV

When he dropped me in, I felt the air vanish from my lungs. I had been here once before, I'd hoped I would never have to be here again... yet here I am. He spent hours torturing me—Eight long hours. By how silent the mansion was, I knew that my screams had embedded themselves in the walls, in the minds of my friends. I could still barely walk from the black tar he had covered me in, a lingering side effect of his methods. All I wanted was to scream and attempt to claw it off my skin, but I knew better than that. This wasn't my first time... and it won't be my last.

It was almost like ice in this abyss, y/n must be losing her mind by now. Although it had only been seventeen hours since she'd been in here, I know that for her it's been much, much longer. My steps pad across the nothingness, I don't even know if I'll be able to find her. This abyss is endless, or is it? Am I just going in circles? Circles, round and round like a carousel. No. Stay focused, Toby. "Y/n!" My voice echoes and distorts the second her name leaves my lips. Would she even be able to hear it? Does sound have any power in here?

Hours, Days. How long have I been looking for her? Where is she? "Y/n?!" Am I even speaking? Are the words leaving my throat? My body hurts. That tar gnaws at my flesh, or does it? Can I even feel it? "Y/N!" When did I start running? Am I running? Am I moving? "Y/N!" Her name. Is that her name? Is she here? Who is she? No. Think. Think think think. She is y/n. She's a pain in my ass. She's beautiful. She's that stupid girl who has been living in my room. Taking up my space. Burdening my existence. Why am I here? Why am I saving her when I hate her? Do I hate her..? Yes. No. Yes. Jane likes her. Ej likes her. I hate her. Why am I trying to save her? Wait, who is she again? Y/n. Y/n, Y/n, Y/n. Her name rolls off my tongue so smoothly.. her name tastes on my tongue.. I wonder how she tas- No. Clock. Ticking. Tick Tock, Tick Tock. Clockwork. Natalie, why did Natalie look smug? Why did she seem happy that the floor had swallowed Y/n whole? She hates Y/n. I hate Y/n. No, I don't. I don't hate her. What time is it? What is time? "Y/N!?" Missing, I am missing. "Y/N WHERE ARE YOU?!" My legs ache, am I running? I am. I am running. "I'M HERE!" Do words exist? Does sound exist?

There. There's someone there. Who is it? They are huddled on the floor, mumbling. Or are they chanting? Crying? Rocking? Who is that? Wait, I think I know. What was their name? Her name? She... who is she? Think. Wonder. Know. Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey. Are you even paying attention to me right now? Y/n. Y/n. "Y/n!" The moment my hand connects with her skin, part of the fog fades. My mind clears just enough that I understand. "y/n?" She's looking right through me. "Fuck.." I mumble, she's been in here too long.. "Y/n? Hey, look at me."

YOUR POV

Hands. Do I have hands? Hands wrap around my arms. Who? Owl. Eyes. Eyes look at me. Why do they seep into my skin? Skin, warm healing touch. Face, hands take their greedy grip on my face. Shaking. The walls. No. The skin shakes. It cries, insects crawl up my throat. Legs, millions upon millions of legs. Legs. Boots.. Wait, those boots... it can't be.. they're dead.. I-