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Chapter Text

“ He was just 13 years old… ”

The words echoed in his mind. It was a mantra, a reminder whenever a surge of anxiety came from nowhere. Four years have passed since the incident yet fragmented memories lingered, scattered in every waking hour. Small things can trigger a flash of the past; a butter knife, his reflection, unexpected shadows. He even had to sell their old home to escape it. Therapy mitigated the frequencies of the episodes and he was doing much better now than before. It was a painful journey of healing but worthwhile nevertheless. 

On nights like these where the silence of the apartment conflated with the chill of the air, it unnerved him, sending chills up his spine. The night was familiar; a deja vu to the day. One minute, he was a kid with loving parents and a brother; the next, he lost everything. It was the spontaneity of the experience, the suddenness of how his life changed that terrified him. 

Anxiety crept on him as his back was to Jeff’s door. He was in the kitchen pouring the instant noodles into a bowl. Grim intrusive thoughts whispered of the killer in the bedroom. Glimpses of the white-faced, smiling demon stabbing him materialised in his mind. He blinked, shaking the thoughts away. Amidst the clanking of plastic plates and utensils, he reminded himself one more time: “ He was just 13 years old… ” 

Liu lifted the bowl of instant noodles and carefully made his way to the bedroom door. The small apartment had three doors all situated next to one another. In a small, cramped corridor, the front door was right adjacent to the bathroom. At the end of the wall was the bedroom door, accessible to the kitchen area.

With a sigh, he knocked on the door softly three times.

“Jeff, I made you dinner,” He spoke quietly, “Did you eat breakfast? I was called for a morning shift earlier so I didn’t have time to cook.”

Nobody replied.

Liu placed his ear against the door. A whirring sound reverberated, a sort of white noise. Jeff was an audible sleeper, turning and twisting in his sleep. To hear silence was unusual. He knocked again, gazing at the foot of the door, “Jeff, buddy, are you alright?”

A nauseating feeling sunk in his stomach. The irrational dread beckoned him to run and grab a knife. His fear kept him frozen. The seconds passed by slowly as he heard a muffled shuffling.

The door creaked open. 

His eyes remained fixated to the ground. If he raised his head, he would see the smiling demon; bloodied face, white dead skin, and the merciless eyes of a killer.

“Liu?” A soft voice whispered.

Liu snapped back to the present. His hands were shaking, forming waves on the soup. He lifted his gaze and the anxiety dissipated.

Jeff’s masked face peeked behind the door. He wore a simple mask; whilst bereft of any distinguishable features, Jeff had painted intricate designs over its white template. Beautiful blue swirls with gold accents covered the blank spaces. Black paint outlined the lips and surrounded the slits of the eyes. His covered face reminded Liu of Jeff’s own journey. An unimaginable, rough, agonising kind of journey.

Large blue eyes stared at Liu behind the mask. They looked down at the food then back at Liu. A hint of shame dulled the vibrant shimmer of his eyes. He avoided Liu’s gaze, “Oh… T-Thank you…”

The door opened up a bit more. Jeff’s room was dark. His only light source was an old laptop plugged to the wall; the slow machinations of its fans buzzed loudly in the silence. At the edge of the room was Jeff’s unkempt mattress, filled with rags and clothes piled on top of one another. The rest was shrouded by dim shadows, lit faintly by Jeff’s low light settings. 

Jeff grabbed the bowl and shuffled back. Liu’s foot blocked the door before it closed all the way through, “Wait. Er– Do you have anything I need to wash up? If you took in your breakfast, I could wash it now.”

“No…” Jeff replied.

He frowned, “Did you at least eat breakfast?”

Jeff remained quiet.

Liu sighed. Sadness and guilt swallowed him whole; sadness because of his brother’s self-destructive behaviour, and guilt for doubting Jeff and his recovery. His shoulders weighed heavy. The exhaustion of his two part-time jobs dragged him down. He sat by the opening, using his body to prevent it from closing. He had done this before when the two brothers needed to talk.

“Listen, bud,” He started to say. He stammered and kept discontinuing his sentences, “I think–You probably… er, I have, uh…”

He heard Jeff settle the noodles down and sat at the other side of the door. Liu knew Jeff was anxious, always concerned of what Liu would say. He encouraged Jeff to express his needs and ask if he wanted anything. Despite that, Jeff remained reclusive; apologising for small mistakes and actively depriving himself of things he wants. It broke Liu’s heart when he realised and cried when Jeff confessed to it. Since then, Liu diligently kept tabs on Jeff. All while giving his brother the space he needed to heal.

Liu breathed and spoke slowly, “I, uh, noticed your new mask. I really like it.”

Jeff was quiet for a while, then replied, “Thank you.” His voice wavered.

“You’re an amazing artist. Do you need more art supplies?”

There was silence for a moment. Perhaps Jeff pondered his answer, “Y-Yes…”

Liu smiled, “What do you need?”

“Uh… Red– I mean… Blue paint.”

“Can I see some of your art?”

A shuffling noise came from Jeff’s room. The closet door creaked. Pages were ripped off of a notebook. After a while, a white hand held out a piece of paper. Liu's smile widened; it was a well-produced picture of some anime character, fully coloured and outlined. 

Jeff’s soft voice spoke up, “I… I’m really proud of that one…”

“You should be! It’s really good,” Liu said cheerfully, “Can I hang this on our mini fridge? Oh wait, we don’t have magnets.”

Jeff audibly chuckled, “I, uh… I have more if you like?”

The door opened some more and Jeff sat opposite Liu by the doorframe. The light of the kitchen illuminated his features. Jeff’s large blue jacket covered his arms and draped his thin grey shirt. Above the collar was the emaciated scrawny figure of his clavicle. Traces of burned flesh and post burn vitiligo remained etched to his exposed skin. Healthy, wavy curls sat on his shoulders. The brown hue glistened in the light as Jeff had outgrown his singed hair. He was hunched over, trying to occupy as little space as possible.

Liu smiled in delight as Jeff showed off his artworks, “This is the main character of Dorohedoro; see, he wears a big mask… This is another character, his name is Yuuji from a really popular anime, Jujutsu Kaisen; I really like him.” Jeff lifted one up; Liu knew the character. “This one is Tanjiro from Demon Slayer,” Jeff said, continuing his exhibition.

Liu’s smile faded. Tanjiro’s hair was different; the red-ish hair of the character was painted green. The other artworks noticeably had a distinct lack of any red hues. Characters were blonde, blue-haired, or raven. 

Jeff continued on, unaware of (or perhaps, avoiding) Liu’s gaze. As he observed his brother, Liu realised how particular Jeff was living with Liu. He inspected his own artworks for a moment and evaluated which pieces Liu could look at. An unfavourable artwork would have anything red. His appraisals were all in an effort to avoid anything that could trigger Liu’s trauma. Even Jeff’s masks had silly, cutesy themes; the exact opposite of anything gruesome. He recalled that the first mask that Jeff bought scared Liu (moreso spooked). In response, Jeff began wearing a cute Halloween cat mask, then a rabbit mask, then a foxy one. Not before long, Jeff started designing his own; using his masks as a creative outlet.

'He was only 13 years old…'

“This one is a redraw of a panel from a manga,” Jeff continued on, voice wavering.

“Jeff,” Liu interrupted him. Jeff’s blue eyes glanced up, a bit startled. “I love you, alright?”

Jeff’s eyes lowered, “I know… I love you too.”

Liu carefully moved the artworks aside and shuffled closer to Jeff, “Can I get a big hug?” He lifted his arms up, openly inviting his brother.

Jeff hesitated, physically shrinking back. He tensed up before nodding.

With a squeeze, Liu embraced Jeff. His hand laid on his brother’s head, urging him to lay on his shoulder. Jeff did as such, exhaling unsteadily. He melted into Liu’s arms, relaxing his body. His hands however held tightly onto Liu’s shirt, as if afraid of letting go. Liu mumbled, “Please eat breakfast, okay? Take care of yourself.”

Jeff replied with a heave. His chest rose and fell as he sobbed quietly, “Liu… I’m a monster…”

“I love you. You’re not a monster, no. Shhh, hush now.”

The brothers sat along the hallway, holding each other as the night slowly passed by. Their cramped apartment had the world feel smaller and claustrophobic, yet holding Jeff made life a little less lonesome. Liu understood that giving Jeff the only room in the space would cause him to further close himself off, but Jeff needed time to process his guilt. In the one year since becoming Jeff’s legal guardian, the two were forced to confront a new reality. It meant a life of living with a dependent, someone who relied on him. More importantly, it meant living with the monster, the very reason for his pain. They both coped in their own ways, and accommodated accordingly. Liu understood this; so did Jeff.

Becoming Jeff’s legal guardian was a difficult path to take but an obvious one. His brother had stayed in a psychiatric facility for a long time before being given to his aunt and uncle. They lived far from people; a farmstead out in the scorching desert lands. Jeff wrote Liu letters; he stated he was fine but missed his brother. It was only when Liu gained custody that Jeff confessed that he was isolated and mistreated a lot. 

When he first moved in, Jeff kept to himself, avoiding Liu as much as possible. In his words, Jeff wanted to minimise how much he ‘disrupted’ his brother’s life. He even asked Liu to use the money from selling the house for Liu’s own well-being rather than being Jeff’s trust fund for university. Liu vehemently refused and continued working to pay rent, food and other bills. Jeff doubted it whenever Liu said it but he really did love his brother,

Despite that, an undeniable fact remained. Liu would never admit it, even the guilt tore him up; deep in his psyche, he was happy Jeff hid himself away. During the first months they lived together, he needed time to adjust. Therapy could only get him so far. Jeff still bore the demon’s face despite talking and acting like the 13 year old boy that loved movies and video games. 

Liu pulled away from the hug and took a long breath. It had been four years since the incident and nearly a whole year since his brother moved in. Now was a better time than any to verify his mental fortitude in accepting Jeff. He touched the mask and held it, silently asking Jeff for permission.

His brother’s eyes widened with concern but slowly nodded.

He took the mask off.

The first thing he noticed were Jeff’s eyes. They were the same sky blue irises that he had known all his life; the same ones that idolised and watched him in wonder. Soft, innocent, and kind; now tainted by a twinge of fear and shame. His face was bare, lacking hair (eyebrows and lashes) and was imbued with a white blotchy scarring. His eyelids had been severely darkened from the burns. The wounds on his lips remained, disfiguring his cheeks. Jeff observed Liu’s expressions closely, eyes darting to and fro. His scarred white hand lingered on the mask, prepared to wear it and scurry away. Blue eyes were already red with tears.

Liu’s heartbeat pounded against his skull loudly. Visions of the attack flashed in his mind as he stared at Jeff’s face longer. His arms raised high as the Smiling Demon lacerated him with a kitchen knife; his muffled screams; how hard it was to breathe. He could feel his consciousness disappear and an angry, dormant energy take over. His chest rose and fell quickly between shallow breaths.

His gaze landed on the sky blue irises once more. Staring at Jeff’s eyes were enough to remind him that his brother returned. The Smiling Demon was gone.

“Liu?”

Liu was hyperventilating, fighting for control and to be kept fronting. Instead he forced a smile, “See? Not a monster.” 

Jeff looked down and opened his mouth to reply but was cut off.

Liu jumped when his phone vibrated in his pocket. With a frown, he grunted as reality reared its ugly head and reminded him of his other responsibilities. It was his manager asking him to fill in another shift. With a sigh, he frowned and gave Jeff an apologetic look, “I have work tomorrow so, I’ll leave breakfast out for you in the morning, alright?”

Jeff nodded, wiping the tears away.

“Eat your noodles tonight. It’ll make you strong,” He said as he planted a kiss on Jeff’s forehead, “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself.”

“Okay, Liu.”

Liu gathered all of Jeff’s artwork and neatly handed them over, “You should publish your work one day. Who knows. Maybe it will turn into a career.”

Jeff was quiet for a while before speaking, “Liu…It’ll be your birthday soon.”

“Yeah… I think I’ll book my day off and spend the whole day with you.”

Jeff smiled at that, one that reached his ears.

Chapter Text

The final hour of Liu’s shift was quiet. The drone of idle chatter from his coworkers and the hum of the storm filled the silence. He stood by the cash register obediently despite having nobody in the dining area to serve. No customer would willingly buy something during a storm, much less at night. Liu made his area spotless; every chair was sanitised, tables wiped, and bins were refilled with new bags. Due to his position as a front counter employee, having phones near or around customers was discouraged. Thankfully, a wall-mounted flat screen TV was nearby, in viewing distance of the cashier. 

His employers at Generic Fast Food Chain had a set channel for their customers to watch. It was more like a playlist of music videos sprinkled with advertisements of product deals. Nobody in the restaurant (literally) wanted to hear the same round of gaudy commercials so Liu opted for anything else televised.

The weather report flashed on the screen. A stylish reporter explained how the torrent of rain would not disappear for another two or so weeks. With the colourful visuals and graphics, they described the freak weather and sudden shifts in the atmosphere.

“Man, I'll be soaked by the time I get to my car,” His coworker commented.

Liu laughed and shouted towards the kitchen, “At least you have a car!”

The weather report ended and the next segment discussed rising crime rates in the region–Thievery, random aggravated assaults, car hijackings, and even murder. (While it bothered Liu that their area was shady, the cheap apartments for rent in their vicinity were too good of an opportunity to pass up.) All while the local police force dealt with a damaging corruption evaluation with allegations of bribery, negligent handling of case files, and obstruction of the law. The newscaster was in the middle of the segment when the power suddenly shut off for a second. 

The lights immediately turned on afterwards, but his coworkers audibly freaked out. “What was that!?”

“Probably lighting–Ah!” A rumbling roar of thunder shook the restaurant up on cue. Everyone had a laugh.

Once the energy died down, his coworkers continued their talks in the kitchen. The quiet hum returned once more. Liu fiddled with the TV’s remote, hoping to resume watching his distraction. Amidst the silence, a muffled shouting came from the outside. Loud, drunk customers were never unheard of, especially in this business. Liu looked at the time. In 30 or so minutes, he'll clock off.

The restaurant was lined with glass walls that rendered everyone inside inescapably unhidden. Raindrops obscured the windows, glazing it with a blurry tint. The moisture covering the glass panels did not aid in the visuals. Beyond the store was a small road, one that truck drivers frequented. Fitted with a small gas station and a sizable parking lot, the surrounding area was barely lit. Streetlights did little to illuminate the area; all that Liu could see was darkness with a faint outline of the road. 

“G-Get the fuck away!” An agitated voice shouted outside. It was clear enough to be heard. “I just want to fucking eat!”

A coworker came from the kitchen to see the commotion, “You alright in here?”

A flash of movement passed by the front windows. The door swung open. A tall lean man walked in, wearing a distinct beige hoodie with striped sleeves. His steps sprung with a wet splat as he trudged across the dining area with his dirty, worn-out boots. He carried a large axe over his shoulders, his hand kept it in place. A pair of orange goggles sat on his fluffy hair as it remained bouncy despite how terribly drenched he was. His eyes were bloodshot, encircled with dark rings. The man stared at the door, expecting more people to arrive. His head would snap to the side aggressively. After nobody did, his shoulders relaxed and he made his way to the counter.

A voice whispered behind Liu, “You handle this guy, alright?” The coworker seemed uncomfortable with the customer. They scuttled back to the kitchen and began talking to the others. Liu disregarded the comment.

 The man's gaze fixated on the pictures of food above Liu. His eyes lingered on every picture, “Man, you guys are fuc-fucking expensive.” The man's voice was muffled behind a peculiar mouth-guard. His head continued to twitch to the side, even mid-sentence. It further aggravated the man.

Liu gave a big smile to the man in front, “You're in luck. We have one dollar deals today.”

The man's gaze lowered, seemingly realising Liu's presence. He twitched again. His eyes lit up and gave a large smile in return, “Man, I am in luck!”

Liu beamed, “Mhm! For a dollar, you get a burger with fries. Unfortunately drinks aren–”

The man placed the axe down, and leaned on the counter. He stared at Liu with an intense proximity that Liu had taken a step back. The man tilted his head, eyes glazing up and down at him, “You're cute! Are you-u single?”

“Uh…” Liu felt the heat rise on his face. “I’m sorry?”

“My name’s Toby,” The man said in confidence. “What’s your name? Do you live around here?”

“Um–”

“Oh fuck, that sounded creepy huh,” Toby said, backing away from the counter. “Shit, well. Ignore what I said! I just think you’re cu-u- cute.”

Liu smiled sympathetically, “Ah, thank you, sir.”

Toby lit up once more, “No problem! Uh, just one of your nuggets boxes puh-please! Take-away.”

The man paid in cash. The notes were all crumpled but dry. As Liu placed the order, he could feel Toby stare at him, completely enraptured. Big hazel eyes stared at him like a deer in the headlights. His twitches seemingly decreased as he focused on the cute cashier. Liu counted the change and handed it over. Toby barely even looked at the amount. Once he gave the coins, Liu made his way to the bagging station.

His coworkers were too engrossed in a funny conversation to have heard the exchange. Liu checked the time; he would be free in less than 20 minutes.

One of his coworkers whined, “Liu, you’re so lucky. I just want to curl up in bed now. I have like 6 hours of a boring night shift.”

Liu nodded along, placing the sauces in the bag, “Make sure to mop the floors tonight. So when I get back, there will be one less thing to worry about.”

The coworker cried, “Yes, sir.”

Liu placed the bag on the counter. Toby was leaning on his cheek, googly eyes fixated on him. “Liu, was-was it?” Toby murmured, practically melting, “Cute fucking name.”

“Let me get your drinks first, alright?” Liu told him, blushing at the remark. The dispenser was situated behind him so he turned his back to Toby.

Admittedly, it was Liu’s first time being hit on (or sexually harassed? Both?) The scars on his face, marked previously by stitches, often frightened people rather than attract them. Liu knowingly displayed a friendly aura to customers in order to compensate for his looks. Toby’s unabashed flirting failed at making him uncomfortable. It was a fun way to end the day. He needed it after a long shift at work. 

The drink was placed into a cup tray which he placed alongside the bag. Liu lifted his gaze, curious to see why the man was quiet. Toby stared at the darkness outside, noticeably distracted. His expression was marked by something familiar. Similar to Jeff’s worried demeanors, Toby’s eyes were filled with anxiety and dread. His twitches worsened and he grunted in annoyance.

 Liu cleared his throat, “10 piece nugget meal with soda pops!”

Toby beamed, eyes lighting up, and looked at him. He twitched as he whispered, “I wi-wish we met in different circumstances.”

“What do you mean?” Liu asked.

Toby straightened himself up and shook his head dismissively, “Nevermind. I just don’t stay in one place fo-fo-for long.”

As Toby grabbed the bag, Liu reached for the man’s hand, “I hope we see each other again then.”

Toby giggled, swaying side-to-side. He pulled down his mouth guard and revealed his face. The man was incredibly pale, his skin discoloured from a lack of sufficient nourishment. A large cavity sat next to his lips, exhibiting his teeth and gums. Whether he noticed Liu’s quiet shock or not, Toby ignored it and winked at Liu, “Then I’ll see you around, yeah?”

Liu smiled involuntarily, “Y-Yes, sir.”

Toby covered his mouth once more, “Call me Toby! Or To-Tobster, or Tob. Wait not Tob–that’s fucken w-weird.”

Liu chuckled, “Alright, Toby. Have a great night.”

By the time the bus pulled over, Liu was drenched head to toe. He wore a large hoodie to protect his uniform underneath but it was futile. He sat at the edge of the seat in an effort to keep the mess all to himself. Liu leaned on his rugged backpack, guarding it closely to his chest. The quiet rumble of the bus and the pitter-patter of the rain lulled Liu to sleep. His eyelids drooped and his stomach growled. He just couldn’t wait to get home.

He only closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself a minute of vulnerability. Suddenly, he was jolted awake when the bus halted in its tracks to let a passenger out. He certainly slept for more than a minute. Looking at the area, his stop was another block or two away. With a sigh, his shoulders relaxed with relief.

The bus drove onward. Only a few people scattered throughout the seats. Liu looked at his phone; it was 10:12pm. He sighed, hoping to be able to sleep in tomorrow. He imagined the comfortable sofa, being wrapped in a thick blanket, then he’d wake up and make bacon and eggs for him and Jeff.

Liu frowned; he forgot to buy Jeff’s art supplies (and an umbrella).

A heavy downpour obscured the pathway to the apartments. The street lights barely lit the area up. A few windows casted light, making the area feel less isolating. Liu’s apartment building was a short walk away so he sped up. The doors of every tenant were visible across the railings. He looked at his apartment door, silently praising himself for taking in the laundry. Then a figure shifted at the corner of his eye.

A black silhouette landed on the lawn, having jumped from one of the floors of the building. 

‘What the hell?’  

Immobilised on the spot, the rain walloped on his face. The cold fabric draped against his skin. He stayed quiet, afraid of being noticed. The hooded figure, obscured by the darkness and the heavy downpour, took off in the opposite direction. Liu remained unsure if he was spotted. His heart pounded against his skull as he forced himself to run.

Liu quickly made it to the ground floor and dashed up the stairs. The loud squeaks of his sneakers echoed weakly with every step. The apartment building only had a few levels, with the brothers’ room being only on the third. He slipped on the last tread, scrambling to reach his door. 

The rain pelted on his back as he fumbled his pockets for the keys. He scooped it out but dropped his phone in the process. He awkwardly leaned down to retrieve his phone, a stream of rainwater dripping down from his hair. A box sat in front of the door next to his phone. Thinking nothing of it, he pushed it inside once the heavy downpour blasted the front door open. It caused a loud thud. He threw his backpack inside and slammed the door shut.

Silence. The hum of the apartment hushed the rain outside. The locks clicked together as Liu secured the doors. He took a second to gather himself and sighed. The exhaustion weighed heavily on him now. A puddle formed under him as his entire outfit dripped water, flooding a portion of the front door.

 He undressed his hoodie under the darkness of the hall, suspending it on a keyholder nearby. Taking off his shoes with the tips of his feet, he fumbled along the wall behind him and opened the bathroom door. Light flooded the front door when he reached for the switch.

Stripping off his damp shirt, pants and socks; he threw them into the corner of the bathroom. Midway through grabbing a towel, Liu noticed that Jeff’s room was wide open. While unusual, Liu brushed it off, “Hey Jeff, I’m home.”

Jeff remained quiet so Liu continued, nonchalantly grabbing dry clothing from the laundry basket, “I missed the stop to the store so I couldn’t get your paint. Sorry about that. I’ll buy it tomorrow; we need groceries anyway. We should have enough bread for tonight though. Do you want eggs and toast for dinner?”

Instinctively, Liu made his way to the living room. He was in an idle state, having done this routine time and time again. When he lifted his gaze, he jumped in shock.

Jeff was in the corner, covered in shadow. He was nearly crouched down; knees bent, still and unmoving. The darkness obscured his face. Something shined in his hand.  Liu’s gaze followed the glare; it was a knife. 

A memory stirred within him; a horror of the past. Time froze. Liu caught his breath; his mouth unable to scream. His heart pounded in his chest like the beating of drums. It silenced his thoughts, drowning out the world. He staggered back weakly as Jeff took a step forward. He saw black engulf his vision as his consciousness faded. 

He closed his eyes.

Sully opened them.

Chapter Text

Liu’s mental health improved profoundly. Now capable of holding down a job, the rate of his breakdowns and panic attacks diminished to manageable degrees. Liu had an attainable goal; he wanted to get custody of Jeff despite everything that happened. His grief fuelled a quiet determination to set things right; even if it meant avoiding a confrontation with the past.

The same could not be said for Sully who had always been a combative soul. One of Liu’s coping mechanisms was to separate Jeff from the attacker; that his brother and the demon were two different beings. In Sully’s eyes, Jeff raised the knife and Jeff plunged it downward. Unable to grasp Liu’s resolve to care for Jeff, his angry demeanour and aggressive hostility often stemmed from this frustration. Of all things, why him? Why wallow in guilt and sadness when you’re the victim? Why shed tears for a murderer, the same one that killed your family? Why work hard day-and-night for a bleak future? Why do insignificant things matter so much to Liu? It all confused and infuriated Sully.

Rather than argue with his host, Sully opted to allow Liu  to do as he pleases. Communication fizzled out since Liu stopped going to therapy. He had to prioritise working and saving money. Since most working days were uneventful, Liu endured it all like a robot–thoughtless, automated and utterly numb. Due to this, Sully’s presence was rarely demanded. He considered himself to be their protector; it was his job and purpose. Even Jeff knew this. Most days passed like a blur and consequently, Sully remained quiet–a dormant, quiet presence. 

Two months passed since he previously fronted. It was an event unrelated to Jeff; a rowdy drunk man was provoking Liu, suggesting he was a serial killer with his stitches. It irked Sully, causing him to force a switch. He glared at the man, challenging him to try anything. That confrontation ended ‘peacefully’ as it was in a public setting. However, when Jeff was the problem, Sully was not as lenient.

As soon as he opened his eyes, Sully snarled to his brother, “Drop the fucking knife, Jeff. Now.”

Jeff jumped. He slowly raised his hands but remained as still as possible. With a shaky exhale, his brother tossed the knife toward the kitchen. It fell with a heavy thud. Jeff relaxed his shoulders. “Sorry, Liu, I was–.”

Sully wasted no time flicking the living room lights on. As Jeff covered his eyes, wincing at the sudden brightness; Sully grabbed the knife and pointed it at the younger man, “Sit the fuck down,” He gestured to the couch.

Arms still raised with palms open wide, Jeff did as he was told. He kept his distance with the understanding that Liu was either pissed or Sully was present. Jeff sat at the foot of the couch, eyes filled with worry and fear. He stayed quiet.

Sully and Jeff’s second meeting was accidental. He forced a switch with Liu during one of their supervised therapy sessions. The first words Sully ever spoke were malicious and cruel insults. Anger was his first emotion. Hatred was his first feeling. Likewise, it was Jeff’s first time seeing Liu so enraged and hostile. Since then, the two rarely interacted. 

Sully stepped carefully toward the man, keenly alert of any possible movements. As he regarded Jeff, his face distorted with disgust like how a farmer would see pests in his field. The knife slowly made its way to Jeff’s throat.

“What were you trying to do, Jeff?” Sully spoke, daring Jeff to say anything stupid. He glared at his brother, pressing the blade against his skin.

Jeff’s eyes widened. He squeaked, “S-Sully? Sorry, I was scared.”

Sully, tilting his head, scoffed, “Scared? Really?”

The younger brother slowly pointed to the door. His voice wavered as he recalled the events quickly, “S-Someone was outside sliding weird letters through the door. I kept throwing them away. Then the power fluctuated and I thought I saw someone in my room.”

The blade still on Jeff’s neck, Sully glanced over to the bedroom. The lights illuminated enough to expose an empty, messy room full of boxes and containers. The droning rumble of rain filled the tense silence. Sully rolled his eyes incredulously, “Do you think I’m stupid?”

Jeff gulped as Sully pushed the blade further into his skin, “I’m sorry. Please. C-Can I talk to Liu?”

“Not how this works, kid. You scare him, you get me. I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.” 

Jeff’s eyes lingered to his bedroom, “Please. You have to believe me.”

Sully gritted his teeth. With one swift movement, he and Liu would be free from this monster. With the flick of a knife, a lifetime of nightmares would end. Yet he knew that Liu already resigned himself to that reality. He grunted and softened his grip on the knife. With a sigh, he threw the weapon to the sink, producing a loud metallic crash. Sully frowned in disbelief, “For fucks sake.”

Sully sluggishly made his way to the bedroom, turning off the light in the process (knowing that Liu was strict with the electricity bill). Jeff followed behind like a lost duckling. When Sully flipped the bedroom light open, the younger brother closed the bathroom’s light. Jeff’s room was small; a fitted wardrobe occupied nearly an entire wall. Only a single sized bed (mattress in this case) fitted appropriately along the corner. Containers and boxes of paper, notebooks, masks and various art supplies scattered across the room. The laptop had been flipped over, adding onto the hysteria that occurred. Nobody was inside.

“When you left,” Jeff began to say, “I spent the day drawing and talking to a few online friends. Then I got a message from someone I blocked years ago. Now I think they know where we live…”

A pang of annoyance pricked Sully who scratched his head, “You… scared Liu… because of some stupid kids?”

“I wouldn’t be scared if they hadn’t appeared in my room! I swear I saw someone in the corner. They disappeared when the power went out. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a knife because I thought they were going to hurt me.”

“You’re seeing things, Jeff. Who do you think would do shit in this weather?”

Jeff shrunk, his gaze fell to the floor, “It all felt… real.”

Sully stared Jeff down, disgust riddled on his face. He held no sympathy for the guy. In his eyes, Jeff was his tormentor, evil incarnate. While Liu saw everything as a terrible nightmare, Sully experienced every blow and stab, felt the blood dampened the bed, and defended himself against the monster. No amount of psychiatric treatment could erase those memories. Nobody in his life seemed to understand–-Sully’s first experience was of pain, confusion and fear. His entire life revolved around that one night. The doctors told him that he needed to work on his identity and reevaluate his purpose. Sully thought it was too convenient of a solution when the reality was more simple. It was easy; Jeff had to die.

 However, Sully had to contend with another truth; Liu was hopeful. He hoped for a better future, hoped that Jeff would return, and hoped that everything would be alright in the end. Without that hope, they would not be here. Liu worked hard for this normalcy; Sully would maintain it despite his conviction and resentment for Jeff. 

Sully stood in front of Jeff, glaring down at his brother. Jeff winced and turned his head, anticipating a hit to the head. Instead, Sully muttered, “Don’t ever pull that shit again, Jeff. You’re never allowed near the kitchen, you understand? Especially not with that stupid excuse.”

Jeff gasped suddenly. His eyes widened towards the front door.

“What?”

“That box…” Jeff pointed to the box that Liu brought inside. The parcel was unwrapped, lacking tape and distinct labels. Small enough to hold a teapot, its cardboard material was soaking wet. A puddle of rainwater pooled around the package. A symbol was etched onto its side with blank ink: a circle crossed with an ‘x’. 

“Isn’t that yours?” Sully asked.

Jeff’s eyes began watering. His breathing became erratic, “N-No! But that sign… It was on the weird notes they kept sending to me.”

“Open the light, would you?” Sully gestured to the bathroom. Crouching down, he opened the box. A sulphuric pungent stench overwhelmed his nose. He retched at the smell, “Shit! Something fucking died in this.”

Jeff did as he was told, switching the bedroom light for the bathroom’s. “What is it?” Jeff scurried to his brother’s side. When the whiff reached his nose, he cringed and leaned back, “Eugh!”

Pinching his nose, Sully dragged the box to be illuminated and examined its contents. Nothing dead was inside; only crumpled papers or tissues that had brown or red stains. Among the parchment were old cassette tapes, each labelled with specific dates or weird numbers. All of it was useless junk in Sully’s eyes, “Your stalkers sent you trash, Jeff.”

“I think we have a tape recorder somewhere,” Jeff said pointing his thumb toward the old boxes in his room. His wardrobe was filled with various sentimental items from their old home: photo books, old instruments, even home video recordings. Due to every closet space filled up, the brothers no longer had room for actual clothes. Jeff’s bedroom became a makeshift storage room.

Unwilling to entertain the stupid idea, Sully ignored him and began unlocking the door. With a twist of the knob, the harsh wind knocked the door back violently. Heavy rain pummelled the inside and soaked the interior. Taking a step back, Sully leaned his entire body back, box in hand. Propelling his form forward, he forcibly hurled the box into the dark streets below. Jeff assisted him in closing the front door. With a click, the door shut and Sully secured the locks.

Jeff stared at him incredulously.

“What? Problem solved,” Sully shrugged. His hand dragged along the wet wall as he went back to the bathroom. Grabbing another dry shirt, he told Jeff, “I don’t know what freak still uses tapes but I am not entertaining their bullshit.”

“You’re not going to? But…” Jeff’s thoughts trailed off. “I… think we should’ve watched it.”

“And why would we do that?” Sully’s voice muffled as he put on the new shirt.

“Uh… well…” Large blue eyes lowered to the ground. Shame flashed across Jeff’s scarred face. He fidgeted with his fingers, “I think I should talk to Liu about it…”

Sully scoffed, unable to hide the irritation in his voice, “How about you fucking earn it, scumbag.” With hostile strides, he marched towards his brother. “Why Liu? Why can’t you fix it yourself? Did you do something stupid, you fuck!?”

“No!” Jeff shrunk against the wall, keeping his hands close to his chest. His shallow and quick breathing filled the silence. Sully pressured him to speak, “Thing is…”

“You can’t just cry to Liu and beg him to fix all of your problems!”

“Someone’s after me!” Jeff blurted out. Large blue eyes stared back with desperation. “They said they’re coming. They want my soul...” His voice broke off into a sob. “They want to use me. They want me to take… more lives.” 

Jeff’s eyes observed Sully’s green, searching for an unspoken response. They desperately wanted validation; to see Liu acknowledge his pain. Sully, however, was not Liu. In the pool of black amidst the green, Jeff’s scarred face was reflected. The apathetic disposition that Sully often exhibited had vanished. Instead, Sully’s eyes responded with… intrigue. It gradually morphed into anger; Jeff recognised it as his words set in. His blue eyes lowered to the ground, ashamed of what he said. 

His words validated Sully’s own suspicions. He was right; Jeff had never changed. There was no demon that possessed him, no monster that tore itself out of his brother. No. It was all Jeff; the murderer, the scourge, the killer. Sully was right, but that meant Liu was wrong. His hope was a lie. If Sully was right, everything Liu did was for nothing. The thoughts pricked at his nape, irritating him. He should be happy to be right. He should be gutting the murderer now. Instead, it troubled him; his chest twisted in anxiety.

Sully’s silence distressed Jeff. The hope of gaining Sully’s trust dissipated to nothing. Jeff leaned weakly against the wall. Clutching his aching chest, his voice wavered, “I’ve been having nightmares, Sully. I held the bloodied knife. I was killing again but… it wasn’t the same. I had to. I was forced to. I was scared.” 

He looked up. Sully was no longer looking at him. Liu was no longer looking at him. 

Jeff broke down, digging his nails into his scalp and pulling on his hair, “I’m a monster! I’m so sorry. I’m so fucking sorry. I wish I was never born. I wish I died in that fire. I hate myself. I hate myself. I hate looking at myself,” Jeff cried, burying his face in his hands. “You deserve a better life. You deserve better…” His words trailed into unintelligible murmurs.

Sully dissociated as he struggled to respond. Talking was never his strong suit. It was Liu’s. Even between the two of them, Sully found communicating difficult. Being the only alter in their system, Sully could front whenever Liu got stressed, being the protector and all. However, in moments like this, what can he do?

 It had to be Liu.

Their innerworld, a mental safeplace for their system, was simple; just a big room with a big bed and a television in front of them. Big curtains draped the windows, keeping their room dim. Glow-in-the-dark stars surrounded the roof. It was somewhat nostalgic. Their innerworld was Liu’s dream bedroom, though they both have not visited in a while.

Sunken amidst the super soft mattress was Liu, wearing pyjamas. Laid on his side and curled up under heavy cosy blankets, Liu peacefully hid inside the pile. Sully approached him, “Your brother’s crying, Liu.”

Liu opened his eyes but did not raise his head. His hand clasped tightly in guilt, “I know… But I’m not sure what to say. I’m not sure what to think.”

“Did he scare you that much?”

“It’s not his fault. I was caught off-guard and… I’m just tired.”

Sully nodded. He remained fronting. “He needs you, Liu. Not me.”

Liu remained quiet.

“Just don’t be mad if I say anything mean.”

“He’s not a monster, Sully,” Liu told him. “He needs help. He needs support. Our support.”

Liu once again had separated Jeff into two, desperately clinging onto his reality where Jeff was alright. Sully wanted to correct him and vilify Jeff. But in repeating Liu’s words in his mind, there was a hint of wisdom. Sully listened to Liu, maintaining the normalcy. 

Sully’s eyes wandered back to Jeff who was crouched on the ground. The boy was pulling on his hair. In their safespace, Liu tugged at his arm. He trusted that Sully would do the right thing.

Crouching to Jeff’s side, Sully reached out. Reluctantly, he embraced the other’s small frame. He felt Jeff freeze in his arms, uncertain of what to do. The best course of action was to say words that Liu would say. What would he say? Something about hope and perhaps Jeff’s improving mental state? Sully cringed at the thought of spewing those kinds of words. He recalled the two’s previous conversation together. Liu got Jeff talking about art and it got him smiling again. Sully decided to do the same.

“So, uh…” Sully began to say, “You’re not gonna wear the mask anymore?”

‘What the hell, Sully?’ Liu shouted. Sully’s mentally slapped himself as he realised the implications of what he said.

Jeff sobbed at the comment, “Well–”

“Uh! What I mean is…” Sully began back-tracking. “You’re… You’re doing great… and we both see that you’re trying. The whole mask thing, well, I really appreciate it. Liu appreciates it. I think actions speak louder than words and it has. The art thing is great too but like, we can handle a bit of red, Jeff.” 

 His younger brother wiped his tears. He raised his head and hesitantly leaned on Sully’s shoulder, “You… You mean it?”

Truth be told, Sully was honest with his words. Despite his personal disdain, it was undeniable; Jeff had improved alongside Liu. Both brothers earned it; they had to swallow their pride, cry out their hearts, and acknowledge the hideous, disturbing parts of themselves. Sully knew firsthand how many sacrifices Liu had to take, all to keep his little brother safe. Jeff also knew; it was evident since he took his first steps into their apartment. He was very considerate of Liu’s own well-being. He promised to improve and he did. 

Sully couldn’t deny him that. The realisation dawned on him that night. He was equally proud of Jeff as Liu was. Sully remained distrustful but Jeff earned his respect. It would anger Sully if Jeff proved him right. 

Liu’s trust in Sully to talk was also valid. Sully, the protector, understood his role in Jeff’s life. He playfully ruffled the other’s hair. Liu quietly urged him to say more, “You’re still alive, Jeff. Nobody’s forcing you to do anything. You’re alive and you still have choices. Either you give up, give in, or… you keep fighting. You understand?”

Jeff nodded quietly, face buried in Sully’s chest, “You’re right. Thank you," he sniffed. “But if anything happens, can you… kill me?”

Sully’s eyes widened, “Why are you asking me that?”

“Someone told me that demons are after me. I think they’ll force me to kill. I don’t want that to happen,” Jeff trembled, “What if… What if I hurt people again?”

“The only demon in this world allowed to hurt you is me,” Sully spat out suddenly. The words barely registered until he noticed Jeff staring at him, wide-eyed. “Oops, did I say that out loud?” 

Jeff bursted out laughing, tears still streaming down his face. “You mean it?”

Sully frowned, embarrassed by his own outburst. He was uncertain where that conviction originated but he clung onto it. It was his birthright to have Jeff’s blood on his hands. He would keep Jeff in check and kill him if he stepped out of line.

He changed the subject, “Whoever told you that just has strong opinions on convicted murderers. No matter what you do, someone out there hates you for it. So like, whatever, right?”

Jeff nodded slowly. The smile faded from his face, “Yeah.. “

“So enough about this demon shit. What, are you religious all of a sudden?”

“No, but–”

“Then fuck them!” Sully screamed, “Fuck the world. They don’t give a shit. God certainly doesn’t. So why care?”

Sully said enough for Jeff to understand– it was them against the world . 

“If those assholes return, I’ll throw my own shit at their face, what about that huh?”

Jeff laughed.

“Fuck! I’m hungry,” Sully got up and walked away, leaving Jeff on the floor. He opened the pantry and cursed. Fuming, he stomped back to the front door and grabbed his bag. “Fuck this! I’m not going to work tomorrow. Where’s my phone? Fuck that. Fuck them.”

Jeff scurried away. He went to the pantry and assisted in making their dinner.

Ultimately, Liu decided against playing hooky. Sully’s one condition was for Liu to front, citing boredom and lack of sleep. So Liu woke up that morning with a smile on his face. 

Jeff’s eyes were closed; he was slumped on Liu’s shoulder, deep in sleep. He and Sully had talked about how they both hated Liu working. Moreso, Jeff listened to Sully vent about it all; incompetent managers, unpredictable schedules, everything. Whilst their bonding session was nice, Liu’s body ached from the cold. His eyes drooped with exhaustion and his mind was barely awake. Thankfully, Jeff was a deep sleeper and Liu laid him comfortably on the couch.

Liu left the house quietly, hoping Jeff woke early enough to catch the boiled eggs warm. Last night’s rainfall made the roads and pavement cold and damp. The wind carried an uncaring chill, blowing through Liu’s dank hoodie as he walked to the bus stop.

Liu’s mind was buried in many thoughts. He had an hour left before his shift at his second job, Another Gas Station Store. Sully did not charge their phone and Liu left the charger at the restaurant. Liu’s phone would die before starting his shift at Generic Fast Food Chain. Lastly, he only had a small window of time to be able to buy Jeff’s paints.

As he sat frozen by the elements, a sinking feeling gnawed at him. He glanced by the road of his apartment. Nobody was there. A couple of cars passed by, nothing else. Yet the feeling lingered. Liu hoped it was in his head.

Was somebody watching him?

Chapter Text

The freak weather raged on, unforgiving and apathetic to its victims. The news report made no mention of the storm decreasing in strength. It was as if the sun disappeared behind the clouds and refused to return. Days passed by regardless; life continued on. Students went to school, joggers continued their exercise, and most people worked their minimum-wage jobs. Liu was no exception.

Work became mundane under the barrage of the storm. Most customers went through the Drive Thru than in-store. Even so, they were few and far between. Due to the lack of customers, the store’s Management only gave shifts to a handful of people to run the store. Liu begged a manager for more shifts (to Sully’s dismay) and he agreed to work anytime. It was easy money in his eyes. His banal tasks centred around manning the register, cleaning the dining area, and assisting the kitchen.

On a particular afternoon, the dim afternoon sky illuminated the street outside the restaurant. However, the heavy pour of rain fogged the glass panes, blurring the outside. Streaks of raindrops lined the windows of the store. It captivated Liu, distracting him from his boredom as he mopped the floors. Being in charge of the dining area meant Liu was mostly alone. He never minded it. He had Sully to talk to. It just meant he had to be mindful not to accidentally respond aloud.

Sully became more outspoken that night, becoming co-conscious with Liu. No longer just a dormant presence, he would linger around Liu, observing and commenting on things. His vigilance also came from Liu being constantly on edge. The weather got him seeing things; shadowy figures followed him in the darkness. Furthermore, the rain threatened to book Liu off of shifts, reducing his own income. Overwhelmed with anxiety, Sully remained on stand-by as Liu worked.

As he mopped the floors, he saw an outline dash across the parking lot. Liu smiled when a familiar face walked through the door. He assumed Toby truly left the state as the man hadn’t returned back to the store since. Yet, there he was. 

Wearing his orange goggles, Toby scoured the area before approaching Liu. His drenched beige hoodie soaked the floors and left puddles with every step. Unable to read Toby’s expression due to the mouth guard and goggles, Liu kept his smile lively while remaining wary, “Hello again, Toby!”

Toby took off his goggles, head snapping to the side violently. He was not smiling. Stammering, he asked sternly, “Liu, are you being stalked?”

Liu’s face fell; his blood running cold. Stealing a quick glance to his coworkers who were not looking, he sighed, shaking. Sully stirred in his mind. With a quiet voice, he replied, “Yes… Yes, I think so.”

Toby nodded, “I saw the man in yellow taking pictures of you. He was in the convenience store nearby. Don’t worry! I scared hi-him away. But I wasn’t fast enough to bash his brains in. Quick bastard.”

Liu exhaled shakily, fighting the urge to make Sully front. His feet wobbled and he had to lean on the mop for support, “Man, I thought I was going crazy. Someone’s been following me for days. I just couldn’t prove it. Every time I look over my shoulder, they disappear.”

“It’s my fault, Liu,” Toby looked down, twiddling at his fingers. “I led them here. After meeting you, they le-eft me alone. I thought you saved me, like a cute guardian angel. Instead, they set their sights on you. I ruined your life. I’m so sorry…”

Sully screamed internally at this, “What the hell!?” 

“No,” Liu said, “It’s my brother; he was the one being harrassed. Some jerks keep sending us tapes–”

“Don’t watch them!” Toby suddenly screamed, grabbing Liu’s shoulders. “Never! Tell me you didn’t. Please, Liu.”

Liu felt his coworkers' eyes stare in shock. He lowered his voice and whispered to Toby, “No… We keep throwing them away.”

“Good, that’s good.” Toby said, relieved. 

“Why?”

Toby hesitated. He twitched, “It’s… ha-ard to explain.”

Sully had a hand on the wheel, fully prepared to take over. He was suspicious of Toby and disregarded Liu’s own personal feelings for the guy. Liu kept him at bay.

“You said it was a man in yellow?” Liu recalled his memories, trying to remember any suspicious yellow strangers. He thought of the people during his commute, his own customers, or even his neighbours. Nobody of interest came up. Somehow, that made him feel worse.

Toby nodded, flopping on a seat nearby, “Mhmm, yellow jacket, weird white mask. He has a talent for disappearing, just blends to a crowd really well. He’d sta-stalked me before. I keep moving from state to state to avoid him. He never left me… well, until I met you.”

“How fucking convenient!” Sully shouted.

Liu regarded Toby’s answers, “Do you know why he stalked you? Is it because of the tapes?”

Shaking his head, Toby answered, “He, uh… I think they’re part of a cult. They’re trying to cap-capture me. I’m not sure why yet.”

Liu’s heart dropped. Jeff had been opening up about his nightmares: demonic creatures, graphic visions, and premonitions of becoming a sort of puppet. The crossed circle insignia was a common symbol in his dreams. The sleepless nights made Jeff too anxious to sleep. The older brother consoled him, joking that the demon was too scared of Sully to even enter the house. Horror movies made demons out to be silly phantoms, a manageable threat. But cults? And what did they want with Jeff?

Toby continued, twitching mid-sentence, “As for the tapes… Just please don’t watch it. I can’t explain why but it– ack! It’s how they get to you.”

Everything overwhelmed Liu. He slumped to the seat beside Toby, eyes staring ahead. Sully tugged at him, urging himself to front.

Toby noticed his demeanour, “How is your brother? Have they…?”

“He’s safe at home,” Liu answered instinctively.

‘Liu, shut it! What if he’s with the stalkers?’ Sully screamed.

Liu hissed, ‘Don’t say that. He’s helping us.’

‘Hmph! This all started happening ever since we talked to him.’

Liu’s face contorted into anger as he continued to argue with Sully. His alter never was the type to trust people, much less strangers. Not that he ever had the opportunity to make friends; their schedule was too tight for any social activities. Sully only had one friend besides Liu and she was equally as distrustful as he was. Unfortunately for Liu, the universe had a habit of proving Sully right when it comes to people.

A cold hand softly squeezed Liu’s own. “I don’t know why they’re targeting your brother, dear Liu,” Toby said, “But I swe-swear to you.. If I ever see that masked bitch again…”

Liu’s green gazed upon Toby’s hazel eyes. A familiar spark laid within its dark pools; a mixture of unrelenting determination and anger, along with a hint of exhaustion and desperation. Liu understood it immediately; Toby’s eyes reflected his own spirit. They both had resolved to continue fighting for their own futures. But there was something else hidden in Toby’s eyes.

Toby finished his sentence, “... I’ll kill him. For you.”

A chill ran up Liu’s spine. Toby was serious; not a hint of playfulness lingered in his words. Liu’s heart pounded, though he was unsure if it was due to fear or shameful gratitude or something else entirely. They remained quiet for a while. Toby stared back at Liu, completely engrossed. Soft hazel eyes attempted to read the other, but his sudden violent twitches broke the mutual eye contact.

Toby’s twitches were violently aggressive, jerking his neck back in consecutive intervals. Liu could see his discomfort. The man was not in pain but he was clearly frustrated. “S-Sorry…” Toby said, “My Tourettes gets wo-worse whenever I'm stressed.”

“Tourettes?”

“I don’t twitch because I want to. It’s a–ack–condition.”

Liu squeezed his hand back, “Bet the stalking doesn’t help, huh?”

Toby laughed heartily, leaning his entire body back, “That’s an understatement!”

Liu’s heart ached as he empathised with Toby’s intricate situation. He understood having an atypical condition that people can find disconcerting or enigmatic. Liu himself rarely disclosed his D.I.D diagnosis as Sully scarcely interfered in his life. Toby would not have that liberty with his Tourettes. Confounded with the stresses of cultish stalkers and a lack of stability, Toby’s circumstances worsened his condition.

“I can’t believe you’ve been dealing with them for a long time,” Liu frowned. “You must have been lonely.”

Twitch, twitch, twitch . Toby stared at Liu, remaining quiet. His tics lessened in intensity, “You know… you’re really fucking cute.” Toby held Liu’s hand and caressed it, “Don’t worry, sweet Liu. I’ll keep them away from you. I promise.”

A deep red decorated his cheeks. Liu was uncertain of his own feelings but Toby’s words consoled him. He wanted to reciprocate the help, but his alter disagreed. Sully rolled his eyes, wanting nothing more than to keep the conversation strictly platonic. 

‘Ask questions, stop flirting!’ Sully told him.

Whenever Sully was co-conscious with Liu, he would remain fairly hands-off. Never once was he intrusive, allowing Liu full control over their body. They both were fine with it; Sully shared no interest in leading anyway. Since it was their unspoken agreement, Liu never had a precedent in experiencing co-fronting (wherein two or more alters had varying amounts of control over the body) until now.

Liu’s body shifted closer to Toby. His heart pounded in shock as Sully took over. His posture relaxed and he rested his arm on the table. Liu's soft smile faded into intrigue; Sully’s eyes wandered, lingering at every feature of Toby’s face. The protective alter was trying to intimidate Toby, moving to invade the man’s personal space. As he glared and tilted his head to the side, Toby’s face grew more and more red. Sully’s nonchalant confidence seemed to beguile him.

“Aren’t you such a flirt,” Sully said with a hint of malice. Toby did not notice, instead shrinking bashfully into himself. The other continued, “Tell me. What makes you think I can trust you?”

Liu internally was screaming, too shocked and embarrassed to say anything.

Toby cleared his throat, regaining his composure, “W-Well, uh…” 

Sully’s face remained close to Toby’s, believing that he was putting enough pressure to make the man break, “We just met and… you already want to help me? How selfless of you.”

‘Be nicer! Be nicer!’ Liu screamed in a panic. Too frozen in shock, he was unsure how to regain control.

Toby smiled, thinking it was an attempt at flirting. “Anything for you, sweetheart! Like I sa-said, you’re my angel. Believe me. Because of you, I was able to sl-sleep peacefully for a few nights.”

Sully squinted, tilting his head the other way. His eyes lingered once more to Toby’s face, trying to read his expression. Uncertain if Toby was lying, he continued to push for answers, “But why you ? What did they want with you?”

Taken aback by the question, Toby’s face fell. He looked away, unable to face Sully in the eyes. His gaze wandered to the wet floor sign. “That’s… Ah-ack! I’m not sure I can tell you.”

“Hm.”

“Admittedly, I don’t know m-much,” Toby said, fidgeting with his fingers. “But I speak from experience. Once they grab a hold of you, they’ll b-break you. Believe me, you don’t want to be caught. You’ll be kept somewhere, and they’ll tor-torture you. Your memories will be distorted. One minute, it's day, you’re in a forest; the next, it's dark, you’re covered in bruises and you’re in an abandoned building.” He paused and winced at a memory. “It was… a confusing time.”

Sully lowered his eyes, “You… You got away?”

Toby nodded, “I don’t know how. I just kept running. The hallucinations suddenly stopped. But I have a feeling…” He twitched. “They let me get aw-away.”

His words implied awful possibilities. Sully frowned, uncertain of what to say. Even Liu remained quiet. They sat in silence for a minute before someone behind the counter interrupted their talk, “Liu!” Sully glanced at the coworker. The guy gave him a questioning look and beckoned to the cash register.

‘Shoot!’ Liu cursed, ‘It’s the manager! I asked him for a favour. Please do as he says, Sully.’

Sully nodded to the manager and stood. Toby followed suit. Clearing his throat, he asked, “Uh, are you going to buy anything? Just so we can keep talking.”

Toby sheepishly laughed. He scratched his head, “Heh, Sorry. The convenience store has cheaper shit.”

“How unfortunate. I guess we need to end it here today. Let’s talk again soon. Is there a way we can talk after my shift?”

Toby’s face lit up, “Are you asking for my number!?” His voice was loud enough for his coworkers to hear. Sully opened his mouth to speak but Toby cut him off, “Not that it would ma-matter. I don’t have a phone, sorry.”

“Right, well–”

“I can bring my truck over later,” Toby suggested, grinning brightly. “Then drop you off after your shift!”

“That won’t be–”

“Well, actually, my driving depends on how bad my tics are,” Toby thought aloud, “But being around you certainly calms me down so we should be fine."

His manager cleared their throat, signalling the end of their interaction. Both men awkwardly acknowledged them with an apologetic nod.

Toby whispered, “Sorry about this, Liu.”

Sully patted his arm, “Let’s talk soon. Same time tomorrow?”

“Right!” Toby said. Just as he turned to leave, Toby swiftly hugged Sully with force. Speechless, the scarred alter remained silent. Toby whispered to him, “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise.”

Sully felt the heat rise on his cheeks but he shook his head dismissively. He scoffed, “You’re such a flirt.”

“I’ll talk to you soon, y-yeah?” Toby pulled away.

Sully nodded, “See you later, Tobster.”

The man pulled down his mouth guard, exposing his cavity. Smiling from ear to ear, Toby said, “See you, dear Liu.”

To his utter horror, Liu’s punishment for Sully’s sudden co-fronting was that he would work the rest of the night. Thankfully, the uneventful shift ended shortly after the street lights turned on. The manager did not reprimanded for their long conversation, but Sully was teased by his other coworkers. Not that Sully cared, but Liu told him to be ‘more lively.’ Liu further instructed Sully on etiquette: smile and laugh at his coworkers, ask if they need him to do one more thing before he leaves, then say goodbye to everyone before leaving the building. Sully ignored the second part. 

The bus stop was nearby, just next to the convenience store of the gas station. Street lights barely illuminated the stop along the pedestrian pathway. Under the cover of a recently-bought umbrella, Sully ran to the shelter and waited for the bus. The hum of rain overwhelmed his senses and drowned out the world around him.

‘Thank you for today, Sully,’ Liu told him, ‘Things have been so hectic lately.’

‘Don’t sweat it,’ he replied.

‘I don’t mind you co-fronting but please let me know in advance.’

Sully tried to help Liu by deciphering if Toby was trustworthy. He concluded that Toby was speaking truthfully; however, the man in yellow could be using him to get to the Woods brothers. It was a glaring possibility not to be overlooked, especially since Toby had experienced torture by the cult’s hands already.

His stomach churned at the thought. To think that Toby was put under horrific conditions and tortured, Sully’s hands clenched his folded umbrella tightly. Toby’s mouth injury looked severe; it would take a monster to commit heinous acts like that. He would never let that happen to his family. 

Moreover, Liu was determined to help Toby and keep him off the streets. He planned to talk to Jeff later and ask him about it. Admittedly, there were lots of reasons why taking Toby in was a bad idea. Jeff was another issue to think about, considering his face and reputation. Neither of them knew the guy well enough but still. Toby promised to help them; it would be wrong for Liu to give nothing in return. Liu’s sense of justice was something Sully could not argue with.

Sully checked the time; he had a few more minutes left before the bus arrived. He glanced at the road; there was nothing but total darkness aside from a few street lamps. Parts of the sidewalk were illuminated, others vanished into the black canvas.

Liu had been ranting to Sully the whole while, ‘... our landlord wouldn’t mind having a third tenant IF she never even knew he had a third tenant. We could always hide Toby. After all, I’d be gone anyway. I’m always at work–’

He continued to think aloud. Sully just listened, perceptive to the idea.

He looked at his phone. 5 more minutes. A bright light flashed from his peripherals. Thinking it was from the bus’s headlight, Sully glanced up. His blood ran cold. 

A masked man held a camera at him a few feet away, his yellow jacket barely concealed in the shadows. The rain obscured the man’s features enough that Sully would not notice his disguise. The mask became his indistinguishable face; one that could melt into crowds and disappear in an instant. His stalker stared at Sully, similarly frozen in place, yet the man’s posture was relaxed and smug.

Behind the man, the bus’s headlights actually appeared at the end of the street. Unfortunately, it was too far for a quick escape. Sully had no choice but to confront his stalker. Liu disappeared, silenced by fear.

Sully stood slowly, tightly holding his bag. He shifted his weight forward, anticipating a chance to chase the man or headbutt him if the man attacked. His breathing quickened and his heart pounded in his head. The rain drowned his thoughts, allowing them to be clear of indecision. Sully took steps back, the droplets landing on his bag as he left the roof of the bus stop.

The masked man took a step forward, and Sully froze.

Click . His camera flashed its light. Sully’s face lost colour, his stomach dropped, and his eyes filled with tears; he felt violated and humiliated. His stalker had the nerve to take pictures of him right in his face. Frozen in fear, Sully felt paralyzed and helpless. Yet the man was right there, what else could he do?

The shock subsided and anger took over. Sully gritted his teeth and shouted in desperation, “What the fuck, you freak!?”

The man suddenly dashed forward. Sully staggered backwards in a panic.

Click . Another flash. It stunned Sully.

The masked man punched him in the face and he collapsed on the ground. Sully grunted in pain. The daze lingered for a moment; Sully was unable to move. He watched weakly as the masked man grabbed his phone and pilfered his bag for a wallet. Afterwards, the man tossed Liu’s backpack further to the side, into the darkness. 

The bus was close enough to see them. Adrenaline coursed through Sully’s veins as he panicked. The man could escape and get away.  

He managed to lift himself off the ground, wobbling carelessly. The man stood in front of the bus stop, hands in his pockets. His gaze remained on Sully. He tilted his head; the man was taunting him.

Sully charged forward, nearly falling face-first to the ground, shouting in anger. The masked man briskly walked backwards, unbothered. Once Sully regained his composure and sprinted in a dash, the masked man turned around and ran the other way.

They both ran quite a distance before Sully tackled the man to his stomach. They were both on the ground. The masked man scurried to grab his camera as Sully began beating the man’s head with punches. 

He continued this until he realised that the bus had driven away. The blood ran cold in his veins. His head darted back to the bus stop and stared incredulously as the vehicle disappeared into the darkness.

‘Shit .’

The stalker turned his body and blinded Sully with another click-flash. Sully closed his eyes, stunned. The man punched him on his jaw and Sully yelled in pain. He collapsed on his side as his stalker towered over him.

A hit to his arm. A punch to his temple. A punch in the eye. Sully covered his face with his arms. A kick to the stomach. A kick to his chest. A kick at his leg. The rain pounded on his body; the freezing water seeped through his clothes, chilling his skin. He winced with every breath as his chest burned with pain.

The masked man suddenly stopped and Sully opened his eyes.

Click . Flash.

Sully groaned, trying to get up. Tears obscured more of his vision. Suddenly, the man shoved a large balled up rag into his mouth then covered it with a handkerchief. Sully struggled against it, pushing himself to stand and veering his body as far from the stalker as possible. The masked man fought in return, pulling him in and tightening the bind. His screams were muffled and Sully panicked even more. 

He surged forward, trying to get his stalker to stumble forward. Despite his efforts, the masked man wrapped his arm around Sully’s neck and stood up. Sully struggled to breathe as the man dragged him further away from the bus stop and into the car park. A red pickup truck was parked nearby Sully glanced at the restaurant; his coworkers would be unable to see him. 

The wet muddy grass transformed into the rough, rugged cement of the parking area. The few seconds felt like an hour. Sully felt lethargic; he needed to breathe. He continued to squirm, his clothing and skin lacerated against the rough surface.

His stalker suddenly let him go, sending him tumbling to the ground. Sully breathed deeply, turning to glance at his attacker. The man opened the door of the pickup truck and grabbed something. Sully ran away irregardless. 

He stumbled, wincing at his aching body. He sprinted to the restaurant, his screams muffled into silence. The masked man wrenched his shirt back, propelling Sully’s body with force away from the building.

“Fucking hell,” The masked man muttered in a huff, raising an object high. 

The man bludgeoned Sully’s head.

Sully closed his eyes as he fell unconscious.