The Placebo Effect

Oak stared at Twitchy as he spoke and then looked to Tine who held the bag of supplies up for the giant to investigate. After a moment of checking the beads Oak took out the broken bead between two massive fingers and examined it carefully. 

Slowly the giant crouched down, getting closer to the others eye level and motioned for him to put out his hand. Tine let go f Twitchy’s hand and smiled in reassurance.

Oak examined the boy’s wrist a few seconds before taking some of the ribbon from the bag  and twisting it to make it thinner. Sliding some beads onto it and tying it off at both ends in a small bracelet the giant smiled and slipped the bracelet around Twitchy’s wrist.

 A single large finger very softly pet the boy’s hair before Oak stood again and took the bag of supplies with him to his own room at the back o the club.

“He says the bracelet is a thank you for apologizing and escorting I home.” 

Ruffling the boy’s hair Tine moved past him and waved for one of the triplets to prepare the hot chocolate. Taking a seat in a booth Tine sat one seat in from the edge, leaving it free for Twitchy and also a sign he wouldn’t be boxed in or trapped should he take the seat.

Twitchy was sure that he hadn’t breathed the entire time Oak had made the bracelet, just staring at the bigger man as he tried to keep as still as possible. He’d offered his wrist slightly reluctantly, scared of his remaining arm being damaged. He was relieved when it didn’t happen. 

A small, high pitched noise escaped him when he was pet on the head, and he swallowed as the giant walked away. Ah. Ah. 

He felt guilty, feeling so scared and assuming the worst in almost everyone, but it was nothing personal. He was nervous around most people now. His blind trust was dead and gone, taking his rose tinted vision with it. 

He jumped as Tine ruffled his hair, looking up to him before he hurried to follow him over to the fancy booth, telling himself to just calm down. He looked from Tine to the triplets, forcing himself to relax before he carefully slipped inside. 

A glance was spared for the boy as he he gave his possible age. He didn’t state any age under eighteen and that was enough for Tine at the moment. He would check up on the boy’s information at a later stage but right now the blond was satisfied to call him at least a legal adult. No matter how cute he was Tine wasn’t doing anything to him if he was a child.

They walked another minute or four before they reached the front of the club, Ash standing guard at the door and not even blinking at the sight of the nervous boy. Opening the door for them Tine gently pulled Twitchy inside the Red Viper. The club wasn’t open yet so it was empty save for the staff. The triplets sat atop the bar counter playing go-fish and Oak was fixing tightening screws on a table top that had been wobbling.

The three identical dolls looked up at the return of their boss and his new guest, each one individually looking Twitchy up and down before looking back to their game. Except for Lily who stared a few moments longer with a small dust of pink appearing on her porcelain pale cheeks, quickly hidden behind her cards when she realized she’d stared too long.

It must have cost an awful lot, though. Tine must have made a lot of money, which was good. He was kind, so he deserved to be successful. 

He glanced over the triplets and gave them a nervous smile, before his attention was pulled to Oak. “Uh-...”

Oh God.

He was huge. 

Twitchy’s mouth dropped open as the giant man approached, a little squeak escaping him. He was never one to judge by appearances, but oh wow, this man was... His hands could probably break his skull. He was bigger than B, and that was...

“Um.” He swallowed thickly, steeling himself. Stop. He couldn’t judge him instantly. He might have been nice... Especially if he’d wanted beads... 

“H-hello.” He stood a little taller, looking up at the large man. Breathe.

Panda meeting a kitten for Anon.

Tine and Twitchy for @enigmaticerror

Mel in jail for Anon

They fell into silence for a moment, when Tine asked another question. Twitchy looked up at him again, quite excited.

“Twitchy loves hot chocolate.” He nodded. “It would be nice if Mr.Tine made some, but he doesn’t have to.” He kept passing in and out of third person when referring to Tine, though he was firm in keeping it for himself.

If they didn’t have such dark circles under their eyes, a nervous disposition and of course the missing arm Tine might have called them child like. They were certainly a certain kind of naive but lacking that child like innocence of the dangers of the world. This boy had gone through some questionable experiences for certain.

“Well if you would be so kind as to join I in a cup I do believe I shall make some. Refreshments are always preferred with company.” The side of Tine’s mouth twitched down at the swapping of sides, taking it as a sign the boy did not want the protection but the tug on his sleeve washed away such ideas. Smile instantly returned Tine lifted his own hand to hold the nervous boy’s fingers securely.

"Twitchy will share hot chocolate with you." He assured, already excited about the idea. "After he apologises though. He still feels bad."

He meant that. He was so absent-minded and distracted, he was amazed he hadn't walked in front of a car instead.

His thoughts were cut off at the mention of his hat. He looked confused at first, but then recognition flashed on his face.

“Oh, you’re…  Mr. Tine?” He seemed to relax further, actually offering Tine a slight smile in return.

“Twitchy would love to come with you, but Jane will be really worried if he doesn’t go back home.“  He fidgeted. "Um… Oh! He will send her a text and then go to the club to apologise.”

He pulled out his iPhone, which had an Adventure Time cover, and swiped it open. He tapped away at it, chewing his lip as he did so.

Noting the phone cover and the familiar characters for later use Tine blinked at the request but laughed softly in his throat moments later with a small nod.

“Certainly.” Carefully placing the beads back into the plastic bag Tine stood straight again and urged the boy to do so as well. He waited until Twitchy was done texting before walking again, not wanting to have the boy doing too much at the one time.

“It certainly has been some time since we last saw one another has it not?” Idle conversation to keep the boy at ease as they walked to the club Tine noted their positions with him on the inner side of the pavement and Twitchy closer to the road. Without missing a step the blond reversed this so the nervous boy was on the inside of the path.

They fell into silence for a moment, when Tine asked another question. Twitchy looked up at him again, quite excited.

"Twitchy loves hot chocolate." He nodded. "It would be nice if Mr.Tine made some, but he doesn't have to." He kept passing in and out of third person when referring to Tine, though he was firm in keeping it for himself.

So when Tine’s face softened and he opened his mouth, Twitchy let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. Oh. Oh he wasn’t angry. He actually… Sounded very nice.

His voice was familiar too, though Twitchy couldn’t place him. Maybe he’d seen him in passing.

“Twitchy is okay.” He swallowed thickly, still looking somewhat mortified. “His head is fine… He is still very sorry.”

He looked around Tine, to the bag on the floor. He saw the beads and winced, quickly moving around the man to kneel down on the dirty ground so that he could pick them up. It was a fiddly affair - he had to sort the box out with one hand, before putting the beads back in one at a time.

He inspected each one first, making sure nothing was chipped or damaged. One was cracked, and his shoulders dropped in guilt. Ah…

It was only one bead, hardly anything to fuss over but Tine wouldn’t be satisfied to let such a cute pet out of his grasp.

“Hmm, well I need not think you have to go that far. An apology is perfectly acceptable, though the beads are quite expensive I know it was an accident. But oh dear..”

Tine’s expression shifted to one of worry.

“You see theses beads do not belong to I. I was purchasing them for a friend of mine. I am certain he would forgive you but what if he does not believe I when I tell him of your sincerity? What to do..”

It was hard to keep a smirk down but the blond managed it and after a few seconds he controlled himself to give only a calm smile.

His thoughts were cut off at the mention of his hat. He looked confused at first, but then recognition flashed on his face.

"Oh, you're...  Mr. Tine?" He seemed to relax further, actually offering Tine a slight smile in return.

"Twitchy would love to come with you, but Jane will be really worried if he doesn't go back home."  He fidgeted. "Um... Oh! He will send her a text and then go to the club to apologise."

He pulled out his iPhone, which had an Adventure Time cover, and swiped it open. He tapped away at it, chewing his lip as he did so.

Functioning in day to day life had already been hard enough for him, but he’d always had a decent capacity for coping with it. Therapy had helped somewhat, but the medication had been a main crutch. Still was a main crutch. His condition deteriorated sometimes, but Twitchy was good at bouncing back. It was what he did - how he survived.

The incident, as his therapist called it, had been significantly harder to come back from. He had always had a natural nervous disposition, but he had become scared of his own shadow. Being hospitalised in Domino Asylum hadn’t helped - the place had burned to the ground, and he had been transferred to a unit elsewhere. More regression. More pills. More doctors. 

Currently, Twitchy was doing a little better. It had been almost a year, and he had learned to live around his disability. Learned to function. 

He had been moved into sheltered housing, with a nurse always on duty. Her name was Jane, and she was American. Very friendly. She took him shopping and to the cinema, and never complained when Twitchy got nervous and needed to go back home. He’d been living under her care for about four months. 

Jane was actually the reason that Twitchy had gone out alone today, having managed to encourage him to go and get some fresh air for a few hours. It was the first time that he’d done it in over a year, so he was naturally very jumpy. 

He walked with his white hoodie drawn up over his head, his arm tucked close to himself to try appearing smaller. Eyes on the ground, to avoid any possible interaction with strangers. He didn’t want to talk to anyone - he just wanted to get himself a chocolate bar and return back. Tell Jane he’d done it so that she would be proud of him.

But naturally, not looking up meant that he wasn’t paying attention to where he walked. He inevitably crashed into someone’s back, and apologies tumbled out of his mouth on instinct.

Tine stopped in the middle of the street, stepping beside the wall of a store so he was out of people’s way and he could recheck the contents of his plastic bag. Oak had requested some supplies for his crafting and as gentle as the giant was it was just easier for Tine to go get them then risk scaring people with the bouncer’s sheer body size.

Confirming everything was indeed there Tine was about to close the bag when there was a sudden push from behind him, the box of beads tumbling off their spot on the bound ribbons and falling to the pavement. The plastic box hit the ground and a corner split to spill out three or four of the shiny beads to roll across the cement. Pale eyes narrowed, Tine’s back straightening with a calming inhale. Looking over his shoulder the blond expected to see some oblivious idiot too busy texting or talking on their phone to have watched where they were going.

What he saw was unexpected. Round face. Big eyes. Soft messy hair. Their clothes were too big for them and looked warm yet they were trembling and flinching where they stood.

Oh.

It was so cute.

The early irritation in Tine’s eyes vanished and he turned around to get a better look at the .. child? Boy? Girl? They looked oddly familiar.

“It is quite alright.” Voice clear but gentle the gentleman offered a small smile to put them more at ease. “Are you alright little one?” It was only when he leaned down closer to their eye level did Tine notice the empty sleeve on one side. If the adorable little thing hadn’t caught his attention early they certainly had it now.

So when Tine’s face softened and he opened his mouth, Twitchy let out a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. Oh. Oh he wasn’t angry. He actually… Sounded very nice.

His voice was familiar too, though Twitchy couldn’t place him. Maybe he’d seen him in passing.

“Twitchy is okay.” He swallowed thickly, still looking somewhat mortified. “His head is fine… He is still very sorry.”

He looked around Tine, to the bag on the floor. He saw the beads and winced, quickly moving around the man to kneel down on the dirty ground so that he could pick them up. It was a fiddly affair - he had to sort the box out with one hand, before putting the beads back in one at a time.

He inspected each one first, making sure nothing was chipped or damaged. One was cracked, and his shoulders dropped in guilt. Ah…

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Twitchy | Tumblr

His arm was gone. 

It had been difficult to accept that fact, and to live with the debilitating problems it caused in his already unbalanced life. He couldn’t really play his DS anymore, and reading was a pain. Everything was, though he never complained to anyone - he just got on with his life. 

He had been kept in a unit for months because of the damage, and then he had simply kept himself shut away at home for months after. 

A part of him felt guilty - like he should go and visit Akefia and tell him that he wasn’t dead - but most of him was too scared of bumping into Tou. He felt guilty about that, too. They were supposed to be friends, but he woke up in a cold sweat at night with the phantom pain of jagged steel teeth sawing through his flesh. 

His psychiatrist was doing home visits, which made it worse. It was enabling his behaviour. 

Like many days before, he had his phone out ready to text his friend. 

   “………. “

For a single moment, his features slipped into something almost human. A flash of the man behind the monster before B’s features scrunched up in annoyance at that. He had allowed the other to trick him, lower his guard so Bandit could get through but he would not allow this to happen.

     He growled  and held the arm so tightly that the bone broke in his grip.

  “Shut up, Twitchy. So sick of hearing your fucking voice, day after day after day  - LEAVE US THE FUCK ALONE.” He roared and grabbed the saw, slamming it right into the table beside Twitchy’s head so that his sight was covered by his own reflection.

All his life, he had just taken everything. He didn’t defend himself - not even verbally - and he constantly let people hurt him. It was better, in his opinion, to be hurt than to cause it. But Tou had helped him - after 20 years - hit his limit.

And the rage that broke through the layers and layers of denial and self-hate was immense. 

“DON’T WALK AWAY FROM ME.”

But Tou did, and he was left panting and shaking and bleeding. He wasn’t tied down, and that was probably because Tou knew that he couldn’t fight back. Hell, Twitchy knew that too. 

But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to get away. Something told him that this time, he would die. That this time, Tou would not stop - that he would keep going until Twitchy was an unidentifiable splatter of gore against the wall and floor. 

Twitchy took a slow, shuddering breath and braced himself. He grit his teeth and forced himself to sit up, tremors running through him. He could do this - he could do this. His body hurt, he was going cold, but he needed to get onto a main road. After that, he had to trust someone to call an ambulance. After that, he could pass out. 

Until then, he had to try and be as strong as Bandit would be. He swung his body around, bruised and bloody legs hanging off the table. His vision was blurring, but Twitchy was stronger than people gave him credit for - than he gave himself credit for. He was almost fearless in most situations, and he had a will like iron when it really mattered. 

His feet touched the floor, a couple of toes missing and apparently burnt (had he really been so out of it?) to stop the bleeding. He pushed himself up so that he was standing - unsteady, wavering - and stumbled like he was learning to walk again. He almost fell, but he knew that if he did... He would not get back up again.