Receeding Tides (mcyt)

Chapter 11

TW// gore, blood, torture

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Tommy's eyes fluttered open making him painfully aware of the throbbing in his head. He groaned trying to open his mouth, but the tape over his lips made it impossible to move his mouth. He reached to take the tape off his mouth, but his arms and legs were bound behind the chair. Fucking duct tape would leave annoying burns on his wrists. Tommy didn't look forward to it. His screams, muffled by tape, rang out for help, and his eyes darted around the room ignoring the throbbing and stabbing pain across his body.

He wore himself out with excessive shouting. He groaned and turned to see Dream sat hunched over himself still out like a light. How he had't been disturbed by Tommy's shouting was unknown. Dream's arms and legs were tied to a chair too, but at least his chair had a cushion. His mask was missing, and in its place was a strip of tape over his mouth. Tommy got a glimpse of the bruising Dream hid. He was willing to be the Ash cut off the pain receptors in Dream. Coincidentally, the same happened to him. Only, Tommy hadn't removed his mask once since the Waves.

Dream groggily opened his eyes like he'd slept the best nap of his life. Quickly realising the situation, he turned frantically to face Tommy who immediately glanced away like he'd been caught red handed. Odd, but not important. They nonverbally conversed, but nothing either asked or replied would be of any assistance.

What's going on?

You think I know?

Well you were clearly awake first.

And Bad was your friend before he was mine.

What does that have to do with anything?

Look around, dumbass. He isn't here.

Oh.

Yeah, "oh."

Dream's milky eyes were more unsettling when he was pissed. Most of the time, his mask hid them from sight, but now they were on full display for Tommy.

A tall man with faded bleached hair waved cherfully entering the room dragging a little girl behind him, and Tommy immediately reccognised her as the child he'd seen at the beach the day before. He lurched forwards getting her attention, but the girl ignored him. He knew it. This kid was sketchy from the start.

"Sweetie, say hello to your new friends," the man showed off the boys tied to the chairs. "Be nice, friends aren't always friendly. Remember?"

The girl waved, "Hi- oh, I know you! I saw you on the beach yesterday."

Her father cut her off, "Wait, why is this one's eye white? Boy!"

"Daddy, you got me the one with fluffy hair we saw earlier!" the girl hugged the man's waist gleefully ignoring her father's judgement.

Dream blinked confused. When had this toddler and Tommy met? Did he miss a chapter? Because he was sure, with the exception of Badboyhalo, Brighton was a ghost town.

Speak of the devil, Badboyhalo appeared in the doorway, "Yes, sir?"

"Of course, I did," the man ignored Bad's presence for a moment. "Anything for you, my dear. Would you like them to meet your other friends?"

The girl nodded happily and gleefully ripped the tape off Dream's and Tommy's mouths, "Hi, there! I'm Maia and that's my Daddy, Dan. It's lonely with just him, so we're gonna be friends, okay?"

Tommy and Dream sat silently and looked at her like she was delusional.

"Hey!" Maia snapped angrily, "I took the tape off your stupid mouth now tell me we're gonna be friends."