Crazy Like You (Septiplier)

Chapter 26

After waking up from my little chat with Anti, I couldn't go back to sleep. A part of me believed it was simply him keeping me up, keeping me away from him for now, but I know that's not true, knowing he could just thrust me into whatever nightmare to keep me from seeing him again. I know it's simply the billions of questions I now had.

I've spent my entire life not paying much attention to anything religious, and now I have a demon in my head with some hidden agenda, a memory of Hell playing on repeat within my brain, and the thought that there may be some better place I can never reach.

The universe just got a lot bigger, and frankly I'm not handling it well...

When the sun finally began to poke through the curtains of the guest bedroom I'm currently calling my own, that's when I realize how drained I am. My limbs hang heavily as I stand up, feet feeling like concrete as I drag them across the carpet. I could feel the bags beneath my eyes without having to look in a mirror, honestly I don't want to. I know I look like shit, the fact I haven't eaten much in the past few days, highly doubting I could keep anything down, isn't helping.

I make my way down the stairs with little to no incident, stumbling a few times before making it to the living room. I let myself fall carelessly onto the couch so I sprawled over the length of it, head clouded by fatigue that I felt would never pass.

I wonder if Mark has coffee...

A small nudge against my arm, which hung off the edge of the couch, pulls my attention away from the delicious thought of coffee. I turn my heavy head to look over only to give a tired smile as I notice the dog that has for so long been avoiding me.

I hesitate, expecting her to snap out at me again, before gently reaching out. Once my hand touches her soft coat I let myself relax once again. I'm not sure if it has to do with the fact that Anti seems currently MIA, but I don't question it.

I let my hand graze over her plush, golden fur, giving another smile when her tail wagged, thumping against the couch gently.

"She likes you."

The kind voice startles me. I jump up hand retreating from the dog only to relax as I met the familiar pair of brown eyes, studying me carefully.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

He gives a soft chuckle pacing forward ever so slightly. I feel my cheeks burn moderately and return my hand to the pup, whose tail wagged even quicker at the sight of her master.

"It's fine..."

I mutter under my breath feeling Mark plop on the couch where my head was before I was startled upwards. With a small whistle Mark calls the dog to his hand, scratching her soft ears lightly he shoots me a look, silent worry coating his brown gaze.

"Sleep okay?"

He seems to take notice of the dark bags which seem to permanently hang below my bloodshot eyes.

I give a shrug as a vague answer, finally letting my eyes scan over his face. He might look worse than I do. His skin had lost some of its warm color, brown eyes clouded with exhaustion that put mine to shame. Hair a tangled mess of black atop his head. Yet somehow he still looked perfect....

"I could ask the same question... You look like absolute shit..."

He gives a weak smile, lowering his head down to the dog beneath his hand as to hide the weary expression etched onto his face.