Chapter Text
“You can't argue with the truth,” Verity smirked. “Delusions don't drive both of us insane.”
Mob's expression suddenly changed.
The anger in his face faltered.
Then his eyes hardened.
“...Twixxel.”
Verity's smile disappeared.
Mob stared at him.
“Don't.”
Verity said nothing.
“You remember his house?”
A pause.
Mob's voice began to shake.
“I remember walking in.”
His fists tightened.
“I remember calling his name.”
Verity's eyes narrowed.
“I remember thinking he was going to answer me.”
Mob swallowed.
“And then I saw it.”
His breathing became uneven.
“The blood.”
Verity didn't move.
“I didn't understand.”
Mob's voice cracked.
“I kept telling myself there had to be another explanation.”
He looked at Verity.
“But there wasn't.”
Silence.
“You did it.”
Verity's expression remained unreadable.
“You ate him.”
The words hung between them.
Mob's eyes filled with tears.
“I found his house like that because of you.”
Verity finally looked away.
Mob laughed bitterly.
“And you stand here telling me I'm delusional?”
His voice rose.
“You're the reason I had to find out like that!”
The world around them flickered.
“You're the reason he's gone!”
Verity's jaw tightened.
“And you still expect me to believe you care about me?”
Verity looked back at him.
“I do.”
Mob stared at him in disbelief.
“How can you say that?”
“Because I do.”
“You ate him!”
“I know.”
“And you think that doesn't change anything?!”
Verity stepped closer.
“It changed everything.”
Mob froze.
Verity's voice dropped.
“After that day, you stopped looking at me the same way.”
Mob's eyes narrowed.
“Good.”
Verity smiled faintly.
“I hated it.”
Mob's expression twisted.
“You should.”
“I did.”
A pause.
“But I still wanted you.”
Mob's breathing hitched.
“That was when I realized something.”
Verity's gaze remained fixed on him.
“I could lose control.”
His smile slowly returned.
“And still never lose you.”
Mob shook his head.
“You're sick.”
“Maybe.”
Verity's eyes softened.
“But you're still here.”
Mob looked around.
The endless game.
The world he couldn't escape.
Then back at Verity.
His face fell.
“You made sure of that.”
Verity said nothing.
Mob's voice became barely audible.
“Twixxel died because of you.”
“Yes.”
“And now I'm trapped here because of you.”
“Yes.”
Mob wiped away a tear.
“Then what do you want from me?”
Verity stared at him for a long moment.
“You.”
Mob's stomach dropped.
“That's all I've ever wanted.”
And somehow, that answer was more terrifying than anything else Verity could have said.
Mob stared at him.
“You.”
His voice was barely audible.
“You did all of that…”
Verity didn't deny it.
“I did.”
Mob's face twisted with disgust.
“You stood there and watched me look for him.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he was dead.”
“Yes.”
“And you let me keep searching.”
Verity tilted his head.
“I wanted to see how long you'd keep hoping.”
Mob went completely still.
“What?”
Verity's expression was almost curious.
“You went through every room.”
A pause.
“You called his name.”
Another.
“You kept convincing yourself there had to be something you'd missed.”
Mob's breathing became shaky.
“You were watching me?”
“I always watch you.”
The answer came so naturally that Mob felt sick.
Verity smiled.
“You looked so devastated.”
“Shut up.”
“I'd never seen you like that before.”
“Shut up!”
“You kept saying his name.”
Mob covered his ears.
“Stop.”
“You were crying.”
“STOP!”
“And even then…”
Verity's voice softened.
“You never looked at me.”
Mob slowly lowered his hands.
Verity's eyes were fixed on him.
“That bothered me.”
Mob stared.
“You were grieving someone else.”
Verity's smile disappeared.
“And I hated that.”
The room went silent.
Mob's stomach twisted.
“You're jealous of him.”
“I was.”
Verity stepped closer.
“I'm not anymore.”
Mob backed away.
“Why?”
“Because he's gone.”
The simplicity of the answer made Mob's blood run cold.
Verity smiled again.
“And you're here.”
Mob shook his head.
“You're a monster.”
“Probably.”
“You killed him.”
“I know.”
“You ate him.”
“I know.”
“And you still expect me to—”
“I don't expect anything.”
Verity interrupted calmly.
“I already have what I want.”
Mob froze.
Verity gestured around them.
“This place.”
The endless game stretched out around them.
“Your memories.”
The scenery flickered.
“Your attention.”
Mob's expression fell.
“And your subconscious.”
Verity smiled.
“You can hate me as much as you want.”
He stepped closer.
“You can scream.”
Another step.
“You can spend every second trying to escape.”
His voice became almost a whisper.
“But every thought you have in here still belongs to you.”
He paused.
“And I'm inside every one of them.”
Mob's eyes widened.
Verity leaned back slightly, watching the realization settle in.
“You can't even dream without me anymore.”
Mob's breathing became uneven.
Verity smiled.
“That's the part I like most.”
“You're not trapped because the game won't let you leave.”
His eyes met Mob's.
“You're trapped because I've made myself part of the place you wake up in.”
Mob's face went pale.
Verity's expression softened.
“So go ahead.”
A quiet smile.
“Try to forget me.”
Mob said nothing.
“Try to forget Twixxel.”
Verity's smile widened.
“Try to forget what I did.”
The world flickered again.
“And when you close your eyes…”
He whispered,
“I'll still be here.”
Mob stared at him in horror.
Verity simply smiled.
Because he didn't need Mob to love him anymore.
He only needed Mob to remember him.