"Are you insane?! Setting fire to a clearing?! You could have died!" Hoodie yelled at him, Tim having a blank look on his face as he felt numb all over even in his mind.

"He killed them... Jeff killed my family..." Tim said, knowing the truth but once again he couldn't talk what he wanted to.

"How... How did you find out?" Hoodie asked, serious.

"Me and him were talking after I blew up at you and Toby... He said he doesn't remember but it HAD to be him... It only makes sense."

"I see... I can see that all the evidence points to him." Hoodie said.

"Why? Why them?" Tim said, his eyes filling with tears as he couldn't believe Jeff would stoop so low.

"Jeff kills just to kill. Never thinking of the damage." Hoodie said, holding him.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier... I shouldn't have been mad at you..." Tim said, wanting to scream at the man but his body was relaxing in his parent's killers arms.

"It's fine, Masky. You are family. We will always be there for each other... no matter what." Hoodie said, smiling.

"Thank you..."

"Anytime, Mask. Now, let's go see what Tobes is doing."

"Hoodie..."

"Yes?"

"Do you like me?"

"Yes... Why?"

"How much?"

"A Lot... Why?"

"Do you like like me?" In his mind, Tim froze as he realized where this was going.

"I... I do... Why??"

"I like you... A lot..."

"Masky... You know that relationships are forbidden between proxies..."

"I'm not asking for a relationship... All I'm looking for is for someone to hold me right now that doesn't hate me..."

"All right.." he said, holding him close.

"Thank you..." Tim said, though he wanted to yank away hard, screaming in his head as his head was kissed.

******

Tim woke up on the floor screaming and yanking at the sheets as he couldn't believe what his dream had told him. Jeff ended up waking up, trying to calm him down.

"I... I told him I loved him! I did... And I don't think I meant it but I said it and... Oh god..."

"Say what now...?"

"I... In my dream... memory... I had told Hoodie that I loved him... This must have been right after I burned down your shack...." Tim said, finally calming down but he was curled up into a ball, not wanting his face to be seen.

"It's ok, Tim... It is in the past. He needs to know that you are my boy."

"No... I told you I loved you... How could I say that to him? Now he probably wants me back just because of that..."

"You hung out with him a lot... It would be natural to develop feelings for a guy. Happened to Ben and Me. Ben thought he loved me."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah... happens to everyone. We tried it for a while, but we were better friends than boyfriends.... So we went back to being friends and we are closer than ever. Nothing personal, just we did better as partners in crime and besties than romantic boyfriends." Jeff said, nodding. "So, maybe you thought you loved him, but it was more of a familial or friendly love than romantic love."

"Probably..." Tim smiled, hugging Jeff. "Sometimes you can be the smartest person in the room."

"Thanks pretty boy. Now, cuddle up and let's get some more sleep..." Jeff said, smiling.

"Sorry for stealing the blankets...." Tim said, realizing he had taken all the blankets with him to the floor

"It's ok. Kitties like blankets." Jeff said, laughing.

"Is that my new nickname?" Tim asked, climbing back on the bed.

"Maybe... Pretty boy and kitty."

"My Jeffy..." Tim said, snuggling with Jeff under the blankets.

"Now, get comfortable... And if you have another bad dream, just wake up and hug me. I will protect you..." Jeff said, smiling.

"Thanks..." Tim said, hugging Jeff tightly and he laid his head on the other's chest before falling asleep.

Jeff snored softly, deep in sleep.

******

"Tim... Kitty?" Tim stirred slightly from his sleep, but barely and Jeff sighed, slipping out of bed. "Seems I am making breakfast."

"Jeffy..." Tim groaned in his sleep, snuggling into the spot of warmth that Jeff left.

"Heh... Cute..." Jeff said, smiling.

"No.. Don't... Go..." Tim whimpered, kicking his foot as he dreamed.

"Darlin... I will never leave you." He said, kissing his forehead before going to the kitchen. Jeff looked around for the pans he needed before starting to make breakfast, wanting to do something nice after the pretty good day they had yesterday except for Slender and his goons. He was in the middle of cooking when Tim came out of the bedroom, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets. "Are you becoming a butterfly?" Jeff asked, chuckling.

"Maybe..." Tim said, flopping on the couch.

"Yo, flopper, don't break the couch..."

"Ow!" Ben popped out his head from under the couch, frowning. "Watch where you land..."

"HOLY---" Tim yelled, scrambling away from the couch and he hit his head on the coffee table. "Scared the cur out of me!"

"Boo." Ben said, before retreating under the couch.

"You alright, pretty boy?"

"Yeah..." Tim said, rubbing his head as he shifted the couch with his foot. "Why are you under the couch?"

"So I can scare the sheit out of you..." Came the mumbled reply.

"Not cool." Tim said, wrapping himself once again in his blankets and he was cold.

"Do not care... stayed up too late... playing the Xbox..." Ben answered, groaning.

"Your fault. Shoulda taken the guest room." Jeff said, walking over and picking up Tim.

"My hero..." Tim joked, wrapping Jeff in the blankets also.

"Yeah yeah... Now, to get you in a safe location so I can finish breakfast." Jeff said, sitting him down on the recliner.

"No... Don't leave me..." Tim whined.

"I must.. or the eggs will burn."

"Fine..." Tim said, snuggling up into a ball before hiding in the blanket, shaking as he was cold.

"Dude, it's hot in here!" Ben said.

"Turn on the fan, duh."

"No... No fan... It's cold enough." Tim groaned, shivering as he coughed.

"Check his temp.. Think the poor boy is sick." Ben said, Tim shaking his head.

"I'm fine..." He said.

"I will get the thermometer..." Jeff said, grabbing one out of the cabinet.

"I can't be sick... I haven't done anything to be sick..." Tim said, having felt fine maybe 20 minutes earlier.

"Open your mouth." Jeff said, sticking out the stick.

"Fine..." Tim said.

"Close it..." Jeff said, after putting it in.

"I know I know..." Tim said, doing what he was told and the thermometer started to go up fast.

"When it beeps, tell me the temp." Jeff said, walking to the kitchen. It was about a minute before it beeped, Tim taking it out.

"98.5." Tim lied, Ben swiping it away from him.

"No it doesn't! It says 101.8!" Ben said.

"No eggs for you... Chicken soup and ramen noodles." Jeff said, shaking a spoon at him.

"Heck with that..." Tim said, groaning.

"No Hecks with thats... You are sick. Now, back to bed with you."

"Why?" Tim whined, not moving from his spot as he was comfy.

"Because you're sick. Mush."

"I will carry him..." Ben said, picking him up.

"No! I am not sick..." Tim said, trying to struggle but his comfy blankets were limiting his movements.

"Yes. Yes you are." Ben said, carrying him back to bed.

"No... Jeffy help me..." Tim whined, hating being sick as he felt so... useless.

"I will be back in a moment, pretty boy." Jeff said, in the kitchen.

"I don't want to be sick..." Tim said, hiding once more.

"No one wants to be sick, Tim..." Jeff said, walking back as Ben cooked in his stead.

"I already feel like a bother..." Tim said, reaching out for Jeff's hand.

"You ain't a bother, Tim. You are adorable." Jeff said, taking the hand.

"I haven't been sick in years... Why now?"

"It was time, I guess. I will take good care of you, pretty boy..."

"Thank you... I promise to not fight as long as you don't make me take any liquid medicine..."

"Uh..."

"I hate the stuff... Would always fight my parents tooth and nail to not take it..." Tim said, chuckling at the memories.

"I do too... But... It's the only stuff we have at the moment. Please take it? For me? Please?" Jeff said, giving a puppy dog look. "I will have Ben pick up pills... but for now? Please?"

"For you I guess I can suck it up..." Tim said, but internally he was gagging at the thought.

"Thank you..." Jeff said, pulling out the medicine. He fills up the small cup, and handed it to him.

"Feels like I'm on death row..." Tim said, taking the swig of it before trying not to throw it back up. "Tastes like poison too..."

"Heh... I know..." Jeff said, taking the cup and medicine bottle. He sighs, and looks at Tim, smiling still. "You are still cute though."

"I feel cold and tired and yucky... I don't feel very cute..." Tim said.

"You look it. I have fed the bunnies... and pups... and now to feed you. Want eggs?"

"I thought that was a no no..." Tim asked, yawning.

"I will sneak them to you. For lunch or dinner you have to have chicken soup or ramen noodles..."

"Ok... Sure, I need protein." Tim said,

"Alright. Stay here." Jeff said, walking out. Tim waited for a few minutes before sleep took him, wrapping him in warmth.

******

"Sleepy boy..."

"This is strange... Him getting sick suddenly..." Ben said, eating his eggs.

"Slender."

"What? You think...?"

"Yes. I think so..."

"Slender sickness... That means either two things..."

"Proxy or Slender fucking with him..."

"I think it might be the proxy one... From what you told me, Slender is really adamant on having him as a proxy again and last night was the perfect time for him to start the ritual once again..."

"Fuck... How do we stop it?"

"The sickness will last for two weeks, just keep him away from outside where one of the proxies can finish it..." Ben said, knowing it as he had seen it many times. "But know, he will have a big urge to go outside... Like your urge to kill yet a million times stronger."

"Ah... I will try." He said, nodding.

"Jeff..." Tim groaned from the bedroom, Ben nodding for him to go.

"Tim... I have some news..."

"First, could you get me a rag..?" Tim asked, holding his nose as it was bleeding pretty badly.

"Oh yeah!" Jeff said, running and grabbing a rag before handing it to him.

"Thank you..." He said, holding it up to his nose before smiling at Jeff. "Do you think we could go for a walk later? I'm feeling better and I feel like going outside."

"That's what I wanna talk to you about..." Jeff told him what was happening to him.

"So.. No outside?" Tim asked, that thing scaring him more than anything as he loved their daily walks and he was a natural outdoor person, even starting a garden two weeks before, but he also felt a big pull to it, like someone was calling for him to go outside.

"Yes... Or they will get you and make your a proxy again." He said, sighing as he sat down. "I will tell Zalgo about it."

"Ok..." Tim said, fearing himself now. "So, will the need to go outside get worse?"

"I think it will be safe to say yes. Just try to fight it, love. After you are all better, we can go camping in Central Park for as long as you want." Jeff said.

"Can we go now? I feel good except for that nosebleed. How long should this last...?" Tim asked, itching to go outside.

"A week to two weeks..."

"No!!" Tim said, groaning as it tugged on his heart hard. "It already felt like I was going to die..."

"I'm sorry pretty boy... I will see of Zalgo can help any with this." He said, pulling out his phone.

"I'm going... To try to get some sleep... Join me when you are done..." Tim said, yawning as he laid down once more, passing out quickly as he grew slightly pale.

"Zalgo? Zalgo. They gave him Slender Sickness." Jeff said, as soon as he got him on the phone.

"Once it starts, I can't fix it. You just have to keep him contained. Don't let him do the ritual either. On the last few days Slender is going to try to take... over him to make him do the ritual, tie him down if you want him to stay free."

"Fuck... How long is it?"

"The last 3-4 days should be like that... He might also refuse basic necessities like food or water in order to worry you... Don't let anything he says get to you and remember, it isn't Tim but it is Slender." Zalgo explained, trying to make it as careful as possible. "Don't let him know it is going to happen though. It will only freak him out."

"How long until this final phase?"

"Maybe two weeks.. Probably shorter as he has been a proxy before." Zalgo sighed over the phone as Jeff cussed.

"Fuck! Will you send someone to come help me? Please?! I don't know if I can do this alone, even with Ben's help!"

"I could send the Observer..." Zalgo said.

"Do that..."

"He is on his way..." Zalgo said, hanging up after saying goodbye.

"Jeffy..." Tim said, waking up for a minute and reaching out for his killer.

"Thanks Zalgo. I will let him in when he gets here. Bye." Jeff said, hanging up before taking Tim's hand. "Hey baby..."

"Hey killer... What was that about?" Tim asked, his eyes showing with worry for Jeff.

"Do you really want to know, or stay in the dark?" He asked, serious.

"Whatever you think is best..." Tim said, smiling as he squeezed Jeff's hand.

"I... I want to tell you, just so I can be honest to you and make sure you can fight it however you can... But I don't want to worry you either." Jeff said, kissing his hand.

"Whatever makes you FEEL better, my handsome knight..." Tim said, smiling as he felt sentimental towards Jeff.

"Well..." Jeff began explaining what was going to happen to Tim. Tim looked fearful at him, scared of what he might do.

"I could... Hurt you?" Tim asked, shaking.

"Naw... I know how to ward off his magic... I just want you to know, baby. I worry about you."

"But... I am going to be like possessed? How come no one told me he could do that?!" Tim asked, freaking out slightly at the thought of not being able to control his own body.

"Hey hey hey hey... Calm down. The Observer is coming over and Ben will be here... We will take good care of you, and will not even let you take a dump alone." Jeff said, smiling.

"That's kind of weird..." Tim said, smiling back as he couldn't think of anything better than being stuck with his boyfriend.

"Yeah... Watch you take a dump... You better not stink too bad."

"Haha! I don't!" Tim laughed, looking in the mirror to see he looked pale.

"Good! Because I will febreze your butt!" Jeff said, poking him.

"Don't do that!" Tim said, pulling Jeff until he was laying on the bed with him.

"So... How are you? Hungry? Thirsty? Need to take a dump?"

"I need to get a drink... Maybe a beer..." Tim said, joking with Jeff.

"What kind? I have all kinds in the cellar." He said, smiling.

"I was joking... I should not be drinking when I am sick... Slender sickness or no..." Tim said, chuckling.

"Fine... Now... Say Ahhh..." Jeff said, poking his cheek.

"Ahhh." Tim said, opening his mouth.

"No green ooze or fingers..." Jeff jokes, laughing. "I guess that means I am able to kiss you."

"On the lips? You haven't done that in a month..." Tim said, feeling excited for it as it was a rarity.

"Yes... On da lips." Jeff said, giving his a quick peck.

"You enjoy teasing me..." Tim groaned, smiling though.

"Maybe... It makes you cute!"

"Teasing me with those lips of yours... Cruel and unusual punishment is that what that is..." Tim said, whining.

"I know I know... I am a dick."

"You have one, but you aren't one.."

"Wow... Very very sly."

"I try sometimes..."

"Now, are you hungry?"

"No..."

"You haven't ate in hours."

"I'm just not hungry..."

"Fine... Just... Let me know, ok?"

"Of course... It just feels like I'm full..." Tim said, curling up into a ball as his tummy hurt. "Could you... Grab me a trash can?"

"Yes..." Jeff handed him the trash can, frowning. Tim got up and as soon as he did he hurled all he had in his stomach into the trash can, gagging unpleasantly.

"Ech..." He groaned, setting the can down before falling back onto the bed as he his stomach now ached badly.

"Oh baby... I am so sorry..." He says, frowning. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"A cure..." He whined, snuggling into Jeff's arm. "I'll be fine... I just need some sleep..."

"Sleep all you want, pretty boy... I love you..."

"I love you more..." Tim quickly passed out from exhaustion, Jeff looking at him worriedly.