Loving a Monster

My Diet Needs Serious Reajusting

When I wake up again I'm back in Jack's room. There are voices in the hall, footsteps, arguing. Jack is yelling at someone, and they're yelling back. I haven't heard the voice before. Several doors slam before Jack's door opens and shuts violently.

He stomps into the room, hands raking through his hair in frustration. He walks over to the opposite wall and punches it, leaving a large dent. He growls and hits it again. And again. And again. Until there is a fairly large hole in the wall.

I sit up quietly and watch as he rests his head against the wall, panting, still half-growling. He's stressed and angry. His muscles are pulled tight. His breath isn't calming.

"Are you alright?" I barely whisper, but he hears me.

He lifts his head and glances over at me, refusing to face me. "I'm fine." He growls.

I can't help but smile at his attitude. He's stubborn when he's mad, I suppose. But then, who isnt? I sit up and pull my legs in. "Come sit with me." I pat the area of bed I just freed.

He sighs deeply before coming and sitting next to me. He flops down before tipping over, his head landing in my lap. I smile as I watch his eyes close. I start running my hands through his messy hair carefully, slowly. Gingerly undoing the tangles and knots. Hesitantly, he starts to relax, muscle by muscle. I watch as his gray skin ripples, his muscles pulling his mouth up into a content smile.

"How's this?" I ask quietly, smiling down at the man that has changed my life so drastically in the past five years.

He hums a contented response.

He looks so much younger like this. Curled in my lap, relaxed. Happy. He looks like the young boy he once was. It makes me smile, knowing that I can make him feel good without hurting myself or anyone else.

"As much as I love seeing you so relaxed and happy, what happened?" I mutter to him.

He sighs. "You attacked Jeff after he cut his arm. Intentionally. You bit a chunk out of him when the proxies and I pulled you off of him. The girls and Ben took him inside. He'll be fine. He's had worse wounds," he slides open one of his eyes to look at me, a worried smile tugging the corners of his mouth up, "Only you would know what happened."

I give a short laugh. "I was talking about just now," I frown, allowing my worry to show, "Why were you so mad?"

He closes his eyes again, frowning. "Slenderman blames you for the incident." He growls, "I tried to explain to him, we all did, but he wouldn't listen to anybody. Him and his brothers are talking about what to do with you."

I think about what this could mean. If they wish it, I would have to leave. Or they would kill me. I know Slenderman doesn't like me, but I've hardly talked to any of his siblings. I definitely don't count the talk about my brother's housing as a real conversation.

And what would happen to my brother? Would they make him leave to? If they kill me, will they kill him?

I barely notice Jack watching me until his thumb brushes my cheek. The icy touch pulls me from my thoughts.

"What do you think they'll decide?"

He cracks a wide smile, though I don't understand it. "Slenderman is just about the only creepypasta that doesn't respect and trust you. Everyone knows what you did for those of us that were caught. And we know that you've got some pretty solid info we could use."

Feeling reassured, I smile. "That's not what I asked, though. I asked what you think they will decide."

Still smiling he shrugs. "Probably a watch and curfew of some kind. It's usually that or death around here."

He closes his eyes again and I continue to run my fingers through his soft hair. I watch as he falls asleep in my arms. Even after his breath is low and steady, I don't move. I don't stop. I just sit there, thinking and stroking.

It's a comforting thing, to have him with me like this. I smile at the thought of how many days and nights we could spend like this. Now, neither of us really needs to eat that often. I only have three meals a week, and they are usually all on the same day. I'm not sure how often he eats, but I know it's not daily. It might not even be as common as I do.

As my thoughts wonder, I start thinking about how we would even be able to work together. We might be able to stay together and be comfortable, but to have a physical relationship would be near impossible for us. Especially me.

After a while, someone knocks on the door. Jack doesn't stir, so I know he really needs to sleep. Carefully, slowly, I lift his head and slip from under him. I pull a pillow to lay beneath him in my place and creep to the door. Silently, I open it and slip into the hall, where I face my biological father.

Zalgo.

"What do you want?"

He only smiles at my hostility. "I'm glad you are awake, child. Come. Nick is waiting for us just beyond the garden out back."

He starts walking, like he actually expects me to follow without an explanation. "Why should I follow you anywhere?"

He stops and sighs. When he turns around, he looks disappointed. "(Y/n), if you and your brother hope to live here there are things that you will want to learn to control. Such as your body temperature and appearance," he waves a hand from my head towards my feet, gesturing to my body.

"I can control my temperature?"

"Of course. You're my children. How well do you think birthing the two of you would have gone with your human mother if I couldn't do something so simple. And, in time, I'm sure you'll even be able to pass as human," He smiles again before continuing down the hall.

Well, there's nothing else for me to do. Jack is asleep, and I need to let him. Also, if I can learn to look and feel more human, I might be able to go find mom again.

"Alright, but give me a minute," is all I say before slipping back into my temporary room.

I find a slip of paper and some tape, writing 'Disturb him and you'll be burned as bad as Jeff' before taping it to the outside of the door. I also leave a note to him explaining where I'm going, in case I'm not back by the time he wakes up.

After making sure the note on the door won't come off easily, I follow my renounced kin outside to the back of the garden, passing the still-tempting trail of dried blood on the path. Behind the garden is a wide clearing, obviously intentional. Nick is standing near the center of it awkwardly.

I stop when I see what is on the other side of the clearing. There, chained and gagged to a tree, is Corporal Lee Burnback and one of the privates that follow him.

"What are they doing here?! Does Slenderman know about this?"

Zalgo turns and smiles at me. "Of course he does. These two won't be leaving here alive either way. What does it matter if they see our location?"

I growl and run towards the men. "You idiot. Hunters always cary trackers for situations just like this one! By now, half of the organization will know where we are."

I bend to the men, quickly looking through their pouches and pockets. Finally, I find the communicator we all use. Inside is a tiny microchip that emits a strong signal, so we know where each other are at all times. That is, if you have the right computer. I drop the machines on the ground and smash them. Just got good measure, I melt them into a boiling puddle of goop.

When I look back to glare at Zalgo, I see how amused he is. I scoff as I walk to my brother. Once I've reached Nick, Zalgo draws a hun and shoots the men.