Chapter Text
"Mum.......Mum.."
No response.
Rose did his best to roll over under the suffocating sheets, a small whine escaping when his movement was followed by chill air - as turning towards his mum had exposed his back to the rest of the dark room. A definite problem. One he quickly corrected with no small amount of shuffling.
"Muumm.."
A little louder this time. He placed a tiny trembling hand on her back.
"Mmmmnnnn.."Camellia stirred just a little. Success! "What's the matter, baby..?"
He scooched back a bit as his mum turned towards him, a gesture which disturbed his once cocooned coverage, but brought with it comfort nonetheless. She didn't move much after that, though...barely even opened her eyes. But he could tell that she was somewhat alert, so he took the stage.
"I, um, it’s um-"
Camellia couldn't help but smile lazily through her exhaustion as the distant sounds of her son stuttering in that patented 4 year old way began to grace her ears.
"Mmmhmm.." was the only response she could really give. Whatever this explanation was, it was probably going to take a lifetime. So she might as well start waking herself up now.
"u-um..it's the light.."
Still tucked so deeply into the covers that only the top of his head and eyes could be seen, Rose allowed about 5 seconds for his hand to be free of safety so he could point at a light in the hall. Pointing which Camellia knew...she was going to have to sit up and acknowledge. So, mustering up all the energy of a heater in the dead of winter, she began the cumbersome process of trying to dissuade her son's fears at 3 in the morn.
"What’s goin' on with the light, Rose?" Her tone was calm, motherly, as she squinted in the general direction she THINKS he was pointing in. It happened so fast, she wasn't sure at this point. But luckily for her, the next explanation was a rather direct one. Maybe they could expedite this process after all.
"Its, um if the light is on....the yecky 'll come..."
The Yecky?
Okay so admittedly 3 am was way too early for her to be able to decipher toddlerese, but she was prepared to try.
"The Yecky..?"
"Mm..hmm.." Rose hid deeper into the covers, his voice shakily trailing off.
".....ohh...y'mean the Lecky...?"
"uhm, uhm yeah...the Lecky...he's, uh, he's gonna come..and, and.."
Uh huhh...? he's gonna come and what? Camellia thought to herself, trying not to let the fact that her mum had likely told her baby son this horrifying nan's tale get under her skin. Let's just see what the consequences were first. Rose continued stammering, but finally managed to get to his point
" he's um..nan said if I leave the light on he's gonna come and.. and eat my toes..."
His TOES?
Well it's much better than the whole he'll eat you and your friends alive angle her mum was peddling back when she was a wee thing, so Camellia couldn't help but sigh in relief. And enter repair mode. Quickly. Yes. As soon as possible.
"Well..." she began, uncovering Rose's face just a little and feeling her heart flutter a bit as he stared back at her with those pretty little green eyes.
Make it alright, mum
she could hear him thinking. And that's exactly what she planned to do.
"We can't have that, can we? Let mum go turn off the light...gotta keep them toes safe, or ye won't be fit to start school tomorrow, will ye?"
Rose nodded, watching as Camellia forced herself out of the plush, patchwork sheets and into the cold for his sake. His widened eyes softened at the comforting click of the empty bathroom’s light, the hall going black as his mum’s silhouette came shambling back in as quickly and quietly as she could. And to this, Rose issued a sigh of relief.
After all, the dark was scary, but nan said that wasting energy was far scarier.