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Pitch darkness was the first thing Paranoid saw when they woke up. Then they noticed the eyes watching them from every direction. The last thing they figured out was the numbing sensation coursing through their veins and something weighing their body down. They couldn’t move no matter how much their brain screamed at their muscles to move. They try to scream, cry, yell, anything. But their voice refuses to be heard, only the sound of their panicked thoughts running through their head. A nagging feeling at the back of their head tells them that something is approaching, creeping in the void towards them. It does nothing but quickens their heart rate and the pace their thoughts race at. Everything feels like it’s about to shut down, their throat closing up and their lungs about to burst.
And then they see it. A shadowed figure flickering in and out of reality, moving closer to them with every blink. Even squeezing their eyes shut doesn’t work as they’re forced to watch the figure’s approach. Static rings in Paranoid’s ears, recognizing her drawing near. That terrifying sneer, the watchful eyes that observe the helpless being at her feet. She laughs, the taunting noise echoing in their mind as she brings her face close to Paranoid’s. She glances at her gloved hand and moves it towards them at an agonizingly slow rate. Her finger reaches the base of their neck, tracing down to their torso. A maniacal grin creeps up her face as sharp static floods Paranoid’s senses and everything goes dark.
They jolt awake, sitting up immediately with a startled cry escaping their lips as they gasp for breath. Their heart beats a mile a minute as their whole body shakes with panic. Their unsteady hands quickly find their way to their chest, patting the area and realizing that nothing is there. Their hands fumble around searching for something, anything , to keep themselves grounded. The softness of a stuffed animal grazes against their hand and they quickly grasp it, holding it tight and squeezing the life out of it. Paranoid mutters hurried phrases under their breath, shutting their eyes and desperately trying to push the nightmare to the back of their head. A door creaks open, causing them to jump in fear—staring at the figure with wide eyes, frozen in place. Someone approaches as the mattress soon shifts under the new weight. Something warm and fluffy snuggles up against Paranoid’s side and it lays there unmoving.
Paranoid’s heart felt like it had stopped momentarily, only for their eyes to finally register that this was Hunted they were looking at. Hunted stares up at Paranoid with wide eyes, taking note that it was being watched. It nudges its head against their arm, eyes darting toward the familiar appearance of the plush in Paranoid’s hands before glancing back at their face. Paranoid takes a deep breath to calm their racing heart, relaxing ever so slightly in Hunted’s presence. They loosen their grip on the stuffed toy, gently flipping it over so that the head was staring at Paranoid. Its eyes were wide like the eyes of the body beside them, just as soft as it is. Paranoid faintly smiles, remembering how they received this doll and their gaze drifts over to the now resting being at their side.
It was almost like a cat, and Paranoid resists the urge to pet Hunted on the head and gently scratch it behind its ears. A comfortable silence fills the air and they decide to put the plush back down—the panic having backed away into the darker depths of where it came from. With the adrenaline gone, Paranoid feels as though they would be able to sleep again. However, with Hunted sitting beside them, they didn't want to interrupt its slumber. It wouldn't be right to simply go back to bed like this. Paranoid shifts slightly as they look around their room, tiredness creeping up to them as they attempt to find a way to stay awake.
As if sensing their agitation, Hunted peeks an eye open—scanning Paranoid’s expression before patting their chest. Paranoid stiffens slightly, eyes darting down to meet Hunted’s with a questioning yet worried look. The smaller voice stares up at them for a long moment, tilting its head a bit into Paranoid’s side. It was clear it was wondering what was going on in Paranoid’s head—and as much as they're reluctant to speak out their thoughts, it was for the best that they do at the moment.
With a light sigh, Paranoid turns away from Hunted, staring at the other end of their bed. “I’m alright. It's just…I didn't want to bother you, knowing that resting is important to you.” The words didn't feel right on Paranoid’s tongue, and they forced themself to say it upfront, “Or really, I'm not sure if it's alright for me to just go back to sleep while you're—”
They're quickly interrupted when Hunted brings its hands to Paranoid’s torso and pushes them down on the bed. Startled, Paranoid could only stare as Hunted then curls up beside their body, shutting its eyes once more and nuzzling its head against them. Paranoid watches it in astonishment, nearly forgetting to breathe as they try to comprehend the meaning of this. They don't move as Hunted rests, nor do they relax; it notices as it opens its eyes for the second time—its gaze settling on Paranoid’s form.
“Sleep.” Hunted quietly ordered, blinking expectantly. Then, without another word, it buries its head into Paranoid’s side again—soundlessly nudging it.
Paranoid narrows their eyes slightly in a degree of suspicion, wondering in their head if it's truly alright to sleep. But Hunted’s behavior towards them was enough of a hint for them to take, and they decide to get some rest while they still can in the dark. Careful not to disturb it, Paranoid places a hand on Hunted’s back and exhales deeply. They were safe with Hunted around—its intuition was something they could put their trust in, as well as Hunted itself. If it was alright to Hunted, perhaps it meant that it didn't mind Paranoid cuddling it—and they were too tired to think much on the reasoning behind it as they drift away from consciousness soon after.