Chapter Text
One-Shot: The Cutest Boogeyman in History
The night wrapped the world in an almost absolute silence, interrupted only by the soft rustling of the wind against the window and the occasional creak of the aged wooden floor. Lando woke up slowly, his eyelashes fluttering before his eyes fully opened. There was something familiar about that feeling—that instinctive awareness that he wasn’t alone. It had been weeks since this started happening, and his body recognized the presence even before his mind fully settled into the moment.
A muffled noise broke the silence. A slight stumble, a clumsy slide of the curtains. Lando turned his head toward the corner of the room and, even in the dimness, saw the tall silhouette trying to regain balance, long fingers clutching the heavy fabric as if caught in the act.
— Sorry... — Oscar murmured, his voice laced with guilt, a whisper almost lost in the darkness.
Lando felt a smile tug at his lips before he could hold it back. There was something incredibly endearing about how Oscar always tried to be silent but inevitably failed in the most adorable way. It didn’t matter that he was a descendant of the Boogeyman himself—nothing about him seemed threatening. He didn’t even resemble the dark legends that filled childhood stories. On the contrary, Oscar was more like a clumsy cat, a creature that tried to be stealthy but always ended up stumbling over its own mystery.
— Come here — Lando called, patting the space beside him on the bed, his voice wrapped in a warm invitation.
Oscar hesitated for a moment, his eyes glowing as they met Lando’s. They were his most genuinely supernatural trait—soft brown that, when night fell, turned into an ethereal gold, like embers glowing in the darkness. The tips of his fingers bore a darkened hue, as if liquid shadows always stained his skin, and his presence seemed to expand under the night’s veil. During the day, Oscar was just a tall, skinny boy. But at night… at night, he seemed bigger, his features sharper, his silhouette taking on an almost mystical prominence.
But Lando wasn’t afraid. He never was.
With silent steps, Oscar walked over to the bed and sat carefully on the edge, as if afraid to sink into the mattress. Lando watched his fingers fidget—an involuntary movement of restlessness—and felt warmth spread in his chest.
— You know you don’t have to apologize, right? — he said, settling more comfortably among the pillows. — I like it when you come to see me.
Oscar averted his gaze, but Lando managed to catch the faintest hint of a smile forming at the corner of his lips. It was almost imperceptible, but it was there. And Lando wondered if Oscar even realized how unscary he really was—or how fascinating he still managed to be.
A moment of silence settled between them, laden with something indefinable. Then, in an almost unconscious gesture, Lando reached out and took Oscar’s fingers, feeling the lightness of his touch and the subtle coldness of his skin. A silent invitation.
Oscar hesitated but didn’t pull away. He followed Lando’s lead and, with a quiet sigh, lay down beside him. The mattress dipped under their combined weight, and the room seemed to shrink around them, as if the entire world had been reduced to that shared space.
Lando didn’t know exactly why Oscar showed up every night, what drew him to his room like an inexorable magnet. But he knew he liked it. He knew that, out of all the people in the world, he felt lucky to be the one chosen.
Lando sighed softly, his eyes tracing Oscar’s face under the dim glow of the bedside lamp. There was something hypnotizing about the way the shadows outlined his features, the way his golden eyes blinked slowly, already beginning to succumb to drowsiness.
Without thinking much, Lando lifted his hand and let his fingers tangle in Oscar’s soft strands. It was different from what he’d imagined. Despite his supernatural aura, his hair was surprisingly silky, sliding between his fingers like fine silk.
— Your hair… — Lando murmured, weaving his fingers through the strands and gently combing them. — It’s softer than I thought.
The response came as a quiet sound, a muffled noise, something between a satisfied sigh and a discreet purr.
Lando blinked, surprised, before a smile spread across his lips.
— Did you just purr?
Oscar, already half-sunken against the pillow, cracked open one eye, his expression drowsy and slightly embarrassed.
— I did not purr.
— You totally purred — Lando chuckled, still running his fingers through Oscar’s hair. — Oh my God, you really are a cat in disguise.
Oscar mumbled something unintelligible, but instead of pulling away, he snuggled even closer. His warm body molded naturally against Lando’s, as if he already belonged there. A moment later, one of his arms lazily draped around Lando’s waist, pulling him closer.
Lando’s heart skipped a beat.
He didn’t question it. He just accepted it, embraced it.
For a while, they just stayed there, wrapped in a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft sound of Oscar’s breathing and the delicate touch of Lando’s fingers against his hair. But there was a question lingering in the air, something Lando had held inside him since the first time Oscar had appeared in his room in the middle of the night.
He finally gave in.
— Oscar… — he called softly, hesitant. — Why do you come here every night?
He felt Oscar’s body tense slightly against his, but instead of answering, Oscar just tightened his hold around Lando’s waist, clutching him more firmly, as if wanting to melt into him.
Lando waited.
But the answer never came.
Instead, Oscar only buried his face deeper against Lando’s chest, letting out a barely audible sigh.
And Lando understood.
Maybe Oscar wasn’t ready to say it yet. Maybe he didn’t even know the reason himself. But in the end, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he was there. That he chose him, night after night.
And, for now, that was enough.
The silence stretched between them, comfortable, filled only by the rhythmic sound of Oscar’s breathing and the rustling of the wind outside. Lando continued running his fingers through Oscar’s soft hair, distracted by how natural it felt, as if his hand belonged there.
Then, Oscar mumbled softly, his voice muffled against the warm skin of Lando’s neck.
Lando frowned, unable to understand what he had said.
— What? — he murmured, feeling Oscar’s cool breath brush against his collarbone.
Oscar let out a heavy sigh, and Lando shivered when the boy finally pulled his face away from his neck. The cold air filled the space where warmth had been, and Lando almost protested the loss.
Oscar looked at him, his golden eyes seeming even more intense under the dim light of the room. He hesitated for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words, before finally speaking:
— I come here every night because... — his voice was slightly hoarse from sleep, and he looked away for a second before meeting Lando’s gaze again. — Because you are the person I was supposed to scare.
Lando blinked, not fully understanding at first.
— What...?
— I’m a Boogeyman, Lando — Oscar continued, quieter. — Or at least, I’m supposed to be. And you are the person I was assigned to.
Lando held his breath, waiting for the rest of the explanation.
Oscar let out a half-smile, almost humorless, and added:
— But I don’t have the courage to scare you. I don’t even want to.
The confession hung between them like something fragile, yet unchangeable. Lando blinked a few times, processing the words. Should he feel uneasy about this? Maybe, but all he felt was an inexplicable warmth growing inside him.
He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head.
— So, you’re telling me that, out of all the people in the world, I’m the unlucky one who got a defective Boogeyman?
Oscar scowled but didn’t pull away.
— I’m not defective — he grumbled. — I just... don’t want to scare you.
Lando smiled, bringing his hand to Oscar’s face, the coolness of his skin contrasting with his own warmth.
— Good — he murmured. — I like it better this way.
Oscar froze for a moment, his eyes widening as Lando’s full smile appeared—one of those that showed all his teeth, lighting up his face in a way that was almost radiant. Heat crawled up Oscar’s neck before he could stop it, and he felt his cheeks grow warm, an automatic reaction that irritated him a little. He wasn’t supposed to blush. He was a Boogeyman, for God’s sake.
But then, before he could react, Lando leaned in slightly and, without warning, placed a light kiss on the cold tip of his nose.
Oscar let out a startled noise—a small, shaky sound that, to his complete embarrassment, sounded exactly like a purr.
Lando froze for a second, then started laughing softly.
— You purred again!
Oscar buried his face in his hands, mumbling something incomprehensible, but Lando simply pulled his fingers away gently, forcing him to look at him again. That’s when he noticed.
— Wait a second... — Lando narrowed his eyes, examining Oscar more closely. The soft glow of the bedside lamp revealed a detail he hadn’t noticed before. — You have bunny teeth?
Oscar blinked, confused.
— What...?
— Your teeth! — Lando pointed, looking genuinely delighted. — Look at that, they’re so cute!
Oscar felt the warmth in his face double and turned his head to the side, trying to hide in the pillow.
— Stop it...
— No way! — Lando laughed, leaning over him. — You’re a Boogeyman who purrs and has bunny teeth! That’s absolutely adorable!
Oscar groaned, visibly sulking, but his smile betrayed him. It was small, shy, but it was there.
And Lando, satisfied with himself, just kept looking at Oscar with that gaze full of amusement and something softer—something that seemed to say that, no matter how many nights Oscar showed up, he would never be a monster in his eyes.
Oscar didn’t have time to protest before Lando leaned in even closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
— You know, I just decided something — Lando murmured.
Oscar frowned, still trying to ignore the fact that his entire face was burning.
— What?
Instead of answering, Lando just smiled—that wide, toothy smile that always made Oscar’s heart race more than it should. Before he could process it, Lando leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his flushed cheek.
Oscar froze.
— What...
Another kiss, this time on the other cheek.
— L-Lando!
One more, right in the middle of his forehead.
Oscar started shrinking back, his hands gripping Lando’s shoulders in a weak attempt to stop him, but the Brit just laughed and kept planting kisses, now moving down to the tip of Oscar’s nose, which was still cold.
— I have — kiss — the cutest Boogeyman in history — kiss — all to myself.
Oscar squeezed his eyes shut, biting his lip in a useless effort to hold back his smile.
— Stop saying things like that...
— Never. — Lando kissed the side of his jaw, pleased to see Oscar practically melting against him. — I love seeing you all flustered.
Oscar huffed quietly but didn’t pull away. In fact, he did the exact opposite: he sank further into Lando’s embrace, hiding his warm face against his shoulder, his fingers lightly gripping the hem of Lando’s shirt.
Lando smiled, holding him tightly.
— You don’t scare me at all, you know?
Oscar sighed, his voice slightly shaky when he answered:
— I know.
And for some reason, Lando felt that was exactly what Oscar needed to hear.
The silence that followed was heavy with something different. Something that made Lando’s chest tighten in a good way. He could still feel Oscar warm against him, his face buried in his shoulder, arms still wrapped around his waist, and everything felt so right that he didn’t want the moment to end.
Then, very softly, Oscar murmured:
— You... still forgot one place.
Lando blinked, frowning.
— I did?
Oscar took a second to respond, as if gathering courage. When he finally lifted his head to look at him, his face was even redder than before. He bit his lip, glancing away for a moment before finally meeting Lando’s gaze again.
— My lips... — he whispered.
A shiver ran down Lando’s spine. He hadn’t been expecting that.
But looking at Oscar—his golden eyes glowing slightly under the dim light, his face so adorably flushed—he knew he wouldn’t be able to refuse.
Slowly, Lando brought a hand to Oscar’s face, brushing his thumb over his cheek before leaning in closer. Oscar’s eyes fluttered shut immediately, his lips slightly parted, as if he were holding his breath.
And then, Lando kissed him.
Oscar’s lips were cold at first, but they quickly warmed against his. A small “hmpf” escaped Oscar the moment they touched, but it was soon replaced by a soft purr, making Lando smile against his lips.
Oscar hesitated at first, but then he kissed back, gripping Lando’s shirt and pulling him just a little closer.
The world seemed to slow around them. There was only the warmth of their bodies pressed together, the soft sound of shared breaths, and the way Oscar trembled slightly under Lando’s touch.
When they finally pulled apart, Lando kept his forehead resting against Oscar’s, his eyes still closed.
— Definitely the cutest Boogeyman in history — he whispered, his voice slightly husky.
Oscar opened his eyes, still dazed from the moment, and Lando chuckled when he saw that he looked even more flustered now.
— I’m supposed to be scaring you — Oscar grumbled, but his voice was weak, like he didn’t even believe it himself.
Lando smiled.
— You already got me—but in a completely different way.
Oscar let out a quiet laugh, burying his face in Lando’s neck again. And this time, Lando was absolutely certain he didn’t want him to leave.
Lando closed his eyes, feeling the comforting weight of Oscar against him, arms still wrapped tightly around him. The room felt even warmer now, not because of the blankets, but because of the way Oscar fit against him—like it was exactly where he was meant to be.
For a while, neither of them said anything. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—on the contrary, it felt like they were both absorbing the moment, letting their hearts slow to the same rhythm.
It was only when Lando started tracing lazy circles on Oscar’s back that he decided to break the silence.
— So... — he murmured, his voice heavy with sleep already pulling him under. — What happens now?
Oscar’s fingers played with the hem of Lando’s shirt, toying with the fabric as if deciding whether to answer or not.
— Now I stay — he finally said, his voice quiet.
Lando smiled against Oscar’s hair, holding him a little tighter.
— I thought you already did.
— It’s different now — Oscar whispered, his fingers sliding up to rest against Lando’s chest, right over his heart.
Lando felt his chest warm at the words, and he didn’t need to ask what Oscar meant. He understood.
Oscar wasn’t just the Boogeyman who visited him every night.
Now, he was Lando’s.
And Lando was his.
Without saying anything else, Lando let his fingers tangle in Oscar’s soft hair one last time before sleep finally claimed him.
This time, he slept without hurry, knowing that when morning came, Oscar would still be there.
⋆ ✦ ⋆
The first rays of sunlight began to creep into the room, filtering through the curtains and gently touching Oscar’s face. He woke slowly, his eyes adjusting to the soft morning light, and for a moment, he remained still, feeling the warmth of Lando’s arms around him. The sensation was... comforting.
Oscar smiled to himself, a small, secret smile. He was used to waking up alone, to his own solitude, but now, here, in Lando’s arms, everything felt different. He felt... safe, something he had never thought he would experience.
His supernatural traits had already faded with the first light of dawn—his golden eyes had returned to normal, and his fingers, once stained with liquid shadows, were now clean and ordinary. His posture, once imposing, was now relaxed, and he felt the lightness of his body again. But even without the marks of his dark past, he felt a strong connection to Lando, as if this moment was a refuge from everything he represented.
Carefully, Oscar tried to slip out of Lando’s arms to avoid waking him, but the moment he moved, he felt Lando’s arms tighten around him.
— Where do you think you’re going? — Lando’s voice was rough, sleepy, and he hadn’t even opened his eyes yet, but his grip remained firm.
Oscar let out a small, embarrassed laugh.
— I was just... trying not to wake you. — He tried again, making a subtle movement, but Lando didn’t let him go.
— You can’t just leave like that — Lando murmured, this time with more intent, pulling Oscar closer. He finally opened his eyes, and his smile was instant when he saw Oscar still there, curled up in his arms. — You look better like this.
Oscar couldn’t help the warmth that spread across his face, his expression softening. He didn’t know exactly how to explain what he was feeling, but somehow, it felt like he had finally found a place he wanted to be.
Lando didn’t give him a chance to respond. Instead, he hugged him tighter, letting his hand find Oscar’s hair, running his fingers through the messy strands.
— Just a little longer — Lando murmured, closing his eyes again and nuzzling into Oscar.
Oscar, unable to resist the comfort Lando offered, settled deeper into his arms, letting out a deep sigh and closing his eyes as well. He had no idea what the future would bring, but for this morning, with the sun casting a gentle glow over them, he allowed himself to feel it—something he had never known he wanted.
And deep down, he knew he never wanted to wake up without Lando by his side again.