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The void had been watching him for three nights now.
Unsettling feeling of being watched keeping him from sleeping. Otherworldly horrors lingering in the corner. Darkness that pulsed, mimicking his own heartbeat. At times it resembled a human being, of sorts. Limbs too long. Neck bent at a broken angle. Glowing eyes that never blinked no matter how long they stared into his soul. Then it would fade, melting into an incomprehensible form of shadows deeper and darker than his glimpses into the pit. Everlasting, never fading.
The first night he had written off his inability to sleep as insomnia. The second night as some unnerving feelings that were typical of the Ministry. Over the break from tour he had slowly grown used to the general haunted and hellish atmosphere of the Ministry. Even so, it was not uncommon to wake in the middle of the night as the creatures that lingered nearby fed on disruption and corruption. Leading him to take the presence that allowed itself to be seen by his eyes as a part of his tired, overworked imagination. By the third night however, he knew that it was something else. Three was a pattern, no longer a coincidence.
The effect on him each morning unchanging. A deep feeling of emptiness followed each of the past nights. Making the loss of something expansive and heavy- not clearly malicious, but watching and dangerous- clear. Notable in its absence.
It would be unwise to assume it was harmless- whatever and whoever was keeping an eye on him when he slumbered. Yet, he couldn't find it in himself to consider it dangerous either. With no idea as to what was watching him, there was no urgency to flee or call for an exorcist. He assumed he wouldn't be allowed to call for an exorcist anyway- what with the ghouls from the pit that they took painstaking efforts to summon lurking about around every corner.
Referring to his personal night terror stalker as the void was more comforting than it should have been. A darkness lingered in the corner where the presence felt strongest even during the day. Nothing tangibly visible to his human eye, or Satan blessed ghoulish eye in the presence of daylight. A haze of smoke and invisible eyes. Lingering on his vulnerable form. Truly visible only when it was night.
Failing to sleep, and abandoning pretending to slumber he slowly sat up. Resting against the wooden headboard, neck uncomfortably positioned. Waiting to see what the void would do in response to direct attention. His turn to watch them.
The shadows squirmed for a few moments before settling. No longer caring about his unwavering focus.
"I know that someone is there," he slowly began. Uncertain as to what message he wanted to convey. "You do not have to hide from me."
Foolishly- against all teachings from either church he had ever been involved in- he invited the unknown into his bed.
"There is space here, next to me. While you partake in whatever you are doing."
Shadows shifting. Darkness approaching to consume him. As it climbed beside him it solidified into something he could perceive. Flick of a tail, a pair of flashes made of pure light, a baring of sharp teeth. A creature of the pit.
As it settled into form it curled up against him. Resting against his shoulder. Alert. Aware. But no longer focused on him as intently. Sneaking a glance from the corner of his eye without turning was difficult. Especially when attempting not to startle or disrupt the creature. Furrowing his brow as the first glimpse bewildered him.
Was the voidling one of his ghouls?
Another subtle glance confirmed it- his nameless ghoulette was curled against his side. Tail steadily moving from side to side as her attention remained fixed on the rest of the room.
"Haze?"
Perking up as her name fell from his lips. Gifting her an identity that had gone undetermined before now. Her indeterminate form that had been watching him for nights now inspiring the address. An illusion of the void that made his vision hazy. There could be no better name for him to give her as of yet. Even more fitting with the haze that had surrounded her naming- the cause of her long tenure as a still nameless ghoulette.
She seemed pleased, finally purring out, "Perpetua" instead of his title. Returning the courtesy of a name with a name.
"Haze," he began again," why have you been watching me sleep?"
"They said that he knows when you are sleeping, and when you are awake." She- unhelpfully to him- provided.
He had no idea who she was talking about. A brief moment of paranoid told him it was his brother- watching him for weakness on behalf of the Clergy. However the recent change in Copia's behavior towards him suggested that was the fear of being rejected that produced this idea.
Not noticing his short spiral Haze had continued.
"He must be watching you to know this, so I wanted to catch him watching. The others didn't seem to think him watching us was bad… but I did not want him to threaten you to be good, Papa."
Pulling Haze into his arms, Perpetua provided what comfort he could to his clearly distressed ghoul.
"Haze, who are you talking about? I am unaware of anyone who may be watching me while I sleep like you describe."
Not verbalizing his thought that the only one he knew to be watching him sleep was her. There was no need to stress his first summon out further.
"Santa Claus, Dewdrop and the others were talking about him. They showed us newer summons the traditional songs about him. It also said 'you better not pout'," beginning to cry out as she grew more stressed remembering the song, "and you pout all the time Papa!"
His eyes watered with his attempts to swallow down his laughter. It was too sweet- his little night terror from the pit protecting him from Santa Claus.
"Santa Claus is nothing to worry about my ghoul," he wiped her bloody tears, hugging her and rocking side to side with her. "Those songs are used by Christian parents to scare their children into behaving, he would have no reason to watch me."
"He wouldn't?"
"No, none at all. Satan is the only one who can judge me- and I like to think he would say I am doing a good job."
His playful bragging brought giggles to his ghoulette. Pushing any further worries from her mind. A part of him thought that he should admit the truth about Santa Claus… Yet the temptation to let her enjoy the magic of her first Yule won out.