Chapter Text
"Bedtiiiime… Sleepy, sleepy staaaaar…"
Perpetually unblinking eyes catch your attention when your gaze flickers over the the dark void that resides in the stairway. The only other cue to let you know its there is a melodic jingle of a bell, red eyes tilting to the side ever so slightly, the faint drag of nails gliding along your wall.
"Almost bedtime. I still have fifteen more minutes of screen time."
Honey coated words work better than vinegar with Moonlight. It doesn't respond for a moment as it leans closer to you within the realm of its void, a low growl emanating from it. Clearly displeased and probably unbelieving of your words.
"Noooo screen time… Sleeeep time. Now."
It's with a slow shake of your head that you hold up your phone to it. The timer clearly shows fifteen minutes in big golden lettering over a dusty blue background. You tap at the edges of your phone, smiling and laughing fondly.
"Almost bedtime. I promise I'll head upstairs to bed once the time is up."
More grumbling and growling comes from the boogeyman. There was even the muted thwacking of what you could only assume was its tail that drags along the carpeted steps. It never did like the new things you added just before your mandatory bedtime since the routine always cut too much into its territory. An ever present reminder of the ticking clock in your home.
While Moon was easier to temper, the same couldn't be said for its partner; Sunlight.
The flickering of the lights is their way of calling for your attention whenever you're working. Sun could only fully manifest in uncovered light where it becomes far too blinding for any mortal. Your compromise had become shielding certain corners of your home near the light fixtures so it could centralize into a hot flash of white just for them.
The flashlight from your phone would have to do for now. You set your phone on top of a book with it open, letting the light converge onto the white pages to reveal a pair of striking blue eyes. There's a subtle crinkle at the edges that you could assume meant they were smiling at you.
"Wakey wakey~ So awake! Spend more time awake with me! No more Mister Moon, mm-mm!"
Shrill giggles comes from the bright light that vibrates through the table you're working at. A migraine already felt like it was going to kick into gear when the once gentle jingling from the stairs became distinctly more frenzied.
"No! Reeeest! Sleeeeep time! Enough awake, more sleeeeep!"
"Shhh, no fighting."
A small spat had already begun. It showed in how the nooks and crannies of your home had begun to intensify in their darkness, a tar-like void seeping into the flooring and the walls not too dissimilar to writing tentacles. The vantablack darkness clung onto anything it could touch until it had to fight against the light from you had turned on.
The light, in turn, began to intensify. With Sun's help they would burn brighter than they should with the worst being the light coming from your phone. You had to push away the book propping it up since the heat began to feel a little too close for comfort.
"Fluffy cloud wants to stay awaaake with me~ It's true, it's true! Mhm, mhm~!"
"Little staaaar is awake for too, too looooong… Ten minutes left. Come sleeeep. Sleep, sleep, sleep early."
Normally, your boogeymen were very well behaved. Little too no fighting unless it was pretend and they generally stayed out of one another's way whenever you truly had a task that you needed to accomplish. They were honestly rather clingy anytime outside of your alone time but due to their conflicting realms they rarely bickered or argued.
Something must have ignited their little spat when you were out of the house.
A bead of sweat cascaded down your back and you wish you could say it was from the heat from Sun's powers. Sun and Moon bickering like this never spelled anything good, it was part of the reason why this house had been practically dumped into your hands. Low price, near immediate move in date, and prefurnished.
The buzz of electricity from a lamp in the corner seemed to be the precursor of worse things to come if you didn't help mediate. Inky blackness started to lick at the heels of your feet as it slowly consumed whatever was shadowed from the light, desperately trying to climb up your limbs to bring you into its depths.
Your laptop is pushed away carefully so you could focus on the pair. The screen flickered unhappily with the brightness sliding higher and higher until it hit the brightest setting. You groan when it stung your eyes, reaching out to lower it to something more comfortable. A high pitched whine comes from the flashlights little haven.
"Our cloud doesn't spend enough time with me… Too much sleep! Too much work! More time with Sunny!"
You sigh. "Work is picking up, Sunny. I told you both that we would have to adjust around my work schedule so you could get used to it."
"Tiiiired little star," A warbled voice comes from the stairway, red eyes closer than they were before. "Naughty, naughty wooooork. No more. Sunny whines, Moonie upset. Little star tiiiired."
Those inky tentacles cascade over the lit walls as they attempt to cross the threshold of bright light before Moon hisses in annoyance, tentacles retreating back into the darkness. It was trying to reach you to bring you back forcefully and was quickly becoming frustrated by it.
The flashlight turns impossibly hot and you see the screen flicker to life with a warning sign that your phone was becoming too hot. Something had to give before Sun completely busted your phone. Again.
"I'm sorry that it feels like I'm neglecting you both. As soon as things slow down in the outside world I can hang out with you two again like before. I promise."
You reach your hand into the brightness to comfort Sun. They take to it happily, pure white sparks appearing out of thin air to lick at your flesh, a bit too hot too be comfortable but this seemed to make them happy enough. The light dims down into something more warm instead of burning hot.
"Oooh that makes me so happy! Happy, happy, happy!! More time with Sun, okay? Pinky promise Sunny!"
"I pinky promise, Sunny."
Out goes your pinky for them to swirl around until your pinky was entirely engulfed by light. There is a faint prickle of pain at the very base where knuckle splits into a proper finger. They really did make you promise in their strange little monster way. When the whiteness gives way to your skin you can see the uniform pinkpricks of razor sharp teeth. The blood drawn to sign off the promsie nowhere to be seen but you can feel the effects all the same.
An unhappy grumble comes from the void at your feet. An unforgiving coldness that traveled from floor to your calf was a stark contrast from the heat on your hand. It was … A little terrifying to peak down underneath the table to see how your leg simply disappeared into nothingness. Totally devoid of any color and the fact that the shadow was there from such harsh light only made it scarier.
When you attempted to pull your leg out from its grasp you would nearly fall into its pit, only stabilized by the tug from Sun.
"Moonlight, do you want a promise too? You know I always come to bed on time. There isn't anything different this time around, it's just a little bit later than usual but we already discussed it."
There's a gentle tug onto your ankle but it isn't as demanding as it had been before. You turn your head to look over to where its body was tucked away at the staircase, a clawed hand peeking onto the corner like it was trying to brave the light and come to you.
You both knew that it couldn't. It was likely more upset about this fact than you were. Friendly they may be, you were very well aware that their ever shifting emotions could put you in harms way if you weren't careful with their fickle whims.
". . . More time in the liiiiight. No nighttiiiime. Little star tired but will not reeeest. Mad. Very, very mad."
"Oh Moonie… I'm so sorry," You frown, reaching down to 'pat' the darkness below. "I don't like it any better than you do. I'd rather be in bed all day, honestly. But that doesn't keep a roof over my head so I have to stay awake and out in the sun more than rest with the moon."
A high pitched buzz made you cringe. "Wah-?? You don't like Sunny?! You have to keep the lights on to spend time with me! Lights on, lights on!!"
"Sunny, I meant the actual sun."
"Hmph…!"
You fondly roll your eyes at them, petting the light as they wrangle your hand further into its warm embrace. "Moonlight, I'll sleep in a little longer than usual so you can be with me for a bit. Does that sound good? It's only for tonight though, I have errands to run in the morning then I have work. I still have to be on time to important things."
The cold touch of Moon void becomes just faintly less frigid at your words. It simmers down and releases your hand but the same can't be said for the way it clings to your leg, covering your foot in its embrace right up to your ankle.
"Promiiiiiise?"
"I promise."
A similar sensation of pinpricks circle your ankle though this time around it does hurt a teensy bit more. Moon's teeth were always a smidge sharper than Sun's so it was to be expected but still… A little unpleasant.
Slowly but surely the lighting in the room settles out into the dimness that it was before until everything felt much easier on the eyes. A choir of giggles come from the pit below and the darkness at your stairs that leave you more than a little perplexed. Oh well, Moon and Sun weren't on the brink of fighting so your job here was done. Now you could actually pay attention to what you were doing before-!
Ding - Ding - Diiiing!
. . . Ah. Your timer. Fifteen minutes came and went.
The giggles became a harmonized chorus of low and high pitched tones from the pair. Had it been a joint scheme to get you to sleep? No, Sun really did like hogging up your attention for themselves and Moon really did want you to go to sleep on time.
"Sleeeep time~ The bed bugs awaaaaaait~"
"I don't have bed bugs, Moon."
"Then Moooon will biteee. Come, come, come sleeeep."
There's a sad little whine from the light followed by the fakest cries and hiccups you have ever heard come from Sun. "No more Sunny time…"
You close your laptop shut and plug it into the charger, smiling fondly at the sad little eyes that came from the light. This particular boogeyman was always so dramatic when it came to bedtime and there was only one thing that could ever remedy these faux tantrums.
"Goodnight, Sunlight," You blow a kiss to the pure white expanse that ate up the book pages. "I'll see you in the morning."
A happy shriek comes back right on time from them. Something you could stretch your imagination to resemble kissy smooches echos in the air until their giggles fade away. Blue eyes vanish until all that's left is the normal light setting from your phones flashlight. You can almost feel relief coming from your phone when you turn it off.
The only light left downstairs is a nightlight in the kitchen and leftover Christmas lights that hang in the living room, anything too bright turned off so that Moon could stretch its prowess out into the night. A delighted giggle gains your attention as you walk to the stairs, beady red eyes delighted as your figure draws near.
"Bed tiiiime~ Bed time for the little staaar."
A yawn comes right on time as you slowly climb up the stairs, fatigue finally showing itself with each step up to your bedroom. The door opens without you needing to do it yourself, even your blankets were pulled aside and waiting to tuck you in. The only light source was an unassuming nightlight in the corner but it was hardly enough to drive away Moon.
Crawling into bed feels like being pulled into the welcoming arms of an old friend. Well loved plushies are perfectly in place and even your pillows feel extra comfortable but whether that was from Moon fluffing them up or because you were tired was anyone's guess. All the stress from the day practically melts away as the blanket is carefully tucked under you, two wayward plushes being pushed into your arms — One shaped like a moon and the other the sun.
"Goodnight, Moonlight," You mumble quietly, eyes closing. "You can eat tonight's dream. I'll try y best to make it extra sweet for you."
Delighted giggles surge from the darkness around you but its coldness doesn't dare penetrate the safe haven that was lovingly crafted for you. "Thaaank you, little star. Sweet dreams. Goooodniiiiight. Sleep tiiiight…"
"And don't let.. The bed bugs bite."