Work Text:
BGM Suggestion : Homicipher OST - Dream
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zs29vDo3ig&si=Cu3Vbzqgd2u3W8Is
Another day of drawing meaningless shapes on the ground passes by. A familiar rhythm echoes the hallway beyond the metal door which separates his and her area from the outer world. The pale ghostly man perks up and crawls closer to the door. And then, as always, She opens the door to return home.
[Greetings! Welcome!]
She smiles. She always smiles for him. Cares for him.
"I'm home. [Greetings.]"
She reaches out Her hand and pats him on the head.
"Good boy. [You healthy?]"
[I'm healthy!]
They now have a routine. She leaves, but then always returns to this room. She will take off her clothes, shower, make food. Then they eat together, watch moving box together, rest together. Together. Always together, just like how he longed for someone to be with him for so, so, so very long...
"They deserved it."
Mr. Crawling looked up at her in confusion. When looking at the moving box, she would sit on the soft chair, and he would sit on the ground and lean his head upon her soft legs. She would occasionally pat his head, and laugh at the box. Or him. Either way, She was happy. So he was happy. However, now, she was no longer enjoying the moving figures in the box. She looked sad.
[? I do not understand...]
Her language was a strange one. Certain things corresponded, like they, I, you. However there were many words foreign to the otherworldly man. Just like the word She spoke of now. Mr. Crawling snuggled up to her belly, and wrapped his arm around her torso.
[You sad. Touch I? Not sad?]
She reached down and pat his hair. The ghostly man, still not understanding her pain, only leaned into her touch.
"[I talk. I touch you. Okay?]" She asked.
The ghostly man smiled.
[Touch I.]
She lied down upon the long soft chair and pat at her side. The man crawled up into the bed, instantly filling up the small space and nearly enveloping Her smaller figure within his arms. He cuddled himself close to her, rubbing his cool white face upon her face. She chuckled and hugged him close. The man smiled.
[Happy... Happy...]
"Cute puppy."
[Not understand?]
[Cute. You cute.] She clarified.
[! Cute! I am cute.] He replied adorably.
"The past month we have been together has been a bliss. I think I'd have keeled over and lied face down in a ditch somewhere were it not for you. Thank you."
He did not understand a word She was saying. Well, except for the last part. But he knew that just talking to him made her happier, so he only smiled widely and snuggled some more.
"I'm back to work, and now I'm killing people not because I can't suppress my urges, but because I want to care for you, because human meat is your main source of nutrition. And... that's been making me feel as if... I don't know. More kind? ...Almost, human?"
[Human? You?]
He was good at picking up words and nuances, and recognized some of the words. She only smiled and pinched his cheek.
"I'm trying to make some confessions here and your cuteness is ruining it. Jeez, you're a bad distraction..."
[...?? I am bad?]
[You good.]
[Why attack?]
[You cute.]
[I do not understand. Attack cute I?]
"...Yeah. Okay, communicating ironic actions and behavior is harder than I thought. Sorry."
He recognized that word. Long sentences confused him, but short ones, he could definitely pick up on.
[You, sorry? Why?]
"[Attack you. Sorry.]"
Ah.
Mr. Crawling smiled and pat Her hair.
[It is ok. It is ok.]
Just like how he always comforted Her. Water started welling in her eyes.
"Bastards like that deserve it. Following a cute girl in a school uniform to secluded, abandoned places? Of course they deserve to die. The more they die, the better. That way less people like her have to suffer. Yeah... The raincoat monster is a killer, but a protector too. Killing... and Protecting... They're not exclusive to one another. They're the same thing. You understand, right?"
[I understand you.]
Her body jumped in his arms and her face made a startled expression. The ghostly man held her tightly in response, surprised as well at her adverse reaction.
Was his response wrong? But it was - you / understand / affirmative - it should be correct.
[I surprised you. Sorry. Hurt?]
The pale hands desperately swiped her face to wipe her tears, trying to convey how he didn't mean to hurt her.
[Sorry. Sorry. You are ok?]
The man stopped wiping her tears.
[You smile! You... happy?]
She looked at his eyeless face for a long while, and replied.
"[Happy.]"