After our fifteenth game, I couldn't help but slump back onto the bean bag chair. Thoughts were eating me alive, to a point where I could barely take it any more. I noticed Ben's red pupils directed at me, but paid them no mind as I sighed. He was probably wondering why I wasn't bitching when he beat me half the time. It was a rarity, and to be honest, he should take it gratefully. Sighing, I pressed random buttons on my controller for no particular reason, allowing the elf to stare.

"Alright. What's bugging you?" he sighed, popping his knuckles. I glared over at him, causing him to smirk as usual. "Ah, don't give me that look, doll. I'm only curious. After all, how could you say no to this sexy face?" he added, his smirk growing.

I returned it, just as much fire in my tone. "Because I simply can't find that so called sexy face anywhere. Where is it?" I replied, causing his eyebrows to push together angrily.

"Ya see, that's just what I get for trying to be hospitable over here," he grumbled, rubbing at the blood that was leaking from his eyes.

"Yeah. It was very un-Ben like. You gotta fever?" My eyes trailed to the ceiling, a frown on my face.

"Alright. Quit with the bitchy replies and give me an answer already. The anticipation is just dreadful," he growled, and I noticed the TV's screen go to static for just a moment. Hmph. Didn't know his emotions could cause that. It's a wonder how he doesn't destroy the television when he loses a match.

"I'm just wondering what the hell we are going to do when Slenderman and the rest find out about me being here, but you know, it's just nothing," I snapped in reply, crossing my arms. The more I thought about it, the more I worried. And for a person who didn't usually worry, it was rather annoying.

I saw his simple shrug of the shoulders as he laid back, seeming unaltered. That only pissed me off more. "So what, demon elf? Just waiting for them to find me so they can just kill me?" I snarled, throwing my controller at his chest. He caught it with better reflexes than I predicted.

"No," he scoffed, his face rarely serious. "I shrugged cause I don't fuckin' know, sweet cheeks. If you're going to act like this, then ya might as well shut it. That time of the month or something? Need some Advil?" he scoffed, causing my temper to flare.

My shoes were off in an instant.

"What. Did. You. Say. To. Me?" I hissed, throwing one shoe first, then proceeded to beat him with the other.

"Hey, take it easy!" he yelled, trying to deflect my blows. Although, I did get quite a few good hits in there. I was just glad Jeff wasn't in here, otherwise world war three would have more than likely started. "Alright, I'm sorry, damn!" he hissed, catching both of my arms. Unfortunately, and just to my stupid luck, that caused the shoe I held to pop me right in the nose.

I flinched, hearing the swift pop as my glasses snapped in two, falling to the ground. I groaned, feeling the aching throb in my nose, along with the horror of my broken glasses. The hell he was going to give me for this.

"Shit, your nose is bleeding," Ben mumbled, hurrying up and over to his room's bathroom. Returning, he pried my hand away from my nose, before slowly dabbing the blood off of my lips as it trickled down. He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over my face. "Ya know, Winter, you are pretty cute with your glasses off," he smirked, ruining his moment of sweetness. I glowered at him, yanking the tissue away from him.

"You're an ass," I growled, although it came out slightly muffled. Looking down, I saw that my glasses were snapped in half, along with one of the lenses being cracked. They were completely destroyed. I let out a sigh. Well, there goes trying to see crap from far away.

"What? It was a compliment, was it not?" he chuckled, slumping back down on his chair.

"Not really," I scoffed, continuing to glare at him.

He merely shrugged, leaving me to tend to my wounded nose. After it had quit bleeding, I finally slumped back down beside him. My nose throbbed like a bitch, and I knew my eye would look bruised by tomorrow. He would never let me live that down either.

"So, what were we talking about before you ambushed me with your shoes?" he asked, folding his arms above his head.

"What I was going to do after Slenderman found me here," I replied, with little interest now.

"Oh, yeah. Well... I've been working on a few ideas, but none are very good," he murmured, pursing his lips.

"You're a shitty liar."

"I know."

"Care to think of something, then?"

"You could... offer to be one of us?" he offered up, shrugging.

I bit my lip, not necessarily liking the sound of that. "Next," I whispered.

"Beg and grovel."

"Not likely."

"Throw a shoe at him. Maybe he'll think you're funny, too."

"Shut up."

"That's all I got."

I sighed, looking over at him. He was frowning, I'll give him that. But he didn't look all that concerned. It was like he actually thought he could keep me hidden.

"I'm more worried about that Darren," he stated, his eyebrows furrowing. "Coming after not only Jeff, but me. He could try to get in here, you know. And there you'll be."

"I think I could handle Darren," I giggled, shaking my head. The boy was like a giant teddy bear unless you severely pissed him off.

"No," he shook his head, looking over at me. "Winnie, I don't think you get it. He's not the same person anymore. He's not the Darren that you used to know. I don't know who the hell he is. He'd kill you without a second thought."

My eyes were glued to his, grey to black and red. What he said felt like a kick to the gut, although I already sort of knew this. He kind of shocked me, calling me Winnie and all. So I knew he was being much more than serious.

"I know," I whispered, dropping my eyes.

"You got to be on alert, though. Even if we are both sleeping, you have to wake up without a second thought if you hear the simplest noise. He may have other advantages, too," he sighed, grimly.

"Like?" I asked, biting my lip.

"Like how I can crawl into computers. Like how Jack can poof into the room. Who knows what he can do." My eyes glistened with tears as I listened, hating to think of Darren this way. But it wasn't like I had much of a choice at the moment. "Don't cry, Winter. We'll figure this out."

My eyes bolted to his once more, confusion now heavily lacing them. "Why exactly are you being so nice to me, huh? I don't get it. I haven't been that nice to you. The only reason I could see is because you feel bad about my friend dying in front of me. Possibly for the entertainment," I asked, my mouth a thick line.

He grinned, then, his eyes warm. "Whether you see it or not, you're a likable person. At least I think so. I'm not the sanest individual, but you're pretty fun to have around. Not a whole lot of people enjoy my company either, so I get you," he chuckled, twisting his head back to face the ceiling.

I couldn't help but smile. So the demon elf did have a heart in there. It was surprising, but good information. I thought I was no more than a burden to him.

I guess not...

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