*A/N: If you guessed the being was Slenderman, you were right! Onto the chapter, enjoy!*

White was the only thing that greeted me when I woke. I yelped, rolling away from Slenderman, instantly on my feet, on the opposite side of the bed. He chuckled.

"What the hell are you doing in my room!? Don't stand over me like that when I wake up!"

"You are quite fun to mess with, Enderbrina. Perhaps you'd enjoy mind games instead?"

"Hell no. I did not sign up for this when I came here, and if I recall, nobody has ever had this sort of treatment!"

"You're the only one who has been able to hold their own against me, for as long as you did, in a fight." He teleported beside me and grasped my lower jaw in a bone-crushing grip. He moved close. "I enjoy these games we've been playing, and we will continue to play. You live under my roof, where my word is law. Get used to it."

"Why are you so damn close," I growled. "You gonna kiss me or something," I snarked, feeling bold. I felt the grip tighten, and teleported just a few inches away, enough to escape the hold. "Honestly… I was only joking. Look, if you wanna fight, fine. We'll do so, but give me some time. I'm not gonna be ready to go right away."

"Meet me outside, then. You slept through breakfast."

I'll just eat tonight, then, I guess…

I stretched and grew my wings and tail, rubbing my hurt jaw. I went about getting some clean clothes, wondering what his tactic would be today. It wouldn't be anything short of agonizing.

Might as well just get on with it.

I left my hoodie on my bed, wearing just a purple shirt and black jeans. I decided on some black boots, pulling the jeans down over them after getting them laced firmly onto my feet. Combat boots suited my lifestyle well; I wondered why I had never worn them before. I decided to wear them more often, and took a deep breath before teleporting outside.

I materialized twin swords made of bronze, waiting for Slenderman to make the first move. His extreme height seemed even more intimidating as I experienced his static and ringing once again. He teleported in front of me, his claws slashing me. I easily returned it as he went to back away, opening two gashes. One on his shoulder, the other across his heart. I saw the blood pumping out to scab over the wound. I had cut too deep to let this go on for long. A tentacle pierced my stomach, an innumerable amount of them suddenly through me, making me look like black Swiss cheese. I was in the death realm. I could see Slenderman still holding my lower half up as my bloodied, unrecognizable upper half was laying on the ground. Eventually, my lower half was dropped near my upper half and Slenderman walked away, appearing shorter and fully healed. I woke up in a puddle of my own blood, irritated. Getting up, I went and got cleaned up, careful not to put on my wet clothes right away.

Interesting, my skin doesn't sublimate no matter what blood gets on it, whether it be my own, human blood, or Slenderman's… though my own blood shouldn't do it anyway. I looked over at the unused shower, wishing for once I was still at my previous height of power to wash off the blood I was coated with. Perhaps one day I'll be able to shapeshift again so I can survive water… but for now I will have to deal with what I have.

You were able to shapeshift?

Before I was put here, yes. And thanks so much for making my clothes look like Swiss cheese. Maybe you could rip them to shreds next time, I retorted, my tone heavy with sarcasm. I fixed my clothes using materialization, then pulled them back on once clean and dry.

I can already tell our games are going to increase in severity.

Leave me alone, I pleaded. I don't know, nor do I want to, why you think this is a game. There is nothing that makes our fights seem like a game.

Games have winners, and losers. So far, you are the latter. I intend to toy with you for now.

And when you grow bored?

Curiosity killed the cat, Enderbrina.

Yeah well I'm not a cat. Besides you've killed me plenty of times.

A chuckle. I was watching you sleep last night for two reasons.

Well that's not creepy.

One, to be sure you'd wake up and get angry enough to fight. Two… the others have been thinking it would be fun to kill you, repeatedly. I did not want that happening.

So you watched me sleep simply to ward them off, and prevent any pain they might inflict on me? That… why would you do that? Can't handle them hurting me so you can't have your fun killing me? No reply. I could feel his connection still there. Hello? I can tell you're still there. Am I right?

No.

The connection severed before I could ask anything else. Well, that was odd. What was wrong? Was I actually right, or was there something else to make him leave so suddenly? Brushing it off, I stood up from my bed and teleported to the living room, plopping down next to Sally. I was still thinking about the conversation I had just experienced, so I didn't notice Sally playing with the scales falling from my tail.

"What's bothering you, Brina?"

I looked up at Ben calling a shortened version of my name. "A telepathic conversation I had with Slender. He was acting a little off."

"What do you mean?"

"Well for one, he watched me all night saying all of you were planning on killing me repeatedly in my sleep. Supposedly he thinks of me as a plaything and wanted me to get angry enough to fight him, and then he didn't want any of you killing me, or hurting me I guess."

"We weren't planning on that…"

"So he lied. Shocker."

I put my face in my hands, pulling my tail away from Sally unintentionally. She whined, so I moved my tail back. "Sorry Sally, I'm trying to figure out something right now. Got distracted."

"You agreed with me I was acting strangely too, Brina, but now I don't… I don't know, I don't feel it anymore."

"Feel what, EJ?"

"Weird. Around you. Maybe its because you were new to the mansion."

"Well, I guess it's all good then, except for this problem with Slenderman. Has he ever acted stranger than usual before? Jeff, you might know."

"Nah, he's watched a few humans before, still does once in a while, but he doesn't break the rules that Zalgo put in place. He knows it would mean the end of himself."

"Rules?"

"Creepypastas cannot fall in love with humans, and we can't let them know about our presence."

I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "So basically I'm off the hook. I'm not a Creepypasta, nor am I a human. Those rules don't apply to me, right?"

"You live here, plus you've taken our side. Might wanna follow them."

I glanced over at Jane, she seemed to be avoiding conversation. "Yeah, you are right… I do have one human tie, and so does Jane. Since I fought with Slenderman this morning, I decided I would just eat later tonight." I saw the spark of fury in Jane's eyes. I smirked before getting up. "Anyone wanna come with?"

"Where are you going, sweets," Laughing Jack asked.

"Go grab a human to eat, of course."

"I'm in," Eyeless Jack said, jumping up.

I walked outside, Eyeless Jack in tow. I noticed he actually wore black gloves all the time, wondering how I hadn't seen it before. "So you eat the organs, right?"

"Mainly just the kidneys."

"Well, you're in luck, I don't eat nearly everything… like a certain baldy."

He snickered, and I told him my plan to eat the very human I had befriended.

"Was he Jane's spouse before she came to the mansion?"

"Yeah. Right now, he thinks I won't, and I'll make it a nonchalant visit, when you come in, I'll kill him."

"Sounds like a plan."

I nodded, teleporting to Garry's apartment. He was sleeping in his bed. I sat in his armchair, waiting, poking him with telekinesis from across the room. He murmured something sleepily and woke up. He looked around, startled by my eyes watching him. Chuckling, he sat up and reached over, turning on the light.

"Hey, Enderbrina. How are you?"

"I'm alright. Do you ever regret meeting me?"

"Uh… why do you ask that?"

"I'm just wondering."

"Okay… you're acting weird… and you're giving me a funny look."

I licked my lips, a wicked smile growing across my lips. A knock was heard at the door, Garry jumping up to get it. I heard him scream when he flung it open, backing up until he tripped and fell at my feet.

"Well… now do you regret it?"

Garry looked between me and Jack, fear consuming the light in his eyes.

"Oh, don't be so scared, Garry," I cooed, a mischievous glint in my eyes. "Jack here is a friend of mine. He won't hurt you… but… I will."

I had never played with my food before, but tonight I intended to do so. I tackled Garry, greedily tearing open his chest, down to just above his navel. A jagged opening showed off his innards, which I looked at, examining them. I looked at Garry's face, gently poking his organs. I reached into his mind, numbing the pain of his torn-open stomach, then poked the last few.

"Playing with your food, Brina? You should know better than that."

"I've never once played with my food before, Jack. This is the one time I have."

I grew bored of Garry's uncomfortable faces, and tore out his heart after letting the pain consume his mind again. We ate the corpse, enjoying every bit. I decided to try the heart I had previously torn from the corpse, finding it extra bloody. We left quickly afterward, under the cover of a dark dawn, as we had spent the night there, making it look like Garry had been robbed and killed.

"We're back," Eyeless Jack announced for us as we walked through the front doors.

"So," Jane began curtly, "what did you do?"

"Ate Garry," I stated bluntly. She shrieked and leapt at me, but I managed to slip out of the way. "Come on, Jane. You came to the mansion with Jeff and became a Creepypasta. No going back once that happens."

I licked one of my fingers still coated in the bright crimson, looking around for the newest resident, the Bloody Painter. I found them on the armchair next to the fireplace. A blue overcoat, black jeans, and a simple white shirt, yet no blood. Their hands were covered with black gloves, which had a few spots of blood on them. The blue overcoat had a yellow, smiley-face pin on the left side. I could tell the Bloody Painter was male. He wore a mask, no surprise, with blacked out eyes and a red smile. I teleported a bit closer, seeing he was in the middle of painting. I had, as a child, enjoyed art myself. No matter what was used to make it and the message within the art itself, it always made me feel innocent. Closer, closer, until I was right behind the armchair, seeing he was painting what seemed to be a human hanging by their feet from a tree. It was in blood, as expected, but it seemed like a landscape had just turned red. The different layers made it seem almost three-dimensional.

Amazing…

I was too entranced by the painting to see the Bloody Painter had turned to regard me. I looked at him, expecting to find the brown hair on the back of his head, but saw the mask turned toward me. I backed up a step, biting my lip.

"Hi," I said, nervous. "You… you're amazing, with art…"

"You like it?"

I nodded, glancing at the painting again. "It looks like a real landscape… except red."

"Thanks. A lot of people find my art to be disturbing. So, when you found me, why did you call Slenderman?"

"I just figured you might be better off here, with all of us. Nobody to judge you."

I watched as he turned back to his painting, and gave it some finishing touches. I was amazed by the steadiness of his hand, wishing I could watch him paint all day. Nothing seemed better than that. Suddenly, he picked up his easel and the canvas, taking his paint with him and going to his room. Saddened, I teleported to my own room. I wondered, strange as it was, if he would find my own blood useful to paint with. I had been eating my fair share of gemstones and the like, as well as humans. I was tempted to give him a jar full of my blood, since it was purple. I wrestled with simply doing it and asking him before doing so, and eventually decided it would just be a nice present.

Carefully, I took out one of the throwing knives from my storage and materialized a jar, and made a cut on the largest vein in my wrist, letting the blood flow out until I felt dizzy. I healed the cut, put on the lid, and took a few deep breaths, eating a few gems to help my body regenerate blood. I looked at the purple liquid in the jar, and felt for Bloody Painter's presence. He had left his room, back in the living room with everyone else. It was only about four am, so I took extra caution and moved across the hall, looking for his room. I slipped in, and was shocked by the amount of paintings lining the walls. Quickly, I put a note on the jar I had brought with me, and searched for a good place to put it. I saw some things spinning, and put it near those. I teleported directly out of the room just as I heard the door opening, and watched from across the hall, wondering what his reaction would be.

"Who the hell put blue color in my paint," he shouted down the hall.

When he saw me peeking from my door across the hall, I shut my door as he stalked over. I opened it for him once I was sitting on my bed, and he shoved the jar in my hands. I put it beside me, where he could reach it if he decided to take it back.

"What kind of joke is this?"

"It's not."

"Why is it purple!?"

I took a knife out and made a small cut in my arm again, watching as the blood welled up, purple. I looked at him, waiting, until he reached a gloved finger forward and collected some of my blood on his hand.

"Okay, your blood is purple… not sure why…"

"I figured since you paint with blood I'd give you some of my own," I replied, healing away the cut. "I used to draw all the time as a child… then, when my life took a turn for the better, there was so much going on I completely forgot about it. Also… careful, I don't know how my blood might affect your skin."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, I guess."

He left, leaving me alone in my room. I saw he had taken the jar with him, it was no longer beside me on my bed. Shadow hopped onto my bed, laying in front of me. I stroked his back, thinking again about the telepathic conversation I had this morning.

Why did he "protect" me all night if nobody was going to kill me? Weird… maybe he was just observing how I sleep.

I felt a connection forced into my mind, and winced but let him in anyway. What do you want, I asked, curious.

Come to my office.

I assume you'll tell me why when I get there…

The link dropped, so I teleported up to his office, looking up expectantly. Slenderman wasn't anywhere to be seen, and I couldn't feel his presence. I knew he was there, I could feel him watching me. I felt a hand close around my hair and he turned me around, still holding my hair.

"Ow! What the hell!"

"What magic are you using?"

"Wait, magic? Like, runes?"

"So you used runes?"

"On the golem… oh, your book! Geez… all this for a book?"

I materialized the book and held it out to him. He threw it to the floor, letting it land open. My stomach sank, fear settling in heavily. His tentacles curled around me, squeezing, until I was sure I would die.

"What did you do!?"

"What do you mean!? I just gave Bloody Painter some of my blood! I haven't done anything wrong!"

I was in the air then, dizzy, and heard a CRACK as I hit the wall. No, a tree, as I saw bright green grass below me. I could barely move enough to sit up better against the tree and drew away from Slenderman, approaching me quickly. I managed to get to my feet and began teleporting away, trying to heal my back as I evaded him. My head was yanked backward, my scalp burning now. I was pinned to a tree with two tentacles through me, face-to-no-face with him. I looked up at him, trembling, fear shaking my spine.

What the hell did I do!?

"Do not lie to me, tell me what you did!"

"I don't know, okay!? I gave you your book back! I only thought about our previous conversation from yesterday morning!"

A pause. "Why were you thinking about that?" He sounded slightly more calm, but I still couldn't feel his presence.

"Y-you were acting a l-little off… I was wondering why, t-trying to figure it out…"

He dropped me, leaving. Why was this so confusing!? I broke down, crying my eyes out. I was in a puddle of quicksilver before I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I felt for a presence, it was my best friend, Ben. I wiped at my tears, trying to calm down.

"Hey, I heard what Slendy did to you. Everyone's thinking about what could be wrong right now."

"He said something about me using magic… but all I did was use runes to make a granite golem come to life to fight me. I gave him his rune book back, but he just threw it to the floor… then he brought me out here and threw me into a tree."

"Do you want me to leave you alone out here?"

"No… no, I'll go back to the mansion with you."

The hand left my shoulder, but Ben didn't move far. I got up, disgusted I had lost my composure so severely. I teleported Ben and myself back to the mansion, trying to look like I hadn't been crying. Then it hit me.

"Guys… he said he wanted to play mind games with me…"

"That's it, then? We were predicting something a little different."

"Such as?"

"He likes the skill you have and is trying to provoke you to fight more."

"Definitely the latter half of that, but shortly after we met, he allowed me to be something like a co-owner if his forest. Then he built this, and it was his, just his, again. He probably just thinks I fight well, and wants me to fight him more so he can kill me over and over for more sick enjoyment."

"Wait, Brina, what are you saying," Bloody Painter asked.

"Oh, that's right… I never told you. Like Slenderman, I am immortal. Our immortality works the same. If we die, we'll come back after our body heals itself."

"So if I killed you—"

"You could try."

"Hypothetical question. If I killed you, and collected your blood for my paintings, you'd come back to life?"

"After a certain amount of time, yes."

I could tell he was thinking, but decided not to listen in.

"What's it like when you're dead?"

"I'm sure its different from normal death, but I kind of turn into just my soul. I can see what's going on around my body, but straying too far can cause a delay to my revival. I usually don't go further than a few meters, otherwise my body could be mangled beyond repair before it has a chance to heal."

"How does it heal when you're dead?"

"That's something I'll likely never know. It just happens."

Mrrow!"

I jumped, scared by Shadow's sudden meow. He was on the arm of the chair beside me. I invited the cat into my lap, stroking his back as we continued to talk. Nothing helpful came up, until Jane sighed, having not given anything to the conversation yet. She pinched the bridge of her nose, obviously disappointed.

"Look, I know you all thought of it. Nobody is brave enough to just say it? He loves her! It's more than clear, anyone with half a brain could figure it out!"

The room went silent. Ben snickered, and everyone began laughing, except for me. I was blushing furiously, surprised Jane had just said something that would induce such awkwardness. Then, when they all saw me not laughing, the laughter died down.

"Don't you guys get it? She's the one non-human… thing — no offense, Brina — around for miles. You know how he is about rules and even the most basic rights."

I grabbed a pillow and hid my face in it, I didn't want anyone to see my now-pale face. Blushing made my cheeks get lighter. I felt a tentacle slowly wrap around my neck, and froze. I clung to the pillow, as if it would keep me safe. I began trembling, out of fear that he may have just heard the entire conversation.

"Slender! Uh… hey," I heard Jane say, nervous. "H-how much did you hear?"

"Enough," he growled lowly. I felt dizzy, and landed on a sofa, but still clutched the pillow, not daring to move. "It is alright, Enderbrina. Put the pillow down. I will not harm you."

Slowly, I placed the pillow down beside me, feeling Shadow's presence still in the living room. My heart hammered at my ribcage, and I grew my wings and tail in case he tried anything. Slenderman was looking out the windows of his office, arms crossed. I wanted to leave. I was afraid of what was going on.

"You don't feel the same thing?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Every time we've… fought, since you re-gained telepathy, we have both been slightly off. It's been getting worse, too."

"I didn't notice…"

"I know I said this friendship between us would not escalate to anything serious."

"But it has, for you. I don't know if… if I can reciprocate."

"Pardon?"

"I've never been in love before. Yes, I loved killing, and certain foods, but I've never had a serious relationship with someone."

"Zalgo never said we couldn't love someone who wasn't a Creepypasta, but also not human…"

I took a deep breath. "You probably know more about relationships than I do."

He teleported in front of me. "I do, and it seems as if there would be little chance for an us with myself and you, but if it calms this strange feeling, I am willing to give it a try."

I didn't know how to respond. I saw the white hand extended to me, as if offering to help me to my feet. I looked up too far, expecting him to be taller, but he seemed just over two meters tall now. Hesitantly, I took his hand, and he pulled me to himself. It was a simple hug, but it took my mind a moment to register anything before hugging him back. It wasn't long before we stopped, my face was probably almost as pale as his skin. I bit my lip, and returned the pillow to the living room sofa quickly, teleporting back to his office.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Just… blushing," I ground out. "I don't turn red when I blush."

His laugh was pure, and I looked up, he was still just over two meters tall.

"Is that your normal height," I asked, trying to change the subject.

"It is. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No! Not at all, I was just wondering. Tall is… well, my kind usually grows to around two and a half meters tall… which is how tall you are right now. It's… odd. But you were a lot taller than that when we first met and you practically attacked me."

"I regret that," he huffed. "I regret ever hurting you, and I don't wish to any longer."

"But who's going to fight me, then?"

"The golem you made, of course. You still have it, don't you?"

"Oh, right…" I felt everyone leaving the mansion, and turned, surprised. "Everyone else is leaving, is that normal?"

"It's Hallowe'en, the one night they can go interact with humans. They like to take advantage of the candy. It was originally just Laughing Jack doing it, but since the mansion has become more lively, they all go."

"Oh… so we're alone then?"

"Yes."

I teleported out of his office, to the living room where I picked up the remote control, curling my tail to my right so I could sit normally, and put in the one horror movie I hadn't seen yet. I watched it, Slenderman following me around.

"I suppose if Zalgo does not mind us being a regularity, you could move into my room. It is not far from my office."

"I thought all the rooms on the top floor were private, except your office, when told."

"Not all. Just my room and my balcony."

"Balcony, huh?"

"It has a decent view of the clearing, and if the sky is clear, you can see the Milky Way. I find it quite entrancing."

"Hmm…"

"You have not watched the comedic horror movies yet."

"I'll watch one another day. I think everyone was thinking I was just… new to this. I was little offended, actually, they almost treated me like they would a human friend."

"A human friend? You say that as if it has happened before."

"Garry existed at one point… I do like to think he was my friend, just not when I ate him."

"Was he a nuisance?"

"No, not really. He was a normal guy. Lived in an apartment, made cookies for the kids in his neighborhood, drank beer here and there. All in all, if my loyalties had not changed, he and I would likely be great friends."

"He made cookies?"

"Yeah, his cookies were phenomenal. I don't suppose you've ever had any cookies?"

"No. Why would I eat them? They are full of sugar."

"So are humans that eat a lot of cookies," I countered.

"You have a point… it is too bad you did not know his recipes."

"Who said I didn't? I memorized them while I played with him earlier."

"You played with him?"

"I never got to play with my food before. It wasn't very fun…"

"You don't know how to properly stimulate the nerves."

"Well, maybe you can teach me, since we will likely be spending quite a bit of time together."

I got up and stretched, feeling something wrap around my wing as I passed by the chair Slenderman was sitting in. I looked back.

"Yes?"

"Where are you going? You wanted to watch movies."

"I did. Now, I'm thinking I'll bake some cookies for everyone. They deserve a treat every once in a while. I know it's Hallowe'en, but they aren't really going to any houses, they are just scaring everyone and having a good time, easily blending in."

"How do you know this?"

"I can feel presences, remember?"

"It must have slipped my mind."

I teleported to the kitchen, Slenderman following me. I realized throwing flour in his face would just annoy him, and make him wonder why I would do something so strange. I giggled softly at my silly thoughts, and turned the oven on, preheating it.

"You seem very interested in these cookies. What is so special about them? Could you not just get some from the grocers?"

I scoffed. "You know, store-bought cookies are never as good as homemade. The stores don't make the cookies fresh every day."

I heard the timer go off. Pulling the cookies out, I let them rest in the sheet pan for a moment, before setting them onto a cooling rack. I saw a tentacle grab one from the sheet, and glanced over at Slenderman, a smirk growing on my face as I watched him take a bite. I stayed quiet, taking one of the cookies myself. I had made two dozen, knowing Laughing Jack would enjoy the cookies. He definitely wasn't greedy, but he practically lived off candy and sweets. I noticed the smell of cookies now permeated the air, hanging sweetly around the mansion. I hopped up onto the counter, tasting the cookie I had made.

"You have impressive cooking skills."

"It's called baking, but it's really not that difficult. When baking, following a recipe to exact measurements is key."

"Isn't that what the grocers do?"

"Not always. Even if they do, they always leave out one ingredient."

"Do not say love. It is a feeling, not an ingredient."

I laughed. "It's true, though. I enjoy making cookies. It reminds me of home. Of course, I enjoy living here, and fully intend to stay as long as I can."

Voices from the hallway caught my attention, so I quickly used telekinesis to put the cookies onto a large plate in a circular pyramid, and got up, waving everyone in, seeing they had no candy.

"No candy, huh?"

"Nah, our 'costumes' were too scary. We ended up heading back early."

"Well, you're in luck then. Can you smell that?"

I grinned as Laughing Jack shouted "cookies" and took off, everyone walking a little faster. I teleported back into the kitchen and scooted up onto the counter where I had been before, passively watching them eat the fresh pile of cookies.

"These are so good!"

"I just made them while you guys were out. Two dozen."

My room smelled of cookies in the morning. I sat up, thinking it was just somebody in the kitchen baking sugar cookies. I realized I was only partially correct. There was a plate of three fresh, still warm cookies on my bedside. I saw a note was with them, in Slenderman's perfect handwriting.

I believe I said I wanted you to move into my room. You should do so today.

I baked the cookies myself. I did not know when you would wake up, so they may not be warm when you read this.

-S

They are, I sent through thought to him. You really didn't have to remind me.

I picked up one of the cookies. Cookies for breakfast? It wasn't unlike the summer tradition my parents and I had when I was a child: ice-cream for dinner, when we could afford it. I giggled at the memory, loving how much this seemed like it. I flipped over the note while eating the cookies, checking for anything on the back. Strangely, I saw it was some sort of note. I could see Slenderman, drawn as something of a stick figure, with the words, "Be Mine" written around him many times. I continued observing the picture, a new figure fading in as if by magic. It was me, but I wasn't quite a stick figure.

"I suppose I have your attention, now?"

I looked up, he was there, at the foot of my bed, standing at his two-and-a-half meters height. I could tell his hands were clasped behind his back as usual. I swallowed the last bit of cookie.

"Of course I'll move in, if you really want me to. I'm just still… not sure how this is going to work. I can tell you did make the cookies, by the way."

He nodded. I realized I had slept with my wings and tail, and stretched them, feeling stiff.

"I was thinking if you'd like to go hunting with me later, I would catch us both something."

"I would enjoy that."

"I have realized that your basic physique is similar to my own."

"I can't change how tall I am, you know… nor can I sprout tentacles from my back."

"However, you can sprout wings, and a tail."

I smiled, rolling my eyes as I went into my closet and got dressed, dematerializing all my clothes for easy transport.

"How convenient is your materialization ability?"

"I don't have to carry all my clothes to your room," I said, gesturing to my now-empty closet. "Wait… hold on… where am I going to sleep? I'm certainly not sleeping in your bed."

"Of course you will be. There is no other bed in my room."

"I am not—!"

"You are confusing me. First, you said you would move into my room, now you do not wish to sleep in the same bed?"

"No! What are you, dense!? I don't want to share a bed with you! I—"

I found a white finger pressed to my lips. I glared at him, but he stopped me from saying anything else, and spoke himself. "I promise you will sleep easy in my bed, and I would not take advantage of you. That is not something any of us would do. Anyone daring to do that must get through me first."

I nodded. "Okay, fine… sorry about… freaking out."

"I understand. Will you meet us for breakfast today?"

"Of course. I'll be there in a moment."

He teleported away, and I wondered about why he never ate at the dining room table with the rest of us. It was likely because he ate humans. I went around my room, dematerializing items into storage I wanted to take with me. I picked up my gradient, purple-to-black hoodie and pulled it on. I looked in the mirror, I was somewhat similar to him in basic build, wasn't I? My height was just under two meters, average human size, but I had a thin frame, as is usual not only with females of most species, but my kind especially. I had never felt like a "girly girl" in my youngest years.

Breakfast is nearly ready, Slenderman thought in our connection. You said you'd join us.

Sorry, I was lost in thought.

I fixed my hair quickly, putting it in a simple ponytail, and teleported to the dining room. Nobody gave me strange looks when I sat down next to the head of the table, where Slenderman was sitting, a bit taller than usual, sipping his coffee. I thanked him quietly for making breakfast, and ate in silence, my thoughts consuming me again. My past had never been exactly pleasant, only getting worse as time went on. The one thing that could have happened to anyone else had happened to me. From that point on it seemed I had a target on my back, whether for attention or for attack, I never determined.

"Hey, Brina, you okay?"

"Yeah," I replied, not bothering to look up.

Why are you thinking about that? You are here now.

I know I'm here now, but you don't know what it's like to lose a brother, to lose everything and everyone you once loved.

You're crushing the fork.

I looked at the fork in my hand, seeing it was bent wildly out of shape. Sighing, I excused myself from the table, even taking care of my own dishes, and went outside. I fought with Gran, letting out my frustration and clearing my mind. My hand swung back, something slithering around my wrist. I stopped, knowing who it was.

"Calm down."

"I am calm. Please let go of my wrist."

I felt myself spun around, facing Slenderman again. A glance up was all I needed to know he was not impressed.

"No," he chuckled. Then, he was serious. "Why are you out here most of the time?"

"Most of the time?" I sighed. "I'm not out here most of the time. I come out here and spar with Gran to clear my mind. I am the exact opposite of what my kind is supposed to be. Sparring is like meditating to me, though not so much when it's with you."

His tentacled slithered away, and he held out his hand to me. "Well then, perhaps you should get settled in our room, now that your mind is clear and you are calm?"

I didn't bother fighting, just taking his hand, blushing a bit. I began with my clothes, seeing a walk-in closet full of suits that were definitely his. There was a second closet for me, which I hung up my clothes in.

"Neither of us are very good at this, are we?"

"Good at what?"

"Being… well, you know, us. Being a couple."

"I didn't know that we had to be good at doing anything."

"Well you're more knowledgeable about this than I am."

"Let's just take it one day at a time, Enderbrina."

"Alright… we will."

"Would you like to see the view from the balcony?"

"Sounds great."

I felt dizzy as he teleported me, but when my vision came into focus, I was frozen in place by what I saw.

*Cliffhanger! Sort of… anyway, don't forgot to Follow, Favorite, and Review! See you in the next chapter!*