Chapter Text
Wooden footsteps echoed down the hallway. He treads lighter than most, walking on a body of malleable void. Rush and Ambush were faster than light and shook the electrical system where they ran. That was not him, no, he much preferred the silence.
The thread tied to an unusual key was looped around his middle finger. The fob was carved from precious metals and had an eye in the center, and the key itself was twisted into branch-like shapes. The eye was not his, nor was it reactive. It had a familiar pale glow to it, marking it to its owner.
Speaking of, surely Insomnia was around here somewhere. The beast was always wandering Hotel Nowhere's halls, poking her narrow snout in every corner to find any objects of interest.
Seek had only seen their key a few times. He assumed it liked to keep the object hidden, though if they did, why would it be in his hands? Insomnia had occasional bouts of mindlessness, and it wouldn't be surprised if she had managed to lose it subconsciously. Perhaps a trespasser had gotten a hold of it?
A secretive thing, it was. Seek to let them have their privacy despite the questions he often had.
After aimlessly wandering for some time, the void entity was nearing giving up. The beast would come to him sooner or later, they always did.
However, Seek was lucky enough to stumble upon her gazing out the old windows at the endless rain. They would often be found like this, stationed in a room that was more window than room, complete with a crackling fireplace and a desk with its contents looted. It was her favorite, and she even had a room of their own like it.
"Ah," Seek called. The creature did not move. "Insomnia, dear. I believe I've found something that belongs to you."
He walked to their side and met their eyes. She smiled. "Seek. It seems you have."
She bowed her head so he could place the key necklace where it belonged. It rested heavily against its chest, and the faint glow dimmed.
"Watching the rain again?"
Insomnia nodded. It's expression was tired, what was new, and their long ears were flattened against their head. White eyes gazed at him in a friendly manner, which was not something he was used to. The gas slits on their snout, neck, belly, arms, and tail were glowing ever so slightly.
"No matter how long we are trapped here, I will never grow tired of it."
Seek made a noise of agreement. "It does wonders to a stressed mind." He couldn't deny that the never-ending rain was relaxing. It was easy to let your thoughts slip away into each drop, to become nothing but white noise. None of the entities were quite as fond of the weather as Insomnia was, though.
The two sat in silence, watching the storm rage against the windows. But Insomnias's very presence was making him drowsy. He couldn't stay for long.
"You may want to pay a visit to your beloved," She said abruptly. "It tells me it's been having trouble sleeping. No doubt it would appreciate a little alone time with you."
Figure. The tall, fleshy, anxious monster Seek could call his. Figure, with dangerously sharp teeth and a rib cage of bone on their chest. Figure, with an undying love for books and a heart of gold hidden underneath his terrifying facade.
Seek had been busy recently. They all had. A sudden influx of trespassers kept him away from what he loved, and he hadn't even realized he had been neglecting his time with Figure. A sudden wave of guilt washed over it.
"It's alright," Insomnia soothed as if she could sense his guilt. Knowing it, it probably could. "He will be happy to see you nonetheless."
"I'll be sure to do that. Has it been having nightmares?"
She shook her head. "Not that he speaks of. It sounds like simple restlessness. I would give it a vile of my gas, but it sounds like he just needs you."
Insomnia was well known throughout the hotel to have a gas that possessed healing and sleeping properties. It was excreted through the slits located in multiple places on their body, and it was tinged a pale blue.
"I do owe them a visit." How long had it been since they were last together? Had the increase in trespassers really lasted that long? Or did it just feel like it had been forever, now that loneliness was starting to creep up on him? (Less like creep up, more like hit in the back of the head. It wounded itself into his mind and strangled him like a snake that you never saw coming.)
She inclined her head towards him. "Go, then. Don't keep him waiting. And thank you for returning my key."
Seek rapped his knuckles four times on the intricate wooden door of the library. He could hear the unearthly cries and roars of Figure attempting to ward off any potential trespassers, echoing and reverberating through the paper-thin walls.
The roars ceased. He pushed the doors open and was immediately greeted by a tight embrace, wrapped in spindly leather arms.
"Seek," Figure rumbled. Their voice was hoarse from lack of speaking and incessant keening.
"Figure, dearest." Seek laced his inky fingers into claws of ivory, spare hand reaching up to caress the flesh entity's face. It leaned into his frigid touch happily.
"I... am very tired, love."
That was true, he could feel it. Exhaustion rolled off of Figure like waves. It sunk into his arms like it was their very lifeline. Seek pulled away from the hug, guiding his partner to their "bed", which was actually a pile of blankets and pillows positioned in a manner that almost resembled a nest. Poor Figure was too tall for the beds in the hotel.
"Me too. Things have been quite a ruckus, hm..."
Figure felt the blanket, making sure it was what he thought it was, then got settled. It held it's arms out and made a low, whine-like noise. Seek seated himself in their lap, head against their chest, and pulled a blanket over the two. The cotton stuck to his void and made him itch, but he didn't complain.
The distant sound of rain came from windows on the other side of the library. Figure once told them they slept away from the windows as with their abnormally heightened hearing, it often became overwhelming.
"Too many." It nodded. Their English was relatively broken and preferred ASL when possible, since roaring and howling in such tones so often made speaking painful. "Tired."
The library, as expected, smelt like old paper and leather bookcases. It was comforting to those seeking an escape in the pages of books holding stories unknown. Figure loved it. Only a few books were written in braille (Eyes was working on correcting that), so Seek often read to it when they had time together.
Tonight (Tonight? Was there really a day/night cycle here? It rained and rained, and darkness pawed at each window and seeped into the vents. The entities ran on their own time.) was different. The two were tired. Warm flesh met cold void, curling into each other, laying in comfortable silence.
Only a few knew of their relationship. Insomnia, of course, Hide, Screech, and The Light knew. The way Glitch looked at Seek when it was around Figure told him they might've had an idea, but he hadn't told them.
"Missed... you," It hummed.
"I know, dearest. But I am here." He stroked his face with nimble fingers. Void left the slightest black stains, temporarily painting his fingertips on gnarled red skin.
"Tomorrow, I do not want."
Seek closed its eye as Figure hooked an arm around its hip. "Tomorrow can be however far away we want. Be here with me, love."
The monster made a sorrowful noise, surely dreading what lay for them outside the comforts of the library. All it wanted was to stay here in its comfort zone with its favorite person. Soft blankets and cold touches, leather bookcases, and protection from the looming unknown.
"Here," He echoed.
Seek touched its torso lovingly and hummed in agreement. Figure allowed itself to fully unwind, making quiet, content rumbles. Tense shoulders relaxed and sunk into the cozy makeshift bed.
The void being ran an inky thumb over hardened flesh, reflecting on the day behind him. Each day was the same, never-ending, ever-winding. A stranger ran from him, he chased the stranger, and in the end, they were in his grip and the life was gone from their eyes within a heartbeat. Those who made it past him made it to Figure, and Figure, despite its blindness, would find them too.
Figure heard it before he did, but the two heard Rush bound down a nearby hallway, screeching as they ran. They never seemed to tire. Seek groaned and nuzzled his beloved's chest.
The library was dimly lit, quiet except for the pitter-patter of rain on glass and the entity's soft breathing, and it didn't take long until the two were soon nearing sleep.
"Figure, dearest. The light of my life," Seek mumbled sleepily. "I love you."
The tall monster purred. Thick claws were brought up to hold the other's head gently. "Love more."
Here was where he wanted to be. He could die right here as a happy man. In Figure's arms, in the comforting silence of the night, and the smell of old paper and leather bookcases.