Golden Jaguar Redeemed

At The Foot of The Bed (Halloween Fic)

Boogeyman!Erik Stevens x Black PlusSized OC

Daylight slowly began to cool off into moonlight. It's rays peeked into the tall windows of the quiet home and provided little light into the living room. The night life outside was beginning to dwindle down to its usual stillness. The kitchen was darkened other than the light that never failed to leave on to fight away the fear of something lurking in the dark when a late night drink was needed. A few fake pumpkins sat in front of the dark television and littered on the shelves that cornered the room. Away from her water bowl, the small puppy with the name 'Maui' made her way down the long hallway and slid through the small crack of the opened bedroom door.

The faint sound of the shower came from beneath the master bathroom's door and fought for dominance against the speaker that sat on the bathroom's counter. With a soft turn of the knob, the steamy water eased to nothing. Jai stepped from the warmth of the glassed in shower onto the soft mat. She hummed along to the music as she slipped off her shower cap before drying off her skin. It took all of five minutes to finish up the rest of her night routine and moisturize her skin.

Wrapping her hair with a silk scarf, she giggled as Maui played with the toy ball that she'd been obsessed with. "Do you ever get tired, girl?" Squatting to pet the fluffy pup, she wagged her tail in glee. "We need to wind down for bed." Jai left the puppy to her playing and headed over to the queen sized bed. Climbing into her usual spot on the left side, she maneuvered to slip her feet beneath the covers.

Scrolling through socials only occupied her for sometime, pulling laughs and giggles here and there until sleep taunted her. After what seemed like the millionth yawn, a soft click followed her exiting all the apps she'd pulled up. "Maui, you sleeping with mama or you wanna sleep in your bed?" When Jai looked up to see where the puppy laid she seen that she rested in her comfy pet bed. "I guess that's my answer."

Turning over to get comfortable, she exhaled as she finally let her body rest. It had been a busy weekend for her with fun activities with her friends. Halloween was always a blast for her and this year was no different. She'd been on a binge of scary movies the past few nights and every time it came to time for her to sleep it was the same thing. Fears of nightmares that would follow along. Every noise that the house made would have her on edge and she hated that it did. Speaking a soft prayer to herself, she snuggled into the sheets and forced herself into slumber.

Barking. Maui?

She groaned before forcing her eyes open into a squint. The clock flashed its green time display of 3:16 a.m. She'd been asleep for four hours. "Bro, its 3 a.m. Maui, what's the matter?" Rolling on to her back, she looked to the ceiling with a sigh. This had the third night in a row that Maui had done this. Darkness engulfed the room aside from the under the bathroom door. Just enough so she could make out silhouettes in the room for a safe path to the restroom at night.

"Nothing's there hunny, let mommy rest. We have a long day tomorrow." The half asleep woman mumbled to her persistent companion. Maui whined but quieted down for the time being, Jai thanked her with a soft 'good girl' before peeling the cover back a bit. It was starting to get warm and she definitely wasn't going to get up and turn down the air. So shedding layers was the alternative. Her foot hesitated its exposure from the safety of the comforter sheet, with mental thoughts of a childhood fear. Some people could sleep with out a cover but she took the meaning security blanket literally. Though the material might not actually stop anything, it put her mind at ease.

It was actually so silly at her age. "Girl, you grown as fuck. Too damn old to be afraid to leave your feet out." She cursed herself, exposing a leg from the soft sheets. Cool air greeted her and she was satisfied with a balance finding her soon after. She hugged the cover that she did keep towards her upper body close. Now back to sleep.

Growling? Maui, again this time.

The annoyed young woman rolled her eyes in the dark, sitting up to switch on the lamp that sat on the night stand beside her. She needed to know what Maui was thinking she saw in the darkness. She knew she should've made the young puppy sleep beside her. "What has you so shaken up, Maui?"

Looking at where she was focused, it was clear. And ice spread through her veins, stopping any movements that her brain tried to process. It stared at her as they made eye contact. He stared at her. Dark, illuminated eyes bore into her beneath the bushy brow of the intruder. Locs as dark as midnight snaked form his scalp and down past his shoulders, hair faded close on the sides. His lips were full and glistening with.. saliva? Like his mouth was watering for something. The most gruesome creature with few features of a human male? Confusion was the last thing to be worried about at the moment.

If his features alone hadn't frightened her enough, he gave her a sharp toothed smile. Canines pointed and jagged with strength to chomp through bone. Maui stood on her bed, growling still at the unfamiliar trespasser. His voice put a sudden silence to that. "Cute. She thinks she protect you.." He rose from the squatted position Jai didn't even realize he was in. His head damn near touched the ceiling and she tensed up more than before. Claws took the place of his nails and she couldn't help the whimper that left her. "These?" He held up a single hand to showcase the weapons before shaking his head.

"These are the least of your worries, beautiful." He creeps his right hand up to catch her ankle, letting out an amused chuckle. "These are only for the ones that think they can get away." With a hungered lick to his lips as he admired her freshly painted toes, he tightened his grip so much that she began to feel pressure from him beginning to break skin. "But not you, right? I mean... were these little pretty piggies not left out for me?