Kinda Cute ; Malum

2: Age 8

"Have you ever seen a beastie?"

Michael's questioned lured Calum from his state of light sleep.

Calum waited a minute before groggily opening his eyes, the bright red numbers on his spiderman alarm clock blinking back at him. Sighing he turned over on his side, coming face to face with Michael's big green eyes. "What's a beastie?" He sleepily asked.

A gasp fell from Michael's lips and he sat up, "You never heard of a beastie?!" He questioned incredulously, eyes glimmering in the dark room.

Calum shook his head and watched as Michael dramatically leaned his back on the wall which Calum's bed was pushed against.

"Beasties are the thingies that live under your bed."

"Like...the boogeyman?" Calum asked, subconsciously scooting closer to Michael and away from the edge of his bed. He always makes his mom check under his bed and every time there's nothing there.

"Don't be silly Cally, the boogeyman doesn't exist." Michael told him, rolling his eyes.

"Then what's a beastie?" Calum asked with unease, he didn't want anything living under his bed.

Seeming to sense Calum's panic Michael was quick to reassure him, "No, no beasties are good! Promise! They protect people from goblins and stuff. My mum once told me that beasties protect us when we sleep too, they go all hulk on the bad stuff."

Calum's eyes widen with fascination and curiosity as he listened, "What do they look like?"

That's when Michael let out a defeated sigh, "Well mummy said they're really fat and very little but I don't know. That's why I was wonderin' if you've seen one before." He said sadly.

"'M sorry Mikey." Calum said not liking how sad the other boy looked.

"It's okay, mummy says not many people see them anyways."

"Why are they called beasties if they're nice?" Calum asked after a moment of silence.

"I dunno, maybe because they keeps other beasts away?" Michael responded.

Calum nodded and threw his arms around Michael's tiny waist and pulled him down, Michael scoffed but didn't fight it and just let it happen. "I'm sleepy, go to sleep."

"I'm hungry."

"We'll eat in the morning." Calum compromised.

"But I'm hungry now." Michael whined snuggling into Calum's body, he was warm and it was cold in his room.

"No ones up Mikey." Calum said softly, slowly letting sleep take over his body.

"But my tummy needs food or else my tummy might explode."

"Don't be dramatical, my mummy will make pancakes in the morning remember." Calum told him since she always made pancakes on Sunday mornings, Michael should know that.

"Blueberry?" Michael asked, closing his eyes as well.

"If you want." Calum breathed, pulling his blankets up more. "Goodnight Mikey."