One-Sided (Template x Pale)

Chapter 6: Sleeping Guard

     Seven.

     This was his seventh attempt to flee this jail cell of Template's attention for good

     He had tried blinding him temporarily and running again only for Template to dodge and punish him to the best of his abilities. He tried using his magic to bind Template only for him to respond by pinning him to a wall with a bone until the former was eventually released. He tried going out while Template was asleep, which now Template would go into some sort of hypersleep where any noise would force him awake. He tried staying hidden but Template hunted him down and, as expected, brought him back. He had gone to the point of just running away even while Template was looking. That went as well as it expected.

     Now, he just sat down next to Template, who was doing something on a little notepad the size of his hand. He had his tongue out, a little quirk of his Pale had not really seemed to notice too well until now. But despite that playful habit that suggested that he was ready for fun and games, it was only that, a force of habit.

     Bags had started forming under his sockets, which had held dim lights that begged for at least a wink. His eyes were also literally leaking tears from time to time, which Template rather ignored or couldn't even feel at this point. His shoulders had slumped too, rather to the back or the front depending on which way his body was leaning. Not to mention how slow his reaction became. Pale managed to completely take off both of his gloves and almost to hold his hands before even receiving a glare, let alone a warning and him pulling his hands away.

      He was not only tired or sleepy, he was completely exhausted and drained. It was a surprise that such a playful little action slipped through Template's need for energy.

     Pale had planned this out farther than any of his other attempts combined. He had abused Template's newly formed sensitive light-sleepiness for his own gain but forcing him awake for every second of every day he was there. It has been a decent while since Template has even gotten thirty minutes of rest, and longer than that since he got the rest he desperately needs.

     It had started with Pale walking around aimlessly whenever the other had started to fall asleep, which lead to him throwing a thick wad of paint up on the ceiling whenever he felt the need to sleep, the dripping causing Template to always jolt awake. Then he started fake escapes, which were brief moments where he would leave and wait awhile before coming back to his 'home'. Template would always come back after quite a bit of time, so relieved to see him again before flopping onto the floor from fatigue.

      Pale kept a keen eye on Template, surveying the best time to get away. And judging by everything, he decided that time was now.

     But before he could even form the complete thought of getting ready to go, Template suddenly leaned on his leg, hugging onto it loosely while his head nuzzled against him slowly. Pale looked down at him to see the dim lights staring back.

     "You're... You're so fwuffy..." Template mumbled out, melting against him in a mess of purrs. "And so soffft... Wike a bwanket... A warm... bwanket..." It took exactly eight seconds later for him to pass out into sleep, his expression eased into one of pure bliss and comfort. Pale knew Template could tolerate his touch a lot more than other monsters and human there is out there, but ever imagining Template sleep against him was a thought that really entered his mind. But then again, Pale was never the one to fantasize anything.

     He felt warm again, and not just because Template said he was or because he was asleep against him. He was just warm. Like he laid on a field and let the sun soak inside of him. But as much as he may feel any temperature inside of him, he needed some feelings. He was starved of those and he wanted to feel something anything again.

     He gently pushed Template off him, him moving onto the blank white floor. To his luck, he didn't wake up, though he whined softly and curled up as if to heat himself back up. Pale got up, his clothes brushing against each other. Template still didn't get up. Must have finally been too much for him.

     Pale was about to leave when something nagged him a bit. He wasn't sure what it was until he looked down at Template. He was supposed to say something! Template always said something to him almost every time he was about to rest, it wasn't always the same. Sometimes he would say a few word, sometimes a phrase, a couple times he even sung or read to him, but it all remained consistent with one word; Goodnight.

     He went on his knees down close to him, he didn't react more than a small shuffle a bit closer to him. He placed a hand on his on his black skull, caressing it just a bit. Finally, he opened his mouth just enough to allow a soft whisper to leave him.

     "Night..."

     After a few moments passing as if he waited for something back, he raised his hand from Template's head and melted away into a puddle of ink on the floor.