#Ao3 isn’t loading for some reason so this will be all for pt 5 compilation

[absent-enigma]

mothman Horror x reader compilation pt 5

For some reason, Horror was half-hiding while watching you. Your confusion only ended up drawing disappointment; Horror dejectedly shuffled back to the door.  

“Safe?”

“Yes?” Seeing Horror focus on your kitchen, you added. “The house is safe.”

A car alarm went off. 

Horror lurched forward, grunting as he got stuck in the doorway, wings flared out, fur bristling and his eyelight a tiny red speck.

You spent the next half-hour convincing Horror the noise wouldn’t hurt either of you, and the next ten convincing yourself that allowing Horror into your home for the rest of the night wouldn’t be problematic.

-

Once his mate had assured him that the blaring noise assailing his sensitive antennae would bring no harm, Horror focused on entering your dwelling. You’d already told him it was all right, and he waited patiently while you opened the ‘patio’ doors wider to accommodate his bigger frame, wings and all. When you stepped back, Horror tucked his wings close to his body, and held his lower pair of arms beneath his ribcage. It was a tight fit, but Horror managed to squeeze inside between the two open doors, scraping off minimal scales from his wings and red fur from his shoulders. 

Horror dismissed the outside noisiness in favor of inspecting his mate’s ’home’. Straight away Horror scented food, eyelight roving over the cupboards (he thinks). Another rectangular thing emitted noise, where even more food appeared to be stored. Horror released a satisfied huff. You had something here to eat.

But was this place safe?

“It’s late, big guy.” You yawned. “I need some extra sleep after all this excitement.”

Horror silently agreed that you needed the slumber; your appearance was one of weariness. Obediently, Horror followed after his mate while you shuffled into the next room, which was an open cozy space. To Horror, it only faintly smelled of a nest where one would sleep. Horror watched with amusement as you face-planted onto a piece of bedding (a sofa, he thinks it was called) and spoke, muffled.

“Ah, hello there, mismatched surface. I missed you.” 

A low chuckle rolled out of Horror at that, further mirth rising over the way you tangled yourself up in a blanket that had been tossed over the back of the sofa.

That was new.

Horror could have sworn you were more methodical when you settled under your bedding. 

The sight was still endearing.

-

You eyed the dusting of scales and fur caught on the doorframes and the floor of the kitchen. 

Tomorrow. 

You’d deal with it tomorrow morning.

The exhaustion was enough anyway for you to not worry too much about letting Horror into your home. 

Funny, that it was the mothman who was staying with you this time. 

Your bed would have been preferable to the sofa, but if Horror wanted to watch over you like out in the wilderness, then sleeping in the living room would have to be good enough. 

Horror appeared amused by your ‘dramatic’ collapse onto the sofa. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you watch Horror diligently check the immediate area (for danger?) before settling in front of the sofa. This confirmed  your assumption that Horror did intend to keep watch while you slept. Oddly enough, having a giant of a skeleton mothman around did make the house feel a little safer. 

“Sleep.” Came Horror’s gruff, if quiet, insistence.

“I am.” You said as you buried your face into the throw pillow.

“Hmm.” Horror sounded unconvinced. 

“I am.” You insisted.

“Right.” Deadpan, amused.

“So deeply asleep that I’m sleep talking to you Mr. Mothman.”

“Yeah?” Horror chuckled. “How often that happen?” 

He was indulging you with the play acting. 

“Just today.” You can’t help but smile at the continued slow, gruff chuckling. 

“…better do something for you about it.” Horror’s wings could be heard unfolding with a soft swishing noise. “So you can rest.”

A light gust of air had you turn to peek at Horror, who had shifted back from the sofa. His wings were patterns of gray-brown, white, black and red. You shift onto your elbows, wrinkling your nose at the small shimmering that fell from the wings to land on you; inspecting the fine smattering of scales, you wondered what made moth wings powdery-feeling. You gave Horror a quizzical look. “Any reason you decided to give me a powder bath?”

“To help you sleep.” Horror sounded like he was teasing you, socket scrunched up, eyelight bright, and smile twitching ip into a wider toothy grin.

You started to laugh, wearily slumping back onto the sofa, though you’d forgotten you'd tangled yourself up in the blanket, causing you to flail around until you settled again.  

Horror was quite pleased by your sleep-deprived laughter as he joined in with his own steadier rumbling chuckles.

Your sleep was guarded with attentiveness and serious concentration the moment you’d drifted off to sleep.

Horror was determined to provide the best protection he could against any possible threats. He was the perfect size to protect the sofa you lie on, as its position allowed Horror to see the door he’d come in, as well as another at the front of the dwelling. 

Horror preened, eye socket half-squinting as he fluffed his fur up and his wings fluttered.

He would watch over you.

Rust, Horror’s brother, would be proud of him for his diligence to his mate’s safety.

-

Surprisingly, the sofa didn’t make your rest uncomfortable overnight. Stifling a yawn, you opened your eyes to see muted yet colorful folded wings. 

Horror. 

The skeleton mothman’s shoulders were covered in reddish fur down to the shoulder blades, leaving the rest of the thick ribcage and spine visible, before the fur began again to vanish into an old pair of large shorts. 

Horror’s antennae, one fluffy and one tattered, raised to wiggle in your direction.

You were lucky that this was the weekend, so you could hopefully convince Horror to not follow your every move outside or inside your house. 

-

Horror slowly turned over when he heard you wake up, reminding himself he needed to be ‘friends’ with you no matter how he wanted to pull you into his arms and nuzzle your sleepy face all over, but…he refrained. 

With great difficulty. 

A distraught noise nearly escaped him over not being able to greet his mate properly, but Horror reigned it in.

Patience. 

Enjoy this opportunity to court you all over again, and the milestones that came before.

“Did you sleep at all, or did you stay awake?”

Horror hummed in lieu of an answer as he blinked at you.

-

“Maybe you should get some rest?” You ventured, when you were just sleepily stared at. “Horror?”

“M’awake.” Horror yawned, teeth parting wide before clicking shut. Stretching his limbs and wings, Horror rose to follow you down a hallway. 

“I can handle the bathroom myself. Nothing scary there.” You turn to stare up at Horror. “Why don’t you go find something to eat in the kitchen? It’s the area by the patio.”

Horror acquiesced to your request.

After a shower, you check on Horror in the kitchen, where you find him busily inspecting every single cupboard while humming some unnamed tune. 

-

“Find anything interesting?”

Horror was sheepish over you catching him nosing around.

“No threats in the cupboards.” You’re teasing him. “But if you’re hungry, I have human and monster food.”

An offering of food? 

Horror shouldn’t eat your food without offering something in return, but it would take him time to go out and find a proper offering.

“Either's fine.” Horror said, shaking off the idea. It was true. Horror’s ambient magic was much healthier than before, so he could. He wouldn’t say no to a burger; his brother wasn’t around to balk over grease.

“A little of everything, then.”

-

Breakfast was surprisingly quiet. 

While you ate, Horror occupied himself with a smoothie in a mixing bowl while rumbling contentedly. He also had toast, after he’d raptly watched the bread go into the toaster to pop back up. 

As you’d mentioned to Horror, all you had planned for the day was chores. Specifically, catching up on the never-ending launder you’d dropped into a large pile in the basement near the washer.

Unsurprisingly, Horror followed after you, though he became stuck in the basement doorway, causing the stairway around you to be lit mainly by the red glow of Horror’s eyelight.