Cross woke up to the feeling of something poking his face. He flinched and batted it away with a hand, mumbling under his breath about how he needed more sleep.

But the poking continued, two every few seconds with a commanding sense. Grumbling loudly he forced his tired eyes to open and his pupils flicked around lazily before resting on the grinning face of none other than the alien leant over him.

He let out a shriek and instinctively shoved his hands into it's chest, pushing it backwards and rolling off the couch himself. The floor greeted him with a rough thump, his whole body aching. "Ouch..."

The creature stumbled back in alarm and stared down at him, blinking rapidly and watching as the boy lurched to his feet. Cross rubbed the back of his skull and shot it a glare before his gaze swept over the living room.

Everything was fine, and not in ruins like he'd expected. Well, except for one thing. The blanket Cross had draped over the alien last night was in tatters, torn to ribbons and thrown carelessly across the floor like garbage. Clearly it hadn't appreciated his sentimental actions.

It caught where he was staring and blinked, giving one piece of destroyed blanket a good long glare before padding over to it. It leaned over and picked it up - cringing as it did so - before walking back over to Cross and presenting it proudly.

"Yes, that's my blanket." He snatched the piece away and sighed, rubbing the fabric softly in between his fingers. "You clearly saved me from a force I was blind to, thank you."

The creature still couldn't understand him, but smiled nonetheless before turning around and starting to wander through the living room curiously. It picked up plates and ornaments, turning them endlessly over in it's hands before placing them back down none too gently and moving onto the next fascinating object. It seemed particularly amused by the tall lamp Cross kept in one corner, circling around it and staring in awe.

Sighing softly Cross tossed the rag into the wicker bin he kept by one of the couches and then turned to crouch down and get another.

While doing so a flash of red caught his eye and he paused, his pupils resting on his hand. It was stained with dry crusty blood, clumps of the thick substance having gone solid and hard overnight. Blinking rapidly he looked at his arm, seeing the dark hoodie stained black with more blood. It was then that he remembered his arm; he'd been shot.

The memories of the guards shooting him once he'd managed to get into the facility flashing through his mind. The remembrance of blood spilling through his fingers as he clutched the wound tightly, agonised.

As if conjured up by the simple memory of it, his arm started throbbing, pulses of hot pain ripping through it. He grit his teeth and sat down, a sense of wooziness washing over him.

From across the room the creature looked over at him with slight concern, it's head tilting to the side and frowning. It came over slowly, watching as the skeleton slowly stared peeling his blood soaked hoodie off of the undamaged arm.

He took in a sharp hiss of breath as the first sleeve slid off, his shoulder rolling and irritating the shot arm. Giving muted whimpers of pain he managed to pull the other arm free, his whole body alight with tingles. Reaching his okay arm round he eased the thick fabric off over his skull, flashes of unbearable pain striking him as he was forced to move it and the cloth dragged.

Eventually though it landed on the floor in a bloody heap and looking like a mauled baby gorilla. Cross and the creature stared down at it distastefully, it sitting down next to him.

Cross winced and glanced up at it before building the courage to look at his arm, his 'stomach' churning. It looked sickly, frozen rivers of blood flooding down it. He gagged at the sight, the bone around it twisted purple.

The creature blinked and frowned, regarding the wound silently and lifting a hand. Cross shook his head, weakly pushing him with his other hand. "N-no, d-don't touch it."

It growled sharply at him and grabbed hold of his good arm with a hand, his tentacles coiling around his body and pinning him against the back of the couch.

Cross jolted in alarm and spluttered a protest, squirming beneath it to no avail. "H-Hey! Stop!" It didn't, hissing at him and shooting an icy look.

He paled and tugged at it's grip weakly, whispered objections leaving his sore throat as the creature pinned him further against his own furniture. It's clawed fingers hovered over the wound, ghosting the bloodied mess.

Gasping softly Cross ceased movement, not wanting to feel what catching his bone on its hooked fingers would feel like. It would probably be worse than the current. Much worse.

It grunted in satisfaction and rolled it's eye, unamused by his pathetic struggle session. Leaning closer it stared at the bullet wound before glancing up at the smol. He was trembling, eyes wide with fear as he stared back at him. Blinking, it's mouth twisted into a scowl. It slid its hand - that was gripping Cross' other arm - down to his wrist and twisted it gently until the palms of their hands were touching softly, it's slender fingers curling around his ones. Squeezing softly, it offered a crooked smile at the panicked oreo.

Panting, he shakily gave a small smile in response, his wavering hand giving a returning squeeze. It took that as the okay sign and looked back down at his arm once more, one tip of a finger rimming the puffy entrance wound.

Cross was frozen, his eyes unable to leave the beast's hooked fingers as they hovered over the wound like a bird stalking its prey. And then it practically shoved it's finger into it.

He screamed, wrenching free of it's grasp and tumbling off of the sofa in a backwards summersault. Clutching his arm tightly he let a broken sob leave his mouth, looking in disbelief at the alien still sat on the sofa.

It was looking at him incredulously, somewhat amused as it held a hand towards him. He stared at it, his arm throbbing in pain as he saw the small rounded ball resting in it's palm. It was coated in smears of blood, the substance giving the copper a metallic glow that shone off of the lamp light. A bullet.

Fresh blood seeped through his fingers and he choked, unable to form a literately accepted sentence. "I-- Y-You--"

It hummed and flicked the bullet into some dark corner of the room before pushing to it's feet and walking over to him. Once stood towering over the gaping smol, it crouched down, mimicking what Cross had done at the parking lot last night. It took his hand once more and made a sound that Cross could have sworn was a purr before pulling him gently into it's chest.

He made minim protest this time, only groaning in pain at the constant stinging his arm. It was definitely worse than before, fresh blood leaking from the wound and staining his white undershirt even more. The creature marched over to the sofa and sat down on it with Cross now in his lap, gaze on the wound and nothing more.

"Please don't p-poke it..." He mumbled weakly, biting his bottom lip. "I-It needs a bandage and anti-infectants..."

As assumed, the beast ignored him and growled something he didn't understand, a hand gently pushing Cross' sleeve further up his arm and onto his shoulder so that the wound was more visible. The boy eyed him warily, almost expecting him to do something ludicrous like bite the damn thing.

But no. It did something else. Something that Cross could even go so far as considering as worse. It licked it.

He stiffened and yelped, feeling it's surprisingly rough tongue drag across the bullet wound quickly. "Wh- Hey?!"

It grunted for him to be quiet and licked the blood off of it's lips, seeming to savour the taste before it leaned down and took another long rasping lick of the boys bleeding arm. It's tentacles held Cross still as it worked, steadily cleaning the skeleton's arm of blood and working it's tongue around and over the bullet wound.

Cross shuddered every time he felt it's hot tongue slide up his arm, his face flushing with embarrassment and confusion as he weakly tried to push it's face away to no avail. "H-Hey- s-stop that now."

Ignored as usual it continued to lap at his arm for about five minutes, the only sound in the room being the wet licking of the creature and Cross' quickly dying objections.

When it pulled back his whole arm felt numb and full of uncomfortable tingles. Yet, the pain was gone. He looked down at his arm in surprise, the now clean bullet hole looking nowhere near as gruesome. The ugly purple blotching had faded to a blushed lavender and the cracks spiderwebbing from the opening seemed to have thinned.

"I-I- how?" He was in shock, a hand brushing over the wound to feel only a dull ache instead of the agonising pain he'd felt earlier. "...Your saliva heals?"

It blinked softly and nuzzled it's head into his shoulder, humming. Cross hovered his fingers over it's back for a moment before resting on it and causing it to give a rumbling purr, content.

They probably stayed like that for fifteen minutes before Cross' arm started feeling sticky, the saliva going a bit thick and stodgy. He cringed at the feel, nudging the alien off of him. "Imma have a bath, you stay here, okay?"

It gave a whine as the smaller wriggled from it's arms, pushing up to it's feet and trailing along behind Cross as he grabbed the blood soaked hoodie and took it with him out the room.

Cross rubbed his arm softly and sighed, walking through the entrance hall and turning up the stairs. He'd only made it up around five before something wrapped around his waist and stopped him abruptly in his tracks. He yelped and looked down, seeing one of the creature's tentacles latched on firmly.

Craning his neck back to look down at the beast, he blinked. "What?"

It whined softly and tugged, sending Cross stumbling down a step before he gripped onto the banister.

"Wh- no!" He gained his balance and shook his head, his free hand pulling the tentacle free. "I'm going for a bath, and you're definitely not joining me."

It groaned as Cross walked up a few more, it's eye cast anxiously down at the carpeted steps. That was when Cross remembered. It was scared of stairs.

He nearly laughed, covering his mouth with a hand and grinning. "What's wrong? Can't climb the stairs?"

It grunted and tried to snatch him with a tentacle, but Cross only took three more steps up, out of range now. "If you want to get me, you'll have to come up!"

Honestly he'd expected it to give in and climb the stairs alone, but it didn't, it's feet staying firmly on the ground and expression annoyed. It looked like an irritated toddler, the snicker Cross was trying to hold in escaping this time. He couldn't help it. The thing had been ripping up armed soldiers only yesterday without a care in the world. But something as simple as stairs somehow managed to throw it off. It was cute, really. Like a super villain with the dumbest weakness; a world dominator having a soft spot for kittens. Y'know, that cliché shit.

He jumped up to the landing and waved down at it, smiling. "I'll be back in like- half an hour. Just settle down in the living room and sleep or something, okay?"

It yelled out something unintelligible that Cross couldn't understand and threw itself down on the floor in defeat, growling. The boy stifled a laugh and pushed away from the banister, chucking away his filthy hoodie into the wash as he did so before quickly entering his bedroom to find new clothes, and grabbing some at random. He skipped across the landing to the bathroom, giving a quick check as he did so to see if the creature had moved. It hadn't.

It was crumpled at the bottom of the stairs with it's chin resting on the first step, a low and angered growl rumbling from the back of it's throat, eyes locked on the second step miserably. Upon hearing Cross it perked up and raised it's head in excitement, only to thump it back down on the step as he disappeared no more than a second later.

Laughing to himself Cross stepped into the bathroom and began to peel the remains of his clothes off and drop them unceremoniously fo the floor. He wasn't even sure if he'd bother with cleaning the top. White cotton and blood don't really mix well and he was doubtful that even Vanish 30 Seconds Gold would get rid of the flower of blood blooming across the side where his arm had been shot.

He shuddered softly and leaned over to turn the taps, hot steaming water flowing from them generously and flowing down to the white marble bath's surface. He dipped his fingers into the thin sheet of hot liquid and pushed the plug in place. He grabbed all sorts of soaps and scrubs, his eyes cast down at his dirt, blood and sand (and saliva) covered body. Maybe this would take a little longer than half an hour.

Downstairs, the creature was boredly picking at the stairs carpeted fabric, it's long claws catching on the rough material and pulling it up for a moment before snapping back down loosely. It was in no way entertaining, but it didn't fancy the idea of leaving when the small skeleton had disappeared upstairs where he could be being attacked by lord knows what. It blinked upon hearing the sound of running water, another nervous whine sounding as it stared anxiously at the stairs. It felt a need to protect the boy after he'd saved it, and would go to many lengths to do so. But- these things- they were something that every man and monster should rightfully fear.

It continued like this for countless minutes, it's eye flashing up every time it heard a shuffle, splash or whisper of a sound in the hopes that the odd little creature would come stumbling back down the stairs with it's odd and laughable way of walking. Aggressively glaring at the stair fabric, it took in all the little clumps of lint, faint and faded mud stains and scuffs where the stairs had been worn away by countless years of running up and down.

There was a particularly dark brown patch on the fourth stair up, looking like a spillage of some sort. But it didn't find the thought of thinking into the mark appealing, so slumped down dramatically once more.

How dare he leave it. What a selfish creature.

Upstairs, Cross had just gotten out of the bath. He grabbed one of his darker towels, not wanting to stain any of his white fluffy ones with blood. He carefully dabbed around the bullet wound - despite feeling minimal pain - since he was still nervous about it. He slipped on his clean clothes and sighed, relishing the feeling of clean smooth clothes sliding down his bones instead of dry, scratchy and bloody ones.

Wandering over to the bathroom cupboard he pulled it open, his toes wriggling on the plush grey bath mat he had laid across the floor. He swung the cupboard door open and sighed, reaching up for the first aid kit he always kept in the middle shelf. He took it into his hands and sat down on the edge of the bath tub, rubbing his eyes with a hand before opening it.

Inside were bandages, plasters (band aids), disinfect wipes, sterilisers and just about everything you'd find in your amateur first aid kit in your upstairs bathroom. He pulled out the wipes and ripped one from its plastic packet, mumbling something about turtle disapproval before tossing it in the flip bin in the corner.

Down below the creature had now clawed the majority of the bottom step carpet into ribbons. It was currently making good work of the second step, picking at the fabric until it undid at the weave and fell into ribbons. It was just considering whether to move onto the third step before the sound of footsteps tore it from its stair mauling. It instantly snapped it's attention upwards, staring intently at the smol as he appeared at the top of the stairs.

"You haven't moved?" Cross raised a brow and wriggled into the dark grey sweater he'd grabbed from his room, tugging the sleeves down to the palm of his hands and gripping them lightly with his fingers - a habit he had that would leave all the cuffs of his hoodies and sweaters worn and stringy. He didn't mind though.

It grunted and forced itself to it's feet, the long tentacles draping from it's back coiling around the banister to support it. It's eye didn't leave Cross once as he slowly made his way down the stairs, the blue pupil flicking across his new clothes before resting on his face emotionlessly.

Cross snorted and stopped on the third step, now at a more-or-less level height so that he didn't have to crane his neck back just to talk. "That's better, don't you think?"

It merely growled something unintelligible in response before reaching an arm out and snatching Cross from the stairs. He was sent tumbling into it's arms with a yelp, his skull thudding into it's warm and firm chest and body swept up in it's arms.

"Woah?! Excuse me?" He dug his fingers into it's shoulders, gasping as it strode out of the hallway and back into the living room. "CarEFUL--"

He almost shrieked as he was dumped onto the sofa, only managing to stop himself by clamping his teeth down on his tongue. Hard.

The alien stared down at him before grinning, it's body flopping down next to him and purring. Cross stared up at it and swallowed, taking in all it's terrifying features and sickly attributes. It should have sent his blood cold - and it did a little bit - but then he'd just think back to how it refused to climb the stairs and snickered, a smile breaking on his 'lips'.

It hummed and nudged him, another sound that Cross could make no sense of leaving its mouth. He shook his head softly, frowning. "I can't understand you."

Frowning, it tilted it's head, not understanding either. The skeleton groaned softly and rubbed his forehead with a hand before perking up quickly. "Oh- I have an idea!" He pointed at himself, smiling. "Cross."

It blinked.

"That's me. Me- I'm Cross. Cross."

"..."

"Cross. Say Cross."

"..."

"Cross."

"..."

"Try say it okay- Cross. C-R-O-S-S. Cross."

"..."

"Oh come on!" He threw his hands up in the air and looked away, inwardly groaning. How were they ever going to do anything if they couldn't communicate. Obviously Cross had no hope in hell of mastering the alien language as all the creature had seemed speech-wise was groan, growl, grunt, whine, purr and yell. Not a language he was particularly fluent in. "Never mind, this is pointless..."

He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at the floor, his right foot scuffing at it pointlessly. As if that would be any help

"Crrrss..."

The skeleton blinked, whipping round the face the alien. It was also scowling, staring down at it's hands. "...Crsss... Cccrorsss."

"Ohmygod--" His hands grasped his skull tightly - like scientists do in old movies when they've just hit their eureka moment - and stared at it wide eyed. "You've nearly got it! That's nearly it! Cross, look- say Cross!"

"Crrros. Crrrrross." It grinned childishly, looking up at him expectantly before yelping as the boy grabbed it's hand tightly and squeezed, eyes lit up with excitement. "Yes! That's it! Cross!"

"Crrross." For whatever reason it seemed to like drawing out the "r" in his name, but it didn't seem to mind, chest puffed out proudly.

"Oh my god- this is revolutionary- I can teach you English! Y-You can talk our language!" He was shook, unable to form proper sentences without cutting himself off with more stumbled sentences he could barely force out or his throat. "Th-This is incredible--"

"Crrross. Crross." It repeated his name over and over again happily, clearly happy with it's accomplishment. At one point it jabbed a finger at his chest before reciting his name, a grin like a shark's stretched across it's face.

"Yes, that's me--" He went to say a name before cutting off, realising for the first time that he didn't actually have something to call the creature by. And he didn't just want it to be "the creature" or "the alien" or "it".

He naturally thought back to the plaque outside it's cell. N16HTM4R3. At the time he'd thought it had looked a lot like the word "Nightmare".

Glancing up at the taller he smiled. I mean, the name definitely fitted- it looked like a monster from some kid's nightmares alright. He decided that Nightmare would be better than his other opinions, nodding. Besides, he could always think of a better one later.

Gently pressing his hand against the creature's chest, he stared into it's blue eye closely. "Nightmare. Your name is Nightmare."

It blinked softly, it's eye rolling down to the hand on it's chest. "Crrross."

"No." Cross shook his head. "That's me." He pointed at himself. "But you," he pointed at the creature, "you're Nightmare."

Confused it glanced around the room and muttered something under it's breath. But after a long pause it finally made an attempt. "Nnn...Niig- Nnighmrrr..."

"Close." He smiled and praised it softly, completely fascinated by it's efforts as it scrunched it's face up and tried again. "Nnnightmrrr... Nimurrr."

"You're so nearly there, I promise." He squeezed it's hand softly, receiving one in response.

"...Nnightmmaaarr..."

"That's practically perfect!" He clapped, startling 'Nnightmmaaarr' a little and making it shuffle back on the sofa. "Oh- sorry- excuse me I'm just excited." He gave a guilty smile and looked up at him, his free hand sliding over it's lap to rest on it's knee.

It blinked a few times, before spitting the words from it's mouth as if they were a fly that had crashed in there. "Nnighhtmmmare." "Nnightmarre."

"Yes!" He squealed, making it shift back in concern once more. Yet it's efforts became futile when Cross threw himself onto it's lap and flung his arms around it's waist.

Newly named Nightmare looked down at him in surprise and raised it's arms in surprise, going quiet. The smaller hummed in content and dug his face into it's chest, limp and smiling.

After a moments hesitation Nightmare rested it's arms on Cross' back, trailing loopy patterns on the sweater with his claws. The skeleton shivered deeply and pressed closer to it, purring drowsily. "Crross."

He blinked and looked up at him, a faint flush of embarrassment filling his cheeks and pushing off of it. "Oh- sorry , Nightmare."

It grunted, shoving him lightly in the chest and sending him toppling over on the sofa and falling onto his back. It leant over him and stared. "Cross."

It was the first time it had managed to say his name 100% correctly, and Cross had to hold back from another squeal as he looked up at it. Sure he was still scared of it's terrifying appearance, but it didn't seem like it would hurt him, more curious than anything.

"Cross." It poked his side with a hooked finger, seeming interested by the concept of Cross' clothes.

"YeAH--?!" He cut off with a yell as Nightmare shoved his hand under the smaller's sweater, his face flushing. "N-Nightmare no! That's n-not allowed!"

It blinked and slowly retracted it's hand, not quite understanding the reason for the oreo's eccentric actions.

Cross pulled his sweater down firmly and looked away, shaking his head. "N-No." His face felt hot and palms sweaty, his soul having ramped up to a rather quick speed.

"...Cross?" There was an edge of questioning to it's voice, head tilting to the side.

"I-I'm fine--" He nodded quickly and swallowed, tucking his face into the arm of his cold sweater in the hopes that that would somehow rid his face of the purple blush that had spread across it without permission. "Y-You just surprised me, that's all."

It gave him a confused look, but hummed and grabbed onto his arm before pulling him back onto it's lap. Cross gave a weak protest, but gave in quick enough when it's long arms draped over his shoulders and wrapped around his waist. "Mm..."

"Nno." Nightmare mumbled something under his breath and repeating the word Cross had been yelling a few seconds ago. "No. Nnooo."

"I feel like a mother--" Cross looked up at it in awe, a grin forming. "I'll teach you all the words you need to know, Nightmare. I'll have you fluent by uh--..."

He trailed off and tried to think realistically. He couldn't spend all his time at home teaching an alien how to talk - mainly because he had a job - there were too many other things for him to worry about. He'd have to figure out what it eats and what it doesn't, other inanimate objects - like stairs - it would hate and so much more.

"...Let's give it a year." He didn't even know if they'd make it as far as a year. Surely the government would have heard about the escaped alien from Area 51 and would be sending search parties out everywhere. His face would probably be plastered all over the newspapers and TV.

But he didn't want to think about that now, focusing on his new... child? He honestly couldn't call it that, and he knew it. But for now that was how he'd think of it; Nightmare was his child and he was the parent, teaching it everything it needed to know about the world.

"Crross. Nightmarrre. No."

He looked up to see it reciting the limited three words it had learnt, it's fingers twitching and curling as it did so. "Crross. Nnightmarre. Nnnnno."

Giggling and shifting on his lap so that they were facing each other Cross stared up at him excitedly. "Right- now try say antidisestablishmentarianism--"

It blinked rapidly, it's mouth poised open in silent thought. "...Cross--"

The male clapped his hands together and laughed, more-or-less ecstatic. "Perfect."

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UWUWUWUUWUWUWUWUWUWUWU ANOTHER DOOOOONNNEEEEE

Ngl I'm so obsessed with this concept lmao I love it almost as much as imaginary friend--

But uuwuwuwisysuejs more stuff soon, probably next week idk I'm kinda in the rhythm of pretty much one update a week but w e ' l l s e e

Hope you like this concept, and I'm so in love (still) with the idea Nightmare hates stairs like I kdhzjsksuxhsjxuhxudjxh-

Any suggestions for little scenarios that could go through then y'know drop a nice comment :P

-Jess-