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"You have got to be kidding me."Google scrolled through the lists, searching, scanning for anyone else who may be able to handle the teen. Any other nightmare, any other beast who could deal with being their monster under the bed. But there were none.Well, save for himself.He didn't like doing fieldwork, he really, really didn't. But when literally every creature he asks denies or backs out after the first night, it doesn't leave much room for other options. The only ones he hadn't asked for were the especially cruel ones, the ones who had been around centuries before he had. He wouldn't wish them on any of his wards, even if they were to terrify and elicit fear.With a heavy sigh, Google mixed around his scheduling and making room for the teen's night.And if this didn't work...he would have no other choice but to get the elder beasts to take over for him when it came to the human.
.........
Sunset had exploded across the sky in pinks and oranges as Google snuck inside the bedroom. He read the file, he knew who Erek was, what he feared, what he was doing tonight, when he planned on falling asleep, always home and asleep much earlier than his siblings. He seemed to be the odd one out of the family, unusually jumpy and anxious. It made him wonder why no one could handle him more than a few days after the first beast, a male who went by Jameson, had quit with a sad smile.Nightfall drew closer and closer, and he heard the door open and close. An hour later, and the teenager was in bed. He glanced at the clock. 9:47pm. Definitely an unusual child.Google figured he could begin his night's work now, as he was already in bed and only reading a novel. He reached out, not enough to be seen, but enough to run his claws along the side of the bed, scratching the wood and leaving behind lines of where he ran his clawtips. It easily drew a whimper from the teen, and he nearly laughed. Really, why did others seem to run away when he was just too easy to terrify.His thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang, most likely one of his brothers returning from work. But the sluggish footsteps and loud voices drew nearer, and he heard panicked shuffling coming from the bed. Soon enough, he was surprised by the teen crawling under the bed. With him. Fully aware of his presence."P-please move over!" the boy begged, clearly fearful of whoever was approaching. And Google, much to his own surprise, moved over and pulled him in.As the human shook under his touch, pieces began to fall into place. Why every single one couldn't handle being Erek Derekson's monster under the bed.He already had monsters in his life, and they were never restricted to the nighttime.The bedroom door slammed open, and Google had to wrinkle his nose at the scent of alchohol. Granted, he did have a stronger sense of smell than humans, but even he could tell this was too much."Eeeereeeek~!" A man, whom he could already identify as Derek Derekson, slurred. "Get your ass out here! Stop hiding under the bed like a bitch babyyy!"The human male whimpered, and Google quickly covered his mouth. But it wasn't quick enough."Heee's under there, Derek, just grab 'im," Another man, presumably one of Derek's associates, laughed. Footsteps edged closer, and he could feel the human curling up and seeming as small as possible. When a hand reached under the bed, he had enough.Google unwound from the small human, letting the drunken male grab his hand instead of Erek, and used it as leverage to pull himself out from under the bed."Would you lookit that, he's whoring himself out now!" the coworker and father laughed, too drunk to realize what sort of danger they were in. Then again, he did keep most features hidden when under the bed. Easier to hide and stay hidden, even among humans. But he wasn't under the bed hiding anymore.Claws that were originally less than an inch became three, teeth became fangs, eyes became black with glowing blue irises. His tail, originally a deep grey and only flared out at the end, now had spiked ridges all along the tail and wound up to the nape of his neck. Lines streaked his face, a bright blue with dark edges. His legs and feet changed, turning more animalistic, more dragon-like. He was made to strike fear, to intimidate, to make humans feel as if they had looked the devil in the eyes after they lost a fight with him.And he never failed his primary objective.Google growled, and the men had stopped their laughing. When he reached for one of their shirts and lifted the man up by is, the scent of piss hit his nose and he hissed. "Leave him be," his voice sounded cold, metallic, yet so full of anger, "Do not touch the boy, or I will return, and I will not restrain myself so easily."With that, he dropped the man, and both scrambled out of the room. He didn't move until the front door slammed again, and only then did he reach down and held out a clawed hand for the teen under the bed to take.A bony hand grasped his, and Google assisted in helping him out from under the bed. Erek didn't even flinch away from the monstrous form he took, but rather did the opposite and...hugged him?It was certainly a new experience. He didn't believe he had been hugged like so before, much less by a human. It was...nice. Surprisingly warm and calming.He curled around the teen, vowing to keep him safe, to protect him from whatever horrors plagued his home life.Google may be a monster under the bed, made to terrify, but he was this human's monster under the bed.And there would be no god for whoever got in his way.