Hellbeast – 556 Words

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Hux starts and jerks forward, head whipping around to peer into the darkness behind the couch at the squeak on the staircase. “What was that?” he whispers, driving his elbow into Ren’s side to get his attention.

Ren reaches out to pause the movie, a long suffering sigh deflating his shoulders. “It was just the cat. We’re literally two minutes into this movie, they haven’t even finished moving into their house. Let’s stop and watch House Hunters instead like you wanted.”

Hux shakes his head and nestles back against his husband’s side, fingers curling around the top of the blanket draped over them and tugging it a little higher towards his chin. Because of the cold. Not because he’s scared. “It’s fine. I’m fine. I want to watch this; it’s your favorite.”

He can feel Ren’s scrutinizing gaze burning a hole in the top of his head, but he refuses to acknowledge it.

“Okay, but I have a meeting early tomorrow morning, we’re not sleeping with the lights on like after The Blair Witch Project.”

“That was years ago—”

“It was four months ago.”

“—and I already told you I’m fine. I’m excited to see this, just start it back up.”

Ren presses play.

The movie is a artful presentation of ambient sound and limiting camera angles from the get-go. Hux’s hands unconsciously move upwards, ready to press his knuckles against his ears at the first inhuman shriek, craning his neck this way and that in a vain attempt to see around the corners on the screen.

“Why are the kids playing that game?” He whispers as he watches the little girls play a form of hide and seek, the seeker’s eyes pressed closed and arms outstretched as she ambles around the house. “It’s incredibly unsafe,” he reasons, ducking his head as she approaches a closet that surely a spirit or demon is lurking within.

“Do you want me to turn it off?” Ren questions again, to which Hux stubbornly shakes his head.

The little girls are sleeping peacefully when one is woken by an unseen force dragging her down the length of her bed. She sits up with a start, gaze drawn to the shadowy abyss behind her door. She wakes her sister, claiming there’s someone there.

Hux’s gaze flicks down the hall where their linen closet door rests open in much the same way.

“It’s looking right at us.” The older sister gets up to investigate while the younger looks tearfully on.

“Ren, did you hear something?”

“Probably just the cat again,” Ren groans. “But I’ll check if it’ll make you feel better.”

Hux nods until Ren actually disentangles himself and takes his comforting warmth with him. “Wait—” He reaches out, but Ren is already heading into the dark.

Suddenly something tears down the hallway at breakneck speed, pulling at the carpet with each galloping stride. It leaps at the open door, slamming it closed, and continues to hurtle towards the living room.

A shrill cry rips from Hux’s throat as he flattens himself against the couch cushions, pulling the protective cashmere blanket up over his head.

The hellbeast lands solidly on the back of the couch, jumping down, stepping on Hux’s back before settling near the bump of his head beneath the blanket. And… it purrs.

“Told you it was just the cat!”