Abby wasn't sure what had possessed her, but she somehow allowed the Living Inferno to
stay in her house. She'd given him a room and everything. Eveon was due back today, but she
figured it would be better not to introduce her to the weirdo. Maybe tomorrow. Speaking of
her daughter...
"Eveon Kasaguri, is that a hickey on your neck?" Her daughter whirled around, hand
slapping over the area in question. "Wh-what?" Abby stalked over to her daughter, an impish
smile on her face. "Why don't you let your mommy see?" She peeled Eveon's hand away and
there was indeed a bright red spot, presumably left by Mina.
Her daughter was flushing bright red. "I know you and Mina are passionate, but jeez!
Ain't that a bit much? You have school tomorrow too..." While everyone at the high school
knew about Eveon and Mina's relationship, them seeing the hickey would be a bit much. "You
better where a high collar shirt or scarf or something."
Eveon was beet red still. Actually, the blonde girl was surprised her mommy wasn't
making that much fun of her. She started up the stairs and heard her mother say, "Oh and
Eveon, if you have any hickeys down there, make sure not to wear shorts."
"Mommy!"
*****
Abby took a curious peek into the Living Inferno's temporary room. She was surprised
to see the lights were off and he was sitting on the edge of the bed, eyes closed. She came
in and shut the door behind her. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I know I gave you a
room and all, but you don't have to confine yourself to it. Don't you need to eat?"
He looked away, towards the window. "Not precisely." The sun was going down and Abby
took a peek at her watch. It was evening and her mysterious guest had yet to eat. "I'll...
go make you something. Anything you particularly want?" He shook his head, the hood of the
cloak barely moving. She left the room.
When she came back, she had a tray with a sandwich and green tea. Abby set it down on
the desk near the bed and looked over at the Living Inferno. "Alright, there you go. I'll
come pick up the dishes in the morning, okay?" As she turned to leave, she heard his
gravelly voice.
"Thank you very much. You've been very kind to me." Abby had to smile a bit. The
Living Inferno did not seem to be one to toss compliments around. "No worries. Enjoy."
*****
Abby was awoken by a shrill scream. Eveon's shrill scream to be exact. Very rarely did
her daughter scream so... She jumped out of the bed and started running out of her room and
down the hall. What could have happened? When she was a little ways away from Eveon's room,
her daughter was sprinting right towards her.
"Mommy!" She cried out, launching herself into Abby's arms, obviously terrified and
distraught. "You lied! You said there wasn't a boogeyman, but there is! There is!!! You said
the sounds were you and Daddy having fun, but I saw it! It was in my room!!!"
"Eveon... Eveon, calm down," Abby said, sighing. "There's no such thing as the
boogeyman..." Go figure, her daughter had a nightmare. Eveon took a look over her shoulder
before letting out a small cry and hiding behind Abby. The blonde mother looked up to see
the shadowy shape coming towards them. Abby let out a long sigh upon hearing a somewhat
apologetic, raspy voice. "I... I'm sorry I scared you... I didn't mean to-"
The Living Inferno stopped speaking when it saw Abby. He looked down at his own
armored feet. She was sure if the armor wasn't concealing his face, he would be blushing up
a storm. "See! IT's the boogeyman! I saw him sitting next to my bed!" Abby just grabbed her
daughter by the shoulders and shoved her forward. "Eveon, this is the Living Inferno. As
creepy as he seems, he's neither the boogeyman nor something that will eat you."
Regardless of Abby's words, Eveon was desperately trying to get away and hide behind
her mother. The Living Inferno reached out one hand as though to cup Eveon's cheek.
"Hello..." He said in a raspy voice. Eveon's only response was to break free of Abby's grips
on her shoulders and hide behind her mommy again. "H-hi..." She said shakily, still
disturbed.
Abby started to pull Eveon back to her room. Her daughter darted inside and quickly
locked the door. The Living Inferno almost gulped audibly when he saw the look in Abby's
eyes. He found himself being dragged down the stairs by an armored wrist. Abby herself was
surprised at how nice and cool the armor was. As soon as they reached the kitchen, she
turned on the lights and grabbed a pan.
The Living Inferno was soon clutching his armored head in agony as Abby put away the
now dented pan. "I would have smacked you upside the head, but I didn't want to bruise my
hand." She turned around to face him. "That's what you get for scaring my daughter shitless
and waking me up in the middle of the night."
"I... I'm sorry..." He said, taking his hands away from his head. "What were you doing
in her room anyways?" He looked over at her. "You have a precious and beautiful daughter,
Abby. I couldn't help it... I love children." Abby just gave him a blank stare. "I hope you
mean that you love children, not you love to sleep with children."
He just stared at her. Obviously, he didn't get her joke. "...I had a daughter once...
but whenever I try to come in contact with children nowadays, they get scared, like Eveon."
He looked down at the ground. Abby then kind of felt bad. Of course kids would be afraid of
something that looked like the boogeyman or another kind of monster that devoured children.
"Okay... but what did you do to Eveon?" He looked back over at her. "I... couldn't
help it... I just cupped her cheek and she seemed so innocent and pretty..." He looked away
in what Abby could only assume was embarrassment. "Then she woke up and screamed." Abby just
laughed. "You know, even if you didn't look so creepy, I'm sure she would have screamed
anyways."
She boosted herself up to sit on the counter. "But... if you're really that desperate
for a kid of your own, I'd bee happy to be your personal incubator." His eyes widened
visibly and he looked down at the ground. "That... I... we..." She laughed again. "Oh, no
worries. It was kind of a joke, anyway. But with science, you could get your own kid,
unless... are you sterile?"
The Living Inferno was still looking at the ground. "...I don't know." Abby sighed and
looked at him. "How do you use the bathroom?" He shrugged. She was going to ask him to be
more specific, but she closed her mouth. There are some things better left unknown.
*****
Eveon kept peering around the corner. She had gotten up this morning, gotten dressed
(scarf included) and was now ready to go eat breakfast. One problem - the... thing... was in
the kitchen. The kitchen! She had convinced herself it was all a dream, but nooo... creepy
shadow thing was in the kitchen, washing some dishes.
This couldn't be happening, right? She watched as he tenderly placed the dishes in the
dishwasher and shut it. Great. A boogeyman who could do dishes duty. Eveon was startled when
he said, "You've been standing there for the last four minutes. Shouldn't you be getting
ready for school?" His voice was something akin to if a car was being grated by a cheese
grater.
Eveon stepped out from her hiding spot only to be greeted by those strange red eyes.
They were a lot different than her mommy's. She gulped audibly before shakily walking over
to the table. "H-hi..." she murmured, setting her book bag next to a chair. He just stared
at her before bowing his hooded head. "I'm sorry I scared you last night." She winced at his
voice, but just nodded. "That... that's okay; just don't sneak into my room again, alright?"
He nodded and she walked over the pantry to get some cereal. Thus, an awkward
breakfast followed. Eveon was trying not to fidget under his intense stare. When she
finished, she watched in slight surprise as he took her bowl and started to wash it in the
sink. "Um... thank you..." Eveon murmured and he gave a nod of acknowledgement. It was then
that she decided to slip out of the room.
Right when she was near the front door, she saw her mother coming towards her. "Have a
nice day at school-" Abby was cut off by Eveon's frantic whispering. "The thing! That guy!
Why is he still here?" Abby just gave her a blank look. "He's been here for... I think this
is the second day." Eveon just gave her an exasperated expression. "Are you serious? Isn't
he a bit... creepy?!"
Abby sighed and place a reassuring hand on Eveon's head. "Look. He means well. He just
likes kids, that's all. I mean, if he really wanted to touch you in the same way Mina does-"
Eveon glared at her, "-then he would have to take off all that silly armor first. Plus, I
don't think he's that type of guy. He just likes to stare. Be nice, okay?" Eveon let out a
long sigh. "Fiiiine... If I get molested, it's your fault."
As Eveon walked out the door, she heard Abby say, "I think the only person you should
worry about molesting you is Mina."
"Mommy!"
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