“Well shave my horns and call me a mortal, this kid’s insane.” // OxO // CLOSED ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

Normally, Sloght would have twisted his face up in a grotesque grin, and if the child called their parents, he’d disappear in thin air. But, for some reason, he didn’t feel the draw. He didn’t want to scare her. Just observe.
He creeped further back beneath the bed, ears back and tail flicking. If she saw him, it wouldn’t matter. Part of him even wanted her to. He wanted to know what made her paranoia trigger.
Instead, he just pressed himself against the floor, looking almost cat-like in his position.

Sloght slinked back to the shadows, disappearing fully. He’d go back to the other demons and report his findings… maybe.
He disappeared from under the bed, leaving no trace, and leapt through the shadows of the street until he returned to where he had previously come. Leaping back into another shadow, he appeared at the headquarters.
Upon his arrival, the small goblin ran up, ears perked higher now.
“Well, sir? How was it? Did you show them that I could be done?” the small demon asked.
Sloghtfoot gave a sort of pressed sigh, keeping his eyes off the member before him.
“…. I want to be assigned there again tonight,” he mumbled, voice deep. The girl’s situation had piqued his curiosity greatly. “I would like to keep this one.”
“Right, sir!” the goblin replied, and skittered off, leaving Sloght to just him and his thoughts.

Sloghtfoot, as he was left to his own devices, couldn’t help the racking of his brain. The curiosity, of course, kept desperately asking to be followed.
And, after a long while, he gave in.
He crept back to the small house, slipping under the bed once more, and laying down. He’d keep his post here until he found what was keeping this child from being scared by the horrors that lay beneath her.

Sloght had almost fallen asleep himself by the time the child returned, but snapped wide awake when she did.
With no other real resorts, he decided tonight would be a test.
Slowly, he dragged his claws on the floor once more. With it, he let out a small growl, that seemed more demonic than any animal he’d been in contact with. It wasn’t loud enough to distinguish well, just enough to set unease.

Sloght’s clouded eyes glowed beneath the bed, his growls and scratches stopping the instant he sensed the other presence. He kept alert, however, his ears perked forward and his fur on end.
This. This is what he waited for. This fear the child felt at the voice.
He waited below the bed, awaiting the next move from either the child or the voice behind the door.

Instead of slinking into the shadows like he normally did, Sloght instinctively grabbed the child, putting an arm around her small frame and glaring from beneath the bed. He resisted the urge to growl at the feet of the figure provoking her, but if the man showed his face, there’d certainly be hell to pay.
His claws were extended and his face twisted back in a snarl, but none were angled toward the little girl.

It was then Sloghtfoot let out a furious growl, holding the kid closer. If he wanted to scare her, then no one else could.
His fur ruffled upon his back, his eyes still glowing their milky white color and his lips stretched back to reveal his lengthy incisors. His ears were pressed back against his head and the cracks in his horns glowed a piercing amber.

Seeing no reason as to hide anymore, Sloght slid out from under the bed. He tried to look as least threatening as he could, his horns no longer glowing and his eyes much kinder. He looked to the child, and although he stood tall and proud, his voice was soft.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his voice deep and melodic. It came out as a partial whisper laced with concern.

“My name is Sloghtfoot,” he said, a small purr in his voice. He was glad she had calmed, enough to speak at least. “And… I’m the monster under your bed.”

“Every child has one,” he mumbled, flicking his tail. His voice resonated through the air, his fangs glinting in the dim light. “You just happened to have me.”

Sloght’s pupils thinned to slits as he heard the muffled yells. Although despite them, he kept his attention on the little one.
“Until you grow up, and cease getting scared,” he said half-heartedly, seeming more occupied with the issue at hand. “But there were multiple before me, under your bed. They said they couldn’t ever scare you. I understand why now.”
Slowly he moved his eyes to where she sat, stepping forward. “But, you don’t have to worry. He won’t hurt you.”
As he mentioned the man, he flicked his head in the direction of the door.
“I’ll be here every night. For as long as you need me.”

Sloght let out a small animalistic grumble, twitching his nose and bending down to greet the little dog. Well, little to him. His tail flicked with curiosity. He hadn’t met too many animals in his time. He was mainly just surrounded by demons.
His eyes glanced back up to the girl, and he let out a comforting purr.
“Of course,” he said. “Each demon’s child is theirs. No one should get in the way of that, hm? Also, may I ask— what is your name, young one?”

“Your old mother?” he asked quietly, cocking his head slightly. I didn’t know kids had multiple…, he thought.
Before continuing, Sloght cleared his throat, tail swishing.
“Which one of those names would you like me to call you?” he mumbled, voice raspy.

Sloght let out a small, almost inaudible whimper. This poor girl…
“Then I will call you Izzy,” he said, his melodic voice almost not even fitting the word.
He gave a sigh, closing his eyes. This little girl was… strong. Very strong.
Maybe, maybe he would go to her school with her. Demons had the ability to live within shadows. So he’d stay in hers. Only come out when she needed him. She deserved that.

Sloght raised an eyebrow, watching as the small child fell limp against the door. He looked from the pup to the kid, then finally decided to help out. Slowly he cradled Izzy, picking her up and setting her gently in her bed. He took the covers in his mouth, his fangs ripping small holes as he pulled the blankets up to under her chin.
He crawled reluctantly back under the bed, keeping his eyes locked on the doorway.