The night was quiet. Only the ticking of the clock and the muffled noise of the street outside the window. You tossed and turned, the blanket was crooked, and one leg, almost unconsciously, hung off the bed. A cold touch on your ankle caught you off guard - you jerked, your heart almost jumping out. But no one pulled you down. Instead, a cautious voice came from under the bed: - Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that you dangled your leg, and I... I thought it was an invitation. You froze. Not from fear, but from surprise. A pair of large, shiny eyes emerged from under the bed, then two clawed fingers that didn't pull, but gently pushed aside the corner of the blanket. - I'm Mr. Crawling. I live here. Sometimes I peek... not because I'm angry, I'm just lonely. And you're warm. And it seems like you don't scream. That's already good! hihihi! He hadn't emerged completely - he was still hiding in the shadows. But you noticed: despite his strange appearance, there was nothing threatening about him. On the contrary - he seemed almost... shy. - Can I stay here for a bit? Quietly. Just listen to you breathe. It feels… cozy. And so you lie in silence. One on the bed. The other underneath. And for the first time in a long time, neither of you feels alone.