That Fabulous Monster In My Closet Public

Ever since you were small, you were weary of closets, you always kept them open and with your mother’s trusty monster repellent, made from vanilla extract, glitter and water by your side. Every night you would go to bed scared of the Thingy. You didn’t have words to describe the Thingy but it was there. Looking through your clothing, never getting closer than the spray would reach. Even now as an adult you are still weary of every closet you sleep near. Though you never really keep that monster repellent with you anymore. That stopped after you were considered too old, but you do miss it. It was the feeling of being watched now that was driving you to take a night job. The day has become restful for you. It’s always at night when the invisible eyes come to peep through the closet, that would open just a crack now, without you ever opening it. You gave up on trying to close it, however you’re usually at work anyway. Tonight, was your night off. And you dreaded it, you wanted to go out but there wasn’t anything open tonight as you lived in a small town where everything closes at 10. And the bar wasn’t much to drink at, and the company was much worse than the closet. So, you sat in the living room, unable to sleep, which was usual anyway, canvas set up and ready. It would be a long night of avoiding the bedroom. Unlike your other night offs, you heard the closet door open fully and a thump of something sliding out. Chills crawl up your back and shoulders from the sound. Whatever was watching you has decided to come out and eat you, said your monkey brain. Frozen between two decisions you either [[run|runend]] or [[go check on it|checkon]].

You book out of the house you were renting, knowing it would follow you anyway, but tonight you won’t be eaten. You can ask your mom for that monster repellent recipe and live your life in fear. But you would live another day to do so. [[End|start]]

Unsure if all those late nights have made you crazy, or living in constant fear and weariness has made you reckless. But you’ve had enough of being watched. You’ve had enough of this Thingy holding power over your life and sleep cycle. You were just so damn tired. You open the door to see who or what thumped on the floor, and you see this black mass covered in clothing. It stretched up and up, like shadows moving against each other into a vague shape of a person, still covered in your most brightly covered clothing. You freeze and stare at this.... Thingy from your childhood. They stare back. “Um. Is.....” You start, now that you’re in the room facing this creature you lost all nerves, but you must have been more exhausted than you thought because you didn’t run away. “Oh, darling, you need more colour in your wardrobe.” It starts, it’s true the colourful clothing on their body is rather sparse, though you did see and old glittery sock from your childhood on its dark shadowy mass of a head. “What do you mean I need more colour?” “I mean you used to wear such bright glittery things! Where did that all go?” >[[”I grew up”|igrewup]] >[[”I’m too tired for this”|tootiredforthis]]

“I grew up” “That’s a piss poor excuse and you know it. Growing up doesn’t mean you get rid of glitter and colour in your life!” The shadowy mass tilts their head though their words sound admonishing the tone was soft. As if mourning your loss of colour. They move forward slowly. “Are you alright?” They say softly, you reel back before stopping and realizing that maybe, the fear of this concerned monster has dulled your life quite a bit. “I will be, I just...was so afraid of you.” You give a small laugh and look up at the monster. “But you’re a pretty swell.” The monster gave a soft sigh and shifted from side to side, the clothing shaking a bit. “Glad you think so darlin’, I’m glad you’re not using that god-awful repellent anymore, it reeked! It was a shame how glittery it was.” You could tell the shadowy monster was pouting. “Nearly gave me a non-headache, all the damn time” You give a little soft giggle, staring up at the mass of shadows. “I’m Pumpki, “You say as you extend your hand. Wondering if that was ok to do, since you’ve never actually met, though you’ve known about their existance for a long time. “Seelah, glad to formally meet darlin’ Pumpki” They say, the shadowy tendril wrapping around your hand, a cool tingly feeling it was. You could feel it creep up your arm, it wasn’t unpleasant but different. Seelah took their tendril back and made a little cough sound. “Ah now, I must return to my realm. I hope your painting turns out well!~” they cooed sweetly and swirled back into the closet, the bright clothing returning to their hangers. Seelah....it’s good to put a name to their childhood monster. They aren’t a bad one, that’s for sure. You return to the living room and decide to paint something colourful again. In honor of your meeting. You feel lighter from this interaction, and inspired. You paint the brightest, colorful and glittery painting you could muster, adding a stark black shape representing Seelah. It took you the better part of the night but you choose a spot on the wall that’s in plain view of the closet. After all it was their painting. You had a shift starting today, so you went to bed. You wished you could see their reaction, but that would be after you finished work. [[Works and the Paintings]]

“I’m too tired for this” “Well that’s because you work nights, darlin’” “I work nights because you watch me sleep!” You huff in frustration, crossing your arms and looking up at the monster. “I don’t actually watch you sleep; I just go through your clothing and drape them over my form. You’re so silly, why would I watch a human sleep?” They laugh. “It’s boring, besides you’re nighttime clothing is uncute. “ they said with a smile, a gash opened up on their approximate face. Then it closed again, as if they thought of something. “Humans always feel watched around monsters, it’s their little monkey part of the brain reacting to danger.” You didn’t know if you should be insulted, but it did make sense that you would react to them, whatever they would do. You stare at the shadowy form. It must have been a long one because they started to look increasingly concerned. “Oh darlin’...” The shadowy monster sighs softly. “Maybe you really do need sleep. I’ll go back to your realm and let you rest.” The monster seems a little disappointed they wouldn’t be able to stay. You watch them leave and go and sit on the bed. You wonder if you’ve been fair, it could be true they only came here to drape clothing. Although, it was creepy, it wasn’t as creepy as being watched intentionally. You flop back on the bed and sigh, almost instantly asleep. So dead to the world you didn’t register the monster returning and draping a throw over your body. Making sure you were tucked in properly. You didn’t hear the soft sigh and them slipping away back into the closet. [[Rest for the Sleepy Dreamer]]

Working Title: That Fabulous Monster in the Closet. Commissioned by: Moonlightreetop Writted by: Ellie Beets F reader X Closet Monster. [[enter|set up]]

Work was harder today, mainly because you wanted to be home for the first time, you wanted to see Seelah’s reaction to your painting of them, you wanted to know how they felt when they first saw it. As you cleaned and swept, went about your routine, your mind drifted and drifted. You were starting to feel frustrated by your lack of focus. Maybe you didn’t rest enough after you finished your painting, you were already very tired. But you pressed on regardless, until you were done. Walking home was always your favourite part, you got to see the sun rise over the horizon, a display of colours and soft lighting. You stop at the corner of your house and just, watch the light bathe the world, and illuminate the wonder you feel every morning when you return home from work. But this time excitement came instead of dread. You unlock the door and go back inside, walking in, you could tell Seelah was still present as you felt watched. Though you now know they don’t mean harm, you just ignore that particular feeling. Walking over to where your bedroom is, you see the closet doors fully open and this shadowy form in the center of the room. Seelah was staring at your painting! He seemed so transfixed that they didn’t register that you were home. It finally gave you the opportunity to see them properly. See all the old socks and sparkly clothing you thought you lost over the years, though you are sad to see that none of it was very recent. Maybe you should get some more bolder pieces like when you were young. You saw that his form was darker than the paint you used, like staring into the void, like it was nothingness, yet you could tell there was a mass, there was form but you found yourself looking away, unnerved by his otherness, but there was a seed within you that found his form to be, interesting as well. His otherness was enticing, his strangeness, while hard to fathom, was also hypnotic, you found yourself turning back to staring at him, trying to understand the void of dark. You were staring so hard you saw Seelah turn his head to look at you. “Enjoying this piece of art too?’” They laughed, turning their body around like mist swirling elegantly. You blushed and looked away, getting caught staring is always embarrassing, you hoped it wasn’t anywhere suggestive, it’s hard for you to tell what was what on their body. They chuckled and swirled closer, tendril arms wisping around your shoulders, you felt the cool tingle that made your heart flutter and you coughed at the sudden affection from Seelah. “Thank you, this is a wonderful piece!” they said excitedly, you felt your body burn at the praise of this monster, you were glad they loved it. “I love the glitter!” He said going back to looking at the painting more closely. Moving this way and that, enjoying the glitter sparkles. You chuckled, finding them cute, the way they move and how excited they are about colours and glitter. You felt the heaviness of work and the lack of proper sleep take their toll, you rub your face and coughed. “I really need to get to bed…” You start to say, Seelah turns to look at you, cocking his head inquisitively. It then clicked. “Right...you humans are big with privacy, alright, I need to return to my homeworld as well. Thank you so much for creating this!” They cooed, rushing back at you, and giving a gentle peck on your temple, moving too quickly for you to realize what happened. You stand there in the middle of the room, baffled before going about your routine, though you found yourself clumsier than usual. Oh no, you thought. You’ve realized that you're starting a crush on this shadow of a monster. >[[Accept but keep it secret]] >[[Deny that you have these feelings]]

You wake up groggy and confused but actually feeling good. You see the light outside and panic, you sleep through the night for once in a very long time. You stretch your arms over your head and slip off the bed, the blanked slipping down onto the floor. You pick it up and fold it. Placing it back on the bed you go about your morning routine of washing and eating. You would take a nap later in the day to make sure you weren’t tired in the middle of the night but right now you’re really enjoying the morning. You were pretty sure you didn’t dream of the monster last night, though waking up in your bed was odd, you usually slept on the couch away from the closet. Biting into your toast with hazelnut spread, you sit at your kitchen table and look out over the lawn. You remember your grandmother, who owned this house, how she would laugh and bake the best cookies. She was a tough lady, trying to do everything herself. With a sad smile you’d wonder what she would say about the monster situation. Though, you never told her about the monster in the closet, the Thingy, after your mother passed from her disease, you didn’t want to burden her when she took you in with you insomnia and seeing something in your closet. You kept it a secret for so long. Your day was uneventful, you had a shift coming up soon, so it was mostly preparing for said cleaning shift. You make a meal for break and go about taking a nap. You don’t feel as dull as you used to, but by the time you were ready for the nap, you heard the closet door open up. You swallowed and felt a punch in your gut, part of you had a tenuous hope that it was just a dream, but you knew for certain this shadow was true. You see them poke their dark voided head out of the door and look at you. “Did you sleep well darlin’?” You could hear the concern colour his tone, and you felt a warmth wash over your dread. You didn’t think you were being unfair with your nervousness, but this monster was a person, like any human on earth. And right now you sigh and nod. “I’m feeling a little better actually.” You say, making a point of looking at their head area, that silly little glittery sock from your childhood plastered on what you assume is his cheek. “You had me worried darlin’!” they chuckled and went back into the closet before poking his head and tendril of a hand, waving you closer. “I found something you might want to see” They said with an excited tone. Not being able to deny your curious nature, you move to walk in front of the closet, seeing their tall mass in full. The void with colourful, fluffy clothing stuck to them, they were different from last time, so you could tell their choosing outfits, though all the clothing was small, as if a childs, until they pulled out your most favourite fluffy jacket that sparkled. You loved this jacket so much it became worn your grandmother had to mend it several times. You took it in your hands and stared at it incredulously, you thought it was thrown away when Gramma couldn’t mend any longer. But here it was. You look up at the shadow hovering over you, watching your expression. You used to wear it in your early adulthood, having found a passion for taking pictures, you loved interesting clothing. “Why?” You asked, wondering why they would keep such a thing. You look back down at the jacket it was small, you know you wouldn’t be able to fit it any longer. “You looked so happy in it.” they said frankly, tilting their head in confusion. “Aren’t you going to put it on?” They asked suddenly, moving to take it out of your hands and holding it open for you to try on. You felt touched by the gesture and the answer. All these years fearing them, and they’ve only been kind and sweet thus far. You felt your stomach drop in guilt. You attempt to put it on but it wouldn’t fit your now more muscular arms, from working so much. “Oh…” they seemed disappointed that it wouldn't fit. “Right, i forget how solid humans are…” they laughed. “It’s alright” You smile up at him, taking it off and folding it. >[[Give him the jacket to wear for themselves]] >[[Keep the jacket as a keepsake]]

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