A soothing ambience hung in the library; the gentle pattering of the rain on the window being a very satisfying sound.
It was on a day like this Figure could be found, his fingers tracing over the nobbly bumps on the pages of his book. A few months, it took Figure to learn Braille, and life was entertaining again. Well, it wasn't just the Braille bringing a spice into it.
An entity trespassed, entering the room bordering his domain, and dared to stoop under the door. This entity was able to contort its form, as it consisted of a thick fluid, but when he bent to check, the residue was solidly stood in a humanoid form.
He went by 'Seek', and was infamous for trailing the humans until they stepped foot in his own domain, chasing them until they slammed a door in his face or got devoured.
Figure, re-engaging in reading after spiraling into a rabbit hole of thought, hummed to himself and melodically tapped his clawed fingers in a rhythmic tune on the table. The way the sound reverberated left him satisfied, and the vibration of the wood against his hand granted him contentment.
His melody met its premature end the moment the doors of his library swung open; Figure's focus slid from his book to the possible intrusion.
"Hey Figure, what are you up to?" Seek's quiet voice echoed through the library, and Figure's chest was supplied a warmth in the centre.
The feeling was such a curio to him, like he couldn't find the right words to describe the unfiltered joy he was given when Seek expended the effort to visit. Their little reading sessions caused his heart to flip, not that Seek could ever feel it.
But, as there was with every good thing, a string was attached; an almost unnoticeable tone of misery was carefully slotted under his voice, and Figure's excellent hearing knew he was there for more than a greeting.
Slamming his book shut as quietly as he could manage, Figure ridded his mind of any distractions before he spoke,"Is there something on your mind you wish to speak of? Anything at all?"
If Figure had the ability to see the room, he would've seen how the entity was struggling with his failure; his speed was often never enough for those who paired quick reaction time with running speed. The aftermath of a human's success really took a toll on the smaller of the two, and he couldn't stand it. He tried his best to clear his eye of any tears forming, but the reminiscence remained. He struggled to muster his response, and fought the shakiness of his voice, leaving a pathetic excuse of a whimper,"Not really."
His squeaky response had nobody fooled; Figure wasn't taken for a fool as easy as some may expect, and his blindness was no drawback in situations such as these. His steady stance drifted closer to Seek's, as he comfortably ghosted his hands over the smaller's firmless shoulders,"I know there's something, Seek. You can't take me for a ride when hearing is a key essence of my life."
He shivered in the taller entity's arms, shuddering as he tried to cry as silently as he could. Thankfully, Figure could only hear him in such a state, and not see him actually crying.
"I just…I hate it when I suck at the only thing I'm good at. I feel so bad whenever I let them go; it's like I've let the whole hotel down." Seek sobbed, his hands covering his eye.
Figure wasn't too sure how to console him, so he led him towards a sofa where he could try and relax. Yanking softly on Seek's shoulder, Figure pulled him downwards onto his lap,"It's not your fault, Seek. Humans have a tendency to be difficult. I mean, they refuse to oblige by the rules of this hotel and then expect mercy when you catch them. They're full of tricks, the manipulative things, and it's not your fault."
Seek didn't brighten up, and instead nestled himself into the crook of Figure's neck, finding a satisfaction in the closeness of the hold. He didn't speak, but Figure heard the compromise of a heartbeat and knew he'd calmed a little.
"You all have excuses though. Like, you're blind and you still manage to catch almost everyone who comes in here. Then there's me, who has nothing wrong with me except I can't turn a stupid doorknob!" Seek hissed, tightening his arms around Figure's torso. Even in his rage, he was careful as to not break the external skeletal structure Figure had. He whispered into Figure's chest,"I just hate being so helpless."
Considering Figure didn't have a typical face, it was challenging to find an expression which one could call reassuring. He didn't make any effort in contorting his mouth into any shape, and instead rested a hand on Seek's back and begun patting it,"You do your job as best you can, and I'll worry about what scraps you leave. You forget we work collectively, and we can get assistance from other entities if you find yourself struggling."
Seek leaned in ever so close to Figure, nuzzling against his lower neck,"But I don't want to be known as the entity who needs help. When did it get so difficult?!"
The feeling of Seek's 'flesh' against his neck made him tense up; the sensitive region causing him to jolt his head up,"W-Well, if it helps, humans slip by me all the time. They're so cunning and unpredictable. One brought these little things which exploded upon impact. You can imagine how much I tossed and turned trying to find the source of the banging, to find it was a human throwing them."
Stopping to breathe, Figure let his mind follow the soft pounding in Seek's chest, which had increased since they had huddled together on the sofa.
"Seek, you know I won't judge you for being honest. If you want, you can take the day off and stay here with me. We'll catch the humans together in here, where it'll be easier." Figure proposed, running his clawed fingertips over the surface of Seek's 'skin',"If you'd prefer."
Seek took the offer into consideration while Figure pended a response. The way he quietly mumbled,"Only because you're in here too." made Figure's heart beat irrationally fast.
A startled chuckle snuck from the jaws of the taller entity, and he rested his head atop Seek's,"Well, where else would I be? I'd hate to leave you alone in my library."
The teasing tone had Seek scoffing, cheering him up,"I'd hate to have you in my hallway because you'd burn yourself on the chandeliers."
"If that's what it takes to spend a day with you, then do be it. I'd hate to see you sad." Figure cooed, the corners of his mouth tugging into a smile.
"But, you can't see anything." Seek acknowledged, having Figure reconsider his poorly chosen words.
Folding his arms tightly around Seek, he muttered,"Then I suppose you can be my eyes. Tell me what goes on and whatnot. You up for the job?"
Seek's lower eyelid curved upwards into an appreciative smirk,"Yeah, I guess I could. You know, for such a big guy, you're a gentle giant."
"And for such a little guy, you're a fast runner." Figure returned, feeling his heart quiver,"And you're my eyes."
His eyes planted elsewhere told him a human had entered his domain, but he didn't feel like leaving; the comfort in Figure's presence and embrace was too great to give up. So what if it meant a human went free, since it was one dumb little creature anyway.
"Has anyone told you how smart you are?" Seek praised, closing his eye,"You're probably one of the smartest people I know, if not the smartest."
Rubbing his head against Figure's collarbone, he remarked,"And your arms are too comfortable. Them humans are lucky to spend a second like this."
Figure gingerly nuzzled his head against Seek's, purring lightly,"Only you get the luxury. I don't get half as intimate with them as I do with you."
A dozy feeling overcame Seek and, in his relaxed state, he forgot to reopen his eye and drifted off into a slumber. Figure leaned back, pulling Seek onto the sofa completely before repositioning himself to be behind him, draping his arms onto him. He acted as a cocoon, shielding him from the dangers of the hotel.
Figure didn't know how long he intended to let it last, but he silently prayed he could live in the moment forever, to be locked in that state of intimacy and affection for as long as time could continue on.
He relaxed his body, releasing the tension from his muscles before following suit, drifting into a pleasant slumber after planting a kiss on Seek's forehead.
