Sebastian's POV
I woke up with approximately five inches of knee jammed into my ribcage.
Ava was sprawled sideways across my bed like a starfish mid-exorcism. Her hair was a mess of black waves tangled over my face, and at least two of her limbs were still wrapped around me like she'd sleep-fought a demon and used me as a shield.
Which, to be fair, was basically what happened.
"Seb," she mumbled groggily, not even opening her eyes. "We have to check."
"For what?" I said flatly, voice rough from sleep.
"The monster."
Ah. Right.
I turned my head toward her. "Still convinced he's under the bed?"
She cracked one eye open and whispered like it was a state secret. "He's probably moved. Monsters do that."
I stared at her for a beat. "You want me to sweep your room for a supernatural entity before I've had coffee."
"Yes."
"…Fine."
She followed me down the hall like a tiny gremlin in socks, half hiding behind me, half clinging to the back of my T-shirt.
"Wait," she said. "Don't just walk in."
"Why?"
"What if it lunges?"
I sighed. Loudly. "Ava."
"Just—do it tactically."
So I did.
Opened the door slowly like I was in a bad spy movie. Clicked on the light. Stepped inside.
She stayed behind me like she was on a military operation.
"Okay," I said. "No blood on the walls. No claw marks. No suspicious green goo."
"I hate you."
"Shhh," I whispered dramatically, crouching beside the bed. "He might still be here."
She squeaked and slapped my shoulder. "I swear to god if you pretend something grabs you I will scream."
"Too late," I said, ducking down.
I paused. Then popped up with a straight face.
"Well. I found a half-eaten cookie and three socks. But no monster."
She kicked at my ankle. "I hate you."
By the time we made it to the kitchen, she was trying to act like the night before never happened.
She sat on the counter, swinging her legs, scrolling her phone like it hadn't taken me twenty minutes to convince her to sleep in her own bed after the monster sweep.
I handed her a mug of hot cocoa. "Sleep well?"
She didn't look up. "I always sleep well."
"Huh," I said, taking a sip of my coffee. "So it wasn't you who barged into my room at 12:47 AM screaming about a werewolf frog demon trying to eat your toes?"
Her head snapped toward me. "Shut up."
"Oh no. I remember it very clearly," I said. "You cried, you climbed me like a cat, and then you declared your undying love in exchange for monster protection services."
"I was half asleep."
"You said I was better than chicken nuggets."
Her cheeks flushed instantly. "I was delirious."
"Then you made me check under your bed at sunrise."
"I was being cautious!"
I walked past her, leaned close, and whispered just loud enough to make her squirm:"You're sixteen years old, Ava."
She huffed. "You're insufferable."
"You're ridiculous."
"You love me."
"Unfortunately."
She grinned and took a smug sip of her cocoa. "Damn right you do."
I did.
Even if she drove me half insane and made me search for imaginary monsters before coffee.
Hell, I'd do it again.