The monster emerged from the closet, its claws twitching with ancient malice. It gently bumped its way passed the closet door as it prowled toward a young man illuminated by the stark glow of a TV in a dim living room. In aggressive, rapid-fire succession, the young man jammed at the buttons on his game controller, sometimes jerking back and forth instinctually from his seat to mirror the movements in his videogame.

Boney arms and fingers slowly began sliding their way over the top of couch as the monster silently positioned itself behind him. It tensed its slender black claws over his head, and its arms and hands vibrated with potential.

"Hey, pass me the chips over there, would ya, bud?" The roommate abruptly spoke up without even peeling his gaze from the screen, and the creature jolted in surprise. Continuing to clamber between buttons and joysticks, the roommate gestured with a flick of his head in the general direction of the kitchen.

The lithe monster shifted to look at the opposite end of the room. A crinkled, clipped bag lay on the kitchen counter reflecting the constant shifting light of this guy's videogame. The creature turned back to grimace at the back of its roommate's head. Hovering there, it inhaled a deep, hopefully-disruptive breath before forcing its hands down to its sides.

Melding with the shadows like water dripping into water, the monster disappeared from behind the couch and reappeared rising from behind the kitchen counter. Still nonplused, its roommate focused on the vibrant noise and navigation of a digital landscape. Not a single ounce of spatial awareness. Not a care. It would be so easy to...

A loud smack of crunchy foil and plastic collided with the young man's cheek before landing at his side. He winced but immediately honed back into the screen. "I'd prefer it if they weren't crumbs, but thanks," he voiced dryly.

Bastard. The monster grumbled loudly, letting it deviate into a growl while sinking back beneath the counter.