We weren't on the bed anymore. My body was pressed against the foot of the bed as if I tripped onto it. Simultaneously, my eyes were all rapidly fluttering, trying to picture what was present before me.

The scent in the room had altered. It had become colder in the room, the aroma mixed with sweat and quaint coffee beans. It stung, forcing my eyes to blink more to adjust to the heavy mist that filled the air. I couldn't think well while waking up this time. All that I could perceive was the fuzzy blue figure in front of me.

As my eyes adjusted, the being in front of me came into focus. From the top-down, he had antlers, large, twirling ones that protruded far from each side of his head, colored with a dark brown hue. His face was slightly contorted to match the visage of a deer coated in saturated blue fur, caking his entirety. Around his eyes and big, black button nose were faint teal circles that faintly gleamed in the darkness of this room. He wore Spencer's clothing, shared his same frame, and all of his body's quirks, including his somewhat thick hands and feet that dared to contrast the venison's aesthetic. This has to be his sleep state unless I'm insane (I'm often considered sane).

Then, I noticed where his arms were. Both of them disappeared beyond the corners of my vision. As my smaller eyes finished adjusting, I could see that one of his arms was on the left side of my head and the other was on the right as if he pushed me onto the bed and attempted to pin me there. I blinked, staring at Spencer as he stared back with waking eyes. Is he even awake? He should be awake by now.

"Hello...?" Spencer's eyelids remained halfway shut.

"Hi," My eyes were trained on him. "What are you doing?"

"Uh... I don't know," Spencer lifted his left arm to rub his eyes. "I feel strange right now..."

"You look nice after waking up."

"How so?"

"Your sleep state," I poked the tip of his nose like pressing a button. He jumped to his feet, squeaking, "H-huh? That did not feel right𑁋"

"You turned into a deer... man," I giggled at his reaction, even if I should probably be calming him down. His eyes were wide and bright as if I shocked him awake with a taser made of words. He tiredly tumbled out of his room, heading down the hall.

I stood up, placing a hand over my mouth to mask some involuntary giggling. What was the time? My phone's probably in my bag. Where did I put it? I'm certain it was still on me when I last put it on. I guess I would've taken it off before getting on the bed, yet when I glanced around the room, there was nothing. Frantically, I raced right out of the room, swiftly exiting and heading toward the door that was once impaled.

When I left his room, I saw one of the doors on the left open, a dim white light protruding from within with a smell of chemicals and lavender crawling out from the box of bright glimmers. Spencer was panting heavily. From where I was, I could see his right shoulder, arm, and hand gripping the edge of the sink right outside of the bathroom door. A mysterious feeling was welling up inside of me, one that I felt before when talking to him, though it felt amplified. I'm not sure why I felt like this, yet it updated my current worry with a new version: see what's wrong.

I stood tall in the light, my eyes irritated by the immense power of the light's fluorescent glare. Spencer was gripping his marble, shiny sink filled with bathroom items so cheap it was as if the mansion was a movie set for a low budget film with a large tub and toilet accompanying the other corners of the restroom, all pristine and well-kept just like many of the other appliances in the house. Even in all of the glorious shines and lights that attempted to soothe his nerves, Spencer was crying. His fingers were strangling the sink sternly, veins pulsing through his sea blue fur as if it were skin. He had his phone resting on the open corner of the sink, not even the most modern model like most rich kids. The screen was dark yet the time was clear. It was two in the morning, which means we both have three hours until we're no longer in our sleep states. He should be relishing in his sleep state. Why is he crying?

I stepped closer to him. I didn't really care if he'd want me to go away, for some reason. I just wanted him to stop crying.

"I'm... I'm..." Spencer mumbled, his eyelids slamming shut viciously.

I hesitated before placing a hand on his shoulder. I wasn't sure how to comfort him but I didn't think hugging a guy who I just met wouldn't be an optimal way of comfort. How could I comfort someone without making them mad? Giving any affection to males I don't know who aren't confirmed means certain discomfort, according to my most vile yet only source of interacting with nice boys. "I-It's okay..." I stammered, trying to say the right words. Saying the wrong words would mean certain failure. Even if I fruitlessly say the wrong things, at least I tried my best, right?

"I'm... I'm a𑁋"

"Deer?"

"No, a monster..." Spencer sighed, his body slumping onto the sink standing silently before him. He whined, "This isn't right. I... I look like this? This is who tore holes in the doors and ruined everything? This?"

"But a sleep state isn't a monster," I placed another hand on his back.

"But I'm not human..."

"You are human," I placed another hand on his other shoulder, which made him slightly jump.

"So this town turns you into monsters?"

"No, it doesn't! It makes you... you... if that makes any sense."

"This doesn't feel like me."

"It is you. You uniquely shaped this sleep state through you and only you."

"Is this me?" Spencer stood up, staring at himself in the mirror, his face twitching. He chuckled, "How does that represent you? You're kind. You don't bite. You're only a little feisty."

"Well, if it is me, then how is it not me?" I blinked. "If I look like this, then it has to represent me."

"How do you know?"

"You do know scientists research things and let us know about them so we don't fear them, right?"

"Nobody here looks like you though..."

"People still fear them."

"Why?"

"Listen to yourself," I sighed.

"...People don't like how they look?"

"It's... common," I murmured. "I try not to get annoyed by people who hate sleep states."

Spencer returned the sigh, standing up and shrugging my comforting hands off of him. "I'm... sorry for keeping you here until two in the morning. Y-you can go," He stuttered.

"Do you know where my backpack is?" I asked.

"You dropped it at the front," Spencer replied quietly, resting his elbows on the rim of the sink. "I need... I need rest."

"That'll mean you'll remain in your sleep state for most of the school day tomorrow𑁋"

"That's fine," Spencer sighed. "If I see you walking around in one, then I'll be fine in one."

"Then I'll make sure to get some rest too," I smiled. "We can be in sleep states together!"

"You don't... have to be," Spencer crossed his arms. "I just need to get used to mine."

"Well, then you won't have to look out of place," I giggled, patting his back. "Thank you for being so kind to me. Even if it took the whole day, it was honestly really nice spending the day with you."

"Heh, I... I guess so..." Spencer smiled, his lips sheepishly widening to form the awkward grin.

"Thank you," I resisted the urge to call his smile cute.

"You're welcome," Spencer looked toward the ground, a faint yet obvious red blush on his blue fur. I let out a quiet giggle before stepping out of the bathroom and toward the hallway door. "See you later!" I beamed before laughing.

"See you..." Spencer chuckled for the first time today.

And then I left.